It's not 'Send', it's the 'Culture Cup', stupid.

by **ShahenshahG** Fri 07 Apr 2017, 8:34 am

First topic message reminder :

Getting noshed off a tramp

by **JuliusHMarx** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 12:19 pm

You can all read (and rate) my latest published story here -
https://everydayfiction.com/neighbour-of-zero-by-richard-shaw/

by **Pal Joey** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 12:19 pm

I never pay attention on here either.

Anyone heard from Dave?

by **Pal Joey** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 12:28 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:You can all read (and rate) my latest published story here -
https://everydayfiction.com/neighbour-of-zero-by-richard-shaw/

Stopped reading after "Black". I don't care much for racism and gambling.

No... it was a damn good short read.

Made me shiver a touch when the gravity of the casino pulled him back in. So depressing.

I close that window now. It's a bit chilly outside.

by **Pal Joey** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 1:08 pm

Read the 2 comments. A bit harsh I thought. Obviously both are too emotionally sensitive.

Have an old school friend here who has written a few children's books. One had a character based on me in the year we finished school in the 1980s. Other characters included himself (the author) and a very confident guy (who has done well since then) and my Mum and Dad... but he twisted things around a little. Sort of swapped the parents around. It was weird. In real life his Mum just left the home one day without warning... mine did not... yet in the novel mine did. Headscratch

He portrayed me as some kind of soul-searching dreamer (which I may have been at times but definitely was not all the time!) who was obsessed with this artsy girl. Which I wasn't.

In real life we used to climb the bridge (illegal back then.. now $270 guided tours) and then listen to and record music from record to tape. He made me out to be a Dylan fan... who was not really my cup of tea at the time. Thought his lyrics were great but didn't like his whiny, angry nasal voice.

Some of the reviewers ripped the novel apart... they said plot was unresolved, themes were not fully explored... characters introduced but not mentioned again. It was quite harsh.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8610081-the-lucky-ones

His cartoon books are quite clever though. He's quite a funny guy. Lives up in the Blue Mountains... and has shunned the big smoke.

by **JuliusHMarx** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 1:17 pm

Yeah - reviewers can be harsh. Just have to live with it I guess. I reckon on web-sites like that, people are more likely to comment when they don't like something than when they do.

by **Pal Joey** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 1:19 pm

Just posted the link above, Jules. He didn't even change my name. Yet changed his to Cain. Smile

...and no I haven't self-destructed.

"Careful With That Ball, Eugene" was also based on kicking a ball around at my place as teenagers.
He was particularly paranoid about breaking windows and I think my old man must have had a worried look on his face when we were belting it around outside. Perception is a funny thing, isn't it?

I also recommend "The Royal Guest", "The Singing Hat" and the "My Uncle's Donkey". Very droll indeed!

by **superflyweight** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 1:38 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:Yeah - reviewers can be harsh. Just have to live with it I guess. I reckon on web-sites like that, people are more likely to comment when they don't like something than when they do.

Odd to criticise a story about a gambler because it involved him gambling. What did they expect Jack the Gambler Goes Fishing? What a tw@t!

I enjoyed it Jules.

by **Pal Joey** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 1:51 pm

Yes, so did I.

Perhaps develop a tripartite - he wins and then bumps into the couple of men again... but they are not crims... the money was for something else... and your man turns their (and his) lives around for the better. Or there is some connection with a member of his own family - which provides the link to something good and unexpected happening. Play with perceptions, danger, urgency, desperation, goodwill, good luck, bad luck, paranoia, etc.

There's so much potential to play with there.

by **JuliusHMarx** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 1:59 pm

1000 word limit TLD.

by **Pal Joey** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 2:08 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:1000 word limit TLD.

OK yeah. I see now.

Anyway, there's nothing to stop you from doing it for your own purposes. It could touch the nerves of many people who have experienced similar situations and also have some sort of twisted hidden message in there somewhere. Some quirky off-beat suspense. You have the creativity in you!

by **Galted** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 2:18 pm

I enjoyed it, Julius, the critic who said it was predictable could've said that about any potential ending. There were only really three realistic endings and two would've been happy and contrived.
I recently earned £250 by having a story called Brandy Alexander published in a magazine.

by **JuliusHMarx** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 2:38 pm

Galted wrote:I recently earned £250 by having a story called Brandy Alexander published in a magazine.

I'll drink to that.

by **Galted** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 2:55 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:
Galted wrote:I recently earned £250 by having a story called Brandy Alexander published in a magazine.

I'll drink to that.

Might gamble on another story soon.

by **ShahenshahG** Thu 01 Jun 2017, 4:32 pm

Galted wrote:
JuliusHMarx wrote:
Galted wrote:I recently earned £250 by having a story called Brandy Alexander published in a magazine.

I'll drink to that.

Might gamble on another story soon.

Russian Roulette? (Galtova must have had her visa confirmed)

by **seanmichaels** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 7:14 am

Is it scone or scone?

by **rIck_dAgless** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 7:23 am

Scone.

Morning, sean, how goes gardening in the sun?

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 8:22 am

rick_dagless wrote:Scone.

Disagree. I think it's scone.

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 8:24 am

Round 1 - Hello
1. What is the cube root of 15625?
2. Who was the last male tennis player to win Wimbledon with a wooden racket?
3. What year was the first product scanned & sold with a barcode (+/- 2 for 1 point)?
4. The American 5 cent coin is made out of 75% copper and 25% what other metal?
5. Who wrote Tender Is The Night and The Beautiful And Damned?
6. How many times has Lionel Messi won Fifa World Player of the Year/Ballon D’or?
7. Who wrote the opera Carmen?
8. Who was the Prime Minister during the Suez Crisis in 1956?
9. What is the name of the visitor attraction in Cornwall that features large domes in 2 biomes?
10. What name was given to the study of UFOs by the US Air Force from 1952- 1970? It also served as the inspiration for a TV show in the late 1970s.

by **superflyweight** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:00 am

JuliusHMarx wrote:Round 1 - Hello
1. What is the cube root of 15625?
2. Who was the last male tennis player to win Wimbledon with a wooden racket? McEnroe
3. What year was the first product scanned & sold with a barcode (+/- 2 for 1 point)? 1982
4. The American 5 cent coin is made out of 75% copper and 25% what other metal? Nickel
5. Who wrote Tender Is The Night and The Beautiful And Damned? F Scott Fitzgerald
6. How many times has Lionel Messi won Fifa World Player of the Year/Ballon D’or? 5
7. Who wrote the opera Carmen? Bizet
8. Who was the Prime Minister during the Suez Crisis in 1956? Anthony Eden?
9. What is the name of the visitor attraction in Cornwall that features large domes in 2 biomes? Eden Project
10. What name was given to the study of UFOs by the US Air Force from 1952- 1970? It also served as the inspiration for a TV show in the late 1970s.

by **ShahenshahG** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:01 am

25
McEnroe
1974 (Wrigleys Juicy Fruit gum I think)
Nickel
F Scott Fitzgeralnd
4
Georgies Bizet
Anthony Eden
Eden Project
Project Blue Book

by **superflyweight** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:02 am

Didn't provide an answer for question 1 as would assume that no calculators are allowed. Given that it ends in 5 then the answer will probably be 15 or 25.

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:03 am

Shah - All correct apart from Messi. super was right with that one, and most of his others.

by **ShahenshahG** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:06 am

Not a big fan of footy any more. Stopped following it except occasionally as a means to upset my friends with insightful accurate commentary followed by an admission that I hadn't watched it and had just guessed right.

by **ShahenshahG** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:12 am

All good in the hoods gents?

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:13 am

ShahenshahG wrote:Not a big fan of footy any more.

Big fan of barcodes though?

by **ShahenshahG** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 9:16 am

Big fan of Juicy fruit chewing gum, someone mentioned the barcode fact to me once and I've never forgotten it.

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:04 am

Hopefully rick can join in - he likes a good quiz, but perhaps he is not quiz facing today

Round 2 - Animal Kingdom
1. Which flightless bird is the only bird with two toes?
2. What colour is a polar bear’s skin?
3. Everyone knows that the Blue Whale is the largest mammal. But what is the second largest whale?
4. What is the most common bird in the UK?
5. Are there more pet dogs or more pet cats in the UK?
6. What is the national animal of Scotland?
7. The Cavy is another name for which common pet?
8. What type of animal was Tarka, in the book of the same name?
9. Which creature has the most legs?
10. Which animal, apart from humans, is the only animal considered to have a chin? (chin = a bony protrusion at the end of the lower mandible)

by **Galted** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:19 am

3 fin whale
5 dogs
7 guinea pig

Good morning all.

by **Pal Joey** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:23 am

1. Ostrich
8. Otter

Morning

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:24 am

3 - nearly - you got the first syllable
5 - yes
7 - yes

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:25 am

The Loaded Dog wrote:1. Ostrich
8. Otter

Morning

both correct

by **Pal Joey** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:28 am

5. I'd say dogs
9. Millipede

by **Pal Joey** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:32 am

JuliusHMarx wrote:3 - nearly - you got the first syllable.... Finback whale
5 - yes
7 - yes

by **Pal Joey** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:33 am

6. Sturgeon?

by **superflyweight** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:35 am

JuliusHMarx wrote:Hopefully rick can join in - he likes a good quiz, but perhaps he is not quiz facing today

Round 2 - Animal Kingdom
1. Which flightless bird is the only bird with two toes?
2. What colour is a polar bear’s skin? Black
3. Everyone knows that the Blue Whale is the largest mammal. But what is the second largest whale? Sperm
4. What is the most common bird in the UK? Sparrow
5. Are there more pet dogs or more pet cats in the UK?
6. What is the national animal of Scotland? Unicorn
7. The Cavy is another name for which common pet?
8. What type of animal was Tarka, in the book of the same name?
9. Which creature has the most legs?
10. Which animal, apart from humans, is the only animal considered to have a chin? (chin = a bony protrusion at the end of the lower mandible) Elephant

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 10:51 am

TLD - finback, millipede correct. Sturgeon - clever but incorrect
super - black, unicorn, elephant correct

by **rIck_dAgless** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 2:22 pm

Dammit, missed the quiz, looks like a good one as always, Jules.

Any missing?

by **JuliusHMarx** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 3:07 pm

rick_dagless wrote:Dammit, missed the quiz, looks like a good one as always, Jules.

Any missing?

Number 4

by **Galted** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 3:11 pm

The pigeon?

by **superflyweight** Fri 02 Jun 2017, 3:32 pm

Most common bird in Britain?

Probably the ones from Newcastle that go out in winter without a coat.

by **rIck_dAgless** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 7:18 am

Gul? (not sea)

Morning all

by **ShahenshahG** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 7:45 am

Don't touch the sleeping pills, they mess with my head
Dredging the Great White Sharks, swimming in the bed
And here comes a Killer Whale, to sing me to sleep
Thrashing the covers off, it has me by it's teeth

And oh my love remind me, what was it that I said?
I can't help but pull the earth around me, to make my bed
And oh my love remind me, what was it that I did?
Did I drink too much?
Am I losing touch?
Did I build this ship to wreck?

To wreck, to wreck, to wreck
Did I build this ship to wreck?

What's with the long face, do you want more?
Thousands of red-eyed mice, scratching at the door
Don't let the curtain catch you, cause you've been here before
The chair is an island darling, you can't touch the floor

And oh my love remind me, what was it that I said?
I can't help but pull the earth around me, to make my bed
And oh my love remind me, what was it that I did?
Did I drink too much?
Am I losing touch?
Did I build this ship to wreck?

To wreck, to wreck, to wreck
Did I build this ship to wreck?

And good God, under starless skies we are lost
And into the breach we got tossed
And the water's coming in fast

And oh my love remind me, what was it that I said?
I can't help but pull the earth around me, to make my bed
And oh my love remind me, what was it that I did?
Did I drink too much?
Am I losing touch?
Did I build this ship to wreck?

To wreck, to wreck, to wreck
Did I build this ship to wreck?

To wreck, to wreck, to wreck
Did I build this ship to wreck?

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Wren probably,

Gutentag rick the chick

by **rIck_dAgless** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 7:58 am

Morning mate, been a while since the lyrics, are you feeling particular chipper this morning?

by **JuliusHMarx** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 8:04 am

Wren is correct.

by **ShahenshahG** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 8:07 am

Yeah pretty good actually, got a lot of sleep in over the weekend, spent the rest of it playing Eschalon book 1 which was a blast from the past and fun with it. How was yours?

by **rIck_dAgless** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 8:18 am

Crikey, that is going back a bit.

Yeah had fun, had a games night at my house on Friday, and played a good Escape the room board game.

The out with the missus Saturday and chilled Sunday, like a crap Craig David

by **JuliusHMarx** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 8:24 am

Round 3
Around The World in A Day
Name the capital cities (all are in G20 Countries)
1. 19.43° N, 99.13° W
2. 15.79° S, 47.88° W
3. 35.69° N, 139.69° E
4. 48.86° N, 2.35° E
5. 35.28° S, 149.13° E
6. 38.91° N, 77.04° W
7. 28.61° N, 77.21° E
8. 39.90° N, 116.41° E
9. 55.76° N, 37.62° E
10. 45.42° N, 75.70° W

by **rIck_dAgless** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 8:27 am

4 might be Paris?
2 Madrid?

by **ShahenshahG** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 8:47 am

1 Mexico city (Thank you Harry Bosch)
2 Brasilia

by **ShahenshahG** Mon 05 Jun 2017, 8:48 am

3 and 8 are Beijing and Tokyo interchangeably

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