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

for quick reference
Entry: Henry Ford - A87773179
Author: shagbark - U170775

Sorry, that's what I meant to say. After mentioning the foundation of the factory in 1903 you say

> He planned for cars that were just alike, and all painted black

and then in a footnote

> From 1908 to 1914, the Model T was not available in black but rather only grey, green, blue, and red. Starting in 1915 they were black.

What I fear is that the reader may get the impression that Model Ts were initially all black, with a colourful period in between

1903-8 black
1908-14 coloured
1915-27 black

I suggest:

> He planned for cars that were just alike, and all painted blackIn fact the 'any color so long as it is black' policy was only applied from 1915. The earliest Model Ts came in grey, green, blue, and red..

I think that the extremely anti-semetic forgery 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' was published in Ford's Dearborn newspaper. He might not have had a picture of Hitler in his office but was as much afflicted with anti-semitism as Hitler was.

I will admit that he was an anti-semite. But NOT to the degree Hitler was.

I am replacing colour footnote:
In fact the 'any color so long as it is black' policy was only applied from 1915. The earliest Model Ts came in grey, green, blue, and red.

I have also noted his anti-Semitism (see footnote 3)and accompanying text.

Most uber rich industrialist become philanthropists, setting up universities, research centres, libraries, art galleries etc. Having scanned your good article, I didn't spot any mention of this possible aspect of the person.

A second quick scan and I see you have indeed touched on this with:
the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and the Fort McAllister Historic Park.

"Collecting evidence of American history became one of his passions".

I suppose this would be slanted in favour of white colonists ...

Thanks for amending the footnote. You need a period after the footnote, with no space before or after the < > brackets, thus:

...and all painted blackIn fact the 'any color so long as it is black' policy only began being applied in 1915. The earliest Model Ts came in grey, green, blue, and red..

But the subeditor will see to this anyway, so you're fine.

anything else?

Patience, Grasshopper

I don't know if this is useful, but the Post Oddity for 19 November will be a photo of the grille of an Edsel. You could always snatch it for your entry. Unless, of course, like Mr Ford, you'd rather forget about the Edsel...

That Edsel Grille story is hilarious. Betcha don't print it!

<bigeyes. What story? All I know is that the Edsel was a byword for 'bomb'. Tell. (Or give us a link.)

“Among other things, it was derided for having a grille that looked like a toilet seat. Time magazine popularized the wisecrack that it looked like an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon.” That distinguishing feature was more affectionately known as the horse collar grille. http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/edsel-50-years-after-its-demise/

That it?

Great. Thanks, Recumbentman. You have now contributed to the Oddity of the Week.

Interesting that the technical name for a horse collar is a hames.

No, it's far less printable than that. It didn't stop Time magazine alluding to it in here, though:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657867_1657781,00.html