Tough choice.

LJ have extended their permanent account sale, and I'm about to close the magazine and have a fairly decent total. If I work out my Christmas shopping and fuel requirements (the fuel is the most irritating bit; the car is economical but it's still expensive) and can justify buying "software" essentially that I would really rather like... I'm a bit torn on what is actually useful.

The LJ account is probably well over £100 now, thanks to the exchange rate. Probably £125+ given the scalping rates given by PayPal etc.

The Satnav discs are reduced and are now £175 for the full Europe set of 12 discs, or £85 for the UK map disc. Yes, I appreciate that compared to buying a new TomTom, this is horribly expensive (the 12 discs were £205 last month - a high-end TomTom is cheaper and more versatile) but it's fitted into the car, uses the HUD etc. It appears that the maps now reflect most major road changes I'm aware of bar Hawick's mess of North Bridge Street, and I'd rather like it to be aware of the A1 upgrades (though again, I expect 2011 to have new maps again reflecting the 2008 A1 upgrades further South, like Markham Moor Roundabout not existing as such now).

Not spending on either is the most likely outcome, but they are both things I'd rather like - either can be put off (the LJ until the next permanent account sale, the maps for as long as I can be bothered ignoring the satnav going nuts when heading to Newcastle - which every Satnav I've had has done). This poll is purely "if I did want to buy one of these things, which is the most sensible one to have". If I start thinking of other things I would find useful, then they end up massively down the list anyway.

[Poll #1313968]

Gah

Apparently a fox got into the garden at my parent's house and killed all but one of the chickens (the bantams seem to have escaped). They've never had a problem with foxes before, and everything had suitably high fences and cages, and chicken houses - plus the chickens roosted high in trees most of the time. I can't remember if it's a similar time of year to when a fox got one of the chickens in Hawick.

Half-remembered

I seem to recall a couple of years ago that Brown (as Chancellor) wanted parity with the Euro before he'd hold a referendum (i.e. ignore the wishes of the British public in a more obvious manner than usual) on Britain actually joining the Euro.

It also appears that we're heading that way.

Hell, we'll have parity with the dollar before long. And then, with the Euro, Dollar and Pound all equal... maybe we could have some sort of truly unified currency and really upset the investors trading in the variations between them...