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

Of Kernigan and Ritchie?!

Oh, first one to post that one:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nicolas-sarkozy/8837504/Carla-Bruni-gives-birth.html

Congratulations for the first lady and her husband

Kelli - yes!

'Support for immigration in Canada is at an all-time high, suggests a new study that tracked attitudes about newcomers to the country over the last 40 years.

The study by the Institute for Research on Public Policy found that Canadians think favourably of immigration despite recessions, terrorism and a changing political landscape over the years.

The attitude is unique in western countries and stems from two strong Canadian beliefs. . . .'

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/10/20/pol-immigration-study.html


Just as I suspected.


Come and join us, World.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15345511

This is a real

American and British barristers debate on the legality of the Declaration of Independence. Needless to say, the Americans argue that it was legal, the British maintain it was illegal, nay, treason.

I was surprised to find myself entirely on the side of the Americans. If no one stood up and sorted things out occasionally, founding new constitutions and laws, we'd all still be living in tribes, eating berries and killing each other with clubs, surely? What about the Magna Carta? Wasn't that illegal and treasonable and isn't it often considered the basis of English, if not British, democracy - and even the legal system?

Perhaps I see it all too simplistically, my history is a bit dodgy, particularly American history, I never did understood politics and I don't have any legal training.

The award for Most Ridiculous Stifling Strategy In Our Communication Era goes to the mayor of Puteaux (a commune in the western suburbs of Paris).

She was implicated in a bribery scandal, according to the satiric newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné. Her answer? Get her staff to buy *all copies of the newspaper* in that town

http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2011/10/21/mise-en-cause-par-le-canard-enchaine-la-maire-de-puteaux-fait-acheter-tous-les-exemplaires-de-l-hebdomadaire_1591680_823448.html [fr]

http://news.yahoo.com/stores-freezing-ben-jerrys-flavor-213431173.html


One Million Moms object to the vulgar name given to a new ice cream flavour.

Let's see if it gets through the filter: Schweddy Balls

Why would dancing events fail the filter?

I think it shows a million moms have dirty minds.

Or they think they're June Cleaver... Hello, that was in the 50's! Are we still so scared of language?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/22/mario-balotelli-house-fire-fireworks

Mario Balotelli, a Man City footballer, sets fire to his own home by launching fireworks from his bathroom window.

The world just rolls along the same as ever:

'Transitional Leader [of Libya] Calls for Sharia Law as Country Celebrates Liberation

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/23/calls-for-investigation-as-autopsy-reveals-qaddafi-died-from-gunshot-to-head/#ixzz1bhxA91D3

'Signs of Strong Islamist Vote in Tunisian Elections'

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/24/early-sign-in-tunisian-elections-strong-islamist-vote/?test=latestnews#ixzz1bhxK6NWD

'Karzai Says Afghanistan Would Back Pakistan if U.S. Attacks'

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/23/karzai-says-afghanistan-would-back-pakistan-if-us-attacks/?test=latestnews#ixzz1bhxROZQV

'Texas Gov. Perry doubts Obama's birth certificate'

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/10/24/texas-gov-perry-joins-birthers.html

Why am I not surprised that the first three items came from faux news?

Any clever intro line would not do this justice:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/10/texas-man-sought-in-frozen-armadillo-attack.html

"Dallas police are searching for a man who allegedly used a frozen armadillo to attack a woman who had been trying to buy the critter."

As a very young child we lived in west Texas south of El Paso in'33-'36. I do not remember eating or seeing armadillos. But my dad shot a lot of jack rabbits . There were a lot of rattle snakes,also. If there was food on my plate, I did not question what it was !! .. . . .. ...

The most staggeringly stupid proposal I think I've ever heard -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15456585

"A report into employment laws commissioned by the prime minister has recommended scrapping the right for workers to claim unfair dismissal."

And Cameron's assault on the working/middle classes continues...

To be fair, it's not actually a proposal. I do have to wonder why they bothered though. Possibly to make the stuff they actually do want to impose look a bit better by comparison.

I was alarmed by the statement that there were less than a million unfair dismissal claims last year - out of a workforce of 30 million, doesn't that sound very high?

Anyhoo, in other news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15456914

Boeing's Dreamliner has finally had its maiden commercial voyage, three years later than planned.