MikeJD

I'm with you, Nat. I learned to play piano as a kid but only up to a minimal level (Grade 3 or 4, I think) and it was a constant battle for my parents to get me to practise. It was a privilege that few of my friends enjoyed, but it doesn't always feel like it when you're that age. Eventually they gave up and stopped paying for lessons. I've retained an interest, though, playing in bands and collaborating with friends over the years to produce songs. I do have a good ear and creative flair - I just wished those damned lessons and the associated daily practice hadn't felt like such a chore, because I'd like to be able to play really well!

My socks don't have an arse, cheap or otherwise. Tights have an arse, though. I tend to throw my socks singly into the drawer on the pretext that they're all the same - but when I come to take them out again, I'm always amazed by how many different shades of 'black' sock there are.

That - if true, and not photoshopped - is hilarious. Of course such problems could be avoided if the Welsh would all just agree to speak a modern, living language. Like English.

I read about that this morning and had to chuckle - just because it's fun to see the broadcasting establishment put on the spot, and given the BBC's woes lately they're probably desperate not to put a foot wrong. If I were them, I'd go ahead and play it. They don't have to make an explicit connection - they can just shrug their collective shoulders at the fact that this 70-odd-year old song is mysteriously back at the top of the charts.

That's Florida for you. When you're jumping the UK, 'sweaty' usually equates to 'cosy'.

From reading all that, I'd have to assume he's also a contender for 'Biggest Headstone' or 'Headstone with the Smallest Writing'!

(Puts hand up). I can certainly see it, at least in that shot. But I'm sure they at least sound very different, and Mr Germain probably isn't given to using the word 'pukka' in every other sentence.

I agree. Whatever your politics, having a street party to mark the occasion does you no favours. It just makes it look like - well, you needed an excuse for a party. If there was a time for this at all then it would have been when she was ousted from power. I wonder what those people think they're celebrating. However much they might have hated her, her demise couldn't represent any kind of 'justice' in any case. She wasn't executed or assassinated, it had been a long time since she'd had any say in the running of the country, and she died an old lady's death - like an awful lot of old ladies before her. And yep, babz, those young girls in Brixton put me in mind of toddlers wearing 'God Hates Fags' t-shirts! They probably have about as much idea of what they're doing there. I liked the article that Andy linked, though - obviously the author is no fan, but I think he made a fair point.

I'll read it if they publish it in the UK with the correct title: 22/11/63. Seriously, it's interesting that I knew the significance of that date the moment I saw it (even though I wasn't quite born at the time). I wonder how many people under a certain age would say the same.

I can see the flag flying at half-mast over the Houses of Parliament as I type. I can't think of another British Prime Minister who polarised opinion to the same degree. She was extremely controversial - admired by many, but despised by many others. In fact a lot of songs were written anticipating her death, but they did seem a little empty after watching her slip into frailty and dementia. It'll be interesting to see how history views her.

Am I the only one who kept reading the name of his company as Urethracast?

Hard to believe that for a while back then most of us seemed to favour Tevas (or Strops, which were a copy of them). In my photos from the nineties at least half the people are jumping in them, and I wore the split-toe version all the time and never gave it a second thought. Like so many dubious trends in skydiving, it was mainly about being cool... These days I just wear trainers. And since the legs of my current FS suit have always been fractionally too long, I favour the ones with the chunky soles!

If anybody wants additional rain advice, we Brits have a lot of practical experience. Sustained drizzle is our main area of expertise - for monsoon-style downpours I'd have to defer to residents of other continents.

I've never considered how well-known he is outside of the UK. Of course, he's not just a sci-fi writer - he's written many other novels as just plain 'Iain Banks' (apparently publishers suggested he add the middle initial for his sci-fi works because it made him sound 'more American'). His first novel, which I remember reading at the time, was The Wasp Factory. It caused quite a stir. Certainly an extremely creative guy with tremendous imagination.

I've heard some people factor in quality, comfort, durability, ease of packing and safety. But they're probably in the minority.

Black . . . . Hardware! I hadn't seen the black hardware before, but I'm not sure I'm sold on it. Does it have any benefits other than looking cool? If anything, I'd say having your metal the same colour as your harness/ risers would make it less likely that you or another person would spot a routing problem. True, it's probably marginal, but I can think of other (more extreme) examples where safety has been compromised for the sake of aesthetics.

I'm with John M on this one - the human body is a beautiful thing, and for me tattoos are just a distraction. I've never seen one on a woman that I thought looked as nice as her unadorned bare skin would have done. That said, it's not that I think they're trashy or anything. I wouldn't judge someone on the basis of tattoos - it's just a personal aesthetic preference.

I never mind the extra time (if any) associated with people doing hop & pops. If I complain at all then it's because it's a cold day and I don't want the door to be opened on the way to altitude - but I'd be joking in any case. It's fun to watch people exit, especially if you have a seat by the door. And the extra space when they're gone is always welcome. So enjoy yourself and don't ever feel guilty.

But has he given any thought to air resistance?

If you're taking a cat into a wind tunnel, I hope you're going to fit it with earplugs.

Would have been better without the picture-in-picture element though. Most people know what proper Irish dancing looks like, and that destroyed any subtlety for me.

I loved The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. There's a tenuous sci-fi/ fantasy link in its post-apocalyptic setting, and also lots of other stuff to appeal to people here: if you're an aviation fan (and which of us isn't?) then the protagonist, Hig, spends a lot of time flying an old Cessna around on the lookout for survivors/ intruders; if you're a dog owner then the relationship that Hig has with his will really tug at your heartstrings; and if you're interested in guns, then you'll enjoy all the weapons stuff! It's a very human, moving story but the survivalist aspect provides plenty of understated tension too. The writing style is a little odd, but stick with it - it really serves the story in the end.

Might want to ask this guy about that.

I guess with McDonalds there's pressure to maintain consistent quality (notice I don't say high quality!) Chips (fries) are indeed much nicer when they're freshly cooked than when they've been kept warm even for a few minutes - hence I try only to visit our local chippie on a Friday evening when the turnover is high, so the chips are served straight from the fryer. As for long-life milk, I don't think there's anything 'in' it - isn't it just heat-treated to sterilise it? My girlfriend used to buy it, and I kind of got used to the taste - but it's not as nice as fresh milk.

I'm a fan, although as Nigel said the trick is to spread it thin. Their ad campaigns over the years have been genius - I can't think of another product that's been marketed on the basis that a lot of people can't stand it. This was my favourite TV ad