Re: Questions you've always wanted answered
Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2019 7:06 pm
I should edit mine as it's probably homophobic
A group for contestants and lovers of the Channel 4 game show 'Countdown'.
http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/
I should edit mine as it's probably homophobic
Also quizmasters. On Pointless Richard Osman says things like "teams in the 2018-19 Champions League" and I have no idea what that means. I know the names of some football teams, so I could have a wild guess, but I have no idea whether I'm meant to be guessing local or national teams or whether they have to be British, European or whatever.Gavin Chipper wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 10:59 am Newsreaders assuming knowledge of this sort of stuff is annoying.
True (thanks) although it gets confusing again as it starts off by saying it's a metaphorical thing, then later it says that association football teams still award a physical cap. If so, and players are given one every time they play at international level, some of them must have hundreds. Where on earth do they keep them all?Thomas Cappleman wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:10 am The intro to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap_(sport) describes it well.
Yeah, seems that any time people talk about number of caps they'll be talking about the metaphorical number (i.e. how many times they've played). The player may also have a number of physical caps, which for footballers will awkwardly not be the same - only 1 per tournament. And whether the generalization is true for every country in every sport, who knows.Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:15 amTrue (thanks) although it gets confusing again as it starts off by saying it's a metaphorical thing, then later it says that association football teams still award a physical cap. If so, and players are given one every time they play at international level, some of them must have hundreds. Where on earth do they keep them all?Thomas Cappleman wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:10 am The intro to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap_(sport) describes it well.
That would unfairly bias the overall medals total to whichever nations did better in team sports. Win the a football event, and you'd be pretty much a shoo-in for the top six medals table immediately.Marc Meakin wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 12:47 pm On a similar sporting theme .
When medals are calculated for each country why isn't the physical amount of medals added up.
For example in rowing , whoever wins the coxless eights would be awarded 8 physical medals but only one is added to the nation's talky
If anything, the change should be that they have to share one medal between them.Ian Volante wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 12:59 pmThat would unfairly bias the overall medals total to whichever nations did better in team sports. Win the a football event, and you'd be pretty much a shoo-in for the top six medals table immediately.Marc Meakin wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 12:47 pm On a similar sporting theme .
When medals are calculated for each country why isn't the physical amount of medals added up.
For example in rowing , whoever wins the coxless eights would be awarded 8 physical medals but only one is added to the nation's talky
"And now, tonight's Champions League results. The Champions League is an annual football tournament contested by the leading clubs in Europe. Football, or association football, is a game played between two teams of eleven . . . "Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:11 amAlso quizmasters. On Pointless Richard Osman says things like "teams in the 2018-19 Champions League" and I have no idea what that means. I know the names of some football teams, so I could have a wild guess, but I have no idea whether I'm meant to be guessing local or national teams or whether they have to be British, European or whatever.Gavin Chipper wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 10:59 am Newsreaders assuming knowledge of this sort of stuff is annoying.
Some things are more intuitive or more reasonably considered common knowledge than others. Caps? I'm not sure.David Williams wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 8:44 pm"And now, tonight's Champions League results. The Champions League is an annual football tournament contested by the leading clubs in Europe. Football, or association football, is a game played between two teams of eleven . . . "Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:11 amAlso quizmasters. On Pointless Richard Osman says things like "teams in the 2018-19 Champions League" and I have no idea what that means. I know the names of some football teams, so I could have a wild guess, but I have no idea whether I'm meant to be guessing local or national teams or whether they have to be British, European or whatever.Gavin Chipper wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 10:59 am Newsreaders assuming knowledge of this sort of stuff is annoying.
Unfortunately there won't be time for any of this, because the bulletin started with
"Firstly, the latest news on Brexit. Brexit is the abbreviation commonly applied to describe the process by which the United Kingdom will leave the European Union. The European Union is . . ."
Don't be silly. It's safe to assume that anyone interested in hearing the results on the news will know what the Champions League is. Totally different situation to a quiz where it's reasonable and fair to clarify what's being asked for (e.g. "any European club side* competing in the 2018-19 Champions League"). Richard already does this with most questions; the fact that he doesn't when it's a football-related question is a symptom of the arrogant but common assumption among football fans that everyone else is interested in it too.David Williams wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 8:44 pm"And now, tonight's Champions League results. The Champions League is an annual football tournament contested by the leading clubs in Europe. Football, or association football, is a game played between two teams of eleven . . . "Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:11 am On Pointless Richard Osman says things like "teams in the 2018-19 Champions League" and I have no idea what that means. I know the names of some football teams, so I could have a wild guess, but I have no idea whether I'm meant to be guessing local or national teams or whether they have to be British, European or whatever.
Football is still our national sport so I don't think it's arrogance at all.Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:30 pmDon't be silly. It's safe to assume that anyone interested in hearing the results on the news will know what the Champions League is. Totally different situation to a quiz where it's reasonable and fair to clarify what's being asked for (e.g. "any European club side* competing in the 2018-19 Champions League"). Richard already does this with most questions; the fact that he doesn't when it's a football-related question is a symptom of the arrogant but common assumption among football fans that everyone else is interested in it too.David Williams wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 8:44 pm"And now, tonight's Champions League results. The Champions League is an annual football tournament contested by the leading clubs in Europe. Football, or association football, is a game played between two teams of eleven . . . "Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:11 am On Pointless Richard Osman says things like "teams in the 2018-19 Champions League" and I have no idea what that means. I know the names of some football teams, so I could have a wild guess, but I have no idea whether I'm meant to be guessing local or national teams or whether they have to be British, European or whatever.
* Just Googled it for the sake of this example so at least I've learnt something new about football, although I doubt I'll be able to remember it next time it comes up in a quiz.
It's the UK's most popular sport. (The national sport is cricket, apparently.) But so what? That's like saying that Coronation Street is the most popular TV soap, so everyone is expected to know all about it.Marc Meakin wrote: βTue Jan 14, 2020 5:24 am Football is still our national sport so I don't think it's arrogance at all.
So, if you expect some clarification as to what the Champions League is, you would also expect some clarification about Coronation Street? I thought the general idea was to reward people who knew stuff, not to allow people who know very little to make less ridiculous guesses.Phil Reynolds wrote: βTue Jan 14, 2020 12:34 pm But so what? That's like saying that Coronation Street is the most popular TV soap, so everyone is expected to know all about it.
Yeah, it is pretty annoying that not knowing things can disadvantage you in a quiz.Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:11 amAlso quizmasters. On Pointless Richard Osman says things like "teams in the 2018-19 Champions League" and I have no idea what that means. I know the names of some football teams, so I could have a wild guess, but I have no idea whether I'm meant to be guessing local or national teams or whether they have to be British, European or whatever.
Haha. I'm tempted to argue that your point is a specious one, since in most other cases Richard gives lots of supplementary information to clarify what the bounds of the subject are. But I'm willing to concede that the roots of my gripe lie with my unreasonable loathing of football and hence disinterest in retaining any facts about it.Conor wrote: βTue Jan 14, 2020 5:37 pmYeah, it is pretty annoying that not knowing things can disadvantage you in a quiz.Phil Reynolds wrote: βMon Jan 13, 2020 11:11 amAlso quizmasters. On Pointless Richard Osman says things like "teams in the 2018-19 Champions League" and I have no idea what that means. I know the names of some football teams, so I could have a wild guess, but I have no idea whether I'm meant to be guessing local or national teams or whether they have to be British, European or whatever.
No idea.Johnny Canuck wrote: βMon Mar 02, 2020 9:13 pm What actually is the purpose of those padding spaces we're always supposed to add in certain fields of the Countdown Wiki recaps, such as the space preceding the first numbers round number? (Yes, I know this is off-Off-Topic, but meh.)
Stay where you are all day long, I canβt be arsed to move mid journey and end up sitting next to yet another stranger.Mark James wrote: βWed Mar 04, 2020 7:39 pm Say you are on public transport. It's busy and there's only one free seat next to a stranger so you sit there. At the next stop lots of people get off and free up seats. Should you move to a free seat or stay where you are?
It depends on how many stops I have left.Gavin Chipper wrote: βWed Mar 04, 2020 7:43 pm It's t wehe age-old question. It's awkward either way.
TouchΓ©.Gavin Chipper wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 1:06 am I particularly hate it when you're on the train feeling a bit tired and you want to have a nap but there's no plug socket to lean against!
Is that actually what you meant?Thomas Carey wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 1:05 pmTouchΓ©.Gavin Chipper wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 1:06 am I particularly hate it when you're on the train feeling a bit tired and you want to have a nap but there's no plug socket to lean against!
Lean against the wall. Combined with the seat back you have a nice corner. Try to do that in an aisle seat and you'll probably be thrown into the aisle or your neighbour.Gavin Chipper wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 3:31 pmIs that actually what you meant?Thomas Carey wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 1:05 pmTouchΓ©.Gavin Chipper wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 1:06 am I particularly hate it when you're on the train feeling a bit tired and you want to have a nap but there's no plug socket to lean against!
Maus's bed:Gavin Chipper wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 1:06 am I particularly hate it when you're on the train feeling a bit tired and you want to have a nap but there's no plug socket to lean against!
Yeah thatβs hilarious I had to chuckle to my self. I wonder if he takes the plug sockets in hotels with him, Do you Maus (lol.Callum Todd wrote: βFri Mar 06, 2020 6:55 amMaus's bed:Gavin Chipper wrote: βThu Mar 05, 2020 1:06 am I particularly hate it when you're on the train feeling a bit tired and you want to have a nap but there's no plug socket to lean against!
He sleeps in a bush, he sleeps in a bush, Thomas Carey he sleeps in a bush!!!!! Squeak Squeak
Fun fact , the red stuff that oozes from a steak is not blood.Gavin Chipper wrote: βSun Mar 08, 2020 7:29 pm For those of you who like your animals dead and on your plate - I always hear that when it comes to cooking meat, you have to do it properly, make sure it's cooked through etc., so you don't get things like salmonella or E. Coli. But then why does that all go out the window when it comes to steaks? Why have steaks become some sort of contest to see who can eat their meat the rawest* and still give the impression that they're enjoying it?
*Do you make an "r" sound in the middle of this word? And in words like "drawing"? I think most people do, right?
No, I don't make an "r" sound, because there isn't one.Gavin Chipper wrote: βSun Mar 08, 2020 7:29 pm For those of you who like your animals dead and on your plate - I always hear that when it comes to cooking meat, you have to do it properly, make sure it's cooked through etc., so you don't get things like salmonella or E. Coli. But then why does that all go out the window when it comes to steaks? Why have steaks become some sort of contest to see who can eat their meat the rawest* and still give the impression that they're enjoying it?
*Do you make an "r" sound in the middle of this word? And in words like "drawing"? I think most people do, right?
Chicken and Pork have to be well cooked I got poisoning from them once, I tried βVeganuaryβ last year and I lasted about 7 days (if that).Marc Meakin wrote: βSun Mar 08, 2020 8:09 pmFun fact , the red stuff that oozes from a steak is not blood.Gavin Chipper wrote: βSun Mar 08, 2020 7:29 pm For those of you who like your animals dead and on your plate - I always hear that when it comes to cooking meat, you have to do it properly, make sure it's cooked through etc., so you don't get things like salmonella or E. Coli. But then why does that all go out the window when it comes to steaks? Why have steaks become some sort of contest to see who can eat their meat the rawest* and still give the impression that they're enjoying it?
*Do you make an "r" sound in the middle of this word? And in words like "drawing"? I think most people do, right?
But I do agree , raw meat and especially virtually raw Tuna leaves me cold
Mind you it's a moot point now since I've been veggie for 2 months (still can't give up cheese and eggs though )
baby don't hurt me
Hahaha absolute gold.
Was this supposed to be funny ?.Callum Todd wrote: βTue Mar 10, 2020 5:00 pmHahaha absolute gold.
Srsly though. I have never understood exactly what grass is.
Isn't https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaceae enough to sate your desire for knowledge on the topic?Callum Todd wrote: βWed Mar 11, 2020 9:58 am My question was not supposed to be funny. I really want an answer. I have asked it many times, to biology teachers and to the Internet, and am yet to receive an answer.
Tom's response was supposed to be funny, and it succeeded.
Controversial! There is actually some discussion about it on the internet.Fiona T wrote: βSun Mar 08, 2020 9:51 pmNo, I don't make an "r" sound, because there isn't one.Gavin Chipper wrote: βSun Mar 08, 2020 7:29 pm
*Do you make an "r" sound in the middle of this word? And in words like "drawing"? I think most people do, right?
Yep, and as a Yorkshireman, I have no truck with rhoticity, and my vowel sounds are pancake-like. Floor and flaw sound identical from me, unless there's a following word.Fiona T wrote: βThu Mar 12, 2020 12:08 pm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhoticity_in_English
It appears my Scottish heritage is the differentiator here.
"Many non-rhotic speakers also insert an epenthetic /r/ between vowels when the first vowel is one that can occur before syllable-final r (drawring for drawing). "