Search found 3956 matches

by Ian Volante
Thu Sep 28, 2023 11:34 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Yeah everyone should run bare-footed a-la Zola Budd Well yes. Some people think that these new shoes are somehow "cheating", but unless you ban all shoes, then where do you draw the line? How good does a shoe need to be before it "artificially" aids your performance? I suppose t...
by Ian Volante
Tue Sep 19, 2023 11:49 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Trial by media (Russell Brand etc.)
Replies: 19
Views: 2084

Re: Trial by media (Russell Brand etc.)

The Whatsapp group mentioned above certainly isn't just to talk about Brand by the sound of it. It's necessary in other groups too where wronguns continue to prey. Where bad/criminal behaviour can be dismissed by perpetrators with more power as consensual, or due to drunkenness, misunderstandings, &...
by Ian Volante
Thu Sep 14, 2023 12:10 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Joke Items
Replies: 250
Views: 82680

Re: Joke Items

Graeme Cole wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 11:56 pm "Click and collect". What's the point of it? Who's using it?
I occasionally use it for DIY stuff when I'd otherwise probably spend half an hour searching for the right type of paint and the right size of screws.
by Ian Volante
Thu Sep 14, 2023 12:06 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Countdown In Edinburgh (COEDI) - Saturday 7th October 2023
Replies: 9
Views: 6140

Re: Countdown In Edinburgh (COEDI) - Saturday 7th October 2023

Again, I'll be at the other end of the country on this particular weekend.
by Ian Volante
Mon Sep 04, 2023 12:05 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Now you are older what do you find yourself doing that your teenage self wouldn't do?
Replies: 6
Views: 1089

Re: Now you are older what do you find yourself doing that your teenage self wouldn't do?

Staying in instead of going to the pub. Eating asian food. Can't think of much else.
by Ian Volante
Mon Aug 28, 2023 12:37 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

The podium shots are really weird by the way. Only showing the winner rather than a proper shot of all three and it has this weird sponsor background rather than just being out in the open in the stadium. Really horrible to look at. I was quite happy that the medals were handed out immediately afte...
by Ian Volante
Tue Aug 22, 2023 12:26 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Marc Meakin wrote: Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:48 pm Last one for now.
Are subtitles on TV shows generated by AI?
I think it's a mix of computer voice recognition and stenographers, I don't know if any of the software in use would count as AI, but I assume there are learning models used.
by Ian Volante
Tue Aug 22, 2023 12:21 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Marc Meakin wrote: Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:31 pm Another thermal related question.
Warm water freezes faster than cool water, why?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mpemba_effect
This appears to be the answer but I'm still confused
I don't see anything conclusively presented there as the answer.
by Ian Volante
Tue Aug 22, 2023 12:18 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What films have you watched lately?
Replies: 428
Views: 241163

Re: What films have you watched lately?

Watched Rambo III the other day, again late night telly. Amused at an American film with the Afghans as the goodies. Predictable bollocks, but Stallone excels in running towards the camera as something explodes in the middle distance behind him.
by Ian Volante
Mon Aug 21, 2023 12:30 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdown ELO Ratings
Replies: 23
Views: 4627

Re: Countdown ELO Ratings

No thoughts of bumping up the K factor for finals games?
by Ian Volante
Mon Aug 21, 2023 12:27 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Oh yeah, I'd get rid of hurdles too. One problem with multi-discipline events is that it's completely arbitrary which events you include so how much weight you give to different skills. Also they're all clearly athletes that couldn't quite make it at any particular event. So best overall athlete by...
by Ian Volante
Sat Aug 19, 2023 11:16 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Yes, and the new tech which flashes up the result as they cross the line is shite. Much worse that it used to be. I suspect AI is to blame.
by Ian Volante
Sat Aug 19, 2023 11:15 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

I'll be honest, I still don't really get it. It's like when they say that molecules (or atoms or whichever it is) are made up of electrons or whatever orbiting nucleuses through magnetism, meaning they are mostly just loads of empty space. How can everything be made up of mostly empty space! And wh...
by Ian Volante
Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:32 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Gavin Chipper wrote: Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:24 pm If certain insects that find their way into your kitchen are prone to instant drowning as soon as they come into contact with a drop of water, why don't whole species go extinct when it rains?
They hide in dry places, and raindrops push them out of the way as they fall.
by Ian Volante
Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:31 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Also, in addition to all apparently being made of empty space with the occasional magnetic lump in it, how can basically everything - from the shorts I am wearing right now to the pencil on the table over there to the table itself to the bit of wood that just hit the window - all be made of carbon?...
by Ian Volante
Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:14 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

I'll be honest, I still don't really get it. It's like when they say that molecules (or atoms or whichever it is) are made up of electrons or whatever orbiting nucleuses through magnetism, meaning they are mostly just loads of empty space. How can everything be made up of mostly empty space! And wh...
by Ian Volante
Thu Aug 17, 2023 12:02 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 630
Views: 275700

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

"Honk if you like X" bumper stickers are not supposed to illicit fans of X to honk. It's a private joke for the driver that if they make someone mad enough to honk at them they can console themselves that the person isn't mad at them but just really likes X. Not sure I've ever seen someth...
by Ian Volante
Thu Aug 17, 2023 11:58 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Mark Deeks wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 9:33 am What actually is/happens in a black hole? How can there just be nothing?
A lot of this was beyond my undergrad, but it is theorised that black holes, via Hawking radiation, re-emit the information that they swallowed in the past place, and eventually evaporate. Due to quantum.
by Ian Volante
Tue Aug 15, 2023 12:15 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdown ELO Ratings
Replies: 23
Views: 4627

Re: Countdown ELO Ratings

What rating do you give randoms who turn up on telly with no form? 1000?
by Ian Volante
Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:58 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Music
Replies: 295
Views: 83959

Re: Music

All YouTube videos are available in YouTube music, which is the streaming service I happen to subscribe to. If you like anything niche then that's the obvious choice. The sound quality is often not great admittedly. Were these versions easy to download as opposed to stream? As far as I can remember...
by Ian Volante
Thu Jul 27, 2023 12:14 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Music
Replies: 295
Views: 83959

Re: Music

1. Could you provide examples of music that isn't available to stream? I would have thought it would be extremely niche by now. And there is vastly more music available to stream than buy physically or download (I'm including YouTube here). I made a playlist on Deezer recently of an old dance compi...
by Ian Volante
Thu Jul 27, 2023 12:09 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Why, when your voice gets louder, does it also go higher? Mine doesn't generally as far as I'm aware, but maybe that's with some self-taught projection practice in the context of pub quiz presenting. I suppose if you shout, it's maybe easier on the larynx to go to a higher register to deal with the...
by Ian Volante
Wed Jul 26, 2023 11:57 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Music
Replies: 295
Views: 83959

Re: Music

1. Could you provide examples of music that isn't available to stream? I would have thought it would be extremely niche by now. And there is vastly more music available to stream than buy physically or download (I'm including YouTube here). I made a playlist on Deezer recently of an old dance compi...
by Ian Volante
Wed Jul 26, 2023 11:42 am
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Welcome to Fabulous... Co:Vegas?
Replies: 6
Views: 2199

Re: Welcome to Fabulous... Co:Vegas?

Johnny Canuck wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 9:18 pm Also, what's the current opinion regarding the 14-round format? Is it cool? Or is it anathema like Mariah after she did Glitter?
Surely she was much older than his other victims though.
by Ian Volante
Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:22 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Music
Replies: 295
Views: 83959

Re: Music

OK, if you take 7 members of one family, get them to pick 8 songs each, then pick a few more between you to get it up to 64 and then do a knockout voting tournament, which song do you think wins? It may surprise you, but the answer is Instant Crush by Daft Punk featuring Julian Casablancas (from Th...
by Ian Volante
Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:16 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: TENNIS
Replies: 136
Views: 38039

Re: TENNIS

The men's final was on another planet from the women's. I've thought that a good way of stepping the women's matches up a notch (as a possible precursor to five-set matches) would be to move them to four set matches. First to three, but a champions tie-break if it reaches 2-2. I would absolutely lo...
by Ian Volante
Mon Jul 17, 2023 11:48 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?
Replies: 761
Views: 565837

Re: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?

Watched 'What Remains' over the weekend. It was quite surprising given the set-up, and turned out to be reasonably entertaining.
by Ian Volante
Mon Jul 17, 2023 11:46 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: TENNIS
Replies: 136
Views: 38039

Re: TENNIS

Gavin Chipper wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2023 5:55 pm The men's final was on another planet from the women's.
I've thought that a good way of stepping the women's matches up a notch (as a possible precursor to five-set matches) would be to move them to four set matches. First to three, but a champions tie-break if it reaches 2-2.
by Ian Volante
Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:46 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Threads app by Instagram
Replies: 12
Views: 1787

Re: Threads app by Instagram

Is it accessible without an Insta account? "Threads currently isn't available to everyone. To create a profile on Threads, you'll need to sign in with your Instagram account. If you don't have an Instagram account, you can create one. You can create one profile on Threads for each Instagram ac...
by Ian Volante
Tue Jul 11, 2023 12:41 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Threads app by Instagram
Replies: 12
Views: 1787

Re: Threads app by Instagram

Is it accessible without an Insta account?
by Ian Volante
Mon Jul 03, 2023 11:42 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

I've also seen various bits of research pointing out that drivers are more careful around cyclists without helmets on. As usual, it's a balance of risk. A helmet's almost always helpful if you crash, but as mentioned elsewhere, it may affect the risk level you put up with. As for helmet promotion, a...
by Ian Volante
Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:54 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

why did evolution make mossie/midgie/other annoying insect bites itch? I'd be happy enough for mossies to feed off me if it didn't itch like a bastard afterwards. Must make them much more likely to get killed/swatted Depends on the person. Mossie and midge bites don't bother me at all, but black fl...
by Ian Volante
Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:52 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Mark Deeks wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 10:06 am Per AP style, you write out numbers up to and including nine, then use numbers for 10 and upwards.
Unless they start a sentence, then words for any number.
by Ian Volante
Mon Jun 26, 2023 12:20 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 630
Views: 275700

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

This definitely niche I only learned this week that "amygdala hijack" is a thing that scam artists and charlatans like mediums play on to phish for gullable people to fall for their scams Do we then need a thread for things you just found out that weren't at all obvious in the first place?
by Ian Volante
Mon Jun 26, 2023 12:19 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

New parkrun record! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66010152 That's some parkrun debut. (There are some miserable feckers on twitter - "I thought parkrun was about participation not speed" etc... - it is, but there's still a record and it just got broken!) It's a perfect course for...
by Ian Volante
Mon Jun 26, 2023 12:17 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Glastonbury
Replies: 5
Views: 976

Re: Glastonbury

I was impressed the Axl Rose has managed to get himself fitter than he was a few years ago, and I suspect has pragmatically decided to stop being an arsehole to enjoy their status as rock elder statesmen. That said, his voice is certainly nowhere near where it was, but he managed, and the show was m...
by Ian Volante
Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:52 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Greatest comeback
Replies: 5
Views: 1419

Re: Greatest comeback

by Ian Volante
Thu Jun 22, 2023 11:48 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 630
Views: 275700

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Marc Meakin wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 9:31 pm I mean it's not niche, although I can't speak for other supermarkets
I think the point is that it's not really obvious as per the thread title. Maybe if most people here were Thai-based, it might be different.
by Ian Volante
Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:02 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 630
Views: 275700

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Mark James wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 1:42 pm
Ian Volante wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 12:08 pm
Mark James wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:19 pm 90% of gambling addicts stop just before they're about to win big.
I don't get this one at all. Can you explain?
I'm baiting degenerate gamblers to keep gambling.
Ah okay. I forget that sometimes a post might not be serious!
by Ian Volante
Wed Jun 14, 2023 12:08 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 630
Views: 275700

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Mark James wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:19 pm 90% of gambling addicts stop just before they're about to win big.
I don't get this one at all. Can you explain?
by Ian Volante
Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:26 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Countdown Lookalikes?
Replies: 390
Views: 221931

Re: Countdown Lookalikes?

Gavin Chipper wrote: Sat May 20, 2023 10:01 am Series 56 and 82 player Ian Volante:

Image

Neo-Nazi podcaster James Allchurch:

Image

Full story available here.
Ha, impressive!
by Ian Volante
Mon Jun 05, 2023 11:53 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Joke Items
Replies: 250
Views: 82680

Re: Joke Items

I find that things are usually too dark in dark mode.
by Ian Volante
Thu Jun 01, 2023 12:16 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: If Sky waved their Chequebook would Colin Murray be tempted?
Replies: 9
Views: 2271

Re: If Sky waved their Chequebook would Colin Murray be tempted?

Callum Todd wrote: Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:04 am
Ian Volante wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 11:46 am So why would Keys proving himself a bellend lead to Stelling leaving Countdown, which appeared to me to be the cause and effect being pointed out.
Keys being a bellend = more Sky work for Jeff = Jeff quits Countdown
Gotcha
by Ian Volante
Wed May 31, 2023 11:46 am
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: If Sky waved their Chequebook would Colin Murray be tempted?
Replies: 9
Views: 2271

Re: If Sky waved their Chequebook would Colin Murray be tempted?

So why would Keys proving himself a bellend lead to Stelling leaving Countdown, which appeared to me to be the cause and effect being pointed out.
by Ian Volante
Tue May 30, 2023 12:24 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: If Sky waved their Chequebook would Colin Murray be tempted?
Replies: 9
Views: 2271

Re: If Sky waved their Chequebook would Colin Murray be tempted?

Well Jeff managed SS and Countdown for three years, and only dropped Countdown when Richard Keys proved to the world what a bellend he was. He could easily do both I've had a look around for anything around this, and all I can see is that Keys suggested Stelling should have left the programme at th...
by Ian Volante
Tue May 16, 2023 11:52 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Eurovision 2023
Replies: 49
Views: 4682

Re: Eurovision 2023

2. I've also listened back to Finland's entry and to be honest I'm even more bewildered by it's success. For anyone who liked it, is it purely just the singer, energy and entertainment value? Or did you actually enjoy the music? To my mind, it was very much tailored to the competition rather than b...
by Ian Volante
Tue May 16, 2023 11:45 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Eurovision 2023
Replies: 49
Views: 4682

Re: Eurovision 2023

Gavin Chipper wrote: Mon May 15, 2023 3:14 pm Do we have a lot of Lithuanians in this country?
About 150,000, although they may be more strongly motivated to vote than the Poles, who are at around 700,000. They're the largest former Soviet national group.
by Ian Volante
Mon May 15, 2023 12:00 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Eurovision 2023
Replies: 49
Views: 4682

Re: Eurovision 2023

----- Not great but at least unique ----- 19. Germany It might appear unique to you, but this might as well have been track nine on an unremarkable nu-metal/industrial album of 2010, the sort of song that's churned out endlessly by unremarkable bands of the genre. If such a track is going to succee...
by Ian Volante
Fri May 12, 2023 11:22 am
Forum: Games and Puzzles
Topic: Nobody in the world could beat you at X Y and Z
Replies: 35
Views: 4092

Re: Nobody in the world could beat you at X Y and Z

Matt Morrison wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 10:04 pm a guy at uni
uh-huh 8-)
by Ian Volante
Fri May 12, 2023 11:19 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Eurovision 2023
Replies: 49
Views: 4682

Re: Eurovision 2023

I'm hoping to get to see it on Saturday. I don't understand the appeal of the semi-finals - doesn't that just dilute it all and spoil the surprise? Clearly not for many it seems!
by Ian Volante
Thu May 11, 2023 12:19 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Inter Milan and AC Milan play each other in the champions league. They famously share a stadium. Away goals don't count any more but if they did there could have been a chance that someone could be knocked out on away goals while playing in their own stadium. Was wondering if this had ever happened...
by Ian Volante
Tue May 09, 2023 12:12 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Is it time to end, the Monarchy?
Replies: 66
Views: 4294

Re: Is it time to end, the Monarchy?

I think the amount of dignitaries from other countries that came to the coronation implies a level of respect from the heads of state anyway. Wrong way round. Britain is still powerful enough for some other countries to think it worth keeping in with, so they go "if it matters to them, we'll k...
by Ian Volante
Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:30 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Deathwatch 2017
Replies: 467
Views: 210102

Re: Deathwatch 2017

Gavin Chipper wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:12 am That's one for the coincidences thread with Paul O'Grady/Lily Savage dying recently.
I'd have been impressed if Barry and Dame Edna hadn't gone at the same time.
by Ian Volante
Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:58 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Politics in General
Replies: 1604
Views: 1652879

Re: Politics in General

Marc Meakin wrote: Thu Apr 20, 2023 6:53 am I do hope the King's Coronation is safe as I don't think the police, MI5 and the combined armed services will fuck about if The King feels threatened
It'll be as safe as any other major public event, i.e. at extremely high risk of disruption, but with zillions of plods in place.
by Ian Volante
Tue Apr 18, 2023 7:35 am
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: Countdowners On Other Quizzes
Replies: 253
Views: 165655

Re: Countdowners On Other Quizzes

A shame my team (sadly I was only reserve) stole a tasty pot on Wednesday just gone! I've always (well, once, just now) wondered whether the BBC split the money between all team members including the reserve as policy, or do they leave the team to sort it out amongst themselves? Up to the team I th...
by Ian Volante
Fri Apr 07, 2023 11:28 pm
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: Countdowners On Other Quizzes
Replies: 253
Views: 165655

Re: Countdowners On Other Quizzes

Philip A wrote: Fri Apr 07, 2023 8:17 am A phenomenal team on Eggheads on 19 April 6:30 on Channel 5 - Lauren Hamer, Aaron and Aidan Linge, and David Stainer.
A shame my team (sadly I was only reserve) stole a tasty pot on Wednesday just gone!
by Ian Volante
Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:51 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Coincidence
Replies: 224
Views: 78557

Re: Coincidence

Mark James wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:40 am In my job I have to claim money for materials used and I was totalling up four fairly random cost amounts and the exact total of the four amounts was 1234.56.
Not up to termagent standards, but a nice little diversion.
by Ian Volante
Wed Apr 05, 2023 11:49 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Deathwatch 2017
Replies: 467
Views: 210102

Re: Deathwatch 2017

Marc Meakin wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2023 1:17 pm Isn't Nigella a plant?
Maybe for the Russians.
by Ian Volante
Mon Apr 03, 2023 12:16 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 631062

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

That's exactly the same score I got first time. Well done! Yeah some of the stuff is ridiculous, but don't grade yourself against those bits. Thanks, although you are right about it being like an exam but as it took place in the corner of a pub it felt better and relaxed The physical world question...