I read the article at the other end of the linking tube. Boring yes, but thankfully short. I believe the protest is because no one in Quebec has won the Stanley Cup for a while. A number of years ago Calgary won it but the federal government gave it to Quebec instead. No lie.

They had a fantastic after shave balm in the same line, both of which I used (and loved) with a Gillette Fat Boy I bought on eBay. The balm was also replaced by the Maca Root shite, and it too smells like ass. I was so put out by the whole thing that I grew a beard 2 years ago and now can't bring myself to shave at all.

Cool. The AT book club is already working out!

Thanks for the tip. I've seen Rollins' name on the shelves but never read any. Sounds right up my alley. And I fully agree, the Isaac Bell books are very clever but I am finding some of Cussler's other recent stuff to be not quite what it was.

For yucks I recently re-read the first couple of Dirk Pitt books. Back at the beginning Pitt was a crass, heavy drinking and smoking womanizer. Interesting how he has grown and matured with the times...along with the rest of us I suppose.

Excellent idea.

I am sometimes at a loss for things to read (while waiting for the latest Clive Cussler or the like). That's usually when I hit the Baen free library and pick something at random. Alternatively, I go back to something I read as a teen when I used to pick books (also at random) from the local library. I then look the author up on Wikipedia and see what else they've done, often finding that the author was far more prolific than I would have first given them credit for. I would be all over some book reviews and discussion.

I've always wondered if there is any benefit to the CDMA system over a sim based one. Or is it just that it was a different system that carried on because it worked and people don't like change?

My Palm Pre was a CDMA phone with Bell, so was the flip I used before and after (my biggest beef with the Pre had nothing to do with the network, it was the lack of memory card slot). Still, I'm a cheapskate, have never had a data plan, and now that I've moved to a sim card I can jump around from prepaid network to prepaid network all I want. I survive on people's cast-off phones sitting in their closets or sock drawers.

Having said all that, I have never noticed any difference in service quality or signal between CDMA and GSM (or HDSPA or whatever). So, anyone have an opinion? Just different?

You are in luck, Herr Professor. I didn't know they had spread the good news so far.
http://www.kickinghorsecoffee.com/store/index.php...

I have some experience with the Bangalore torpedo from my adventures as Lt. Mike Powell in MOHAA. I clearly remember someone yelling "POWELL GET THOSE BANGALORES" fairly often during our attack on Omaha. Over and over and over...

Never knew any more than that until now. Cool.

Oh that is indeed wonderful stuff. I particularly like Z Wrangler for regular and Kick Ass for the espresso machine.

Out of interest, how much do you pay being local? Cheapest I find here in TO is $14/lb at a local health food store. If I buy 2 lbs I get them for $13 each. Steep but worth it every now and again.

Strong cortado (two double shots of espresso with a little steamed milk).

Hmmm. Hover tanks. Coincidentally I just finished reading a reasonably pulpy (?) piece of science fiction called The Tank Lords in which these mercenaries called Hammer's Slammers will come to your planet and rid you of your foes. The Slammers ride around in hover tanks and hover combat cars. Mildly entertaining reading, freely downloadable in most formats from here:
http://www.baenebooks.com/showproduct.aspx?Produc...

While you're there, also check out The Apocalypse Troll by David Weber. Not a bad SF read.