The opening to the movie version of Hitchhiker's Guide, not as good as the BBC version, imo, but then this movie version had a bigger budget. It turns out** that's not always a good thing in entertainment.

**Douglas Adams in The Salmon of Doubt: “Incidentally, am I alone in finding the expression ‘it turns out’ to be incredibly useful? It allows you to make swift, succinct, and authoritative connections between otherwise randomly unconnected statements without the trouble of explaining what your source or authority actually is. It’s great. It’s hugely better than its predecessors ‘I read somewhere that...’ or the craven ‘they say that...’ because it suggests not only that whatever flimsy bit of urban mythology you are passing on is actually based on brand new, ground breaking research, but that it’s research in which you yourself were intimately involved. But again, with no actual authority anywhere in sight.”

Open thread below.

Every problem ever faced by anyone, in my humble opinion, was addressed by the late Douglas Adams in his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. For instance, the words "don't panic" in large friendly letters has helped me survive many a small child's birthday party.

Open thread below.

It's not politics or media, but I do think it says something about our culture and our priorities.

Independent UK:

David Beckham rejected the chance to sign for the Italian giants Milan and Internazionale as well as Marseilles and Lyon in France before he opted yesterday for the best commercial deal at Los Angeles Galaxy and a staggering £128m (US$250M), five-year contract.

[..]Beckham's salary will top the entire current Major League Soccer (MLS) salary package where clubs have to disclose their salaries. In LA Galaxy's budget, their lowest earner is on $11,000 [£5,650] - the equivalent of a couple of hours' work for Beckham.

Is there anybody for whom you could justify a $250 MILLION dollar paycheck? And to play soccer, which while admittedly growing in popularity, is not that big a money-maker in the US?

What is wrong with us that we pay athletes so very much?

Ed Cone: "NC 11th district Congressman Charles Taylor, famed for his disappearing vote against CAFTA, has won a Golden Galaxy Award from the American-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for furthering economic relations between the two countries. No mention of the award at Taylor's website. Maybe that's because many North Carolinians are not impressed by Taylor's business dealings in Russia, where his partner is a former KGB officer...read on."