George, would you next time please check your comment on spelling mistakes and use some points and paragraphs to make it easier to read.
I know it's just a forum but we are all here quite strict when it comes to that, you're still allowed to make mistakes but it must be easy to read and not have one big sentence what you've now.
English for me is a second language and I'm classed with heavy dyslexia so it takes a lot off effort for me. I still make a lot of mistakes and we sometimes all have a laugh about the stupid ones but at least with the points and paragraphs it's still readable for everyone I hope.

For a flash I think you should spend a bit more and get a Metz 48, with that flash you can do everything you want and can do with your new DSLR. if you don't want to spend that much you can look for second hand or buy a fully manual flash but that's up to you to decide.
Here is a very good guide with all the current Pentax flashes http://knol.google.com/k/pentax-p-ttl-hot-shoe-flash-comparison

For using the flash you will see there are many ways to do that, even outdoors you can use the flash as fill light for example.

1/180 is the fastest shutterspeed your camera can go to sync with the flash however today there is HSS (High speed sync) flash feature that can make you use the flash up to 1/4000 if you want to. Only the newer flashes support that though.
For the rest shutter has little to do with the flash, flash only takes 1/1.000.000 of a second so faster then any shutterspeed. The thing you control with the shutterspeed is how much ambient light will fall on your sensor.
At 1/180 your back ground will be darker then when you use 1/60 for example.

The depth of field is connected with your aperture, the larger the aperture the shallower the depth of field would be.
How wide the aperture is, is displayed as the F-number on you camera.
f/2.8 give you a large aperture, shallow depth of field
f/11 is a small aperture, wide depth of field

Probably you're using a too fast shutter speed, when you go faster then 1/180 it stops triggering the hot shoe so the trigger you've on it.
YOu will notice you can't get 1/180 in manual or any other mode so 1/160 is the fastest you can get or you need to use x-sync, it's the X on the mode dial, it will set the shutter speed on 1/180 but you can't move it off from it.

Yeah but they are taking a lot of risk launching two new formats in a year
I really doubt Pentax as a relative small company can even pull such a stunt off

Go with the DA35 then, like Mike I doubt you will actually use both equally and you've the need for the macro feature.

Not only that but the batteries use are also full with heavy metals and chemicals and they are very heavy.
It seems the short turn real green solution are hydrogen cars. Bio-fuels can only extend the time we can do with gasoline, because it's simply imposable to create enough bio-fuel for everyone without starving ourselves.

Didn't see the Aurora today, neither the plane nor the lightshow

you sure? link

Sadly it's illegal here in the Netherlands to adapt you car so that it runs on vegetable oil

Doesn't have quick-shift though

hmmmm I believe we are quite busy destroying that atmosphere for quite some time now

Yes the DA40 is really quick and I actually bought the DA40 over the DA35 since the macro didn't interest me and would only slow down the AF and make the lens more expensive.

Need to get up at 5am so can't stay up
BTW aren't solar storms dangerous for your health... better sleep with an aluminium foil hat tonight