Bibliogryphon

Unfortunately none of us had the foresight to include Harry in our picks. So his passing goes unmarked by scores in the By-election Bingo game. I think the rate is probably about right to get 18 or so in 5 years. The rate will increase the further you get away from the election.

There are so many responses to this but it would be unchivalrous to say such things to a Lady

Shame we don't give bonus pts for honesty (and,no, I'm not going down that slippery slope of Hollywood Squares/porn/dead on a Friday complications). Thanks That is right keep the Deathrace pure. That's as in an honest competition, nowt to do with the ethnicity of the talent on the teams, right. (Far) Right on

Reading to the kids definitely counts. Reading to the kids definitely counts. I've read quite a few of Roald Dahl's books to my son, and I've started reading The Hobbit to him. MK, I think possibly the school syllabus has changed. For school we would have read 1984, To Kill a Mockinbird, Great Expectations, The Great Gatsby, and The Catcher In The Rye. None of the books I did at school were on the list. I did The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, A Kind of Loving, Lark Rise to Candleford and Billy Liar and the wretched Kes in English Lang.

Reading to the kids definitely counts.

Speculation on deteriorating health

K M Peyton talking chirpily about how many books she has written. I bet she only gave this interview when she found out she was a unique pick on the DDP.

Oh dear I think I've only read about 4. Half a dozen if you count one I started and didn't finish. I read the first Harry Potter but not the rest. However The Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice I have read several times so I can I count them for each time I have read them.

This is about a degree of fame. As an analogy there are probably some massive football fans who can name every player in the Premier League but only when the get capped by England (or whichever country they are from) do they break into the general consciousness. Likewise some people know all the actors who appeared in Doctor Who and think it is an grave injustice when they do not get a national obit.

That's All Folks

I think you are misreading the intention of my post. I was only trying to contrast the attitude that prevailed in the country at the time of Falklands with the much more divergent opinions that are visible now. I have never expressed the opinion that the US have not played a significant role in maintaining stability in post war Europe and the importance of the Marshall plan. Though some resentment may come from those who lived through it that if the US had entered the war earlier it may have been shorter and less expensive. You keep going back to that topic yourself. Me thinks the lady doth protest too much....

Point taken.

The two facts are not mutually exclusive.

The problem with patriotism in the UK is that it has been hikacked by the Far Right. Back in the early eighties most of the country were behind the Falklands War (although I would suggest you get a copy of Raymond Briggs' The Tin Pot Foreign General and The Old Iron Woman as a example how popular culture rebelled post conflict) the problem comes from the Iraq war. Tony Blair decided to follow George Bush into the war on scant evidence which many suspect was manipulated to make the threat appear greater than it was. This has corrupted the UK view of military action especially where we are a third party. In the Falklands there was a direct threat to British territory albeit a bloody long way away. What does Patriotism mean does it mean I love my country and want it to succeed or does it mean I hate every other country and don't want anything to ever change?

She has her own Wikipedia page which is the criteria I use to accept Wildcard entries (albeit shared with her husband). I let a rookie player off with Josie Cunnigham last year and another player complained (only because in previous years I have changed the rules to stop him picking Prince George)

I was in the 85% and was happy in my ignorance and then one of my colleagues played her as a wildcard for my works game so I have had to take an interest. Still think she barely scrapes above the fame parapet (imo).

I think the establishment will do everything they can to keep Bush in the race.I think John Kasich should go because I can't even picture him. Followed by Chris Christie after New Hampshire.

Shame we don't give bonus pts for honesty (and,no, I'm not going down that slippery slope of Hollywood Squares/porn/dead on a Friday complications). Thanks That is right keep the Deathrace pure.

I would argue that Maggie Smith and Judy Dench don't belong in this list at all and would probably be best off in the British Character Actor's thread. Yes they do films but they have made their biggest contributions on the stage or in TV dramas (or comedies) and low budget British Films.

Just noticed a minor error in the Master list: Yasihiro Nakamatsue – bg, cc, di, sc, um Yasuhiro Nakasone - bg, um according to my records I did pick the former Japanese PM but I did not pick the US classical pianist who is actually called (Jon) Yasuhiro Nakamatsu. I didn't want anyone to think I am cheating if they both went in quick succession.

A lot of people who are anti-EU seem to think that by leaving we will regain the status we had in days of empire. We are a small country who have always punched above our weight but there are countries coming up who would dwarf us. If we applied our talents (which we have many of) to really become part of the EU the EU would emerge stronger and could take its place alongside the US, Russia and China when talking about World solutions. I would also like to point out that I would probably lose my job if we left the EU or it would be seriously diminished.

MK before you submit a post do you even read it back or are you posting from an arcane device that randomly deletes capital letters and put spurious letters into people's names?

I picked Gene Wilder because he does seem to be suffering from something.

....having a party!

I am a firm believer in the European Union but agree that it needs improving. However I am torn because Cameron has massively cocked up the renegotiation as RA so beautifully described it. However people should be aware this referendum is not about the renegotiation but about membership of the EU and being at the heart of an institution which makes decisions on trade which we will need to follow whether we are in or not.