mr2mk1g

True - there is a national DNA database. This is a collection of DNA data taken from people convicted of serious crims and is available to the police force. There were murmers about rolling out the idea to include everyone but that was quickly shut down from what I remember (if someone has evidece of the idea being run with though please point it out). Its also true that this sort of data could be added later, but that's true of everything in life. Beisdes - it would take a big change in the current card simply to fit your entire DNA profile on there - its a MASSIVE amount of data remember.

Heck yeah its many many times cheeper. There's nothing the cops can do with regards to giving people a ticket... but using vegi oil in your car is tax evasion. Technically you need to be telling the tax man what you're doing and paying him fuel duty on it... then it aint all that cheaper than gas as 90% of what we pay over here is tax.

Perhaps they want to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands?

Yup - that sounds like the stuff they used on TV. Apparently you simply cannot tell the difference between it and real diesel when your car's running on it. Makes you wonder why the EU is paying farmers not to grop crops when we could be growing oil crops and driving round on the stuff instead of paying arabs for the pleasure.

Dude, seriously. This is NOTHING to do with DNA. Biometric does not = DNA. Biometric data is measurements of bits of your body. These cards are going to have a retinal scan and fingerprints NO DNA. Yes there is the ability for the card to hold some DNA data (I suspect an entire copy would be far far too big for the chip - DNA fingerprints are actually a tiny section of your DNA). But then it's possible for my DNA to be stored and carried arround on my IPAQ or an IPOD - are you against those too? There would be no point having DNA data on an ID card as varification would require sending off samples to a lab as opposed to a "simple" electronic reader as is the case with the other two. It would be no more secure way of determining who you are and would be far more expensive to implement - ie it aint gonna happen. Even if it was included, with the incription there is going to be on these cards a theif would have to "work" to get hold of the data on there. You better believe that anyone who has the ability to crack the chips on these cards also has the ability to take your DNA without you even knowing it. Everyone also seems to be forgetting that these cards are NOT supposed to protect anyone from terrorists. The current measures predate 9/11 and are primeraly designed to prevent ID theft and the subsequent theft of public money and services such as our free health care, free schooling, free housing, social security payments etc. These cards are designed to help a fight against illegal imigration NOT terrorism. Ok, MI5 recon a third of all terrorists also have false identities so it may help against them, but that's a fringe benefit and it's not being touted by the government - only the papers.

You're all missing my point. Fine there's now a pathetic collection of semi-weaponry on board - I don't care that much if they're there or not. What pissed me off was the fact that we have to go through such huge security measures to keep such benign things as nail clippers and nail files off the plane only to find the damn airline has brought worse on themselves. Make your damn minds up! You either want a "sterile" plane environment or you don't! If knives are OK, leave us alone. If they're not then don't bring them on the pissing plane yourself!

Absolutly true, I completely accept that interpretation and I'm sure many would come to a similar conclusion... but I also think some people would come to the conclusion that when a manufacturer says something is not recommended - it may well be for a safty reason. The consumer doesn't know if the canopy is (for example) prone to collapse at low wing loadings - they can only rely on the manufactuers recomendations and they ignore them at their own peril.

I don't see any 25mm step rings out there in cyber space, but that was only a cursory search. There must be some - at least orriginating from Sony as they've brought out a camera with that damn fitting. Your best bet would be to find a mate with some precision milling tools and simply make one, it's not too hard given the right equipment - my housemate's made some. Or approach a local highschool or collage and see if any of their students is stuck for a project idea. I keep meaning to ask my local collage if they have anyone who would like to make some nylon or acrylic step rings so a riser strike would only take off the lens as opposed to front of the whole damn camera (ie the step ring is a sacrificial weak point in the system).

Purely platonic my love I assure you. It was nice to meet you though - pitty we hardly got to talk. See you next time I'm out that way.

All you have to do to run a desel off vegetable oil (even used oil from friers) is to add about a tea-spoon of a thinning agent/gallon to it (I forget the specific chemical). Popular UK TV program called Top Gear did some tests and could run any diesel off the stuff and it cost peanuts.

Does the fact that he describes it as a "boat" at that loading negate his statement that the recommended minimum loading is 1.2? I was not seeking to put emphasis on any part of his comments, I merely quoted the salient part of his statement in the interests of brevity. I do not belive his subsequent comment has any impact on whether or not a statment to the effect that 1.2 is a "recommended minium" was ever made.

well he does say: Stating 1.2:1 as a "recommended minimum" could easily be taken to mean it is unsafe below that - afterall its the same wording other manufacturers use with regards to a recomended maximum wing loading and there most would proabably agree that exceeding the maximum recommended loading is unsafe.

Not bagging it is asking for trouble - the less attention I draw as I go through security the better, whether I have a rig on or not (its an exit only - even if they have gloves on). Bag it with nothing else in the bag, (whether checked or carry-on). If something in a bag triggers a finger tip search then SOP is to open up the whole thing - rig an all.... would be a shame if your personal stereo or shaving cream caused a re-pack.

yup - mpg. See somthing like this: http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/nav?page=car.stories.detail&storyId=582346 90mpg cars are not particularly common yet, but exist non the less. City cars on sale now do not sell well against their competition unless they can claim 50 odd miles/gallon. Yes miles.

Both of us were carrying rigs as hand luggage as we passed through CDG - both outbound and on the way back we had three between us. As it was a transit stop we had to go through both incoming and outgoing security checks. Not a single issue with our rigs which were x-rayed and my mates was hand checked on boarding the plane. The screener abandoned the search when he was told it was a rig and was given a flat "NO!" when he asked my mate to open it.

its funny, individualises your quipment and costs like $10-$20

I recently travelled back to Europe from LA on Air France. Whilst I was generally surprised by the overall crappy service my friend and I received, there was a far more concerning issue highlighted by our trip. 1. We were given metal knifes and forks (not overly sharp, but full-tang, metal knives with serrated edges that could easily cause lethal stab wounds). 2. We were also given small glass bottles of wine - a perfect size to be broken and used as a stabbing/slashing implement. 3. There were also full sized bottles of champagne in self-service galley areas that would have been lethal if used as a blunt-force weapon. Bare in mind that I removed my hook knife from my carry-on rig before travel and my friend had his key-ring bottle opener confiscated by customs, where there was a big sign saying "No nail clippers". Does this seem stupid to anyone else? Being worried about such pathetic items as nail clippers yet actually providing passengers with metal knives and large heavy bat shaped objects. This wasn't even in business class either - it was coach... so a terrorist doesn't even need to be well funded in order to take over an Air France plane! (p.s. travel Virgin or Continental - Air France in-flight entertainment, food and overall service really really suck).

great job... you just turned one of the worlds most perfect women into jello.... well done. [slow clap]

31mpg sucks when you have to pay $7 a gallon as we do in the UK. We all laughed when we saw a car add stating it had excellent gas consumption at 32mpg... in the uk 60+ is good, 90+ is great, 32 sucks ass. My 3ltr supra can make 32 on the motorway and that bloody well drinks the fuel like it personally has shares in the middle east. We laughed again when we saw people complaining on the news that the price of gas had just risen above $2 a gallon and saying they would stop driving if it got to $2.5 a gallon... then we all cried and flew home to fill up on $7 gas.

Think hard before going down the PC109 route - it has only a 25mm lens (although it is the smallest and lightest of the PC series yet). Most camcorders use a 30mm or 37mm lens and so stepping down the wide angle lens to the 25mm thread will be a pain in the arse. Also a smaller lens means less light which means poorer footage. Just anther factor to consider I'm affraid.

for the drawings teacher gives you... I interpret it as with a bag dump, the canopy effectivly stops while you carry on at 120mph... for the length of the lines... then you are promptly also brought to a stop... 200lb of meat going from 120mph - 0mph in 0ft/0sec - thats gonna hurt and puts a lot of stress on your gear.

The last thing to go through my mind should I go in would probably be.... my arse - as I'd be in sit!

works for me - its called Grumpy (and I couldn't be happier)

Having now met Rosa, I can confirm that she is possably the most perfect woman the world has ever seen. Far beyond the grasp of mere mortals - give up the dream. Besides, she's really nice, why would you want to embarrass her by letching like this?

Thats already firmly on the cards for next year.