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

This caught my attention today and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it! :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3734342.stm

I await his decision with baited breath!



(I don't know what 'baited' (spelling?) means but it's one of those words that only appears in certain sentences - like 'pillage' when discussing vikings.)

It's 'bated', and it means restrained or reduced.

Incidentally, the news story that caught my attention today was one about the possible discovery of a new species of ape. Apparently the findings are due for publication in The New Scientist next week. I haven't researched the story further, but it's quite exciting if true.

Yes, I caught that. I was wondering how on earth they miss something that big. Didn't they find a new type of dog a few years back in Vietnam?

how on earth did they miss something that big?

Well, I guess their attention must have been distracted by something whilst they were holidaying in the balmy peaceful resort of DR Congo
Also, it isn;t definite yet.

Spotted both those, although the Gazza one does have the edge in the 'Wa??' factor!

Hey, not for me! I find football almost utterly uninteresting, and the football players coold be green, bug-eyed monsters for all I care. Always assuming I'm correct in thinking that this Gazza character is indeed a fotball player.

Now animals, on the other hand... A discovery (possibly) of a new species of mammal! Perhaps it isn't so much a 'Wa??' factor as a 'Wow!' factor, but it almost had me crying into my newspaper.

Anyway, I hope they're really there (and that Gazza gets his life style together or whatever).

Here's a BBC article on the new apes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3730574.stm


and remember they're apes not...

"OOK"

er... the M word

That article I read in my paper appears to be a direct translation of the one you mention, except they'd added a bit with an interview with a local biologist. But thanks anyway!

Oh, and of course I wouldn't dream of using the M-word

The story that's caught my eye today is the one about kids with behaviour problems. Looks like their future at mainstream schools is a bit dodgy looking.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3734370.stm

Wandering round BBC news and found this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/3734946.stm

More mysterious apes, this time in Sumatra

Funny to see how self-absorbed the western world can be, even in scientific 'discoveries'. Those apes in Congo were clearly known already by the local population. They just didn't have a picture in a book and a fancy latin name.

And my news of the day is the story about disappearing prisoners in American jails abroad:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3735294.stm

Which doesn't seem to be any issue whatsoever in the election race. Nor the well-documented and clear-cut case against the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

Hitler was hypnotised in WWI


http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/94/377/11201_hitler.html

Online gamers pay tribute to Christopher Reeve.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=56910

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3743448.stm


31 people out of 13000 can detect lies.

Not true!

It's 32 out of 13000

Mine today is
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3745280.stm
about the UK Ambassador to Uzbekistan.
In fact I think I might post it to The Forum to see what people think.

What a lovely thread.

Wow, this ape story is great! Thanks for the link...

MALARIA VACCINE WORKS! (deliberately shouting from rooftops)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1328014,00.html

Woo-hoo! That is wonderful, just neat, and I hope it doesn't end up being caught up in drug company profit wars...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3755286.stm


Takes some guts! Good luck to her.