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

Interesting that they were arrested and convicted on their wat TO the protest and not actually AT the protest. If they were charged and convicted on the fact that they had protest signs visible on or in their cars, that would seem to be a violation of their right to free speech. It certainly does not bode well for people who post signs on their lawns, have a bumper-sticker, wear a T-shirt, or simply express themselves verbally about their opinion.

But then, Hey!, it is the US of A, where free speech only extends to white supremecists and people who agree with the government. People who speak out for human rights, are pacifists, or who don't hold "popular opinions"* are S.O.L.

*or are: poor, immigrants (unless they are from Cuba and are anti-Castro), homeless, "liberals".....

I meant to add to the first paragraph that I wasn't aware that "intending" or "thinking of" protesting was a crime. It makes one think about the Freedom Riders who were arrested, convicted, beaten (and/or tortured, and/or murdered), etc., etc., because they were on their way to (or "intended" to) protest in Alabama and Mississippi.

Has America learned nothing? (That is a rhetorical question, I know.)

Speaking of throwing things at twits. A week ago the leader of the major opposition party here got actual mud (looked like it could have had cow deposit in it) thrown at him. It was caught on camera and his party support jumped 9% in the polls.

Maybe Bush should try his own publicity stunt

Apropos of nothing.

Thought I would share this with you all... http://www.kersbergen.com/temp/worstalbumcovers.html

I really wish I hadn't followed that link

Call me weird (go ahead, I dare you!) but as I looked at those covers I made up captions.

Country Church: *No, don't look over there, look at the camera!*
Joyce- *May I call you Joe for short?*
John Bult- *Honey, this means you're almost legal!*
Let Me Touch Him- *What, all of you? At the same time??*
The McKeithens- *OK, that's it, I want a paternity test!*
Millie Jackson- *Ladies and Gents, give it up for the amazing magnified breasts!*
Orleans- *What was I thinking, gettin' naked and then letting this lot behind me?*
Tino- *No, really- I'm straight! This ring proves it!*
12 Top Hits- (from right to left, the people watching in the backround) *I wish there was rum in this coke.* *I like his butt!* *I like her butt!*
Devastatin' Dave- No quote for this one, just a professional comment. The punched hole in the corner means that copy was distributed to radio stations for promotion and was not meant to be sold. I wonder if any *were* sold.

Y'think cl? As Arsenio would say *furrows brow & fingers temple contemplatively* "one of those things that kinda make ya go...hmmm?"

The first one makes me think of badly made movies. When someone is coming out of a coma or waking up after a night on the town, you always have a shot, see, supposedly from the point of view of the formerly unconscious person, foggy, with someone saying "Honey, are you okay?". All the while, they are looking somewhere two feet to the left of the camera.

The "Joyce" one, I note went for the princely sum of 50 cents....

The one with the "mother" with the enormous beehive hairdo, looks like she might have, at one time, been the Spanish entrant to the Olympic men's bantam-weight boxing, circa 1969.

Just a few more....

http://mfooz.com/lps/lp_covers.html
http://mfooz.com/lptest/Pages/16.html

You MUST listen to Mrs. Miller sing! http://www.mrsmillersworld.com/index.html

Links-a-plenty! http://www.coolandstrange.com/

zoomer, 16 *is* the legal age here...

It makes forign TV a little confusing at times

Hooray us, again:

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/02/18/canada_cheapest%20040218


I guess "soviet canuckistan" isn't so bad after all. And that wonderful bastion of free enterprise, the U. S. comes in a roaring 7th in a field of 11.

we don't have a city over two million. Just as long as Canada's low cost doesn't come ate the expence of wages and salaries then all is good

It's funny because a lot of American right-wingers tell their people that Canada is a high taxing communistic anti-freedom primitive hell-hole. This is, of course, propaganda designed to prevent their own downtrodden, underpayed and over-taxed subjects from actually venturing north to see what it's actually like.
Another thing that's funny is that lots of Canadians go to the U.S. to work, but they still identify themselves as Canadians. I suspect lots of Mexicans go to the U. S. and then identify themselves as Americans. And Lots of Americans come to Canada and breathe a sigh of relief.


An update on the homeless shelter controversy (well, sort of an update): I went to the bottle depot today with a friend. This particular bottle depot is just a little south of the proposed homeless shelter and it is the prime neighbourhood source of revenue for the homeless. There was the usual flock of gentlemen and ladies with their shopping carts hanging about. The interesting thing was that a TV news crew showed up and proceeded to follow this group, taping and interviewing all the way, for the rest of the afternoon. I really should watch the news to see if I'm on the tape. And to see if I'm actually distinguishable from the rest. Actually, I was the tallest one. And I always had my back to the camera. (For reasons I won't go into, I really shouldn't be identified with the particular friend I was with [doesn't that sound intriguing?].)

I really should watch the news so I can write an actual update rather than a travelogue of a trip to the bottle depot.

"For reasons I won't go into, I really shouldn't be identified with the particular friend I was with..."

1) You or your "friend" is a high-powered head-hunter attempting to hire the other away to a high-paying position with a major international banking institution.

2) Your friend is a recently-released felon and the conditions of his/her release are that he/she not associate with low-lifes and ne'er do wells.

3) You bunked off work with the story that you had to donate a kidney, when, in fact, you were actually spending an exciting day in the cut-and-thrust world of bottle-collecting

4) You are an undercover CSIS operative investigating Paul Martin's involvement in price-fixing in the glass recycling industry.

Speaking of the low cost of doing business in Canada....
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/02/18/black040218

Oh, crap! I've been so busy finishing up my "Nellie McClung" entry I forgot to check to see if I'm on the news!


BTW Mudhooks: none of the above. (although I like the kidney one.)

Oh, here we go... blame the Feminists....

No, seriously. I just put my Nellie McClung entry into Peer Review. Now I'm going to read 'The Colony of Unrequited Dreams' in front of the TV.

Aha! contrary to what my wife and parents have always said I am NOT the only one in the world who reads in front of the television. Do you stop to watch the commercials?

I remember one time some friends came over and found me lying on the couch, playing my guitar, watching television and listening to the radio at the same time. Sometimes (as I believe I mentioned here once) I work on writing on the computer while watching a movie in one corner of the screen. I draw the line at talking on the phone while driving and reading a book. The phone is just too much of a distraction.

I get paid extra for multitasking....