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

Well... in most species, Duddy is no more than a walking injector system. The female picks her mate based on certain criteria. She rarely mates for life. And a good portion of her time during prey famines is keeping the old man from returning and lunching on the pups.

Thinking of the lion metaphor, I females are usually the fief of a dominant lion, whilst all the other males go without, until the dominant one is ousted by a rival. I wonder how many dominant males the average female has to relate to in a lifetime?

I think it only works that way in zoos. I think in the wild the females move to which ever territory has a male they like in it.

Shnooks is about to entire her senior year in Hai Skul.
I took her to talk to the Marines recruiter a couple weeks ago.

Little starts his new secondary school in early September. He'll be in Year 7.

Have you heard about a book called 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time? It's written by a boy with Asperger's Syndrome. I think it's written from life and it's a fascinating insight into the way his mind works. It's written from the way *his* mind works, and doesn't claim to be a definitive portrayal of Aspergers. In fact, from the description of his behaviour, it sounds as if he has a more severe condition. If you've read it, it would be interesting to hear your point of view.

Um. The author himself is not an Aspie. The book is written from the viewpoint of an extremely distracted teen with a form of Aspergers that is very close to classic Kanner's autism. The book is a work of fiction.
Some of the folks at n2 put me onto a dramatization of the book on the BBC radio a couple years ago.

I would find a book written by a real Aspie more interesting and often do.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3375965.stm

Sorry to hear about your relationship situation.

I have no advice...anymore.

I used to have a lot.

At the time I wrote, I didn't realise that the book *wasn't* written by an Aspie, but when I did a bit of research into the author shortly after posting, I realised and felt a bit silly. Certainly the condition that the book's hero had felt a lot more severe than the couple of Aspies that I know ... which of course doesn't make me into any sort of expert at all! It was recommended for little by the consultant, who I thought had told me it was written by an Aspie. I obviously misunderstood.

The domestic situation is more or less back to normal, although I do think there are still things to sort out. The stress at work was making it more pronounced.

It's little 's birthday tomorrow!

I don't remember what happened for Shnook's birthday.

'It was recommended for little by the consultant"

I have a problem with books recommended for children by adults.
Let him read what he wants as long as it doesn't interfere with his schoolwork.

Of course, you can do a little odd prodding. Shnooks was exposed to live readings of Shakespeare at a young age and I kept videos of movies with Shakespearian themes around the house. We both have massive compleat works volumes that we consult while watching the movies. Kenneth Branagh has been excoriated for his Bard efforts, but I find them very entertaining. Particularly Loves Labours Lost, which is all singing, all dancing.

If he likes Star Wars, show him Ray Harryhausen versions of the Oddyssey and Hercules and such.

'It was recommended for little by the consultant' - actually he really liked it, although he was a bit shocked that it used the 'f' word. It's the first 'proper' book that he's read through on his own (except the Horrible History books that he reads every evening, but then they're more fun.

I've not seen Kenneth Branagh's 'Loves Labours Lost'. I really like the BBC's modern interpretations of Shakespeare and I recently bought a set of four. They're set in a) a TV studio (Much Ado about Nothing); b) a kitchen (Macbeth); c) a political situation (The Taming of the Shrew); and d) a holiday camp for newly weds (A Midsummer Night's Dream. Absolutely brilliant. Does Shnooks still like Shakespeare?

'If he likes Star Wars, show him Ray Harryhausen versions of the Oddyssey and Hercules and such.' Thanks, I'll look him up.

"Does Shnooks still like Shakespeare?"

Well, mainly the movies. Particularly the version of Midsummer Night's Dream with Michelle Pfeiffer and mud fight between the girls.

She also likes Gilbert and Sullivan when we can find it.

I've not seen the Midsummer Night's Dream with Michelle Pfeiffer. Sounds fun. Little likes a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan, although he's not seen any - just a couple of the songs. He likes 'When Britain really ruled the waves'. My favourite lines from that are about what the House of Peers did during the Napoleonic wars; 'The House of Peers did nothing in particular, and did it very well!'. What are Schnooks' favourite parts?

Most of "Pirates of Penzance" and all of "The Mikado".

I've got the Mikado (with Lesley Garratt as Yum Yum and Eric Idle as Ko Ko), which is brilliant, but none of the others.

Which are your favourites, Tonsil?

I haven't seen all the Gilbert and Sullivan works.
I read a lot of them once upon at time at the library.

It was an annotated volume, with notes by Isaac Asimov.

Isaac Asimov? He sounds an unlikely annotator!

I don't really want to buy any of the videos/DVDs. I wonder if I could hire them at the library?

You still didn't tell me your favourite. Do you have one?

Well, I prefer the Mikado, because it has a hilarious list of people who would not be missed and could be executed.

Asimov was a Gilbert and Sullivan addict. During filk song periods at early SicFic cons, he would make up topical lyrics to G And S tunes on the spot.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A635519

This is also the play from which the oft-quoted "Three Little Maids from School" comes.