In the first chapter of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, there is a story of a young lady who had a sudden epiphany of THE ANSWER.  Life, the Universe and Everything. How it all worked, and how we can all get along without anyone being nailed to a cross or anything.

The book goes on to explain that before the young lady could get to a phone and tell anyone about it, the Earth was destroyed. The Earth, for those who don't know the story, was actually a massive computer, with living elements (such was its complexity), that was built for the sole purpose of finding the great Answer, or rather, the great Question for which the Answer makes sense. The Earth was destroyed by a consortium of Psychiatrists, who did not want certain (profitable) fundamental questions answered, once and for all.

But I do.   All my life, I have felt that I was dropped off at the wrong planet, because this place makes no fracking sense to me whatsoever. Just some of the questions I have are:


-- Why does every company I deal with have to answer the phone in that same stilted, scripted way? "Hello, welcome to SquickCo, where the customer really matters. This is Amber, how can I help you?"

-- Why do people still flock to churches in the 21st Century, when almost every tenant of major religion has been thoroughly debunked?

-- Why does my cellphone never seem to work when I have something important to relay?

-- Why are doctors so wealthy, even when they make mistakes or tell people things that are proven dead wrong years later? Why are they able to purchase liability insurance, but a homeowner cannot often buy flood insurance?

-- Why do we constantly complain about the Electoral College and Daylight Savings Time, then forget the entire issue when the election is over, and the time changes?

So, I'm going to try to run down some of these mysteries, because there really has to be an all-encompassing Answer.   --JB