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

Hi everyone,

I have just filled in the third - I believe - survey for the BBC.

I actually will not fill in another one - as that is apparently all they can do.They ask practically the same questions every time. Why dont they just put as their first question
!The date of the questionnaire
2 Have you filled one in before
3 and then continue.......

I have filled it in every single survey I believe, and I think that Ancient Brit has gone to great lengths to ensure that I am apparently the oldest surviving resarcher on this site.

I have absolutely no ambitions to fill any posts on this site.

I do however. expect to be treated with a little bit of respect from our new "masters"

Who knows, perhaps within the next few days, when they have changed the means of accessing the site they might have been able to blow me away for good.!!

If they do, may I tell my many, many friends, Gnoman, my oldest friend on the site, Amy Pawlowski and Willem, and the many friends that I have made over the years - Paul H, Hypatia (who so kindly visited me last year with Teucher)websailor LLWaz and all the countless other very important researchers in my life, that although I am cut off from mainstream life, you have made the years since 2001 so incredibly happy and meaningful for me.

There was a new question on the interview schedule and that was

"Have you learnt anything new on the site"

The answer is a thumping Yes. I have learnr about the galaxies. One marvellous friend worked out when the ISS was passing over my neck of the woods and gave the time of the evening and where I should look to find it.

Now what other site does that for an old biddy that the BBC interviews in boring fashion three times in as many months.? It would take me pages to let you know how my life has been made meaningful and useful through this site.

Whu don't you design a programme which will tell you who writes to whom, and who are the specialists and what their speciality is?

Why is there not a date and a time automatically on our posts. Why don't you design some clever little motif which will tell us what the time is in every part of the world. We know, because we have learnt it from our friends, "across" the pond and in Asia. Australia/ and New Zealand.

Eighty one and a half I am - and I am certain that although I had a stroke last year, I have found a purpose in life through the lives and friendships I have formed on this site.

It would do the hierarchy of the BBC enormous good to find friendship on h2g2 - and I HATE the abbreviation of HOOTOO - It sounds as if we are all owls.!.

I was a researcher in South Africa - and my work was published.

I am actually jolly cross, but I know it is good for me to still be able to feel cross over things that matter.

However, if this latest escapade of yours with your new iD etc. and now this wretched survey, manages to eliminate me from your data base if I have not done it correctly, you will actually have truly ruined my old life.

Christiane M. E.
AlsoRan80

13/11/09 = my daughter Marie Louise in Perth Australia 57th birthday
20l40 GMT

Calm down dear Christiane,

The surveys are common place on many web sites, it is much like market research and I am sure the option was there to refuse to do it. It is not mandatory. The reasons behind market research are not always apparent but it must serve some purpose. I believe too that the surveys are random so nothing is directed at you specifically. It just helps them to know the age range for which they are catering.

I managed to upgrade to BBC iD with no problem and I am sure it will all settle down in good time.

Incidentally what is wrong with being an Owl? Especially a very Wise Owl as you truly are, as are many more researchers. I don't find it in the least offensive, more a compliment really.

Oh, and thanks so much for including me in your list of friends. I am honoured. I value you too.



Websailor

Very dear WS>dragon?

Thank you for the good advice. !!

Trying hard to calm down. I think is is the wretched reaction to my heart medication.
I am ITCHING, ITCHING, ITCHING ALL OVER.

Quite horrid. !

Thanks for your advice. !!

Christiane.

12/11/09

22.30 GMT

Christiane, when I'm asked to fill out the surveys I always refuse. I'd like to fill one out, but since I'm not in the U.K. I can't, but I'm occasionally asked anyway. It has been a while since I've been asked so maybe they finally figured out the difference between local users and those from other countries. Or maybe I've just been luckily overlooked for awhile.

Good morning Count Zero,

What excellent adivce!

I wish I had thought of it. I filled it in, and wrote a long moan about how it was thr third one I had filled in since the BBC had acceted "responsibility " for this site.

One thing I have not learnt as I am growing older is to be diplomatic.!!

Oh well, At least I always write my criticisms publicly - there is no subterfuge about it. !!

I am thinking of you so much with the discovery of water on the moon. You must be very excited about it.

Go well,

Christiane

14/11/ 09 5.15. GMT

Christiane, why do you refer to the BBC as "our new masters"? They were the masters when you first joined the site.

Oh! I have always thought that we were a self sufficient group.!!

Beg pardon sir!! And the BBC naturellement.

What a storm. I would hate to be a ship in the channel I hve never seen any sea so rough. It is really tempestuous.

I saw a photograph of you during my wanderings a couple of days ago. I would never have recognizied you.!!

K. is in hospital. Hopefully for not too long. what a dreadful illness it is. One never knows when it s going to strike. fortunately he actually likes hospital. He is very gregarious and loves company. Also there are nice staff in the wards.

I am getting down to tidying my flat and trying to put some sort of order into my filing. everything goes so slowly when one is 81.

Go well dear friend. How is your music? Are you and your wife still playing? Have girls kept up their enthusiasm?

With affection to you all.

Christiane.
Ar80

14/11/98 13.55 GMT

We are both still singing, in a small choir on Mondays and a big choir on Thursdays. My elder daughter El is now studying Music and Irish in Trinity College, Dublin, as well as studying piano and cello in the DIT Conservatory of Music. My younger daughter is preparing for her Junior Certificate exam next June, which is roughly the equivalent of the UK's O-Levels.

Sorry to hear about K. I'm sure he'll pull through and will soon be back to normal.

'... which is roughly the equivalent of the UK's O-Levels.'

Oh, that we still had 'em!

Do you not do O-levels anymore?

Dear Gnoman.

Are you still working Gnoman? And you do all those extra things. You are going to have to choose what you can drop and what ou want to continue with.

Oh dear. that weill be difficult.
My good wishes to the girls in all their activities. Would you ever be able to play as a quartet string/ wind/ mixed or whatever. That would be super,

Thank you for your thoughtful jessage about K. I shall be taking a taxi to go and visit him tomorrow in Hospital. He is very happy there.

Go well

With good wishes to you all

Christiane
AR80

14.11.09

16.55 GMT

Cme
AR80

I used to do paid surveys for that CISO ( I think that's what its called?)anyway, I used to cash in every time I reached £10, also did "reports" on anything we bought, but it was the actual surveys we got paid for

Smudger.

No, we have GCSE's. These are General Certificates of Secondary Education.

Several decades ago, a qualification was introduced called the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE). These were introduced because GCE 'O' Level was regarded as being too elitist and many pupils were failing to get a qualification at all. A CSE Grade 1 was equivalent to a Grade C at 'O' Level, and they went down to Grade 6.

Then some years back the GCE 'O' Level and CSE exams were combined to form a single qualification, the GCSE.

However, the net result of this is has been to render the quality of questioning poorer/more mediocre than the 'O' Level. Hence a GCSE Grade A* was introduced to create some differentiation. However, a disproportionate number of pupils now obtain grades between A* and C whereas, by definition, the modal number of pupils should gain a Grade C (the Grades go down to 'G').

Now, in Chemistry, at least, students coming in to study at 'A' Level largely lack the necessary study skills and so there is a high early drop-out rate. They think that just because they had to do little work/revision to pass GCSE with a high grade, the same is true at 'A' Level