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

Farlander (not a bassplayer, by any chance?)

I love your entries about microbes. You have a nice, down-to-earth way to describe the life and times of these little blighters. Being a food microbiologist myself, I have always struggled to get a message across to the unbelievers. Most people can be dead scared and at the same time be completely oblivious to the dangers of microbes (or their positive features!). It's all a matter of sheer ignorance.

This entry reminded me of a passage in one of my favourite Ian Dury songs "Poo Poo In The Prawn":

I was a very hungry fella
I defrosted my paella
Came down with salmonella
Three weeks intensive care

They failed to send technicians in
To check the air-conditioning
Which was unfortunately transmissioning
A case of Legionnaire

Terry

you're *joking*! you mean somebody actually *wrote* those lyrics? that's amazing! ian dury, you say? i'll go look for his stuff the next time i go out...

oh, and thanks! i've had similar problems 'getting the message across to unbelievers' as well... most people i know seem to think that microbes are something to be gotten rid of with lysol spray (one of my best friends once said, 'i think the only importance of microbes is causing disease'!!!) and the other half seem to think they're immune to everything

(oh, by the way, have you heard weird al yankovic's song 'germs'? i don't remember the whole thing, but i *do* remember this bit...

i'm gonna show them who's boss
i'm gonna get even yet
just give me some lysol spray
just hand me a moist towelette...

kind of sounds like people we know, doesn't it? )

anyway, it's great to hear somebody who has respect for the little bugs maybe you'd like to come over to A1001854 and have a look? there isn't all that much there yet, but i'm working on it...


- far

Hi Farlander (I know by now that you're definitely NOT a bassplayer),

I joined the Microbes Guild a minute ago. Very good idea.
I am quite happy to make any contributions to that. I have been active in the food industry (well, drinks mainly ) for more that fifteen years. I was a keen home brewer until I had a small explosion in my kitchen a few years back and had to spend a week in hospital, trying to grow some skin back on my chest. When I came home after that, the spouse had thrown my brewing gear away .

Gotta go now, I am supposed to be working here,

Terry

terry,

i'm somewhat torn between feeling desperately sorry for you and your mishap, and being terribly tickled by the same episode... the most adventurous thing i've ever done with regards to microbe food-processing is make *yoghurt*.

Yoghurt is messy but not dangerous, is tricky but nicer. I may start brewing again soon, negotiations with spouse are being held at the moment.

Terry