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

Hi there! Welcome to h2g2! I don't know if you want to remain incognito, or if Fred, The Incontinent Hamster is what you want your nickname to be, but you can change your nickname by clicking on Preferences. If you wanna be Researcher 173197 though, that's too ...

My name is Shea, and I am an Assistant Community Editor (ACE) and a Guardian Angel (GA). We're a group of volunteers that flit about welcoming and helping new Researchers. If you want to ask me a question, or need help with anything, just hit the "Reply" button and leave a message, I'll fly back in and help you in any way I can!

Have you checked out the Welcome pages yet? They're a good place to start:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Welcome
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Welcome-DNA

If you're interested, I made a page with a list of links that you might like to check out. It's at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A534953 .

There's lots to do around h2g2! You can write Guide Entries, post in your Journal, join clubs and communities, have a few drinks in a pub, join spirited debate, or just make some new friends!

If you ever want to talk to a Researcher, just click on their name. That will take you to their Personal Space, and you can leave them a message there (like I'm doing now!) by clicking on the 'Discuss this Entry' button.

Most importantly, have fun! You might find yourself meeting some great new friends! I know I have!

- Shea the Sarcastic

Dear Shea,

Thank you for the nice letter.

I am very puzzled to see that a message I left on the DNA Forum in response to his family's thank you has been temporarily hidden for 'moderation.'

The implication is that I have somehow transgressed the House Rules. I can't see how I could have done so and it is extremely upsetting to me to see that this entirely innocuous message is being dealt with as if it contained pornography, was SPAMMING the site, or was written in Urdu.

The message was intended to be positive and repeat fond memories of Mr. Adams, whom I was privileged to meet twice.

I quoted from a friend's private email that he had permitted me to quote. He referred to meeting Mr. Adams at Disney's (a tour which I arranged.) He also praised Mr. Adams' writings on the benefits of Macintosh computers and bewailed the fact that the feature film version of HITCHHIKER would not be made at the studio by Mr. Adams.

If this contravenes the House Rules, please let me know and don't make it sound like I am posting threats or obscenities to Mr. Adams' family at this terrible time.

Very truly yours,

Nancy Beiman

Hi Nancy!

I'm so sorry that your posting was moderated. I've inquired about it, and I'll get back to you here as soon as I find out what happened.

Actually, I read your letter last night, and I enjoyed it very much. I was even told about it by someone else, so I think a lot of people enjoyed it.

- Shea

I enjoyed it and made a copy of it and sent it to the h2g2 Post - Kinda like the sites own newspaper - run buy Researchers.

I am sure Shazz would like permission to put it in this weeks edition and if you are agreeable you can contact Shazz at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/thepost
Deadline Wednesday 10am GMT

If you refer to the posting made on Mark Moxons Page - it seems to be there now - Shea reported it and I think it must of been put back up again.

Thanks for you memories of DNA - I am sure many other people will enjoy reading it.

all the best
vegiman

Sorry for the typos - your other posting is back up now.

Thanks to Shea.

all the best
vegiman.

I enjoyed reading you post too, Nancy.
Thank you very much for sharing that with us.

Hello there. I was very relieved to see that the researchers had decided that my post had not offended the community. Of all things to have happen on a site read by the family...whom I wish I had met. Mr. Adams said that his daughter would love to visit Disney's and I am only sorry that we lost touch when he moved to Santa Barbara, because I certainly could have arranged it.

It was a riot watching people's reactions to seeing this seven foot, burly guy walking along with me in the Southside, or Hat, building of the studio. (I am five foot three.) Those who recognized him were speechless. Those who didn't, just must have thought that I got lucky.

"HOW did you get him to visit here?" I was asked.

"I went to his website and invited him?" I offered.


--Fred, the Incontinent Hamster

Dear Vegiman:

You have permission to use both of my DNA letters in your newsletter. I would appreciate it if you could send me the address of the newsletter so that I may read other tributes as well. I posted the other letter on another part of the site, so please let me know if you need both sent to you.

It is an honor to be able to pay tribute to such a wonderful man and I just wish I didn't have to do it so damn soon.

If this is a repeat of an earlier message, just remember the nickname. It's sort of a brain droppings thing.

Best wishes

Fred.

Oh, you can use my real name in the tribute. It's a bit more dignified. But I like to list my job titles (real) and then my new community nickname. It sort of takes some of the air out of the balloon.

Cheers

Nancy Beiman.
Supervising Animator, Walt Disney Feature Animation.
Professor of Animation, Savannah College of Art and Design.
aka Fred, the Incontinent Hamster.

Dear Vegiman:

You have permission to use both of my DNA letters in your newsletter. I would appreciate it if you could send me the address of the newsletter so that I may read other tributes as well. I posted the other letter on another part of the site, so please let me know if you need both sent to you.

It is an honor to be able to pay tribute to such a wonderful man and I just wish I didn't have to do it so damn soon.

If this is a repeat of an earlier message, just remember the nickname. It's sort of a brain droppings thing.

Best wishes

Fred.

Oh, you can use my real name in the tribute. It's a bit more dignified. But I like to list my job titles (real) and then my new community nickname. It sort of takes some of the air out of the balloon.

Cheers

Nancy Beiman.
Supervising Animator, Walt Disney Feature Animation.
Professor of Animation, Savannah College of Art and Design.
aka Fred, the Incontinent Hamster.

Fred, it's a pleasure to meet you.
I hope you will stick around.
If you want to know anything at all about this site, just ask.
Oh, and I think you *did* get lucky...
You got to meet him...
What a wonderful memory!

~GB~

Hi Fred!

I'm glad it got straightened out! And you are one lucky hamster!

- Shea

Hi Fred

Shazz informs me that you have been in touch and as far as the Post is concerned - you could not be in better hands.

OOOooo what a title

I wouldnt like one that long on my letterheads - Sounds so grand

catcha soon
vegiman

Title on my letterhead?

Since I no longer work for Disney, I can't claim that's current, but it WAS my title there; and I am an actual College Professor now. Isn't that a pisser, as my friend used to say.

I think that this translates well in the world of HGTG as the p**sy little hamster. I do seem to work with many people in academe who could be described thusly.

Fred The I.H.

Yes, I got to meet him twice. The first time was in 1985 or so in New York City, where I had little to say (I got his autograph on the 45 rpm record of "Only the End of the World Again" by Disaster Area, which I have unhappily managed to lose).

The Disney visit was a real treat for all of us. I'm happy to share the memories with the people on the list, but I wish to hell they WEREN'T memories.

Or something to that effect.

Fred the I.H.

Agreed.

We are very grateful to you, Fred.
Thanks a bunch.
~mops up after Fred~

Hi Fred!

I got an answer for you on why that post was moderated! Peta is the Community Editor of h2g2, and she said that the post contained an email that was a direct quote from someone elses' email. That's technically a breach of copyright, so the moderator referred it to her. She felt that under the circumstances, the quote should be left in, so the post went back up on Monday.

And that's the reason for that! All's well that ends better!

Thank you, Shea!
What a helpfulyou are

Why thank you, GB!

Hello there,

I was wondering whether there are any other memorials planned for Douglas Adams. I have told many people about LAST CHANCE TO SEE, which remains my favorite nature book.

I tell people that this is the way DNA wanted to be remembered. You'd be surprised how many people of the (ahem) younger generation have not read HG2TG.

I don't really know, Fred ... GB's more "in the know" than I am ... you have any info, GB?