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

Yay!

<BB<

No precious precipitation in the forecast. Sun, sun, hide your face, shine someplace else for a change. Rain, rain, come back.

And in other news, it's gone back to the previously reported situation. I'm getting too old for this.

we had a little bit of rain this week, but all in all it seems to be getting spring now. I was planting some tulips, crocus and daffodils today and it was high time, they were all getting small white sprouts already.

Our daffodils are in full bloom. Everything's a bit early.

Here only the snowdrops are out so far, they started to bloom this week.

It seems to have gone Autumn, Autumn...Spring. Croke-arses are out, lovely day yesterday.

*Enters from the stairway, followed by Ampton, who is carrying a steampunk-looking device, about the size of a microwave oven. It is covered with brass tubing, pressure cylinders, dials, gauges and has a large gramophone horn on top with the words "Order Here" printed on it in Gothic script. One tube projects from the side and angles downwards. Printed on the side of that tube are the words "Beverage Output". Somewhat inexplicably, there is a "Hello My Name Is" sticker on the side of the machine with the blank space filled in with Gothic script saying "Carriere".

Ampton walks over to where the IIEM is sitting an places the new machine beside it. He then picks up the IIEM and leaves with it.*

Sorry for the delay folks. We figured that instead of just fixing the IIEM, we would upgrade it. Carriere here runs on BistroMath, an improvement on II technology. It's pretty easy to use - just speak your order into the horn and put your cup under the output tube. If you don't have a cup, Carriere will supply one out of here. *Points to a small door on the side of the machine, near the output tube, and something that looks like a miniature Canadarm* She will produce a cup ideally suited to you, or at least what she thinks will be ideally suited to you - she does get some funny ideas sometimes. Let's see what she makes for me.

*Speaks into the horn*
Carriere, can I have a decaf cafe mocha, please.

*The machine starts to hum, then vibrate with increasing intensity until it is shaking. Steam hisses from a split in a tube and there is a loud bang from somewhere inside the machine. A bicycle bell rings, then a steam whistle blows*

See, comes with all the bells and whistles.

*The machine settles down and there is a low gurgling sound. The small door in the side of the machine opens, and the Canadarm reaches in and pulls out an old empty tin can of beans, which it holds under the output tube. The hot drink pours out of the tube until the can is nearly full, then stops. The Canadarm proffers the can to Garius.*

A tin can? Oh, very funny. *Takes the can and sips the drink* Mmm, but very good!

Well I'll be. That's an interesting contraption you've got there.



And it's really nice to see you!

Nice to see you too, Witty.

Give it a try.

Don't mind if I do.

Carriere, a cuppa Kona, please. Black.

*gurgling commences, bells ring, whistles whistle*

*The arm opens the door and extracts a coconut hull and places it under the nozzle just in time to catch the coffee.*

*Witty takes a sip.*

Not bad, Garius, not bad. It has a bit of a whiff of WD-40. I'm sure that will clear up once it's broken in.

GL?
Does it do non-caffeinated drinks? Or should I order a coffee and bourbon, hold the coffee?

GL?
Does it do non-caffeinated drinks? Or should I order a coffee and bourbon, hold the coffee?

Was that a Garius Lupus?

*contemplates Carriere with some doubt*

What is going on in the kitchen anyway? I smell a conspiracy!

*hides behind one of the comfy sofas*

Psst - Ripley! Get over here!

*floats over to give Garius a hug, nods to Ampton, and turns to examine Carriere*

*admires the brass fittings* Excellent, excellent! Carriere, a cup of black pekoe tea, please, milk and sugar.

*with the same performance as before, the arm extracts and places a cup and saucer of bone china under the spout of a teapot that it pulls from behind the small door*

Why, this is very good. I'm not sure that's WD-40; tastes more like a very slight hint of bergamot.

*Still sticking to his kettle v/_\3 for *

<BB<

Had a major over that bells and whistles comment - a bit unfortunate since it happened in a conference room. I blame Apple - as I was of course not reading that on my w**k PC but on my iPad. And, of course, 2legs

And half term has begun!

Off to Disneyland in the morning with the guides

Ooo - enjoy Disneyland! Don't forget your Entries A87819501 (Imagineering) and A87817747 (How to survive taking children to Theme Parks) - and don't forget your , of course



*Examines Carriere and speaks into the horn*

*A mint green plastic mug is dispensed and then filled with creamy cow's milk at just the right temperature to enjoy the flavour to perfection*

Thank you!

Wooohooo!

Ukrainian MPs have voted to oust President Viktor Yanukovych and hold early presidential elections on 25 May.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26304842

Ukraine ex-PM Tymoshenko freed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26306511

Sorry, growing up in the shadow of what used to be the Soviet Union I've not been able to stop myself from following news in that part of the world.

Currently back to playing Rift on a US RP server and you'd think it's a chat room rather than a MMORPG judging by the amount of utter crap that's being posted in the general channel

I generally end up just ignoring it but every now and then, something catches my eye, like this posting (I thought it might be a quote, so I googled but found nothing):

I weep only for mine enemies,
who knew not how bless'd they were
to fall so utterly before me.

I have immortalized them in history.
Their blood is become
the rubies that adorn my crown.