Main Menu
Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Topics - The Doctor Alt 8

#141
Film & TV / 'Lost' comedy archives unearthed
07 June, 2010, 09:12:36 PM
As something of a comedy nerd, I am delighted by this news
Footage of John Cleese, Frankie Howerd
'Lost' comedy archives unearthed

Comedy sketches featuring John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Marty Feldman and Frankie Howerd have been unearthed after being missing for over 40 years.

The long-lost material from the Sixties, dubbed 'comedy gold dust', also features early appearances by Tim Brooke-Taylor, Arthur Mullard and Yootha Joyce.

Dick Fiddy, who is helping the British Film Institute track down lost footage, says that a private collector is to thank for recovering a missing edition of At Last The 1948 Show and an lost episode of The Frankie Howerd Show

He said: 'Recently, a private collector contacted the BFI's Missing Believed Wiped project and handed over two priceless missing items of 1960s TV comedy.

'It's good news all round with these finds – they feature some of the UK's finest clowns at their peak and are pure comedy gold dust.

'The Frankie Howerd Show, for example, not only features more rare Frankie stuff but boasts a script from Ray Galton and Alan Simpson and - particularly precious - the great Yootha Joyce hamming it up as a tipsy vamp trying to have her way with the aghast Frankie.'

Until the late 1970s, broadcasters regularly wiped TV shows such as these to re-use expensive video tape and save space in their archives.

Thames Television destroyed all but two episodes of the pre-Python sketch series At Last The 1948 Show, which ran in 1967 and 1968 and starred John Cleese, Marty Feldman, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Aimi Macdonald.

The BBC, meanwhile, wiped the entire second series run of The Frankie Howerd Show, aired in 1965.

Mr Fiddy said: 'The 1948 Showepisode plugs yet another gap in what has become the most successful rebuilding project of the entire "Missing Believed Wiped" initiative.

'Material has come back from Sweden, Australia, industry personnel and private collectors to rebuild the once-thought-lost programme.

'This latest retrieval is a near-complete episode which can be restored with the help of an existing clip of one of the two missing sketches and an audio recording of the other.'

Chris Perry of Kaleidoscope, which is helping the project, added: 'Hats off to Dick Fiddy and his team for tracking down these hilarious episodes.'

Both items will be shown later this year at a Missing Believed Wiped event to be held at BFI Southbank.

If you want to check if you have a missing item, please contact Dick Fiddy at the BFI
#142
Help! / Studs...
07 June, 2010, 02:35:49 PM
I am going to be making some items (bracers, document holder ) out of a  hard wearing, heavy weight leather look fabric with a cloth backing. and would like to decorate these with some metal studs...

The process SEEMS simple enough... Push stud prongs into material, fold prongs flat, cover over with another piece of material... but.. is there more to it than that? 
#143
Help! / Work as an Extra...
13 May, 2010, 02:43:00 PM
I am concidering signing up for this agency.

http://www.universalextras.co.uk/index4.php

But before I do so... I thought I'd ask round to see if you folks have heard anything bad about them.
They are not asking for money up front as a a fee to be places on their books.
(A sure sign that they are scam merchants)

Am I missing something?

UNI-VERSAL EXTRAS LIMITED
("the Company" or "we")

TERMS & CONDITIONS
Please read before requesting a service from us. Retain a copy of the terms and conditions. These terms and conditions apply to this website, use of website also binds you the 'user & client' by these terms and conditions

INTRODUCTION
We are an agent between you and any production company.
This website provides services to you the client as well as organisations within the entertainment industry.

The website is wholly operated and controlled from within England.
As a client your contract with Uni-versalExtras Ltd ("the Company or "we") will be subject to these terms and conditions.

We make no guarantee of finding you work through Uni-versalExtras.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
Using any services provided by Uni-versalExtras Ltd signifies that you agree to, and will abide by, the following terms and conditions in addition to any further terms and conditions posted on the website and in a particular Job Description.

Acceptance of a Job offered by Uni-versalExtras Ltd, whether verbally or electronically, confirms agreement to all terms and conditions of that Job and on our website. Payment of all Jobs will only be made on Fulfilment of the said Job. Fulfilment requires completing all specified dates of the Job, turning up to the Job on time, not leaving the Job until the specified time, not taking days off due to illness and playing the role you were booked to do. Breaking these terms and conditions may result in no payment being made at all, or at the discretion of the company your payment being reduced accordingly.

All payments will be made straight in to your account minus 15% agents fee.

WARRANTY
Content, which is supplied by third parties directly is provided on "as is" and "as available" basis. No warranties as to accuracy of such information is given and you the client must make all appropriate enquiries to satisfy yourself

DURATION
We will terminate our contract with you if you are in breach of any Terms herein

LIABILITY
We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that information supplied by third parties to Uni-versalExtras is accurate. We cannot accept liability for reliance on information supplied by third parties.

OUR OBLIGATION TO YOU
(i) Uni-versalExtras abides by the Data Protection Act with reference to all information you the client supply to us.
(ii) As a client, we grant you a non-transferable licence to access information on the website for the duration of the contract and you (by ticking the appropriate DPA box) grant us a licence to forward your personal data to 3rd parties if we feel it appropriate to do so.
(iii) We will supply:
(a) Products and services for you to access.
(b) The opportunity for part-time work
(c) A platform for clients and companies in the entertainment industry, the possibility of communication with each other
(d) We will use our reasonable endeavours to ensure through steps taken by ourselves that Uni-versalExtras.co.uk is a secure and safe site to store your information.
(e) That all work carried out through us is paid for as soon as possible but certainly no later than 10 working days from the date that we receive payment from the relevant production company.
(f) We will abide by all relevant statutory requirements

YOUR OBLIGATION TO US
You agree not to use website for any illegal purpose and you agree to use it in accordance with relevant laws.

All information you supply to us is accurate and not offensive, obscene or of a defamatory nature.

You will not cause damage to the website in any way.
You will not attempt to breach unauthorised parts of the website.
You will abide by Data Protection Act that relates to you.
You will supply up to date, relevant information; this is needed by us to help give you a greater chance of sustaining work through Uni-versalExtras Ltd.
Your information will be changed, as soon as changes occur with you
You will keep all relevant information on our website relating to yourself completely up to date
You will abide by all our rules and regulations both before and after accepting a job via ourselves with a third party
You will observe our Privacy Policy as specified on our website from time to time
You will not use any part of our website for the purpose of transmitting or posting viruses

PASSWORD AND USERNAME
You guarantee that you are a student, who is 16 and above when obtaining a password and username for Uni-versalExtras.co.uk.
All passwords/usernames issued by us to clients are exclusive.
All passwords/usernames for the website must be kept confidential and not passed on to other third parties.
If you become aware of a breach you must inform Uni-versalExtras Ltd immediately.
We reserve the right to withdraw your password and username at any time
You shall remain responsible for all the actions accrued through your password and username.
No notification needs to be made to us when changing your password through the Uni-versalExtras website.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Company makes no warranties in relation to accuracy of information on our website. We assume no liability for any loss/damage caused as a result of any computer virus or other technical fault.

We are not responsible for any information made available by third parties. You acknowledge that we are unable to guarantee that all information is accurate or secure.
We may contact you with information about product/services that may interest you or
help enhance your Uni-versalExtras experience.

Third parties who we feel may benefit you and meet your interests may contact you. If at any time you want to be removed from this mailing list you can contact us at info@universalextras.co.uk

USE OF THE SITE
Site can be accessed 24/7, any problems please email info@universalextras.co.uk

DISCUSSION FORUMS TERMS OF USE

Warranties and Disclaimers

Considering the real-time nature of the Discussion Forums, it is impossible for us to review all messages or confirm the validity of information posted. Please remember that Uni-versalExtras Ltd are not responsible for any messages posted. We do not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message, and are not responsible for the contents of any message.

The messages express the views of the author of the message, not necessarily the views of Uni-versalExtras Ltd. Any user who feels that a posted message is objectionable is encouraged to contact us immediately by email. We have the ability to remove objectionable messages and we will make every effort to do so, within a reasonable time frame, if we determine that removal is necessary. This is a manual process, however, so please realize that we may not be able to remove or edit particular messages immediately.

Deleting Messages

Although Uni-versalExtras Ltd cannot review each and every message that is posted and is not responsible for the content of any of these messages, we reserve the right to delete any message for any reason whatsoever.

Messages are typically deleted as a result of the following:

• Profanity in subject lines or signatures, or profanity within messages deemed to be blatant as opposed to incidental
• Spamming or commercial solicitation
• Flaming other members with the apparent intent of inciting or perpetuating a conflict or argument
• Bombing forums or individual threads with repetitive, pointless posts
• Posting personal e-mail or chat dialogues
• Posting pornographic or otherwise objectionable material
• Impersonating other individuals or false representation
• Discussion of illegal activity, or posting links to other websites that deal with such activities
• Posts made under secondary usernames or other aliases
• Posts which are completely unrelated to the forum in which they are posted
• Excessive cross-posting (this is considered spam)
• Posts which breach another member's privacy, i.e. containing phone numbers, addresses or other personal information
• Copyright violations

Forums Acceptable Use

You agree, through your use of the Discussion Forums, that you will not post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violative of any law.

You agree, through your use of the Discussion Forums, not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyright is owned by you or Uni-versalExtras Ltd.

You agree, through your use of the Discussion Forums, not to post advertising of any kind in the Forums whether you are a private party or company. The only exceptions to this policy are granted for current Uni-versalExtras Ltd approved advertisers.

Uni-versalExtras Ltd also reserves the right to reveal your identity (or whatever information we know about you) in the event of a complaint or legal action arising from any message posted by you.

Forum Software

The Discussion Forum software was integrated by Uni-versalExtras Ltd. The software integration cannot be reproduced without Uni-versalExtras Ltd's express written consent.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT WILL UNI-VERSALEXTRAS LTD BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RELATING TO LOST REVENUES OR PROFITS, LOST DATA, WORK STOPPAGE, COMPUTER FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION) RESULTING FROM, OR IN ANY WAY RELATED, TO THE USE OF ANY MATERIALS POSTED ON, OR MADE AVAILABLE IN THE DISCUSSION FORUMS OR ANY OTHER WEB SITE TO WHICH A LINK IS PROVIDED. OR ON WHICH A LINK IS PROVIDED TO THESE DISCUSSION FORUMS, EVEN IF UNI-VERSALEXTRAS LTD HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND REGARDLESS OF THE LEGAL THEORY ON WHICH SUCH DAMAGES ARE BASED.
#144
Help! / Gnyah... (And strings of naughty words) HELP
12 April, 2010, 05:31:54 PM
My cursor keeps skipping about an inch over the screen like it's suffering from either St Vitus dance or Parkingsons. I have restarted my mainframe over 8 times. it is STILL doing it.
The mouse has fresh battries to chew on.
I virus check daily. (Alright just TRY & stop Macaffe from scanning)
The cursor cannot be comtroled from my keyboard. but there are no sticky keys and it works fine

The only way to stop it jigging round (for 2 second at a time) is for me to presss the Connect button on my optical muse and use my USB wire connected mouse to move & click

this is not only bloody frustrating but is killing my back & neck
HELP...
Please Help.[/
size]
#145
Help! / Because...
04 April, 2010, 10:07:59 PM


This was said in the chat room last Wednesday

carlos_666: Roberta,  send a picture to all the artists here  and I am sure your appear in a lot of comics


And although I have "spread the word" No One belives me.

(Still wondering if I should submit a photo... or if Carlos Equerra was pulling my leg... What do you guys HONESTLY think?)

I am compelled to ask this...

OK.. but how should I do so?

An E mail attachment?

Snail mail?

Becaue I don't know the addresses to start off with...


After all

[quoteIf Carlos "the real Big E" Ezquerra had said that to me I'd have done it by now. And if it was an early April Fool's Day joke then it was still worth a punt (and could always get something out of it purely from sympathy).
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

Fractal Friction
      
Emperor
Global Moderator [/quote]


Has a point, don't you think?

#146
Off Topic / A question just for fun...
31 March, 2010, 02:24:55 AM
OK folks... Dose your mind wanderwhen you read about the chareters in 2000 AD? Do you ever concider where they have hobbies and intrests?

Do you think that Durham Red sits back reading corny romanic fiction novels and celeberty magazines?

Dose Rouge Trooper secertly harbour an ambition to be a hair dresser?

Dose Judge Armatige secretly have Brit Cits largest collection of Pokemon toys.

Am I the only person with such daft thoughts?
#147
Help! / I bet...
19 March, 2010, 05:23:18 PM
This isn't a queston any of you guys ca help me with.
I DARE you to prove me wrong.
(despiration promts posting)

I am looking for a decent pattern... preferably somewhere already on the net for the following hat.

I have only found one... and quite frankly it isn't detailed enough. (No mesurments for a start)

Also any patterns to make the following "bag" would be helpful too..



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260558377615&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
#148
General / Is it "Cannon" Or "Balls"?
17 March, 2010, 04:52:26 PM
If this question has been asked before... please forgive. But it is promted by a similure disgussion on other forums.

There have been numerous book and Cd's staring 2000ad chareters. But are these stories concidered "Real" in other words, do they also form part of the offical cannon of the life of the heros invouled or are they ignored?
#149
Help! / Twitch Scream Am I an idiot?
16 March, 2010, 04:46:36 PM
(Perhaps you'd better NOT answer that)

Can somebody please explain why... when I save a document in word that contains pictures on a PC.. (even if it is only 0ne)
WHEN I save that document to my Kingston memory stick... to transfer it to my Laptop
(which has no internet access )
to the microsoft word on the laptop... instead of getting the documen with the pictures..
what I get is the "gibberish" whic I assume is the code?
And why the machine won't allow me to transfere seid document to pictures... where it should be able to display the contence?

It's driving me mad!

What the hell am I or it is doing wrong?

sob weep in frustration...
#150
Help! / I am Concidering...
09 March, 2010, 05:33:13 PM
Learning computer programming at home, such as web design. But I need to know a few things first... such as how dose one recoginse a legitamate training course from the many offered?
What is the mimimum PC and internet requirements?

How much one would exspect to pay for the course and how long would it take?
Dose anyone out there know?
Can one actually earn a living doing this? Or is it all a false hope lik eall work at home scheames?

#151
Help! / Computer exspert needed to explain...
23 February, 2010, 11:07:28 PM
[size=14ptHelp! My 2gb "download limit" for the month is nearly used up That'll mean no internet until 12th next month. But I don't know how. Except I notice the amout "used" increses simply by connecting. Could it be that when I play FB games there is something downloaded? Also when I post a reply on forums? Or even open a new window? In which case ther is no "limitless browsing" is there...[/size]
#152
Off Topic / You really can be bored to death, study shows
17 February, 2010, 02:08:29 AM
You really can be bored to death, study shows
It really is possible to be bored to death, scientists have found, after research showed those who live tedious lives are twice as likely to die young.


By Heidi Blake
Published: 11:39AM GMT 08 Feb 2010

People who complain of "high levels" of boredom in their lives are at double the risk of dying from from heart disease or a stroke than those who find life entertaining, researchers at University College London found.

Of more than 7,000 civil servants who were monitored over 25 years, those who said they were bored were nearly 40 per cent more likely to have died by the end of the study than those who did not.


People who are bored are more likely to turn to unhealthy habits like drinking and smoking, which can cut their life-expectancy, the scientists said.

Specialists from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London, studied the responses of 7,524 civil servants aged between 35 and 55 who were interviewed about their levels of boredom in the mid eighties. They then found out whether they had died by April last year.

The original survey found that one in ten civil servants had been bored within the past month, with women more than twice as likely to suffer than men. Younger employees and those with more menial jobs were also more prone to boredom.

Martin Shipley, who co-wrote the report to be published in the International Journal of Epidemiology this week, said: "The findings on heart disease show there was sufficient evidence to say there is a link with boredom.

"It is important that people who have dull jobs find outside interests to keep boredom at bay, rather than turn to drinking or smoking."

Graham Price, a psychologist, said those who are bored should lift their spirits by thinking more about the needs of others.

"From being all me, me, me, they should be thinking, what can I do for my family, my friends, my colleagues, even my boss," he said.
#153
Off Topic / 'The biggest stand-up gig in history'
12 February, 2010, 05:00:29 PM
'The biggest stand-up gig in history'
Channel 4's O2 gala

Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross, Bill Bailey, David Mitchell, Michael McIntyre and Omid Djalili are lined up to take part in a gig described as 'the biggest live stand-up show in history'.

The mammoth gig will take place in London's O2 Arena on March 30, and has been organised by Channel 4 in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

It will feature 20 names from the world of comedy, including Lee Evans, Rob Brydon, Ruth Jones, Jo Brand and Jack Dee, and will air on C4 the following month.

Channel 4 entertainment head Justin Gorman said: "From Peep Show to Chatty Man to The Inbetweeners – Channel 4 has impeccable comedy pedigree, and we're incredibly proud of the talent we have on the channel.

'We are very pleased that so many other comedians and celebrities are joining us for what we fully intend to be the comedy event of the year.'

Tickets went on sale this morning. Details here

http://collinwood.yuku.com/topic/3517

#154
Off Topic / Is This The First Space Crime?
12 February, 2010, 04:18:42 PM
Russia nabs meteorite smuggling ring



Moscow (AFP) Feb 11, 2010
Amid a huge bounty of contraband goods seized recently at a Russian airport, one far-out find floored customs officials: chunks of meteorite.
"On the customs declaration, the smugglers identified it as granite for construction and decoration of office space," Larisa Ledovskikh, a spokeswoman for customs at Moscow's Domodedovo airport, told AFP on Thursday.

"But our officials could see it was clearly not granite!"

The two smugglers -- who also tried to ship out silver antiques, fossils, semi-precious stones, microscopes and old books in the suspect cargo -- were initially charged with making a false declaration on their customs form.

Only after a three-month investigation did officials discover that the mystery lumps were fragments from outer space and the men part of a larger crime ring including experts and scientists, Ledovskikh said.

"They were part of an organized criminal gang. They had worked out a plan in advance to smuggle out of Russian territory and to the Czech Republic... two meteorite chunks, each weighing 100 grams," she said.

The two men were arrested on Sunday and charged with contraband, a sentence that carries a maximum of 12 years in prison in Russia.
#155
Off Topic / The Darwin Awards
04 February, 2010, 11:28:05 PM
For your ammusement folks

Crushing Debt
2009 Darwin Award WINNER

Double Darwin!

(26 September 2009, Belgium) The city of Dinant is the backdrop for this rare Double Darwin Award. Two bankrobbers attempting to make a sizeable withdrawal from an ATM died when they overestimated the quantity of dynamite needed for the explosion. The blast demolished the building the bank was housed in. Nobody else was in the building at the time of the attack.

Robber One was rushed to the hospital with severe head trauma; he died shortly after arrival. Investigators initially assumed that his accomplice had managed a getway, but the second bungler's body was excavated from the debris twelve hours later. Would-be Robbers One and Two weren't exactly impoverished--their getaway car was a BMW.

Sparkleberry Lane
2009 Darwin Award Nominee

(31 July 2009, South Carolina) Two disguised men entered a Sprint store on Sparkleberry Lane, pulled out guns, and stole wallets, purses, and credit cards from employees before ordering them into a bathroom. Both men fled, but they could not flee from their own stupidity. 23-year-old James T. had disguised himself by painting his face gold.

Yes, in order to conceal his identity during the robbery, James had covered his skin with spray paint. If this isn't a Darwin Award, what is? Paints are clearly labelled, do not get on skin, do not get in eyes, do not inhale. Paint fumes are well-known to be toxic, and the metallic colors are particularly noxious. James began having trouble breathing (surprise!) and died wheezing shortly after the robbery took place.

To add insult to injury, the disguise was ineffective. Witnesses were certain as to the identity of their assailant. Had he lived, James, like his surviving accomplice, would have been charged with armed robbery.

Race To The Bottooommm
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(5 September 2009, Oregon) Jake reached the summit of Saddle Mountain, and then and there he informed his friends that he had planned to make a controlled slide down the cliff face. He would meet up with them in the parking lot or on the trail below.

Most folks are satisfied with the risks and rewards of dune sliding, and the inevitable 150-foot tumble and a broken limb. Jake, 18, decided to 'git-r-dun' down a thousand-foot cliff. He slid pell-mell down the cliff--and what was intended to be a controlled rockslide ended abruptly 1000 feet below the summit, when his body came to rest in a steep ravine.

Friends were shocked. "We are shocked," they said, "because he is always doing stuff like this and coming out smiling." Due to the hazardous terrain, recovery workers were not able to reach the body until 36 hours later when Clatsop County Rescue and Portland Mountain Rescue teams confirmed the death.

Wetting The Bed
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(27 October 2009, Arkansas) Thirty-year-old Devan LeAnn of Shongaloo, Louisiana, was visiting Lake Ehrling with a male friend. Recent bouts of heavy rain had resulted in a flood of runoff water, and they decided "it would be fun" to take a mattress careening down the surging water in the spillway.

Unfortunately Leann was riding a foam egg-crate style mattress pad, rather than a buoyant air mattress. Imagine a wet foam pad. Are you sinking yet? According to her friend, Devan LeAnn simply vanished from sight at dusk. The next morning her body was found in a tangle of trees 70 yards below the spillway.

Parents, warn your children! Wetting the bed can be deadly.

Painkiller
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(17 October 2009, Minnesota) On October 26, charges were dismissed against Lucas William Stenning, 32, who six weeks earlier had pleaded guilty to knowingly violating registration required of a predatory offender. Charges were dismissed....because Lucas was dead.

In a related story, on the afternoon of October 17 in the city of Bock, an injured "hit and run victim" was reported. The pedestrian, found on the side of the road, died in the ambulance at the scene.

In a related story, police reported that a 32-year-old man had concocted a scheme to stage an accident in order to obtain prescription drugs. The plan was to jump out of a moving vehicle, become injured, go to the hospital and receive narcotic painkillers. That plan failed when its mastermind, Lucas William Stenning, died at the scene due to head injuries.

In other words: Lucas, 32, avoided a serious parole violation because he was deceased due to injuries he caused himself by leaping from a moving vehicle in order to obtain prescription painkillers. Ouch!

ennessee Pee
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Unconfirmed by Darwin

PERSONAL ACCOUNT / Seeking Confirmation.

(mid-1980s, Tennessee) A mile down the road from Middle Tennessee State University, a couple of young, very drunk MTSU frat boys climbed a barbed wire fence that was intended to keep lesser mortals out of an electric substation. One frat boy climbed to the top of a transformer. That alone was an obviously bad idea, but it got worse when he urinated on the transformer on which he stood. As if electrocution via genitalia wasn't bad enough, consider his motivation to pee: a wasp nest "target" attached to the transformer. Needless to say, the wasps were the lesser of his worries. He did not live long.

Nutty Putty Cave
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(25 November 2009, Utah) As is true of many other Darwin Awards, the unfortunate demise of John J. is a cautionary tale that may save the lives of others.

Nutty Putty Cave, named for its soft brown clay, was discovered in 1960. This naturally formed thermal cave is 1400 feet long, narrow, with multiple passageways and room-size openings. To explore Nutty Putty Cave, spelunkers must have experience, or travel with a guide. These rules were imposed in 2006 after six incidents of people getting stuck in its narrow passages, requiring rescue.

By all accounts, John, 26, was an experienced caver. This avid explorer lived a life of adventure, including spelunking in vertical caves more difficult than Nutty Putty. John was aware of the dangers, but perhaps his full life had made him a bit overconfident. Once his group was inside the cave, John split off and navigated a solo path. At the end of a difficult stretch of passages that twisted and turned in sharp angles over uneven ground, he found an unmapped finger and tried to squeeze his 6-foot tall, 200-pound body through the opening.

When a narrow passage must be navigated, spelunkers know that the safest method is feet-first, making it easier to climb back out. John slithered into the 10"x18" opening head-first, and there he remained, jammed in the tiny slot.

He was located, of course. Nutty Putty Cave is small enough that one cannot stay missing for long. All told, 137 people were involved in the exhausting rescue effort, using air-powered tools and a system of pulleys and ropes to extract the caver. Despite their best efforts, the crevice was too small to accomodate a rescue. John was wedged in an area where the cave peters down to nothing, and nothing could be done.

After 26 hours, he expired.

John J. was not the first to get stuck in Nutty Putty Cave, but he will be the last. To the consternation of many caving enthusiasts, the mouth of the cave was sealed with concrete on December 3, 2009, permanently entombing the body of the erstwhile caver. Cavern explorers had hoped that authorities would seal only the dangerous corridor enclosing his remains.

Dale Green, the 80-year-old who discovered the cave, said that spelunking is like mountain climbing. "It's as safe as you want to make it."

SIDEBAR: "Although many people enjoy this pursuit safely, the National Speleological Society warns that the dangers of spelunking include falling down pits, being crushed by rocks, drowning, hypothermia, and slowly starving to death. They add that 'the rewards are worth the misery and risks.'"

Include: NuttyPuttyCave.jpg

Missed (But Not Missed By) The Bus
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(13 August 2009, Quebec, Canada) A 24-year-old woman was ironically successful in her attempt to catch a bus in Quebec City. Clutching a can of pop, the woman ran into a restricted area and tried to flag down 45-foot bus that had left on time--without her. As she tried her best to get herself noticed, she herself failed to notice that the bus was making a swift turn in her direction.

A veteran driver said that drivers cannot hear anything over the sound of their engines. The woman was disappeared beneath the wheels of the turning bus, and it was obvious to a former nurse who rushed to her aid that she was no longer able to concern herself with getting there on time.

Considering that you have to do something really stupid to get squished by a bus in a transit center--such as sneaking into a restricted area and running under the tires--the bus company does not plan to increase security. A spokesperson said the woman should never have been in the parking lot.

Instead of riding home in a crowded bus, the deceased woman enjoyed the luxury of a free, one-way trip "home" in a private hearse.

A Shoe In Winner
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin
(15 December 2009, Germany) A U2 subway driver found a body laying besides the underground tracks in Berlin. Because there was no video surveillance camera at that location, it took police two days to reconstruct what had happened. Apparently Yasin A., 22, was alone in the subway car when he decided it would be a brilliant idea to destroy one of the windows. By swinging feet forward from a handrail into the window, he not only managed to burst the glass but also succeeded in being sucked out of the moving train, and was left dead on the tracks. He was alone in the compartment at the time; if an observer had been present in the car, perhaps the young underground rider would not have engaged in destructive nonsense that led to his senseless death.

Doublemint Dumb
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(5 December 2009, Russia) In a scientific quest with unknown objectives, a student of the Kiev Polytechnic Institute inadvertently performed a chemical experiment on himself with fatal results.

This 25-year-old chemistry student had acquired the peculiar habit of dipping his chewing gum in citric acid crystals while he worked, presumably to add a zesty flavor. He was hunched over at a computer in his parents' house in the northern Ukraine city of Konotop when, whether by intention or inattention, the student dunked his gum into an unidentified chemical and popped it back into his mouth.

A loud pop was heard coming from his room.

Every academic laboratory emphasizes the importance of never eating near chemicals because it is easy to confuse a tasty beverage with a toxic liquid, or salt your salad with arsenic.

Putting aside the question of what he was doing with chemicals at home, the student was well aware of the need to keep chemicals away from food. But there he was, deceased, the lower part of his face blown off. Police found packets of citric acid and a similar-looking substance believed to be an explosive material, and think the student simply confused the packets.

A forensic examination established that the remains of the chewing gum was covered with an unidentified chemical substance believed to be explosive. At the time of the news reports, the local forensics lab did not have the necessary equipment to identify the substance.

Double Dip
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(3 June 2009, North Carolina) Greensboro was innundated with four inches of pouring rain in two hours, stranding several cars on flooded roads. Rosanne T., 50, was not deterred. She hopped on her moped and drove to a convenience store where she "possibly had a beer," according to her mother, before deciding to blunder home through the storm. She phoned home to say, "My moped has two rubber wheels, Mom, I'll be fine."

North Carolina does not require a license to own a moped.
Ms. T. had acquired hers two years previously after a DUI conviction.

The Highway Patrol had blocked off several roads that were inundated with water, including Rosanne's path home. But she rode right past the officer and the barriers, lost control of her vehicle, and fell into the swollen creek below. The officer retrieved rope from his vehicle and proceeded to haul her from the water.

He then interviewed the woman, probably inquiring about her motivation for speeding through a roadblock during a flash flood. When the officer returned to his patrol car to call for assistance, Rosanne took the opportunity to escape--by jumping back into the creek!

The officer attempted to rescue her again, but alas, it was too late.

The victim's mother speculated that her daughter's motivation for jumping into a flooded creek was to rescue her drowning moped. "She loved that thing."


rifecta Electra
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(12 October 2009, Florida) The Slush Pile mods say age fifteen is too young to win, but this case might be an exception. A Palm Bay couple and their 15-year-old son were putting up a ham radio antenna one evening. Bafflingly, not one of them thought to survey their surroundings. Unaware of the presence of an unseen menace overhead, the trio raised the aerial pole in the dark, struck a power line, and Zap! Three Darwin Award winners.

"It is an unfortunate set of circumstances that led to the most tragic result," said the Palm Bay Fire Marshal. "It happened in an instant." However, it can hardly be called an accident. All three were voluntary particpants and old enough to know better.

Readers beware, power lines lurk overhead waiting for the unwary. Our thanks to 55-year-old Melville, 49-year-old Anna and 15-year-old Anthony for reminding us not to stick a pole in the power grid. Just say no to premature cremation.

oor Decision On A Major Scale
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Unconfirmed by Darwin

(Polk, Louisiana) I was a young Private in the 82nd Airborne Division. My Brigade was on its periodic training junket to Ft. Polk. One of the many items stressed at briefings before a training mission of this proportion is the fact that there are a lot of untrained people running about the area, at all times of day and night, in all kinds of vehicles, most of them quite large.

During the training we were reminded, when sleeping in the woods at night be sure to sleep at the base of a large tree. Drivers may or may not be wearing night vision equipment, and may or may not be familiar with the roads. Sleep next to a tree and you insure that you will wake up in the morning. Even the most misguided driver will avoid a large tree, thus ensuring your own safety.

This reminder was repeated in light of recent events. An Army Major had been assigned to our unit as an Observer Controller, and one night he decided to bed down on what he deemed was an unused old trail. Perhaps the driver took a wrong turn in the darkness, or perhaps he took a shortcut from point A to point B, but somehow he found himself on a road with a few disconcerting bumps. He continued to drive on.

A young private assigned as the Major's radio operator roused himself from sleep--at the base of a large tree several feet from the trail--to discover the body of his charge. That one decision took the life of the Major, a man with a college degree, a commision from Congress, and years of responsibilities, including reminding trainees to sleep away from roads.

He was pronounced DRT (Dead Right There).

Fool's Gold
2009 Darwin Award Nominee

(12 April 2008, Florida) Traffic was moving slowly on southbound I-95. Shawn M. had recently left a Pompano Beach bar, and now he was stuck in traffic. As the saying goes, you don't buy beer--you just rent it, and Shawn couldn't wait another moment to relieve himself. "I need to take a leak," he told his friends.

Traffic was deadlocked, so the waterlogged man climbed out, put his hand on the divider, and jumped over the low concrete wall... only to fall 65 feet to his death. "He probably thought there was a road, but there wasn't," said a Fort Lauderdale police spokesman. The car was idling on an overpass above the railroad lines.

His mother shared her attempt thoughts. "Shawn didn't do a whole lot for a living. He got along on his charm, just like his father."

Though his death was tragic, Shawn's downfall proves the old adage: Look before you leak!

She Talks Faster Than She Walks
2009 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(30 May 2009, Louisiana) Back seat drivers beware! Annoyed at how slowly her boyfriend was driving, Tamera B, 22, encouraged him to pick up the pace so she could get to work on time. Joking that it would be faster to walk to work, she opened the door of the pickup and stuck her foot out before falling to her death. Deputies of the jurisdictional Sheriff's Office stated that the truck was traveling at highway speed on I-12 at the time of the incident.

Her death was ruled accidental.


#156
Survey reveals children's food knowledge worrying 

Growing vegetables could help increase children's food knowledge
Many children between the ages of six and eight cannot identify the origins of the everyday foods they eat, a survey has revealed.

In a survey of 1,000 pupils in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, fewer than one in four knew that beef burgers are sourced from cattle.

In research for rural insurance firm Cornish Mutual, some said eggs came from sheep and cheese from butterflies.

Most children, however, were able correctly to identify vegetables.

The survey was used to determine children's level of awareness and knowledge of vegetables, dairy products and meat produce and to see if they were able to recognise how they are sourced.


  There are some huge gaps in their knowledge

Alan Goddard, Cornish Mutual
Among the more bizarre responses from pupils were those who believed rabbits, plastic or sheep were the main ingredient of crisps. Two-thirds correctly identified they were made from potatoes.

Others said yogurts came from turkeys or ducks and bacon from horses.

Children's recognition of vegetables was better, ranging from 98% for carrots and sweetcorn to a low of 44% for swede.

Levels of animal recognition were even higher, with all pupils correctly identifying cows, 99% for pigs, 98% for chickens and 97% for sheep.

'Food origins'

Alan Goddard, managing director of Cornish Mutual, described the survey results as "surprising".

"Given that we are surrounded by farming and the countryside, we would have expected children in the region to know more about the origins of their food," he said.

"Clearly they do have an understanding, however there are some huge gaps in their knowledge."

Mr Goddard said Cornish Mutual was supporting a "Dig Down South West" campaign, aimed at encouraging children to grow their own produce, and increase their food knowledge.

The scheme, which will help to create 50 new vegetable gardens in schools across the region, will be launched later by television gardener Charlie Dimmock.

"It provides the opportunity for them to be creative and the children can see the progress of what they're growing, and in the process of growing they learn a whole lot more," she said.


Of course these children could be lieing....
#157
Just been informed by the BBC ticket office that I have succesfully applied for 3 tickets. Trouble is the performance is for this Monday (1st) BBC Radio Theater Central London. (nearest tube station Oxford Street)

CAn't contact Futsie & it's too late for him to arrange to come down from Birmingham anyway.

Anyone intrested call me on 07588591560 asap... before 4 pm Monday to arrange a meeting.

Show has Marcus Brigstock as host. Guest TBA, First come, first gets a cheap night out.

Should arrive at the venue around 6.10 pm at latest (quening starts early and they issue more tickets than seats available in case of no shows)
First come first serve.

Doors open at arround 7.15pm and unless there is massive technical troubles should be finnished around 9.30 pm.
#158
Help! / Alright... I'm lost
21 January, 2010, 10:56:29 PM
This Forum is HUGE... Where whould you folks suggest a newbie like myself shpuld start? Pretty pretty please?   :D
#159
Welcome to the board / Hello From The Doctor Alt 8
18 January, 2010, 03:42:35 PM
Hello there!
Some may consider me just a little too old to be interested in 2000 AD and regrettably I am a "latecomer" to the publication because I only learnt about the publication after my boyfriend kept shoving copies under my nose in the initially vain hope of piquing my interest.
So you'll have to pardon my ignorance on a lot of things...
Please don't hit me.
I am the admin for two websites... please come and take a look... Although I will warn you in advance that a friend is already running most of the best 2000 AD characters if you are interested in joining in. (Sorry Judge Dredd, Johnny Alpha, Rogue Trooper and Nikolai Dante have gone. (and the only one I control is Durham Red... SOME of us don't have to over compensate!)

Anyway I have many interests, a strong sense of humour and the ridiculous and sometimes the occasional mad theory... I think that covers everything...

http://collinwood.yuku.com/directory
http://dcmarvelrpg48705.yuku.com/