Search found 13214 matches

by Gavin Chipper
Mon Feb 26, 2024 6:01 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: CO:parkrun Recaps
Replies: 583
Views: 288991

Re: CO:parkrun Recaps

Yeah, you'll both get 500 points!
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Feb 26, 2024 3:20 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Co-Event Suggestion Box
Replies: 147
Views: 13364

Re: Co-Event Suggestion Box

The discussion in the "You are the Ref" thread starts here I think with the scenario put by Noel Mc. But I don't think whether playing like this is a valid tactic is the main point of contention here. It's whether you should set up the game to allow for this to happen when you can just as ...
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Feb 26, 2024 2:22 pm
Forum: apterous.org
Topic: Words You Would Have Thought...
Replies: 479
Views: 164131

Re: Words You Would Have Thought...

Limbic.
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:07 am
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Co-Event Suggestion Box
Replies: 147
Views: 13364

Re: Co-Event Suggestion Box

The standard declaration isn't used on Apterous as there isn't a separate length/word part of the declaration. But there is an argument for consistency, although different TV hosts in the past have done it differently and it could change again overnight. As it is, I think I will cease reversing the ...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 9:48 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Co-Event Suggestion Box
Replies: 147
Views: 13364

Re: Co-Event Suggestion Box

I'd consider that a good thing.

You can just write down loads of plausible-ish words and hope your opponent declares one, and then go with that.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 9:16 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Co-Event Suggestion Box
Replies: 147
Views: 13364

Re: Co-Event Suggestion Box

This is a perfect example of why Nick should swap the order when asking for the words. If C1 is asked for their length first, and they're the same length, C2 should be asked for their word first. This is the system my wife and I use when we play against each other at home. We can't be bothered with...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:14 pm
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: The 1% Club
Replies: 52
Views: 4966

Re: The 1% Club

For the record I don't really think EFF is commonly used enough to be a valid answer, regardless of how many times I used it during last night's episode. I was trying to avoid spoilers. OUR and WHY definitely are though "Common" is too vague to use in a quiz question. I wouldn't say EFF i...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:07 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The Dead of 2024
Replies: 54
Views: 3855

Re: The Dead of 2024

Wilson Fittipaldi died the other day by the way. He was the brother of F1 champion Emerson, but also a driver and team owner in his own right.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:02 pm
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: The 1% Club
Replies: 52
Views: 4966

Re: The 1% Club

You could potentially also have ESS, like the ess bends at Suzuka (racing track).
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 7:58 pm
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: The 1% Club
Replies: 52
Views: 4966

Re: The 1% Club

OK, thanks.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:57 pm
Forum: Other game shows
Topic: The 1% Club
Replies: 52
Views: 4966

Re: The 1% Club

What were the actual questions and "correct" answers? Might as well make it explicit at this point.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:09 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Co-Event Suggestion Box
Replies: 147
Views: 13364

Re: Co-Event Suggestion Box

I'm the same hosting order as Graeme, except I usually look up the maxes (jack's thing is best for this since it gives sub maxes etc) before writing the thing down, so that I can then tab back in to the timer and put the phone visible to the players as early as possible (usually 10 seconds in or so...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 5:52 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Co-Event Suggestion Box
Replies: 147
Views: 13364

Re: Co-Event Suggestion Box

I tend to time on my phone (except for numbers rounds where I use my watch and use a random number generator on my phone) as I think it's helpful to have a timer the players can see. So I check for maxes etc. after the round. Edit - This is also why it's useful to write the selections down, as someo...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 25, 2024 3:06 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: Co-Event Suggestion Box
Replies: 147
Views: 13364

Re: Co-Event Suggestion Box

I don't tend to really play along as host. I'll glance at the letters and might spend a few seconds on the numbers but if I don't solve it I leave it to watch the time. Also has this been said - as host, don't write the letters down on the scoresheet until the time starts. You don't need to interrup...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Feb 24, 2024 8:06 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 630460

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

They didn't have chains back then and the pedals were directly on the wheel and you had to sit above that, so the drive wheel had to be big. Two big wheels means just extra mass to carry around so you have a big wheel and a small wheel.
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Feb 23, 2024 3:55 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?
Replies: 756
Views: 565102

Re: What TV programmes have you been watching lately?

Looking forward to watching that.
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:44 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

Too many Mar(k/c)s.
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Feb 22, 2024 10:54 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: You Are The Ref
Replies: 345
Views: 147316

Re: You Are The Ref

This is a perfect example of why Nick should swap the order when asking for the words. If C1 is asked for their length first, and they're the same length, C2 should be asked for their word first. This is the system my wife and I use when we play against each other at home. We can't be bothered with...
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Feb 22, 2024 10:36 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683663

Re: Ask Graeme?

Interestingly there are two Michael Calders, so if we get a third, perhaps we could count the first name and surname together as one name!
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:22 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 22nd February (Series 89, Heat 38)
Replies: 3
Views: 343

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 22nd February (Series 89, Heat 38)

Ten would be quite something but we could easily go through a fallow period.
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 21, 2024 6:20 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

I can fully understand why existing athletes are whinging about this idea, as they've practised for a long time to perfect the take-off. If it becomes just a long jump event rather than a long jump from as close to an arbitary line as possible, then it simply renders a lot of their work obsolete. D...
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 21, 2024 6:17 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

I can fully understand why existing athletes are whinging about this idea, as they've practised for a long time to perfect the take-off. If it becomes just a long jump event rather than a long jump from as close to an arbitary line as possible, then it simply renders a lot of their work obsolete. D...
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 21, 2024 6:13 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The Dead of 2024
Replies: 54
Views: 3855

Re: The Dead of 2024

Ewen MacIntosh - aka Keith from The Office! Also one of the Strictly Come Dancing dancers died yesterday I think. *checks* Yeah, Robin Windsor. Wasn't aware of him myself but some of you probably were.
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Feb 20, 2024 10:06 pm
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 8th February 2024 (Series 89, Heat 28)
Replies: 11
Views: 736

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 8th February 2024 (Series 89, Heat 28)

Martin Long wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2024 6:00 pm I think MASTOID was there in round 1.
This was round 2 btw.
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Feb 20, 2024 3:00 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

That would be very interesting but by reducing the take-off gap to zero, it does kind of break old records. They do generally show the gap to the line nowadays anyway, but I don't know if they know the gaps for the old records of Mike Powell and Jonathan Edwards.
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:07 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Also Grant Holloway beat the 60m indoor hurdles record.

And an outdoors one - Letsile Tebogo beat the 300m world record with a time of 30.69, beating Wayde van Niekerk's 30.81 and Michael Johnson's 30.85, which was the record before that.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:28 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

In other news, Dwain Chambers made the UK indoor championships 60m semi-finals at the age of 45 ! He has previously served a drugs ban of course. And Josh Kerr beat the 2-mile indoor world record . It's "only" the indoor record obviously, but his time of 8:00.67 would be the 4th fastest ti...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 18, 2024 7:55 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Thursday 8th February 2024 (Series 89, Heat 28)
Replies: 11
Views: 736

Re: Spoilers for Thursday 8th February 2024 (Series 89, Heat 28)

I wonder what they'd have done if she'd said something like "UNPOWD ... Oh no, GUNPOWDER". You are the ref . . . I think I'd have to say that she lost, and she shouldn't be able to profit by actually giving the answer away completely, so any sort of rerun would be wrong. Maybe just refilm...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Feb 17, 2024 4:26 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: REALLY obvious things you've just realised
Replies: 630
Views: 275463

Re: REALLY obvious things you've just realised

Wikipedia (always reliable obviously) says: Whether there is any historical reality behind the Trojan War remains an open question. Many scholars believe that there is a historical core to the tale, though this may simply mean that the Homeric stories are a fusion of various tales of sieges and expe...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:40 am
Forum: Countdown - Spoilers
Topic: Spoilers for Friday 16th February 2024 (Series 89, Heat 34)
Replies: 2
Views: 309

Re: Spoilers for Friday 16th February 2024 (Series 89, Heat 34)

Would anyone else have been tempted by the invalid ‘opacities’ in Round 1? https://wiki.apterous.org/Episode_8210 R9 alt: (100+5*6-7)*(9-1)=984 R14 alt: (50*3+10/2)*5=755 I thought about opacities after Susie got OPACITES. I think it would be better if she was more explicit about the obvious extens...
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Feb 16, 2024 6:03 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683663

Re: Ask Graeme?

You have to include everyone with that name, not just the top three.
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Feb 16, 2024 2:12 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683663

Re: Ask Graeme?

As far as I can see, there are three Darryls. Darryls Hall and Johnson both lost their only game, so we're on 0/2. But then we have Darryl Francis . He won 15 out of 19 "normal" games. He lost a masters game though, and was on the winning team in some weird special . We won't count the wei...
by Gavin Chipper
Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:12 pm
Forum: Countdown - General
Topic: Ask Graeme?
Replies: 1740
Views: 683663

Re: Ask Graeme?

What is the most successful first name in countdown (if we say at least 3 people have to have been called this and do it by percentage of games won) My money is on Tom/Thomas. Or maybe Mark. My gut is it will be a more unusual name. Lets say there's been 2 random people called Innis pop up over the...
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Feb 15, 2024 4:15 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Politics in General
Replies: 1604
Views: 1651881

Re: Politics in General

Or just people on social media (even peace seeking nice people on my FB for example) having a valid post against Israeli war crimes in Gaza / occupation of the west bank, but then ending it with the "From the river to the sea" phrase which is basically a call for an ethnic cleansing of Je...
by Gavin Chipper
Thu Feb 15, 2024 12:57 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Politics in General
Replies: 1604
Views: 1651881

Re: Politics in General

Here I disagree. The fact that there's a certain term for a specific sub group of a more general group isn't a problem. The anti- prefix isn't reserved only for Jews, but many other groups, races, religions, so being specific isn't a problem here at all and doesn't imply that it's different from ot...
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 14, 2024 6:26 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Politics in General
Replies: 1604
Views: 1651881

Re: Politics in General

Here's a thing. I think the term anti-Semitic (or antisemitic) is generally not a good one to use. If someone is racist against black people, they are racist. If they are racist against Asian people, they are racist. But if they are racist against Jewish people, they are anti-Semitic. Why does it ma...
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 14, 2024 6:22 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Also the shoes Kipchoge wore were I believe the Alphaflys, which are a legal shoe. At the time they were a prototype, so perhaps technically illegal due to not being available to the public or something.
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 14, 2024 5:50 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Yeah it's not a massive big deal, though still not legal.
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 14, 2024 4:05 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The Dead of 2024
Replies: 54
Views: 3855

Re: The Dead of 2024

I've always thought of him as Mr. TOTP2.
by Gavin Chipper
Wed Feb 14, 2024 12:56 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

The pacemakers dropped in and out (there were several laps) so it wasn't like in a proper race where they start with you and then drop out when they can't keep it going.
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:02 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Politics in General
Replies: 1604
Views: 1651881

Re: Politics in General

Well actually believing something about what the Israeli government might have done is not racist, and so not anti-Semitic. The same standards apply across the board. Criticising a government, even if not based in truth, does not make one a racist, whatever the country is. Israel does not have speci...
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Feb 13, 2024 4:36 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Questions you've always wanted answered
Replies: 1615
Views: 630460

Re: Questions you've always wanted answered

Marc Meakin wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 4:14 pm
Mark Deeks wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 3:47 pm What's that whole thing about when your ear goes PING and then you're deaf for a few seconds?
Ive never experienced this but my step daughter (in her early thirties) says it happens whenever she hears a cat scarer
You mean a dog?
by Gavin Chipper
Tue Feb 13, 2024 3:11 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

The thing is Kiptum was the sub-2 hour hope. He was also fun to watch. He'd take the first half of his marathons fairly easily and then just go in the second half. With better pacing, sub-2 looked a formality. Also, for whatever reason, the women's marathon records are often set by people you've nev...
by Gavin Chipper
Mon Feb 12, 2024 12:36 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

According to this Wikipedia page , people in Kenya are about 10 times as likely as people in the UK to die in a car accident in a given year. But fewer people have cars in Kenya. Per car, the death rate is more than 100 times as much! From here : Giving details of the crash, police said Kiptum was d...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 11:29 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: The Dead of 2024
Replies: 54
Views: 3855

Re: The Dead of 2024

As I put in the athletics thread, Kelvin Kiptum.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 11:28 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics
Replies: 252
Views: 49559

Re: Track and Field (and Road) Athletics

Kelvin Kiptum has died in a road accident. Shit. I mean, fucking hell.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 6:20 pm
Forum: Countdown - Events
Topic: CO:parkrun Recaps
Replies: 583
Views: 288991

Re: CO:parkrun Recaps

At my parkrun the JW10 record (so girls 10 and under) was at one point held by a 40-ish-year-old man who used the wrong barcode. I suspect deliberately because he did the same at another local parkrun. There's also something a bit off about this guy in general. I did contact the event director (and ...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 6:04 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

I don't think you can make such a binary distinction between humans and all other animals. So while the way dogs and cats love humans may differ from how humans love humans, they are also likely to differ from each other in significant ways too.
Mark James wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 5:39 pmIs Gavin an idiot? Yes.
I'll get over it.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 4:44 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Politics in General
Replies: 1604
Views: 1651881

Re: Politics in General

If anyone was still in any doubt over whether what Israel is doing is reasonable or not, even the Tories (specifically the guy off the street they recruited to be foreign secretary) are having doubts over the latest move to attack Rafah.

Edit - And Biden as well.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 2:44 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

You didn't, you just posted a bunch of tangential philosophy that didn't really address the point at all. If anything, you proved the point further. OK, so humans and fungus are the same. I'm not sure how anything you're saying is really related to the original point that cats and dogs are equally ...
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 1:56 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Real life situations that made you laugh
Replies: 3
Views: 645

Re: Real life situations that made you laugh

Marc Meakin wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 12:54 pm Just made a typo talking about tonights American football ended up writing Superb Owl
You did that before!
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 1:54 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

Elliott Mellor wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:05 am
Gavin Chipper wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 9:38 pm
Elliott Mellor wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 8:39 pm

This is a good one.
I debunked it. Unless you accept the conclusion that all life is the same.
You didn't, you just posted a bunch of tangential philosophy that didn't really address the point at all. If anything, you proved the point further.
OK, so humans and fungus are the same.
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 7:52 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

Mark James wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2024 2:59 am
Gavin Chipper wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 9:38 pm
Elliott Mellor wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 8:39 pm

This is a good one.
I debunked it.
No you haven't.
Remember I added "Unless you accept the conclusion that all life is the same."
by Gavin Chipper
Sun Feb 11, 2024 7:51 am
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

Cats and dogs are the same. People think cats are cold and heartless and dogs show love. Bullshit. They've both learned to manipulate humans to get food. You can apply this reductive logic to all life, including humans. Obviously not just about manipulating humans to get food, but more generally ma...
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Feb 10, 2024 9:38 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

Elliott Mellor wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 8:39 pm
Mark James wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2024 10:04 pm Cats and dogs are the same. People think cats are cold and heartless and dogs show love. Bullshit. They've both learned to manipulate humans to get food.
This is a good one.
I debunked it. Unless you accept the conclusion that all life is the same.
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Feb 10, 2024 7:40 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Trade Secrets
Replies: 155
Views: 42834

Re: Trade Secrets

I don't know if anyone actually needs this advice, but people are often depicted as straining when they are struggling to go. But anyway, never strain. Pulse.
by Gavin Chipper
Sat Feb 10, 2024 7:38 pm
Forum: Off-topic
Topic: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold
Replies: 248
Views: 30644

Re: Unpopular opinions you genuinely hold

Cats and dogs are the same. People think cats are cold and heartless and dogs show love. Bullshit. They've both learned to manipulate humans to get food. You can apply this reductive logic to all life, including humans. Obviously not just about manipulating humans to get food, but more generally ma...