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

heelo!

Ethnocentrism? Im not sure that would be a good thing though! hehe... nah the Scots just feel closer to the Irish because they understand Celtic traditions. Oh plus we like their gorgeous accent. hehe

would you say Norwegians are, by nature, patriotic?

Claire
xxxxxx

Hi!

Etnocentrism is not a good thing, but considering your situation, one should think that you had developed it against the English to a much larger extent than you have...

Well, not by nature, I should hope, but by upbringing, yes, I'm afraid so. We're such a young nation, you know? We've got our roots, but we're still young, so patriotism is still quite strong over here, especially after WWII.

Øyvind

heisann!

how do you say Viking in Norwegian?

hehe... well racism is frowned upon these days of course but what gets said behind closed doors may change your mind about the Scots. hehe

yes certainly. That's nice though isn't it?

Claire
xxxxxx

hello there(again)!

Ahem... you won't blimmin believe this! My mother has just informed me that my aunt has a scanner and will show me how to use it when i go up to book my tickets... dear God!... i hear that when you get a new PC sometimes the other hardware isn't compatible with it so you have to get everything new? Just wondering if that means im likely to get my aunt's old scanner also... my mother can't give me a definite answer right now. She'll find out over the weekend.

right what i really was messaging you for was to ask, if you were getting your mother a gift what would you get her? Very random question i know! I want absolute specifics y'kno. hehe... okies yes the last part was my mothers words.

this may make it simpler(as dictated by my mother):

i.e,
*If your mum wears perfume, which particular one does she wear?

*Does she have a specific skincare regime? Is she particular about products like that?

*My mother has now decided she'd like it if you described your mother(sorry about this! The above questions aren't invalid btw). Likes/Dislikes etc? A brief resume?

i again apologise for the Scottish inquisition!

Claire
xxxxxx

Hei!

In exactly the same way: Viking! It's pronounced differently, though.

Yeah, well of course, but one would still expect to see stronger tendencies among the Scots, considering your history...

Not really. In my opinion, patriotism is an extremely dangerous and excluding force, and once triggered, it usually leads to misfortune of some sort...

Øyvind

Hi!

Ahh. How lovely. Well, that's sort of correct, yes. Hardware compability can be a major problem, but usually, computers are backwards compatible, with a few driver updates. Exceptions made here are CPUs, motherboards and RAM chips. Most probably, your aunt'll be able to keep her scanner, if she wants to, I think all motherboards nowadays have got both old com ports, fireqire and USB, and if not, it's still possible to get hold of a firewire/USB card.

If I was getting my mother a gift? Hmmm... I'd prolly by her a book, a CD or a film that I think she would like, those are the sorts of things I know a little about, and that she really appreciates. Especially so with CDs, really. I can usually find some new interesting artist she's never heard of before.

Hmm... she very rarle uses perfume, but I remember she had a kick for "Red Door".

Not really, no. She's got some skincare products, but she's not very particular about them.

Hmmm... this is a tricky one, I think I should email you this answer, don't want to distribute that sort of info online...

Hehe...

Øyvind

hiya!

aaaaaaaah.... i should have guessed that really... hehe

ah you're awffy moral. hehe

Claire
xxxxxx

hello!

och damn... that's a pity... i was hoping it would be incompatible... how nice of me.hehe

Thanking you! Oh god we'd like to apologise. I should have know better actually considering i was the one typing the message, but my mother does not know the difference between messaging on a forum and sending an e-mail. *gets her wrists slapped*

Claire
xxxxxx

Hi!

Hehe... well, you would still have had to check, wouldn't you? It was a good question.

Well, I've studied the stuff, what can I say?

Øyvind

Hi!

Hehe. Well, I don't think scanners are too expensive, though? Ah, well, it's a priority issue, of course. I would preioritize a webcam, even though it's sort of useless...

Nothing to apologise for, as there was no harm done. Wether or not I wished to publish it on a forum was up to me, and my responsibility. Furthermore, you couldn't know if my answer would be personal or not...

Øyvind

hi!

hehe, im one of these people who would tell you to speak In Norwegian so i could 'pick it up', then i'd get frustrated after about, ooooh 10 minutes and beg you to speak English again... that makes me frustrated in itself!

yeah im beginning to think i'd have liked a longer, general education. Aaaah the time goes so quickly.

Claire
xxxxxx

Hi!

Hehe. That's pretty normal, you know? Well, they do say it's a tricky language to learn, Norwegian.

Well, I think you're lucky to have such a short one, in fact. I think I could've done with less, in some ways. It has it's advantages, though...

Øyvind

Hmmm... I didn't get to say good bye to you properly on the phone, so I'll do it here in stead. Anyway, it was good to hear your voice again...

Øyvind

hello!

yeah it is... im a determined wee thing! It's the pronunciation you know? Ooooh i'll get there... i may surprise you... hehe

of course. There will always be pros and cons eh? I'd like to learn about nationalism and do philosophy and all that... although the 7-hour long composing exams? not sure i could handle that!.

Claire
xxxxxx

hiya!

oh i know i was thinking that as soon as i come off the phone! It was also very nice to hear y our voice again... ah i missed that Irish/Welsh Norwegian accent! hehe

Claire
xxxxxx

Hi!

Hehe. We'll see, we'll see...

Yeah, I suppose so, nationalism and patriotism can be utilised for good purposes, but it has a tendency to turn on itself... Well, just read some books about it, then? Have you read "Sophie's World"? I would highly recommend it if you wish to learn philosophy... Well, it's not that bad, you get to leave when you're done.

Øyvind

Hullo!

It's always like that... Yeah, well, I've missed your glaswegian accent too...

Øyvind

hi!

No i haven't read 'Sophie's World' but i shall check it out after i've got through the 2 novels im reading just now. I actually hate reading 2 books at the one time because i get so absorbed in one and then forget about the other even if it's really good! Who's the author of 'Sophie's World'?

Claire
xxxxxx

hehe... one of the first things your mother did when she spoke to me tonight was identify which kind of Scottish accent i have. I think because i don't, strictly speaking, live in Glasgow she thought i wouldn't sound so Glaswegian. She also asked me if i considered Edinburgh accents to be a bit posh to which i answered "yes" but i didn't mean it in a bad way!:0

Claire
xxxxxx

Hello!

Oh do, it's really good, at least I think it is. Ah, yes, I'm like that too, I can't do it. I just have to read one at a time. Well, the author's name is "Jostein Gaarder". He's a Norwegian, of course.

Øyvind