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

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Why is the when of who doing how?
If that's where it's at.

Hmmm....

Hmmmm...y'say.
Nope, it'd be more of fluttery sound.

Hmmmm....

(I can hear it now and there's no fluttering)



Mr. John W. Fulton

I'd personally say that its "CL". The other hand makes the "AP" sound.

We used to drive our sensei crazy asking these questions at the end of class. My two favorites are the ever classic, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make and sound?" and the rather more modern "If a turtle is without his shell, is he homeless or naked?".

G7

sensei - what were you studying?

the first one is 'no' i think, but i've never heard the second before. and i can't think of a clever zen answer!

I studied ninpo bugei. I enjoyed it very much, but the sensei couldn't keep the school open any longer and the next closest is 20 miles away. I was committed, but not that commited, I'm afraid.

G7

Well there you have it! The perfect answer to the original question, as it usually is for any question, is of course another question. Thus, my answer is, "What is the sound of one school closing and if you're twenty miles away will anybody hear it?"

As for the shell-less turtle ..at the risk of being crass for the sake of realism and truth ..naked AND homeless AND dead. Sort of a hat-trick, really.

peace brethren (and cistern)
~jwf~

We got the "dead" answer about a week after we asked. Sensei went home and did some research apparently.

G7

ready to cook?

Mock turtle soup...

G7

I've done judo, tai kwon do and kung fu (which i liked most). Someone once told me that he saw some ninjas levitating, but I'm a bit sceptical .

I once went to an akido lesson - they're vicious!

I never levitated, although I did learn how to run up walls.

I did some tae kwon do, but that's my only other real martial arts training. I wanted to learn kung fu, but couldn't find a dojo. Akido was another thing that I wanted to try. I've got a bit of a vicious streak occasionally, so it now seems lik something I should try.

G7

it wasn't just moves (this one breaks the shoulder...) but the whole atmosphere seemed rather psychotic.

i wanted to do kendo but there isn't a club nearby

how about you jwf?

(let's beat him up )

G7

I'm more the sumo wrestler type. Obviously the traditional breath suppressing chest crushing back breaking 'bear hug' technique requires getting close enuff to opponents to encircle them in the grip of my mighty arms; not so easy in these days of the nimble ninja types. So, if all else fails I can always pick up a small automobile and drop it on my opponents.

elephants never ...uhm ...
~jwf~

*deftly dodges a thrown Volkswagon*



Its a very good thing that we aren't opponents, JWF. You're far to nice a person to drop cars on us. (At least without proper provocation. )

G7

anyway, what's the sound of one hand clapping?

I believe that I answered that one already...

G7