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

http://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/11/whitewashing-imperialism/

I was one of the few people my age that was paying any attention at all to the atrocities occurring in South America and the U.S. deep involvement in the situation.

For a time, I kept photos of Reagan administration officials glad-handing evil tyrants around the world next to later stories when we had to go back in and take those same people down. Some that I can remember today include Noriega, Pinochet, Marcos and Duvalier. To these you can add Hussein, Qaddafi and indirectly, Bin Laden.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/63317041/police-recruits-subjected-to-virginity-tests.html

Why do women have to be virgins to be in the police anyway?

Baron Grim, thanks for that reading.

There are many more examples like those the author mentions. The sterilization of indigenous women in Guatemala around the 60s, or the sistematic killing of union leaders and teachers in Honduras that´s going on and nobody says anything.

It´s awful to see how media keep on ignoring all that. The propaganda machinery for the US foreing policy is colossal, very difficult to fight.
In Latin America there still exist repression and murders, and puppet governments.

Now in Mexico, because of the huge demonstrations of people in the streets, the murder of those students has become news.
They were killed because of their political activities.

On the other hand, The Islamic State is another creature of that foreing policy based on lack of political analysis and tons of delirant sense of impunity, this time with the help of UK and Israel.

Why do women have to be virgins to be in the police anyway? would presume a misguided attempt to show they are of good and moral character...given they are meant to be unmarried..

but the hymen can be broken by going down a bumpy road on a bike or horse riding ect

There is no reason or excuse for such a policy other than religious misogyny.

So now I want to know how they make sure the men are virgins.

Because, they do, don't they?

Oh.

Aye, Baron - that and perhaps the exercise of personal power - in a supposed civilised country.

Simples, Superfrenchie. Specially trained women find out if he knows what he's doing...

Do any men know what they're doing?

Christmas Cancelled. Again.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-30168765

Every year companies try to put on these "magical" winter wonderland things, and every year they're a severe failure and disappointment.

I'm not sure what's more head-desk, that they keep trying in the hope that this year will be different, or that people keep buying tickets in the hope that this year it'll be different.

Well, Pastey, a few of us (perhaps a very few?) like to think we do ( ... or did ... )

I started to research these christmas attractions for an entry a while ago. The news reports of the complaints were just so funny. There wasn't enough material, sadly, but maybe I'll write a journal on it sometime.

that they keep trying in the hope that this year will be different, or that people keep buying tickets in the hope that this year it'll be different. erm WHAT even if the designer is Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen...thats enough to tell you it will be pretentious crap

>>Every year companies try to put on these "magical" winter wonderland things, and every year they're a severe failure and disappointment.

Well then that's perfectly in keeping with the general Christmas experience.

"WHAT even if the designer is Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen...thats enough to tell you it will be pretentious crap"

I couldn't agree more. His efforts seem to be focused on turning Betterware catalogue items into designer chic.

Parcel delivery just got simpler, not cheaper:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30178203

Amazon have struck a deal with Royal Mail, where you can go and pick up your parcel from your local Post Office. It's kinda like them posting it to you, but without the postmen bringing it to your door. Think internet shopping meets high street. Think home delivery without the home delivery.

The next stage in this is where you have to go and pick your order up from an Amazon warehouse.

Been doing that for years, I was never in when the postie called so he left anything that needed a signature or was too big for the letter box at the sub post office down the road.

Saved a long drag to the sorting office to collect stuff.

Courier companies were more of a pain they all seem to be based miles away and are only open or deliver when I used to be at work.

I see a couple of new companies have recently opened up round here providing a similar service for the courier companies.

e.g. http://www.doddle.it/locations

Mind you I don't need it now

Mission 42 to the ISS has begun. Which has naturally given way to a Hitchhikers theme, including a fake movie poster.

http://io9.com/iss-astronauts-recreate-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-1640236246

They actually contacted us about this poster, what with one of our own working there. So we've known it was coming but had to keep quite about it.

It is seriously awesome

The POV gun and much of the costumes are actual props from the film.

I have a couple of prints of the poster. One mounted that I'll put up here at work and one for framing at home.