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

Followong the G8 summit on climate change, Mr Blair said: "If it is impossible to bring America into the consensus on tackling the issue... we will never ensure the huge emerging economies, who are going to consume more energy than any other part of the world... are part of the dialogue."

Since when has America been a huge emerging economy?!?

I agree that developing countries now that they are being relieved of debt will consume more poluutents to advance but that puts even greater pressure on those that know there are alternatives to seek to implement them.

ARE YOU LISTENING SHRUB?

Ok another letter to the White House I feel.

I don't know why some people stay and others don't. I do know that we have a wonderful group regular salonistas.

I have been trying to think of general personality traits that might be used to identify a person as a potential long term visitor to the salon. I have decided that in spite of different ages, occupations, and locations on the globe, salonistas have a better than average sense of humor, are readers (biggrin>, are creative, and are compassionate.

general personality traits::insanity being upermost
short memory span helps ,failing the partial lobotomy

<<"If it is impossible to bring America into the consensus on tackling the issue... we will never ensure the huge emerging economies, who are going to consume more energy than any other part of the world... are part of the dialogue.">>

This is how I read Blair's remarks: so long as my country, the world's leading energy user, thumbs its nose at any global environment accords, other "huge emerging economies" (read China) might seek to relax their own pollution emissions standards. I believe China has already signed on to Kyoto. But our intransigence will inspire it and other nations to waste resources as well. Sort of "If America can do it, so can we." China is the number two consumer of oil, and their bid for UNOCAL shows just how serious they are at challenging us for the number one position.

Go ahead and write a letter, DD. I certainly appreciate your concern. However, the current occupant of the Presidency never takes into account any opinions that differ from his.

>>I'll say Damn-damn-damn, but I think it's because just one damn doesn't express my ire appropriately.<<

One of my favourite expletive trebles is 'bu**ery, bu**ery, bo**ocks'. Try it next time you're irked to the point of expostulation; it's very satisfying.

In all the kerfuffle yesterday I didn't manage to get Ma to the airport for her flight back to Teuchterland.
We got as far as putting the luggage in the boot of my car, looked at each other and said simultaneously "Let's just not".
It was a cheapo ticket, booked on the net months ago, so we thought we'd lost it. Ma phoned the airline this morning, hoping to get info on standby for Sunday, and explained that we hadn't been able to reach the airport - completely true since the surrounding roads were completely at a standstill for several hours - and the nice airline transferred her flight to Monday, completely free of charge.

Re the question of what makes Salonistas stick - I'd also vote for similar sense of humour and compassion. I think we're all interested in people, generally - and what makes them tick.
I suspect there may be people who fit that description and who visit occasionally but don't have the time to be here as much as we are.

I count you guys as being just as real as my 'real' friends - you're just further away and I don't know what some of you look like. Probably grgeous, like me

Group

The response of Monty Python lines just proves that humour (English spelling) is most certainly an underlying trait of the Salonistas.

Wonderful sunshine over the Firth and orcas spotted off the coast at Thurso. Wish I'd been round there.

Our children (angels both) just sneaked next door from our paddling pool, stark naked and into their friends playroom. Guess we need to buy shorter leads

>>I believe the political flavor of the salon to be overwhelmingly progressive, and that we HAVE driven away conservatives. Not because we hate them or want them to go away but because they haven't chosen to remain and discuss the issues.



Lil, the other option is that there are those who have a conservative outlook who are here and do not participate in the discussions for reasons of their own. I know that my views will be thought of as meaningless int he political forum so I don't offer them there. I stopped discussing politics on thei guide very soon after I joined because nearly every belief that I hold dear is attacked without any discourse. I have been told time and again that I am just worng and never get in to a discussion.

I have friends here that I would likely lose if I were to engage in these conversations...

.....strange but true, living on edge of London I knew that yeterday would happen eventually, in in a way, if it was inevitable, I am glad it is over as the expecting it can now end...

[p]

Marv, that is exactly why I don't discuss religion with most people. That and someone always ends up sad or angry.

I had a rather snarky comment to make about that artist but it really isn't my place. It isn't my sort of thing but there's someone out there who probably cherishes them.

*Ag nips in briefly to join in with the group hugging*

The problem I find with discussing politics is that if two people hold radically different views, those views often, implicitly or explicitly, include the belief that the other's view is not only wrong but immoral and/or stupid. Which is painful. So even if person A in all innocence and good faith says X, person B (who thinks Y instead) will be so used to other people who hold view X assuming that Y is wrong stupid and bad, that they just can't listen without feeling personally attacked. I blame politicians. All that name-calling and slandering each other to gain votes. How can it not rub off onto the general populace?

*stops, realises she's holding forth AGAIN, blushes magenta and nips out again*

Lil, I hold a similar view to MTG. Politics and religion are explosive topics around the dinner table, never mind adding them to somewhere relaxing like the Atelier. Combining the two forms an explosive mix, add in extremists and you get the London result. I like to hold my opinions on those subjects to myself as much as possible and try not to respond to those who cannot help themselves. I find it leads to a much quieter life.

I would not be concerned that others may wander in then out to other forums. I would take heart from the fact that when they leave, they are leaving a room full of somewhat gentle souls, who will welcome them back with a smile.

Apart from those in the Popular Peoples Front - Splitters!

That goes for the People's Front of Judea.

Did someone here say Jehovah?

Now if the response had been anything different, I would have been in the wrong room.

Grinning

I think that the speed the Atelier moves puts people off. I know B feels that she can't drop in and out and that she has to read all of the backlog.

Also not everybody responds to every post, and sometimes people can feel that they are being ignored. I've often made posts that people haven't responded too, and I could have felt that I was ignored, if I'd known that I wasn't.

I do not discuss religion or politics online for some of the reasons that Eats and Marv have posted.

The main reason however, is that when I do discuss those topics, and MR can attest to my enjoyment of those discussions, I find the best way is face to face. There are too many nuiances and non verbal cues that you need to pick up on when you are dealing with these topics.

Also, a good debat on religion or politics is a free flowing, sometimes quick point counter-point discussion that does not lend itself to the potentially long pauses associated with message boards.

I do, however, look forward to some extremely interesting discussions on religion and politics at the New Mexico meet.

For those that are interested, I'm a classical conservative.

Courtesy

Politics and religion are good dicussion but much better face to face.

Or behind closed doors if you are a politician, that way you can deny all knowledge of such discussion right down to those nitty gritty details.(to max clifford of course)

I understand your point of view Z. I've also written posts that have not been responded to, but I don't expect a reply to every one. My job is manic 90% of the time, and a post looking for a response from me might have to wait a week, two, or worse even longer.
I fully understand that a frantic backlog session may miss comments, or the backlog so huge that by the time those with equally busy lives have arrived home, plonked themselves in front of the confuser, the backlog is too vast to deal with, and a slog through the most recent has to suffice.

We've all probably read a post that we have longed to respond to, but have been unable to find the words that would have made our meaning 100% clear, thoughts not making it to screen in the end. And then the conversation moves on.....

Contemplative