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

To all our friends across the pond....


We all wish you the happiest of days.

Thank you all for being such good friends.

And to my very first American friend, Amy Pawlowski, who "attended" me, as my "Paper Friend-" at the one and only meet I have ever attended, I say a special thank you. This meet was in Regents Park I believe, and I had to go and "collect" Amy's cutout from some of the"officials" of this relatively new website, holding their first ever meet. I remember lots of people coming up to greet me, and I also remember a impromptu soccer match which was held with both "lads and Ladettes" playing. I also remember a mother and baby coming to say Hi. I wonder if that was Bernadette?


And whilst on the question of thanks, I want to say a special thank you to Gnoman who has bothered to look up my very first entry on this site . It was in 2002, and a charming gentleman came up to me and said to me

"Hello Also Ran. I am Gnoman."

I had always consciously pronounced the "G" when saying Gnoman so was slightly perplexed.

"Noman" say I,, in a slightly repetitive fashion.

"Yes", replies my unknown-as-yet new friend, "I do not pronounce the "G"

This introduction has lived in my memory since 2002 when the meet was first held.

I wonder if you remember me being such a silly ass Gnoman (with the "G" silent"?
Ah happy faraway days.

I give you a very public thank you for unearthing those early memories. There was also someone who used to live in Sevenaoks where I lived. But I do no remember her name.

with affecftion to all the "Old Guard" who are still with us. And for those wonderful friends, ACE's Scouts and Gurus who have left us. This marvellous site has made my life in England so much happier and fulfilled.

Saturday 4th July, 2009 9.30 BST

Christiane
AlsoRan
aka Also Ran1
aka Also Ran80

A gnomon is the part of a sundial that casts a shadow.
There's a tower with a sundial in the book "Tower at the end of the world," by Brad Strickland. The tower is on Gnomon island.

So, when you try to pronounce Gnomon's name, think of the poem "Gnomon is an island."

Good one, Paul

Happy 4th July

Christiane Have a Happy 4th of July,
with good cheer in plenty of supply.
Served with a slice of apple pie,
with a glass of whisky made of rye.

well my dear Thinker,

Thank you so much. but actually I am not American. My youngest brother is married to an American and lives in New York.

However, I shall keep all those lovely goodies for the 14th July, when I shall be celebrating Bastille Day. !!

With much affection

Christiane.
AlsoRab80

Thank you Christiane,

I have relatives living in Canada and vot know if they have relatives in the USA.

I hope you are will have a very good Bastile Day.

Take care Christaine

Christiane,

Thank you for wishing our experiment in governance a Happy Birthday.

President Obama took the time out to send me a personal E-mail today. Considering all that he has on his plate, I'm impressed with his energy. I get more E-mail from him and the First Lady than anybody else. The last guy never talked to me at all. I thought you might enjoy reading his message. Here's what he said:

Robert --

This weekend, our family will join millions of others in celebrating America. We will enjoy the glow of fireworks, the taste of barbeque, and the company of good friends. As we all celebrate this weekend, let's also remember the remarkable story that led to this day.

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago, our nation was born when a courageous group of patriots pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to the proposition that all of us were created equal.

Our country began as a unique experiment in liberty -- a bold, evolving quest to achieve a more perfect union. And in every generation, another courageous group of patriots has taken us one step closer to fully realizing the dream our founders enshrined on that great day.

Today, all Americans have a hard-fought birthright to a freedom which enables each of us, no matter our views or background, to help set our nation's course. America's greatness has always depended on her citizens embracing that freedom -- and fulfilling the duty that comes with it.

As free people, we must each take the challenges and opportunities that face this nation as our own. As long as some Americans still must struggle, none of us can be fully content. And as America comes ever closer to achieving the perfect Union our founders dreamed, that triumph -- that pride -- belongs to all of us.

So today is a day to reflect on our independence, and the sacrifice of our troops standing in harm's way to preserve and protect it. It is a day to celebrate all that America is. And today is a time to aspire toward all we can still become.

With very best wishes,

President Barack Obama

July 4th, 2009

DEAr Phred(Robert) and Mrs Phred,

Thank you for sending me that personal note from your President.

He certainly has technological know how, because now I know what Independence Day means to all of you. Never having lived in the States I knew it was an important day but did not realise the full significance of it.

Bastille Day celebrates a revolution, a guillotine and was viewed by my grandparents as a day of mourning. !!

So I hope that you and Mrs,. Phred had a good day. Did you join your nice friends.? You seem to have made so many friends o your travels. It is great.

Today Keith and I are getting over the family festivities of the last two weeks. It has been hard iob him.

Gp well dear freinds,

Christiane
AlsoRan80

The ladies in my book discussion group loved to read books about America's founders. No coincidentally, many of these founders were also well-known to the French people, because they spent years in paris trying to get monrey and troops from the French government.

Benjamin franklin was a great sensation when he first arrived in Paris with his coonskin hat (the hat was there to cover up some trouble he was having with his hair at the time...)

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were sent over to *help* franklin, but at times they did little but fight with each other.

Thank you Paul H.

I know so little about American history.

I seem to remember reading something about it when I was reading for my first degree in south Africa. I thinhk the French had quite an influence on some parts of America - especially in the south.

I know I have always wanted to go to New Orleans, because there apparently was such a tremendous French influence there,.

Now of course it has been practically washed away. Or has it recovered?

I have just been watching the Federer Roddick final. I am drained with the emotion and I want to write about Andy Roddick. What a champion and a fighter he is.

You are an enterprising librarian to arrange a book review group at your library. well done.

Sincerely,

Christiane.
AlsoRan80

Thanks.

The historical district of New Orleans is still there, as it occupied the high ground. Later, as the city grew, people built in the swamps around the edges, where the land is below sea level.

In north-central Massachusetts, there are a lot of French-Canadians who came down from Canada more than a century ago, looking for work in the water-powered mills. Further north, in Maine, there are French-Canadians who came south for various reasons, including growing potatoes or working in the lumber or paper mills.

Hey Christiane,

Roddick put on a great show today. It was emotional for him to lose after such a magnificent effort....plus, at 28, he's over the hill, and it becomes increasingly unlikely that he will ever win Wimbledon...on the other hand, his performance today marks him as a great player.

We visit New Orleans every year or two. The last time was in May. Here's a report http://thefirecloudreport.blogspot.com/2009/05/voodoo-queen-of-new-orleans.html It's still a great place to visit and eat and listen to music. It's not exactly washed away, but the recovery has been slower than might be desired and the poorest segment of the city has suffered disproportionately.

Phred

I've never been there, nut hope to go before the last of it gets washed away by a big storm.