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

I'm a 19 year old student studying here at Nottingham University in England. I'm from Chicago and I'm wondering what's going on in the States? Englands pretty boring right now as everything seems to be about the election or the weather (which is hot by the way).
Speak to you later.
Chris

Hello there!

I'm in Seattle, so I can't tell you much local news (tho' my other half is off to Chicago next week for a wedding, so I will let you know if he hears anything interesting).

The big story here at the moment is the energy crunch. The Californian electricity problems seem set to continue and the rest of the country (especially here in the Northwest) seems likely to follow suit to a greater or lesser degree. "Shrub"s response has been an energy plan involving the building of huge numbers of coal-fired and nuclear-powered power stations, but a withdrawal of funding for renewable energy research and no impetus for energy conservation. All very depressing to me.

The other story is of course the McVeigh execution, which has been postponed, the FBI having made serious errors in not giving all their evidence to his defence attorneys. Don't get me started on that one...

Hope you're enjoying England. My best friend at high school (with whom I would discuss the latest H2G2 episode on the the bus in the mornings) went to Nottingham University. That was back in the late 1970's which makes it before you were born! What are you studying ("majoring in")?

Gotta say, I really don't think the Alaska thing's gonna pay off.

Mr W. Bush seems to be a bit anal at the moment! Pulling out of everything, annoying Asia and now annoying a big part of his own country. Just doesn't sound like good business to me.

Big news in England is the election. Labour aren't gonna lose, it's been on TV for about a week and I can't find a single person who is still interested. Politics over here is worse than politics where you are. I'll miss neither.

I study Maths but I'll never be a Maths student (I ain't a geek). My big dream right now is getting into a career in pyrotechnics for entertaining purposes (theatre/film etc.)

NEway, hope your wife has a good time in Chicago. There aren't as many sights as there seems to be around here but it's one of the friendliest places you can go in America.

Hear from you soon.

Chris

You're right about the Alaska thing - even if they do strike oil, it will only get the country going for a few months. In about 2010.

I only hope that Labour doesn't manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by putting off enough Labour voters from voting at all. Voter apathy could lose them a lot of seats. But while I was an active Labour party member before I left England, I'm now rather embarrassed by what they have been up to, and am glad to be able to detach myself from both US and UK politics (Somebody Else's Problem).

I did Maths too. I also remember going on an (Engineering) course at Nottingham as a high school student which featured a dramatic explosion demonstrating something-or-other. Unfortunately I arrived late, so I missed it. I don't suppose the lecturer who did that is still there. Anyway, pyrotechnics sounds like a very interesting career!

Interesting that you should assume my other half is a "wife". Especially as I referred to him as he (accidentally, I try to keep gender-neutral online). Perhaps you assumed that because the character Rumplestiltskin is male (presumably). Anyway, I am not.
But I am sure my husband will have a great time - he is going for a wedding, so I just hope the stag night isn't too rowdy.

Rumple

Oh. My do I feel foolish. Sorry 'bout that.

No really, I am.

Voter apathy seems to be alive and well. The university predicts that less than ten percent of students will actually bother voting. I'm pretty sure I won't.
I kinda hope Labour do lose a couple of seats. May sound weird but this massive majority they have has meant that they can basically do whatever they want. Competition is good for everything so I would like to see the Conservatives catch up a bit, but not overtake. Man Hague bores me to death.

Pyro is the type of thing I can see myself enjoying for a long time. I couldn't stand going into accountancy or management like most of my friends are planning to. I figure 20 years of maths is enough for me, I'll try something different.

What do Americans currently think of Bush? We're looked upon as a bit too patriotic (U S A, U S A, U S A) so I'm betting that most Americans are loving this. Fancy bringing the star-wars thing back. The guy's an idiot.

NEway, till next time

Enjoy yourself, TDiD (I am really sorry).