The first and only list I'll ever put myself down for here when it starts, intrigued I am

Intriguing stuff, I imagine by liking or commenting or even just reading this thread we have already entered into the social experiment.

Lets hope it doesn't go all 'black mirrors'.

That's interesting. A social experiment ?

Join a hidden invite only Facebook page recently and the rules on the first page are as follows.

All new members please read:

This group is for sharing your OG pre 2000 decks only. That means no spam please.

Do not post pictures of old school reissues or new skateboards that are post the year 2000. An old school shape doesn't make it OG. This also isn't a raffle group. No raffles allowed. Nothing against raffles, we just want to keep this page pure.

Do not talk shit about someone's deck. If someone posts something you aren't into or has something for sale and you don't like the price, keep your opinions to yourself.s**t talking is never good and you will probably be removed from the group if you do it. At a minimum your post will be deleted.

If you do post a pic of something other than an OG deck (ie: pics of your newly printed repro, a link to an ebay auction, a vid of Bony Honk spinning a 15790 on his ramp, a skateboarding dog/duck etc, pics of your wall showing 1 OG and 10 reissues.....), decide to post your raffle, or talk shit, your post will most likely be deleted as soon as an admin sees it. It's nothing personal and we aren't dicks (apart from Justin, he's a dick), so don't get mad about it.

There are other rad groups where you can share your post 2000 decks, raffle as much as you like and talk shit about Gator decks.

Edit: if you post up a deck you know to be a repro (especially one you have 'commissioned' from that fucktard Jesse Garza) your pic will be deleted and your ass will be booted. Period.

Edit: don't post eBay auction links. If you have a deck to sell, offer it up to the group, don't whore out your auctions, chances are if out members are looking for the board, they will see it (eBay isn't a secret......) auction links will get deleted

Jermaine Stewart says that you don't need to take them off if you want to have a good time; I suppose it depends on what you want.

I'll be curious what the results of the experiment show about all of us.

Yes.

It sounds intriguing. By March I will have forgotten to enter/be part of it though!

Look forward to it

COMPETITION 1 – Wednesday, 1 March to Thursday, 2 March 2017


Three questions related to the videos below will be posted on Thursday, 2 March at 21:00 GMT (or within a few minutes thereof).

The first person to correctly or sufficiently answer all three questions (in accordance with the Game Format and Rules) will be allocated the following two lottery numbers: 1 and 2



CRITICAL THINKING - Fundamentals: Introduction to Critical Thinking [9:49]
– uploaded by Wireless Philosophy



Critical Thinking [5:12]
– uploaded by QualiaSoup



The Illusion of Truth [8:24]
– uploaded by Veritasium

sounds fun. I'm in!

PART I: MARATHON – Q&As / FAQs (2)


13.  Hi, it's me yet again. This is my third time reaching out. I forgot to add that I need more than one forum account for a legitimate reason: I sometimes leave brutally honest, controversial, inflammatory, or imbecilic but humorous comments which irritate some forum members. This is the essence of freedom of expression. And it should continue. I genuinely believe that posting funny but perhaps hurtful truths is in the interest of the forum. But I don't want this to compromise my personal and professional relationships, or to restrict my opportunities for buying and selling art. Having a second or third forum account therefore keeps the doors open for dealing with the people I piss off under another username. Given that free speech is at stake, could you waive point 8.3 of the Game Format and Rules so I can participate in the game?

No, sorry. I am conscious that, when you can be held accountable for your words, being candid or contentious is not without its disadvantages. There are obvious sacrifices — including the closing of doors which the cloak of anonymity would otherwise leave conveniently open. My position may be flawed but it's quite simple: People should avoid succumbing to cowardice. The principle can be summarised as, "Man up or shut up."


14.  Hi, it's still me. Fourth attempt. If anything, you have to give me credit for my perseverance. I really need more than one forum account for confidentiality reasons as well. Privacy, as I'm sure you'll appreciate, is a crucial issue these days, one of the key issues of our time. When I'm buying art from other members, I want to be able to do so on the down-low using different accounts. This is even more important when I'm selling art, or immediately reselling stuff I've just bought.

I'm a frequent poster on this forum, and I'm a respected member who helps and contributes to the urban art community. But I fear that greater transparency on the forum would have serious drawbacks. My activities could be used against me if they were visible under a single forum account. For example, if I berated another member for flipping, the strength of my arguments would be undermined by my own history of reselling. This is what I'd like to avoid. Separately, I have a good, longstanding reputation under my regular forum username. I don't wish for my true-fan status to be tainted. And that status would indeed be tainted by the reselling I do using my second and third forum accounts. Under these exceptional circumstances, could you please waive point 8.3 of the Game Format and Rules so I can participate in the game? I am a trusted member.

No, sorry. I would encourage you to resist any approach that amounts to, "Do as I say, not as I do."


15.  Hi, yes, it's still me. Fifth and last time. I just wanted to say, ever so sincerely, that you're a condescending fúcker. You, with your know-it-all attitude, can go fúck yourself. Seriously. And while I'm here, your moral compass is totally skewed. You allow relative newbies, mediocre little shíts, and bloody Schweinehunde to participate in the game, but not a true fan and trusted member like me who actually contributes and only needs a few forum accounts to resell in peace.

Fair comment, especially on the Schweinehunde front. The truth of the matter is that I have more time for Schweinehunde than I do for cowards and hypocrites. They aren't mutually exclusive of course; vile characters are more likely to have multiple forum accounts. But, if forced under duress to choose between an upfront Schweinehund and an underhand so-called trusted forum member, I'd probably go with the former. At least I would know where they stood. It may be a fallacious argument, but the upfront Schweinehund seems more noble to me. There's greater honesty in their dishonesty.

Noted as well regarding the attitude. I appreciate the feedback. Whenever attention is focused more on the perceived tone of delivery than on the actual substance of communications, the risk is that the effectiveness of those communications is diminished. That's when it becomes an issue of concern for me.


16.  You're not Admin. How would you know whether or not somebody has more than one forum account?

Some members have previously been outed, in a convincing manner. Other members have unintentionally outed themselves. During the game itself, a forum moderator may discover that the IP address of a competition winner is linked to more than one account. This wouldn't be definitive proof of a duplicate account, but it would not look great either.

If evidence presents itself that a competition winner has more than one account, I'll weigh it up and make a decision pursuant to point 9 of the Game Format and Rules.

That said, the game is largely reliant upon the integrity of players. I'm optimistic the vast majority will behave honestly. Yes, a cheater could slip through the net, but I do hope the spirit of the game will dissuade them from trying.


17.  Dear Sirs,

If I'm selling some art or showing off art on my walls at home, any hint of disapproval about the work is taken extra personally by me.

I appreciate that, by its very nature, each and any post on a forum is an express or implied invitation for comments by other members. However, when I'm trying to get a deal done or proudly sharing my latest acquisition, choice of framing or hanging style, finicky comments are unwelcome. Such comments are actually an attack on my identity, on my being. So they're obviously inappropriate and have no place in a discussion about art on an art forum.

When I post photos, I want an easy sale, not open challenges. Or I want validation. I want compliments and reassuring pats on the head. What I don't need is some bloody "art critic" piping up with "opinions" or "advice", WHICH I DIDN'T EVEN ASK FOR!!! I mean, like, HELLO???!! Who do they think they are? The stuck-up pricks, trying to find little faults in everything. I'm all for constructive criticism and everything but criticism just isn't constructive. Like, get a life! Start your own thread, stop derailing mine! I'm the one who started my thread, it's MINE!!! Do I have to spell it out for you?! This isn't Nazi Germany!

People need to limit the opinions they express to positive ones. When I post about my art sales or my art collection, I'm baring my soul to complete strangers. And if my soul is being attacked, then naturally I'm gonna kinda freak out. It's difficult not to get defensive and passive-aggressive and a wee bit hysterical when I'm only trying to sell or share.

Why are some people always so negative? Why do they insist on victimising me? Why can't those troublemakers STFU? Why can't we all just be nice to each other? No bully hiding behind a keyboard is going to shut me up. I will not be intimidated by bigots or college graduates or fascists!

Can I play in the game?

Yours sincerely,
[Name removed]

I read this three times. Yet I'm still not sure what it has to do with the game. Focusing simply on your last question — Yes, you are welcome to participate in the game. Good luck.

[In case it is also of interest, I have a random but hopefully helpful tip for you: If yours had been a UK business letter, with a "Dear Sirs" greeting (i.e. non-specific recipient), the correct complimentary close would be "Yours faithfully" (rather than "Yours sincerely", which is used when a letter is addressed to a specific individual).]


18.  Whenever someone finds fault in the work of an artist I collect, I argue that the artist is a really great guy. Or that the detractor is being haughty and sneering. Granted, this is irrelevant to whether the art is any good. But straw man and ad hominem tactics help to personalise matters. They elicit emotional responses in people. As idiotic as it sounds, this often succeeds at deflecting the issue, discouraging critical thought and shutting down debate. It's rather convenient!

In any event, if an artist is nice, they don't really deserve to have unkind things said about their work. Even less so if they're a member of the forum. It's bad etiquette. And, let's not forget either, this is my pension we're talking about. I've got to protect my investment. Am I eligible to participate in the competitions?

As with the previous question, what you've mentioned seems unrelated to the game. But, yes, you are welcome to participate.


19.  I am dim and repugnant. In a private message to a Norwegian forum member a few years ago, I said I hoped his mother and kids get AIDS and die a painful death of cancer. Although this was later made public in a Dolk for-sale thread, it didn't stop me from becoming a Forum Guardian months later . But that position has since been revoked unfortunately . Will you allow me to take part in the game?

Though it half feels like you're conflating this Q&A platform with a secular confessional, yes, you are welcome to participate.


20.  I've learned a lot about art through this forum and I'm starting to collect cool stuff. So far I've got some prints by Alec Monopoly, Mr Brainwash, Sandra Chevrier, The Connor Brothers and Kunstrasen. I have a Dumb Voters print by RYCA, an original painting by Bambi, and the chimpanzee ballerina print by Martin Whatson. I'm also really getting into JJ Adams, saving up for some of his Star Wars and Royal Family stuff. I've taken out personal loans and borrowed from my mum because urban art is the future. Just look at Banksy. There are people who don't like it but they're blind. They're incapable of seeing the future and just jealous. Like, whatever. You know? People didn't take Van Gogh seriously but look at him now. Imagine if you had a time machine. How cool would that be? Back in the day, you could have bought all his prints for peanuts. Same with Picasso. And Warhol of course. He's a legend. Can I play in the game?

I'm having difficulty following your train of thought. Have you read points 7 and 8 of the Game Format and Rules? They seem straightforward to me, yet some of the questions I'm receiving make me think the drafting needs to be clearer.

For the avoidance of doubt, yes, you are welcome to participate.

[As an aside, do we know each other? If not, then apologies. You sound so much like a collector I met about 10 years ago. At the time, he was remortgaging his flat and maxing out credit cards to invest in urban art. It was like a feeding frenzy; prices for the artists he collected seemed to be going ballistic. I'm sure he's sitting on a massive pension now. Wouldn't be surprised if he's lying in the sun sipping piña coladas.

I don't want to betray a confidence, so I'll call this collector, "[X]". Well, [X] really had a real knack for spotting talent. Finger right on the pulse. He could foresee the direction in which the art market was moving. It was impressive. And eerie too, like he had a sixth sense. Each artist [X] collected was the next Banksy. I mean, the work of those artists was in the private collections of celebrities. Like Dean Gaffney and everyone. It was starting to be sold at Urban Art auctions at Dreweatts, Bonhams... Even Bond Street and Knightsbridge galleries were selling it. And [X] had bought up all the good stuff before any of that lot were even clued in.

Have you heard of Diffusion of Innovations by Everett Rogers? In the adopter categories, [X] was an 'Early Adopter', maybe even an 'Innovator'. Completely ahead of the curve. And you should have seen his collection. One word: Stunning.

I must try to get back in touch and ask how that collection is coming along. We're talking museum-quality, iconic pieces by all the rising stars: SPQR, BAM, Bram, Hutch, Hush, DON, DOC, Ripper 1331, Prefab77, Static, Jef Aérosol, David Walker, Holly Thoburn, ©opy®ight, gE o RGE Morton-Clark, L.E.T., IamCxxx, GVD, Rourke Van Dal, Grafter, Fake, Levi C, T.Wat, Rich Simmons… all the big-names of the urban art scene. Or was it a "movement"? I can't remember. It was either a scene or a movement.

Anyhow, I'm totally out of the loop now with the market. But given the eye that [X] had and the shedloads of money I'm sure he made, it wouldn't surprise me if he reinvested most of it. Like you, no doubt he piled cash into Alec Monopoly and Mr Brainwash. Those guys are Premier League. I heard they're now being sold by Artnet alongside the likes of Warhol and Haring. If that doesn't say something, I don't know what does.

Good shout too with Sandra Chevrier, Bambi, JJ Adams, The Connor Brothers, Martin Whatson and Kunstrasen. When I was on holiday in Beaconsfield, I saw works by JJ Adams and Martin Whatson in the window of a gallery there. Imagine that — underground graffiti kings like them having officially crossed over into the mainstream. It was so totally awesome. This is my generation and our time has finally come. I'm going on YouTube now to find We Are The Champions by Queen. I've got external speakers to play it super loud on repeat. The neighbours might complain but they can go do one.

By the way, you should check out other graffiti artists as well, like Pegasus, Plastic Jesus and Outis. And Stein too. Acquaintances tell me the Norwegian stencil scene is starting to kick some serious butt, as much butt as the black metal crab walk. Go Abbath!]


21.  Wotcha. I only refer to B stuff by abbreviations: FC, HC, RC, LR, GR (my number one favourite print) and also GR (my number two favourite print). It saves a lot of time. And as with my impressively high post-count, it shows I know what I'm talking about.

In addition, the abbreviations reinforce an in-group–out-group environment on the forum. What I often find myself doing at a conscious or subconscious level is trying to maximise the intergroup differences. It gives me a more tangible sense of social identity. I want to exclude from the in-group all of the Johnny-come-latelies who only got into B after DL and don't even know what "LN" means. Because, you know, I've been into B since like forever. Since BvBM and ETTGS. At least. If not earlier.

Do I meet the requirements for playing the game?

Has anyone actually read points 7 and 8 of the Game Format and Rules?

And, yes, you are welcome to participate.


22.  hello !!! i write like a 12-year-old ! with loads of exclamation marks and things !! and plenty of emojis too...... because it's faster than thinking and finding the right way to share my feelings and stuff ! showing my mood in words is so tricky !!! omg, winky faces are sooooooo much simpler !! am i right or am i right ?! how did i ever live before emojis ??!!! whoever invented them deserves a medal !!! please, please, may i play the game ? lol !!!!!

If I were of a suspicious disposition, I'd think some of these questions were agenda-driven — the Q&A equivalent of fake news. Resistance is an option for me. I could try my best working out which questions are sincere and which ones may have been planted. But that might be like swimming against the tide — when all I seek is a simple life. Going with the flow, by taking each question at face value, therefore seems the wisest bet.

So, yes, you are welcome to participate.


23.  Don't call me a flipper, I'm not a flipper. Maybe I do immediately resell most purchases, but who are you to judge? I don't judge you, so you have no right to judge me. Mind your own business. You have no idea how much I'm actually buying so you don't have all the facts. You're ignorant. Besides, I love art. I am an honest man, I'm not a flipper because I love art. I'm only trading up. That's not flipping, it doesn't count. "Creating unsustainable speculative bubbles which may ultimately hurt the artist", yeah, whinge whinge whatever. My bum. That's just your opinion. Say it all you want, I don't care. Try walking in my shoes and see how it feels. You can't have my shoes anyway, I need them. Nobody is clean. My shoes aren't even clean. So how would that even make sense? Tell me that! If I flip a Conor Harrington charity print, who are you to judge? Don't judge me, judge the real flippers! I love art. How many times do I have to repeat this for you to understand?! It's my print, I bought it, I can do what I want. The charity already got its money. So why are you sticking your nose in anyone else's business? If I flip multiple copies of the post-massacre issue of Charlie Hebdo, who are you to judge? You don't know me. Anyway, that's all water under the bridge I'll burn when I come to it. So move on, it's none of your business. All these accusations! Discussions about what's right or wrong are a waste of time. Ethics my bum. They only poison the forum. Nobody is clean. It's all relative. Enough with all this hatred! And don't compare me to flippers, I'm a true fan. I love art. I hate the real flippers. Those fúcking flippers. Go after them instead! The bastards have no place on this forum. They're not true fans, only interested in money. We should ban them. Sic semper tyrannis! ¡Hasta la victoria siempre! I love giveaways. Can you add me to the list ?

Hmm. There is no list as such, but you are welcome to participate in the game.


24.  Sometimes when I read a forum post that I agree with or enjoy, I will click the 'Like Post' button. Sometimes I won't. What I've found is that it's easier to 'Like' a post that has already been 'Liked' by other people. It kind of feels safer that way, almost as if I'm joining a club. But when no one else has already clicked 'Like Post', I hesitate about whether I should do so myself, especially if the post is a bit critical. From a psychological perspective, that's quite interesting isn't it?

No, not really. Did you have a question about the game?

PART I: MARATHON – Q&As / FAQs (4)


37.  Your Q&As are far too long. For the average person, I imagine they're off-putting. It would be better to reduce the questions and answers to a number that's more manageable and reader-friendly. Many people will have a quick glance, see massive walls of text, and say to themselves, "I can't be bothered to even begin reading." And so, paradoxically, in an effort to be comprehensive, the only thing you've actually succeeded in doing is to dilute your own effectiveness.

Amazingly quick reaction. I thought I was fast, but how did you do that? I only started posting these Q&As here a few seconds ago.

Very good remark as well. In my naivety, I underestimated the volume of correspondence I'd have to deal with. But, in fairness to everyone who's taken the time to write in, I feel I've got to continue ploughing on. Did you have a question about the game?


38.  Can I take part in the competitions by attempting to answer the three questions, but without watching the videos? I think I can bluff it, or play the system by using Google for the answers.

You are most welcome to try. If, by using that technique, you somehow succeed in being the first person to answer a set of three questions correctly, then glory truly is yours.


39.  This is JBoy.
can i take part in the competitions?




40.  This is JBoy.
My last message might not have gone through.
ive been having some computer problems lately. so i thought id better send you another message... can i take part in the competitions?

Yes, you are welcome to participate in the game.


41.  This is JBoy again.
id like to take part in the competitions. not being funny but Im afraid if i win the lottery draw, you will swap the prize and send me a turd in the post instead.
can you promise you wont do that?

Well, it is true that for me you personify much of what I have contempt for: Sociopathic lying, disingenuousness, deceitful and manipulative behaviour, hyping random artists you have vested interests in for short-term profit through sales here or on eBay, exploiting the lack of knowledge of inexperienced collectors, generally being small-minded or ignoble. And occasionally trying to conceal your detestable nature with a veil of bonhomie. That sort of thing.

In fairness, I acknowledge the level of your repulsiveness has lessened in recent years, or perhaps it's simply become less visible. Regardless, you are someone I wish to have zero association with — even in opposition, which is why I rarely consider your posts and have never replied to them. The irony of responding to you here is therefore not lost on me. It's a betrayal of personal principle which makes me feel both oddly magnanimous and sick to my stomach.

That being said, I usually try to be mindful of and to resist the temptation of behaving in a petty manner. Sending a turd in the post would be petty. And odious. And disgusting. Hardly ennobling. Separately, my integrity is greater than my distaste for you (and for the small handful of other buffoons or contemptible characters on this forum). Accordingly, I give you my word that the prize will remain the same regardless of the identity of the lottery-draw winner. See also point 13 of the Game Format and Rules.

[Curiously enough, you actually inspired me to pursue an interest in the natural sciences — specifically in the field of evolutionary developmental biology. My indebtedness to you is for the lightbulb moment I had reading a few of your posts eight or nine years ago. Stepping back for a moment, within the scientific community, the received wisdom is that humans (anatomically modern Homo sapiens) have a common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos, and more distant common ancestors with gorillas, orangutans and gibbons. I believe this is mostly accurate, yet not entirely so.

Extensive research will be needed of course, along with supporting DNA evidence (perhaps a sample from a strand of your hair). But I'm confident I can turn an entire field of study on its head by proving the soundness of my new, rival theory. It is as follows: Conventional thinking regarding human evolution is correct with respect to the vast majority of our species. However, a small number of humans do exist that are separate and genetically distinct. They share common ancestry, not with apes, but with Dracunculus medinensis.

While it's terribly premature of me to say so, I can feel it in my veins: This revolutionary theory has "holiday in Stockholm", "gold medal" and "SEK 8,000,000" written all over it.]


42.  *** FORUM GUARDIAN ALERT ***
Who do you think you are kidding ? These aren't genuine questions !!!! They are way more like fiction and fantasy and I'm sure you made them up !!!!
The staff at Banksy.info is not taking any sides on this particular issue at this time until all the facts are known - but we do frown upon respected forum members being ridiculed. How would you like it if we did that to you ?
I am wound up today. Do you think you are funny busting my chops ? I know what's funny, and this is not funny !! I'm open minded - I don't mind a bit of "joking" or whatever - I've got a sense of humour. Many well respected members have vouched for me. But you crossed the line - plain disrespectful. It is not cool and it is happening more and more. There are tons of great people on here and you are hating on us. That just seems a bit pathetic to me and I didn't want to bit my tongue any longer.
You have mental problems !!!! I don't mean that in a negative way against mental people - I am PC and I support mental people 24/7, seven days a week, 360°. But you aren't right in the head - I mean WTF dude !!!!!! This is bullying & harassment. Do you not realize it's against the law ?!
My role is to not have a specific biased opinion - but rather independently enforce the rules set forth by Pro Boards without personal prejudice. I will edit the thread to remove any profanities and what could be perceived as threats. It easier to be proactive PC than deal with the PM's that always eventually follow.
Did I ever mention I sent out almost a hundred FREE signed STIK "Liberty" show cards from NY to around the world to only forum members after his show ? And how many members thanked me ? Almost no one. I remember someone on here busting my chops because I asked for postage. I am not looking for appreciation, I am just pointing out that I wasn't thanked enough.
Let me be perfectly clear - all FG"s are NON paid volunteers - we do not get paid for our services. We do it because we love this scene and want to make sure our site remains relevant and a fun, interesting & safe place to visit.
After I finish promoting my commercial gallery here, I will be sending a PM to the other FG"s on this particular issue. I don't have inconclusive proof yet but I am almost 110% positive all these questions aren't genuine !!!!

What we have is an unfortunate misunderstanding. Please rest assured that none of the questions I've posted are any less genuine than yours.


43.  I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

First, I'm not looking for a ransom. Second, I don't have your daughter. Third, this is only a game. If you're upset about the sound volume being too low on some of the competition videos, then I sincerely apologise.


44.  Last month, my partner and I watched the 2003 docudrama, Touching the Void. In case you don't know, it's about the 1985 story of two British mountaineers during a climb in the Peruvian Andes, their situation becoming increasingly dire: extreme cold, crazy stormy weather conditions, they've run out of gas for fire, dehydration, exhaustion, one of them badly breaks his leg, you name it... Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. If you think losing out on a print release after a few hours of pressing F5 is excruciating, you should watch this film.

Anyway, the two climbers are attached together by a long rope, and there's a moment where the first inadvertently lowers the second one with the broken leg off a very high cliff. That one is hanging like a deadweight, unable to climb back up because his hands are also frostbitten, while the first doesn't have the strength to pull him up. They can't see each other, nor can they even hear each other in the blizzard.

After about an hour in this limbo, the first climber starts to lose his secure position due to the powdery snow. He's being pulled down by the weight of the second at the other end of the rope. So the first climber has to decide whether to (a) cut the rope to save his own life or (b) risk being pulled down into the void, with both climbers then almost certainly falling to their deaths.

When the film was over, my partner asked me what I'd do if we were in that scenario and she were the one hanging over the cliff. I said I'd have to cut the rope. Because, clearly, it's better for one of us to survive than for both of us to die. This rational and honest response didn't go down well, and my partner hasn't spoken to me since. Can you help?

No, sorry. Good luck to you, but that is beyond the remit of the game. I don't even have time to deal with my own problems.


45.  [Consolidation of multiple questions received:] Could you change the time at which you post the sets of three questions? I live in [Los Angeles / New York / London / Paris / Moscow / Singapore / Melbourne]. That means the questions are posted when I'm usually [stuck in rush hour traffic / at the office / in class / at an art show / at the pub / eating dinner / in the loo / walking the dog / spending quality time with family / asleep].

No, sorry. I understand the timing may be awkward or disruptive for you. But anyone wishing to participate in the game needs to work around my hours, not vice versa. When it comes to the times at which the questions are posted, my priority will be consistency. I'm fond of patterns.


46.  It would of been preferable to vary the competitions. Their current format of video-related questions is too restricted. All the videos are in English, my third language, which affects (a lot) my ability to compete. It's not a level playing field because English native speakers have the advantage. They're more likely to be first to answer the questions correctly. Could you diversify the game a bit more?

No, sorry. Your predicament is unfortunate. I do empathise.

While it may not reduce the grievance you feel, I will say that your written English is commendable. In one paragraph, you sidestepped about half a dozen common spelling and grammar mistakes. The only errors I spotted were the references to "would of" (instead of "would have") and "English native speakers" (instead of "native English speakers" or "native speakers of English").

Moreover, please note that many other people will also be at some disadvantage when playing the game. They include, for example, anyone who:

(i) has hand osteoarthritis or is simply a slow writer;
(ii) has attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder;
(iii) can hear but nevertheless has trouble listening;
(iv) has difficulty with information retention;
(v) lacks "the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills";
(vi) is an infrequent visitor to this forum;
(vii) happens to have a busy schedule with little spare time for watching videos; or
(viii) is based in Asia Pacific, where the time-zone differences with GMT may be very inconvenient.


47.  Ha ha! I see the winner will be announced on April 1st — April Fool's Day. All of this is a wind-up, isn't it? I bet there's no prize and the lottery "winner" will actually end up being the big loser. Am I right?

Good for you for spotting that date. The caveat I'd make here is to be wary of looking for significance in places where none may exist. Being highly observant and very suspicious probably serves you well in life. But this can just as easily be a hindrance, the source of paranoia and a conspiracy-theory mindset.


48.  Can you tell us what the prize is? It would allow members to make an informed decision about whether it's worth their while to play. This would be consistent with what seems to be a recurring objective in many of your posts: Encouraging people to inform themselves, think critically, hold considered opinions, and make rational decisions.

Deftly crafted. And in response — No, sorry. Disclosing the prize would undermine one of the aims of the game. As your parents and teachers will have drummed into your head years ago, "It's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts."

So I'm afraid you'll have to go in blind. If you really do need to make a cost / benefit analysis, it would be safest to work on the assumption that the benefit of playing to you, at least in financial terms, might be zero.

I do understand why some are drawn to the idea of a prize. That's why it exists to begin with — it serves as a carrot to encourage a broader participation in the game. But the prize is also a red herring. To focus on it is to miss the point.

......wow