Latest news with #TheHitchhiker'sGuidetotheGalaxy
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ukraine: Trump deadlines for Russia fly by
Opinion 'I love deadlines,' said Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 'I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' U.S. President Donald Trump sets deadlines for more complicated reasons that purport to be tactical, but he too is addicted to the whooshing sound they make when he breaks them. His latest display of disdain for the deadlines he sets himself began in mid-July, when he gave Russia a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine. A week later, in an apparent fit of temper over Russian President Vladimir Putin's relentless nightly attacks on Ukrainian cities, Trump moved the deadline up by a month, to Aug. 8. Evgeniy Maloletka / The Associated Press Ukrainian servicemen of the 148th artillery brigade fire from a M777 howitzer towards Russian positions at the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on Aug. 7. Russia's penalty for missing that deadline was allegedly going to be American 'secondary tariffs,' against other countries that continue to buy Russian oil, notably China, India and Turkey. 'I used trade for a lot of things, but it's great for settling wars,' Trump boasted — only to discover, not for the first time, that his intended targets were able to push back. Trump declared, again before the actual deadline rolled around, that India's new tariff would be 50 per cent, not 25 per cent, if it didn't stop buying heavily discounted Russian oil. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately declared that he was ready to 'pay a huge price' rather than let the U.S. dictate India's trade policies — and Trump didn't even try it on with China or Turkey. So with no leverage in Moscow, his deadline for a Russian ceasefire passed unmentioned. Instead, he sent his favourite emissary, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, to make a new offer: a one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin in which the two men would make a deal without the Ukrainians, the European NATO countries, or anybody else present. Putin jumped at the chance, as it will be his first face-to-face meeting with a U.S. president since 2021. (He was being boycotted because of his invasion of Ukraine, but this is presumably one of Russia's rewards for agreeing to a 'summit.') However, what Trump hopes to get out of it is less obvious. Although Trump is very much in thrall to Putin, who he mistakenly believes to be his personal friend, he knows a full Russian conquest of Ukraine would not look good on his record. His real goal is to win the Nobel Peace Prize in order to end the shame of having seen a Black American (Barack Obama) get one first. For that, he needs a longer-lasting 'peace.' This need not be a permanent peace settlement that includes an independent Ukraine. Trump really believes in 'America First,' and Ukraine's long-term fate is of no interest to him. But he must persuade Putin to accept only a partial victory now (and maybe final conquest later) in order to portray himself to the Norwegian Nobel Committee as a plausible 'peacemaker.' This explanation sounds so stupid and ridiculous that people have difficulty in taking it seriously, but it does explain why Trump has tried so hard to bully first one side (Ukraine), then the other side (Russia), and now back to Ukraine, into signing that kind of nothing-settled ceasefire. If you still question that analysis, consider the fact that Trump regularly indulges in extended public rants about the sheer injustice of Obama getting a Nobel Peace Prize and leaving him still without one. Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. However, there will probably not be a complete sellout of Ukraine in Alaska, for two reasons. The first is that Putin, rightly or wrongly, is convinced that he is now winning the war by sheer weight of numbers, and that it is only a matter of time until Ukraine collapses. In that case, why would he now trim his maximal aspirations for the sake of a ceasefire? Those aspirations include Russian sovereignty over Crimea and the four southeastern regions of Ukraine (including the yet unconquered parts), and permanent neutrality and a much-reduced army for Ukraine. In the long run, Putin aspires to 'reunite' all of Ukraine with Russia under one pretext or another, but a decisive military victory might make it possible now. The other reason to assume that the Alaskan summit is unlikely to end the war is the fact that if Trump does completely sell out Ukraine, the Ukrainians will go on fighting anyway. They would be fighting at a worse disadvantage and facing a bigger likelihood of eventual conquest, but they know that wars can have unpredictable outcomes until the next-to-last moment. And whatever happens, Trump will go on setting deadlines and then missing them. Just like he did in the real estate business. Gwynne Dyer's new book is Intervention Earth: Life-Saving Ideas from the World's Climate Engineers.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
This seriously underrated mid-2000s sci-fi comedy just dropped on Hulu — I feel so high school
It's not often that a movie hits me with a huge blast of nostalgia. Don't get me wrong — I'll gladly revisit a beloved movie from my past, but my first reaction rarely is to be transported back in time to a particular era of my life. When I saw "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" had been added to Hulu this month, though, I couldn't help but be transported to when I was a freshman in high school. Full disclosure: This movie came out in April 2005, a few months before I started my first year of high school. But I associate it with rekindling a love of sci-fi and fantasy books that is core to the high school nerd I was. Now, if you just look at Rotten Tomatoes to judge whether or not to see this movie, you'd probably skip over "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." This sci-fi comedy wasn't universally well-received at the time, but I think it was unfairly maligned for a multitude of reasons. First, let's just get this out of the way: If you don't like British humor, you won't like this movie. Similarly, if you found that Douglas Adams' books weren't for you, then this movie isn't magically going to fix that. But if you like dry British humor or find absurdist comedies to be your thing, then there's something for you in this movie. And the movie is definitely absurd. The film starts with a David Attenborough-esque nature documentary narrated by Stephen Fry that transforms into a two-minute-long musical number sung by dolphins, which it turns out are the most intelligent creatures on the planet Earth, according to Fry's narration. Again, if you don't find that amusing, or if it doesn't at the very least intrigue you, then this movie probably won't be for you. The same goes for those who don't find it amusing that Earth could be demolished by a race of aliens to make room for an intergalactic highway bypass. If that's not for you, you probably won't click with this movie. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. One month free trial! Try Hulu free for 30 days and check out movies like "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" at no cost. But if you find it funny that doors can be programmed to sigh when they open and close, that a robot who is programmed to be more human turns out to be depressed, or that one of the best pieces of travel advice for hitchhiking across the galaxy is to always remember to bring your towel, then this movie is for you. Speaking of that aforementioned robot, he's voiced by Alan Rickman, and he's the best part of what's still arguably a loaded cast, and certainly was considered a loaded cast at the time back in 2005. There's Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent, an Earthling who is currently fighting to keep his house from being destroyed to make way for a terrestrial bypass. Mos Def co-stars as Ford Prefect, Arthur's friend who turns out to be an alien who works as a travel writer, and gets Arthur a ride off Earth when the Vogons come to demolish the whole planet for a bypass. They ultimately hitch a ride on the ship of Zaphod Beeblebrox, played by Sam Rockwell. He's the newly elected president of the Galaxy, and it turns out his ship is a stolen ship. He's aided by Tricia "Trillian" McMillan, an Earth woman portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, and Marvin, our aforementioned clinically depressed robot. There are more names besides. In addition to these actors, you also have acclaimed performers John Malkovich, Bill Nighy and Helen Mirren all taking roles in the movie. But the star of this sci-fi comedy is undeniably Rickman's morose robot with a massive head, whose personality is a prototype made to simulate a human personality. I'd watch a movie just featuring him, and thankfully, we do get plenty of moments with Marvin throughout the film's 109 minutes. So if you love sci-fi, comedy, or Alan Rickman, then "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" needs to be next on your watchlist. Go stream it now on Hulu. Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made. Here's what he's been watching lately: Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
LeMonde
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
The sci-fi classic that shaped Elon Musk's worldview
On February 6, 2018, a Falcon Heavy rocket launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a roadster belonging to Elon Musk on board. At the wheel of the car – one of the very first models built by Tesla – sat a mannequin nicknamed "Starman," a nod to the David Bowie (1947-2016) song. A message urging calm was displayed on the dashboard screen : "Don't panic!" It was a nod to British novelist Douglas Adams (1952-2001). The launch was a test to demonstrate the prowess of the Falcon Heavy rocket, built by SpaceX. Musk came up with the idea of sending a Tesla Roadster into space as cargo, referencing the 1981 animated film Heavy Metal and its convertible cruising through interstellar space. It's also because it was not feasible to risk carrying satellites and have to reimburse their owners if the mission failed. Some saw it as an outlandish marketing stunt, while others considered it a flagrant act of pollution. The first novel ever sent into orbit around Mars was slipped into the glove compartment of the car: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, a bestseller written by an author passionate about both science and nonsense. A towel was also placed inside, since a towel is a useful object for hitchhiking through space, as anyone who has taken the time to listen to, watch or read Adams's "five-part trilogy" knows. "H2G2" to insiders, short for the original title The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, tells the story of Arthur Dent, a thoroughly ordinary Englishman in a bathrobe, who, one morning while nursing a severe hangover, escapes the destruction of Earth by an extraterrestrial construction vessel thanks to his best friend.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Inflation has delivered a nasty shock – but don't panic just yet...
Imagine 'Don't Panic' in large friendly letters – the pink ones that fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will know well – when you read that inflation did the dirty on us last month, coming in at 3.6 per cent. The last few weeks have seen Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey dropping hints about rate cuts, even suggesting that the rate setting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) could go further and faster if the jobs market continues to deteriorate. But June's inflation spoiled the party, hitting a near 18 month high, well ahead of the City's consensus forecast compiled by Reuters. It called for 3.4 per cent, which is also what the Bank expected. Prices in the UK are running hot – far hotter than in Germany (2 per cent), or France (0.8 per cent). With inflation at 2 per cent for the Eurozone as a whole, the European Central Bank's refinancing rate sits at just 2.15 per cent, making life much easier for the economies of those countries when compared to the welter burden of base rates at 4.25 per cent the British economy is struggling under. Houston, do we have a problem? You could be forgiven for thinking as much, assuming the Office for National Statistics got its sums right (it didn't in April). The transport sector, where inflation more than doubled to 1.7 per cent, was identified as the chief villain. Motor fuel was a big contributor to that. But there were other nasties – the cost of clothing and footwear, for example, rose by 0.5 per cent in the 12 months to June 2025, compared with a fall of 0.3 per cent in the 12 months to May. Hot weather and retailers, struggling under the weight of higher costs, decided they could ditch discounting amid high demand from consumers seeking warm weather gear. Food prices showed a 4.5 per cent rise against the previous month's 4.4 per cent, the third consecutive increase. So much for the supermarket price war. The number, said the ONS, is still 'well below the peak seen in early 2023', when it was nearly double that. Well, phew. But, no, wait just one moment. These numbers are cumulative. This lastest rise comes on top of what has already been banked. So that's not really much comfort, especially to people on limited budgets struggling to make ends meet. 'I know working people are still struggling with the cost of living,' said the chancellor, Rachel Reeves. Really? Unless you've been at the sharp end, unless you know what it feels like to wonder how you're going to feed your kids, you really don't. The bankers gave a rousing cheer to the Chancellor's (high risk) deregulation plans at the annual Mansion House dinner the night before the ONS delivered a hangover from hell. They can easily weather this storm. The problem for Reeves, and the Labour government as a whole, is that they won't decide the result of the next election. Service price inflation – long a concern for the MPC – stayed high at 4.7 per cent, but at least didn't increase. The closely watched core inflation, which strips out the volatile categories including food, energy, and tobacco, however, ticked up to 3.7 per cent from 3.5 per cent. So there was no comfort there. At this point, you're probably wondering how on earth I could say 'don't panic' at the outset. True, it's not a pretty picture – and it will provide fresh meat for the rate hawks on the MPC. I can see as many as three voting 'hold' at the next meeting (my bet is on external members Catherine Mann and Megan Greene; and the Bank's chief economist Huw Pill). But here's the thing: the economy has started to struggle, badly. It shrank April and May, undershooting expectations in the process. The labour market has been buckling under the weight of Reeves increasing employer national insurance contributions – and wage settlements have started to decline. The latest evidence of that came courtesy of the regular KPMG/REC Report on Jobs, released at the start of the week. It found that permanent staff appointments fell at the steepest rate for nearly two years in June, while candidate availability increased at the sharpest pace since November 2020. That, remember, was when the pandemic was still raging. More people fighting for fewer vacancies means employers can – and will – pay less. Inflation is already expected to fall later in the year, but fewer jobs and lower wage settlements will combine to further reduce price pressures in the economy. Despite this, the UK's monetary policy remains restrictive. That being the case, the MPC could (and should) cut in August and follow it up soon after. So remember those friendly pink letters: don't panic. Borrowing costs are going to fall. Hopefully.
Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Man digs up time capsule from 2000 and unearths chilling question about future
A man has shared the contents of a time capsule he buried with his brother in 2000, and the items are a blast from the past that transported them back to the turn of the century A man has dug up a time capsule that he and his brother made 25 years ago, and he was wowed by what he found inside. The capsule's contents offer a nostalgic trip back to the 2000s, packed with items that'll transport you straight back to the turn of the millennium. Father Dylan Schrader, who works as a pastor, posted snaps of his silver package on X, chronicling his adventure as he cracked it open in a series of posts on the social media site. Even before unsealing the parcel, there was some bewilderment about its appearance. Father Dylan clarified why he and his sibling opted for a Crayola-themed tin as their time capsule. He said: "Context: Amid the millennium craze of late 1999, @Crayola_Capital offered a simple time capsule. "My brother and I both made one on the verge of the new year. I originally had the idea of burying it somewhere, but for whatever reason that never happened." Despite debating about throwing it out or cracking it open early over the years, Father Schrader held off until the final day of 2024 to peel away the sellotaped lid and uncover what he and his brother had stashed inside. Amongst the fascinating treasures were an AIDS leaflet, a booze and drugs pamphlet, a half-finished personal details booklet, floppy disks, polaroid snaps of the pastor's childhood house, and a cassette tape. Further scrutiny of the close-up shots unearthed more throwbacks from the 2000s. Father Schrader listed: "Pokémon advertisement, Windows key from a keyboard, and Living Faith devotional booklet." The time capsule even contained a letter addressed to people living in the future, and it contained a chilling question about what the world might look like today. Father Schrader had written: "I write to those who can't write back. What is the future like? Is it 1984, Brave New World, or happy? The future. To the future, from an age of free speech, religion, and rampid [sic] capitalism. "To you I send the message of God, of love, and of peace. And so, as I fill this capsule, I say to all of us today, yesterday, tomorrow. Peace out!" Included among the relics was a cassette tape, marked as an "introduction" in Father Schrader's own script. He remarked: "Apparently I recorded a message and some music? I'll also have to try to find some way to access these disks, if they still work." Once he got the tape playing, Father Schrader disclosed that it featured nods to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a recitation of poetry, and a track by Alanis Morissette. He explained: "I was able to play the tape. It starts with reading from a Calvin and Hobbes strip, continues with references to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a poem (?) by me (?), musings on the future, and then into a song by Alanis Morissette."
