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

A migrant family attempt to preserve life - fails:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24612768

With so much money pumped into provision of bombs and arms one would hope a little more of those funds and intelligence would be diverted into the management of the refugees. Instead the refugees are left in the hands of the ticket touts & mercenaries, while European border patrols open fire on the boats to try to force them to turn back.

Alleged utter incompetence and worse from the Kenyan army / police force regarding the Westgate terrorist attack (involving four terrorists it would appear). It has been alleged that their were many victims of friendly fire and friendly crushing as the army blasted the infrastructure of the shopping centre and allegedly the army were responsible for all the looting:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24617763

A nice feel good story this morning, that shows that a little investment in mankind can go a long way:

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Luck-smarts-lead-from-Uganda-to-UC-Berkeley-4910441.php

I must be missing something because I really can't see what the problem is here -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-24585572

""We have heard of a couple of cases in Edinburgh where the top floor flat, from a one bedroom flat is being developed to a four bedroom flat and neighbours have had no warning at all, which is simply not good enough."

You need to read the full article, which then gives more of a clue into the different legal structure.

I did. As I understand it, all tenants are responsible for keeping the roof weatherproof. This doesn't affect that in the slightest.

it was communal roof space I dont think it technically belonged to the builder...

Doc's got it right. Roof space in tenements is communal. It's like living in a shared house, and all of you having the ability to use the loft/attic, and all of you paying towards the upkeep of it. What's been happening though is that some people who own the top floor flat have been knocking through into that roof/attic and adding extra bedrooms in there. Depriving the rest of the flats in the building of the shared roof space.

More on Facebooks decision to show videos of peoples murder:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24628909

In the previous link I added the BBC report which was opened up to comments. Here are some of the top-rated comments
QQMoar (+199) [top rated comment]
Beheading's are fine, but no boobs. Madness.

GBSAT (+152) [third rated]
So they ban nudity and porn but allow videos of people being beheaded, domestic violence, people being beaten up on the streets. Jeremie Zimmermann your response is pathetic. Facebook appears now to have no morals, just in it for the money now.

And_here_we_go_again (+134) [joint fourth rated]
Whatever your view on whether they should be allowed or not, is it not a sad reflection of society that brutal murder is allowed but a female breast is not. There is something very very wrong there.

who2believe (+94) [seventh rated]
Sick sick sick. Also very strange morals, you cannot show a boob but you can show someone having their head cut off, something somewhere has gone very very wrong.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24608499

All these popular comments show something that I have seen used elsewhere within arguments – moral relativism. One can justify almost anything through careful use of moral relativism and hence is a good tool in the armoury for the amoral (ps I accept there is nothing intrinsically wrong in the rational sense in being amoral).

It's depressing when even councils buy things on hire purchase:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-24631879

How can they justifiably agree to pay out a *lot* of money for something, when they don't have the money, and don't have any fallback plans or resources in case something went wrong?

Congratulations to the Unite union on protecting over a thousand jobs at a petrochemical plant in Scotland!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-24631342

Oh, no, hang on...

Famous person sits next to non-famous person:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-24609854

Why is this news?!?! Seriously, I think BBC News has got desperate or is suddenly being paid per story. Perhaps I should send them "news" that I've just had a Fish Finger Sandwich.. and I enjoyed it!!!!

Yes, but he's the Special One, Pastey - get some sense of perspective.

Police and councillors say they are seeking new ways to regulate cyclists in Surrey after the success of the 2012 Olympic Games road races.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-24649615

Apparently "hundreds" of people are cycling in Surrey over the weekends. As opposed to the tens of thousands of motorists. Cyclists killed precisely zero people in Surrey last year. Car, van, lorry and bus drivers killed 18 people and injured 5565 others in the County. Which group of road users needs regulated more?

The problem isn't with deaths or accidents, it's with road closures and access. Some villages are pretty much cut off every weekend.

No it's not to do with deaths, my point was this is people complaining about quite small numbers of cyclists compared to the much larger number of motorists who cause far more damage.

As I read it, the problem isn't with organised events (where roads are closed and controls brought in) but with ordinary people using the roads as they are perfectly entitled to.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Live!, a touring stage show based on Douglas Adams cult book, has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24667745

"Having worked so hard to put on a show worthy of Douglas Adams
and his devoted fans, we are utterly devastated."

I know the feeling.

But then I recall how the even older Star Trek has been successfully
rebooted 40 years after its original series.

~jwf~

Not sure if this shouldn't be in the Environmental News thread.
But then I guess it's more about changing politics and people
and is nothing new for the fish.

"Fish sex keeps Hampshire, England residents awake at night"

http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2013/10/fish-sex-keeps-hampshire-england-residents-awake-at-night.html


~jwf~

Politicians to release torrent of runny jam over Britain:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24738171