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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A626014


This (my first peer submission!) is a short and I hope interesting entry about the principals behind the 'Drinking Bird' novelty toy that may or may not be common to households everywhere. I think it strikes a good balance between all the elements that make a good guide entry, and combines them in a way that enlightens and amuses. If you've never seen this toy before, I'm sure you'll want one after reading this. Who wouldn't?

[HP}=~~

Ok, how much? I'll have one .... 3 if they're cheep

I think it's a canary. Don't ask me why. Just wishful thinking probably.

Was that a drinking bird at the beginning of "Alien" (the 1st film)? Can't remember seeing a glass of water with it.

It's a good entry. It belongs in the guide. Have a look at footnote 6. You'll recognise the error.

Anyway, it gets my vote.

I like this entry, but I think it could be simplified. I don't know whether you adopted the technical jargon-like approach to provide humour or maybe you just talk like that. I think a more direct description of the bird would help, as it is a simple device with a far from obvious explanation. As a ten-year old, I struggled for many months to try and explain how it worked. It never occurred to me that the liquid in the bird was evaporating and pushing the liquid up the tube.

A clear and concise explanation is needed. Leave in all the stuff about how the bird looks and the warnings at the end.

With this entry I found it quite hard to strike a balance between informative and entertaining (though I enjoyed writing it a lot. However, I did intend this entry to be more of the former. This is probably why I took on the tone of writing that I did. The nature of the technical jargon I encountered when researching the article seemed rather hard to overcome at the time, though I see now that that shouldn't have been the case.

I agree that is simply a toy, and shouldn't be explained in too great detail. Unfortunately the structure I chose for this entry seems to work against that, as the parts that refer to the look of the bird (i.e. the part that everyone's familiar with) are more towards the end than the beginning. I'll see if I can make some changes to amend this without altering it beyond recognition, as I do think the structure could work better. Thankyou for your comments

[HP}=~~

P.S. 'Dippy' was on The Simpsons today! Woohoo!

[HP}=~~

The warning note is justified, I think. Freon is one of those substances which are destroying the ozone layer

Great! It's the kind of entry that I like most... 'infotainment'

Nice entry!

For me, the anatomy information and how it works is a very interesting part so my opinion is that it should stay - but of course it's up to you!

I'm actually using this remark to bookmark this, but the footnote at trhe warning section should be before the stops.


Dancer

The title of this splendid yarn reminded me of an old girlfriend

I raise my glass in salute to this excellent Entry!

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Congratulations!

drat! Seems like another Scout has beaten me to it!

Looking forward to seeing it on the front page

Congratulations, HP - your first Entry in the Guide! Hope it's the first of many. You can go out and be an amazing drinking Researcher to celebrate!

Yap, Congradulations, a good one was also planning on it for my next picks...


Dancer

Thankyou, ladies, gentlemen, ladies and other gentlemen!
Nice to have a guide entry, hope my next one (currently almost a year in the making) is as enlightening. I didn't get to make all the adaptations, so it isn't perfect, look forward to seeing it on the front page though! May take a screen cap', because I'm sad like that

Enjoy

[HP}=~~

A (belated) congratulations Hoplessly Paranoid!

ta muchly frankie

[HP}=~~

No Problemo