h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Unfortunately that entry proves (yet again) that I don't know everything. Troy ounces are heavier than Avoirdupois ounces, so the original question can be expanded to make it even more confusing:

Q. Which weighs more - a pound of gold or a pound of bananas?
A. Bananas (454gm vs 373gm)

Q. Which weighs more - an ounce of gold or an ounce of bananas?
A. Gold (31gm vs 28 gm)

By the way, that entry does show the weight of a Troy pound, but it's in the US Units section. It would seem that only Americans have so much gold that they need to weigh it by the pound instead of the ounce

Which just goes to show that these questions really need a lot of research. Sometimes the questions themselves (referring to a couple on TV quizzes lately in Germany) display an ignorance of the subject, if you ask someone who really knows about it.

Has the winner been posted yet?

My estimate is that in pounds sterling (aha! another way of looking at it... ), a pound sterling of bananas weigh more than a pound sterling of gold. I don't know that of course, and can't be bothered to find out...

¦M¦

And the winner is ....?

jwf

Probably not me...

¦M¦

The winner is quite clearly Researcher 176645, although it's not for me to say, because I didn't set the question.

*staggers over to Argonzo's homepage to see if he's sober*

Well I left him a message ('Wake up ya drunk!') on his homepage but it being the weekend he may have slept right through, and not necessarily in his own bed!

So as the founder of the thread and with Gnomon's apparent support I propose we ask 176445 to pose the next question if she will.

And hopefully before he comes staggering back in here shouting the odds with a grumpy hangover.


peace
jwf

Me? I won? How did that happen - I still haven't got around to figuring out the impact of Mycroft's last post here.

Give me a day - I'll come up with something.

As usual, my post has no impact whatsoever

Your post has lots of impact - I just spent days looking for this wonderful weights and measures book I used to have that had formulas for absolutely everything.

I now realise that I'd lent to someone with a large boat. He had to find out the volume of oil required for the boat not just in imperial
gallons, US gallons and litres but also in weight.

If only I had that book I'd make the question - what is the weight of a litre of oil? But I don't - so I won't.

176645

Ok - Here's the question -

By what name is Robert F. Stroud generally remembered?

The Birdman of Alcatraz?

Yes - damnit - I was counting on no one knowing he had a middle name!

OK - over to you. Can you come up with a question before everyone else wakes up?

176645

Actually, I technically didn't know he had a first or last name, but doing a search on yahoo only yielded one promising result. So, once again, Arthbard lives up to his title (the cheatology part, not the bridge of death part). Can't think of a question right this moment, but I'll post one as soon as I can.

I don't think we've met before.

I came up with the question from a book I was reading today. I did do a search on the internet before I posted the question but the answer only came up when I left out the 'F' - so I didn't expect the answer to be found so soon.

So what is the Bridge of Death part all about?

176645

The bridge of death is a Monty Python reference. If you haven't seen "Holy Grail" (and you should), Terry Gilliam played the Keeper of the Bridge of Death (aka the old man from scene 24), whose job it was to ask three questions to anyone who wanted to cross the bridge. Those who answered correctly were allowed to cross, but anyone who missed a question was immediately cast into The Gorge of Eternal Peril.

I also didn't find anything when I searched with the F, so I tried without it. That's why I added the question mark. I wasn't sure about the middle name.

I still don't have a question, yet. I'm fighting the urge to ask "What number am I thinking of," or post one of my homework problems (that way I could have fun on h2g2 and get some work done at the same time...tempting...but I think I'll try to come up with a legitimate question).

Ah yes - that Bridge of Death, well beware of the knights who say neet.

176645

Okay, I'll make this as obscure as I can. I've been meaning to show off my lack of poetry skills more often, so here goes:

The following "poem" refers to a character from classic literature. I want the name of the book. For extra brownie points, give me the name of the character. Or, since brownie points don't really do anyone any good, I'll sing the "Knights of the Round Table" song from "Holy Grail." You know you've always wanted to know the words to that, right? Or you can take the brownie points. It's up to you.

Son of the sea,
A shepherd I be,
My door weighs a ton,
Blinded by no one,
Angry I am,
Fooled by a ram,
The price paid was steep,
When drunken I sleep,
Just cause I eat,
Fresh human meat,Gone, now is my eye,
Who the heck am I?

There ya' go.

And sorry about the poetry.

Great question! I like the way you phrased it in poetry

Is it Cyclops from The Odyssey? (sp?)