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

While you are being so busy, but ....
I've followed your F&M reports in another place (and fallen over you almost everywhere my foot has trod). It puts a human perspective on the difficult to grasp the awfulness presented by "here today, gone today" reporters few of whom have empathy, and - who knows - may be part of the problem. Who thinks that we need so many of them? Not me.
But that's not the reason for my visit. As if you have not had sufficient to put up with, I heard that "Queniborough" (?) has been singled out as a CJD source. Tell me that it's nowhere near you, and that you've been a vegi for 20+ years, please.
I had thought of changing my ID before openly associating with some anti - authoritarian figure. Then I thought "why should I change a half century habit". So I didn't.
** and now we're looking out for better weather.**

Hiya Plaguesville. Do you mean I'm one of those awful reporters? Hope not I've just got obsessed by it because it's going on all around me (the disease isn't here but the atmosphere is) and I can't even go out for a breath of fresh air with my dogs because there's nowhere I can take them. Perhaps I should drive 17 miles to Leicester and find a park to walk them in. And yes, the weather could be better. I drove through a bit of a flood going to work and back.

Anyway, Queniborough. It's the other side of Leicestershire from where I live. I live on the Leics/Northants border, in the south of the county and Queniborough is in north Leicestershire. I've been a veggie for about 25 years but I may be mad anyway - stir-crazy might be a better way to put it. Caught the very tail end of what sounded like a really interesting interview with one of the scientists when I got home at about 8.45 this evening. I've been scanning the news for a repeat of it ever since. The bit I heard was about people with loose teeth being more susceptible to vCJD. Intriguing. I wonder why.

I'm not really anti-authority ... well, I suppose I am but it's one of those things you can see couldn't possibly work when there are 6 billion people on the planet, all wanting to do their own thing and some of them not caring much about how their behaviour might damage other people. I'm a natural born anarchist but I'm also an adult - the two things don't fit comfortably together unfortunately.

I had a sort of vague idea that you lived in a rural area. I just had a look at your page to check, but you seem to have been moderated. Can't you reinstate your introduction or are you having a protest (as I did myself at the weekend)?

Sal

Rural? yep, that's me.
Actually the edge of the southern spiral arm of Greater Manchester. Having said that there are still footpaths in 3 directions less than 400 yds from here through farm fields. There is a brick belt all around the farm. From time to time there are animals there. Some years ago when we were bequeathed my mother's dog, I quite often found cattle strolling through the local estate in the early hours. If they were on a straight bit of road they could be shooed back by flapping an umbrella at them. If they had got to the cross road then it only made matters worse.
Early this year a flock of sheep got out of one field, strolled 200 yards to the A6 (4 lanes) crossed the road walked past the local Co-op and were found next morning grazing on playing fields and the RC church gardens. (I believe their trespasses were forgiven.) From all accounts this went unobserved, or at least unreported.
"Yes Sir, sheep all over the road. Just blow into this while we wait for the dog van to arrive and herd them back."

As to the page, I loaded in the WP to edit. Then I got a message from Abi to the effect that an odd undotted i or uncrossed t would not necessarily cause the galaxy to crash on my bonce. That confused me - I'm a literalist. So I fully intend to remedy this failure immediately after I have been accepted into the Society of Procrastinators.

No, I was not including you amongst the F&M voyeurs. You are where you are for the reasons that you are there. I meant the flying reporters from who knows how many TV/radio/newspapers who are intent on putting themselves in affected areas and travelling heaven knows where without any possibility or pretence of helping the problem - and perhaps doing the opposite. Certainly something or someone is.

Sorry to neglect you Plaguesville. Your message disappeared below the "click here to see more conversations" line and I missed you for a little while.

What a surreal image your description of your neighbourhood conjures up. Sounds a bit "Babe in the City"ish. I haven't seen the film, but I can imagine.

I see the Society of Procrastinators still hasn't accepted you. I wonder what an inoffensive person such as yourself could possibly have said to cause the galaxy to crash. Arthur Dent caused a lot of trouble by mentioning that he was having a problem with his life-style, didn't he? I guess it doesn't take much to upset the balance in the hitchhiker universe.

Those flying reports: I saw news pics yesterday of heaps of dead sheep next to rows of dead cows (easily recognisable as Frisians) taken from a hovering helicopter. You have to wonder if things like that aren't going to blow the virus particles about. The father of one of my bosses was moaning the other day about media helicopters possibly stirring the disease up and blowing it about over his friend's land.

I'm finding this whole thing extremely depressing. I called it a holocaust in a message a bit earlier this evening. As I typed it, I thought, steady on Sal. Then I thought, no - let it stand. It is a holocaust. The dictionary definition of a holocaust is a huge slaughter or destruction of life - and that's what's happening. I haven't kept my f&m diary for a few days and part of the reason for that is each new bit of bad news makes me feel slightly numb.

Sal

Hi, Sal,
Decided to give the advertising/copyright perimeter fence a bit of a push to see what happens.
If you can stand it, take a look at my replacement page: set at 00.10 today 1.4.01 (just coincidence).
Hope you and the dogs are still in relatively good spirits in spite of everything.

oil give it foive! ... minutes that is, before the mods pull it. Ayup, it's already been there 40. If it's still there in 20, you've got away with it.

It's ages since I've read the books. That passage definitely rang bells for me and it wasn't just memories of reading the book. It's now, isn't it? It's all happening. Douglas has planned all this, the little monkey.

And you're the one who noticed. Here, have a gold star ...

Sal

Ooh thanks. That star will look lovely on my Word Police warrant card.
I got an email from the Mods timed 06.45 on 1.4.01 saying that they "had" pulled the page. But as any fule kno .... Perhaps it was an April Fool stunt, or perhaps they thought mine was. Anyhow, (the complaint was against copyright infringement, not advertising/promoting) and the guy who wrote it just happens to be a member of this er thing of which I am a member. So I thought "Why not?"
I wrote to U42 (full text) (so it's around twice) to see how infringed he feels. Bit naughty - but hey "He's just zis guy, you know?"
This could be my last ever.
Remind me, what colour is the Vogon constructor fleet?

xx

Yellow I believe. If it all goes horribly wrong, RIP Plaguesville. I wonder if you'll hear back from our glorious leader. That would be a coup or something wouldn't it ... unless it was to say "you'll be hearing from my lawyers". Na, he wouldn't, would he?

*Gulp*

Don't worry. Just plead insanity. You only need to say the word and I'll back you up, like a true friend

Yeah ....
I'll plead the meat pies!
G'night.