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

Hi Jordan

Hey you know I'mm just yanking your chain, so calm down and go to bed

Anyway Pigs can fly, under the correct conditions (zero-g f'r'instance) or ballistic assistance. It's landing they are not good at .

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.

"Perhaps I should teach you a little bit about Christian tolerance..."

Jordan, can you provide us with a few examples?


My new website is @ http://aljis.50megs.com/

Alji

Morning az, and cheers. I have just surfaced only to find that I have urgent business to be done for Monday and nobody I need to contact is available before Monday .

toxx

Toxx
I need more information Toxx. Right leg fractures are of particular interest to me. Would you mind describing the fracture type and location as best you can. I love medical engineering.

I would agree that is personal knowledge in a way. But then the medical profession are not noted for sophistry whereas the drug companies are often by definition proprietary.

On a personal note, please accept my sympathy with your condition of which I have intimate knowledge. Reminds me of griping about ex-partners really but that, indeed, is another post!

toxx,

It almost sounds like you live in Spain. Well, I hope you can get in touch with who you need early enough Monday morning. Good luck.

az

Hi 249580! (names are much easier - don't you like names?)

You said to Math: "I liked the last comment 'We' look forward to to your next contribution............., I hope this is not the royal 'we' or worse a demonstration of youthful meglomania!"

Math, like many on email (and this list), is past 30. Many of us are past 40, or 50, or 60. The internet is not the prerogative of teenagers. Most of the people of my own religious grouping only ever get the chance to meet monthly in small local groups, or sometimes in larger groups (which involve a lot of travel) by complicated prior arrangement which often involves sleeping bags. Otherwise we stick to email.

"Ok, so you have a few gripes about scientists - I certainly don't base my opinions (and that's all they are) on science so your ranting is wasted. And I am not American."

Scientific American is a popular science based magazine.

"Druids are ok. My problem is with traditional religions that discourage aids victims from using condoms in Africa and encourage children to strap explosives on themselves and blow other kids up."

So is mine, though I am not a druid.

"Most religions (not all) are power based. There is always some despot somewhere dictating how other people should live their lives - have you noticed the 'harder' a religion is the more popular it is?"

I've only been on this site since around the early 14000s, but I think we discussed that during that period. No doubt it has also been discussed in the 13ks, 12ks, 10ks ....

"Could you be that druid despot?"

Nah. Math's not like that.

"The sixteeth and seventeenth centuries. Known to my witch friends as 'The Burning Times'."

Aaaarrrgh! Not all witches are fools, Math! In the UK burning was uncommon; drowning or hanging were much more likely. IIRC, the same was true in the US, where, AFAIK, this epithet originated. Burning was more common in European countries.

Anyway, it was mostly for reasons of economic and political instability, and usually motivated locally by politics and economics. Whether or not any actual witches were killed is unknown, though, on the basis of statistical probability, the phenomena probably destroyed a few, along with a few homosexuals, gypsies etc etc etc

Yes, religion was used as the excuse, but then, it is arguable that these countries at that time were semi-theocracies, in which case anything based on politics and economics would have a religious bent. However, it may also have been class based: IIRC, alcehmy was not outlawed until late into the period as it was pursued by so many scientists (who tended to be members of the upper classes) and clergy. but I cannot now recall the details.

"Incidentally, when the user enters information, it automatically assumes it is true. I can't deal with lies or half-truths at the moment! Any ideas?"

You could run a subroutine to compare new information entered against existing information to see if there is a conflict. but how to instruct it to decide which information is the lie? It would have to be able to compare the information against an array of information already held which is relevant to the new idea, plus being able to assess the liklihood of validity based on the person imparting the new information...

This takes most people at least 20 years. Or never.

In psychology there is a method of callibration based on body language. Does your programme have a video camera which can look at blink rate, breath speed and heart rate? Also, some tactile recognition of sweat rate (possibly via the mouse) and voice pitch would be helpful.

"It's landing they are not good at ."

that's only lack of practice.

"I have just surfaced only to find that I have urgent business to be done for Monday and nobody I need to contact is available before Monday "

Hi, toxx.

I think this is technically termed the Ohshitmoment.

Oetzi. Intriguing that you should be interested in this type of injury. It is a fracture of the plateau of the right tibia. Patellectomy thirty years ago, so considerable wear at the interface with the femur already. Fracture not displaced, so rather than pinning it, they just fitted a fibreglass 'plaster' with a metal joint for knee flexion. It's been on for a week or so and is due to be removed in about five weeks.

toxx

Hey, Jordan and HS. There is now a system that uses the voice alone to detect lying and is remarkably accurate. Prog on R4 about it within the past week. Might just have been World Service, but I think not.

Cheers, toxx.

Radio 4 Toxx. Do you listen to 'All in the mind'?

Alji

HS. I think I shall escape a 'contempt of court' charge by obtaining a medical certificate on monday and informing the court first thing. Their fault for phoning when my line was not functioning. Just fitted a nice new extension cable. I think I can hold em off until the 14th of Jan. Might be able to claim then using Article 6 of Human Rights Act: trial within reasonable time. By then it will have been 2.5 years!

Hehehe, toxx

hi Alji,

I like the new photo site.

az

BBC R4 confirmed.

Yes Toxx I've had extensive engineering to my right lower leg. The guys that did the job were the tops. I don't recognize your terminology but the length of your confinememt indicates your condition. I wish you well.

Alji. I listen to all R4 except the very daftest 'comedy' shows.

toxx

Thanks az, it's taking a lot of time to set up!

The http://www.free-webspace.biz/aljis/ is back on line now after being down for two days.

Alji

Toxx, 'I'm sorry I haven't a clue' is a must! How do you know they're daft if you don't listen to them?

Alji

OO. I'm not exactly confined. I'm back at home and capable of about 1 mph on a good day, wielding those crutches! I've now broken all the bones in the right leg. The left has remained undamaged. Nice to have one good un. I'm wondering whether I can get away with riding a bicycle. One strong leg is all it really takes!

toxx