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

I look forward to seeing your proposed entries on Spider Robinson and the puns of Callahan's bar etc.

Can you explain the pun about Yule Gibbons only eating nuts and fruits? This puzzles me every time I read it.


Pimms

Euell Gibbons (1911-1975) was well known US naturalist and organic food advocate (author of many books including "Stalking the Wild Aspargus") in his later years he was the televison pitchman for Post Grape Nuts, a sort of granola-like breakfast cereal that looked like grape seeds and was made from wheat, bran,nuts and fruit.
Spider's 'Yule Gibbons' hunted once a year (Dec. 25) grabbing people off the streets of Greenwich Village in New York City, a neighbourhood long known for its gay population, political activist, musicians, artists and assorted eccentric characters - "Fruits and Nuts"
Spider's "Dog Day Evening" can still make me howl (bark?) with laughter even after 100 readings.

Aha. Euell Gibbons was entirely unknown to me. The other parts of the pun I could guess, but without that key element it was very much

Have you read the Brentford novels of Robert Rankin? Fewer puns but some pretty bad ones. One I always recall fondly the punchline that begins "Time and tide wait for..."

Pimms

can't say they are familiar, I'll have to check them out.
As much as I am a fan of Spider and Callahans I think the callahans series has long since run out of gas. The first three books were excellent, the fourth less so, the fifth has some good gags but all told not so great....

Amen to that Rev.

Which book has the story about Pyotr the vampire in? I've read the story, but can't trace it in the books on my shelf. I have a feeling I read it in an anthology, and my 'first' book - Callahan's Crazy Crosstime Bar, is itself only a compilation from Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, Time Travellers Strictly Cash and Callahan's Secret (none of which I have).

hmmm....off the top of my head, I think it is in Callahans Secret, but it could be in Time Travellers strictly cash. If I get a chance to scour my shelves a little later I'll find out for certain.

A new Callahan's book has come out 'Callahan's con' some good puns, but once again not in the same league as the first three books.

To do list:
dust the bar,
chill some Rickard's Red, Double Diamond, Anchor Steam and Steinlager
Order LOTS of bushmills
take chairs off table
put up fresh presidential portraits on dartboards
Make coffee and wait for the crowd......

Don't worry about dropping in on that other thread, Paperboy. I'm hoping that before long the pesky noseeums will be taken care of and we'll be able to get back to business as usual.

Hello....

Last night I was trying to get into the java link for a chat-room we could have used. I knew would be empty at that time. Unfortunaately, my computer was so bogged down I couldn't do much.

That would be nice....
Ever read any Spider Robinson? The Callahans thing is huge on the web, but I can't do newgroups these days. It used to boast that it was the only non-porn newsgroup in the top ten in terms of traffic.
help yourself to a beverage while we wait for the iceman to cometh...

I used to read Spider Robinson in Analog back when he first started out. But then I got old and distracted. Now I've gotten older and I've been revisiting the things of my youth. But I haven't got back to Spider Robinson yet.

Actually I've been meaning to try to get a little less issue focused yak-fest going over here by invitation but with the current situation wasn't sure how to keep the invite list focused. I'd like to get zoomer and montana in here along with numerous others. Personally I have no problem with informed opposing view points provided people are not quick to take personal offense. I think the present company certainly meets that standard.

Ah, back when he wasn't lame....that earns you some marks in my book. Perhaps lame is kinda harsh. I worshipped the first three Callahans books for their humor and humanity, the later one get progressively more touchy feely and difficult to swallow and most unforgivable of all - less funny.

ah well time to toddle home from work now. I'll check in tomorrow (my time that is) help yourselves to the bar.

I'm not the one to be extending the invitations. He follows me. But then, if the invite gets put on a page he monitors, the jigs up.

Have you noticed his little countdown threat? I wonder what he'll do when he gets to zero. Maybe he'll unplug his computer and make us all disappear.

I saw that.

I have to go to the real world for a bit.

Work.... ohhh yeah...

actually, not work today. Medical crap.

and

our boy just started spamming another thread. Amusingly, he started in reply to one of Jimster's posts.

F47997?thread=341766?thread=&date=20031113184001