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WIN GORDON BROWN

Comments

1. At 03:45 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Fearless Fred wrote:

   My answers?
   1: Rab Butler
   Tie-breaker: The end

2. At 03:51 PM on 03 Oct 2006, lucien wrote:

   Rab Butler (I don't know that, but from GB's perspective he'd be the least threatening).

   "The less said the better"

   luv
   luc

3. At 03:56 PM on 03 Oct 2006, wrote:

   RAB Butler.

   The: is the definite article.

4. At 04:01 PM on 03 Oct 2006, valery pedant wrote:

   Rab Butler (are we allowed to guess, or do we have to do something really clever with Google like the other competition, are you on commission? Otherwise, it's a long trip to Nearest Bookshop which is not very)

   "The... effort of finding the answer isn't worth the prize"

5. At 04:06 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Carl Goss wrote:

   Don't know the answer but I'll have a bash at the 10 word tiebreaker..

   The... song 'Gordon is a moron' is not about GB.

   
   

6. At 04:07 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

   Answer:
   Rab C. Nesbitt. (Oh, OK Butler).

   Tiebreaker:
   The deadwood stage is a-rolling on over the plain.

7. At 04:32 PM on 03 Oct 2006, wrote:

   1) Rab Butler

   2) The easy way to succeed is to copy

8. At 04:33 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Royston Smith wrote:

   I guess Rab Butler...He has to pick on the conservatives more?

   Tie-Breaker : "The.....hanger-on'er! I don't believe he did it!!!" Quote from 'G.Brown Speeches 1997-2006', Page 268.
   

9. At 05:42 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Chris the Pickle wrote:

   Never mind Gordon chuffin' Brown, I have a more pressing quiz question...

   Look on Google Earth for Swindon... North West of Cheney Manor is an airborne aircraft... In front of it is what looks like an aircraft-shaped rainbow. Come on brainboxes - What Is It??

   :O)

10. At 05:50 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Opalkrusch wrote:

    "The.... orgy Tommy Sherridan had is nothing like the one I had in Dundee with Roy and...

11. At 06:00 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Big Sister wrote:

    John Major?
    Tiebreaker:
    "The correct answer is ....."

12. At 06:04 PM on 03 Oct 2006, wrote:

    Answer: John Major - the most recent chancellor to make Gordon look like he has (a) character

    The prudent insomniac's golden rulebook

13. At 06:06 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Ontheledge wrote:

    Mm, Tony Blairseems a bit obvious, John Major a bit unlikely, and Rab Butler too long ago for our modern hero. So, I guess I go with the obvious? Vote for Tony.

    To add a note of hope yet keep the tiiebreaker suitably topical, I humbly suggest:
    "The mouse on the left is faking"

14. At 06:07 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Frances O wrote:

    Rab Butler.

    Tie-breaker:

    The... only left-winger

    The... only acronym

    OR..........

    The... 9th comment (unlikely one, this)

15. At 06:27 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    Yey Frances O! Where've you been???

    Ontheledge - LOL tiebreaker :)

16. At 06:33 PM on 03 Oct 2006, whisht wrote:

    Rab Butler (my initial guess, true, but also like Runaround I saw everybody else go for it and thought "G -g-g-g-g-Go!!")

    "The Only Way is Up - my new election theme"

    
    Frances o - you're back!!!!

17. At 06:44 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Frances O wrote:

    Yo, Appy!

    The absence is unfortunate

18. At 06:48 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Essex Bound wrote:

    Eddie, it doesn't look like very many people want your, sorry, Gordon's book...

    Perhaps you could collect bids for Children in Need. The lowest bid gets the book?

    Also, has anyone signed it?

    What do you mean, Eddie's gone home...

19. At 07:03 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    I want the book! I want the book!

    And I would like Doctor Lurve, er, Mair's signature in it please!

20. At 07:04 PM on 03 Oct 2006, whisht wrote:

    now I can only hear bloomin' Yazz in me head... stoopid joke anyway....

    that'll learn me

    We're tough to please aren't we? Either we hate spin by spin doctors, or we hate the way the media distort the events to get a 'story' or we moan when politicians try to actually say something without(?) spin or translation.

    mind you, this is hardly a plea for the book or anything.....

21. At 07:13 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Chris the Pickle wrote:

    Ontheledge - Yep! Funny tie-breaker!!

22. At 07:17 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Chris the Pickle wrote:

    Whisht (Blogtastic) - Y r u still at work? Have they got you doing overtime, or are you a poor unfortunate shift worker?

    I meant to say earlier, give yourself a huge Toblerone and a large cappucino from me to say thankyou for your supreme efforts!

    x

23. At 07:38 PM on 03 Oct 2006, wrote:

    Just thought you might like to know that in my daughter's piano practice, I encourage her to try to produce scales that are "Gordon Brown". This means that the notes are so flowing & connected that you can't get anything in between them - rather like the great man's interviews, in fact. I am quite proud of inventing this analogy, & can't think why her piano teacher hasn't snapped it up for all her pupils! The other night the child played a particularly bad scale (G major hands together if you're keen on the technical side), so I asked her to repeat it, more Gordon Brown. Out it came, even worse this time - halting, great gaps, then hurried bits.
    Me: That was never Gordon Brown, was it!
    Her: No, that was Tony Blair.
    Do you think she might have heard too much radio 4 for a nine year old?

24. At 08:09 PM on 03 Oct 2006, anne wrote:

    I don't know about too much Radio 4 for a 9 year old but she obviously has a great future ahead of her as a political journalist. And top marks to you too for the invention of the GB analogy, I'm well impressed:)

25. At 08:36 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    Thank you Annasee (24) thank you. Best LOL I've had all day.

    What does she do for a David Cameron? Play a few notes but refuse to make them sound like a coherent tune (policy)?

    Marvellous stuff.

26. At 09:32 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Fearless Fred wrote:

    re 24 onwards...

    You know, I think we've found a new form of political commentary:) What does she play for Menzies Campbell? What about the SNP and PC leaders? What about Kilroy silk???

27. At 09:56 PM on 03 Oct 2006, Chris the Pickle wrote:

    I would imagine Kilroy Silk to sound like a reedy, high-pitched, long, drawn-out, squeal from an out-of-tune violin... Like a whinging child who wants to spend longer on the swings...
    Like a... (Stop it, now - C-a-a-a-l-l-m-m-m)

28. At 11:11 PM on 03 Oct 2006, valery pedant wrote:

    So did anyone watch Jane Horrocks knocking TB off at the next election. Oops, inappropriate expression, but you know what I mean. Good tv, she's terrific.

    Hi Frances O, long time no see, sorry for the unfortunates. Tim C appeared earlier on another blog, did anyone else spot him?

    Annasee - what have you started? I can feel my fingers trying to do a two-handed g major as I type, and it doesn't help the typing I can tell you. Brings back memories of a piano teacher who used to tell me I had to leave room for the mouse to run along the keyboard between the keys and the palms of my hands...maybe that's why I don't like your postcard! (Perhaps this was an allowable thing when I was 5)

    I don't mind if I win, I never win competitions (shameless pleading) I'd just like everyone's autographs in it. Does anyone else get the warm feeling that Eddie is twinkling at us when he mentions the Blog each evening - I can hear him, can't you?

29. At 11:26 PM on 03 Oct 2006, wrote:

    Oddly enough, we have a violin too - but I'd be reluctant to expose her to the existence of such people as Kilroy Silk. Anyway - he doesn't crop up much on Radio 4 so she's unlikely to find out about him.
    Have just noticed this gem in the tv/radio pages of the Saturday Telegraph - Gillian Reynolds (p9 if you want to see for yourself) Talking about Kirsty Young starting DID "Can she overcome the aversion of many a Radio 4 listener to the Scots voice?" (Sorry? What aversion is this? Have we all missed something here?)
    A bit further on (Kirsty is ) "clever, responsive, humorous,patient and every time she's deputised for Jeremy Vine or Michael Parkinson on their Radio 2 shows she's done brilliantly" Gosh. I expect she walks on water too.

30. At 11:55 PM on 03 Oct 2006, wrote:

    Val : did you notice the very correct ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ English "ten words or fewer".

    The temptation must have been huge to say "less", like in Tesco's.

    I'll go with :

    :: Rab Butler
    :: "The speaches are deceases like meeces in the pc'es"

    or something.

31. At 12:07 AM on 04 Oct 2006, whisht wrote:

    Frances - what's the "oh" (as in unfortunate)?

    hopefully everything's ok and its purely work related stuff (i know i know - it so intrudes)

32. At 12:20 AM on 04 Oct 2006, whisht wrote:

    must sleeeeep....

    but just wanna comment on the strapline (they must change it as the shift changes....)

    Maureen - as I found out to my delight (who says I'm scared of Lissa who-knows-my-email?) but with the Radio Player thingy, even though we work till 6, we never have to miss PM...

    
    its a choice.

    oh....[ahem]

33. At 09:01 AM on 04 Oct 2006, anne wrote:

    Annasee it seems to be a print journalistic 'given'
    that R4 listerners hate 'accents', forgetting of course that ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ english is an acccent in itself, and that they hate scottish ones in particular. I don't know any R4 listener personally who objects to scottish accents. I think Gillian Reynolds always sounds as though she is drunk, although I am sure she's not, and find her difficult to listen to. But then the same applies to Jenni Murray - not that she sounds drunk, but I find her difficult to listen to. About on a par with fingernails downa blackboard. That doesn't mean I'm about to make sweeping statements about R4 listeners not liking JM's voice, but maybe if I were a radio critic I would.

    Valery I don't know about the warm twinkle - what with the postcards and the giving away of G Brown's book, I reckon they sit about for 10 minutes every day in the production office wondering what other mad hoops they can entice us to jump through.

34. At 10:30 AM on 04 Oct 2006, Charles Hatton wrote:

    Hello all,

    Re: Scales and people ...

    Ronnie Corbett - Diminished scale
    Aled Jones - Harmonic Minor
    John Prescott - Augmented

    ... that's enough ... back to work ...
    

35. At 12:20 PM on 04 Oct 2006, wrote:

    At 11:11 PM on 03 Oct 2006, valery pedant wrote:

    So did anyone watch Jane Horrocks knocking TB off at the next election. Oops, inappropriate expression, but you know what I mean. Good tv, she's terrific.

    I was in tears throughout it - both laughter and empathy. Brilliant stuff. I hope it'll be repeated for anyone who missed the opening.

    First rate stuff. Wish it were true.
    xx ed

36. At 12:34 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    Re the Jane Horrocks thing - I thought it was going to be a series?

    I didn't watch it - I saw her on "This Week" last Thursday promoting it and just got the impression it was going to be one of those pandering-to-populism things - like the thread in 'Love, Actually' where the PM (Hugh Grant) ends up punching the US President (Billy-Bob Thornton). I mean, if the world/politics were that simple we'd all rejoice, surely?

    However, if my esteemed fellow froggers tell me it's worth watching I'll look out for the repeat: Jane Horrocks is a great actress (although incredibly 'up herself' imho).

37. At 12:57 PM on 04 Oct 2006, John H. wrote:

    Drinks, 37, you seem to have a director's cut of "Love, Actually". I'm fairly sure that in the version I've got, he just questions the "special relationship" at a news conference.

    Pedantic, I know, but really interesting! What an ace false memory (if I'm right) - I wonder if you could find the explanation in the discussion we all had ages ago about the current US president. Or if a more likely explanation was that it was a "political" version of punching him (BBT). Or just wishful thinking.

38. At 01:50 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    John H. your tongue is so far into your cheek I dunno quite what you're trying to say. Metaphorcial punching is the only kind one isn't usually arrested for though....

    I most certainly do not own a copy of 'Love Actually". I was dragged to the cinema to see it and it turned out to be even worse than I expected. Although, thinking back the bits with "Martin whatsit from The Office" were quite funny, and the Emma Thompson/Alan Rickman thread was quite moving, although not really properly explored... Oh OK, the Hugh Grant/Martine McCutchen/BBThornton thread was pants. As I expected it to be. I probably don't need to add I really hate that kind of populist nonsense. And as for the speech at the beginning about the victims of the 11th Sep 2001 plane hijackings.... AAAGGHH.

    Thanks, I feel better for a good rant.

    btw, I quite enjoyed 'Four Weddings...' though...

39. At 02:04 PM on 04 Oct 2006, valery pedant wrote:

    Ap - it IS a series, but I can imagine if you haven't seen the first, then the rest may appear crass/derivative or something. Not that I've had a preview, you understand - I just think the premise is so good that I can't see where they will go with it without it degenerating into something more mundane.eg they are obviously going to go down the route of the husband having further "dark secrets"...
    Sorry my family are SO used to me writing the scripts of everything (ahead of time) from The Archers to Casualty. (Don't you just love diagnosing what the ailment is before the triage nurse gets a shot at it? Is that just me?)

    Yup, I clocked the wonderfully correct usage, andycrjim, and gently twinkled to myself.

40. At 02:34 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    AndyCrbingo, Valery,

    I don't think that PM should be praised simply for the correct use of grammar! (31;40). Heavens! Next blokes like my Dad will be wanting high praise for the preparation of the simplest of meals, on the very odd occasion that they are not wolfing down someone else's hard work without so much as a "that was nice".

    Ah.

    The inappropriate use of "less" where one should use "fewer" and of "amount" where one should use "number" are two things that, along with the aforementioned nonsensical employment of the term "literally", provoke me to shout at the radio. Literally*.

    *Note to non-pendants. This is an example of appropriate, though not very imaginative, use.

    Thank you.

    Agh! I just got the "you offend me with your speediness" message. How? That took me ages to type!!

41. At 02:53 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Dr Hackenbush wrote:

    Valery,

    Apart from my guest slot as a consultant neuro surgeon, what can I expect in the next episode of Casualty? - and don’t go looking it up on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ page of the same name.

42. At 02:55 PM on 04 Oct 2006, wrote:

    To be fair, Andy and Valery, would Eddie dare to use the inappropriate "ten words or less", which would have resulted in such approbrium as to have laid him waste for the program.

43. At 03:03 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Frances O wrote:

    Hello, whisht, Valery!

    The unfortunate thing was the death of someone I was engaged to quite a while ago, but kept in touch with.

    Haven't felt much like blogging.

    Funeral was on Friday, and that seems to have helped me get back into the surreal world that is Eric's subconscious

44. At 03:32 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    So sorry Frances. Hope the silliness is uplifting rather than irritating.

    You were missed.

45. At 04:18 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Frances O wrote:

    Hugely uplifting, thank you. Good to be back.

46. At 04:43 PM on 04 Oct 2006, anne wrote:

    bother I just spent ages typing somethign up and then tried to suibmit it without filling in my name and e-mail.

    can I be bothered to write it again? the short version - Appy I too HATE people using amount instead of number and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is a prime offender here.

    Also a particular irritant in the Chelsea Flower Show coverage this year, a young woman who repeatedly said 'It dates back from..'. Que?

47. At 04:48 PM on 04 Oct 2006, valery pedant wrote:

    Frances O, glad to have you back.

    Dr H, no, no, I don't write them, honestly! They have to start it off then I jump one step ahead of them. Much the best way. I'll see if can write you in though.

    Appy, I don't think I meant to praise them, I was just inwardly pleased that they (unlike Tesco) hadn't got it wrong. How sad is that, when one expects the worst? Think I'll shut up now.

48. At 09:42 PM on 04 Oct 2006, whisht wrote:

    Frances,
    I'm really sorry to hear that. I hope my asking after you didn't seem too flippant. It was just that I'd realised we hadn't heard any sense from you...

    glad you're back

49. At 10:23 PM on 04 Oct 2006, Charles Hatton wrote:

    Just thought I'd add my name to the list of folk saying Sorry to hear your news/Glad you're back Frances O.

50. At 11:12 PM on 04 Oct 2006, wrote:

    Sorry to hear about your bereavement Frances but welcome back to the general madness.As you can see todays theme has been mainly grouching about the postcards or grouching about Eddie not making much of an effort with his blog. Maybe he's been feeling depressed. Luckily - "tomorrow is another day" & I think the conservative party conference is over so no more political stories from them for a few days. Well - would make a nice change anyway.

51. At 12:02 PM on 05 Oct 2006, ontheledge wrote:

    Note to Ed:

    Looks like you couldn't bring yourself to part with the treasured volume after all. Another broken promise!

52. At 02:14 PM on 05 Oct 2006, Royston Smith wrote:

    Has Ed announced the lucky winner ???

53. At 02:24 PM on 05 Oct 2006, the ref wrote:

    (a) Major

    (b) The...quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog (?)

54. At 03:29 PM on 05 Oct 2006, Richard Lyle wrote:

    (A) I know the ungrateful sod never mentioned me.

    (B) The... ungrateful sod never mentioned me.