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

Lovely, fun article but I can't let the footnote stand. Canute did _not_ think he could keep the waves back. He was giving a lesson to his obsequious courtiers who kept telling him he could do anything because he was so wonderful.

Thanks, Wandrin Star!

The footnote was inserted by the subeditor, not by any of the authors. I asked him to change it but got no reply.

You are quite right. Canute's act was intended to show his courtiers that he could not do everything they said he could. I think he had all the courtiers executed afterwards, to show them there were some things that he could do as king.

By the way, do you have exclusive rights on that star smiley? Can I get a sundial smiley?

Somehow I had the feeling it was an editorial rather than an authorial error
Nobody else seems to use the smiley, so I'm fast developing squatter's rights.One of the smileys(I think the blushing one) looks like a sundial if you squint at it Are you one of those Pollyannaish timepieces that "count(s) only the happy hours"?

Couldn't help but read this article - very well written - and had to comment here as I'm living in the town where Canute, or Cnut, is thought to have held back the tides.

Very well done - I'm impressed. I'm currently writing articles all about the seaside phenomenon of the Promenade Pier, so this article fits in very well.

<BB<

All fixed