Yeah, he's going to hold off the 2p rise for 6 months, THEN he's going to raise it 2.5p. "Oh thank you oh wise one - I'm truly stupid and I truly believe that you are helping us out." Bah! The one think I can't stand is to watch the stupidity of people who applaud the raising of fuel duty in the name of 'the environment'. If raising the price of fuel ACTUALLY got people off of the roads then all fine and dandy - but......IT DOESN'T - now, in my job, if I continually do something that doesn't work, and then keep doing it, I would be sacked (quite rightly). Usually, if I try something that doesn't work, I try something else, and so-on until I find something that DOES work. There are more cars on the road year on year DESPITE the stupid rises in fuel costs. It therefore does not work. Now, either we are being lied to (my prefered assumption) or we truly do have dunces in the cabinet. I, for one, do not believe these people to be stupid.

First thing I would do is to contact my MP: http://www.theyworkforyou.com I have found that my MP is very helpful with the barrage of cock-ups I have had when I have had the inevitable contacts with the DVLA.

...copyright, I understand, but I don't believe they would actually be awarded patented trademarks for programmes names - most names of programmes would actually decribe what the programme was about, and thus breaking one of the rules of a trademark application.

Ha - I've always said that HDD space is like wages: It doesn't matter how much you earn, you'll always spend 10% more!

YEah, 700gb isn't all that these days - I've managed to free up about 2tb recently by 'reclaiming' the older discs in my machine. 700gb would barely hold my photos. Damn 11 megapixel camera!! (and don't tell me to lower the res, I LIKE having high res ;-) )

I second this. I'm thinking of making this thread a 'sticky', purely for the excellent information and advice.

Thanks for clearing that up. Although I have a question. I don't understand how a TV programme (other than it's name) can be trademarked.

Is that really true?

Ahh - I see.

You'd have to have your wages paid into a savings account, basic account with no scoring, or a friends account (as I am currently forced to).

It looks like those amendments were made in 2004. The amendment about the way wages are delivered was, I think, in either 1984 or 1986.

Can they not drive it on a public road if they have trade plates?

I had my licence revoked, but on the letter it stated that it DID NOT affect my ability to drive for the next 12 months - if I surrendered it in that time (and paid the extra fee), then it would be business as usual. I was actually stopped and checked out by the police while my licence was revoked which may add some credence to the fact that I was still allowed to drive.

No can do. I switched to watered down p**s a couple of years ago when a friend of mine got pancreatis (sp?) and diabetes at the age of 28 (caused in no small part by Hurlimans). The only drawback is that I now have to drink twice as much. Bizarre!

Nope, but it's not for want of trying. 12 bloody cans of Fosters and for some inexplicable reason, I am as sober as a judge. The Gin bottle is looking very inviting about now.... In fact, the 'misses' has gone in search of more under the guise of 'clubbin'

Errr...I actually said that I MAKE a good fry up - I promised no fry up to anyone!! ;-)

Ooooh - we might be getting a B&B in Cant. now ourselves.

...and you do that how?

Duly bagged!

Yep - I even have the punch and judy set!! Nah - seriously, everyone is welcome to stay at mine - like I say, I have 1 full size single bed, one slightly shorter bed (about 4 foot!!!), and a full size sofa and a 2 seater sofa. We can get some blow up beds too if needed. email me ([email protected]) if you need somewhere to stay. Canterbury is about 15 miles from my house, so shared taxi's etc.. would be a lot cheaper than B&B's.. (plus, I make a fantastic fry up in the mornings!!, and the local farm shop - with fresh eggs, bacon etc... is fantastic! Smells of poo though when they 'spread' the fields - but hey, that's Kent for you! ;-) )

I can put a couple of people up if needs be. I have one spare bed and a couple of sofas if it helps.

Good idea - I do happen to agree with Coniff though - there is very little that will change these bigots' ideas, short of serious action. I'll probably be shot down for this, but there needs to be riots, and not here, but at No 10. The moment these over-protected Orwellian subscribers are in fear, is the only time they will seriously consider change. It's classic "school bully" syndrome. People should look to the Velvet Revolution in Czech. I think that this CAN happen - I also think this is the reason behind destroying societical norms like public houses, clubs, etc.... it stops people mixing and actually realising that we are sleepwalking into a police/facist state as the only point of reference would be the tabliods.

Yes. I have a pretty decent idea. It's because this government cannot be taken at their word. Everything they say is a facade for lining their own pockets. The diesel v petrol argument is barely the tip of the iceberg.

Exactly! ...and that REALLY annoys me. It's about time the law was changed BACK to how it was prior to 1984. It was changed to protect us from thieves. Well...need I say more?

I don't like this 'hiding under a bed' thing. If you don't use the TV you should be under no obligation to get rid of it - no more than you should be obligated to get rid of a car if you don't use it. If I decide to keep a TV under my bed, or in a cupboard, or in a bloody oven if I wanted to, I don't see what business it is of the TVLA if I don't use it to watch TV on. I DO have a tv in my living room - it isn't tuned to receive 50, 53, 56, or 66. It IS 'tuned' (in so much as all TVs are) to receive a signal from my XBox, a machine that cannot, at least without serious modification, recieve a tv signal. I was told over the phone that it was fine not having a license as I am not using the equipment to receive a tv broadcast. If I am fined for viewing TV, then I simply will not pay it. The last time I watched TV, there was a 20 year old re-run of a British comedy - this was 'prime time' on a Saturday. I also saw an advert for a programme called, wait for it, "Dog Borstal" - which I honestly thought was a joke and a bit of a dig at reality tv - only to find out that it was actually meant to be a serious programme!! It was around this time that I decided that I could take no more, and detuned the TV, threw one away and stopped paying for the licence. I don't see how I can be forced to pay for such drivel if I don't watch it - surely I should be inoccent until proven guilty.