MikeJD

Unfortunately, right now it'd be four hundred for Nigel and his step-dad. But I guess for someone who could afford two hundred, they'd probably find the extra two.

OK, I think we've established that Chuck Norris doesn't need to be watching his back. I'm not a pansy. The only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze.

Love that 2 1/2 minute freefall where you can talk to each other!!! "How ya like it Johnny?!?!?" wasnt it more like 5 minute freefalls!? i'd lie if that wasnt some sort of motivation to get into this whole skyjumping-thingy.. Oh God, here we go all over again . I was hoping nobody would bring up Point Break. Fat chance.

That is a fine ambition.

I like to make an e-card using Adobe Flash, if I have enough time - I plan to do it this year. Takes a lot of time and effort to put together, but at least once it's done there are no envelopes to write - I can forward them via email.

Kungfu eyebrows?

My DZ has a 1600 yard grass runway. Think that'll be ok? Even if this could physically be done, I think I'd find that jump a little steep at $200K a slot. You think he does discounted team tickets? Nothing bigger than a 6-way, I notice. Seriously - although it'd be a great dinner party story, I wonder if the experience of riding in SpaceShipTwo would be worth the money. Even if I was loaded, I can think of ways I'd rather spend that sort of cash.

Nope, sorry. You have to put that money into a kitty care fund so you don't have the dilemma when she does need surgery. Seriously, personally I try not to deal with insurers except where it's a legal/ contractual requirement, or where I simply couldn't find the money if worse came to worst. If I had a sick animal needing expensive treatment then I might have to put it on a credit card, but no problem with that.

Yeah, it's pretty direct, isn't it?

Doc, I hope there's no bad news but I've been wondering - did you find out what was wrong with your cat?

It's easily the fastest-booting Xbox game I own. Yeah, I've installed it on my hard drive but even so - minimal loading screens and a super-quick main menu. Other developers, take note! My only gripe is one that's affected all the CoD games I've played online - people keep disappearing from the lobby when setting games up, so there are often lots of iterations of re-balancing the teams etc. before the game finally starts. Not sure whether that's an issue with the software or with Xbox Live, or whether people just quit when they don't like the selected map. Invite people you know to join your party, or find friends you know who are already playing online and see if it's an option to join their game. Are you on Xbox? If so, what's your gamertag? Edited to add: sorry, just looked back and seen you're on PSN.

Oh, I thought this was going to be a thread about Nataly.

So you're saying some guys are snakes, hiding behind avatars of attractive looking women. And... you're actually a 21-year old girl?

Don't see how you could have made such a fundamental mistake. I haven't seen a 'what ho' or an 'old chap' in a single one of Nataly's posts. Not even a 'cor blimey', which would have marked her out as a commoner.

A thick skin is always a good start . Although at 16 he'll probably give as good as he gets when it comes to trash talk. If you've already got a broadband internet connection then he can either plug an ethernet cable from your router directly into his Xbox, or you'll need to get him an XBox wireless adapter if he wants to connect wirelessly. After that he just needs to sign up to Xbox Live, which he should be able to do direct from his console. Subscription costs about £6 per month in the UK. Edited to add: late again with all this info. That'll teach me to get distracted in the middle of posting.

You could come and see my family, but it won't be any fun (luckily none of them read these forums!)

I think when the time comes to put an animal to sleep - which could be at least 10 years off for yours! - we realise how much keeping pets is about us rather than about them. Cats and dogs don't have unfulfilled ambitions, or plans for the future. They neither know nor care whether life is long or short, as long as the next few minutes offer a warm bed, food and the affection of their human companions. They live in the moment, as Cesar Milan likes to say. It broke my heart to have my cats put down, but I did it knowing that keeping them alive was for my benefit, not theirs. One of them I could have had medicated so that he might have perked up again for a while, only for me to have to watch him deteriorate again. He'd have got nothing extra from life that he hadn't already enjoyed for a few thousand days. I say go to the vet and find out what's really wrong, which may be next to nothing, before you even think beyond that, and pay as much as you can afford to keep her comfortable and happy for as long as she lives. But when the time eventually comes to euthanise her, recognise that the decision is for you and your family - of all of you, the cat herself cares the least.

We're not really much for pecan pies over here, but I know it as the colour of my living room walls. It's how paint manufacturers like to describe light brown.

NOTHING cancels out Jarjar. Absolutely Godamn right. In fact, to further my 'vindicate Newt' campaign, how about a little quote-off? Newt: My name's Newt. Nobody calls me Rebecca, except my brother. Jar Jar: Mesa called Jar-Jar Binks. Mesa your humble servant. Newt: We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night... mostly. Jar Jar: Mesa day startin pretty okee-day with a brisky morning munchy, then BOOM! Gettin very scared and grabbin that Jedi and POW! Mesa here! Mesa gettin' very very scared! Newt: Ripley. Let's go. Jar Jar: Yoosa should follow me now, okeeday? Newt: Af-firmative. Jar Jar: Wesa know! Verdict: Newt - Jar Jar - un

Now who would say something like that?

I thought Newt was fine, as kids in movies go. She even has some iconic lines - and with the extended edition where you learn about how Ripley's own daughter has grown old and died while she was in hibernation, it gives their relationship a lot more meaning. Compare her to infamous movie wreckers like, say, the Ewoks, or (shudder) Jar Jar Binks, and she starts to look pretty harmless. Lay off Newt, everybody! After I posted the IMDB link, I went back and looked at some of the comments. I was amazed by how many people actually despised it! Some of the remarks were valid, but a lot of it seemed to be bitching about how everything wasn't fully explained. For me that was part of the appeal. One of the few movies I like enough to break my own rule and buy on Blu-Ray to replace my DVD copy.

What are your criteria for a movie to qualify as sci-fi? Maybe Children of Men doesn't really meet them, since its 'science' is kind of peripheral - but I thought it was the best future-set film I'd seen in a long time. It is a bit uneven, but overall I was blown away by it. Even Clive Owen wasn't able to spoil it for me. I don't see the need to consider The Matrix as a Trilogy. The original was fresh and groundbreaking and cool. Reloaded and Revolutions were so disappointing that I prefer to pretend they don't exist.

Sounds like you were well up the list of good boys and girls this year

Very sorry to hear this. There's definitely a time for all of us to go, and I think you can take comfort that someone's suffering is at an end whether you believe in a hereafter or not. Sounds like he at least had time to make his peace. Heartfelt condolences to you and your family.

All these fashions come back around. This time next year, just watch. You heard it here first.