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

Oh, and the Bouldnor boatyard was mentioned in a MOOC course I'm doing at the moment - see: http://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/features/boatyard-beneath-the-solents-waves.htm

<BB<

BB, I know what you mean. We live not far from Stratford-upon-Avon. The number of souvenir shops selling t-shirts with things like 'Oxford University' or 'I <3 London' beggars belief, not to mention other non-Shakespearean tat. They sell Shakespearean tat, too, it's the 'out-of=area' stuff that gets me.

PH: Anachronisms in stories. The radio broadcast of The Devil in Amber by Mark Gatiss, set in 1920, mentions an 'ancient' van which is started by an ignition key. But ignition keys had only just become common, so it would have to have been a modern vehicle; and anyway, how ancient could any van be, in 1920?

Might have been an antedeluvivan.

PH today: at month end (last working day of the month, in any case) when we are in the office until... well. Late.
My company provides breakfast. I'm not sure why (they provide dinner too, in the form of pizza (, we don't have a Pizza emoticon! which is more sensible) but anyway it's usually pretty good.

There are filled rolls, wraps, usually cake, yoghurts and chocolate etc etc.

There is plenty to go round.

Here's the PH: people who put a pile of stuff (really, 2 wraps, 3 rolls, cake and a yoghurt or two) on their desk (so they don't have to provide their own lunch) and then don't eat it so it gets chucked away, dry and crispy, on Monday.

This is similar to something that somebody mentioned a while ago: Questionnaires where you have to chose between two options, neither of which really describes you. What's worse, the options are compounds, part of which describes you, part of which doesn't. Today's examples come from the NHS Choices 'What's your sport?' questionnaire:

I have high anxiety and rush to get things done / I have low anxiety and am generally quite relaxed
I love to think up new ways of doing things and am open to new ideas / I prefer fitting in and routine. I tend to dislike new things.

For the first one, I sometimes suffer from anxiety but I don't rush to get things done. For the second, I'm open to new ideas but I don't always think of new ways of doing things. Having said that, I also like routine. See what I mean? In both cases, neither option is a perfect fit and I'm left unsure what to go for.

Middle-class shoppers wandering around Aldi's marvelling at how cheap everything is with about three quidsworth in their trolley, Get out of the way and go back to Waitrose, and get your free Guardian, if you can afford to spend a fiver that is!

Asking questions to the Project manager, and inadvertedly hurting the guy I'm taking over from. *sigh*
I just can't do the right thing.
Actually, this might not qualify as a PH, just a general moan at own inadequacy.

My back garden.

It's useless to me. It has 'lawn' (aka moss, dandelions and daisies) and flower beds.

Every minute I spend in the garden is a minute I can't spend doing something more interesting. Every penny I spend on it is a penny I can't spend on something more interesting.

It does have birds and my shed in it though which means that it has two saving graces.

PP.

I can't believe a garden can be a petty hate. In many ways a garden is a privilege; think of all those people condemned to live in high rised flats who would kill for a garden.

I only have an area just big enough for a patio table and chairs set, and deeply envy people with gardens.

Its unlikely you would complain about having to spend money on for instance, a dining room or a spare bedroom, so maybe try thinking of the garden as an outside room, and learn to treasure it!

It rains a lot in the UK, especially Manchester where I live. I have what could be a nice garden but I don't have the time/money to spend on it or the occassions to enjoy it (see the rain)

Think of all those people who don't really care about gardens....

Gardens, we call them lawns over here, are just something that needs to be mowed way too often.



F S

A lawn is a lawn. A garden is something completely different.

When we did our house we had the back garden returfed. We were still camping in those days and needed somewhere to dry the tent. We gave up camping and replaced the lawn with gravel. No more mowing the lawn. However, the water-permeable plastic has failed to stop weeds, so they still have to be dealt with - a Petty Hate in itself.

"Think of all those people who don't really care about gardens...."

Their loss

I'm just sayin', this sentiment ---


"I can't believe a garden can be a petty hate. In many ways a garden is a privilege; think of all those people condemned to live in high rised flats who would kill for a garden."


--- cuts both ways.

But then I guess most statements/sentiments cut both ways, especially the petty hate variety

Lusus, can you please explain?

No disrespect intended, just an honest question.

In the US the ground surrounding a home are usually referred to as the front, back and side yards. If they are planted with grass (as they usually are) they become 'lawns'.

The term 'Garden' is reserved for specific areas devoted to the raising of vegetables or flowers.

I have always considered this a difference between US and UK terminology. Please correct me.



F S