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

Newsday had an editorial on politics using Hitchhikers as a reference. What a world!

http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-oppin284235869apr28.column

What an interesting piece too

I thought so. We're going mainstream!

That's a good editorial, Shea. Thanks for the link.

Many's the time I've gotten fantastic insights, and then realized that Doug Adams had already thought of them, and had said them better than I could.

I'm sure you'll come up with an original one eventually, Paul!

I've often wondered what would happen if DNA and Kurt Vonnegut Jr. collaborated on a novel.

I have no human insites, I just don't like the idea of falling through the ever expanding time void.

My very dear shea,

Thank you for this wonderful link. I am sure that is what "glues" us together that we do try and laugh at our woes - but not in an unkind fashion.

The only thing I find disturbing is when I am told Do'nt Panic, That throws me into stress mode straight away.

I really loved the link, and shall reread The Hitchhiker's..... just in order to fall about laughing again.

Have a good weekend with your special TJ.

Christiane and Keith

PS I think we should all try and guess what the outcome of the latest "God-sent ordination" will be. I fear the identical one to the empire building of the Brits!!.

What a prophet DNA was. Did you ever meet him?

Not quite identical, the USA niether has an empire of land or an empire army, all good empires use their host counties armys. the USA is trying to fill that void with technology and money, which is why their spending is so big.

If anything the USA has a Sudo-Empire, one bought rather than earned and what is bought is much easyer to loose.

Very interesting Doctor MO.

I shall think about it - I hope intelligently, and come back with hopefully some better arguments. Technology builidng v. Empire building.

What are the Chinese doing?

Also Ran1

I only ever "met" DNA once AR1, at a MacWorld Expo in NYC. He did a presentation on the Starship Titanic game that was shortly to come out. I got his autograph on a book, but couldn't think of anything clever to say to him. I got the impression that he expected me to say more to him than I did, but I got a bit tongue-tied.

Dearest Shea,

Who wouldn't get tongue tied. ?

That critique of his work in Newsday throws so much light on his owrk. I must admit that I was not clever enough to see what he was up to. I just laughed at the way he got the driver of the earth moving machine to lie in his pit whilst he went and had a drink with Ford Prefect. And then boy how I laughed at Ford Prefect.

I really think that he was a much kinder man than some think. For instance, I honestly think that this web site is quite outstanding. and if people want to score points then they seem to accumulate together. Wonder if the BBC realises what a gem it has inherited?

This is a long weekend, and so I am trying to put all the newspaper clippings that I have amassed from ZENIT into some sort of order; and of course reading my Tablet. Sadly, my eyes are really so dicey that I take ages to read which is a bind. But there are some fascinating articles in the latest Tablet. Do you get it in the States.

With affection

Christiane

I never met Douglas Adams at all, not even for a minute.

I sent him a letter reacting to his last "Hitchhiker" book, but never received any response.

It was preordained by the fates that I would gravitate to Adams's books, and ultimately this site. I know this because the 4th and and 5th digits in my social security number are "42".

Excellent article, Shea. And I'm envious of you having met DNA. I do have a couple of signed first editions of Last Chance To See but sadly I didn't actually get to meet him and get his signature (and no doubt get just as tongue tied).

I saw the movie last night, BTW. I took off early from w**k so PC and I could go to an early showing that wouldn't be as crowded. On it's own merits it's quite good, as expected not even remotely as good as the book as one of the best things about the books (IMHO anyway) was DNA's writing style. He could make anything giggleworthy. But as I said, if you don't compare them the movie is really quite good. PC, who has never read the books, giggled through most of it.

Hi Paul,

Nice to hear from you. I am sure that he must have been very happy to get your letter ever if he did not reply. He did so much and created so much in his short life. why don't you write his biography?

I do not think that any numbers I have could ever add up to 42!!. When I first joined some kind person tried to work my numbers and spent hours doing it to no avail.

Are you pleased that the winter is over and how did your move go into your new [atch? I hope it was not too stressful.

Kind regards

Christiane

Hello darling AR1!!

You reminded me.. I got a bit of a good omen with my new job.. everything you do is attached to your employee number. Called an "A" number because they all start with A. The first two numbers are 42. I figured that meant it would be a good job.

It's always a good omen, anyway!

I was once in a contest from a radio station with a hundred other contest winners, and we had to draw numbers out of a fishbowl to see who'd end up going on to the next level. I *knew* I'd win when I drew 42! And I did!

On our way home from seeing the movie last night, TJ and I were discussing how everybody seems to be gushing over DNA now, and how many "tributes" there were to him in the film. It seems to me that he must have been a wonderful person to know, because people are *still* talking about how he impacted their lives.

AR1, I don't get the Tablet here in New York. I'm not sure what it is, but I know I haven't read it.

Hi, AR1.

I appreciate your kind words. Yes, I'm glad winter is over...I've never enjoyed a single winter, and doubt that that will change. Still, winter does a lot of good by killing off some rather bad bugs.

The move was stressful, but it *did* go as planned, and they got me hooked up again very quickly. Nothing broke, as far as I can tell.

I think you're right Shea. On both things. Don't forget how I cleaned up on craps during that casino night after keeping to 42 at the table.

I also can see how DNA impacted so many lives. I know when mine gets entirely too "serious" I turn to his books like an old friend. They always make me laugh and help me find the humor in my situation. For that I'll be forever grateful.

Same here, Batty.

All I have to do is read "Hitchhiker's Guide" about the Vogons blasting the Earth to smithereens, and I realize that my problems are tiny by comparison. But I really love the way Arthur and Ford, in the Vogons' ai8rlock, about to be expelled into deep space, are trying to figure out what to do next.

ARTHUR: It's at times like these that I wish I had listened to my mother.

FORD: Why? What did she say?

ARTHUR: I don't know! I didn't listen!