David Hingtgen

As who? Ripcord? I can guess from the name what his job is, but seriously--if *I* don't immediately recognize the name, 99% of GI Joe fans won't. That's like having Roadgrabber in the new TF movie. GI Joe movie should be 100% core characters that people know.

Soon after I first posted, I found the perfect solution to my tire pressure issues--seasonal air! I just need 4 cans of winter-air, and I'll be set: http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=...;products_id=45 Gotta love that it's 2lbs per can. Also--A7, here's the perfect shirt for you: http://www.zazzle.com/kaleco/product/235442988664810234

VF-9 gets points for making the battroid-mode chest out of the wings. And a front/back (as opposed to left/right) shoulder/arm transformation. It's definitely not very pretty in any mode, but it'd sure be a fun toy.

A bit OT, but what's on this guy's workbench should humble anyone: http://www.wright-wing.com/f6fhellcatwip/

(apologies if this is old, just found it myself) This works on so many levels. Got a stupid ricer in your area? Especially ones with blue/purple lights. Suggest he upgrade to *synthetic* blinker fluid and give him this link. http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=...p;products_id=6 Or, if his exhaust is just that huge, he might need a higher-quality muffler bearing to support it, and get the full 35hp his folgers can adds: http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=...;products_id=10

Yeah---no backwards/doubled wing hinges, the missile pods stay in, and you can attach every weapon and booster pod to the wings and they'll still hold up without drooping down. Plus a color scheme unlike anything else that you'll never see again.

My money's on the next 6 female figs or so being nothing more than "Idolmaster". I don't even know what that is, but I've grown to dislike it, since it seems to be incredibly popular and on EVERYTHING from Japan now, crowding out cool/normal stuff. Even airplanes...

I never actually completed an Energon combiner. I did a quasi-Bruticus: Barricade, Plus 1 of each Combaticon limb type. Plus a Constructicon. (the front-loader). And an A-10 Aerialbot. (sorry, can't remember names, too much reuse over the years--I can only keep G1 limb names straight)

Not me, Nora's just looks awesome. Ivanov's is boring. As for attaching the missile pods and missile----try this: There is a TINY subtle lip on the pod's pylons that go 'around the edge' of the raised circle part of the wing. Try to get the rear half of the pylon in place on the wing, and push it as far forward as possible while you rotate the missile pod up to latch on the front part. Once you get it the first time, all the other times will be a lot easier. Basically--just go for it, but rotate/angle it in position, don't snap it on "straight". Also, remove them in the reverse way---pull down the front.

Nora's is simply the best Yamato valk to date, all things considered. IMHO.

Any toy line that has a second year is rare. 3 years? Will be remembered for at least a generation.

True, if there is a "mass format-death sale", it may be worth picking up a player and buying a lot of titles on HD just to build up a "next gen library" at like 1/4 the cost it'd take to get those same titles on Blu-Ray. Future titles would have to be Blu-Ray, but depending on how many you buy, you could easily come out hundreds ahead, even with the purchase of a player.

Is Sleeping Beauty still the only traditionally animated widescreen Disney movie?

I thought "reduced sales due to waiting for a winner" was obvious. I've greatly reduced DVD purchases over the last 6 months (to almost nil)---I'm really not buying anything until I have my next-gen player(s). No point at all in getting "hit movie of 2007" in DVD, then 3 months later buying it again. A week ago, I would have bought a cheap HD-DVD player with my HDTV, and waited a while to snag a PS3. But at the moment, it kinda looks pointless to buy HD-DVD. We'll see, just 2 more days until CES.

A counter-argument I saw is that India doesn't want everyone to realize their MKI's radar really isn't that good, little better than a basic Flanker B. If it's never used, nobody knows how good (or poor) it really is.

Of all the 80's dino cartoons, "mind-control helmets" quickly identifies it as "Dino Riders". http://www.dinoriders.com/ http://www.toyarchive.com/DinoRiders/DinoRidersToys.html

They should just make every promo pic of a yellow one with black stripes. And maybe an Autobot logo on the hood. Sales! PS---LOL. My log-in at the Camaro forums still works. I haven't been there since about '97 I think. Amazed that an unused account survived that long through forum upgrades, time, etc.

....and the latest news/rumor says WB got a half-billion for this.

Here's the article: India bans Su-30MKI fighters from using radars during 'Red Flag Nellis' exercise By Radhakrishna Rao India's defence ministry has confirmed that the six Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole fighters that will participate in "Red Flag Nellis" manoeuvres at Nellis AFB, Nevada in August 2008 will operate without using their NIIP Bars radars. "The radar frequencies are top secret, as they can be used to block vital functions of the fighter," says the Indian air force, which adds: "While we have a good equation with the USA, we have to be careful about the future." US interest in the system stems from China's large inventory of Russian-made Su-30s, and Moscow has previously stated that the MKI's radar frequencies should not be revealed. India's Red Flag commitment builds on its air force's mid-2007 deployment of six Su-30MKIs to the UK for a bilateral exercise with Royal Air Force types including the Eurofighter Typhoon and Panavia Tornado F3. The Indian service is also expected to send an Ilyushin Il-76 tanker and two Il-76 transports to accompany its fighters to the USA.

I'm amazed they kept the roof that low. I'm worried about headroom now...

Just saw this and had to post it: Red Flag would be AWESOME if they held it in Alaska this year, now that they've got their F-22's:

Yeah, and deny us all our fun comparing the two. Of course, they can't really "risk" even one "shoot down" of any plane by a Flanker, or congress will cut all funding. "Why are we paying for this when INDIA can shoot down our billion-dollar planes?"

Not much more than that. The F-22 is not confirmed, but you KNOW they're going to be there anyways, especially with the MKI's coming. Basically: India says they're coming to Red Flag, and bringing their MKI's. They are also making a big public fuss that the MKI's radar is so advanced, it will not be used at all, so that its frequency etc cannot be monitored by the Americans.

I'm looking more at "all" movies, not just "recent blockbusters". I'm going back to the 80's when I'm planning my purchases. Yes, Blu-Ray is better for 2007+. But for 1980-2006, I see more HD-DVD's I want.

Yeah, but not Transformers on HD-DVD. Seriously---HD-DVD has the one release that really matters to the age group most likely to "pick" a format soon. (like me, and every other PS3/360 owner) Especially considering its still notably cheaper price. Currently "what I want on next-gen discs" is split about 50/50, maybe a slight edge to HD-DVD. Warner does comprise a good number of those, but #1 is still Transformers, and they just signed an 18 month "not on Blu-Ray" contract.