Jack M

har har. you forgot Ed McMahon.

For HD video and snapshots I just picked up a Panasonic TS1. It's submersible to 10 feet and shockproof to a 5 foot drop. Brought it on vaca to Jamaica and it was great for a p&s. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UntK30uX6pY/SkZviu9S_WI/AAAAAAAADg4/ON6Al7ZgtmA/s1600-h/P1000305.JPG The only cameras that come close to that description are the D90 at 4.5fps and the Pentax K7 at 5.2fps. Keep in mind there is no AF in video mode on the D90. I agree the D300 has the best sports AF of your selections. Before you buy anything, you should evaluate the lens system you're getting into. Canon's lens lineup is the largest and has the fewest gaps as far as I can tell. I have the 17-55/2.8IS, 70-200/4LIS, and I want the 100-400LIS. There are no Nikkor equivalents to those lenses. Someday I will get a 70-200/2.8LIS for indoor sports/theater, which of course Nikkor has one of those. The Nikkor 17-55/2.8, 24-70/2.8, and 70-200/2.8VR are excellent, but cost more than their Canon counterparts, if that matters. The Nikkor 14-24 is outstanding, Canon can't touch this lens. Choosing between Nikon and Canon is frustrating, because they seem to have agreed not to compete directly against each other's camera bodies. The offerings are quite staggered in spec and price. The Pentax K7 is weather-sealed (but not weatherproof ) and has in-body IS. Pentax is interesting as they have some neat prime lenses, but they are a small step behind Canon and Nikon at high ISO. Or if you decide you're not really concerned about HD video in a DSLR and you want to save a few bucks, the Canon 40D is a wonderful camera that can be had for a relative song. I used it and my 70-200 f/4 L IS to take this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UntK30uX6pY/SNeSm5UP9XI/AAAAAAAAC64/FZHRs6nPCk0/s1600-h/DPP07D80916082303.jpg And for snowboarding, the first 137 images in this album were taken with my old Canon 30D and that lens: http://jmphotocraft.smugmug.com/gallery/4484815_z4Kur#263836588_WZpJu

It's a 2005, and only came in one stiffness. It's pretty stiff, let's call it medium-well. Doesn't have many days on her. Every time I ride it it blows me away, but time marches on and I have to make room for the metals. It wouldn't kill me to just give it to my newbie hb'er brother-in-law, as he's about 200lbs so he could make it work. Would be nice to keep it in the family and have it accessible, if only to gaze upon the iconic graphics. But for $400 I'd part with it.

Nice Ray. Rossi seems to be able to win at will.

yeah, the OxiClean guy... I liked him, his commercials made me laugh. Seemed like a happy person. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529328,00.html

Ok, then carvedog, purpletiara, MEC, Derf, photodad, etc..... will one of you get off your butts and buy my Madd 180 already??? It's minty.

haha, no worries man. there are plenty of other websites where people can go see lesbian sex. err, so I've heard.

Ha, my second album (first album I bought for myself) was Van Halen 1984. But in my circle at grammar school, nothing was cooler than Beat It, and "have you seen/are you allowed to see the Thriller video?" was the conversation for a solid month.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/25/michael.jackson.legacy/index.html Gotta admit I'm bummed. Thriller was given to me for my 7th birthday and it was my first album of my own. I loved it. To this day I can't figure out how he does this: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_3v-_p3ESo&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_3v-_p3ESo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

I think a big part of the reason for cheap or even free used windsurfing gear is that when people are done with it for whatever reason, the gear takes up a ton of space. People *need* to get rid of it. It takes up valuable garage/shed space, or sits outside killing grass and causing an eyesore, or even serves to remind and mock the former user of their failed attempts to get good at it, or their fall from physical condition, or the disappearance of their free time. Taking used gear off someone's hands is actually doing them a big favor as well. I never windsurfed, but my dad and some friends went through a windsurfing phase and this is what happened. Snowboard decks take up relatively little space, and the cool ones can be hung on a wall or made into a bench, or sold to Bryan. ;) Attitude? I think this forum has some of the least attitude on the net. Sure, we talk shop and argue about it, but people overall are very cool here. And people are very generous with their gear and advice and meeting up in person to help. I think if you did find a windsurfing forum as active as this one, you'd find about as much tude.

And here I thought the scuffs on your boot toes was from kicking so much ass.

actually they should give you at least a day ticket voucher for that.

Right, the 50, 125, and 250 are two-strokes. Pretty darn sure the 125 and 250 do not meet emissions standards in any state. However I have seen a couple 250s on the road with plates and lights, so there is a way to sidestep the law and plate them if you know how and the right people I guess. But you still run the risk of getting in some trouble. Yeah, I like that priller 450. But for 10k I'd rather do this: www.450moto.com

Aprilia makes a 250, 125 and a 50. The 125 and 250 wouldn't be legal here.... technically. Of course, there are ways to sneak them onto the road.

If I ever go scooter.... 50cc never looked better!

Zicam. It works. And Emergen-C. Accept no store brands.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/06/02/126-vespa-scooters/

Anyone know anyone about this? It's not specifically for memory, but it's allegedly one of these fountain-of-youth superfruits. You drink 2 to 3 ounces per day as a supplement. We tried it, but I didn't feel anything worth the $40/750ml price tag.

Carbon Fiber is <i>also</i> cosmetic in addition to having higher strength-to-weight. Texalium appears to contribute as much as E-glass. I could see how this could be a good thing if it is used to perform double duty as both the functional top layer of glass in the layup and as the topsheet, so that would save you the weight of a purely cosmetic topsheet. Fishing lure... ha! I believe I was privy to that conversation.

I dabbled in racing here and there. The actual race itself is a blast, but I didn't find "racing" as a whole to be much fun. My hat is off to those who do. Instructor - Brammer... you seek Eric Brammer (aka PSR). May have to go to VT to find him.

That is why I asked.... I did some googling and couldn't find anything that said it was anything other than cosmetic. Just wanted to know if there was something juicy about it I couldn't find. It <i>does</i> make a sexy topsheet!

Bomber was almost done with the Decapitator, but then they got sidetracked with the HFP.

Texalium: "Hexcel texalium is a type of fabric used mainly for cosmetic reasons, having the same properties of standard 6 ounce fiberglass cloth. 2x2 twill weave with minor additional weight due to the hexcel texalium fabric coating that gives this fabric a metallic silver appearance." http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=4936 Hexcel invented it. Fiberglass powder-coated with aluminum. Their own site has even less info other than it has an eye-catching appearance. Vectran is hot in sails right now. Virus and a few others make boards with Vectran. Zylon = synthetic spider silk.

he stuck the landing!

no other response right now than to say that Bryan is one ripping carver. not just saying that from pics, I've seen him in person. one question though for tinks, why do you use Texalium? just wondering, i haven't been able to find much info on it being a super-material like Vectran or Titanal or something.