Beware of the Leopard: the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy podcast

Mark, Danny and the Jons round out the second and final full season of Beware of the Leopard with a discussion on friendship, the spaceships it powers, and the capitalist hellscapes it smashes.Find us all on the Internet: Jon BoundsJon HickmanDanny SmithMark SteadmanConsume our things:Buy Danny's bookBuy Birmingham: It's Not Shit, the bookListen to Mark's daily podcastThank you for sharing, and we hope you enjoyed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12/28/23 • 62:29

Children's books, Vogon poetry, dictionaries, ghost-writing, and choose-your-own adventures. All this, plus Jack the Ripper, sitcom reimaginings, David Williams, some news of our own, and the derivation of the term "Dirty Bristow".LinksSubscribe to our newsletterFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterThe notorious Emma WrightLeave us a review on Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9/7/22 • 48:24

Summer flings on Bethselamin, camping holidays in pissing Southport, the Holiday Theory of Relativity, and the inevitable books that followed on from Veet Voojagig's classic about Biros. All of this, plus the question: Zaphod Beeblebrox – sexist bully or scoundrel of his time?Listener Gemma's podcastsWhat’s in the tea? A Dollhouse re-watchSleep Minute — Dreams & The Science of SleepLinksSubscribe to our newsletterFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterThe notorious Emma WrightLeave us a review on Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8/3/22 • 50:38

One of the many major problems with producing podcasts is that of who you get to do it, or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them. To summarise: it is a well-known and much limited fact that those people who most want to produce podcasts are ipso facto those lists duty to do it. To summarise the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made a podcast producer should a no account be allowed to do the job. To summarise the summary of the summary: people are a problem.And so this is the situation we find: a succession of podcast producers who so much enjoy the fun and palavra of being in power that they never really noticed that they're not. And somewhere in the shadows behind them, who? Who can possibly rule, if no one who wants to can be allowed to? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12/24/21 • 20:34

Mark, Danny and the Jons present the Hitchhiker’s Guide to getting it all done.In our new format, each panelist writes a short essay on the given topic, in the style of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the book with the large friendly letters on the cover. Our thanks to Emma Wright (@editorialgirl) for being the voice of the Guide.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10/14/21 • 64:45

Mark, Danny and the Jons present the Hitchhiker’s Guide to getting a good night's rest.In our new format, each panelist writes a short essay on the given topic, in the style of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the book with the large friendly letters on the cover. Our thanks to Emma Wright (@editorialgirl) for being the voice of the Guide.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6/16/21 • 62:02

To commemorate Towel Day 2021, Mark, Danny, and the Jons present the worst bits of Beware of the Leopard. These are all the bits that are normally cut from the main body of the episode and shoved to the back, to sit in shame and think about what they did. Now we're bringing them out into the light for you to judge, share, and hopefully on some level, enjoy.New episode coming in the next couple of weeks, promise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5/25/21 • 43:10

Mark, Danny and the Jons present the Hitchhiker’s Guide to getting on in years.In our new format, each panelist writes a short essay on the given topic, in the style of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the book with the large friendly letters on the cover. Our thanks to Emma Wright (@ editorialgirl ) for being the voice of the Guide.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4/1/21 • 62:50

Mark, Danny and the Jons present the Hitchhiker’s Guide to Christmas and the new year.In our new format, each panelist writes a short essay on the given topic, in the style of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the book with the large friendly letters on the cover. Our thanks to Emma Wright (@ editorialgirl ) for being the voice of the Guide.Also in this episode, the panel show us their baubles, and try and find something to hope for in 2021.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12/24/20 • 48:52

Mark, Danny and the Jons present the Hitchhiker’s Guide to music.In our new format, each panelist writes a short essay on the given topic, in the style of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the book with the large friendly letters on the cover. Our thanks to Emma Wright (@ editorialgirl ) for being the voice of the Guide.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12/10/20 • 65:07

Mark, Danny, and the Jons present their Hitchhiker’s Guide entries on a return to school, including the long dark teatime of the soul, robot school, so-called non-subjects, and homework.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11/12/20 • 62:12

Mark, Danny and the Jons present the Hitchhiker’s Guide to sport, with contributions on politics and PE, and a host of alien sporting activities sure to become major hits on Earth.In our new format, each panelist writes a short essay on the given topic, in the style of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the book with the large friendly letters on the cover. Our thanks to Emma Wright (@ editorialgirl ) for being the voice of the Guide.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8/5/20 • 52:34

Join Mark, Jon, Jon and Danny as they play Podcast Day, the text adventure game written by Mark.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostPlay Podcast Day Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5/25/20 • 83:24

Join Mark, Danny and the Jons as they tackle the fiddly social issues that arise from living through a global pandemic.Each panelist – including Mark – was tasked with writing an entry for an updated version of the Hitchhiker’s Guide. Jon Hickman wrote his on virtual meetings, Bounder went Marxist, Danny tackled isolation and Mark wrote about panic.The team also share their tips for surviving the apocalypse, whether or not you happen to know where your towel is.Stay safe, stay indoors, listen to podcasts.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4/10/20 • 63:39

Join Mark, Danny and the Jons as they recap what they’ve been up to since our last full episode, say goodbye to a fellow Hitchhiker and Adamsify a piece of existing pop culture.How we picked up HitchhikersWe Apologise for the Inconvenience, by Mark GriffithsStephen Moore on IMDbMarvin the Paranoid AndroidPodcast Day: the text adventure gameMark on Podcast Radio Hour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3/8/20 • 46:03

Join Mark, Danny and the Jons as they attempt to solve the world’s problems and make it a good and happy place. Jon Hickman turns to pop culture, Danny says it’s all about kindness, Jon Bounds has a 19th century German philosopher to thank, and Mark’s solution, unsurprisingly, involves a lot of talking.Follow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostYou Don’t Look Like a Runner — Jon Hickman’s running podcastThread — Mark and Jon Hickman’s other podcastDanny’s writing on Paradise CircusPier Review: Danny and Jon Bounds’ book15 Minutes to Save the World — Mark’s new podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4/17/19 • 81:28

Join Mark and the Jons as they finish up the last of the Zs in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Zaphod BeeblebroxZaphod Beeblebrox is – or was – President of the Imperial Galactic Government. His favourite mother is Alice Beeblebrox, of 108 Astral Cresent, Zoofroozelchester, Betelgeuse V.Zaphod’s great grandfather is Zaphod Beeblebrox the Fourth. He grew an extra arm for Trillian, which took him six months.ZarniwoopHidden away in a pocket universe, and played by Jonathan Price, Zarniwoop is the guy who concocted the plan, with Zaphod, to steel the Heart of Gold, in order to find out who really rules the universe.ZarquonThe second coming of the great prophet Zarquon is highly anticipated, and finally happens at Milliways, just before the universe goes down the plug hole.“Holy Zarquon’s singing fish!” is an expression of surprise and alarm Zaphod uses when he falls out of the giant cup on Brontitall.ZentalquabulaOn Zentalquabula are found ancient alabastrum quarries. An elegant terrace on one of the planets that was home to the Guide, was carved from this stone.LinksFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4/10/19 • 40:53

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they saunter into the Z section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Wormhole DiscoThe place Zaphod and Roosta transport themselves to is the Wormhole Disco, which might as well have been called the Placeholder Club. In this disco there are nozels on the wall that spray the smell of hot sweat over everything, and the place is packed with dancing robots.Wowbagger the Infinitely ProlongedWowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged was – indeed, is – one of the Universe’s very small number of immortal beings.He’d had his immortality thrust upon him by an unfortunate accident with an irrational particle accelerator, a liquid lunch and a pair of rubber bands. The precise details of the accident are not important because no one has ever managed to duplicate the exact circumstances under which it happened, and many people have ended up looking very silly, or dead, or both, trying.He was played by Toby Longworth in the radio series, and he’s made it his mission to insult every little being in the universe, just for something to do.Xanthic Re-Structron Destabilised Zenon EmittersThe Xanthic Re-Structron Destabilised Zenon Emitter is just one of those throwaway lines Adams tossed in to a conversation between two robots. But if you put that combination of words into the Internet, you get this interesting question, which I’m going to pose to Danny:If there was a drone in the sky directing some type of microwave energy into your house, would you report it to the officials or not?YsllodinsYsllodins is the star around which most of the Galaxy’s major insurance underwriters live, or rather lived. As far as I can tell, this one isn’t real.ZamphuorZamphuor is an unknown ingredient to add when mixing a pangalactic gargleblaster.Zansellquasure Flamarion Bridge Club from beyond the Vortvoid of QvarneThe Zansellquasure Flamarion Bridge Club from beyond the Vortvoid of Qvarne is a party that dines at Miliways, the restaurant at the end of the universe.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostWho Runs the World? - Cat’s Cabinet of Curiosities Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4/3/19 • 47:27

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they traverse the W section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Wave harmonic theory of historical perceptionReason not withstanding, the universe continues unabated. Its history is terribly long and awfully difficult to understand, even in its simpler moments which are, roughly speaking, the beginning and the end. The wave harmonic theory of historical perception, in its simplest form, states that history is an illusion caused by the passage of time, and that time is an illusion caused by the passage of history. It also states that one’s perception of these illusions is conditioned by three important factors: who you are; where you are; and when you last had lunch with Zaphod Beeblebrox.WhalesA short-lived sperm whale was brought about by the Improbability Drive on one of its first hops along the probability access./Where God Went Wrong/ and /Who is this God Person Anyway?/Where God Went Wrong is, presumably, Oolon Colluphid’s first blockbuster heretical hit, and part of a trilogy that comprises this, Some More of God’s Greatest Mistakes – which you can hear about us talk in season 4, episode 2 – and Who is this God Person Anyway?.William FranklynWilliam Franklyn played the Guide in the remaining three radio series, after the death of the original voice, Peter Jones.Wise Old BirdThe Wise Old Bird was pllayed by John le Mesurier in the second radio series. Arthur meets him on Brontital where he explains the history of the bird people, who fled the shoe event horizon, shunning their shoes and taking to the skies, vowing never to set foot on the ground again.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostLawrence LessigOur D&D alignment chart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3/28/19 • 52:45

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they traverse the V section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Vogon constructor fleetsHere is what to do if you want to get a lift from a Vogon: forget it. They are one of the most unpleasant races in the Galaxy – not actually evil, but bad tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous. They wouldn’t even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat and recycled as firelighters.The best way to get a drink out of a Vogon is to stick your finger down his throat, and the best way to irritate him is to feed his grandmother to the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal.Vogon poetryVogon poetry is the third worst poetry in the universe.VogsphereMany, many light years from earth lies the grim and long abandoned planet, Vogsphere. Somewhere on a fetid, fog-bound mud bank on this planet there stands, surrounded by the dirty, broken and empty carapaces of the last few jeweled scuttling crabs, a small stone monument which marks the place, where it is thought, the species Vogon Vogonblurtus first arose. On the monument there is carved an arrow which points away into the fog, under which are inscribed in plain, simple letters the words “The buck stops there.”VolluingFor the meaning of the word “vollue”, buy a copy of Squornshellous Swamptalk at any remaindered bookshop, or alternatively buy The Ultra-Complete Maximegalon Dictionary, as the University will be very glad to get it off their hands and regain some valuable parking lots.VroomfondelVroomfondel is a philosopher from Cruxwan University. In the radio series he was played by Jim Broadbent.WalkmenFor some reason, Ford throws a bunch of Walkmens out to the crowds thronging around the ship that lands on Earth, in Mostly Harmless.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostWill SelfU and non-U EnglishCharles PooterThe Diary of a NobodyQuote by the Dalai LamaThe Vogsphere slapping sticksRevolution in the Head: The Beatles’ Records and the Sixties Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3/21/19 • 52:30

Join Mark and the Jons as they traverse the V section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, with a quick final stop-off at U.Uncertain Areas“Wild horses thundered through the sky taking fresh supplies of reinforced railings to the Uncertain Areas”. That’s a line from the popular book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to teh Galaxy, and it describes a thing that happens aboard the starship Heart of Gold, when Ford andn Arthur are brought on-board.Ursa MinorUrsa Minor Beta is, some say, one of the most appalling places in the known Universe. Although it is excruciatingly rich, horrifyingly sunny and more full of won derfully exciting people than a pomegranate is of pips, it can hardly be insignificant that when a recent edition of Playbeing magazine headlined an article with the words “When you are tired of Ursa Minor Beta you are tired of life”, the suicide rate quadrupled overnight.The Most Gratuitous Use of the Word ‘Fuck’ in a Serious Screenplay is an award you can win at the Ursa Minor Alpha Recreational Illusions Institute Awards. The trophy is the silver bail from the Wikkit Key.Vann HarlVann Harl is the Guide editor that took over from Stagyar-zil-Doggo, and a canonical nightmare. In the Quintessential Phase of the radio series, Vann Harl and Zarniwhoop – who we’ll cover later – are the same person, but to my recollection that was not the case in Quintessential Phase, the book the series was based on.Veet VoojagigVeet Voojagig was a quiet young student at the University of Maximegalon, who pursued a brilliant academic career studying ancient philology, transformational ethics and the wave harmonic theory of historical perception, and then, after a night of drinking Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters with Zaphod Beeblebrox, became increasingly obsessed with the problem of what had happened to all the biros he’d bought over the past few years.Vegan RhinoCutlets of vegan rhino meat are served by the mice to the humans, on Magrathea.Viltvodle VIThe Jatravartid people of Viltvodle VI believe that the entire Universe was sneezed out of the nose of a being called the Great Green Arkleseizure. In the film, we meet Humma Kavula, who appoints himself a priest of the Jatravartid religion.VivViv is a planet with vicious sea creatures. It appears in Mostly Harmless and that’s all we have to go on.Vl’hurgsThe Vl’hurgs are mortal enemies of the G’Gugvuntts.VodVod is presumably the planet where Judiciary Pag is from. It has three suns, and I say “presumaby” because we see him relax in his chambers on Vod, but don’t actually know if that’s his home planet.LinksFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsThe Fonz and the Happy Days Gang - Wikipediathiscatdoesnotexist.com (256×256)Find more shows from the OutpostThis Person Does Not Exist Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3/14/19 • 39:14

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they clear the T section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Tri-DTri-D is Adams’ allusion to some sort of 3D TV, and is distinct from Five-D, the sub-etha, the Sense-o-Tape, the Hall of Informational Illusions and whatever other technology he created to show things to characters.Triganic PuThe Triganic Pu is a form of galactic currency. Its exchange rate of eight Ningis to one Pu is simple enough, but since a Ningi is a triangular rubber coin six thousand eight hundred miles across each side, no one has ever collected enough to own one Pu. Ningis are not negotiable currency because the Galactibanks refuse to deal in fiddling small change.TrillianTrillian is a beautiful astrophysicist, with the real name Tricia McMillan. She’s played by Susan Sheridan in the radio series, and by Zooey Deschanel in the film. She manages to convince the masters of Krikkit not to destroy the universe, and she learned how to maneuver around Hyde Park Corner on a moped.On an Earth that was never destroyed by the Vogons, Tricia McMillan attempts to get a job with the NBS network in New York, as an anchor on the US/AM breakfast show. She regrets going back for her bag when first meeting Zaphod at that famous party in Islington. She failed the screen test for the network because she decided not to go back for her bag, thus not bringing her contact lenses which she needed to read the script and autocue. When taken to the planet Rupert by the Grebulons, she films the encounter and figures she must have faked it as part of an elabourate nervous breakdown or halicination.Trin Tragula“Have some sense of proportion” Trin Tragula’s wife would often say, so he built the Total Perspective Vortex, just to show her. And in one end he plugged the whole of reality, as extrapolated from a fairy cake, and in the other end he plugged his wife, where the shock annihilated her brain.TurlingdromeTurlingdrome. It’s a swear word. We don’t have a definition but it appears to be a derogatory term for a person, possibly a stupid person.There’s a creative design firm in Cincinnati who’ve chosen Turlingdrome as their name, which sounds like it might be a bit like calling your company Shithead.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost15 of the Worst Business Names in History Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3/7/19 • 41:18

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they traverse the T section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Tea and DouglasWhat JB said about kettles isn’t entirely inaccurate, according to an American friend of Mark’s, who also has a lovely story to tell about Douglas Adams.ThorThor is a thunder god. Arthur picks a fight with him over Trillian at an airborne party.Time Traveller’s Handbook of 1001 Tense FormationsOne of the major problems encountered in time travel is not that of accidentally becoming your own father or mother, but is quite simply one of grammar, and the main work to consult in this matter is Dr Dan Streetmentioner’s Time Traveller’s Handbook of 1001 Tense Formations.Total Perspective VortexWhen you are put into the Total Perspective Vortex you are given just one momentary glimpse of the entire unimaginable infinity of creation, and somewhere in it a tiny little marker, a microscopic dot on a microscopic dot, which says “You are here.”The man who invented it did so basically in order to annoy his wife who used to complain about him not having enough perspective.TowelsYou can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal; you can wave it in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course you can dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.Towel day eventsIf you’re in the Cambridge on the 25th May, you cango on a Douglas Adams walkhear a talk by the two remaining members of Adams’ sketh cgroupSee some Towel Day standupFind more info at towelday.org.Transtellar Cruise LinesTranstellar Cruise Lines ran a liner that kept a ship in stasis for 900 years while awaiting a compliment of lemon-soaked paper napkins. Fact-fans – or pedants, as they’re more commonly known – wil know that an alternative version of the company name is Trans-Stellar Space Lines.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostA Plan for the Improvement of Spelling in the English Language Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2/28/19 • 43:53

Join Mark and the Jons as they traverse the [letter] section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Sun diveHotblack Deseato’s band has a completely black stunt ship that dives into the sun on Kakrafoon, as part of the climax of a gig.Susan SheridanSusan Sheridan played Trillian in the radio series. She died in 2015, but had a good career as a voice actor with credits including Budgie the Little Helecopter and Jimbo(a personal favourite). We’re going to talk about Trillian in a few weeks, but for now, consider our caps doffed.SwutSwut is a swear word.TeaTea is a substance that can be used to power a Finite Imrobability Generator, or for confusing a machine into giving you a substance that’s almost – but not quite – indistinguishable from it. It is now available in most megamarkets, in easy-to-swallow capsules.TeasersA teaser is usually a rich kid with nothing to do. They cruise around looking for planets which haven’t made interstellar contact yet and “buzz” them, which involves strutting back and forth with silly antenni on their heads and making “beep beep” noises.TempophoneThe Tempophone is – presumably – a telephone that can make calls across various times.Ford advises Arthur never to call himself up from the future.Terry JonesTerry Jones played a parrot in the Starship Titanic video game, and wrote a book called Starship Titanic, based on a video game, but apparently in a different universe from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Seems like something we should address, really.Anyhow, he plays a parrot because Adams had discussed with Jones that most of the characters he played in Monty Python sketches and films sounded like parrots.LinksFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on InstagramLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostAn essay about a liquid almost, but not quite, entirely like the best cup of tea ever, by Jon BoundsTea on h2g2.comJournalists must fight for facts – and ignore Boris Johnson’s tea partyA Really Hot Cup of Tea. by Douglas AdamsA Nice Cup of Tea, by George OrwellAmericans don’t have kettles and people are losing itClipper TeaGrant Shapps’ Brexit mug tweetISO 3103: the tea standardSir Bedevere 12’’ action figure Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2/21/19 • 40:22

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they traverse the S section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.StragA strag is a non-hitchhiker. Given that we’ve discussed the idea of the hitchhiker as a class of person,Strangulous Stilettans of JajazikstakThe Strangulous Stilettans of Jajazikstak are mortal enemies of the Silastic Armourfiends of Striterax.Strateej-o-MatThe Strateej-o-Mat is a strategy aparatus on the Grebulon ship, that will only follow the commnads of the Chief Strategic Officer.Strenuous Garfighters of StugThe Strenuous Garfighters of Stug are mortal enemies of the Silastic Armourfiends of Striterax.Sub-Cyclic Normality Assert-i-TronA Sub-Cyclic Normality Assert-i-Tron is a marvellous device for counteracting the effects of the Infinite Improbability Drive.Sub-Etha NetThe Sub-Etha Net is basically the galactic Internet. Given that the sub-eta radio band existed first, I think this is a pretty good name, considering ethernet is already a thing.Sub-Etha News-MaticsThe Sub-Etha News-Matic is a kind of space Twitter.Sub-Etha Sens-o-MaticThe Sub-Etha Sens-o-Matic is a device that scans for signals from spacecraft. On prehistoric Earth, Ford detects eddies in the spacetime continuum and with Arthur, catches a lift through time on a Chesterfield sofa.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Hickman on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the Outpost Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2/14/19 • 35:59

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they traverse the S section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. We dedicate this episode to Jeremy Hardy, who died last week.The Great Ventilation and Telephone Riots of SrDt 3454These riots led to three important events, which we’ll go through in turn, but it’s basically all the fault of a ventilation system called the Breathe-o-Smart, which was absolutely guaranteed to never, ever, ever, go wrong; so much so that the company demanded all customers seal shut all the windows in buildings that used it. So, on that note…Every piece of technology of whatever stripe is required, on SrDt 3454, to carry the following legend, embossed somewhere on its surface, regardless of its size:The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong, is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong, it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.The actual riots were caused by three things:a press release from the manufacturers of the Breathe-o-Smart ventilation system suggesting that best results are achieved in temperate climatesa particularly hot day on SrDt, andthe employees of a telephone company taking to the streets in a demonstration against their corporate overlords (which we’ll come to in a bit)Any employee of the aforesaid telephone company, called BS&S, is permitted to say, once an hour, “Use BS&S and die”, after dealing with so many idiotic customers over the phone drove them mad. This was a direct result of the protest they had, which clashed with the office workers using the faulty Breathe-o-Smart.Stagyar-zil-DoggoStagyar-zil-Doggo is an editor of the Hitchhiker’s Guide.Starship TitanicMany speak of the legendary and gigantic Starship Titanic, a majestic and luxurious cruise-liner launched from the great shipbuilding asteroid complexes of Artifactovol some hundreds of years ago now, and with good reason.Very much in keeping with today’s episode, this spaceship was built in such a way to ensure that it would be infinitely improbable that anything would go wrong, so unsurprisingly when it attempted its first pre-launch radio transmission, it suffered a spontaneous total existence failure.Terry Jones, as we’ve discussed before, wrote the Starship Titanic book and played a parrot in the video game by the same name, produced by Adams’ Digital Village.Stavro Meuller - BetaStavro Meuller is a Greek serial entrepreneur with a German father and two clubs – that we know about – to his mixed-heritage name. Both clubs share his name, but it’s only the second one – Stavro Meuller: Beta, or Stavromula Beta – that really matters for our purposes.It’s where Arthur was supposed to be assasinated, and where he, Ford, Random, Trillian and Tricia meet towards the end of Mostly Harmless, just before the Earth is finally destroyed again. The building number is 42.Stephen FryStephen Fry narrated the first audiobook, played the book in the film and cameoed as a journalist in the radio series. He was a friend of Adams and wrote about him in his second memoir.Stephen MoorePlayedMarvinthe sperm whalethe man in the shackGag Halfrunta vogon guardin the radio series, and Marvin and the whale in the TV seriesLinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsFind more shows from the OutpostFairphoneWackaging: do we want our food to talk back? | Food | The Guardian5 Whys - WikipediaBureaucracy (video game) - Wikipediah2g2 - The Guide to Life, The Universe and EverythingDouglas Adams’ Starship Titanic: A NovelA Bit of Fry & Laurie Concerning Language - YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2/7/19 • 42:42

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they continue with the S section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Slim’s Throat EmporiumSlim’s Throat Emporium is a bar Ford and Hotblack Desiato used to crash, pretending to be health inspectors.Slo-TimeThe planet of Krikkit was to be enclosed for perpetuity in an envelope of Slo-Time, inside which life would continue almost infinitely slowly. All light would be deflected round the envelope so that it would remain invisible and impenetrable. Escape from the envelope would be utterly impossible unless it were locked from the outside.When the rest of the Universe came to its final end and life and matter ceased to exist, then the planet of Krikkit and its sun would emerge from the envelope and continue a solitary existence, such as it craved, in the twilight of the Universal void.Somebody Else’s Problem fieldThe Somebody Else’s Problem field is simple and effective, and can be run for over a hundred years on a single torch battery. This is because it relies on people’s natural disposition not to see anything they don’t want to, weren’t expecting, or can’t explain. If Effrafax the magician had painted the mountain pink and erected a cheap and simple SEP field on it instead of trying to make it disappear, then people would have walked past it, round it, even over it, and simply never have noticed that the thing was there.Some More of God’s Greatest MistakesOolon Colluphid’s book Some More of God’s Greatest Mistakes is the second in his trilogy of heretical works.Southend“When I was young I used to have this nightmare about dying”, says Arthur aboard the starship Heart of Gold. “I used to lie awake at night screaming. All my friends went to either Heaven or Hell and I was sent to Southend!”SqornshellousSqornshellous Beta is where cushions come from.Sqornshellous Zeta where matresses cine from. Marvin ends up stranded here after the Disaster Area stunt ship our heroes hijacked smashes into the heart of a sun.There are other planets in the Sqornshellous, but they aren’t cannon.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsDominic LittlewoodEngland, EnglandMinder (TV series)Big John’s chip shopPier Review: A Road Trip in Search of the Great British SeasideFind more shows from the OutpostBig Bad John Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1/31/19 • 37:56

Mark and the Jons are back off their Christmas break and ready to continue through the S section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Silastic Armorfiends of StriteraxThe best way to pick a fight with a Silastic Armorfiends of Striterax was just to be born. They didn’t like it, they got resentful. And when an Armorfiend got resentful, someone got hurt.They were the first race who ever managed to shock a computer. The computer in question was Hactar, and they commissioned him to build an ultimate weapon, which almost led to the destruction of the galaxy, again.Simon BrettSimon Brett produced the pilot of the radio show, and has produced episodes of other radio classics like I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue and Just a Minute. He now writes detective fiction and had a book made into a film starring Michael Caine.Simon JonesSimon Jones played Arthur in the radio and TV series, and the Magrathean security hologram in the film. He’s appeared in lots of little bits of telly over the years, and was a dear friend of Douglas.Sirius BMax Quordlepleen welcomes a group of young conservatives from Sirius B, to Milliways on the night our heroes turn up.Sirius Cybernetics CorporationThe Sirius Cybernetics Corporation were bunch of mindless jerks who were the first against the wall when the revolution came.SlartibartfastSlartibartfast is a planetary architect, who won an award for his wrk on Norway. Played by Richard Vernon in the first two radio series and the TV series, and by Richard Griffiths in the third radio series.On Earth, Ford and Arthur find his signature on a glacier. He picks Ford and Arthur up in his Somebody Else’s Problem shielded ship so they can join his mission with the Campaign for Real Time, and he has a name that sounds a bit like a swearword.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsThe Salmon of Doubt - WikipediaFind more shows from the OutpostOut of the Trees (1976) Full Comedy Movie | Graham Chapman Movie - YouTube(21) Out of the Trees (1976) Full Comedy Movie | Graham Chapman Movie - YouTubeRonco - Wikipedia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1/24/19 • 49:36

Join Mark, Danny and the Jons as they ring in 2019 with a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy pub quiz, in which every single round – every single one – is completely and 100% to do with the Douglas Adams sci-fi universe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12/27/18 • 67:00

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they continue traversing the S section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.Sens-o-TapeSens-o-Tape is another piece of VR equipment. In the first book, Arthur gets strapped into a machine that shows him how the Magratheans discovered the Ultimate Answer.Sesefras MagnaSesefras Magna is a planet around which Ford is orbiting when he hooks up a ship to the Speaking Clock on Earth, and where Xaxisians dock their battle fleet. Its sun is Zondostina, known to Sesefrasians as Pleiades Zeta. Orbiting the planet are Epum, its small and blue moon, and the space port, Port Sesefron, from which Zaphod once bought a pair of spray-on pants.Share and Enjoy“Share and Enjoy” is the company motto of the hugely successful Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Complaints division, which now covers the major land masses of three medium sized planets and is the only part of the Corporation to have shown a consistent profit in recent years.Shoe Event HorizonMany years ago Brontitall – or Frogstar World B, delete as appropriate – was a thriving, happy planet. Except that on the high streets of these cities there were slightly more shoe shops than one might have thought necessary. And slowly the numbers of these shops increased, until it became no longer economically possible to build anything other than shoe shops, resulting collapse, ruin and famine.Shorbut SweetShorbut Sweet – AKA Succ-U-Bus – is a robot that dispenses post on the Starship Titanic, played by Douglas Adams, who basically just had to cough into a microphone.Siderial Daily MentionerArthur and his friends pick up a journalist from the Siderial Daily Mentioner, who was “half-mad” after witnessing Prak do his “whole truth” bit. One of the Trillians also worked for the Mentioner.LinksFollow Danny on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Jon Bounds on TwitterFollow Mark on TwitterLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsDoug Bradley - IMDbDaily Me - WikipediaLife Day | Wookieepedia | FANDOM powered by WikiaFind more shows from the OutpostAdvance-fee scam - WikipediaScambaitingTrambopoline! - YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12/20/18 • 35:27