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

Surely there must be worse things that can happen than having a dinosaur loose in the countryside. Right?

Glad you enjoyed it – Dmitri also liked that bit, telling me:
"I have one word for you: dinomite.
Still laughing and groaning."

Nothing like a bad pun.

You must be looking forward to next week's instalment and what the results of this phone call will be.

<BB<

(Incidentally have you worked out the answer to the question: How many soldiers and tanks can be brought to the Isle of Wight in a day? Forget the use of paratroops or helicopters carrying equipment etc, but purely using public transport? Bearing in mind Hovertravel have two 78-seater hovercraft that make the crossing in 8 minutes. WightLink has two high-speed passenger ferries that can each carry 260 people across in 15 minutes as well as six car ferries, St Faith carries 142 cars, 12 lorries and 722 passengers, St Clare carries 186 cars and 878 passengers and 65 cars and WightLink flagship Victoria of Wight carries 178 cars and 1,208 passengers – each taking 45 minutes. The three Wight class vessels each carry 360 passengers and 65 cars in 30 minutes. Red Funnel have three passenger vessels that each carry 275 passengers in 25 minutes, three Raptor class vehicle ferries that each carry 892 passengers and 220 cars as well as a freight vessel that carries 12 HGVs in an hour.
Don't forget that the ferries must make the journey each way and allow 15 minutes to embark and disembark each side. Also, the average car parking space size in the UK is 15.7ft x 7.8ft, while a Challenger II tank is 27' 3" x 13" 9') and, weighing more than 50 tons each, is unlikely to use the ferries' upper or moveable car decks as this may affect the ships' stability.)

Dinosaurs eventually became able to fly as they evolved into birds. Taking the long view, I can imagine humans (with or without genetic modification) becoming airborne as well. So, perhaps the soldiers would just fly to the isle.

Or not.

If the dinosaurs can be patient, maybe the much-discussed bridge will be built, and promptly get clogged with soldiers and tanks.