hanskiz

I know it sounds silly but I 'just knew'. I did the test about 4 days before I was due and sure enough... Now 28 weeks.

Hi, I'm expecting my first baby in April and was jsut wondering if anyone else is due that month? I live in walkley and would really like to meet some local mums-to-be as I don't have any family in sheffield and none of my other friends are even thinking about babies!

I'm not talking about HIPs (I don't know enough about them to comment yet), its the energy efficiency that I'm interested in, I don't know whether a low energy efficiency rating would stop me buying a house at the moment but with rising fuel prices its certainly becoming more of an issue for a lot of people (and thats without any ethical reasoning). I do agree wholeheartedly that house buying/selling is a total nightmare though! Perhaps we need a cultural shift back towards people putting down roots and moving less often. We could all save a lot of money and heartache!

I'm interested in eco-renovation and am trying to get information on the best types of house to look into and the most energy efficient building materials etc. How energy efficient can you make the average victorian terrace? What are the best options for achieving high energy efficiency? Can it make a significant difference to the price of the house? Personally I think we should all make our houses as energy efficient as possible for ethical reasons but I was wondering what the realistic cash benefits are for renovation and selling on? I'm trying to persuade my partner who is sceptical, that eco-renovation is worthwhile!

I've done this in my house. I think the structural calculations cost about £150 and the work itself about £200. The RSJ was £30 from a scrap yard. Its made a huge difference to the house and means we have a useable kitchen rather than a mini kitchen! Also its made the whole room lighter and brighter and generally nicer. Good luck with it..

Has anything happened with any of this yet? I'm really interested in eco building, and although not in a position at the moment to get involved myself, I'd love to hear all about these projects. Maybe you could keep an online blog?

Thanks for all the replies... it sounds like the old trams are fondly remembered. Its such a shame we don't have them anymore, I'm a huge fan of them as a means of public transport, and it seems that they are being reinstated in lots of places, including parts of london!

I have tried to look this up online, but no joy. Does anyone know why the old tram system was scrapped? Is there any chance it could be reinstated?

I honestly don't know, but I think its unlikely. I was just agreeing with kenH when he said that the conspiracy theorists had probably got it wrong too. I think what I'm trying to say is that with corporations so powerful in the world today, the fact that the media is largely owned by these powerful bodies probably throws up a certain amount of problems in terms of 'clashes of interests'. After all a corporations primary function is to create wealth for its shareholders, there must be times when accurate and truthful journalism is sacrificed to prevent scandal and loss of profit? Thats just my opinion though.

Well said!

Thanks! To those who think I sound paranoid, I know, but the fact of the matter is that the media IS largely owned by big corporations (or mostly Rupert Murdoch!!), and I personally wouldn't trust any of them as far as I could throw them (ie, not at all). I don't think I'm being watched by the men in black (or aliens, or the government), but I do think that what is read in the media and how events are portrayed, should be taken with a pinch of salt. Thats all. Its not a big conspiracy as such it is just corporations doing what is in their interests, if this coincides with the truth then fantastic, but often I think the two are at odds. Don't believe everything you read!!

LOL! I was wondering who they were!

I think its a great idea... Everyones a winner!

As I neither have children nor a car, I really am not part of the problem!!!

He he! That doesn't sound like fun! Its true that even the most gorgeous colour can turn out to be all wrong though... Tester pots are definitely the way forward, even if they do make your house look like a patchwork quilt for a few weeks!!

I agree... I'm just offering free advice..

Sorry, I meant the OP! I was just passing on my number...

Actually its snowing quite a lot!!!!

Its snowing in walkley too... but not very much:(

I have PM'd you..

I am currently at uni (I'm 25), and I left school at 16. I would strongly recommend an Access Course. You can do them part time or full time depending on other commitments and all universities acknowledge them. I think they are equivilent to 2 or 3 A levels and you can do a huge variety of different courses. Hope this is helpful. Good luck!!

It doesn't take many to completely block the road though does it? One, in fact!

I'd just like to say that parents who drive their children to school unecessarily is my top pet hate. I live up the road from a primary school and witness terrible (illegal) parking, blocking the road with oversize gas guzzling 4x4's, speeding down narrow steep roads, and a general disregard for everyone but themselves on a daily basis. I think it is quite representative of attitudes in wider society today. People only seem to care about themselves and their families, there is no regard or respect for the community around them, and quite frankly its just selfish individualism and it makes me really really cross! If everyone just took a step back and thought about the way they are behaving and stopped being so selfish the world would surely be a much better place.

I second that!!

The major problem is that the media is complicit in the coverup. Whether its a conspiracy or a **** up the government does not want us to know what really happened, and the so called free press has done very little to try and find out. The odd article here and there is just not good enough. Its a recurrent problem which basically lies in the fact that a large percentage of the media is owned by multinational corporations with vested interests. The rest of the media which is supposedly independent relies hugely on advertising for its revenue, advertising by the same multinational corporations! The point I'm trying to make is that knowledge is power and that to give 'the people' knowledge through accurate, truthful, and non biased reporting would be disastrous for those in power as we might actually start questioning either their competence or their motives! Whether or not 9/11 is a huge conspiracy we will never know the truth because nobody is prepared to tell us. Its simply not in their interests. The truth is a dangerous thing, and should not be taken lightly.