Andy

Cheers I was very angry to see this week that a Christian group is calling for the Poppy worn to be white rather than red as "White ones were created to symbolise peace." and "The red poppy suggests the idea that our soldiers died for freedom but that's not a value-free position." What a load of bollocks. The red poppy originates from WWI where the area around Ypres in Belgium on the Western Front saw a poppy display like never before because of the churning up of the earth and the Chlorine Gas the Germans were experimenting with. It inspired the Canadian soldier, Major John McCrae, to write the poem most of us, I hope will have heard of: In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. Because of that, the British Legion took up the RED Poppy as a symbol of rememberance. It has remaind thus ever since and I would fight any attempt to change it for the sake of the "PC" brigade. How do I know this? I used to look after the computer systems for the Earl Hague Fund in Edinburgh where they have veterans, often disabled, working throughout the year to hand-make the red poppy's we all know.

John C - can you look into why I've stopped receiving ACU press releases. The last few I've had have come second hand forwarded by Clubs.

Read me

It's now official. I am NOT going to Guatamala (or Japan) next year. It's a full week off work for each of the long-hauls. If it had been USA then I'd have gone, but not Guatamala. I still plan on attending the other eight rounds. This means I'll be in Fort William for the entire SSDT instead of having to leave and then come back due to lack fo holidays from work as happened this year. I'm happy about that one

Moved from General TRIALS talk forum...

If you use the same username and password as you do for the forums then it will work and automatically upgrade your forum account. Both MUSt be itentical for it to work though

I absolutely understand where you're coming from. When I first started TC both the site and the company I work for in real life were quite small. The company I work for had around 4000 employees globally. Now Trials Central is massive and the company I work for, due to mergers & acquisitions is the world's fourth largest software company with over 15,000 employees - in less than five years That's changed the landscape and my working life a helluva lot and Trials Central HAS to fit in around my real-life job. There is no alternative as I could never make enough from this to give up working. I travel a lot - which can be anywhere in the world at almost zero notice. Check out this topic for proof of that. I have a pile of stickers, I have a pile of addresses, I have a pile of blank address labels. I have not had time to print those labels, stuff the envelopes, stamp them and send them out. If I had the time then they'd have been done by now. Any volunteers to stuff envelopes?

Thanks John - I knew I'd heard something along those lines. I think it was George Turner that told me, but it was before I got my interest in WWII so didn't pay as much attention as I would have now.

I'm an absolute supporter of Rememberance Day (as can obviously be seen by the current Trials Central logo) due to my passion for WWII history and 100% support the fact that we should never forget what those who have gone before us went through in order that we may live free lives. (The fact that we can't and we're making a complete mess of the world may have made them think differently about their sacrifices, but that's for a different topic...) I seem to recall being told some of the guys involved in the SSDT in previous years were despatch riders in WWII. Can anybody confirm?

I knew you were an artist of some sort, but "commercial" would not have been my first choice of word to describe what sort of artist you are

I've deleted a couple of posts from this topic. To explain why, I received an email showing concern about locations being publicised. "This quarry has served the trials community for many decades and, whilst hidden from view, lies in the middle of an area with a huge minimoto etc problem. The local paper even uses pictures of trials riders to illustrate the "menace". If these guys come across the location on the web then it will be finished within a fortnight." "Any genuine rider only has to ask at a trial to get the location so there is no desire to restrict use to an elite, just to avoid loss of the only decent practice venue that side of Edinburgh." I can absolutely understand the concerns raised and hope those who I've "censored" can too. With practice areas in short supply, it's probably better to keep them "word of mouth" these days

HL's hubby?

I'm not going to name names, but it wasn't Legs. All will become apparent sooner or later anyway so I don't need to. BTW BJ - Taking advertising on the site makes no difference to the forum rules. Advertising still isn't allowed in the forums by anyone. I'd probably turn a blind eye if it happened by an advertiser on the odd occasion though.

I've met Cota Kid's other half. She'd chew you up and spit out the bits!

My recommendation would be to buy from either Sandifords or Shirty via the Gas Gas shop. Both support Trials Central financially.

Absolutely you can. I encourage it - providing you have no link or business interest in that dealer. What we had was a dealer hiding on the forums under a false name pointing and recommending people towards his own business. It was misleading information and taking advantage of free advertising.

Having just busted and banned a UK Trials dealer from all areas of Trials Central for advertising on the Trials Central Forums under a false name, I would remind all readers that advertising of a commercial nature of any kind on these forums is strictly prohibited. The rule is in place to ensure the forums remain a spam-free zone where people can talk about Trials, Trials products and whatever they want to without advertising or people trying to sell to them. As the party involved has learned tonight I will come down HARD on anyone abusing these forums to sell their wares...

The day that the muppets known as Octagon take over the outdoor is the day I quit Trials! Ringo - in answer to your question, I really don't know. I *think* it's because the manufacturers see South America as an untapped market, but then I'm the muppet that gave the Beav his own forum so I'm obviously insane

There isn't any - which is why you should take it with a very large spoonful of salt. Same thing happens every year.

Go sing us Summer Holiday. My granny liked that one.

One thing that's being commented a lot on in the survey is the number of useless replies to topics. Can't say I've ever seen any myself...

That's the date the FIM has given as I've got the same date. Probably Ladies World Friday, Ladies TdN Sat and Mens TdN Sun as per this year.

An hour ago my diary was pretty empty for next week. Now it's... Sunday Take car to Edinburgh airport Take taxi to Edinburgh Waverley Train to Newcastle Taxi to Gosforth Check into hotel in Gosforth Monday All day roadshow event at Hotel Tuesday Taxi from Gosforth to Newcastle Meeting with customer in Newcastle Taxi from Newcastle to Newcastle Airport Fly to Heathrow Fly to Barcelona Check into Hotel in Barcelona Wednesday All day Microsoft event Thursday All day Microsoft Event Friday Microsoft event till 1200 Taxi to Barcelona airport Fly to Heathrow Fly to Edinburgh Drive home Open beer Drink beer Any of you Ubergeeks going to Tech.Ed next week? Apparently it's good for freebies

Which is why I'm on the phone at the moment at least twice a day (usually more) with John Hulme of UK YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE. I believe there is a place for both Internet-based publication like Trials Central AND printed press. I also believe by working together we can achieve far more for the sport than we could by working individually. I'm no Eric Kitchen and would never pretend to be, but if you've not already seen it YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE Spain ran a seven page article (plus front cover, plus double spread pic) earlier this year on the SSDT using my photos along with a five page spread, again using my photos, on the Pre-65. I wasn't paid for that and never requested payment. What I did request was a bit of publicity in their magazine for Trials Central and trialsphotos.com. I got what I wanted, they got what they wanted and two great events got a shedload of press coverage they wouldn't have got otherwise. Internet and printed press working together - proof it can and does work. If you've not seen it, PM me your address and I'll post it up - but I want it back as I only have one copy