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What is the "42" conspiracy?

little grey rabbit

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7283155.stm

Ever since, speculation has been rife as to what Adams meant. There is the "paperback line theory" - 42 apparently being the average number of lines on the page of a paperback book. Was Adams paying homage to the medium of his success?

Then there is the "Lewis Carroll theory" - Adams celebrating Carroll's use of the number in Alice in Wonderland.

In the book, there is Rule 42 which says that anyone taller than a mile must leave the court immediately. That becomes a problem for Alice when she eats some mushrooms.

There is another theory that rests on a complex allusion to 42 in numerical base 13. It sparked Adams' retort: "I don't write jokes in base 13."
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Here is what Stephen Fry (who took over Adams's show "Last Chance to See")
"Of course, it would be unfair for me to comment. Douglas told me in the strictest confidence exactly why 42. The answer is fascinating, extraordinary and, when you think hard about it, completely obvious. Nonetheless amazing for that.

"Remarkable really. But sadly I cannot share it with anyone and the secret must go with me to the grave. Pity, because it explains so much beyond the books. It really does explain the secret of life, the universe, and everything."
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I have been told that Douglas Adam provided a voice for one of the characters on a radio adaption after his death, so surely there must be some way we can commune with the oracle in the after-life?
 
Douglas Adams was asked many times during his career why he chose the number 42. Many theories were proposed but he rejected them all. On 3 November 1993 he gave an answer on alt.fan.douglas-adams:

"The answer to this is very simple. It was a joke. It had to be a number, an ordinary, smallish number, and I chose that one. Binary representations, base thirteen, Tibetan monks are all complete nonsense. I sat at my desk, stared into the garden and thought '42 will do'. I typed it out. End of story."
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From the comments.
 
Q: How many roads must a man walk down, before you can call him a man?

A: 42
 
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"42" is the new "34".
naughty.gif
 
Lets examine the evidence:

Douglas Adams write a book about Earth being destroyed by Vogons to make way for intergalactic highway, and a human Arthur Dent escapes by hitching a ride on the Vogon's ship????

At this point I begin to channel my inner Mouth of Sauron

'Dwarf-coat, elf-cloak, blade of the downfallen West, and spy from the little rat-land of the Shire - nay; do not start! We know it well - here are the marks of a conspiracy. Now, maybe he that bore these things was a creature that you would not grieve to lose, and maybe otherwise: one dear to you, perhaps? If so, take swift counsel with what little wit is left to you. For Sauron does not love spies, and what his fate shall be depends now on your choice.'

No one answered him; but he saw their faces grey with fear and the horror in their eyes, and he laughed again, for it seemed to him that his sport went well. 'Good, good!' he said. 'He was dear to you, I see. Or else his errand was one that you did not wish to fail? It has. And now he shall endure the slow torment of years, as long and slow as our arts in the Great Tower can contrive, and never be released, unless maybe when he is changed and broken, so that he may come to you, and you shall see what you have done. This shall surely be - unless you accept my Lord's terms.'
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:mad:

Come on its obvious;
Douglas Adams >>Arthur Dent
42>>24

24 is 2 followed by 4
4 is 2 to the power of 2
Thus 222
222's are a very high dose aspirin with codeine
codeine is a drug that adversly affects many individuals, even Vogons.
Therefore the meaning of life the universe and everything is take drugs unless they are bad for you.

Geeez,,,, D'uh
 
he laughed again, for it seemed to him that his sport went well. 'Good, good!' he said. 'He was dear to you, I see. Or else his errand was one that you did not wish to fail? It has. And now he shall endure the slow torment of years, as long and slow as our arts in the Great Tower can contrive, and never be released, unless maybe when he is changed and broken, so that he may come to you, and you shall see what you have done. This shall surely be - unless you accept my Lord's terms.'
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9/11 Conspiracists speaking about how they will deal with debunkers after the Revolution?
 
Apparently if you drill a hole through the earth 42 minutes is the time it takes to fall from surface to surface (if you excluded drag).

I think 42 is 33 in base 13 and hence some masonic reference - although as Adams said, he doesn't make jokes in base 13.
 
little grey rabbit said:
Apparently if you drill a hole through the earth 42 minutes is the time it takes to fall from surface to surface (if you excluded drag).

I think 42 is 33 in base 13 and hence some masonic reference - although as Adams said, he doesn't make jokes in base 13.
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I think you've got masons on the brain.

However, being a Mason and age 42 I can tell you that I do know the answer but I can't share it with you because you do not know the secret handshake.:D
 
bikerdruid said:
his laughter is often heard by his neighbours.
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As I said, it wouldn't surprise me.

I should clarify to some of the dimmer Illuminati lights here (and lets face it - an Illuminati light is never very bright) that I think people who use symbols and secrets are without exception fools and knaves. Or to put it another way - they are our misfortune.

I am simply interested in what they are thinking rather than believing what they are thinking is of any great significance. Sometimes when you ask a question you do get a response in a backwards plausible deniable kind of way. I didn't pick it up this time however.
 
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