David Hingtgen

An even bigger problem is that in addition to the delay, the NEXT YEAR of deliveries will only be for 9 planes. 9 planes. For the 5 airlines that were expecting deliveries in 06/07. 2 planes does not a fleet make. (The original service date was this month FYI, but the end of this year was the "delayed" date--now it's been delayed again, and slowed down for next year) Here's to hoping someone orders some Advanced 747's... (they look 100x better, if nothing else)

Trials and Tribbleations spent great amounts of time and money to look like the 60's. In a Mirror Darkly did the opposite--tried to make it look like TOS was filmed with a modern budget--and did it very well. Also the Defiant FOUGHT.

I have found few things more "mysterious" than trucks when it comes to specs. It's easier to find out the specs of stealth fighters, than basic info on most semis. Go to Peterbilt.com and try to find even the basic wheelbase and weight options of a 379... It's amazing. If there's one thing that there's no info about on the 'net, it's semis. Has always annoyed me, as there's almost no way to get any info on a truck you saw, or a truck you know about.

Truckers go for looks, then spend lots of money on mods to make them more fuel efficient. You can make a more rounded (a bit) semi without looking bad. T2000's the best of the aerodynamic conventionals, Pete 377 looks nice while being slightly rounder than a 379 (377 matches the T600 IMHO). 386 is nice too. Changing the T2000's headlights to square ones would make the whole front end look a lot better.

I really want to see that ep of Enterprise with the Defiant (I heard about it a few months ago) but the local stations seem to show stuff in a random order, so I have no idea if it's been on lately, or won't be on for another 3 years. Plus Trek seasons on DVD are expensive. I've seen a few screen shots---they even completely recreated the TOS bridge and uniforms, only "updated" and made of high-quality stuff---and it works amazingly well. Imagine movie-style computer screens in TOS colors and format. I think even the most purist of pure TOS fans thought it looked good and wasn't at all "sacrilege" to change the bridge displays.

Ouch, my bad, it is an Argosy. The most Isuzu/Volvo-looking American-made semi ever... God that's fugly. Freightliner has made some nice trucks (FLD 120) but that's not one of them. The Columbia's even worse though, IMHO. Honestly I just kind of "ignore" the existence of the more rounded Freightliners and forget they exist. (I am a Peterbilt 379 fan---I like big and square, traditional semis)

Future over the decals? That's the way most people do it AFAIK. Future, then decal, then Future again, then dull coat (if desired).

From the many pics of that truck from last year, it's an Isuzu IIRC. Little more than a large furniture delivery truck. Basically, it's half as big as it should be. And very, very rounded. I don't even think it's in the same class. (literally, trucks are grouped by class, mainly according to size/weight---Prime was a class 8, the biggest there is) Edit: I do think that is a pic from 2005, the tarp and surroundings look identical. Just google "Optimus Prime comic con" and you'll find tons of pics and info. Here you go, pictures from July of 2005: http://www.galactichunter.com/absoluteig/g...3&box=&shownew=

I still say that is nothing more than a "promo" truck for the movie, same one they used last year. At least, I sure HOPE it remains nothing more than a promo truck. Yeesh---make the main character the worst vehicle...

Possible. Problem is I don't know anyone else with one besides my brother. (DS's everywhere---it has to be the most popular system in the state now) Might just have to drive up and visit him to hear his 360... And still have to determine volume vs pitch. The underlying 'leafblower high-pitched whine' was far worse than the actual "spinning/buzzing" the drive made. All drives make a "spinning" sound, but only the 360 had a high-pitched whine to go along with that.

Yet another to chime in on how good DS9 gets. Beats TNG IMHO. (and I'm a huge TNG fan) Plus DS9's final seasons maintained both a "Dominion War arc" as well as stand-alone eps. Few series can do both simultaneously, and pull it off well. (VOY was IMHO one big blundering/pondering quasi-arc)

I still haven't bought a replacement 360. Anyone seen anywhere that had a way/mod to lessen drive noise? All the cooling and new fans in the world won't affect the drive. (I was fine with the fan noise--it was pretty loud, but it wasn't an innately mind-piercing screech type of noise) Any reports of MS going to a 3rd style of drive? (Hitachi in the first ones, currently uses Samsung). Also, still looking for a nice display stand/entertainment center. I want something with glass doors and preferably a very open back or of a material easy to cut. But that's quite hard to find here, especially for anything smaller than something designed for a 50in screen. (actually my living room one is almost perfect in design, but too big by far)

That's not "movie" Prime---that's the same truck they used at the San Diego Comic Con (or whatever) for special appearances etc. They just added a new tarp promoting the movie. (or maybe it's the same tarp, who knows) And it's a really really bad choice to use as their "promo" Prime--even people very unfamiliar with trucks can tell it's not at all what Prime was. Even with the tarp. It's not even the same CATEGORY of truck. Yes, it's a truck. And it's red. But it's only slightly closer to prime than a large pickup is. It'd be like making Starscream a Lear jet. Yes, it's a jet, but it's not even a fighter. Though with a movie budget, they should certainly be able to pick up a Peterbilt 362. Out of production, but only recently--plenty of used ones to buy, modify to all look identical, and paint red. Here you go, the closest modern truck to Prime:

Title: "Gripen The first fourth generation fighter" ISBN: 91-972803-8-0 Be sure to get the English version. (unless you know Swedish)

http://www.saab.se/node4466.asp But it doesn't seem to work any more---keeps kicking me to the US SAAB page.

Should have gone with the F120 engine. A decade ago. Far more growth potential, and likely more easily adapted to the JSF's lift-fan, due to having so many sections of it already split up and independent. SAAB book: SAAB was offering free books about the Gripen on their website. And it's a BOOK, not a pamphlet. I filled out the form and got one, then passed on the link here. However, no one from here has gotten one yet, even though it's been longer than I had to wait for mine.

The final, actual cost/value is irrelevant. The JSF was designed to deliver most of the performance of the Raptor at half the cost. Therefore, congress will fund a zillion of them, even if it delivers 1/2 the performance at 90% to 120% of the cost. Congress tends to listen to and base all future decisions on the initial spiel.

But my problem is an imported one can't be exchanged. Even if there's 416 dead pixels, Nintendo of America won't do anything because it's a Japanese one. Every single import store (both US and Asia based) has a "no returns for dead pixels" disclaimer. Nintendo has awesome customer service in my experience (they replaced my GBC due to one pixel stuck on blue), but won't work on non-US systems here, no matter how identical they may be. Current thinking: just wait. Waited this long to get a DS, might as well keep waiting for a US-release non-white one. I don't really care what color, just so long as it's not white. Or pink. Current guess: Next batch of US DS Lites, in time for Xmas, will be in colors to match the Wii. Thus, you can get an Xmas Wii and an Xmas DS Lite, as a matching set.

Like anything else LCD, there's stuck pixels, dead pixels, and entire columns or rows of pixels being stuck. Google "DS lite dead pixels" and you'll find plenty of problems. Though I think DS's have fewer instances than most things, it's still possible. (And with my luck for game systems lately...)

Just had a thought: Dead pixels. If you import one, you're basically screwed if there's any problems. I would hate dead pixels far more than having white plastic. Hmmmn. Maybe I can get a white US one, and sell it when the new colors come out.

It's technically on sale in the US now. Maybe 24hour Wal-Marts? Anyways, I'm 99% decided on importing a Navy one. The more I look at it, the more I dislike the white one. And I'm not waiting until X-mas for Nintendo's second "holiday" wave of colors to come to the US---I can only put off playing a new 2D Mario game for so long... PS---any thoughts on the usefullness of getting a backlit GBA SP? My only GBA is a launch white Asian one (as in HK, not JP), so I actually play 99% of my GBA games nowadays via my GC/GBplayer just to see the screen! Plus I have many treasured GB games that a DS won't play.

Just some quick news: First F-15K lost on Wednesday. CFIT (controlled flight into terrain). Both crewmembers killed. 2007 Thunderbird team already selected, adds another female pilot (also another female F-15 pilot), #6 slot. Indian Prime Minister got a ride in an Su-30MKI. And it was carrying a LITENING pod. I would never have imagined to see the US's newest designator pod (well, maybe the Sniper's newer) on a Flanker...

Took me so long I TOTALLY forgot about it. Still, I don't think it took THIS long.

Another way is to compare it to pitching up (which is basically the same, since a bank is just rolling THEN pitching "up"): Watch an F-18 or something transition from level flight to vertical at an airshow---it can RAPIDLY pitch up to 80 degrees----but it cannot do a full 360 loop at the same rate. It can instantaneously pitch up to 80 degrees in well under a second, but cannot maintain that rate of change. But turning involves G's, bank angle, etc, so it's more complex, but it's the same basic idea: A plane can quickly move a little bit, but cannot keep it up. Instantaneous turn is generally the "missile avoidance" capability---wait until the last second, and turn as hard as you can, dumping all your energy in one desperate, severe, quick move. (or, your ability to snap-shoot) Move 50 yards over as quick as you can. Sustained turn is your dogfighting ability--how quickly can you come around in a circle.

Some of the best PSX games arrived well after the PS2 came out, and I know several developers said they abandoned the PSX too quickly. MS on the other hand seems to want the original XB dead as soon as possible.