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

Nuff said

Mycroft said

There's a parallel with some of DNA's work here: Dirk Gently managed to come up with an exact copy of Cambridge exam questions by chance and got jailed because it was the outcome that mattered, not the sequence of events that led to it.

Strange - my reading of this whole saga has been the opposite of this.
A great deal of this conversation has been about *that post* but lets face it, there was a previous ban plus several warnings - the posting in question was the straw that broke the camel's back. I reckon it was the sequence of events that led to it that really mattered...

Hoovooloo - I do hope you don't care about the character assassinations (I don't believe you do). Such things highlight others' inadequacies, not yours

Orcus: well spotted

One additional amusing character assassination point I've since spotted is this: elsewhere on H2G2 I've been, shall I say, somewhat sceptical of LeKZ's combat experience (multiple personalities, self harm, eating disorders, depression, obvious difficulties dealing with other people, particularly those in authority would, I respectfully suggest, possibly be an obstacle to military service, particularly frontline combat?)

I read her website, off H2G2. For some reason this led me to believe that she was implying that she had been involved in combat at a very early age (i.e. seven years old). I've been vilified at an off-H2G2 email group for my apparent lack of reading comprehension skills. Anyone who can type "LeKZ" into the Google search engine can draw their own conclusions... (and incidentally check out Google's cache of LeKZ's old H2G2 homespace - cool huh?)
Comprehend that, specifically the section on military mind control.

Hoovooloo. Not Hooloovoo. Not a dummy personality. And not a duck. I can type too.

This post is intended for a person styled "Mikey".
Three points:
1. They'd be *in* context if people weren't talking about me behind my back.
2. Feel as comfortable as you like, since I am as of this moment absenting myself from this conversation and all others concerning this subject, in all fora, with the sole exception of posting the promised translation - without any commentary - if it is ever produced.
3. It's HOOVOOLOO. The guy who could be bothered to spell it correctly gets annoyed when people who can't be bothered to read correctly get us mixed up. Oh hang on - he won't see what you've posted because *you're discussing it behind his back too*. Forget I mentioned it.

For the last time, possibly bar one.
HooVooLoo.

Hooloovoo --

Let me just say that I find quoting out-of-context from another website to be rude. If you have problems with things being said on that mailing list, then feel free to join it and respond there.

Hooloovoo wrote: "I pay for the BBC. You don't. This is part of the BBC. Anything else is accountancy. Guess my opinion on that."

I also find to be inappropriate your continuing remarks about how you, as a British citizen, should have more rights concerning h2g2 than those who are from outside the UK. h2g2 was founded as an international community, and has largely continued as such.

There are, for example, many things which you (a British citizen) have the advantage of which I (an American citizen) pay for. More new medicines are developed each year in the US than in any other country, and a large proportion of that research is funded with American taxpayer money. And yet people in the UK have access to the medications for the same price (or less) as we do in the US. People in the UK also take advantage of technological developments funded by taxdollars from other countries, and by military support funded by tax dollars from other countries.

I would readily venture a guess that the money of mine that goes to these things each year is quite likely larger than the amount of money of yours that actually goes to funding h2g2. It's pretty obvious that the budget for h2g2 is pretty tight, so I'd doubt that even half a percent of your TV license fee actually goes to h2g2. Actually, this would be worth calculating -- so here's the "accountancy" you speak of.

According to the BBC website, a license for a color TV runs about 109 pounds per year. The BBC collects about 2.4 billion pounds each year in licensing fees, and receives another 96 million pounds from worldwide distribution (which, amazingly enough, *I* pay into as an American citizen who watches BBC programs). Of that revenue, 52 million is used for online services -- 2.2% of the total license fee, or about 2.4 pounds. Given all that the BBC provides online, it seems unlikely that any more than 10% that online budget is used for h2g2 (and is likely quite a bit less) -- which would be about 0.24 pounds (about 34 cents here in the US).

So yes, you "pay" for h2g2 -- with a handful of pennies a year. I can't even by a Diet Coke for that much, and yet you seem to be placing an awful lot of emphasis on this. I've seen you refer to this in just about every thread where you've had a disagreement with someone who isn't British -- it all seems to boil down to "I'm British, you're not, I pay for this (with my 34 cents per year), you don't, therefore my opinions matter and yours don't."

For anyone who wants more info on how the BBC uses license fees, etc., check this out:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/report2001/review/value.shtml


Mikey

I really don't like the license fee issue. Just because some fees go into this doesn't really seem any more relevant than saying some people have more rights to be here because they're smarter, better spellers, like the color blue, etc. I mean if you want to play that game, we could talk about the millions of American dollars that went into the development of the Arpanet, development of the Internet, the first widespread web browser, etc. Yeah, it's a really pointless distinction in my eyes.

Everyone, please drop the USA vs. UK argument. It's only fun until somebody mentions George Bush, and then we have no adequate comeback for that one, except to say I VOTED GREEN.

[Just checking to see if mentioning that you voted for Nader works to troll out the Democrats in the crowd.]

Look, there has been more than enough character assassination on this and other sites for f***'s sake.

Can we keep off the specifics?
Please?

We all know b****r-all about each other, except for what we see posted here and else-where.

Surely we all have the same ultimate goal - the best possible h2g2.

We split sharply over what is meant by 'best' of course. One of the italics said to me that they like it when the site is 'fluffy'. I personally prefer it sharper, but I dislike the posts of the long knives.

Lucinda - Hoovooloo has done his damndest to get an independent arbitration on what the xxxxs 'really' say. He deserves better than to be slagged on or off site.

I have concerns about discussing people on sites behind their backs, which is why I have not said anything explicitly about LeKZ since she was banned. I am in email contact with her, and may raise a couple of points with her direct.

Lets not get into a slanging match about the UK and the US, or about SA. It will only be subjective, emotional, circular, offensive and unproductive.

Walk away from the PC.
Calm down.
Breathe deeply.
Stop attacking each other.

And if all you can do is flame or troll - then shut the f*** up!

*growling*

a girl called Ben

everyone in here.
I'm British and I pay for my TV licence.
I've never felt the need to bring that up before.
I will say this again, for those who do not know.
If it hadn't been for the BBC buying h2g2 then we wouldn't have h2g2 any more & we would all be posting on n2g2.

The BBC employs the editors to run h2g2.
The editors make the decisions as to who should be banned or not.
Other people have objected with the decision and voted with their feet.
We all have choices.
This is a great site, and I am really happy here.
I'm enjoying building it for future generations to log on & use the search engine & maybe find an entry of mine.
Can we concentrate our energies on this now?

s AGB

for AGB. And a for her.
And a for Orcus, too, since I am being all fluffy just now.

***B

Let me be a bit more clear. I'm not saying the US is better or worse than the UK (I never think that's a worthwhile argument). I think it's great that the BBC has paid for the site and that it is supporting this site through your license fees. I really appreciate that. I just am a little bit sensitive to the notion that as a non-license fee payer, my opinion or input is less welcome here as a result. I like to think I am pulling my own weight and contributing to the Guide, and I just feel that tallying up fees paid is a bit arbitrary (hence, my equally arbitrary counterpoints).

Since the BBC does receive government funding (paid for by your licenses), I also understand why it has to take certain legal precautions and stances. I have not had a problem with the H2G2 site asserting certain rules, since it's their sandbox and they need to make the site a place for all license holders. I just hope we can make progress on relaxing some restrictions.

It may be their sandbox, but I'd still like to use it...!
*meow*

a pussycat called Ben

!!!!
*sprays some airfreshener into the thread*

Ack

*Has an Asthma attack*

for Orcus.

It's air-freshener made from pure organic essential oils, of course! None of that nasty synthetic stuff from MoG.

Here!

*opens a window, waves in fresh air for Orcus, and waves the cat out to mess in the neighbours' gardens*

***B

Sorry about that Orcus...

*opens the windows to air out the thread*

oops....

hehehehehehe