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

Windy - what are we doing here? Since I have joined up - I am not allowed back onto the Mornington Crescent Board! There is a 'login thing' going on - and I couldn't remember who the hell I was!
It is I, Chelsea Girl, but the mods are X with me, I fear!

Hi Scarlet Woman (aka Chelsea Girl).

As you will have realised, I've had a little spot in h2g2 for some time. Initially to make contact with a message boarder from QQ who wanted to pick my brains for some reason. Nowadays, I hang around in case I want to let someone know details of websites, etc. (Yes, you can post them here but do be careful what information you give out - check out the House Rules for advice on this).

My apologies for the delay in responding to your message but the small matter of a lightning strike on Sunday morning did some rather terminal (no pun intended) damage to my modem - I have only just returned to the MiscWorld.

I never had any problems returning to the message boards from h2g2, although it seems many of the newbies are experiencing difficulties. No doubt you are aware that if you transfer here from the MBs, you will not return to them once you log out of h2g2. I suggest that you a) log out of the MBs before coming here and b) trying using the 'back' icon (top left of your screen) to return (the latter option may be limited by the number of pages you have viewed since leaving the MBs). Hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Windy

Thanks Windy - I have been a little remiss about checking the h2g2 - so have only just read your message!

All seems very quiet on the MC Board - which is probably as well as I can turn my attention to things like.... work and looking after my children!

I hope your modem is lightening free now - I have always been told that things can go awry if lightening strikes - but never heard of anyone who it had actually happened too - I will be more careful about unplugging in future!

Bye, Sarah, the Scarlet Woman of Hordor and Chelsea.

Hallo Scarlet! Hope all is well with you and yours. I've just been reading the message boards and suggest that, if you want to track down Daisy's whereabouts and expected time of arrival, you contact the BAA airport information line. There's one for each major airport and they should be listed in the phone book. As long as you know which airport & airline she's using, they should be able to put you in touch with the relevant airline information service who will then be able to tell you what flight, if any, she is on. Hope that helps.

As to the modem problem; well it had to be replaced. All the computer power leads (terminal, hard drive, scanner, etc) are plugged into a surge protector which in turn is connected to the mains - this stops lightning and other power surges damaging the computer. Unfortunately the phone lines connections on the surge protector are not compatible with the phone line ones - hence the damage to the modem only. Until we can obtain the right connections, we are unplugging the phone line from the computer to avoid any recurrence!

It's a good idea for all computer users to have surge protection as this prevents your hard drive being wiped out in the event of a surge (VERY expensive and you lose all your files, etc.). Surge protection is easy and inexpensive - basically you buy a 'bar' type extension lead - you know, the multi-socket type - which has surge protection. I think we bought ours in Woollies for about £10 or so.

If you don't have any surge protection at all, I strongly recommend that you switch off and unplug all your computer equipment when not in use and, obviously, get a surge protector asap. Replacement modems alone cost from £20 - £100 (plus labour if you have the replacement fitted by a dealer).

Must pop along now, but I will check in again soon!

Regards,
Windy

Thanks Windy,

The sad fact is, I cannot remember which airline she is flying with! How bad is that! But if she has not turned up this evening - I will contact the Info Line and SOB and i'm sure they'll find her for me.

I'm a poor excuse for a mother.
I will try to do better next time.

I have one of those things from Woolies - but I am not sure that it cost much more than a fiver - so I wonder if I do have protection - I will check it out - and thanks for the tip about the phone connection - I would never have thought about it!

Bye, S.

Hi Sarah,
Just a quick note. I forgot to say you should unplug the phone line from the computer as well as disconecting all the computer leads. A lightning strike through the phone line can still wipe out the modem even if the computer is disconnected (because the phone line is 'live').

BTW Glad to see that Daisy is back on terra firma albeit not quite where you expected her to be. It's a bit late now but the thought did occur to me that you might not have needed to know which airline; after all, there can't be that many flights from Sri Lanka to London each day!

Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to work on those battery powered scallop shells!

Regards,
Windy

They're just clackity-clacking away in my brain Windy! - Definitely an innovation that would put undue stress on the rest of Mankind!

Daisy came to see me this morning and I am a happy mother once again!
Now I am back in Sunny Dorset and all is well!

Bye for now
S