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

The goals and ambitions of your proposal are most laudible and commendable and I am pleased to be the first of, I hope many, who will offer their encouragement.

Sadly, I find myself asking, "But what can I do?" and "What can I say?" to help. Like most people I feel powerless to do anything about the troubles of the world. Like most people I need to be told how my 'hope' can be turned into something more positive and realistic.
Leadership is the key issue.

Lead on.
peace
~jwf~

I second that on all counts.

In these times of difficulty and conflict around the it is so important for people to hear about the good side of humanity also.

shazz

Hya (and Happy Christmas)

Yes, it can be hard to know 'what can I do..what can I say?' The answer is that you CAN do something...and you CAN say something.

Please just look out for good news stories. I found one on my local rag from Barnet Council in London yesterday. Not much maybe - but a new move to clean up the streets and educate people. It's quite good enough to go on 360 - we're not just looking for huge stories about exciting far-away countries.

Does anyone you know raise money for charity? Or give time to the local community? Is anyone you know working in prisons to help inmates?

Or, if not...please just tell your friends about the site and see if they know anyone or anything.

There's an old phrase - and if anyone can remember the author, please add the credit because I can't remember - it says 'For evil to succeed all it needs is for good men {or women!}to do nothing.'

Go to it! Please log onto the site anyway to put comments there - because that all builds it up and is helpful. And thanks for posting.

Best wishes,

Maggy

It was Martin Luther King Junior.
That you didn't actually 'know' that and yet still felt it was true to your belief system speaks well of you and your cause.
To recognise a truth and treasure it, with no concern for the politics, sex, colour, race or religion of the truth-teller is something only good people of truth and true spirit can do.
Either that or you've been reading up on how to control mass audiences. Hey, I'm a TV producer too, and I would. Well, I would if there was anything new to learn about mass marketing.

~jwf~ *Nuke the gay whales!*

Thanks! I think we all try to manipulate people now and again...but in the long run it doesn't work - and it backfires. Been there, fallen over that.

You said, in your first posting that 'leadership is a key issue' - the leader of the 360 team is Richard Creasey - you can find out a bit about him from his personal space. He's a real leader - someone I am proud to work for.

I met him 12 years ago when I put in a documentary proposal for Central TV in the Midlands. Richard was head of documentaries. He called me in for just 15 minutes; didn't ask about the idea but told me to tell him about me. Then at the end of it he said 'Okay, do it.'

Three days later, he sent me a memo suggesting that I go and see a former colleage of his in London who might be able to help - and that was it. I didn't hear from him again for nearly a year.

The documentary got made - and was a success. WhenI met him again I asked if he always commissioned in the same way. Yes, he did - because he believes that all people need is the opportunity. They will either do it - or not do it. Neither matters - but the chance should be given.

I rather like that... and I'm really glad that fate pushed us together again all these years later.

Maggy

I do sympathise with JWF's sentiments; but I think what we can say is 'I'm willing' and what we can do is keep our eyes open and start small if necessary. And thank goodness for the leaders! I'll see what I can find.

Good wishes, Chocolate Drop.

Greetings 189012 and welcome to the wonderful world of h2g2.

Your point about willingness is well taken. And for the record let me assure you I am willing. It's my abilities I doubt sometimes.

Be sure to put an entry on your personal space soon so people can come to your page and leave postings there. A group called the Aces will have noted your arrival and will want to make official welcomes with suggestions on how to make the most of the h2g2 experience. But first you need to make an entry there that they can 'reply' to.

peace
jwf

Ooops
Silly me. I forgot to change my identity before I posted that last bit. I had been online editing the AGG/GAG page for the Post and forgot to turn back into ~jwf~.

I got the impression you want to be known as 'chololate drop' and you can do that by clicking the 'Prefernces' button at the top of any page. To post on your 'personal space' click the 'edit page' button and type a few words.

peace
jwf

~jwf~ fancy meeting you here! *waves*


Hi 360 Team!

I keep telling people h2g2 is going to change the world!

They laugh.

Now maybe they'll still laugh, but perhaps not quite so loud!

Wow! Keep on telling people that! Yes, they may laugh...but if some people are willing to keep sticking their head above the parapet and try, something will, eventually, shift.

I think the world only REALLY changes when we change ourselves and willingness is a brilliant start. Taking the first practical step is the next bit and then getting a bit of momentum up is when it all starts making sense.

One of the BBC's foreign correspondents has been in touch saying he wants to be a part of the 360 site because he sees so much war and would like to contribute something to healing after war... and we are working on how to get a momentum going. At the moment I'm looking through a load of videos by a group called the Television Trust for the Environment who have spent years filming 'solutions' to environmental problems. It's really amazing to realise how much is being done - and how little we know about it.

Maggy