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

I always assumed "based on a true story" meant that a high percentage (e.g. 75% or more) of what you see is based on fact. I seem to recall that the first time this really got challenged was back circa 1993 with "In the name of the Father" ...

Come on, a lot earlier than that, surely? Shakespeare took no liberties with Macbeth or Julius Caesar?

Give ol' Shakey a break. He had few sources, mostly relying on a man called Hollinshed IIRC. He had to cram the action into a couple of hours with a limited number of characters. Taking all that into account, his history plays (Henry IV, Henry V, etc.) aren't that bad. They're certainly not as bad as some films that are 'based on' or 'inspired by' a 'true story'.

The point is, though, that the drama comes first for old Shakey, as much as for modern screenwriters. If the facts get in the way of a good story, change them - it's a dramatist's job to do so, after all.

I think there might have been a legal challenge (or advertising standards) against "In the name ..." using the "true story" line on its poster.

Anyway all of this is one of my petty hates ... discussing the validity of other people's petty hates

Did I mention my petty hate of England soccerball internationals being mentioned as world class?

To me that would mean they're one of the top two or three players at their position in the world, not just better than most in the Premier League ....

Ohhhh! If we can get self-referential...a Petty Hate of mine is that so many PHs concern driving.

~*~Isn't that what "based on" a true story means? They have taken a true story as the seed, and gone off on a fictional or imaginary tangent.~*~

And that's why I don't have too much of a problem with 300. But in the case Hidalgo, absolutely *none* of it *ever* happened. Ever. The alleged "Ocean of Fire" race never even existed. It's not based on a true story at all, it's complete fiction.

I'm really disappointed with footballer Peter Crouch. He said he would only do his robotic goal celebration again if he scored in the World Cup final. But no, he was obviously willing to drop his integrity the very moment Pringles offered him a bundle of cash to do it in a TV commercial.

Absolutely. And he probably earns about £50K per week anyway. Would you drop your integrity for a couple of weeks wages? Perhaps if you were on minimum wage.

It's one of the odder measures of integrity I've heard - not to do robot dances willy-nilly (but I know what you mean).

PH: Sentences like this - "Food writing has evolved its own elaborate ecosystem, bristling with sub-genres, starting points, cross-currents and trip wires."

Man, egg-fryers and their entourage really do love themselves...

Petty Hate: Perfume companies who discontinue a fragrance after only a few years or, worse, stop selling it in the UK for no obvious reason. The company that's getting my goat atm is paco rabanne. They discontinued XS pour elle when it had only been around for about 10 years (hubby uses paco rabanne pour homme which has been around for 30 years at least). It's also impossible to get aramis always over here and I know that hasn't been discontinued.

I always stock up on Aramis when I go to Turkey or Korea. I absolutely lurve that smell.

PH: (inspired by, or based on the previous post ) Make up companies who discontinue a lipstick that I have decided is my perfect lippy. Yes, L'Oreal, I'm looking at you.

Can I extend that to include the ones who make my perfect colour, but not in a useful formulation? I can't be doing with reapplying and blotting all day, so it is frustrating that they don't make it in the longstay version. L'Oreal again I am afraid, clearly they actually don't think we are worth it

Why do they only sell bagels in packs of 5 or 6? I'm the only one in the house that eats them, and even if I ate one every day, they'd be stale by the end of the week!

breakfast and tea

Dammit, you've hit a good one there, Bea. Not just bagels, either...

And we should tie the demise of home bakeries in, too, I suppose.

We have a home bakery in my town and Bea, I've never seen bagels in packs of 5 or 6, only 4.

PH? Someone who cannot be bothered and thinks it's "too much hassle" to travel down from Limavady to see me, then travel to Dublin with me... even if I'm paying! Bloody hell!

Bagels freeze well

Throughout the whole of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, every single character refers to Lieutenant Saavik as "Mr. Saavik." This would be fine of course, but she's a woman! It's grammatically incorrect I tells ya'! It's just wrong!