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

I am just waiting for the opening of Tampax stadium, toybox. Nothing newsworthy about James Bond and a Dutch beer. It's all corrupt. Wish Soviet Union had won (j/k, but thought I would say since I am going to G. Kasparov lecture this evening).

A lecture by Kasparov? What he will be talking about?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-17596214

Help, help. Run for your lives. Save yourselves, it's a man eating door stop.

PP

At least the snake was unharmed - just like this dog:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-17590000

Another successful rescue.

F.

I thought about what I said later and thought
, "Jeez, really hope I said 'speech'." Anyway, he talked about a number of things, much--around 55%, I would guess--was about Russian politics in not-all-that-concrete terms, but the audience would not have understood if he had started talking about a lot of specific names aside from Putin. Brought up 10% stake in Facebook by one of the Moscow billionaires, but that is about the only person mentioned specifically other than Putin and Medvedev [Joke: Putin: How much is two plus two? Medvedev: Same as always--One for me and two for you.] Showed images from protests. Said when asked that he thought that Putin would not complete 6-year term and that a global economic crisis [expected by majority of 1st-rate economists (or great deepening of crisis never really departed from)] would force some unknown reaction by him within about 2. Also, talked about opening his Foundation's South Africa branch most recently. Believes that chess is a likely test-field, in a sense similar to its relationship to AI, for the interactive--rather than lecture-to-class--educational transformation we are witnessing (vaguely now). Said as chessplayer, that though he was phenomenally dominant as a champion of the game in historical terms, that he did not invent anything truly revolutionary but simply worked hard and applied what was known well and was more non-risk-averse than common near the top. Joked to being born in deep south to American audience (Azerbaijan neighbors Georgia). Griped reasonably about the West giving too much democratic credibility to Putin, when in his (and, I expect, any reasonable) view he is about as corrupt as a national politician could be for a globally significant country. Showed Pepsi-cola commercial from 2001 Superbowl also, though without sound, as part of his talk about facing computer opponents (and I highly suspect corruption-light there, but who knows, and it was funny anyway). I don't know what else. Was good talk.

He did come up with a fairly impressive list of advances in communications that have occurred on an April 3rd, as well. And the usual older-person-to-young-college-audience stuff about it [the audience] being the necessary agent of the needed changes (and to not passively expect the world to change in its favor in coming years).

South Africa: A Fibreglass rhino dehorned by thief http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17597250

from the same story above. "The number of rhinos killed in South Africa has soared in recent years to meet the demand for their horns in Asian traditional medicine, especially in China and Vietnam, where they are thought to have powerful healing properties.

But scientists say rhino horns are made from the same material as fingernails and have no proven medicinal properties.

The black market price of rhino horn is now in the region of £35,000 ($55,000) per kg."

"He died doing what he loved."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17605770


~jwf~

The husband also had amazing forethought - it was he who made his wife learn how to take off and land in case something happened to him.

It did happened to him and his actions 30years ago saved her life.

Safe as houses, totally secure, unlike pc's. Well, thats according to Mac users anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17623422

oops a daisy, though then again....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/teen-physicist_n_1402887.html

Taylor started researching nuclear power and radioactivity in fifth grade, according to his parents. At 14, Taylor became the youngest person ever to create nuclear fission, and now he is in the process of building his own nuclear reactor.


Kids of today huh?

urban spread into the Brazilian rainforest: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17609842

With Brazil and its booming economy it is inevitable that the Amazon will be pushed back. Add climate change to the equation then the inevitable becomes inevitable.

From the 'Must Have Gadgets Dept:'

"Authorities have indicted five people in central China for involvement in illegal organ trading after a teenager sold one of his kidneys to buy an iPhone and an iPad."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/04/07/china-ipad-for-kidney.html

"a teenager sold one of his kidneys to buy an iPhone and an iPad."

... isn't this just free market economics?

Religious doublethink.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/4245966/Isles-fury-over-dispenser-selling-food-on-Sundays.html

A garage owner on Lewis has installed a vending machine stocking groceries to cater for demand when he is closed in the evenings, early mornings and ... Sundays. This has predictably annoyed the religious enthusiasts, but even for them, this quote takes the biscuit -

“The vast majority of people on the Isle of Lewis want to keep Sunday a sacred day. For people to disregard these desires and wishes I do feel is a total infringement on their freedoms and liberties."

Wha?

George Osbourne (British Chancellor of the Exchequor) said: "I was shocked to see that some of the very wealthiest people in the country have organised their tax affairs, and to be fair it's within the tax laws, so that they were regularly paying virtually no income tax. And I don't think that's right."

Personally I am shocked that George Osbourne is shocked as I thought it were common knowledge. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17661011

>> I thought it were common knowledge. <<

Over here in the Colonies we call it British Common Law.
We, the Commoners, expect the rich to behave badly and
in entirely their own self interest. This allows the odd one
or two of them to be the exception to that rule and endear
themselves through charitable works and immersion into
our common affairs.

~jwf~

In Russia, watch wears you!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/world/europe/in-russia-a-watch-vanishes-up-orthodox-leaders-sleeve.html?_r=1

Photoshop fail