1) How common were cars with automatic gearboxes in the US in 1953? And in 1961?

2) I think we need a new wireless router. Any points I need to consider? Any recommendations? Any anti-recommendations?

And another one.

While no expert, I am tolerably familiar with post-WWII British history and politics. But how does it compare with the history and politics of other major European countries (eg Germany, Italy, France) for the same period?

There are obvious differences - France had been invaded and occupied; Germany and Italy had both been defeated in war; Germany had been partitioned. But how much did this affect their later development? What lessons could we have learned from them that we didn't?

(Um, this is turning into a huge subject! But any enlightened comments - philmophlegm, gramarye1971, parrot_knight, maybe? - would be much appreciated!)

ETA: ( And here's a song about it )

Pick a musical artist whose discography you know fairly well. Using only their song titles, try to answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title.

Pick your artist: Al Stewart
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Can anyone here write Dutch? I'm trying to send an email to a Dutch theatre about a booking, and they keep ignoring me; and I don't know whether this is because they can't understand my English, or because they ignore all emails on principle.

Al Stewart (who is probably my favourite artist still performing) will be touring the Netherlands and Germany this autumn. He is also planning to tour the UK next spring.

[Poll #1210815]

Does anyone else here listen to Al Stewart, and specifically his Beach Full Of Shells album? If so, let me know; there's a musical effect on it that I can't quite follow.