St Landrew

CF. Watch carefully. This is a train. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pP-Potb1LmI

Can't steer a train. It's more of a car. Need to get your FACTOIDINGS sorted.

The assist-rocket bothers me. When Thrust SSC went through its runs there were several times where they had to wind the jet engine down smoothly because circumstances were getting out of control. The rocket motor is either on or off. That's quite a circumstance when 55% of your thrust suddenly stops. Mind you, if anyone can pull this off, Richard Noble can. As far as the thing being a car, it has wheels, is steerable, and doesn't fall over at rest [so not a motobike then], and has it's own engine on board. I wouldn't take it to the shops, but I'm sure I could pick up some shopping in it, if required.

Lounge material. EDIT: Changed my mind. Decided it wasn't up to the Lounge standard, so it's here.

Echo that sentiment. We had the most boring Physics teahcer it was possible to have. However, we did have that rare commodity - a decent Geography teacher.

About an hour and a half ago. After a job over at Woolston, I dashed down to Weston Shore to see the old QE2 off. Quite brought a speck of dust to the eye. The number of times I've sailed alongside and behind that ship in the last 25 years is... well quite a few times anyway.

Space is one place which we'd like [you] to visit..!

Know what you mean. Nah, just like reliability. Couriers can teach us something about that. In the courier world there are plenty of examples of CX500s doing 250,000+ miles without major engine work. I've been reliably informed that there are a few examples that have done over 1,000,000 miles. For a motorcycle engine, that is incredible. It's pretty damn impressive for any piston based, road going engine.

LOL. Perhaps it'll be the song McCain and Palin will be singing after the US elections though. EDIT: And with that last comment I'm off to work myself.

Back to the thread. Just noticed Sirius, the brightest star** in the night sky, after our own Sol, and it's tiny. Just shows how close it is to us. **yeah, forget Venus and Mars. Stars, I said.

Whippersnapper..!

You think I'd make that comment if I was ..? American..? No, not me. EDIT: hang on, did I just miss another sideswipe..?

Nice one. Slightly less ironic next time for any US citizens reading this, perhaps..? EDIT: That reminds me, I wonder if Buzzin' took my advice on buying a particular sailing dinghy earlier this year..? Oi, you out there Watford laddie..?

Btw MB. You missed a fine opportunity to mention that Surtsey is younger than me.

Don't give up hope though, and be ready to leap in at any notice.

Who really killed JFK..? But perhaps the reason why nothing has come out about Obama not being born in the USA is because there is nothing to come out. Being born in Hawaii means he's eligibale to be President.

Hence why I'm an IT consultant AND a carpet fitter too. I have had occasion where I did some IT work for a company, and then weeks later fitted carpets in their offices. Odd combo, eh..? You should have seen the looks on the faces of the staff.

'Ere, this p!ss take is going a bit far. I'm not ancient. I was only 50 last month, and I'm as fit as a fiddle. OK, the last bit is a slight fib, as I'm a stone overweight. But I can still quickly clamber all over a boat and sail it. That's enough for me.

Yep, and almost right on the mid-Atlantic ridge, where the sea floor is spreading at a couple of millimetres per year, and the reason for the existence of the Atlantic Ocean. If you have Google Earth, take a look at the Hawaii chain of islands, and then pull back. You should notice a line of Seamounts [to the south-east] rising from the ocean floor. These are where the Pacific plate is fairly thin, and as it passes over the mantle, there is a local area where the magma bursts through. Seamounts are fairly common, and are so named because they don't break the surface to become an island.

Read the link. I feel sorry for the bloke, but it's the real world. I suppose the salutary leson is to never live above your means, and never, ever be too dependant on one skill. Have a few strings to your bow.

Added to which, there will be new coastlines revealed, as the ice retreats for the very first time in 1000's of years in those areas. BTW, thank you Pancake for that little photo. If I'm the one in the centre, I'm obviously on good form.

Doh..! This won't be because of new land being created, as you're thinking, but the existing lands having the sea encroaching, and forming new islands, for example. The Isle Of Thanet springs to mind. If you want an example of a properly new land mass being formed, then type Surtsey into Google. 45 years old next month, so it's a very young piece of land.

I'm with Dubai Phil on this one. Polar Bears and fizzy drinks..? It has to be Cresta

Yes. Although I haven't researched it myself, apparently the 2007 minimum might be the extent of the shrinkage for a few years. The 2008 shrinkage was quite a bit less.

Without even reading the link, my first reaction was... at least the kids were spared.. Oh, so often you hear of estranged husbands taking the kids away for the day and winding up in some spot where he takes their lives and his own. I think those children just might rather be orphans than dead. Just my opinion, of course. I'll now read the link.