St Landrew

No need to apologise. Well said, and a sage reminder that the 5 year plan is barely underway and the first hurdle has yet to be got over.

Back to the global climate, I see Australia is reaching record hot temperatures once again. I do keep on about the Earth Heat Budget because it does help to put pay to those people who glibly say... well it's freezing here, so there's definitely no climate change..! The rise in average global temperature actually results in more extreme weather, that is climate change. But it will be compensated for elsewhere. For example, much of Oz's bushland is in severe danger of going up in smoke. A chap I know recently escaped the cold, and went to Lanzarote. He reported that it was unseasonably warm. Of course, that wouldn't be an example of climate change, would it..? No, of course not.

I wouldn't say it was out of the question.

It's safe.

Last year, at the Isle of Man TT races they held the very first zero emissions motorcycle race, the TTXGP. It was on a reduced race distance of, I believe one lap around the track, which is still 37+ miles, of course, and average speed was down to 87.434 mph. Normally, 130+mph average is obtainable.

I don't remember exactly why the Vincent broke down [thanks Colinjb for the reminder], but Vincents don't break down if you use them properly. They were famous for NOT breaking down, they were that well designed. Almost unique in that respect, back then.

On the Renault front, I see from the latest series of Renault adverts that they appear to be biting the bullet on electric cars. I give them credit for being in the vanguard.

With the berk, that is Hammond, riding it. He managed to diminish a legend. The A1 Tornado class locomotive was fun though, when I watched it last. I went to Sammy Miller's motorcycle museum a couple of months back and saw a few Vincents ranging from the late 30's to the mid 50's. It's easy to see why many people think them the most beautiful pieces of machinery that has ever been made.

More good points, hamster. Done in a amusing and entertaining way too. Ever thought of writing for a living..? Just happened to be watching a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - River Cottage programme this evening. This evening he has been introducing people who have spent a lifetime of microwaving everything, and also being completely out of touch with what they eat. Yes, he's done this sort of thing before, when highlighting the way barn chickens are intensively reared, and the appalling conditions they have to grow in for 39 days This evening he took his out-of-touchers and took them through the process of rearing meat, from field to plate, through the killing process. Some couldn't take it, but I was pleased to see most could, even though it was harrowing for them. They said they appreciated what it took, and how they were better in touch with what they ate. I especially liked the comment from one person who said that they would fully respect the animal by always doing the best they could with it come cooking time. I have always stood by that idea myself. I also make sure I never waste anything that I buy, when purchasing meat. Next week - take away junkies meet real food.

Watched it myself and did a quick review here back in March last year. http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=234751&postcount=363

I doubt it. Mellowness, as you describe, is one of those hard to define attributes that are part of analogue reproduction, and not digital. Note also that Hunky Dory would have been produced entirely using analogue recording equipment. Of course, there may have been the odd digital synthesizer, you never know. I well remember the Phillips adverts boasting the benefits of CDs. Perfect sound and impervious to scratches. Both claims completely false. It's a wonder nobody sued. I'm not a Luddite either, and I also appreciate when something is an actual improvement, and when it is just different.

Oh, I'm not knocking the effort. They are an extremely good attempt at the story, and I'm not sure anyone could have done better. If you read my reviews of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, you'll see I acknowledge that. But Bexy also mentioned how he became sick of the 3rd film due to various factors, and I can understand why to a certain extent. I would suggest that the films improve, overall for having the background knowledge that the books give you. It also helps to read certain tales from The Silmarillion.

Rather watch Monte Carlo or Bust on Film4.

Return of the King. Yep, finally got through the lot again. I don't know what it is about the film, but by the time I got near to the end I started skipping through bits of it. I remember when I first read the books, there was a moment where I wished it would hurry up. The One Ring goes into the Fires of Orodruin, and that's that. Only there are several chapters left. Tolkien manages to fill those with real meaning, and as the book story slows down after its high point, the reader [at least me] wants the book to now carry on, rather than finish. Not so with the film. It's a shame because there is still a lot to tell, but because there is very little background [for people who haven't read the stories], the significance is largely lost. I mean, who cares if the Elves sail into the West in ships at the end of the film..? Not me. But there is a proper reason for it. Another significant portion of the story was left out, that of Saruman's changes brought about on The Shire when he fled there. So we don't have the battle there either, or the death of Saruman, killed by his sidekick Grima. Even the Beeb left this bit in, on the radio adaptation back in 1980, even though they shortened it. So I was left with a film that Bexy got sick of because it became overly sentimental, and that's probably right too. The reverence does fall into sentimentality and it diminishes what is a good film trilogy overall. The whole lot gets 7.5/10, but this last film drags the score down, for me. If you're the type of person who likes to tick off significant films, books, places, etc... with a been there, done that, type of mentaility, then don't fall into the trap of watching the film trilogy and thinking you've done with the books too. Because you haven't, not by a long, long way. Scratching the surface, is a more apt description.

It does work, but you have to move the time indicator a few seconds into the playing time to get it to go. Which kind of means you miss the Pompey bit anyhow. Try again.

Oh my good le god. It still takes the breath away. The poor sculptor will never really live it down. I understand that his usual line of work is of excellent quality, but this...? I know we are past incriminations, but surely someone who saw it along the way could have put two and two together and voiced some objection..? Thankfully, Leon Crouch put his hand in his pocket, and we got an excellent replacement in double quick time.

I see Eire looks largely untouched, apart from a few spots. Good pic.

There isn't enough whisky.

Well, let's face it, he hardly got to know either player. Now if he got a current Saints player wrong..?

Get through the door.

Don't agree. Gosh..! Disagreement on the main forum. Fight, fight, fight..!

Good points hamster. BTW, I thought of Flipper too, [your previous post] several times while I was writing my posts on this thread.

Tbh, cattle would die out pretty quickly, or be used/consumed at a very low level of farming. Of course, that competely leaves out the possibility that we would keep on a strain of cow for dairy products. It's only hypothetical anyway. It'll never happen in our lifetimes [i don't think]

Japan may well use similar mechanised methods, in parts, but eastern culture as a whole does not gear its food production to cattle as much as we do. However, I believe our practices are beginning to become adopted as the western culture spreads globally. We still waste far too much food, compared to the eastern hemisphere countries. We have a lot to learn from them, yet we are as insensitive, in our own way, as we might consider them.

That's a good basis, but we need to ship out some of the guys who are never going to press for a place, and get a little bit more quality in.