RP 25 Wheels and Tillig Elite Tracks

I leave that to the relevant scientists.

I suppose we could stand a thousand "Daves" outside in non-radiation deflecting bubbles alongside a thousand Daves in radiation blocking bubbles for fifty years and compare the results? Otherwise, we have to go along with those who are knowledgeable and who point out the parallels and likely causes. (I gave up smoking _before_ it was generally agreed that there was a link to lung cancer!)

Thanks, I think! I may jump to logical conclusions but I am prepared to regularly revisit them and to change them where necessary.

LOL.

I'm reminded of a scene from the "Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy" where Ford Prefect came across a spaceship of emigrants from the dying planet earth. It was the first of five vessels and the occupants of this first ship were all hair dressers and land agents. (strangely, they had had no contact with the following four ships!)

I said "...the hole might have been there..." I don't know about US english, but in my language 'might' and 'could' have pretty much the same meaning as used here.

40 million baa-lambs have about the same effect as a million RVs.

in article 7qjCd.15857$Y57.8600@trnddc08, DaveW at snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net wrote on 1/3/05 2:11 PM:

It is not a theory: it is a hypothesis. When it is generally accepted by the scientific community based on peer reviewed evidence, then it is promoted to a theory. No one cares if the press or the masses believe it or not. Evolution is a theory; Superstrings are still a hypothesis. Intelligent design is a belief.

[...]

Nah, in 'mercan you have to day "may have been there..." Stupid, I know, but what can you do?

What you said (as shown above) is: "Also, you're not quite right in that the ozone hole size is being monitored - it has gone from "hey, is that a hole?" to "shit, that's a vast hole!" in 25 years."

You may jump to illogical conclusions but are not prepared to regularly revisit them and to change them where necessary.

So what does "... might have been there ..." mean in 'merkin? ie. what did I say????? =8^O

I think we must be talking different languages! I think I see the point you're trying to make, but I can't see that it is worth discussing - which suggests I _don't_ see the point you're complaining about. My intent is not one of causing offense.

Regards, Greg.P.

I'll let it drop, then

Examples will suffice to demonstrate the differences. Can't recall your sentence, so it's up to you to figure out what you intended. Sorry. :-)

1) "If the radio beacon worked, the pilot _might_ have been saved" --> he wasn't saved, but could've been if the radio beacon had worked, but it didn't. 2) "If the radio beacon worked, he _may_ have been saved" --> it's not known as yet whether the rescue effort was successful, so we don't know whether the pilot was saved, nor whether the beacon worked and guided the rescue team to him in a timely fashion.

Unfortunately, most 'mercans and canajuns use the second sentence to mean the first. In fact, this example is the full sentence form of the headline to a news story about a downed bush pilot who was found dead. The medical evidence showed he had lived for about a day after the crash. The beacon had not worked. Not pleasant to contemplate, but that's life in Northern Canada. -- Hence massive confusion which has to be explained - I know, I've been there. (BTW, I tried to teach the difference to my students, but with so much modelling of the confusing usage on the air and in the press, it didn't take.)

In hypothetical contexts, "might" signals the hypothesis, and can be replaced with "could":

3) "If the radio beacon worked, the pilot could have been saved" --> same meaning as 1).

In all three examples, "had worked" would be formal usage.

The difference between "might" and "could" is a subtle one. For most people there is none. For some, "might" is used for hypothetical, and "could" for conditional statements.

BTW, "could of" is an execrable solecism.

The modals (or "moods", in older grammars) constitute a powerful tool for clear, concise expression.

Enough grammar lessons. I promise not to do another one for, oh maybe three weeks, maybe longer, if you're lucky. :-)

Thanks for the effort Wolf, but I'm right up there with you already.

What I wanted to know was what yanks thought I was saying when I used "... might..." and got an unexpected response. "If the radio beacon worked, the pilot _might_ have been saved" was the meaning I intended, little different to "...could..." in both your example and my apparent crime.

Regards, Greg.P.

Ok, but I'm still left wondering what you read as opposed to what I wrote!

Regards, Greg.P.

You say "to-mah-toe" and I say "to-may-toe". It's probably one of those two peoples separated by a common language things.

Sure, but I'd rather only insult you when I intend to! ;-)

It was the Inernational Geophysics Year that the monitoring of the upper atmospheric ozone was started and the scientists were quite supprised that the ozone disappeared during the winter time. Since then, the hole as gotten bigger and smaller over the many years that it has been observed. The volcano does play a small part in the reason why the hole exists but isn't the whole reason for the hole.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?