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

Every Joe Bloggs and his neighbour out here has a swimming pool - in a country with current temps around 40C, most people think they are essential even to sit in and read a book.

I'm not convinced and currently looking for a new house - finding one without a pool is rather difficult! Too much hassle for something that is a danger with small children around most days and a complete faff to clean, winter store and pay for pumps etc

Praps if you look for a pool without a house?

That's what I've got at the moment and why we're looking for something else - our house is sinking into a big hole in the ground and despite major structural work last year, continues to slide slowly into oblivion...Ideally it needs knocked down and rebuilt but after years of builders in my garden and a sea of concrete, it's time to call a halt and move on!

"Young adults go to university nowadays because that is what they are "expected" to do. Yet there isn't the jobs for half of them" [Stone Aart]

I can accept the idea that a degree from Harvard or Yale or Oxford would be a status symbol, though not as obvious a symbol as an expensive car that sat in front of one's house, or a rolex watch that people could see as one walked down the street. People don't usually walk around with their Harvard diplomas pasted to the front of their shirts.

A degree from a non-prestigious college or university is just a degree. If it hasn't brought employment yet, it might in ten years or twenty years or never. Maybe a young person with a college degree will discover fulfillment by inventing ythe next big gadget in his father's garage.

Private jets that sometimes dont have a loo.

I never really understand the smartphone hate. I mean it is just so handy having a device that can do lots of different things. Carrying around a phone, an MP3 player, a camera, a book and a gameboy was loads more hassle.

Not really a status symbol as much as a convenience. At least to my tech obsessed mind!

FB

I'm pretty much a Luddite - didn't own my first PC until 22 - and even I acknowledge that a smartphone is a revelation. I don't need it, but then I don't need a lot of things, and the my smartphone is incredibly useful.

I'd also love to have a pool, even a small one. Somewhere to chill out on hot days would be heavenly.

Champagne seems massively over-rated to me: I'm not a fan of white wines in general but I've never had a champagne that didn't taste somewhat insipid. Totally agree about personalised license plates as well: what a huge waste of money.

Someone is selling a 'personalised' license plate on our work canteen noticeboard, for £240. On or Near.

Lawn ornaments.

Aside: the strange thing about the Luddites is that they were railing against the replacement of skilled work by unskilled work.

oh I just love Champagne - my number 1 favourite beverage

Personalised numberplates are a bit easier here - the first 1,2 or 3 letters are the town where the vehicle is registered, but if they are available you can choose the next 1 or 2 letters and up to 4 digits (I think) it costs EUR 20 on top of normal registration.
And makes it incredibly easy to remember your registration number.

I prefer Cava to Champers, I think it has a much nicer flavour, not to mention being a third of the price.

FB

Sometimes, just sometimes, a personalised number plate can be cool - http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=70060

I don't have permission to see that, sadly!

Darling husband is fond of the old numberplates - he's had one with his initials for years, moving it from vehicle to vehicle. There are restrictions on what vehicles it can be used with - it can't make a car seem younger than it is. We also have a plate which came into our posession by chance, on a motorbike he'd bought. It has my first intial, then 3 repeated numbers, then his full initials. That was rather serendipitous, and we've managed to hang on to that one as well.

I've always found personalised plates very handy for crafting personalised swearing at the porsche that's just done some illegal overtaking.

I don't know how you do it, Bea. You have a U-number, a mobile phone number and now you're telling us that even your registration plates are easily memorable and sort of personalised.

"I'd also love to have a pool, even a small one. Somewhere to chill out on hot days would be heavenly" [HonestIago]

I've managed a workable compromise on that. I don't own a pool, but for $XX.XX a year I have access to a community pool. Works for me!

If I had gone to Manchester and bought a moped when I was 17, I COULD have had ROB1N. Back then I would have liked to have done it. Now, I would feel a bit silly.

But could have sold it for loads now.

PP.

To a banker?

To a total banker I would have thought.

PP.

>Somewhere to chill out on hot days would be heavenly.<

Aside from last week - being in the UK this summer a hot day to chill out on would be a fine thing these days