A Conversation for Share and Enjoy

the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 1

Zach Garland

"I'm sure we'll think up more excuses to give away books..."

Uhm.. I have the books. All five of them. In fact I wore out (okay I LOST) my first copy of "the Most Complete..." and had to buy another copy. I also happen to have all five books in textfile form which is really hoopy.

I even have that two cassettes of DNA live reading selected pieces of the HG squared series to an audience.

I'm sure the illustrated book (signed! omigod!) would be great but I could think of a lot of other stuff that'd be neat to win in a contest.

I went to http://www.douglasadams.com/shop/ to see if there was anything else there to beg for, er I mean request be considered for future h2g2 contests. Nothing there right now.

I suppose most stuff at http://shop.starshiptitanic.com would be nice for people. Actually, if I won a MAC copy of the game that would only help me if I also won a MAC simultaneously. I already have the game for the PC. I bought it the old-fashioned way: offline.

The t-shirt looks like a nice gift. I personally wouldn't BUY a shirt that advertises the game, but if you gave it to me as a contest prize, I'd be a walking billboard for ya.

But y'know what I really want?...



the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 2

Zach Garland

Uhm.. let's put a big wide PUH-PUH-PUH-PLEEEZE up here at the top just in case that helps any. Assume I'm down on knees begging throughout the composing of the following list.

Last Chance to See
http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/chance.html
Either the book or the CD-Rom, cover signed by The Tall Cool One.

Deeper Meaning of Liff
http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/0330322206.html
with a definition in the margin, in DNA's handwriting, for the word "Dallas" (or whoever the winner is, their hometown).

Hyperland
http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/hype.html
just getting a chance to see this first-hand would be a treat. Mr. Adams wouldn't even have to sign anything.

Other Wishlist Prizes:
- Having a bit character in DNA's next book named after a contest winner (he'd only have to be in the book for a couple pages, but something really nifty should happen to the character, like he dies a particularly warped death, or throws up unexpectedly on the main character in the story).
- an 8 by 10 glossy of someone other than DNA (like Marilyn Monroe or Terry Jones), signed "this is NOT Douglas Adams" by Douglas Adams.
- a copy of the original radio series on cassette or cd-rom. (you can have the blood of my first born for this one)
- a scheduled 90 min. online public chat with Douglas Adams at Yahoo Club h2g2
- a scheduled 90 min. online public chat with Jim Lynn at Yahoo Club h2g2
- a scheduled 90 min. online public chat with Tim Browse at Yahoo Club h2g2
- a scheduled 90 min. online public chat with Sean Sollé at Yahoo Club h2g2...[do ya see a pattern there?]

Well the list goes on and on but this is a good start. If anyone else out there has any suggestions, throw them into the pile.

My glass is always half empty. I doubt we'll ever see any of these as h2g2 prizes in the future, but one can always hope. =)




the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 3

Swiv (decrepit postgrad)

I have a copy of the original Radio Plays
I inherited them from my Grandpa
Unfortunately they were a bit screwed up so I had to tape them off and sort them out to actually hear them
I like them.,
A lot
But you can't have them


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 4

QuadBee (39130)

That's okay. I don't want copies of copies anyway. What I would LIKE is for the BBC or whoever presently owns the rights to the originals to actually make them available again. I can't find a copy anywhere.

I used to have a book of the radio play scripts, complete with sort of behind-the-scenes notes about each episode. Lotsa fun. A joy to read.

Actually what would be IDEAL would be to get a troupe of talented people together and recreate the series, using modern-day recording and sound equiptment.

Wasn't there once a stage production of the series..?


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 5

Peta

Yes there was a stage version a few years back. One of my friends played Ford Prefect. Unfortunately he died the following year, truthfully, so he won't be online to tell you about it, at least I doubt it!! I think the idea of the prizes are great. The online chat with Sean, Jim etc - have you asked them? They actually might do it if you asked them to. They are that kind of guys!


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 6

QuadBee (39130)

Well that's a catch-22.

I'd feel it improper to actually ask them unless I was relatively certain there were enough members in the yahoo club to warrant their attention. I mean we only have a bit over a score right now.

However, were I to be able to announce formally that there would be a meeting with the Powers That Be and the masterminds behind h2g2.com were to be at the yahoo club in a week or two's time, that would no doubt increase the interest of h2g2.com.

So should I wait until we get more members before I ask, or should I ask in hopes that it would generate an interest and accumulate more members?

Decisions decisions...


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 7

Peta

If you asked but then gave us time to advertise - say two/three weeks - we could probably get quite a few people rounded up. I've been there - but I am not sure if I have 'joined' - how do I tell?


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 8

Swiv (decrepit postgrad)

What I would really like, is for the BBC to repeat the original series again. Then everyone would start screaming about how tacky it was and they might make a new one.
BTW any news on the film version gladly recieved.


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 9

Jim Lynn

amazon.co.uk have tapes and CDs of the original Radio series - search for Douglas Adams and they're listed as 'Primary Phase' and 'Secondary Phase'.

Hyperland is harder to find, although I've got a copy in my collection. I don't believe it's ever been commercially available, and I don't think it's ever been repeated.


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 10

Zach Garland

Ah! I didn't think to check Amazon's UK site. I was just using www.amazon.com and Douglas Adams was only turning up the tapes where he personally read all the books into a microphone.

No offense to his vocal chords, but I'd rather hear the original series with all the wild sound warblings and voices and whatnot.

.. Uhm, what's 8.99 pounds in American money?


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 11

Swiv (decrepit postgrad)

A few more dollars - something like $12 i would imagine.
Though my imagination is not always good
Can't you get them at Amazon uk - i want the radio scripts


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 12

QuadBee (39130)

Well I have put in an order with Amazon UK, but I don't have a credit card. Long story. They're basically against my religion now.

So somehow, I have to find a way to purchase a money order from a UK bank. Amazon UK won't accept anything else. I've never tried to do anything even remotely like this before. Anyone have any ideas?


the Contest Prize Wish List

Post 13

Swiv (decrepit postgrad)

Go to your nearest post office, they should do it for you. and then send it off to amazon.
Can't you get a nice friend or relative to get the stuff for you on their card and then you pay them back. or is that too simple?


Credit Cards.

Post 14

Sean

Which part do you have a religious exception to?

If it's "credit" then why not use a debit card? It's pretty difficult to have a UK bank or building society account without one these days, and any merchant that takes Visa will take Delta. As the funds go straight out of your current (checking) account, there's no danger of debt problems smiley - smiley

Of course, if it's the "card" part that troubles you, then presumably that's a psychological rather than a fiscal problem ...


Credit Cards.

Post 15

CrazyOne

The radio script book is one of the harder things to get right now, unless something has changed recently that I haven't heard about. It's out of print on both sides of the Atlantic. Finding it used is about the only way to go. One good source of such used out of print books is Advanced Book Exchange, http://www.abebooks.com/


Credit Cards.

Post 16

Jim the Wonder Llama (back from yonder)

"It's pretty difficult to have a UK bank or building society account without one
these days"
Er, Sean, you do realise Zach is in America, don't you?


Credit Cards.

Post 17

RSBohn

So, make that 'US Bank or Credit Union'

Brit-US translation provided by U37566


Credit Cards.

Post 18

Swiv (decrepit postgrad)

So basically it's hard to have any kind of a bank account without them trying to force some kind of a piece of plastic at you and saying "Here, go and spend large amounts of money".
Why haven't they given me one?


Credit Cards.

Post 19

Zach Garland

It's the "credit" part that I'm adverse to, Sean. Long story. A vaguely successful story to make it short: I haven't had an actual credit card since college, and a couple years after college I was finally able to pay it off. I swore never again.

I do have a debit card, sorta. It used to just be an ATM card but the credit union made a deal with Visa so I had to get an actual debit card. I was supposed to call this number to have it activated, but I conveniently misplaced the number. Too tempting. I can only use it at ATM machines.

The thought that I could go anywhere and just drop the card down is just too tempting. Even though it works "just like a check." I'd rather just use a check.

It's like the old saying, "have some rattlesnake [or other strange animal]! It tastes just like chicken!"

If I want chicken, I'll eat chicken.


Wrong side of the Atlantic

Post 20

Zach Garland

And oh yeah about that other point. Yes I'm a Yank. Well, to a Brit I'm a Yank. To a Yankee I'm a Southerner. It all depends on where you happen to be at the time.

I live in Dallas Texas, so popping down to the pub and asking a bloke to purchase it for me is a little difficult. We don't have blokes here. We have dudes. And they don't know of any UK banks either.

We have pubs though. Well, actually we have bars that call themselves pubs. There's a nice Irish pub in Arlington called J. Gilligans. It's off Abram Street. I recommend it for anyone from the British Isles who happens to find themselves in the D/FW area. To US it's an authentic irish pub. To a true Irishman from Ireland it's probably a good laugh.

Great music though. Good booze. Nice scenery, if you don't mind girls who have a thick accent. "HI yall doin'?"


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