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

I just found something of a sobering reminder for us all. It's specifically about the U.S., but it would be good for us to hear the message as well:

"Few people talk about the dark side of living abroad, of the daily financial struggle, of deep loneliness, of racial prejudice and of terrible weather.

It is a fantasy that is encouraged by the Western media - that life in the west is no struggle. That anybody with half a brain can make it big."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200412100256.html

and, how does the world see the recent American Democratic desire to come to Canada?

"Americans seeking refuge in snow-country is nothing new of course. They have been doing that for the last 200 years."



http://allafrica.com/stories/200412080572.html

Thanks anhaga, both enlightening articles...always good to get another perspective!

I fired off a letter to the editor about the second article.

I haven't read the first one yet.

Kenyans, (and everyone else, for that matter!), should watch TV a good deal less, and listen to Rock 'n Roll a great deal more --

the Kenyan one was the one that talked to the experiences of a Kenyan in the U.S. That seemed to be simply personal experience. I'm not sure I understand the T.V. comment.

Would it help if they listened to TV and watched Rock and Roll?

"It is a fantasy that is encouraged by the Western media - that life in the west is no struggle."

I was suggesting perhaps the choice of media may be of some importance...

In my opinion, commercial TV tends to depict a fantastically exaggerated lifestyle

Music, on the other hand, may be more honest and realistic. Rock 'n Roll, for example, quite often decries greed and materialism

TV awakens envy and acquisitiveness. Music speaks to the soul.

(Yes, I know these are generalizations)

I was watching an interview last night with Ms. Sgro.

What has particularly irked me over the last few weeks has been that, what with "Strippergate" and all the "revelations" of so-called impropriety, legitimate cases which need her attention and she promised to act quickly on (namely the case of Samsu Mia who I have spoken about before) are languishing.

Hey, look: Fox News has replaced "Suicide Bomber" with "Homicide Bomber"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,141292,00.html

(But aren't all bombers (car, truck, suicide, 500 lb. bunker-buster) potentially homicide bombers, dude? Kind of obfuscates rather than makes clearer, dontcha think?)

I suppose it is possible to commit suicide by blowing oneself up in some remote location so as to reduce the chance of injury to others. Go out with a bang rather than a whimper.. Messy, though.

That reminds me --

A terrorist training camp instructor, festooned with explosives, addresses his class: "Ok, pay attention. I'm only going to show you this once."

From my keyboard to God's ear... or Ms. Sgro's...

http://ottawa.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/ot-mia20041213.html

I agree wholeheartedly Taliesin "music speaks to the soul" (unless we're talkin' about the "stuff" with blatant propaganda or whatever passing for lyrics.)

Eschew obfuscation.

Life is a struggle at times pretty much anywhere you go.
Sometimes you have to contend with floods, heat waves, droughts, or storms . Sometimes it's an economic depression. Sometimes it's your own private Hell--no job, reputation ruined, life-threatening medical problems, etc. Maybe you have a significant other or parent (or even child) who assails you.

If you check into the Bates Motel....

Mudhooks

*********Tacky yet only vaguely racist joke ahead warning********


First terrorist- *Here's a picture of my son, he's a martyr now...*
Second terrorist- *Here's a picture of my son, he's a martyr too!*
First terrorist- *Sigh....yes, they blow up so fast now adays!*



(Waits for possible yikesing)


Anhaga, I sent a letter to the Fox editor asking for clarification. I wanted to know if it was a remote controlled car, whether the driver didn't know there was a bomb, and/or if the bomb was triggered from inside or outside of the vehicle. Just plain bad reporting more than poor English, I'd say.

cl

I had caught that one some time ago cl, on the "Tell Us A Joke " thread@ F19585?thread=76493&latest=1 I've read a few real Howlers on there, even a couple Bush jokes that I went back looking for a few days later & they'd been removed!

There you go again, beating around the Bush.

Apparently Marlene Catterall, the local MP was (perhaps inadvertantly, but still inexcusably) rude to Mr. Mia. She came to the church to give Mr. Mia the good news and to speak to the media with Mr. Mia.

Mr. Mia greeted her at the door, held out his hand to shake hers, and she not just brushed by him, but pushed him out of the way. Considering that she has met Mr. Mia and was there to tell him he was free, it was an apalling insult.....

Apparently, Fred, our former minister, said as much on CBC radio when he was being interviewed.

wibble

Hey, look at what this Fox News Arse-hole has said now:

" Since Mr. Annan has not exactly been helpful to the U.S.A. over the years, what does this really mean? Well, it means some kind of deal has been made. That's almost a certainty.

There's no question that Annan is not cooperating with Congress in the oil-for-food scandal investigation. Annan has also been a huge problem in Iraq. He recently opposed the battle for Fallujah (search). But the Bush people want him to hang around?

How accommodating, how forgiving. Perhaps the spirit of Christmas has benefited Annan.

Far more likely is that Kofi will put U.N. people in place for the Iraqi elections and reopen the U.N. office in Baghdad, protected of course, by American troops.


"Talking Points" believes President Bush now has Annan where he wants him, on the edge of oblivion and is using the leverage. Of course, "Points" could be wrong. And if so, we'll be scolded.

The question is should the U.S.A. overlook Annan's inglorious past and use him in the future? Is the president looking out for us by supporting Annan's job? The answer is I don't know. And you won't hear me say that very often."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,141316,00.html

That's right, Bill Ars'reilly has asked whether the U.S.A. should "use" the Secretary General of the United Nations. Far to often some sort of voice of America has been heard explaining that the world and its peoples are for the private "use" of the U.S.