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

This is an entertaining little bit about the Yellow Pages (commercial directory) phone book. What it boils down to is the odd groupings of consecutive headings and what results they can have. The ULWFT section, I think, could be very helpful to someone in need of ideas for gettin' some lovin'.

Anyway, I'd love some comments.

Lochinvar

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A524099

I'd suggest taking a good look at the writing guidelines....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Writing-Guidelines

One of the points is that the entry needs to be instructive, informative, and factual. While this entry might be the latter, I don't think it quite fits in (yet, anyway) with the first two.

An entry on the "yellow pages" in general, however, would be a really interesting thing to see. where did they start? are they just an american thing, just a western culture thing, or are they universal?

Why is it that I have 9 different yellow page directories for this year alone, coming from 4 different companies? In the "good old days", the yellow pages were only published by the one and only local phone company, so you only got one (or maybe 2 if you were in a really big city).


Mikey

We certainly have Yellow Pages here in Ireland, but they are called the "Golden Pages".

This is a pretty politically charged issue, but here's one of my favorite yellow pages observations ---

5-10 years ago, "abortion" was one of the first listings you came across if you opened the yellow pages, and was generally followed a page later by "adoption". It has recently been changed (at least in all of my yellow pages, of which my apartment is overflowing with) so that "abortion alternatives" comes first (and is really the same as "adoption" used to be), and is then followed by "abortion".

Now, I'm not taking a stance here one the whole abortion issue (peer review really isn't the place), but I DO find it incredibly interesting that the pro-life groups have used alphabetical order as a weapon in the battle.


mikey

On the whole I liked this entry. I think it has something to offer the guide. In reply to earlier comment about informative, instructive and factual - I think it does the first and latter; and I'm sure there are many guide entries that provide no instruction to anyone. Admittedly it can be a touch too personal in the writing style.

I think however there is a danger of the guide becoming a homogenous product, filled with similar sounding and structured entries. That would be dull. It is the author's perspective and creativity that adds life to each. It is nice if that can be nurtured rather than stamped out.

That said, here's some of my damning criticism:
- I found the writing style a bit too wordy and hence difficult to read. First paragraph for instance took ages. It's nice to read something where the author has a good grasp of the English language, but showing it off is a different matter entirely
- until I got to TULFT - I felt the title might better be something like "Irony in the Yellow Pages".
- as mentioned by some other. A bit of description about the Yellow Pages might be helpful to anyone from a land where they don't exist (if there is one!).

I'm willing to argue that this article is informative and instructional.

The reader learns not only that the alphabetizing creates odd bedfellows, but also gets ideas and hints on how to use the Yellow Pages and the locations of some of the more useful items such as yogurt. (Furthermore, bears like beany wienies, and ULWFT is pronounced ulwf't.)

The ULWFT is nothing if not instructional for strange people in love. Anyone can become a Casanova if they follow the simple instructions. This article could also prevent people from panicking under adverse conditions. They'll know to stay calm and find a solution in the Yellow Pages.

Lochinvar

I'm also of the opinion that something creative yet factual like this should find a place in the Guide.

It's not quite the same thing, but I can't read something like this without being taken back to the classic YP section:

BORING
- see Civil Engineers


GVI

Lochinvar, I think your yarn is splendid. One little niggle, perhaps it would work better with a name change. One that springs to (my) mind is "Finger Walking - The Yellow Pages".

Upon doing a little more "research" I found out this yarn has already been recommended. Alas, it failed (in its current form) to be accepted into the guide.

Perhaps the following comments can help.

Your entry needs more concrete information in order to serve as a
reference for other researchers. A few of the points in it are
fantastical, which works as a humorous observation, but facts would be
helpful for inclusion as an approved guide entry.

In view of the above comments, I would like to recommend the article be moved to the Writing Workshop.

>> Upon doing a little more "research" I found out this yarn has already been recommended<<
Are you talking of 'recommended' in the way scouts are recommending?

* confused *

Yes. It was recommended in April but, alas, didn't get the go-ahead from the Powers at the Towers.

In my opinion it is salvagable. If the author adds a few facts it will be hunky-dory.

Alas. Doesn't look like the author will be making any changes at all: F74125?thread=179775&latest=1

-Spike A.