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

British Steam Car Challenge tested the vehicle and got it up to 80mph or so. Progressing nicely! Videos page not overly exciting in terms of spectacle but just seeing the thing moving and the noise it makes is

I really hope they do get it to 170mph
http://www.steamcar.co.uk/index.htm

The four-year-old grandson of Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has drowned in a swimming pool at the family's home in Harare.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7984293.stm

The death of the child, Sean, comes less than a month after Mr Tsvangirai's wife Susan died in a car crash.

Discworld author Sir Terry Pratchett has unveiled road names at a new housing estate in Somerset which were named after the fictional world.

Peace Pie Street and Treacle Mine Road are included in a list named in honour of the comic fantasy novels at the Kingwell Rise development in Wincanton.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7984118.stm

Councillor Colin Winder, former Mayor of Wincanton, said: "The association with Discworld works extremely well for our town, helping to boost the local economy.

"I even know of three families who moved to Wincanton because of this quirky connection."


What a idea.

This is a good news story for dog lovers

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article6042765.ece

Is that the one about the dog that was washd overboard and survived for 4 months on baby goats?

well done for the dog, not so good for the baby goats

typed that before clicking on the link

should have clicked the link first!

"Man steals plane, flies to U.S., buys Gatorade"

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/07/stolen.plane.pilot/index.html

USA not a Christian Nation says president:

"I've said before that one of the great strengths of the United States is, although as I mentioned we have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values," said the president."

That's gonna go down well in certain sectors back home...

'spose a linky would help...

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_to_Turkey_We_are_not_0406.html

He said pretty much the same thing in his Inaugural address. It seemed to go down okay with most.

'spose a linky would be good:

'For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers.'

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99590481


and, of course, it's an old idea:

'As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.'

The Treaty of Tripoli, article 11. 1797

http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/treaty_tripoli.html

I think it is the "we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation" bit that is going to cause problems.

I think it's the fact that he said it in a (secular) Muslim nation that might cause problems. But I really don't think it will be a big deal, mainly

a) it's true

and

b) the people in the U.S. who bother with such international news know it's true.


There will be upset from the usual suspects on Fox News, but they're already working on a lynching party no matter what the President does.

Interestingly, Fox's story on the speech doesn't even mention that passage: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/04/07/arabs-cheer-obama-speech-muslim-world/

"There will be upset from the usual suspects on Fox News"
Well that is what I meant by 'certain sectors' - at no point did I state or imply that the entire USA would be up in arms about it.

Yeah...it does have to be admitted...not so long ago, they elected the guy!

Does anyone know if Fux news viewer numbers are growing or shrinking? I have noticed that the Right in America seems to be returning to their erstwhile bunker mentality.

They claim to be the number one cable news outlet.

The policed attacked the man who died at the G20 protests. From behind. Without provocation. The Guardian have the video.

So, the innocent have nothing to fear from the police, hey?

Do you have a link for that Runescribe?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/video-g20-police-assault