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

Define "art" please.

I've been thinking this afternoon about how hard it must be to maintain right wing views in Britain. My parents, for example, hold views about returning 'johnny foreigner' back to his country of origin - especially, but not exclusely, if Johnny happens to be black. But my parents can only share their thoughts - and use the associated racist terms - within their limited peer group of daft old codgers. In any other sort of company they know that they have to keep quiet or face correction by gentle derision. The same gentle derision that, to be honest, is largely responsible for keeping hootoo civilised.

I have a friend who is, to some extent racist. She's responsible for vetting job applications from overseas candidates and has a tendency to reject people on the basis that, at some point in the past, someone from the same country has failed to impress her in some way. We've just spent an enjoyable afternoon - over a pitcher or three of sangria - mocking her affliction until she gave in and changed her mindset.

Apologies for the lapses in speeeling; punctuation grammar and. It's the sangria.

There isn't a version of that art program available for my computer so I'll improvise .

GDZ - Art: Something almost, but not entirely, unlike what I have spent ten minutes making using the ArtRage program.

It won't go on your machine, Amy? Oh well, who better to improvise.

GDZ, for the purposes of this game, art is defined as "whatever". As Bagpuss demonstrates, there is hardly any other paint app that is faster and easier to learn. Enjoy!

Look wot i drewed: http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SwAyAw4XoHgni!CAa7hrc3TaQTCU81O91yIqgSCMrIm8jiWZdnp69qVlvDhAizERocP9uM219SpEITI8mI2LpXpnVsD5S*RjlEncJCd8UBK*4GzV8WWNwA/sunny%20day.bmp

Amy - there's a Mac version. Is yours a Mac or something?

Art *quiver* I can't draw! I can't draw! I shal SPLODGE at you, Lil, so there.

Have been watching Return of the King all afternoon (have DVD, will Geek). Feeling somewhat drained and orc-infested. And next week we'll watch it all again with director's commentary. And THEN with designers' commentary. And then the civilised world will stop speaking me altogether and I shall take to wearing fake furry feet.

Baggers, did you use a mouse or a pen thingie? I only have a mouse. So I imagine I will be wasting my time trying it. If the pig drawing was any indication.

Ag, I love furry feet. I woke up this morning with one of Minerva's in my ear.

Will I be able to submit something that I did a long time ago?

Lil, I will work on something even though I have a tin eye. So far I have something related to, though not at all like, my most recent tattoo. I will try to rebuild my webswerver so I can share it once I deem it done.

I feel rather domestic today. I just bought sheets and pillows. Is there anything more emasculating that shopping for housewares?


RE: Right wing/ racisim. I have a really hard time when people lump political affiliation with racisim. Being right wing is not the same thing as being racist. Maybe I read your post wrong Amy, and if so I appologise. I am fiercly libertarian (in that I believe in freedom and liberty without government intrusion) and would be considered to be very right wing in certain arenas. I am no racist however...

Just as conservatives view liberals as bleeding hearts and communists, liberals seem to view conservatives as facist and racist. Having traveled nearly the full range of the political spectrum, it really pains me to think that because of my personal views I am going to be seen as a racist polluting facist by people who I respect. I really feel that if everybody does not take a step back and really analize their own views, we will see an even wider gulf form between the two sides.

The fact that there really only seems to be two sides to begin with is another problem. People don't seem to want to think outside of the Liberal/Conservative boxes society has created. It really is possible to be anti-big government (deregulation etc.) and also concerned about the environment. It's also possible to be big on social issues but against abortion as well... If we keep making litmus tests for party affiliation we will only make things worse down the road.

I am not going to try to win anyone over to my own personal views of the world as I am sure that would only serve to make me a pariah in the salon. I will try to respect views even if I am opposed to them in principle. I hope that others will offer me the same respect.

From this point I am going to try to remove myself from any political discussion. This is not to say that I am leaving the salon by any stretch however; so don't get worried on that account (seems like I am flattering myself here eh?).

Only a mouse, Hypatia, although it does look very similar to stuff I did by hand at school.

Yes Marv, you are flattering yourself.

Z please check in as soon as you can! I just saw that Brum centre was being evacuated.

It was breakfast time earlier, which is why I forgot the for Witty

*imagines self living breakfast lifestyle* Sigh.

DH says he will plug our tablet back in and yes I can download the art software! This is very exciting. What do I do with it when I've done it?

Very impressed with your dedication, Ag. I've still not finished watching all the extras and commentaries on TT yet. Perhaps I should be doing this instead of alternating rushing around doing vital Guide camp preparations with feeling faint (see my journal for the full )

Our copy of HP6 should be here on Saturday 16th. I was hoping to argue that as I have train journeys and waiting around on that day, coming to the meet, I ought to take it with me (and so read it first ). Also I'm not confident that any of the children will be fed and watered if HP6 stays at home with DH while I'm not there. But DH insists that as he went to the trouble of ordering it (over-riding my collector's instinct to wait for the paperback, which will match the rest of the set), he should read it first. Huh.

I have a new job, by the way A full-time one, I mean, which is what we need now that DH has finished being a student (nearly). It's a maternity cover contract at a nearby (well, an hour's travel each way) city council. There's nothing about it that's new or unfamiliar to me, but it's for a larger organisation, so it's enough of a challenge without being an alarming prospect. I would be looking forward to it, except that I don't want to leave my part-time job, and I'm too busy thinking about camp, which comes first.

I tend not to discuss politics, seeing as my line of work is the delivery of political results. So I'm with you, Marv.

Talking too much. I have been drinking as I find that small quantities stave off the faintness

Congratulations Mol.

20,000 evacuated from the city centre in Birmingham. Dang.

Have returned from concert and am still humming '76 Trombones' to myself.

In the UK (at least by retail staff), buy one get one free is abbreviated to BOGOF rather than BOGO and is pronounced 'bog off'. It unsettled the customers when I would arrive for work at the local newsagent and be greeted with "Cadbury's are bog off this week, David!"

Lil, you really won't want to see whatever art I produce. But I promise to try. Is there to be a particular theme?

I am going to do some beginners tap dance sessions over the summer. I suspect my art will be better than my dancing. I have at least three left feet.

David

I'm better at words than pictures, so I don't think I'll be producing a painting. I have, however, written a short story, which was to have appeared in this week, until the dreadful events in London caused this week's to be withdrawn. It's a tale of student life, , and psychology called 'Shrinking', and Salonistas are cordially invited to view it here: A4354788 .

The theme of the exhibition will be "Make Something." Because that will be all you have to do.

[GDZ]

I've just spent 2 hours totally engrossed in Google Earth. I hovered 6000 feet above the house I lived in nearly 50 years ago and could count the trees in the back yard. I found the school I worked at in Florida, in unbelievable detail.

But they haven't mapped the Bonito Valley. It's all blurred. I can count the cars in the parking lot at Fort Stanton, but I can't see Lincoln at all.