Search found 390 matches
- Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:47 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers For Monday June 14th 2010
- Replies: 22
- Views: 3636
Re: Spoilers For Monday June 14th 2010
Is WARTIEST in the current dictionary? I'm an edition or two behind, and it isn't in mine, though WARTY is.
- Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:30 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Musings on Social Darwinism contra altruism.
- Replies: 26
- Views: 4685
Re: Musings on Social Darwinism contra altruism.
The essay is: If Darwin is right can genuine [my emphasis] altruism exist? My answer would be, yes it can. My reasoning: 1. Has any genuinely altruistic act ever taken place? I would say yes. For example, a man dies on the tube when hit by a train while trying (successfully) to save the life of a s...
- Sat May 29, 2010 10:54 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Musings on Homosexuality
- Replies: 66
- Views: 7697
Re: Musings on Homosexuality
You're missing the point, Ben. It's not who you fancy that necessarily determines your sexuality. It's your choice whether to follow that fancy that determines it. For example, take the following forms of sexual activity: Adultery Bestiality Celibacy Heterosexuality Homosexuality Monogomy Paedophili...
- Sat May 29, 2010 10:15 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Musings on Homosexuality
- Replies: 66
- Views: 7697
Re: Musings on Homosexuality
No body's born homosexual, in spite of the current slant often given in the media. Like all forms of sexuality, homosexuality is a choice. You choose who to have sex with, or dream about, or lech at, or do whatever it takes to become homosexual, and I dare say you may have from birth is a genetic t...
- Sat May 29, 2010 8:53 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Musings on Homosexuality
- Replies: 66
- Views: 7697
Re: Musings on Homosexuality
No body's born homosexual, in spite of the current slant often given in the media. Like all forms of sexuality, homosexuality is a choice. You choose who to have sex with, or dream about, or lech at, or do whatever it takes to become homosexual, and I dare say you may have from birth is a genetic te...
- Wed May 26, 2010 11:23 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: R + S = ?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1679
Re: R + S = ?
I not only got the answer, I even understood the whys and wherefores.
- Wed May 26, 2010 11:18 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Boys and Girls
- Replies: 27
- Views: 4489
Re: Boys and Girls
Also, another intuitive way of looking at it - having a boy born on a Tuesday is fairly "rare" and its chances are increased by having two boys. So if you know someone's got a boy born on a Tuesday, they're more likely than usual to have two boys. Fairly limitedly counter-intuitive, thoug...
- Mon May 17, 2010 7:01 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Electoral Reform
- Replies: 58
- Views: 6300
Re: Electoral Reform
Unless I'm missing something on that site, it doesn't say anything useful about what assumptions they've used. By which I mean for example, what exactly were the BNP second preferences assumed to be? What percentage didn't give a second preference? Did they make any effort to allow for local conditi...
- Mon May 17, 2010 4:40 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Electoral Reform
- Replies: 58
- Views: 6300
Re: Electoral Reform
Gavin - one of the essential points of an election is that it can be seen to be fair. Which means people must understand the rules. Look at the fallout from Bush Jnr's first victory, because of rules which were not clear. So I'm afraid that absolutely rules out (for me) both your suggestions. The re...
- Mon May 17, 2010 4:09 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: The C4C Football Thread
- Replies: 1265
- Views: 211140
Re: The C4C Football Thread
Surprised no one has posted already (shame on you Kai :) ) but congratulations to Chelsea for winning 'The Double' Truly remarkable considering the injuries we had, (Essien out for most of the season) and the African Nations robbing us of players, this year aswell. Truly remarkable? That a club who...
Re: Crisps
Seabrook Salt & Vinegar.
- Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:48 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Name My Child
- Replies: 141
- Views: 21261
Re: Name My Child
How serious, Matthew? Compared with Fritzl, say - worse, not so bad, or about the same?
- Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:12 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Riddles
- Replies: 41
- Views: 3681
Re: Riddles
Or Aitch.Eoin Monaghan wrote:What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?
- Tue Apr 20, 2010 11:53 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: What web animal are you?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1268
Re: What web animal are you?
I'm a bear. Which I think would give me the edge, Dinos, in a hugging contest. Not that I'm offering.
- Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:34 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Name My Child
- Replies: 141
- Views: 21261
Re: Name My Child
I suspect you might find parenthood isn't quite so easy when you actually have to do it.Matthew Green wrote:Allowing your children to be fat is abuse. If you can't see that then shame on you.
- Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:38 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: The C4C Football Thread
- Replies: 1265
- Views: 211140
Re: The C4C Football Thread
Better still Liverpool get to the Europa league final at the expense of 4th spot and throw their game against Chelsea in order to stop Manure breaking the record. Best of all is if they throw their game against Burnley in the match between their two legs of the semi-final. Of course, that presuppos...
- Thu Apr 15, 2010 12:22 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Name My Child
- Replies: 141
- Views: 21261
Re: Name My Child
What are the suggested girls' names?
- Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:48 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Summer Festivals
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1764
Re: Summer Festivals
Pershore Midsummer Brass is back on after a 5 year break. I'll be there.
- Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:07 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Proper names etc..........
- Replies: 34
- Views: 4067
Re: Proper names etc..........
It'll perhaps become multilingual as well. You may not be able to use the Polish word for 'dog', but presumably you can use the Polish word for 'Warsaw'. Or all those other Polish towns and villages with no English translation. Russian or Greek towns could be more problematical, though. Is 'Bombay' ...
- Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:33 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: The C4C Football Thread
- Replies: 1265
- Views: 211140
Re: The C4C Football Thread
Which was immiediately followed by Matt Le Tissier's lyrical description of Sunderland's third goal, score put up on screen as well, followed by "Hang on - has he disallowed it?" (He had.)
- Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:14 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: JOHN FORSYTHE: 1918-2010
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2036
Re: JOHN FORSYTHE: 1918-2010
For the same reason we knew about John Forsythe dying, Jason. Because it was on the news.
We didn't know a year in advance that he was dying, though. Why not?
We didn't know a year in advance that he was dying, though. Why not?
- Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:20 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Australian Countdown!
- Replies: 60
- Views: 14237
Re: Australian Countdown!
Hard luck, Kirk. Rumour has it they're in close contact with Mr. Eadie to ensure that no-one gets on a second time. (Or in some cases, third. )
- Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:18 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Define the largest finite number you can in 1000 characters
- Replies: 39
- Views: 5932
Re: Define the largest finite number you can in 1000 characters
You could square Jon's entry by just writing the number 9 1,000 times in formation rising diagonally up and across the page.
Difficult to do on a message board, but easy enough on paper (or on Excel).
Powers don't need a ^ symbol, after all.
Difficult to do on a message board, but easy enough on paper (or on Excel).
Powers don't need a ^ symbol, after all.
- Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:28 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Give Your Vote
- Replies: 28
- Views: 4267
Re: Give Your Vote
To which your MP might respond, "Why should I care? You don't have a vote."Mikey Lear wrote:Also, by giving up my own vote I'm saying to my MP "Issues which affect other countries are important to me" or something like that.
- Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:58 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Sproilers for Tuesday 30th March 2010
- Replies: 29
- Views: 4099
Re: Sproilers for Tuesday 30th March 2010
I've just watched the recording, and Anna was desperately unlcky with "loomers". If we had a Manchester English Dictionary, it would have been in. A loomer was someone who set up the loom for the weavers to start - it was one of the simpler jobs in the mill, often a job for beginners to st...
- Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:39 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Yearly Champion
- Replies: 116
- Views: 13120
Re: Yearly Champion
How's about the 2010 grand final being the first match of 2011? The second series of 2010 will end just before Christmas as usual, and the new series starts in January with a little bang. The champ has at least a few days off between filming dates, as well. This is a good idea. Especially since I s...
- Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:31 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Which contestant...?
- Replies: 36
- Views: 3482
Re: Which contestant...?
I have the same problem as Jon Corby when it comes to trying to find a 9.
- Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:14 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Yearly Champion
- Replies: 116
- Views: 13120
Re: Yearly Champion
How's about the 2010 grand final being the first match of 2011? The second series of 2010 will end just before Christmas as usual, and the new series starts in January with a little bang. The champ has at least a few days off between filming dates, as well.
- Sun Mar 28, 2010 8:59 am
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Alternate numbers solutions.
- Replies: 25
- Views: 4170
Re: Alternate numbers solutions.
I didn't say I found them irritating, just that I thought that posting them was tedious and that they were, for the most part, uninteresting. Thing is, you do get the occasional bit of flair in the alternative solutions, but to detect them you have to go through the whole lot. They could pm them to...
- Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:53 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Alternate numbers solutions.
- Replies: 25
- Views: 4170
Re: Alternate numbers solutions.
You could always get a mouse with a wheel - then you can scroll down as soon as you see it's a numbers solution. It won't take more than the time you've saved by not typing eoe.
Afterthought - I thought speed typing was just typing fast? Missing letters out is just textspeak (txtspk?), isn't it?
Afterthought - I thought speed typing was just typing fast? Missing letters out is just textspeak (txtspk?), isn't it?
- Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:48 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Is Countdown ruining Burnley FC
- Replies: 13
- Views: 2455
Re: Is Countdown ruining Burnley FC
Radio 5 commentators struggle with the concept of recorded TV shows, so I dare say they're not too familiar with the idea of players being injured either? Carlisle's had 2 bad games, not consecutive.
- Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:07 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: c4countdown: Quick Survey
- Replies: 12
- Views: 3139
Re: c4countdown: Quick Survey
c 4 countdown.
Which isn't the same, although it sounds the same, as c for countdown.
Which isn't the same, although it sounds the same, as c for countdown.
- Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:09 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Give Your Vote
- Replies: 28
- Views: 4267
Re: Give Your Vote
Compulsory anything, for adults at least, is a bad idea in my view. Fair enough, the government has to stop you doing things, that's the rule of law. But once the ground rules are set, they should keep out of your life.Marc Meakin wrote:No, bad idea.
Compulsory voting (or a huge fine) would be a good idea though.
- Fri Mar 12, 2010 3:15 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Longest Word using different letters
- Replies: 15
- Views: 3045
Re: Longest Word using different letters
A contrived newspaper headline about the failed theft of a large block of stone from a Welsh valley read: Quartz Glyph Job Vex'd Cwm Finks which is probably just about as good an attempt at a 26-letter sentence as possible. The longest placename in the UK that I know of is Bricklehampton, Worcesters...
- Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:51 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Most quoted user
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1616
Re: Most quoted user
But who's in the lead if D Eadie and Damien E are averaged out?
- Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:41 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: World Maths Day
- Replies: 12
- Views: 2254
Re: World Maths Day
Don't these so-called mathematicians know how many hours there are in a day?
- Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:19 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Smilie League Table
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2534
Re: Smilie League Table
Smilie? Smiley, surely.
- Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:39 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Is Countdown ruining Burnley FC
- Replies: 13
- Views: 2455
Re: Is Countdown ruining Burnley FC
No. nothing is ruining Burnley FC, we are one of Britain's great institutions, and will go on forever. (And if West Ham do the decent thing and follow Portsmouth into administration, we might even stay in the Premier League. Though not if we play like we did on saturday.)
- Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:35 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Historical recaps
- Topic: Friday 20th December 1985 (Series 7, Grand Final)
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1008
Re: Friday 20th December 1985 (Series 7, Grand Final)
Typo - you've got Julian's total score as 70 in the last summary.
I'd have sworn Julian Hough won the series, obviously wrongly. Who was number 1 seed that year?
I'd have sworn Julian Hough won the series, obviously wrongly. Who was number 1 seed that year?
- Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:34 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: 'I've been told I'm never welcome in the studio again'
- Replies: 49
- Views: 6133
Re: 'I've been told I'm never welcome in the studio again'
And have you? Any legal action pending?D Eadie wrote:It's like saying you've been assaulted by Songs of Praise.
- Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:32 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: 'I've been told I'm never welcome in the studio again'
- Replies: 49
- Views: 6133
Re: 'I've been told I'm never welcome in the studio again'
It isn't correct to count CV's sacking as the same as the sacking of Mr. Average in an average job. If Mr. Average has worked for 20+ years for the same firm on an average sort of wage and suddenly gets told he's no longer wanted, that could be argued as despicable. On the other hand, CV was on a ve...
- Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:53 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Historical recaps
- Topic: Calendar Countdown Pilot 1981
- Replies: 2
- Views: 678
Re: Calendar Countdown Pilot 1981
Afraid?!?James Robinson wrote:That is where the show ends, I'm afraid.
- Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:49 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Countdown Pilot Episode
- Replies: 33
- Views: 3947
Re: Countdown Pilot Episode
With 12 points for the pre-selected word (catchy), the other 5 rounds become a bit irrelevant. How did the gazebo round work? First to buzz got it, regardless of length? And why did Cathy, if that's who it was, have to turn every letter over after fishing it out - why not put the letters the other w...
- Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:32 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers For Thursday February 25th 2010
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2824
Re: Spoilers For Thursday February 25th 2010
Come and join us if you like. We're not leaving.
And at least we'd not have the smallest budget in the Premier League any more - or would Blackpool "show ambition" and spend all 3 years' worth of TV money in the first month?
And at least we'd not have the smallest budget in the Premier League any more - or would Blackpool "show ambition" and spend all 3 years' worth of TV money in the first month?
- Fri Feb 26, 2010 9:45 am
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers For Thursday February 25th 2010
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2824
Re: Spoilers For Thursday February 25th 2010
They have Premiership resources but choose not to spend them. They have a League 1 manager, sure, but they appointed him, cheap, cheerful and a yes man. The most success he had was with Hartlepool Utd. They did well to get to the Premiership but as a club, deserve to be relegated for showing not on...
- Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:47 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers For Wednesday February 24th 2010
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2860
Re: Spoilers For Wednesday February 24th 2010
He's definitely got a career in broadcasting when he retires from football, if he wants it. He was the summariser last year when we beat Chelsea, and was so good they put the commentary on the DVD sale. Though he's thinking of becoming a teacher.
- Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:44 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
- Topic: Spoilers For Thursday February 25th 2010
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2824
Re: Spoilers For Thursday February 25th 2010
We beat Man United and Everton back to back, so there.
Come on you clarets!
Come on you clarets!
- Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:18 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Another footballer to appear on Countdown
- Replies: 28
- Views: 6616
Re: Another footballer to appear on Countdown
Come On You Clarets!
- Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:16 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: Which was your favourite co-event?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2246
Re: Which was your favourite co-event?
Colin 2010. Well, it's the only one I've been to, so it had to have a good chance. But it was great fun, and I do like the system of 3-handed tables where all play all and we take turns to be Jeff&Rachel.
- Wed Feb 17, 2010 12:19 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Dispatches
- Replies: 24
- Views: 3818
Re: Dispatches
These were the teachers who agreed to take part, presumably. How bad were the ones who refused?
- Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:42 am
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: Someone should organise a CO event that's not up..
- Replies: 39
- Views: 6669
Re: Someone should organise a CO event that's not up..
You live in Eastbourne, Jimmy. Everywhere's "up north". Unless you're suggesting meeting on the Goodwin Sands? On the same day they play the cricket match, perhaps?
- Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:39 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Words changing meaning.
- Replies: 52
- Views: 3817
Re: Words changing meaning.
One that annoys me is the now more-or-less-universal "rough justice" to mean "injustice", when originally it meant the opposite.
- Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:15 pm
- Forum: apterous.org
- Topic: Words You Would Have Thought...
- Replies: 479
- Views: 184672
Re: Words You Would Have Thought...
Just to cause confusion with the standard notation, I found out yesterday you can't have bogof, because it's actually BOGOF (abbreviation) in the dictionary. In other words, it's currently an acronym BOGOF in the dictionary so it's written bogof in Countdown, but when it becomes bogof (noun) in the ...
- Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:17 pm
- Forum: Countdown - Events
- Topic: COLIN 2010 results & feedback
- Replies: 49
- Views: 8456
Re: COLIN 2010 results & feedback
Hello, I've just got home and want to say I had a great time. Thanks, Ben. See you next year, I hope.
- Wed Jan 27, 2010 12:22 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Will anyone achieve a perfect score?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 6313
Re: Will anyone achieve a perfect score?
It can happen because "lightning can strike." I'm just trying to be optimistic! Someone just might be able to beat the odds! Don't say never! Yes, Jason, it can happen. Just as you can toss a coin twelve times in a row and it will land on its edge each time. Or that your house will explod...
- Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:58 pm
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: Will anyone achieve a perfect score?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 6313
Re: Will anyone achieve a perfect score?
About 5% of rounds have nines, so a game with all nines would occur about once in every 7 million billion games. Of course this is a significant underestimate, because each nine gets less and less probable as the nice letters get used up, and the numbers aren't guaranteed to yield 30 points either....
- Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:13 am
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Defending you property
- Replies: 125
- Views: 12507
Re: Defending you property
There's at least a couple of bits in Judge Judge's summing-up that don't ring true. ""The burglary was over and the burglars had gone, no one was in any further danger from them," said Judge." 50 previous convictions, but there was no future danger? The General Belgrano wasn't ac...
- Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:04 am
- Forum: Countdown - General
- Topic: A LANDMARK PROGRAMME DUE?
- Replies: 52
- Views: 5602
Re: A LANDMARK PROGRAMME DUE?
It was edited out of the final broadcast, anyway.David O'Donnell wrote:I really enjoy watching Countdown but it's never had me jumping up and down on my sofa whipping myself on the ass with my belt ... well it did once but that was an exception.
- Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:44 pm
- Forum: Games and Puzzles
- Topic: Sports / Maths Puzzle(s)...
- Replies: 205
- Views: 22643
Re: Sports / Maths Puzzle(s)...
[post deleted, I misread your post above]
- Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:06 pm
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: The C4C Football Thread
- Replies: 1265
- Views: 211140
Re: The C4C Football Thread
As a Burnley fan, I was hoping that Liverpool would win, because (a) more money and less travel from playing Liverpool rather than Reading, and (b) on those two performances, we'd stand just as good a chance of reaching the fifth round. Especially with Torres and Gerrard missing. Owen Coyle's always...