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

Just passing through, saw your site, thought, "This is a great idea!" Unite the world, sounds good to me, it certainly needs something!!!

If anyone fancies a chat get in touch

This is me getting in touch

Bob...

Hi Bob ,

Good to hear from you. I'm at work tonight and I am just finishing my break, so please excuse me if this seems a little abrupt.

If I remember correctly you are interested in history and photography, is that correct?

I'll speak with you later, must



Clip

PS Great site you've got there, I'm just getting to grips with GuideML

Hi Clip

History and photography correct.

I'll speak with you later just post when free.
GuideML I am happy to share what I know it is not that hard, it just looks it.


Bob...

Hi there Bob Stafford (Keeper of The Treacle Shadow),

Firstly thank you for your reply, kind of you.

I’ve always had an interest in history from being a boy, the period I enjoy the most is from the beginning of the 1900s.

What period of history do you like?

I started photography when I was about 15 years old. My curiosity was aroused with my Grandmother’s box brownie (it was black of course and took great photos). My first camera was a rangefinder, Ilford Sportsmatic. Over the years I progressed through the Practica range, Yashica and ended with the Cannon A1 and lots of accessories.

Interest waned due to family and work and I sold all my equipment. 18 months ago my wife bought me a Fuji digital camera, I was very impressed. This Christmas she again bought me a camera, A Vivitar 10 mp 3/4 zoom; very compact with a host of programmes; these cameras combined with a PC have rekindled the passion for photography.

What do you think of digital cameras?

Thank you for the offer of help with GuideML, I’m sure I’ll need it. It is good fun, but rather addictive though, as is hootoo!

Another break over have to dash, nice to speak with you.



Clip

Hi again Clip,

Well it looks like you do nights, or are in a place other than the UK, You can never tell on h2g2.

Q What period of history do you like
A The PS will give you a hint 5000BC to 1750 AD. But I like hands on as well. Use the gear, I have done jousting, used swords uarious, fired cannons, fired guns eaten food from Viking to Charles 1 . Stormed castles, played mock battles (ouch), built fortifications, built 17c houses, quite good with a long bow, very efficent with cross bow, been on the reproduction Golden Hind......I will stop now incase you are getting bored.


Photos I started at 15 as well kodak instamatic them on to 35mm proper cameras Bronica as well is nice wonderful results nice.

The PC came to pass and lo digital world arrived, well good results, low cost, little work, digital darkroom, thats it film is finished.

Cameras Minolta DX, Fuji for carrying and a Cannon for the middle ground. They may not be pure but they are berrer than the old film and greener.

Q What do you think of digital cameras?
A Good and here to stay and the results are better than film.

So hows that, over to you now I look forward to yor reply.
I have to work tomorrow so will reply post 1700 UK time.

Talk tomorrow if I have not put wou off (well you did ask) see you then.



Bob...

Hi Bob,

Yes I am in the UK, County Durham area; I work a permanent night shift, seven days on, seven days off. People think … oh boy! He’s never at work, until I explain my working week is 80 hours.

I’ll check out you PS more closely. Love the idea of hands on. A couple I used to live next to in Hull City were members of the Sealed Knot Society (?). Believe he was a Pike man and she a camp follower. Always wanted to give it a go but OH said she was not interested.

This last summer (if memory serves right) we went to Ryedale Folk Museum at Hutton-Le-Hole on the North Yorkshire Moors. Just by chance there was an exhibition, people all dressed up in the clothes of the 14th C or there-about. They actually camped for the weekend in the grounds of the museum in their repro. tents. There was a fletcher (?), bowman, swordsman, pike man, all sorts of things. Our daughter loved it. There was even a lady who gave a cookery lesson inside one of the museum houses (unfortunately we missed that). This lady gave me strange chutney to try, it was delicious; she told me it was carrot and gave me the recipe, but I lost it. I think it was the same group of people who held an exhibition at Whitby (east coast) in the summer, only then it poured down and every thing was damp.

This subject would never bore me! Far from it. Anyway, that's why I signed up on hootoo to talk with others about those things I like; and to meet new people. The electronic age is wonderful.

A Bronica, very nice piece of kit indeed. I don’t think I will ever get back into photography in the same way as I did before; carrying all that gear. Once when I was on a backpacking trip with the lads, for a long weekend, my camera gear weighed more than my backpacking equipment!!!

I do like the Fuji 9500, a friend has one and loves it; TTL, useful fixed zoom lens etc. Was tempted but …! I the Vivitar, so small and compact, but with many useful features; still got to get the hang of it though. Combine this with the conjuring ability of the average PC and you have a formidable package. Lots of developing shops/labs have closed down near us. I can even get 200 digital images burned onto a CD at Asda for only 99 pence! Digital camera or nothing for me, from now on, it’s the future, and they will only improve with time.

1700 hours … I’ll still be in bed. But I look forward to talking again. Next week I am off for seven days, more civilized time to talk, though if possible I'll try and catch you earler tommorow evening.


Bob

Clip

Hi Clip

Reply any time and we can have an exchange of ideas. I look foreard to your next message.


to you

Bob...

P.S.

Feel free to press the add to friends button and add me to your list if you want... I shall add you if you dont mind.


Bob...

Hi Bob,

Just got to work (ooops Iv'e used the w**k word), still taking my coat off.

I'll have a quick then nose to the grind till break-time. Catch you then hopefully.



Clip

See you soon

Hi there Bob,

Feel free to press the add to friends button and add me to your list if you want... I shall add you if you dont mind.

Re; above .

I am looking forward to the coming week, seven days off, but of course it will soon pass; then back on duty again.

This week I hope to spend some time getting to grips with the new camera, it has a host of features. Fancy a trip to the coast at the weekend, depending on the weather; it has been terrible up here, howling gales and driving rain. It has been like this for well over ten days. It is not cold though. I always like an office window open but that has not been possible this week, we were pestered with midges … midges this time of year!

The re-enactment society you belong to sounds very interesting; liked your article about the ‘History of Black Powder Guns’; ironic that two Churchmen are credited with the invention of the firearm!

Do you actually take part in re-enactments or are you mainly engaged in arranging them, and procuring venues and equipment?

As a lad I used to cycle to a village not far from us to watch the Blacksmith at work. He used to let me stand and watch him (at a safe distance). Once he was repairing some antique weapons and armour for someone, I was fascinated.

Have you ever been to the museums in York? In one of these there is a helmet that is hundreds of years old (believe it is Viking). What fascinated me by it was its construction. To protect the neck there was a ‘collar’ of intricate chain mail (?), very small links and superbly crafted. Yet to visit the Viking museum, there has always been a long queue; our young daughter would not stand still for that long! We did visit Camp Eden, near Pickering and our daughter loved it.



Clip

Bob,


Sorry to be a pest, but forgot to ak you in lasp post.

How do you get those floating thiny-me-bobs on your PS?



Clip

Sorry what floating things???


Bob...

Hi Bob,

Should have said floating fishes, moving across your screen.


Clip

Evening Clip

How did you choose your name, Clip.
Camp Eden, near Pickering the WWII camp?

I actually take part in re-enactments as a casual member kit is no problem if you know where to go. And also engaged in arranging them, and procuring venues and equipment as well, for those who find it hard to find.

The society is a semiactive artillery company and open to anyone. I have seen the helmet in books it is one of the best of its kind. The castle visitor hall at Stafford had some examples to try on.

If you want a try I will give you some names. Bodger is best and I will ask him to give you a try at an event. Bodger has better contacts and will sort you out. Careful his humor is wierd.

Bob...

Hi Bob,

Please do put me into the weird hands of Bodger!

That's the camp, really worth a visit.

"Clip" is a play on my real name, also when thinking of a name I wanted Clipper after the famous sailing ships, I used to sail a little many years ago; have not done any sailing for decades. I wanted to go to sea when I left school, but needed my parents consent, they refused. .

Would appear this evening I am detailed to stay at this terminal all night, oh well, I'll just end up with a pain in the a**, but wife has been telling me that for years

Clip

I like Bodger, but he takes some getting used to is you watch time team he has been on at least 2 progs. He lives in Norfolk now, in the summer when the guns come out I will put you in contact.
What type of Civil Servant are you, he can be wary of some types of officialdom.


Bob...

Hi Clip
The code you wanted for the fish.


Life's like that.........<SMILEY TYPE="space"/><SMILEY TYPE="shark"/><SMILEY TYPE="schooloffish"/><SMILEY TYPE="schooloffish"/>

It should be easy to change "change between these marks" only, add only guide ML smilies

Have fun and ask if you need any help. Preview before you save.


Bob...

Clip go to my PS and look at the busses
Heres the code compare with the fish observe the differences and play with the code you will get it very quickly.


High Clip see what I mean .........<SMILEY TYPE="space"/><SMILEY TYPE="bus"/><SMILEY TYPE="bus"/><SMILEY TYPE="bus"/>


Toodle pipsky

Bob...

Hi Bob,

for the codes, they look real will come in handy

I did manage to find the marquee thanks to ACE lil. I tried it out, guess what, it worked first time ... who's a clever boy then?

Catch you later Bob