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(Created on 29th July 2012)

Vote #261

Question:

The hangover has just about cleared from the Opening Ceremony party and subsequently raising a glass to my friend Jon who got married this past weekend. I suspect the next few weeks is going to be taken over by Olympics questions given that I'm probably going to get quite into the games. So let's start with the host nation prediction. Everything I seem to read says that the host nation gets about a 50% boost in the medal tally due to the home support advantage (which does indeed seem to be fantastic from what I can see on the TV). So where do you think Team GB will come in the overall medal table?

Results:

4th was the clear winner with 50% of the votes from the following selection:

  • 1st (0%)
  • 2nd (0%)
  • 3rd (0%)
  • 4th (50%)
  • 5th (0%)
  • 6th (25%)
  • 7th (25%)
  • 8th (0%)
  • 9th (0%)
  • 10th (0%)

Analysis:

As we end a week where Team GB has finished strong, picking up some great medal results, we see that they are currently sitting in the third position. Fourth seems to be where the votes have us ending, but maybe we can hang on to third. I personally think fourth is a potential after the US, China and Russia.

Comments:

1 comment
Rag
18:51:38
12th August 2012
Well, I asked the question 4 years ago about how the medal count should be done - is it total number of medals, total number of gold or should there be a point system like 3 points for gold, 2 for silver and 1 for bronze. If we're going with gold medals, then it looks like the UK came 3rd. If total medals or points, then the UK was 4th. It's pretty clear the US won and China were second regardless of what system you employ. Third and Fourth was between the UK and Russia - you can make your own decision on which order.

(Created on 5th August 2012)

Vote #262

Question:

I made a comment somewhere that the 100m is the main event of the Olympics, but do you agree? Which of the following Olympic races do you prefer?

Results:

100m was the clear winner with 83% of the votes from the following selection:

  • 100m (83%)
  • 200m (0%)
  • 400m (0%)
  • 800m (0%)
  • 1500m (17%)
  • 5000m (0%)
  • 10000m (0%)
  • Marathon (0%)
  • 4x100m relay (0%)
  • 4x400m relay (0%)

Analysis:

An overwhelming response in support of the 100m which is what I expected. Nice to see the 1500 getting an appearance. Once upon a time the distance that meant oh so much to the Brits. My guess is that the longer distances of 5,000 and 10,000 will start to become more popular after the great races by Mo Farah.

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 12th August 2012)

Vote #263

Question:

As we wrap up the events of the 30th Olympiad, we can reflect on the great moments such as those by Usain Bolt or the shenanigans of the badminton. There are still many questions out there that people are asking relating to the Olympics - some of them controversial and others speculative, but there's one key question that everyone's asking. Rather than going it alone and coming up with a meaningless question, we join the masses and simply ask - should NASCAR be an Olympic event?

Results:

No was the clear winner with 80% of the votes from the following selection:

  • Yes (20%)
  • No (80%)

Analysis:

Just me then!

I thought more people would buy into this idea. I'm pretty taken with the prospect of the 4 x 500 mile relay myself. I think Brad Keselowski was practicing for that last week at Watkins Glen, but he didn't quite get the timing right to hand the baton to Kyle Busch.

Interestingly enough, one of the commentators here in the US made the analogy that long distance swimming was like NASCAR, particularly the point that that the swimmers come by the station to take on food and water. Presumably that there is some similarity between that and pit stops. Didn't really see it myself.

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 19th August 2012)

Vote #264

Question:

I suspect there a few out there that are expecting a fishing pole related question and it is tempting for me to pose my dilemma right now as to whether I should use an internal or external PTFE bush, but you wouldn't really care about that so I won't. We'll ask that age old question - where's Wally?

Results:

Free Pussy Riot was the clear winner with 50% of the votes from the following selection:

  • It's Waldo, not Wally (25%)
  • On the Internet (25%)
  • In a crowd (0%)
  • Free Pussy Riot (50%)

Analysis:

Regardless of all the politics around Pussy Riot, I have to say that it's one of the best names I've heard for a punk band. The images this conjures up for me are both weird and bizarre. I have no idea whether Wally/Waldo would have anything to say on the subject of freedom of speech wherever he's hiding.

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 26th August 2012)

Vote #265

Question:

The inevitable has happened and I'm now in possession of an iPad. Given to me by work in the name of productivity. I find myself sitting here wondering how long it will take for my rational thinking to be taken from me and I become another Apple automaton. But that's not the question I'm interested in. What I actually want to figure out is whether or not I can use the iPad instead of my computer on trips as this will actually be very helpful to me. Do you think I'll be able to substitute my PC for iPad on work trips?

Results:

No was the clear winner with 60% of the votes from the following selection:

  • Yes (40%)
  • No (60%)

Analysis:

Interesting that I'm the one that's skeptical about Apple products and yet I think this option is going to be able to work for me. I still have reservations about the device itself, particularly around things like why can't I use an SD card, where's the USB port, why isn't there a proper file manager, why can't you upload/download files to websites .... and the list goes on. That said, I'm pretty impressed with what the firm's done with this device. We have some interesting tools that allow you to edit documents and there's a nifty little app that allows you to markup pdf files.

I've bought myself a little keyboard and some other stuff that should allow me to use this for the majority of my daily tasks whilst on the road. It's not going to replace the laptop totally, but I think I'll be able to manager a lot of trips with just the iPad.

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 2nd September 2012)

Vote #266

Question:

Well, this week we have a question from William. Who's your favorite Ninjago character?

Results:

Jay and Sensei Wu tied with 40% of the votes each from the following:

  • Cole (0%)
  • Jay (40%)
  • Kai (0%)
  • Nya (0%)
  • Samurai X (0%)
  • Sensei Wu (40%)
  • Zane (20%)

Analysis:

Jay and Sensei Wu tied for this one. I'm not sure Sensei Wu is an actual character in e sense that he's the master as opposed to one of the ninja-type-things. But what do I know?

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 9th September 2012)

Vote #267

Question:

It's time to take over the world, but what fashion would you do it in? Which of the following empires would you most like to serve in?

Results:

British was the clear winner with 67% of the votes from the following selection:

  • British (67%)
  • French (17%)
  • Mayan (17%)
  • Ming Dynasty (0%)
  • Mongol (0%)
  • Ottoman (0%)
  • Roman (0%)
  • Spanish (0%)

Pre-Result Discussion

Curt
09:57:27
10th September 2012
Regarding the 'France' vote... no slight to my British friends, but good wine keeps Curt a loyal soldier. Also, I'd like to join John Cleese's French knights so I could participate in the tauntings.

Analysis:

The good old British Empire. Probably a bit of a loaded question as there are quite a lot of Brits voting so I think possibly a foregone conclusion.

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 16th September 2012)

Vote #268

Question:

I came up with this week's question on a flight and no, it wasn't a bad flight. I was sat there wondering why you're supposed to shit yourself when you're scared. It doesn't seem like the most productive thing one could do in that situation. In fact, it seems like it wouldn't really help at all. So why do you think you're supposed to shit yourself when you're scared?

Results:

Your nervous system just shuts down was the clear winner with 67% of the votes from the following selection:

  • To lighten the load so you can run away (17%)
  • So you have something to throw at the thing scaring you (17%)
  • Your nervous system just shuts down (67%)

Analysis:

I'm not sure whether this is as much a rhetorical question as anything else, but I did do a little searching online to see if there was a rational explanation that made sense to me. I didn't find one. About the best I can get is that it's an autonomic response, but I can't really gather the intent of that response. There was one article that supported lightening the load as it claimed the body can carry up to 8lb of waste that you would be better off without if you're to run away from whatever it is that's scaring you.

Still seems rather odd to me as I can't see a practical reason for it.

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 23rd September 2012)

Vote #269

Question:

This week's vote question comes from an inability to think for oneself again and is based on a top ten list. This week I've chosen the top ten facts about millipedes from toptenz.net and ask you which one you find the most interesting?

Results:

The largest species (now extinct) was over 8ft tall was the clear winner with 50% of the votes from the following selection:

  • They don't have 1000 legs (0%)
  • They move much slower than centipedes (25%)
  • Some are carnivorous (0%)
  • They are the oldest known land creature (25%)
  • The largest species (now extinct) was over 8ft tall (50%)
  • The male sets the mood for its mate (0%)
  • They have sex like robots (0%)
  • They aren't born with all their segments (0%)
  • They coil up in self defense (0%)
  • The Giant African millipede is the largest currently at 15 inches (0%)

Analysis:

Interesting. I was somewhat taken by the fact that they are the oldest living land creature, but seems I was alone in this view. The majority went of the fact that the largest was about 8ft long. One of those monsters from the land that time forgot type thing. I'd imagine that an 8ft millipede would be somewhat intimidating.

Comments:

0 comments

(Created on 30th September 2012)

Vote #270

Question:

Back in England again and the dust has been blown off the fishing kit once more. The wager of the week is who will catch the largest fish between my dad and myself, so I will present the same question to you. Who will catch the biggest fish this week?

Results:

Me and Neither as the weather will be too bad for you to go fishing. tied with 50% of the votes each from the following:

  • Dad (0%)
  • Me (50%)
  • Neither as the weather will be too bad for you to go fishing. (50%)

Analysis:

Wow, what a storming response to this question. A clear indication of who gives a crap? As of this week, the correct answer is me, but there are still a couple of days to go. But as nobody cares, we'll leave it at that.

Comments:

1 comment
Rag
15:31:37
14th October 2012
And my dad would like the comment adding that he did actually win the subsequent week with a 9lb carp from the local duck pond.