TeeJay

I've never had a problem running or swimming in either my Planet Ocean, SMPs or 111h. By running and swimming, I mean full out sprinting and swimming against a tide and wave machine (at different times ) No problems with either leaks or hand slippage

Funniest thing I've seen in a while "Not now, Chief! I'm in the [censored]in' Zone!" Comedy Gold. And as for My New. Hair. Cut... I grabbed a fistfull of my hair with my thumb pressed to the scalp, used sharp scissors to cut along the outer edge of my fist, and repeated the process

In an average day, I spend hardly any time with my watches at all, other than wearing one, and occasionally glancing at the collection. If I do change straps, then maybe a few minutes doing that, then it's back to business as usual I don't really 'chop and change' much, so it is literaly a case of spending a few minutes once in a while changing the strap, and then putting it back on I think the most time I actually spend is taking photos and loading them for the wrist-checks That said, with my PAMs, they do get treated to a few moments 'off the wrist attention time' around midnight, as that's when I wind them, and then charge the lume to last me through the night

That was one of the proposals for UK gun clubs to function under, the problem, was that a lot of small clubs could not afford to install the security systems necessary to ensure that all guns remained on the premises and were 100% securely stored, which meant they had to close. According to the letter of the law, target shooting is still a totally legitimate, legal, and possible sport. The problem, is the actual reality of the situation, where clubs have to close due to being financially unable to comply with the law. Utterly false generalization. I've studied martial arts for 21 years. I don't need a gun to feel safe either at home or in public. That's not to say that there aren't a few people who want to stand in front of the mirror with a gun muttering "You talking to me??" or "Good Evening, Mish Munneh-penneh..." But those are not the majority of shooting enthusiasts, and not the kind of people who should be licenced to own a firearm in the first place, which was the point I was making about Th0mas Hamilton. The man should never have been let near a firearm -or children- in the first place. The fact that he was, was the problem, not the guns themselves. Impossible? I think not. At least, not impossible to give reasonable assurances. For example, UK teachers must be CRB checked in order to work in schools, and for every county they work in, they require a valide CRB check from that county's police force, and, if they don't work in a school for more than (I believe) a three month period, they must be re-checked. Now I admit, that is not a 100% fool-proof system, but, it is certainly a reasonable one, and one which a prospective gun owner should be made to undergo. I quite agree there. The issue, as I mentioned above, is that technically, guns are accessible to those who want them for sporting purposes, the problem is also down to the clubs not being able to ensure adequate security, and also, the restrictions placed on pistols above .22 calibre makes for a very narrow range of available firearms for use. To compare it to watches, although we all have our favorite marques, we still have other items in our collections, and firearms would be no different, in that someone might well be able to go along with shooting a .22 target pistol, but, it would also be fun to shoot a .44 Magnum one week, or give a Beretta 92Fa try, or even compare the Walther P99 to a Sig Sauer P228... None of those things would be permitted under UK law, and, as long as those firearms were owned by properly licenced (and the key issue here is proper licencing procedure) individuals, and stored in suitable locations, there is no reason to restrict the calibre to .22... [Edit to add] As mentioned above, it is not the law-abiding people who carry concealed weapons in public, but criminals, carrying illegally owned guns... Legislation means nothing when people simply ignore it and carry on regardless. As mentioned above, all that means, is that it results in the legitimate enthusiast being penalized for the actions of a criminal minority... [Edit] Hit 12 instead of 21.

Personally, I like guns. I like shooting. It is the one of the few 'natural gifts' I was born with (the other being able to mimic foreign languages with near perfection [even if I don't necessarily understand what I am saying, it will be understood by someone else]) I've always wanted to belong to a gun club and take part in pistol shooting, but thanks to the knee-jerk reactions to the Dunblane Massacre, have never been able to do so. What people failed to realize or acknowledge, was that the cause of that massacre was not the guns used, but the mentally unstable paedophile who was (for utterly incomprehensible reasons) granted a firearms licence. Obviously there is a problem with illegally acquired weapons which is something which needs better controls, however, there is no reason why that should impede on people who wish to legally own a firearm, and prove that they are suitable and trustworthy to do so. People are trained, tested and licenced to drive cars, yet there are still more deaths annually from driving-related accidents than firearms, but people are not calling either for cars to be banned, or for licenced drivers to be continually monitored and tested (when in all fairness, a person's vision or co-ordination could suddenly deteriorate below an acceptable level without their knowledge, which routine testing would detect and then remedy) As for the issue of British police carrying firearms, my personal opinion, is that all police officers should be trained in the use of, and carry a sidearm at all times. Had she carried a firearm, PC Sharon Beshenivsky would not be dead. On my admitedly limited trips abroad, I have always felt much safer to see local police carrying guns, than I feel 'at home', where the police aren't allowed to carry anything more offensive than a baton and a pepper spray... In Spain, even the 'local police' were packing P99's for their routine patrols, and, compared to the Guardia Civil, they're little more than glorified trafic wardens. My other issue with police firearms, is that the firearms units are not adequately trained, and do not have enough 'day to day experience' with responding to firearm-related incidents to be able to react without getting goosed up on adrenaline and shoot someone coming out of a pub carrying a table-leg. Perhaps an exchange training programs to countries where they would deal with those situations day in day out would then enable them to actually carry out their duties without a repeat of the Jean Charles de Menezes fiasco... Sorry for the rant, but this is an issue I feel very strongly about, and find incredibly frustrated that nothing is likely to ever change rationally on the issue.

I absolutely agree 100%. If I couldn't get a particular watch to go under a shirt cuff, I'd wear a thinner watch. I hardly ever have to wear a shirt with a suit jacket, so most of the time, I'll either have cuffs rolled back (a style I picked up from Jean-Michel Jarre, 17 years ago) or wear a T-Shirt. I like to be able to read my watch easily, but I don't wear it to display it for other people. Those shirts shown above, while certainly going to make the creator a wealthy individual, are just ludicrous, and indeed, the worst kind of affectation.

Sorry, amigo, but Rico's about 18 months old now... You can always be his Uncle R11co though

I agree with everything you wrote apart from the boldened part. As you say, it's the nature of luxury goods. They are never worth the sum of their parts, but to be honest, someone doesn't need to have the budget to afford them to understand that fundemental fact. Infact, I'd go so far as to say the complete reverse, and it's the people who can afford to spank their cash on those purchases who are less likely to understand, and are simply slaves to consumerism and brand-name worship, rather than seeing the artificial inflation of those items. Other than that difference of opinion, top post

There is something almost religious about that picture... Fantastic artwork

Well, I have to admit, shamefull as it is, I do rather enjoy Michael Bay's movies... (Especially the Bad Boys movies and The Rock) I wasn't so much impressed with the technical aspects of the film (ie the shifting angles) but as something I could just sit down, take with a pinch of salt and enjoy, I'd say it ticked all the boxes. Interesting fact, when Bumblebee 're-formats' into the new Camaro, that wasn't actually a production car, but essentially a 'kit car' (with parts provided by the parent company) and those nice rims... Not actually allow wheels, but cunningly engineered 'hub caps'. The thing that gives it away, (pause the DVD when he first pulls up and the wheel is right near the lens) is that the 'brake rotors' don't have brake calipers

I haven't really sat down and watched a movie in a while. Certainly nothing 'new'. I think the last 'new' film I watched was Transformers, and that was okay. I liked Shia Shia LeBoeuf and Megan Fox (who didn't like Megan Fox??!! ) but for me, the star of the show had to be Bumblebee. Made me want to track down an old Camaro and customize it to look like the production car (which was sold on eBay for a fortune ) The thing that bugged me most about the movie, was the rapid angle/camera shifts during the fight scenes... Almost as if they didn't want to have to focus too closely on the robots themselves... The last film I last watched which actually interested me, was Fast Food Nation. Awesome movie, and damn Avril Lavign has straight hair The last movie I actually watched, was L4yer Cake on DVD

One of my guinea pigs is called Rico He's a self brown Rex, and, like the majority of Rex guineas, is a true gentle giant, and without a doubt the most loving of all my guineas Here's a pic of him that's about a year old... PS He was named after the Miami Vice character

No pics as yet, I've been so busy catching up on projects that my wrist aches and I'm half-baked on marker pen fumes As for what I'm wearing though, I've got on the PVD PAM, which is best described as a 111g, on my (current) favorite strap, the honey/tan strap which came from the factory, and was most recently photographed on my 029a. Time to get some fresh air before I pass out from 'huffing solvents'

This was what I wondered. Thanks for the clarification

As I said before in my previous response to you, my opinion came from information others had presented (which did include mention of your deterioration in vision (but which, under such circumstances, can sound like a way of gaining sympathy to deflect criticism rather than a genuine affliction. I am not saying that you are lying about the condition, merely pointing out how it can be perceived by those of less than generous natures) ) and if that opinion is incorrect, then I again apologize for that misconception. The is, however, one question I would like to ask: If you realized that you were unable to complete 'the projects' as asked, (whatever they may have been) why did you not immediately return people's money or parts, rather than leave things for months? Can you see how people could get the impression that it was their 'missing money' which paid for your gen PAM rather than the money from your own private sales? This is not intended as a criticism, just an attempt to illustrate the sentiments behind the message to hopefully facilitate a better mediation of issues, rather than focussing on the message itself. Best regards.

I quite agree, there is the difference between someone who intends to mislead and scam, and someone who's circumstances have conspired against them to make it harder for them to keep their word. As I mentioned previously on the issue of subscriptions, had I not been given 'a rubber cheque' by someone I did work for, I would have made the contributions I promised. However, without that sum, I'm in the position of making up the sum and having to meet essential needs first. My holiday, for example, had I waited till the last minute to pay for, I wouldn't've been able to go, but, as it was fortunately pre-paid, I went, didn't have much cash beyond daily food requirements, and made the best of things, but, to get back on track, if someone has someone's money, and access to the net, they can return it almost immediately. If someone has parts for a person, but can't modify them as promised, then for the cost of postage and packing, that also can be returned almost immediately, and in those instances, there really is no excuse for delays, and at the risk of playing Devil's Advocate, I suspect at the heart of the issue, it is the delays which people are most concerned about. Had they received communications, refunds, returns etc, I am sure they would have had the utmost understanding. The other aspect which can chafe, are the comments Mark made like "I was up till 2-3 in the morning and then had to work an 8 hour day..." Those are the kind of things people have little patience for, as, at the end of the day, everyone knows the circumstances/sacrifices/hardships involved 'with what they do', and they still willinging continue to do them regardless of those factors. I once read a book by an artist I greatly admire, who detailed the necessity for professionalism in one's work. He had a deadline on a project the following morning, and had just about completed the piece, when his airbrush 'hiccupped' and spat gobs of paint onto a key area of the piece. His only option was to spend the rest of the night re-working the piece to repair the damage so he could hand it in on the deadline, and of course, it would have been unprofessional to tell the editor it had taken him all night to correct the unavoidable error, and of course, the editor's only comment was an unknowing "Nice airbrush work..." That's the kind of standard which any self-employed person should hold themself to. I'd best be off as it's been a long day of travelling, and my week ahead promisses little but playing 'catch up' on my projects.... Peace out folks

I totally appreciate that you weren't replying to my post directly, simply using the last available post, and I do appreciate your request not to dissect your post, but there are two points which I feel obliged to point out. Firstly, no matter how anal a person is about something, if they can something (or something done) as good as 'the real thing' for cheaper (ie non-official technicians) then human nature would be to go with the cheapest option. Why pay a high price to Mr X, when Mr Y can do the exact same job for a fraction of the price? Paying the higher price has nothing but the prestige of spending money, and that was why I pointed out (at Mark's request) what I thought he would possibly do on Risti. and Secondly, as admirable as it is for you to defend your friend, this is very much the same issue (at it's core) as has been discussed over issues like The Cartel, and one where, in that instance, people were prepared to look beyond their own good dealings with someone, if there was the chance that the person was dealing less honestly with others, as that was something that affected the overall community, not just them, and they disaproved of. So a similar stance would be appropriate here. As I said, I totally appreciate and respect the points you made, but I felt compelled to adress those specific issues as they are very much at the heart of the overall issue. Had Mark not responded to my post, I would not have posted anything further as I was simply pointing out an opinion which had been formed from other's comments, and as I said above to Mark, if I misjudged him, then I have apologized for doing so, and tried to explain why I may have done so. Indeed, best regards to all.

From the comments others have posted, your 'old games' would appear to consist of offering goods/services for money and then either a ) not providing them, or b ) providing them at either a ludicrously advanced date (ie months later) or goods which have not met the buyer's expectations. As someone else said about you. Have they been ripped off. Technically, no, morally, yes. Don't try and use forum rules intended to prevent flame wars to make yourself look like a victim when one of your former clients loses their patience/temper, and berates you in a less than polite manner. If you've done something wrong, then rather than ignoring the problem or using your personal circumstances as an excuse, just be a man and admit to it. If you had problems 6-9 months ago, then fair enough, we all go through tough times, but, rather than keeping the people's money and goods, you should have returned them to them immediately, not this far down the line. Oh, so they wouldn't consider sending you a watch to have it serviced for considerably less than an AD would charge? Just because the cosmetic modifications that some engage in to try and pass their reps off as gens would not apply on that forum, there would still be services which you could charge people money for, and simply not provide. Is that serious enough for you? You may be using the same name, and, as much as I thought your post gave a very valid and fascinating insight into the Rep World, it still came across as "I used to do that, but not anymore..." That comes across as re-invention, plain and simple, and, when it happens at a time when there are people who, shall we say, do not hold you in the highest esteem, it comes across as rather sleazy and self-serving. We've never had any dealings, so admitedly, I can only go by what others have said about you, so if my assessment of you is inaccurate, then my apologies, however, I do not take kindly to people who abuse the trust of others (in whatever circumstances those abuses may occur in), and do not take kindly to such people affecting a larger community of people. Money doesn't grow on trees, people have to work for it. Some have to work harder than others, some have more than others, but at the end of the day, everyone here who buys something, be it a product or a service, had to earn that money, and no-one deserves to be either intentionally ripped off, or to experience delays in refunds or compensations.

This is so true. People might make a comment on such things to friends or family (and even then, that's pushing it ) but to do so to a stranger is almost unheard of. Closest I can think of, is when a lady asked my fiance where she'd gotten her glasses from. I've noticed someone eyeballing my 111h on a bus before, and when I adjusted it back to British time on the plane, the guy next to me gave it a sideways glance, but still never said anything. If he had, I'd've explained that it was a replica of a watch worn by Italian frogmen from WWII, but it was a conversation that never came up. Infact, the only time I can think of someone commenting on my watch, was a friend who I showed my Planet Ocean to, explaining that it was a rep, but he actually recognized the brand, which was rather cool. I have to admit, something I do like about the PAMs is how to the uninitiated, they either go under the radar, or are just dismissed as 'large watches', rather than being truly questioned

Possibly, but there doesn't appear to be an issue of clearance, so I suspect that the jam is occuring internally in the movement itself rather than the hands clearing... However, now I'm back, I'll be taking the watch for inspection by the proprietor of the store where it was 'repaired', so hopefully either get it taken care of gratis, or the funds for the 'service' refunded, which will then be used to purchase a replacement (which my dealer offered to supply at half price )

No problem at all I have to admit, from what I've seen of other's wrist checks, PVDs on browns do definitely seem to be a love it/hate it combination. It came on a rubber strap (with a leather strap keeper ) but that soon came off in favor of a leather strap (The watch actually accepted the SS Bracelet without issue, but didn't look too good on the shiny bracelet ) At present, the only straps I can wear it on (as I need to order some 24mm buckles) are the factory strap you saw the 029 on, and it's black counterpart. My preference, is for the honey/tan factory strap over the black, although Emily said she prefered the black... I have a hunch that Me So Horny will be this watch's regular strap as it'll likely be a shade or two paler than the honey/tan without going into the washed out/bleached spectrum... Once I get access to a camera, I'll try and get some decent pics, and I hope the underwater shot worked out, as I think it'll look quite good. I did consider taking a wrist-shot in the shower once, but decided against it I'll be sure to check out the thread, I'm sure I'll find it very interesting, as I do have an interest in the kinds of watches Naval divers use/d Interesting side note, while away, I looked in a few expensive-looking jewellery boutiques, (in Puerto de Mazerron) and one watch which rather took my eye, was a PVD'd Nautica with a black dial with copper-accents, and a cream-colored version of the honey/tan factory strap I wasn't able to go into the boutique, but, I did get the feeling that if the strap had been the right width, I'd've bought the watch just to get the strap for the PVD PAM :

Ahh, now that's something I didn't know about, thanks for that I'll try asking my dealer if he knows what kind of process was used, but I'm not sure if he'd know... I'm rather liking the different look the PVD gives the watch, and, as it was (albeit delayed) a birthday present from my fiance, it's in my best interests if it gets a lot of wrist time I just wondered what kind of durablity I could maybe expect from other's experiences, or if it's a watch which will soon have some bright 'highlights'

Thanks, Vic I would say it's good to be back (and indeed, it is good to be able to read the forum), but truth be told, I didn't want to leave Spain at all. Never been before in my life, never knew more than a few words of Spanish, but, within two days, I'd picked up enough to order food without embarassing myself (I've always been a good mimic with linguistics) although my range is still somewhat rudimentary, totally loved the laid back way of life, and was overjoyed with the ludicrously cheap prices on goods It was possible there to buy a reasonable pair of shoes there for four Euros! Okay, so Spanish wages might not be much, but by comparison, an hour's work in the UK at minimum wage will not allow someone to buy a reasonable pair of shoes (unless they are the last ever pair in the bargain bin in a closing down sale ) so it goes without saying, that I'll be looking forward to moving to Spain in the hopefully not to distant future. Not to worry about any delays, health must come first A hint of things to come... Emily's stepdad used his camcorder to try and get a shot of my 111h underwater, but I've not yet seen the footage, so not too sure how the footage will look or if it will be suitable for a screen shot. Also, when I can get a camera and a free moment (might not be for a week as I've got a load of work to catch up on ) I'll be posting some pics of my PVD'd PAM

I've been unable to find anything really concrete on this subject, so forgive me if it's a repost. Having just received a PVD'd PAM, I was wondering what kind of durability the coating has. I've read that Panerai only issued a limited edition PVD on the understanding that folks wouldn't be wearing them regularly, and wondered how that applied to reps. Are these indeed watches which will scratch and scuff up at the mere suggestion of being worn, or, are they durable enough to withstand general everyday wear, or even somewhere inbetween? I'll be interested to get folk's opinions and experiences Thanks in advance

The vacation shots are still being downloaded, so nothing fresh immediately. However, a little news: I spent the week wearing my PAM 111h, with the caseback from the 029a, and the SS bracelet. The watch stopped every 12 hours at precicely 08:04:24, but other than that, ran flawlessly. Even when splashing about in the Med That's right, I swam with this sickly and cobbled together watch against tides and it never even thought about leaking When I got home, I found a rather nice PVD PAM waiting for me (my delayed birthday present exchange for the faulty 127) Once the camera's sorted out, I'll post some shots of it Hope folks had a good week