Victoria

I absolutely love the intro: "Power, steel, and color express the identity of man and machine." You're thinking at this point, wow this is, oh I don't know, a Rolex Explorer worn by Ed Hillary his-self! A Bentley for Breitling! A new tourbillon, two-tone Vache AT LEAST! And then, whammo. Right in the kisser. /Peter Griffin

Q: Why did the pirate become a rapper? A: Yarrrr, so he could get more booty! http://www.piratejokes.net/

Yes, he's got a strange demeanour. Part of it is wanting to be taken seriously again, but he acts in a goofy way to do so (I'm sure you've seen the newsclips). But part of it is just plain oddness -- something is not right there. How come I never noticed that in Capricorn One? Oh thanks, Ryyannon. But my mother is truly gorgeous. The most beautiful "normal" (non-celeb, non-runway model) woman I've ever seen. She's a cross between Catherine Deneuve and Elizabeth Montgomery. I'm just okay.

Drew has them at Europelli, Ryyannon. http://www.europelli.com/Accessories.html Under Contemporary -- the closest to the "thumbnail" one you want in 26mm. Non-branded, brushed/polished, but dead cheap at $15 per. EDIT: Oh dear. Sorry. Springbar only. I will hunt around for screw-ins. Thought Don had them, but can't find the page. EDIT #2: Waccex/Markus/Christian have 26mm tang, non Pre-V screw-ins.

I was going to post on OJ earlier, but decided to give the name-dropping a rest. Well, tough noogies! I'm mentioning my OJ meetings for your amusement, anyway. Once, at the Crandon Park golf course, I saw a rare sight -- a black chap playing golf. Tiger notwithstanding, there is nothing "wrong" or unusual with that generally, but the island of Key Biscayne is one of the most exclusive in all of Miami, and was until the early 1960s, restricted. As with Miami Beach, consequently, there are few 'just folk' black people who live there or who have the habit of going there. I mean, you can still see Richard Nixon's beach house there, for Chrissakes. Well, he was playing with one other guy, but dawdled on the hole, so he waved my foursome on. As I approached in my cart, waving my thanks, to my horror, it was OJ Simpson. Second sighting. His daughter, with the slain Nicole Brown Simpson, went to Gulliver Prep School (I believe the same school which Jeb Bush's children went to), one of the most elite private schools in Miami, located in toney Pinecrest. EDIT: Confirmed! I'm not sure that's right about Julio Iglesias kids, though. I took a photo of the school, with him picking up his daughter once, and I was going to post it when the story broke of his recent Vegas arrest -- but I can't find it. Third sighting. This time my parents at the Forge restaurant in Miami Beach. A wonderful place. My mother tells it like no one can -- something about turning around to find a man grinning at her with a goofy, aroused look (she's a stunning blonde...). She quickly turned around, horrified. When I asked her she said, "It was that murderer, OT Simpson." "You mean OJ Simpson, mum". "Yes, yes. A head as big as a bowling ball. What did Anna Nicole ever see in him?".

He's untouchable in the State of Florida, baby, woo! We have the most protective bankruptcy laws in the 50 States!!

Read this. "Power, steel, and color express the identity of man and machine. This brilliant XXX's black-edged red leather strap joins sets off the massive brushed steel case framing an intricate dial. The tachymeter scale on black and gray surrounds the white centre with concentric metal rings beneath reflective hour markers and the Arabic numeral 12. A date window at hour 8 and three counters offer an intricate play of indices; the red split-second subdial is a delight. Squelette red hour and black minute hands with Superlite highlights and thin black seconds hand mark time." Based on reading this watch description, have you got a good mental image of it? I just read the description in Google, after inputting a search string with "intricate indices". I thought, wow, that sounds like an interesting watch. So I clicked. http://www.squiggly.com/swatch/p/product/i.../Red%20Storming Even I couldn't do justice to that description in the Capers.

Andy, your watch is AMAZING. Wow. The only Breitling I would ever consider buying. I'm guessing the angle is playing a role, but with my VERY untrained eye, I see these other differences (not mentioning the pearl): - The diamond-shaped marker above the 12, and the below the pearl has greater greeny-blue luminescence. - The gen minute markers, even on an angle, pop out more and are more consistent, colourwise (this may be a function of the AR mentioned?) - The bezel marker printing seems crisper on the gen - And what Andrew above mentions, which I didn't know the name of. Also, it seems to me the rider markers in yours look darker, than his polished finished ones. The gen ones look recessed, in consequence. The crown on the gen also looks a bit chunkier, but that is surely nitpicking. It's identical full-on, I am assuming. Again, I have to use the caveat of angle playing a role, because the SFSO rep seems the closest out of the box to gen, I've ever seen here. BEAUTIFUL ANDY!

Thanks, TeeJay. I knew we were out of the woods, in terms of his dizziness and heart irregularity, when he asked the nurse to put on the Korea-Sweden match. I approve! But please check your PM. It's out of stock. And actually, I like a bit of tail on mine. Strange that the girl should like tail, and the boy, not.

Hey MrC. Until this very last night, I couldn't reply to your distress post. Today, having been informed by Andrew and Davidsen that both the watches I sent them, have arrived safely, I feel I can give you some idea what to expect. First, you don't mention if your dealer gave you specific instructions on how to send the items. Because both Andrew and Davidsen did -- to the letter. I won't say what those were, but Andrew even had me fill out a form! And obviously, full name, address, instructions on Customs description, the works. (It would seem not, since you mentioned you used their English name, which was incorrect) They both asked that it be sent registered airmail, instead of Priority -- thus costing me around U$20.25 each (I added a $2 received confirmation receipt to the order, just in case), instead of the usual $40-60. Being careful, I even choose from which Post Office to send my international packages: there is one many miles from my home which I use, which has NEVER failed me (the one near my home in Miami Beach has...). So I went there. I sent them out Friday, 7 September. I immediately emailed them with the tracking info, and the Customs form number. Andrew emailed me last night, Wednesday, 19 September his time. Davidsen didn't email me, but confirmed last night that he had received the watch too, so I'm not sure how long his took exactly. Either way, that's a great turnaround for regular airmail -- less than 2 weeks, including non-working Sundays, for BOTH packages. I would say that it all depends on your dealer, and Andrew and Davidsen are amongst THE BEST, so I never had any worries in shipping back to them (they confirmed that if the watch didn't arrive, it wouldn't be my fault; they would still honour the exchange, etc.). For example, I would NEVER send any watch back to Paul. You already read what L-Dizzle said. That's why. I knew that even before he posted his situation -- because you know how a dealer REALLY is when stuff goes wrong. And I smelt a rat. To answer Luisik, it took me 3 watchmakers in the metropolitan area of South Florida (circa 5.4 million people), before I got one who would fix my rep watches. One guy gave me attitude, the other said he didn't want to mess with a movement he couldn't guarantee, and the third was a bit judgemental, but fixed it. I'll return to him. Sometimes it's not easy. I hope this info has helped, MrC. Send back watches to China/HK only if the collector is serious. When in doubt, ask first. Good luck!

Liking the Yuckmeister II is not cause for psychoanalysis, Luisik. Says the girl who loves L'Egiziano. But since you are, shall we say, in the minority of 1, can you at least give us some IDEA what appeals to you about it? Because, as Mexicans say, esta de lo mas chulo.

Good show. Just got home, will eat, and rest for a while -- dad is thankfully better and should come home tomorrow. Thanks for the PM, TeeJay! Will get you the shipping details from TWP by tomorrow.

Kama Sutra calls it "Two Lotus stalk entering Jade", but your point stands, nice and pointy-like. EDIT: You know the best part of how this thread has turned out? That Pugwash won't know what hit him. HAHA. You schnooze, you lose, Pugs! Me and my speakers are off, ciao lads!

Not Mickey! Please. Have you no mercy! He's a virgin. Why, Mr. Docblackrock. I have never been a Size Queen. Thick Queen, yes, mind.

I don't use Victoria, I use Geico. P.S.: MWAH! Berlin has nothing on RWG about the Love Parade. Although I guess it would be nice if I showed you my [censored]. And yes, I knew that would be censored.

Der Golem! Der Golem! Does whatever a Golem can. Knocks man down, any size, Catches herpes just like Sly! Hey there! Look out! Here comes Der Golem!

Nonono. Those are my speakers. I have enormous speakers. Rather a small mouse though.

Thanks, Docblackrock. I truly appreciate it. Olive-branch accepted, and understood about the other bits, as well.

I wish I were Virginia Woolf to do my stream-of-consciousness thoughts justice. I will now throw up in a Room of My Own.

You mean, the modem is not your voice, the monitor is not your face, and the keyboard is not your willie??? Life was so simple until this moment. EDIT: Der Golem you again, Ryyannon!

Oh Raymond. I'm sorry. To those who care, like you and I do, this is the single-worst moment that can happen to a rep watch owner. There will be people that will scoff at your embarrassment, some will even tell you that you deserve it, trying to pass off your DSN as a gen (though you were not in the least). Stuff them. It's like they take a pride in shoving your discomfiture in your face. Me, I do understand you, though, because of this: It's the judgementalism, the instant depreciation of ALL your worth as a human being, that stings. Shake it off, baby, and move on. I'll be right there alongside you...

My reply to you was not in the least personal, Docblackrock. I am constantly, irretrievably, and hopelessly surprised when people make it so. It smacks of something you've been ruminating about for some time; of bothering the heck out of you; and of rank jealousy. To do so TODAY, given my personal circumstances, is disgusting beyond belief. I won't stand for this. I apologised to you when I said something very personal about your girlfriend. That was rude, uncalled for, no matter if it was meant tongue-in-cheek. Now, it's your turn. Please apologise to me about mentioning my family.

NIIIIIICE. You must've huffed, and puffed and knocked on every Hong Kong strap shop, Raymond! A Herculean effort, no doubt to get just the RIGHT one, and it pays off handsomely. Hopefully, you will tell me your secrets one day, if I ever head back to HK. Incidentally, I ALMOST PMed you about the tan strap here: hxxp://www.network54.com/Forum/353393/thread/1190134291/last-1190193692/FS+-+OEM+and+MF+prototype (change xx to tt) But yours looks real good. (BTW, I bought the MF python!) Aww, thanks Raymond. That is much too kind of you! I enjoy helping most people out, but especially you. You're as earnest and transparently in love with Panerai, as I am. P.S.: You know, I thought of you the other day when I heard that Liv Ullmann never misses two US TV shows -- Sex and the City, and Everybody loves Raymond. I'll let that sink in for a moment.

OMG! J. Robert Lilly...the Jessica Mitford of the prison system. Jesus H. Christ, now I get it. Read this one day, mon vieux. I did years ago... http://www.amazon.com/Face-cach%C3%A9e-gis...5849&sr=1-7 I already hear the retorts (not on this forum, necessarily). That why shouldn't the US know about war "atrocities" committed by them, like raping of civilians etc. Okay, so show me a professor who is a fanatic about pointing out every negative aspect of his country's penal system, AND has written a book about how Russians raped their way up the Unter den Linden? Let's be clear, Ryyannon. There's NOTHING wrong with finding out about this. This too was history. As a Historian, I personally want to know about all aspects of history, whether or not there were Dr. Baumgartners or sadists amongst the American GIs. But I'm just tired of history absolving or ignoring the crimes of other nations, because their recent history was much more in line with the politics they practise personally. When you get France3 doing a documentary on the rape atrocities of Russian soldiers on Berlin women (and guess what, I have family members amongst them), let us know. Until then, I officially revile France3. Yuck. Thank God I only have access to France2.

Nope, sorry. Only got milk. Oh HAYUL no. This is not funny but AWESOME. Look at that anubis! That's tight, yo! (Okay, what's with this rap patter suddenly? Time for bed, methinks) NICE JOB, NOOB.