Random Irritations

[cliveb]

Natural selection is like artificial selection but the former is over geological time.
As the Eurovision Song Contest has only been around for about 60 years it might be considered artificial I suppose.

The phrase "endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful" occurs in the closing statement of Charles Darwin's 1859 book On the Origin of Species.
Argue with that if you can.

My apologies. I naively thought that it was pretty obvious I was just joking.
(Note to self: learn better how to use emoticons).

But since you've invited me to argue, I will suggest that you've misinterpreted Darwin's poetic phrase. He's suggesting that all forms of life are beautiful and wonderful. There is no requirement for them to get more beautiful and wonderful over time, merely to adapt in response to however the environment changes.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

‘Sought after‘ board comp being played this morning/early pm…but can’t play as have to be in for new sofa delivery and Mrs is working…darn…the things in life that get in the way of the important things

 

[Slime]

House of Games tonight. You have to get closest to the answer. When did cleopatra come to power/born, can't remember which one? 1492 was one answer given . Honestly, the level of stupidity is frightening at times.

What always surprises me is how clueless news readers and reporters often are. Popstars I can partly forgive, although not the above answer from a Pussycat Doll , but news people

Maybe she confused Cleopatra with Christopher Columbus.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just a major one this morning.

Yesterday bought a new OLED TV for lounge area of new extension, and looking forward to watching Sky Ultra HD on it, to just now be told by Sky Support that I need to have my main Sky Q box feeding the TV and that my Sky Q mini box doesn‘t support Ultra HD. My main Sky Q box is in our front room, my new TV is in our back room and I thought I’d be able to use the mini box to feed the new TV.

If I’d known beforehand I’d have had the work to move the feed for the main box to the back of the house done before the whole new extension was boarded, plastered and decorated.

No idea what to do with this and what the heck do I tell my Mrs…. HELP!!!

 

[bobmac]

The over use of the word ''quote'', especially when un-quote isn't used.

''He said quote he wasn't there and quote didn't know the woman''

 

[stefanovic]

My apologies. I naively thought that it was pretty obvious I was just joking.
(Note to self: learn better how to use emoticons).

But since you've invited me to argue, I will suggest that you've misinterpreted Darwin's poetic phrase. He's suggesting that all forms of life are beautiful and wonderful. There is no requirement for them to get more beautiful and wonderful over time, merely to adapt in response to however the environment changes.

One reason I don't think the 'evolution' of the Eurovision Song Contest is appropriate because it's nothing more than a box of frogs now.
Also, the songs have got worse and worse.
Any further vote for Brexit should include a vote for GB's continued participation.

I think Darwin's phrase about the grandeur of life is very moving.
Think about striped horses, jaguars, monarch butterflies, monkeys that reach out to pick fruit.
We still don't know quite how it all works but much of it is by natural selection, which nobody before Darwin got right.
Modern interpretations include books by Richard Dawkins and Nick Lane.

 

[Slab]

People who have no idea what to do when emergency services have lights and sirens on.

Today I witnessed some knob in a van just carry on driving and then a minute or so later a woman just strolled across the road in front of another police car

Round these parts tailgating the emergency vehicles isn't uncommon, grinds my gears

 

[Beedee]

Round these parts tailgating the emergency vehicles isn't uncommon, grinds my gears

Had a friend who was an ambulance driver. He said that most people were pretty good about getting out of the way, but he absolutely hated being the second vehicle to a big shout. Even with blues and twos, almost no one expects the 2nd vehicle, so he had loads of people pull out in front of him.

 

[Imurg]

We have a couple of Rapid Response Ambulance cars stationed at Stoke Mandeville.
When I was teaching I always told the kids to watch out for the normal ambulance a couple of minutes later....
Seen some appalling driving from some who just don't see them...

 

[cliveb]

We still don't know quite how it all works but much of it is by natural selection, which nobody before Darwin got right.

Except for Alfred Russel Wallace, of course.

 

[Orikoru]

House of Games tonight. You have to get closest to the answer. When did cleopatra come to power/born, can't remember which one? 1492 was one answer given . Honestly, the level of stupidity is frightening at times.

What always surprises me is how clueless news readers and reporters often are. Popstars I can partly forgive, although not the above answer from a Pussycat Doll , but news people

I wouldn't have a clue at that question either. I just don't do history. I'd guess it's BC though at least??

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I wouldn't have a clue at that question either. I just don't do history. I'd guess it's BC though at least??

Yes, and that's kind of the point of the round. The questions are deliberately a bit out there so no one is ever likely to get it spot on. You are partnered up and they take an average of the two guesses. I'm not irritated by anyone getting it wrong, it's that logic suggests a certain time period, Cleopatra, = Julius Cesar, Mark Anthony. If anyone thinks they were around in 1492 .

The answer was somewhere between 60-30 BC, can't remember exactly as I can't quite remember the question precisely as I was too busy shouting at the contestant , so you were in the right region . 1,500 years out, I mean........

 

[PJ87]

Yes, and that's kind of the point of the round. The questions are deliberately a bit out there so no one is ever likely to get it spot on. You are partnered up and they take an average of the two guesses. I'm not irritated by anyone getting it wrong, it's that logic suggests a certain time period, Cleopatra, = Julius Cesar, Mark Anthony. If anyone thinks they were around in 1492 .

The answer was somewhere between 60-30 BC, can't remember exactly as I can't quite remember the question precisely as I was too busy shouting at the contestant , so you were in the right region . 1,500 years out, I mean........

I always remember the amazing fact that Cleopatra is closer to our time than the building of the pyramids.. even then they were thought of an accent wonder

Then my head exploded when told the t rex is closer to humans in time than it is to the pterodactyl

Mental

 

[Slime]

When Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights reached No.1 it was nearer the end of WWII than it is to today!

 

[Tashyboy]

When Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights reached No.1 it was nearer the end of WWII than it is to today!

Probably nearer to WW3 as well

 

[3offTheTee]

I thought Catherine Tate was fantastic about 15/20 years’ ago in her sketches. Very funny and ahead of her time.

Saw her briefly tonight on The BAFTA awards. She seems to have changed her body shape for the worse. What has she had done?

 

[cliveb]

I thought Catherine Tate was fantastic about 15/20 years’ ago in her sketches. Very funny and ahead of her time.

Saw her briefly tonight on The BAFTA awards. She seems to have changed her body shape for the worse. What has she had done?

Got older?

 

[Orikoru]

Bought a new phone through Mobile Phones Direct, who I've used before. They contacted me and said it couldn't be done as an upgrade (because my old contract had gone onto Sim only), so they had to process as a new customer - didn't mind really as the new customer deal was actually cheaper. I just had to phone O2 to get my number changed over. That sounds easy I thought.

An hour and 7 minutes I was on the phone. Was put through to the wrong department twice, spoke to three different people to explain what was happening. Christ on a bike.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Bought a new phone through Mobile Phones Direct, who I've used before. They contacted me and said it couldn't be done as an upgrade (because my old contract had gone onto Sim only), so they had to process as a new customer - didn't mind really as the new customer deal was actually cheaper. I just had to phone O2 to get my number changed over. That sounds easy I thought.

An hour and 7 minutes I was on the phone. Was put through to the wrong department twice, spoke to three different people to explain what was happening. Christ on a bike.

Couldn’t you just get the number ported over?

 

[PJ87]

Bought a new phone through Mobile Phones Direct, who I've used before. They contacted me and said it couldn't be done as an upgrade (because my old contract had gone onto Sim only), so they had to process as a new customer - didn't mind really as the new customer deal was actually cheaper. I just had to phone O2 to get my number changed over. That sounds easy I thought.

An hour and 7 minutes I was on the phone. Was put through to the wrong department twice, spoke to three different people to explain what was happening. Christ on a bike.

They aren't as good as they used to be

I just bought a phone and went SIM only because they couldn't do a deal

£10 a month now