Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Researchers have calculated that up to 37,964 worlds in our galaxy are hospitable enough to be home to creatures at least as intelligent as ourselves.

Astrophysicist Duncan Forgan created a computer programme that collated all the data on the 330 or so planets known to man and worked out what proportion would have conditions suitable for life.

The estimate, which took into account factors such as temperature and availability of water and minerals, was then extrapolated across the Milky Way.

Mr Forgan believes that the life forms would not be amoeba wriggling on the end of a microscope but species at least as advanced as humans.

Mr Forgan, who believes it will take 300 to 400 years for us to make contact with our neighbours, said: "I believe the estimate of 361 intelligent civilisations to be the most accurate.

"These would certainly be the most Earth-like civilisations but the bigger figures are certainly possible. We can't rule them out.

"Most of the other planets we have looked at are older than our own so I would expect to see more advanced civilisations than ours existing."

Hmmm? 361, eh?

When I worked it out, I got a result of 360.4

Damn! I obviously should have rounded it up, not down!

Yes. It does make sense that 0.4 of a planet might actually just be a really small planet not just no planet at all.

Damn!

More at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/space/4521885/40000-planets-could-be-home-to-aliens.html

Re ths apology from Clarkson
I understand that he apologises for saying one eyed, that leaves him not apologising for the term Scottish idiot. This was followed by a Scottish MP suggesting Clarkson apologise for the term Scottish....... that still leaves us with the word idiot, and nobody seems to be calling for any apology for this, not even the French President.

Re Intelligent life. I think Patrick Moore had it right. When asked if there could be intelligent life in our Solar system he said he wasn't sure...and then added: "Some say there is intelligent life on Earth - but I'm not certain about that!"

I Love the Scottish MP asking for an apology for calling GB Scottish!!

By implication this means that Mr MSP believes it to be an insult, ergo he believes the Scottish are somehow inferior.

Time for Mr MSP to apologise for his blatent racism and resign his post.

Alan,

Just goes to show how things can be interpreted.

Over the weekend it was reported that Gordon Brown and his marionette Alistair Darling (although by his expression sometimes I think he is more likely that GB is controlling him as a glove puppet, with cold hands and sharp nails) declared their disgust at the proposed bonus payments to the banks hierarchy. They said that 'No one should be rewarded for failure'. Whilst I agree, I am sure that we would like to see the same criteria apply to themselves.
Oh, I forgot, they have gone on record as saying, none of this is their fault, so better not blame them eh.

Executives and staff of the Financial Services Authority, the chief City regulator, are in line for up to 33 million of bonuses and pay top-ups this year. The FSA, which has been severely criticised for not doing enough to anticipate the banking crisis, said that it needed to introduce a new reward strategy to improve the performance of its 2,800 employees, reports the Times.

Major banks will see their annual payment to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) soar by more than 100pc, with some paying 20m in fees, as the regulator clamps down on financial institutions in the wake of the global banking crisis, according to the Telegraph.



"it needed to introduce a new reward strategy to improve the performance of its 2,800 employees"

How about another, obviously to them completely novel, way of doing things? How about saying to the staff, "if you don't do your jobs the only thing you are going to get is the sack"?!

Gordon Brown and Co have stated that they are going to look into the bonus culture. Great so what are they going to do about this then.
A leaked internal memo from a banking group goes something like this, 'As the term bonus is no longer looked on as favourable in certain quarters, the term will no longer be used. A bonus will no longer be referred to as a bonus. Any future 'bonus' will be referred to as a retaining payment (retainer).
So there. Bet Gordon didn't see that one coming. Looks like this lot are ahead of GB's thinking. But there again who isn't.

When I look at a picture of Gordon Brown and Oliver Hardy it appears to me the within a couple of years GB will look a lot like OH, shame Stan Laurel and Alistair Darling don't look more alike.
A bit technophobic, so can anyone assist and post a picture of GB and OH alongside each other. Or is it just me who sees a likeness.

Seymour Clearly.

There is always one clever d**k around. But seriously, thanks.
Another question.... Who looks the most intelligent, GB or OH.
OH can find his tie, GB fumbled for his and missed.

I'm pleased to read Jade Goody has managed to secure 700,000 from 'OK Magazine' for an exclusive on her wedding. I'm also pleased to read Max Clifford is keeping his watchful eye on her. On this client, he does deserve a good fee, too. Although, I reckon he might easily forget to stick it in the post

Jade, who is a certainly a 'product of our times', has only just a few months, if not just weeks, left to live and this 'OK' deal money will go into a trust fund for her kids. And, damn it, for once and just for the sheer hell of it, I'm going to buy an OK Magazine in support of her and them. And I'm not going to give too much thought about doing it either.

Jade came from an utterly terrible background and had utterly terrible parents. As a result she has lots and lots of faults. However, I have seen in her not just a young woman who is a bit daft and a bit 'thick' but someone who can also be so happy, so open, so cheerful and positive, despite all her difficulties. I am not going to judge her at all and I'm just totally and absolutely going to forgive her for all of them.

When someone is left with only a very short time left to live the rest of their life and actually knows about it and has to deal with it and has some young kids to think about and look after too, well, it kind of crystallises the mind about what is important in life and what is not.

I hope she has a fantastic day and when I see her walk up the aisle in her wedding dress, I might just be touched enough to shed a tear for her too.

Yes, I feel sorry for her too....poor girl.....at least the money could go to her family !.

Maybe you should be saying, "the money WILL ONLY be going to her family kids".

That's the whole point of her going for the 'magazine deal marriage ceremony and all the trimmings". It earns 700,000 for her kids and provides for a better future for them than the one she had when she was a kid.

Hmmm? Can someone please lend me 99,000?

The powers that be are continually telling us that all is not doom and gloom. I like to think of myself as a realist with a very strong optimistic side (if the 2 statements can equate) but I readily admit to being very worried about the future of this country.
Corporal Jones in Dad's Army was continually telling everyone not to panic. Perhaps the time to panic is upon us.

Hmmm? Better make that 175,000

The time to panic is certainly upon us.

We give shelter and food to a guy who wants to blow up the non muslim world, starting with us, then when we do see sense and kick the bugger out, we give him two and a half grand for the inconvenience.

Am I the only one who thinks this is an act of sheer, outright stupidity.

I would have given him 2500 lbs. Not sterling (which is worthless anyway), but semtex and a very, very short fuse.

European court of Human rights--- blame Europe again!! Jackie Smith is terribly disappointed--yeah right! When are we going to take back our own decisions--we're all doomed I say. No wonder the market has sunk below 4000 today.

Hezza's dig at Jacqui Smith on question time was priceless.

Alan,

I think most people agree with you. The problem is those liberalite, lefty lot that speak for the minority are those that our establishment take most note of.
When this country enters a period of total public disorder (which it will) those same people with only have themselves to blame.
Note... Why waste money on semtex, just give me a gun, total anonyimity against any action of prosecution, and I would shoot such people myself.

No you wouldn't Greek, 'cos I would have got there first!! :o)