The problem is your Intel Integrated Graphics card which does not properly support OpenGL. If you turn hardware acceleration on (in SU preferences) with this chipset you will most likely have problems selecting faces. If you turn it off the program will be very slow.
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=36252
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=36208&cbid=867g2ovjzx5v&src=cb&lev=answer

You need a proper video card (preferably nVidia) that supports OpenGL. You don't have to spend a lot of money, the low cost Geforce cards work just fine.

AKA pousse-café:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pousse-caf%C3%A9

http://homepage.mac.com/imagefiction/AIP24SelectedWorks/index.html

59 illustrations (watercolor most popular) -- some stunning images.

I totally agree with Alan about Buzz Pro. I think you can download here:
http://download.cnet.com/BuZZ-Pro/3000-2192_4-10057833.html

$ 89 is much cheaper than the original Fo2Pix price ($200 as I recall).

Depends on what style you aim to achieve. But have a look here:
http://sketchupartists.wordpress.com/techniques/

especially check out Grant Marshall's tutorial - none better.

And a happy 4th of July.

http://www.formfonts.com/viewModel.php?view=1&id=2239

I seem to recall others on Formfonts, but a gabion search turned up this one.

@unknownuser said:

Man if you are good at truespace you must be a wizz kid at SU. Truespace was my first 3d app 25 years ago. I could built my whole truespace lifes work with SU in about two days.

Amen to that. I remember Caligari when first introduced on the Amiga -- way back when.

All legalities aside, it would be next to impossible (unless you are as fast as a superhero) to use two separate versions of SU on 2 computers at the same time, would it not?

@gaieus said:

What I know of the Mac is that setting printing up is totally different from PC. There is not only a print setup but also a document setup dialog and this is all I can help since I should be able to see to proceed from here. Here is what the Guide says about printing on Mac:
http://download.sketchup.com/sketchuphelp/gsu6_mac/Content/K-Input_and_Output/Printing/IO-Print.htm

Print quality setup and document setup dialogue are only available on the pro version according to this guide.

An elevator shaft connecting that many floors would need to be fire-rated with respect to the adjacent levels (not necessarily the front face however). You will need to consult the applicable building codes in your area.

Go to the top of Primrose Hill for the midnight bark.

I have used both fx1400 (in a laptop) and the fx1500 in a desktop. Never had any problems with artifacts in either. The 1500 seems faster but I have no benchmark. No idea about ATI except that I have always avoided them.

@mike lucey said:

It maybe if the 'designated stations' become common. Again, these stations would be under the control of the Big Oil Companies. At least with the Model S's 45 min charge, it can be done at home, the office, a drive-in restaurant, parking garages etc. How many of us journey more than 300 miles without taking a meal break?

Alas, if you read the fine print: the "standard" S has range of 160 miles and takes 5-6 hours to recharge at a normal outlet. When Top Gear tested the Tesla roadster they found a range of 47 miles when driven hard, 16 hours to recharge at a normal outlet, and it broke down twice - first overheated, then just died.

Hmmm, 45 minutes to recharge? Isn't this a more sensible approach:
http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/?ef_id=1097:3:s_187a8df27e4f4fe2e23efed5ffd3265a_1053084942:TGhNS0o-KSIAAH4obawAAAAH:20090328031808

101st birthday of David Lean. TCM showed some of his 40s collaborations with Noel Coward this morning -- In Which We Serve and This Happy Breed. Must dig out my copy of Brief Encounter for viewing tonight. Great Stuff, and just as good as his famous movies.

Apple's fight with the Beatles (and others) is particularly amusing since that had to name their computer after a raincoat (invented by Charles Macintosh) rather then the intended red apple (McIntosh) -- no doubt because of legal conflicts with McIntosh Laboratories, manufacturers of very expensive audio equipment....

Probably the best SU duh!:

301 Moved Permanently

(www.sketchucation.com)

Andrew,
SU displays textures in shaded mode to the best of its ability - sometimes darker, sometimes lighter depending....
What you can do is to edit the texture (try to lighten the value by using the HSB picker) 'till it suits you (switching back and forth between texture and shaded mode), then render your still images. You could save this version with all the various scenes as a separate skp and then revert to the original file for animations with texture display .

@unknownuser said:

I really gotta get me a decent camera.

Solo,
You might want to look at the Canon G10 - about $410 from Amazon or BH Photovideo. I get tired of toting my heavy DSLR around and just got one. Has almost all the features of the Canon DSLR including equiv. 28 to 140 mm zoom lens. Very nice and extensive control features on the camera so you don't have to mess with menus. 3" live view screen too, and 14.7 Mpixels. It will fit in a big pocket too.