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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A669125

There have been many scientific and pseudoscientific theories relating to the distant past and its effects on today's world. The Shaver Mystery is one of the more odd variants. Also included the amazing Shaver alphabet, which unlocks the hidden meanings of words.
Peace,
Stephen

Hiya SP,

I like this. I'd never heard of anyone mentioned or any of the publications so it was all new to me. Well written, informative and from what I can tell pretty comprehensive. Looks good.

Does this come under Life, The Universe, or Everything?
Spiff

Hi Stephen,

Another thumbs up from me! Well-written and readable.

A couple of minor changes I think should be made -

'stodgy magazine into a brash, vibrant magazine' - repetition of 'magazine' sounds a bit clunky to me.

And who are Ziff-Davis? I guess that they are the company that owns the magazine? Perhaps a footnote just to explain that would be good.

By the way, did Shaver have anything to say about the application of his theory to foreign languages? Is Shaverist history full of Doctor-Who-like English-speaking alien civilisations? Or is there (gasp!) a flaw in the theory?

Anyway, a very enjoyable and informative article that gets my vote for inclusion.

Gif

This is a very interesting and enjoyable article. I've never heard of Shaver before.

A few typos and one stylistic point:

it's final issues --> its final issues
outre --> outré (if you can manage that accent)
covers? --> covers.
luster --> lustre
increasingly little attention --> less and less attention

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Ziff-Davis still exists, though it sold Amazing off a long time ago.
Shaver's beings may have spoken different languages, but apparently their written language is definitely related to English. Remember, we're all descended from deros. It begs the question of what to do with a word in, say, Arabic, which may be spelled several different ways when translated into English. Hey, Shaver couldn't think of everything - not even when he had help.
I'll try and fix those typos. I don't know how to put the accent in outre; maybe the editors can do that.
Peace,
Stephen

Hi Stephen,
nice article, although I cannot get myself to believe in it.
For a change like this 12000 year seems much too short, and I have difficulties to believe in a very old language depending on modern english.

For me you may have it in the guide

Well, I swallowed it whole. I've been spending all my time since I read it translating the true meaning of the Bible, and I can tell you, you wouldn't Adam 'n' Eve what it really says!

Spiff *returns to his Bible studies*

Loved it!

The only thing I'd like to see more of in information on Shaver himself. What happened to him after the 'shaver era', that kind of thing.

NBY

I agree with NBY on both counts.

My six year old is, by this reckoning Kinetic Energy Child Child Energy Beneficial force Human. Fits

I'd like to know more about Shaver's later years myself. There seems to be very little information available. Every once in a while some science fiction magazine would mention Shaverism, usually critically, and Shaver would write in and defend himself.
The Shaver alphabet is addictive. I knew we were in for trouble in the last US Presidential election when I used the alphabet on the candidates: Generate Orifice Horror Energy and Be You Sun Human. Not good either way.
I rank Shaverism as slightly above the Easter Bunny on the credibility scale, the difference being that the Easter Bunny doesn't have his own alphabet.

Stephen

Shaver alphabet and my children...

Generate Energy Sun Sun Energy and Horror Human I Animal Child Child Oriface Child. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

If the material on Shaver isn't there, it isn't there. I've run into that problem myself. Too bad, though.

You think that the Easter Bunny is... LESS credible than Shaverism? Next, you'll probably go on about Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, who are some of my favorite people.

NBY

Yeah, like my favorite meal, the suggested serving, which looks nothing like the serving suggestion.

I'll take a look around. I only got one hit on Dogpile.
That was about Palmer.

Wandering around in the web of broken links, the best I can find is that the sixties were kind to Shaver. He moved several times, was married, had a functioning art studio that sold his paintings and his rock slices, and was having his work, pictorial and otherwise published the year he died, 1975
There are several treatises on his 'outsider' art and there have apparently been exhibits, which suggests that there is a collection somewhere or wheres.

i'm not digging in that area of the 'unexplained' again for awhile.

Thanks - there are a lot of broken Shaverist links, aren't there? Those darn deros!
I'll make one or two minor modifications tomorrow. I forgot to mention teros, the opposite of deros, who are rare on the Earth but more common wherever the heck the Titans went.

Stephen

Yeah, and the broken links are a bit of a relief. The one's I actually read are a bit creepy.
I left that kind of stuff behind when I threw my Erich Von Daniken books away about twenty-two years ago.

Though I still find the Cuzco lines fascinating.

Okay - minor changes made. Plus, I've added a link to the Shavertron, an online Shaverist archive! Now you can read Shaverist writings over your own computer, with very few harmful effects, probably. (joke)
Please let me know if you have trouble with the link. I had this link in an early draft of the entry, but it wouldn't work. This time I think it's okay; I tested it a minute ago and it worked, but you never can tell..

Stephen

it'll bring new meaning to the words 'warp' and 'drive'.



tr, s.a.d.

Stephen

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