c4countdown

Mark James wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:09 am Whatever happened to the Bermuda Triangle? Are things still getting lost there. You don't hear about it much these days.

It got lost.

Why is it that when the media talk about keeping temperatures to below 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels, they never define the baseline or say how far we've gone up already? It makes my blood boil, which suggests it's probably already too late.

This article says we're already 1.2 degrees up. This says:

In the decade 2006–2015, warming reached 0.87°C (±0.12°C) relative to 1850–1900, predominantly due to human activity increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Given that global temperature is currently rising by 0.2°C (±0.1°C) per decade, human-induced warming reached 1°C above pre-industrial levels around 2017 and, if this pace of warming continues, would reach 1.5°C around 2040.

I don't understand how Alaska can be the Easternmost State and The Westernmost state

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:47 pm I don't understand how Alaska can be the Easternmost State and The Westernmost state

It straddles the 180 degree line of longitude.

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:14 pm

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:47 pm I don't understand how Alaska can be the Easternmost State and The Westernmost state

It straddles the 180 degree line of longitude.

Is there an emoji for ' that went right over my head?'

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:44 pm

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:14 pm

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:47 pm I don't understand how Alaska can be the Easternmost State and The Westernmost state

It straddles the 180 degree line of longitude.

Is there an emoji for ' that went right over my head?'

You know how a map has a left and a right side? Well, in real life, they actually join up. So a piece of land can be at the far left and far right.

(What we consider to be furthest east and west is arbitrary of course as there's no west or east pole and you can just keep going.)

Edit - Alaska only makes the east side because of the Aleutian islands which are away from the mainland.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 3:05 pm

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:44 pm

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:14 pm

It straddles the 180 degree line of longitude.

Is there an emoji for ' that went right over my head?'

You know how a map has a left and a right side? Well, in real life, they actually join up. So a piece of land can be at the far left and far right.

(What we consider to be furthest east and west is arbitrary of course as there's no west or east pole and you can just keep going.)

Edit - Alaska only makes the east side because of the Aleutian islands which are away from the mainland.

If you go far enough east you go west.
Or go right and end up left (a, bit like politics)

Anyone else getting weird text on the forum. Looks like certain code is visible. I've copied and pasted an example below.

Moderator: Jon O'Neill [phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable
Topics: 1378

Yeah me too

This
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vP7onEFBA57CEbwp7

If whoever decided on the Greenwich Meridian and the International Date Line had had a sense of humour, they would have reversed them. Not only would East Anglia have been further west than Wales, it would also have been a day ahead.

Why are you able to buy flight tickets months in advance but, depending on the airline, you are only able to check in and print boarding passes within 48 hours? I know most people just use their phones now but I prefer to print off the boarding pass and I would like to be able to print the return flights before I go away. And even if I am using my phone I would still prefer to be checked in for the return flight before I go.

Mark James wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 10:20 am Why are you able to buy flight tickets months in advance but, depending on the airline, you are only able to check in and print boarding passes within 48 hours? I know most people just use their phones now but I prefer to print off the boarding pass and I would like to be able to print the return flights before I go away. And even if I am using my phone I would still prefer to be checked in for the return flight before I go.

I've always thought this was insane. My understanding used to be that checking in was something you do when you get to a place to show you are present and correct. But if you can do it online, why not just make it part of the booking process? Why have these two procedures that you have to do separately?

I suppose things might change with the flight from when it's booked to when it actually happens and they might have to put you on a different flight, but once you're within the last couple of days nothing should change, so the flight and your seats are locked in at that point.

Is anyone else getting random happy birthday messages to people they don't know in their Facebook feed? It's always from one of my Facebook friends to one of their Facebook friends. But why's it in my feed? This only started a few days ago as far as I've noticed and it happens quite a lot now.

If heart attacks are more lethal for women than men, why is Mama Cass literally the only woman I can think of (famous or otherwise) who died from a heart attack?

Fred Mumford wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 8:56 pm If heart attacks are more lethal for women than men, why is Mama Cass literally the only woman I can think of (famous or otherwise) who died from a heart attack?

They're less likely to have heart attacks in the first place?

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 2:15 pm Is anyone else getting random happy birthday messages to people they don't know in their Facebook feed? It's always from one of my Facebook friends to one of their Facebook friends. But why's it in my feed? This only started a few days ago as far as I've noticed and it happens quite a lot now.

Shouldn't this be in the "Questions you've wanted answered for a few days only" thread?

But no, I haven't seen this.

Fiona T wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 9:54 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 2:15 pm Is anyone else getting random happy birthday messages to people they don't know in their Facebook feed? It's always from one of my Facebook friends to one of their Facebook friends. But why's it in my feed? This only started a few days ago as far as I've noticed and it happens quite a lot now.

Shouldn't this be in the "Questions you've wanted answered for a few days only" thread?

But no, I haven't seen this.

It should be, but this thread will do!

Fred Mumford wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 8:56 pm If heart attacks are more lethal for women than men, why is Mama Cass literally the only woman I can think of (famous or otherwise) who died from a heart attack?

Also Zsa Zsa Gabor

Why do you get boners in your sleep?

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:49 pm Why do you get boners in your sleep?

I imagine it's like morning glory but related to the fact we used to have two sleeps.

Still thinking about Mama Cass and Zsa Zsa Gabor no doubt.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:49 pm Why do you get boners in your sleep?

Your body telling you it's time to purge

Paul Anderson wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 4:19 pm

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:49 pm Why do you get boners in your sleep?

I imagine it's like morning glory but related to the fact we used to have two sleeps.

I thought this had been debunked.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:49 pm Why do you get boners in your sleep?

To stop you rolling out of bed.

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 1:02 pm

Paul Anderson wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 4:19 pm

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:49 pm Why do you get boners in your sleep?

I imagine it's like morning glory but related to the fact we used to have two sleeps.

I thought this had been debunked.

De"bunk"ed...I see what you did there

Why do we get morning glory, though? If I'm having a naughty thought, that's one thing. But why, if I'm dreaming about snooker or fishing or being criticised for hours on end or Countdown or Matt Morrison or some combination thereof, do I get rock hard in the process?

I think I once read somewhere that the leading hypothesis was that it stops you pissing yourself in your sleep.

If only.

How did "Banksy" - aka Robin Gunningham - become a thing? The media just decided that he was and started reporting on him. This didn't come from the general public appreciating his work. There was no public consultation about this and no questioning about the quality of his work. I can only imagine that he had a friend that worked for The Guardian or something and it all went from there.

Yes Gev. Now we are talking. A completely fabricated entity designed to appeal to faux anarchists as if it is in someway "sticking it to the man" but is really just another commodity to be sold to the bourgeois. I'd almost equate it to Rage against the Machine but I'd give them more credit though. I get their argument that they needed to generate the biggest audience to spread the message, although it can sound hollow when you realise they are still millionaires but at least they back it up with some decent organising. Me personally I liked the KLF burning the million dollars as performance art and no one getting it as an expression of buying into the system while still critiquing it but at least Rage sound good. Banksy has been completely coopted. The chap who egged John Prescott had more of a political message than Banksy ever had.

Art is so subjective.
I was appalled that KLF set light to an actual million pounds..
If it was a fake million pounds and the money was gifted to a deserving charity then it would have been genius and no vulgar.imho.
I dont have a problem with Banksy he has a good sense of humour at least and doesn't take himself seriously.
(see the last episode of The Outlaws)
Im also impressed he is involved in the court case of those that toppled the statues in Bristol.

It's not that I have a specific problem with Banksy. The problem is that it was just decided by the media that he was going to be famous and revered and people just seemed to passively go along with it.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:37 am In cryptocurrency terms, what's data mining?

Happened upon a concise yet not especially reassuring answer for this on Twitter:

"Crypto mining is the conversion of a valuable resource into something with no intrinsic value, with no other purpose but the accumulation of wealth, all the while contributing to an existential threat to our entire global civilisation"

sweet

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 5:49 pm

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:37 am In cryptocurrency terms, what's data mining?

Happened upon a concise yet not especially reassuring answer for this on Twitter:

"Crypto mining is the conversion of a valuable resource into something with no intrinsic value, with no other purpose but the accumulation of wealth, all the while contributing to an existential threat to our entire global civilisation"

sweet

Nice

TBF, most of our money doesn't actually exist - it's just figures moving from one person's glorified spreadsheet to another. When you stop and think about it, the whole thing is completely crazy.

I have recently learned that some people stand to wipe their arse. Whyever would you do that?

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 1:10 am I have recently learned that some people stand to wipe their arse. Whyever would you do that?

If you can't reach sitting down than yes.

I cant believe how popular these toilet tissues are.
Surely paper didn't need replacing

According to our council recycling policy, we can recycle things like ketchup bottles, jars of honey, shampoo bottles, soap dispensers etc. if they are clean but not if they are soiled.

Is it better for the environment to chuck a soiled container in the general waste or to use a load of water (some hot) cleaning out some of the trickier containers for recycling?

Yeah, that doesn't make sense. Why am I washing out my yoghurt pot if you're just going to incinerate it?

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 1:10 am I have recently learned that some people stand to wipe their arse. Whyever would you do that?

You get different angles and can find stuff you might not have got from just the sitting position. So you need to do both, though you obviously start with sitting. Left and right handed as well.

If you haven't learnt these advanced techniques though, you would obviously do it sitting down. It would be weird just to wipe your arse standing up.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:00 pm Yeah, that doesn't make sense. Why am I washing out my yoghurt pot if you're just going to incinerate it?

Also men peeing sitting down.
Guilty as charged of that but that is more because I'm on my feet all day at work

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 5:17 am

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:00 pm Yeah, that doesn't make sense. Why am I washing out my yoghurt pot if you're just going to incinerate it?

Also men peeing sitting down.
Guilty as charged of that but that is more because I'm on my feet ll day at work

I am emphatically on the record in my support for sitting down to wee.

Marc Meakin wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 5:17 am

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:00 pm Yeah, that doesn't make sense. Why am I washing out my yoghurt pot if you're just going to incinerate it?

Also men peeing sitting down.
Guilty as charged of that but that is more because I'm on my feet all day at work

Stop trying to cross the streams.

Reaction videos. Who cares?

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:58 pm Reaction videos. Who cares?

I quite like them in the context of musically literate people hearing stuff I love for the first time. Just for base shock or whatever, not so much.

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Wed Dec 22, 2021 7:25 pm

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:58 pm Reaction videos. Who cares?

I quite like them in the context of musically literate people hearing stuff I love for the first time. Just for base shock or whatever, not so much.

Aye, depends on who's reacting and to what. I like stuff like the vocal coach or composer reaction videos because they're not just giving an opinion but bringing a bit of their expertise to the table and explaining what's going on.

Would highly recommend Rick Beato's "What makes this song great" series on YouTube too. He often gets access to the individual instrument tracks which he can isolate so he goes real in depth as to how the songs are created.

Also Jason Parker is a magician who reacts to other magicians, usually to acts on Penn & Teller fool us, so you're getting another opinion on how the tricks may be done. It's usually they only place you get to see the more recent acts too. It did get a bit meta once when one of the magicians made a reaction video to his reaction video but then they ended up getting in touch and had a good interview together.

See to me, those aren't reaction videos. Those are analysis, commentary, whatever. The ones that are just straight reaction....well, if it's not a dog getting the zoomies when seeing the owner it hasn't seen for two years, it's a tough sell on me

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:27 pm See to me, those aren't reaction videos. Those are analysis, commentary, whatever. The ones that are just straight reaction....well, if it's not a dog getting the zoomies when seeing the owner it hasn't seen for two years, it's a tough sell on me

Fair enough I'd say.

Mark James wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 10:20 am Why are you able to buy flight tickets months in advance but, depending on the airline, you are only able to check in and print boarding passes within 48 hours? I know most people just use their phones now but I prefer to print off the boarding pass and I would like to be able to print the return flights before I go away. And even if I am using my phone I would still prefer to be checked in for the return flight before I go.

It's standard practise for Airlines to overbook, which you probably know already. I would imagine this somehow helps the Airlines maximize their revenue from overbookings while keeping tue probability of too many passengers suitably low.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:08 pm

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 1:10 am I have recently learned that some people stand to wipe their arse. Whyever would you do that?

You get different angles and can find stuff you might not have got from just the sitting position. So you need to do both, though you obviously start with sitting. Left and right handed as well.

If you haven't learnt these advanced techniques though, you would obviously do it sitting down. It would be weird just to wipe your arse standing up.

No. You've got the full range from this sitting down position if you do it right. Sit down and hand goes between the legs, not behind.

JackHurst wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:59 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:08 pm

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 1:10 am I have recently learned that some people stand to wipe their arse. Whyever would you do that?

You get different angles and can find stuff you might not have got from just the sitting position. So you need to do both, though you obviously start with sitting. Left and right handed as well.

If you haven't learnt these advanced techniques though, you would obviously do it sitting down. It would be weird just to wipe your arse standing up.

No. You've got the full range from this sitting down position if you do it right. Sit down and hand goes between the legs, not behind.

Not sure I've ever tried this method. Seems like my bits would be in the way.

Going in from the front? Never acceptable.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 9:33 am Going in from the front? Never acceptable.

Ian Volante wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:57 pm

JackHurst wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:59 pm

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:08 pm

You get different angles and can find stuff you might not have got from just the sitting position. So you need to do both, though you obviously start with sitting. Left and right handed as well.

If you haven't learnt these advanced techniques though, you would obviously do it sitting down. It would be weird just to wipe your arse standing up.

No. You've got the full range from this sitting down position if you do it right. Sit down and hand goes between the legs, not behind.

Not sure I've ever tried this method. Seems like my bits would be in the way.

Those who don't stand up are responsible for 99% of all broken toilet seats in the land!

Why is it just assumed by the media that Jackie Weaver was in the right and why has she become some sort of "hero"?

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:09 pm Why is it just assumed by the media that Jackie Weaver was in the right and why has she become some sort of "hero"?

As someone who has spent many hours arguing the intricacies of governance, she was wrong. That's not to say her colleagues didn't behave appallingly, but she indeed did not "have the authority".

Still funny though

What to the bots who you do see as registered users online here actually do?

Mark James wrote: ↑Tue Jan 04, 2022 10:08 am What to the bots who you do see as registered users online here actually do?

Beta testing world domination one forum at a time

How are you supposed to respond to those posts from Wordle players that just have a series of coloured squares? Is there supposed to be a way to use those to guess the word or play along yourself?

edit: to clarify, I don't have Wordle myself

Johnny Canuck wrote: ↑Wed Jan 19, 2022 3:19 am How are you supposed to respond to those posts from Wordle players that just have a series of coloured squares? Is there supposed to be a way to use those to guess the word or play along yourself?

edit: to clarify, I don't have Wordle myself

Wordle isn't an app it's a website.
The coloured squares are just an indicator of how well you did.
Its, basically a hybtmrid of hangman and mastermind