http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/ The Magazine's recommended daily allowance of news, culture and your letters. en Copyright 2009 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:30:40 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is UNCANNY VALLEY. But what's the question? UPDATE 1609 BST: The correct question is what is the name for the disquiet caused by synthetic people which almost, but not quite, match human expressiveness. (More details) Of your wilfully and deliberately wrong questions, we liked: How best describes the Rhondda now that the last tin manufacturer closedAn Area of Outstanding Supernatural Beauty Where do Charlton Telepathic play?Where are all tin-openers manufactured? Thanks to all who entered. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/11/weekly_bonus_question_27.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/11/weekly_bonus_question_27.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:30:40 +0000 For those who arrived here from Monday's Daily Mini-Quiz, here's the picture in full. (For those who didn't, tut-tut, go back to the Magazine index and play by the rules.) Food artist Prudence Staite used 14 different varieties of the fruit to make six scenes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/11/fruit_collage.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/11/fruit_collage.shtml Housekeeping Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:02:17 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is DOUGHNUT RALLY. But what's the question? UPDATE 1717 GMT: The correct answer is, how to describe the circle of supporters who surround a MP obliged to make a public apology? (More details - Times) Of your woefully wrong suggested questions, we liked: BaldoBingham's Where would you find the health warning 'May contain nuts'?ARoseByAnyOther's What will lure IT to your desk?MuteJoe's What's faster than a cakewalk, a bun dance and a pastry wheel?rogueslr's Where can you always be assured of finding a policeman?BeckySnow's Where do cupcakes get a good kicking?And patbrennan's If Homer Simpson were to become a dictator, at what event would his supporters swear absolute loyalty to him? Thanks to all who entered. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_26.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_26.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:39:39 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is IN TIMES OF JACUZZI. But what's the question? UPDATE 1604 BST: The correct question is, Hugo Chavez has urged Venezuelans to stop singing in the bath and to only take three-minute showers to save water and energy. Why? He said: "What kind of communism is that? We're not in times of Jacuzzi." (More details - Washington Post) Of your wilfully and deliberately wrong questions, we liked: TheRealCatherineO's When are parents most embarrassing?ClockworkBanana's Reading the newspaper in the bath? tengearbatbike's When should you break glass to remove emergency swimming trunks?And MightyGiddyUpGal's Working title of the next Bond film? Thanks to all who entered. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_25.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_25.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:54:29 +0000 TO: All Magazine readers SUBJECT: Strategy proposals for identifying optimum timings for workplace symposia PLACE: Here, on the Magazine Monitor DATE: 1500 BST, Tuesday 20 October 2009 A new study says the best time to call a meeting is 3pm on a Tuesday. As today is Tuesday, Monitor readers are invited to a special live meeting to discuss whether this is indeed the best time to hold a meeting. Between 1500 and 1520 BST today, the Monitor will be hosting a constantly updated conversation in which everyone is welcome to pitch in with their t'penneth worth, using the letters form on the right of this page. (We've tried this before at our fifth birthday party.) And when it's finished, let's adjourn for BYO tea and biscuits. ---POSTED AT 1604 BST--- Err, sorry, to disturb. Had a meeting in here earlier - has anyone seen my coat? Lester Mak, London, UK ---POSTED AT 1534 BST--- Excuse me - I'm sorry - are you going to be much longer? I've got this room booked from half three... Simon, London MONITOR: All done. Biscuit, Simon? And can someone nudge Adam awake? Love one. Got any custard creams? Simon, London ---POSTED AT 1531 BST--- Best time to hold most of the meeting is before the meeting. Reports, etc, all available beforehand, so the meeting is just acknowledging receipt, quick discussion on points of difference, and agreeing the actions. Online capabilities make this a reality. Balfour, Perth, UK I'd go along with Caroline, but move the upper limit to 16:00. RayB, London, UK I'm all for meetings at 11. It's early enough that people's brains are still working and as everyone wants to get to lunch afterwards there is no fear that "AOB" will overrun for hours on end. I also find that come 2pm, people are suffering from the lunchtime lull, and when 3pm comes about, people are tired and are winding down for home time (or procrastinating online...) Adrian, Cambridge Thanks for this meeting. Think we decided about as much as most meetings decide. I shall file my action points accordingly. Mike A, Derby Am I late? Sorry - in a lunch meeting which overran. I'm starving! Joanna, London MONITOR: We're just wrapping up. Right, who *has* been taking minutes? ---POSTED AT 1529 BST--- I'd love it if we could have a 3pm only meeting rule. Rather than meetings at all other times but 3. I feel particularly perky so I'd say 3pm meetings are a great idea. Alexina, London Let's use this meeting to its fully managerial potential and just use it to decide when to hold a meeting that actually makes a decision. What the subject of that decision is will have to be discussed in another meeting at some point between this meeting and the meeting where we make the decision. I suggest next Tuesday... say 2:59pm? Adam, Reading I'm not sure we're going to reach a conclusion today. Maybe Ray could circulate some options and we could meet at the same time next week to go through them? Stephen Turner, Cambridge, England ---POSTED AT 1527 BST--- Thought I shall just chip in whilst waiting for the tea to cool down. My office has flexitime, so I religiously work 8-4. Often, however, an e-mail for a meeting at 4 the next day will go out at 4 the day before meaning a) I wont get it until the day of the meeting and b) won't have adjusted my arrival time to account for the extra hour spent in a meeting after 4. Not that I ever have anything to add to meetings anyway. Except this one. Si, Leeds Sorry I'm late - schedule conflict. Meetings for me are best at 10am and ideally should have no chairs, no drinks, stand up coffee bar type tables only and take less rather than more time. Oh yes - and if a slide show is planned - no more than three slides. Robin, Aberdeen, Scotland Who is doing the minutes? Emma, Lincoln ---POSTED AT 1525 BST--- Lunch meetings are the work of the devil. Horrid limp sandwiches made with steamed white bread and unidentifiable fillings. Plus I get really mardy if not fed adequately. When I rule the world there'll be no meetings before 10, between 12 and 2, or after 5pm. Caroline Mersey, London, UK Is this meeting going to over-run? Basil Long, Nottingham MONITOR: Yes, we'll push on til 3.30. Some people were late. ---POSTED AT 1522 BST--- Best time for a meeting is around 10 or 11am; you've been in the office for a while and ready for a change of scenery from your PC. Jo, London Are we here to dicuss the meeting about setting up the meeting or the past meeting we had about the meeting? I'll have coffee please to stay awake. Mike, Guildford Who's up for some Office Jargon bingo in this meeting...? Boris Vonstrapon, Vonstraponsville, Bulgaria Sorry I'm late... only just got this teleconference thing working... have I missed much? David, Frankfurt ---POSTED AT 1520 BST--- Keith of When Is Good here - thanks to the Magazine for covering our study. Of course, now that everyone knows the right time to do everything is 3pm on a Tuesday, no one needs to use our service any more. That's us off to the pub then. Keith Harris, Bedford, UK ---POSTED AT 1517 BST--- If the idea that this is a good time for a meeting really takes off, won't it actually cease to be a good time for a meeting as we'll all be already busy? Saffron Garey, Farnborough, Hants Don't worry Elliot, I've brought some chocolate digestives with me. Now, can anyone get the OHP working? Laura, Cardiff Problem with 3pm on *any* day is it's when the mid-afternoon lethargy kicks in... the carbs from your pasta & chocolate lunch conspire to make you sluggish and sleepy. I think a meeting at this time would make ...me...fall...asl... Adam, Kingston MONITOR: Adam, wake up. Don't think I won't notice, your seat is right in my line of sight. Where can I leave my coat? Lester Mak, London, UK Who made the coffee? It's like tar. Flora, London, UK ---POSTED AT 1512 BST--- I seem to remember years ago some scientist telling us that the human body starts to "wind down" for sleep at around 3pm in the afternoon. So is 3pm really the right time? Steve, Stoke I have a collegue who has a habit of booking meetings at impractical times, such as right over the lunch period, or late in the evening (I get in early so that I can leave early, my brain doesn't work past 4). Her lastest meeting is booked for 3-4pm this Friday, and I just know it's going to over-run. Plus, I'm sure come Monday I won't be able to decipher my notes for the minutes. Maggie Bob, London Sorry I'm late... Ben Groom, London Typical. The meeting's only just started and there are no chocolate biscuits left. Pa, Edinburgh ---POSTED AT 1509 BST--- MONITOR: Right, who'll kick things off? In my experience of local government meetings I would completely agree with the idea of 2pm being preferable. When 3.30pm comes, people start thinking about home time and the evening ahead. Lunch time meetings can be popular if lunch is provided. How about 8.30am on any day but Monday, it gets an early start when you are fresh and before the days distractions? John, Morpeth, England Anyone for coffee? Claire, Nottingham MONITOR: Yes please, Claire. Milk, no sugar. ---POSTED AT 1506 BST--- Sorry I'm a couple of minutes late. My last meeting overran because someone set the fire alarm off. We've got to finish on time as I've got another meeting to go to at 3:30 (I've not prepared for that yet, so please don't look too closely at the notes I'm making). Ray Lashley, Colchester, UK ---POSTED AT 1502 BST--- Everyone present and correct? Richard, Bristol MONITOR: Basil's off getting a tea, and Fiona's on the school run. But otherwise, we're good to go. ---POSTED AT 1458 BST--- I wish I could take part in your "special live meeting" but unfortunately, I'm in another meeting. Sarah, London Hi, I'm a bit early. Where are the biscuits then? Elliot, Cardiff MONITOR: That's a shame, Sarah. And Elliot, you're in luck, there's one chocolate digestive left. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/live_meeting_invite.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/live_meeting_invite.shtml Housekeeping Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:30:31 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is CAMPING CUTLERY. But what's the question? UPDATE 1634 BST: The correct question is, what did a six-year-old US boy bring to school that resulted in his suspension. (More details) Of your wilfully and deliberately wrong questions, we liked: rogueslr's What do a tent peg and the top of a tin of beans constitute?ManxDave57's Eating with intent?BeckySnow's What's always short of a fish fork?victormeldrewgroupie's An MoD spokesman blamed a clerical error when instead of the L1A1 12.7 mm (.50) Heavy Machine Gun (HMG), a £5 million order was placed for what?And Kettering_Jeremy's The absence of what in the archaeological record, has led Richard Dawkins to conclude that early man was not at one with nature, and spent most his spare time on DIY projects around the cave? Thanks to all who entered. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_24.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_24.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:46:57 +0000 Out of focus, bad lighting, a hardly visible bride and bridegroom... everyone thinks they can photograph a wedding, but the results can leave a lot to be desired. Earlier this week, after a couple successfully sued their wedding photographer over the poor quality of his images, the Magazine asked how hard is it to photograph a wedding? We also asked for your own bad wedding pics. The first batch can be found here, and we've since been sent these: Carolyn Hendry took this at the wedding reception of a good friend. "The atmospheric lighting in the venue was affecting the flash on our camera, so the picture didn't take until a couple of seconds after I pressed the button. The bride and groom looked beautiful - honest!" Reema Mukhtar likes to play spot-the-bridegroom in this picture. "This is of my cousin's wedding in which the groom is completely missing behind all those cameramen and the bride is visible through a small space between them." And Elaine Cawley, of Manchester, took this at her sister's wedding, and wonders: "How on earth did we manage to chop their heads off? Lovely dress though." http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/more_of_your_bad_wedding_photo.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/more_of_your_bad_wedding_photo.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:21:26 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is A THREE-LEGGED CAT. But what's the question? UPDATE 1641 BST: The correct question is, accusations of kidnapping what led to a man giving his neighbours a curry laced with slug pellets. (More details - Daily Mail) Of your wilfully and deliberately wrong questions, we liked: v8falcon's What can climb a quarter of the way up the curtains before it falls off?Batcow's Who walked into a wild west saloon and declared... "I'm lookin' for the man who shot my paw"?ishotthepostman's What do you get if you cross a Jaguar with a Robin Reliant?loosetalk's Yet another useless tip from the Today sports desk.NorfolkOnce's What is the result of keeping Piranhas in the goldfish bowl?And sharpp's Consequently, what am I thinking about right now? http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_23.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_23.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:13:30 +0000 Out of focus, bad lighting, a hardly visible bride and bridegroom... everyone thinks they can photograph a wedding, but the results can leave a lot to be desired. Dismayed by the official pictures of their wedding, Marc and Sylvia Day have successfully sued their official photographer for breach of contract. This set us at the Magazine to thinking, how hard is it to photograph a wedding? (answer: harder than you think), and we asked for your own examples of bad wedding pics (but only if you took these yourself and so have copyright). Here's what we've been sent so far: Jonathan Proud is not too, er, proud to admit that this is not his finest work. "As a keen amateur, I was designated 'official photographer' for my niece's wedding, as they didn't want a professional who would dominate the proceedings. I'd never photographed a wedding before. There was a driveway between the bride, groom and family members being photographed, and the rest of the wedding party taking pictures and looking on. From time to time traffic interrupted proceedings, like this laundry trolley, causing great amusement." And this from Ginou. "At our wedding, only my husband, my then four-year-old son and myself were there. That meant we had to take the photos. We held up the camera - and the four-year-old took the photo. I did make an awesome scrapbook out of them, if I say so myself." And Gareth Fudge sent this in. "Being a wedding photographer is not as easy as it looks. You get the shot set up and someone dives in. Fortunately I am amateur and was just shooting my friend's wedding. This made it into the album though as a private joke." And Raza Rao, of Oldham, sent us this from his own big day. "Video camera in focus... and me and my bride are out of focus :(" Getting the happy couple in focus is also a problem in this picture, sent in by Caroline Marin. Sorry, what's going on? "The groom giving the ring to the bride." It's not the focus but the framing that's the problem with this photo from Jamie Troy. Who is it of? "The happy couple? My friends asked me to take some pictures as I have been a semi-professional in the past. I really like this one as a sort of anti-wedding picture. A complete accident though." And then there's this, from Darren Woolridge of London. "Oh dear, here's my shot of the first dance of Kieron and Rachel's wedding. Here are some of the slightly sarcastic comments left when I posted this on Facebook: 'Lucky you were there to capture that special moment' and, from the groom, 'That is lovely'. Believe it or not, I am a professional photographer. Luckily I was just there as a guest that day." UPDATE 1625 BST, 9 October: And more pictures can be seen here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/your_bad_wedding_photos.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/your_bad_wedding_photos.shtml Housekeeping Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:35:33 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is NATURALISTIC AND OCCASIONALLY HAPHAZARD. But what's the question? UPDATE 1710 BST The correct question is: how was Keith Floyd's television presentation style described? (More details - the Guardian) Of your consciously incorrect questions, we liked: WX1294's "In the first draft of 'Waiting for Godot', what were the names of the two main characters?" MightyGiddyUpGal's "Predictive text results of trying to enter 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocous'?" Rob Falconer's "In what manner does the WBQ bestow kudos?" greid54's "How did Jeff describe going rambling with his colostomy bag?" ADasein's "Swiss body clocks?" http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_22.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/10/weekly_bonus_question_22.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:01:00 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is HYPOCHONDRIAC GRANNIES. But what's the question? UPDATE 1629 BST: The correct answer is who, according to irate cyclists, are the only ones to welcome new speed bumps in a bike rat-run in Islington? (More details - Times) Of your wilfully wrong questions, we liked: TheRealCatherineO's Statistically, who are least likely to provide you with an imminent inheritance?GervaseFen's Why has our doctor got so many friends on Facebook?Fi-Glos' Mint imperials, crocheted doilies, a Stannah stair lift and bottle upon bottle of tablets. Well David, who lives in a house like this?ARoseByAnyOther's Usually not featured as the "partner" in Viagra commercialsAnd Candace9839's Fiercest critics of the five second rule? http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_21.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_21.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:43:08 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is IT HAD ONE MUSHROOM. But what's the question? UPDATE 1710 BST: The correct answer is, how was hospital food blogger Traction Man's braised beef in a mushroom sauce? More details Of your wilfully wrong suggestions, we liked: WX1294's How could you tell the cheese was off before sell-by dates were introduced?rogueslr's Why was the last Glastonbury Mushroom Festival such a failure?TooSensible's Why was my 10 things picture submission rejected this week?And LaurenceLane's At what point did I feel it wise to visit the doctor about this growth? http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_20.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_20.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:06:06 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is TROLLEYS AND WARD FLOORS. But what's the question? UPDATE 1711 BST: The correct question is, where did hospital night shift staff take photos of themselves playing the Lying Down Game. (More details - Independent) Of your wilfully wrong suggestions, we liked: ManxDave57's What did Bert Trolley and Fred Ward call their carpeting business?Isacki's Where is the best place to look when visiting an STI clinic?ironicbliss' According to the Environment Agency, what beat fish into third place as things your most likely to find in canals?Candace9839's Where Drunk Girl holidays?And SimonRooke's What are Bob Geldof's grandchildren called? http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_19.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_19.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:11:08 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is A FORM OF MEDITATION. But what's the question? UPDATE 1629 BST: The correct answer is, why does V&A curator Sue Prichard recommend quilting for stressed-out people. (More details, Guardian) Of your deliberately wrong suggestions, we liked: TheRealCatherineO's Neighbours are so unfriendly these days, what does it usually take to borrow a cup of sugar?SkarloeyLine's What is Satan unlikely to be queueing for, in the Post Office?And ForeverGreenAndWhite's What is the last thing Jeremy Clarkson will resort to when trying to calm himself down? http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_18.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/09/weekly_bonus_question_18.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:14:21 +0000 Welcome to the Weekly Bonus Question. Each week the news quiz 7 days 7 questions will offer an answer. You are invited to suggest what the question might have been. Suggestions should be sent using the COMMENTS BOX IN THIS ENTRY. And since nobody likes a smart alec, kudos will be deducted for predictability in your suggestions. This week's answer is A SUPERSONIC SKID. But what's the question? UPDATE 1426: The correct question is, name a vintage fairground ride that's been hit by the Brussels ban on incandescant lightbulbs. (More details - Daily Express) Of your deliberately wrong suggestions, we liked: wortluck's Result of incorrect application of Enterprise's handbrake? and narcobiker's What noise was heard when Usain Bolt lost his footing in the 100m? http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/08/weekly_bonus_question_17.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2009/08/weekly_bonus_question_17.shtml Housekeeping Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:26:19 +0000