h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I really enjoyed the entry ... sometimes I think failures of the imagination are more important than scientific failures. A NY Times columnist described the World Trade Center attacks as a failure of the US imagination, rather than the CIA.

I was debating with myself if concepts from film would be OT, but "Doctor Who" was included ...

A few come to mind right off. From "The Graduate", "Plastics." (For me, its a 'good tip' that has virtually no use.)

From "The Godfather", "We'll make him an offer he can't refuse", and from "The Wizard of Oz", "We're not in Kansas anymore" (both perhaps applicable to the current terrorist situation for the USA).

From "Casablanca", " ... the usual suspects ..." and "I am shocked! Shocked!" (leading to "Clintonesque", and yes, that was fiction.)

Okay, maybe these aren't quite "concepts", but for me they are memorable ideas that apply to many situations.

TARDIS was definitely off-topic, and only crept in because I was writing it and could call the shots. I left it there as a tribute to the house I was living in at the time, and my grandmother's handbag - and indeed mine! I struggled to keep the scope as narrow as it is. There is definitely another entry about concepts from Science Fiction. But I am not enough of a geekette to write that one. And, as you say, for phrases from movies. That is a real wild one, and could run and run. Take a look at the original thread, it is lurking at the back of "ask the h2g2 community" - http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F19585?thread=109755 Another one, which would be easier are names: Clintonesqe, Boycott, Quizling, etc. I am glad you liked the entry. agcB

Interesting thread back there. I smiled at your disbelief in Al Gore's coining of the term "Information Highway". As you probably know, Al took credit for inventing the Internet at one point. This is what you learn in politician school, find a parade and get in front of it. Bill Clinton raised the concept to an art.