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

Entry: Mellified Man - A18265773
Author: SWL™ (7+7+5+5)/1) x (7/4) = 42 - U1775547

Does this meet the taste & decency requirements?

It's ok on taste and decency, but I think it's a bit light to be honest.

There's not a lot of info about on mellified man unfortunately. I'm worried that if I start talking about wacky health cures I'll just go off on a tangent.

I think it would be best to turn that header at the start to a quote

we don't likes our entries starting with headers we don't

oh my gawd you've made my afternoon. One question: if the guy was left to pickle for 100 years, well, what was the profit for the guy with the original idea? I mean, a mellified man is a serious family investment. And what possessed anyone to think of doing that in the first place?

I dunno how it all started and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information around either. Maybe somebody got a mummification wrong, the flesh got putrified and the thought popped into his head "How can I make a bob or two out of this?"

Were the men victims or accomplices? were they paid off to be honied to death? could you volunteer to become medicine?

Just some questions crossing my mind right now.

Interesting! Is it just an urban myth, though?

It's possible, especially where so little information is available.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellified_Man
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=019513608X
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/07/26/better_illegal_foods.html
http://www.bobcongdon.net/blog/2006/07/mellified-man_30.html
http://www.booknoise.net/stiff/

Most references revolve around a book, "Stiff" by Mary Roach.

>> an urban myth

given the plentiful supply of honey, and the willingness of neighbours to have an old man rotting near them for 3 generations, I don't know how urban it would be!!

Re post 1 - decency, yes, not sure about the taste though, now know what goes into it.




What? Someone had to!

I expect it would be quite sweet with that certain "je ne sais quio".

If it may not be true, maybe mention that somehwer?

Will the change I've made suffice?

yep. Oi loik.

It's guide material, but I'm unhappy that I've read it but I've no basis on which to judge whether or not it's true.

If it's true, then it's fascinating, disgusting, etc and deserves a bit of sensational treatment. If it's not true, then it's a spoof, a joke, but I don't know who's the victim, and how they were originally conned.

Can you get hold of that Stiff book you mentioned earlier? Perhaps it's in a library near you? (many UK libraries have their catalogues on-line).

Very well-written, though

I can tell you what Mary Roach's book says, if you want?

Please do

Oh, sorry, should add that I like the entry - entertaining and readable.

Coming up soon then, just got to finish some Christmas cards then I'll re-read the relevant chapter.