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

*flaps into the Salon and then sulks a bit because he missed all the group hugging*

I've just come back from my final rehearsal for lovely summer concert thingy. Wednesday's mini-concert was OK, but filled with logistical problems. Tomorrow should be better. Lots of lovely relaxing music, and even a little bit of a in the middle of one number.

I also took my friend's guide dog for a walk this afternoon, as she's recovering from an op and can't give him the exercise he needs. Goodness me, but he's strong! He also got cross with me for trying to have him on my right-hand side as we walked down the street, which was rather embarrassing. He was super once I let him off the lead for a run, though. I have a feeling I may well end up looking after him when he retires.

On the main recent topic of conversation: I think the Salon is great.

I like to discuss politics anytime, anywhere with nearly everyone, except a few of my coworkers. And that's only because they see everything in black and white, and never understand or care for the gray areas.

*hugs everyboy*

We're agreed then. It's the same old salon.

Grey areas are the best bits!

David - who has a few grey hairs here and there. Or is that feathers?

*also hugs everygirl*

And everyowl? And everyant? And everyelf? And everycat? And everyunau?

*hopes he hasn't left anyone out, and assumes not everyllama*

[Bagpuss]

I have a cool house!!!!

for Hyp's house, which is no doubt cool in the sense as well as the air-conditioned sense

David - off to roost for the night

{Courtesy}
*off to drink for the night *

Courtesy, I rather can't wait till I can join you on your weekend jaunt to the pub. Just a week away!

> Not because we hate them or want them to go away but because they haven't chosen to remain and discuss the issues.

> The problem I find with discussing politics is that if two people hold radically different views, those views often, implicitly or explicitly, include the belief that the other's view is not only wrong but immoral and/or stupid.

Discussing politics is so difficult with your friends... You end up being right, with no friends. Or keeping your mouth shut, and keeping your friends. What was it Kinky said? The best way to keep your friends is to stay away from them?

I've often wondered why it's so hard to talk about politics and have a reasonable, adult conversation. I've never been afraid of being contradicted - as long as it's backed up by documentation. But I think that many others dislike being considered 'wrong.' Wrong is a construction that has much more to do with environment and society than about a universal truth.

I was listening to a interview with Richard Perle last night. He scared me, because his viewpoint is that America can do whatever it wants. It's a superpower. If people don't like America, too bad. It's not Perle's problem. Does this make Perle wrong? I think he's wrong, because he regards America's welfare as being more important than any other country's welfare. But Perle believes he's acting morally.

Help me out on this. Do you consider yourself a conservative or liberal? And if so, do you like challenging your pre-existing ideas? Or do you stick with what you know works? Don't answer if you'll feel put on the spot.

> general personality traits::insanity being upermost
short memory span helps ,failing the partial lobotomy

Better a bottle in front of me than a partial lobotomy, I always say.

I once mentioned that my daughter and I listen to NPR's Morning Edition on the ride to school in the morning. The woman I was talking to raised her eyebrows and said in a kidding way, "Oh my! You must be a liberal!." I replied that you bet that I'm a liberal, but I am by no means a democrat. That took her completely by surprise.

The artist I put forth really didn't thrill me, either. There were some pieces that attracted me because of the color palette, but nothing moved me emotionally.

I've seen some former salonsista's about hootoo, also. The only criticism I've noticed is the pace of the conversation. Some have voiced that the salon wasn't quite their cup of , but there didn't seem to be any ill will.

On a personal note, Mr M and I celebrated are 25th wedding anniversary today with dinner at a lovely restaurant we've been wanting to try. We had a wonderful time and are now sharing a bottle of Dom Perignon . I'm going to go for a nice now.

I think Perle is doubly wrong. Yes, he puts his own country's [business] interests ahead of global welfare, but he also puts his own minority [business] interests ahead of the rest of the people in his own country.

It has been my experience that the Europeans can handle political discussions better than the USians, and I put it down to differences in educational systems. Perhaps the difference has shrunk since I was in the British system, but at the time I found lots more emphasis on critical thinking, hence exposure to other opinions.

Some home-schooled, Fox-News-watching Joe Sixpack has no exposure to other opinions, much less experience of being disagreed with at the intellectal level, much less understanding the distinction between intellectual and emotional, between considered opinions and reactive emotions. I'm afraid my mother was just such a one: when the arguments between her and me became heated, she would turn to my stepfather and say, frantically, "I'm right, aren't I?"

Which, coming from her, meant, "I AM a Republican, aren't I?"

Now, I don't mean to assail the intellectual qualifications of any conservatives at the salon or anywhere in Hootoo, for that matter. There have been some such as I've described, but they have... gone away. I would like to think that the Conservatives and Independents who abide here have, at least, thought about the rational underpinnings of their political positions.

The tragic part is that the Karl Rove "base" requires a country full of Joe Sixpacks, the more emotional, the better. Yeah! Freedom is on the march! Onward Christian Soldiers! Kill! (except other people's fetuses)

[GDZ]

Happy anniversary Witty. I wish you many more.

Lentilla, as to liberal or conservative - it depends on the issue. I resent being labeled. As someone mentioned earlier, there are infinite shades of gray. I wish people would actually think about the issues, do some research, read arguments on both sides.

I am most likely to have strong opinions on environmental issues and civil liberties. This doesn't mean I'm not interested in other things, but I tend to have knee-jerk reactions in those two areas. And I have been guilty of referring to people who disagree with me as idiots. Well, they are. Seriously, when I catch myself doing that I try to step back, take a deep breath, and actually listen to their arguments before also calling them .

> I wish people would actually think about the issues, do some research, read arguments on both sides.

I do too. It doesn't really matter to me what people believe, as long as they have done some critical thinking about the issue and came up with their own opinion. When I hear Limbaugh catchphrases coming out of someone's mouth, I refute them with references to news reports, only to have the person I'm talking to claim that 'I don't trust the media to be objective.' What can you do with somebody like that? They're comfortable with not questioning their opinions. One of the major things wrong with this planet is a lack of objective thought.

I shouldn't say that it doesn't matter to me what people believe, because that's not really true. I would like for everybody to believe like I do - then the world would be a happy place. I'm sure that Richard Perle feels the same way.

I tend to be liberal on most issues, but oddly I'm personally conservative when helping the poor. I don't think that giving a homeless person money will help them; I'm more interested in fixing the reason why they're homeless.

Hyp said <>

What burns me up is when someone feels they know exactly what I think on any given topic because I'm a Liberal. Wrong! On the environment, and on privacy/constitutional issues, I suppose I am fairly along "party" lines. On the other hand, some of my views are to the right of Genghis Khan! And, no I won't say what they are -- Eats is correct about keeping mum on some subjects.

As to the Atelier [have I apologized lately for the consternation my post on Ask started? ] -- I like it here. Very much. The same topics are mentioned here that are discussed hammer and tongs on other fora, but here Civility Reigns!!! That is so blessedly refreshing! The day I learned that being the loudest in a discussion does not confer correctness is the day I considered myself to have finally grown up. Although I do have my backsliding moments.

And now for something completely different... Hyp, I'm SO happy Molly is showing herself!! Poor girl probably thinks the world has turned upside down, when her "usurper" is still there. Sigh. Although, maybe she's cheating on you, with another household? You did mention fat and sassy.

moment of the day: I was at the bus stop this morning, and heard a conversation about how "Bush is thinking he can take over the world, he wants to run everything, just who the hell does he think he is? ..." etc., and when I turned around I realized the woman was not talking to anyone but her radio and her coffee cup-- Great, I thought, now I'm in complete agreement with one of the local nutters!...

SC

I missed a group hug?

I tend towards the liberal end of things. I remember a quiz we did a while back that said I was too liberal to be allowed into the US and I'm very proud of that. I seem to magange to sneak in from time to time anyway.

Yesterday was interesting. I had a meeting with my prospective new boss but other people have also expresses an interest in the post so we have to go through proper procedures. I think my chances of getting the job are better than even but it's not a certainty.

Then I went to look at my new office but the current encumbent is still in residence. My name is not yet on the door.

I spent the rest of the day and evening with an old friend and former colleague who has managed to wangle a visit to Leeds on her way back to South America from Portgual via Paris . We're meeting up again today for lunch and tomorrow for shopping .

The weather forecast is good for next week so I'm going to take some leave and do stuff - like painting .

[p]