You know what thought did.

[Quirkafleeg]

Saw this on a 'how do they do that' type of program

Families, single people etc are selected so that they form a statistically fair sample of the population.

They have a gadget on top of the tv with a remote it monitors what is being watched on tv (and I think video but don't quote me) each time a person in the family watches a program they used the gadget's remote to record that fact and when they stop watching... for each member of the family as they might come in or out. Thus there is a record of who watches what... and this can be expanded via some fancy stats into national viewing figures

[Capt.Zeep]

"Families, single people etc are selected so that they form a statistically fair sample of the population. "

Yep, that's right, and I think the sample size is only about 3-4000 so how the hell they extrapolate viewing figures of millions from that is beyond me.  I asked my stats teacher at college a couple of yrs back and he showed me the graphs etc. but I'm still not convinced.  This would seem to be how most market research is done tho' and how "they" (the makers and sellers of "Stuff") work out that what we really really want is endless docu-soaps, makeover/lifestyle shows and streams and streams of the utterest crap imaginable, gah!
(Managed to pass stats, which I had to do as part of HNC social sciences, by stopping asking awkward questions and getting on with the hard sums)  

[Capt.Zeep]

And another thing:  "Anytime, anyplace, anywhere" runs the oft-used saying.  But surely anyplace and anywhere are THE SAME F*CKING THING FOR F*CKS SAKE!!!

Phew.  Sorry.  Calm now.

[petemaskreplica]

why are the Nazis described as being right wing when they were the National Socialist Party?

[Dounreay]

Don't think the terms right or left wing really apply when you get that extreme. Nazism and stalinism actually curve around the political spectrum and meet up somewhere round the back.

The real reason is probably really naff, like they wanted to portray themselves as both a party of the common man and a party of national unity. It was the early days of spin doctors you have to bear in mind.

Are dreams real or do we imagine them?

[Malchidiel]

"Are dreams real or do we imagine them?"

The life you are living now could actually be a dream, and your dreams could be reality.

I often sit on the toilet in the middle of the night wondering if I'm actually there, or in actual fact I'm somewhere else (like in the middle of the town) pissing in front of everyone.

Err, bit too much information me thinks.

Joolz

[Bolt-01]

Oh, that was YOU!

rotts

[Demon Chicken]

It all dates back to the nazi party before it was the nazi party.  Hitler was originaly sent o spy on them because it was thought that they might be revolutionary, but apparently what he saw there he liked and eventually joined.  Also a member was Ernst Rohm a die hard socialist so when Hitler became leader of the part and began his domination over it making it more and more right wing and extreme he had Rohm murder in the so called "night of the long knives" in 1934.  If you're interested I coudl go on for much longer, but I'll stop now.

Yer "I got a higher in history" DC

[karne]

As myself and other members of this site have pointed out before, many of us seem to have extremely similar traits, preferences and hobbies etc. This started me thinking about all the friends and people I know who also share similar traits.

I recalled a conversation I had with my sister in our teens, wherein I put it to her that if she was suffering from a multiple personality disorder, I might be a figment of her imagination. "Ah, but why would I be discussing such matters with you if I was indeed insane?" she replied. "Well", said I, "I could be that tiny rational part of you that is trying to make you see sense". "Oh", she said, and five years later had a nervous breakdown. I suspect this is probably what influenced her to become a psychiatric nurse, although it's more likely she thought she could cop off with loads of physically restrained patients.
 
However, I digress. My point is that many religions and philosophies believe that the world we live in is a product of our own influential minds. This being the case, do we invent each other's personalities to suit our own needs? Or are we unknowingly shaped by someone else's vision of how the world should be? Oh, and does anyone know how to get curry stains out of tea towels?

 

[Dounreay]

On the tea towel issue: chucking them in the bin and buying new ones is a sure fire stain removal method. For the more fiscally challenged I would recommend cutting out the bit of material with the stain and sewing in a new piece.

On the issue of influencing reality: if we do make up our own reality, do we do it while awake or asleep? (Ursula K. leGuin had some interesting points to make about this in The Lathe of Heaven.) Can one persons influence change everything or is it more a team effort? How easy is it to end up sitting in a dark room at 4.00am with a bottle of whisky thinking about how real reality is?

Six million dollar man issue: why let a few discrepancies (or indeed total disregard) of basic mechanical engineering and physiology get in the way of an action packed TV show. Strangely enough, the bionic eye is probably most likely though it didn't seem so at the time.

[Quirkafleeg]

There are so many different religions and many sects withing each religion... how do you pick the one true way into heaven.

[Devons Daddy]

the idea we are strangley similar.
that is not so strange.given we are the 60 or so regulars out of what we think is about 24000 tooth fans.then there are potentailly 400 strangly similar grouping who dont bother with internet.(very sad bunch)


tea towel issues.
dont let it dry out,soak it in ice cold water.then rub washing up liquid on the stain.soak again. wash i warm water.
( this will also work on blood stains, monkey brain splats,and beetroot,)

six million dollar man
used his left hand.but the episode which addressed fact was banned.was also able to fold himself in half.also never mentioned in the series.

[karne]

Don't you think it's peculiar that we are repulsed by the thought of drinking human breast milk, yet readily gulp down cows milk, which is not intended for our consumption and is not as compatible with us?

I'm not suggesting you should all go out and find a lactating woman to squirt tomorrow's cornflakes with, but surely, although it somehow sounds repulsive, human milk for humans and cows milk for cows makes a lot more sense.

Anyway, this ones up to you lot because I'm luckily (in this case) lactose intolerant.

[karne]

Some years back I went to my local picture house to watch a splendid new film that went by the name of "The Green Mile". It was a very enjoyable film too, featuring excellent acting and moving performances from every one involved. In fact a great deal of the audience were reduced to sobbing and wailing, which did in many ways spoil my viewing pleasure somewhat.

I had the opportunity to view this film once more on my television set last night, but felt my enjoyment was somewhat marred by the fact that every time the endearing "John Coffey" character was on screen I kept thinking "There's that bloke who got his knees busted by DareDevil". Ah, how perception can not only colour your judgement, but really b*ll*cks up a good film for you too.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Two random thoughts, one of which is quite scary:

First (non-scary), on the subject of viewing figures I would add that Sky digital has an accurate set of viewing figures cos their digibox is linked to your phone line and it records your channel hopping then beams this to their headquarters early in the morning. Bear this in mind if you ever "stumble" across a freeview (whatever that is). The connection also updates software in the box.

Second (and scary), why do British polling cards have numbers on them? I'm talking about the slip of paper you actually mark to vote. In the last three elections (two general, one local) I notcied that my polling card had a number on it. I took the postcard thingie you get to the voting station and handed it over, my details were recorded in a big pad of paper and then I was given a polling card - but the number of my card was recorded against my name. This preturbs me cos it means the gpovenrment could find out how I voted.

This is not necessarily a big issue - I am happy to admit I voted labour on all occassions - but what it someone spoiled their vote as a protest, or voted green as a protest (which I intend doing at the next election)?

Votes are meant to be secret, are they not?

Mega-city UK? Democracy now!