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

The old conversation was getting crowded and confused, so I thought we could do with a new one
So, what really is Austria like? I don't know that much about it. Are you proud of it as a country?

First of all, what happened to Hannibal and Murdock and F, you changed you name, didn't you?

Well, there are many things I'm not proud of, Hitler was born in Austria...
But it's just something I identify with, a feeling of being at home. Austria made many mistakes, as any other country, but still it's my home and I love it.

By the way, the sewage is quite crowded, too...

Hello Hannah - yes, I changed my name. I seem to every week or two, so if you call me "Bluebottle" and ignore the rest, it will be less confusing.
I'll say more about Austria in the e-mail - but sadly every country has villains, criminals and people who commit terrible crimes. It's not something to be proud of, but it is not something that can be blamed on an entire nation. You are right - every country makes mistakes, but in truth it is usually different individuals in that country that make the mistakes, and no-one can answer for that individual's actions except the one who commited the crimes.
I think I'd better shut up now

But there are crimes the government commits.
Why do we always talk about suicide or crimes or anything like that?

I don't know.
One thing I'd like to know is why did my e-mail just crash when I was finishing writing a long e-mail to you?
It was very frustrating - I wrote you a reply, I clicked on "send" and Yahoo shut itself down.
I have written you an e-mail - I just need to re-write it. I'm very annoyed about that.

I'm sorry for you!
Why do you ask me why, you know I'm a internet dummie.
I'm sure your computer didn't mean, maybe he's got just a bad day.

Ha!
What so you think of my nickname?

Hello Hannah,
well, I am annoyed at the computer - I still haven't replied to what I tried to reply to earlier - but I'ev replied to the rest. And I'd noticed your nickname - tell me, why did you chose that in particular?

You don't like it, do you?
It's the second name of the greek godess of revenge. Not only revenge, she gives everyone what he deserves.
I love greek mythology and I knew I would pick a nickname from there.
So I took a mythologic encyclopedia and this was the first female name I saw.

I do like it - I don't want you to think that. Honest. I just simply didn't recognise it, so was wondering what it was from, why you chose it, and what it means. I apologise for not saying that very well - I'm not doing too well at the moment, am I? - but thanks for letting me know that it is from the Greek Goddess of Revenge. I understand it now
I love Greek mythology too, but sadly do not know that much about it. I've always meant to read The Iliad and Odyssey someday.

I must admit that I've never read The Iliad or Odyssey, because there's an German (or Austrian, I don't even know) Author who just tells stories, and I like these stories very much.
I'm having a sunburn.
Greek mythology is quite weird, isn't it, almost SciFi.

Greek mythology is definately weird, but very entertaining.
I actually bought copies of both "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" yesterday, so I'll be reading them. Trouble is, I tend to get 4 books a week at least, and read only 1 or 2, so I've always got a huge pile of books to read.

Do you want me to stop writing you so you can concentrate on your books?

No - I'd probably spend the time here anyway, and I enjoy talking to you. That's not what I meant. I just mean that no matter what I do, or how much time I spend reading, I'm likely to buy more books a week than I'll read. But that's good as I'll never run out of books.
How much do you read?

I usually don't read that much, unless I find a book which is really thrilling, I read Ken Follet's "The third Twin" in one night. (I was very proud, so I had to mention that, sorry )

No need to be sorry - I'd be proud if I could read a book in one night. I wouldn't get much sleep, true, but at least I wouldn't have the problem of having more books to read than I can read.
So be proud - you've earnt the right to.

That's nice.
Do Isle-of-Wight-People have an accent?
Mine is not bad (in German), but I think if you just learned German you'd problems understanding me.
Do you know Keith Haring? (painter)

There is an Isle of Wight accent, but that is not used as much on the Island as a general South England accent now - mainly due to travel and television, I guess. As I don't know German that well, I'd probably have troubles understanding anyone from Germany - although my elder sister Rebekah stayed in Germany for a year - up in the north, though.
Sadly, I do not know Keith Haring - what has he painted?

His pictures are like comicstrips, verry colourful. There are little men or animals on it.
Do you have a favourite painter?

Sounds like a good artist.
My favourite painter would have to be Escher - very confusing, complicated, but very unique paintings and optical illusions. As for cartoonists, there is a local cartoonist called Rupert Besley, who somehow manages to have exactly the same sense of humour as I have - he's great.