Zombie

Er, "The kilogram ... is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilogram) Right, so "force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. The unit of force is the newton (N), and mass has the SI unit kilogram (kg). One newton equals one kilogram metre per second squared." (http://en.wikipedia...._second_squared) These conversion tables help? http://en.wikipedia....ki/Pound_(force) Probably 'cos they're so tasty But more importantly would these be cutesy little slugs? http://1.bp.blogspot.../large_slug.JPG Or the stuff of nightmares? http://xaede.deviant...-Slug-269588396

Well, hacking off someone's head is kinda personal, dontcha think

Don't fret - it's all building up nicely to a blood-spattered finale.

<br />Then I'm afraid history is doomed to be repeated. Or, as Private Fraser likes to say, "We're dooomed! <b>Doooomed</b> a tell ye!!!" I mean, just how expensive and how many mistakes must there be before the penny drops and "the light bulb goes off" in the minds of those highly paid folks at NASA and in Government that you use one system or the other <u>exclusively</u> in anything to do with aviation or space - that you cannot safely run two different measuring systems in one project because Sods Law states if something can go wrong then it <b>will</b> go wrong, and Murphy's Law (a subtle but quite important embellishment!) states that <u>when</u> something goes wrong it will go wrong <b>in the worst possible way</b>. So, pity the poor astronauts, as if they won't have enough to worry about what with solar flares, cosmic rays, bone mass loss, muscle wastage and psychological stresses, never mind the normal risks of stuff just breaking down. You can be sure that if it was the NASA managers and Senators going into space themselves then they would have already sorted out this mess

Read Edward II, the play about "the gay king". It doesn't end well for him, not well at all

Posing the question was entirely legitimate, and the analogy with Salem was apt. But it's "the set-up" with the rant seemingly pre-planned as the closing "firework" that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. There are some real and serious issues to be discussed here. A pity they weren't raised in a more mature way to enable this to happen instead of trivialising the issue as a cheap stunt.

I'll just chip in my two penny worth on two matters: With regard to the police and customs characters' dilatory observance of correct procedure, well I met a few policemen a while ago, and one thing that struck me was the "pragmatic" approach taken to process and procedure. I'm sure there has been a change in this culture, following some high profile complaints and convictions overturned on appeal, but at the time this tale is set, 2006, it is credible that the old adage "rules are for the guidance of wise men, and the obedience of fools" was still observed in real life by the old school copper and probably is still being observed by some when they think they can get away with it and / or they decide by reference to their own ethics that it is the "right thing to do". And I never cease to be amazed by the capacity for large organisations to be inefficient, to cock things up, to fail to follow up cases, to misplace files, to lose data, to implement crappy computer systems and implement them in a crappy manner, to fail to adequately train staff, to fail to hand-over when staff leave etc etc etc. I have no experience of the IRS, nor thankfully ever will have, but I would be surprised if such a vast organisation does not suffer from such inefficiencies and cock-ups, so any actual or perceived failure can credibly be explained in real life never mind the fictional world portrayed by CJ's manipulative and mis-directing mind The common factor here is called human nature, and that ain't gonna change any time soon

And The Goat claims that he never inflicts cruel and unusual punishment on his innocent characters >:-(

Unfortunately, proving a negative is notoriously difficult, as I'm sure our cunning, manipulative, deceitful, scheming, malevolent quadruped will gleefully point out.

Sooooo, things could be perking up then ... storywise.

Show me the lawyer who's never done anything wrong

... and if you run out of Australian numbers you can always switch to "imaginary numbers"

But he hasn't claimed to be "innocent" recently (heheheh )

Presumably the point of writing fiction is to have readers that want to read it? Of course, I could be entirely wrong about this So, can anyone name any interesting and "honest" fictional character that gripped them and kept making them want to turn the pages? Come on, be honest now

... and Ben seemed like a nice boy. Can't remember him doing anything downright evil, anyway.

Right, so, it's not about "honesty" but "breaking the law" which is much narrower. Even so what I said earlier still applies ("I can't think of anyone I've ever met or encountered that would never have broken any law. Was such a creature ever born?"). Have you never exceeded the speed limit? Not even by a teensy weensy bit? Like, maybe, 1 mph? Ever?

So is that what this thread was all about? So you could single out an individual to be strung up, to "hang 'em high"? Or maybe we're all strung up, whatever was said?

Not sure what you mean by "honest" Marty: always truthful? fair? upright? ethical? decent? just? respectable? (maybe that's a bit Jane Austinish ) not fraudulent or stealing? (well, we know who that rules out ) doesn't hack people's heads off? (ditto ) To be "honest" I can't think of anyone I've ever met or encountered that would satisfy all the above. Was such a creature ever born?

I don't know if this is a real life situation or just an academic exercise, but I'll assume it's real. As Domaholic intimates we don't know what your position is. It could be anything, but I'll suppose two possibilities:: 1. You and your friend (call him "John") and the unreliable source (call him "Steve") all work for the same employer in positions of responsibility towards minors. - Check your employer's policy and see what it says about acting on rumours. - Meet with Steve and insist he gives full information otherwise you will report him - you cannot just let this be - If he refuses - report him to your employer for spreading rumours about a colleague and refusing to give details when challenged - If he admits it was malicious - report him for malicious action - If he provides any supporting information refer to your employer's policy and decide on materiality whether it is reportable under the terms of the policy, otherwise do as Domoholic suggests. 2. John does not work with minors - your only relationship is friendship - You could do nothing. But what sort of "friend" would sit back and do nothing while someone else spreads these rumours. If you are such a good friend don't you owe it him to tell him? For all you know "Steve" is spreading this rumour all over the place. How would you feel if you were in "John's" shoes and dreadful rumours were being circulated about you of which you were completely unaware until everyone around you knew except you? - So, at the very least, you should challenge Steve as above (the only thing you can't do is report him to your common employer) - Then ask your friend "John" if he knows "Steve" (the source); ask what he thinks of Steve - then I think you have to tell "John" that you value his friendship very much and that is why you feel you have to tell him that "Steve" has been saying terrible things about him. You owe him this as a friend - if it turns out to be false and malicious John is then able to intervene and seek legal redress with you as a witness - if it turns out to be true then you will have to decide what sort of friend you are to John, can you be a friend in bad times as well as good.

Happy birthday KC!! Have a slice of cake I've baked specially for you P.S. If the picture doesn't display then you'll have to "cut and paste it" into your browser window (heheheh)

One of my favourite films, Marty, is a low budget movie called "Running On Empty" with River Phoenix playing the son of a couple on the run from the US authorities. If you've not seen it you should. I like to think that in real life (not as we've seen from The Goat's evil mind ) that's what Dirk and Rachel would have done with Trev.

Trouble is it's not the kinda movie you could shoot on handheld videocams for a few hundred grand. You'd be talking mega money to do the story justice AND we haven't yet got to the special effects budget needed for all the blood and gore when Mr B moves in for the kill

Hahaha. Here's a few more What the British say: "Hello, how are you?" What the British mean: "Please don't tell me anything about your health condition" What is understood: "He wants to know if I'm well" What the British say: "How nice to meet you" What the British mean: "You are a boring tick - where can I find someone more interesting?" What is understood: "He likes me" What the British say: "He is unwell" What the British mean: "He is about to die" What is understood: "He's just got a cold" What the British say: "There seem to be one or two problems here" What the British mean: "This is a disaster - we are doomed!" What is understood: "There are a few minor issues but they can easily be fixed" What the British Airways Captain said (true incident):"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress." What the British Airways Captain meant: "We're in a spot of bother but I think we can fix it" What is understood: "We're all gonna die!" What the British say: "This may interest you" What the British mean: "Read it or you will be sorry" What is understood: "I can look at this if I've got time" What the British say: "Correct me if I'm wrong" What the British mean: "I know I'm right--please don't contradict me" What is understood: "Tell me what you think" What the British say: "This is not a reprimand" What the British mean: "You are being reprimanded" What is understood: "Nothing to worry about then" What the British Prime Ministers says: "I have every confidence in his abilities" What the British Prime Minister means: "He is about to be fired" What is understood: "He is about to be fired" What the Scottish say : aye, right What the Scottish Mean: no, wrong What is understood : he agrees with me What the Belgians say: "non, peut-être" ("no, maybe") What the Belgians mean: "yes, absolutely" What is understood: "I have no clue" What the Dutch say: "Ya" What the Dutch mean: "I am not listening." What is understood: "He is listening to me." What Germans say : What they mean What Germans mean: What they say What is understood: Those bloody Germans are rude, aren't they? What Australians say: "Yeah! No!" What Australians mean: "I agree with you 100%. I was just thinking the same thing myself." What is understood: Nothing What the Russians say: Nyet! Nevozmozhno!" (No! It is Impossible!) What the Russians mean: "Offer me a bribe and you can have it tomorrow" What is understood: "It is impossible" What the Americans say: “Have a nice day" What the Americans mean: “Where's my tip?” What is understood: “What a polite attendant” What the Americans say: "When you get a chance" What the Americans mean: "Get this done by the next time I ask about it" What is understood: "I'll do it if I'm ever less busy" What the (sneaky) Americans mean: "And if you finish it too soon, I'll assume that you need more work" What the American says: "Awesome" What the American means: anything between barely acceptable up to remarkably good What is understood: it's remarkably good What the Americans say: As you know What the Americans mean: This is something I should have told you ages ago but I'm telling you for the first time What is understood: Really? Why didn't you tell me this before? What the Americans say: "Excuse me" What the American means: "Get out of my way, jerk" What is understood: "I apologize for stepping on you" What the Californians says: "Let's do lunch." What the Californians mean: "If I ever see you again, I'll pretend that we never met." What is understood: "Great, he likes me."

A form of sanctioned gay marriage existed in Islamic culture right up until around the 1940s in the border region between Libya and Egypt. This was explored, through interviews, in the French documentary-style film Tarik El Hob

During the Nazi years in Germany jews and gays were sent to the concentration camps along with gypsies, the "feebleminded" and several other categories of people who did not meet the Nazi standards of "full human beings". Jews were forced to wear yellow identification badges, gays had to wear pink ones. We know the terrible fate that befell so many of these wretched people during the war years. But what is not so well known is the tragedy that occurred after the war. When the Allies defeated Germany and the Nazi Regime, the political and remaining Jewish prisoners were released from the camps (the regular criminals- murderers, rapists, etc.- were not released for obvious reasons). But the homosexual prisoners were never released because Paragraph 175 (a clause in German law which prohibited homosexual relations) remained West German law until 1969 when it was moderated (but not finally abolished until 1994). So these poor innocent men, whose only crime was to be gay, watched as their fellow prisoners were set free, but they remained prisoners for up to 24 more years. It makes you weep. The following links contain much important and interesting gay history, including the terrible suffering inflicted on so many homosexuals: http://en.wikipedia....i/Paragraph_175 http://www.lambda.org/symbols.htm http://en.wikipedia....d_the_Holocaust