The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

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opusthepenguin
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by opusthepenguin »

twelvefootboy wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 10:14 am As 2.5 cm ~ 1 inch, most of the time, it is easier for me to divide by 4 than to multiply by 2.5, but it goes both ways. It's kind of humorous because the coaches are reaching for a chart or their phone and think I'm some kind of cyborg for knowing 18" = 45 cm (180/4 for me, actually divide by two twice) on the fly :lol:
Short by 0.72" but obviously close enough for your purposes. (For recording official records, I assume we'd break out the calculator.) I've used the same approximation many times, fellow cyborg.

On a similar note, when our son was born, a nurse put him on the scale and recorded his weight. A few minutes later another nurse looked over her shoulder and said, "that can't be right. He's obviously more than 3.39 pounds." She checked the scale and said, "this thing is set to kilograms." She set the scale to pounds and went to take the baby away from my wife who was busily bonding.

The doc said, "You don't need to do that. One kilogram is 2.2 pounds." They had a calculator RIGHT THERE. The nurse ignored the doctor, took the kid away from my wife, and put him back on the scale to note that he was in fact 7.46 (i.e. 3.39 x 2.2) pounds and wrote that down. The doctor and I shared a look.

Of course, what we really wanted to tell people when we phoned them--In 1992 I didn't have email, let alone Facebook. I was on Prodigy, but that would've only worked for notifying my dad--was weight in pounds and ounces. I decided against asking the nurses if the scale had a setting for that and if they would mind weighing him a third time. I don't think they would have understood the joke. I just did the conversion myself.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by MarkBarrett »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:28 pm ...

For some reason I keep forgetting that Daniel Webster was a real person. I had no idea what to even WAG on this. What even was the TOM here?
...
PRESIDENTIAL IRONY

1 of the 2 Presidents who offered Daniel Webster the VP slot; he declined both, thinking the job went nowhere

Daniel Webster twice had a chance to be VP. He thought the job went nowhere. Wouldn't it be ironic if he was wrong? He was, as saying yes either time could have made him POTUS.

What the clue was offering the chance to do was name one of the presidents during Webster's time who died in office. If you don't know Webster's time (1782-1852) then it opens the door for Lincoln. If you cannot place him in the right century then TR, Harding, and so on are possible guesses.

If someone thinks Daniel Webster is a made up guy in a Stephen Vincent Benét story then it may be a devil of a time getting the solve.

As for who to guess? Take the 1/44 shot. If you had a sense that Webster was on the earlier side of things the odds greatly increase. If you know Webster's main decade then the odds are even better.

All we ask on this kind of clue is to name a name.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by TenPoundHammer »

MarkBarrett wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:47 pm Daniel Webster twice had a chance to be VP. He thought the job went nowhere. Wouldn't it be ironic if he was wrong? He was, as saying yes either time could have made him POTUS.
That was the connection I couldn't make. I had no idea how anything about the clue was ironic.
MarkBarrett wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:47 pm What the clue was offering the chance to do was name one of the presidents during Webster's time who died in office.
Again, I couldn't puzzle that out. I had literally no idea what the clue had to do with irony. Hence the blank stare.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by Vowela »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:54 pm
MarkBarrett wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:47 pm Daniel Webster twice had a chance to be VP. He thought the job went nowhere. Wouldn't it be ironic if he was wrong? He was, as saying yes either time could have made him POTUS.
That was the connection I couldn't make. I had no idea how anything about the clue was ironic.
Just name any President, then. Always have a chance of getting it right. For what it's worth, I missed it, going with Garfield. Off by a few decades, but still better than not guessing.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by MarkBarrett »

TenPoundHammer

Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by TenPoundHammer »

So I seem to be stuck in another FJ! rut. Haven't gotten one right since 11/16.

11/19: blah blah 1800s writer + pond = ??? I've heard of Thoreau and Walden, but neither clicked.
11/20: A lot of people struggled with this one.
11/21: Couldn't think of how any possible response would be ironic.
11/22: Nothing I could think of seemed to fit "science fiction", "scary", and "not a dry eye". Every answer seemed not to fit at least one of the two.
11/23: Total brain lock and couldn't think of any M cities. Probably could've gotten Montreal but no hope on the other.

11/26: Saw no way to puzzle this one out at all.
11/27: Can't say that I've heard of her.
11/28: First misread as "this band" and almost WAGged Presidents of the United States of America. Later narrowed down to "patriotic songs" but saw nothing leading to one over the other.
11/29: Utterly unfamiliar with Catholicism and saints, no clue whatsoever.
11/30: Knew it was hinting at OK Corral but had no idea where that was.

12/3: No guess, answer rings no bells.

Is it just bad luck that I tend to get into such streaks so often? I don't think a WAG would've gotten any of these right for me.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by MarkBarrett »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:18 pm So I seem to be stuck in another FJ! rut. Haven't gotten one right since 11/16.
...
11/28: First misread as "this band" and almost WAGged Presidents of the United States of America. Later narrowed down to "patriotic songs" but saw nothing leading to one over the other.
11/29: Utterly unfamiliar with Catholicism and saints, no clue whatsoever.
11/30: Knew it was hinting at OK Corral but had no idea where that was.

12/3: No guess, answer rings no bells.

Is it just bad luck that I tend to get into such streaks so often? I don't think a WAG would've gotten any of these right for me.
I think a lot of them are the kind of FJ! clues not friendly to you and some caused problems for the contestants and/or board members as well.

11/28: You had it narrowed down to two with one correct. You did not know which and guessed nothing. That is your repeat offender crime. Go for one like every single other person here.

11/29: Name an apostle. Any one. Name one of the four Gospel guys. Pick a name from the New Testament. The poll shows how unfriendly the clue was while the votes are high for a couple of common misses. We try and you don't, unfortunately.

11/30: You did the first part with O.K. Corral while not knowing where to go. Completely understandable and it happens to everyone.

12/3: Read through the game day thread (or Reddit thread) and you will find you have company. Well done by the contestants as I will take under 66% on the weekly poll. Another one not to sweat at all.

Overall I would say it's just a bad stretch for you and not the first time. It's not like all of them are 90% in the weekly poll and you're the only one checking the goose egg box. Of all of them only the "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the woulda/coulda/shoulda where you had a chance to get one right. The rest are ones to shrug at and move on from as for different reasons they don't play to your strengths.

For each game's thread I will once again suggest reading through the posts. You should find some comfort in misery in finding others who played the clue as a miss.

I'm a J! champion and I did not get the honey badger that you did get. Two players on the show did not get it either. Find the positive in such results. For your string of misses I did not get three of them as well.

You're due to get one and it will happen before Christmas. In a quick review of recent FJ! clues it seems like more of them are persons or places while perhaps you may do better with things.

As always feel free to take a guess. It's allowed. Tonight's does not work for that advice, I get it. It's the 1 in low numbers odds where you know enough the have the correct response in the shuffle that's the time to play.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by MarkBarrett »

Henry "Hank" Aaron is the easiest path, though sports, so not the best route for you.

NHO of geisha? That's almost ridiculous.

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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by This Is Kirk! »

Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by Elijah Baley »

This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by John Boy »

Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:29 pm
This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
Fun fact: Sometimes "William" is called "Bill" for short. Or "Will." Or sometimes Billy, or Willie." Crikey, what a confusing language.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by Elijah Baley »

John Boy wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 4:51 pm
Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:29 pm
This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
Fun fact: Sometimes "William" is called "Bill" for short. Or "Will." Or sometimes Billy, or Willie." Crikey, what a confusing language.
Or John gets called Jack. Or Elizabeth is known at Betty. Good thing we're not in Russia where Sasha is the nickname for Alexander, etc. :D
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by seaborgium »

Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 5:03 pm
John Boy wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 4:51 pm
Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:29 pm
This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
Fun fact: Sometimes "William" is called "Bill" for short. Or "Will." Or sometimes Billy, or Willie." Crikey, what a confusing language.
Or John gets called Jack. Or Elizabeth is known at Betty. Good thing we're not in Russia where Sasha is the nickname for Alexander, etc. :D
There's also Spanish, where Francisco becomes Paco, Eduardo becomes Lalo, Jesús becomes Chuy, and José becomes Pepe. (At least I have a rationale for the last one: the Italian for Joseph is Giuseppe, and I bet the Spanish version was a more direct cognate of that long enough for a nickname to develop out of it, which stuck even as the full name evolved to lose a syllable.)
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by MarkBarrett »

No, give him all the Margaret variations.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by TenPoundHammer »

Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:29 pm
This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
Maybe I didn't think it was short for anything, and was a completely different name entirely.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by twelvefootboy »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:09 pm
Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:29 pm
This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
Maybe I didn't think it was short for anything, and was a completely different name entirely.
Methinks it a little unfair to cast aspersions on lack of tribal knowledge of this sort. It is very demography sensitive. In the case of TPH's generation (going with early 90's, is that Gen X?), Henry is a 150-200th popular name, compared to the Boomer years with it in the top 60ish. Hank is about 1/6th as popular for both eras as a potential counterpoint. (amazingly, Henry is a top 20 name right now! why the comeback?)

We could go on and on with a reference list, but I remember learning JFK was actually John and being surprised. Sure, Will or Willy for William, but Bill? wtf? Charles/Charley, fine. But Chuck? A few others I learned the hard way : Drew for Andrew, Dick for Richard (don't call me Dick! ;)). Lawrence/Larry, Rebecca/Becky, Penelope/Penny, Francis/Frank, Margaret/Maggie/Mags, Barbara/Babs, and yes Henry/Hank.
Half of these caught me by ambush, some just recently like my Mother Margaret transformed to Maggie in the nursing home. Which was kind of sweet, as Mom 2.0 maintained her charm and wit as her mind and memories diminished.
Luckily, there's always the fallback when I can't remember a name - Hey Bud! (is that short for Budweiser?)
Disclaimer - repeated exposure to author's musings may cause befuddlement.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by Volante »

twelvefootboy wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 9:03 pm ... Charles/Charley, fine. But Chuck? ...
And then you realize the Carolinas are named after a Charles and that's it. I'm out.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by AFRET CMS »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:09 pm
Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:29 pm
This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
Maybe I didn't think it was short for anything, and was a completely different name entirely.
Twelvefootboy makes some great points; some nicknames are YEKIOYD. I thought Hal was short only for Harold until I found out in high school that Shakespeare used it for "Henry" as well. Hal for Henry? Makes no more sense than Hank for Henry. And whence "Bob" and "Bobby" for Robert? Nicknames have some strange derivations and can be confusing. I didn't realize until "That 70s Show" was off the air that actor Topher Grace's name is actually Christopher.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by teapot37 »

It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize John F. Kennedy and "Jack Kennedy" were the same person.
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Re: The Official TPH Education Thread (POTENTIAL GAME DAY SPOILERS)

Post by Elijah Baley »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:09 pm
Elijah Baley wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:29 pm
This Is Kirk! wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:56 am Not knowing "Hank" is a nickname for "Henry" is one of TPH's all-time greats.
Maybe the thought was that Hank was short of Handkerchief.
Maybe I didn't think it was short for anything, and was a completely different name entirely.
You should probably have a good sense of humor if you have an entire thread dedicated to the bits of common knowledge that have escaped you (and sometimes continue to escape you after repeated exposure). ;)
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