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

Here's one I think should be closer to the front page:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3406955.stm

Thanks, anhaga, that's very interesting!

Let me get this straight...advertising revenue from AOL instant messenger has been funneled to a group of freedom fighting native americans?!?! Now I've heard everything!

It's amazing that people I talk to don't even know that AIM existed. They don't know who Leonard Pelitier is, or why he's in jail, or why the feds won't let him out.

Funny, it just seems like common knowledge to me. But then, we have APTN (Aboriginal Peoples' Television Network) up here. And I remember when Buffy St. Marie was a regular on Sesame Street.

it was common knowledge to me that the middle ages were a period of lawlessness

I've got Montana on my side on this one. Let's see. On the lawless Middle Ages you had . . . hmm.

but still, common knowledge...it's always wrong.

No. Common sense is uncommon. Common knowledge is of varying validity.

Oh, and: We have MTV (Mediaeval Television) up here.

I'm so jealous

All I have is crap, crap, and more crap. Okay, we have PBS, but I can only watch so many Ken Burns' specials before I want to scream.

There are the various ethnic stations here, but as I don't speak Mandarin, Korean or Spanish, it's rather difficult for me to get much out of them.

The middle ages were a period of lawlessness....depends on your definition, I guess.

(We don't really have Mediaeval Television. But APTN is a darn interesting network. And they're making some really, really good kids shows.)

I don't see Janet Jackson's exposure as being a deliberate distraction; she's got a new album coming out which is supposed to be one of her sexiest yet, she's 37 years old and needing a boost in her career, and it's no coincidence that her partner on stage was Justin Timberlake, who recently declared bankruptcy.

And really, what does the NFL expect when they hire MTV for their Superbowl halftime show? It's not going to be the Muppets, or Lawrence Welk. I mean... come on.

Interesting. So Janet Jackson can distract people away from the really important issues of the day, by flashing a nipple on television.

Since Tony Blair desperately needs a diversion of his own, might I suggest he try the same thing?

Perhaps on primeminister's question time...

No when Tony needs a distraction like that he will either ask
a: John Prescot

B: Judy Finnegan

c: release a story like Edwina Curry

I can see the headline now - 'John Prescot's Right Breast Saves The Government'.

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Shrub just made a speech opening the Winston Churchill exibit at the Library of Congress. It was cringe-worthy, since he kept trying to compare Chruchill's actions during WWII to the WOT now. Well, not to mention the fact that when he says "history" he really means whatever his adviors told him....

<>
He did? Why am I not surprised? I am amazed that he had a career to begin with.

Tony Blair's nipple...

Enough nipples, already!

'Al-Douri, in his late 60s, is No. 6 on list of 55 senior members of the Saddam administration. The United States has put a $10 million bounty on his head.

Late last year, al-Douri's wife and daughter were detained. In January, troops arrested four of his nephews who were suspected of helping him hide. All six are believed to remain in U.S. custody.

Last month, New York-based Human Rights Watch accused the U.S. military of kidnapping in its arrests of al-Douri's wife and daughter.

"Detaining persons for the purpose of compelling actions from the opposing side amounts to hostage- taking, which is a grave breach of the Geneva Convention - in other words, a war crime," Human Rights Watch said.'

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/040204/w020458.html

and, if you're interested, Human Rights Watch:

http://www.hrw.org/

and, for real fun, Human Rights Watch's "United States" page:

http://www.hrw.org/doc/?t=usa

and, in the interest of being fair and balanced:

http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=mideast&c=iraq

and, just to empty out the closet:

http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=americas&c=canada

and, that other closet:

http://hrw.org/doc/?t=asia&c=newzea

and, in case I missed anyone:

http://www.hrw.org/countries.html