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

This is my favourite news story of the year so far, by some distance.


Officials at the University of East Anglia have banned the sombrero hat. Why? Because it's racist, of course.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/29/uea-student-union-bans-racist-sombreros

Students were wearing them at the Fresher's Fair, after they had been handed out as a promotion by a local Mexican restaurant.

Well, I don't know about you, but I too was shocked to see these young men and women participating in such shameful behaviour. Clearly they are young and impressionable, but that's no excuse for them to engage in such discriminatory or stereotypical imagery. It's difficult to know how the non-sombrero-wearers could feel safe and accepted in such an environment. This is the kind of cultural appropriation that gives youth a bad name.

I'm sure you'll join me in denouncing such activities. I mean, these people will one day be running the country. I'm sure our current prime minister wouldn't have taken part in anything so ridiculous in his student days.

Sorry to drag this one back on-topic, but I've just heard that the latest craze sweeping the country's Freshers' Fairs is to have a Petting Zoo.

Apparently this idea originated at Bristol University a few years ago and now they all do it. A room is set aside with some dogs or goats or whatever for the new students to cuddle when the stress of the occasion gets all too much.

Oh, I've done it again, haven't I?

Posted to my message centre instead of my journal.

I'll fix it later.