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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A538788

Ann Arbor Hash Bash

This annual 'smoke-in' began in 1972 to protest marijuana laws. Ideally, the Hash Bash takes place at high noon (get it?) of April Fool's Day...

...The event has been as flighty and unstable as you would expect of anything organized by and for pot-smokers. Some years attendance has run to the thousands. Some years it's been almost non-existent. In fact, they may have skipped a few years. Hard to find much of an historical record for some reason. As if the memories of those people who know best about the event had been damaged or slightly fogged by something....

Hi, Subcom!

I've very surprised to see that this has been in PR for a week without any comment!

It's a really good entry - I like the suitably laid-back tone. It's very well-polished already, so that there doesn't seem to be anything to nitpick about.

So I assume you can just sit back and wait - there's no hurry on this one, is there?

Azara

"there doesn't seem to be anything to nitpick about."

Wow, thanks.

No hurry. I posted this in Writing Workshop a few months ago, then neglected it for a long time before finally giving it a touch up. However, since it's an event that happens once a year on the first Saturday in April, it might be amusing if this got into the guide in time for April Fool's day or thereabouts.

Hiya, Subcom,

I saw the Ann Arbour entry ages ago and unfortunately, my usual sense of curiosity let me down. I rather assumed (best not ask why) that it was some kind of US Women's Institute (if there isn't already an entry on the WI, there should be).

I *still* haven't read this, but I *will*.

Seeya
Spiff

*some time later*

Hi again,

read and enjoyed,; ed too!

For anyone wondering whether to read this piece, here's an idea of what you'll find:

"The event has been as flighty and unstable as you would expect of anything organized by and for pot-smokers. Some years attendance has run to the thousands. Some years it's been almost non-existent. In fact, they may have skipped a few years. Hard to find much of an historical record for some reason. As if the memories of those people who know best about the event had been damaged or slightly fogged by something."

This seems to be right in the spirit of DNA's guide and I don't see why it shouldn't go for editing. It is largely factual, very informative and not disasterously *un*balanced. I have already stated my view on the entertainment factor.

So, good luck with it,

Seeya
Spiff

Note to the sub-ed: I submitted this piece to Writing Workshop a few months ago, and some people made suggestions about it that I tried to accomodate. If interested, see F59234?thread=108449.

Thanks,
Deidzoeb

Thanks, spiff! The funny part is that when I submitted this to Writing Workshop, people suggested that I should maybe look up more info about the musicians or politicians or speakers who have attended the Hash Bash in the past. It wasn't just a joke about there being sparse historical record -- I really searched the web for hours trying to find any details of past events. But the kind of people who really like the Hash Bash don't seem to be the kind of people who would want to write about it in obsessive detail, like your average Star Trek fan or Twin Peaks fan.