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

That is what class action lawsuits are for, isn't it?

I don't think the universe is going to appoint a lawyer to plead its case. I also don't think there's a court that would take the case.

I remember reading about courts in The Guide. In one of them there was a guy told to "tell us all you know!" - AND HE DID! Which drove several people to madness ...

How come I don't remember more ? Guess I'll have to read it again. Oh well, so be it.

Yeah... they had sealed off the courtroom. When our heroes arrive he's says he finished "telling all the truth" ages ago. Surprisingly there wasn't as much truth as everyone thought there was.

I've known a few people like that. There is one particular friend here in my own city keeps telling me anecdotes about people I have never met and probably never will. She writes humorous songs about these anecdotes which are then sung at festivities like confirmations, weddings, big birthdays and such by people I have never met and probably never will either



PS: Writing personal party songs like that is a huge tradition here. I have never heard about this in any other country.
I have written a few myself. I use a very traditional song as base and make sure there are either too few or (way) too many syllables in a lot of the lines. I always make sure people have had a few glasses of wine before my song comes up. Works like a charm every time. Yeah, it's a cheap trick but it makes people laugh - and that's what it's all about after all

Laughter.

Merriment.


With or without alcoholic enhancement.

BREAKING:
This just in: Our PM Ms Frederiksen announces that we may not have to wait until the EU has decided on Covid-19 vaccinations.
EU Commission President Ms von der Leyen expects to allow the EU to start vaccinating December 27, but we may start as early as December 21.
However, I do not expect to be vaccinated (twice) until January or February.

I hope you don't get the virus between now and then.

Exactly why I'm not going to Christmas or New Year's parties this year and stay away from others as much as I can.

It would be foolish to risk infection so soon before I can be vaccinated.

Of course, I also hope you avoid the plague.

Speaking of infection and the rate in which it is developing here:
We were quite well off throughout the summer and autumn. Less than 1 percent of the tested had caught Covid-19.
That changed 1 November, when we reached 1 percent.
2 December we reached 2 percent
and 13 December we were at 3 percent.
Alas, it won't stop there. We may reach 4 or even 5 percent before 1. January

Another benefit of the pandemic: We can save on mistletoe this xmas

That will costs us some though

Just put up double the amount next year?

That will probably not be necessary. After vaccinations early in the year I predict next year will go down in history as the roaring 21

Regarding vaccinations:

It is recommended that people stay near medical help for at least thirty minutes after vaccination. A few people have reacted very badly to the vaccine right off the bat. They were able to pull through, but in at least one case it was touch and go.

Hopefully the media's constant desire for sensationalism won't result in further frightening the public regarding the few severe cases of allergic reactions that have happened so far. I believe between the US and the UK there have so far been less than a dozen such cases with literally, I believe, well over a million doses delivered so far. And while some of those severe reactions have been quite severe, they have been treated successfully. Allergic reactions are to be expected. I don't know if the other brands of inoculations soon to come will have such severe reactions or not, but for now it definitely is prudent to get them in a hospital or ER environment, especially for anyone who has had previous allergic reactions. But this needs to be kept in context so that the real risks aren't exaggerated, further frightening some folks away from getting inoculated.

I agree.

I wasn't trying to frighten people as much as remind them that *everything* has risks, to be factored in. I would like the vaccine myself, but millions of people will be ahead of me. I get it. health care workers and people in their productive years should come first.

I have been given free flu shots for a decade already. No side effects worth mentioning. This year we were also offered free shots against pneumococcal pneumonia. No problem either. A friend of mine felt a bit sick for a couple of days but I haven't heard of other complications.

Except for scaremongering from my taxi driver an my hairdresser of course

You have a hairdresser?

The only taxi drivers I can think of offhand have been played by Danny DeVito and Robert DeNiro. That's pretty scary in and of itself. No wonder they would want to scare you.

I don't think they deliberately want to scare me. They are both very kind. But also anti-vaxxers

There is another who still believes covid-19 is a hoax but at the same time believes it was artificially made in China by people like Fauci and Soros

Her background for saying so is she once took a course in housekeeping ...

Don't get me wrong. Both hairdressing, cab driving and housekeeping are good and honourable jobs. However I still prefer advice from a with a proper degree when it comes to viruses and such

This virus is unusually tricky, though.