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

The advert on the top of my page says, '

'Rapid Release Gels: have laser-drilled holes that release medicine fast.'

O tempora, o mores. This is why we have technology and civilisation, people: so that a pharmaceutical company can use lasers to drill holes in an analgesic.

Here endeth the lesson.

Well, they've got to do *something* with the lasers that are too strong to play with cats with...

Has there been a recall? We must check our laser pointers - which, as everyone knows, are *only* good for teasing cats with.

Not that I know of--I just meant that since people *will* make strong ones, they might as well be useful

Hello Dmitri

Hope this finds you and Elektra well.

Thought of posting this in a personal message, but it does tie into the earthly science you bemoan, and others here might benefit from it as well.

An item on Dutch TV tonight announced the discovery of a new affliction, and plans for its eradication.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-o9pwWUzz0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-o9pwWUzz0














[spoiler/disclaimer]






Arjan Lubach, in whose show this was broadcasted, is basically the Dutch counterpart to Stephen Colbert or John Oliver. They have a knack for making items that subsequently go viral (pun intended, feel free to ). This was their most sucesful one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELD2AwFN9Nc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELD2AwFN9Nc

And this managed to fool many a Game of Thrones message board and forum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9U-rhVp1CQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9U-rhVp1CQ

with a second version following shortly after

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=088u4wK7uEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=088u4wK7uEY

Enjoy, please tell Elektra I said hi and be seeing you!

(I'll be around, mostly (mostly harmlessly) lurking.)

Thank you - I'm enjoying these

Good to talk to you again, Nite Owl. And thanks for the video! I think I like this Lubach fella.

What struck me while watching this clever piece was the audience laughing. It's a reality check, and it stopped me cold.

A US audience would not have laughed - they might have agreed, or become angry because they disagreed, but laugh? Never.

'Ah, that God the gift would gie us, to see ourselves as others see us.'

I get what you mean about the laughter, Dmitri, it is somewhat jarring at times. But it's a comedy program in the vein of Last Week Tonight, and recorded live, so... You saw the item in isolation, the audience in the middle of a show. Also, I think the (Dutch-built ) ocean inbetween us and the US may have had something to do with the (lack of) inhibition to laugh.

Oh, I wasn't criticising. I found it a very positive sign that they could laugh about it. It means that the idea of 'needing' an arsenal of weapons in your house seemed absurd to them. It just called attention to that ocean you're talking about.

The Dutch should be glad they gave up New York...just think, they might have had to deal with this mess, instead of getting lots of nutmeg.

Thanks, Otus and Dmitri. Your exchange of opinions made me think - and google.
And then I found this:
"... being removed from a violation - by space, time, relationships, or imagination - enhances humor."
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/too-soon-too-late-psychological-distance-matters-when-it-comes-to-humor.html
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/too-soon-too-late-psychological-distance-matters-when-it-comes-to-humor.html

Those are good points, Pierce.

You will have noticed that Germans usually shy away from making jokes which include the word 'nazi'. I was quite shocked the first time I heard the phrase 'grammar nazi'. And when Seinfeld mentioned a 'soup nazi' in one of his episodes.

Oh, yes. There's a difference between New York and Berlin.

Also, Jewish Americans use the word a lot differently from what Europeans are used to.

philosopher - if a tree falls, on the other side of the world. Does it make a sound ?

scientist - yes if your in the vicinity, theoretically who, knows if your at the opposite of the world

ok then! so how do you know there's a tree there to start with

...improbable, unless its a piece of driftwood...