Partner's iMac (core duo) was taking an age to start before SL upgrade and now it starts up reet fast. General day-to-day stuff is a little faster but I have one of the core i7 iMacs and it goes like pooey stuff of a shovelling device!

Eh?

Maybe, but i can guarantee that the money spent on smoking related issues, i.e. ad campaigns, awareness, NHS costs etc are somewhat proportional to the revenue collected in tax from cigarettes.

Fair enough then, please prove it. You keep saying stuff expecting it to be true. I call your bluff – prove it.

I see no evidence that the money spent on smoking related issues is proportional to the revenue from the taxes from it. It's one big pot that is dipped in as the government feel like.

Spongebob:

You seem to think that governments want us to believe that climate change is believing to they can tax us?

Get a grip – when has any government worried about taxing us? After the financial meltdown we're in they will tax anything and everything without having to put up some form of screen of 'ooh, green taxes'!

As I used to say to a friend from York who sadly passed away a few years ago:

You can tell a Yorkshireman, but you can't tell him much!

Chappy here bought himself a £32k Merc about two months ago. He couldn't leave site yesterday because he had to go up a hill in the snow and it is a rear-wheel drive. He was all over the shop!

My Yaris (yeah, I know, hairdresser's car!) did it fine!

I got a PS3 and recently bought PlayTV and it is the dogs danglies. It records Freeview and upscales and you can copy it to external media to stick on your PC and the like. I also use the PS3 as a media server with all my DVDs ripped to my mac and sent over ethernet.

I'm not into multiplayer stuff so that doesn't count for me (initially Xbox was much better but now with the likes of cross-platform stuff like CoD it doesn't matter much now).

Uncharted 2 rocks big-time. So does inFamous. I wouldn't mind playing Halo but I can live with that.

For some reason, a Sony eReader, even though I tend to use the library a lot. Got an ice-cream maker though, so that sort of evens it out 😀

I agree with you BBSB insofar as I get royally p1ssed off with shops selling you the same thing multiple times. Thank god that DRM on music is disappearing else you'd have a copy to play on your iPod, one to play on your CD-player, one to play in the car etc. all costing.

I thought the music was licensed to you? Still, it would be the same as buying a book, getting a photocopy done and then selling it on.

It is surely illegal. If you sell the CD then you're giving up your rights to it. By copying it then selling it you are breaking copyright laws.

That's why a load of places won't give refunds on CDs/DVDs unless there is something physically wrong with them as people buy them, rip them and ask for their money back!

Hi SB – are you using a web-based speed checker or looking at the link speed on the router?

My in-laws have a 2Mb connection (Tiscali) but the throughput is utter crap, at less than 1Mb throughput.

Hungry, there is no PROOF only theories.

If you have proof then please share it.

Back to my original submission, re: no 100% proof.

Lets step back a bit. What would you consider to be 'PROOF'? If you state that then perhaps someone could point you to it.

Or a Curlywurly.

Hainey, take a chill pill. All I mentioned is that you keep stating stuff without backing. And now you misrepresent me. Anyone can make assertations, here let me try:

1. All trees are made out of cheese.
2. Global warming is due to the friction of the knees of christians praying.
3. Erm. Coronation Street has been known to bring about epileptic seizures in Dachshunds.

But seriously, to your points:

1. So what? At one time the majority of the atmosphere was intert gases and carbon dioxide. We wouldn't survive then and if CO2 was multiples of today within a short geological time we won't survive then.
2. See my point above. There never will be on one side or the other. People with strong views will reject all evidence, both pro and anti.
3. Possibly, I used to be a veggie (before working in Germany/Denmark for a while). It does appear to be quite wasteful of resource. No opinion – I don't have the evidence in front of me. I try not to eat so much as it is expensive for a start.
4. But then what does that mean? Another mechanism for earth warming previously? It doesn't discount anything. I just did a search on that. From 'the New Scientist' (I think you have to be a subscriber, as I am):

"This proves that rising CO2 was not the trigger that caused the initial warming at the end of these ice ages – but no climate scientist has ever made this claim. It certainly does not challenge the idea that more CO2 heats the planet."

Ref: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11659-climate-myths-ice-cores-show-co2-increases-lag-behind-temperature-rises-disproving-the-link-to-global-warming.html

The problem is that both sides are entrenched. The only question to ask yourself would be 'What would change my mind?' (to both sides). The answer for those of limited thought would be '100% proven'. This will never happen so the conversation here may as well be closed.

Hainey – you appear to be making a lot of assertions without any backing. Are you a troll?

Just thought I would ask. Just so I can put you in the 'troll' bucket that I shouldn't respond to, like.

Hainey – of course there will never be proof. You cannot prove anything completely apart from math (read the message above). It then comes down to 'balance of probabilities' backed up by evidence. Same thing with 'creationists' who state that Darwin's theory of evolution is just that: a theory.

I imagine that there may have been acid rain around areas of volcanic activity (production of H2SO4).

Of course Greenland at some time was lush (ignoring the name green). From what I hear about 500,000 years ago or thereabouts. Anglesey was once part of a volcano too, though I have no idea what this has to do with anything. If you mean the name then I suggest you check wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland#Etymology.

According to your argument we can compare what is happening now with what has happened before. I think that was the main thrust, no? We are seeing something that we have not seen before – a much more rapid change and people started to think 'why?'.

Another thing that people forget (just like the people who did 'Primeval') was that if the level of CO2 was to be multiple times of what we have today we'd all die, I believe. The body uses CO2 as a regulator for breathing. The level would confuse it (I think it is called 'hypercapnia').

The next 100 years are going to be 'interesting'. I'll be dead by then and I have no kids. I think it is a bit bizarre that those with kids are quite happy to pollute as if it were going out of fashion. Oh, perhaps it is! 😀

Just popping my head in:

Remember folks that there is only one branch of science that can be 'proved'. You cannot prove chemistry, physics, biology, necromancy 😀

The only truly provable science (if you can call it that) is maths, as it is abstract. Unfortunately people who demand 100% proof of climate change being part driven by man will never be satisfied as there will always be room for philosophical doubt. Every chart will have error bars. My personal belief is that you shouldn't piss in your own bathwater.

The thing that sort of bugs me is that we weren't having these kinds of mad arguments regarding acid rain or the ozone hole. We saw something, came up with a plan and are sorting it out. I guess though that to fix the issues we face will involve people changing their lives pretty drastically. Though I do wish that idiot governments would use more carrots (tax breaks) instead of sticks (taxes).

Unless that's a bogeyman by the right wing, who keep repeating the phrase 'communist world government' at the moment…

Simon Groom exBlue Peterist. Looks older than the hills.

Kerrrist! I used to fancy him something chronic too. (Please note the 'used to' bit.)

Ewww!

– Started OK.
– Partner got a job 🙂
– Had a dodgy op 😕
– Got back on bike and rode lots 🙂
– Became 2 stone lighter 😀
– Am on holiday until chrimble 😀
– Job looks a bit unsteady in about 18 months (outsourcing) 😕

A pretty good year. Still: "Look forward, there's no regrets in that direction!"

Loved the first film, hated the other two. Not because of the plot, but because the director seemed to have some form of Parkinson's disease. Yes I guess it is trendy to do that kind of style but they could have stopped the cameraman from having a w@nk every **** time he was holding the camera!

For further down the road when you're rich and successful:

I'd love my LBS to work with the CTC to provide an evening course once in a while where you could learn to do stuff on your bike. Or charge a fee for use of the workshop (with a decent deposit for broken bits)!

Recently had a filling: £173. The dentist suggested that he wanted to 'take a look' at another tooth (read: another refilling at £173). I had to cancel the day before (after sitting in the surgery for an hour before being sent away last time) and they said I would have a charge of £25 because it was 23 hours before appt.

I told them to stuff it; am now looking to find another dentist!

Browse to http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer on your iPod/iPhone through Safari and the website shows itself up the proper way.

Faaaaaaabulous!

43 – UNIX consultant

Oh, sorry, I paid £1653.70 in total.

Spec:

4GB/27"/1TB/core i7 with the wireless keyboard and mouse (the mouse is pretty good, I hated the 'Mighty Mouse').

No, screen OK. No black screen of death either! 😛

I just bought an iMac, 27" core i7. I can't find a similar spec PC for the same money. The closest I found was a Dell at about £500 more.

I think it is the screen. For a 2560×1440 screen Dell charge about £1000.

For true 'customisation' (as in the above image) though, Windows is sh!te. For that you use Linux. You can change just about everything!

My **** Baxi p!leofsh!te kept breaking down – always flow sensors. Last time I lost my rag and got BG to give me a quote for a new one of similar oomph. The original boiler plus a couple of radiators cost about £1800 but they started the sucking through teeth offensive and mentioned drilling holes in my roof and came out with a quote of £4,000, after discount. I researched the boiler offered on tinternet and it was about £900 inc. VAT. BG had quoted £2,600 for the same thing, before VAT.

I got it fixed. Last Sunday the flow sensors went again. This time I know what to do!

On the other hand the first time it went wrong I called a local chap ("Combi boilers our specialtity"). After fiddling with it – and me finding out it was the flow sensors – he had managed to break the gas valve, PCB and the three-way valve thing which diverts between hot water and heating. Sacked sharpish and paid Baxi to come to fix.

I'm waiting for the hydrogen option.

Then I look forward to cars vanishing with a large squeaky pop.

😀

Hi Crikey

No, you're right. Just being gay means you can't donate blood.

You've sort of cleared it up for me – I suppose if something happened to me they could keep my body going while they did tests etc. and gave the thumbs up.

Right, money where mouth is, I'll sign up.

I'm still confused regarding this. I'm not allowed to donate blood because I'm in a high-risk group yet they still want my organs.

Surely since they'll be full of blood etc. *and* they need the organs as quickly as possible they shouldn't really want them?

Until this dichotomy is resolved the answer is 'no'. If it is then I'll sign up.

Another vote for Freewheel in Nottingham. Went in there with a seriously gunged up hub after another shop in Nottingham said it was broken. All I wanted was a cone spanner but the mechanic there grabbed it, stripped it, put new bearings in (sealed units), greased cleaned and sorted (ta, Rob!).

And only charged me for the bearings too!

I agree about the quirky characters but they are nice peeps.

Uncharted, Uncharted2, Ratchet & Clank and I've been addicted to inFamous this year!

I'm posting from HP-UX. If need be I can also post from Tru64, Solaris or AIX.

So there! 😀

I'm getting old, I thought you were talking about peas….

BEB

I'm not AdamG, I'm AdamW. I've yet to be banned as AdamG apparently has a few times!

BigEaredBiker

Climate change is a complex system – granted – and I doubt there will ever be a single paper that can say 'hey everyone – look!'. You'd need a review or meta-review for that as there are many things pointing in the same direction, e.g. sea acidity (due to CO2 dissolving to produce carbonic acid) would rise, atmospheric CO2 concentration, temperature gradients in different areas of the globe, ice levels at the poles etc.)

I am of the opinion (as a scientist) that AGW is occurring, however as a scientist if positive proof that it wasn't was placed before me I'd look and see if it stacked up. If it did then I would change my view. And I follow the science as best I can, and not sound-bites from idiots from either side.

So to strong viewed people on both sides of this discussion:

What would it take to change your view?

If it is something like 100% proof that something does or does not exist then you won't get it – scientists don't work in absolutes. And if someone says they are 100% certain either way then they are a charlatan.

Can someone post a link to a study that directly proves human produced Co2 causes global warming. Can we have one where no models & projections are used?

And while you are at it, can someone post a study that directly proves that quantum mechanics is correct, or general relativity? After all, even though things appear to be accurate they are just models after all and I haven't seen any proof. Therefore until I see proof I think it is the fairies at the bottom of my garden sprinkling pixie dust over stuff.

If English is so bendigedig re: vowels, where is the vowel in the word 'why' ?

I'd love a book reader as I can't be bothered lugging around a massive number of books everywhere.

But – and a bit but!

The books are more expensive on the electronic version than they are in the shops. Look at Waterstones which is pushing the Sony reader quite strongly. You end up paying a couple of pounds more for a book electronically which doesn't need printing/transporting and since it is made up of words it will only be a couple of megabytes in size. And you don't get the 'three for two' offers or anything like that.

So I won't be getting one until the books are a couple of quid cheaper than their physical counterparts.

And Reginald HIll? Oh dear 🙂 I read 'Diary of the Dead' and thought the author was trying too hard to make himself sound clever!