our Sydney

Hi I am a big fan of Alistair Reynolds, if you are a science fiction fan I would highly recommend reading anything by him. However Century rain is in many ways his most atmospheric book, I think an excellent read and I would think has an appeal beyond just SF fans. About his most adventurous is Terminal world, it is just a good SF story if you are a fan of science fiction and have not discovered him, I would suggest giving his work a go. Best regards Syd

I said this on a previous post, I think Mr Schumacher is heading for a big crash. The Mercedes car is close enough to the pace that it should be doing occasional podium placings. This combined with the previous record of the team principle and the team in it's first season and how the team as a whole performed before he joined it all put alot of pressure on him. I think this was demonstrated by his increasingly agressive driving last season and the aparently bigger chances he was taking with his own and fellow drivers safty as the season went on. He should have retired at the end of last season, I think this season he will get even more agressive and take further chances until somthing big happens. Best regards Syd

OK this looks like a an interesting challange, I should be very bad at this as I have done very little research. 1Dunn, Clive 2 Doherty, Pete 3 Lohan, Lindsay 4 Brady, Ian 5 Michael, George 6 Sheen, Charlie 7 Chavez, Hugo 8 Ali, Muhammad 9 Mubarak, Hosni 10 Forsyth , Bruce 11 Franklin, Aretha 12 Lynn, Vera 13 Gibb, Robin 14 Hagman, Larry 15 Hawking, Stephen 16 Attenborough, Dickie 17 Gascoigne, Paul 18 Bush, Sr., George H. W. 19 Borgnine, Ernest 20 Niemeyer, Oscar 21 Rooney, Mickey 22 Williams, Andy 23 Sykes, Eric 24 Wallach, Eli 25 Castro, Fidel I think this is a good order, bases on how frail I think they are and how good medical care they are likley to get! Best regards Syd

"Oh boy, if she's still not dead when the Hell is he going to die?" When someone finally gets aroud to hammering the wooden stake into her heart. ! Best regards Syd

From the Wiki entry " Kropotkin advocated a communist society free from central government and based on voluntary associations between workers" I suspect that he deap dow believer in fairies and fluffy bunnies and that the true solid working class hero of the revolution only considered his actions in the light of how they would benifit society as a whole and not try and climb to the top of the heap just like his ansesters had. . . I just love true upper class socialists and their rose tinted view of the "noble worker". . Such fun. Now to put the soap box back Best regards Syd

Hi That was fun, got 9 out of 10, eaten all but 1 of them, strangely the one I didn't get (number 10) I have eaten quite a few times and is particulally yummy. Now for a gastronomic theemed trip to south America to get get the full list. Best regards Syd

Hi for my 2p worth I find this place site has three qualities to it I find reassuring. Firstly in general there is a refreshing delight in the lives of those it reports, it is unusual that someone will not find something positive to say about someone who’s life has ended, unless said person are total scumbag, when it will generally be stated clearly! Secondly there is a healthy disrespect for the transient and shallow nature of modern "celebrity". Thirdly there is an equal delight in true achievement beyond the shallow nature of modern reporting. I don't find it so much a site obsessed with death as a place where life is enjoyed and celebrated (boy do I hate that term, anyone got a better one?). Now I will be off for a brief "no one expects the Spanish inquisition moment” as I have just re read my own wittering. As a final comment I started visiting here while my father was coming to the end of his life, as he suffered the ravages of dementia. Personally I found this place very helpful in dealing with his death and my attitude to it. Best regards Syd

HI I think Michael Shumacher is beginning to look a pretty good bet, he has had nearly 3 years of (for him) poor performance and is showing signs of frustration in his driving. This usually turns into attempting to bully the other drivers off the track, the trouble with this is that the newer drivers are at least as aggressive as he is, and don't tend to give way, the result will be one big prang sooner or later. The only flaw in this I can see is that the cars are getting so crash resistant that he may survive. Best regards Syd

You don't even get a warning from these Yuck they look like normal (but expensive) chockies, at least your ones are bullet shaped! Best regards Syd

A top spot should be reserved in room 101 for all people who think it is a good idea to put chilli in chocolates. I just popped a nice looking chocky in your mouth expecting some nice truffle experience and get a hot mouth and a big reminder of a Monty python sketch. I love chilli especially in a mutton curry or as part of taco but not in a chocky. Best regards Syd

An interesting statement, firstly who is to "allow" or "dis-allow" the eating of dog, or any other animal for that matter? surely it is a matter of personal and cultural choice what you consume, not something that is dictated from one society to another. Secondly, why? Eating an omnivore like a dog is a little more risky than a herbivore, but we eat pigs in this country. True you are more likely to get parasites from an omnivore, hence the proscription in certain religions and societies, but the risk is small if you cook it properly. I believe grey squirrel is quite tasty and while not common, it is quite often eaten in Portugal, and by a friend of mine, another Omnivore. Best regards Syd You have obviously never owned a dog. Hi, actually I grew up with a dog, from 5 to 18 years old, I was very fond of it and was upset when It had to be put down. However I still would have no problem with eating dog provided I knew it was clean, eating a stray I would have problems with on the grounds I stated before about omnivores carrying parasites. I would not eat a family pet, and in my case that would be very unlikley as I have no wish to keep a dog or cat as a pet but as food I see few issues. Best regrads Syd

An interesting statement, firstly who is to "allow" or "dis-allow" the eating of dog, or any other animal for that matter? surely it is a matter of personal and cultural choice what you consume, not something that is dictated from one society to another. Secondly, why? Eating an omnivore like a dog is a little more risky than a herbivore, but we eat pigs in this country. True you are more likely to get parasites from an omnivore, hence the proscription in certain religions and societies, but the risk is small if you cook it properly. I believe grey squirrel is quite tasty and while not common, it is quite often eaten in Portugal, and by a friend of mine, another Omnivore. Best regards Syd

In Vietnam where dog is also popular my understanding is that it is like any other meat, you get different cuts prepared in different ways. I also believe, from what the tourist guide said, that most of it tends to be cooked in stews because the dogs are kept for longer than most animals raised for food. They tend to be guard dogs and working animals that have come to the end of their working life so the meat is a bit stringy. However if it is a younger dog then a chop or stake grilled or fried is perfectly acceptable. Never eaten it myself and it is sold in special restaurants. Best regards Syd

In Cambodia a few years ago I was offered deep fried spiders, coated in batter and served in soy sauce. Not sure of the species of spider but they were large-ish about 5 inches across the legs with a round abdomen about an inch across, They looked tasty but the beloved Mrs Sydney said I was not allowed to have one on account of her extreme dislike of spiders, missed opportunity I think looking back on it. Best regards Syd

I would have thought he was far from obscure, a very great tallent and justifiably famous for it. Best regards Syd

What is the source of cheese? A cow? Ah from your comment I take it I have made some error in the spelling department . . . I have lived with dislexia for 43 of my 48 years and all the mockery that entails so join the que. Hope you got some pleasure from my obviously sub moron inteligence level . . . . Best regards Syd PS did you not spot the obvious spelling error in my signiure then only used that a few tens of times on here. . .get a life!

A personal favorite dish, toast 2 slices of bread on one side and butter toasted side , take 1/2 a coliflower and cook in lightly salted water for about 5 minutes, make up a small quantity of cheese and mustard source, combine to make a coliflower and cheese source sandwich (obviously with the toasted side of the bread inward), yum Best regards Syd

Hi Windy I would like to think you were right, I think though the US are just trying to ensure they don't end up with another disgusting spectical on their hands like they had with his former bos. Don't get me wrong I think ending Sadam's life was a good decision, just there are ways to do things that don't leave you looking like the promotors of a bear baiting. I think the US want him dead as he knows too much about deals done over the years I just think they want "clean" hands. . . If they wanted to keep him alive they would ensure he was in a jail in another country. Best regards Syd

Hi I feel it would be a great injustice if they did hang him, to me he seemed to be a voice of stability and reason in an otherwise bonkers ragime. I just think it would be wrong. . . oh well I hope for the best but suspect US vindictivness will damn him anyway. Best regards Syd

Nothing at all sad about the record! just that there is rather more of me now than there was back in my disco days Ah I can see that, know the feeling well! Best regards Syd

Though based on a limited interaction Honez seems a very nice man! again puzzeled by another thread on this forum. Best regards Syd

And what exactly is in any way sad about that record! quality pop at it's joyfull best. Ah happy days when life was simple and there were many types of music not just pap put out by the big multinationals. Best regards Mike Jsut off to crawl back under my rock

He's being forced fed via a tube I just can't understand why anyone should bother going to the effort (and expence) of for force feeding him, surly it would do us all a favor if they just left him to it. Best regards Syd But that would be giving him what he wants, why should he get the satisfaction of taking the easy way out, his victims weren't given a choice No I don't think it would be giving him what he wants. Do you really think for a second he would go on hunger strike if he did not think he would be force fed? As I say just leave him to it, don't give him the satisfaction of the publicity and attention. I supose I am now giving him what he really wants by putting up a second post!. Best regards Syd

He's being forced fed via a tube I just can't understand why anyone should bother going to the effort (and expence) of for force feeding him, surly it would do us all a favor if they just left him to it. Best regards Syd