I totally agree with what Zippy said. My mother always instilled in me that having children was the most important job an adult could do. And it is always preferable to be in a stable relationship with the money to give them a good start in life. Of course it doesn't always happen like that but it also pisses me off that people pop out kids without thinking it through properly and even deserting them on a whim. There's also the children that chose not to have a parent in their life for one reason or another.

I have heard lots of women say oh I'll have kids with him but not marry him. Children are more of a lifetime commitment than marriage could ever be.

Anyway....

My code's compiling

Can you clarify? That could mean that the primary function of an adult is to procreate and raise offspring, or it could mean that if you have children, raising them is the most important thing you do.

What I find mad is that, in total, he'll maybe rival John Cleese for court settlements to the women and kids - even Law will struggle to pay as he gets older if they're ongoing.

No definitely not primary function as she taught me to be independent and create a life for myself. She meant that raising them is the most important thing you do. She always thought she was a bad mother as she never really wanted children (it was mainly my Dad that wanted kids) but I think she did a fantastic job with me and she was a very unique parent in many ways.

I miss her so much every day. Next month it will be 2 years since she died. She was one of the most intelligent, funniest and wise women I have ever met. She will always be my best friend.

The "problem" with children is that unlike marriage, you can't "divorce" your kids (once they're born). If you go back to the Olden Days, marriage and children were both important commitments. Nowadays, you'll have women popping out kids because it nets them more benefits from the Govt, and you have people marrying/divorcing/remarrying like buying cars.

Which reminds me. I need to look at a new car. Could I ever buy a BMW and not look pretentious/twattish?

you seem to already drive like a beemer owner

I might drive fast at times but I always use indicators etc.

Modern beemers do have indicators. I found them by accident on mine

That was the best bit at college, the old Prime was so slow, that we'd enter our code, hit compile and spend an hour in the refectory, then come back for the compiler results.

Beemers are great cars to drive. I had an '87 M535i and a 98 528. Both surprisingly frugal - I drove from Southampton to Munich and back via Frankfurt and Hanover in the M5 and managed 40MPG average whilst cruising at 100 mph on the autobahn. They are comfortable and really driver cars. The LSD on the M5 was great fun.

Even though it was nearly 15 years old when I bought it, it could still do 155 on the autobahn and they were both cheap to maintain, as long as you used a BMW specialist, as opposed to a dealer. I have heard the newer BMW 5 series are not very economical, compared to the old ones. The Mercedes on the other hand can be very frugal.

And because they are such great cruisers, you don't feel the need to boot it everywhere.

To be honest, I found more fun keeping within the speed limits, but accelerating quickly and keeping the speed through corners. I'll quickly touch wood; I've always had relatively powerful cars, but apart from getting pulled a couple of weeks after passing my test in a clapped out Metro for doing 43 in a 30 (the road went from 40 to 30 before a bridge, but the sign was hidden by trees, the day before the council cut the trees back, the police did a speed trap there), I have never received any other points.

I used to lust after an M3. I loved the E46 body shape. I've always been careful where I boot it. The Golf set up has been fantastic for handling. But I think I need to look at a comfortable car. I spent today looking at cars on the BMW website and found myself looking at the 335i m sport and how to remap it.

A good cruiser is something I'd like. The Golf is so unhappy at 60mph on the motorway.

You'll find the golf (like a beemer) is happier at Euro speeds (55mph or 81mph)