>>Yep, it's Trall. I had to consultant the original "Hitchhiker Guide..." Took a lot of doing. Fortunately, the publishing company in the Ursa Minor area has a web site. Unfortunately, I had to re-align the radio-telescope, so it took some doing as I don't have the technology nor several large building to house it in.:-)
>>
>>BTW, it's Vogons, I was wrong.
>
>LOL! You know, the H-Guide was SF back when the book was written, but not so far fetched today. A PDA with the appropriate data could do a nice job of approximating it...
>
Michelle,

Nope, so of the stuff is not so far fetched.

Let me take this opportunity to answer a couple of questions about extra-terrestrials. One of these is posed by a TV commercial. Paraphrased, ot goes, "If aliens have superior intelligence, why do they abduct the dumbest people?"

The answer to this is actually threefold.

First, they don't ask a lot of questions. I mean that's exactly what we...er...they don't want. Usually, it's a simple, "Uh, where am I?"

Second, they believe whatever you tell them. For example, the standard response to the above (it's even in the manual) is, "You're dreaming".

Third, after they're returned if they remember anything of the experience (the memory eraser sometimes misses a spot or two), who'll believe them? Afterall, they're stupid.

The other question, usually is, "Is there really an 'Area 42'?"< giggle > Well, yes, there is< snicker >. You'll have to excuse me, it's hard to keep my compsure on this one. To explain, there's a race of extra-terrestrials who are, well, the practical jokers of the universe. Usually is pretty sophomoric stuff (Like an inter-stellar "Kick me" sign). Well, what they did in 1948, was to do a mock-up of a "flying saucer". Not much real technology there, but enough to keep you...er...us interested. The "beings" that they put on it were our equivalent of pigs.

Anyway, they crashed it out in New Mexico and let nature take it course (to their amused delight). Now the Interstellar Council really kind of frowns on this sort of behavior. No need to put advanced technology into the hands of beings who can't handle it (where do you think Microwave Ovens came from, BTW?). However, given that the technology was mostly harmless, and the fact that they couldn't keep their composure long enough to render a verdict, they let the matter drop.

The above has been the subject of a great deal of amusement, and why the phrase, "...when pigs fly," sends aliens into convulsions of laughter.

I hope that this clears this up for you.:-)