rgmwa

Trust you to ask the most profoundly difficult questions, Bex. I'll be awake all night tonight now. Does anybody know what an Ark is? rgmwa

Wouldn't have worked anyway. We would have known it was you, Bex. rgmwa

The French were in it as well. They landed on the east side of Bosphorus opposite the Gallipoli Peninsula. (No they didn't get lost - it was a diversionary attack). rgmwa

That's true DG, but don't forget that we were on the Turks' territory. They fought well against us and experienced the same horrors. The Anzacs had a good deal of respect for their skill and bravery, and no doubt the Turkish soldiers were just as reliant on their mates as ours were. Kemal Ataturk later made a very magnanimous speech recognising the Anzac soldiers, that perhaps not many other leaders would have done. rgmwa

Just read the `Battle for Lone Pine' by David Cameron. What a horrific waste of life on both sides - hand to hand fighting for days in trenches and tunnels over a tiny patch of ground that wasn't any use to anyone at the end of the day. The Lone Pine Cemetery is located in the middle of the old battlefield. rgmwa

Bugger...he beat me to it. rgmwa

Hi Dazza, I think the answers are...maybe, maybe, yes. Hope that helps. Cheers rgmwa

I don't know, although it would be possible. We researched what equipment other zoos had but information was pretty scanty, so we basically started from first principles based on lots of meetings with the keepers to find out what they needed. Then we had to figure out how strong it had to be, how to get the mechanisms to work, and how it could be operated simply and safely. We also looked at the fairly primitive setup they already had to work out some of the small details like inspection doors. You can't take chances when people need to work closely with elephants, so at the end of the day when it all seemed to work and the keepers said they liked it, we were pretty happy. rgmwa

Don't have any photos sadly, although I still have the drawings. It was basically a steel cage (err... I mean `elephant handling device' ... Zoos don't like to use the word `cage' any more) with sliding gates at each end and movable sides to `crush' the elephant, plus lots of inspection ports to allow the keepers and vets to take samples, administer injections, etc. It also had an overhead gantry and winch so they could lift any elephant that might collapse. It was designed for a 6.5 tonne Asian elephant as we don't have any African elephants here. The keepers rate elephants as the most dangerous animal in the zoo - particularly the bulls when they're charged with testosterone. Very powerful, smart, and they remember people they don't like. If they pee on you, you're OK. That means they like you. rgmwa

I assume you mean Taronga, Ben? Interesting, as we did the same for the elephants at Perth zoo around the same time. Had to design an `elephant handling device' from scratch. That was pretty interesting. rgmwa

Agree with Downunder's suggestions. Aviation museum is well worth a look. rgmwa

Heard it all before Gnu....and I can't be bothered getting into the same old debate that will go nowhere. Believe what you like and I'll do the same. rgmwa PS. I didn't actually say anything about Darwinian evolution, but just to be clear ... I believe that the Theory of Evolution is a working hypothesis.

Don, despite your best efforts at offering scientific enlightenment, it's pretty clear by now that GG is a lost cause when it comes to logic and reason, and is probably beyond salvation. rgmwa

It might be `free' but there will be a cost somewhere. Microsoft isn't that silly. rgmwa

Surely not, Nev. I always thought it was for a noble cause. Where did I go wrong? rgmwa

I think we're saying the same thing in a slightly different way, OK. Clearly the `good' Islamists are decent people who don't follow those rules that allow or insist that nasty things be done to non-believers. They are the vast majority. However there are some `evil bastards' that do because it suits their own agenda, and they use the jihad argument to convince impressionable and disgruntled young people to do their dirty work for them. Hitler was pretty good at it too.

Well, there are probably a few Catholics who feel the same way about the Pope, but I agree that the Muslims as a group seem to be particularly serious about their religion. Nevertheless, they are not all a bunch of misfits who walk around with AK47's and a grudge against the world. I don't think the problem is Islam per se. The problem is the radical clerics and their camp followers who choose to interpret the prophet's writings in a way that suits their murderous political agenda. Jihad has more to do with politics and power than religion. rgmwa

I agree Marty, but let's not forget that the majority of Muslims are decent people who also abhor the actions of the extremist elements in their midst. Unfortunately they tend to get tarred with the same brush. rgmwa

You're probably right 8okts, and I expect all the Christian to Athiest converts are probably doing the same. Which reminds me, Gnu's been a bit quiet lately. I wonder .... rgmwa

Yes, I saw it there too KG, but I still don't know what it means. :( rgmwa

No, not at all NP. I totally agree with you. All I was saying is that the problems occur when people try to force their beliefs onto others (as you said), or when they won't accept that others may have different beliefs, including no belief (religious or otherwise). rgmwa

So far I've learned a bit about alternative views of history, evolution and physics, had some typing practice, and remain none the wiser when it comes to religion and the answer to Everything. Has anyone else done any better or joined the opposing team yet? rgmwa

... or criticise others for their belief or lack of belief, as the case may be... rgmwa

Just read the article 80kts. Thought it was pretty poor to be honest. He's got a very biased point of view, therefore not convincing at all. rgmwa

You can't be God, KG because there's only supposed to be one of us. Just keep taking your medication like I have to. rgmwa