Alan Bellingham
@bellinghman.bsky.social
I'm sure I've got a user icon round here somewhere
I've just suggested a look at specs and reviews and wow, that's a beast!
(Also a ton heavier than my last MG, which was the top end ZT)
(Also a ton heavier than my last MG, which was the top end ZT)
December 5, 2025 at 8:12 AM
I've just suggested a look at specs and reviews and wow, that's a beast!
(Also a ton heavier than my last MG, which was the top end ZT)
(Also a ton heavier than my last MG, which was the top end ZT)
No, it's a double barreled name. And having just googled him, he's on LinkedIn, so I'll give him a quick poke there
(He specialises in yacht insurance, so gets to visit the insured vessels)
(He specialises in yacht insurance, so gets to visit the insured vessels)
December 4, 2025 at 6:24 PM
No, it's a double barreled name. And having just googled him, he's on LinkedIn, so I'll give him a quick poke there
(He specialises in yacht insurance, so gets to visit the insured vessels)
(He specialises in yacht insurance, so gets to visit the insured vessels)
I wonder how many there are - our friend had the initials VM-S. We lost contact with him a while back
He cooked a mean garlic-stuffed chicken, and didn't (when we first met him) have a hot tub
He cooked a mean garlic-stuffed chicken, and didn't (when we first met him) have a hot tub
December 4, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I wonder how many there are - our friend had the initials VM-S. We lost contact with him a while back
He cooked a mean garlic-stuffed chicken, and didn't (when we first met him) have a hot tub
He cooked a mean garlic-stuffed chicken, and didn't (when we first met him) have a hot tub
Thanks. I'll just agree with you on the apparent lack of wealth of much of the titled community, and just wonder whether supposedly defunct titles (French Princes, Romanian Counts) count in the estimation of the columnist
December 4, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Thanks. I'll just agree with you on the apparent lack of wealth of much of the titled community, and just wonder whether supposedly defunct titles (French Princes, Romanian Counts) count in the estimation of the columnist
Actual wealth comes with the whole Nouveau Rich thing too. Well except for the aforementioned DoW
December 4, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Actual wealth comes with the whole Nouveau Rich thing too. Well except for the aforementioned DoW
Ooh, never come across that. Having had a quick search, is that a sparkling red? If so, no wonder it isn't known here
Yes, English sparklies, like The Trouble With Dreams, can be very strongly modelled on Champagne in both style and pricing
Yes, English sparklies, like The Trouble With Dreams, can be very strongly modelled on Champagne in both style and pricing
December 4, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Ooh, never come across that. Having had a quick search, is that a sparkling red? If so, no wonder it isn't known here
Yes, English sparklies, like The Trouble With Dreams, can be very strongly modelled on Champagne in both style and pricing
Yes, English sparklies, like The Trouble With Dreams, can be very strongly modelled on Champagne in both style and pricing
There's a common confusion between being titled and having money - the Duke of Westminster excluded, of course. But yes, the traditional battered Landy is the automotive equivalent of country tweeds, being something that may cost a bit more to start with but that lasts forever
December 4, 2025 at 1:58 PM
There's a common confusion between being titled and having money - the Duke of Westminster excluded, of course. But yes, the traditional battered Landy is the automotive equivalent of country tweeds, being something that may cost a bit more to start with but that lasts forever
My personal preference, if avoiding Champagne itself, is to go for one of the Cremant wines, or for a Cava. Both of those use the Champenoise method, and the result - for me, YMMV - is better than the Proseccos I get given
December 4, 2025 at 1:51 PM
My personal preference, if avoiding Champagne itself, is to go for one of the Cremant wines, or for a Cava. Both of those use the Champenoise method, and the result - for me, YMMV - is better than the Proseccos I get given
It's one of the first I used, and I see a lot of blocks as a result, blocks where the poster in question is obviously a bigot judging by the replies
December 4, 2025 at 1:01 AM
It's one of the first I used, and I see a lot of blocks as a result, blocks where the poster in question is obviously a bigot judging by the replies
Are you sure that's not an Anne Sudworth painting?
December 4, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Are you sure that's not an Anne Sudworth painting?
Half a cord? What's that in stones?
(Having checked, it seems about ten hundredweight, depending on the wood)
(Having checked, it seems about ten hundredweight, depending on the wood)
December 3, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Half a cord? What's that in stones?
(Having checked, it seems about ten hundredweight, depending on the wood)
(Having checked, it seems about ten hundredweight, depending on the wood)
So odd, but do we really know that Big Paleontology isn't dominated by Utahraptors in flesh suits?
December 2, 2025 at 7:19 PM
So odd, but do we really know that Big Paleontology isn't dominated by Utahraptors in flesh suits?
And at the bottom, Roman cobbles
December 2, 2025 at 5:48 PM
And at the bottom, Roman cobbles
An absolutely glorious story - but then, look at who the author is
December 2, 2025 at 5:44 PM
An absolutely glorious story - but then, look at who the author is
I've definitely seen worse, so not a bad first attempt
December 1, 2025 at 10:59 PM
I've definitely seen worse, so not a bad first attempt
That sounds very plausible to be fair
December 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
That sounds very plausible to be fair
FWIW it's a fairly common usage in my social media circles
December 1, 2025 at 3:30 PM
FWIW it's a fairly common usage in my social media circles
They're already on a blocklist I subscribe to - it'd be nice to know which, but hey
December 1, 2025 at 3:28 PM
They're already on a blocklist I subscribe to - it'd be nice to know which, but hey
My wife's generation were all called Susan. She escaped: that's only her middle name, her first name is sufficiently rare in this country that we've only encountered one other Brit with the same name
Combined with my surname, she ought to be unique, but no, there's a Brasenose D.Phil student too
Combined with my surname, she ought to be unique, but no, there's a Brasenose D.Phil student too
December 1, 2025 at 3:24 PM
My wife's generation were all called Susan. She escaped: that's only her middle name, her first name is sufficiently rare in this country that we've only encountered one other Brit with the same name
Combined with my surname, she ought to be unique, but no, there's a Brasenose D.Phil student too
Combined with my surname, she ought to be unique, but no, there's a Brasenose D.Phil student too
We know a lot of people named Karen. They've almost all picked up nicknames, so Angua and Hypatia and so on, but for a while the label Yak was waiting for the next one. That's YAK for Yet Another Karen
December 1, 2025 at 11:30 AM
We know a lot of people named Karen. They've almost all picked up nicknames, so Angua and Hypatia and so on, but for a while the label Yak was waiting for the next one. That's YAK for Yet Another Karen
Ah, a proper traditionalist!
I love that Japanese borrowed our word for the colour, just adapting it slightly so it became 'pinku'
I love that Japanese borrowed our word for the colour, just adapting it slightly so it became 'pinku'
December 1, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Ah, a proper traditionalist!
I love that Japanese borrowed our word for the colour, just adapting it slightly so it became 'pinku'
I love that Japanese borrowed our word for the colour, just adapting it slightly so it became 'pinku'