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

Greetings all,
IIEM, Cuban coffee please.
How is everybody?

Hey guys, I was just reading :

" A random telephone survey of 800 Americans in September 1996 found that 74 percent--virtually three out of four citizens-- believe that the U.S. government regularly engages in conspiratorial and clandestine operations. This does not necessarily indicate flight to fancy, or confusing TV with reality: The same study found that only 29 percent believe in witchcraft, and a mere 10 percent believe Elvis Presley is still alive. " -(November 1996)

Three out of four citizens?

That's a greater majority than that won by any president of the U.S. in our lifetimes.

And a much greater majority than people who vote AT ALL !

*looking up from book*

Hi Valis!

*turning head to see if anyone else is around*

IIEM, another café mélange, please!

Well, concidering half the US researcher on H2G2 work for the NSA, and a quarter of them work for either the CIA, the CID, the CIC, or the FBI, that's not too far out...

NSA?

Tea anyone?
Perhaps that's the National Space Administrations when the Aeronautics have gone on holiday

What does NASA stand for? (Pardon my ignorance...)

National Aeronautic Space Agencey. It was set up in the 1950s by a New Zealander, Pickering, who was the brains behind the rocket that launched mankinds first successful satellite.

And Sputnik 1?

And in what way is that separated from BB's
'National Space Administrations when the Aeronautics have gone on holiday'?

A full-scale crisis resulted on October 4, 1957 when the Soviets launched Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite as its IGY entry. This had a "Pearl Harbor" effect on American public opinion, creating an illusion of a technological gap and provided the impetus for increased spending for aerospace endeavors, technical and scientific educational programs, and the chartering of new federal agencies to manage air and space research and development.

As a direct result of this, in December 16, 1959, Richard E. Horner, associate administrator of NASA, wrote to Dr. William H. Pickering, director of JPL, to inform him that the Vega Project had been canceled. In the same letter, Horner assigned Pickering the job of planning and executing NASA's lunar and planetary space exploration program.

And that ladies and gentlemen means the correct answer to the question of "who put the first man on the moon," is "A New Zealander".

NSA = National Security Agency or possibly National Sceptics Association or maybe even National Softball Association....

Irv was the first one to mention NSA, let HIM explain it...

IIEM, another café mélange, s'il vous plait!

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Stunning. What's the significance of the skeleton at the right?

It doesn't say, but I suppose it's symbolizing Death, viewing the play of Life...

Oops! Got to go, past midnight...

Good night all!

*drifting off, in her usual v.e.l.manner*

Hi all

US Open started last night. I was going to get up at 2am, but considering we have just moved into daylight savings because of teh Olympics, I was already suffering from sleep deprivation.

Turkish coffee, please IIEM

*makes mental note to self: do NOT scrape the dregs this time...*

*stretches, wondering why noone seems to be around every time I enter Cafe. Must be damned time difference, not helped by move to daylight savings time.*

Curse the Olympics!

*looks around guiltily, hoping SOCOG are not patrons...*

::Crashes through the cieling tightly bound & strapped to a parachute::

Hi! I'm bored.

*stomps around, feeling like SOME noise has to be made here*

In case you're wondering, I am not going to any of the events at the Olympics. This is not becuase I am anti-sports, nothing like that. If you have been following the fiasco that is the Sydney Olympic Organising Committee and the hullaballoo that surrounds it, you will notice the many ticketing scandals that have plagued them since day one. I, for one, am deeply cynical about the doling-out process, trickling bad seats to the hoi polloi and reserving the best ones for those who forked out heaps of money (hey, and you suffered from the delusion that the Olympics were non-commercial)

*pauses, gasping for breath, then starts again*

So, now I am in a position where due to my work we are starting to get interesting offers concerning Opening Ceremonies, major events such as 100 and 200m final, etc, etc. Do I accept or do I hold true to my principles?

*leaves non-existent audience in suspense for about two minutes*