The h2g2 Post 29.05.17

Created Mar 20, 2017 | Updated May 28, 2017

A crest bearing the legend The H2G2 Post

Posted: 29^th May 2017

Do You Know Where Your Towel Is?

An iris in bloom. No, my towel isn't behind the irises. The iris is just for pretty - it's a hardy native iris from Pennsylvania, and it knows how to make deer leave it alone. The towel is in my jeans pocket. Remember, I used a dehydrated one this year. Handy for carrying around. We hope you enjoyed your Towel Day, wherever you were. Superfrenchie was lying on a French beach, safely removed from snarky Editors and their bad jokes. We will show you some more towels if you hang around long enough.

This was one of those 'good and bad' weeks. Last night, Your Editor awoke from a deep sleep, shouting triumphantly, 'I know exactly what to write in the Post Editorial tomorrow!' Unfortunately, I had forgotten my clever idea by morning. Fortunately, it didn't matter, because by morning, the Post Inbox was full of new Stuff, which would have made the old idea moot, anyway. Like I said, it was one of those 'good and bad' weeks. Boy, have we got interesting things for you to read, look at, and wonder over.
Baron Grim and his towel are about to hitch a ride.
Baron Grim took a selfie with towel at the Johnson Space Center's Rocket Park last Thursday. He's got the right idea: towel plus thumb.

We hope he didn't catch a ride with the Vogons, and we're looking forward to more pics.

On the wildlife front, Willem has committed a kitty painting. But it's real, not merely an internet meme. That sand cat lives in the Sahara. What did North Africa do to deserve this level of cute?
SashaQ, too, has been outdoors. (We recommend it, it's nice this time of year.) Enjoy pics of the garden and admire the sparrow. Natural beauty comes in many forms.
We really want to thank everyone who helped make the May Create Challenge such a success. You can enjoy the fruits of our contributors' reflections in this issue. On the philosophical front, Willem and 2legs have deep thoughts. Okay, Willem has deep thoughts, and 2legs makes our heads hurt. But you'll want to read both of them, because that's what we do at h2g2.
Other contributors were inspired to build fictional worlds. Minorvogonpoet playfully pinches a new wrinkle in the fabric of gender politics, while Freewayriding takes us far out into space and a possible future. You'll learn something from both of them: we did.
Superfrenchie may be enjoying the ocean waves, but she's left us a cool picture to caption. Truly, the French are amazing. Even their firefighting emergencies are catered comme il faut.
The Guide Editors' war on artificial intelligence continues unabated. In this week's episode, Bluebottle adds insult to the injury of last time (remember the Bouncy Bouncy Buttocks Blog? We do) as he continues to ply ELIZA with Monty Python quotes. Read, giggle immoderately.
Awix has cinema. We put this here until we know what it is, so that we can warn you. He's been watching some dodgy movies lately, cannibal feminists and whatnot. Oh, gack, here it is in the inbox. You will have to read this. You will not believe this version of the Arthurian legend. It makes Monty Python look downright respectful. As usual, Awix bravely watches, so you don't have to.

Prof Animal Chaos' Yorkshire towel wall hanging.

We quiz you about the news, and show you a beautiful bronze horse that's not going anywhere. We snark, and we explain why snark is important. We share some insightful eco-minded writing from the past, and wonder about the future ecology of the moon. Our Japanese art rooster waves his tail in the direction of the California chickens. In short, it's the usual: unusual, in spades.

Towel Day is every day in my hallway.
Prof Animal Chaos

Herewith the promised Towel Day memorial, courtesy of the Prof, who is the most patriotic Yorkshireman of the bunch.
Meet News: No, that isn't news about meat. Nor are we inviting you to meet the news – we've done that with the quiz. Amy Pawloski reminded us to remind you that 'the first Meet of the summer is less than 2 months away.' If you want information about this summer's meets, please consult pages on the London, Manchester, and Edinburgh doings. Plan to make it, if you can: there will no doubt be beer, particularly if Pastey's around. And there will definitely be a good time to be had.
Bluebottle on Towel Day, after a run.

Today my towel and I went for a 5 mile run at lunch time (I feel I did all the work and carried the towel all the way), it was a warm 25°C / 77° F with 50% humidity. This is what I looked like at the end – hot, sweaty, tired and exhausted. So unlikely to make a good first impression to people who don’t know what I look like.

Bluebottle

Create News: 1 June will be upon us before the next issue. So remember to check the new Create Challenge coming up. It's called 'Changing the Past, One Step at a Time', and yes, we know that's weird. But you keep solving all the problems, and we're running out of worlds to conquer. Essentially, we want you to figure out what one thing you could change, and how it would have made the world different. (Don't everybody talk about elections, please.) You'll see what we mean, and we suspect we'll get some fun out of this challenge. At least, judging by FWR's illustration, we will. . .

So, I think I've remembered to tell you everything everybody told me to tell you. Oh, wait: Robbie Stamp wanted me to tell you that thanks to you, h2g2 is 'an oasis of good things on the internet.' His words. So now you are told, and I can shut up and let you read. As usual, we have no 'like' buttons, but you can leave comments, captions, and witty guesses to the puzzles.

Milla's Towel Day experience added lilac in memory of Sir Terry Pratchett.

Vip is being coy, but she knows where her towel is.

Have a wonderful week out there in the world, you Hitchhikers!

Dmitri Gheorgheni

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Colours of Wildlife Sand kitty.	Join the Q Sasha Goes Outside.

NEWS AND VIEWS
24 Lies a Second Le Morte d'Arfur.	The Post Quiz What happened this month?
h2g2 Literary Corner Making PETA cry.	Writing Right with Dmitri The power of snark.
ALTERNATE WORLDS
Create May Mystopia.	Create May Those Who Have Gone Before.

VISIONARIES
Create May Building a Better World.	Create May Is Ignorance Bliss?
Bluebottle vs ELIZA Bluebottle's Blind Bat Blog.	Gheorgheniplex Space miner's blues. . .
OUR STRANGE WORLD
h2g2 Caption Challenge Savoir faire.	Picture Quiz A patient horse.
	Art History 101 Rooster shout-out. Towel Day at the pet salon.
FEEDBACK, SUBMISSIONS AND DISCUSSION
Email the Post Team For submissions and editorial feedback	The Post Readers' Forum Chat about The Post with other readers and the Team