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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11317441

Cheeky sod.

Would that be because the record and doctrine of his organisation gets questioned here?

Probably. Does he know how medieval his organisation appears to many of us I wonder? Sadly, it is very influential.

Perhaps something was lost in translation.

PP

From BBC news article linked above, "The Vatican said the cardinal had not intended "any kind of slight", and was referring to the UK's multicultural society."

Oh, well he was being a racialist and not noting the lack of gold plated bathroom fittings or whatever he may be accustomed to at Vatican City.

That's OK then.

Meh, who really gives a shit what he says or thinks?

And staying home due to gout when millions in Africa are starving and dying of AIDS due to over-population because condoms are not allowed by that lot.

It's about caring what he thinks, it's about how he, and the adiviser to the Arch Bishop of Westminster have been publicly expressing views that seem to indicate what the bunkered views of the institution are.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4132085/Massive-storm-heading-for-New-Zealand

"One of the largest storms on the planet is forecast to bring heavy rain and snow to much of the country from tomorrow.

... the storm, the size of Australia, ..."

That's one big storm. Batten down the hatches!

RF

This story must be getting some attention in the British Isles.
A classic for the gossips. And the clergy must be screaming!

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/38/20100913/tod-irish-siblings-plan-to-get-married-045b8e8.html

I thought there were laws against it. Hope someone will follow
up on it and let me know how it turns out. Personally, as a Canuck,
I live in a country where many years ago our prime minister (Pierre
Trudeau) announced that 'the government has no business in the bed-
rooms of the nation'. Pretty sure he didn't include incest in that.


~jwf~

Well, technically they're only half-siblings, so the genetic issues are slightly reduced.

I wonder what the actual wording is of the incest laws in Ireland.

And, to be fair to the couple, when they met and fell in love, they didn't know of any other connection between them. If the various parents had died young, the truth might never have been known.


Not usually one to side with Robert Heinlein on relationship subjects, I can't help but feel that with proper genetic attention, there needn't be any harm in this marriage.

this can't be fair!

'The maximum sentence is life imprisonment for males and seven years for females. '

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/justice/criminal-law/criminal-offences/law_on_sex_offences_in_ireland

Absolutely! Women of Ireland should immediately organise a protest to demand their right, under EU equality law, to a life sentence for incest!

RF

"The Mounties have seized a container packed with enough hashish — about seven tonnes — to intoxicate a country as large as Canada."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/09/15/hashish-bust-cp.html

A stoned nation. Maybe that's what the world needs....

I thought that's what we'd already given the world.

A stoner nation? Ye Gods! It would constantly be invading neighbouring countries at 2am after an attack of the munchies.

Falling in love comes at the cost of losing two close friends, a study says.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11321282

This post has been removed.

>> A stoned nation. Maybe that's what the world needs.... <<

I believe it's called Afghanistan.
And no, it doesn't quite work.
But it has become its own self-fulfilling prophecy.
It cannot be invaded or occupied because it is a state of mind.

Well two states actually.
One the one hand:
The heady freedom and sensuality of cannabis derivatives that exaggerate the senses and calm the nerves.
And on the other:
The cold, desperation of heroin addiction that renders life meaningless and violent.
The ANA use the former to prepare for battle.
The Taliban use that latter to do all manner of unspeakable things.
It's a two tear society.

~jwf~

I vaguely remember post 9434 by HI mentioning Holy Papa..(nothing must spoil his visit, even some posts on h2g2).

An old story -

Mysterious force holds back Nasa probe in deep space

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/1384420/Mysterious-force-holds-back-Nasa-probe-in-deep-space.html

Anybody know if this was ever explained?

As I understand it, they're still working on it. A few years ago the Planetary Society held a fundraising drive to save the early data tapes and machines to read them on. They were slated for disposal.

I'm pretty sure the Society's campaign did the trick.

It's pretty much up to individual scientists and engineers to take on the task of sifting through thirty years of telemetry.

The wikithingy has a good summary of the current state of things:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_anomaly

Lots of things eliminated but still unexplained. I think the most likely is the spacecraft picked up a charge in launch meaning they attract the interplanetary dust which would increase the drag it feels.

None of those reports takes into account the micro view of reality.

If one considers the atom or the living cell it becomes obvious that
such organised systems have an outer barrier, like an egg shell, which
keeps them separated from other atoms, cells or solar systems and
keeps all the inner bits from flying off out of the system.

I believe once we get the solar system in focus it will reveal bits and
properties the same way our view of individual cells has evolved from
the simplistic 'like-an-egg' ideas we had just 50 years ago. There's a
whole lot more going on.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1999/med-cell-e.gif

The heliosphere and heliopause are little understood. It might help if
we considered them as the walls of our ovoidal cell.


~jwf~