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

Eeesh... sounds like a (very) big job!

I remember doing a data-entry job for a parcel delivery company a few years ago. Mind-numbingly tedious most of the time, the only interest was when the postcode didn't match the address... Some of the bogger clients sent the data already entered on floppy disk(s) [remember them?!] - occasionally one would fail, meaning a very late night for some of us!

But yes, if it's done properly this time round, it *shouldn't* need doing again.

Just had to spend *far* too long getting iPlayer to behave. For some reason it decided it needed to be reset (couldn't access a particular folder, or somesuch nonsense), but that didn't work... so I tried reinstalling - then it wouldn't even load up Eventually tracked down a solution, that simply involves deleting a couple of folders. Probably the ones it couldn't access...

It is and I've done double my hours again this month and I'm probably going to have to work for nowt next week. Luckily I have written the clinics, I've done the updating and next week, next week I'm only going on Tuesday/Wednesday and then I am taking a couple of days off for my Birthday

I had that problem with postcodes last night, the one the royal mail suggested was completely different to what the patient gave (they'd had us alter it twice a few years ago, so who knows!) It's not hard these days to find postcodes, between google maps, postcode finder and a very outdated postcode book from the post office, we're slowly getting through the 16,000 allocated active files without codes...then it's just going through the unallocated files. (Incidentally, I like floppy disks, I use them to store patient data on Humphrey (the field screener) so I have a stash of them for when they fill up. It's my poor SD camera card which has failed it got cracked, was working then mum put it into her computer and it hasn't worked since. But I won't throw it away because it has photos of the last window I did and the last photos of our cat. Dunno if I could get it fixed but I'm not throwing it away!)

Why don't you just stream the iPlayer straight off the net? (the app never really worked on my old computer, just used to crash)

A very well-deserved couple of days off, by the sound of it!

When the postcodes didn't match up, we always had to put it in as it was written down. We weren't allowed to make any changes to the system, so when the same addresses kept coming in day after day we had to type it all in manually.

I think you'd be very lucky indeed if you got an SD card fixed - the circuitry inside is so delicate, once it's broken I think that's it. If you did manage to find someone who could fix it you'd probably have to pay a lot more than it's worth...

I sometimes do just stream iPlayer direct, but it seems better picture quality if I download it (though that could just be me, or my laptop). Plus you get longer to watch the programs if you download them...

Yeah, may have to run a work related errand on my birthday, running some health board forms over to Edinburgh, which isn't ideal, but given they're where most of our income comes from a necessity.

We're having to type most of it in manually, but we have made a spreadsheet, so we can search for the same streets coming up multiple times and just put in the same code. Then we can just do all the computer input in one lump. That's this afternoon, first I'm going to enjoy a bit of gardening. ()

I think I'd be lucky too, I've seen it cost £100 up on various websites, but never know, maybe one day it will just randomly open and I'll be very lucky.

Getting longer to watch programs is good, there's been a series on about metalwork on BBC4 and I kept missing them, then the went off the iplayer so I missed them completely, had I downloaded I may have had more of a chance. So you're very wise in your downloading choice

I guess with any business, (one of) the priorities has to be making sure the income keeps coming in

Aha! Sounds like a cunning plan! So cunning you could pin a tail on it, and call it Mr Fox! I've never been a great gardener - the only way I'm motivated is if there's food involved... Growing fruit and veg seems much more reasonable than just growing things to look at!

I think we're rapidly approaching a time where tv viewing will be revolutionised - no schedules, just a load of programmes that you can download to watch whenever you want. Might need to make sure the infrastructure could support it, but the technology is there. It would probably be sensible to work out how to fund it too... would the license fee be justified in that model?

Yep. Let's face it if there's no income there's no business and there's no point the income sitting in a drawer waiting until after my birthday! I don't mind

It's as cunning as a fox what used to be Professor of Cunning at Oxford University but has moved on and is now working for the U.N. at the High Commission of International Cunning Planning.

I like growing veggies, they're mostly what I've been growing, that and none of the flowers I've been trying to grow have come to much but no, veggies I seem to do okay with, I have beetroot and carrots, celery and lettuces, garlic and horseradish, peas and beans, chilli peppers, basil and tomatoes growing away quite happily, all from seed and I even picked my first french beans yesterday. I used to love helping mum in the garden when I was a kid, but teenagedom hit and I stopped helping, last year I decided to grow some things because I read that gardening helped with depression, plus I suppose it's akin to art, making something from nothing. It also keeps me busy.

No schedules, I like the idea of that. Plus in a world where the internet can be used for everything it can't be that far off. Remember the days of 4 channel terrestrial? Seems like forever ago but it's actually not that long. It still astonishes me that we have hundreds of channels, just on freeview, and still keep complaining there's nothing on. I guess that's why I mostly watch DVDs. There's (almost) always something good on with a DVD, for example, I have an annual screening of the West Wing because seeing Martin Sheen tell god off in Latin is worth the teasing I get from my sisters because I can't not watch it.

Wow, that's a pretty cunning spreadsheet!

Sounds like a nice selection you've got growing there! What variety tomatoes have you gone for? Last time I grew any I chose four different ones - black russian, green grape, and (I think) sweet 100 and golden sunrise. Tried some butternut squash as well - pretty much took over the vegetable patch! Produced some very nice squash though

Mmmm, must be what, 15 years ago since channel 5 started? I think there's still the same amount of 'decent' tv programmes - just spread over the hundreds of channels! Can't be much longer 'til we see the next big breakthrough in storage media as well. Or are they waiting for everyone to upgrade to blu-ray first?

Yes Mr Blackadder sir!

I am growing...*scuttles off to check*... Gardener's Delight...to be completely honest they were a random packet I got, so I figured I would give them a go. Once I've successfully grown some bog standards I'll try some fancier varieties. For example I'm growing striped beetroot because last year I did okay with the normal ones So out of your four, which did you like the best? Give me some ideas for next year

we didn't get channel 5 here for years after it started, the pathetic terrestrial signal didn't stretch without a satellite. It was a complete novelty when we finally got it, back in the days when CSI had barely started and there was still soft core porn on late at night! And as for Blu-ray, I still haven't bought all my old videos on DVD yet! Although finally did bin the last one I kept, my much loved Phill Jupitus tape, which they finally released on DVD, therefore all my videos are gone

Anything's worth trying to grow at least once! The green grape were by far the sweetest (they're a smaller 'cherry' sized fruit), so I'd definitely give those a try. The black russian (always reminds me of Blackadder!) were much bigger and meatier - not too much in the way of seeds in the middle, lots of flesh. And again very tasty. I think I ended up drying quite a lot of those... The other two were fairly bog standard really.

I've still got a few VHS tapes - Hitchhikers Guide (both series, and the 'making of'), Truckers, Soul Music, Wyrd Sisters, possibly a few more... Since I consider those 'collectables' I won't be getting rid of them any time soon!

I don't think future shifts in media storage will have quite the same impact. With digital storage now being the norm, it's much easier to transfer your own collection. Backwards compatibility of media players also seems to be the norm now, rather than the exception!

I will give the Green Grape variety a go next year, I far prefer cherry tomatoes to big ones Plus they also make excellent sun blushed tomatoes...nom nom nom...http://snowinateapot.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/recipe-sun-blushed-tomatoes.html

I kept hold of my h2g2 VHS until they released it on DVD, then I think I put the tape in the loft. In the end I didn't see the point in keeping them once my VHS place died.

Between CD and downloads I thought for a brief moment that Mini-discs were going to take off. I loved them and the fact that I could carry loads around with me, but once MP3 came in, I admit to being suckered into the iPod club. That said, I still have an LP player and lots of LPs. While the sound quality isn't the greatest, listening to certain things on vinyl is still better.

Indeed, much nominess! I went for the simple oil and salt when I dried the black russians - I knew the drying process would concentrate the flavour, and wasn't sure how other flavours would balance.

I know what you mean - I'm not likely to watch the old tapes any time soon (I *think* the video player still works ) but like I said, I consider them collectable

The only records I've got are the Hitchhikers ones. Must make sure I've converted them to MP3, before the technology to play them disappears! (Recent) history is quite littered with 'better' technology that wasn't embraced by the general public.

Well that's the recipe I used, which is vaguely based on one from a book, but I altered it...that batch I used too much dried thyme, but they were really tasty...until the solidified at the back of our previous dodgy old fridge They were fine so long as you remembered to take them out ten minutes before your wanted them. Since I've been more depressed I've learnt how to make lots of preserves, I make a good marmalade and an excellent raspberry jam!

fair enough and given my ability to collect junk I shall say nothing about it

I have hitchhikers on tape, my mum played it in the car for us when we were kids, but I need to buy it on CD. That one I admit, I won't chuck until I can replace it. But it's not like I grew up in the LP era, in fact CDs were around before I was born, so tapes were more for creating mixes than anything else. But dad brought a whole host of his old LPs down from the loft and I adopted them and I admit to a bit of designer -dom happening, the way that records work has always intrigued me and the idea that this tiny needle translates ridges into words is still intriguing. Plus it's like making a cup of tea, there's a wonderful procedural theatre about playing a record that I love.

Oooh, marmalade I do like it thick cut though... give it a bit of texture, and a bit more of a bitter twang!

S'not junk :-p

Ah, but the problem with hitchhikers is that all the versions are different from one another... I *think* the tape and CD versions are the same, but they're not the same as the original radio broadcasts (the most notable differences are in fit the third and fit the fourth, as well as a fair amount of [needed] remixing in fit the twelfth. I recently discovered a website with resources to help you 'restore' mp3 versions to the original broadcasts, should you wish to...) I think the (original?) tape version had better packaging than the CD version though!

I know what you mean - old technology was (at least in part) understandable - you could play around with it in ways it wasn't necessarily meant to be used. Needle + paper cone = makeshift record player! Try doing anything like that these days!!!

tell you what, I actually don't like marmalade, not a huge fan or peel, but I love making it! It really does take all day, but that's half the fun

no, isn't junk, I always find a use for things, even if it's years later...no wonder my parents punted my workshop out of the house and into the shed!

So long as I get the Peter Jones version I will be happy. I was on audible last night looking at audio books and the first one I stumbled across was Stephen Fry reading it, who I love and had I not heard the radio show, would probably go for, it's still not right. It's like the books, my mum has a set of little editions which my uncle got signed for her, and they were the ones I first read, but I bought a big one with them all together...mistake. I've never read from that edition.

Needle + paper cone = makeshift record player No, the further we get with technology the less we are able to play with it. The best examples of this being any Mac product and cars. My dad used to do lots to his cars, being the son of a mechanic he used to change filters and batteries and lots of things, but progressively they're making it so you can't get in at the bits your need to replace and therefore have to take it to the garage...or genius bar in the case of Mac products.

Don't like marmalade? I've only made it from tins (just add water and sugar, extra peel optional) and that takes a fair while.

What one person classes as junk, there's (almost) always someone who can find a use for. It's just a case of being able to match them up!

Peter Jones just *is* the voice of the book (although William Franklyn did extremely well when he took over for the Tertiary/Quandary/Quintessential phases). That said, I've got a set of all five books read by Douglas Adams. Got to be a good second (or third) best. I got my set of the books from a school book club (I think) - the covers are all in quarters, making a jigsaw from the first four. Mostly Harmless came out a year or two later. I looked at the omnibus edition(s) when they came out, but none of them quite felt 'right'.

If we were able to tinker with technology, there'd probably be quite a few people out of jobs! The 'service' industry is almost more important than the retail sector - which makes me wonder why some of the customer support is so rubbish?

Ahhh, the Mamade route, my grans do it that way, but I like to do the whole lot, peeling, finely slicing, boil the peel in sugar, boil down the flesh and then boil together until it becomes marmalade. I may not like it, but I really do enjoy making it. Though raspberry jam is definitely easier and quicker and by far tastier Also make a damn fine sweet chilli jam ( depression has turned me into such a granny!)

My exact feelings on "junk". I like my bits and bobs and I do genuinely find uses for them. I've made jewellery out of old glasses and headphones (http://emily-strange.deviantart.com/art/Audio-Visual-124446708?q=gallery%3Aemily-strange%2F5666934&qo=15http://emily-strange.deviantart.com/art/Audio-Visual-II-124446970?q=gallery%3Aemily-strange%2F5666934&qo=16) and fibre optic lamps (http://emily-strange.deviantart.com/gallery/5666934?offset=48#/d1rsmom) I liked that one...but they didn't like the glue and melted. Poor thing fell to pieces (NB: must learn more about adhesives).

Peter Jones will always be the book, I liked Stephen Fry in the newer film, but in my head it's Peter Jones. That said I now only hear Alan Rickman as Marvin, sacrilegious I know, but I have a huge soft spot for him. In fact, I shall admit I have a soft spot for that entire film.

Customer support is rubbish I suppose in the same way teaching often is. The people who are there loved the subject to begin with, but got tired of people asking questions.

Now, am off to lust over James MacAvoy in Wanted and have a cup of

Hi Em;
Thank you for sharing, your work is quite interesting. At first glance I think I like the "Ticky Tacky" earrings best!

I was at my fort the other weekend and a fellow was setting up his 19th century blacksmith impression. One of the questions he was asked was "where do you get your raw metal?"

The answer is of course mainly from the broken parts that are brought in for repair or replacement.
A good blacksmith's shop has a wall filled with broken metal pieces waiting for re-birth.

FS

What did the chick say when it saw an orange in the nest? Look at the orange mama laid! Oooh, jam too... The only problem with raspberries is the pips. Who's to say you weren't a granny before?

Wow, some nice ideas there! Shame the fibre optic one didn't last, I guess it's part of the learning process though.

Spent the last few days ripping and editing the HHG audiobook boxset. Would have been much easier if a couple of the discs hadn't had errors on them, and one of them completely the wrong disc... Still, I managed to get a listenable copy by other means . Just got to stitch them together now, so each book is just one file. I think I can do that one automatically though!

Thanks FS, I like the ticky tacky earrings too, but my fidget bracelets are my favourites, partly because I have fun making them. They're easy to make but also because no one I know of makes bracelets that shape, plus they're both really flattering and comfortable as the bracelet is also a lot smaller than one you'd naturally need, there's no worry about it falling off. Took me a while to work out my formula for sizing, but now I have it never fails. And I say this as a non-bracelet wearer!

I collect old broken jewellery for smelting, but you have to make sure things are hallmarked or you don't know what you're melting down!

J, I love the pips in raspberry jam! Although, did you know that between the 19th and early 20th century, it was very expensive to buy, so it would be made out of rhubarb and have wooden pips added to it to make it look real. Apparently the wooden pip trade was incredibly lucrative.

A strange piece of trivia, but true.

I keep considering going back to the fibre optic one, but I need to find a stronger material, which will hold its shape but not snap or indeed melt when added to glue.

sorry for the late reply, been making sea urchins out of polystyrene balls and cocktail sticks.

Yes, I did know about the fake pips - but I'm struggling to remember *why* I know about it. Was it on QI?

Are there different kind of optical fibre? I know you can get plastic or glass, but can you get different kinds of plastic?

Making sea urchins out of polystyrene balls and cocktail sticks? Not something you hear of very often...! It does beg the question though: why?!?!