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

I'm assuming she's Kim Kardashian, but I'm none the wiser what, if anything, that means.

I suspect she's one of those people who make a living by having moral indignation spat at her. She provides a valuable social role by giving folk someone to feel superior to.

None the wiser either and I don't want her name in my my Google search history...and you should see my Google search history!!

Two more:

The masthead of my newspaper - and it's quite a respectable one - tells me that 'peplums' are big on the catwalk. I suppose the easiest way to find out what they are would be to read the article, but this seems like going a bit too far. Do I need to know?



'The Apprentice'...Why, basically? As far as I can see it's a about watching some Youths In Suits play games unrelated to business while being mean to one another, then the one who most resembles the estate agent who sold me my house in the nineteen eighties gets a job with a grumpy man. So...why?

If it's fashion, you definitely don't need to know.
This may be a bit of a topic drift, but when I watched "The Devil Wears Prada", there was a bit in which the title character (played by Muriel Strepsil) tries to prove to the main character (Anne Hathaway) why her fashion magazine is important. She says, "Everything you're wearing, you probably bought from a charity shop, after it was bought from a High Street store maybe a year-and-a-half ago. All the styles in those stores are based on what was on the catwalk a few months before. _We_ decide what you wear."
My immediate reaction was, "That may be so, but you appear to be under the mistaken impression that this is a good thing."

I watch the trailers for the apprentice and they do the exact opposite of what a trailer should do; totally dissuade me from watching the program. *Every* single character on these trailers are prime examples of everything a human being should not be.
They are hateful, ugly, arrogant, nasty, nasty, nasty people, who should ideally be lobotomised for all our sakes. They certainly should *not* be allowed into business, mixing with the general public until the majority of their personality has been erased.

For the sake of anyone they know, I really hope that the contestants on the apprentice are acting and exaggerating their personalities, I really do

"The masthead of my newspaper - and it's quite a respectable one - tells me that 'peplums' are big on the catwalk. I suppose the easiest way to find out what they are would be to read the article"

You'd think.

I did read that article.

It did not, in fact, give any clue what a peplum is, and indeed the first half dozen or so comment posts under the article were along the lines of "That's all very well but wtf is a peplum?". It was a hilarious example of a really, really badly written article.

The Apprentice has degenerated into a freak show. The idea is taken from a practice begun by John Caudwell of Phones 4 U. He basically takes his best young managers and puts them through a months-long selection process where they have to complete business tasks in competition with each other. Some of it is classroom-based and some of it takes place in the field. It is very successful in producing Mini-Me versions of Caudwell himself - uber agressive, results-obsessed salespeople.

The tv show is a parody of this, but I'm not quite sure which produces the more loathsome "winners".

I know what pablum is, if that's any help - but I don't think it's something you'd want to wear. Although I have in my time.

On Pablum:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZu63SqFd38

This still makes me weep with laughter every time.

Better quality link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGi8jSGpr5U

Well I've looked at the pictures accompanying the article and it seems that a peplum is... Some sort of frock? Maybe.

A peplum is the the part of a lady's suit jacket that flares out like a very short skirt. It is maybe 8 to 10 inches in length. They were very popular in the 1930's and 40's.

Although having done a Google image search, I see they are being added to other garments and in other lengths these days.

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=994&bih=828&q=peplum&gbv=2&oq=peplum&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=1&gs_upl=1324l2275l0l4431l6l6l0l1l1l0l61l250l5l5l0&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.1324l2275l0l4431l6l6l0l1l1l0l61l250l5l5l0.frgbld.

"He basically takes his best young managers and puts them through a months-long selection process where they have to complete business tasks in competition with each other."

Perhaps he should try 'The Method': http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427582/

Well, Jaysus, Moniker. Why don't they just call it a 'wee skirty thing'? Or if they must have a fancy name a pelmet.

Next question - do they have a point?

No no no - the peplum is the soft fleshy mound on the roof of the mouth near the back. It's function is to supplement the taste buds on the tongue in identifying spicy foods. Stimulating the peplum releases endorphines which make you feel good, a phenomenum exploited by the soft drinks company Pepsi. Their product is specifically designed to target the peplum though thankfully the original brand name of Peplumsi Cola was quickly shortened.

Or a valance, perhaps. I'm told that a peplum on a bedsheet is called a valance. I'm not sure what the point of them is either.

Do things have to have a point? If people like them, can't they just enjoy them without needing them to have a purpose?

Ah, isn't the purpose of the peplums on bed sheets to help you hide the ?

Fair enough, HI. A peplum is a nugatory valance on a lady which may or may not be used for hiding .

Whatever...they're big this season. Apparently.

@swl:

Surely you're thinking of a fistula? Or is that a river in Poland?

Gdansk for the memory...