Just a quick factual correction - European countries do NOT all have ID cards. The UK for one is quite happy without them (strong resistance to them from most quarters as they are seen - rightly or wrongly - as a sign of an overly interfering state).

Yep, this is why I put 'omitted' - is this really that unusual?

This is the proper old school way to make espresso as far as I know, and what we use most of the time - just don't water it down into a weedy 'Americano'.

Also, are electric kettles really not common stateside? Sure I've seen them in motel rooms etc?

I think you would find that on the whole it is far easier to move from the US to X than from X to the US, so that would be close to opening your doors. Sounds very reasonable to me, since I think the whole idea of stopping free movement is revolting, but you guys seem to really like 'protecting your borders'. You know we all get mugshotted and fingerprinted if we dare even visit for a holiday, right?

Ah - sorry to reply to myself, but makes sense now, GP being Pope rather than my post - I miscounted.

Thanks for a sane and considered reply. Yep, I've been making an effort to get to the gym a few times a week over the last few months and it certainly helps. Along with careful calorie counting, 20 or 30 pounds has come off, but plenty to go. I've found the livestrong 'myplate' website a reasonable help in the latter, though it's by no means perfect (and a bit preachy for my taste).

But it really does get tedious seeing the morons on here talking about how easy it is if you have some willpower etc. You don't like eating as much? Have a higher metabolism? Weren't brought up to seek comfort in food the same way when bored or low? Lucky you - I bet you have other personality flaws you could be working on. Try finding a tiny bit of empathy for a start. (Now flame away :) ).

I know it's silly to bother starting a debate with an AC, but I genuinely don't understand this comment, care to expand on it?

Rubbish. I'm obese and cook 90% of my meals myself, with fresh meat and veg. I also enjoy my food too much, work a desk job, and struggle to make time to exercise enough.

To lose weight you have to consume fewer calories or burn more of them. Which makes it sound easy, which it is not.

I believe you're referring to Lewis Caroll (/Charles Dodgson). CS Lewis may have been a born again bore, but as far as I'm aware his only crime against kids was mediocre Christian allegory?

I generally prefer his non sci-fi stuff, (the Crow Road is possibly my favourite 'straightforward fiction' ever) but would really recommend the latest Culture one, Surface Detail. I only picked it up as my other half had just read it, but found I really enjoyed it (although he still can't stop himself spending half his time coming up with unneccessarily ridiculous names for all the characters, even when he has a decent story to tell).

Really? Surely it is? My understanding was that the name isn't as silly as it sounds however (it's named after the initial sponsor, not the planet).

Developer == nothing better to do with time than faff around with Window managers?

Here: http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/emoticon-keyboard-25-01-2011/

although I can't get the link to the supposed creators to work.

Hmm - speaking as a European who can't remember the last time he saw a Dodge, he might have been off on a few things... :)

If the sample questions I just tried are anything to go by, and they've been running this thing against a variety of international volunteers online (I've no idea if this is the case), then damn right it's going to win - practically every question needed some knowledge of modern US brands/media/folklore. That ignores the fact that you need to know a bit about the premise of jeopardy to play, but I can forgive that. I just kept seeing the correct answer and thinking 'oh right. who?'