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

My name is Feisor and I am an ACE (Assistant Community Editor) here at h2g2. It's my job to welcome you to the site and hopefully show you around a little. I AM a real person, not an automated reply not an automated reply not an automated reply .

Welcome to h2g2 – not just the friendliest on-line community but an incredibly huge, living, breathing guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. It’s compiled by researchers just like you and it's something YOU can take part in. You can write entries on all manner of subjects, and if it's something you think would look good in our Edited Guide (where all the best research goes), you can submit it to Peer Review Take a look at the <./>writing-guidelines</.> for more information on that.

I hope when you get to know us a little better you'll open your personal space and tell us a little about yourself - but there's no rush - and it's not compulsory

We ACEs are volunteers here to assist new researchers so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
You can leave a message on my space just by clicking on my name at the top of this message or by hitting the reply button below - it won't hit back (usually).

I have made a "Hints and Links for New Researchers" page at <./>A719840</.> - if you go there it will lead you to all sorts of places which will help find your way around and get to know this wonderful place. It should keep you busy for a while

Oh, and don’t forget to bookmark not only your space but the H2G2 <./>FrontPage</.> - it’s a great way to stay in touch with what’s happening and leads to all sorts of corners which you may otherwise miss.

Do some exploring and you'll find that the site has everything from the nonsense japing to debates on any number of diverse subjects. Many lasting friendships and relationships have been born on hootoo. It's kind of an online pub and encyclopaedia.

I am sure that you will love this community as much as we do There's lots of things to see, clubs to join and people to meet - please don't be shy - just jump right in - this is a friendly place. But be careful - it can become quite addictive - believe me I know



Enjoy!!
Have fun!!!
and above all !!!


Feisor

Hi Feisor ACE person, guide, sherpa, trek leader....

I'm brand spanking..eyepoppingly..incredibly new to this very weird world of the net.

It's exciting but very weird. Some of the things I've seen and by accident too! God alone knows what I'd find if I went looking

I'm an Archers fan obviously, or maybe it isn't, and have been since I met Mrs Benson. So only 14 years

This is why I thought, if I'm going to dip my toes into the inter world message board, chat room, if that's the same thing. See I really don't know what I'm talking about. I'll go somewhere (safe) People who listen to the archers are (safe) If you get my drift.

I was gassing to RUS, or was it Aladdin Sane the other day and one of them mentioned TROLLS, not nice people apparently. They mentioned things like 'sock puppets and WUMS'. Not wishing to appear too stupid, I didn't let on that had absolutely now idea what these 'things' were.

Perhaps you could enlighten me? And let me know of any other strange entities that exist out there. I don't want to get bitten, chewed up or in any other way polluted or defiled. You hear of bunny boiler weirdos don't you.

Thanks for your contact, I appreciate it.

As it says above, you're welcome

Let me take each of your concerns one at a time ....

Firstly let me assure you that h2g2 is not like other sites - it's not a chat room and not quite a message board. Think of it like a large community with lots of conversations going on at one time - you can read these conversations and take part if you wish (or not - you can just read and leave if you like) We pride ourselves on being a friendly, all inclusive place and have members from all over the world ranging from 10 to much, much older (I know of some 80 year olds here) Do some exploring and you'll find that the site has everything from the nonsense japing to debates on any number of diverse subjects. Many lasting friendships and relationships have been born on hootoo. It's kind of an online pub and encyclopaedia.
If you click here ----> A719840 you will go to my New Researchers page which will gently guide you through how it works and give you some places to read and visit

Trolls - read the <./>HouseRules</.> for a good definition of trolls and other unseemly persons we don't tolerate here.

Sock Puppets - a person may create an "alternate persona" and use that identity to create problems or just play silly games - basically a person masquerading as someone else.

WUM - wind up merchants - someone who just wants to cause problems and start trouble - also frowned upon here.

Hope all that helps, and that you will explore this place - I'm sure that you will like what you find - start with the New Researchers page

If you have any other questions about hootoo (as we call h2g2) or need any help just drop me a line here and I'll get back to you asap

Have fun

Hi WOW!

I've just managed to stagger back into this (zone) arena, whatever, to do some house work.

Sorry Feisor about tardiness....Every keystrike is still a potential warp into another world. BUT..I'm getting there.

Hope this finds you well.

The wonderful thing about hootoo is that there's no rush

You do what you can, when you can, take what you like, leave what you want to - and



How are you getting on?

It is true Ace! I'm a drongo..Peeps are posting sites and photos and all manner of stuff and I'm still plodding around on QWERTY.

So much for the 'on line score of an IQ of 142' Huh! maybe I missed the minus sign!.............. Be nice!

"drongo" - now there's a good Aussie term I haven't heard for a while

You are NOT a drongo - or if you are, so am I. I can't be bothered with all that other stuff either - I do what I like and leave what I can.

Don't worry it'll all come together. Just keep bashing the QWERTY


Oh! and I'm ALWAYS nice

Wish everyone else was.

Tired, tired of rude, ignorant, nasty people. Nevermind. Nevermind.

Bad days pass, that's what makes them memorable I guess.

Take care and be happy.

Wishing you well.

Benson.

"Tired, tired of rude, ignorant, nasty people. "

Not here I hope ....

Don't let them get you down - there are lots of nice people about, you've just got to find them Then you can ignore the others and drive them mad

Sorry to bother you ACE, I'm sure you have far more 'worthy' causes to worry about. Do you ever worry about 'not knowing enough'?

I do. Being a teacher, teaching teachers how to to teach and teaching 'special needs' as well. I feel like a complete numpty most of the time!"

I spout stuff but bugger all seems to happen, except complaints about me not knowing!

Don't get involved......Sorry!!!

It's always good to hear from you

"worry about 'not knowing enough'?" - all the time I've always believed that the whole point of education is NOT to simply convey facts, it's about instilling a love of learning, a thirst for knowledge and a yearning to find out more.

It's not what you know - the main thing is knowing that you don't know everything is a great asset. As long as you know where to go to find out about those things that you don't know.

Admitting that you don't know something should be the first step in finding out something new - and that's never bad.

Maybe, in your case you should encourage your teachers to find out for themselves - the internet can be a great tool if used right

Cool! I was told by my erstwhile tutor, that the Fo-fo technique described by your goodly self, was a 'reinvent the wheel' exercise and wasted valuable time! Why ask someone to find out for themselves what you allready know. I sympathised strongly with this position.

By the way Fo-Fo stands for 'rude word' 'off' 'Find Out'. He thought it was a lazy teacher's teaching method. I somewhat agree but, it does have some merit! Especially if 'one' doesn't know ones self!

That way I can sit back and get those eager beavers to find out for me. I can then 'constructively' pull their arguments/ideas to bits and then get them to justify why they are legitimate! BRILLIANT!

I wonder how long it will be before they rumble me as a drongo!
I can hear them now. "That Benson bloke's nice enough but the barsteward never tells you anything! Just says 'Answer's somewhere over there, go find it!' reckon he's a blagger!" WHICH I RECKON I AM! Hoorah!

Do ever find yourself 'out there' and winging it? I do....how professional is that?!

You keep putting yourself down ... why?

You are doing your job the best way that you can, and trying new ways to improve on your best. That's something to be positive about.

If _you_ feel negative you might convey that to others around you - if you feel positive about your methods your students will feel more confident and do better too.

Be good to yourself

I don't feel negative chumblie friend! I just can't believe how lucky I am. There I am, spouting stuff and lo, it comes to pass. The eager beavers work their cotton socks off and pass their Zammos!

One student, bless, bought me a TEACHER MUG Yesterday! Apparently I'm great! Cool......Little does she know how little I do!

I love my job, love it. The lambs make it SO easy! I just point, guide and listen, sympathetically to their troubles, if they have any.

Some are just being a bit lazy, that's ok, I'm lazy too. I just remind them what a valuable job they're going to do and Bingo! The pep talk usually works.

I never beat them up and if they stuff up good and proper, I take them out for lunch. That always works. We chat, debate, or I listen to tales of woe and if they decide to bail, well, they leave the course feeling GOOD!

I just sometimes feel the job I do is money for old rope. Trainee teachers teach themselves!!

The other bit, the learning disability part, that's another story!
Boy oh boy, that's tough! It's not the students that are the ruddy problem, it's the people that claim to look after them! THree minutes a day, that's all I ask. You'd think I was asking for a 10,000 word discertation once a week!

Still, ACE, we're off on holiday Monday week! Just hope the weather stays good. Are you getting away?

Thank you .... your post picked me up after a hard day

I sort of sensed that you are a good teacher, just having a few "down" moments and what you have written above has validated my feelings.

"Money for old rope" - no I don't think so, you obviously love what you do and it shows. Most of all, I love the fact that you are passing on your knowledge and enthusiasm for what you do to others, so perpetuating your gift.

More power to you, and to all the other teachers like you! I am in awe!

Enjoy the holidays .... I won't get a break until much later in the year

Hi Feisor,

I'm glad my Bon Mot picked you up. That's great news! Had a bit of a toughy yourself eh?

In some ways, I like bad days (periods). They act as marker bouys. Reference points in life. "Things got alot better after Chernobil. The Nuclear industry cleaned up its act!" An extreme, I grant you but you get my drift.

I, probably like your good self, have the odd wobble. I think that a bit of sef doubt is good! Keeps you on your toes. There are a lot of seriously arrogant barstewards in my game. They have cause to be, some of them are mega bright! Trouble with those guys is, they don't 'cuddle up' to the guys who are struggling.....I go out of my way for the strugglers. Shoosh, I bend the rules a bit too.

Apparently, one shouldn't take students out to lunch!

Apparently you can be 'too helpful' in some peoples' eyes. I don't.

I reckon you just need to give folks what they need. That's normally TLC and time. Nothing more. Most problems are, small, self image things, once the guys 'believe', they achieve!

That said, when things are going carp, and they do from time to time, you do need someone to bounce off, get too down and you're in trouble....Been there, done that!!! NOT NICE.

So, You've got something lined up, holiday wise, for later. I hope that, whatever it is, it is smashing! Even if it doesn't happen to conform with what the media would have us believe is smashing!

I've had some FANTASTIC TIMES with nothing but a couple of neighbours round for a card game and a few cheap beers!

Gotta go! Wife to pamper, pup to cuddle, the inventory for camping to tick off.........HOLIDAY...More like planning the D' Day landings!

Good to talk
Benson!

I'm not much of a traveller - my idea of a good holiday is nothing planned, and lots of relaxing and catching up on all those things that I don't have time to do usually .... ah bliss.

Camping? not my scene at all, I definitely like my creature comforts far too much

Enjoy your holiday

I don't like camping either!

It is cheap though and I do get to look like a 'real' man instead of the tweed jacket 'aca-dim-ic'

Apparently, wifey likes me in Combats and Khaki. That and finely tailored suits. I'm normally very, very boring. Moleskin trousers and hyper boring sports jackets.

Why did she marry me? Moleskins and tweeds are 'teacher uniform'

GOD I LOOK GREAT in out doors stuff! I'm so fit with my ripped Ab's and pumped biceps!..............I tell the most dreadful lies!

A good friend told me, only tonight. I look like Gordon Brown in tropicals but with a smile you can believe in....Hardly a glowing recommendation!

Don't have night mares! Enjoy your break when it happens and remember, trouble is patient!

Sleep well!
Benson

How am I supposed to sleep now? The pictures buzzing through my brain ...



Your wife obviously married you for your sense of humour, or maybe your imagination

No..she should have gone to Spec savers! And lots of therapists!