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

Entry: Where to go to buy a fur hat with a star on it in Moscow? - A87747006
Author: Solnushka - Create Editor - Like John Donne? Then do not go here: A87745837 - U138596

OK, so a couple of quesitons: is the reference to the Old Arbat too obscure? And should I tone down the fur hat bashing?



I have a (lot of) picture(s) for this too.

Sounds like fun. Can I buy a tank to go with my fur hat?

Really like the tone in this entry - snarky without going over the top.

sprout

"with eggs shapes and gift bearing peasants being particularly popular designs" -- do you mean that eggs and gift-bearing peasants are two popular designs, or do you mean egg-shaped, gift-bearing peasants?

I think the correct word for what a blacksmith does is not "blacksmithing" but "forging", although you'd have to say "forging iron" (as opposed to forging art or banknotes).

You've explained the word spravka by saying it is a chitty, but I don't know that word and can't find it in a dictionary (although it's probably in the big Shorter OED at home). Can you use a different word?

Great entry!

I was amazed by the number of dolls based around former Russian/Soviet leaders.

I brought two back, one fairly dull one with printed images of (from largest to smallest) Lenin, Stalin, Kruschev, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin (the top half of the Gorbachev doll ended up on my Christmas tree: http://yfrog.com/eseh0fj )

The other is a large, odd-shaped hand-painted one with charicatures of Putin, Yeltsin, Gorbachev, Brehznev, Kruschev, Stalin, Lenin, Nicolas II, Catherine the Great and a teeny, tiny little Peter the Great.

Given that Soviet Communism is seen as an evil (especially Stalin's reign), I found it really odd to see all these effigies of a mass murderer four tourists to take home. Which doesn't explain why I bought two, I guess.

If a picture would help the article, I'm happy to take a few snaps!

Do any of the dolls have a fur hat with a red star on them? That would be particularly good.

They don't, but I think I do have such a hat somewhere (bought from Prague). I could upturn it, and put the dolls in it?

Sounds good to me!

I'll see if I can dig it all out tonight. And find my camera...

If Sol's not already got ideas for a picture, that is?

Well, she did say in the first post that she had some photos - I'll wait and see what her response is first.

Thanks all, glad you liked it!

Egg shapes and the peasants are two differentthings, but I'll make that a bit clearer. Also forging. A chitty is, I think, WW2 army slang for the sort of bit of paper you need to fulfil beaurocratic requirements. I suppose it is abit British, even if you had recognised it, Gnomon. Shame, because it's a very good translation. I'll change that too.

Photos. OK, so the ones I've got are shots fromaround and about the market, and also the Kremlin. I think I would prefer one (or two or... three?) of those because the thing about Vernesage is that it is visually interesting in and of itself. Plus, I'd like some of the handicrafts illustrated, because I doubt the description really does them justice, although I suppose I am going to have to write more entires about them to get each one its picture.

Funnily enough a hat with a star on it and the leaders matryoshkas are the only things I do not have... But it also occurs to me that the title is pulling the focus away from the market proper so I am going to change that too. Really should stop letting my sense of humour get away with me.

Thnks fo the offer though, Mr603. When were you there? Did they still have the bears at the entrance? I couldn;t decide whether to mention that or not as I'm not sure they are current.

It's OK Sol, I think everything (including my camera) is packed up in some box or other, so it'd be loads of hassle to follow through on my offer!

I don't recall any bears, but I was in Moscow in 2008 for a football game.

Going back to 'chitty' - it's a commonly used word in British English as far as I am aware. If it's a good translation - maybe a footnote rather than use a different word? Especially if the word is going to be hard for non-native English readers.

To be honest, I'd never realised how different Irish English could be. Do any US folk not understand this word ( I am just asking out of curiosity )

Sol, the entry is long enough to take two or even three pictures.

Can you please add TITLE="xxx" attributes to the tags? These titles will be displayed in the right margin.

In the US the term "chit" was used for a piece of paper that could be redeemed for something like a meal. I believe it came from the Army in WWII. I haven't heard it used in many years. Most people around here just say "ticket" these days.

FS

I shall send all the pix I have then and then the artists can sort out which ones they think are best.

"Can you please add TITLE="xxx" attributes to the tags? These titles will be displayed in the right margin." Would be happy to but I don't have the faintest idea what this is about. We have just hurtled beyond the extent of my GuideML knowledge.

Re Chitty: I suppose if it is WW2 it should be US and British. Still, it's not essential so I will make some changes there (I will...). In fact, I don;t really need 'spravka' except that a properly stamped spravka is something that features very largely in life in Russia and so we might as well introduce the concept gently to Russia-watchers.

In the use in your entry the word "certificate" or "document" would probably be more correct.
FS

Sol, in your first external link, for example, you have:

a market called Vernisage

This appears in the text as "a market called Vernisage", which is OK, but it also appears in the Right Margin as "a market called Vernisage" which looks odd and unprofessional. It would be better if the Right Margin title were "Izmailovo Vernisage: The Vernisage" or something like that. You do this by adding a TITLE attribute to your LINK:

a market called Vernisage