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

...and waiting for more .

I've been flown in a small plane like that once. It feels much, much more like flying than when in a passenger liner. Especially when you fly low, buzzing the tops of trees.

Waz

Yeah Waz! Here we go for the coming 15 years ( put on your seatbelts!)
Just a minute: go to my copy/paste. Bluebird

It is a rare opportunity to pick up early Thursday morning hot from the press.
Thanks for your first reply Waz.
It is a reward, to hear from you on the first place, because you were “the” great “inspiration” to write about my flying experiences, beside to give a lot of useful informations.
Thanks!
I am already done up to the 3rd Chapter, but I send every week just one to Shazz but with more pictures!
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Have lot to say about Boris, and about my rhino. The photo is right here, but I could send it to you only by E-mail.
The picture is from the San Diego Zoo. Tell you more next time. Thanks for the reply. Bbird have to “fly” out now for doing things. See you later.

We were both out in daylight! I'm determined to get to bed before 1.00am tonight though so I'm off , , later,
Waz

Waz: Off into your comfortable sleeping bag! But when you get to your PC tomorrow-- I have a question about the cartoon you draw in ?
Tell me: did you draw that on paper or is it a computer generated artwork? Did you send it to Shazz by E-mail, like I send my "stuff" to her?
Tell me also--- me being an "alien"--- what is the meaning of it? I don't see many horses here at all. What is a horse doing over there?
And if you think that I sound silly, you may be right!
I like your drawings anyway, but I need a little comment to this cartoon. Bbird

Wow, you do lead an interesting life - I go to bed when there's nothing on the telly! I really like the orchid picture.

JTG

Hi JTG .

BlueBird, I'm out in daylight again . Actually on a lunch break getting away from spreadsheets.

I drew it in Paintbrush on the pc and, yes, emailed it in for the Cartoon Corner.

It's difficult to see in that smaller sized version but the lady on the horse is on her mobile phone. Seems funny to me seeing riders riding down the road using their mobiles - haven't actually seen them do it while jumping hedges but I've seen riders on in full hunt dress of hairnets, red coat and tight jodhpurs talking on their phones.

There's a tradition here of people dressing in hunting gear and riding out with a pack of fox hounds to hunt foxes. There is strong pro-hunt support here and strong anti-hunt feeling. On the one hand it supports rural businesses, has a very strong tradition in the countryside and controls foxes. On the other hand it has a reputation for riding rough shod over farmland, through villages, gardens, railway lines, roads... Most anti-hunt feeling comes from the cruelty to foxes angle. But there are underlying issues. Many of those who hunt being landowners and seen as wealthy and high handed. Not a popular combination.

There was supposed to be a ban on hunting with dogs, which, in theory, would stop the hunt, starting this year. But it's been delayed and there seem too be all sorts of loopholes in the legislation anyway.

I've sent shazz three cartoons based on the hunt. It all took off from this F40352?thread=531808.

Waz

Hi Waz.

Who used to say 'Are you sitting comfortably, then I'll begin' on the wireless?

As Bluebird and I were discussing recently in another thread, there's no justification for killing for fun. If crashing around the countryside on horseback is where the fun lies, it's perfectly reasonable to chase a scent bag and leave the poor foxes alone. Any culling (assuming that any is necessary) should be done by professionals with great reluctance and sorrow.

JTG

Sorry I am late! Was very busy with my article where I wanted to incorporate some pictures and failed miserably.
Now it is streghten out with Shazz, who is a most kind lovely person, rare to find!!
Yes Chapter II + Part2 will come out in the next issue: "Flying to Florida".

Waz! I have written a little note following Your cartoon as the No, 2 reply!
I don't think I could draw with paintbrush a horse like that!
Even if it is much bigger in the original, I think is very difficult!
Do you know that you could send cartoons also to Collective? Because BBC gives h2g2 just a very limited space, we are not able to publish on h2 pages!
I am returning to finish my Web Page on Geocities! My help was on a long vacation, but he is back again, though he is a mighty difficult person to work with!

About the fox-hunting: that is totally out of question in America! Animal protections are very strong issue in this country, there are very severe punishment, high price to pay for any animal abuse!
I am really surprised, that a civilized country like yours they still allow such "sport"?? Bird

I think 'Are you sitting comfortably, then I'll begin' was "Listen with Mother". Did you ever Listen with Mother JTG?

Hunting is buried in English tradition here Bluebird - there are art works of hunting scenes, it gets painted onto china teasets , there are folk songs... Going back awhile when many folk kept chickens, (which foxes treat quite dreadfully) and the hunts were local with smaller dog packs (I assume) it probably was a genuinely needed form of control. And possibly the most effective method available. Having already, on this island, killed off all predatory animals larger than foxes, there's no natural control on them.

I'm a bit conflicted on the hunt ban. I'd be glad to see setting a pack of dogs off to tear another animal to shreads for sport stopped but the Government's ban seems heavy handed. And it stops society from, oh how to put this...civilising itself. Which is the only true civilising, it can't really be imposed can it? I suppose it can but it's much more effective when it evolves naturally.

The result of legislating has been to put a lot of people on the defensive. There were other ways to tackle this. If awareness had been raised I reckon public safety issues would have brought pressure, and public distaste also.

(Me, I'd like to solve the fox problem by reintroducing big cats and wolves ,)

I can understand the pleasure of riding cross country. Can't understand how other contexts can't be found though. Scent trails wouldn't just solve the cruelty for sport issue, they could also ensure packs of uncontrolled dogs didn't run out over busy roads, railway lines and peoples' gardens.


Bluebird, glad you're getting the web page sorted - more on the polishing thread later. Also glad Chapter 11 is sorted out and flying on its way through the ether.

Waz

I wondered if that was what inspired the title of this thread. like most children, I listened while mother was busy with other things.

I like your big cats and wolves idea. They often say of poor countries that life is cheap there. Well, I say life isn't cheap enough here, in any sense. We need some ferocious predators to make us appreciate life more. People would also tend to be quieter if they thought there was a chance that something might come along and eat them. People would also see that killing is serious and not something one does for fun.

'make us appreciate life more' now that's true. And perhaps we'd squabble less among ourselves. Nothing like wolves prowling the perimeter to get the villagers working together...

I was in the Pyrenees a few years ago. There were plans to reintroduce black bears to the valley we were in. There were graffitti'd slogans saying 'No to Bears' on rocks and road signs. Not something I've ever seen anywhere else .

That seems mean spirited. There are black bear here and most people seem to manage. It's sad that many people seem to feel that nature is something that is fine in principle, but not in practice.

Oh men oh men! You two started within a Thread a thread to discuss a most complicated issue: humans and Nature!
John-the-Gardener who is a Friend of Tibet;
while Waz is "sitting comfortably" at his Waterhole:
I the Blue bird (having no country to belong to) just enjoying to read this polemy: What would be right and just???

Let's have a bunch of preadators including the human , fox, bears, wolfs etc. getting loose and see who is going to win?
As far as I as blue bird is concerned: I can fly and can take off from the bloody fight for making a living. I can eat my berries and seeds and just sing my song on the top branch of a tree!

Just saying: this is all done by Nature's rules! At least you will understand why is my name: Blue bird
However: I have to look over my shoulder- occasionally- if there is a Hawk or Falcon getting hungry to have a feast from my tender flesh??
read

And watch out for dear, old ladies with a taste for feathers in their hats.

Aren't feather boas coming back into fashion?

Waz (sitting comfortably by her () Waterhole awaiting next chapter)

And I am "ruffeling" my feathers because once you fly like a bird or a pilot or an aviatrix that is fundamental: YOU CAN NOT GET LOST or you are dead!
You are plucking my feathers( for boas? and what ever?) and trying to confuse me in and out of Threads : hot choclate spilling on Waz as "sitting comfortably" while JTG is listening to the barking of the dogs ( as they are barking up on the wrong tree) because Waz's fox is "hiding comfortably" under the bush where Waz put her/him ( the fox).

So much for 2 of U! Be assured: my navigation is secured as Shazz is doing for U including Chapter II in 2 parts!
Those were the Days of flying comfortably in our own "aircraft" to say it like the pros.!

it is darn cold here going down down -15C,----16C it is better to hide under a FEATHER "comforter" in a Feather BED, zZZZZ Gnight Both to U .

'night Bluebird, I'm off too,
Waz

Following day after a sleep:

Left message to JTG next to his Hot ( in a cup!)
bird

I am trying to finish the entire story ( Chapter III) today for the following week after tomorrow!
So will end the Begginig(s)? BB-see?