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

Oh, Mala, have you been checked out? I hope it's not serious.

I have the whirring in my ear- y'know, the one that sounds like you're on a plane... argh. I have no idea how to write this email I want to write, too much reading to do, down with the cold and everything I eat or drink wants to make a reappearance.

But: it's the end of the semester and Rush are being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, yaaay! (Not a fan of the RRHoF, but the recognition is nice.)

Mala, I hope you lymph node problem is nothing serious. It makes my continuing cold sound trivial.

It could be just exacerbated by being an awkward time of the month, Mala, but make sure the keep an eye on it.

I've not been to see one yet, suppose I'd better But I've been there an awful lot lately, it's getting annoying. (Another PH, I suppose!)

My electric toothbrush - but only sometimes.

You know those times when you want to be in bed but don't want to have to go through all the rigmarole that comes first, including brushing your teeth And all you want to do is BE in bed.

Well, with my old electric toothbrush and a manual one, you can cheat and compress two minutes brushing into 40 seconds. This one has a timer so it won't allow me to cheat.

Damn thing.

PP.

Would you really have gone to sleep one minute and 20 seconds sooner?

I have a week or so in which to write two chapters of a novel, an essay and a critique and revise them all, oh dear lord. And I'm changing my dissertation topic/question on top of this. Argh. But it's nearly Christmas.

The continued usage of inaccurate weapon classifications in fantasy.

AD&D was written in the 70s by enthusiastic students, so there's no reason why in this age of greater realism weapons, swords especially, are still being called the wrong names.

No, but I would have been IN BED sooner and wouldn't have had to wait all that extra time.

(This is the PETTY hates thread!)

PP.

What wrong names do you mean?

The fact I have a great idea and it's really difficult to put into action. Also, that ad on the radio wherein it sounds like a cat is swung around. Painful to listen to, though I know it's not real.

People who are born to wealth. Really more of an envy, I suppose.

"Lord Coe will receive BBC lifetime achievement award"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/sports-personality/20691572

That's great.

"Duchess of Cambridge to attend BBC sport awards"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20746861

That's great too, but I actually go to the main BBC News page to get news, not blatant plugs for BBC programmes. And I expect the BBC knew she would be attending for sure some days ago but saved the news item for Sunday so they could use it as a plug for their show.

Jameela Jamil on Radio 1. Painful. The fact Radio 1 seem to ignore texts from N. Ireland. Annoying. They probably don't, but it's still ridiculous. We need more Rush on British/Irish radio!

Sitting down to write a Xmas card and remembering that she's dead, now. The PH is with myself that I momentarily forgot that.

Extensive testing and component replacing done on my big amp, and the bloody lead channel still doesn't work properly. I *really* don't want to have to start replacing valves, because that's expensive.

Ah, valves, I remember 'em well (well, maybe).

If you have one that you're pretty sure is on the way out, it just might help (for a while) if you give it a sharp tap.
The safest place to tap is the base (not as far south as the pins). Use something like the back edge of the blade of a heavy-ish dinner knife and build up slowly - tap, Tap, TAP.

If I remember correctly, it's the anode that can get dirty and that treatment can dislodge (some of) the crud. Unfortunately the anode is usually at the top and the glass envelope is pretty thin so beware tapping it near there - unless you've had some practice!

Hold the thing in a cloth, over a bin, just in case.
Oh, and report back!


Rod

Children, don't try this at home.

Problem is I don't know which bits are problematic! All the valves tested fine on my mate's testing rig, so now we're wondering whether it's a mechanical problem. So fun times to be had taking it all apart again and checjing the solder joints.

Mmmmm. Valves.

Not a petty hate at all in my book. Until they need replacing, then they are more than a petty hate.

(Although modern trannies give them a good run for their money - and who can REALLY tell in a band situation?)

PP.

I find the BBC use this tactic quite often to promote a show - usually an item on their front page with the heading as a question. The BBC are effectively creating news to push a programme into the limelight. This may be fine but these stories are included amongst regular news items.

PH of the day: TV Perfume and aftershave adverts. These things are so absurd I'm sure they must have been mentioned before.