James P

I found several 4cm long, plump white 'caterpillars' burrowing in my garden. An earlier answered question makes me think they may be larvae of cockchafer beetles. If you are familiar with those, please look at my photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/28270165@N04/56034961... and tell me whether I am right.

Brochure for our forthcoming cruise says that holders of Israeli or Swiss passports will not be allowed ashore in Libya. Israel I can understand, but why Switzerland?

When China sent troops to carry out brutal repression of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square, the world was horrified and relations with China have been cool ever since. Yesterday, Thailand sent troops to carry out the brutal repression of demonstrations in Bangkok, killing many people. Should we not regard the events in the same way, condemn the illegitimate (it took over in a coup) Thai government and cut commercial and political links with Thailand? I personally will not go there on holiday again, until democracy is restored.

Why are people posting passages of Russian transliterated into the Roman alphabet? This makes it twice as hard to translate to English, as one has to think what each word was in the original Cyrillic script before translating it.

and from which language does it come?

I've heard this in American TV programmes broadcast in the UK. It seems to imply completeness, but what exactly does it mean?

Photo and description at http://www.flickr.com/photos/28270165@N04/

File is in the Windows directory and seems to have something to do with coupon printing, according to virus-checking website.

Of course, one can simply resign in protest. But if the officers pay no attention, and will not admit they are wrong, the breach of constitution is not corrected. Is there any independent adjudicator that can intervene?

Going down a steep hill in a low gear, I noted engine revving around 5000 rpm and I still had to use foot-brake. On same hill in older cars, I remember using 2nd gear, engine didn't seem so noisy and car went down happily without use of brakes. Is it anything to do with modern cars being fuel-injected?

My cat's poo in the garden often sprouts within a few days a soft hairy growth up to 40mm high, varying in colour from coffee to dark chocolate (remarkably like the cat's coat actually - I hope that's a coincidence!). I assume this is a fungus, but what is its scientific name?

My Kensington Orbit trackball is not working because the tiny rubber rollers on the two sensor spindles have disintegrated. They are easily replaced and it would be a shame to scrap the unit because they have failed. But where can I find replacements?

Bus stations in e.g. Dundee and Glasgow have warm lounges with a coffee shop; you can look out and exit straight to your bus when it comes. The new Aberdeen one has a cold outdoor platform, a high-ceilinged unwelcoming waiting area with few seats and hardly any view, only a shop selling a few soft drinks, Portakabin toilets closed entirely on Sundays, and no timetables available when the office is closed (which it often is). Am I alone in thinking it's dreadful?

If they don't fill enough squares, there will be multiple solutions; if too many, either there will be no solution at all (if a conflict arises) or they are making the problem easier than need be. Are there rules that describe the minimum number of filled squares to define a Sudoku (whether 3x3, 4x4 or bigger)?

I recollect that there is a name for the common error of saying e.g. " I'll try and see him. " instead of the more correct " I'll try to see him. " What is the name of this error?

If you've been on one of the biggest modern ships ("Liberty of the Seas" or her like), do you feel like you're just one of a crowd? Queue to get on or off? Continually get lost aboard? Feel like being in a big hotel not on a cruise? Or is it really fantastic?

Scottish cities used to have trams, but in about the 1950's the lines were all removed and the trams scrapped. Presumably people thought they were outmoded and buses were better. Now Edinburgh is planning to invest millions in a new system. What has changed to make trams so good now?

I guess that £20 per hour is probably considered low nowadays. Anybody paying a lot more (or less)?

Clipper Adventurer was idling, stopped or nearly so, close to Bass Rock, no doubt letting passengers view. Our yacht came round the Rock, aiming to pass well ahead. Suddenly and for no apparent reason, Clipper put her engines ahead and aimed across our bow. Very doubtful at best that she would have crossed safely ahead of us: we had to alter course to pass round her stern. As sailing vessel we shouldn't have had to. Were you aboard? How did manoeuvre look to you?

I'm joining a boat there on a Friday. The nearest rail station is Dalmeny, I know, but is there any transport from there? Or is it better to get a bus from Edinburgh?