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

Entry: The Broadmoor Siren - A7052726
Author: Icy North - U225620

Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?

Hi Icy,

Just had a quick flick through it and it's a nice entry, I'll read it in-depth later. I was seconded for 3 months in the early 90's to work in the Rehabilitation unit there and I remember the siren well! It sounds even worse from the inside (honest, I was working there)

One thing I would quibble about is:

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It is one of 3 max security hospitals in England. There are four in the UK, including Carstairs in Lanarkshire which covers Scotland and N. Ireland.

Hi there,

Interesting entry - I'd never heard of the siren before.
One thing - wasn't Ian Brady, the Moors Murderer, sent to Broadmoor? He might be worth adding to your list.

Thanks Deakie - I've made that small correction.

As someone with insider knowledge in the early 1990's, I'd be particularly interested in your memories of the last breakout.

Icy

Thanks Casper

I don't know how I missed Brady! He's there now.

Icy

Excellent entry - just the kind of thing I like to read.



sprout

And I thought this was going to be about one of my ex's.

Good stuff.

Thanks Sprout, thanks Mckay.

Thought I'd post to say the siren's sounding right now.

This is a rather interesting entry - wish we had more of these coming through

It's very good, and I don't think it steps on the prospective toes of anyone who will be wanting to write a more general entry about Broadmoor in the future. Nice one.

Thanks Alex & BH.

Yes - I didn't want to cover the role or history of Broadmoor in this entry - they deserve a far more in-depth treatment. I just wanted a thought-provoking piece about an everyday threat that we don't often consider. The notorious inmates I listed would benefit from separate entries too. I may write a couple if this one gets accepted.

My only concern with this is your use of the phrase "loony bin". What do others think?

There shouldn't be quotation marks around the initial quotation since it is in italics.

'Loony bin' will probably not pass the scrutiny of the Editors.

I agree.

And although I know it's a pain, if you could pick out the quotation marks that Microsoft Word has made curvy annoying and replace them with normal quotes, that would be terrific. It's just that they're a pet peeve of mine.

I also agree about Looney Bin. Other than that it's an excellent entry.

Yes, I was surprised about this expression, although I'm sure it's how people usually call it, it's probly not pc Oh, and there are more comments here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F2941845?thread=1551836&latest=1

Aagh, I've been nicked by the PC police! It's a fair cop, guv.

Let's consider alternatives to loony bin.

"lunatic asylum" - nah, not PC either. It's that "lunatic" word isn't it? - these days it conjures up some image from our dark psyche. We feel collectively responsible for the poor way in which our forebears treated the mentally ill. Not only did we shut them away where we didn't have to think about them, but we labelled them with terms like "lunatic". It's an odd word - it originates from how we once believed insanity came with changes of the moon, but that's another guide entry.

"asylum"? - not specific enough

"madhouse"? That's worse than loony bin.

OK, let's try Rogets: mental home, mental hospital, psychiatric hospital, nuthouse (!), booby-hatch (!!), funny farm.

That's enough of that. I'm not convinced there is a good alternative. It's a maximum security hospital, but that's a mouthful, and it doesn't really indicate the mental instability of the inmates. May the Editors do what they think is best. It's they who shall be sued after all.

... and the quotes have gone - thanks

I think Mental Hospital is best

I was going to comment on the 'loony bin' but lots of people beat me to it... (booby-hatch?!) good Entry, will we be seeing an Entry on Broadmoor itself as an encore?