51: From reverse temporal engineering to Roosta

Join Mark, Jon and Danny as they traverse the R section of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Reverse temporal engineering Reverse temporal engineering is a new technology of “unfiltered perception”, which is a marvellous way of making anything you want to have happen, happen, without all that tedious mucking about with probability drives or Italian waiters. Danny, is there a name for the kind of thing you add to a sci-fi or fantasy universe that can just solve any problem? Is it a deus ex machina or is that something else? [I know it’s something else, but I’m assuming you know what I mean! I also wanted to not give this one to Jon for a change] Richard Vernon Richard Vernon played Slarti in the radio and TV series. He was born on the same day I was, and if he were still alive, he’d be celebrating his 94th birthday. But he died 21 years ago. River Moth The river Moth is, well, a river. It is, as previously described, slow and heavy, and if you make a raft to sail down it, you can use a towel as a, well, sail. And that’s about all we know of the River Moth. Satire The panel discusses the Hitchhiker’s Guide ’s place in the pantheon of sature. Rob McKenna Rob McKenna is a rain god, with 231 different categorisations of rain documented in his little book. All he knew was that his working days were miserable and he had a succession of lousy holidays. All the clouds knew was that they loved him and wanted to be near him, to cherish him, and to water him. He’s played by Bill Paterson in the radio series, and he’s a rather dreary chap. Room of Informational Illusions The Room of Informational Illusions is a deck on the Starship Bistromath that basically equates to another version of VR, like the Sense-o-Tapes from the original book. Roosta Roosta rescued Zaphod from Ursa Minor Beta during the bombing of Megadodo Publications. He’s played by Alan Ford in the radio series, which probably makes him the galaxy’s resident wideboy. He has a towel which contains a number of flavourings, chemicals and other substances that you can ingest by sucking a particular end. Links Follow Danny on Twitter (https://twitter.com/probablydrunk) Follow Jon Bounds on Twitter (https://twitter.com/bounder) Follow Jon Bounds on Twitter (https://twitter.com/jonhickman) Follow Mark on Twitter (https://twitter.com/iamsteadman) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/beware-of-the-leopard/id1260191839) Find more shows from the Outpost (http://theoutpost.fm/) Wynder K Frog - Green Door (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoTDiSaYLBc) Alice Through the Paper-Mill. In Respectful Criticism of the Paper Control and Kindred Matters &c. &c.: Amazon.co.uk: Wragg A.: Books (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Through-Paper-Mill-Respectful-Criticism-Control/dp/B000KHDF3M)