nacmacfeegle

Aye, but we'll still find reason to disagree on how many are in a billion, the size of a gallon, and the correct way to spell humour. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Morning, Been away for the weekend, things have moved on a little.... Okay yep, I see both yours and PJs points, in an argument I'm having difficulty challenging. Even though it feels instinctively wrong to allow alcohol and firerarms to mix. In fact by doing away with laws that patently are innefective in avoiding the situation, one could actually argue that changing the situation to allow CCW etc in bars will ultimately encourage mixing alcohol with firearms. Much better to disallow firearms in general, but hell, I'm not going there again..... Sheesh Kennedy, it looks like you need better law enforcement, not better laws.

"getting drunk and having fun." Trust me, I'm working on it. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Aha, repost, sorry, move along folks, nothing new to see here. edit to add Mark, yes, I agree, I don't think there is one particular reason, I'd like to see Wikkipedia's entry in about 50 years time though......... -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"I'd been avoiding random and unecessary jabs, but I'm noticing it's the theme of the entire forum here." Lets endeavour to change that then.

Dave, I shit you not sir, when I got back from H-town, a fellow connoisseur and myself went in search of a decent Margherita here in Aberdeen. We were subjected to all sorts of concoctions, but by far the worst was a glass of gin and lime with the glass dipped in icing sugar. I tell you brother, some things here in the UK just ain't right. Certain bar staff do know the meaning of the term "Ass Hat" now though. Have a good weekend y'all, its time for a cool beer here, shame its not a Shiner. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"Standing in line waiting to (pull a lever, punch a chad, check off a list, push a buttom) is so much more fun than watching or playing baseball." Do you guys have beer and hot dogs at your polling stations? -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"There's no Herradura available? Or Don Julio even? Tres Generaciones?" I tick the box saying none of the above. Cuervo/Cuervo Gold(oxymoron) or washing up liquid is all I get. There is solace to be found in a 16 year old malt mind you.

Okay folks, not my own writing, but the author checks out. In my constant quest to find some reason or rationale behind the 'ill advised' invasion of Iraq, I was forwarded this.... Interesting stuff, I don't want to see the US economy hurt, as that would hurt us all, nevertheless read on and discuss, have a good weekend. By the way, I have in the past been an advocate of the "Its not all about oil" debate, but I may have to refine my opinion (flip flop) once more to position of "maybe oil had something to do with it"..... --------------------------------- The War to Save the Dollar The Americans could live with Saddam until he started selling oil for euros instead of U.S. dollars. Then the Europeans could live with him. GOOD AS GOLD From 1944 to 1971, the U.S. dollar was ``backed'' by gold, meaning that the government agreed to buy and sell gold for a fixed price in dollars. Other governments did likewise, leading to fixed exchange rates between their currencies. In 1971, when U.S. President Nixon abandoned gold backing, the exchange rate system began to unravel. Domestically, the U.S. dollar became a ``fiat'' currency, i.e. a currency whose only ``backing'' is the legal obligation to accept it as final payment of debts. Internationally, however, there is no such thing as a fiat currency, and no currency will be accepted as payment unless it is guaranteed to buy some valuable commodity. > GOLD TURNS BLACK In 1973, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quadrupled the price of oil but continued to accept only U.S. dollars in payment, so that the demand for dollars soared. From then on, the dollar was effectively backed by oil instead of gold -- and the U.S. government didn't even have to own the oil! > Because dollars can buy OPEC oil, countries that need to import oil -- i.e. most developed countries -- will accept dollars as payment for their exports. Hence everyone who needs to buy from those exporters will accept dollars as payment for other things, and so on, so that the dollar is the preferred global currency. To pay their bills, importers must have reserves of dollars. To prop up their currencies against speculative attacks, the central banks of all countries must have reserves of dollars. To get capital, poor countries must borrow dollars, and to service these debts they must export goods to obtain more dollars. About 2/3 of all currency reserves, more than 4/5 of all currency transactions, more than half of the world's exports, and all loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are denominated in dollars. As these things create demand for the dollar and shore up its value, OPEC is the more willing to accept payment in dollars. So the system is self-reinforcing. > The result is that America can export dollars, which cost nothing to produce, and receive real goods and services in return. As long as those dollars are spent outside America, they don't cause domestic inflation. And when they eventually find their way into foreign reserves, they can only be invested in American assets. This continuous flow of foreign investment (on the ``capital account'') props up the American real-estate market and stock market, and allows America to run a mammoth trade deficit (on the ``current account'') without devaluing the dollar. America's imports now exceed its exports by almost 50% (or 5% of GDP) and its foreign debt is 60% of annual GDP. > If OPEC were to abandon the dollar for some other currency, the whole process would slam into reverse. America could no longer export paper dollars for real goods and services. Corporations and central banks would sell their dollar reserves, causing the value of the dollar to plummet. The redemption of dollar reserves would force sales of the assets in which those dollars are invested, so that the American property and stock markets would crash. Other investors who have bought American property and stocks with borrowed money would declare themselves bankrupt, causing some American banks to collapse under the weight of bad debts. The newly liberated dollars could only be spent on American goods and services, which would begin to flow out of the country (reducing living standards), while the glut of dollars chasing these same goods and services would cause rampant domestic inflation. The flow of foreign investment would dry up, so that America could no longer run a trade deficit, but would have to export yet more goods and services to pay for its imports, and to service its massive foreign debt, and to accumulate reserves of the new global currency -- whatever that currency might be... > > EUROPE STRIKES BACK > In 1999, eleven member states of the European Union (EU) adopted the euro as a common accounting currency. Greece joined the Euro Zone a year later. On January 1, 2002, the twelve countries withdrew their old money from circulation, completing the biggest currency reform in history. The Euro Zone already has a bigger share of world trade than the USA. In particular, it imports more oil than the USA and is the main trading partner of the Middle East. It offers higher interest rates than the USA, but does not have a huge foreign debt or trade deficit. These things inspire confidence in the euro. It was perhaps for that reason that in 2002, China started converting some of its currency reserves from dollars to euros, while North Korea abandoned the dollar and started using euros for trade. The strength of the euro also encourages expansion of the EU and puts pressure on current members Denmark, Sweden and the U.K. to join the Euro Zone. In December 2002, ten new countries were accepted for EU membership with effect from May 2004. This will create a common market of 450 million people, which will buy more than half of OPEC's oil. > In summary, the only argument for preferring dollars to euros is that dollars can buy oil. As that argument does not affect OPEC, it would make sense for OPEC to convert its reserves to euros by mid 2004. If OPEC were then to price its oil in euros, it would increase demand for the euro, causing a huge increase in the value of its new euro reserves. These possibilities are not discussed in the U.S. media. > > ROGUE STATES > The first OPEC member to show serious disloyalty to the dollar was Iran. Since 1999, Iran has been talking about pricing oil in euros. In January 2002, George W. Bush named Iran in his ``axis of evil'' although the country is experimenting with democracy -- something that the USA, if true to its professed values, would want to reward and encourage. Undeterred, Iran converted most of its currency reserves to euros during 2002, and a proposal to price Iran's oil in euros is being considered by the central bank and the parliament. > Let us see whether the Americans find an excuse to topple Iran's fledgling democracy and to replace it with a dictatorship that just happens to prefer dollars to euros. > The second offender was Venezuela. In 2000, Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez called a conference on the future of fossil fuels and renewable energy. The report of the conference, delivered by Chavez to the OPEC summit in September 2000, recommended that OPEC set up a high-tech electronic barter system, so that members could trade oil for goods and services without the use of dollars or any other currency. The chief beneficiaries would be OPEC's poorer customers, who did not have large currency reserves. Chavez made 13 barter deals. In one of them, Cuba provided health services in Venezuelan villages. In April 2002 there was a coup against the twice elected Chavez. The coup was welcomed by the Bush administration and by editorials in numerous American newspapers, but collapsed after two days, leaving evidence that the U.S. administration was behind it. > The third and most blatant offender was Iraq. In October 2000, Saddam decreed that Iraqi oil would be sold for euros instead of dollars, with effect from November 6. Soon afterwards, Saddam converted Iraq's entire $10 billion ``oil for food'' reserve fund from dollars to euros. These facts went unreported in the U.S. media. > George W. Bush assures us that Iraq's oil belongs to the Iraqi people. But any asset priced in dollars is at least partly an American asset because it adds to the demand for dollars, allowing America to export more dollars and receive more goods and services in return. So the test of America's sincerity will be whether its new regime in Iraq continues to accept euros for oil. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------- > > Dr Gavin R. Putland > Brisbane, Australia > March 27, 2003. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Man, my Patron stash is loooong gone , all I have to replace it is the petrol known as Cuervo. Hence the Margherita to disguise the low quality Tequila available to me. Gawd, I miss Texas. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

I thought the pre-emptive strike was the Iranians supplying the bad intel? Thereby manipulating old enemies against each other.... Beer time soon, fancy a margherita? -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

I guess he doesn't really want to talk about the BoT deficit either then. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"p.s. just because no one else will vote for it! " Ah beg to differ. Two votes for Glasgow, we win! -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori." Takes me back Bill, the works of Owen, Sassoon, Kipling etc were required reading in my English literature classes. Their words may be dated, but the message is bang up to date. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Just out of interest John, was he talking about budget deficit, or the balance of trade deficit? -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"If someone breaks the law, THEN involve the authorities." Okay, like I said, this is fuck all to do with me, I'm just chewing the fat with a fellow aviator... The problem with this situation is that the law is not being very proactive (prevent the crime or hazardous situation from ocurring). Your approach is reactive, and can only be enforced after the law has been broken. In this case it could either be a drunk who is somehow found to be carrying, or a bar full of dead people because someone nudged someone else during a pool game. I suspect that not all gun owners are truly responsible people, so everyone has to suffer to legislate for the minority. Just chewing the fat with you though...adding an 'inherent safety' perspective.

Hell, even I have to agree with you on that front Chris. I started reading, then skipped to the end and decided, as we say over here.."Pish, its chist a pile o'shite". -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

On my Oddity, it is attached to the top of the PC, there's no other flaps or velcro etc. If I pack the PC correctly the pad sits pretty much flush with the base of the container. IMO (these are opinions from a user, not a gear analyst):- Pros Its always in the same place, the pad is about the same size as the mouth of the spandex. I've known hackeys and handles to wiggle about in the spandex mouth. Its less likely to snag stuff whislt bum shuffling around wee planes. Because its not 'rattling in the wind' its not as prone to partially pulling the PC out. Cons:- It feels different from a pipe or hackey. Replacing the PC will be a little more complex as I will have to get the old pad transferred over to the new PC, not a huge rigging project but a trip to the riggers nevertheless. Its not as secure as other designs I have seen with tuck tabs, velcro, etc. But then again, I'm not convinced it has to be made more secure. You can't see it, not a big issue for me, it may be for you. Final opinion...I like it, but there's really not much in it, think of it as a different style handle, thats all.. If you opt for this option, be sure to make a heap of practise pulls on the ground (always a good idea when you put on new or unfamiliar gear), get someone to watch and critique as if it were your first throwaway. Better to spend 5 minutes getting comfortable on the ground than spending 5 seconds getting stressed as the ground approaches. The pics I have here are not very clear, PM if you have any real worries. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

I don't know if your regs allow it but many Cessnas over here have a wee grip duct taped onto the top of the fuselage to assist the rear float slot. A whole load of our Cessnas don't have a step. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"none of them have the lanc ports" LANC ports were originally used for editing purposes, their adoption for things like cam eyes, or for re-coding firmware is really a minority use, even editing requirements are largely superceded by the use of firewire. I think its just Sony responding to the market, which is for high quality, simple to use, cheap cameras. Stripping out things like LANC does not really dent that market. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"Why should a person who will not drink not be allowed to carry in a bar?" That would surely be a pain in the ass to verify and administer. I'm thinking breathalysers and metal detectors at the local Ice House... "getting sloshed, then suddenly having access to it again. " If they are sloshed, they shouldn't really have access to the vehicle, but I do see your point. As you were folks, this is really naff all to do with me.

"I bet you wouldn't know a real Socialist if it bit you in the ass" Och, PJ would probably recognise the strange accent. Let me just say, that as this forum's only self confessed token socialist, PJ, your ass is safe. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Lets ban beer then...... -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Aha, its not my pic, but it is on my commute every morning. If it looks familiar, its where they filmed Mel Gibson's Hamlet.

Uh, its noon, but the early morning (6.30 ish) was pretty, Dunottar castle was poking through a bit of a cloud inversion in Stonehaven bay. A wee bit like the attached. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson