c4countdown

Well, that too.

Could it be because you lied when you were seventeen? That's only a guess, by the way, not an accusation.

Might've done. You can't prove nothing.

Fog.

Clear

Of all the people who could strike, why do Tube workers strike so much more often?

Mark Deeks wrote:Of all the people who could strike, why do Tube workers strike so much more often?

Where I used to work there were strikes but you wouldn't have heard about it because far fewer people were inconvenienced. So what you say might not be the case.

But it also shows that some people are in a much more privileged position than others when it comes to striking. There's a massive asymmetry because some people striking will always make people take notice and others won't.

And although this might seem to go against my "leftie" reputation, it does seem pretty arbitrary that people are allowed to not go to work and get away with it because there has been some vote among a group of these workers, but not in other cases.

Why is that any more legitimate than a smaller group of people doing the same but not part of some organisation or indeed one individual who might still have a legitimate grievance?

But I take your point that there are other strikes that make national news too and they seem to be less common. As for why - dunno.

*DISCLAIMER STARTS* If i ever make it as a Tube Driver (likelihood = 1/100), i won't strike *DISCLAIMER OVER*

You will if everyone else does. Also, without wishing to dampen your enthusiasm, it's not the profession to go into right now. T'will soon be obsolete.

Why do people eat fruit-flavoured sweets?

Adam Gillard wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:20 am Why do people eat fruit-flavoured sweets?

Because vegetable ones are disgusting

Why do people seem to know that sweets commonly aren't vegetarian (gelatine) but not that cheese often isn't (rennet)?

Adam Gillard wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:20 am Why do people eat fruit-flavoured sweets?

Why wouldn't they? They give nice flavours. There are other flavours too, like mint, aniseed, liquorice, violet, rhubarb & custard, and non-specific.

I think there is more of an a argument against fruit bars and real fruit jellies, as they are more harmful to teeth than chocolate

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:40 am

Adam Gillard wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:20 am Why do people eat fruit-flavoured sweets?

Because vegetable ones are disgusting

Hehe, good answer!

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 4:19 pm

Adam Gillard wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:20 am Why do people eat fruit-flavoured sweets?

Why wouldn't they? They give nice flavours. There are other flavours too, like mint, aniseed, liquorice, violet, rhubarb & custard, and non-specific.

Just because they don't really taste like fruit and fruit is better for you and probably cheaper, at least by weight. Having said that I might have missed the point that a sweet is an easy bite-sized treat and why wouldn't they have fruit-flavoured ones.

Adam Gillard wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 6:09 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 4:19 pm

Adam Gillard wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:20 am Why do people eat fruit-flavoured sweets?

Why wouldn't they? They give nice flavours. There are other flavours too, like mint, aniseed, liquorice, violet, rhubarb & custard, and non-specific.

Just because they don't really taste like fruit and fruit is better for you and probably cheaper, at least by weight. Having said that I might have missed the point that a sweet is an easy bite-sized treat and why wouldn't they have fruit-flavoured ones.

I think you have missed the point. People decide to have sweets and then pick fruit flavoured ones. They don't decide to have something fruity and then pick sweets.

Bradley Walsh apologised to Fanny Chmelar today for that hilarious episode of The Chase and it got me thinking does anyone know any English names which would cause a similar reaction on a foreign version?

Similarly I have always wondered, we often laugh at weird sounding place names in foreign countries but equally we have funny place names of our own. Does anyone know of any place names in other countries that the natives find funny but that someone who knew nothing of the language wouldn't get?

Oxford Circus and Cambridge Circus used to confuse American tourists in my bus conductor days. Also pronunciation of place names like Plaistow being Plarstow and Bicester being Bister

Mark James wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2017 1:49 pmDoes anyone know of any place names in other countries that the natives find funny but that someone who knew nothing of the language wouldn't get?

Yes. This is a reminder for me to update tomorrow at work.

Matt Morrison wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2017 8:11 pm

Mark James wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2017 1:49 pmDoes anyone know of any place names in other countries that the natives find funny but that someone who knew nothing of the language wouldn't get?

Yes. This is a reminder for me to update tomorrow at work.

Nudge.

Fuck, forgot again. Might do it in a minute. Maybe Monday. Lucky I wrote that post. Thanks Ian.

The guy I wanted to speak to has gone home. Monday!

When can you feed a mogwai so it won't turn into a gremlin? Not feeding them after midnight isn't specific enough. Technically all times are after midnight. Is six a.m. safe but two a.m. isn't? What about time zones? Does the mogwai's digestive system know if you've crossed the international date line?

When you're reversing in a car (e.g. when you're doing a three-point turn) and then you go forwards and have to turn the steering wheel the other way, does it really help at all to start turning the wheel back the other way while you're still going backwards?

When I was learning to drive, I was told that you should never turn the wheel when the car is stationary, so you should start turning the wheel back the other way just before you stop reversing so it's in a better position when you start going forwards again. But surely what you gain one end, you lose at the other. You might make your forwards movement more "productive" in terms of the turning you get done, but you've done so at the expense of the end of your reversing movement.

Mark James wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2017 2:25 pm When can you feed a mogwai so it won't turn into a gremlin? Not feeding them after midnight isn't specific enough. Technically all times are after midnight. Is six a.m. safe but two a.m. isn't? What about time zones? Does the mogwai's digestive system know if you've crossed the international date line?

I've also wondered that, as I am sure many others have too. There's some discussion here.

Mark James wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2017 1:49 pmDoes anyone know of any place names in other countries that the natives find funny but that someone who knew nothing of the language wouldn't get?

Finally got round to asking my Finnish colleague. He was short of time so could only link me to this image list, but says there are some others that are less toilet humour and slightly odder. Still, a good introduction. Obviously no one who isn't Finnish understands the language so it's pretty easy to fit the bill for your question.

I'm liking the sound of Homosaari

I think I went to school with Homo Saari. Popular kid. His eyes were always watering though.

I don't think Finland is a particularly massive place. So if it has all these places names that are like this, it's probably most of them.

Why do American houses all have the same white door between all of their rooms?

Why do round door handles exist?

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:23 am Why do round door handles exist?

Why not? They're perfectly effective for gripping, often comfier than an asymmetric handle.

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:17 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:23 am Why do round door handles exist?

Why not? They're perfectly effective for gripping, often comfier than an asymmetric handle.

Probably one of those not quite true internet facts but they're illegal in Canada as part of making things easier for the elderly and disabled people.

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:17 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:23 am Why do round door handles exist?

Why not? They're perfectly effective for gripping, often comfier than an asymmetric handle.

They're not perfectly effective for gripping. That's the point.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 4:00 pm

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:17 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:23 am Why do round door handles exist?

Why not? They're perfectly effective for gripping, often comfier than an asymmetric handle.

They're not perfectly effective for gripping. That's the point.

Have you got weird hands? Round handles are more pleasant to use for me.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:23 am Why do round door handles exist?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdOcrUtE-UQ
Why aren't they compulsory?

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:30 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 4:00 pm

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:17 pm

Why not? They're perfectly effective for gripping, often comfier than an asymmetric handle.

They're not perfectly effective for gripping. That's the point.

Have you got weird hands? Round handles are more pleasant to use for me.

If you've got slightly wet hands, they're shit.

David Williams wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:34 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:23 am Why do round door handles exist?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdOcrUtE-UQ
Why aren't they compulsory?

Good point.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 6:49 pm

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:30 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2017 4:00 pm

They're not perfectly effective for gripping. That's the point.

Have you got weird hands? Round handles are more pleasant to use for me.

If you've got slightly wet hands, they're shit.

Not a problem for us less damp-palmed types.

Why do people call Alfred Tennyson "Alfred Lord Tennyson" like it's his middle name? No other Lord in history is referred to like this.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:00 pm Why do people call Alfred Tennyson "Alfred Lord Tennyson" like it's his middle name? No other Lord in history is referred to like this.

Poetic licence maybe

After some research at the library....no I'm shitting you, Google.
If you are a Baron then you can use the Lord whatever name preceded by your Christian name if you so wish
Like Alan Lord Sugar

Why is there such a concept as "supermodel"? Of all the jobs that exist, model must be right down near the bottom of the list when it comes to the potential to be super at it. I'd be more likely to call a dustman super.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:32 pm Why is there such a concept as "supermodel"? Of all the jobs that exist, model must be right down near the bottom of the list when it comes to the potential to be super at it. I'd be more likely to call a dustman super.

It's just money, isn't it? A "supermodel" is a model who makes tens or hundreds of times as much money as a regular model. Nothing more to it than that. How they get into that position, well, that's another question entirely.

Types of Supers : Supervisor , Superman, Superintendent, and my favourite, Supertramp

Is the term supermodel even used these days? It seems to me to be more of a 90s thing with the likes of Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell et all. Who would be a modern supermodel that has that same kind of stature as those classic ones?

Mark James wrote: ↑Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:10 am Is the term supermodel even used these days? It seems to me to be more of a 90s thing with the likes of Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell et all. Who would be a modern supermodel that has that same kind of stature as those classic ones?

Gisele Bundchen is the current stock quiz answer.

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:07 pm

Mark James wrote: ↑Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:10 am Is the term supermodel even used these days? It seems to me to be more of a 90s thing with the likes of Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell et all. Who would be a modern supermodel that has that same kind of stature as those classic ones?

Gisele Bundchen is the current stock quiz answer.

She started in the 90s though so I would consider her a member of that classic group.

Mark James wrote: ↑Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:51 pm

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:07 pm

Mark James wrote: ↑Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:10 am Is the term supermodel even used these days? It seems to me to be more of a 90s thing with the likes of Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell et all. Who would be a modern supermodel that has that same kind of stature as those classic ones?

Gisele Bundchen is the current stock quiz answer.

She started in the 90s though so I would consider her a member of that classic group.

Not exactly a household name though.

Why is it that people who play music loudly in their car always have crap taste in music?

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:33 pm

Mark James wrote: ↑Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:51 pm

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:07 pm

Gisele Bundchen is the current stock quiz answer.

She started in the 90s though so I would consider her a member of that classic group.

Not exactly a household name though.

That was sort of my point. I'm impressed she was around in the 90s, I'd never heard of her until about 2015.

When you walk on gravel or pavements or something a bit painful in bare feet, why do you move your arms more?

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:33 am When you walk on gravel or pavements or something a bit painful in bare feet, why do you move your arms more?

I had no idea that was a thing.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:33 am When you walk on gravel or pavements or something a bit painful in bare feet, why do you move your arms more?

I'm guessing it's a balance reflex

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:34 am

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:33 am When you walk on gravel or pavements or something a bit painful in bare feet, why do you move your arms more?

I had no idea that was a thing.

I mean, if I'm alone in this, OK, but I really think it is one. Try and see - crush up some glass, walk on it, and report back.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:01 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:34 am

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:33 am When you walk on gravel or pavements or something a bit painful in bare feet, why do you move your arms more?

I had no idea that was a thing.

I mean, if I'm alone in this, OK, but I really think it is one. Try and see - crush up some glass, walk on it, and report back.

I think it definitely is a natural reaction like walking on a tightrope.
A more interesting experiment would be to strap your arms by your side whilst walking on the broken glass.
And if you filmed it, you could be a YouTube sensation

Possibly. Gevin, get to it.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:08 pm Possibly. Gevin, get to it.

Is this some kind of pennance for dissing Nick Hewer in the spoilers thread ?

It's definitely a thing Mark. Ignore Gevin, who only ever leaves the comfort of his bed with running shoes on.

It's almost more related to the way you are trying to "creep" with your legs, and that typical learnt-it-from-the-TV exaggerated creep necessarily involves exaggerated arms too.