A Conversation for The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
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Alternative Writing Workshop: A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned Started conversation Jun 27, 2001
I'd like to know what people think about this basically. I don't think it's right for peer review (despite the fact that everything stated is entirely true) but would like to get a critique anyway.
It's not dull
Thanks in advance.
--David, who can also be expressed numerically
A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese Posted Jun 28, 2001
I've only had a quick glance over it (actually only reading headlines and 'diagonally' through the rest because I'll be heading off to work in a minute) so this *is not a profound review* but I'll come back to that
In Peer Review it would encounter problems because it doesn't really talk about reality. How about alerting the h2g2 Post people to it? See http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A566651
It's a direct hit to my sense of philosophy and rings dozens of bells (just compare with Endless Loops (at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A444845) which of course will languish in Peer Review forever although I tried hard to enrich it with facts.
There's also a project called AGGH which tries to collect philosophical pieces: Alternative Galaxial Guides for Hitchhikers, http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A506675. The true/untrue point raised there will of course have to be discussed further because yours contains pure truth.
Bossel (will be late at work )
A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese Posted Jun 30, 2001
ROOOFL I'll only need three words for my comment...
Ex - cell - ent !!!!!
I could propose some more octu er... occupations:
Business secretary: **
filing away eight files simultaneously but unable to answer the phone.
Cleaning the windows of skyscrapers: ***
well equipped with suction caps hence capable to run up the wall without help, saliva also works as antibiotic.
There's another place for pieces like that: the FFFF (Freedom From Faith Foundation) at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A254314 but you'll need an official rejection to submit there
Bossel (Scout)
A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese Posted Jun 30, 2001
A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
h2g2 auto-messages Posted Aug 7, 2001
This Conversation has been moved to the new 'Alternative Writing Workshop' as it doesn't necessarily fit the guidelines for the Edited Guide at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Writing-Guidelines (and Peer Review and the Writing Workshop are now only for discussion of entries that are being put up for the Edited Guide).
A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned Posted Aug 7, 2001
You moved it after no replies for five weeks? How much of a threat to the universe was this thread? And if it was so terribly dangerous why was nothing done before now? We could all have been killed!!! The scandal!
-- David, sarcasm £3.95 a jar
A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese Posted Aug 7, 2001
I'll buy a jar! Err... no, sorry, I could start competition with my stocks of that
Well, the thing is that a huge initiative was launched to clear the Review fora of obsolete threads (this applies to some 80 threads which belonged to entries which were recommended from Peer Review), duplicate threads (around 12), threads which have siblings on PR (another 20 or so), and abandoned threads (author left 3 months ago, a whole lot of threads which went to the newborn 'Flea Market' at A608762). You can follow the discussion at A591473.
Another outcome of this discussion was the creation of two new places, one of which being the Alternative Writing Workshop where we are now. Its purpose is to create a home for humorous and fiction articles which, although being great to read, won't meet the Guidelines for Edited entries. Ta!
A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
Spiff Posted Nov 23, 2001
Hi there
I was going to have a look at this since it sounds worth a read but I will have to track it down 'manually' because there doesn't seem to be a link to it on this thread (or did I miss something?)
I don't *mind* tracking it down. It's not that tricky! But others might appreciate a link if poss.
Spiff - *off to find the article*
This is great stuff
Spiff Posted Nov 24, 2001
Hi The Right Honorable David,
I read your article and I think it is very funny. To be honest, I haven't seen anything funnier on the guide yet. It also seems well-written and completely off-the-wall. Great!
Unfortunately, as you have discovered, this last quality is the kiss of death if you covet edited status. But all is not lost! Edited status is *not* the be all and end all around here. I am *certain* there are lots of registered researchers who love this kind of thing and are missing out on the chance to read it because of the guidelines.
I have recently come across a group of such people who are trying to get a project together that would provide a legitimate space on h2g2 to showcase stuff like your article. For the time being the best place to find out more is probably http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A506675.
In the mean time, I do actually have one or two *tiny* quibbles with your piece. Sorry, don't take offense. I think I have make it clear that I love it! Keep 'em comin'.
Spiff
Oh, and by the way
Spiff Posted Nov 24, 2001
For other readers, the Octopus article itself is at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A586992
PS I have just realised that I forgot to include my quibbles in the previous post!
For what it's worth, here they are:
'octopi' - I prefer 'octopuses' as the plural. Two reasons, firstly it is the 'official' plural given in the dictionary, even though a lot of people *do* say 'octopi'. Secondly, I think it is a much cooler word than 'octopi'. It's fun just to say (at least, it is for me!)
>>
When a mummy octopus and a daddy octopus who love each other very much want to have a baby, the daddy octopus pushes a special tentacle into the mummy's body cavity and passes a packet of sperm along a special grove [GROOVE, I THINK!] in the tentacle. The process takes place at arms length and afterwards the daddy will never see the mummy again. The mummy octopus will lay anywhere between 100 and 400,000 eggs depending on her species and environment. She will care for these eggs, forsaking her own needs, until she dies of starvation. Her sacrifice is admirable and stupid, since only a few from an entire brood of many thousands will survive to adulthood anyway.
>>
I include the whole paragraph as an advertisement for the rest of the piece!
Spiff
Oh, and by the way
Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned Posted Nov 25, 2001
Thanks Spaceman,
I'll see about making those changes when I have some time.
The thing is, there are 2 versions in h2g2 now. 1 that I can edit and 1 that I can't because it's in The Post. It's actually one of very few articles to be put in The Post twice.
As for writing more, I seldom have the time now since I am in the fourth year of my degree. But if you pop over to my personal space you can read How The War Was Won -- which is of the same theme, but not as technically well-constructed as The Octopus. How The War Was Won was also in The Post. No doubt something else will filter through to there eventually.
-- David, get into the grove, baby!
Oh, and by the way
a girl called Ben Posted Feb 11, 2003
Actually reading this makes me livid. It is GOOD. It is ACCURATE. It fulfills the 13-Guidelines. And it still got slung out of PR....
I think this should be in the Edited Guide myself.
In fact this whole thread is a case-study - it involves the Post, a nascent AGG/AGG/CAC and an entry which adheres to the Guidelines but which was rejected for the guide.
I am moderately tempted to retry the entry in PR. What do y'all reckon?
Ben
Oh, and by the way
friendlywithteeth Posted Feb 11, 2003
I think the same thing actually...it has a definite EG feel about it. It all depends on whether the author is still present: if so no problem. If not, then I don't know what we'd do!
Oh, and by the way
LL Waz Posted Feb 12, 2003
This is good. "Things An Octopus Is Bad For; Sustained flight" . And I never knew their ink was poisonous to themselves.
Being picky I think for an EG it ought to hide just a couple more facts in there about how to tell the dangerously poisonous ones when there are no fleeing marine biologists around. Other than that I'm with you - the EG should allow for entries like this. But I don't fancy your chances .
Pinniped's Harbour Seal entry is another I think should be an EG entry. It's full of real facts.
If the EG is not going to take this I think we should have an Underguide category called something like Informative, Instructive and Factual - with added flair and a twist of lemon.
Waz (prospecting for the Underguide-to-be)
Oh, and by the way
friendlywithteeth Posted Feb 12, 2003
OK...so it won't get into the EG. It might however get into the UG in the satire section?
How does that sound?
To be quite honest, I don't like the idea of an Informative section, but much prefer a satire section: it states what it is and would let quality pieces such as this and the library games entry....
Well I never
Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned Posted Feb 16, 2003
I'm glad this is still being read so long after I wrote it. I'm not involved with h2g2 now, but I was rather miffed at the time that it wasn't edited. If you think it should be moved and editors want my permission just direct them to my personal space -- I still check back every few weeks.
Well I never
a girl called Ben Posted Feb 16, 2003
I don't think it should be moved, but I do think it is good for the Underguide. (The Editors are willing to give 'Edited' status to entries not suitable for the Edited Guide, and to give them an outing on the Front Page).
I think this entry should be one of those, and we would like to work with you on that. This won't involve much from you. In the fullness of what will be a very long time, if it is picked for the Underguide, you will recieve an email from the Editors. It will be subbed by a Gem Polisher, and go to the Front Page. If you can help out the Gem Polisher, that will be great. If you don't want this to happen to it, (and I really hope that you do), then let us know and we will get the entry removed from AWW.
This all presupposes that the Underguide does go ahead, but the signs at the moment are good.
Thanks for posting.
Ben
Well I never
Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned Posted Feb 16, 2003
Feel free to include this in the underguide and I wish you success with the project.
Well I never
a girl called Ben Posted Feb 16, 2003
This is all going to take a long time, so don't hold your breath. However, as I said, enough people like it for it to be (in my personal opinion only) pretty certain to get into the UG.
Thanks for posting to let us know what you are doing, even if you are no longer actively active here.
Ben
Key: Complain about this post
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Alternative Writing Workshop: A584237 - The Octopus: Identification and its Role in Society
- 1: Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned (Jun 27, 2001)
- 2: Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese (Jun 28, 2001)
- 3: Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese (Jun 30, 2001)
- 4: Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese (Jun 30, 2001)
- 5: h2g2 auto-messages (Aug 7, 2001)
- 6: Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned (Aug 7, 2001)
- 7: Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese (Aug 7, 2001)
- 8: Spiff (Nov 23, 2001)
- 9: Spiff (Nov 24, 2001)
- 10: Spiff (Nov 24, 2001)
- 11: Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned (Nov 25, 2001)
- 12: friendlywithteeth (Feb 10, 2003)
- 13: a girl called Ben (Feb 11, 2003)
- 14: friendlywithteeth (Feb 11, 2003)
- 15: LL Waz (Feb 12, 2003)
- 16: friendlywithteeth (Feb 12, 2003)
- 17: Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned (Feb 16, 2003)
- 18: a girl called Ben (Feb 16, 2003)
- 19: Rt. Hon. David F. Porteous, Scottish Researcher, Keeper, Minister and rarely seen member of The Banned (Feb 16, 2003)
- 20: a girl called Ben (Feb 16, 2003)
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