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

I've seen you posting here and there. And while I may not always catch the intended twist of humour, enough so as to enjoy it.

As to being aware of exactly who you are posting to, or about ... Well, there are so many cliques about that you are bound to step on some toes. No matter what your slant on a subject. Life goes on, and if they can't take a dissenting opinion, they ought to try another place. This is NOT anyone's personal domain. Whether they've been here 6 years or as many days. Although there are those who feel longevity gives them god-like status and assured respect.

Anyway, the upshot of all this is to say "Hiya", I respect your style, and hope you continue to enjoy the ride.

Hi Rev,
Just got back from 4 days in Nottingham, (serves me right)and am now catching up on posts.

20 minutes spent reading rather than posting does tend to put H2G2 in a different light. Some people do seem to spend an inordinate amount of time online but personal circumstances vary. I tend to come online after work for a wee while for light relief more than anything but I find it hard not to prick the balloons of pomposity from time to time.

thanks for posting though and I'll try to keep up the struggle with inanity.

I have a PC on the end of my work-bench. So during those rare times of the day that our servers aren't bogged down, I get to browse threads. And occassionally post. But indeed, spending a good amount of time to catch up, you get to see a much broader picture of the personalities, eh? Rather than meeting one or two posts at a time ...

Anyway, and will see you about the threads .....

And I have indeed seen you about. Times, I'd love to slap ya with a somewhat aged . Most times, I'd like to settle in along-side, and smack others. With same

Just know, ... you ain't alone with opinions contrary to some of the self-appointed elite.

Hi Rev
I'd completely forgotten this thread. How prescient post 1 looks now Well, I stated my style on my home page from the outset and I haven't seen the need to change it.

Yes, I think I've been noticed and I've stepped on a few toes. In fact, I think I've been jumping up and down on some toes.

Of course we've all got differing opinions. I can take two random strangers off a street, sit them down and within 15 minutes establish that they agree on 3 things and disagree on another 3 things. That's life. Some people seem to be aiming for a grey, featureless expanse of dull conformity made in their own image.

I was getting a bit peeved at the ganging up on and bullying of a couple of religious types recently. Even though I'd sparred a little with them myself, I think others took it beyond debate into the realm of abuse.

I'm actually ambivalent about religion. My wife's cousin is a preacher in NY State and one of the most genuine nice guys I have ever met.

Check my PS, and you'll see a "little miss" among my friends. She knows my ambivalent beliefs, and yet we are great friends. And I have stepped in once or twice, because she is a dear but sometimes naive lady. Still, I ain't got the working hours, the advanced education, nor the loquacious ways with words, to meet some folks. Grown-ups sometimes have to stand on their own.

Anyway, keep up the standard as you see it. I may not always agree, but it IS yours to show. And it has never been personal nor insulting, just inquisitive or supportive of a position.

*still waitng for a reply to a challenge: "Fanny: 'black' ..."

I really don't know if this should be construed as a compliment or not.

While I often see what you "meant" to say, I may not agree with your interpretation. And yet ... the more I see the usual cadre of obnoxiously arrogant, better-than-thou because they despise words like "thou", and their tunnel-visioned focus that totally disreguards 95% of what is actually being said. Because they see folks, (specific folks,) as only what they have defined them to be ...

Watching many of them froth and foam at the mouth, amongst themselves and in threads, seeking mutual accolades, what-ever, the more I have to like and respect your persistence.

As you see it, fight the good fight. Of flexible thought and perspective.

Mind you, I've just had a go at religions: more the bizarre parts though

I've no problem with the socially religious, who think that God is a prety good idea in general and use it as an outlet for being basically good people, but it's a big jump from "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" to casting out foul demons from the mentally ill

BTW, it was recommended that I direct a question to you, though what an RCAF type would know about modern concepts like electricity, I don't know In a discussion about the dangers of microwave radiation, I asked what frequency high power HF antennae would operate at. I remember the barriers 5ft away from them on RN ships and being advised to stay clear when they were transmitting due to the dangers of being made sterile.

To my recollection, HF (militarily being 2 to 32 MHz) at a few hundred watts is generally harmless. It doesn't really resonate with tissue, or some such. Naturally, anything measured in kilowatts, even LF, is gonna do harm. I generally have avoided any antennae if I think there's a risk of any radiation past the few-hundred watts.

And just FYI, this season, I find myself removing un-used 1, 5 and 10 KW, HF SSB systems from a few places, so that I can later re-install them in other locations. (See Yellowknife, NWT and Eureka, Nunavut )

I see religion, from my earlier years as an RC altar boy, as a generally positive thing in a community. But NOT as a means and way of controlling a populace, or justifying the over-throw/decimation of any other populace. And the exorcism stuff? It makes for intriguing reading, but this relaxed agnostic sees it as predominantly mumbo-jumbo as well.

So it's really the power output that causes the danger rather than the frequency?

Exorcism I think is just a party trick to impress the masses. A bit like faith healing. My gran suffered a lot with pain after her stroke and she swore that the faith healer was the only one that helped her. In truth, I think it was more that compared with a 5 minute consultation with an over-worked GP, an hour with someone who actually listened to her with a sympathetic ear did more to to calm her fears and relax her. I watched him at work once and noticed how hypnotic and soothing his speech was.

The power of the mind, an easy soul (so to speak) and some good common sense diet, rest, and general conditions, can do wonders for nearly any condition. I won't discount any 'help' from an on-high position, ... I just don't depend on it.

Frequency really does play a serious part in radiation and RF burns and injury. UHF and EHF being the much more damaging stuff. But even with VHF, HF, LF and ELF, enough raw power can beat the crap out of living tissue. Just as a little applied heat can ease strained muscles, too much can seriously scald or burn.

I have made a nearly 30-year career of the repair and maintenance of military radio and radar equipments. But the formal training and cautionaries were all of the late 1970s variety ... If you ain't sure, be wary stuff.

Well I trained as a tin-basher and seriously mistrust anything I can't see or hit with a club hammer I could never feel comfortable around a bare cable that might be carrying 20,000v of stingy, tingly, killy stuff but you couldn't tell by looking at it. I warned my mate of the dangers inherent in dealing with stuff you can't see when he chose to specialise as a "Greenie", and I was proved right. He was invalided out of the Navy when he fell through a hatch that he did't notice was dogged open.

"Greenie"? You may have tp explain that one.

I've always gone on the assumption that if I can't see the other end of a wire or cable, expect it to somehow be live. I've still taken a few HV hits of discharge, some minor RF burns, but in all, it's been a pretty quiet career. When it comes to antenna, if it's physically larger than the old -ears of a TV, you can expect it is meant to carry respectable power.

Just as a BTW, I visited your PS, and recognized a bit right at the end of it. I've added a "Surprise", for quiet days. Literally <./>RandomEntry</.> Just in case you're interested.

A "Greenie" is a weapons technician in the Navy, or more generally any kind of electrician.

I imagine there will be a history or tradition behind that. With the Navy, there always is ... even if it's a century plus in vintage. The bulk of my time was with Air Force environment, though there was that one chunk (91 - 95) that was immersion-learning.

Do NOT call a CPO1 "Sir" as he would be in the Canadian Forces...

Getting the rank right is so-o important Usually it's ok. Officers are always "Sir", Fleet Chief Petty Officers, (the equivalent of a WO) are "Fleet Chief". Chief Petty Officers are always "Chief", "Petty Officers" are always "Petty Officer" but a Leading Hand is "Hooky".

Marines confused the heck out of us. One Drill session was taken by a Marine Colour Sergeant, (equivalent of a Fleet Chief). One unfortunate made a hash of presenting arms so the Marine bawled him out. After about 3 minutes purple-faced screaming the Marine shouted,

"Do you understand, you tiny piece of dog crap?"
The poor guy, not sure how to address a Marine Colour Sergeant stammered a reply,
"Y.y.yes Colours"

I thouht the Marine was going to explode.

"Do I *look* like a rainbow?"

"Chief", "PO", and then other ranks in full are what our Navy expected. Officially, February 1st, 1968, our Armed Forces integrated into a common uniform and command structure. (Drilled into my noggin during many sessions of 'General Service Knowledge') Oddly enough, seeking election, one party offered distinct envirnomental structures and uniforms again. And so, after wearing a generic green bus-driver's uniform for 12 years, I began to wear Air Force blues ... On February 1st, 1989. Twenty-one years from integration to, ... ummm, ... dis-integration?

Whoo-hoo, I'm a Reverend too now.

I was ordained by the Universal Life Church in California, all official-like. Does this mean I can use Rev on letters and stuff?

That's exactly where and how I did. Does this mean we should go around the threads, blessing each other?