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

Thanks. Did, sort of.

Sorry, I totally overslept!

Hi I see eyes!

Big ones, even?

I can't concentrate on work with this election going on!

It's not *your* election...

It's going to effect everyone, and I've always been interested in black American history - this is history in the making.

I guess. Though I think they're playing the race card too heavily. He's as much white as black!

Don't understand me wrong.

But as an example... In German, we don't just have gender-specific pronouns, we have gender-specific nouns, too. Like "mare" and "stallion", but with words for people. Most designations for jobs are considered to be "male" now, unless you add "-in" to the end to make them feminine.

That means that to be politically correct, all official documents need to incorporate that form constantly. "Dear studentesses and students, you may have noticed that your professoresses and professors..." and so on.

That's considered a feminist victory by some people, but to me, and others, it just emphasises that there's supposedly a difference. Sure, some people could feel uncomfortable with a doctor of the opposite sex, but does it matter what gender the carpenter who built your house is? It's more important that the carpenter, male or female, had the skills required.

So you'd rather a 71 year old with heart problems and a woman with a gun fetish and an IQ slightly higher than Dubya's should be in charge of the United States?

I'm not going to bother arguing about it, let's just accept the fact that I find this election pretty important and leave it at that.

I'm not saying I want McCain elected - far from it! But I favour Obama because of his policies, not because of his race

Sure, it's an important election. Seems to be going well, too!

Ok, that sounded more arrogant than I intended

Suffice it to say that though it will be an important milestone, I'd not have automatically rooted for the black guy had he been Republican. (Which, of course, is very unlikely anyway.)

Me too, but it will still be a historic moment if he gets elected, just because he will be the first black president. That's just the way it is, same as if it was the first woman president or first openly gay president - it's history in the making, and I spent years studying black American history.

Then let's just agree on the fact that it'll be important how this ends, and hope it ends well.

I wouldn't go for a republican if he was a martian And I'd still be rooting for Obama if he were white, I like his ideas and approach, and (unscientific) he seems like a great guy.

Oh, the personality is more important than most people seem to think - after all, he'll be representing his country internationally...

Hang on, that reminds me, I'll go find that Slate article for you

http://www.slate.com/id/2202303/

(And a martian wouldn't be eligible, unless the US has annexed Mars! )

I wouldn't be surprised.

True...

Reminds me of that old joke, set during the space race.

The American shuttle radios Earth:

The Russians got there first, and they're painting the moon red! What shall we do?

Houston: Wait till they've left, then write "Coca Cola" on it...



Off to bed now. Good night!