kiltboy

I thought the dead one was Audie Murphy David

I'll be watching that tomorrow but I think there will be enough votes for Tony so that the soldiers are seen to be supported. Still we'll see what happens. I thought Robin Cook's speech was damn good myself. David

I just heard that this orange alert is more serious than previous orange alerts. So what shade of orange are we on? Is it more of the sunset type with a hint of red? Should I use masking tape instead of duct tape? Use glad wrap instead of thick plastic sheet? Help!!!! David

I just watched after watching GWB and I thought that Robin Cook handled himself with absolute class and dignity. Makes me miss UK politics. I agree with alot of what Robin Cook said and I'm disappointed that the tone taken tonight by GWB wasn't taken earlier (as Colin Powell seemed to do). I think it would have went a long way to getting the French and others on board. David

I thought the tone of his speech was at least as serious as the situation demanded. It was probably the best one I've heard him give and I can't help but think that if the same tone had been used previously then more folks would be supporting what he is going to do. Robin Cook gave his resignation statement to the House of Commons today (top right column). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2858957.stm Also worth listening to. David

True! David

For anyone that is interested, CNN is covering the UK House of Commons shortly. Tony Blair is in more than a bit of trouble with his own party. David

The BBc web page has went to an hourly update on the situation. I may have to switch on CNN (even though the coverage is crap) so I can listen to it in the background. I read on the bbc newspage that there was some dubious legal arguement that as the initial resolution for the GW1 ceasefire has not been fulfilled (i.e. disarmament) then that ceasefire is void and shooting can resume. Looks like the UN is getting brushed aside from now on. David

No more trips to the "Statue of Liberty" then? Should I take the Cypress out my rig? The discussions were interesting when backed up by credible sources of information but the inflammatory crap has gotten out of hand. David

I think it's going to start in the next 24 hours. Tony Blair told the British Cabinet and lost one minister. Robin Cook resigned from the government in protest http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2857637.stm David

I liked the ending to that piece myself. "The French provided significant military help to the Americans in their campaign against the British, and supplies of French gunpowder are widely believed to have secured the decisive American victory at Saratoga in 1777. "So in fact we have a lot to thank France for, if it weren't for them we might be British," Ms Hall Broun said. " So they were officially the first pro-american country. If this stupidity goes any further someone somewhere will either rename the statue in NY harbor or ship it back to the sender. David

Nelson was Navy, the Sharpe series was Army so a bit different. True promotions were purchased or even traded though the Royal Engineers could only be promoted by seniority and so promotion could not be purchased. Even then there was a minimum time requirement before you could purchase the next step up the ladder. In the infantry/cavalry, officers rank really didn't mean much until you were a Mayor. The unpopular/useless/dangerous ones were killed by their own troops at the first opportunity. On a side note the purchasing of promotion was used by Arthur Wellesley. Without doing so his promotion to general would have been delayed and Napolean would have won at Waterloo. David

I was having difficulty understanding Rhino's post but I cannot agree with the US-IRA comparison. If (they probably have) the Iraq government has actively supported terrorist acts against an unfriendly country the that's state sponsored terrorism. The US government did not fund, train or actively support the IRA in the IRA campaign in the UK. A small minority of US citizens did but that is not the same as claiming that the government did. From the folk I've met here, IRA sympathy is based on a lack of knowledge about what happens in Ireland/UK and because of the War of Revolution where the UK was the "tyrannical power". David

Ireland has a history of rebellion prior to 1916 (just a note for the history buffs). There will be more attempts, how successful they will be is dependant upon intelligence and luck. The assaults have already been plotted but an attack on Iraq will strengthen sympathies and improve recruiting. Just saw President Bush' speech and would like to add my own thoughts to the puzzle. The chemical weapons are known. Ask any disgruntled chemistry student how to make them and you'd be surprised what you'll hear. Similarly with the biological weapons. Weapons grade nuclear material isn't so easy to come by but the idealogy behind terrorism should be the main focus. Terrorists are resourceful people but if you remove the idealogy you don't have to worry about the weapons. David

I'm a bit confused with your post. I was talking about religion as a whole not extremists acting in an indefensible manner. I grew up in Glasgow with a catholic mother and a protestant father watching the problems in N.Ireland. People do very wrong acts in the name of religion that have absolutely nothing to do with the beliefs of that religion. Basically it comes down to tribalism /sectarianism. I believe the problem with the UN is that it lacks a means to impose it's will. By that I mean a force or method to exercise force when resolutions fail. That way the will of the UN would be upheld. I believe the current movements by Iraq are the result of the build up by the US and UK. That does not mean the UN is not importent but that the UN may have to think how it imposes its will on those nations that have a resolution passed against it. Sitting back and waiting to be pushed by the next madman is a bad idea (I think you were kidding here). The first responsibility of any administration is to protect its citizens. Can't comment on pulling out US troops from any region as I'm not American. As for the guys in the desert. I was a reservist in the British Army and my brother is still a serving soldier so I have a strong sense of loyalty to the guys and girls out there. Not Blair, not Bush but to the poor bloody soldiers that are being asked to earn their pay. What truly angers me is that they are being asked to do what they are going to do by people that have made a piss poor job of telling the rest of the world why it has to happen and (with the exception of Sec. Powell) have never heard a shot fired in anger. The guys will go. They will go soon and too many won't be coming back. David

It's when people get caught up in the details that the problems with religion start. Denying science for religion is in my view a bit messed up. That's not to say that faith can't exist. Clinging to rules and disproven ideas instead of an underlying lifestyle is what I believe is the probelm. David

I've been fine with ebay but crap can happen. Check out his feedback and see what that tells you. Also I think ebay have a complaint service that can help maybe send you in the right direction for getting recompensed. David

NASA released the crew video of Columbia as it was coming in for reentry. There's 13 minutes of tape and it ends 5 minutes before Columbia would have crossed California. You'll need to click the link on the right hand side of the BBC web page news.bbc.co.uk David

THey told me they couldn't check that!!!!! Not that I'm worried of course........ Not at all............ They were for a friend I just lent him the card. Honest David

My Fiancee loves that stuff, the hot chocolate is really rich. Bring a hat and gloves Bill it's bloody freezing up here. David

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) No I'm not making this up. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2803155.stm David

I'm trying to picture this. So the paste is on the back of the tile and you hold the tile in place. Then the sun heats up the shuttle and the paste melts and cures onto the metal? David

I was thinking that the goop would have a freezing point therefore trying to apply and work it would prove difficult in the cold. Also the change in pressure would mess with the boiling point of the goop. I wasn't thinking of sticking it in the sun's rays to warm it up to a workable temperature. I was also curious what the heating cooling cycle would have on the curing of the paste/goop to form the bond. I'm not an adhesive chemist so I was digging for some info on the chemistry part of it. David

Don't suppose you know what it consisted of? I'm curious how you have a workable goop at a temperature close to absolute zero. Exothermic reaction of the goop components? David

As far as I'm aware each tile is unique because of the surface. I've heard they're difficult to apply and that was one of the reasons that early shuttle missions would report how many tiles had came off during reentry. I've no idea how they are applied but I'd be interested to know what the curing procedure for the adhesive would be and how different it would be in the atmosphere of space. Would the adhesive even bind properly with the aluminium at the temperatures experienced in space? Would it be possible to work with the adhesive under those conditions? Yes NASA has made some spectacular achievements but many of the satellite repairs you mention were component changes (swapping boxes). They were also rehearsed repeatedly before the mission. David