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

Hi FB. Don't drink , but a would do, as long as it's vodka... . I'll let you finish the .

Is the party pretty much over - did I miss it?

*Quickly finishes , including toast to Hypatia and many thanks to Frenchbean for getting it for me, and hurries out to hange into something more suitable*

Back later!

It's been pretty quiet the last few hours, but I assume that's because it's been happening a long way from my bit of the international date line

You've all been asleep/are still asleep, whilst us antipodeans have been gradually emptying the bottles and eating all the s

Might be able to find a small vodka somewhere under this table....

*Kat comes round from her chocolate-induced snooze*

Ah hey FB! You know me!

Sorry about the baseball Madam Prez, but I have to say I could never understand the appeal of it except in connection with Snoopy cartoons

*Arrives and makes a beeline for the bar, waving to those she recognizes on the way. Sets up a tray with one each of and places it in front of herself. Finds a few folks staring at her.*

What? I'm the Drinks Cabinet Minister. This is a quality control session.

Congrats once again, Madame President. Excellent speech.

*Elentari returns, dressed more appropriately this time and heads for the drinks, waving at everyone who's left at the party*

Can I help with the quality control, there? My is wearing off.

*arrives after having spent the previous day installing high-speed Internet on her computer and changing e-mail addresses on what seemed like every Web site on the planet...*

Belated congrats to our new President and Vice-President! *waves at what's left of the crowd*

As the new Chief Procurer of Chocolate, Doughnuts and Other Calorie-Laden Foodstuffs, I present this recipe for my favourite brownies. Enjoy!

8 oz. butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 c. granulated sugar (may use brown sugar, if desired)
2 large eggs
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. flour
1 c. roughly chopped walnuts (may use pecans or other nuts)

Pre-heat oven to 325 deg.F/165 deg.C/Gas Mark 3. Butter an 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan and set aside.

Melt butter and chocolate in large saucepan over low heat. Let cool briefly, then mix in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well-blended. Add vanilla. Fold in flour and nuts until just combined.

Pour batter into pan. Bake brownies for approximately 40 minutes. Cool in pan for about 30 minutes, then remove. When cool, cut into squares.

Eat and smile.

No, party isn't over with. It was launched at an odd time due to yesterday's foop amopng other things. Please stay and enjoy.

And thanks for all the congratulations and compliments on the speech. Short speeches normally gain more compliments than long ones.

That brownie recipe looks yummy. Thanks.

*drifts over to monitor the drinks testing*

I'd have bought some of my Millionaires Shortbread if I'd known

Shortbread is an all time favorite of mine. And it's hard to find really good shortbread where I live.

*Taps instructions into her pda. Momentarily, a short parade of 'bots enters the hall and they arrange themselves along the wall, each holding a tray of assorted drinks just like Witty's.*

Please, do all help yourselves. We need a large sampling or the quality control results may be skewed.

As a person who drinks little if any alcohol, I volunteer to coordinate the data. Didn't someone else say they don't drink alcohol? *looks around*

I drink much less than my hillbilly roots might indicate. And the older I get, the less I am able to tolerate without feeling rotten afterward.

*makes herself a glass of iced tea and mingles with the guests*

Appears with a in hand and A smile on his face.

*Is discovered behind potted plant next to buffet, surreptitiously filling her pockets with pastry*

Oh, er, well, I'm hideously late, so thought I'd sneak in and out... err.. this is amazingly embarrassing... I've eaten canteen food for four days in a row and need to stock up on tasties or I will be so self-pitying and whiney...

Hiya Prez. Loved the speech.

*Kat leaps up from her beanbag and hugs Ag*

Aww never mind don't feel embarrassed! The party's just getting started and there's still loads of food left! We're all very glad you could make it! We can't e having with you surviving on canteen food!

*Kat snaps her fingers and several waiters with silver platters piled high with food appear*

Take your pick...I'm nothing important here but I've decided someone has to take charge of food sometimes...

Oh and Lil I don't drink so I'll help you, it would be an honour.

*a pile of cushions approaches the doorway and tries to push through, but being too large breaks apart and scatters everywhere, thus revealing the cause of their arrival, the rumpled-looking Minister for Cushions, who starts retriving them, before realising that scattering them around the room was the whole point*

Congrats agian, Hyp.

Brevity is wit, eh? Long speeches are to be discouraged. This administration won't have many. Maybe any I learned the lesson from William Henry Harrison. One of his speeches had fatalities. Him.

*sips hot chocolate and doesn't mention how the Cardinals lost*