I will comment that when returning an engine to service that has been stored a long time without having had a "blueprint" (the OEM criteria) pre-storage preparation service procedure done to it, you should remove the spark plug and squirt some clean motor oil (the same stuff you plan to put in the crankcase) into the cylinder. About 3-4 teaspoons worth is all you need. Then with the spark plug still out, pull the start rope very slowly to turn the crankshaft a few revolutions. This will provide some lube to the cylinder walls and piston rings. OK, now you can connect a spark plug to the spark plug cable and lay it on the head where you can observe the gap of the plug electrodes. Give a good pull on the rope and watch the plug for sparks. If you have sparks, I would then spray a little carb cleaner into the carb throat and pull the rope again to see if the engine will start and run for a couple seconds on the shot of cleaner. If the engine runs on the shots of carb cleaner, it will be time to try some gas in the tank. I suggest you mix some upper cylinder lube oil (Marvel Mystery Oil or equivalent) and some Seafoam in the gas before adding it to the dry tank. A dab of Stabil will be good too. After that you will just have to see how well it does. Good luck.

persnickety, Very funny! I think no one has responded because because it hits a little too close to home? Even with a GC?!? ;-) j.

Search in the Photography forum and you'll get plenty of answers. In the mean time, I'll try to give you my 2 cents worth. Cameras are like cars. There's a maker for each person's individuality. 1st, You'd need to determine what is his level of photography knowledge? In any brand, there's intermediate, medium and professional level cameras. If he's a pro, you may just want to ask him what he'd like. A pro knows what he wants and mostly will not settle with just anything. If he's not, most intermediate and medium level cameras has both features: auto focus and manual focus. They're made for those that want to grow and learn about photography beyond autofocus features. 2nd, Does he owns any previous 35mm camera lens? Would these lens capable to be mounted on the new DSLR body? Such brand as Canon has been a favorite for many because of its interchangeable lens. Meaning, we can invest into the more expensive lens knowing that if we ever upgrade the camera, the old lens would still work with the new camera body as well. I have a few that I owned from the mid 80's and still work very well with the new DSLR. 3rd, The camera body and weight must feel comfortable in one's hand. It makes a different with the result of a photo. If all possible, take him to a camera store and let him play around, ask questions and make a choice of the Digital SLR (DSLR). Then, go online and purchase from one of the reputable online store. Normally, their prices are less expensive. Watch out for import (gray market) vs. US warranty cameras (price varies). Personally, I've always owned Canon. I had several Canon 35mm cameras and had since upgraded to digital: from the Canon Rebel XT to currently the Canon 40D (had it for a little over a month). As mentioned, I have a few lens from the 35mm cameras that works well with both DSLRs. I've upgraded to the Canon 40D because it has some image stabilizer built into the camera. Although, Canon also makes some lens with Image Stabilizer (IS). The lens kit of the Canon 40D camera comes with a 28-135mm lens that has the IS feature (mainly in the US). I don't plan to upgrade the camera body for a long while. I'm quite satisfied with the Canon 40D. Instead, I'm investing on better lens. And, that's what I'd recommend for you to do. If money is not an object, buy a medium price range camera but invest the rest on a good lens with low aperture capability such as f/2.8 or less. Good lens give the flexibility to take crispy clear photos in low light situation. I strongly recommend to read reviews from the 2 websites that Susan posted above. They also has forums in categories of camera brands. You may find some useful information from the users. Good Luck! Natalie

boxerpups - I am so sorry for your loss. Pets are family and provide so much love and affection that is unspoken and unconditional. We lost our beloved lab of nearly 10 years this April just shy of his 10th birthday. He developed a splenic tumor and was very sick. We opted to operate b/c the other choice was to put him down or let the tumor eventually explode (which it was close to at the time). We knew the chances of it being a cancerous tumor were very high but we wanted to give him every chance he could at life and there was a small chance it was non cancerous which gave us hope. We operated and he had a rough time recovering b/c of the size of the tumor and b/c his heart had been so stressed due to the tumor. We checked him out of the hospital against medical advice after nearly a week in the vet hospital b/c he wasn't eating on his own or really perking up if we weren't there. We brought him home and he was never happier to be home, went out in the yard, went upstairs (even though he wasn't supposed to - he always slept upstairs next to my side of the bed), snuggled with all of us and ATE! We thought he was going to be okay, drs were amazed he responded so well to being home. Well he passed away the next morning. :( Sometimes pets need the extra time with their owners as much has we need the extra time with them. Our dog NEEDED to come home and one extra night with us, check out the yard, go all over the house and make sure all of us were okay too. Turns out his tumor was not cancerous after all. We are glad we operated and glad we got one more night. So just because YOU needed the time, don't think your beloved pet didn't need the extra time too to say goodbye and spend with you and your family.