From Pookie1_uk at pookie1_uk.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  1 09:38:07 2006
From: Pookie1_uk at pookie1_uk.yahoo.invalid (S Culfeather)
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 10:38:07 +0100 (BST)
Subject: [the_old_crowd] JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <e0l7fe+ikg5@...>
Message-ID: <20060401093807.89425.qmail@...>

Click on the door handle in the mirror!!


--- quigonginger <quigonginger at ...> wrote:


---------------------------------
OK, I'm no Arthur Weasley when it comes to
manipulating Muggle 
mechanical objects, but I can't get the stupid door
handle to turn.  
I've gotten in several times before, but can't
remember how one is 
supposed to manipulate the stupid thing.  Click on it?
 Double click?  
Drag?  None of that worked.  Could someone remind me? 
Thanks.

Ginger.  Yes, I drive a car.  Why do you ask?



      

      SPONSORED LINKS  
                                                Albus
dumbledore                                    Jk
rowling                                    Goblet of
fire                                                  
  
    
---------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

  
    Visit your group "the_old_crowd" on the web.
   
    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
 the_old_crowd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
   
    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
Terms of Service.

  
---------------------------------






From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 00:41:19 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 00:41:19 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
Message-ID: <e0n6jf+v5ho@...>

I'm reflecting on the questions and trying to decide if there is any 
real opportunity to milk something *meaningful* from this.

Hopefully, the scoring will 1) be obvious or 2) come with some 
explanation.

A lot of it seemed straightforward--hardly off the strict trivia 
track (and if so, not likely to yield new insights).

I'm likely to get some wrong, though.  For instance, I think that 
how newlyweds entertain each other is strictly their own business. ;)


If the score at least tells which you got right, and which wrong, 
maybe we can confirm *what Rowling thinks.*

For whatever that is worth.

Talisman

PS There certainly has been a rise in the Wizard of the Month life 
span.  This continues to validate the idea that Rowling got a hint 
from the recent family tree discussions.

Grogan Stump seems to have sat as MoM for an incredible term of 
office.

PPS
In the course of events, I noticed that the Lexicon does not 
currently acknowledge the Pest Sub-Division of the Department for 
the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. See e.g. FB 7.








From vderark at hp_lexicon.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 01:38:52 2006
From: vderark at hp_lexicon.yahoo.invalid (hp_lexicon)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 01:38:52 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <e0n6jf+v5ho@...>
Message-ID: <e0n9vc+a308@...>


> 
> PS There certainly has been a rise in the Wizard of the Month life 
> span.  This continues to validate the idea that Rowling got a hint 
> from the recent family tree discussions.

Except that all the Wizards of the Month first appeared as Famous 
Wizard cards several years ago, including the dates of their birth 
and death. 


> 
> PPS
> In the course of events, I noticed that the Lexicon does not 
> currently acknowledge the Pest Sub-Division of the Department for 
> the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. See e.g. FB 7.
>

Sure we do. 
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/ministry/ministry-creatures.html

Steve
The Lexicon







From dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 02:50:09 2006
From: dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid (rebecca)
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 21:50:09 -0500
Subject: [the_old_crowd] W.O.M.B.A.T.S
References: <e0n6jf+v5ho@...>
Message-ID: <03ae01c65600$282e27a0$6401a8c0@...>

> Talisman said:

>I'm reflecting on the questions and trying to decide if there is any
>real opportunity to milk something *meaningful* from this.

>Hopefully, the scoring will 1) be obvious or 2) come with some
>explanation.

<snipped>

>If the score at least tells which you got right, and which wrong,
>maybe we can confirm *what Rowling thinks.*

rebecca:

I was particularly interested in the "what would you do, when, and who would 
you call" questions.  Leads me to wonder just how much Harry is going "bend 
the rules" of the Ministry in the final book, all in the interest of doing 
what is right for the greater good of all.

Maybe she's trying to find out what "we", her readers, know about the 
universe she's created - having a interactive dialog (of sorts)  like this 
saves on some writing time - what she covers on the WOMBATS with readers 
before the final book means she only needs to loosely refer to relative 
knowledge from this test in Book 7,  if she has a need to.

The other view I'm partial to is that information is being collected in a 
database and other to provide answers, what do you do with collected data 
like that?  You analyze and data mine it. What a better way to gauge the 
WW/HP knowledge the fan base has? Hell, I wish I had access to that and the 
answers, I'm sure it would be fascinating to see what people do and don't 
know, and how popular one answer is over another.

I'd also love to know how many people *took that test.*  Architecting a web 
service like that for perhaps 10's of thousands (or easily more) of fans 
that *didn't* fail while so many people were probably hitting it 
simultaneously this weekend deserves a bow, believe me. Frankly, that kind 
of infrastructure, development and support costs some major money, so I'd 
submit it wasn't entered into lightly.

rebecca, who is naturally pondering the possibilities just like 4 gazillion 
other people 





From kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 03:18:21 2006
From: kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid (Kathy King)
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 22:18:21 -0500
Subject: [the_old_crowd] W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <03ae01c65600$282e27a0$6401a8c0@...>
References: <e0n6jf+v5ho@...>
	 <03ae01c65600$282e27a0$6401a8c0@...>
Message-ID: <a1ee8d580604011918v33a4d77fgc9499ba88ca4f0f6@...>

rebecca:

I was particularly interested in the "what would you do, when, and who would
you call" questions.  Leads me to wonder just how much Harry is going "bend
the rules" of the Ministry in the final book, all in the interest of doing
what is right for the greater good of all.



Snow:



I was curious as well on this subject point but more so on how you would
grade a question that began with " in your opinion". This was the most
puzzling aspect of the test for me. If a question can't actually be graded
because everyone is entitled to their own opinion, then why ask the
question?



Rebecca:



Maybe she's trying to find out what "we", her readers, know about the
universe she's created - having a interactive dialog (of sorts)  like this
saves on some writing time - what she covers on the WOMBATS with readers
before the final book means she only needs to loosely refer to relative
knowledge from this test in Book 7,  if she has a need to.



Snow:



Seems like a perfectly logical conclusion to me.



This test reminds me of the one I had taken in the shopping mall when you
are asked all types of questions about what brand of cigarette you smoke
when the survey was actually for beer (they did slide one single question
about alcohol into the survey but the main drift was about your cigarette
brand). Made little sense to me at the time but I suppose they aimed their
advertising at the smokers if the majority of the surveyed also said that
they drank.



If this test is similar to the mall questionnaire then there was only one
question out of all that was important to the data collected.


This has to be one of those questions in the end that Jo is asked about?
What did you intend on learning, if anything, from your WOMBAT test?


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 03:29:34 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 03:29:34 -0000
Subject: Speaking of Old Pests...
In-Reply-To: <e0n9vc+a308@...>
Message-ID: <e0ngeu+7e05@...>


...Talisman continues:

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "hp_lexicon" <vderark at ...>
wrote:
> Except that all the Wizards of the Month first appeared as Famous
> Wizard cards several years ago, including the dates of their birth
> and death.

I'm disadvantaged by never having collected / taken an interest in
those cards (as dubious canon).  Well, then we'll just have to count
it as an oddity that predominantly short-lived wizards were selected
until recently.  

Then again, perhaps something prompted someone to
shuffle the deck. ;)

> > PPS
> > In the course of events, I noticed that the Lexicon does not
> > currently acknowledge the Pest Sub-Division of the Department
>>for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. See e.g. FB 7.
> >
>Steve:
> Sure we do.
> http://www.hp-lexicon.org/ministry/ministry-creatures.html


Ah, I see the *Pest Advisory Board (OP7)* mentioned when you follow
the link beyond http://www.hp-lexicon.org/ministry/ministry-
depts.html, which lists the subdivisions of less specialized
departments.  (*Board* aka *Bureau* in my US copy of OoP?).

I can understand why the Lexicon may have interpreted the *Pest Sub-
Division* as merely an earlier iteration of *Advisory Board*--there
having been some apparent modifications in other HP terminology over
time.

Yet the unadorned mention of an *Advisory Board* in OoP seems a tad
incomplete. There is reason to think that the *advisory* office is
distinguishable from, or at least further complimented by, a hands-
on component.

The entity referenced in FB as the *Sub-Division* clearly does more
than *advise.*  Indeed, they'll come out and do battle with
certain...ahem...creatures that have become particularly difficult
through engorgment on magical substances(7), or perhaps so
entrenched as to threaten to bring down the house (6), etc.

Talisman












From dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 03:32:02 2006
From: dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid (rebecca)
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 22:32:02 -0500
Subject: [the_old_crowd] W.O.M.B.A.T.S
References: <e0n6jf+v5ho@...> <03ae01c65600$282e27a0$6401a8c0@...> <a1ee8d580604011918v33a4d77fgc9499ba88ca4f0f6@...>
Message-ID: <04b401c65606$02045a30$6401a8c0@...>

>Snow:

>I was curious as well on this subject point but more so on how you would
>grade a question that began with " in your opinion". This was the most
>puzzling aspect of the test for me. If a question can't actually be graded
>because everyone is entitled to their own opinion, then why ask the
>question?

<snip>

>This test reminds me of the one I had taken in the shopping mall when you
>are asked all types of questions about what brand of cigarette you smoke
>when the survey was actually for beer (they did slide one single question
>about alcohol into the survey but the main drift was about your cigarette
>brand). Made little sense to me at the time but I suppose they aimed their
>advertising at the smokers if the majority of the surveyed also said that
>they drank.

rebecca:

Therein lies the rub, and you hit the nails on the head IMO, my dear. :)

Usually in a test with questions like that, numerical values are assigned 
for each optional answer for a given question - if there are 4 answers in a 
multiple choice, one of them is the one test administrator is seeking and 
will be awarded the most points,  and the others will be ranked with lower 
values. The least likely answer (or in effect, the wrong one) will get 
either very little points attributed to it or none at all. Marketing 
surveys, as you point out for the one you've been approached with in the 
mall, are all collectively analyzed this way - it's mathematically how you 
measure behaviors and market trends or interest on subjective answers. 
Hence why I'd give my right arm to have have access to that database.

rebecca, who has been amusing herself reading all the outcries of dismay 
about the new "LeakyMug.com" :)






From kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 03:39:44 2006
From: kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid (Kathy King)
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 22:39:44 -0500
Subject: [the_old_crowd] W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <04b401c65606$02045a30$6401a8c0@...>
References: <e0n6jf+v5ho@...>
	 <03ae01c65600$282e27a0$6401a8c0@...>
	 <a1ee8d580604011918v33a4d77fgc9499ba88ca4f0f6@...>
	 <04b401c65606$02045a30$6401a8c0@...>
Message-ID: <a1ee8d580604011939n268f1d73l23fffbb352f01587@...>

>
>
> rebecca, who has been amusing herself reading all the outcries of dismay
> about the new "LeakyMug.com" :)
>
> Snow:



I'm just waiting on this one...April Fools!


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 04:01:08 2006
From: annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid (annemehr)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 04:01:08 -0000
Subject: Speaking of Old Pests...
In-Reply-To: <e0ngeu+7e05@...>
Message-ID: <e0nia4+j3fa@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457 at ...>
wrote:

> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "hp_lexicon" <vderark@>
> wrote:
> > Except that all the Wizards of the Month first appeared as Famous
> > Wizard cards several years ago, including the dates of their birth
> > and death.

Talisman:
> I'm disadvantaged by never having collected / taken an interest in
> those cards (as dubious canon).  Well, then we'll just have to count
> it as an oddity that predominantly short-lived wizards were selected
> until recently.  
> 
> Then again, perhaps something prompted someone to
> shuffle the deck. ;)

Anne:
This question was actually asked about in the Lexicon/Mugglenet joint
open letter to JKR, which she answered in her FAQs.  However, her
answer seems a bit imprecise:

"Yes, I wrote the information on the original Famous Wizard cards. As
you have noticed, a few of them have now popped up on the `Wizard of
the Month' cards on my website desk. "

What does she mean by "original?"

Anne
Noting this month's Wizard made it to 114






From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 04:13:03 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 04:13:03 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <04b401c65606$02045a30$6401a8c0@...>
Message-ID: <e0nj0f+iq4g@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "rebecca" <dontask2much at ...> 
wrote:
> Marketing surveys, as you point out for the one you've been 
>approached with in the mall, are all collectively analyzed this 
way - >it's mathematically how you measure behaviors and market 
trends or >interest on subjective answers. 

While I wouldn't mind Rowling correcting errors or oversights caught 
via feedback, I would be disgusted to find she had modified the 
behavior of her characters--and so the argument of her series--to 
pander to market tastes.  

In an early interview she vowed not to do such a thing, and I'm 
holding her to it.

But this thread reflects some of my thought process in answering. 
 
For instance, in the Law section:

I'm not a big fan of the police state and it is not my first 
instinct to run to the gendarmes or government officials to solve 
problems with other people--especially family and neighbors.  

Is she looking for that sort of reasoning? Or just for someone who 
can use deductive reasoning + canon knowledge to come to the *legal* 
answer?

I wonder about her expectations regarding test-takers, her goals, 
etc.

Because, if you answer by what you would actually do, you risk 
seeming ignorant of the stated WW standards.  Especially if you are 
me.

As to the importance of the information gathered:

It may be comparatively expensive to handle the intractives, but I 
have no idea what sort of deal she may have in that regard. 

I do know she has cash, and if it's a matter of publicity / fan 
managment may be subsidized by the other interested parties. 

It could just be a way to keep the howling fans busy and at bay 
without risking any eleventh-hour revelations.

If it is also a market survey, let's hope she's fielding it for the 
publisher's future considerations, and that there's no relevance to 
Book 7.

In that case, no doubt the cost is being covered as publishers' 
business expenses, and answers aren't as likely to be relevant to 
our HP investigations.

Talisman, who, in the event the *right* answers are *nonconforming* 
and clearly products of *subjective* factors, is much more 
interested in Rowling's own answers than anyone's test score.


 






From carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 09:29:37 2006
From: carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid (carolynwhite2)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 09:29:37 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <e0nj0f+iq4g@...>
Message-ID: <e0o5i1+n3ke@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457 at ...> 
wrote:
> 
> But this thread reflects some of my thought process in answering. 
>  
> For instance, in the Law section:
> 
> I'm not a big fan of the police state and it is not my first 
> instinct to run to the gendarmes or government officials to solve 
> problems with other people--especially family and neighbors.  
> 
> Is she looking for that sort of reasoning? Or just for someone who 
> can use deductive reasoning + canon knowledge to come to the 
*legal*  answer?
> 
> I wonder about her expectations regarding test-takers, her goals, 
> etc.
> 
> Because, if you answer by what you would actually do, you risk 
> seeming ignorant of the stated WW standards.  Especially if you are 
> me.
> 

Carolyn:
I was fascinated by this aspect as well. I decided in the end that 
her main objective was to fuel debate about the WW's constitution, 
legal system, morality etc, as there was not a canon-based right or 
wrong answer to quite a few of the questions. 

For instance, on enforcing WW law - as Harry's trial showed, Fudge 
was well out of order in calling the full Wizengamot to try even a 
genuine legal infringement of under-age magic, and a lot of people 
knew that even though they went along with it. So, do you answer 
similar sorts of questions assuming you are operating at a time of 
full-MoM panic, and rule by arbitrary dictat, or do you try and 
answer the question according to the normally more relaxed peacetime 
attitude of the average wizard-in-the-street?

Also, maybe because I'm currently immersed in a political history of 
Europe, in thinking about where you draw the line in calling in the 
cops eg to resolve domestic disputes, her questions made me think of 
the many and terrible intrusions into people's private lives that 
have happened in so many extreme left- and right-wing states. 

On the one hand, she has the amusing conundrum of whether it is right 
to turn your newly-married muggle husband into a coffee-table (and, 
um, it *is* a satisfying kind of idea!), but then asks not just 
whether a neighbour should inform on this, but which WW law had been 
transgressed..

I was vaguely cheered that she seemed to want to start such 
discussions, though my hopes will no doubt be dashed when she 
provides some kind of simplistic Janet & John set of answers.

Carolyn

PS Does anyone know how/when you get your score?






From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 11:15:22 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:15:22 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <e0o5i1+n3ke@...>
Message-ID: <e0oboa+hccq@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "carolynwhite2"
<carolynwhite2 at ...> wrote:
> Carolyn:
> I was fascinated by this aspect as well. I decided in the end that
> her main objective was to fuel debate about the WW's constitution,
> legal system, morality etc, as there was not a canon-based right 
>or
wrong answer to quite a few of the questions.
>snip<
> I was vaguely cheered that she seemed to want to start such
> discussions, though my hopes will no doubt be dashed when she
> provides some kind of simplistic Janet & John set of answers.


I think we are on the same page.  What you call a Janet & John, I'm
calling a *legal* answer. 

I do think there is more canon guidance, than not, for most answers.

For instance, there is a conversation in GoF that would indicate who
might be interested in confiscating contraband flying carpets.

That is, if you assume that you don't live in a remote location, the
Muggles are having kittens, all efforts to reason with your
neighbor (regarding the ones out romping in the yard) have failed, 
and you are fresh out of creative magical ideas.

Hopefully, even in that case, the indicated Department would continue
it's reputation for leniency.

Nonetheless, I dislike the suggestion that we should be rats.

Plus, the neighbor sounds like a lot of fun.  Rather have a block 
party than fuss about the rugs.

Elsewhere you may have noticed that a question breaks down into
animal/human; intentional/accidental; illegal/legal;
harmful/beneficial.

Two answers are easily dispensed with, and then you are left with
human, intentional, illegal, but beneficial or human, accidental,
legal, but harmful.

In other words, it seems to ask whether you are concerned with
technicality or substance.

In your world are laws tools to reach desired ends? or ends in
themselves?

If the scoring indicates that you were just supposed to evaluate
whether a certain act could be prosecuted, and if so, select the
department(s) that would likely be concerned, it will be very
disappointing, indeed.


> Carolyn
> PS Does anyone know how/when you get your score?


The exam explanation says it will *take a few days* to grade and 
return results.  At the end, when you are picking up your number, I 
believe it said to check back at her desk (the one in the closet?) 
which suggests to me that the exam will only run a few days, and 
then be replaced with a roster of results.

In any event, I like the way you think Carolyn; be your neighbor
anytime.

Talisman
>









From quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 11:20:39 2006
From: quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid (quigonginger)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:20:39 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <a1ee8d580604011918v33a4d77fgc9499ba88ca4f0f6@...>
Message-ID: <e0oc27+c3ue@...>

> Rebecca:
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe she's trying to find out what "we", her readers, know about the
> universe she's created - having a interactive dialog (of sorts)  
like this
> saves on some writing time - what she covers on the WOMBATS with 
readers
> before the final book means she only needs to loosely refer to 
relative
> knowledge from this test in Book 7,  if she has a need to.

Ginger:

If I understand you correctly, I think you are saying that JKR is 
trying to see how much we know about her world so that she will know 
how much detail she needs to get into when writing book 7.

IOW, if we already know the stuff, she can build on that, but if we 
don't, she'll have to do a bit of background info as she writes.

Is that what you meant?

I find only one flaw with that line of thinking- the only ones who are 
taking the test are complete Potter Nuts.  The average reader probably 
is aware that she has a website, and may know that there is a door, 
but how many have this splendid group of people who can magically come 
up with the sort of info needed to get in to sit the test in the first 
place?  

My cousin got me into HP.  I'm sure if I asked her if she had sat her 
WOMBATS, she'd think I had lost it.  So would her kids, who are Potter 
fans, but are very busy with school and activities.  (Heck, my cousin 
didn't even notice the wand order problem in GoF.)

Try it out for yourself:  Walk up to the first 100 people you see 
today and ask "Have you sat your WOMBATS?"  We have enough lawyers on 
the list that you could probably find one to represent you that 
wouldn't think you were nuts.  

No, I don't think JKR is doing this to find out how much the average 
Muggle on the street knows about the WW, I think she is just letting 
us have some fun, and is probably enjoying it herself that so many 
people have gotten into her world on such a deep level. 

On the other hand, maybe the highest score will get to be her guest at 
the release party for book 7.  Or get an autographed copy of it.  Or 
get a mention on her site.  Or get to meet her.  Or...well, I can 
dream.

Any side bets as to which of us would be the highest in this group?  
My money's on Lexicon Steve.

Ginger, who doesn't think she did that well on hers.






From dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 14:17:11 2006
From: dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid (rebecca)
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2006 10:17:11 -0400
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
References: <e0oc27+c3ue@...>
Message-ID: <06c601c65660$22a16710$6401a8c0@...>

<Combined answers to Ginger, Carolyn, and Talisman>

>Ginger:
> If I understand you correctly, I think you are saying that JKR is
>trying to see how much we know about her world so that she will know
how much detail she needs to get into when writing book 7.

><snip>

>I find only one flaw with that line of thinking- the only ones who are
>taking the test are complete Potter Nuts.  The average reader probably
>is aware that she has a website, and may know that there is a door,
>but how many have this splendid group of people who can magically come
>up with the sort of info needed to get in to sit the test in the first
>place.

Rebecca:

As to the first question about what I meant, yes, somewhat the writing 
detail but moreso the preparation for the choices her characters make in 
Book 7 and the direction it takes.  Understand that I am not saying that 
she's modify what she'll write as outcome in any sense, but allow us enough 
time to discuss beforehand the types of decisions that will need to be made 
for the series conclusion or include points we're not so familiar with in 
her detail.  Especially if the conclusion is.... well, argumentable :)

As to the second point, maybe a flaw, maybe not.  If Rowling gets 10% of 
estimated fans to take the test, that's enough accepted criteria by most 
reputable instititions and firms for a statistical analysis - and I know if 
I were a marketing firm (see below my response to Talisman) I'd take the 
opportunity to know what my fans were thinking. Even if less involve 
Potterheads don't take the test, more will be aware if it's existence and 
discuss it.  Honestly, if true, I think it's a brilliant approach and 
something extremely unique to do.

>>Carolyn:
>>Also, maybe because I'm currently immersed in a political history of
>>Europe, in thinking about where you draw the line in calling in the
>>cops eg to resolve domestic disputes, her questions made me think of
>>the many and terrible intrusions into people's private lives that
>>have happened in so many extreme left- and right-wing states.

Rebecca:

IMO, I feel you are so totally on the right track with this.  I also think 
there's a tangent that I relate in my head toward major philosophies about 
societies and politics/government here as well:  Locke, Descartes, among 
others.

>Talisman:

>In that case, no doubt the cost is being covered as publishers'business 
>expenses, and answers aren't as likely to >be relevant to our HP 
>investigations.

Rebecca:

Deal or no deal, I am informed enough by having planned, performed, sold, 
and maintained the implementation of similiar infrastructure and development 
work to state that this is a substantial investment in time, resources and 
money.  Many Internet users (perhaps not you)  think throwing up a web page 
is a no brainer, because many can do that from home.  This isn't the same 
thing at all.  Lightmaker is one of the premier Internet PR and marketing 
firms, developing such sites as Disney, all of Warner Brothers, EA (for the 
gaming crowd) among other recognizable names.  The words "not cheap" do 
apply here.

While of course you're welcome to think that this won't be relative, I am of 
the other ilk.  The effort and costs associated with this test are 
substantial regardless who pays for it, and call me capitalistic, but if 
you're not going to get a return on your investment in some manner, why 
would you go to the expense and trouble in the first place?  That "return" I 
mentioned may be as interesting as Rowling's answers, IMO.

rebecca 





From catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 18:01:29 2006
From: catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid (Catlady (Rita Prince Winston))
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 18:01:29 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <06c601c65660$22a16710$6401a8c0@...>
Message-ID: <e0p3hp+hqqv@...>

--- In http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4069
"rebecca" <dontask2much at ...> wrote:

<< Deal or no deal, I am informed enough by having planned, performed,
sold, and maintained the implementation of similiar infrastructure and
development work to state that this is a substantial investment in
time, resources and money.  Many Internet users (perhaps not you) 
think throwing up a web page is a no brainer, because many can do that
from home.  This isn't the same thing at all.  Lightmaker is one of
the premier Internet PR and marketing firms, developing such sites as
Disney, all of Warner Brothers, EA (for the gaming crowd) among other
recognizable names.  The words "not cheap" do apply here.

While of course you're welcome to think that this won't be relative, I
am of the other ilk.  The effort and costs associated with this test
are substantial regardless who pays for it, and call me capitalistic,
but if you're not going to get a return on your investment in some
manner, why would you go to the expense and trouble in the first
place?  That "return" I mentioned may be as interesting as Rowling's
answers, IMO. >>

Catlady is very naive and thinks that Rowling decided to pay to have a
high-class website for her fans just for fun and love (fun is a return
on investment, love is a fun place to be). I mean, she has tons of
money (supposed to be the third-richest woman in Britain), so she can
afford 'not cheap'. By all accounts, usually she doesn't live a
particularly lavish lifestyle, but she can give herself an occasional
treat -- it was reported that she rented a castle for her 40th
birthday party. If she *bought* a castle, no one would wonder how she
got the money to pay for it. 

I think Rowling's writing makes it obvious that she has a sense of
fun. I believe that, in addition to writing a moral lesson, she
*enjoys* playing in this corrupt but whimsical world she has invented
(the wizarding world). I think she was as thrilled to discover
obsessive fans who also love playing in her invented world as we
obsessive fans were to find each other -- sometimes it's fun to play
with others, not just solitaire. I think she let Emerson and Melissa
interview her for (her) fun, not as a marketing strategy. I think she
loves sharing discarded scraps from her notebooks with people who care
as much about them as she does. I'm trying to think of a way to say "I
think she likes her fans" without sounding as if I mean, likes each
and every one as a person.






From catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 18:26:06 2006
From: catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid (Catlady (Rita Prince Winston))
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 18:26:06 -0000
Subject: WOMBATS, law section
Message-ID: <e0p4vu+ufra@...>

Talisman wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4064 :

<< For instance, in the Law section:
I'm not a big fan of the police state and it is not my first
instinct to run to the gendarmes or government officials to solve
problems with other people--especially family and neighbors.
Is she looking for that sort of reasoning? Or just for someone who
can use deductive reasoning + canon knowledge to come to the *legal*
answer?
I wonder about her expectations regarding test-takers, her goals,
etc.
Because, if you answer by what you would actually do, you risk
seeming ignorant of the stated WW standards.  Especially if you are
me. >>

As it was presented to look like a school test, I assumed that it
desired the legal answers rather than the true answers (somehow that
reminds me of the written part of the driver's license test) and
therefore was a test of trivia acquired via obsession with the ouevre.
And I feel that I failed to know enough trivia.

Talisman wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4055 :

<< I'm likely to get some wrong, though.  For instance, I think 
that how newlyweds entertain each other is strictly their own
business. ;) >>

Until I took the test, I had no idea what you were talking about. When
I took it, I assumed the wife using her husband as an occasional table
was non-consensual, rather than 'entertain each other'. More like
Carolyn, next.

Carolyn wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4065 :

<< On the one hand, she has the amusing conundrum of whether it is
right to turn your newly-married muggle husband into a coffee-table
(and, um, it *is* a satisfying kind of idea!), but then asks not just
whether a neighbour should inform on this, but which WW law had been
transgressed.. >>

Not whether it is 'right', but whether it is legal. It seems agreed
that using Love Potion on a Muggle man is not 'right', but is legal.
To my mind, as it is her husband, using him as a coffee-table does not
fall under whatever the laws against Muggle-baiting might be. But I
was concerned whether it risks Wizarding Secrecy (not one of the
available options). For a man to marry and quickly vanish might lead
to Muggle investigations. If he is only a part-time coffee table,
other times going to his job and so on, is there a danger he'll tell
Muggles there about being a part-time coffee table?

The one that troubled me was about the neighbors who quarreled over
the ownership of the Mooncalf dancing field. Surely that is a civil
suit in which deeds and surveyors's reports would be read. Is A
accusing B of Summoning the dung or the Mooncalfs? If the dung, if B
owns the field, B has a right to collect the dung whether by Accio or
by shovel. If A owns the field, B doesn't. Mooncalfs are not Pests and
magic is not being Misused. To whom does one take wizarding civil
lawsuits?







From kumayama at kumayama.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  2 22:58:58 2006
From: kumayama at kumayama.yahoo.invalid (Lyn J. Mangiameli)
Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2006 22:58:58 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S---fun, diversion, or fun diversion?
In-Reply-To: <06c601c65660$22a16710$6401a8c0@...>
Message-ID: <e0pkvi+c60v@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "rebecca" <dontask2much at ...> wrote:
>  The effort and costs associated with this test are 
> substantial regardless who pays for it, and call me capitalistic, but if 
> you're not going to get a return on your investment in some manner, why 
> would you go to the expense and trouble in the first place?  That "return" I 
> mentioned may be as interesting as Rowling's answers, IMO.
> 

Lyn now:
I guess I always are rather skeptical about anything Rowling transmits to the fans outside 
of the books. For me, more significant than any fiscal cost (as we  know she can afford it), 
is the time and effort cost of creating the text. She's in the middle of writing the second 
most important text of her life (arguably SS/PS was the most important) and she takes the 
time out to do this. Perhaps it has only been a recreational diversion from the more 
serious writing; perhaps it is nothing more than a desire to maintain fan interest in the lull 
between movies and books (but then why offer it to only the most hard core). 

My guess is that it is a tactical diversion, aimed at the very people who are most serious 
about exploring what will happen next. My suspicion is that this has been in the bank for 
some time, to be pulled out when the faithful need to have their attention drawn away 
from something which threatens the next book. Somewhere out there in fandom, 
somebody has written something that is too close to the revelations that will come in the 
last book, and she needs to divert fandom's attention to something more innocuous. If 
successful (and a look around shows it has) it would make it well worth the cost.   






From aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 05:12:45 2006
From: aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid (Aberforths Goat / Mike Gray)
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 07:12:45 +0200
Subject: Last warnings before I do Something Really Stupid?
In-Reply-To: <e0p4vu+ufra@...>
Message-ID: <000101c656dd$3e0fc5a0$0200a8c0@hwin>

Hi guys!

I'm not sure whether anyone even still remembers who I am - heck, I'm not
sure whether *I* still remember who I am - but I thought some of the geekier
types around here might be interested in this project. I just submitted it,
and it looks like I'll be working on it over the next couple years. (It'd be
nice to get done just after HP7 beaches.)

It's closely related to what I did at Accio last summer, btw. In fact,
having worked up a paper for Accio may make the difference between getting a
grant and being stuck in youth work for a lot longer.

* * * * *

3.2. Dissertation Project by Mike Gray: "Continuities and Ambiguities:
Negotiating Religious Narrative Identity in Contemporary Society through
Fantasy Fiction (Harry Potter, Dark Materials and Left Behind)"

Fantasy fiction is a kind of story that takes place along the border between
the natural and the supernatural, the possible and the impossible, the
actual and the final. As such, fantasy fiction is - at least implicitly - a
religious phenomenon which deserves and stimulates theological reflection.

This dissertation will examine three such works: the Harry Potter books, by
JK Rowling, the Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman and the Left Behind
series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins. There are several reasons why this
constellation seems particularly promising. All three novels are
contemporary and highly visible bestsellers that adapt genre characteristics
- at least as associated with 1950s works by CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien - to
their own ends. Moreover, their interactions with the Christian tradition
have placed each at the focal point of public debates of a specifically
religious character - the Left Behind books through their consciously
Christian-fundamentalist orientation, the Dark Materials books through their
radically critical stance toward western religion, the Harry Potter books
precisely because their readers commonly disagree about their religious
significance.

However, fantasy fiction creates a counterfactual world as the setting for a
human story, not a theological treatise. It follows that a religious reading
requires an appropriate methodology. Paul Ricoeur's concept of "narrative
identity" could be helpful here and could suggest a series of relevant
theological queries: What kind of religious identity does this narrative
create? What is the relationship between this particularly identity and its
cultural context? What competing religious alternatives draw (or are drawn
as) the backdrop to this particular sort of identity, and how does it show
its own plausibility, or even superiority to them?
 
This leads to a further set of questions about the works' readers. Umberto
Eco holds that every text creates a "model reader," who internalizes a set
of rules conducive to a coherent reading, or the sort of reading the text
wants for itself. Again, a theological approach leads to questions about the
religious characteristics of the model reader and his relationship to the
text's statements and evasions, coherences and ambivalences.

This in turn leads to questions about the dynamics of an empirical readers'
attempt to internalize the demands of all three series, becoming the model
reader of three radically different works. Does this task simply demand a
suspension of coherence or could it lead to constructive encounters? A
theological interpretation based on the idea of narrative identity should go
beyond an exercise in reducing texts to their religious contradictions;
ideally it should show something about the grounds of language, culture and
religious experience in which the works' coherences and ambivalences,
rapprochements and refusals are rooted and interwoven. Could this in fact
lead to some basic perceptions about the risks and promises inherent in
every attempt at an authentic re-imagining of the connection (religio)
between God and human being in today's world?

* * * * *

Baaaa!

Mike the once, and, well, former, Goat.




From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 06:24:46 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2006 06:24:46 -0000
Subject: WOMBATS, law section
In-Reply-To: <e0p4vu+ufra@...>
Message-ID: <e0qf3e+pl6c@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Catlady (Rita Prince 
Winston)" <catlady at ...> wrote:
> Talisman wrote in
> << I'm likely to get some wrong, though.  For instance, I think 
> that how newlyweds entertain each other is strictly their own
> business. ;) >>
> 
>Catlady:  Until I took the test, I had no idea what you were 
>talking about. When I took it, I assumed the wife using her husband 
>as an occasional table was non-consensual, rather than 'entertain 
>each other'. 

Alas Catlady, this is yet another example of my dreadful sense of 
humor. Humor in form, that is, in substance I could not bring myself 
to turn the dear witch in. ::evil cackle:: 


Catlady:
> The one that troubled me was about the neighbors who quarreled over
> the ownership of the Mooncalf dancing field. >Snip<  To whom does 
>one take wizarding civil lawsuits?

I don't know how everyone else feels about sharing specific (serious)
reasoning about answers, before the exam time is over. I've been 
suggestive, and feel a little ambivalent about even that. I'm sure 
you made a wise choice, though.

Talisman
 







From severelysigune at severelysigune.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 11:33:19 2006
From: severelysigune at severelysigune.yahoo.invalid (severelysigune)
Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2006 11:33:19 -0000
Subject: JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <20060401093807.89425.qmail@...>
Message-ID: <e0r15v+uroi@...>

I'm still missing all the fun... :( 
I tried all the door handles, in and outside of the mirror, but the 
bloody door just won't open. Any tips?

Your severely,
Sigune


--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, S Culfeather <Pookie1_uk at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Click on the door handle in the mirror!!
> 
> 
> --- quigonginger <quigonginger at ...> wrote:
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------
> OK, I'm no Arthur Weasley when it comes to
> manipulating Muggle 
> mechanical objects, but I can't get the stupid door
> handle to turn.  
> I've gotten in several times before, but can't
> remember how one is 
> supposed to manipulate the stupid thing.  Click on it?
>  Double click?  
> Drag?  None of that worked.  Could someone remind me? 
> Thanks.
> 
> Ginger.  Yes, I drive a car.  Why do you ask?
>






From annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 11:45:09 2006
From: annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid (annemehr)
Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2006 11:45:09 -0000
Subject: JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <e0r15v+uroi@...>
Message-ID: <e0r1s5+qiab@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "severelysigune"
<severelysigune at ...> wrote:
>
> I'm still missing all the fun... :( 
> I tried all the door handles, in and outside of the mirror, but the 
> bloody door just won't open. Any tips?
> 
> Your severely,
> Sigune

I'll give you the whole process in steps, in case you want to try some
of this on your own (though at this point I could well imagine you
just want to get behind the dang door!).


First you have to pick up the rock from behind the plant pot (it's
just barely visible).  Then you drag it to the mirror and release it.
The mirror breaks.



Click on the note behind the mirror to read it.  Put the key into the
lock.  I don't think the mousetrap has any function, though it snaps.



Next, type "reparo" on your keyboard (you may have to have your cursor
over the broken mirror at this point).  *Then* you click on the door
in the mirror, and the other door will open.



On top of the desk is a graduation hat.  Move the gold cord to point
exactly due North -- the WOMBATS will come up -- and there you go.



Anne
who took the test not only with no consultations, but closed-book, and
surely did dreadfully









From Pookie1_uk at pookie1_uk.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 11:54:38 2006
From: Pookie1_uk at pookie1_uk.yahoo.invalid (S Culfeather)
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 12:54:38 +0100 (BST)
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <e0r1s5+qiab@...>
Message-ID: <20060403115438.67827.qmail@...>




Anne:
*who took the test not only with no consultations, but
closed-book, and
surely did dreadfully*


So glad it wasn't just me then!! I just worked through
and started to get annoyed with the questions so I'm
probably never going to be a real witch!! :(

Serena






  
    
---------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

  
    Visit your group "the_old_crowd" on the web.
   
    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
 the_old_crowd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
   
    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
Terms of Service.

  
---------------------------------






From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 13:31:21 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:31:21 -0000
Subject: JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <20060403115438.67827.qmail@...>
Message-ID: <e0r839+ebho@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, S Culfeather <Pookie1_uk at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> 
> Anne:
> *who took the test not only with no consultations, but
> closed-book, and
> surely did dreadfully*
> 
> 
> So glad it wasn't just me then!! I just worked through
> and started to get annoyed with the questions so I'm
> probably never going to be a real witch!! :(
> 
> Serena

You can always claim that some of the questions were ambiguous.
For example, the witch who was *using* (not turned him into, note) 
her dear hubby as a coffee table:
has he been transfigured, Imperio-ed or is this a touch of the kinky 
stuff? ("Just hold still dear, while I give you a buff with the beeswax.")
Still, it's a step up from being used as a door-mat, I suppose. 

Kneasy






From susiequsie23 at cubfanbudwoman.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 13:50:19 2006
From: susiequsie23 at cubfanbudwoman.yahoo.invalid (Susan Albrecht)
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 06:50:19 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <e0r1s5+qiab@...>
Message-ID: <20060403135019.83328.qmail@...>

> Anne
> who took the test not only with no consultations, 
> but closed-book, and surely did dreadfully


SSSusan:
Moi, aussi, Anne.  I am on vacation, borrowing my
brother's computer, and didn't feel like spending a
lot of time thinking about responses... and besides,
I'm away from all but one of my HPs.  So I breezed
through it, likely scored some Goylesque score, but
really just mostly want to see what happens with our
ID number/score in the end.

Siriusly Snapey Susan, off to the beach





From joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr  3 20:20:32 2006
From: joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid (joywitch_m_curmudgeon)
Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2006 20:20:32 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <e0oc27+c3ue@...>
Message-ID: <e0s02g+2n6q@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "quigonginger" > No, I don't 
think JKR is doing this to find out how much the average 
> Muggle on the street knows about the WW, I think she is just letting 
> us have some fun, and is probably enjoying it herself that so many 
> people have gotten into her world on such a deep level. 

I think that this is probably the explanation.  After all, her whole 
website seems to be a gift to her fans, and a very fun one it is.

> On the other hand, maybe the highest score will get to be her guest 
at 
> the release party for book 7.  Or get an autographed copy of it.  Or 
> get a mention on her site.  Or get to meet her.  

If I were JKR, I'd want to avoid the nutcase who scored the highest on 
the W.O.M.B.A.T.  Unless, of course, Ginger is right and the biggest 
W.O.M.B.A.T. of us all is Lexicon Steve, who I would think JKR must 
want to meet by now, given that she's admitted how useful the Lexicon 
has been to her.  Besides which, if any of us deserve to meet JKR in 
person, it's Steve.

JMC, who doesn't think she scored that well, either.







From catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr  4 02:41:31 2006
From: catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid (Catlady (Rita Prince Winston))
Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2006 02:41:31 -0000
Subject: JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <e0r15v+uroi@...>
Message-ID: <e0smcr+lffb@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "severelysigune" wrote:
>
> I tried all the door handles, in and outside of the mirror, but the 
> bloody door just won't open. Any tips?

In case the rock is still there and you haven't gotten in yet, I had
to click on the icon to close the parchment with the verse on it. Once
the parchment was closed, clicking on the door in the mirror suddenly
worked.






From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr  4 06:55:19 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2006 06:55:19 -0000
Subject: W.O.M.B.A.T.S---fun, diversion, or fun diversion?
In-Reply-To: <e0pkvi+c60v@...>
Message-ID: <e0t58n+v5iv@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Lyn J. Mangiameli" 
<kumayama at ...> wrote:

>Lynn:
>My guess is that it is a tactical diversion, aimed at the very 
>people who are most serious about exploring what will happen next. .

I obviously agree, Lynn.

She tossed it in to keep us busy and diverted. 

Though have no fear, she will not win.  I vouchsafe many a fevered 
brain can handle this fluff without neglecting its own darkling 
suspicions.  And I expect the fuss will die off soon enough after 
the answers are available.  Maybe earlier, if she takes too long.  
The family tree tizzy didn't last long. 

>Kneasy:
>You can always claim that some of the questions were ambiguous. For 
>example, the witch who was *using* (not turned him into, note) her 
>dear hubby as a coffee table: has he been transfigured, Imperio-ed 
>or is this a touch of the kinky stuff?  

Oh, in my imagination he still looks very much like a man.   You 
know how those powerful love potions kick in; the little dears 
become so happy to be useful.  I do think a bit of wand work would 
be necessary, though, to steady the knick-knacks.

Diverting and ambiguous.

Yes, alas. So far the exam seems unlikely to contain useful clues 
for us, and, while I try not to underestimate the devious abilities 
of  market researchers, I find it hard to see how it would be 
helpful to them, either.  

For instance, none of the questions in the Natural World or Everyday 
Magic sections lend themselves to evaluating reader values or 
tolerances, etc.  They are much more trivia oriented.  

Even if there were some excruciatingly subtle value markers hidden 
in these questions, the likelihood that many people have simply 
forgotten the details of minor plants/critters would tank the whole 
clever plan.

It has been suggested that Rowling wants to avoid explaining things 
in her final text--and so wants to see if we can guess/recall how 
various magical things might work.  Puh. It would certainly be 
cheaper, and more effective, to simply toss in the explanatory 
line.  

********************************

?gI can't thank you enough, Pomona.  Arthur's a new man since I 
stewed up that Tentacula?h

********************************

Moving on, I thought the young mother's Transportation problem was 
interesting.  Reminded me of an old IQ test question.  Perhaps 
Rowling will make Book 7 an Easy Reader, if we prove to be too dim. 

Other Transportation questions remained ambiguous, in spite of good 
canon knowledge.  

Take the matter of travel to Hogwarts.  Broom was a necessary part 
of every answer, yet, for at least most of HBP, protections were in 
place to prevent broomstick infiltration.

So, is this a hypothetical question re: what could you use to 
reach/enter  Hogwarts *if special protections are not in place?*  
That certainly changes the way we might look at remaining choices, 
too.  

Or, are we supposed to take the hint and ignore the HBP broom 
deterrent as an atypical event, series wide?  

After all, Madame Maxim sailed in for the funeral. But was security 
relaxed just for that day?  Or, did the shield never go up again 
after it was lowered on tower night?  Wouldn't McG opt for maximum 
coverage now that the Dark side is ahead?  Or, is she simply unable 
to handle the requisite magic?

Someone suggested to me that just getting close--say, up to the 
outside of the winged-boar gate--should count as valid 
transportation.  Maybe. Certainly debatable.  That would add in the 
Knight Bus.  Heck, even Apparition would get the nod, in that case. 

Of course Apparition is teamed with Floo Powder on the answer list.  
So how will you interpret that?  Per usual?  Special Occasional? 
Hypothetical? 

>Lynn:
>My suspicion is that this has been in the bank for some time, to be 
>pulled out when the faithful need to have their attention drawn 
>away from something which threatens the next book

Heck, maybe that's the explanation: it was ginned up pre-broom ban.

However each individual handled the question, trivia knowledge 
wasn't decisive.  Nor moral judgment.  It was reasoning / question 
interpretation, in the main. 

Moreover, whatever readers know or surmise, JKR can change the 
status of things, including transportation methods, as it pleases 
her:

**************************

Hermione ran up to them, clearly shaken.  ?g OMG! All of Hogwarts?f 
defenses have crashed!?h  she gasped.  

?gFlitwick says it was the mother of all Finite Incantatems!  DEs 
are swarming the Great Hall! 

McGonagall has instructed students to disguise themselves as 
furniture, until the danger has past!?h  

 Ron groaned, rubbing the drawer splinters from his escritoire 
attempt.

?gYou'll have to do it for me,?h he muttered, woodenly.

?gWhy not,?h she sniggered.  ?gWe're practically married, anyway.?h 

************************************

The Law section is no better.  At a minimum, pitfalls for the 
unknowledgeable or the unwary would have been removed if insight 
into fan values were the true goal. 

Yes, where shaky canon, bemused interpretation, deviant preferences, 
and intermittent brain farts freely mix, answers offer little in the 
way of serious conclusions.

The practice of noticing a dwindling hourglass and *throwing a dart* 
in exasperation has probably not been rare.

In sum: The thing, as it's offered, is shot through with 
opportunities to confuse intent, ignorance, and whimsy. 

Talisman

PS Lynn, I also owe you a withering response in defense of  DD's 
prowess: GH, Hx and otherwise. : )












From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr  4 10:52:41 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2006 10:52:41 -0000
Subject: Time's Up
Message-ID: <e0tj5p+uesc@...>

The Do Not Disturb sign is back up.....the results are about to be 
posted.








From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr  4 14:11:01 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 08:11:01 -0600
Subject: Transport into Hogwarts WAS Re: W.O.M.B.A.T.S---fun, diversion, or fun diversion?
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E87EF@...>

Talisman:
> Or, are we supposed to take the hint and ignore the HBP broom
> deterrent as an atypical event, series wide?
> 
> After all, Madame Maxim sailed in for the funeral. But was security
> relaxed just for that day?  Or, did the shield never go up again
> after it was lowered on tower night?  Wouldn't McG opt for maximum
> coverage now that the Dark side is ahead?  Or, is she simply unable
> to handle the requisite magic?

I'd say atypical event. Charlie's friends flew to the tower to collect
Norbert easily enough in PS/SS. 




From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr  4 20:55:04 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2006 20:55:04 -0000
Subject: Transport into Hogwarts WAS Re: W.O.M.B.A.T.S---fun, diversion, or fun diversion?
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E87EF@...>
Message-ID: <e0umf8+f7nu@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Eileen Rebstock" <erebstock at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Talisman:
> > Or, are we supposed to take the hint and ignore the HBP broom
> > deterrent as an atypical event, series wide?
> > 
> > After all, Madame Maxim sailed in for the funeral. But was security
> > relaxed just for that day?  Or, did the shield never go up again
> > after it was lowered on tower night?  Wouldn't McG opt for maximum
> > coverage now that the Dark side is ahead?  Or, is she simply unable
> > to handle the requisite magic?
> 
> I'd say atypical event. Charlie's friends flew to the tower to collect
> Norbert easily enough in PS/SS.
>

Sure, and the Anglia made it in in PoA, the Thestrals made it out in 
OoP, Maxim's carriage in GoF, etc.  

But that was before HBP, in which air space protection was clearly in 
place.  That's why DD had to undo the magic before he and Harry could 
soar in on broomsticks in HBP (Chpt 24, US p583).

Nonetheless, broom is in every answer choice, so you either treat the 
HBP protections as an anomoly that ended with page 583, or go 
hypothetical, i.e. full tilt, which seems a bit much.

Still, neither route is wholly satisfying.  I agree that treating the 
broom ban as atypical seems the most probable answer.  

My main point was to highlight the various approaches people might 
take.  


Earlier, Catlady wondered: where do you take a civil suit in the WW?

IMO, you've answered your own question.  Right? I'm betting you went 
with Wizengamot.

Yes, a court room is a great place for a turd fight.  And, by process 
of elimination, you're left with it anyway.  The court, that is.

I imagine your discomfort with the Wizengamut is that it seems like a 
criminal tribunal, for serious offenses.

However, though we haven't seen any civil actions, I think there is 
reason to believe it operates as a court of general jurisdiction, 
hearing both civil and criminal matters.

Actually, I think it's the only court there is.

I doubt if a full panel would sit to hear the dispute, though.  IIRC, 
Amelia Bones was set to hear Harry's case in OoP.  None of the adults 
at 12GP thought this was inappropriate--if there had to be a hearing at 
all.

It was the gathering of a full Wizengamut panel that struck them as 
over the top. Ms. Bones was still a part of that, so it wasn't the 
choice of court system they objected to, it was the number of *judges.*

I gather that, instead of having various levels of courts, the WW 
varies the number of judge/members in relation to the severity of the 
matter.

Anyway, the question clearly involved an honest dispute of ownership.  
No pests or magical misuse involved. Where you gonna go?  Wizengamut 
must be it.

Unless Rowling is going to entertain us with unexpected answers-ones 
that offer new insights?  Nah. Wishful thinking.

Talisman





 










From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr  4 22:52:55 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 23:52:55 +0100
Subject: NUMPTIES, anyone?
Message-ID: <FE904437-5A0D-4DC7-906A-7F8567C9EDC2@...>

Right.
You'll have done your WOMBATs, now here's your chance to put some  
meaningful letters after your name (NUMPTIE - Nearly Unanswerable  
Perplexing Magical Teasers: Intermediate Exam).

Question 1.
Two wizard brothers find a Remembrall in the street. Each claims  
possession and a rancorous exchange ensues, degenerating into a "and  
I've never forgiven you for what you said at our Ethel's funeral"  
type recrimination.
Which body orifice should the healers at St Mungo's examine first in  
their search for the Remembrall? Illustrate with diagrams.


Question 2.
Given that:

n([B x Pk] + [Gs - WFw]) = X

Where B = bonfires, Pk = phlogiston constant, Gs is the unfortunate  
conflagration that consumes the garden shed next door, WFw is the  
number of  wizards letting off no-heat fireworks and n = number of  
Halloween parties per 100 wizards (Flabberworts standard variable),  
calculate the annual contribution to global warming by celebrations  
in Berwick-on-Tweed (X). Show your working.


Question 3.
You discover that He-who-must-not-be-named is living next door.
Do you:
a) call the Aurors
b) change the name of your house to "Dunmugglin"
c) move


Question 4.
You are illegally breeding dragons (for export) in London.
Do you:
a) develop fire-proof owls to ensure a reliable delivery service
b) sell fire insurance (on commission) to your Muggle neighbours
c) submit a tender for providing the Olympic flame for the 2012 Games
d) think you can get away with it


Question 5.
A know-it-all witch has screwed up causality by the unauthorised and  
thoughtless use of a Time-turner. You must draw up a detailed and  
comprehensible description of the way reality has been changed.  
Accurate phrasing is necessary.
Give the future past present transitive indefinite imperfect  
subjunctives of:
a) transmogrify
b) then
c) cock-up


Question 6.
Compare the distinguishing emotional and physical effects between:
a) aphrodisiacs
b) love philtres
c) Veela infestations
d) winning a complimentary pass to Madam Whiplash's establishment.


Question 7.
Describe, using gestures, the characteristics of spells cast from a  
bindweed wand.


Question 8.
Many strange objects can be found in the Muggle world. With the aid  
of diagrams describe three (3) common uses for each of the following  
(answer 2 out of 5):
a) a left-hand ratchet screwdriver
b) a clockwork mouse
c) the Eiffel Tower
d) an abdomicizer
e) wax fruit


Question  9.
Give brief explanations for, and state what actions you would take,  
in each of the following situations:
a) an acquaintance has a leather footstool, the covering of which  
becomes hairy whenever there's a full moon.
b) you notice that a large black dog always seems to be following you  
around, you keep seeing someone who resembles you *very* closely and  
your lifeline seems to have vanished from your palm.
c) while pottering around in the kitchen looking for your spectacles,  
you come across a toad beneath the sink - and under it are some  
broken egg shells.


Question 10.
You need to capture
a) a dragon
b) a vampire

Describe how you would accomplish this using the following items:
i) two pork chops
ii) a bunch of daffodils
iii) a virgin
iv) a banjo (tuned to the key of G)
v) a book of logarithmic tables

  



From kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 02:12:51 2006
From: kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid (Kathy King)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 22:12:51 -0400
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: W.O.M.B.A.T.S
In-Reply-To: <e0nj0f+iq4g@...>
References: <04b401c65606$02045a30$6401a8c0@...>
	 <e0nj0f+iq4g@...>
Message-ID: <a1ee8d580604041912y6525382t6bd3cb80fda47fbd@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "rebecca" <dontask2much at ...>

wrote:

Marketing surveys, as you point out for the one you've been

>approached with in the mall, are all collectively analyzed this

way - >it's mathematically how you measure behaviors and market

trends or >interest on subjective answers.



Talisman:



While I wouldn't mind Rowling correcting errors or oversights caught

via feedback, I would be disgusted to find she had modified the

behavior of her characters--and so the argument of her series--to

pander to market tastes.



In an early interview she vowed not to do such a thing, and I'm

holding her to it.





Snow:


I realize what you are saying, Talisman, and quite agree with you if that
was the reasoning behind her questioning but I think it may go a bit further
than simply modifying the dialog to suit her public. I think she may be
questioning her
" fanatic " readers to see what she may be able to get past THEM on her web
site without giving toooooooooo much away.



Just how many readers have or can put the two and two together in the same
manner that she has, or in other words how close is this group of readers
that she can reply to ANY more answers even to poll questions without them
(or us [the truly fanatical :)]) realizing the ending?completely. A hint to
my confusion on this subject was in her answer to the last poll question
where she admitted that she was a bit stunned at the question that needed
answered. She thought she had her audience captivated and that the next
question to be answered would be about Horcruxes? but Wow there were too
many persons who wanted to know about the secret keeper (whom I'm just going
to guess is fairly unimportant according to this reaction).



Now she needs to ask how many persons really are in tune to where she is
going; should she answer with more detail or not; should she steer those who
have gone astray from the more relevant matter closer or would she give away
too much to those who are, should we say more astute.



It's the Ron/Hermione vs. Harry/Hermione relevance again?she allowed that to
continue but only to the point where those readers needed to be corrected to
continue with HER story. I still think that there may be significance in her
questions?but it may only be significant to her, since she has the answers.


Snow


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 05:57:54 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 05:57:54 -0000
Subject: NUMPTIES, anyone?
In-Reply-To: <FE904437-5A0D-4DC7-906A-7F8567C9EDC2@...>
Message-ID: <e0vm92+srnt@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, Barry Arrowsmith 
<arrowsmithbt at ...> wrote:

>Right. You'll have done your WOMBATs, now here's your chance to put
>some meaningful letters after your name (NUMPTIE - Nearly
>Unanswerable Perplexing Magical Teasers: Intermediate Exam).

Talisman, who has never fully comprehended the meaning of
rhetorical, takes a stab.

>Question 1.
>Two wizard brothers find a Remembrall in the street. Each claims
>possession and a rancorous exchange ensues, degenerating into
>a "and I've never forgiven you for what you said at our Ethel's
>funeral" type recrimination. Which body orifice should the healers
>at St Mungo's examine first in their search for the Remembrall?
>Illustrate with diagrams.

Answer:
Depends on what they're into, doesn't it.  Diagrams under separate
(brown paper) cover.

>Question 2.
>Given that: n([B x Pk] + [Gs - WFw]) = X Where B = bonfires, Pk =
>phlogiston constant, Gs is the unfortunate conflagration that
>consumes the garden shed next door, WFw is the number of wizards
>letting off no-heat fireworks and n = number of Halloween parties
>per 100 wizards (Flabberworts standard variable), calculate the
>annual contribution to global warming by celebrations in Berwick-on-
>Tweed (X). Show your working.

Answer:
___
DT (Y)=(GE(Y)*X)-[0.25*R]lR-30 + 0.25 *[R-30 -1
.......................30lR-1............30....
lR-59 + 0.12 lR-22  ?0.25(? C)
lR-30........lR-17

or equivalent approx. 3 liters mooncalf flatulence.


>Question 3. 
>You discover that He-who-must-not-be-named is living
>next door. Do you:
>a) call the Aurors
>b) change the name of your house to "Dunmugglin"
>c) move

Answer:
Ha. As if you'd live next door to anyone.

>Question 4.
>You are illegally breeding dragons (for export) in London.
>Do you:
>a) develop fire-proof owls to ensure a reliable delivery service
>b) sell fire insurance (on commission) to your Muggle neighbours
>c) submit a tender for providing the Olympic flame for the 2012
>Games
>d) think you can get away with it

Answer:
(d.) It works for Republicans.

>Question 5. 
>A know-it-all witch has screwed up causality by the
>unauthorized and thoughtless use of a Time-turner. You must draw up
>a detailed and comprehensible description of the way reality has
>been changed.
>Accurate phrasing is necessary. Give the future past present
>transitive indefinite imperfect subjunctives of:
>a) transmogrify
>b) then
>c) cock-up

Answer:
I wondered who had my organizer. Give it back.


>Question 6. 
>Compare the distinguishing emotional and physical
>effects between:
>a) aphrodisiacs
>b) love philtres
>c) Veela infestations
>d) winning a complimentary pass to Madam Whiplash's establishment.

Answer:
At Mdm.W's, you don't have to go it alone.


>Question 7. 
>Describe, using gestures, the characteristics of spells
>cast from a bindweed wand.

Answer:
::gestures vigorously::  I do hope you were watching.


>Question 8. 
>Many strange objects can be found in the Muggle world.
>With the aid of diagrams describe three (3) common uses for each of
>the following (answer 2 out of 5):
>a) a left-hand ratchet screwdriver
>b) a clockwork mouse
>c) the Eiffel Tower
>d) an abdomicizer
>e) wax fruit

Answer:
a) A left-hand ratchet screwdriver is great for:
1) gesturing on the highway;
2) showing off by tightening the springs on your abdomicizer while
doing right-handed push-ups; and
3) flinging wax fruit.

e) Waxed fruit has many uses.
1) It is always available, even when Mdm.W isn't;
2) it can be ignored indefinitely, without becoming petulant; and
3) it can be worn in the pants for formal occasions.


>Question 9. 
>Give brief explanations for, and state what actions you
>would take, in each of the following situations:

>a) an acquaintance has a leather footstool, the covering of which
>becomes hairy whenever there's a full moon.

Answer:
a) You finally realize what a bastard her ex was; you send her a
basket of sympathy muffins.

>Question 9
>b) you notice that a large black dog always seems to be following
>you around, you keep seeing someone who resembles you *very* closely
>and your lifeline seems to have vanished from your palm.

Answer:
b) Hit the speed dial button for AL-ANON, it's time to check back in.

>Question 9
>c) while pottering around in the kitchen looking for your
>spectacles, you come across a toad beneath the sink - and under it
>are some broken egg shells.

Answer:
c) This is your lucky night. Cancel your singles ad and set another
place for dinner.


>Question 10.
>You need to capture
>a) a dragon
>b) a vampire
>Describe how you would accomplish this using the following items:
>i) two pork chops
>ii) a bunch of daffodils
>iii) a virgin
>iv) a banjo (tuned to the key of G)
>v) a book of logarithmic tables

Answer:
Standard theory suggests shoving a pork chop under each arm of the
virgin, whom you've dressed only in the banjo's G-string, wheeling
this mess out to the backyard, and hiding behind the bunch of
daffodils.  When the dragon and vampire come sniffing around, jump
out and recite logarithmic tables until the prey are too giddy to
put up a fight.

However, modern wizards have lost patience with such work-intensive
practices. Today's enthusiasts have found it more satisfying to
saute the pork chops in a little Marsala; these and the daffodils
can then be offered to the virgin.  While he/she is eating, serenade
him/her with logarithmic melodies, strummed earnestly on the banjo.
As the night progresses, the vampire and the dragon will,
justifiably, begin to feel as if you have no interest in them, at
all.  Once they realize you're happy without them, they'll be
phoning and hanging around your doorstep, ceaselessly. At that point
it is very easy to toss on a few collars, should you still be
inclined.


N.B. I've included the extra 50 cents for a golden NUMTIE sticker,
please.

Talisman

Encl. Check #945768 for $39.95, and 10% off coupon from last week's
Daily Star.










From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 11:12:06 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 11:12:06 -0000
Subject: It's Come To This...
Message-ID: <e108m6+nk4f@...>

Dark days are upon us.

DND still on the door, and totally worthless entries in the Diary 
and Rumours section.  Unless you care about shopping problems and 
get a thrill out of hearing her rave about child HP stars.

Speaking of raving, anyone who thought some of the gushing giggly 
girlfriends stuff in the 7/16/05 Leaky/Mugglenet interview was hard 
to take, should really steer clear of the Rumours section, 
altogether.

It's a Memerson luv fest.

All the substance--and interest--has dropped out of her 
communications.

Is this to be our fate until summer 07?

There must at least be some innocuous back story she could feed us. 

Please.

Talisman






From annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 13:34:19 2006
From: annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid (annemehr)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 13:34:19 -0000
Subject: It's Come To This...
In-Reply-To: <e108m6+nk4f@...>
Message-ID: <e10h0r+hteg@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457 at ...>
wrote:
>
> Dark days are upon us.
> 
> DND still on the door, and totally worthless entries in the Diary 
> and Rumours section.  Unless you care about shopping problems and 
> get a thrill out of hearing her rave about child HP stars.

Well, now there is a real rant in Extra Stuff...

~A








From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 14:14:54 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 08:14:54 -0600
Subject: [the_old_crowd] It's Come To This...
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E882E@...>

Talisman:
> It's a Memerson luv fest.
> 
> All the substance--and interest--has dropped out of her
> communications.

Hey, some of us are really into the Memerson. I know I've got a whole
scrapbook devoted to the pair. 

Eileen, who's amused to have known Melissa before she became (in)famous



From pbnesbit at harpdreamer.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 17:49:18 2006
From: pbnesbit at harpdreamer.yahoo.invalid (Parker Brown Nesbit)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 13:49:18 -0400
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Last warnings before I do Something Really Stupid?
In-Reply-To: <000101c656dd$3e0fc5a0$0200a8c0@hwin>
Message-ID: <BAY107-F16A2DCAF22D33747E9133CD0CB0@...>

The Goat wrote

>
>I'm not sure whether anyone even still remembers who I am - heck, I'm not
>sure whether *I* still remember who I am - but I thought some of the 
>geekier
>types around here might be interested in this project. I just submitted it,
>and it looks like I'll be working on it over the next couple years. (It'd 
>be
>nice to get done just after HP7 beaches.)

Of course we remember you, Mike (and I just happen to be terribly fond of 
goats...of all types).
>
>It's closely related to what I did at Accio last summer, btw. In fact,
>having worked up a paper for Accio may make the difference between getting 
>a
>grant and being stuck in youth work for a lot longer.


(Snip prospectus)  Sounds incedibly interesting. (I didn't get to go to 
Accio, so I didn't get to meet you & hear your paper).  I'd be quite 
interested in reading the whole thing when you get it done.

Good luck!

Parker





From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 20:09:31 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 13:09:31 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: NUMPTIES, anyone?
References: <e0vlnl+9on7@...>
Message-ID: <002f01c658ec$e3eca220$482fdcd1@...>

Next time you sit your NUMPTIES, can I come over and watch?

--Gatta

  --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, Barry Arrowsmith 
  <arrowsmithbt at ...> wrote:

  >Right. You'll have done your WOMBATs, now here's your chance to put 
  >some meaningful letters after your name (NUMPTIE - Nearly 
  >Unanswerable Perplexing Magical Teasers: Intermediate Exam). 

  Talisman, who has never fully comprehended the meaning of 
  rhetorical, takes a stab.

  >Question 1.
  >Two wizard brothers find a Remembrall in the street. Each claims 
  >possession and a rancorous exchange ensues, degenerating into 
  >a "and I've never forgiven you for what you said at our Ethel's 
  >funeral" type recrimination. Which body orifice should the healers 
  >at St Mungo's examine first in their search for the Remembrall? 
  >Illustrate with diagrams. 

  Answer: 
  Depends on what they're into, doesn't it.  Diagrams under separate 
  (brown paper) cover.

  Question 2. 
  Given that: n([B x Pk] + [Gs - WFw]) = X Where B = bonfires, Pk = 
  phlogiston constant, Gs is the unfortunate conflagration that 
  consumes the garden shed next door, WFw is the number of wizards 
  letting off no-heat fireworks and n = number of Halloween parties 
  per 100 wizards (Flabberworts standard variable), calculate the 
  annual contribution to global warming by celebrations in Berwick-on-
  Tweed (X). Show your working. 

  Answer:
  ___                               
  DT (Y)=(GE(Y)*X)-[0.25*R]lR-30 + 0.25 *[R-30 -1 
  .......................30lR-1............30....
  lR-59 + 0.12 lR-22  ?0.25(? C) 
  lR-30........lR-17

  or equivalent approx. 3 liters mooncalf flatulence.


  Question 3. You discover that He-who-must-not-be-named is living 
  next door. Do you:
  a) call the Aurors 
  b) change the name of your house to "Dunmugglin" 
  c) move 

  Answer: 
  Ha. As if you'd live next door to anyone.

  Question 4. 
  You are illegally breeding dragons (for export) in London. 
  Do you: 
  a) develop fire-proof owls to ensure a reliable delivery service 
  b) sell fire insurance (on commission) to your Muggle neighbours 
  c) submit a tender for providing the Olympic flame for the 2012 
  Games 
  d) think you can get away with it 

  Answer: 
  (d.) It works for Republicans.

  Question 5. A know-it-all witch has screwed up causality by the 
  unauthorized and thoughtless use of a Time-turner. You must draw up 
  a detailed and comprehensible description of the way reality has 
  been changed. 
  Accurate phrasing is necessary. Give the future past present 
  transitive indefinite imperfect subjunctives of: 
  a) transmogrify 
  b) then 
  c) cock-up 

  Answer:
  I wondered who had my organizer. Give it back.


  Question 6. Compare the distinguishing emotional and physical 
  effects between: 
  a) aphrodisiacs 
  b) love philtres 
  c) Veela infestations 
  d) winning a complimentary pass to Madam Whiplash's establishment. 

  Answer:
  At Mdm.W's, you don't have to go it alone.


  Question 7. Describe, using gestures, the characteristics of spells 
  cast from a bindweed wand. 

  Answer: 
  ::gestures vigorously::  I do hope you were watching.


  Question 8. Many strange objects can be found in the Muggle world. 
  With the aid of diagrams describe three (3) common uses for each of 
  the following (answer 2 out of 5): 
  a) a left-hand ratchet screwdriver 
  b) a clockwork mouse 
  c) the Eiffel Tower 
  d) an abdomicizer 
  e) wax fruit 

  Answer:
  a) A left-hand ratchet screwdriver is great for: 
  1) gesturing on the highway; 
  2) showing off by tightening the springs on your abdomicizer while 
  doing right-handed push-ups; and
  3) flinging wax fruit.

  e) Waxed fruit has many uses. 
  1) It is always available, even when Mdm.W isn't;
  2) it can be ignored indefinitely, without becoming petulant; and 
  3) it can be worn in the pants for formal occasions. 


  Question 9. Give brief explanations for, and state what actions you 
  would take, in each of the following situations: 
  a) an acquaintance has a leather footstool, the covering of which 
  becomes hairy whenever there's a full moon.

  Answer:
  a) You finally realize what a bastard her ex was; you send her a 
  basket of sympathy muffins.

  Question 9
  b) you notice that a large black dog always seems to be following 
  you around, you keep seeing someone who resembles you *very* closely 
  and your lifeline seems to have vanished from your palm. 

  Answer: 
  b) Hit the speed dial button for AL-ANON, it's time to check back in.

  Question 9
  c) while pottering around in the kitchen looking for your 
  spectacles, you come across a toad beneath the sink - and under it 
  are some broken egg shells. 

  Answer:
  c) This is your lucky night. Cancel your singles ad and set another 
  place for dinner. 


  Question 10. 
  You need to capture 
  a) a dragon 
  b) a vampire 
  Describe how you would accomplish this using the following items: 
  i) two pork chops 
  ii) a bunch of daffodils 
  iii) a virgin 
  iv) a banjo (tuned to the key of G) 
  v) a book of logarithmic tables 

  Answer:
  Standard theory suggests shoving a pork chop under each arm of the 
  virgin, whom you've dressed only in the banjo's G-string, wheeling 
  this mess out to the backyard, and hiding behind the bunch of 
  daffodils.  When the dragon and vampire come sniffing around, jump 
  out and recite logarithmic tables until the prey are too giddy to 
  put up a fight.

  However, modern wizards have lost patience with such work-intensive 
  practices. Today's enthusiasts have found it more satisfying to 
  saut? the pork chops in a little Marsala; these and the daffodils 
  can then be offered to the virgin.  While he/she is eating, serenade 
  him/her with logarithmic melodies, strummed earnestly on the banjo.  
  As the night progresses, the vampire and the dragon will, 
  justifiably, begin to feel as if you have no interest in them, at 
  all.  Once they realize you're happy without them, they'll be 
  phoning and hanging around your doorstep, ceaselessly. At that point 
  it is very easy to toss on a few collars, should you still be 
  inclined.  


  N.B. I've included the extra 50 cents for a golden NUMTIE sticker, 
  please.

  Talisman

  Encl. Check #945768 for $39.95, and 10% off coupon from last week's 
  Daily Star. 







------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 

    a..  Visit your group "the_old_crowd" on the web.
      
    b..  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     the_old_crowd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
      
    c..  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 21:38:51 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 21:38:51 -0000
Subject: It's Come To This...
In-Reply-To: <e10h0r+hteg@...>
Message-ID: <e11ddb+5fgt@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "annemehr" <annemehr at ...> 
wrote:
>> Well, now there is a real rant in Extra Stuff...
> 

Ah, I see.  That, and the WOMBAT score card have arrived since last 
I peeked.   

Girls only huh? As if men are nowhere complicit in that business.  

Well it's just swell if she wants to use the site as a more direct 
pulpit for changing the world, but not a great deal of fun.  

(Laughing at fat people is only funny when it's Dudley, remember 
that.)

But trashing Paris Hilton & Co. is hardly original.  The problems of 
eating disorders and negative self-image are not new, nor are any of 
her insights.  

It's fine if Momma Rowling wants to throw her weight (at least 
metaphoricaly) at the problem; maybe take a first shot on behalf of 
her daughters (who will certainly have enough cash to run with the 
Hiltons).

But, sometimes less is more when we are talking, too.

Seems to me she managed to mention (twice) that her own waist is 
thin.  And if it ever wasn't quite as thin, it was due to a very 
recent baby. un-huh. No one's calling you fat, dear.

But something else seems to be swelling...and it's not her modesty.

*I'm not in the business of being judged on my looks, what with 
being a writer and earning a living with my brain...*

(Trust me, that's just what I'm judging you on.)

Well, nanny-nanny-nah-nah.

:: looks for the recent glamour shot Kneasy brought to our 
attention::  Oh, never mind.

Between that and her thumbs-up to the MuggleNet wall of shame 
(continuing volleys in the war with H & H shippers) she is showing 
an...interesting...attitude.

Bit arrogant and childish--and don't get me wrong--these are some of 
my own most charming attributes--but, there you are. 

Perhaps there are fans who want to hear hear about all this. 

I'd rather just hear about the books (I hope that makes her happy), 
and I think these last site offerings suck.

XP

Talisman



 





  










From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 21:50:33 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 15:50:33 -0600
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: It's Come To This...
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E885B@...>

Arrogance and childishness? Not seeing it there. I think you're reading
in your own general annoyances with Rowling, particularly in that
assumption that she isn't taking a first shot at her daughters.

But then I've never bought the argument that Rowling owes the H/Hr
shippers anything either.

Or that Melissa and Emerson are morally deficient.

I think I mentioned before that this has made me unpopular in certain
parts of the fandom? 

Eileen, Stubborn as always

> -----Original Message-----
> From: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com]
> On Behalf Of Talisman
> Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 3:39 PM
> To: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: It's Come To This...
> 
> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "annemehr" <annemehr at ...>
> wrote:
> >> Well, now there is a real rant in Extra Stuff...
> >
> 
> Ah, I see.  That, and the WOMBAT score card have arrived since last
> I peeked.
> 
> Girls only huh? As if men are nowhere complicit in that business.
> 
> Well it's just swell if she wants to use the site as a more direct
> pulpit for changing the world, but not a great deal of fun.
> 
> (Laughing at fat people is only funny when it's Dudley, remember
> that.)
> 
> But trashing Paris Hilton & Co. is hardly original.  The problems of
> eating disorders and negative self-image are not new, nor are any of
> her insights.
> 
> It's fine if Momma Rowling wants to throw her weight (at least
> metaphoricaly) at the problem; maybe take a first shot on behalf of
> her daughters (who will certainly have enough cash to run with the
> Hiltons).
> 
> But, sometimes less is more when we are talking, too.
> 
> Seems to me she managed to mention (twice) that her own waist is
> thin.  And if it ever wasn't quite as thin, it was due to a very
> recent baby. un-huh. No one's calling you fat, dear.
> 
> But something else seems to be swelling...and it's not her modesty.
> 
> *I'm not in the business of being judged on my looks, what with
> being a writer and earning a living with my brain...*
> 
> (Trust me, that's just what I'm judging you on.)
> 
> Well, nanny-nanny-nah-nah.
> 
> :: looks for the recent glamour shot Kneasy brought to our
> attention::  Oh, never mind.
> 
> Between that and her thumbs-up to the MuggleNet wall of shame
> (continuing volleys in the war with H & H shippers) she is showing
> an...interesting...attitude.
> 
> Bit arrogant and childish--and don't get me wrong--these are some of
> my own most charming attributes--but, there you are.
> 
> Perhaps there are fans who want to hear hear about all this.
> 
> I'd rather just hear about the books (I hope that makes her happy),
> and I think these last site offerings suck.
> 
> XP
> 
> Talisman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 




From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 22:39:44 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 22:39:44 -0000
Subject: NUMPTIES, anyone?
In-Reply-To: <002f01c658ec$e3eca220$482fdcd1@...>
Message-ID: <e11gvg+7a5d@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Kat Macfarlane" <katmac at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Next time you sit your NUMPTIES, can I come over and watch?
> 
> --Gatta


Sure, we'll throw on another pork chop. :)

Talisman






From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr  5 22:42:51 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 22:42:51 -0000
Subject: It's Come To This...
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E885B@...>
Message-ID: <e11h5b+seeo@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Eileen Rebstock"
<erebstock at ...> wrote:
>
> Arrogance and childishness? Not seeing it there. I think you're
>reading in your own general annoyances with Rowling,

I'm not generally annoyed with Rowling.  In fact, I recall defending
her writing, to you. (Perhaps I should post that response I wrote
vis-a-vis your genre ideas, after all. Didn't want to bore the other
listies, but as things are going...)

Nope, I'm generally defending Rowling, as an author.  But, I reserve
the right to notice when she's drunk on her own celebrity and
tottering into the shrubbery.

Shut yer yap wench, and show me the book.

Eileen:
>particularly in that assumption that she isn't taking a first shot
>at her daughters.
>

Umm, on behalf of her daughters. She's the one who raised the idea
of her daughters vs Paris-style Stupid Girls.

> But then I've never bought the argument that Rowling owes the H/Hr
> shippers anything either.

Owe, Shmo.  She can behave anyway she wants to.  In fact, the one
point of interest to be taken from the message is that she doesn't
care a fig what any fan lobby thinks.  Let's hope.  Let her be just
as stinky when the Snape-haters eat crow, too.  I'll be loving it.
Doesn't change the nature of the behavior, though.

If she'd rather reveal who she is than the plot of Book 7, then
that's what I'll notice.

Apparently she's as rude as I am.


> Or that Melissa and Emerson are morally deficient.

Melissa and Emerson are kids.


> I think I mentioned before that this has made me unpopular in
>certain  parts of the fandom?


Wouldn't know.  I'm not here for the popularity contests.

Talisman
Who always called it G/H, as the record will show.















From coriolan at coriolan_cmc.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr  6 00:24:05 2006
From: coriolan at coriolan_cmc.yahoo.invalid (Caius Marcius)
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:24:05 -0000
Subject: Harry Potter Filks: Three New Musicals
Message-ID: <e11n35+k5j2@...>

Harry Potter Filks was updated with 85 new filks from seven
contributors, including three new full-length musicals:

The 66th Annual Dark Wizards Conspiracy, based on The 25th Annual
Putnam County Spelling Bee, a musical by Salazar and a sequal to my
2004 musical A Vast-LEPHT Wing Conspiracy.  It seems that the results
of the first contest were invalidated due to the use of the Imperius,
so our favorite villains must once again compete for the privilege of
dispatching Potter.

A second Salazar musical, Les Serpentards, a 45-filk extravanganza,
is based on Les Miz as it dramatizes The Rise and Fall of The Dark
Arts, fron the 10th Century death of Slytherin to the 20th Century
death of Dumbledore.

Finally, loki gives us a Remus J. Lupin saga in The Dark Side of
Mooney, based on Pink Floyd.

Plus filks by veteran filk mavens CV, Randy, Ginger, & CMC!

    - CMC

HARRY POTTER FILKS
http://home.att.net/~coriolan/hpfilks.htm








From carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr  6 11:10:22 2006
From: carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid (carolynwhite2)
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:10:22 -0000
Subject: It's Come To This...
In-Reply-To: <e11ddb+5fgt@...>
Message-ID: <e12suu+d9j1@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457 at ...> 
wrote:

> Well it's just swell if she wants to use the site as a more direct 
> pulpit for changing the world, but not a great deal of fun.  
> 
> (Laughing at fat people is only funny when it's Dudley, remember 
> that.)
> 

I thought it was really refreshing when she was so un-PC about fat 
Dud and all the other porkers in the early books. After all, the 
reason the majority of people put on weight is because they eat too 
much and don't take enough exercise, why pretend otherwise? She 
cheerfully satirised all the useless excuses ('big bones') via Aunt 
Petunia and her reaction to Dud's school reports.

So, I agree, suggesting it's ok for girls to be fat if they want to 
seems to be yet another case of either selective memory, hasty fan-
driven revisionism or giddy hubris on her part that she can change 
the world. 

Not encouraging from someone supposedly engaged in pulling all the 
strands together of a complicated series.

Carolyn







From quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr  6 14:51:25 2006
From: quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid (quigonginger)
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 14:51:25 -0000
Subject: The Great Weight Debate (pretty much OT)
Message-ID: <e139td+g84o@...>

Ginger here. 

I posted my canon-based thoughts on TOL, so I'm going to do my 
personal rant here.  

As most of us are aware (and may even have read), JKR had some things 
to say on her site (under Extras, if anyone is still trying to find 
it) about weight and society's perceptions.

Anyone who has met me (ok, that would just be JoAnna) knows I'm about 
as far from svelt as a person can be.  I don't just tip the scales, I 
send them through the floorboards.

I've always been that way, and have been known as The Whale, Thunder 
Thighs, BuffaloButt, Cavemama, and other things I won't print here as 
they are actually nasty.

Are JKR's comments going to influence us here in any way?  Heck, no.  
We're adults.  Our minds have been pretty well set about things like 
that.  Either we pity our portly brethern and sistern, or we have no 
time for the hogs.  None of us are about to think "gee, JKR says we 
shouldn't judge a tome by its cover, so maybe I should start being 
kind to the gravitationally challenged".

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground in the way 
people think.  I put on almost 100 in the last few years as a side 
effect of medication.  In the 9 months I've been off it, I've lost 
almost 40, but I tell you, when I see a skinny chick eating a 
cheeseburger, I just about want to shove my celery somewhere it would 
hurt.  Believe me, I have noticed that an increase or decrease in 
weight influences how even the closest of friends and relatives treat 
you, whether they realize it or not.  Don't get me started on my 
mother.

So what's the point of JKR's little homily?  Not to change the minds 
of those who are already whispering "be-LOO-ga" under their breaths 
(or above them) when they see a blimp go by.  That may have been her 
intention, but it ain't gonna work.  What good can it do?  Why is she 
wasting several inches of type that could be better devoted to 
whether Snape now prefers boxers or briefs?  Who can possibly benefit?

Well, JKR herself was an outsider as a child.  IIRC, she described 
herself as a "swotty little know it all" or some such thing.  Not the 
same as being fat, but she was ostricized as a child, and ostricized 
is ostricized no matter what size your ostri.  So if somewhere out 
there in cyberland is a heifer who reads the Potter books as an 
escape and has come home from school after a bad day of teasing, and 
sits down at her computer with a vat of Ben and Jerry's and sees that 
JKR herself thinks that brains and character are more important than 
appearance, it may have a positive effect on her.  JKR was an avid 
reader as a child.  Perhaps she feels that some strong words from her 
favourite author would have salved the wounds of adolescence and 
wants to confer that onto the children who read her books.  More 
power to her, I say.

Better to light a single candle, set your hair on fire, and have 
something serious to bitch about than to curse the darkness.

I say if she wants to rant, let her rant.  She's paying for the space.
I get my rants for free.  Thanks to you all for that.

Ginger
Has anyone seen my celery?  







From joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr  6 17:58:39 2006
From: joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid (joywitch_m_curmudgeon)
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 17:58:39 -0000
Subject: The Great Weight Debate (pretty much OT)
In-Reply-To: <e139td+g84o@...>
Message-ID: <e13ksf+j811@...>

Well said, Ginger, and thanks.  Rant on!

--JMC

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "quigonginger" 
<quigonginger at ...> wrote:
>
> Ginger here. 
> 
> I posted my canon-based thoughts on TOL, so I'm going to do my 
> personal rant here.  
> 
> As most of us are aware (and may even have read), JKR had some 
things 
> to say on her site (under Extras, if anyone is still trying to 
find 
> it) about weight and society's perceptions.
> 
> Anyone who has met me (ok, that would just be JoAnna) knows I'm 
about 
> as far from svelt as a person can be.  I don't just tip the 
scales, I 
> send them through the floorboards.
> 
> I've always been that way, and have been known as The Whale, 
Thunder 
> Thighs, BuffaloButt, Cavemama, and other things I won't print here 
as 
> they are actually nasty.
> 
> Are JKR's comments going to influence us here in any way?  Heck, 
no.  
> We're adults.  Our minds have been pretty well set about things 
like 
> that.  Either we pity our portly brethern and sistern, or we have 
no 
> time for the hogs.  None of us are about to think "gee, JKR says 
we 
> shouldn't judge a tome by its cover, so maybe I should start being 
> kind to the gravitationally challenged".
> 
> Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground in the way 
> people think.  I put on almost 100 in the last few years as a side 
> effect of medication.  In the 9 months I've been off it, I've lost 
> almost 40, but I tell you, when I see a skinny chick eating a 
> cheeseburger, I just about want to shove my celery somewhere it 
would 
> hurt.  Believe me, I have noticed that an increase or decrease in 
> weight influences how even the closest of friends and relatives 
treat 
> you, whether they realize it or not.  Don't get me started on my 
> mother.
> 
> So what's the point of JKR's little homily?  Not to change the 
minds 
> of those who are already whispering "be-LOO-ga" under their 
breaths 
> (or above them) when they see a blimp go by.  That may have been 
her 
> intention, but it ain't gonna work.  What good can it do?  Why is 
she 
> wasting several inches of type that could be better devoted to 
> whether Snape now prefers boxers or briefs?  Who can possibly 
benefit?
> 
> Well, JKR herself was an outsider as a child.  IIRC, she described 
> herself as a "swotty little know it all" or some such thing.  Not 
the 
> same as being fat, but she was ostricized as a child, and 
ostricized 
> is ostricized no matter what size your ostri.  So if somewhere out 
> there in cyberland is a heifer who reads the Potter books as an 
> escape and has come home from school after a bad day of teasing, 
and 
> sits down at her computer with a vat of Ben and Jerry's and sees 
that 
> JKR herself thinks that brains and character are more important 
than 
> appearance, it may have a positive effect on her.  JKR was an avid 
> reader as a child.  Perhaps she feels that some strong words from 
her 
> favourite author would have salved the wounds of adolescence and 
> wants to confer that onto the children who read her books.  More 
> power to her, I say.
> 
> Better to light a single candle, set your hair on fire, and have 
> something serious to bitch about than to curse the darkness.
> 
> I say if she wants to rant, let her rant.  She's paying for the 
space.
> I get my rants for free.  Thanks to you all for that.
> 
> Ginger
> Has anyone seen my celery?
>








From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 00:43:50 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:43:50 -0000
Subject: Progress?
Message-ID: <e14ck6+7ihv@...>

And just what in the heck does *Results in the Post* mean?

Shorthand for *another 36 hours?* Or...

Talisman, checking the perimeter for incoming owls.






From estesrandy at estesrandy.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 02:21:06 2006
From: estesrandy at estesrandy.yahoo.invalid (Randy)
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2006 02:21:06 -0000
Subject: FILK: I Am the Quidfan (about Quidditch World Cup)
Message-ID: <e14iai+fa8r@...>

The music to "I Am the Walrus" by John Lennon & Paul McCartney

http://www.danapannell.com/beatles/walrus.htm

I had fun with this one....

Red Eye Randy


I was channeling John Lennon last night during my stream
of consciousness daydreaming....so I came up with this
Filk...

The Scene:
Harry and Ron and the gang are at the Quidditch World
Cup Match having a blast!

I Am the Quidfan 
(silly words by Randy Estes)

Sung to the tune of "I am the Walrus" by
Lennon/McCartney


Eye of Newt, and old left boot, and some old coot, and we touched all
together
See how they run to portkeys for fun
See how they fly
I'm trying.

Sitting in the top box, waiting for the fans to come
Irish Quidditch Tee Shirts , Stupid Dancing Veelas
Ron, you've been a naughty boy, you kept your gaze too
long

I am the Quidfan, They are the Quidfans!
Krum is a genius!  Ron's come unglued!

Mister Ludo Bagman sitting 
Here near little Winky up a row.
See how they fly Omnioculars in my eyes, that's Victor
Krum.
I'm trying, I'm trying
I'm trying, Krum's flying!

Quigley hit a Bludger right into Victor Krum's eyes
Lynch just saw the Snitch dive, that's no Wronski
Feint now!
Krum is on his tail; you know I think they're gonna
crash!

I am the Quidfan, They are the Quidfans
Krum is a genius! The crowd's come unglued!

Sitting next to Ronald Weasley watching Victor Krum
If Krum's team can't win, at least the man
Is standing with the Golden Snitch!

I am the Quidfan, They are the Quidfans
Krum is a genius! We all camed unglued! Krum's a Cool
Dude!

Ireland wins the Quidditch World Cup!
Don't you think that Krum's a hero too?
See how they smile, those leprechauns gone wild!
See Krum's black eyes!
I'm trying.

Aidan Lynch, the Seeker, supported by his two
teammates.
Irish fans are smiling. Singing Quidditch Fight Songs
Man, you should have seen those Veelas when their
faces changed!

I am the Quidfan! They are the Quidfans!
Krum is a genius! Let's go get stewed! Zooma Zooma
Zooba Zooba!







From kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 02:31:22 2006
From: kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid (Kathy King)
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 22:31:22 -0400
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Progress?
In-Reply-To: <e14ck6+7ihv@...>
References: <e14ck6+7ihv@...>
Message-ID: <a1ee8d580604061931y8fee079hb26ee8104dedc1dc@...>

And the results will give us what?

Nothing___ But what did it give her?


On 4/6/06, Talisman <talisman22457 at ...> wrote:
>
> And just what in the heck does *Results in the Post* mean?
>
> Shorthand for *another 36 hours?* Or...
>
> Talisman, checking the perimeter for incoming owls.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 04:52:04 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 21:52:04 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Last warnings before I do Something Really Stupid?
References: <BAY107-F16A2DCAF22D33747E9133CD0CB0@...>
Message-ID: <004c01c659ff$12b4a900$482fdcd1@...>

You go, boy! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my dissertation on Isidore of Seville's Etymologies. (Some very strange mythology there.) That and the job it got me were ten of the happiest years of my life. Let's hear it for the Ivory Tower!

Purrs!

--Gatta

  The Goat wrote

  >
  >I'm not sure whether anyone even still remembers who I am - heck, I'm not
  >sure whether *I* still remember who I am - but I thought some of the 
  >geekier
  >types around here might be interested in this project. I just submitted it,
  >and it looks like I'll be working on it over the next couple years. (It'd 
  >be
  >nice to get done just after HP7 beaches.)

  Of course we remember you, Mike (and I just happen to be terribly fond of 
  goats...of all types).
  >
  >It's closely related to what I did at Accio last summer, btw. In fact,
  >having worked up a paper for Accio may make the difference between getting 
  >a
  >grant and being stuck in youth work for a lot longer.


  (Snip prospectus)  Sounds incedibly interesting. (I didn't get to go to 
  Accio, so I didn't get to meet you & hear your paper).  I'd be quite 
  interested in reading the whole thing when you get it done.

  Good luck!

  Parker




------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 

    a..  Visit your group "the_old_crowd" on the web.
      
    b..  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     the_old_crowd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
      
    c..  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 07:40:44 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2006 07:40:44 -0000
Subject: Progress?
In-Reply-To: <a1ee8d580604061931y8fee079hb26ee8104dedc1dc@...>
Message-ID: <e1551s+hj5v@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Kathy King" <kking0731 at ...> 
wrote:
>
> And the results will give us what?
> > Nothing___ 


Yep.  It's foolish to care.  If the recent flurry of meaningless 
activity is any indicator, the site is going to be a snooze for the 
next year or so.


Then, of course, we'll be at the end of it all.

Time to go on the HP methadone program.

Blah.

Talisman








From mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 11:06:02 2006
From: mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid (Mike & Susan Gray)
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 13:06:02 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Last warnings before I do Something Really Stupid?
In-Reply-To: <004c01c659ff$12b4a900$482fdcd1@...>
Message-ID: <001d01c65a33$43440140$0200a8c0@hwin>

Thanks guys!

> You go, boy! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my 
> dissertation on Isidore of Seville's Etymologies. (Some very 
> strange mythology there.) That and the job it got me were ten 
> of the happiest years of my life. Let's hear it for the Ivory Tower!

Boy will do. That sounds very nice indeed. I'm all for spending an idyllic
decade or four scurrying about the ivory tower! Heaven knows I've spent long
enough camped out on the door steps.

Today I see whether my chair is going to bite on my outline. If he does, I'm
pretty much set.

Baaaaa,

Mike 




From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 15:14:29 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 08:14:29 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] The Great Weight Debate (pretty much OT)
References: <e139td+g84o@...>
Message-ID: <003f01c65a56$045367a0$482fdcd1@...>

Thanks be to the Goddess that I've arrived at the age where everyone I know who is skinny is that way because of some unpleasant medical condition (IBS, anyone?), and my friends are my friends not because of their dress size but because of what's in their brains and their hearts.

Rant on, Ginger! You and JKR speak for me.

--Gatta, who'd rather be a good cook than a size 2

  Ginger here. 

  I posted my canon-based thoughts on TOL, so I'm going to do my 
  personal rant here.  

  As most of us are aware (and may even have read), JKR had some things 
  to say on her site (under Extras, if anyone is still trying to find 
  it) about weight and society's perceptions.

  Anyone who has met me (ok, that would just be JoAnna) knows I'm about 
  as far from svelt as a person can be.  I don't just tip the scales, I 
  send them through the floorboards.

  I've always been that way, and have been known as The Whale, Thunder 
  Thighs, BuffaloButt, Cavemama, and other things I won't print here as 
  they are actually nasty.

  Are JKR's comments going to influence us here in any way?  Heck, no.  
  We're adults.  Our minds have been pretty well set about things like 
  that.  Either we pity our portly brethern and sistern, or we have no 
  time for the hogs.  None of us are about to think "gee, JKR says we 
  shouldn't judge a tome by its cover, so maybe I should start being 
  kind to the gravitationally challenged".

  Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground in the way 
  people think.  I put on almost 100 in the last few years as a side 
  effect of medication.  In the 9 months I've been off it, I've lost 
  almost 40, but I tell you, when I see a skinny chick eating a 
  cheeseburger, I just about want to shove my celery somewhere it would 
  hurt.  Believe me, I have noticed that an increase or decrease in 
  weight influences how even the closest of friends and relatives treat 
  you, whether they realize it or not.  Don't get me started on my 
  mother.

  So what's the point of JKR's little homily?  Not to change the minds 
  of those who are already whispering "be-LOO-ga" under their breaths 
  (or above them) when they see a blimp go by.  That may have been her 
  intention, but it ain't gonna work.  What good can it do?  Why is she 
  wasting several inches of type that could be better devoted to 
  whether Snape now prefers boxers or briefs?  Who can possibly benefit?

  Well, JKR herself was an outsider as a child.  IIRC, she described 
  herself as a "swotty little know it all" or some such thing.  Not the 
  same as being fat, but she was ostricized as a child, and ostricized 
  is ostricized no matter what size your ostri.  So if somewhere out 
  there in cyberland is a heifer who reads the Potter books as an 
  escape and has come home from school after a bad day of teasing, and 
  sits down at her computer with a vat of Ben and Jerry's and sees that 
  JKR herself thinks that brains and character are more important than 
  appearance, it may have a positive effect on her.  JKR was an avid 
  reader as a child.  Perhaps she feels that some strong words from her 
  favourite author would have salved the wounds of adolescence and 
  wants to confer that onto the children who read her books.  More 
  power to her, I say.

  Better to light a single candle, set your hair on fire, and have 
  something serious to bitch about than to curse the darkness.

  I say if she wants to rant, let her rant.  She's paying for the space.
  I get my rants for free.  Thanks to you all for that.

  Ginger
  Has anyone seen my celery?  







  SPONSORED LINKS Albus dumbledore  Jk rowling  Goblet of fire  


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 

    a..  Visit your group "the_old_crowd" on the web.
      
    b..  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     the_old_crowd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
      
    c..  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 17:05:05 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 11:05:05 -0600
Subject: PSS/SS: Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E88A0@...>

I've been planning to go through the HP books again for a while. The
first four I read countless times during that long wait between GoF and
OotP. OotP and HBP, I've only read once, which is a sad admission to
make for a Potter fan. OotP just wasn't my thing (though there were bits
I quite liked), and though I adored HBP, I've somehow not got back to
rereading it. I suspect that it's because I've done less re-reading in
general these last few years, and more devouring of whole series at
once. This is partly the fault of the HP fandom, whose fans introduced
me to all sorts of authors that I've grown to love. Lois McMaster
Bujold. Garth Nix. Terry Pratchett. Neil Gaiman. Diana Wynne-Jones. Sean
Stewart. Gene Wolfe. Jasper Fforde. Connie Willis. Etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, here I am revisiting the HP series, an I've decided to listen to
it in audio, since we have the audiobooks. I also feel like jotting down
my thoughts about the chapters as I listened to them. Nothing fancy
here, but for what it's worth, here are my thoughts on the first
chapter.

I'm listening to the Jim Dale reading, since that was the one
commercially available in Canada, even though we have the British
editions of the books. It's kind of a weird experience to hear it begin,
"Listening Library presents Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone."

And  Dumbledore says "Lemon drop" when he offers McGonagall the sweet!
That bit confused me the first time I read it, because 'sorbet' to me
was a frozen dessert, like ice-cream but made of fruit juice. So I can
see why the American edition changed it, but on the other hand, I don't
really like changes. I survived perfectly well until someone on HPFGU a
year or so later explained what it meant, and I learnt something
interesting about British English that I wouldn't have otherwise. 

Gosh, I love this chapter. It's like coming home again from the
holidays. Re-entering the magical world. Not just because I haven't read
it for so long, but because it's narratively a slow, careful approach
into the magical world. Starting with Vernon, the most unmagical
character in the whole series, and ending with the image of hundreds of
people across the country in hiding raising their glasses in a toast to
Harry Potter. 

It struck me listening that it's also our only unfiltered look at the
Dursleys. Well, filtered only by the narrator/JKR. Later we see
everything about them through Harry's eyes. I think they're more
caricatured that way. Vernon's an idiot in this first chapter, but you
do get to see all his worries and fears, and he's much more real that
way. I keep wondering how much Petunia's actually let him know about the
magical world. It's odd, but he comes across as somewhat bullied by his
wife here, afraid to even ask basic questions lest she become angry.
It's convention to regard Vernon as the bigger bully of the two, because
he's loud and stupid, but I think it's Petunia who really calls the
shots in that family. 

By the way, I do hope there was some thought given to protecting the
Dursleys. Offing James Potter's Muggle in-laws sounds right up the alley
of someone like Bellatrix. And by the way, I think Petunia has thought
about the possibility that the Potters' enemies might come after her
family. When she hears in OotP that Voldemort is back, she sure freaks
out, doesn't she? 

And, of course, what would reading HP be without coming up with
theories? I've got a new one. It's that pesky timeline again,
particularly, why does Hagrid get to Godric's Hollow almost immediately,
then take a whole day to meet up with Dumbledore? They haven't spoken
since Hagrid left because Hagrid has to fill Dumbledore in on the
condition of the house, and borrowing Sirius Black's motorcycle. Yet,
Dumbledore is certain Harry is safe very early on. Perhaps this will
never be resolved to the fans' satisfaction, but firstly, I think there
was something Dumbledore could do magically to know Harry had survived. 

Secondly, I propose time travel on a very limited basis, just to get
Hagrid right back to where he could pick up Harry before the place was
descended on. A matter of hours is easy enough work with a timeturner,
and I'm sure Dumbledore has access to one. Anyway, time travels kill my
brain, but Hagrid couldn't then go back to where he'd already been, at
Dumbledore's side, so he would have had the need to hang out somewhere
with Harry for a bit. Not that I think he repeated the whole 24 hours.
Several hours perhaps, and the necessity to lie low somewhere was
converted into a plan to meet up the next night, when they could dispose
properly of Harry. 

In this scenario, the Ministry or the Order arrives at Godric's Hollow,
finds it already swarming with Muggles, and James and Lily dead. But no
Harry and Dumbledore knows on his own that Harry's alive. Something
twigs him that he's going to send Hagrid back in time, the same way he
reads the signs correctly in PoA, so he does dispatch him with
instructions for the rendez-vous, and is already sure of the result
because he's seen the evidence that it happens, same as in PoA. 

Well, at least it makes me happy.



From annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr  7 23:29:13 2006
From: annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid (annemehr)
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2006 23:29:13 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
Message-ID: <e16sk9+qrb5@...>

What, did you only have to get four right answers?

I want to see the answer key.

~Anne







From catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 04:52:14 2006
From: catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid (Catlady (Rita Prince Winston))
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 04:52:14 -0000
Subject: WOMBATS / House Elves
Message-ID: <e17fhu+tlgj@...>

I only got an 'Acceptable'. My feelings are hurt.

What's the deal with Kreachur? In the first four books, we met Dobby
and Winky and got the idea that all House Elves have two syllable
names with "y" at the end. If that had been the rule, he would have
been named 'Kreachy' rather than than Kreachur. Were we wrong about
the rule? The next House Elf we encounter, book 6, is named Hokey.






From kumayama at kumayama.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 05:05:45 2006
From: kumayama at kumayama.yahoo.invalid (Lyn J. Mangiameli)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 05:05:45 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e179d7+3bm3@...>
Message-ID: <e17gb9+gp4r@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457 at ...> wrote:
>
> > Talisman:
> > You can compare answers with me.  I got an EE, too.
> > 
> > Question is, did anybody not?
> 
> Okay.  I'll suck back some of the vitriol.  Someone at OTChatter got 
> an *Acceptable*.  

Mark me down as another Acceptable.

I'm surprised no one has commented on her reference to WOMBAT Grade 2 "in due 
course." I rather hope not. There is nothing, thus far, that I've found enlightening about 
this project, or even informative. 
> 
> Talisman
> Who had begun to hope the REAL J K Rowling was in a trunk somewhere, 
> losing hair to a polyjuice potion.

Most amusing line I've encountered all day. Indeed, more and more, it seems there  may 
be some truth to it.








From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 06:18:20 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 23:18:20 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Exceeds Expectations???
References: <e16sk9+qrb5@...>
Message-ID: <000501c65ad4$4f4dc060$482fdcd1@...>

Gatta Exceeded Expectations too. Being a Hermione, she'd like to know which ones she got wrong.

--Gatta

  What, did you only have to get four right answers?

  I want to see the answer key.

  ~Anne






------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 

    a..  Visit your group "the_old_crowd" on the web.
      
    b..  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     the_old_crowd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
      
    c..  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From stevejjen at ariadnemajic.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 07:22:19 2006
From: stevejjen at ariadnemajic.yahoo.invalid (Jen Reese)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 07:22:19 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e17gb9+gp4r@...>
Message-ID: <e17obb+3ofq@...>

Lyn:
> Mark me down as another Acceptable.

Jen: Me too, me too. I took the test thinking there wasn't a right 
answer and that the purpose was to get to the code at the end which 
would unlock the door or provide a canon clue. 

Lyn:
> I'm surprised no one has commented on her reference to WOMBAT Grade 
> "in due course." I rather hope not. There is nothing, thus far, that
> I've found enlightening about this project, or even informative. 

Jen: As the test got longer and longer, my thoughts turned to: 'does 
this mean she isn't working on the book if she's taking time to write 
up this test?'  Uh-oh.

Jen, who probably WILL take another one if only to satiate her inner-
Hermione who was most displeased with an 'A'. ;)







From josturgess at mooseming.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 08:36:38 2006
From: josturgess at mooseming.yahoo.invalid (mooseming)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 08:36:38 -0000
Subject: WOMBATS / House Elves
In-Reply-To: <e17fhu+tlgj@...>
Message-ID: <e17smm+ea9e@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)" 
<catlady at ...> wrote:
>
> I only got an 'Acceptable'. My feelings are hurt.

ha! My id code won't verify so I guess I get a 'T'!

Stupid quiz (I did wonder if it was an April fool?)

Regards
Jo






From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 09:30:42 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 09:30:42 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e17gb9+gp4r@...>
Message-ID: <e17vs2+8bkd@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Lyn J. Mangiameli" 
<kumayama at ...> wrote:
>I'm surprised no one has commented on her reference to WOMBAT Grade 
>2 "in due course." I rather hope not. 

Please Lynn. Sufficient unto the day is the evil therein. = : P

>There is nothing, thus far, that I've found enlightening about this 
>project, or even informative.

Nope, it really does seem like a meaningless Snipe Hunt meant to 
keep us distracted without providing any clues.

My certificates don't specifically reference Grade 2, but obviously 
that's what's on deck.

For what it's worth:

Outstanding certificates say:

CONGRATULATIONS
Your exemplary powers of deduction and formidable knowledge of the 
inner workings of the magical world reveal you to be a witch or 
wizard of genuine skill and learning.  This first examination has 
barely tested you.  We look forward to challenging you to a further 
and more difficult examination in due course.

The Exceeds Expectations certificate says:

Well done--a most creditable performance!  We are impressed by the 
breadth of your magical knowledge and your level of insight into the 
wizarding world.  We hope that you will attempt our next, and more 
difficult, examination in due course.


More difficult aka more trivial?  I suppose she hopes we'll all 
hunker down and try to memorize the Lexicon's lists of magical 
plants and animals instead of fretting about solving any silly old 
mysteries.  

(Then, of course, she'll ask all about breakfast foods.)

>Jen 4119:
>I took the test thinking there wasn't a right answer and that the 
>purpose was to get to the code at the end which would unlock the 
>door or provide a canon clue.

It is my pleasure to present you with the award for unbridled 
optimism. :)

>Catlady 4116:
>I only got an 'Acceptable'. My feelings are hurt. 

Fiddlesticks. Cheer up.  
Preliminary research shows this indicates you are a person of 
prudence and rational behavior.

Ditto Anne, Lynn, Gatta, Jen, et al.

Alas, poor Moose, you just seem to be screwed.

>Gatta 4118:
>Gatta Exceeded Expectations too. Being a Hermione, she'd like to 
>know which ones she got wrong. 

We could have a thorough rehash, if folks want to.

We could post a set of the exam questions, so everyone who wanted to 
participate could have them for reference.  

Then, each of us could prepare a post.  It would indicate the score 
received followed by the number of each question and the letter of 
the answer chosen for it--to the best of our recollection.

We could put it all on a grid, and see what sifts out.  

Anyone game?

>Jen, who probably WILL take another one if only to satiate her 
>inner- Hermione who was most displeased with an 'A'. ;) 

:: grips desk and gasps::
  
...I know...it's a... fool's game...but, I'll...do it...again. 

Damn her.
 

>Catlady:
>...In the first four books, we met Dobby and Winky and got the idea 
>that all House Elves have two syllable names with "y" at the end. 
>If that had been the rule, he would have been named 'Kreachy' 
>rather than Kreachur. [notes Hokey in Book 6] Were we wrong about 
>the rule?... 

Maybe elves have to be really malicious to earn an -er name.  Who 
knows? If we can get out to Voldemort's place perhaps we'll meet 
Kreeper, Seether, Ripper, and the whole nasty little gang. :)

Talisman










From kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 12:40:24 2006
From: kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid (Kathy King)
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 08:40:24 -0400
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e17vs2+8bkd@...>
References: <e17gb9+gp4r@...> <e17vs2+8bkd@...>
Message-ID: <a1ee8d580604080540v329ed12qbe8f1138db741940@...>

Snow:

I received an Acceptable as well.

The grading system doesn't appear to follow the norm. I would have to say
that OTC has members who are all fairly anal about the books and yet we are
seeing quite a few Acceptable scores, doesn't quite equate?unless the
scoring is for a different purpose than your knowledge of the books.

So far we have only heard of three types of grades given. If there had been
four I would lean towards Jo doing some sorting of her own.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 14:27:19 2006
From: dontask2much at dontask2much.yahoo.invalid (rebecca)
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 10:27:19 -0400
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Exceeds Expectations???
References: <e17gb9+gp4r@...> <e17vs2+8bkd@...> <a1ee8d580604080540v329ed12qbe8f1138db741940@...>
Message-ID: <018301c65b18$8b51bb90$6401a8c0@...>

>Snow:

>I received an Acceptable as well.

>The grading system doesn't appear to follow the norm. I would have to say
>that OTC has members who are all fairly anal about the books and yet we are
>seeing quite a few Acceptable scores, doesn't quite equate.unless the
>scoring is for a different purpose than your knowledge of the books.

Rebecca, amused:

If the end of year tests given at Hogwarts are any indication, we won't get 
an answer key or explanation, IMO.  Normally the students we've seen discuss 
the results with each other to come to a conclusion about what was right or 
wrong answers after they have taken the test.  So to Talisman's point 
earlier:

"We could have a thorough rehash, if folks want to.

We could post a set of the exam questions, so everyone who wanted to
participate could have them for reference. "

Sounds like the right thing to do given our example from the books. :)   And 
to my way of thinking, confirms some of what Lyn said waaaaay earlier about 
the test being diversionary in some way....

Rebecca







From quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 14:44:20 2006
From: quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid (quigonginger)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 14:44:20 -0000
Subject: big fat WOMBATS
Message-ID: <e18i84+45pm@...>

Am I obsessive?  

I have a high school and a college diploma and an associate 
certificate in boxes somewhere, and my WOMBAT results hanging on my 
wall.  (I got an EE-must have been graded randomly.)

So, about the next level... I can't wait.  I am one of those people 
who takes any little quiz, test, whatever that comes my way.  I'll 
take a test on how to improve my marriage despite not having so much 
as an intrest in a guy.  I just like trivia, I guess.

I think that's what this is.  Trivia.  I really don't think JKR is 
hiding clues anywhere.  OTOH, maybe one of the questions is something 
that will be important (dittney?) and she wants it fresh in our minds 
for book 7.  

Now, um, about my fat rant... I get sarcastic that way when I'm on a 
roll.  Thanks to RL (a few recent unrelated-to-HP conversations), I 
kind of went off and, after an off-list post, I went back and reread 
what I had written.  If someone isn't used to my flippant side, it 
did come out as harsh.  

I just want to say that I'm not mad at anyone here, and to take all I 
said with a grain of salt, and read it with a snarky attitude, which 
was what I had when I wrote it.  It was meant to be humourous, 
although in a sassy way.  If I have hurt anyone's feelings or have 
given the impression that I am mad at someone here, I'm truely 
sorry.  Pax?

Back to WOMBATS:
I like Talisman's idea of getting together and finding out what we 
answered on the test and figuring out what the right answer was.  It 
would probably be too time consuming for each of us to give all our 
answers (if we could remember what we put), but if we had one that 
troubled us, maybe we could ask what others put for their answer and 
discuss it?  I'll leave the grid stuff to the experts.

Ginger, wondering for 4 years why Petunia grated that celery on Dud's 
cottage cheese.








From quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 14:51:06 2006
From: quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid (quigonginger)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 14:51:06 -0000
Subject: WOMBATS / House Elves
In-Reply-To: <e17smm+ea9e@...>
Message-ID: <e18ikq+5nh6@...>

Jo wrote:
> ha! My id code won't verify so I guess I get a 'T'!
> 
> Stupid quiz (I did wonder if it was an April fool?)

Ginger here:
Mine didn't go at first, then I figured out that there's a difference 
between O and 0.  If you have either in your code, you may want to try 
that out.  The 0 is skinnier than the O, so that is the difference.  
The skinny one is the number and the fat one is the capitol letter.

Hope that helps, Ginger







From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 15:47:09 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 15:47:09 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e17obb+3ofq@...>
Message-ID: <e18ltt+khp5@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" <stevejjen at ...> wrote:
>
> Lyn:
> > Mark me down as another Acceptable.
> 
> Jen: Me too, me too. I took the test thinking there wasn't a right 
> answer and that the purpose was to get to the code at the end which 
> would unlock the door or provide a canon clue. 
> 
> Lyn:
> > I'm surprised no one has commented on her reference to WOMBAT Grade 
> > "in due course." I rather hope not. There is nothing, thus far, that
> > I've found enlightening about this project, or even informative. 
> 

Yet another EE to register from this neck of the woods.

This talk of the marking scheme.... I may be wrong, but I doubt it'll ever
see the light of day .... if one actually exists. What would be interesting
is a breakdown of grades achieved. Has anyone, anywhere, actually failed?
Maybe not. Could be an "and all shall have prizes" exercise, even if they
couldn't out-smart a scrubbing-brush and think Dumbledore is the entrance
to a Hobbit-hole.  

And digging into my failing memory it seems to me that once a year Jo 
does a little something for the fan-base: a webcast, a broadcast, just to 
keep 'em entertained and to let 'em know they  haven't been forgotten. 
Seem to remember Springtime (March, April-ish) has seen that sort of 
event before.

Kneasy







From willsonkmom at potioncat.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 16:25:45 2006
From: willsonkmom at potioncat.yahoo.invalid (potioncat)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 16:25:45 -0000
Subject: WOMBATS / House Elves
In-Reply-To: <e18ikq+5nh6@...>
Message-ID: <e18o69+ig9m@...>

 
> Ginger here:
> Mine didn't go at first, then I figured out that there's a 
difference 
> between O and 0.  If you have either in your code, you may want to 
try 
> that out.  The 0 is skinnier than the O, so that is the difference.  
> The skinny one is the number and the fat one is the capitol letter.
> 
> Hope that helps, Ginger
>

Kathy W:
Well, obviously your apology for your atrocious behavior was 
insincere! Because in your very next post---I mean the keys couldn't 
even have cooled off---you call O fat! O isn't fat. O is just exactly 
the size O should be! If you ask me, 0 is an unhealthy size. But I'd 
be more concerned about what kind of number 0 tries to be and how O 
behaves than whether or not they are the prefect size!!!!!

(You know I'm kidding, right?)








From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 18:14:20 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 11:14:20 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Exceeds Expectations???
References: <e17vs2+8bkd@...>
Message-ID: <001701c65b38$52f63080$482fdcd1@...>

Gatta replying to Talisman here:

  --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Lyn J. Mangiameli" 
  <kumayama at ...> wrote:
  >I'm surprised no one has commented on her reference to WOMBAT Grade 
  >2 "in due course." I rather hope not. 

  Please Lynn. Sufficient unto the day is the evil therein. = : P

Well, (Gatta says in a very small voice) I thought it was kind of fun. But then I thought the PSAT was kind of fun too. It must be a Hermione thing...

  >Gatta 4118:
  >Gatta Exceeded Expectations too. Being a Hermione, she'd like to 
  >know which ones she got wrong. 

  We could have a thorough rehash, if folks want to.

  We could post a set of the exam questions, so everyone who wanted to 
  participate could have them for reference.  

  Then, each of us could prepare a post.  It would indicate the score 
  received followed by the number of each question and the letter of 
  the answer chosen for it--to the best of our recollection.

  We could put it all on a grid, and see what sifts out.  

  Anyone game?

I'm willing to give it a shot, although I can't remember at this point what my answers were. (Brain turning to Swiss cheese in my mature years.)

--Gatta

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 18:31:36 2006
From: quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid (quigonginger)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 18:31:36 -0000
Subject: WOMBATS / House Elves
In-Reply-To: <e18o69+ig9m@...>
Message-ID: <e18vi8+5v02@...>


> > Ginger before:
> > The skinny one is the number and the fat one is the capitol letter.

> Kathy W:
> Well, obviously your apology for your atrocious behavior was 
> insincere! Because in your very next post---I mean the keys couldn't 
> even have cooled off---you call O fat! O isn't fat. O is just 
exactly 
> the size O should be! If you ask me, 0 is an unhealthy size. But I'd 
> be more concerned about what kind of number 0 tries to be and how O 
> behaves than whether or not they are the prefect size!!!!!
> 
> (You know I'm kidding, right?)
>

Ginger now:

You know, I actually thought that when I was typing.

OK, then.  0 (the number) is more ovoid, where O (the letter) is more 
roundish, not that either shape is preferential or in any way better 
than the other.  Both are perfectly good representations of the 
characters which they signify, nor is either in any way superiour to 
the other.  Nor are letters or numbers in and of themselves better 
than the other in any way, save that typing the numbers saves a lot of 
letters, in which case they are perfectly good shorthand versions of 
the concepts the letters would have represented should they have been 
written out in their entirety.

The lack of inclusion of o (the lowercase letter) is not in any way to 
be construed as ignoring said letter, but rather that it was not 
mentioned due to the fact that it is not as easily confused with the 
other two characters.  It is, however preferable when using it as the 
nose in a smiley-face thingie ;o)

Somebody feed that / a cheeseburger.

Ginger, glad that McCartney and Wonder used the other keyboard as a 
reference in their commentary about peace, tolerance and acceptance.







From carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 19:21:57 2006
From: carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid (carolynwhite2)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 19:21:57 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e17vs2+8bkd@...>
Message-ID: <e192gl+dd96@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457 at ...> 
wrote:
>> 
> We could have a thorough rehash, if folks want to.
> 
> We could post a set of the exam questions, so everyone who wanted 
to participate could have them for reference.  
> 
> Then, each of us could prepare a post.  It would indicate the score 
> received followed by the number of each question and the letter of 
> the answer chosen for it--to the best of our recollection.
> 
> We could put it all on a grid, and see what sifts out.  
> 
> Anyone game?
> 

Well, here are the questions which I typed up for another list. Let 
the rehash begin.

Carolyn
Who fortunately Exceeded Expectations too, and is now in possession 
of a Grade 1 W.O.M.B.A.T., which I plan to pin up with my Girl Guide 
and bicycling certificates.



*************

PART ONE: MAGICAL LAW

1. Which Ministry of Magic Department(s) and/or committee(s) would
you contact to resolve each of the following dilemmas?

Part 1
Your neighbour is concealing a stash of flying carpets, some of which
he is allowing to fly loose around his back garden.
(a) Wizengamot
(b) Department of International Magical Cooperation
(c) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office
(d) Obliviators
(e) All of the above
(f) None of the above

Part 2
Your friend C possesses a Muggle Penny Farthing (old bicycle) that
has been enchanted to skim an inch above the ground, achieving speeds
over 100mph. C did not personally enchant the Penny Farthing, never
rides it and merely wishes to keep it 'for sentimental reasons' as it
was her grandmothers.
(a) Department of Magical Transport
(b) Improper Use of Magic Office
(c) Obliviators
(d) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office
(e)Committee on Experimental Charms
(f) None of the above

Part 3
Your sixteen year old nephew, D, has hexed his seventeen year old
sister, E. E has retaliated with a Stunning Spell that missed D and
hit a Muggle motorist, who has smashed into a lamppost.
(a) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes
(b) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes and Oblivator
Squad
(c) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator Squad
and Improper Use of Magic Office
(d) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator
Squad, Improper Use of Magic Office and Wizengamot

Part 4
Your friends wizard A and wizard B are in dispute over which of them
owns a field in which Mooncalfs dance periodically. A accuses B of
using a nightly Summoning charm to collect the precious Mooncalf dung
which is rightfully A's.
(a) Improper Use of Magic Office
(b) Wizengamot
(c) Pest Advisory Board
(d) Improper Use of Magic Office and Wizengamot
(e) Improper Use of Magic Office and Pest Advisory Board
(f) Wizengamot and Pest Advisory Board

Part 5
Witch F fed love potion to a Muggle man, who has married her. When
you went around with a wedding gift you discovered she is using him
as an occasional table.
(a) Auror Office
(b) Misuse of Magic Office
(c) Obliviators
(d) Wizengamot
(e) All of the above
(f) None of the above

2. Which of the following should be most SEVERELY punished by the
Wizengamot?
(a) The injury of three Muggles due to a poorly performed
Forgetfulness Charm
(b) The death of a chicken due to a poorly aimed Bat-Bogey hex
(c) The use of the Cruciatus curse on a shark about to attack a Muggle
(d) The use of the Imperius curse on a Muggle mugger

3. Which of the following should receive the LIGHTEST punishment from
the Wizengamot?
(a) Horns created accidentally on culprit's mother, caused by broken
wand
(b) Jellylegs Jinx performed on threatening Muggle
(c) Breeding fanged Puffskeins
(d) Underage witch performs Cleaning Charms in privacy of own home

4. Which of the following does NOT require a Ministry of Magic
license?
(a) Crup ownership
(b) Sale of Magical Artefacts
(c) House-elf ownership
(d) Apparition

5. Which of the following wizarding laws, in your view, stands in
most urgent need of change?
(a) The detection of under-age magic in all magic households
(currently impossible)
(b) The ban on goblin possession of wands (ought to be lifted)
(c) The re-classification of centaurs and merpeople (ought to take
their views into account)
(d) The guidelines on house-elf welfare (need to be enforced)
(e) Definitions of `muggle baiting' (need to be made less stringent)

PART TWO: MAGICAL TRANSPORT

6. Which mode of transportation would you advise for a young mother
travelling with one-year old twins with a low boredom threshold, her
grandmother, who suffers from severe motion sickness, and her
husband, who has never mastered the three `D's' ?

(a) Apparition
(b) Broomsticks
(c) Floo powder
(d) Knight bus
(e) Portkey

7. Which of the following unorthodox  means of transport is
considered the most serious breach of the International Statute of
Secrecy

(a) Thestrals
(b) Abraxan horse-drawn giant carriages
(c) Hippogriff
(d) Flying muggle vehicle (eg, car, motorcycle)
(e) Underwater ship

8. Which mode(s) of transportation could you use to reach/enter each
of the following wizarding institutions?

Part 1 Azkaban
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

Part 2 Gringotts
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

Part 3 Hogwarts
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

Part 4 Ministry of Magic
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

Part 5 St Mungos
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

PART THREE: EVERYDAY MAGIC

9. Which of the following would, in your opinion, provide the best
security for a convention of broomstick salesman in a large, Fire-
bolt shaped marquee?

(a) Fidelius Charm
(b) Muggle-repelling charm
(c) Confundus charm
(d) Disillusionment charm
(e) Unplottable marquee
(f) Forgetfulness charm
(g) Giant three-headed dog

10. Which of the following should not be used in cooking?

(a) Alihotsy leaves
(b) Bubotuber pus
(c) Daisy roots
(d) Dragon blood
(e) Mandrake leaves
(f) Murtlap tentacles
(g) Shrake
11. Which of the following would most effectively clean up a spillage
of wart cap powder?

(a) Deletrius
(b) Diffindo
(c) Episkey
(d) Evanesco
(e) Scourgify
(f) Tergeo
(g) Mrs Skower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover

12. A doxy-bite can be healed most quickly and safely using:

(a) Bubotuber pus
(b) Bundimen secretion
(c) Dittany
(d) Dr Ubbly's Oblivius Unction
(e) Murtlap essence
(f) Reparo
(g) Skele-gro
(h) Spellotape

13. Which of the following commonly held wizarding beliefs is
actually true?

(a) If an inanimate object appears to think for itself, Dark
Magic has been involved in its creation
(b) The use of magic in front of a Muggle is prohibited unless
the witch or wizard is under threat of personal injury
(c) Releasing a Portkey before it has arrived will result in
death or serious injury
(d) `Finite Incatatum' should be used as a precaution when a
Muggle rings the doorbell
(e) Bad luck can be prevented by turning three times on the spot
and deliberately splinching one's thumbs

PART FOUR: THE NATURAL WORLD

14. Which of the following small creatures would you CHOOSE to
accompany you on a perilous journey?

(a) Augurey
(b) Crup
(c) Jarvey
(d) Kneazle
(e) Murtlap
(f) Niffler
(g) Runespoor

15. Which of the following is NOT listed as a pest by the Pest
Advisory Board?

(a) Bundimen
(b) Chizpurfle
(c) Doxy
(d) Gnome
(e) Horklump
(f) Knarl
(g) Pixie

16. A dog acting in a suspiciously un-canine manner is most likely to
be:

(a) An animagus
(b) A boggart
(c) A Crup (or part Crup)
(d) A grim
(e) Imperius-ed
(f) Magically trained
(g) A Patronus

17. Which of the following plants has NO curative, restorative or
protective properties?

(a) Alihotsy shrub
(b) Belladonna
(c) Bubotuber
(d) Snargluff tree
(e) Venomous Tentacular
(f) Wolfsbane
(g) Whomping Willow











From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 20:17:25 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 13:17:25 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: WOMBATS / House Elves
References: <e18ikq+5nh6@...>
Message-ID: <005301c65b49$8e5c6d40$482fdcd1@...>

Gatta, responding to Ginger here:

  The 0 is skinnier than the O, so that is the difference.  
  The skinny one is the number and the fat one is the capitol letter.

  Hope that helps, Ginger

There you go, carissima! Think of yourself as a capitol letter, way above all those lowercase letters.

By the way, what's the matter with being a cavemama? I don't know what it's like where you live, but out here Earth Goddesses are hot stuff with men who are tired of putting up with the vagaries of self-absorbed 98-pound bippity-bops.

As for swottiness: I wish I'd had the guts and experience to reply to my mother's "Boys don't like girls who get straight As," with "That's O.K. I'm not interested in boys, just real men." I've acquired several good ones in my career, along with the Ph.D. in Greek and Latin Studies. >:)

--Gatta

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From fmaneely at fhmaneely.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 21:35:01 2006
From: fmaneely at fhmaneely.yahoo.invalid (fhmaneely)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 21:35:01 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e17gb9+gp4r@...>
Message-ID: <e19aa5+m6ab@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Lyn J. Mangiameli" 
<kumayama at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457@> 
wrote:
> >
> > > Talisman:
> > > You can compare answers with me.  I got an EE, too.
> > > 
> > > Question is, did anybody not?
> > 
> > Okay.  I'll suck back some of the vitriol.  Someone at OTChatter 
got 
> > an *Acceptable*.  
> 
> Mark me down as another Acceptable.
> 
> I'm surprised no one has commented on her reference to WOMBAT Grade 
2 "in due 
> course." I rather hope not. There is nothing, thus far, that I've 
found enlightening about 
> this project, or even informative. 
> > 
> > Talisman
> > Who had begun to hope the REAL J K Rowling was in a trunk 
somewhere, 
> > losing hair to a polyjuice potion.
> 
> Most amusing line I've encountered all day. Indeed, more and more, 
it seems there  may 
> be some truth to it.

Fran here delurking for a bit....I received an EE, which surprised me 
as I always have cannon wrong. Wrong upside down and sideways.....go 
figure!
>







From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sat Apr  8 23:29:31 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 23:29:31 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e192gl+dd96@...>
Message-ID: <e19h0r+gu1j@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "carolynwhite2" 
<carolynwhite2 at ...> wrote:

>Well, here are the questions which I typed up for another list. Let
>the rehash begin.

Thank you for sharing the wealth, you nimble-fingered darling.  I was 
sure hoping you would.  :)

Talisman

I'll start on my "answer" post, right away.







From coriolan at coriolan_cmc.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 00:51:22 2006
From: coriolan at coriolan_cmc.yahoo.invalid (Caius Marcius)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 00:51:22 -0000
Subject: PSS/SS: Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E88A0@...>
Message-ID: <e19lqa+gu8r@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Eileen Rebstock" 
<erebstock at ...> wrote:

> It struck me listening that it's also our only unfiltered look at 
the
> Dursleys. Well, filtered only by the narrator/JKR. Later we see
> everything about them through Harry's eyes. I think they're more
> caricatured that way. Vernon's an idiot in this first chapter, but 
you
> do get to see all his worries and fears, and he's much more real 
that
> way. I keep wondering how much Petunia's actually let him know 
about the
> magical world. It's odd, but he comes across as somewhat bullied by 
his
> wife here, afraid to even ask basic questions lest she become angry.
> It's convention to regard Vernon as the bigger bully of the two, 
because
> he's loud and stupid, but I think it's Petunia who really calls the
> shots in that family. 
> 
That's how I've always thought of it, and the strongest confirmation 
is in OOP - in chap. 2, Vernon is ready to throw Harry out for good, 
but when Dumbledore's Howler arrives, he submissively falls behind 
Petunia's decree that Harry must stay. ("If we throw him out, the 
neighbours will talk").

   - CMC







From erisedstraeh2002 at erisedstraeh2002.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 00:54:47 2006
From: erisedstraeh2002 at erisedstraeh2002.yahoo.invalid (Phyllis)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 00:54:47 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e19h0r+gu1j@...>
Message-ID: <e19m0n+8cd7@...>

Talisman:
 
<<I'll start on my "answer" post, right away.>>

FYI, the Lexicon has a WOMBAT page that might be a good place to start:

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/wombat.html

I thought the test was really difficult, and was dismayed to see that 
future tests were going to be even harder.  What I found hard about it 
was: (1) for many of the questions, we don't have enough information in 
the books to determine the correct answer and (2) many of the questions 
seemed to have at least two (if not more) plausible correct answers.  
Perhaps #2 is the reason why some people received the same score even 
though they chose different answers.

In addition, there's no way I would have even been able to figure out 
how to get into the test in the first place if the Leaky Cauldron 
hadn't posted the directions.  I suppose my mind just doesn't think 
like Jo's, which is presumably why I'm not rich, famous, thin, 
beautiful and wildly happy.  Sigh.

~Phyllis
who also received an EE, for what it (isn't) worth









From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 01:16:11 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 01:16:11 -0000
Subject: WOMBAT ANSWERS & ANALYSIS
Message-ID: <e19n8r+qi6g@...>

Thanks for the Lexicon head's up, Phyllis.

As I'd already prepared my own data, I'll go ahead and post.  I will 
take a look at your link, though.

Also, to clarify: my comment regarding Carolyn's *nimble fingers* is 
relative to her rapid typing skills.  All your silverware is safe.

Okay, here are the answers I used on the three (3) versions of the 
exam I submitted.  Just from playing with my own...um...numbers I 
think I can tell which were THE right answers, mostly

As there were 6 differences between the two Outstandings, and 2 
differences between one Outstanding  and the E, and 8 differences... 
well never mind.

Bottom line, I think you could miss 4 and get an O.  Furthermore, 
based on the combinations of differences, I think I can surmise the 
most likely REAL ANSWER candidates.  Those results will appear at 
the end of the raw data.

Here are my answers:

No.s 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 15-25 were the same on all my exams, 
and probably correct. (We'll see when other data comes in) they are 
as follows:
2f
4b
7b
8c
9d
11d
12a
15e
16e
17b
18a
19d
20e
21d
22d
23f
24e
25a

For the differing answers, the following codes apply:
O/P (Outstanding priggish answers)  O/L (Outstanding liberal 
answers)  EE (Exceeds Expectations)

O/P 1c -- O/L 1f --EE 1f
O/P 3d -- O/L 3a -- EE 3a
O/P 5b -- O/L 5f -- EE 5f
O/P 6d -- O/L 6a -- EE 6a
O/P 10e-- O/L 10a--EE 10a
O/P 13c--O/L 13c-- EE 13a
O/P 14c--O/L 14e-- EE 14a

Based on my cock-eyed analysis, I currently (: D) think these are 
THE correct answers:
1c
2f
3a
4b
5f
6d
7b
8c
9d
10a
11d
12a
13c
14c
15e
16e
17b
18a
19d
20e
21d
22d
23f
24e
25a

Lets if other data confirms this, and then start talking them over.

Talisman








From catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 02:51:57 2006
From: catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid (Catlady (Rita Prince Winston))
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 02:51:57 -0000
Subject: more WOMBATS and House Elves
Message-ID: <e19ssd+slrg@...>

In the sacred secret Wombat school of Wicca, which does everything
upside-down, the WOM is the Holy Womb of Mother Goddess who gave birth
to everything, and the BAT is longer than it is wide, therefore
symbolizing the phallus of Father God, and joined they make lots of
little Wombats.

Mooseming wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4120 :

<< ha! My id code won't verify so I guess I get a 'T'! >>

In case Ginger's advice on O and 0 didn't help: My id code wouldn't
verify the first dozen times I tried it. Then I *typed* instead of
copying-and-pasting from the .txt where I'd saved it, and that worked.

Talisman already posted her WOMBAT answers in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4137 but 
I was hoping someone here is a clever person who can set up the WOMBAT
questions as a Y!group poll.

Talisman in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/4121
quoted the OUTSTANDING and EXCEEDS certificates. The Acceptable says:
<< We are pleased to tell you that you have passed your Grade 1
W.O.M.B.A.T. Your knowledge of the workings of the wizarding world
demonstrates real magical potential. We hope that you will continue to
study further and attempt W.O.M.B.A.T. Grade 2 in due course. >>

In addition, the FRAME says WOMBAT GRADE I.

<< Maybe elves have to be really malicious to earn an -er name.  Who
knows? If we can get out to Voldemort's place perhaps we'll meet
Kreeper, Seether, Ripper, and the whole nasty little gang. :) >>

I like that. Horrer, Terrer, Anger, Winter ... 

Has no one yet suggested that the name 'Hokey' was Rowling's message
to the obsessed that giving all House Elves names ending in 'y' is a
bit hokey? (" 1. Mawkishly sentimental; corny. 2. Noticeably
contrived; artificial." according to American Heritage Dictionary at
http://www.bartleby.com/61/61/H0236100.html








From annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 04:01:00 2006
From: annemehr at annemehr.yahoo.invalid (annemehr)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 04:01:00 -0000
Subject: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e192gl+dd96@...>
Message-ID: <e1a0ts+asif@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "carolynwhite2"
<carolynwhite2 at ...> wrote:
> Carolyn
> Who fortunately Exceeded Expectations too, and is now in possession 
> of a Grade 1 W.O.M.B.A.T., which I plan to pin up with my Girl Guide 
> and bicycling certificates.
> 
Thanks! :)
> 
> *************
> 
> PART ONE: MAGICAL LAW
> 
> 1. Which Ministry of Magic Department(s) and/or committee(s) would
> you contact to resolve each of the following dilemmas?
> 
> Part 1
> Your neighbour is concealing a stash of flying carpets [...]

Either (c) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office
or (f) None of the above.

I wanted to know more about the back garden -- after all, the Weasleys
play quidditch in theirs.  But I probably put (c) assuming this was a
ministry-approved test and the carpets are illegal so it was probably
*technically* the right answer.

 
> Part 2
> Your friend C possesses a Muggle Penny Farthing (old bicycle) [...]

(f) None of the above


> Part 3
> Your sixteen year old nephew, D, has hexed his seventeen year old
> sister, E. E has retaliated with a Stunning Spell that missed D and
> hit a Muggle motorist, who has smashed into a lamppost.

I'm pretty sure it was:
(a) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes


> 
> Part 4
> Your friends wizard A and wizard B are in dispute over which of them
> owns a field in which Mooncalfs dance periodically.[...]

(b) Wizengamot

> 
> Part 5
> Witch F fed love potion to a Muggle man, who has married her. When
> you went around with a wedding gift you discovered she is using him
> as an occasional table.

I have no idea what I answered that one.


> 2. Which of the following should be most SEVERELY punished by the
> Wizengamot?

I *think* I chose:
(d) The use of the Imperius curse on a Muggle mugger


> 3. Which of the following should receive the LIGHTEST punishment from
> the Wizengamot?

Either:
(a) Horns created accidentally on culprit's mother, caused by broken
wand  -or-
(b) Jellylegs Jinx performed on threatening Muggle

I'm pretty sure I picked (a) because there may have been better
options for dealing with the Muggle; perhaps one that would have been
less dangerous re the Statute of Secrecy.

> 
> 4. Which of the following does NOT require a Ministry of Magic
> license?

I dithered, but I think I put:
(b) Sale of Magical Artefacts

Because otherwise every shop would require a license to sell.

> 
> 5. Which of the following wizarding laws, in your view, stands in
> most urgent need of change?

(d) The guidelines on house-elf welfare (need to be enforced)


> PART TWO: MAGICAL TRANSPORT
> 
> 6. Which mode of transportation would you advise for a young mother
> travelling with one-year old twins with a low boredom threshold, her
> grandmother, who suffers from severe motion sickness, and her
> husband, who has never mastered the three `D's' ?

(e) Portkey


> 7. Which of the following unorthodox  means of transport is
> considered the most serious breach of the International Statute of
> Secrecy
> 

(b) Abraxan horse-drawn giant carriages

> 
> 8. Which mode(s) of transportation could you use to reach/enter each
> of the following wizarding institutions?
> 
> Part 1 Azkaban

(a) Brooms


> Part 2 Gringotts

Assuming "reach" and not "enter":
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition


> Part 3 Hogwarts

No confidence in this one, but...
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus


> Part 4 Ministry of Magic

(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

> 
> Part 5 St Mungos

(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition


> PART THREE: EVERYDAY MAGIC
> 
> 9. Which of the following would, in your opinion, provide the best
> security for a convention of broomstick salesman in a large, Fire-
> bolt shaped marquee?


(b) Muggle-repelling charm


> 10. Which of the following should not be used in cooking?
> 
No confidence in this one, either:
(d) Dragon blood


> 11. Which of the following would most effectively clean up a spillage
> of wart cap powder?

(d) Evanesco


> 12. A doxy-bite can be healed most quickly and safely using:

(e) Murtlap essence


> 13. Which of the following commonly held wizarding beliefs is
> actually true?

(b) The use of magic in front of a Muggle is prohibited unless


> 
> PART FOUR: THE NATURAL WORLD
> 
> 14. Which of the following small creatures would you CHOOSE to
> accompany you on a perilous journey?

(b) Crup


> 15. Which of the following is NOT listed as a pest by the Pest
> Advisory Board?

(f) Knarl


> 16. A dog acting in a suspiciously un-canine manner is most likely to
> be:

(a) An animagus


> 17. Which of the following plants has NO curative, restorative or
> protective properties?

I know this is wrong now, but...
(d) Snargluff tree


With so many where I don't even remember what I answered, this
probably isn't much use to Talisman's Answer Key Decoding Project, and
anyway I don't like some of my answers anymore.  But for what it's
worth...

~Anne








From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 04:09:05 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 04:09:05 -0000
Subject: Talisman's Long Answers
Message-ID: <e1a1d1+p4ha@...>

PART ONE: MAGICAL LAW 
1. Which Ministry of Magic Department(s) and/or committee(s) would 
you contact to resolve each of the following dilemmas? 

1) Your neighbour is concealing a stash of flying carpets, some of 
which he is allowing to fly loose around his back garden. 
(a) Wizengamot (b) Department of International Magical Cooperation 
(c) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office (d) Obliviators (e) All of the 
above (f) None of the above 

Although disappointing, I believe the correct ::cough priggish:: 
answer was (c).  It is a trivia-based answer linked to Arthur's 
embargo on flying carpets and the discussion about Ali Bashir in GoF.

Arthur seems to do his own obliviating work, where necessary, so I 
wouldn't call in an extra dept.

I suppose this was an *are you a tattle-tale* test, and someone 
should go ahead and raid Arthur's garage, the little hypocrite.

Yes, yes, I know.  They are out in the garden, etc.

2) Your friend C possesses a Muggle Penny Farthing (old bicycle) 
that has been enchanted to skim an inch above the ground, achieving 
speeds over 100mph. C did not personally enchant the Penny Farthing, 
never rides it and merely wishes to keep it 'for sentimental 
reasons' as it was her grandmothers. 

(a) Department of Magical Transport (b) Improper Use of Magic Office 
(c) Obliviators (d) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office (e)Committee 
on Experimental Charms (f) None of the above 

For my money, this was definitely testing if you knew about Arthur's 
loophole, hence all my answers were (f).

3) Your sixteen year old nephew, D, has hexed his seventeen year old 
sister, E. E has retaliated with a Stunning Spell that missed D and 
hit a Muggle motorist, who has smashed into a lamppost. 

(a) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes (b) Department 
of Magical Accidents and catastrophes and Oblivator Squad (c) 
Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator Squad 
and Improper Use of Magic Office (d) Department of Magical Accidents 
and catastrophes, Oblivator Squad, Improper Use of Magic Office and 
Wizengamot.

Although underage magic was used, Rowling said in an interview that 
most parents handle their own children's magical infractions.  I.e. 
the Improper Use of Magic Dept. doesn't get involved.  Harry is 
busted in CoS because the Ministry knows no other witches or wizards 
live in that area (for a reason).  He is being monitored 
particularly, it's a *special* case.

I will be VERY disappointed if Rowling thinks people should call the 
gendarmes on their own family.  These are your niece and nephew.  
You, or the parents, should handle it.  I'm sure that's what happens 
at the Burrow--where clearly underage magic has occurred.

Ditto for the older attempt/accidental hexing.  All I would do--and 
it's the answer that my scoring evaluation suggests is correct--is 
call the Department of Magical Accidents & Catastrophes, answer 
(a).  

This was Fudge's department when he went to arrest Sirius (after 
Pettigrew blasted 13 Muggles, etc.) His group did their own 
obliviating.  This handles the situation for the Muggle--who was 
accidentally involved--and keeps you from being some sort of family 
narc.  Seesh.  



4) Your friends wizard A and wizard B are in dispute over which of 
them owns a field in which Mooncalfs dance periodically. A accuses B 
of using a nightly Summoning charm to collect the precious Mooncalf 
dung which is rightfully A's. 

(a) Improper Use of Magic Office (b) Wizengamot (c) Pest Advisory 
Board (d) Improper Use of Magic Office and Wizengamot (e) Improper 
Use of Magic Office and Pest Advisory Board (f) Wizengamot and Pest 
Advisory Board.

I don't think the Lexicon has this right.  Stealing requires 
intent.  If you harvest something off land that you believe belongs 
to you, and someone else disputes ownership, it is not a criminal 
matter.  It is a civil dispute.  The logical /intuative response is 
that the Wizengamut is the only court for the WW.  The full court 
would not meet, but some trier of law and/or fact (alone or with 
some audience/jury?) would sit to determine the case.

The answer is (b). It was the answer on all my exams.

5) Witch F fed love potion to a Muggle man, who has married her. 
When you went around with a wedding gift you discovered she is using 
him as an occasional table. 
(a) Auror Office (b) Misuse of Magic Office (c) Obliviators (d) 
Wizengamot (e) All of the above (f) None of the above 

The answer is (f), for the reasons explained in earlier discussions: 
Love potions aren't illegal, and there is no evidence he's being a 
table involuntarily.  
See answer to No. 21 to dispute the notion that using magic on 
Muggles is illegal.

Ain't luv grand?

6) Which of the following should be most SEVERELY punished by the 
Wizengamot? (a) The injury of three Muggles due to a poorly 
performed Forgetfulness Charm (b) The death of a chicken due to a 
poorly aimed Bat-Bogey hex (c) The use of the Cruciatus curse on a 
shark about to attack a Muggle (d) The use of the Imperius curse on 
a Muggle mugger 

Although I'd rather have someone going around doing (d) than (a), 
the answer is probably (d).  Rule out the answers involving 
animals.  Between accidents with legal charms and intentional 
unforgiveables, (d) would get the greatest punishment.


7.) Which of the following should receive the LIGHTEST punishment 
from the Wizengamot? 
(a) Horns created accidentally on culprit's mother, caused by broken 
wand (b) Jellylegs Jinx performed on threatening Muggle (c) Breeding 
fanged Puffskeins (d) Underage witch performs Cleaning Charms in 
privacy of own home.

Answer (a) involves at least negligence.  To go further than that 
we'd have to know the age of the perp and what they were attempting 
to do.

We know from FB that breeding new magical animals is illegal (even 
if all our friends do it) and fanging an animal that is expected to 
be safe is...not nice.

My sympathies are with that lovely child trying to clean up the 
house, but even underage wizards are allowed to use magic on a 
Muggle if they are in danger of personal injury.

Since (b) is perfectly legal--and would get no punishment--that is 
the answer. (born out by test results) 

8) Which of the following does NOT require a Ministry of Magic 
license? 
(a) Crup ownership (b) Sale of Magical Artefacts (c) House-elf 
ownership (d) Apparition 

There is specific test that says you need a license for Crups and 
Apparition.  Between sales (let's assume a serious vendor, not a 
patron of Borgin and Burkes) and House Elf ownership--well we know 
Harry didn't need to get a license.
Answer (c).

Re: The Lexicon's answers: as mentioned in an earlier post, Amelia 
Bones is a member the Wizengamut.  Everyone was cool with her 
hearing Harry's case.  It was the matter of seating the full panel 
that struck Harry's adult Wizarding friends as being inappropriate.

I continue to believe that the Wizengamut is the only court for the 
WW, and hears every legal question.  Just not always in full session.

9). Which of the following wizarding laws, in your view, stands in 
most urgent need of change? 
(a) The detection of under-age magic in all magic households 
(currently impossible) (b) The ban on goblin possession of wands 
(ought to be lifted) (c) The re-classification of centaurs and 
merpeople (ought to take their views into account) (d) The 
guidelines on house-elf welfare (need to be enforced) (e) 
Definitions of `muggle baiting' (need to be made less stringent) 

The goblins MAY be a repressed people, on the other hand they are a 
bit scary and all about gold.  All those old goblin wars suggest 
there may be good reasons to keep wands out of their long-fingered 
hands.

The centaurs and merepeople don't want anything to do with Wizards.  
They both already opted to be Beasts.

Muggle baiting-who cares.  Legit Wizards are doing all sorts of 
things to their poor minds, anyway.

Between busting more kids trying out spells, and making sure House 
Elfs are treated humanely,  (d) should be the answer.  It was on all 
my tests.

PART TWO: MAGICAL TRANSPORT 

10) Which mode of transportation would you advise for a young mother 
travelling with one-year old twins with a low boredom threshold, her 
grandmother, who suffers from severe motion sickness, and her 
husband, who has never mastered the three `D's' ? 
(a) Apparition (b) Broomsticks (c) Floo powder (d) Knight bus (e) 
Portkey 7. 

I went with (a) 2 out of three times, and think it's the answer.

It's the only one without motion issues. We have to believe Granny 
can do it and that side-along is the answer for the twins/and D-
impaired hubby. Even if two trips were necessary (Hubby first with 
mom; then mom goes back and she and granny bring the twins--or 
variations.) For speed, comfort, and safety, it's the way to go.

Although the knight bus is clearly the barf-mobile, a broomstick is 
likely as bad as a car.  Floo powder is a dizzying ride (and those 
twins would be sticking their poor little hands out--ouch) and the 
Portkeys are a crazy whirl-wind ride and slam you to the ground 
(ouch ouch for granny and the kids.)


11) Which of the following unorthodox means of transport is 
considered the most serious breach of the International Statute of 
Secrecy 
(a) Thestrals (b) Abraxan horse-drawn giant carriages (c) Hippogriff 
(d) Flying muggle vehicle (eg, car, motorcycle) (e) Underwater ship 

Thestrals fly very high and are invisible to a lot of people.  
Abraxans are legal with Disillusionment Charms (FB) and Madame 
Maxime uses her rig repeatedly.  I don't think she's in danger of 
being cuffed (by anyone but Hagrid).

Hippogriffs are also legal with Disillusionment.
Underwater ships are hard to spot.

But there was quite a stir over a certain turquoise Anglia.
(And Sirius was a bit of a renegade)  I vote (d).

Which mode(s) of transportation could you use to reach/enter each of 
the following wizarding institutions? 

 12) Azkaban
(a) Brooms (b) Brooms/floo powder (c) Brooms/Knight bus (d) 
Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight 
bus/Apparition 

Out in the North Sea, KB is out. Between (a) and (b), for maximum 
security, I'd go with (a).

13) Gringotts
 (a) Brooms (b) Brooms/floo powder (c) Brooms/Knight bus (d) 
Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight 
bus/Apparition.

Knight Bus can go anywhere but underwater, right Anne? So brooms and 
KB make (c). I eliminated Floo powder because when the Weasley's 
Floo-powdered to Diagon Alley in Book 2, the first place they were 
headed was Gringots, to get their money.  But they didn't  jump in 
the fire and yell Gringots, did they?  Must be a reason. Since the 
remaining answer involves Floo powder--and for security reasons, I 
eliminated that, too.

14) Hogwarts (a) Brooms (b) Brooms/floo powder (c) Brooms/Knight bus 
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight 
bus/Apparition.

As explained some time ago in another post:
Probably (c.)  But I don't like it because brooms were blocked in 
HBP, and the KB dumps you outside the gate.  You CAN Apparate 
outside the gate. We know Floo powder--as used in HBP--was a *one-
off* priviledge.

This is the answer I like least of all.  

15) Ministry of Magic 
(a) Brooms (b) Brooms/floo powder (c) Brooms/Knight bus (d) 
Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight 
bus/Apparition 

All of the above--and Thestral, too. Answer (e)

16) St Mungos 
(a) Brooms (b) Brooms/floo powder (c) Brooms/Knight bus (d) 
Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight 
bus/Apparition 

Anyway you can get here, honey.  Answer (e).

PART THREE: EVERYDAY MAGIC 

17) Which of the following would, in your opinion, provide the best 
security for a convention of broomstick salesman in a large, Fire- 
bolt shaped marquee? 

(a) Fidelius Charm (b) Muggle-repelling charm (c) Confundus charm 
(d) Disillusionment charm (e) Unplottable marquee (f) Forgetfulness 
charm (g) Giant three-headed dog.

Fidelius is a bit over the top and would give the SK a hell of a job 
notifying al the salesmen who may want to attend.
Confundus? on whom? going to addle the salesmen? (they'll be 
chugging mead soon enough) or the general populace.  Naw.
Disillusionment--the salesmen won't find it, either.
Ditto unplottable.
Forgetfulness? Forget it.
Fluffy? Have you been chugging mead?

Muggle-repelling Charm is the answer, (b).  It worked for the Wizard 
World Cup.

18). Which of the following should not be used in cooking? (a) 
Alihotsy leaves (b) Bubotuber pus (c) Daisy roots (d) Dragon blood 
(e) Mandrake leaves (f) Murtlap tentacles (g) Shrake.

Bubotuber, Daisy root, Murtlap and Mandrake have all been used in 
something curative or ingestible.  Hagrid uses a dragon steak on his 
eye, suggesting you could grill one up.  Shrake is fish.  I went 
with (a), it just makes people hysterical--requiring a Glumbumble 
antidote. 

19) Which of the following would most effectively clean up a 
spillage of wart cap powder? 
(a) Deletrius (b) Diffindo (c) Episkey (d) Evanesco (e) Scourgify 
(f) Tergeo (g) Mrs Skower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover.

Wartcap powder is that nasty stuff from OoP that makes your skin go 
all itchy and scaley.  You want to get it all up, and, with spilled 
powders, that's not easy.  Especially on carpeting. 
Scourgify and Mr. Skowers, involve scouring action.  You've messed 
it around, but you haven't really picked it up yet.

Tergeo siphoned blood off Harry's face, but you'd want to be sure 
you ponted it everywhere the powder has scattered. Tricky.
Deletrius is for spell effects.  Episkey is for wounds.

But Snape uses Evanesco to clean up potions messes, so it's HAS to 
be perfect. ::sigh::  Makes the mess disappear completely, what more 
could a witch ask for?  Answer is (d).


20) A doxy-bite can be healed most quickly and safely using: (a) 
Bubotuber pus (b) Bundimen secretion (c) Dittany (d) Dr Ubbly's 
Oblivius Unction (e) Murtlap essence (f) Reparo (g) Skele-gro (h) 
Spellotape.

Skele-gro=for bones; Spello-tape=not; Ubbly's = for bad memories; 
Bubotuber=for acne (properly diluted, dangerous if not.);  Bundimen 
secretion= in cleaning fluid;  Dittany=for scars .  

Murtlap essence is healing and safe.  Answer (e).

21) Which of the following commonly held wizarding beliefs is 
actually true? 

(a) If an inanimate object appears to think for itself, Dark Magic 
has been involved in its creation (b) The use of magic in front of a 
Muggle is prohibited unless the witch or wizard is under threat of 
personal injury (c) Releasing a Portkey before it has arrived will 
result in death or serious injury (d) `Finite Incatatum' should be 
used as a precaution when a Muggle rings the doorbell (e) Bad luck 
can be prevented by turning three times on the spot and deliberately 
splinching one's thumbs 

Rule out answer (a), think Flying Ford Anglia (saving the day in 
CoS)..or, as I agree with Lexicon, the Sorting Hat.

DD uses all kinds of magic in front of Muggles, the Dursleys, the 
woman who ran Riddle's orphanage, etc.  Obliviators, Dept. and 
Magical Accidents and Catastrophes personnel, etc. do it for a 
living. I don't think it is illegal to use magic on or in front of 
Muggles. Unles it's malicious and as long as they come out of it 
without knowing what happened.  It's only the under-aged who have 
limitations except if *threatened.* 

I don't believe you can *release* a portkey, once it's en route.

Splinching one's thumbs is bad luck, per se.

But, (d), Finite Incantatum, seems like a prudent precaution to take 
before opening the door to Muggles.  Just in case the broom is still 
sweeping up, in the kitchen.


PART FOUR: THE NATURAL WORLD 

22) Which of the following small creatures would you CHOOSE to 
accompany you on a perilous journey? (a) Augurey (b) Crup (c) Jarvey 
(d) Kneazle (e) Murtlap (f) Niffler (g) Runespoor 

Answer is (d) the Kneazle is a nice pet to have around on a 
dangerous journey: it has a homing instinct, can sniff out unsavory 
people, even in animagus form, is bright and not a troublemaker.  

Crup's okay, can feed itself, but goes ballistic at Muggles and has 
no other particularly useful special skills.

Augurey will just bum you out--you have enough stress without that.  
The Murtlap will eat your feet, given a chance. The Runespoor will 
be bickering or dreaming, the Niffler will be a nuisance and the 
Jarvey just wants to burrow.

23) Which of the following is NOT listed as a pest by the Pest 
Advisory Board? (a) Bundimen (b) Chizpurfle (c) Doxy (d) Gnome (e) 
Horklump (f) Knarl (g) Pixie 

Bundimen and Chispurfle are specifically noted as peats in FB. We've 
seen Doxy spray--indicating they are considered pests, and Gnomes 
are in Molly's pest book (Lockhart got the idea from someone who 
actually knew).  Horklumps are good for nothing but spread out and 
take over your garden within one day.  Sounds like a pest, to me.  
The pixie's were pesky, no doubt.

A Knarl will only bother your garden if you are foolish enough to 
try to feed it.  Otherwise it will leave you alone.

I went with (f), on all exams.

24) A dog acting in a suspiciously un-canine manner is most likely 
to be: (a) An animagus (b) A boggart (c) A Crup (or part Crup) (d) A 
grim (e) Imperius-ed (f) Magically trained (g) A Patronus 

Sirius acted more like a dog, than Snuffles ever acted like a 
human.  A boggart would act just like a dog--if that would scare 
you. The Crup's asset is that it passes for a dog (with fork-ectomy) 
A Grim just lurks around looking like a big old dog.  A Patronus 
doesn't actually look like a dog, at all, so I don't think you'd 
confuse it for a weird dog.  Magically trained is just a vague 
answer.  But we've seen  spiders do things they would never 
otherwise do, under an Imperius.  Would jump in water and drown 
themselves, if you asked them to.
 For my money (and all exams) the answer is (e).


25) Which of the following plants has NO curative, restorative or 
protective properties? (a) Alihotsy shrub (b) Belladonna (c) 
Bubotuber (d) Snargluff tree (e) Venomous Tentacular (f) Wolfsbane 
(g) Whomping Willow 


Whomping Willow has demonstrated protective uses. Belladonna is even 
used by Muggles. Bubotuber cures acne. Wolfsbane helps werewolves. 
Prof. Sprout has the kids juicing Snargaluff seeds, and also has a 
Venomous Tentacula (also used in Twin's items) in her greenhouse.  
My hunch is that everything she grows has some positive use.

I went with (a) Alihotsy, again.  Though it bothered me to use it 
twice.

Talisman







From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 04:39:45 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 04:39:45 -0000
Subject: Odds n Ends
Message-ID: <e1a36h+134p@...>

>CatLady:
>Has no one yet suggested that the name 'Hokey' was Rowling's 
>message to the obsessed that giving all House Elves names ending 
>in 'y' is a bit hokey? 

I think it's because Hokey and Dobby are going to make wild wombat 
love and produce an agreeable little fellow named Hokey Dokey.

>Catlady:
>I was hoping someone here is a clever person who can set up the 
>WOMBAT questions as a Y!group poll.

I'll bet we have someone like that around here.  Just don't look at 
me, I am plum wambat-ed out. : P


>Talisman: Please Lynn. Sufficient unto the day is the evil 
>therein.  
>Gatta: Well, (Gatta says in a very small voice) I thought it was 
>kind of fun. But then I thought the PSAT was kind of fun too. It 
>must be a Hermione thing... 

Oh, sure.  I'm a test nut, too.  I was euphoric at the Bar Exam. 
Made everyone else sick.  Well, some of them were going to be sick 
anyway.  

But, I think this is largely a *here go chase this* tactic, it isn't 
meaningful to series analysis, and some of the answers are really 
questionable.    

So, while I enjoy the exam, I get a pain thinking about what a goof 
job is being played on me.

Talisman











From kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 05:11:34 2006
From: kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid (Kathy King)
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2006 01:11:34 -0400
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e192gl+dd96@...>
References: <e17vs2+8bkd@...> <e192gl+dd96@...>
Message-ID: <a1ee8d580604082211vc08a1c9qc4dcbb101d4e532d@...>

On 4/8/06, carolynwhite2 <carolynwhite2 at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Talisman" <talisman22457 at ...>
> wrote:
> >>
> > We could have a thorough rehash, if folks want to.
> >
> > We could post a set of the exam questions, so everyone who wanted
> to participate could have them for reference.
> >
> > Then, each of us could prepare a post.  It would indicate the score
> > received followed by the number of each question and the letter of
> > the answer chosen for it--to the best of our recollection.
> >
> > We could put it all on a grid, and see what sifts out.
> >
> > Anyone game?
> >
>
> Well, here are the questions which I typed up for another list. Let
> the rehash begin.
>
> Carolyn
> Who fortunately Exceeded Expectations too, and is now in possession
> of a Grade 1 W.O.M.B.A.T., which I plan to pin up with my Girl Guide
> and bicycling certificates.
>
> Snow:


Answering to the best of my recollection:

*************
>
> PART ONE: MAGICAL LAW
>
> 1. Which Ministry of Magic Department(s) and/or committee(s) would
> you contact to resolve each of the following dilemmas?
>
> Part 1
> Your neighbour is concealing a stash of flying carpets, some of which
> he is allowing to fly loose around his back garden.
> (a) Wizengamot
> (b) Department of International Magical Cooperation
> (c) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office
> (d) Obliviators
> (e) All of the above
> (f) None of the above


Snow:
(b)

Part 2
> Your friend C possesses a Muggle Penny Farthing (old bicycle) that
> has been enchanted to skim an inch above the ground, achieving speeds
> over 100mph. C did not personally enchant the Penny Farthing, never
> rides it and merely wishes to keep it 'for sentimental reasons' as it
> was her grandmothers.
> (a) Department of Magical Transport
> (b) Improper Use of Magic Office
> (c) Obliviators
> (d) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office
> (e)Committee on Experimental Charms
> (f) None of the above


Snow:
(f)

Part 3
> Your sixteen year old nephew, D, has hexed his seventeen year old
> sister, E. E has retaliated with a Stunning Spell that missed D and
> hit a Muggle motorist, who has smashed into a lamppost.
> (a) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes
> (b) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes and Oblivator
> Squad
> (c) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator Squad
> and Improper Use of Magic Office
> (d) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator
> Squad, Improper Use of Magic Office and Wizengamot


Snow:
(c)

Part 4
> Your friends wizard A and wizard B are in dispute over which of them
> owns a field in which Mooncalfs dance periodically. A accuses B of
> using a nightly Summoning charm to collect the precious Mooncalf dung
> which is rightfully A's.
> (a) Improper Use of Magic Office
> (b) Wizengamot
> (c) Pest Advisory Board
> (d) Improper Use of Magic Office and Wizengamot
> (e) Improper Use of Magic Office and Pest Advisory Board
> (f) Wizengamot and Pest Advisory Board


Snow:
(e)

Part 5
> Witch F fed love potion to a Muggle man, who has married her. When
> you went around with a wedding gift you discovered she is using him
> as an occasional table.
> (a) Auror Office
> (b) Misuse of Magic Office
> (c) Obliviators
> (d) Wizengamot
> (e) All of the above
> (f) None of the above


Snow:
(b) Never heard of a Misuse of Magic Office but it fit for me

2. Which of the following should be most SEVERELY punished by the
> Wizengamot?
> (a) The injury of three Muggles due to a poorly performed
> Forgetfulness Charm
> (b) The death of a chicken due to a poorly aimed Bat-Bogey hex
> (c) The use of the Cruciatus curse on a shark about to attack a Muggle
> (d) The use of the Imperius curse on a Muggle mugger


Snow:
(d) greater of the three evils and if the unforgivables are just that...

3. Which of the following should receive the LIGHTEST punishment from
> the Wizengamot?
> (a) Horns created accidentally on culprit's mother, caused by broken
> wand
> (b) Jellylegs Jinx performed on threatening Muggle
> (c) Breeding fanged Puffskeins
> (d) Underage witch performs Cleaning Charms in privacy of own home


Snow:
(d)

4. Which of the following does NOT require a Ministry of Magic
> license?
> (a) Crup ownership
> (b) Sale of Magical Artefacts
> (c) House-elf ownership
> (d) Apparition


Snow:
(b) Crup and House-elf are ownership and Crup needs a licence so...and
 apparition needs a licence

5. Which of the following wizarding laws, in your view, stands in
> most urgent need of change?
> (a) The detection of under-age magic in all magic households
> (currently impossible)
> (b) The ban on goblin possession of wands (ought to be lifted)
> (c) The re-classification of centaurs and merpeople (ought to take
> their views into account)
> (d) The guidelines on house-elf welfare (need to be enforced)
> (e) Definitions of `muggle baiting' (need to be made less stringent)


Snow
(c) {yet...notice the 'ought to' and the 'need to be' statements emphasized}
and yet it is in your view

PART TWO: MAGICAL TRANSPORT
>
> 6. Which mode of transportation would you advise for a young mother
> travelling with one-year old twins with a low boredom threshold, her
> grandmother, who suffers from severe motion sickness, and her
> husband, who has never mastered the three `D's' ?
>
> (a) Apparition
> (b) Broomsticks
> (c) Floo powder
> (d) Knight bus
> (e) Portkey


Snow:
(e)

7. Which of the following unorthodox  means of transport is
> considered the most serious breach of the International Statute of
> Secrecy
>
> (a) Thestrals
> (b) Abraxan horse-drawn giant carriages
> (c) Hippogriff
> (d) Flying muggle vehicle (eg, car, motorcycle)
> (e) Underwater ship


Snow:
(d)

8. Which mode(s) of transportation could you use to reach/enter each
> of the following wizarding institutions?
>
> Part 1 Azkaban
> (a) Brooms
> (b) Brooms/floo powder
> (c) Brooms/Knight bus
> (d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
> (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition


Snow:
(a)

Part 2 Gringotts
> (a) Brooms
> (b) Brooms/floo powder
> (c) Brooms/Knight bus
> (d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
> (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition


Snow:
(c)

Part 3 Hogwarts
> (a) Brooms
> (b) Brooms/floo powder
> (c) Brooms/Knight bus
> (d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
> (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition


Snow:
(a)

Part 4 Ministry of Magic
> (a) Brooms
> (b) Brooms/floo powder
> (c) Brooms/Knight bus
> (d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
> (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition


Snow:
(e)

Part 5 St Mungos
> (a) Brooms
> (b) Brooms/floo powder
> (c) Brooms/Knight bus
> (d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
> (e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition


Snow:
(c)

PART THREE: EVERYDAY MAGIC
>
> 9. Which of the following would, in your opinion, provide the best
> security for a convention of broomstick salesman in a large, Fire-
> bolt shaped marquee?
>
> (a) Fidelius Charm
> (b) Muggle-repelling charm
> (c) Confundus charm
> (d) Disillusionment charm
> (e) Unplottable marquee
> (f) Forgetfulness charm
> (g) Giant three-headed dog


Snow:
(e) the convention is held in a large shaped marquee; make it unplottable

10. Which of the following should not be used in cooking?
>
> (a) Alihotsy leaves
> (b) Bubotuber pus
> (c) Daisy roots
> (d) Dragon blood
> (e) Mandrake leaves
> (f) Murtlap tentacles
> (g) Shrake


Snow:
(f)

11. Which of the following would most effectively clean up a spillage
> of wart cap powder?

(a) Deletrius
> (b) Diffindo
> (c) Episkey
> (d) Evanesco
> (e) Scourgify
> (f) Tergeo
> (g) Mrs Skower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover


Snow:
(d) its a dry spill

12. A doxy-bite can be healed most quickly and safely using:
>
> (a) Bubotuber pus
> (b) Bundimen secretion
> (c) Dittany
> (d) Dr Ubbly's Oblivius Unction
> (e) Murtlap essence
> (f) Reparo
> (g) Skele-gro
> (h) Spellotape


Snow:
(e)

13. Which of the following commonly held wizarding beliefs is
> actually true?
>
> (a) If an inanimate object appears to think for itself, Dark
> Magic has been involved in its creation
> (b) The use of magic in front of a Muggle is prohibited unless
> the witch or wizard is under threat of personal injury
> (c) Releasing a Portkey before it has arrived will result in
> death or serious injury
> (d) `Finite Incatatum' should be used as a precaution when a
> Muggle rings the doorbell
> (e) Bad luck can be prevented by turning three times on the spot
> and deliberately splinching one's thumbs


Snow:
(b) I thought about (a) but Mr. Weasley was the only one I ever heard say
that

PART FOUR: THE NATURAL WORLD
>
> 14. Which of the following small creatures would you CHOOSE to
> accompany you on a perilous journey?
>
> (a) Augurey
> (b) Crup
> (c) Jarvey
> (d) Kneazle
> (e) Murtlap
> (f) Niffler
> (g) Runespoor


Snow:
(d)

15. Which of the following is NOT listed as a pest by the Pest
> Advisory Board?
>
> (a) Bundimen
> (b) Chizpurfle
> (c) Doxy
> (d) Gnome
> (e) Horklump
> (f) Knarl
> (g) Pixie


Snow:
(g)

16. A dog acting in a suspiciously un-canine manner is most likely to
> be:
>
> (a) An animagus
> (b) A boggart
> (c) A Crup (or part Crup)
> (d) A grim
> (e) Imperius-ed
> (f) Magically trained
> (g) A Patronus


Snow:
(a)

17. Which of the following plants has NO curative, restorative or
> protective properties?
>
> (a) Alihotsy shrub
> (b) Belladonna
> (c) Bubotuber
> (d) Snargluff tree
> (e) Venomous Tentacular
> (f) Wolfsbane
> (g) Whomping Willow


Snow:
(g)

To the best of my recolection this was the way I answered, which is probably
why I got an Acceptable grade...then again I don't take it to heart for
there is more here than meets the eye, of that I am sure...even if it is
simply to deter our currant thoughts on the profound ending.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 05:59:33 2006
From: catlady at catlady_de_los_angeles.yahoo.invalid (Catlady (Rita Prince Winston))
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 05:59:33 -0000
Subject: My WOMBAT answers, according to my not very good memory
Message-ID: <e1a7s5+524f@...>

As on the driver's license test, I tried for legal answers, not what
would I really do. I read the questions from the Lexicon
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/wombat.html and sometimes their
commentary is like what I think, and sometimes not.

Part One, Magical Law.

1. c. Misuse of Muggle Artifacts

2. f. None of the above

3. c. Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, Obliviator
Squad, and Improper Use of Magic Office.

4. b. Wizengamot
      Because I think it's a civil case over who owns the field, and I
don't know of any other wizarding courts.

5. f. None of the above
      Because I don't think it's illegal to use a Love Potion on a
Muggle man, and I don't think that one does to one's own husband
counts as Muggle-baiting. Still, I am concerned whether she is
endangering wizarding secrecy.

6. d. The use of the Imperius Curse on a Muggle mugger.
      Because Fake!Moody said that using any Unforgivable Curse on a
human would get you a life sentence in Azkaban.

7. a. Horns created accidentally on a culprit's mother, caused by
broken wand.
      Because the reception desk at St Mungo's was full of similar
(except apparently not accidental) cases (on the day after Christmas)
and there were no Improper Use of Magic officers waiting there to take
the patients and their family members into custody.

8. c. House Elf Ownership
      Because we know Crup ownership and Apparition do, so guess
between the other two. Harry owns a House Elf by inheritance and no
one suggested that he should get a license.

9. d. The guidelines on house-elf welfare (need to be enforced)

Part Two, Magical Transport

10. c. Floo Powder
       Apparation, Knight Bus, and Portkey won't work for the reasons
discussed, so guess between Floo Powder and Broomsticks. We've seen
ads for a broomstick that seats the whole family, but Floo requires a
shorter time of restraining the twins. (Can dad carry one of them?)

11. d. Flying Muggle vehicle
       Maybe because I was confused because Flying Muggle Vehicles are
already illegal under a different law.

12. a. Brooms
       A wild guess, but I think a Floo Powderm fireplace on Azkaban
would make escape too easy.

13. I don't remember what I answered. I don't think any of those will
get you closer than the front steps (because of goblin security
spells) and I dunno where the nearest fireplace for Floo Powder is.
(The one Harry missed when he fell into Knockturn Alley instead.)

14. c. Brooms/Knight Bus

15. e. Brooms/Floo Powder/ Knight Bus/ Apparation

16. another wild guess

Part Three, Everyday Magic

17. b. Muggle-repelling Charm

18. b. Bubotuber pus
       What it did to Hermione's hands, I don't want it to do to my
stomach!

19. d. Evanesco

20. c. Dittany
       Another wild guess. Probably it should be e. Murtlap essence.

21. c. Releasing a Portkey before it has arrived will result in death
or serious injury.

Part Four, The Natural World

22. d. Kneazle

23. e. Horklump

24. a. an Animagus

25. g. Whomping Willow
      Another wild guess.







From quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 06:33:46 2006
From: quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid (quigonginger)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 06:33:46 -0000
Subject: Talisman's Long Answers now with Ginger's comments
In-Reply-To: <e1a1d1+p4ha@...>
Message-ID: <e1a9sa+kvpn@...>

First of all, kudos to Talisman for putting in her reasoning along 
with the answers.  I'm only going to repeat the ones I thought 
differently on.  Everything else is "yeah, what she said".

> PART ONE: MAGICAL LAW 
> 1. Which Ministry of Magic Department(s) and/or committee(s) would 
> you contact to resolve each of the following dilemmas? 
> 
> 1) Your neighbour is concealing a stash of flying carpets, some of 
> which he is allowing to fly loose around his back garden. 
> (a) Wizengamot (b) Department of International Magical Cooperation 
> (c) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office (d) Obliviators (e) All of 
the 
> above (f) None of the above 
> 
Ginger says:
I picked (b) because it was I had thought that it was Crouch who was 
talking about Ali B and his carpets.  When I looked it up, I realized 
it was Crouch, but he was talking to AW, which means you were right: 
it's (c).  Drat.
> 
(snip)
> 3) Your sixteen year old nephew, D, has hexed his seventeen year 
old 
> sister, E. E has retaliated with a Stunning Spell that missed D and 
> hit a Muggle motorist, who has smashed into a lamppost. 
> 
> (a) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes (b) Department 
> of Magical Accidents and catastrophes and Oblivator Squad (c) 
> Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator Squad 
> and Improper Use of Magic Office (d) Department of Magical 
Accidents 
> and catastrophes, Oblivator Squad, Improper Use of Magic Office and 
> Wizengamot.
>
Ginger:
I put down (d) because I was reading the question as asking which 
depts "should" be called, as in "what is their purpose?".  In other 
words, I was taking it as a test of my knowledge rather than whether 
or not I'd rat out the kid.
(snip) 
> 5) Witch F fed love potion to a Muggle man, who has married her. 
> When you went around with a wedding gift you discovered she is 
using 
> him as an occasional table. 
> (a) Auror Office (b) Misuse of Magic Office (c) Obliviators (d) 
> Wizengamot (e) All of the above (f) None of the above 

Ginger: Again, I put (b) because I thought it would be under their 
juristiction.  Although personally, I'd wonder about someone who 
would marry a table.  Geesh, who ever married a guy just cuz he's 
good wood?
(snip)

> 9). Which of the following wizarding laws, in your view, stands in 
> most urgent need of change? 
> (a) The detection of under-age magic in all magic households 
> (currently impossible) (b) The ban on goblin possession of wands 
> (ought to be lifted) (c) The re-classification of centaurs and 
> merpeople (ought to take their views into account) (d) The 
> guidelines on house-elf welfare (need to be enforced) (e) 
> Definitions of `muggle baiting' (need to be made less stringent) 

Ginger:
I agree it was (d), but what caught my eye was that it was 
*guidelines* that need to be enforces, which means that somewhere out 
there are laws that we don't know about.
(snip)
> 
> PART TWO: MAGICAL TRANSPORT 
> 
> 10) Which mode of transportation would you advise for a young 
mother 
> travelling with one-year old twins with a low boredom threshold, 
her 
> grandmother, who suffers from severe motion sickness, and her 
> husband, who has never mastered the three `D's' ? 
> (a) Apparition (b) Broomsticks (c) Floo powder (d) Knight bus (e) 
> Portkey 7. 

Ginger:  I went with (e).  I never thought about taking hubby side-
along, and was worried about the twins splinching themselves.  
You could be right with (a), though.
(snip)

> PART THREE: EVERYDAY MAGIC 
Ginger agrees with Talisman

> PART FOUR: THE NATURAL WORLD 

> 24) A dog acting in a suspiciously un-canine manner is most likely 
> to be: (a) An animagus (b) A boggart (c) A Crup (or part Crup) (d) 
A 
> grim (e) Imperius-ed (f) Magically trained (g) A Patronus 

Ginger:  I went with (a) as people are not likely to behave doggishly 
at all times.  They will forget themselves at times, and will rarely 
hump the leg of a total stranger (well, except for this one girl I 
went to school with, but she's another story.)
(e) is highly likely, but, really, it could be either.

Ginger, thanking Carolyn and Talisman for providing the Q and A's.







From kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 08:54:51 2006
From: kking0731 at snow15145.yahoo.invalid (snow15145)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 08:54:51 -0000
Subject: Snipe or Snape was  Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <e17vs2+8bkd@...>
Message-ID: <e1ai4r+s2fb@...>



Talisman:

Nope, it really does seem like a meaningless Snipe Hunt meant to
keep us distracted without providing any clues.

Snow:

Down here, in this neck of the woods, they call it a Snape hunt but 
then again we call a creek a crick and a rubber band; gumband
so just 
about everyone knows we are Pittsburghers when we leave are 
territory. (In fact it's called Pittsburgh-eze, a smidge like we are 
from the Bronx only Pennsylvania not New York; both cities' languages 
are fairly disgusting when it comes down to grammar and yet both are 
proud of it)

I rather like the reference to Professor Snape being a hunt though
it 
does fit with the `find something that doesn't exist about him theme' 
or in the Snipe/Snape hunt scenario; a wild goose chase. 

The subject you most want to gag on could just be the very biggest 
red herring. Everyone is lead away by Snape (or Snipe) only to find 
he is a diversion to the truth. Why would any character in a story 
have more posts written about him than the main character and yet to 
date Snape holds the count.

This is much like these WOMBAT tests
nothing more than a Snipe/Snape 
hunt leading us away, which of course is what you said to begin with 
but drawn out in detail. ;) 
and yet making little sense. 








From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Sun Apr  9 08:59:18 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2006 08:59:18 -0000
Subject: Nice Grain, Buddy
Message-ID: <e1aid6+6e7u@...>

>Ginger: 
 >Geesh, who ever married a guy just cuz he's good wood? (snip) 

You're kidding, right?

Also, apologies for all the typos in my  Long Answers,  a little zonked 
when I was trying to get them typed  u...zzzzzzzzzz...what?

Also there are 2 disembodied paragraphs that belong to the answer for 
question # 4, but which are currently floating right above # 9.

In case anyone was wondering.

Congratulations to Ginger for deciphering it all. :)

Catlady:
>As on the driver's license test, I tried for legal answers, not what
>would I really do.

Now, you've got a point there.

T







From erisedstraeh2002 at erisedstraeh2002.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 10 02:47:13 2006
From: erisedstraeh2002 at erisedstraeh2002.yahoo.invalid (Phyllis)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 02:47:13 -0000
Subject: My WOMBAT Reasoning
Message-ID: <e1cgvh+2u9f@...>

Here is what I chose for each WOMBAT question, and the reasons why:

PART ONE: MAGICAL LAW

1. Which Ministry of Magic Department(s) and/or committee(s) would
you contact to resolve each of the following dilemmas?

Part 1
Your neighbour is concealing a stash of flying carpets, some of which
he is allowing to fly loose around his back garden.
(a) Wizengamot
(b) Department of International Magical Cooperation
(c) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office
(d) Obliviators
(e) All of the above
(f) None of the above

I chose (c ) because of the reference to flying carpets being a 
muggle artefact in GoF.

Part 2
Your friend C possesses a Muggle Penny Farthing (old bicycle) that
has been enchanted to skim an inch above the ground, achieving speeds
over 100mph. C did not personally enchant the Penny Farthing, never
rides it and merely wishes to keep it 'for sentimental reasons' as it
was her grandmothers.
(a) Department of Magical Transport
(b) Improper Use of Magic Office
(c) Obliviators
(d) Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office
(e)Committee on Experimental Charms
(f) None of the above

Unlike everyone else, I chose (d) because I happen to think that 
Arthur's "loophole" is more of a way for him to justify tinkering in 
his shed than anything else.  Moreover, how does one prove that one 
isn't "intending" to use the enchanted Muggle object?  Arthur was 
fined when Harry and Ron flew the car ? Arthur didn't fly the car, 
and perhaps never intended to fly the car, but he was still fined 
anyway.  So I think the "loophole" is a load of old tosh.

Part 3
Your sixteen year old nephew, D, has hexed his seventeen year old
sister, E. E has retaliated with a Stunning Spell that missed D and
hit a Muggle motorist, who has smashed into a lamppost.
(a) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes
(b) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes and Oblivator
Squad
(c) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator Squad
and Improper Use of Magic Office
(d) Department of Magical Accidents and catastrophes, Oblivator
Squad, Improper Use of Magic Office and Wizengamot

I chose (b) because we don't have enough information to know whether 
either the hex or the stunning spell constituted an improper use of 
magic, and the spell wasn't aimed intentionally at the Muggle.

Part 4
Your friends wizard A and wizard B are in dispute over which of them
owns a field in which Mooncalfs dance periodically. A accuses B of
using a nightly Summoning charm to collect the precious Mooncalf dung
which is rightfully A's.
(a) Improper Use of Magic Office
(b) Wizengamot
(c) Pest Advisory Board
(d) Improper Use of Magic Office and Wizengamot
(e) Improper Use of Magic Office and Pest Advisory Board
(f) Wizengamot and Pest Advisory Board

I see the Wizengamot as only trying very major cases.  The only times 
we see the Wizengamot in action in the books, other than at Harry's 
hearing where it's made clear this is a stretch of the Wizengamot's 
usual authority, is at Death Eater hearings in the Pensieve.  I 
didn't see that any pests were at issue here, hence I chose (a).

Part 5
Witch F fed love potion to a Muggle man, who has married her. When
you went around with a wedding gift you discovered she is using him
as an occasional table.
(a) Auror Office
(b) Misuse of Magic Office
(c) Obliviators
(d) Wizengamot
(e) All of the above
(f) None of the above

I chose (b) because this offense didn't involve Death Eaters (which 
ruled out (a)) and didn't rise to the level of the Wizengamot.  
Presumably the Muggle's memory would have been modified once he was 
changed from a table back into a human.

2. Which of the following should be most SEVERELY punished by the
Wizengamot?
(a) The injury of three Muggles due to a poorly performed
Forgetfulness Charm
(b) The death of a chicken due to a poorly aimed Bat-Bogey hex
(c) The use of the Cruciatus curse on a shark about to attack a Muggle
(d) The use of the Imperius curse on a Muggle mugger

I chose (d) since the Imperius Curse is an unforgiveable curse and is 
punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban when used on a fellow *human 
being*.  Since the Cruciatus Curse was used on a shark rather than a 
human, it wasn't as severe an offense.

3. Which of the following should receive the LIGHTEST punishment from
the Wizengamot?
(a) Horns created accidentally on culprit's mother, caused by broken
wand
(b) Jellylegs Jinx performed on threatening Muggle
(c) Breeding fanged Puffskeins
(d) Underage witch performs Cleaning Charms in privacy of own home

I chose (a) since it was an accident and the others were intentional.

4. Which of the following does NOT require a Ministry of Magic
license?
(a) Crup ownership
(b) Sale of Magical Artefacts
(c) House-elf ownership
(d) Apparition

I chose (c) since house elves come with "big manor houses" and are 
therefore inherited and don't appear to require a license.

5. Which of the following wizarding laws, in your view, stands in
most urgent need of change?
(a) The detection of under-age magic in all magic households
(currently impossible)
(b) The ban on goblin possession of wands (ought to be lifted)
(c) The re-classification of centaurs and merpeople (ought to take
their views into account)
(d) The guidelines on house-elf welfare (need to be enforced)
(e) Definitions of `muggle baiting' (need to be made less stringent)

Given the fuss over house-elf rights in the books, I figured (d) was 
the right choice.  Although the phrase "in your view" suggests 
there's no one right answer.

PART TWO: MAGICAL TRANSPORT

6. Which mode of transportation would you advise for a young mother
travelling with one-year old twins with a low boredom threshold, her
grandmother, who suffers from severe motion sickness, and her
husband, who has never mastered the three `D's' ?

(a) Apparition
(b) Broomsticks
(c) Floo powder
(d) Knight bus
(e) Portkey

I chose (e) because it seemed to be the quickest and least motion-
sickness inducing of the 5 choices.  I ruled out (a) because the 
husband has never mastered the 3 D's, but I didn't consider side-
along apparition.  Since we've never seen an instance where side-
along apparition involved more than 2 people, however, I'm still 
sticking with (e).

7. Which of the following unorthodox  means of transport is
considered the most serious breach of the International Statute of
Secrecy

(a) Thestrals
(b) Abraxan horse-drawn giant carriages
(c) Hippogriff
(d) Flying muggle vehicle (eg, car, motorcycle)
(e) Underwater ship

I had no idea, but chose (d) because of the fuss the flying Anglia 
caused.  It seems to me that (a) through (c) would all be potentially 
equally serious if viewed by a Muggle, however.

8. Which mode(s) of transportation could you use to reach/enter each
of the following wizarding institutions?

Part 1 Azkaban
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

Since Stan tells us the Knight Bus "can't do nuffink under water," 
that ruled out (c ) through (e).  I took a guess that Azkaban isn't 
connected to the Floo network, for two reasons: (1) Dementors make 
you cold so presumbably they don't like warmth, which means there 
probably aren't any fireplaces and (2) the Floo network probably 
doesn't extend that far under water.  So I went with (a).

Part 2 Gringotts
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

The problem with this one and the Hogwarts one is the way the 
question is phrased.  I wish it either said "reach" or "enter," but 
instead it says "reach/enter," which presumably means one or the 
other.  I therefore chose (e) because you can reach Gringotts via all 
of these means, although I don't think you'd be able to enter 
Gringotts by apparating or using floo powder.
 
Part 3 Hogwarts
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

If I had used the same logic I used for Gringotts, I should have 
chosen (e) but I chose (d) instead just because how many times have 
we heard Hermione tell us that you can't apparate inside the castle 
or onto the grounds????  Also, we've seen floo powder used on more 
than the one occasion when the students used it to return to 
Hogwarts, including several times when both Harry and Sirius used it 
to communicate with one another and when Dumbledore returns to his 
office to talk to Harry at the end of OotP.

Part 4 Ministry of Magic
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

I chose (e) because we've seen floo powder and apparation both used, 
and it seemed to me that if you could ride Thestrals to the telephone 
booth, you could ride a broomstick or the Knight Bus there as well.

Part 5 St Mungos
(a) Brooms
(b) Brooms/floo powder
(c) Brooms/Knight bus
(d) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus
(e) Brooms/Floo powder/Knight bus/Apparition

I chose (e) because there don't appear to be any restrictions on the 
ways in which St. Mungo's can be reached.  But we've really no idea, 
as the only way we've seen it approached was on foot.

PART THREE: EVERYDAY MAGIC

9. Which of the following would, in your opinion, provide the best
security for a convention of broomstick salesman in a large, Fire-
bolt shaped marquee?

(a) Fidelius Charm
(b) Muggle-repelling charm
(c) Confundus charm
(d) Disillusionment charm
(e) Unplottable marquee
(f) Forgetfulness charm
(g) Giant three-headed dog

I guessed (b) as it seemed to be the most effective with the least 
amount of fuss.

10. Which of the following should not be used in cooking?

(a) Alihotsy leaves
(b) Bubotuber pus
(c) Daisy roots
(d) Dragon blood
(e) Mandrake leaves
(f) Murtlap tentacles
(g) Shrake

I had no idea what any of these would do in a stew, but I chose (b) 
because I found the thought of ingesting bubotuber pus revolting.

11. Which of the following would most effectively clean up a spillage
of wart cap powder?

(a) Deletrius
(b) Diffindo
(c) Episkey
(d) Evanesco
(e) Scourgify
(f) Tergeo
(g) Mrs Skower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover

I was torn between (d) and (e), but chose (e) because Scourgify is 
a "householdy" spell, and therefore seemed to fit the best.  We've 
only seen "Evanesco" used to empty a cauldron of potion, so I wasn't 
sure whether this might be the only use that spell could be put to.

12. A doxy-bite can be healed most quickly and safely using:

(a) Bubotuber pus
(b) Bundimen secretion
(c) Dittany
(d) Dr Ubbly's Oblivius Unction
(e) Murtlap essence
(f) Reparo
(g) Skele-gro
(h) Spellotape

I chose (c ) over (e) because Murtlap essence didn't heal Harry's 
hand (it hurt just as badly after the bowl broke and the essence 
vanished).  Since dittany is an antidote, and FB tells us that one 
should take an antidote after being bitten by a doxy, I thought (c ) 
was the best choice.

13. Which of the following commonly held wizarding beliefs is
actually true?

(a) If an inanimate object appears to think for itself, Dark
Magic has been involved in its creation
(b) The use of magic in front of a Muggle is prohibited unless
the witch or wizard is under threat of personal injury
(c) Releasing a Portkey before it has arrived will result in
death or serious injury
(d) `Finite Incatatum' should be used as a precaution when a
Muggle rings the doorbell
(e) Bad luck can be prevented by turning three times on the spot
and deliberately splinching one's thumbs

I chose (b) since it's the only one that I thought was supported by 
the books.

PART FOUR: THE NATURAL WORLD

14. Which of the following small creatures would you CHOOSE to
accompany you on a perilous journey?

(a) Augurey
(b) Crup
(c) Jarvey
(d) Kneazle
(e) Murtlap
(f) Niffler
(g) Runespoor

I chose (d) because FB tells us kneazels can help you find your way 
home if you're lost.

15. Which of the following is NOT listed as a pest by the Pest
Advisory Board?

(a) Bundimen
(b) Chizpurfle
(c) Doxy
(d) Gnome
(e) Horklump
(f) Knarl
(g) Pixie

This one was tough, because FB only specifically refers to (a), (b) 
and (d) as pests.  I guessed (f), because Knarls seemed a lot less 
pest-like than doxies, horklumps and pixies to me.

16. A dog acting in a suspiciously un-canine manner is most likely to
be:

(a) An animagus
(b) A boggart
(c) A Crup (or part Crup)
(d) A grim
(e) Imperius-ed
(f) Magically trained
(g) A Patronus

I chose (c ) because the Crup looks just like a regular dog but acts 
differently.  I can see how (a) would work, though.

17. Which of the following plants has NO curative, restorative or
protective properties?

(a) Alihotsy shrub
(b) Belladonna
(c) Bubotuber
(d) Snargluff tree
(e) Venomous Tentacular
(f) Wolfsbane
(g) Whomping Willow

I chose (a) through a process of elimination, as I could think of 
curative, restorative or protective properties for (b) through (g).  
However, I've no idea what an Alihotsy shrub is, and can't recall it 
being mentioned in the books (if it has been mentioned in the books, 
could a kind soul please direct me as to where?).

~Phyllis










From talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 10 05:35:36 2006
From: talisman22457 at talisman22457.yahoo.invalid (Talisman)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 05:35:36 -0000
Subject: My WOMBAT Reasoning
In-Reply-To: <e1cgvh+2u9f@...>
Message-ID: <e1cqr8+fci4@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Phyllis" <erisedstraeh2002 at ...> 
wrote:
> However, I've no idea what an Alihotsy shrub is, and can't recall it 
> being mentioned in the books (if it has been mentioned in the books, 
> could a kind soul please direct me as to where?).
> 
> ~Phyllis
>


FB, page 19, under Glumbumble.

T







From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 10 14:41:08 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 08:41:08 -0600
Subject: JKR the writer vs. JKR the person RE: [the_old_crowd] Re: Exceeds Expectations???
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E88C4@...>

Kneasy:
> And digging into my failing memory it seems to me that once a year Jo
> does a little something for the fan-base: a webcast, a broadcast, just
to
> keep 'em entertained and to let 'em know they  haven't been forgotten.
> Seem to remember Springtime (March, April-ish) has seen that sort of
> event before.

*nods* I figured she was probably doing it mostly for the kids and
teenagers. I never actually got around to doing it myself, figuring that
the results wouldn't be too illuminating. 

In general, though, has anyone else noticed that Rowling is a lot less
hard-nosed about her imaginary world outside the books than in them? The
wizarding world almost seems sensible when she's doing interviews,
answering questions, or writing secondary canon stuff like 'Fantastic
Beasts.' Then you get into the books and it's all very dysfunctional,
anarchic etc.

For example, I can't imagine that JKR *outside the books* would endorse
officials taking bribes, yet Arthur Weasley gets tickets to the World
Cup in return for not prosecuting Otto Bagman, and the narrative view of
Arthur takes this as a commonplace not worth remark.

I enjoy her books for this sort of quirk, and am usually less interested
in the didactic secondary material, though I don't object to her doing
it on her spare time. As long as it doesn't smooth over the books, which
it hasn't so far, imho.

As to the question of whether it takes away from time writing her books,
as a constant scribbler myself, I'd say that one can't be writing all
the time, and one thing or another takes up one's spare time. If it's
not writing diary entries or WOMBATs tests, it's doing crosswords or
writing out every word you can think of that begins with a certain three
letters (two of my favourite bedtime activities.)

Eileen 



From joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 10 22:27:11 2006
From: joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid (joywitch_m_curmudgeon)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 22:27:11 -0000
Subject: JKR the writer vs. JKR the person RE: [the_old_crowd] Re: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E88C4@...>
Message-ID: <e1em3v+nutu@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Eileen Rebstock" 
<erebstock at ...> wrote:
>

> In general, though, has anyone else noticed that Rowling is a lot 
less
> hard-nosed about her imaginary world outside the books than in 
them? The
> wizarding world almost seems sensible when she's doing interviews,
> answering questions, or writing secondary canon stuff 
like 'Fantastic
> Beasts.' Then you get into the books and it's all very 
dysfunctional,
> anarchic etc.
> 
> For example, I can't imagine that JKR *outside the books* would 
endorse
> officials taking bribes, yet Arthur Weasley gets tickets to the 
World
> Cup in return for not prosecuting Otto Bagman, and the narrative 
view of
> Arthur takes this as a commonplace not worth remark.

Just because she writes about this, or considers it a commonplace 
occurance in politics (either *inside* or *outside* the books), or 
even thinks it's amusing, doesn't mean that she condones it or 
thinks that it's the way political systems *should* work.

JMC







From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 10 23:06:06 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 16:06:06 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Snipe or Snape was  Exceeds Expectations???
References: <e1ai4r+s2fb@...>
Message-ID: <003a01c65cf3$5e988520$482fdcd1@...>


  Snow:

  Down here, in this neck of the woods, they call it a Snape hunt but 
  then again we call a creek a crick and a rubber band; gumband.so just 
  about everyone knows we are Pittsburghers when we leave are 
  territory. (In fact it's called Pittsburgh-eze, a smidge like we are 
  from the Bronx only Pennsylvania not New York; both cities' languages 
  are fairly disgusting when it comes down to grammar and yet both are 
  proud of it)

I'm so glad you come from a place where people talk funny too. Where I come from, they put carn in the born to feed the harses, and go for a picnic in the pork and grill park chops.

  I rather like the reference to Professor Snape being a hunt though.it 
  does fit with the `find something that doesn't exist about him theme' 
  or in the Snipe/Snape hunt scenario; a wild goose chase. 

  The subject you most want to gag on could just be the very biggest 
  red herring. Everyone is lead away by Snape (or Snipe) only to find 
  he is a diversion to the truth. Why would any character in a story 
  have more posts written about him than the main character and yet to 
  date Snape holds the count.

As I just wrote to Talisman off-list, I think this is one of those cases where JKR let something get away from her. She invented this wonderful is-he/isn't-he villain and came up for air after about five volumes of having fun with him to discover that he'd completely upstaged Harry. Who is, I regret to say, pretty upstage-able. (Most adolescent and pre-adolescent boys are.)

Purrs!

--Gatta

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 10 23:14:28 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 16:14:28 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: My WOMBAT Reasoning
References: <e1cqr8+fci4@...>
Message-ID: <005601c65cf4$902bc100$482fdcd1@...>


  --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Phyllis" <erisedstraeh2002 at ...> 
  wrote:
  > However, I've no idea what an Alihotsy shrub is, and can't recall it 
  > being mentioned in the books (if it has been mentioned in the books, 
  > could a kind soul please direct me as to where?).
  > 
  > ~Phyllis
  >


  FB, page 19, under Glumbumble.

  T

All I could think of was that it sounded like curry leaves.

--Gatta

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr 11 15:47:48 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:47:48 +0100
Subject: NUMPTIEs -  answers and marking scheme
Message-ID: <D70AD210-2C30-4E80-AB15-1EC60BE4C2F4@...>

A load of silly questions.
Even so, ideas for responses did germinate as the questions were  
written.
Result - a load of ridiculous answers to match.
Still, helps pass the time until volume 7.

First - a confession. I dropped a bollock. Well, it was late at  
night, a fair number of tinctures of juniper had slid past my  
tonsils, and I pressed the wrong button. What was posted was a draft  
rather than the final edit.
Hence:
No 'Instructions to Candidates'.
The acronym didn't match the descriptive title - it should be  
NUMPTIEs  - Nearly Unanswerable Magically Perplexing Teasers:  
Intermediate Exam. Slightly surprising that nobody jumped on that.  
Either members were too polite to point out an error (impossible!) or  
nobody reads my posts (much more likely).
Q. 10 was changed in the final edit. Not by much: it wasn't pork  
chops, though since that's the one that was posted, that's what is  
tackled in the given answer; and *white flowered* daffodils were  
specified in the final version, you'll see why. That's the one I'm  
going for. Yep, it's cheating. So what?
[Extraneous information or comments not in the marking scheme, but  
providing interesting (or not) background are appended in square  
brackets like these.]

Question 1.
Two wizard brothers find a Remembrall in the street. Each claims  
possession and a rancorous exchange ensues, degenerating into a "and  
I've never forgiven you for what you said at our Ethel's funeral"  
type recrimination.
Which body orifice should the healers at St Mungo's examine first in  
their search for the Remembrall? Illustrate with diagrams.

Ans.
(7 marks available)
It's the recriminatory exchanges that provides the key clue for  
answering this question, since when recounting an argument certain  
phrases tend to be regularly  used.
Full marks for:
Right ear,  as in "I gave him a right earful, didn't I?"
Half marks for answers derived from "I told him to stuff it where the  
sun don't shine/where the monkey stuffs his nuts."
The wearing of robes makes this exercise somewhat unlikely in a  
public place.


Question 2.
Given that:

n([B x Pk] + [Gs - WFw]) = X

Where B = bonfires, Pk = phlogiston constant, Gs is the unfortunate  
conflagration that consumes the garden shed next door, WFw is the  
number of  wizards letting off no-heat fireworks and n = number of  
Halloween parties per 100 wizards (Flabberworts standard variable),  
calculate the annual contribution to global warming by celebrations  
in Berwick-on-Tweed (X). Show your working.

Ans.
(1 mark for answer; 12 for figuring out why)
X = 0.

Flabberworts standard variable = 8 and a bit, which tells us that the  
average number of wizards at a bonfire party is 12?2, agreeing  
closely with estimates from attendees.
The magical population of the UK is estimated as 30,000 out of a  
total of 60 million.

[The estimate of 30,000 comes from an old thread on TOL and is mostly  
based on the supposed/calculated annual admissions to Hogwarts - the  
only school for magic in the UK and every magical child being  
eligible for entry. Seems reasonable.]

Therefore the proportion of wizards in the total population of the UK  
is 1 in 2,000  (30,000 : 60,000,000).

The population of Berwick is approximately 13,500.
Applying population ratio to Berwick:
13,500 divided by 2,000  = 6.75 magical folk approx.
6.75 is *less* than the lowest number (12?2) that can be considered  
(within theoretical guidelines) to be a party. Since it's impossible  
to have a fraction of a party, then n = 0.
Any number multiplied by zero =  0.
Therefore X = 0.

[In the real, as opposed to the statistical world, things are  
slightly different. There are in fact 16 wizards in Berwick - 15 of  
them are Ministry employees (mostly skilled Obliviators) keeping a  
very close eye on the 16th, a certain Sylvestre Wells. Wells, also  
known by the pseudonym 'Arson' Wells, is unfortunately addicted to  
the spectacle of a flickering red glow in the night sky. Thus the oil- 
storage depot, the shopping centre, the castle, indeed most of the  
town, has been sacrificed, at least twice, to Wells'  little hobby.  
The Oblivators job is to make sure the Muggles never find out.
The warming effect of his activities is sufficiently high to have  
caused all the cod formerly guddling about in the North Sea to re- 
locate to the environs of Jan Mayen Island - calculated as  
approximately equivalent to 3.7 Giga-dragonblasts.]


Question 3.
You discover that He-who-must-not-be-named is living next door.
Do you:
a) call the Aurors
b) change the name of your house to "Dunmugglin"
c) move

Ans.
(6 marks available)
c), then a). In that order.


Question 4.
You are illegally breeding dragons (for export) in London.
Do you:
a) develop fire-proof owls to ensure a reliable delivery service
b) sell fire insurance (on commission) to your Muggle neighbours
c) submit a tender for providing the Olympic flame for the 2012 Games
d) think you can get away with it

Ans.
(2 marks)
d)
But you won't.
No way.
So don't even think of it.
You'll be sorry if you do.

[To highlight this point, a), b) and c) were actual activities that  
attracted the attention of The Dept. for the Regulation and Control  
of Magical Creatures. Drawing the obvious conclusions ("There's  
something funny going on here, lads") raids were organised, illegal  
dragon-related activities uncovered and the perpetrators received  
draco-nian punishment.
The search for such evil-doers continues and is relentless.  
Currently, the DftRaCoMC is investigating the anomaly of the  
increased importation of flocks of sheep (estimated at 700 animals  
per week above the 10 year rolling average) into Westminster, with no  
concomitant increase in the consumption of mint sauce or roast  
potatoes. Very suggestive. Arrests are expected soon, though the heat- 
seeking dragon trackers have been confused by the excessive  
production of hot air from a large pseudo-Gothic building in the area.]


Question 5.
A know-it-all witch has screwed up causality by the unauthorised and  
thoughtless use of a Time-turner. You must draw up a detailed and  
comprehensible description of the way reality has been changed.  
Accurate phrasing is necessary.
Give the future past present transitive indefinite imperfect  
subjunctives of:
a) transmogrify
b) then
c) cock-up

Ans.
(17 marks)
Such constructions generally follow the form taken, for example, by  
the verb 'to show'.
"He will did am a nearly complete showing."
Note that some tenses are silent and some parts of the construction  
may be invisible (temporally mislaid).
Any attempt that provides a nearly incomprehensible sentence will get  
high marks.


Question 6.
Compare the distinguishing emotional and physical effects between:
a) aphrodisiacs
b) love philtres
c) Veela infestations
d) winning a complimentary pass to Madam Whiplash's establishment.

Ans.
(14 marks. Possible 50 bonus marks, depending.)
Basically, the above have an effect that can be condensed as follows:
a) "Hur, hur, hur," *rip*
b) "Oh, my darling, the minutes we are apart stretch into agonising  
eons of bleakness.."
c) "Now, there's no need to turn nasty...."
d) "Happy days are here again..."
Marks are awarded depending on how well the candidate incorporates  
the subtleties of these paradigms into the answer. Bonus marks may be  
earned with the inclusion of details sufficiently graphic to convince  
the examiner that the candidate's studies have progressed beyond the  
merely theoretical. Particularly tasty examples should be forwarded  
to the Head Invigilator for pasting into his scrapbook.


Question 7.
Describe, using gestures, the characteristics of spells cast from a  
bindweed wand.

Ans.
(5 marks)
It does this ~~> or, if it's a left-hand twist, this <~~.
To gain full marks candidates should state the necessity for a fairly  
rigid supporting core (Phoenix tail feather, for example). Otherwise  
the wand droops alarmingly and the wielder's pedal extremities are  
liable to undergo drastic modifications. Accio!  and Expeliarmus! can  
cause particular problems.


Question 8.
Many strange objects can be found in the Muggle world. With the aid  
of diagrams describe three (3) common uses for each of the following  
(answer 2 out of 5):
a) a left-hand ratchet screwdriver
b) a clockwork mouse
c) the Eiffel Tower
d) an abdomicizer
e) wax fruit

Ans.
(1 mark per use per object - total 6)
Considerable latitude in the given answers should be allowed.
Only the plainly ridiculous should be marked down.
For example -
c) the Eiffel Tower. A sweet-pea trellis - yes; a door-stop - no.
But check diagrams to ensure the candidate knows what the named  
object actually is.


Question  9.
Give brief explanations for, and state what actions you would take,  
in each of the following situations:
a) an acquaintance has a leather footstool, the covering of which  
becomes hairy whenever there's a full moon.
b) you notice that a large black dog always seems to be following you  
around, you keep seeing someone who resembles you *very* closely and  
your lifeline seems to have vanished from your palm.
c) while pottering around in the kitchen looking for your spectacles,  
you come across a toad beneath the sink - and under it are some  
broken egg shells.

Ans.
(11 marks available)
a) Check carefully to ensure this is not a practical joke. If it  
isn't, try and keep your hands from shaking - it'd be a dead give- 
away. This is an old, very rare, very valuable, indeed unique  
artifact. Try and persuade your acquaintance that you'd like it as a  
birthday present, or offer to buy it for your dear white-haired old  
mother to rest her bunions on. You could even *borrow* it - for as  
long as  it takes you to get to B&B's emporium - and you into a  
prosperous retirement.

[Look underneath; there, nestling between the silver nails pinning  
the pelt to the frame, will be a small plaque; on it will be engraved  
an intertwined B and an L - the trademark of Barthel Llona, cabinet- 
maker to the Transylvanian Court. Five hundred years ago he was  
commissioned to produce a special piece - a throne-like chair with  
matching footstool, upholstered with the skins of 14 werewolves that  
had been ravaging the countryside and burying bones in herbaceous  
borders the length and breadth of the land. Unforgivable. To the  
relief of pernickerty gardeners everywhere they were hunted down and  
Barthel was set to his task. A difficult and dangerous job to  
undertake when a moment of carelessness can mean the loss of fingers  
to a carnivorous cushion. But he did it and this fabulous chair  
became legendary. What happened to it is lost in the mists of time,  
but it lived on in myth as the ultimate chair. Even Muggles got to  
hear of it, and nearly a hundred years ago a designer  pridefully  
decided to match the matchless and to produce a chair of wonder.Of  
course he got it all wrong, didn't even get the name right, he called  
it 'the Barcelona chair'. Idiot. But what else can one expect from  
Muggles?]

b) Check to see if you still have a pulse. If yes, put your affairs  
in order, do not start any long books and don't bother with the  
ironing -  clean shirts are the least of your worries. If there is no  
pulse, drift through a few walls until you find someone willing to  
tidy away the remains.
c) Close your eyes and run out of the house immediately. Inform the  
DftRaCoMC. Have a large drink. If you feel a bite on your leg as you  
leave, tough. See previous answer.


Question 10.
You need to capture
a) a dragon
b) a vampire

Describe how you would accomplish this using the following items:
i) two pork chops
ii) a bunch of (white flowered) daffodils
iii) a virgin
iv) a banjo (tuned to the key of G)
v) a book of logarithmic tables

Ans.
(17 marks available)
a) a dragon
i) Extract sufficient logs from the tables to construct a sturdy cage.
ii) Start strumming the banjo - plinkerty plonk plinkerty plonk plonk  
plonk. This attracts the prey from great distances - their hearing  
being their most acute sense - and neither dragons nor vampires will  
pass up the opportunity to nail a plonker.
iii) Over-cook the chops and throw them into the cage. (The smell of  
burnt meat persuades the approaching dragon that there's a feeding  
frenzy taking place and he'll rush in without checking. Drop the door  
when he's in.)
iv) Threaten him with the daffodils. If he's a Welsh Green (most  
likely in the UK) he'll roll over without a struggle (the daffodil  
being the national flower of Wales and a powerful totem). If he's  
some other breed, transfigure the daffodils into snapdragons.  
Terrified at the thought of the death by a thousand nibbles, he'll  
submit.
v) Save the virgin for later.
[Just occasionally one may encounter a dragon that does not submit.   
Forty-foot flames can have a detrimental effect on logs, daffodils  
and your complexion. To counter this, rapidly reverse the book of  
logarithms. This is known as 'turning the tables' and is a sure-fire  
way of gaining the upper hand in any dodgy situation.]

b) a vampire
i) as i) above.
ii) as ii) above
iii) Throw the virgin in the cage.
iv) Strew the white flowered daffodils around him and he'll be trapped.
(Note: white flowered daffodil aka Allium neopolitanum aka daffodil  
garlic.)
v) Save the chops for later.


Totals.
148/98 is possible if maximum bonus marks are awarded.
Watch out for anyone scoring more than 130;  they're not to be trusted.

Otherwise, grade as follows:

21 +  Outstanding
16 - 20  Exceeds Expectations
11 - 15  Acceptable
6 - 10  Poor
0 - 5  Should be fed to Fluffy. Very slowly.


From dfrankiswork at davewitley.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr 11 22:34:51 2006
From: dfrankiswork at davewitley.yahoo.invalid (davewitley)
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:34:51 -0000
Subject: JKR's door
In-Reply-To: <e0r1s5+qiab@...>
Message-ID: <e1haub+ttt3@...>

> Anne
> who took the test not only with no consultations, but closed-book, 
and
> surely did dreadfully

There's another way?

David, who only has OOP, HBP, and the schoolbooks






From silmariel at a_silmariel.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 12 17:03:08 2006
From: silmariel at a_silmariel.yahoo.invalid (silmariel)
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 19:03:08 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] NUMPTIEs -  answers and marking scheme
In-Reply-To: <D70AD210-2C30-4E80-AB15-1EC60BE4C2F4@...>
References: <D70AD210-2C30-4E80-AB15-1EC60BE4C2F4@...>
Message-ID: <200604121903.08695.silmariel@...>


After managing to get time to delurk, doing my best to ignore the answers. 
Didn't take the WOMBAT test.

Barry:
> Question 3.
> You discover that He-who-must-not-be-named is living next door.
> Do you:
> a) call the Aurors
> b) change the name of your house to "Dunmugglin"
> c) move

Basically, c), then remember I'm not the most popular person with Aurors and 
get someone else to do a). Consider the possibility of d) send the news to 
the Daily Prophet - with a bit of luck, the Dark Lord will have fun with the 
journalist.

> Question 4.
> You are illegally breeding dragons (for export) in London.
> Do you:
> a) develop fire-proof owls to ensure a reliable delivery service
> b) sell fire insurance (on commission) to your Muggle neighbours
> c) submit a tender for providing the Olympic flame for the 2012 Games
> d) think you can get away with it
>
> Ans.
> (2 marks)
> d)
> But you won't.
> No way.
> So don't even think of it.
> You'll be sorry if you do.

Oh, well, d). Underground breeding, and/or inside one of those useful tents 
from GoF, Moody's hole didn't seem flamable. As confunding a dragon to make 
him a vegan sounds quite difficult, and messing with muggles to obtain food 
is out of the question, I'll try reducto, crossbreed and under-feeding to 
breed fashionable and decorative bonsai-dragons for spoiled snobs. If not, 
I'll use legal portkeys unlawfully manipulated, they seem not to trigger any 
alarm, to transport food from more scattered sources and distribute dragons. 
Evanesco should take care of the dirt generated by dragons, but still, the 
smell will be a problem. It should be done in a place where the natural smell 
surpases the dragon's, by far, as a chocolate factory. If I can't count with 
a reliable fire-proof transport method, I'll try draughofthelivingdeading the 
dragons, or considering export doesn't imply alive dragons after all, and 
once in pieces they're likely to be more manageable. As another option I'll 
consider having my reproductive dragons and not raising the youngs, just 
distribute them as soon as they have an aceptable probability of survival, 
but still manageable - you don't need fire proof owls if you can tie the 
dragon and he's not able to break the ropes. 

> Question 5.
> A know-it-all witch has screwed up causality by the unauthorised and
> thoughtless use of a Time-turner. You must draw up a detailed and
> comprehensible description of the way reality has been changed.
> Accurate phrasing is necessary.
> Give the future past present transitive indefinite imperfect
> subjunctives of:
> a) transmogrify
> b) then
> c) cock-up

Huh? Buaaaaa. *Sobs*

Damned know-it-alls.

*leaves question in blank*

> Question 6.
> Compare the distinguishing emotional and physical effects between:
> a) aphrodisiacs
> b) love philtres
> c) Veela infestations
> d) winning a complimentary pass to Madam Whiplash's establishment.

a) "Are you sure this works?"
b) can have side effects as curious and menacing as a Dark Lord, resulting in 
the entire wizarding population - as well as some muggles - being emotionally 
affected, at least
c) "Where's my order of merlin/golden watch/wand/underwear? Hey you!"
d) time to take tea and have a chat with old workmates

> Question 8.
> Many strange objects can be found in the Muggle world. With the aid
> of diagrams describe three (3) common uses for each of the following
> (answer 2 out of 5):
> a) a left-hand ratchet screwdriver
> b) a clockwork mouse
> c) the Eiffel Tower
> d) an abdomicizer
> e) wax fruit

d) an abdomicizer: a support for a table; a shoe organizer; a statue

e) wax fruit: a decorative candle; with some food, an anti plague device (it 
worked with doxys); a children's toy (can be used as a training bludger)

> Question  9.
> Give brief explanations for, and state what actions you would take,
> in each of the following situations:
> a) an acquaintance has a leather footstool, the covering of which
> becomes hairy whenever there's a full moon.
> b) you notice that a large black dog always seems to be following you
> around, you keep seeing someone who resembles you *very* closely and
> your lifeline seems to have vanished from your palm.
> c) while pottering around in the kitchen looking for your spectacles,
> you come across a toad beneath the sink - and under it are some
> broken egg shells.

a) lacking appraisal skills in furniture, I'll just try to make different 
acquaintaces in the future - the idea that it's actual werewolf skin makes me 
uncomfortable.

b) rest in peace

c) be glad that the kitchen is absolutely not clear-crystal-clean every 
surface reflecting, quite the opposite; cover my eyes as possible without 
being blind, don't ever look at mirrors, and sneak out of the house, not 
moving accidentally any piece of furniture, just in case the creature is 
sleeping. Remember breathing.

> Question 10.
> You need to capture
> a) a dragon
> b) a vampire
>
> Describe how you would accomplish this using the following items:
> i) two pork chops
> ii) a bunch of (white flowered) daffodils
> iii) a virgin
> iv) a banjo (tuned to the key of G)
> v) a book of logarithmic tables

1) assume I don't have the slightest idea of how to do it, decide to look for 
alternative answers
2) assume, since I'm not the Chosen One, those creative answers won't gain 
marks

a) how to capture a dragon
i) throw a party - there are different versions, if the virgin is muggle or 
not - it it is, unless you want to throw a DE party, better hide her for 
later - if she's a witch, she can call her friends and advise them to bring 
food - get a banjo player - hide the logaritmic book, you don't want to ruin 
the mood - use the flowers for decoration - fry the chops
ii) if it's a territorial dragon, say, such as an Hebridean Black, he'll come. 
He's outnumbered, just remember not to let your guests get too drunk.

b) how to capture a vampire
i) transfigure the chops into a bottle of blood
ii) rip apart some pages of the book and transfigurate them into old 
pergamins, maps and drawings, decorate the walls
iii) transform daffoils into daisys or lilys and decorate the window, and 
exits, not the door
iv) put the virgin in the room, he'll come and get trappet by the historical 
reminiscences and he'll give you the everlasting vampire speech about old 
times
v) distract him with a couple of glasses of blood and the virgin while he 
keeps with his speech
vi) knock him with the bottle, transform back the daisys into garlic
vii) grab the virgin if she isn't already running, go out of the room, extract 
the key from the banjo and lock the door (of course, this last step is due to 
having read the answers first, but I couldn't resist)

> Totals.
> 148/98 is possible if maximum bonus marks are awarded.
> Watch out for anyone scoring more than 130;  they're not to be trusted.
>
> Otherwise, grade as follows:
>
> 21 +  Outstanding
> 16 - 20  Exceeds Expectations
> 11 - 15  Acceptable
> 6 - 10  Poor
> 0 - 5  Should be fed to Fluffy. Very slowly.

I'm sure that I'm not so bad as to be fed to fluffly...

Silmariel



From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 12 18:19:25 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 18:19:25 -0000
Subject: NUMPTIEs -  answers and marking scheme
In-Reply-To: <200604121903.08695.silmariel@...>
Message-ID: <e1jgbd+89k6@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, silmariel <silmariel at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> After managing to get time to delurk, doing my best to ignore the answers. 
> Didn't take the WOMBAT test.
> 
> 
> I'm sure that I'm not so bad as to be fed to fluffly...
> 

Indeed not.

Let's see...
3 marks for Q.3. 
2 for Q.4.
0 (but 5 bonus marks - that "will it work?" is a dead giveaway for
   experience of disappointing practicals) for Q.6.
6 for Q.8.
3 for Q.9.
2 for keeping your chin up while floundering in Q.10.

21. Outstanding.
Congratulations.

Hmm. Maybe I made the questions too easy....
Or maybe it's time to invent some even more obscure answers....

Kneasy








From carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 12 18:59:17 2006
From: carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid (carolynwhite2)
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 18:59:17 -0000
Subject: NUMPTIEs -  answers and marking scheme
In-Reply-To: <e1jgbd+89k6@...>
Message-ID: <e1jim5+v0fu@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Barry Arrowsmith" 
<arrowsmithbt at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, silmariel <silmariel@> wrote:
> >
> > 

> 
> 21. Outstanding.
> Congratulations.
> 
> Hmm. Maybe I made the questions too easy....
> Or maybe it's time to invent some even more obscure answers....
> 
> Kneasy
>

Giggle etc. I have to report that the pair of them are original 
catalogue team founders. I award 50 extra points for attitude. You 
have been warned that this is no ordinary index....

Carolyn









From quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 13 12:35:55 2006
From: quigonginger at quigonginger.yahoo.invalid (quigonginger)
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 12:35:55 -0000
Subject: NUMPTIES, anyone?
In-Reply-To: <FE904437-5A0D-4DC7-906A-7F8567C9EDC2@...>
Message-ID: <e1lgjb+giv1@...>

This post attempts to answer all 10 NUMPTIE questions with a single 
essay.  Due to the length of the text, the questions will not be 
repeated herein.  Please go upthread if a review is needed.

Begin by reading through the questions.  Realize that #2 is out of 
your league as you were a music major, and therefore unable to count 
past 4 (with hand motions).  E-mail retired Maths teacher Geoff, copy 
and paste question #2, and await his reply.

In the meantime, find a virgin.  Place her in a tower, along with 
daffodils, a banjo and a book of logarhimic tables to attract the 
dragon and vampire.  Find the witch who screwed up time, tell her to 
transmorgify her cockup, and then, before returning, to transfigure a 
certain pig into a cow.

You will know this has been sucessful when the 2 pork chops in your 
fridge turn to beefsteaks.  Return to the tower (with the 
beefsteaks), checking the identity of your new neighbour whose 
mailbox is suspiciously blank.  Call your acquaintance, who is an 
Auror and ask him to give his hairy leather footstool to your new 
neighbour as a housewarming gift.  Send the gift via clockwork mouse 
in case the recipient chooses to "kill the messanger".  Include a 
love philter for good measure.  This will lessen the chances of 
finding a clockwork mouse in an unpleasant place.  With orifices in 
mind... 

Stop enroute to the tower to break up a fight over a Rememberall.  
Give the participants a complimentary pass to Madam Whiplash's with 
instructions for Madam to check each orifice and insert into each a 
piece of wax fruit.  This should teach them a lesson about fighting.  
Be sure to request an illustration of orifaces post-fruiting for a 
good laugh at the office.

Arrive at the tower and enter the room next to the one with the 
virgin.  When the dragon and vampire show up, the vampire will change 
into a bat to fly up to the virgin.  At this time, throw the 
daffodils out the window at the dragon.  When he sneezes (and he will 
sneeze- this is one of the hay-fevered dragons you have been 
illegally breeding in London, and yes, you bloody well will get away 
with it, having bought off the Aurors with passes to Madam W's), 
throw the beefsteaks out the window.  The dragon's sneeze will drive 
the steaks into the vampire, impaling him.  As everyone knows, this 
is the only way to get rid of a vampire.

Remove the head of the banjo, and send it out with a clockwork mouse 
to be placed under the falling vampire, who will by now be burnt to a 
crisp.  Catch the ashes in the banjo, and have the mouse slap the 
head back on the banjo.  Pelt the dragon with wax fruit.  He will 
breathe fire on it, melting it.  Continue until the banjo is covered 
with wax.  Have the mouse return it to you.  While the wax is still 
warm, impress upon it the religious symbol of your choice.  (Athiests 
may make squiggly lines- the vampire is in no shape to know the 
difference.)  This will keep the vampire in there for good.

Send the virgin to clean the kitchen.  She may as well be good for 
something.  When she reports finding a toad and eggshells, give her a 
bindweed wand.  She won't know the difference.  Send her out to face 
the basilisk.  Give her an aphrodisiac.  She's already screwed, she 
may as well enjoy it.

Return your attention to the dragon.  Summon a large number of Veela 
for his amusement and a last meal.  Read to him the from the book of 
logarithemic tables.  He will die of boredom.  

Go home and have tea.  Set a bowl of wax fruit on the counter to look 
pretty.  Wind up the clockwork mouse and have it do tricks to amuse 
you as you wait for Geoff to return your e-mail. 

Copy and paste the answer here:



Send in your answers to Kneasy.  Get your results.  E-mail Geoff and 
ask him to divide the answer in 2 so that you might share the results 
with him properly.  Make a note to take a remedial Maths class.  Note 
that a large black dog has been following you around.  Breathe a sigh 
of relief that you won't have to be bothered with that Maths class.

Ginger, hoping she got everything.






From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 13 18:21:05 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:21:05 -0000
Subject: NUMPTIES, anyone?
In-Reply-To: <e1lgjb+giv1@...>
Message-ID: <e1m4qh+a8v0@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "quigonginger" <quigonginger at ...> wrote:
>
> This post attempts to answer all 10 NUMPTIE questions with a single 
> essay.  Due to the length of the text, the questions will not be 
> repeated herein.  Please go upthread if a review is needed.
> 
> Begin by reading through the questions.  Realize that #2 is out of 
> your league as you were a music major, and therefore unable to count 
> past 4 (with hand motions).  E-mail retired Maths teacher Geoff, copy 
> and paste question #2, and await his reply.
> 
> In the meantime, find a virgin.  Place her in a tower, along with 
> daffodils, a banjo and a book of logarhimic tables to attract the 
> dragon and vampire.  Find the witch who screwed up time, tell her to 
> transmorgify her cockup, and then, before returning, to transfigure a 
> certain pig into a cow.
> 
> You will know this has been sucessful when the 2 pork chops in your 
> fridge turn to beefsteaks.  Return to the tower (with the 
> beefsteaks), checking the identity of your new neighbour whose 
> mailbox is suspiciously blank.  Call your acquaintance, who is an 
> Auror and ask him to give his hairy leather footstool to your new 
> neighbour as a housewarming gift.  Send the gift via clockwork mouse 
> in case the recipient chooses to "kill the messanger".  Include a 
> love philter for good measure.  This will lessen the chances of 
> finding a clockwork mouse in an unpleasant place.  With orifices in 
> mind... 
> 
> Stop enroute to the tower to break up a fight over a Rememberall.  
> Give the participants a complimentary pass to Madam Whiplash's with 
> instructions for Madam to check each orifice and insert into each a 
> piece of wax fruit.  This should teach them a lesson about fighting.  
> Be sure to request an illustration of orifaces post-fruiting for a 
> good laugh at the office.
> 
> Arrive at the tower and enter the room next to the one with the 
> virgin.  When the dragon and vampire show up, the vampire will change 
> into a bat to fly up to the virgin.  At this time, throw the 
> daffodils out the window at the dragon.  When he sneezes (and he will 
> sneeze- this is one of the hay-fevered dragons you have been 
> illegally breeding in London, and yes, you bloody well will get away 
> with it, having bought off the Aurors with passes to Madam W's), 
> throw the beefsteaks out the window.  The dragon's sneeze will drive 
> the steaks into the vampire, impaling him.  As everyone knows, this 
> is the only way to get rid of a vampire.
> 
> Remove the head of the banjo, and send it out with a clockwork mouse 
> to be placed under the falling vampire, who will by now be burnt to a 
> crisp.  Catch the ashes in the banjo, and have the mouse slap the 
> head back on the banjo.  Pelt the dragon with wax fruit.  He will 
> breathe fire on it, melting it.  Continue until the banjo is covered 
> with wax.  Have the mouse return it to you.  While the wax is still 
> warm, impress upon it the religious symbol of your choice.  (Athiests 
> may make squiggly lines- the vampire is in no shape to know the 
> difference.)  This will keep the vampire in there for good.
> 
> Send the virgin to clean the kitchen.  She may as well be good for 
> something.  When she reports finding a toad and eggshells, give her a 
> bindweed wand.  She won't know the difference.  Send her out to face 
> the basilisk.  Give her an aphrodisiac.  She's already screwed, she 
> may as well enjoy it.
> 
> Return your attention to the dragon.  Summon a large number of Veela 
> for his amusement and a last meal.  Read to him the from the book of 
> logarithemic tables.  He will die of boredom.  
> 
> Go home and have tea.  Set a bowl of wax fruit on the counter to look 
> pretty.  Wind up the clockwork mouse and have it do tricks to amuse 
> you as you wait for Geoff to return your e-mail. 
> 
> Copy and paste the answer here:
> 
> 
> 
> Send in your answers to Kneasy.  Get your results.  E-mail Geoff and 
> ask him to divide the answer in 2 so that you might share the results 
> with him properly.  Make a note to take a remedial Maths class.  Note 
> that a large black dog has been following you around.  Breathe a sigh 
> of relief that you won't have to be bothered with that Maths class.
> 
> Ginger, hoping she got everything.
>

Oh, dear.
Um.. how can I put this?
Ah, you haven't had some funny tasting mushrooms recently, have you?
Sure?
Well, OK then. 
We'll put it down to exam nerves, scholastic stress, or something. 
Or perhaps an overdose of RPGs, all that dashing from one task to another, 
carrying this to that and meanwhile keeping a firm grip on your......banjo. 
Y-e-e-e-s.

I have to  inform you that the Board of Examiners has not (yet) been able
to reach  a firm conclusion. Opinions vary from "Brilliant!  Superb!" (this
from Gurky Lamsmiler who watches Czech experimental art films for *fun*),
right across to Boudicca de Medici who wants you slowly roasted for seeking
outside assistance during an exam - and admitting it.

Why, that's very like cheating. Tut. Can't have that. 
I fear that at best - which would involve the massive sedation of one or two
of the Board - the very best you could hope for would be 'Acceptable'. 
Perhaps if you had managed a little something entertaining regarding Veelas
or Madam Whiplash, then the Chairman might have been sufficiently distracted
for an 'EE' to be slid under the owl without anyone noticing.
Shame, really.
Commiserations.

Kneasy









From silmariel at a_silmariel.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 19 15:56:18 2006
From: silmariel at a_silmariel.yahoo.invalid (silmariel)
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 17:56:18 +0200
Subject: JKR the writer vs. JKR the person RE: [the_old_crowd] Re: Exceeds Expectations???
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E88C4@...>
References: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E88C4@...>
Message-ID: <200604191756.18471.silmariel@...>

Eileen:
> In general, though, has anyone else noticed that Rowling is a lot less
> hard-nosed about her imaginary world outside the books than in them? The
> wizarding world almost seems sensible when she's doing interviews,
> answering questions, or writing secondary canon stuff like 'Fantastic
> Beasts.' Then you get into the books and it's all very dysfunctional,
> anarchic etc.

Ramble warning - incoherences ahead

I've noticed but - I don't think the world outside the books is different, 
exactly, only that we don't see it in movement, and we don't see a storyline. 
We see it in a static way and we usually only receive information about one 
thing each time, we don't usually ask for interaction between magic elements, 
but in the books, they interact.

As I see the ww, is the kind of set that goes out of control (in-history) if 
not carefully controled. The magic part is *huge*: lots of spells, potions, 
artifacts, new magic only requiring *a* wizard to create it, creatures, some 
extra gifts, and available to most wizards. It's what I'd call a high-level 
magic-world.

Compare with the Force, that is quite simple (ignoring the expanded universe, 
I only consider canon the films).

But she has let enough points loose to manage the magic, and she knows a lot 
of rules we don't or just invents them as needed. For example, the 'all magic 
leaves traces', now, I have a vampire character competent in that kind of 
(blood) magic, so I know what is looking like a dumb while touching the walls 
and looking closely at every object in a room, but it came to me as a bit out 
of the blue in the book.

We have miriads of transport methods and we need qualified listies to explain 
them. It seems to me that when you need a long post to explain how a device 
works for the average reader to say 'oh, that's reasonable, I understand', 
the author isn't going for magic explanations, is going for the story.

Really, what I see is every element to develop chaos as soon as needed by the 
author.

We have 4 different ways at least to alter appearance of oneself - animagi, 
polijuice, metamorphmagi, and the block of lesser spells/potions. We now 
there is 'I+D', new communication methods being explored. We have confundus, 
imperio, and love potions. We have that curious ancestral magic. Legillimens 
and occlumens, so that we can't know what amount of information is going 
through looking at the eye. If that was not enough, we have Felix Felicis to 
add to the mess.

Add characters and background - also mostly unknown to the readers -, and put 
the world in movement. Anarchy? Sure.

I don't think I could get with dragon breeding in her out of the novels ww, 
but yes in the novels, and it would make for a story. Agreed that when the 
secondary stuff dominates, the story sinks (for my tastes).

Silmariel



From drednort at drednort.geo.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 20 21:46:53 2006
From: drednort at drednort.geo.yahoo.invalid (Shaun Hately)
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2006 07:46:53 +1000
Subject: Harry Potter and the Death of Magic
In-Reply-To: <200604191756.18471.silmariel@...>
References: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F0E88C4@...>
Message-ID: <44488DED.5751.1BF0E6@...>

I've already posted this to a couple of other lists, but I thought 
it might amuse here. Please note - it may contain spoilers from the 
Harry Potter books.

Last weekend (the Easter weekend) I attended a games convention - 
Conquest - in Melbourne, Australia. This convention occurs each year 
and is a place for people to get together playing various games - 
most notably roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons, and 
wargames of various sorts. I've been attending this convention for 
fourteen years now, and I've been running games there since the late 
1990s. For the last five conventions I have run roleplaying sessions 
set in the Harry Potter universe. As I did this year. And I've 
written up some notes on how things went this year, which I thought 
might interest some people here.

First of all, yes, it was fun, but yes, it was also a *lot* of work. 
Not as much this year as in the past in some ways - this is the 
fifth consecutive year I have run a Harry Potter game at this 
convention and a lot of the material from previous years (mostly the 
maps I have made of different places, and the floorplans I've 
constructed on Hogwarts) remain useful and relevant, but I still had 
some prop making to do in advance. In particular for this year I 
created laminated character sheets describing each of the available 
characters (six this year - I create these sheets every year). 
Basically an image taken off the net, a 'blazer pocket' style badge 
- because a lot of people in Melbourne have been to, or at least 
know of schools based on British traditions, I play that up quite a 
bit in my games, so I had badge pockets made up with Quidditch 
colours and things - and a short description of the character. I 
also created statistics based on the D20 (D&D) game for each of the 
six characters and had to make up lots of those on paper for use in 
the game. The biggest prop I did this year though was a scrapbook of 
articles from the Daily Prophet - most of them were articles from 
the books but I had to write three of my own to bring the players up 
to date on events that have occurred since the end of Half-Blood 
Prince - this years game was set in the summer holidays between 
sixth and seventh years for Harry - so was obviously totally 
speculative - and I needed to have a way that people could know the 
major events of the game world... they were the fact that McG had 
been confirmed as Headmistress, Hogwarts would reopen, Arthur 
Weasley had been put in charge of magical law enforcement, and 
Dolores Umbridge had been put in charge of magical education and 
underage affairs and her first action had been to raise the Age of 
Majority to 18. I really had fun with that article.

Hang on - I'll paste that one in.

*****

AGE PARITY SHOCK

In a shock move, the Minister for Educational Affairs and Underage 
Concerns, Mrs Dolores Umbridge today announced that, with immediate 
effect, the Age of Majority for Wizards and Witches has been 
increased from 17 to 18 years of age. This will effect all Wizards 
and Witches under the age of 18, even those 17 year olds who until 
now were considered to be of age.

Mrs Umbridge stated that this decision has been taken out of a deep 
concern for the welfare of our children.

"17 year olds may think they are adults, but my experiences as 
Headmistress of Hogwarts indicated to me that this was a serious 
mistake. This mistaken and indulgent view meant that I found myself 
unable to discipline two young men who were sorely in need of it, as 
they decided they were now old enough to decide for themselves 
whether or not they should continue their education."

When it was pointed out to Mrs Umbridge that the Muggles also 
believe that children become adults at the age of 18, she stated 
that even Muggles have a sensible idea once or twice a century and 
it would be blatantly prejudicial not to do something just because 
Muggles do it.

When asked how she would deal with the outrage of young Witches and 
Wizards about this decision, she said:

"Don't you understand - the whole point of this decision is that we 
no longer have to listen to the outrage of a whole new group of 
young Witches and Wizards. This will make it much easier to 
introduce many other educational reforms - such as returning 
meaningful punishments to Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, declined to comment 
on these changes."

*****

I had so much fun writing that. (-8

Anyway, that was the inititial preparation for the game. Now to the 
game itself.

Actually not yet - I must tell you about the place the convention is 
held because it's really a very nice location to run a Harry Potter 
game.

The Conquest convention is held at Melbourne High School - so it 
held at a school - and the school looks quite a bit like a castle.

http://tinyurl.com/mgthe


for anyone who wants to see a picture. It's quite cool running a 
Harry Potter game in that type of environment.

OK - the game itself.

I ran eight sessions of the game during the con (I think it was 
eight). I had between three and six players each session, with 
probably an average of around four or five - at a guess I ran it for 
between 35 and 40 people.

Each session starts out the same, but because the game develops 
based on what the players do, each session is quite a bit different. 
I do have a loose plot and most groups stayed fairly close to it - 
but it differed quite a bit.

The game was entitled 'Harry Potter and the Death of Magic' and the 
available characters were the six students who fought the battle in 
the Ministry of Magic at the end of 'Order of the Phoenix' - Harry, 
Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna. Harry, Ron, and Hermione 
were in all sessions, Ginny was the fourth character in sessions 
where I had four (it was easier to explain why she was there than 
for the other two) with Luna and Neville being interchangeable as 
the fifth and sixth characters.

The game opened during the summer holidays with the assembled 
characters all being at Grimmauld Place. They were all moved here 
early in the summer holidays for their own protection - the Order is 
using it again. They have basically found themselves cleaning the 
house again, while it is being used for Order business - the Order 
has meetings a couple of times a week but the characters are more or 
less excluded from the meetings, despite their best efforts. Even 
though Harry has informed everyboy he's not going back to school, 
all the significant adults left in his life seem to be assuming he 
is going to. It's quite frustrating really - though Harry has had 
some indications from Mr Weasley and Lupin that they do have 
something for him to do, just not yet, and so far this has kept 
Harry reasonably co-operative (the fact that Mrs Weasley is hard to 
disobey also helps...) And the other characters have been going 
along with Harry.

As the adventure begins, the characters have just read the latest 
issue of the Daily Prophet with the article I've quoted above. 
Basically I start the game by giving them the chance to interact in 
character about the article. The general way people played their 
characters was fairly much what you'd expect - a group of teens 
suddenly told that they are too immature to be trusted by a woman 
they also hate and despise... well, the reaction is spirited.

Then I introduce the owls - an owl arrives for each of the PCs. 
Bearing a note from the Ministry. Informing them that they have an 
appointment with Umbridge the following morning.

More time to react in outrage, anger and horror. And then when I 
want to move things along again - an announcement over the Wizarding 
Wireless Network. An emergency. A muggle train has somehow managed 
to get onto platform nine and three quarters at Kings Cross and has 
collided with the Hogwarts Express. All able-bodied wizards are to 
report to Kings Cross immediately to assist the ministry.

All the charactes went in every session - and basically found 
themselves involved in a massive effort to obliviate the memories of 
all muggles so the Ministry could later modify their memories to 
maintain secrecy. A lot more than just that is required - the 
illusions and other spells that keep the platform secret have failed 
and need to be restored, but the Ministry in handling that - the 
characters basically are just assigned to basic first aid, triage, 
and memory wiping. Virtually every wizard and witch they have ever 
known is in the area - so from a gaming perspective, it was good 
because they could seek out people to ask questions - most tried to 
find out why Umbridge might want to see them. Most asked Professor 
McGonagall who didn't know but told them to be careful and to not 
provoke Umbridge.

Eventually as the situation is brought under control they are told 
to go back to Grimmauld Place by Molly and to get dinner on because 
the Order is going to meet.

They do so - they are excluded from the meeting (Fred and George are 
members of the Order now but the others are still too young). Most 
groups tried to spy on the meeting in some way - all failed. If they 
came up with a really good idea, I had it foiled by Fred and George. 
The meeting doesn't last long, but basically we move onto the 
following morning.

The following morning they find Fred and George at breakfast looking 
rather annoyed - they are living at the shop now, but for some 
reason they seem to pop in for meals quite a bit (Molly's cooking!) 
and normally they are in a better mood. Especially seeing this is an 
especially wonderful breakfast.

After breakfast it emerges why they are grumpy. They've been given 
an assignment by the Order - babysitting. They have to keep an eye 
on the characters.

Their first task is to take them to the Ministry and it emerges that 
Fred and George have luxury cars. They are really moving up in the 
world and embracing some Muggle ideas (Arthur seems to have rubbed 
off on them). They take the characters to the Ministry and the 
characters go in for their meeting with Umbridge.

Her secretary - fawning and obsequious - is Percy Weasley. A number 
of groups had some fun tormenting Percy. And then the part of the 
session that was normally the most fun for me (in some sessions, 
there were other great moments, but this was in every session).

The meeting with Umbridge.

I think I played Umbridge well. She greeted the characters by saying 
'Good morning, my children' and playing up the fact that she is now 
minister with special responsibility for them. I played her in the 
most horrible chilling, nasty fashion I could - but also coming 
across as if she was actually pretending to be nice.

"I would appreciate your help with my reforms at Hogwarts... it 
would be a shame to cancel all those OWLS, wouldn't it, Miss 
Granger?" Things like that.

Really nasty, really evil, vicious, foul.

And then just as I reach the peak - and hopefully I have the players 
seriously freaked out - her voice chances.

"Wotcher, Harry."

And her hair turns pink.

I *loved* doing that! Loved it!

Anyway, Tonks has now revealed herself (and has to deal with the 
characters) response, but ultimately she tells them she has a 
mission for them ("Don't tell Molly.") . The reason the illusion at 
Kings Cross failed is that magic is being disrupted near London - 
and they've traced the source to the Department of Mysteries. They 
think the problem started about the time that Sirius was killed, and 
they need to check it out - but they want to avoid introducing more 
variables into the environment, so it's best to use people who were 
there at that time ("But don't tell Molly!") So if the characters 
will go in ("Don't tell Molly.") that'd really be helpful. It 
shouldn't be dangerous ("But don't tell Molly.") but they can't be 
sure so they need to be careful ("And don't tell Molly.") If there 
is danger, they can call for help but at all costs they must keep 
Harry alive because he's so important ("And if you are going to die, 
call me, so I can die with you so I don't have to tell Molly!").

At this point, every session became somewhat different - because 
people could do what they liked. All identified the problem - some 
tried to solve it straight away, others returned to Hogwarts to 
research there - it was all quite different).

Highlights...

Well, I've already mentioned the Umbridge scene. Other good scenes 
that developed that were fun to play...

Hermione asks how Fred and George's car drive themselves - given 
that they've just told her that the cars are too sensitive to use 
magic on. Fred and George become very evasive. Hermione discovers 
the house elf chauffers in the boot.

Ginny has been using polyjuice potion to turn herself into a 
voluptuous stunning blonde of about twenty. Molly demands to know 
where the hair came from.

"I got it from Fred's pillow."

There's silence for a moment and just as Molly opens her mouth to 
begin making her views known, George throws a swinging punch at 
Fred.

Neville asks what a taxi is and gets a very vague description. He 
finds a car that seems to fit and drives it back to Grimmauld Place 
(the concept of how taxis work should have been better explained. 
The concept of driving would have helped as well). Later that 
evening people watch on as the residents of 11 and 13 Grimmauld 
place try to explain the badly dented police car outside their 
houses.

Harry's horror as (because the player wouldn't have Harry go to 
sleep and time was getting tight - I only had three hours for each 
session) he wakes up and realises Molly must have slipped a sleeping 
potion into the cocoa she gave him the previous night. That's not 
what inspires the horror though - he realises that somehow he is in 
his pyjamas.

Harry suddenly realises that Pansy Parkinson is actually polyjuiced 
Draco - and lashes out with a punch to the chin. Hermione says 
"Harry, you can't hit a girl!" and Harry says "But it's Draco."

Hermione lashes out with a second punch and then has to be 
restrained by everybody in the vicinity when she draws her wand. 
After a struggle, the fact that Pansy came into the prefects 
bathroom the previous night while Hermione was in there is revealed. 
At that point, Ron punches him. McGonagall finally arrives and Draco 
demands to be handed over to the Aurors for his own protection - but 
McGonagall speaks.

"First of all, Mister Malfoy, we have something to discuss. Because 
letting Death Eaters into this school is definitely a violation of 
the school rules."

Just a few of the fun highlights.



Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at ... | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia




From josturgess at mooseming.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 24 09:18:53 2006
From: josturgess at mooseming.yahoo.invalid (mooseming)
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 09:18:53 -0000
Subject: Who's been sleeping in my head?
Message-ID: <e2i55t+8pig@...>


Here is another of my insomnia driven ideas, which I openly admit to 
not having thought through! Frankly I decided to save myself the 
effort (too tired you understand) and let someone else do the work 
for me (er yes that would be you!).

Squatter's rights.

Poor old Voldy ripped from his body after the curse that backfired 
turns tail and survives by possessing a series of unsuspecting 
lesser life forms, or not. At least not at first because nearby is a 
small vulnerable vessel aka infant Harry. Voldy's first bolt hole is 
none other than the boy who lived. Must have been a nasty shock for 
the rescue party, or not. DD wise to HRX abuse knows that to save 
Harry he has to evict the squatter, Harry at this point is extremely 
vulnerable to his own side a number of whom, naming no names, would 
probably vote for the `simple' solution.

Ah those missing 24 hours, the 12 uses of Dragon's blood and let's 
not forget Aberforth's goat, sacrificed in the devoldying of Harry, 
an honourable if messy end to a noble creature and unwitting 
participant in those scurrilous rumours.

Maybe DD gave Harry that scar?

What say you?

Regards
Jo

off for a little nap

Ps many thanks to Ginger and Catlady for suggestions re WOMBAT id 
code failure, sadly no success so I guess I wrote it down wrong!






From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Mon Apr 24 13:38:18 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 07:38:18 -0600
Subject: A Quote For Us Fans
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F1A857E@...>

I came on this quote in a book of literary puzzles called, "Who betrayed
Elizabeth Bennett?" and I just had to share it with you all.

 

"If there is anything pleasant in life, it's doing what we are not meant
to do. If there is anything pleasant in criticism, it is finding out
what we aren't meant to find out. It's the method by which we treat as
significant what the author did not mean to be significant, by which we
single out as essential what the author regarded as incidental."

 

-         Ronald Knox, 'Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes."

 

He's got us fandom-types down to a tee, doesn't he?



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr 25 01:17:16 2006
From: katmac at lagattalucianese.yahoo.invalid (Kat Macfarlane)
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 18:17:16 -0700
Subject: [the_old_crowd] A Quote For Us Fans
References: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F1A857E@...>
Message-ID: <000701c66806$12847180$482fdcd1@...>

I thing you've  summed it up in one. I have to keep reminding myself that, however clever a writer JKR is, these books are basically children's books, and children, and even teenagers, don't generally read between the lines.

Purrs!

--Gatta

  I came on this quote in a book of literary puzzles called, "Who betrayed
  Elizabeth Bennett?" and I just had to share it with you all.



  "If there is anything pleasant in life, it's doing what we are not meant
  to do. If there is anything pleasant in criticism, it is finding out
  what we aren't meant to find out. It's the method by which we treat as
  significant what the author did not mean to be significant, by which we
  single out as essential what the author regarded as incidental."



  -         Ronald Knox, 'Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes."



  He's got us fandom-types down to a tee, doesn't he?



  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



  SPONSORED LINKS Albus dumbledore  Jk rowling  Goblet of fire  


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 

    a..  Visit your group "the_old_crowd" on the web.
      
    b..  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     the_old_crowd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
      
    c..  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr 25 07:17:03 2006
From: carolynwhite2 at carolynwhite2.yahoo.invalid (carolynwhite2)
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 07:17:03 -0000
Subject: A Quote For Us Fans
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F1A857E@...>
Message-ID: <e2kidf+ff2g@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Eileen Rebstock" <erebstock at ...> 
wrote:
>
> I came on this quote in a book of literary puzzles called, "Who 
betrayed
> Elizabeth Bennett?" and I just had to share it with you all.
> 
>  
> 
So, who did betray Elizabeth Bennett?

Carolyn, interested..






From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Tue Apr 25 14:07:59 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 08:07:59 -0600
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: A Quote For Us Fans
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F1A858C@...>

The author thought Charlotte Lucas told Lady Catherine about a suspected
attachment of Darcy to Elizabeth. 

I'm skeptical. I bet she heard via the guests at Pemberly. :-) 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com]
> On Behalf Of carolynwhite2
> Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 1:17 AM
> To: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: A Quote For Us Fans
> 
> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Eileen Rebstock"
<erebstock at ...>
> wrote:
> >
> > I came on this quote in a book of literary puzzles called, "Who
> betrayed
> > Elizabeth Bennett?" and I just had to share it with you all.
> >
> >
> >
> So, who did betray Elizabeth Bennett?
> 
> Carolyn, interested..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 




From aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 16:09:59 2006
From: aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid (Aberforths Goat / Mike Gray)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 18:09:59 +0200
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F1A858C@...>
Message-ID: <002d01c6694b$de2de050$0200a8c0@hwin>

Hey Steve, or anybody else in the know these days:

Could someone give me a run down of the major awards the HP series has won?
They've surely won something besides that Kid's Choice thing. I mean,
haven't they? I dunno. I don't suppose they've hauled in any Pulitzers or
Nobels, but I seem to recall something about a Whitbread.

Baaaaa,

Mike, who is, glory be, writing. And hence looking for people to do his
research for him ...




From mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 16:46:53 2006
From: mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid (Mike & Susan Gray)
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2606 18:46:24 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <002d01c6694b$de2de050$0200a8c0@hwin>
Message-ID: <002e04671635$0d4fa330$0200a8c0@hwin>

And yet another question of the same type:

Does anyone around here have access to current publishing figures for the HP
series and its translations? I found the following on Wiki Deuthschland:

USA: 80 Mio. 
Deutschland: 22 Mio. 
Russland: 13,5 Mio. 
Gro?britannien: 8 Mio. 
Kanada: 6 Mio. 
Australien und Neuseeland: 5,3 Mio. 
Italien: 3,7 Mio. 
Polen: 2,2 Mio. 
?sterreich: <1 Mio. 

But that's 2004. And it doesn't cite anything ...

BTW, something tells me it's time to mosey back over to HPfGU again. This is
probably the perfect sort of question for that list. Heck - it may even be
in a FAQ of some kind. Since it's the sort of question I find unspeakably
boring, I've never paid much attention, but all of a sudden I need numbers
...

Baaaaa,

Mike, the sold-out Goat




From catorman at catorman.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 16:50:34 2006
From: catorman at catorman.yahoo.invalid (Catherine Coleman)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:50:34 +0100
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <002d01c6694b$de2de050$0200a8c0@hwin>
Message-ID: <000901c66951$8a36c330$4001a8c0@youre641889c92>

 

  _____  

From: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com [mailto:the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Aberforths Goat / Mike Gray
Sent: 26 April 2006 17:10
To: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?

 

Hey Steve, or anybody else in the know these days:

Could someone give me a run down of the major awards the HP series has won?
They've surely won something besides that Kid's Choice thing. I mean,
haven't they? I dunno. I don't suppose they've hauled in any Pulitzers or
Nobels, but I seem to recall something about a Whitbread.

Baaaaa,

Mike, who is, glory be, writing. And hence looking for people to do his
research for him ...

 

 



I'm not able to give a definitive list, but JKR definitely won a Whitbread -
Children's book of the year for Goblet of Fire.  Apparently, there was much
discussion as to whether it should win overall book of the year, but Seamus
Heaney won with his Beowulf.  I remember this quite clearly, as Jerry Hall
was on the panel that year and was quite sniffy about the value of HP over
adult books.  I think she's also won Smartie Awards and Carnegie Medals, so
you could google those..

 

Catherine.

 

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




From susiequsie23 at cubfanbudwoman.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 17:22:26 2006
From: susiequsie23 at cubfanbudwoman.yahoo.invalid (Susan Albrecht)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 10:22:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <002e04671635$0d4fa330$0200a8c0@hwin>
Message-ID: <20060426172226.21630.qmail@...>

Mike:
>>> And yet another question of the same type:

Does anyone around here have access to current
publishing figures for the HP series and its
translations? I found the following on Wiki
Deuthschland:

USA: 80 Mio. 
Deutschland: 22 Mio. 
Russland: 13,5 Mio. 
Grobritannien: 8 Mio. 
Kanada: 6 Mio. 
Australien und Neuseeland: 5,3 Mio. 
Italien: 3,7 Mio. 
Polen: 2,2 Mio. 
sterreich: <1 Mio. 

But that's 2004. And it doesn't cite anything ...

BTW, something tells me it's time to mosey back over
to HPfGU again. This is probably the perfect sort of
question for that list. Heck - it may even be
in a FAQ of some kind. Since it's the sort of question
I find unspeakably boring, I've never paid much
attention, but all of a sudden I need numbers
...<<<

SSSusan says:
Have you tried visiting JKR's publishers' sites? 
Perhaps just going to www.scholastic.com would turn up
the stats somewhere, or alternatively the Bloomsbury
site.

As to posting the question at HPfGU, you might try the
HPfGU Off-Topic Chatter list instead.  It's probably
the better place for
not-quite-canon-discussion-but-definitely-related
questions like this. :-)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPFGU-OTChatter/

Siriusly Snapey Susan




From susiequsie23 at cubfanbudwoman.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 17:30:38 2006
From: susiequsie23 at cubfanbudwoman.yahoo.invalid (cubfanbudwoman)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:30:38 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <20060426172226.21630.qmail@...>
Message-ID: <e2oanu+n1ol@...>

Mike:
> Does anyone around here have access to current
> publishing figures for the HP series and its
> translations? 

SSSusan says:
> Have you tried visiting JKR's publishers' sites? 
> Perhaps just going to www.scholastic.com would turn up
> the stats somewhere, or alternatively the Bloomsbury
> site.

SSSusan, replying to her own post:
Okay, a quick check at Bloomsbury provides this:

"Sales of all Harry Potter titles monitored by Nielsen BookScan in 
the UK now total over 19 million copies and worldwide in excess of 52 
million!"  

It's in the "Press Release" section of the site, and unfortunately 
there's no date attached to it, but it's in a release concerning 
HBP's breaking the single-day sales record by exceeding 2 million 
copies in 1 day.  

At least you can now Google "Nielsen BookScan" and see if they've got 
an updated total.

Siriusly Snapey Susan









From mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 17:59:24 2006
From: mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid (Mike & Susan Gray)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 19:59:24 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2oanu+n1ol@...>
Message-ID: <000001c6695b$2808e5d0$0200a8c0@hwin>

Susan snapped:
 
> At least you can now Google "Nielsen BookScan" and see if 
> they've got an updated total.

Very cool! Looks like they're the people with the information I'm after.
Looks like I'll have to contact them and ask. 

Or else, I'll just use the info from Wiki. I just need to introduce my three
series with some ballpark infromation about their cultural relevance - and
HP, in particular, doesn't need much argument. Everbody knows that
everybody's read it.

Mike




From silmariel at a_silmariel.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 19:01:25 2006
From: silmariel at a_silmariel.yahoo.invalid (silmariel)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 21:01:25 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <002d01c6694b$de2de050$0200a8c0@hwin>
References: <002d01c6694b$de2de050$0200a8c0@hwin>
Message-ID: <200604262101.25231.silmariel@...>


> Hey Steve, or anybody else in the know these days:
>
> Could someone give me a run down of the major awards the HP series has won?
> They've surely won something besides that Kid's Choice thing. I mean,
> haven't they? I dunno. I don't suppose they've hauled in any Pulitzers or
> Nobels, but I seem to recall something about a Whitbread.
>
> Baaaaa,
>
> Mike, who is, glory be, writing. And hence looking for people to do his
> research for him ...

Hugo.

From:

http://explorers.whyte.com/sf/rowazk.htm

<<This is the only book by a non-American author (Rowling is a Scot) nominated 
for the Hugo award this year. [he's talking of PoA] ...

Nicholas Whyte, 28 May 2000

PS, September 2001: the fourth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet 
of Fire, received one of the most hyped launches of all time in July 2000, 
and won the 2001 Hugo for Best Novel in a contest where the authors were two 
Scots, two Canadians and an American.>>

You'll have to contrast the information, but there you have it.

Silmariel



From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 19:03:09 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 19:03:09 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <200604262101.25231.silmariel@...>
Message-ID: <e2og5d+10hea@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, silmariel <silmariel at ...> wrote:
> 
> PS, September 2001: the fourth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet 
> of Fire, received one of the most hyped launches of all time in July 2000, 
> and won the 2001 Hugo for Best Novel in a contest where the authors were two 
> Scots, two Canadians and an American.>>
> 
> You'll have to contrast the information, but there you have it.
> 

Which is a bit odd - the Hugo is an SF award. The convention was more than a 
bit pissed off that she never even asked anyone to attend and pick up the award
for her - it was considered to be very bad manners; downright insulting, in fact. 
(The short list - five novels - is published months in advance.)

Strangely enough, she's never won the equivalent World Fantasy Award.
Next question: 
is Harry Potter Science Fiction? 
Ans. - No.
So what the hell....?

Kneasy






From erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 19:09:18 2006
From: erebstock at lucky_kari.yahoo.invalid (Eileen Rebstock)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 13:09:18 -0600
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
Message-ID: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F1A85D2@...>

The Hugo isn't just SF anymore. It's been for Fantasy too for quite a
long time. Didn't Lois McMaster Bujold win it a couple years back for
her fantasy novel "Paladin of Souls?"

> -----Original Message-----
> From: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com]
> On Behalf Of Barry Arrowsmith
> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 1:03 PM
> To: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
> 
> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, silmariel <silmariel at ...> wrote:
> >
> > PS, September 2001: the fourth book in the series, Harry Potter and
the
> Goblet
> > of Fire, received one of the most hyped launches of all time in July
> 2000,
> > and won the 2001 Hugo for Best Novel in a contest where the authors
were
> two
> > Scots, two Canadians and an American.>>
> >
> > You'll have to contrast the information, but there you have it.
> >
> 
> Which is a bit odd - the Hugo is an SF award. The convention was more
than
> a
> bit pissed off that she never even asked anyone to attend and pick up
the
> award
> for her - it was considered to be very bad manners; downright
insulting,
> in fact.
> (The short list - five novels - is published months in advance.)
> 
> Strangely enough, she's never won the equivalent World Fantasy Award.
> Next question:
> is Harry Potter Science Fiction?
> Ans. - No.
> So what the hell....?
> 
> Kneasy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 




From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Wed Apr 26 19:30:16 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 19:30:16 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <3FF9E274C2DF9748B96A2C35130CAF3F1A85D2@...>
Message-ID: <e2oho8+2kvr@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Eileen Rebstock" <erebstock at ...> wrote:
>
> The Hugo isn't just SF anymore. It's been for Fantasy too for quite a
> long time. Didn't Lois McMaster Bujold win it a couple years back for
> her fantasy novel "Paladin of Souls?"
> 

Yeah, she did - in 2004.
But she is a recognised SF author; won it 2 (or 3?) times for novels from
the Vorkosigan series, plus (I think) 'Falling Free'. And these cross-over 
authors generally include a few twists that can be interpreted as SF-ish, even
in their fantasy pieces - if you squint hard at twilight.
Not that I've read PoS - wasn't enthralled by the jacket blurb, so I can't give an
informed opinion on it. 

But generally pure fantasy, while it may get a mention, or is even short-listed,
doesn't usually score. 
(For those that are not familiar with the Hugos, the result is decided by a vote
of registered readers, not some panel of the self-selected great and the good (sic) 
and most of the readers register through Locus, the pre-eminent SF magazine, 
which caters mostly for the hard-core SF fan.)

Kneasy    






From nrenka at nrenka.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 27 04:21:05 2006
From: nrenka at nrenka.yahoo.invalid (nrenka)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 04:21:05 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2oho8+2kvr@...>
Message-ID: <e2pgrh+dajj@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Barry Arrowsmith" 
<arrowsmithbt at ...> wrote:

> But generally pure fantasy, while it may get a mention, or is even 
> short-listed, doesn't usually score. 

Paladin of Souls is absolutely pure fantasy, not a touch of the science-
fictional in it.  Having not read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell, I'm 
not sure where I'd put it, but not in sci-fi.  I also haven't read 
American Gods, but it looks fairly fantasy-ish, if more loosely in the 
urban/mythic/whatever genre.

-Nora also really did enjoy Fire upon the Deep, though






From arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 27 12:30:17 2006
From: arrowsmithbt at kneasy.yahoo.invalid (Barry Arrowsmith)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:30:17 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2pgrh+dajj@...>
Message-ID: <e2qdgp+soit@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "nrenka" <nrenka at ...> wrote:
> 
> -Nora also really did enjoy Fire upon the Deep, though
>

Ah. Venor Vinge.
Now you're talking. And IMO his 'A Deepness in the Sky' was even better,
well worth the 2000 Hugo. And he has a new novel out in the next few days.
Another Visa bill coming up, what with new books from Vinge, Neil Asher,
Christopher Brookmyer (not SF but wonderful dark humour), plus a handful 
of other tomes needed to lighten my drab existence. That'll be 3 orders
(about 30 books - history, political philosophy, whodunnits and SF in about 
equal numbers) from Amazon in a month. 
Might as well construct a connecting conveyer belt and be done with it.
Pity I can't order more floor-space from them at the same time.

Being a befuddled old fart, the elision between genres gets a bit confusing
sometimes. It'd be helpful if when authors swap writing hats they followed
the example of Iain Banks who sticks a middle initial M in there when he's
into SF mode. Mind you, Amazon hasn't cottoned on to this distinction yet,
they still wonder why I'm not buying 'The Crow Road'  when I've got a fair
slew of his Culture novels. Still, he's only been doing it for a dozen years or
so, so it's maybe a bit premature to expect their categorisation clones to
realise that the addition is deliberate and is there for a good and helpful
reason.

'Course, it was a bit different when I was able to spend most of a day per
month browsing in an actual bookshop, but the nearest comprehensive book
store is now about 60 miles away. Back then the unwelcome or unwanted 
elvishly fluffy aberration could be cast away with a "Begone, foul changeling!" 
Buying online is cheaper and mostly more convenient, but it does still have a 
drawback or two. And I've been burnt too often by 'reviews' to trust them 
much, either. There's a piece of legislation here in the UK called 'The Trade 
Descriptions Act'; I doubt most reviewers consider that they fall within its ambit. 

Kneasy
 
 






From dfrankiswork at davewitley.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 27 17:43:01 2006
From: dfrankiswork at davewitley.yahoo.invalid (davewitley)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 17:43:01 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2oanu+n1ol@...>
Message-ID: <e2qvr5+pm6t@...>

> SSSusan, replying to her own post:
> Okay, a quick check at Bloomsbury provides this:
> 
> "Sales of all Harry Potter titles monitored by Nielsen BookScan in 
> the UK now total over 19 million copies and worldwide in excess of 
52 
> million!"  

That seems very low.

My recollection is that combined sales worldwide passed the 100 
million mark some time between GOF and OOP.

It's possible that the discrepancy is accounted for by the fact 
(according to Bloomsbury) that Nielsen cover only the English-speaking 
world.

David






From joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 27 18:24:14 2006
From: joym999 at joywitch_m_curmudgeon.yahoo.invalid (joywitch_m_curmudgeon)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:24:14 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <000001c6695b$2808e5d0$0200a8c0@hwin>
Message-ID: <e2r28e+sus4@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Mike & Susan Gray" 
<mikesusangray at ...> wrote:
>
> Susan snapped:
>  
> > At least you can now Google "Nielsen BookScan" and see if 
> > they've got an updated total.
> 
> Very cool! Looks like they're the people with the information I'm 
after.
> Looks like I'll have to contact them and ask. 
> 
> Or else, I'll just use the info from Wiki. I just need to 
introduce my three
> series with some ballpark infromation about their cultural 
relevance - and
> HP, in particular, doesn't need much argument. Everbody knows that
> everybody's read it.
> 
> Mike
>

I tried to get some of the same statistics a few years ago and was 
surprised at how little detail I was able to find.  I also wound up 
at "Nielsen BookScan," but IIRC you have to subscribe to get any 
real details.  I think that, for your purposes, just some overall 
stats to compare the sales volumes of the 3 different book series 
you're talking about would suffice.







From mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 27 18:21:12 2006
From: mikesusangray at mikesusangray.yahoo.invalid (Mike & Susan Gray)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 20:21:12 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2qvr5+pm6t@...>
Message-ID: <003e01c66a27$5e1f82b0$0200a8c0@hwin>

David pondered,

> It's possible that the discrepancy is accounted for by the 
> fact (according to Bloomsbury) that Nielsen cover only the 
> English-speaking world.

I'm guessing that Nielsen, being a consulting joint, tailors their stuff to
specific publishing houses. So this may be just the UK end and not include
the US publisher's sales.

Anyway, I've dredged up some rather vague numbers that probably aren't worse
than twice or half as much as they should be, and I'm calling it a day.
They'll have to do. If whoever reads my piece wants something whacky like
the Truth, they'll just have to read something else. (I'm told there's a
doctoral program in Truthful Marketing Statistics at the University of
Oxymoronia.)

Baaaaa,

Mike




From josturgess at mooseming.yahoo.invalid  Thu Apr 27 18:21:33 2006
From: josturgess at mooseming.yahoo.invalid (mooseming)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:21:33 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2qvr5+pm6t@...>
Message-ID: <e2r23d+rh2u@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "davewitley" 
<dfrankiswork at ...> wrote:
>
> > SSSusan, replying to her own post:
> > Okay, a quick check at Bloomsbury provides this:
> > 
> > "Sales of all Harry Potter titles monitored by Nielsen BookScan 
in 
> > the UK now total over 19 million copies and worldwide in excess 
of 
> 52 
> > million!"  
> 
> That seems very low.
> 
> My recollection is that combined sales worldwide passed the 100 
> million mark some time between GOF and OOP.
> 
> It's possible that the discrepancy is accounted for by the fact 
> (according to Bloomsbury) that Nielsen cover only the English-
speaking 
> world.
> 
> David
>

BBC website states that worldwide HP book sales exceeded 300 million 
after the publication of HBP!!!

Regards
Jo







From foxmoth at pippin_999.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr 28 02:03:46 2006
From: foxmoth at pippin_999.yahoo.invalid (pippin_999)
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 02:03:46 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2r23d+rh2u@...>
Message-ID: <e2rt62+b5ss@...>

Why don't you contact JKR's agents?

http://www.christopherlittle.net/

On their site they state HP sales are in excess of 300 million and also list some
of the awards. I'm sure they could give you a full list and explain where the
statistic came from.

Pippin








From aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr 28 07:07:21 2006
From: aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid (Aberforths Goat / Mike Gray)
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:07:21 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Re: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2rt62+b5ss@...>
Message-ID: <008201c66a92$64f40140$0200a8c0@hwin>

> Why don't you contact JKR's agents?
> 
> http://www.christopherlittle.net/

Duh! Why didn't I think of that. That *was* a smart idea. I've sent an
email. Who knows whether they'll answer -and I'm not really hold ing my
breath - but it seems like my best shot.

Thanks!

Mike




From dfrankiswork at davewitley.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr 28 13:12:52 2006
From: dfrankiswork at davewitley.yahoo.invalid (davewitley)
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:12:52 -0000
Subject: Now OT: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <003e01c66a27$5e1f82b0$0200a8c0@hwin>
Message-ID: <e2t4ck+b29l@...>

Aberforth's Goat wrote:

> Anyway, I've dredged up some rather vague numbers that probably 
aren't worse
> than twice or half as much as they should be, and I'm calling it a 
day.
> They'll have to do. If whoever reads my piece wants something 
whacky like
> the Truth, they'll just have to read something else. (I'm told 
there's a
> doctoral program in Truthful Marketing Statistics at the 
University of
> Oxymoronia.)

As a matter of interest (and if it's not stealing your own thunder) 
how do Left Behind, His Dark Materials, and HP compare for sales?  
(Have you really read all the Left Behind series?  Sheesh!)

David, noting that the difference between Left Behind and right ass 
is only a matter of which pocket you put your wand in...






From aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr 28 17:21:18 2006
From: aberforthsgoat at aberforths_goat.yahoo.invalid (Aberforths Goat / Mike Gray)
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:21:18 +0200
Subject: [the_old_crowd] Now OT: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <e2t4ck+b29l@...>
Message-ID: <000001c66ae8$29679910$0200a8c0@hwin>

David wondered,

> As a matter of interest (and if it's not stealing your own 
> thunder) how do Left Behind, His Dark Materials, and HP 
> compare for sales?  

Well. First of all, I just heard back from someone at Christopher Little.
Worldwide sales are 320 million, but I'd need to ask publishers for
individual countries. Not much help, but that's a helluva big number.
Obviously, it's been a one-time-in-history bestseller in all English
speaking countries, and has done absurdly well in a lot of other languages
too.

Pullman next: I also just got an email from Pullman's agent. Pullman's got 8
million worldwide, in 38 languages (similar sales rankings in the US and
UK). Which you almost feel sorry for him until you realze that even selling
8 million rat traps in 38 countries is quite a feat.

Now the really interesting part. Left Behind. The LB series has 62 million
total sales. (You know, I'm not sure whether that is individual books or the
whole series - and since the series is 12 books long, it makes a
difference!) Every new volume has certainly topped camped out at the top of
NYT bestseller list. However: the entire series has been translated into
only 3 languages. Already guessed which three? Bingo: Spanish, Hungarian and
Afrikaans. (?!) 12 other languagse have at least some part of the series and
16 other languages are planned. Total sales in translation: under 1m.

Now that I've started this silly thing, I 'm going to have to contact the LB
people and find out a little more about UK sales. My hunch is that UK sales
are a tiny fraction of the total. 

Preliminary Research Conclusion: We Americans need to have our heads
checked, but at least we're not as bad off as those Hungarians and
Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.

> (Have you really read all the Left Behind series?  Sheesh!)

I have, your honor. And I ought to read them all at least two or three more
times. Shudder. I actually read the whole series in 9 days a few month
before Accio last year. By day 9 I was so punch drunk I could hardly walk
straight. In defense of their literary quality, let it be said that the
spelling seemed to be quite good.*

(I haven't read the 3 prequels, the 10 graphic novels, or the FORTY-TWO
childrens novels, though.

> David, noting that the difference between Left Behind and 
> right ass is only a matter of which pocket you put your wand in...

Giggle.

Baaaaaa,

Mike

*People who have been around here a while know what a good judge I am.




From gbannister10 at geoff_bannister.yahoo.invalid  Fri Apr 28 23:01:08 2006
From: gbannister10 at geoff_bannister.yahoo.invalid (Geoff Bannister)
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 23:01:08 -0000
Subject: Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
In-Reply-To: <000901c66951$8a36c330$4001a8c0@youre641889c92>
Message-ID: <e2u6rk+8980@...>

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Catherine Coleman" <catorman at ...> wrote:
>
>  
> 
>   _____  
> 
> From: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com [mailto:the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com]
> On Behalf Of Aberforths Goat / Mike Gray
> Sent: 26 April 2006 17:10
> To: the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [the_old_crowd] Paging Steve, or anybody else: HP Awards?
> 
>  
> 
> Hey Steve, or anybody else in the know these days:
> 
> Could someone give me a run down of the major awards the HP series has won?
> They've surely won something besides that Kid's Choice thing. I mean,
> haven't they? I dunno. I don't suppose they've hauled in any Pulitzers or
> Nobels, but I seem to recall something about a Whitbread.
> 
> Baaaaa,
> 
> Mike, who is, glory be, writing. And hence looking for people to do his
> research for him ...
> 

Geoff:

I got the following list from:

http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth03D22J591912635584

PRIZES AND AWARDS
1997   Nestl? Smarties Book Prize (Gold Award)   (9-11 years category)   Harry Potter and 
the Philosopher's Stone
1998   British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's 
Stone
1998   Carnegie Medal   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
1998   Children's Book Award   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
1998   Guardian Children's Fiction Prize   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's 
Stone
1998   Nestl? Smarties Book Prize (Gold Award)   (9-11 years category)   Harry Potter and 
the Chamber of Secrets
1998   Primo Centro per la Letteratura Infantile (Italy)   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's 
Stone
1998   Sheffield Children's Book Award   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
1998   Whitbread Children's Book of the Year Award   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the 
Chamber of Secrets
1998   Young Telegraph Paperback of the Year Award   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's 
Stone
1999   British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year   Harry Potter and the Chamber of 
Secrets
1999   Children's Book Award   Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
1999   Guardian Children's Fiction Prize   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Chamber of 
Secrets
1999   Nestl? Smarties Book Prize (Gold Award)   (9-11 years category)   Harry Potter and 
the Prisoner of Azkaban
1999   Prix Sorciere (France)   Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
1999   Scottish Arts Council Children's Book Award   Harry Potter and the Chamber of 
Secrets
1999   Sheffield Children's Book Award   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Chamber of 
Secrets
1999   Whitbread Children's Book of the Year Award   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of 
Azkaban
2000   Carnegie Medal   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2000   Children's Book Award   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2000   Guardian Children's Fiction Prize   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of 
Azkaban
2000   Sheffield Children's Book Award   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of 
Azkaban
2001   Children's Book Award   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2003   British Book Awards Book of the Year   (shortlist)   Harry Potter and the Order of the 
Phoenix
2003   WH Smith People's Choice Award   Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2006   British Book Awards Book of the Year   Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 
Hope it helps.