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World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

theguardian.com

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Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#271

Post by red_admiral »

timthorn wrote: post #116
seanhunter wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no idea why you think safety laws prevent people from playing conkers in spite of the very thread you are commenting on being evidence that people play conkers and it is perfectly legal.

It is legal, but it also did get banned at my primary school. It continued to be played.

Conkers, bulldog, smoking behind the bike sheds (ok vaping these days), and porn (nowadays on screens rather than naughty magazines) ... a lot about British schools can be summed up in this quote:

“What exactly are you so happy about?' Harry asked her.'Oh Harry, don't you see?' Hermione breathed. 'If she could have done one thing to make absolutely sure that every single person in this school will read your interview, it was banning it!”

Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#273

Post by ndndjdjdn »

School-Cotton wrote: post #2

Is this game well-known enough in Britain and Ireland that readers will know what on earth is being alleged just from reading this article? Or are you expected to have to google it? Apparently it’s a game where you take turns swinging a chestnut on a string and trying to hit the opponent’s chestnut and break it. Yes, I can see how a steel fake chestnut would be an advantage here, though I’m amazed it wouldn’t be inst…

Yes. Usually conkers were banned at school. So we had to play space invaders, for which you need a tennis ball not an Atari.

Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#274

Post by robertlagrant »

blitzar wrote: post #253
butterfly42069 wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure if that betrays more about your opinion of women than you may have been aware.

It probably betrays more about my contempt for how peoples biggotry is exploited to make them believe things that are not true. When that is not enough then show them some tits with the message and they will tell you all about how pigs fly.

It just looks as though you have your own set of biases, just against people instead of against overly coddling rules. No one's mentioned the Daily Mail or the EU other than you and the other poster with similar biases.

Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#275

Post by GordonS »

gandalfian wrote: post #222
nickcw wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to play conkers at school in England, however my children didn't. The reason? Schools have banned the game of conkers due to health and safety reasons. I asked my 17 year old this morning and he had never even heard of the game of conkers. So I think the age of conkers is passing, alas.

I understood that was a myth created from a few isolated instances and the medias general desire to wind people up. I don't know why it has died out mind.

I remember being a kid in the 80's, and being told by a primary school teacher we couldn't play conkers anymore :( We'd only just discovered it too!

Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#276

Post by mhandley »

School-Cotton wrote: post #2

Is this game well-known enough in Britain and Ireland that readers will know what on earth is being alleged just from reading this article? Or are you expected to have to google it? Apparently it’s a game where you take turns swinging a chestnut on a string and trying to hit the opponent’s chestnut and break it. Yes, I can see how a steel fake chestnut would be an advantage here, though I’m amazed it wouldn’t be inst…

Yes, it was a big deal when I was in school in the 70s. Everyone played. There were never any conkers left unclaimed under any Horse Chestnut within a mile of the school. We all tried lots of tricks - soaking in vinegar, baking in the oven - practically anything was allowed, but I'm not sure any of it made a difference. It could be pretty painful as getting your hand hit by a high speed conker was common occurrence, but I don't recall anyone getting any lasting injuries.

Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#278

Post by dagw »

joncrocks wrote: post #267
dagw wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume the conkers are provided by the organizers Going around the conker trees in your area and finding the perfect conker is a huge part of the game. There is also a certain amount of pre-game 'modification' that are generally allowed, like soaking them in various solutions, or baking them in an oven. Having to use a provided conker would be like showing up to the Tour de France and being assigned a bike by the o…

Indeed, but apparently this is the way it works. I suspect to prevent 'foul-play' - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Conker_Championships#WCC...

I stand corrected. Perhaps Tour de France should apply this rule as well to avoid foul play?

Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#279

Post by butterfly42069 »

blitzar wrote: post #253
butterfly42069 wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure if that betrays more about your opinion of women than you may have been aware.

It probably betrays more about my contempt for how peoples biggotry is exploited to make them believe things that are not true. When that is not enough then show them some tits with the message and they will tell you all about how pigs fly.

I sincerely hope life starts treating you better than it clearly has.

I also hope you see the irony of your ways.

Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating

#280

Post by blitzar »

robertlagrant wrote: post #274
blitzar wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It probably betrays more about my contempt for how peoples biggotry is exploited to make them believe things that are not true. When that is not enough then show them some tits with the message and they will tell you all about how pigs fly.

It just looks as though you have your own set of biases, just against people instead of against overly coddling rules. No one's mentioned the Daily Mail or the EU other than you and the other poster with similar biases.

The "legislation against playing conkers" is demonstrably false.
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