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

Entry: Australia - Update - A20280214
Author: Matt - U168592

Well, I've given New Zealand a go over, thought I'd better do Oz.

There's a few Entries in PR at the moment that could be added at some later date too.

Oh, and the Original Entry is this one here: A53650

Come on Aussie, come on!

Typos etc:

Intro 2nd para: [landmasses]

Wildlife 1st para: I don't think it's true to say that, of the 10 most poisonous spiders in the world, Australia has 9 of them (and certainly not the top 9).

Wildlife end 4th para: (the third most embarrassing way to die)?

And then...: Missing one of the most dangerous of all, the cute blue ringed octopus.

Aussies end 3rd para: <'So, howdya' like our country, eh?'> (Better like this? ['So, howdya like our country, eh?'])

Typical Australian Sayings 4th dot: Doesn't seem to fit... Anyway, [clear as crystal]

Again, thanks Rudy

I agree about the spiders bit, it was in the original and rubbed me up the wrong way too. I've latered it a little now.

Added your blue rings to the beach bit

And again, the quote from Banjo's Man From Snowy River really didn't do anything for me either, so I've changed that a little too

Done all the other things too I think

Hi Matt

Just a couple more thoughts:

Wildlife: Examples are given of the first two categories, but we hear no more of the sheep. Do you think it's worth mentioning, at least, that there are in excess of 100 million sheep in the country (second only to the People's Republic of China)?

Wildlife: Doesn't seem to work very well... Something like this might be better: 'Australia has a large proportion of the world's poisonous arachnids and more than its fair share of venomous snakes - there would probably be even more snakes if the spiders didn't keep eating them!'

Good points made Rudy, and have incorporated the suggestions made (have also added you as a contributor as long as you don't mind). What do you think?

I'm a bit pushed for time today, so please excuse the scribble.

I like the changes you've made , though crediting me for a couple of lines is over-generous. Thanks for the thought but. Incidentally, Orinoco doesn't seem to have been around these parts since June 2000. I wonder what happened to him?

I must say that I'm not too happy with the title of this Entry, and I'll tell you why; last night I punched [Australia] into the h2g2 search engine, and it returned almost 50 Edited Entries, all of which are subtitled in some way (except for the original 'Australia' Entry), so that this one appears to be the 'master' Entry.

Call me silly if you like, but don't you think the Entry should be subtitled to reflect the fact that it is a light-hearted overview, and not the definitive account on the country?

A coincidence: In December 1974, on the eve of my migration to Sydney, my parents gave me a copy of 'The Venomous Australians', a magazine about many of the beasties that can (and probably will) getcha in and around...and under...Australia. Googling [The Venomous Australians] brings up some surprises:

In 3rd place (of 336,OOO results) is the original h2g2 Entry 'Australia'.

10th place is held by 'Australia - an alternate view'. You might like to check that site out and tell me what you think...and don't forget to click on 'Official Site'.

I agree. We've got Austrlia - A Cultural Perspective, that I've updated too, which to some degree I don't think IS a Cultural Perspective, I actually think THIS one is. So I'm thinking of changing both Entry titles, or just really swapping them over

With regard to "of the 10 most poisonous spiders in the world, Australia has 9 of them" - that is most definitely wrong. But..... "of the 10 most poisonous spiders AND snakes in the world, Australia has 9 of them" is accurate (I think) but I'd have to find the initial reference I saw to back it up. And, if I recall correctly, it was the top 9.

But what you've done is good enough to keep scaring the faint-hearted tourists.

I might keep it simple, because it did take a bit of a twist of the brain to read it in the first place! (and make sense of it )

for the input Roy. Keep it coming

Right, think I'm done with this one too now

Not meaning to be pushy, but seeing as there's nigh on half a dozen Australia related Entries pending EG inclusion, I thought it'd be nice to have these Australian Entries Updated ASAP for linking purposes.

'...taking up a large amount of the bottom half of the planet'

Australia is 7,500,000 is kilometres square. The southern hemisphere covers over 250,000,000. Is 'large' overstating it? Perhaps 'significant'?

'...thus combining all 'typical' Australian attributes into a single improbable creature.'

Are things like webbed feet typical Australian attributes? If so, no wonder Ian Thorpe was so successful. I'm not sure what this means.

'marks of a civilized culture' - civilised

Sorted

Any more comments?

If there are no other comments, I'll handle the update tomorrow lunchtime - it looks fine to me

Done

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'Australia - Update (to be Retitled 'Australia - a Cultural Perspective')' to 'Australia - A Cultural Perspective'.