tom wrote in
. net:

Lostgallifreyan wrote:


Well, I wondered about non-euclidean geometry for a moment, then
remembered Greg House saying something about working smart, not hard,
and no-one said I couldn't plunder Wikipedia, so....

Actually, before I got there, I wasn't even sure if what Adams had
denied was that "six times nine equals thirteen is wrong", or that he
denied the more interesting case that it was its correctness in base 13
that explained the 'answer'. Apparently he did deny it. Which doesn't
mean it isn't true. But according to Wikipedia's stuff, he chose a
small number that looked ordinary and totally unprofound. Which means
that he let whim, i.e. unconscious conditioning hold sway, without
attempt to mediate it. Given that the English colloquilasm would never
be entirely far from a writer wose native language and culture was
English, I stand by my 'theory'. Though I'd like to know if he was
ever directly questioned about the 'sixes and sevens' thing and denied
it. Even then, he would be telling the truth if it hadn't been
conscious. MUCH more like he was influence ny this that by base 13, no?

Maybe you should get me started on my idea for The Long Dark Teatime Of
The Soul, you might like it. The only thing I'll say about it now,
unprompted, is that in this case the allusion isn't English, it's
French.

Someone I have had as a boss at 3 companies is totally convinced that
Adams meant it's all a throw of the dice since you get 42 when you add
up all sides of two dice.

tom
K0TAR


Yep, that's a nice one. I still like mine better though. Adams liked to play
with language directly, it would have appealed to him even if it wasn't how
he got there.

Any thoughts on tea? That was another mild obsession with him, and extends
obviously, though strangely, into the Teatime thing. Consider it a hint.