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

that of course should be "census"

I meant professional Tanners. Although, quite honestly, who wouldnt want to be a professional toaster? Just get to make toast all day! I think I may be considering a career change...

but tanning is just sooooo bad for your skin.

Now toasting ah thats different - does one get to sample the product whilst one is making it?

And I think that toast would be a fairly safe thing to cook naked.

there ARE professional toasters - people who make speeches and stuff after posh dinners. There's even societies where you can do it as a hobby!

Well, I think making toast for a career is a much more valid proffesion then toasting. Although, on the up side you would get to drink a heck of a lot of wine...

Do you then have to pretend you know all the people at the party? Else it would be a bit of a bland speech.

and isn't there a style of rapping called toasting?

*(pretends to be cool hip and trendy)*

No Xanatic, I think a real professional toaster doesnt HAVE to know all the people present, he or she just SOUNDS as if they do

Luckystar there is indeed - as far as I can recall it originated in Jamaica and significantly predates US Afro American rapping.

right, this is strectching the limitis of on-line electronic communication, but......



could you give us an example????

That's why I used the word pretend.

Right ... and the significance being?

tanning isn't necessarily bad for your skin Ross. Depends on how much melanin (and oil) you have.

My doctor told me to use a sunbed rather than taking antibiotics for three months. It's much less harmful apparently.
(It's also kinder than NSAIDs)

So tanning can cure diseases you're saying?

I know tanning causes skin cancer and all that. But I am naturally very pale, and I need to change that.

hmmmm

Ok let me rephrase - tanning in moderation can be beneficial & certainly we need a small amount of exposure to the sun to assist the body in converting various viamins etc.

My concern is that in the westernised world we grossly over tan, with or more often without the benefit of sun screens etc, leading to many future skin problems. The most obvious are malignant melanomas, nut over exposure to the sun also reduces the skins elascticity causing premature signs of aging, etc.

Very simplistically put the reason your skin turns brown in response to exposure to the UV light in sunlight is because it is trying to protect itself from damage, however, because of the delay in producing a tan the skin is already damaged by the time you get your tan!!

Use fake tan. Much easier to get the colour you want, where you want it, when you want.

You need to be careful in the sun Xan, if you are naturally very pale.
I need to be exposed to more sun than we get in this frozen, damp country.
My body is evolved for sunnier climes. Lying naked in the sun all day would probably cause you untold damage. With me, it would mean less acne and less joint pain.......

One man's meat.......

Well, I got high factor sunscreen. And I won't be laying there all day. I'd get way too bored. Besides, I've tried being lobster colored all over, I see no reason to try that again. But I want to go down south for a while, and I need a tan so I won't burn when I get there.

Shall I tell you the best thing to do naked....[drumroll]...shower! [you're impressed aren't you?]