Magere Hein

AIUI, he was the guy who found out that psychologists can be trained to start salivating when they see a dog.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. The competition starts in 23 days.

MHDP - Multilingual Handicap Deadpool The rules v. 1.0 1. Competition period 1.1 The competition runs during the tropical year that starts on the March equinox 2016, 20 March 2016 04:30 UTC and ends 20 March 2017 10:28 UTC. 2. Competitors 2.1 A competitors must be a member of Deathlist Forum. 2.2 Each member of Deathlist Forum may enter one team. 2.3 A member becomes a competitor by posting a team in this topic ("MHDP"), or sending a PM containing the team to @Magere Hein. 2.4 Only teams entered before the competition period compete. 3. Teams and picks 3.1 A competitor may choose to give his or her team a name. If no name is chosen, the competitor's Deathlist member name is used. 3.2 Once posted or PMd, the team is fixed. 3.3 Each team consists of 20 picks. One of those picks may be assigned as Joker. If no Joker is assigned in the entry post or PM, the first pick mentioned is used as Joker. 3.4 A competitor may assign up to two substitutes, and a substitute Joker, who will take the place of picks who die between posting or PMing the team and the start of the competition. 3.5 Picks must be people aged 18 or older. Minors, animals, plants, corporations, mythical beings and anthropomorphic personifications cannot score and are not replaced by substitutions. 3.6 Picks must be named unambiguously. In case of similar names for different people, additional information like day of birth, nationality or reason for celebrity must be supplied. In case of confusion the intended pick is considered to be the one who didn't die. 4. Scores and standings 4.1 All teams start the competion at a score of 0. 4.2 When a pick dies within the competition period, teams who have that pick as a member may score points. 4.3 To score, one or more Qualifying Obits must be posted in a separate topic ("MHDP obits") within the deadline. From the number of languages in which obits are found a multiplier is calculated that will be applied to the pick's basic score. Each team with the pick as a member will be awarded that score. A team for which the pick was the Joker will be awarded double that score. 4.4 After all scores are added to previous scores, a new standing is calculated and posted in this topic. 4.5 The team that has the highest score at the end of the competition period wins. 4.6 In the event of a dead heat on points, the winner will be selected according to the following criteria, applied in this order: 4.6.1 The most hits 4.6.2 The youngest average age of hits 4.6.3 The most amusing team name 5. Obit qualification 5.1 To qualify as an obit, an online or printed text must mention the name of a particular and identifiable person and that that person died. More evidence may be required to convince me that the person mentioned is the one on a team claiming points. 5.2 Anything in writing from a source that has status as a reliable news source qualifies, provided that: 5.2.1 It can be identified as a news source, and 5.2.2 it can be reasonably translated e.g. by Google translate. 5.3 Reliable news sources are: newspapers, television stations, press agencies, government information agencies, both national and local, and the websites of all those. Dedicated news websites, sports news websites and such are ok. A corporation news page may qualify if it has a demonstrable history of reliable communications. 5.4 The qualifying communication must be in text. Spoken messages do not qualify for reason of translation, stills or footage of text may do if the text can be easily converted to a translatable text. Scans of newsprint may qualify if the source can be identified from the scan. 5.5 Social media like twitter, facebook and linkedin, encyclopedias like Wikipedia, advertisements, internet fora and anything that is user editable are not reliable news sources. Youtube may be, but only its content, not comments. 5.6 In case of doubt, reliable news source must be demonstrated by evidence. For future reference lists will be maintained of internet domains that have been evaluated as reliable news source and unreliable (or not a news source) respectively. 6. Scoring 6.1 The value of the basic death depends on the person's age: 18-29 years: 12 points 30-49 years: 10 points 50-59 years: 9 points 60-69 years: 8 points 70-79 years: 7 points 80-89 years: 6 points 90-99 years: 5 points 100-109 years: 4 points 110+ years: 3 points 6.2 On top of this, bonus points are awarded as follows: Double death: +3 for each pick, when two or more picks die on the same day. For this rule the same day means: on the same date after conversion to UTC. Time of death needs to be provided for this bonus. Felicitous female: +3 for a female pick who dies on International Women's Day, March 8, UTC. Time of death needs to be provided for this bonus. Unique pick: +3 if a team is the only competitor to pick that person. Unnatural cause: +3 for murder, suicide or accident (but not state executions). 6.3 Language multiplier 6.3.1 A multiplier is calculated, according to the number of different languages in which an obit can be shown. 6.3.2 Showing means posting a link to a website showing the obit, a picture or a scan, and a translation if required. I can read Dutch, English, German and French, so I won't need translations for obits in those languages. When there's reason for doubt, it's a claimant's duty to provide evidence that a proposed obit is written in a particular language. 6.3.3 A dialect is, for scoring purposes, a language when it has a Wikipedia. 6.3.4 Everybody may propose obits, not just contenders. 6.3.5 Once an obit qualifies, it counts, it cannot be retracted. 6.3.6 Of each dead pick only one obit counts for each language. 6.3.7 The value of this multiplier is 1 + log2(l) where log2 is the logarithm to base 2 and l is the number of different languages for which obits are found and approved. Each new language increases the multiplier, but by rapidly diminishing amounts. 6.4 The basic score from 6.2 is multiplied by the language multiplier. 6.5 That score, rounded to the nearest integer, is the final score. 6.6 Joker: Take the total of all the above and double it. 7. Deadline for obits 7.1 After the death of a pick has been announced in this topic there's a limited time to propose obits. 7.2 This period ends one week after UTC+0 following the first mention. 7.3 Proposals entered after this time will be ignored. 7.4 Only after this period the score for a pick will be calculated and a new score board posted. 7.5 Additional time for evalutation of obits may be awarded as need demands and reason permits. 7.6 For all time calculations the forum server time is used. As an example: Christy O'Donnell's death was mentioned first in the DDP topic on 09 Feb 2016 - 7:05 PM CET (UTC+1). That's 09 Feb 2016 - 18:05 PM UTC+0 (GMT). The deadline ends 10 Feb 2016 + 7 = 17 Feb 2016 - 0:00 UTC. 8 Additional rules 8.1 Prisoners on "Death Row" i.e. awaiting state execution can only score points if they die of other causes. Picks that are on trial or are put on trial and are found guilty and executed are not disqualified but will not claim the unnatural points bonus. 8.2 Hostages of terrorist organisations. We have no absolute knowledge of whether they are alive, dead or when they supposedly died. Terrorist organisation members are included but there has to be official verification of when they died from both sides of the conflict (i.e. "The West" and the terrorists themselves). 8.3 In all cases these rules don't cover Magere Hein is the sole arbitrator, but debate much encouraged.

Divine intervention? Modern medical procedure?

Since I got no comments that need further reflection, I'll finalise the rules later today. There will be one rule change, I have an idea for an additional bonus. The rest is just a few editorial bits. I'll accept MHDP teams from now. Start thinking about whom to pick, if you haven't done yet. By way of a prize for the winner: one tin of stroopwafels, sent to any address in the world by surface mail, or its value and postage to any charity that accepts PayPal payments. The prize stroopwafels will be a bit smaller.

Positive moves, eh? I recommend 1. d2-d4, 2.c2-c4 and 3. Nb1-c3.

Pretty much like his presidency, then.

(From Una giornata particolare (1977)) I would, and Mastroianni wasn't too shabby either then..

Aha, the cool stuff.

Just finished The Coincidence Engine by Sam Leith. Cleverish plot idea, OK story, disappointing end, so-so read. Apparently the reviewer for The Guardian thought the same.

Guardian Obit for Zeeman: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/feb/24/sir-christopher-zeeman-obituary Unique hit and died on the 13th. Wow. Hehe.

This counts then? No, because there is no Wikipedia in Klingon. At least not in a wikipedia.org domain. There is http://klingon.wikia.com/wiki/ghItlha' which may or may not be in Klingon (I can't say), looks like an encyclopedia and is, ehrm, different. I'd love to see an obit in Klingon, though, of say Zsa Zsa Gabor.

I rarely watch German tv these days, but I recognise his face from when I did. Sad indeed.

There's a lizzard inside, innit?

Well Slocombe was pictured in a wheelchair last year but died from complications from a fall last month.Could have fallen out of bed or when trying to get out the chair. Or perhaps he crashed his wheelchair. (Finally a use for that smiley!)

MHDP - Multilingual Handicap Deadpool The rules version 0.9 1. Competition period 1.1 The competition runs during the tropical year that starts on the March equinox 2016, 20 March 2016 04:30 UTC and ends 20 March 2017 10:28 UTC. 2. Competitors 2.1 Competitors must be members of Deathlist Forum. 2.2 Each member of Deathlist Forum may enter one team. 2,3 A member becomes a competitor by posting a team in this topic ("MHDP"), or sending a PM containing the team to Magere Hein. 2.4 Only teams entered before the Competition period compete. 3. Teams and picks 3.1 A competitor may choose to give his or her team a name. If no name is chosen, the competitor's Deathlist member name is used. 3.2 Once posted or PM'd, the team is fixed. 3.3 Each team consist of 20 picks. One of those picks may be assigned as Joker. If no Joker is assigned in the entry post or PM, the first pick mentioned is used as Joker. 3.4 A competitor may assign up to two substitutes, and a substitute Joker, who will take the place of picks who die between posting or PMing the team and the start of the competition. 3.5 Picks must be people aged 18 or older. Minors, animals, plants, corporations, mythical beings and anthropomorphic personifications cannot score and are not replaced by substitutions. 3.6 Picks must be named unambiguously. In case of similar names for different people, additional information like day of birth, nationality or reason for celebrity must be supplied. In case of confusion the intended pick is considered to be the one who didn't die. 4. Scores and standings 4.1 All teams start the competion at a score of 0. 4.2 When a pick dies within the competition period, teams who have that pick as a member may score points. 4.3 To score, one or more Qualifying Obits must be posted in a separate topic ("MHDP obits") within the deadline. From the number of languages in which obits are found a multiplier is calculated that will be applied to the pick's basic score. Each team will be awarded that score. A team for which the pick was the Joker will awarded double that score. 4.4 After all scores are added to previous scores, a new standing is calculated and posted in this topic. 4.5 The team that has the highest score at the end of the competition period wins. 4.6 In the event of a dead heat on points, the winner will be selected according to the following criteria, applied in this order: 4.6.1 The most hits (i.e. correctly-chosen deceased celebs) 4.6.2 The youngest average age of hits 4.6.3 The most amusing team name 5. Obit qualification 5.1 To qualify as an obit, an online or printed text must mention the name of a particular and identifiable person and that that person died. More evidence may be required to convince me that the person mentioned is the one on a team claiming points. 5.2 Anything in writing from a source that has status as a reliable news source qualifies, provided that: 5.2.1 It can be identified as a news source, and 5.2.2 it can be reasonably translated e.g. by Google translate. 5.3 Reliable news sources are: newspapers, television stations, press agencies, government information agencies, both national and local, and the websites of all those. Dedicated news websites, sports news websites and such are ok. A corporation news page may qualify if it has a demonstrable history of reliable communications. 5.4 The qualifying communication must be in text. Spoken messages do not qualify for reason of translation, stills or footage of text may do if the text can be easily converted to a translatable text. Scans of newsprint may qualify if the source can be identified from the scan. 5.5 Social media like twitter, facebook and linkedin, encyclopedias like Wikipedia, advertisements, internet fora and anything that is user editable are not reliable news sources. Youtube may be, but only its content, not comments. 5.6 In case of doubt, reliable news source must be demonstrated by evidence. For future reference lists will be maintained of internet domains that have been evaluated as reliable news source and unreliable (or not a news source) respectively. 6. Scoring 6.1 The value of the basic death depends on the person's age: 18-29 years: 12 points 30-49 years: 10 points 50-59 years: 9 points 60-69 years: 8 points 70-79 years: 7 points 80-89 years: 6 points 90-99 years: 5 points 100-109 years: 4 points 110+ years: 3 points 6.2 On top of this, bonus points are awarded as follows: Unique pick: +3 if you were the only competitor to pick that person. Unnatural cause: +3 for murder, suicide or accident (but not state executions). 6.3 Language multiplier 6.3.1 A multiplier is calculated, according to the number of different languages in which an obit can be shown. 6.3.2 Showing means posting a link to a website showing the obit, a picture or a scan, and a translation if required. I can read Dutch, English, German and French, so I won't need translations for obits in those languages. When there's reason for doubt, it's a claimant's duty to provide evidence that a proposed obit is written in a particular language. 6.3.3 A dialect is, for scoring purposes, a language when it has a Wikipedia. 6.3.4 Everybody may propose obits, not just contenders. 6.3.5 Once an obit qualifies, it counts, it cannot be retracted. 6.3.6 Of each dead pick only one obit counts for each language. 6.3.7 The value of this multiplier is 1 + log2(l) where log2 is the logarithm to base 2 and l is the number of different languages for which obits are found and approved. This means that each new language increases the multiplier, but by rapidly diminishing amounts: l multiplier 1 1 2 2 3 2.585 4 3 10 4.322 25 5.644 32 6 256 9 6.4 The basic score from 6.2 is multiplied by the language multiplier. 6.5 That score, rounded to the nearest integer, is the final score. 6.6 Joker: Take the total of all the above and double it. 7. Deadline for obits 7.1 After the death of a pick has been mentioned in this topic, (with or without an obit link) there's a limited time to propose obits. 7.2 This period ends one week after UTC+0 following the first mention. 7.3 Proposals entered after this time will be ignored. 7.4 Only after this period the score for a pick will be calculated and a new score board posted. 7.5 Additional time for evalutation of obits may be awarded as need demands and reason permits. 7.6 For all time calculations the forum server time is used. As an example: Christy O'Donnell's death was mentioned first in the DDP topic on 09 Feb 2016 - 7:05 PM CET (UTC+1). That's 09 Feb 2016 - 18:05 PM UTC+0 (GMT). The deadline ends 10 Feb 2016 + 7 = 17 Feb 2016 - 0:00 UTC. 8 Additional rules 8.1 Prisoners on "Death Row" i.e. awaiting state execution can only score points if they die of other causes. Picks that are on trial or are put on trial and are found guilty and executed are not disqualified but will not claim the unnatural points bonus. 8.2 Hostages of terrorist organisations. We have no absolute knowledge of whether they are alive, dead or when they supposedly died. Terrorist organisation members are included but there has to be official verification of when they died from both sides of the conflict (i.e. "The West" and the terrorists themselves). 8.3 In all cases these rules don't cover Magere Hein is the sole arbitrator, but debate much encouraged. I dropped the party pooper bonus and the Unlucky 13. If somebody has a suggestion for a replacement: shoot! I decided to stay with the deadline starting when a death is mentioned first, not when the pick dies. Even in this day and age the news may take some time to travel. I suppose my new multiplier rule is the most important change. Not capped, but more languages rapidly diminish in value. Again, additions, comments and ridicule are welcome. From them I'll compile v 1.0 and it's game on!

Context (maybe). Many MPs are elected, so there are elections all round the country, but only one parliament is elected so there's only one election.My two-penn'orth fwiw. (and I agree, this thread should refer to the Irish General Election). The Dutch word for election is verkiezing, plural verkiezingen. The election of the Dutch Tweede Kamer (the part of parliament that occasionally does something useful) is called Tweede Kamerverkiezingen, so I guess Dutch has the same problem. ETA: I changed this topic's title to "2016 Irish General Election" per official Dáil Éireann web page.

We're not there yet, I mean primaries aren't the presidential elections, but should Mr. T. be elected, we (i.e. Western Europe) should reconsider the alliance.

What a peach!

The Commitments - absolutely one of my all time favorite movies forever and ever! Say it once, say it loud: "I'm black and I'm proud."

Paul Daniels once made an aircraft disappear! Just saying... I'm probably missing some clever joke here but surely it was David Copperfield that made the jet disappear? Didn´t Amelia Earhart precede both?

Take your SUV off-road:

No it isn't.

Pics, or it won't happen!