text: what's up with the towels on hitch hiker's guide to the galaxy?   towels are the most useful thing it is possible to have handy in a crisis. one of the first things that ford prefect did for arthur dent after the demolition of the earth was to equip him with a towel.  they can be used for snaring birds whilst falling from a three-mile high marble statue.  they can be used to signal temporally unstable spaceships by fossilizing them in planetary strata.  they can be soaked in nutrients to provide sustenance in awkward situations (although, as zaphod beeblebrox found, this is not a terribly tasty solution to hunger).  they can also do a really good job of drying between your toes.  the hitchhiker's guide is full of suggestions for successful towel deployment. it is worth noting that a cup of white vinegar in a wash will help keep your towels fluffy and soft.  in other words, they are the new swiss army knife!!!