Posted by Robert Hill on January 06, 1998 at 13:19:11:
In Reply to: Christmas Lists - was Re: Seasons Greetings posted by Jon on January 05, 1998 at 20:00:23:
I think Dick already has a microscope even in Winter Holiday - I think
it's mentioned that he uses it to look at snow crystals.
Susan would surely already have a tin opener - or is there evidence of
them not having one somewhere?
A GPS receiver would have been a great help when lost in the North Sea
and might indeed have stopped them being there in the first place
by showing them in the fog that the anchor was slipping. But perhaps
we should buy it for Jim Brading (for fitting to the Goblin) or for
Roger (who liked gadgets) as I have a nagging doubt as to whether
John would have welcomed such a gift. He might have felt it
helped to take the skill out of seamanship.
On the other hand he might have welcomed it as saving him the
need to do nasty sums to fix positions.
If they had had a GPS receiver in Missee Lee, might it have cost them
their lives, on the grounds that it would make it dangerously easy
for them to direct gunboats if they should escape?