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

I don't know, it's a fun thing to discuss, but only if you saw the same ones as the person you're talking to, otherwise it gets very frustrating.
Did you watch things like "Stingray" and "Thunderbirds"?

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I don't remember doing so... though "Thunderbirds" sounds familiar. *predicts this will become a frustrating subject very quickly* The only thing I've watched in recent years was the X-Men cartoon... and I only got to see a few episodes (and rather good ones!) before it was taken off the lineup. I guess I shall have to survive with books rather than cartoons...

I watched a couple of X-Men cartoons when the film was released, but that's about it...
...I could, though, dare asking who your favourite Muppet is!

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Oh, my *favorite* muppet? There are far too many... I think when I was little my favorite was Fozzie. Still is, I guess. From Fraggle Rock-- another Jim Henson show that was very similar but I saw much more often, have you heard of it?-- my favorite character was Mokie. I used to have a stuffed one I drug around with me everywhere I went. *gazes off into distance as the fond memories of childhood bombard her*

Yes, I know Fraggle Rock - and I always liked Uncle Travelling Mac. But from the Muppet Show it had to be Rowlf, but alas, Rowlf was only in "Muppet Christmas Carol" for 7 seconds (I timed it) and not in "Muppet Treasure Island" at all... At least he's beginning to return, as evidenced by "Muppets From Space".

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The only Muppet movies I ever remember watching were "Muppets Take Manhattan", "Muppet Christmas Carol," and a single viewing of "Muppet Treasure Island." Oh, and I remember seeing one that invovled Fozzie driving a bmw van... kinda a hippie-fied movie-- I don't remember the title. I always liked Rowlf, too... he's what made me want to learn piano.

I've got the complete set of Muppet films:
The Muppet Movie
The Muppets Take Manhatten
The Great Muppet Caper
Muppet Christmas Carol
Muppet Treasure Island
Muppets From Space.

Of which, Great Muppet Caper is my least favourite - mainly because it's set in England. When will an American film set in England avoid the painful stereotypes, and not believe everyone either lives in a manor down a countrylane or opposite the Houses of Parliament? As soon as that happens, the rest of the film becomes unwatchable - same with the 100+ Dalmations films.

But enough of my rant

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Good point... but then, when will all media stop stereotyping all cultures and nationalities? Take movies like Witness-- they are about the area I live in, but basically are nothing like it. The only realistic thing in that particular movie is the very first scene (which I think was shot behind my school) where there's a whole bunch of cars following an Amish buggy but can't pass it. That's normal in this area. But the whole tourists beating up the Amish-- unless I'm just that naive, that's very rarely happened, and if it has I doubt the people would have just let it happen to them; they're not above self-protection... I'm ranting, aren't I? Anyway, bottom line seems to be that most American audiances perfer stereotypes-- they understand them and don't have to think. (Not that I like stereotypes... they give me that painful, sickening feeling in the seventh vertebrae of my spine). Anyway!

I think I'll be quiet now...

I know how you feel about stereotypes - the trouble is they always emphasize the worst aspects of the culture, making them seem to be "worse than us", and that our way is better, or their way is funnier. A typical stereotype of Americans are that they are all fat and eat a thousand McDonalds burgers each day. Yet on h2g2, or whatever, you get a chance to chat and find out that everyone, including Americans (), are just like us, we're all equally human, except that they spell "doughnut" shorter . The world would be a happier place without stereotypes, and we'd all be a lot less offended.

But that stereotype of Americans is simply perpetuated through the Simpsons... and seeing as it's a satire of suburbia, it's not exactly the best place to get one's info. And of course, a typical stereotype of an English person is either the "Eliza Doolittle" one of the poor person living on the streets with no care to become higher, or the aristocracy... but moving on!

Hmm... a world without stereotypes and cliches... now wouldn't *that* be nice...

I hadn't thought of the fat thing as related to The Simpsons, but you may be right that it has had an effect. The stereotype, though, has existed longer - the common view of Elvis is of someone who amusingly ate himself to death. I think, though, that stereotype was mainly a consequence of the most noticable American high street companies - KFC, MacDonalds and Burger King - are all junk food restaurants, and the other big companies - such as Coca Cola and Pepsi - aren't exactly healthy either. Only Microsoft is a big American company name that is mentioned daily and isn't junk food related. It's similar to the idea that Japanese people spend all their spare time having love affairs with cameras. I wonder what you could make of Britain from what overseas chains & goods we export - and what overseas chains do we have?!

But you are right in that a world without stereotypes would be good, but comedians would suffer . Although in England most of the jokes are against different parts of Great Britain - and a lot of Irish jokes. Which reminds me - I've read a lot of jokes told by Americans, but instead as the Irish being the figures of fun, it always seems to be Poles. Is there any reason why America stereotypes Poland so much? I've never come across any anti-Poland jokes in the UK.

Finding out how these stereotypes came about can perhaps teach a lot about humanity.
Or perhaps we should move on?

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I hadn't honestly thought about the whole Simpsons thing myself until I wrote that... but I guess it's true in a way.

As far as British chains and goods go for here in the US... I can't think of much other than soaps and scents, and chocolate. Finer type things *said with a lovely southern accent*. Mainly the only thing that most Americans can make out about the British is that they're snobbish (because such imported goods are so expensive), stuck in an outdated system of government (ie, the monarchy (sorry, I hope that doesn't offend; it's not my view!)), but overall have good taste in all sorts of stuff. In most American sub-cultures, British equals educated, upper class, and tasteful, if stuck in their ways.

Of course, I know better. We're all just humans, after all... and to be quite honest, I think I might rather live in one of the countries in the British Isles rather than here. Perhaps that's just naivte, though... *shrug*

Polish jokes... I don't know why either, but there *do* seem to be a lot of them. Maybe something to do with WWII.... but I honestly have no idea. Actually, most of the jokes I hear basically make fun of almost every nationality and creed... ireverant, aren't we Americans?

But, yes, moving on...

Scents and soap and chocolate? That's strange. Here in the UK - almost all scents and soap are French. From people who can't even spell "laboratory", and end up calling it "Laboratoire". Or spell what they pronounce "Phaberjay" "Faberge". I can't think of a single company that makes scents and soap - there's Boots, a British chain which sells it, but I'd never thought of Britain as a manufacturer of it. Chocolate, I suppose, is true - Cadbury's and Rowntrees are British firms, yet the chocolate they make tends to be "working class" chocolate - the upper class eat Belgian, German or Swiss chocolate.
Perhaps it's just that anything imported is seen to be novel, and to an extent, posh? I don't know...
Strange, really. You get so many different views of the world depending on where you are - and none of them are true, and none of them are wrong.
As for Governments, I must confess that at the moment the American one is subject to redicule. George W. Bush is seen as being one of the least intelligent men in history - even more so than Robin Cook.

But yes, we should move on....
What have you been up to?

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Agree with you on the "little Bush" issue...

Anyway, what have I been up to? Well, I just graduated from high school on Thursday, which I guess counts as a major life event. Other than that, not much else has happened lately... kind of boring around these parts. What've you been up to?

Congratulations on your Graduation!
I've not been doing much - mainly working 5 nights a week, 4-2, so that's quite tiring. And then I'm moving house in a fortnight or so, so I've got that to plan as well. Non-stop action!

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Thanks.

The whole 4 to 2 thing would have to kind of stink... when on earth do you sleep? Hope it's fun work, though, if that's not such an oxymoron as I think it is. Good luck with the house moving...

I'm sleeping quite late - normally until 11 each morning, which means I miss most of the morning sun.
It's not too bad a job, though - better than tomatoes! It's not something I look forward to doing, but at least I don't hate it too much.
I know you've probably been asked this far too much lately, but what do you plan to do?

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Aww... no morning sun? How do you survive? I'm not a morning person by any stretch of the definition, but I love waking up (even if it's early) with the sun in my face. Of course, I go right back to sleep, but it's such a nice feeling...

I assume you're asking what I'm going to do at uni, and right now, I plan to major in English. (Yes, I'm a Word Nerd... ) Hopefully I'll be able to do a lot more than just write papers and read ancient books... I'll probably end up minoring in at least music or French, just because I can. And I'm in the Honors Academy at uni, so that's nice too. I guess the real answer to your question is a *lot* of work.

Well, the sun comes into my room in the morning, but I'm too tired to appreciate it. And, to be honest, I'm starting to be tired pretty much all the time, apart from when I want to get some sleep at half 2! I'm suffering Jet-Lag in my home town, and the only place I've travelled to is work - not fair!
So, what does it mean to be in the Honours Academy? And what is the whole Major/Minor system about, anyway? Do you have to do two or three different things, or can you do just one? I know nothing of the American Uni system!

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The Honors Academy at my uni is an organization within the student body made up of students who have achieved two of the following during high school:

~3.5+ GPA overall
~1100+ on SAT's
~top fifth of graduating class
~(one more, but I didn't fit it so I didn't bother).

I made the first two (3.7 and 1330, go me!), so I made it in. The Academy itself has a special dormitory (though it's done on first come first served basis so I may not live there this fall), and all the Academy students have their classes together, which are honors level courses (ie, harder and faster than normal). Which is nice, because that's what I'm used to.

Majors and minors are basically subject area concentrations. It's similar for you guys saying you're an "English student" or a "History student"-- you take classes mostly in that subject area and have to have a certain number of credit hours to get a degree in the subject. Majors have more required hours, minors less. And you can have as many majors or minors as you want... or can handle.