Seems almost sacriligeous to say it, but when you think about it the Lightning was a poor design for a fighter. A nose intake meaning a tiny little radar, a fuselage largely taken up by engine ducting, that awful fuel bulge underneath, and a mid-set wing meaning a long stalky undercarriage and little wing space for fuel or pylons. I know it was derived from the P.1 which was originally conceived purely for research, but maybe it would have been better in the long run to develop a dedicated fighter from scratch. Exciting and iconic it may be, but I can’t help thinking that if the Soviet Union had built it we’d all happilly deride it as crude and unsophisticated by Western standards.

Could be interesting. Thanks for posting.

Because we all know that car crashes are the fault of the car….

Yes, yes, like I said in my previous post, shootings are nothing to do with guns, just people. By the same token, all criminals, lunatics and terrorists should be allowed the right to possess whatever weapons they wish. After all, the 2nd amendment is all about the right to bear arms in case people need to overthrow an oppressive Govt, and many terrorists believe that is just what they should do; surely it’s their Constitutional right? And if, for example, someone were to detonate a “dirty” bomb in New York, that would be absolutely no reason at all to be all beastly and unfair to nuclear weapons because people would have caused the carnage, not the poor old much-maligned nuclear device which on the day in question probably killed less people in America than died in car accidents.

No, no, no, you’ve got it all wrong, Edgar. Shootings are nothing to do with guns, just people. More guns actually equals fewer shootings, and in fact if everyone was made by law to carry and show a gun at all times, there would be absolutely no shootings at all; that’s the way forward. Apparently. :highly_amused:

Recently finished Operation Sea Lion by Peter Fleming, and just started “Ripping Yarns,” basically transcripts of the first series of the 70’s TV comedies by ex-Pythons Michael Palin and Terry Jones. Includes such gems as Tompkinson’s Schooldays, Across the Andes by Frog, The Testing of Eric Olthwaite (my favourite), Escape from Stalag Luft 112b, Murder at Moorstone Manor, and The Curse of the Claw.

I would have liked to see a longer sentence too, but there are perhaps other ways in which he will pay for his crimes. Remember, this is a man who seemed to crave public affection and adulation, but who is now universally reviled and despised as a paedophile. His career, his reputation, his whole life is in tatters, all his work undone with no hope now of ever putting things right. I suspect (and hope) these things wil torture his soul long after he leaves prison.

:highly_amused:

Then you are either paranoid or irrational or are using your paranoia to rationalize your being irrational.

Oooer, sounds serious. Can I get time off work for that? :highly_amused:

Happens to me all the time. Can hardly move in our house for bloody shelves.