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

Hi, whisky!
You asked me on your Beatrix Potter thread why I'm not a scout, when I spend so much time at Peer Review. There are two reasons - the original one is that, just as I had got well settled in here, I was involved at the beginning of the controversial ban on Arpeggio. I really didn't like the idea of being seen as some kind of toady to the staff (whom I have always found extremely pleasant, on the few occasions I had dealings with them). I thought if I got appointed at that stage it might be seen as some kind of favouritism.

So I held back from applying, and realised that I had saved myself from one of my persistent failings - volunteering too easily! I have so far avoided my other common failing, of telling everyone far too much about myself, so I see *not* volunteering as another little step on the way to a New Me. On the other hand, I have committed myself to a (now overdue) University Project, so I'm afraid I'm still not completely cured of the fatal tendency!

Azara

I understand, I wasn't around when all those problems happened, but I've read all the threads, and it sounds like there was a lot of unhappy people on both sides, and I must admit, I'm trying to avoid getting involved in any BBC bashing or other politics. I'm just here to read and learn (and have the occasional chuckle).

As to your comment about you trying to stop yourself telling everyone far to much about yourself
Ok, then, I won't ask you too many personal and embarrasing questions ........ spoilsport

But as to the problem of over-volunteering, I think you're already doing the job of a scout now, with the exception of choosing which entries to recommend... and the only difficult thing I've found so far, is that I'm only allowed to pick 3 per month, and there's usually a dozen or so entries in peer review at any one time I'd like to pick.

Thanks for answering anyway, and even if you don't want to be a scout, It's still a pleasure seeing someone so enthusiastic (and constructive) in the PR threads.

Ok, time for me to get back to insulting everyone elses work

Bye for now,

whisky

Thanks, whisky!

The great thing for me about my present situation on Peer Review is that I can spend as much or as little time as I please without feeling any guilt. If I was a scout, the thought of the poor unpicked entries languishing at the bottom of the list would start to prey on my mind. As it is, I can be as encouraging as possible, and if I can't be encouraging I can just move to a different thread.


Anyway, I imagine that at this rate we'll keep meeting! I'll be putting one or two new entries into Peer Review in the next couple of weeks, and I'm sure you'll come across them then...


Azara

I'll be sure to be on the lookout for your entries

Promise I won't say anything too bad about them....

For a small fee of course

As to recommendations..... just what is the going rate for bribing a scout nowadays?

Hey, whisky, I only just noticed that you had given me a co-author credit on your Beatrix Potter entry - thank you very much! I feel rather guilty about this, as I admit I feel a bit stingy about giving other people co-credit unless they've actually done a fair whack of the work, so I don't know if I would have been so generous if the boot had been on the other foot. But thank you, kind sir!

Azara

, you're welcome, I just found that all the comments in Peer Review this time were more than normally helpful - so I passed on the credit (or the blame).

Those Arpeggio days were a little 'exciting' weren't they? Sorry to butt in, just to let Whisky know that I'd add him to the Reports team. You don't want to join, do you, Azara? You're experienced, and the Italics have pretty much no influence over what we write, although I do check with them over certain key issues - just so that I don't stir up an argument. It isn't a huge time commitment, either - and there are plenty of us on the team! If you do, sign up on the reports home - http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A652466 - in the current thread - and follow the instuctions that I gave to Bossel. It's up to you, but I thought you might just want to.

Thanks for asking, Whoami? but I am still determined not to volunteer for *anything* at the moment. My planned entries are getting further and further behind, and I'm trying to be determined!

Thanks again!
Azara

That's OK, you don't have to do anything now, I can add you for a future, as yet unconceived Report - and a useful brain to pick for things like the occasional quote!

Whoami?

* enters from the left *

Just stepping in to clarify a point: the small print has it that a Scout's *only* real duty is to submit three picks every four weeks. Nowhere does it say that there were any more duties like commenting on entries, cleaning up review places or whatever. Thus, any researcher xxxx could well be a Scout without ever posting to PR.


* bows respectfully *

* exits to the right *