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

Sorceror to be executed in Saudi Arabia

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/03/31/saudi.arabia.sorcery/index.html

Would that the above story were of the same sort as what follows:

'A would-be saboteur arrested today at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland made the bizarre claim that he was from the future. Eloi Cole, a strangely dressed young man, said that he had travelled back in time to prevent the LHC from destroying the world.'

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/0,39029552,49305387,00.htm



But somehow I don't expect the Saudis do April Fools Day.

Every day is a bizzare April Fools Day in Saudi.

Hardened criminal aprehended in Spain

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8600372.stm

With all those boxes of Viagra he purloined, I not in the least bit suprised you described him as a "Hardened criminal" TVITM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8601361.stm

"Up to 10 police officers were injured after scuffles broke out when 2,000 people descended on London's Brick Lane for a sale by a US clothing chain.

The Met Police said it was called to the American Apparel event, the first day of a planned four-day sale, because of the unexpected turnout. "

One presumes 'American Apparel' is a shop frequented by the lower classes.

"One presumes 'American Apparel' is a shop frequented by the lower classes."

Oooooooooooh, that's going to raise hackles in some circles Bit provocative, but, hey ho, I like your candid style. Just wonder how long it'll be before it gets yikes'd by some narrow minded

Back from I suppose it gives our friends at the Met a chance to show they are not totally PC obsessed and beat up a few hippies.

>One presumes 'American Apparel' is a shop frequented by the lower classes.< 3Dots 8386

>Just wonder how long it'll be before it gets yikes'd by some narrow minded <norti 8387

Why should it be yikesed?

It's a meaningless comment as no reasoning is given for the presumption...I can only assume it is meant to be humorous...though to be honest I've heard funnier jokes.

The link was reason enough.

As was the embedded video with people whooping and hollering when someone got on the roof of someones car and such like.

No the link was not reason enough. You've given no reason for saying you presume these people are lower class. Apart from not knowing what you are meaning by 'lower class'..in this day and age there are many ways of defining class in the UK; I don't se how the video says anything about 'class'. They just look like a bunch of idiotic youngsters that got completely out of control. When watching that video..nothing about class sprang to my mind; they might have been any class.

But I really can't be bothered to get into it further with you, if you're not interested in reasoning. That's fair enough, I frequently make gibes about the upper and middle classes, and toffs..but if pushed I'd have to admit it's just based on a bunch of stereotypes.

I was going to make an un-warranted jibe about Primark being empty that day...but seems I don't need to:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6530867.stm

"Police officers were called to control crowds at the opening of a new department store in Oxford Street.

Reinforcements had to be brought in to control the crush when pressure from hundreds of people queuing at the new Primark store broke one of the doors. "

Maybe it's just Londoners then as there was no trouble in Birmingham at the sales:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8430974.stm

"Thousands of bargain hunters queued outside Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre from the early hours as the traditional Boxing Day sales started.

People began queuing at 0400 GMT and by 9am more than 9,000 people had passed through the centre's doors.

A designer handbag sale in Selfridges sold out in 10 minutes and Next attracted more than 4,500 customers before 0730 GMT.

General Manager Tim Walley said 150,000 people were expected on Sunday"

Yes, must be London

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238596/Handbags-dawn-Shoppers-jostle-bargains-1billion-Boxing-Day-sales-frenzy.html

"Police had to be called to Gucci’s flagship store in Knightsbridge."



I apologise to the lower classes...seems like it is anyone in London as the poncy middle-classes are just as bad.

Obviously, not the upper classes as they will just have sent 'their man' down to purchase whatever.

How very dare you. One never sends one's man to "sales".

Cheap things are for cheap people.

It's good to see the humour de-escalate things. I'm sure we all think 3dots and Effers were sparring

Well he knows I love him..but that doesn't mean I can't give him a kick up the backside now and then He should be glad it's only up the backside

My marmite motorway is a man free zone No kicks up the back side for me! Harumph!!!!!

Suppose we'd better get back

So there's this young Canadian rummaging around British Archives and finds the original Haitian Declaration of Independence.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/100403/world/haiti_history

Well, that's nearly as exciting as a visit by the Ton ton macouts

I'd love to see a copy, just to see what might have been said about religious freedoms.

The Haitians were as much (if not more) opposed to Jesuit imposed Catholicism as
they were to being slaves of French colonialism.

Their own African based beliefs (from several areas and tribes) included zombis (sic),
voodoo magic and approaching god thru pharmaceutical means.

If it's part of their Declaration I am not surprised the copy they sent to England -
to secure alliance with the British who were then also at war with Napoleon -
has been conveniently 'lost' in the archives for 200 years.


~jwf~

It's the earliest known *printed* copy, ~jwf~. The news story mentions hand written copies as being known.

A translation of the 1801 Constitution is available from Wikithingy:

http://thelouvertureproject.org/index.php?title=Haitian_Constitution_of_1801_%28English%29&

You may be disappointed by Title III:

'Art. 6. - The catholic, apostolic, roman faith shall be the only publicly professed faith.

Art. 7. – Each parish shall provide to the maintaining of religious cult and of its ministers. The wealth of the factories shall be especially allocated to this expense, and the presbyteries to the housing of ministers.

Art. 8. – The governor of the colony shall assign to each minister of the religion the extent of his spiritual administration, and said ministers can never, under any circumstance, form a corps in the colony.'