Vote for me!

Posted on 26-Nov-2014 by Richard Carter

OK, Gruts Gang, ~~its time to make yourselves useful~~ [too late: didn't win].

The Hebden Bridge Times and Todmorden News are running a ridiculously complicated photography competition. I have entered, and my photo has made the semi-finals. There are 13 photos in the semi-finals (I told you it was ridiculously complicated). To make the final six (no, really), my photo needs your votes.

Now, here comes the really complicated part. You can vote in several ways, and you are allowed to vote in more ways than one. So, what I need you to do is to go here, then do AS MANY OF THE FOLLOWING as possible (depending on which of the following you have access to):

~~click the Facebook Like button alongside the article~~
~~click the Twitter button to share the article~~
~~click the G+ button alongside the article to share on Google+~~
~~click the LinkedIn button alongside the article~~
~~leave a COMMENT (or several comments!) against the article~~
(most importantly) ask all your friends to do the same

~~…then, if you're feeling really bored, you can try to do the same on this page.~~

~~The voting closes as midday on 1st December, 2014.~~

~~I have been assured—and you will no doubt be relieved to hear—that there will be no swimming costume round.~~

~~Oh, just in case you're wondering what my photo looks like, here it is:~~

Mitchell Brothers Mill and some buttercups this summer.

StarWars™ neck-accoutrement pun challenge

Posted on 22-Aug-2012 by Richard Carter

Hitchin and his family are currently on holiday in the Yorkshire Dales, so, last weekend, Jen and I went over to visit them.

The Hitchins last Saturday

Hitchin proposed a walk. It was only a few inches on the map. But that (i.e. we) failed to take into account all of the contours involved. Then the sun came out. It was bloody knackering.

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere last Saturday.

A Twin-Ion Engine fighter a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Anyhoo, Hitchin's two lads are big StarWars™ fans, and, during lunch the following day, they informed me that StarWars™ TIE fighters are so named because they have Twin-Ion Engines. I told them (only half-jokingly) that I had always thought that TIE fighters were so named because of their resemblance to bow ties. I then joked that, had George Lucas wanted to continue the neckwear-related theme, he should have called those walking-tank things cravAT-ATs. (Do you see what I did there?)

So, over to you, Gruts Gang: can you think of any StarWars™ neck-accoutrement-related puns? Fifteen points for the worst answer. (But no points at all for Episode IV: A Noose Hope, because that has Jar-Jar Binks in it.)

More photos from our ridiculous walk »

Birthday Competition: The Nun Game Challenge

Posted on 02-Apr-2007 by Richard Carter

As it's my birthday today (thanks, chaps, you really shouldn't—oh, that's right, you didn't), and I'm in a good mood, how about a quick round of the Nun Game?

Twenty-five points and one of my spare Moleskine™ notebooks to the first person to spot a nun hidden away in my recent photos from Rome and Florence. Answers in the comments please.

Simply post the URL (web address) of the Flickr page containing the nun photo into the comment's text. (Note: There should only be one photo on the Flickr page in question. If there is more than one photo shown, click your chosen photo to be taken to its unique page.) Oh, and don't forget to include your email address in the comments field provided, so I'll be able to contact you (it won't be published).

For the avoidance of doubt, there are no tricks involved. There is at least one photo of a real, live nun, who is very clearly a nun, and not just some indistinguishable speck/blob in the background.

Think of it as Where's Wally, but with nuns.

The judge's decision is final, no correspondence will be entered into, etc., etc.

Good luck!

Oh, is it empty already? Next bottle, I think.

Postscript: We have a winner. Congratualtions, Philip. The nun photo is here.