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

I am drawing my old age pension. My wife and I have 2 married sons in their mid thirties. Both are biological scientists, as was my father. The eldest is the Assistant Deputy Headmaster of an independent school and a Chartered Biologist. The younger man is a geneticist with the Medical Research Council and also an MSc in scientific software engineering. He travels the world giving lectures and attending conferences on genetics and proteomics. I am an honours graduate in the social sciences. I have a Mensa certificate after subjecting myself to a battery of IQ tests.
It would be interesting to know what prompted you to ask the question! You seem a little disconcerted.

Hi Barton,

Take a look at your recent handiwork in PR!!

It took me ages to get your system to work on my machine, but peseverence paid off. I had followed your instructions to the letter. Perhaps the software is a little dodgy. But your system did work in the end.

I now intend to add a little more to the text. It will probably need editing again in 2 or 3 days time.

Ron

First, I don't think you're article is gloomy and secondly it's good to hear your boys are doing so well for themselves.
I had the impression you were young and a bit naive with saying that sadism is solely a sexual and physical matter. I don't agree, but never mind cos it's not the subject at hand.

Thank you for the compliment about my article. But even I think its gloomy to read! I shouldn't go on so about our boys, but its one of the pleasures of old age to be proud of one's offspring!

I just knew you were thinking that way! But I have no idea why.
I am old, but I am also much wiser than I was as a young man. This manifests itself in fruitful and constructive ways; for instance: when you mentioned sadism, I too had used this term in a general way (as you imply you do) so when I come to reply to anything in dispute, I invariably consult the COD to establish the exact meaning of the word in contention. In logical argument one cannot use words in any old way, one has to stick to the rules of English, as we were all taught at school.

Ah. One thing I forgot to mention Ron

You need to go back into your 'edit entry' window, and find the bit where it says 'Change style' (right under the text box). Next to it you'll find a button that says Plain text and another that says Guide ML. Make sure the Guide ML button is highlighted, then click Change style

Thanks for yet another tip Barton. But I don't know any Guide ML at all, and what I don't know about computing sometimes scares me from trying things. I'll have a go though. It'll be OK I reckon. As long as my rubbish doesn't disappear from the screen!

See you,

Ron

The word sadisme comes from the name of the French writer Marquis De Sade but you already knew that, don't you.
My dictionary says it's either a 'kind of sexual perversion marked by getting pleasure from cruelty to other persons of either sex', 'or (loosly) delight in excessive cruelty'.

The use of GuideML is quite easy once you understand the guidelines

Hmm... you seem to have lost all the GuideML tags from the entry and we've got one big block of text

We've and tags, so you've obviously changed the entry type. Go back to <./>test3807759</.> and copy everything in that text box to your own entry, making sure to copy it *over* everything in your own entry. If you're worried about losing your own entry, copy everything in it to whatever word processing programme you have on your PC, or create a new entry and copy it into that before you paste the content of <./>test3807759</.>.

Clear as mud?

That's ok Barton, I think I know what you mean. Strangely, however, my machine is showing your new layout, so I don't know what's happening now.
I did get my original text layout up at one stage, but it came back again as your changes afterwards. Can it be that it is different at one end from the other end? Heck, I'm not much good at this technology lark!

Ron

Ron,

I've not read living with a gastrectomy, but it's clearly a must read.

I'll reserve judgement until much later.

Ta Chips,
Hope to return the compliment per one of your pieces ere long.
Let me know whether it's in the sub-heading form given to me by Barton, please; that'd be a great favour!

Ron

Hi Ron, this is fascinating - especially the description of the intestine flopping around inside.

Not sure if this belongs here, or wherever, but, apart from the obvious points about eating, can you basically carry on a "normal" life? Sport etc?

fine entry, though, I look forward to seeing it on the front page.

Hi Sho (me the way to go home),

No offence intended Sho, and thank you for your comments!
Hope the floppy bits didn't put you off your tea/dinner.

A few seem to think it's in the right place but, as a newby, who am I to judge where it should be? That is up to all you guys to decide between yourselves.

Yes, I can and do lead a normal physical lifestyle. My wife and I are keen walkers, and I have cycled for many years. We only use the car for long journeys and walk into town to shop, etc. Some people ask me whether I have a 'bag' (colostomy). The answer is no; colostomies are only used for lower bowel troubles. All my 're-plumbing' is contained within my body. You wouldn't be able to tell, except for the foot long scar down the middle.(Ugh!!) There, I've said it for you!!

Ron

what I meant about "the right place" was putting my comment here, in Peer Review, or waiting for this to hit the front page (or before) and starting a convo in the entry.

I think it might be a bit more encouraging for people if you mention that you can do the usual physical things (eventually) after such an op. I do a fair bit of running, and I know that if I was facing a procedure such as this, I would definitely want to know - from someone's own experience - that I should still be able to do so afterwards.

and thanks for the that the Sho (me the way to go home) brought me. My grandad used to sing that to me.

Ron

I can't cope



Still trying, and failing, to read about your operation.

Sorry and all that

Hi Sho,
I don't even believe that my piece will get onto the front page. I am,
however, hoping for some tiny bits of appreciation, such as your kind comments. You see, I think it has a very limited appeal; attracting the interest, in most cases, from people who have suffered or are suffering from some sorts of gastric condition.
To put this in to some sort of perspective for you, my GP says that I am one of a dwindling band of people who originally had a partial gastrectomy for the removal of duodenal ulcers. They hardly ever get so bad these days to merit, or rather require, any form of surgery at all,let alone part of the stomach being taken out! Also, like myself, it's almost always those who had early surgery for ulcers that develop the sort of cancer that I had to have removed. Heaven forbid that you should find yourself with an ulcer, but if you did,it could today be cured in a few weeks by simply taking antibiotics to clear you of helicobacter pylori and also a healing tablet, 1 per day, for about 1 month, and no operations! So, you would hardly be likely to lose your ability to play your sports,or to follow your athletic activities.
Cheers,
Ron

Hi

Very nice piece ... I think I got through it ok 'cause I had my thyroid out due to cancer. The Internet was invaluable in helping me feel like I wasn't so all alone.

Good job!

Thank you M'lady.
Hope you are feeling a great deal better as a result.(after the operation I mean, not after reading my piece!)

RonYour servant, Ma'am.

well, I still think it would be a good entry on the front page. Even if you are one of a dwindling bunch, it is still interesting to see how people come through major surgery.

More so that you have your sense of fun intact.

And now, so as not to derail the Peer Review convo, I'm going to pay your PS a visit.

(that's not a threat, btw!!)

Thanks Sho.
You are welcome to visit my PS, but there's not much of interest there at the moment. I've been intending to update it for days and not got round to it.

I'm away this weekend, so I might have something for you to read in PS shortly after I return.

Have a great Easter.

Ron