Room 101

[Grim Up North 3,725]

'Travellers'.

 

I fail to see how a bunch of people who choose to live in caravans can call themselves a race...

 

Or even how they can put up a 10 year fight about being asked to 'Travel' on the grounds that they are 'Travellers' and therefore have rights which seem to include not travelling?

[Josco 49]

'Travellers'.

 

I fail to see how a bunch of people who choose to live in caravans can call themselves a race...

Unless they are in a race....

[Windsor 2,233]

I really need to grow up.

[Handrejka 1,903]

People who say quite proudly "I'm rubbish at geography" when you stare at them incredulously when they ask "Is Austria in Europe?"

 

I just don't understood why people are so proud to have such gaps in their knowledge.

[Lady Grendel 139]

People who say quite proudly "I'm rubbish at geography" when you stare at them incredulously when they ask "Is Austria in Europe?"

 

I just don't understood why people are so proud to have such gaps in their knowledge.

 

I'm certainly not proud of the gaps in my knowledge, but I have been heard to utter that phrase on occasion. I do have a very good grasp of countries and what continents they are in. My problem is pinpointing them on a map, show me a blank map of Africa, the Middle East, South America, Asia and the former Soviet Union and I would be hard pushed to be able to say exactly where some countries actually are. Africa and the former Soviet Union give me the most problems.

 

When I did Geography at school the lessons were formed around the Tsetse flies in Africa and agriculture in China with some geology thrown in for good measure, no actual studying of countries and their territories, those I have learned from life experience and board games. Safe to say I dropped Geography in favour of History at the earliest opportunity. I am not well traveled, outwith the UK and Eire I have only visited 3 other countries and they were all in Central Europe.

[Tuber Mirum 125]

I think it's a perfectly normal reaction. An honest way of saying "I don't know anything about that so let's talk about something else".

Certainly preferable to trying to bluff your way though a conversation where you could potentially embarrass yourself.

 

They say the cleverest people are those who know what it is that they don't know.

[Windsor 2,233]

I really need to grow up.

 

For some reason I thought this was the joke thread when I posted...

[Handrejka 1,903]

I think it's a perfectly normal reaction. An honest way of saying "I don't know anything about that so let's talk about something else".

Certainly preferable to trying to bluff your way though a conversation where you could potentially embarrass yourself.

 

They say the cleverest people are those who know what it is that they don't know.

 

 

I don't have a problem with people admitting they don't know something. I don't know anything about cars so if someone asked me something about them I'd tell them that, it was the pride in their voice not to know something which I find rather disconcerting, especially as this person's sole job is to make sure payments being to Europe are sent in the right way, it wasn't just a random converstaion we were having, it's something they do everyday and they really should have some sort of basic knowledge of Europe by now. If you don't know something in connection with your job and you don't think you can learn it , then have an aide memoire somewhere.

[Handrejka 1,903]

People who say quite proudly "I'm rubbish at geography" when you stare at them incredulously when they ask "Is Austria in Europe?"

 

I just don't understood why people are so proud to have such gaps in their knowledge.

 

I'm certainly not proud of the gaps in my knowledge, but I have been heard to utter that phrase on occasion. I do have a very good grasp of countries and what continents they are in. My problem is pinpointing them on a map, show me a blank map of Africa, the Middle East, South America, Asia and the former Soviet Union and I would be hard pushed to be able to say exactly where some countries actually are. Africa and the former Soviet Union give me the most problems.

 

When I did Geography at school the lessons were formed around the Tsetse flies in Africa and agriculture in China with some geology thrown in for good measure, no actual studying of countries and their territories, those I have learned from life experience and board games. Safe to say I dropped Geography in favour of History at the earliest opportunity. I am not well traveled, outwith the UK and Eire I have only visited 3 other countries and they were all in Central Europe.

 

I dropped it as soon as possible too and the only thing I remember from school geography is that Burkina Faso used to be called Upper Volta. I would also struggle to pinpoint a lot of the countries of West Africa and The Caribbean on a map but if it would help me do my job better then I'd try to learn it or have some sort of aid memoire so I wouldn't have to ask questions all the time and look daft. I should have made it clearer this was a job related thing.

[Magere Hein 1,400]

I dropped it as soon as possible too and the only thing I remember from school geography is that Burkina Faso used to be called Upper Volta. I would also struggle to pinpoint a lot of the countries of West Africa and The Caribbean on a map but if it would help me do my job better then I'd try to learn it or have some sort of aid memoire so I wouldn't have to ask questions all the time and look daft. I should have made it clearer this was a job related thing.

I'm rather fond of maps; I can spend hours reading them, and have a reasonable geographic knowledge as a result, including the names of many exotic places I've never been to and will never visit. I realise that that knowledge is of limited use outside a pub quiz. If you can type, the same knowledge can be dredged from the web in seconds. If you have GPS at hand you're never really lost.

 

I guess the geographically daft people are right.

 

regards,

Hein

[Madame Defarge 21]

I dropped it as soon as possible too and the only thing I remember from school geography is that Burkina Faso used to be called Upper Volta. I would also struggle to pinpoint a lot of the countries of West Africa and The Caribbean on a map but if it would help me do my job better then I'd try to learn it or have some sort of aid memoire so I wouldn't have to ask questions all the time and look daft. I should have made it clearer this was a job related thing.

I'm rather fond of maps; I can spend hours reading them, and have a reasonable geographic knowledge as a result, including the names of many exotic places I've never been to and will never visit. I realise that that knowledge is of limited use outside a pub quiz. If you can type, the same knowledge can be dredged from the web in seconds. If you have GPS at hand you're never really lost.

 

I guess the geographically daft people are right.

 

regards,

Hein

 

History and geography were my favorite subjects.... I have a world atlas on my coffee table and I actually curl up and read it sometimes..

 

A conversation that took place last week indicates that sometimes the best response is really ' I'm rubbish at geography '. A fellow asked me if a friend of mine was from Israel. I told him no, my friend was from Egpyt. Then the guy says (direct quote) 'Well it's the same thing, right? Same people, same place, same language, religion, right? ' Then he wrapped it up by singing a verse 'Tell ole pharoah to let my people go'.

[Lady Grendel 139]

People who say quite proudly "I'm rubbish at geography" when you stare at them incredulously when they ask "Is Austria in Europe?"

 

I just don't understood why people are so proud to have such gaps in their knowledge.

 

I'm certainly not proud of the gaps in my knowledge, but I have been heard to utter that phrase on occasion. I do have a very good grasp of countries and what continents they are in. My problem is pinpointing them on a map, show me a blank map of Africa, the Middle East, South America, Asia and the former Soviet Union and I would be hard pushed to be able to say exactly where some countries actually are. Africa and the former Soviet Union give me the most problems.

 

When I did Geography at school the lessons were formed around the Tsetse flies in Africa and agriculture in China with some geology thrown in for good measure, no actual studying of countries and their territories, those I have learned from life experience and board games. Safe to say I dropped Geography in favour of History at the earliest opportunity. I am not well traveled, outwith the UK and Eire I have only visited 3 other countries and they were all in Central Europe.

 

I dropped it as soon as possible too and the only thing I remember from school geography is that Burkina Faso used to be called Upper Volta. I would also struggle to pinpoint a lot of the countries of West Africa and The Caribbean on a map but if it would help me do my job better then I'd try to learn it or have some sort of aid memoire so I wouldn't have to ask questions all the time and look daft. I should have made it clearer this was a job related thing.

 

You learned more than I did in Geography then! I have to agree with you H, if your job involves dealing with other countries then surely you would make an effort to learn the basics about them. It must be quite frustrating for you having to work with someone like that, it would drive me mad too. I work in the Third Sector now, an area I knew nothing about 3 years ago having spent 20 years working in Law, but I make sure I keep up with the changes and what is going on in this sector.

 

As for maps, yes I do love them too, one of my favourite Christmas presents in recent years was a globe of the world, still hasn't enhanced my knowledge of placement of countries in the former Soviet Union though, and I'd forgotten about The Caribbean .

[Windsor 2,233]

Amanda Knox.

 

Am I the only one who wouldn't mind if her appeal failed even if she is innocent?

[Windsor 2,233]

Amanda Knox.

 

Am I the only one who wouldn't mind if her appeal failed even if she is innocent?

 

Shite.

[Lard Bazaar 3,799]

Amanda Knox.

 

Am I the only one who wouldn't mind if her appeal failed even if she is innocent?

 

Shite.

 

 

There is definitely something shifty about her......on that basis I find her guilty as charged.

[Boudicca 702]

Daily Fail uploads the "guilty" page by mistake

 

[sympathyforthedevil 11]

Amanda Knox.

 

Am I the only one who wouldn't mind if her appeal failed even if she is innocent?

 

Shite.

 

Foxy Knoxy did it fo sho.

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Amanda Knox.

 

Am I the only one who wouldn't mind if her appeal failed even if she is innocent?

Shite.

There is definitely something shifty about her......on that basis I find her guilty as charged.

This case did not receive much attention in Dutch media, since no Dutch were involved. As I understand it, the evidence against ms Knox was:

1. She lived in the same flat as the victim.
   
2. A person already convicted of the murder says so.
   
3. Witnesses of dubious reliability say she was around the crime scene at the time of the murder.
   
4. She's not a nice person, with habits some, or many, people object to.
   
5. She lied (or was made to lie) to the police.
   

Each item has problems:

1. Establishes opportunty, not guilt.
   
2. Dubious witness with a clear motive for lying.
   
3. Dubious witnesses, one apparently a professional one, the other could well have read his testimony in the paper.
   
4. Being shifty is not evidence of murder.
   
5. Being a liar is not evidence of murder.
   

Ms Knox may well know more about this sordid affair than she admitted, yet the evidence doesn't make a solid case against her. As forensic evidence was thrown out, because unreliably handled, is seems to me her acquittal is correct under the presumption of innocence. I'm glad the court proved able to think independently from what they read in the papers.

 

regards,

Hein

[Godot 149]

Opportunity Knox.

[Spade_Cooley 9,515]

At least Italy freed the two white defendants and kept the black one locked up though. What a country.

[themaninblack 2,112]

Opportunity Knox.

 

 

I believe she'd still be in chokey if..

 

a> She was not American

b> Looked like the back end of a bus

[Toast 16,129]

I believe she'd still be in chokey if..

 

a> She was not American

b> Looked like the back end of a bus

 

I can't see her attraction. She's not beautiful or even pretty, just an average, ordinary looking girl. I doubt anyone would notice her in a crowd. I think it's just this idea that she's a bit of a dirty bitch that has got blokes saying she's 'hot' 'fit' etc.

[Boudicca 702]

Has there been an overload of media speculation about Raffaele Sollecito selling his story?

 

He is quite entitled to do so of course, and to make money out of murder. Just as policemen who work overtime do. And forensic personnel and solicitors and barristers etc

 

There is a disturbing misogynistic aspect to this case. Mainly because much of it is coming from women. Not so much on this site but in general.

 

 

 

AS for AK's attractiveness, I think she is quite pretty; healthy-looking and natural and it is refreshing to see a young woman these days who hasn't posed caked in make-up and scantily-clad on my-space or whatever. The "foxy" nickname came from when she was a little girl playing sports for heaven's sake.

 

But she also reminds me of Jools Oliver. Who is, by all accounts (including her own book), a complete nightmare

[Lard Bazaar 3,799]

Amanda Knox.

 

Am I the only one who wouldn't mind if her appeal failed even if she is innocent?

Shite.

There is definitely something shifty about her......on that basis I find her guilty as charged.

This case did not receive much attention in Dutch media, since no Dutch were involved. As I understand it, the evidence against ms Knox was:

1. She lived in the same flat as the victim.
   
2. A person already convicted of the murder says so.
   
3. Witnesses of dubious reliability say she was around the crime scene at the time of the murder.
   
4. She's not a nice person, with habits some, or many, people object to.
   
5. She lied (or was made to lie) to the police.
   

Each item has problems:

1. Establishes opportunty, not guilt.
   
2. Dubious witness with a clear motive for lying.
   
3. Dubious witnesses, one apparently a professional one, the other could well have read his testimony in the paper.
   
4. Being shifty is not evidence of murder.
   
5. Being a liar is not evidence of murder.
   

Ms Knox may well know more about this sordid affair than she admitted, yet the evidence doesn't make a solid case against her. As forensic evidence was thrown out, because unreliably handled, is seems to me her acquittal is correct under the presumption of innocence. I'm glad the court proved able to think independently from what they read in the papers.

 

regards,

Hein

 

 

You mean, you need hard evidence to prove it? How absurd

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Being shifty is not evidence of murder.

You mean, you need hard evidence to prove it? How absurd

There is, of course, life without it, but not life as we know it.

 

regards,

Hein