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

This is a rather splendid initiative. What a cool idea.

Still, I was a little put off by the sniffy tone of the beginning regarding postal services. You can't actually blame the Royal Mail in the UK for attempting to make some kind of profit since they've been cut loose - blame the government for cutting them loose perhaps, but then, well it does seem to have saved a shed load of money in recent years.

The point about bulk mailing is that the Royal Mail loses money on every private letter sent - I think they would prefder to put the price of stamps up to something more cost effective, actually - the average person spends about 36 pounds a year on post, so it wouldn't be a huge wrench as I think they are talking about pennies rather than pounds, but they aren't allowed to there are still some controls left on this, so in effect that bulk mail which everyone gets so cross about is subsidising this hobby and indeed any cards, or ( ) actual personal letters we send. In the UK at least. Or was that a sideswipe at somewehere else? Sorry if so, but this would appear to be a new hobbyhorse of mine...

I am going to check out this game though In which I will be helped by the admirable clarity of the article.

I suppose I should apologise about being so down on Post Offices (and I am specifically annoyed with the German version who no longer sell single stamps over the counter)

But... I explained to a post office person the other day about Postcrossing, and he just said "I don't like postcards"



And I don't mind paying a bit more for my postage, but.... 3 parcels have gone astray (on their way to me) in the last 4 months, and they cost a bleedin' fortune...

but that's another story!!

Give it a go though, I got another postcard today, and even though it was from only 30kms away, it still made me grin like a maniac.