Zombie

Ah yes, see what you mean about radioactive asteroid bits raining down - yes, not a good idea.

choice is good - your link has better sound quality

All you've done here is explain the problem more clearly - that you are dependent on level-headed people to prevent deadlock, which is what you have had for the last several weeks. And when cool heads don't prevail - or are absent - there are no effective controls to unwind all these tensions when they build up like have done in the current crisis and previously. Time to move on guys and make your constitution fit for purpose in the modern world instead of clutching onto some old scraps of paper and being hostage to outdated notions of a world that existed 224 years ago. The constitution is NOT the nation

Trust me, Kitt, if we detonated ALL the planet's nuclear arsenal in space - and we're talking beyond the orbit of the Moon - it would have no more impact than throwing a lighted match into a furnace. The Sun is continuously pouring out deadly radiation at far higher levels. The reason we don't fry is we're protected by the Earth's atmosphere, ozone layer, magnetic field and radiation belts. No, the real issue is detecting all these critters. Then if we can do that - and the Russian meteorite shows we can't at the moment - and spot them early enough, say a year or more, we could send a small probe to just nudge them gently onto a different course.

This thread is about how homophobes react to gays. If you've not seen it, Sasha's thread on Stephen Fry's two TV docs shown this week is timely. These two programmes - currently available on Youtube - reveal just how extreme, shocking and widespread homophobic reactions can be in countries across the world https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/37815-out-there/#entry437089 .

Here's Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd3QTPNjDWg

seems just like old times *hides* .

Best not to read the comments - the usual redneck rent-a-crowd is having another hate-fest They obviously live such empty, sad little lives they having nothing better to do

Divers working at a Russian lake have recovered a half-tonne chunk of the space rock that exploded over Chelyabinsk earlier this year. The object plunged into Lake Chebarkul in central Russia on 15 February, leaving a 6m-wide hole in the ice. Scientists say that it is the largest fragment of the meteorite yet found. More than 1,000 people were injured when a 17m, 10,000-tonne space rock burned up over Central Russia, breaking windows and rocking buildings. Identifying meteorites During the fiery plunge through the atmosphere, a thin layer of rock on the surface melts. This black layer is known as the "fusion crust" The surface of a meteorite is generally smooth and featureless, but will often have shallow depressions called regmaglypts that resemble thumb-prints Dr Caroline Smith says these form during the fireball stage, "as vortices of hot gases scour away (ablate is the correct term) the surface of the meteoroid". They generally have a high density compared with Earth rocks and often contain some iron-nickel metal, which may make them magnetic Meteorites are almost never round - they are irregular in shape and come in a variety of sizes Live footage showed a team pull out a 1.5-metre-long (five-foot-long) rock from the lake after first wrapping it in a special covering and placing it on a metal sheet while it was still underwater. The fragment was then pulled ashore and placed on top of a scale for weighing, an operation that quickly went wrong. The rock broke up into at least three large pieces as it was lifted from the ground with the help of levers and ropes. Then the scale itself broke, the moment it hit the 570kg (1,255lb) mark. Dr Caroline Smith, curator of meteorites at London's Natural History Museum, confirmed that the object was a meteorite from characteristic features known as fusion crust and regmaglypts, which are obvious in images. She told BBC News: "Fusion crust forms as the meteoroid is travelling through the atmosphere as a fireball. The outer surface gets so hot it melts the rock to form a dark, glassy surface crust which we term a fusion crust. Regmaglypts are the indentations, that look a bit like thumbprints, also seen on the surface of the meteorite." The fragment left a 6m-wide hole in the frozen lake back in February Sergey Zamozdra, an associate professor at Chelyabinsk State University, told the Interfax news agency: "The preliminary examination... shows that this is really a fraction of the Chelyabinsk meteorite."This chunk is most probably one of the top 10 biggest meteorite fragments ever found." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24550941

No, he's not. But that's how TV docs are made in the UK - they're typically written, fronted and presented by one person. Fry is an eloquent and erudite presenter and his interviews with ordinary gay people were skillfully done with compassion and humanity - having an extra bod tag along to the 6 countries just to do the "big" interviews would have made the programmes clunky and awkward. So, yes, your criticism is valid but, as we say, you just have to take the rough with the smooth I've just watched the second part and I think this is the programme you wanted to see. Much more serious and factual covering Brazil, Russia and India. I don't think you'll be disappointed. His interview with the leading anti-gay Brazillian politician is intellectual, sober and chilling. It gives an insight into the mindset of these people - we need to understands this. Fry calmly gives the guy the rope to hang himself. He tries the same approach with the Russian Deputy but unfortunately is unable to contain himself at the end - well the guy was a Class A dick How do you debate with bigotry anyway? But it's his interviews with ordinary gay people in both shows that are so moving and have real impact, clearly showing the widespread suffering of gays and, in particular, the Brazillian mother of a 14 yo victim of the most appalling homophobic attack. And there are many important facts, for example that Indian culture was very gay friendly until Britain imposed criminal law against homosexuals in the 19th century, and that anti-gay laws in many countries are relics of British laws imposed during colonial rule. What's the point? It's about awareness and understanding. There's huge ignorance about the oppression of homosexuals around the world and why homophobia is so toxic, even amongst many gays. The rights of LGBTs are now taken for granted in those countries, like Britain, where they are free to live their lives as they want to. But rights should never be taken for granted - they can be taken away just as quickly as they were won. This is what's happening in Russia now. The parallels with a certain country in 1930s Europe are frightening. I can't find a Youtube link to Part 2 - maybe Addy can post it when it pops up?

I'm sorry for butting in ...

I made reference to this earlier in the thread [#58]. There is a serious black hole in the UK's adoption and sperm donor processes. The law on incest is not the issue - it is the emotional trauma and avoidable human tragedy of the wrecked lives of the couple plus potential genetic damage to their children that will be caused when this happens. And it has already happened and no-one is doing anything, no-one is taking ownership and responsibility for sorting out this mess. Frankly, every agency and govt dept involved in getting us where we are today has behaved delinquently. It is absolutely disgraceful. I don't know what the position is in other countries, but this is a real and pressing problem that's getting bigger every day.

"I even realized withint the context of the dream that I was dreaming, that the abusrb reality presenting itself to me could not be." These are called lucid dreams. I've occasionally have them myself. It's like a half-way house between consciousness and sleep. I've dreamed about really complicated stuff so I know it's real - you may be able to control what's happening or just "observe". If it's an idea or something you want to note down, though, you have to bring yourself into consciousness and immediately write it down, otherwise it fades away very quickly. Well that's how it is for me. Weird. More here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream

You're right, paya - just like religious beliefs are inherited, and so it goes on and on ... I am surprised that W_L and Mark Arbour don't accept that "After 237 years the rickety old crate needs a major overhaul". It seems they have no remedy. I have to say that if Britain had essentially the same constitution as it did in 1776 we would be completely disfunctional too - Britain's constitution is unrecogniseable from what it was then ... it's called "keeping up with the times" and modernising

It's a must-see for all GLBTs and anyone concerned about how people are treated just for loving someone. In this first prog he looks at the UK, then travels to Uganda and the US. He is very honest about himself and his own sexuality, and he gets understandably emotional with some of the people he challenges about why they hate homosexuals. Part 2 is on tomorrow night when he goes to Brazil and Russia. Apparently he was so upset during some of the filming that he took an overdose Luckily his producer found him in time. It's well known that although he is one of the most intelligent and gifted people on the planet he has many personal demons and suffers periodic bi-polar depression. If Sasha's link won't play in your territory maybe it will pop up on Youtube under "Stephen Fry: Out There"

My experience of London - assuming you're only talking about inner London, not greater London - is people just ... ignore you. Unless you smell It's one of the most cosmopolitan places on the planet so there's just no room / time for / point in anyone making an issue - they've seen it all before, many times, and will have been intimately squashed up against pretty much every kind of person on the tube. And, of course, on the tube the one thing you NEVER do is make eye contact - but who needs eyes when you're squashed up against a hot muscular man hunk? :funny: Would people intervene in London? Look, people come in all shapes and colours so there is no rule. But when those two Islamists hacked to death that off-duty soldier in London this year with machetes, and then stood around with blood dripping, they were challenged by several passers-by who completely ignored the obvious, real and immediate dangers to their own personal safety - but I'm sure they were aware of the danger. Wherever you are, people are contradictory and unpredictable so there are no "rules" - it's your job as a story teller to exploit that as you develop your characters and build a narrative Hang on, you can't just throw out a tasty morsel like that - this person deserves a whole story!

The US constitutional system is broke. This isn't the first time this deadlock has happened but it is potentially the most serious. The problem is the US constitution is inherently designed to allow this to happen - to set itself at loggerheads with itself - and no-one saw the need to build in effective controls to unwind all these tensions when they build up like this, which are caused by political antipathy and personal vanity, corrupted by vested and personal interests, all playing to the media monster. After 237 years the rickety old crate needs a major overhaul.

OK, don't beat yourself up but you need a plan. And forget art for the moment unless you can earn money from it - like now. You need to start earning money again so you can feel good about yourself and regain your independence. The first thing you need is a routine to your day. That means setting the alarm clock to the normal daily getting up time you had when you were working. If necessary place it out of reach. Next you need a good breakfast to give your body fuel and kick start your day. Many people skip breakfast because "there's no time". Well you have time now. Porridge is good - and cheap - and will fuel you for hours. Tea or coffee will wake you up. Then get yourself cleaned up and dressed for the day - just as you normally would have done. Now the plan - you can start on this tomorrow after your breakfast Take two blank sheets of paper and write down 1. Your financial situation: basically your expenditure, how long you have before you need more money, and how much income you'll need from a job [minimum and target] 2. The various jobs and tasks you've done when you were employed. Then highlight those tasks you enjoyed doing and those you think you are good at - they may not be the same. Next, think about jobs that include those tasks you enjoyed doing and where you have relevant skills. Don't analyse at this point, just do a brainstorm. Now the next part - matching what you enjoy doing and where you have relevant experience with jobs that might suit you. So, if you like meeting and interacting with people that could include a huge number of jobs ranging from sales to working behind the counter in a coffee shop. This is where you're going to need help. Get an appointment at your Job Centre this week. Show your Job Adviser your notes on how much income you need, what jobs you've done, what you like doing and where you have relevant skills and tell them you want them to work with you to match those with suitable and available jobs. Also get advice on drafting your CV and agree another visit to go through this and get their input. And get their advice on websites to check daily, and good recruitment agencies and where they specialise. You may have to lower your sights initially but the important thing is get yourself moving forward, earning money so you can remotivate yourself to do the other things. Lots of other stuff you'll need to think about too, like how far you'll travel, would you relocate etc. All these things should be added to your plan. You can do this

Missing Dr Who Episodes Found In Africa!! Exciting item on tonight's news - at a TV station in Jos, Nigeria, the BBC has found some old film canisters containing 9 missing episodes of two vintage Dr Who stories not seen since they were broadcast in 1968. BBC restoration experts have worked for weeks restoring the old film. The stories - The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World, sound really exciting and both star Patrick Troughton as The Doctor. Many of the BBC's TV programmes have been lost for ever. Nothing survives from the 1930s except for fragments, very little from the 1940s and much is missing from the 1950s to the 1970s. In the 1960s when video tape came in it was very expensive so the BBC routinely wiped programmes after they'd been transmitted so the tapes could be reused. No-one ever imagined that people would want to see stuff like this again. The 9 tapes means that 2 stories are now complete and available. Here's the story: Nine missing episodes of 1960s Doctor Who have been found at a TV station in Nigeria, including most of the classic story The Web of Fear. The black and white story sees Patrick Troughton's second Doctor battle robot yeti in the London Underground. Also recovered is a complete version of Troughton's six-part story The Enemy of the World. It is thought to be the largest haul of missing episodes recovered in the last three decades. WHAT'S BEEN FOUND The Enemy of the World (1967-68) - episodes 1,2,3,4,5,6 (episode 3 was already in archive) The Web of Fear (1968) - episodes 1,2,4,5,6 (episode 1 was already in archive - episode 3 still missing) "It's thrilling," said Mark Gatiss, an actor and writer for the 21st Century incarnation of Doctor Who. "Every single avenue seemed to have been exhausted, every now and then something turns up - but to have two virtually complete stories out of the blue is absolutely incredible." The BBC destroyed many of the sci-fi drama's original transmission tapes in the 1960s and 1970s. However, many episodes were transferred on to film for sale to foreign broadcasters. It is often these prints found in other countries that are the source of retrieved episodes. In this case, 11 Doctor Who episodes were discovered, nine of which were missing, in the Nigerian city of Jos. The find was made by Philip Morris, director of a company called Television International Enterprises Archive. Mr Morris said: "The tapes had been left gathering dust in a storeroom at a television relay station in Nigeria. I remember wiping the dust off the masking tape on the canisters and my heart missed a beat as I saw the words, Doctor Who. When I read the story code I realised I'd found something pretty special." He said it had been a "lucky" find given the high temperatures in the African country. "Fortunately they had been kept in the optimum condition." Only episode three of The Enemy of the World already existed in the BBC archive. The Nigerian discovery of episodes one, two, four, five and six complete the story. Episode one of fan favourite The Web of Fear existed, with the rest thought lost forever. Now episodes two, four, five and six have been recovered. Episode three is still missing, but has been reconstructed from stills to enable restored versions of both stories to be made available for sale via download on Friday. The latest find means that the number of missing episodes of Doctor Who has dropped from 106 to 97. Actors Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling, who played Troughton's Tardis companions Jamie McCrimmon and Victoria Waterfield. Episode one of The Enemy of the World is a James Bond-style thriller complete with an exploding helicopter, a hovercraft, gun-toting henchmen and a foreign-accented villain, Salamander (also played by Troughton). The story opens with the Tardis arriving on an Australian beach where the Doctor strips to his long johns and goes for a dip in the sea. The Web of Fear is a claustrophobic tale that sees the Doctor battle his old foe, the Great Intelligence, and the yeti in the tunnels of the London tube system. "It's the quintessential Doctor Who story," said Gatiss. "It has the return of the Abominable Snowmen in an iconic location." He said it showed Troughton "at the height of his powers". Frazer Hines recalled that the underground station sets had been so realistic that London Transport accused the BBC of filming at a tube station in secret. The story also featured an appearance by Deborah Watling's real-life father Jack, reprising his role as Professor Travers. Recalling Troughton's "wonderful sense of humour" on set, Watling said: "We all got on so well, we were like a family and Pat was always to me like another dad or an uncle. We had a chemistry and I think it showed." How did she feel when she heard about the recovery of the lost episodes? "I couldn't quite believe it. There had been hoaxes before. I thought it was just another hoax." Her only other complete story in the archive had been The Tomb of the Cybermen, all four instalments of which were discovered in Hong Kong in 1991. Hines said: "This now gives me hope that more stories of Patrick's will come out of the woodwork." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24467337 .

Hello onezen. Hope you have fun here

Can't imagine what it's like Jo Ann, it's beyond my experience. Stay safe

Good for you. A good counselor will be able to help you deal with this and make you feel you're in a safe place to be honest - but if you're not getting that vibe you must tell them. Think positive

you mean they've invented a Gaydar that works??? *wants one!*

so our year will be a little longer now