# The vs. game



## regressivetransphobe

Rules: choose between x and y, and then ask your own. e.g.--person #1: Coke or Pepsi? Person #2: Pepsi. John Coltrane or Miles Davis? (etc.) They should usually be vaguely related, though not necessarily.

A brief explanation would help, and will hopefully keep the thread in a more substantial shade of space-wasting fluff. Try to avoid wasting someone's question with "both of them suck".

2001: A Space Odyssey or A Clockwork Orange?


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## Yoshi

2001: A Space Odyssey

Dogs or cats?


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## beethovenian

CATS!!

Toy story 3 or My Neighbor Totoro?


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## violadude

Dogs, they look happier and nicer and cuter and they don't insnare you in a death-trap of claws when you try to pet them.

Peanut butter or Jelly?


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## Aramis

Peanut butter

Frugropanthes or gerphorfesting?


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## violadude

beethovenian said:


> CATS!!
> 
> Toy story 3 or My Neighbor Totoro?


Oh Dammit!
ok, I haven't seen either


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## Argus

Aramis said:


> Peanut butter
> 
> Frugropanthes or gerphorfesting?


Frugropanthes has a nicer ring to it.

Abstract art or realist art?


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## Yoshi

realist art 

Rock or metal?


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## regressivetransphobe

Rock because it covers anything from punk to experimental stuff, though it is nevertheless not a strong allegiance. 

SNES or Sega Genesis?


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## beethovenian

SNES

Bruce Lee or Arnold Schwarzenegger?


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## Aramis

Bruce Lee, no question, I used to be such a great fan of him WHEREVER THE DRAGON GOES... HE GOES ALONE... or something like that

Second tome of War and Peace or fourth of In Search of Lost Time?


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## Argus

Aramis said:


> Second tome of War and Peace or fourth of In Search of Lost Time?


Never read either but I'll go for the Proust because he had more practical facial hair.

Boobs or bums?


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## beethovenian

I hate man boobs so bums for me.

Coffee or Tea?


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## Argus

beethovenian said:


> Coffee or Tea?


Don't particularly like either but I find tea more drinkable.

Brown bread or white?


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## violadude

Argus said:


> Don't particularly like either but I find tea more drinkable.
> 
> Brown bread or white?


White, even though it's less healthy.

Germany or Austria?


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## Argus

violadude said:


> Germany or Austria?


Germany, even though it's less healthy.

Urban or rural?


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## violadude

Urban. I love city life. 

Pen or pencil?


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## regressivetransphobe

Pen, harder to correct errors but I find comfort in the illusion of permanence.

Argus or Aramis? (Somehow I always mix the names up.)


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## violadude

I'll pick Argus since I agree with him more...I might agree with Aramis if I understood half of the posts he makes lol 

Dramatic Irony or Situational Irony?


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## Polednice

violadude said:


> I'll pick Argus since I agree with him more...I might agree with Aramis if I understood half of the posts he makes lol
> 
> Dramatic Irony or Situational Irony?


Dramatic irony because I like knowing things other people don't know. 

Mac or PC?


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## beethovenian

PC with windows 7 , Sorry Science, Sorry Mac Fans..

Dish-washing or Laundry?


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## Fsharpmajor

Laundry.

Mixing your food together on your plate while eating, or keeping meat, vegetables and potatoes neatly separate.


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## regressivetransphobe

The latter, but if the former occurs to some degree, I don't sweat it.

CD or vinyl?


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## Polednice

regressivetransphobe said:


> The latter, but if the former occurs to some degree, I don't sweat it.
> 
> CD or vinyl?


Digital.  CD if I absolutely have to choose between those two antiquated media.

Chicken or beef?


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## Fsharpmajor

Beef, although chicken is still good.

Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin?


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## kv466

So I get stuck with this one, eh...geeez...I'll go with the one who can shoot an elk from 400 yards


Tomatoe or tomaato?


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## Fsharpmajor

Tomatoe.

Root beer or cola?


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## Almaviva

Argus said:


> Boobs or bums?


How did I manage to miss this one???

Cola.

Opera or symphony?


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## Fsharpmajor

Symphony, although I have nothing against opera.

Bob Dylan or Neil Young?


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## beethovenian

Symphony, I find it hard to follow the translated libretti.

Secular Choral or Sacred Choral?


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## kv466

Sacred Choral

Young Neil or Scott Pilgrim?


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## starthrower

Fsharpmajor said:


> Beef, although chicken is still good.
> 
> Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin?


How about a threesome!


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## Argus

Neil Young and Young Neil.

Ginger hair or bald?


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## Weston

I'll pick hair over bald any day, being a child of the 60's.

Paranormal believer or skeptic?


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## Argus

Skeptic, but I would quite like to be a paranormal beaver.

Punk or New Wave?


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## Fsharpmajor

New wave.

Strawberries or blueberries?


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## Almaviva

Blueberries.

Eyes or lips?


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## Klavierspieler

Lips.

Hot dogs or Hamburgers?


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## kv466

Hamburgers

Superman or Might Mouse?


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## Argus

I'm not familiar with Mighty Mouse so it's got to be Superman.

Pancho Villa or Sancho Panza?


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## Aramis

Pancho Villa

Ridge Forrester or Sally Spectra?


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## kv466

Sally Spectra (r.i.p.)

Victor Newman or Jack Abbot?


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## Aramis

Victor Newman, though he never appeared and nobody knows... if he's... good fellow...

Goethe or Byron?


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## Polednice

Aramis said:


> Victor Newman, though he never appeared and nobody knows... if he's... good fellow...
> 
> Goethe or Byron?


Incredibly difficult, but it will have to be Byron - mad, bad, and dangerous to know!

Brahms or Wagner? (Be careful what you say now  )


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## regressivetransphobe

Brahms. I had a phase of both, now I'm not too mad about either.

Free jazz or bebop/hard bop?


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## samurai

be-bop/hard bop

Beethoven or Mozart


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## kv466

Beethoven

Rachmaninov or Rachmaninoff?


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## regressivetransphobe

-off, it's on his grave so good enough for me.

Scriabin or Skjrjajfrn;ksfudgejtsjabin?


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## Klavierspieler

Skjrjajfrn;ksfudgejtsjabin.

 or ?


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## ooopera

Tenor or bariton?


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## violadude

Baritone

amputated arm or amputated leg?


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## Polednice

violadude said:


> Baritone
> 
> amputated arm or amputated leg?


Amputated leg. Preferably the left leg. I neeeeed my hands for the piano!!!!

Brass or strings?


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## regressivetransphobe

Arm, because
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Armed_Boxer

Edit: oops, beaten. Strings.

Martial arts movies or Westerns?


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## violadude

regressivetransphobe said:


> Arm, because
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Armed_Boxer
> 
> Edit: oops, beaten. Strings.
> 
> Martial arts movies or Westerns?


Martial arts by 5 miles.

Ketchup or mustard?


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## science

violadude said:


> Martial arts by 5 miles.
> 
> Ketchup or mustard?


Mustard.

Green flavor coolaid or blue flavor coolaid?


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## Trout

... Green flavor?

Pancakes or Waffles?


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## violadude

Waffles, preferably with peanut butter and maple syrup.

Pickles or cucumbers?


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## samurai

pickles

Yellow or Dark Brown Mustard


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## Klavierspieler

Dark Brown.

Geese or Ducks?


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## kv466

Ducks!...especially confit

Chinese or Thai?


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## Almaviva

Thai, more flavor

Beer or wine?


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## hawk

(Root)Beer

Mbira or Kora


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## violadude

hawk said:


> (Root)Beer
> 
> Mbira or Kora


Kora because I can pronounce it easier.

George Lucas or Steven Spielberg?


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## regressivetransphobe

Spielberg, with some reservation, for Jaws and a few other decent ones.

Hitchcock or Ingmar Bergman?


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## Sid James

Hitchcock (love Bernard Herrmann's film scores he did for Hitch).

Speaking of which -

Howard Shore or Michael Nyman?


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## mamascarlatti

Michael Nyman for the Draughtman's contract

Carefully tended gardens or untamed wilderness?


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## Sid James

Untamed wilderness (a bit like my hair!).

Oak trees or pine trees?


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## eorrific

Pine trees. They look better than oak as car freshener.

Your money or your life?
:devil:


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## Fsharpmajor

My life.

Long, skinny ones or short, fat ones?


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## science

Long, skinny ones. 

Messiah or Mass in B minor?


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## Argus

The Messiah. I've only heard good things about him.

Flanger or Phaser?


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## Xaltotun

Phaser of course! Commander William T. Riker does not carry a Flanger on his manly hip, while he practices his smug smirk in front of a mirror.

French horn or trombone? Extra points if you know how this question is related to the previous one.


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## Aksel

Xaltotun said:


> Phaser of course! Commander William T. Riker does not carry a Flanger on his manly hip, while he practices his smug smirk in front of a mirror.
> 
> French horn or trombone? Extra points if you know how this question is related to the previous one.


TROMBONE!

With or without valves?


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## Aramis

Without, only because "natural horn" sounds awesome

Brahms op. 118 or Akon - Right Now (Na Na Na)?


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## violadude

Aramis said:


> Without, only because "natural horn" sounds awesome
> 
> Brahms op. 118 or Akon - Right Now (Na Na Na)?


really now?...Brahms of course

Regular water or flavored water?


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## beethovenian

Regular Water

Carbonated or Noncarbonated Drinks?


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## violadude

beethovenian said:


> Regular Water
> 
> Carbonated or Noncarbonated Drinks?


Carbonated, I love me my Dr. Pepper, even though water is my favorite drink, I don't like any other noncarbonated drinks so I picked carbonated overall. I love me my Dr. Pepper and it makes me cry that not all countries have it.


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## beethovenian

@violadude

But Carbonated drinks spoil your teeth! 

By the way, you miss out your question.


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## violadude

beethovenian said:


> @violadude
> 
> But Carbonated drinks spoil your teeth!
> 
> By the way, you miss out your question.


Oh ya!

Salt or pepper?


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## Yoshi

salt

fish or meat?


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## beethovenian

Fish, much healthier.

Soup with meal or Drink with meal?


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## hawk

Soup

fresh maple syrup or fresh honey


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## violadude

Fresh honey

Jascha Heifetz or Yehudi Menuhin?


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## Klavierspieler

Menuhin.

Left or Right?


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## Aramis

Is it political question? Right. Alright, John. 

Hanging of shoothing yourself?


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## Huilunsoittaja

Aramis said:


> Is it political question? Right. Alright, John.
> 
> Hanging of shoothing yourself?


My pleasure to answer. :tiphat: 
Hanging.

Raspberries or Strawberries?


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## Klavierspieler

Raspberries!

Plums or Prunes?


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## Huilunsoittaja

Plums definitely.
Haha it's a fruit streak!

Peaches or Apples?


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## Aksel

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Plums definitely.
> Haha it's a fruit streak!
> 
> Peaches or Apples?


Apples!

Scholl or Mehta?


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## beethovenian

You mean the andrea scholl? then i pick him for sure, love his voice the first time i heard it.

Instant noodle or Muesli Bar?


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## Aksel

beethovenian said:


> You mean the andrea scholl? then i pick him for sure, love his voice the first time i heard it.
> 
> Instant noodle or Muesli Bar?


Yes, I meant Andreas Scholl (and Bejun Mehta).

Müsli bar.

Umlaut: Yes or no?


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## kv466

No


Fender Stratocaster or Gibson Les Paul?


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## Aramis

Fender Stratocaster. I never had it while I owned vintage Les Paul made in 70's (though it wasn't from original Gibson stable) and probably that's why he seems more attractive. I used to be constantly teared between those two. At one moment I wanted to be like Blackmore and play Strat but after while I thought "but Page always had LP!". Eventually I got LP (after two other electric guitars).

b-minor or h-moll?


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## kv466

h-moll


Wah wah pedal or whammy bar?


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## Theophrastus

wah wah pedal

Scotch or Bourbon?


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## Klavierspieler

Bourbon.

Winnie-the-Pooh or House at Pooh Corner?


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## hawk

Winnie-the-Pooh 

Snow Storm or Thunder Storm


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## samurai

Snow storm {as long as I'm inside and don't have to drive in or shovel it out right away! :devil: }

Shostakovich or Prokofiev {for symphonic works}


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## kv466

Shostakovich

Resort vacation or pleasure cruise?


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## hawk

pleasure cruise (I love being on the ocean!)

The Tallis Scholars or the Beatles


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## clavichorder

I'm ashamed to say, I was about ready to answer the Beatles, looked up Tallis Scholars, and I'll still have to say Beatles, since I don't know the work of the Tallis Scholars though I love renaissance music, I'll have to ask for recommendations from you now Hawk.

Ganymede or Callisto(Jupiter's Moons, not the greek mythological figures)?


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## hawk

Off topic~ I know very little about the Tallis Scholars so I am afraid I can not make any suggestions. One summer evening I was driving down a tree lined road windows wide open. I had just left some (new) friends who had invited me to attend their practice. They are a group of recorder musicians who play early music. While traveling back to my hotel I foud a local "classical" station. For the next 45 minutes they played, uninterupted, the music of Thomas Tallis performed by the Tallis Scholars. So many things contributed to my experience of this music. The warm fragrant summers evening, the song of the tree's as I passed by, a delicious meal ... What I heard and felt was phenomenal!!!!

On topic:
Ganymede

Bird song or Whale song


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## kv466

Bird Song, by Jerry Garcia. So, I'll go with the other two beauties: (Galilean, that is)

Io or Europa?


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## Klavierspieler

Europa.

Pluto: Planet or No?


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## clavichorder

Europa, but its a close call, it just has more potential for hospitality and life underneath those oceans.

Edit: and Pluto is a planet!!! So are all those other objects beyond it, who wouldn't want more planets?

Shelties or Border Collies?


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## hawk

Border Collies

Bernese Mountain Dogs or Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs


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## Polednice

hawk said:


> Border Collies
> 
> Bernese Mountain Dogs or Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs


I assume you're asking which I'd rather cull seeing as dogs are vile beasts, in which case I choose the Greater Swiss because it's just slightly more repulsive.

Vienna Phil or Berlin Phil?


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## Jupiter

Berlin Phil.

Elvis or Beatles?


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## Klavierspieler

Beatles.

Up or 12?


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## clavichorder

Up!

Tacoma or Olympia?


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## violadude

clavichorder said:


> Up!
> 
> Tacoma or Olympia?


Olympia, Tacoma's too Ghetto.
You're lucky someone else knew what you were tailing about haha

Summer or Winter?


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## Polednice

violadude said:


> Olympia, Tacoma's too Ghetto.
> You're lucky someone else knew what you were tailing about haha
> 
> Summer or Winter?


OMG, definitely winter by a long way!! I hate summer with a passion.

Talk Classical or GMG?


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## clavichorder

Its relative, for my neck of the woods, summer is better. P.S. I was surprised you knew! I thought someone else would be obligated to answer, but you knew instead. And you are totally right.

And too slow for Polednice: now its Talk Classical because its more lively and dynamic.

Antarctica or Greenland?


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## hawk

Antartica

Downeast or North


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## kv466

Downeast

Deep fried Mars bar or deep fried shrimp?


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## regressivetransphobe

This isn't my question, but talkclassical as well because GMG banned me! That's why I registered here. 
Fried shrimp, delicious.

Nickelback or Creed? (I mean this sort of in a choose your poison way. Which is less terrible?)


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## Almaviva

Oh darn, both fish and meat are great, but I guess I'll have to say fish.

guilty sinner or happy sinner?

Oops, again, I think the thread is at the end and miss the next page. Second time it happens in as many days. Never mind. Just keep going guys.


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## hawk

Nicleback ~When my daughters were younger I took them to see NB. They did a nice show.

Ayuh or Yep


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## clavichorder

That's a difficult question...depends on the sin. For me, happy sinner.

Yep is what I'm familiar with.

Mount Rainier or Mount Hood?


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## samurai

Happy sinner :devil:

Cherry or Chocolate Coke


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## Huilunsoittaja

Chocolate coke? never had it.

Sergei or Dmitri (just looking at the name)?


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## clavichorder

Sergei.

Skip my last question(that no one answered) or answer it?


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## hawk

Sergei

Vernors or Canada Dry


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## Huilunsoittaja

oh dear, people are posting at the exact minute by accident.


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## hawk

Mt Hood

Apple Juice or Orange Juice


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## clavichorder

Canada Dry.

Orange Juice. 

Make this game the double question vs. game or slow down and answer one at a time?


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## hawk

slow down and answer one at a time

humpback whale or elephant


----------



## clavichorder

Humpback Whale! 

Psychologists or Psychiatrists?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Elephant.

Just kidding!

Psychiatrists.

Cheddar or Swiss?


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## mamascarlatti

Gruyère

Callas or Tebaldi?


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## violadude

clavichorder said:


> Its relative, for my neck of the woods, summer is better. P.S. I was surprised you knew! I thought someone else would be obligated to answer, but you knew instead. And you are totally right.
> 
> And too slow for Polednice: now its Talk Classical because its more lively and dynamic.
> 
> Antarctica or Greenland?


haha I only know because I live in Tacoma.


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## clavichorder

violadude said:


> haha I only know because I live in Tacoma.


 Right on. That makes you the third person I've encountered on here that lives in the Pacific Northwest, I don't know if you saw, but I live in Seattle. I'm going to wait for someone to answer mamascarlatti's question, since I know nothing about that.


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## violadude

clavichorder said:


> Right on. That makes you the third person I've encountered on here that lives in the Pacific Northwest, I don't know if you saw, but I live in Seattle. I'm going to wait for someone to answer mamascarlatti's question, since I know nothing about that.


oh, Well I go to school in Seattle, so I'm up there for most of the year. Dude we could meet up some time! That would be weird to actually meet someone from Talkclassical.

Actually this should probably be in a PM lol


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## Meaghan

violadude said:


> Olympia, Tacoma's too Ghetto.


But it's got a cool glass museum!


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## violadude

Meaghan said:


> But it's got a cool glass museum!


True that. But there's almost more to look at for free outside the museum on that bridge than there is when you pay to go inside.


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## clavichorder

Meaghan said:


> But it's got a cool glass museum!


And can you believe that after all these years I've never been to it?


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## Meaghan

clavichorder said:


> And can you believe that after all these years I've never been to it?


I've been three times. My mom, an artist, is really into it, and I had a cousin at Puget Sound whom we'd go up to Tacoma to visit. You should go! You can watch people blow glass.


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## norman bates

mamascarlatti said:


> Gruyère
> 
> Callas or Tebaldi?


Callas

Raffaello or Goya?


----------



## clavichorder

Meaghan said:


> I've been three times. My mom, an artist, is really into it, and I had a cousin at Puget Sound whom we'd go up to Tacoma to visit. You should go! You can watch people blow glass.


My mom told me about the glass blowing when I was younger and being obsessed with science and things in their molten states, I begged to go to see the liquid glass but she never got around to taking me, or I wasn't persistent enough. Its hard to get down there, but I may have reason to go to Tacoma in the near future so I'll certainly stop by.


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## Sid James

norman bates said:


> ...Raffaello or Goya?


Goya - what a range, from the "mayas" to the "black" paintings!

Ok -

The "A" Team vs. MacGyver?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Sid James said:


> The "A" Team vs. MacGyver?


MacGyver.

Classical music or Black Sabbath?


----------



## Yoshi

Classical music

Summer or winter?


----------



## violadude

Jan said:


> Classical music
> 
> Summer or winter?


I already asked that! but summer!  Something about Winter's atmosphere puts me in a depression.

Chocolate or Vanilla?


----------



## Yoshi

Oops sorry then  I haven't read all the pages of this thread.

Chocolate!

Travelling by ship or travelling by airplane?


----------



## emiellucifuge

Plane,

Film or Theater?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Film--never found much point in the latter. I get the feeling those among its following are probably for the most part united by some sort of nostalgia or nostalgia-esque sentimentalism for "those bygone days". 

CGI or costumes/robotics/other physical special effects?


----------



## Argus

regressivetransphobe said:


> CGI or costumes/robotics/other physical special effects?


CGI has more possibilities, although puppets/costumes/models should be used if possible. cf. Yoda.

Black Lace or Kajagoogoo?


----------



## kv466

Black lace


New York Style Thincrust or Chicago Style Deep Dish?


----------



## science

kv466 said:


> Black lace
> 
> New York Style Thincrust or Chicago Style Deep Dish?


Thin crust! (New Haven should get the credit.)

Stalin or Mao?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Stalin, he was worse than Hitler, but he was pretty stylin'.

Republicans or Democrats? (Again, pick your poison)


----------



## clavichorder

Democrats, they are about half as lethal I say, not nearly as hard of a choice for me.

Limbic System or the Cerebral Cortex?


----------



## Argus

Democrats. No Bushes.

Edit: Cerebral Cortex.

I-IV-V or I-bVII-IV?


----------



## clavichorder

Edited to force on argus another edit.


----------



## science

Argus said:


> Democrats. No Bushes.
> 
> Edit: Cerebral Cortex.
> 
> I-IV-V or I-bVII-IV?


I-bVII-IV

Clavichorder: skip or not?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Cerebral cortex because I know what that is. Carry on


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## Argus

Edited to create continuity error.



Klavierspieler said:


> The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings (books)?


The Hobbit. It's shorter.

Beavis or Butthead?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Skip, definitely.

The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings (books)?


----------



## Polednice

Klavierspieler said:


> The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings (books)?


Butthead.

Polednice or Polednice?


----------



## kv466

Polednice said:


> Butthead.
> 
> Polednice or Polednice?


Am I supposed to choose between one of these three Buttheads?...I guess I choose Polednice, but only when he's got his pigface on

India Pale Ale or Imperial Stout?


----------



## Polednice

You made me laugh hard, but I'm not 'liking' that post you cheeky bugger.


----------



## Klavierspieler

Which of the three do I like best? Butthead of course!

This allows me to pose a question a second time:

The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings (books)?

(by the way, I'm gonna for the Stout, though I've never tried either; it sounds stronger)


----------



## Polednice

Klavierspieler said:


> Which of the three do I like best? Butthead of course!
> 
> This allows me to pose a question a second time:
> 
> The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings (books)?
> 
> (by the way, I'm gonna for the Stout, though I've never tried either; it sounds stronger)


The Hobbit. It does everything that the LOTR does without be so drawn-out and wearisome. Plus, it's one the earliest books I have memories of reading. 

Bacterial or Viral infections?


----------



## Almaviva

Eeww! I can't vote for cherry coke or chocolate coke!!! Neither!!!
Mount Rainier (just because I drove up it once, it's beautiful).

Yankees or Red Sox?

Edit: Oh! My! God! I did it a third time! I'm making a fool of myself by replying to these serial threads without noticing that there is another page and the game has advanced!

So never mind again, let me answer Polednice's question:

Viral as long as it's not the HIV virus, Hepatitis B or C, Herpes Zoster, or Epstein-Barr virus related to lymphomas. Most bacterial infections are nastier.

Edit 2: Hmmm... I'm thinking of so many exceptions (others came to mind now) that I'm changing my vote. Bacteria are easier to kill. As long as they are not resistant, like MRSA, anthrax, borrelia (Lyme), C. botulinum, V. cholerae, resistant TB, etc.

OK, what about neither? Can I vote for health instead?

So now, Yankees or Red Sox?


----------



## Bix

Almaviva said:


> So now, Yankees or Red Sox?


So a Yankee is a candle in a glass jar and Red Sox are branded crimson coloured foot coverings?!? Yes? No?

......... cultural clash to ensue perchance


----------



## violadude

Is anyone else confused right now?


----------



## Polednice

violadude said:


> Is anyone else confused right now?


No, it's just you. You should get some professional help.


----------



## Almaviva

Bix said:


> So a Yankee is a candle in a glass jar and Red Sox are branded crimson coloured foot coverings?!? Yes? No?
> 
> ......... cultural clash to ensue perchance


All right, then, so what about this - Manchester United, or Arsenal?


----------



## Bix

Almaviva said:


> All right, then, so what about this - Manchester United, or Arsenal?


erm - Cheese ......... there's always room for cheese

I'm really sorry Alma, I know you probably want to spank me now (or is that just me) anyway, I can't answer this question because I don't like Arsenal and I'm from just outside Liverpool so Man U is out............so my answer iiiiiissssss

Liverpool Football Club

Soft Cheese *vs* Hard Cheese


----------



## hawk

hard cheese

ham or bacon


----------



## Ravellian

Ham if it's fried. yummy-yum.

Gone With the Wind or Lawrence of Arabia?


----------



## hawk

Lawrence of Arabia

Tambin or Suling


----------



## kv466

Tambin


Leonel Messi or Diego Armando Maradona?


----------



## Almaviva

kv466 said:


> Tambin
> 
> Leonel Messi or Diego Armando Maradona?


Pelé

Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali?


----------



## hawk

Michael Jordon

N'goni or Kora


----------



## Argus

Kora. I would have picked mbira in your earlier one.

Fiction or non-fiction?


----------



## violadude

Non fiction

Sibelius or Finale?


----------



## mamascarlatti

Finale. It's free.

Books or Kindle?


----------



## Bix

Books

Left or Right


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Bix said:


> Left or Right


Right.

Harpsichord or fortepiano


----------



## Argus

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Harpsichord or fortepiano


Fortepiano. I like dynamics.

AC or DC?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

DC, the former can be short for a band I hate. 

Dr. Pepper or Moxie?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Dunno Moxie, better go Dr. Pepper.

Lilypond or Finale.


----------



## Aksel

Klavierspieler said:


> Dunno Moxie, better go Dr. Pepper.
> 
> Lilypond or Finale.


Sibelius

Steinway or Bösendorfer?


----------



## beethovenian

Bosendorfer

Tuna or Salmon?


----------



## Aksel

beethovenian said:


> Bosendorfer
> 
> Tuna or Salmon?


Salmon.

Cod or halibut?


----------



## Argus

regressivetransphobe said:


> DC, the former can be short for a band I hate.


You hate Aztec Camera?



Aksel said:


> Cod or halibut?


Cod.

Zip or buttons?


----------



## Aksel

Argus said:


> You hate Aztec Camera?
> 
> Cod.
> 
> Zip or buttons?


Buttons.

Gaskell or Austen?


----------



## clavichorder

Zip.

Head Phones or Ear Buds?


----------



## violadude

headphones, earbuds hurt my ear and classical music doesn't sound good in them. 

mac or PC?


----------



## Polednice

Aksel said:


> Buttons.
> 
> Gaskell or Austen?


Noooo!! The others missed it, but I can't let that go unanswered! GASKELL! 

Now back to someone else's trivial this or that question...


----------



## Aksel

Polednice said:


> Noooo!! The others missed it, but I can't let that go unanswered! GASKELL!
> 
> Now back to someone else's trivial this or that question...


YES! Finally! Cranford is such a brilliant piece of writing.


----------



## emiellucifuge

violadude said:


> mac or PC?


PC,

I really have tried but I cant get my head around the mac interface.

Salt or Pepper?


----------



## Yoshi

Salt

Shower or bath?


----------



## Ravellian

Bath

Humbug or bom bom?


----------



## kv466

Humbug


Pine Tree or Palm Tree?


----------



## Aksel

kv466 said:


> Humbug
> 
> Pine Tree or Palm Tree?


Pines all the way!

Claudius or Tiberius?


----------



## samurai

Claudius

Root beer or Cream soda?


----------



## kv466

Root beer


Fork and knife or chopsticks?


----------



## Polednice

kv466 said:


> Root beer
> 
> Fork and knife or chopsticks?


Definitely fork and knife. I can never hold chopsticks properly with my little hoofs.

Sadism or masochism?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Polednice said:


> Definitely fork and knife. I can never hold chopsticks properly with my little hoofs.
> 
> Sadism or masochism?


Sadism of course!

Stalin or Hitler?


----------



## Almaviva

Stalin or Hitler?
Gandhi instead.
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?


----------



## science

Milk chocolate. 

Thai or Mexican? 

(Food, people. Food.)


----------



## kv466

Mexican all the way! Tacos al Pastor...Mole!


Hard bed or soft bed?


----------



## Polednice

Soft!

Murder or suicide?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Murder!

Flying Pigs or Space Hippos?


----------



## clavichorder

Space Hippos!

Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann?


----------



## kv466

This one's already been done, my friend...and by me of all coincidences...since there is no worse of the worse, I'll go with the one I didn't pick last....Bachmann...but I don't like it!



Now, something happy:


Puppy or Kitten?


----------



## clavichorder

I apologize for inflicting this question on the thread again, it can only take so much

I'll go with the Kitten.

LED or Florescent?


----------



## samurai

Fluorescent

Blue Ray or DVD?


----------



## Klavierspieler

DVD.

Canary or Parrot?


----------



## clavichorder

DVD
Edit:
And though it may be unsatisfying for me to answer your question: Parrot!

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra or Stravinsky Symphony in 3 movements?


----------



## kv466

Bartok...any day!

let's see....


BBQ Ribs or BBQ Beef Brisket?


----------



## samurai

BBQ Ribs

Jif or Skippy


----------



## clavichorder

BBQ Beef Brisket.

Jif?

William Schuman or Walter Piston?


----------



## samurai

@ clavichorder, Jif--as is Skippy--are brands of peanut butter.


----------



## kv466

Really, if you don't know either of the two either don't vote or quickly google the two and see which you like best, quickly.


since we're at a misstep, I'm gonna choose Peter Pan Peanut Butter


so...high ceiling or low ceiling?


----------



## clavichorder

I swear I new that! 

Do you believe me?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Low Ceiling.

Chinese food or Teriyaki?


----------



## clavichorder

Chinese food. Teriyaki doesn't win alone, but with sushi it might have a chance.

Ahhh, think of a question quickly... first half or second half of 19th century?


----------



## samurai

You forgot to put an *either or choice*


----------



## clavichorder

Never mind, the question needn't be answered, probably too late...


----------



## mamascarlatti

clavichorder said:


> Chinese food. Teriyaki doesn't win alone, but with sushi it might have a chance.
> 
> Ahhh, think of a question quickly... first half or second half of 19th century?


First

pasta or risotto?


----------



## samurai

Pasta, especially lasagna or baked ziti

Chunky or creamy peanut butter {any brand will do!}


----------



## kv466

Chunky!! Peter paaaaaaan, peanut butter, peeeenutty!


Kit Kat or normal wafers?


----------



## clavichorder

Kit Kat!!

Clavichord or Harpsichord?


----------



## mamascarlatti

clavichorder said:


> Kit Kat!!
> 
> Clavichord or Harpsichord?


Clavichord, if you are standing 30cms away. Any more and I'll go for harpsichord.

Marmite or vegemite (since we are going for obscure cultural references)


----------



## samurai

Given your name and all, I guess I best answer Clavichord, eh? :lol:

Symphonies or String Quartets?


----------



## Meaghan

mamascarlatti said:


> Clavichord, if you are standing 30cms away. Any more and I'll go for harpsichord.


My school has a clavichord, but it is sadly never used, and lives in a music history classroom. It recently acquired a sign that says "Please leave me alone and do not use me as a table." Poor thing.


----------



## clavichorder

Meaghan said:


> My school has a clavichord, but it is sadly never used, and lives in a music history classroom. It recently acquired a sign that says "Please leave me alone and do not use me as a table." Poor thing.


I know a clavichord maker, and am going to construct one myself one day. Really good ones can be heard well in a small room with live acoustics. Replica clavichords can be incredible such as the one I'm borrowing from this maker, the modern revival ones not so much.

And @ samurai, you would think I would be a total clavichord guy with a name like this, but I'm not so pure as my name leads people to believe. Harpsichords and Pianos are just as cool in their own way.


----------



## kv466

Okay, so this thread is officially off topic...



bananas or plantains?


----------



## samurai

bananas

Limes or Lemons ?


----------



## clavichorder

It derails occasionally, I think its a great place to develop miniature discussions about things because things that we don't ordinarily know or talk about come up, but they are usually brief, which is good because the game must continue. 

I'm going to say Plantain, because I seem to recall having had one, and I usually prefer the less common, even if for that reason alone.

Also, I'm going to have to say symphonies at this time. I know more about them, but Taneyev's string quartets are finer than his symphonies for sure.

And I seem to recall seeing a lime or lemon, but I said lime before. Lime is cooler and green.

Rocky Mountains or Appalachian Mountains?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Lemons and Rocky.

Polednice or Pol-ed-Nietzsche?


----------



## clavichorder

John Pole N' Dice all the way!

Olympics or Cascades?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Meaghan said:


> My school has a clavichord, but it is sadly never used, and lives in a music history classroom. It recently acquired a sign that says "Please leave me alone and do not use me as a table." Poor thing.


Can have it?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Cascades.

Rainer or Whitney?


----------



## clavichorder

Rainier!!! That thing beats it from base to top if not in absolute sea level height, volcanoes always win. 

Barking dog or Hissing Cat?


----------



## beethovenian

Barking dog, hissing cat is too scary!


Apple or Blackberry?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Apple if you're referring to fruit.

French Vanilla or Vanilla Bean?


----------



## clavichorder

I'll have to go with French Vanilla, its more vanilla colored and not just white, therefore stronger I think.

Western Red Cedar or Douglas Fir?


----------



## mamascarlatti

clavichorder said:


> I'll have to go with French Vanilla, its more vanilla colored and not just white, therefore stronger I think.
> 
> Western Red Cedar or Douglas Fir?


Western Red Cedar.

Pohutukawa or Kowhai?


----------



## Aksel

mamascarlatti said:


> Western Red Cedar.
> 
> Pohutukawa or Kowhai?


Pohutukawa

Madagascar or Tahitian vanilla beans?


----------



## Ravellian

Madagascar beans

Mr. Bean or Beanie Babies?


----------



## beethovenian

Beanie Babies

Red Licorice or Gummy Bears?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Red licorice.

Mountains or the seaside?


----------



## emiellucifuge

Mountains,

Rainforest or Desert?


----------



## beethovenian

Rainforest

Cockroach or spiders?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Spiders, at they eat the bugs out of your house and not your food.

River or Brook?


----------



## clavichorder

River.

Phobos or Deimos?


----------



## Bix

Fear or Dread, what a choice! But you probably mean the moons of Mars. I'll go for Deimos as it's a tiddler 

Day person or night person


----------



## samurai

Day person

White or Black Russian {drink}


----------



## Bix

Black Russian because it's less sweet.

Red or White


----------



## Aksel

Bix said:


> Black Russian because it's less sweet.
> 
> Red or White


Red.

Pirates or ninjas?


----------



## samurai

Ninjas

Black or Red Raspberry jam


----------



## science

Red raspberry jam.

Gruppen or Stimmung?


----------



## Bix

science said:


> Red raspberry jam.
> 
> Gruppen or Stimmung?


Ah Stockhausen - never heard of him.


----------



## Aksel

science said:


> Red raspberry jam.
> 
> Gruppen or Stimmung?


Gruppen

Zombies or unicorns?


----------



## samurai

Unicorns

American or European football {what we on this side of the pond call *soccer*}


----------



## science

American football! 

(E! A! G! L! E! S! Eagles!)

Hinduism or Taoism?


----------



## science

Never mind this post...


----------



## clavichorder

Taoism, from what I hear its less of a religion and more of a philosophy. Still don't care for it with myself though.

Scientific American or Discover Magazine?


----------



## kv466

Scientific American

Ogres or Onions?


----------



## clavichorder

Shrek reference? Onions! Ogres are only metaphorically layered.

Ichthyosaurs or Plesiosaurs?


----------



## Argus

Plesiosaurus.

David Cameron or Nick Clegg?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Never heard of either, but Clegg sounds cooler.

Munich of München?


----------



## science

Better go with Munich.

Hamlet or King Lear?


----------



## Aksel

science said:


> Better go with Munich.
> 
> Hamlet or King Lear?


Hamlet. Give me indecisive, angsty princes any day.

Master Ford or Dr. Cajus?


----------



## mamascarlatti

Aksel said:


> Hamlet. Give me indecisive, angsty princes any day.
> 
> Master Ford or Dr. Cajus?


The mad lemming:lol:.

Butter or margarine?


----------



## Aksel

mamascarlatti said:


> The mad lemming:lol:.
> 
> Butter or margarine?


Butter.

Caramel or chocolate?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Caramel, it's just better.

Clingy psychopath or someone who seems detached/apathetic about you?


----------



## mamascarlatti

Oh detached any time. Clingy drives me bats.

Swimming in a lake or swimming in the sea?


----------



## science

Swimming in the sea. All the likes I've known were cold snowmelt affairs in the mountains that no sensible person stays in for any length of time. Plus I love the waves. 

Self-help books or day time talk shows on TV?


----------



## Polednice

Day-time talk shows. Both things are despicable, but it's funny to watch pathetic Jeremy Kyle shouting at little brats.

March or Waltz?


----------



## kv466

Waltz, any day


Andante un poco mosso or Allegro scherzando?


----------



## Aksel

kv466 said:


> Waltz, any day
> 
> Andante un poco mosso or Allegro scherzando?


Allegro scherzando.

Poirot or Miss Marple?


----------



## Polednice

Aksel said:


> Allegro scherzando.
> 
> Poirot or Miss Marple?


POIROT! I'd even take an episode devoted to the life of Miss. Lemon over Marple. 

Comedy or Drama?


----------



## Aksel

Polednice said:


> POIROT! I'd even take an episode devoted to the life of Miss. Lemon over Marple.
> 
> Comedy or Drama?


Well, there is. Almost, sort of.

Comedy.

Jeeves or Wooster?


----------



## kv466

Wooster, (mass?) if so then yes!


Hanoi or Hawaii?


----------



## Argus

Hawaii for the lap steel guitar.

Godfather: Part 1 or Part 2?


----------



## kv466

Part 2!


Halloween (original) or Halloween (rob zombie re-make)?


----------



## Argus

No contest, the John Carpenter version.

Jean-Bedel Bokassa or Idi Amin?


----------



## Almaviva

Klavierspieler said:


> DVD.
> 
> Canary or Parrot?


 I know we shouldn't be questioning other people's choices, but this one really puzzled me. Both being available and costing about the same (which is usually the case) why would anyone prefer DVD to Blu-ray which delivers much better picture and sound?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Almaviva said:


> I know we shouldn't be questioning other people's choices, but this one really puzzled me. Both being available and costing about the same (which is usually the case) why would anyone prefer DVD to Blu-ray which delivers much better picture and sound?


Good question. Why?


----------



## clavichorder

Klavierspieler said:


> Good question. Why?


Because my Blu-ray player is extremely slow! Not the one who answered, but that's AN answer for you.


----------



## samurai

Canary

hardcover or paperback books?


----------



## clavichorder

Hardcover. 

Alpine Zither or Hammered Dulcimer?


----------



## Aksel

clavichorder said:


> Hardcover.
> 
> Alpine Zither or Hammered Dulcimer?


Hammered dulcimer.

Sackbut or cornett?


----------



## science

Sackbut.

1920s or 1950s?


----------



## Aksel

science said:


> Sackbut.
> 
> 1920s or 1950s?


20's. Far better music. And suits.

Eggs or bacon?


----------



## Argus

Eggs. More possibilities.



Argus said:


> Jean-Bedel Bokassa or Idi Amin?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Idi Amin, who not only oppressed his people, but also dined on them. That takes some chutzpah.

Serif or sans-serif fonts?


----------



## Aksel

Fsharpmajor said:


> Idi Amin, who not only oppressed his people, but also dined on them. That takes some chutzpah.
> 
> Serif or sans-serif fonts?


Serifs all the way!

Flagstad or Nilsson?


----------



## Aramis

Flagstad, she aroused much more sympathy in me

F. Corelli or M. de Monaco?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Corelli, despite the fact that I can't remember what I've heard by him, I seem to remember enjoying it.

Aramis or


----------



## Aksel

Klavierspieler said:


> Corelli, despite the fact that I can't remember what I've heard by him, I seem to remember enjoying it.
> 
> Aramis or


 .

Polednice or Polednice?


----------



## Bix

Aksel said:


> .
> 
> Polednice or Polednice?


Aksel of course (sorry Pol, the I don't eat piggies)

Meat or Fish


----------



## jurianbai

Meat, hate fish except the sasami...

obstetrician gynecologist or dentist to ask for a date?


----------



## samurai

Depends on who the female doctor is.

Quartz or Automatic Watches


----------



## Klavierspieler

Quartz.

Franco or Mussolini?


----------



## clavichorder

Mussolini, I don't know! My friend, these lesser(or greater?) of two evils questions never get any easier! I just want to ask another question.

Hindemith or Bartok?


----------



## Couchie

Bartok.

Dr. Seuss or Shel Silverstein?


----------



## Aksel

Couchie said:


> Bartok.
> 
> Dr. Seuss or Shel Silverstein?


Shel Silverstein

Halvorsen or Svendsen?


----------



## hawk

Halvorsen (the composer or steele plate manufacturer?) 

Are You Being Served or Keeping Up Appearances


----------



## Polednice

hawk said:


> Halvorsen (the composer or steele plate manufacturer?)
> 
> Are You Being Served or Keeping Up Appearances


Keeping up Appearances is worlds above!!! Every time the title is mentioned, I hear the howl: "Riiichaaaaaard!!"

Hitting your thumb with a hammer, or cutting your thumb with a knife?


----------



## hawk

Cutting thumb with a knife ~ especially a very sharp one...
Yep I love Hyacinth too 

Elderflower champagne or Budweiser


----------



## kv466

Elderflower Champagne...and I don't like this drink but anything before one of the most disgusting 'beers'


how about...


Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Samuel Adams Octoberfest?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

kv466 said:


> Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Samuel Adams Octoberfest?


Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Xenakis or Metallica?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Easy, one is good and the other is a washed up entry-level metal band that sues people. Xenakis.

Faure or Saint-Saens?


----------



## Aksel

hawk said:


> Halvorsen (the composer or steele plate manufacturer?)
> 
> Are You Being Served or Keeping Up Appearances


The composer. I did not know there was a steel plate manufacturer called Halvorsen.


----------



## Aksel

regressivetransphobe said:


> Easy, one is good and the other is a washed up entry-level metal band that sues people. Xenakis.
> 
> Faure or Saint-Saens?


Fauré

Macbeth or Hamlet?


----------



## mamascarlatti

aarggh, difficult, but Hamlet, because of this:










Haggis or black pudding?


----------



## science

Hate to say it, but I like Mel Gibson's _Hamlet_ better.

You wanna _Macbeth_ to change your life, check out Polanski. It's like _Braveheart_, but for grown-ups.


----------



## Bix

mamascarlatti said:


> Haggis or black pudding?


Haggis every time

Shakespeare *vs* Marlowe


----------



## Aksel

science said:


> Hate to say it, but I like Mel Gibson's _Hamlet_ better.
> 
> You wanna _Macbeth_ to change your life, check out Polanski. It's like _Braveheart_, but for grown-ups.


The Trevor Nunn Macbeth with Judi Dench as the missus is uh-mazing! Do check it out.






Oh, and Shakespeare.

Claudius or Caligula?


----------



## Klavierspieler

My Caligulae are killing me!



clavichorder said:


> Mussolini, I don't know! My friend, these lesser(or greater?) of two evils questions never get any easier! I just want to ask another question.


Attila the Hun or Genghis Khan?


----------



## samurai

Jabba The Hut

Jules Verne or H.G. Wells


----------



## hawk

Jules Verne

F-14 Tomcat or P-51 Mustang


----------



## science

Mustang

Martinu or Honegger?


----------



## Aramis

Honegger because I didn't have ocassion to be disappointed with him so far

Exalted dramatic play with weird, rather alogical plot, naive romantic idealisation and visions or piece of prose dealing with fictitious philosophical problems that existed nowhere but in author's own mind?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Piece of prose dealing with fictitious philosophical problems that existed nowhere but in author's own mind, I rather like Borges you see.

Salsa or cheese dip


----------



## science

Cheese dip

Enlightenment or salvation?


----------



## beethovenian

Enlightenment, waiting for salvation is just plain lazy and ignorant.

Urban or the Wild


----------



## Klavierspieler

T' Wild!

Thingamajig or Whatchamacallit?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Thingamajig for being the only one I use unironically on occasion.

Getting attacked by an angry wasp or finding a spider in your bed?


----------



## science

Finding a spider in your bed. 

Rumi or Omar Khayyam?


----------



## clavichorder

science said:


> Mustang
> 
> Martinu or Honegger?


Why do I always think of these two as being similar composers? I can't remember. Why did you mention them together?


----------



## violadude

clavichorder said:


> Why do I always think of these two as being similar composers? I can't remember. Why did you mention them together?


One was a Swiss composer, the only non-french member of Les Six, and his style of composition was closer to the German style than the French style at the time.

Martinu was a Czech composer who studied in France and had a unique and colorful compositional voice. His style was a bit closer to the French style but with some Bartokian and Czech influence...

So I have no idea why you think of them as being similar.


----------



## science

clavichorder said:


> Why do I always think of these two as being similar composers? I can't remember. Why did you mention them together?


Just because they're two composers that I don't know very well, and I have CDs by them on my wish list, and I'm not sure which I will buy first.


----------



## samurai

Khayyam

Seeded or seedless Rye bread?


----------



## science

Can't go wrong either way, but I'll take seeded. Throw some corned beef on there and stand well back if I'm in the area. 

Sufism or Cabbala?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Sufism, because if Madonna is into Cabbala it must be rubbish.

Homeopathy or allopathy?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Homeopathix!

Dostoevsky or Tolstoy?


----------



## Aramis

Dostoevsky, I'm not big fan of neither but I must take my hat before him

Living long, undisturbed life and dying peacefully from old age or dying for Napoleon in glorious way while being in your early 30's?


----------



## Couchie

Napoleonic Death. 


NRTL or UNIQUAC?


----------



## science

UNIQUAC. Easier to pronounce.

Midnight, royal, or navy blue?


----------



## kv466

Midnight


The Aflac Duck or The Geiko Gecko?


----------



## Klavierspieler

The Duck, the Gecko gets on my nerves.

Bass or Trout?


----------



## bassClef

Trout (with roasted almonds)

followed by Rhubarb Crumble with .... custard or ice cream?

(yes custard of course)


----------



## science

Custard. Not even close. 

Tango or salsa?


----------



## Polednice

science said:


> Custard. Not even close.
> 
> Tango or salsa?


Salsa - dipping sauces are superior to fizzy drinks. 

Romans or Greeks?


----------



## Aramis

Greeks for real culture and Romans for fictional descriptions 

Scriabin's moustache or Pushkin sideburns?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Moustache always wins.

Kirk or Piccard?


----------



## samurai

Kirk

Swing or Hard Bop {aka Be Bop}


----------



## clavichorder

Swing.

Spock or Data?


----------



## Sid James

Spock (those ears).

Zsa Zsa Gabor or Eva Gabor?


----------



## samurai

Zsa Zsa {for the name alone!}

Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield


----------



## Sid James

M.M. (don't know J.M. very well)

Cole Porter or Irving Berlin?


----------



## science

Cole Porter! 

Multiply or divide?


----------



## Sid James

Multiply (I'm thinking - "go forth & multiply!").

_Evita_ or _The Phantom of the Opera_?


----------



## jhar26

Sid James said:


> Multiply (I'm thinking - "go forth & multiply!").
> 
> _Evita_ or _The Phantom of the Opera_?


Evita I suppose

Maradonna or Messi?


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Evita I suppose
> 
> Maradonna or Messi?


This one has been asked already, and I replied Pele.


----------



## kv466

Almaviva said:


> This one has been asked already, and I replied Pele.


Yes, sir, indeed it was and by me no less...uhhhh, and here I thought I'd be following Alma!

Oh, well...

Brownies or Blondies?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Brownies, they taste better.

Swearing loudly at someone or muttering curses under your breath?


----------



## Polednice

Sid James said:


> Multiply (I'm thinking - "go forth & multiply!").


Ha! Divide and conquer is much better...



Klaverispieler said:


> Brownies, they taste better.
> 
> Swearing loudly at someone or muttering curses under your breath?


Swearing extremely loudly at someone, _then_ muttering curses once they've walked away, _then_ bitching about said person to all your friends, _then_ holding a grudge for years.

George Carlin or Bill Hicks?


----------



## kv466

Dude.........George Carlin



Dave Navarro or John Frusciante?


----------



## Couchie

Dave Navarro (Have only heard of him)


Starving to death, or fatal familial insomnia?


----------



## violadude

Couchie said:


> Dave Navarro (Have only heard of him)
> 
> Starving to death, or fatal familial insomnia?


insomnia

Talk to someone who is very nice but dumb as a doorknob or talk to someone who is a genius but mean spirited?


----------



## Almaviva

violadude said:


> insomnia
> 
> Talk to someone who is very nice but dumb as a doorknob or talk to someone who is a genius but mean spirited?


 The latter - don't we have a bunch of them here?

Australia or New Zealand?


----------



## graaf

New Zealand, less poisonous stuff there.

France or Italy?


----------



## science

Italy.

Rice or couscous?


----------



## kv466

Rice


Eugene Ormandy or Leopold Stokowski?


----------



## graaf

Stokowski, hands down...

Elina Garanča or Anna Netrebko?


----------



## ooopera

Anna Netrebko. Almaviva, where are you to answer this question?

Latte macchiato or espresso macchiato?


----------



## Almaviva

OH MY GOD how did I miss that?
Anna of course (but it would be nice to have both:devil

espresso

Coke or Pepsi?


----------



## samurai

Coke

Cherries or Raspberries


----------



## hawk

cherries

breath of fresh air or glass of cold fresh water


----------



## science

breath of fresh air (good Q) 

Waffles or pancakes? (Sort of an obvious one. Sorry if it's been done before.)


----------



## hawk

(Thanks)

Waffles (without question!)

With real maple syrup or melted butter and powdered sugar


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

hawk said:


> (Thanks)
> 
> Waffles (without question!)
> 
> With real maple syrup or melted butter and powdered sugar


With real maple syrup (in moderation).

Cacophony or chainsaw?


----------



## Ravellian

Cacofonix!  

Marriage or the single life?


----------



## graaf

Marriage (btw, I'm single atm)
Greeks or Romans?


----------



## Couchie

Greeks! (Damn Romans...)


Poop or pee?


----------



## kv466

Ahhh, maaaan!! Really? They're both kinda equally satisfying...well, then...gonna have to go with 'pee'



a great steak or a great fish?


----------



## Couchie

A great steak. You can get by in life with cheap fish if you cook it well, with steak you get exactly what you pay for, and nothing compares to a great tenderloin. 


Constipation or diarrhea?


----------



## samurai

Of the verbal or physical type?

Orange or Lemon-lime Soda?


----------



## Couchie

samurai said:


> Of the verbal or physical type?
> 
> Orange or Lemon-lime Soda?


No. 1 vs. No.7 on the Bristol Stool Chart:


----------



## samurai

I'll pass on this one, thanks. {no pun intended}.


----------



## kv466

Geeez...well, all things considered...gonna have to go with the latter.



And now to something totally not like the previous comparison...




Unicorns or sweet, little bunnies?


----------



## samurai

Unicorns

Whole Wheat or Rye bread?

@ kv466, Thank You! :clap:


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Wheat

Purple drank or orange drank?


----------



## samurai

Orange

Plain or flavored Seltzer


----------



## Sid James

Definitely flavoured (if seltzer = soda?).

Staplers or hole punchers? (just looking at implements here in the office)...


----------



## samurai

@ Sid, seltzer=soda

Staplers {easier for my arthritic hands to operate effectively}

*Staples* or *Office* *Depot*


----------



## science

Staples. 

(Of whatever sex you are attracted to Skin and bones or extra padding?


----------



## samurai

Extra padding, otherwise known as "zaftig" {females only, please!}

Corn or Rice Chex


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

samurai said:


> Extra padding, otherwise known as "zaftig" {females only, please!}
> 
> Corn or Rice Chex


Corn

Countertenor (falsettist) or mezzo-soprano?


----------



## Sid James

Mezzo. Talking of which, 2 greats of yesteryear in that department -

Christa Ludwig or Janet Baker?


----------



## graaf

Christa Ludwig, listened to her Das Lied von der Erde (Klemperer)

Klemperer or Jochum?


----------



## Aksel

graaf said:


> Christa Ludwig, listened to her Das Lied von der Erde (Klemperer)
> 
> Klemperer or Jochum?


Klemperer

A proper contralto or low mezzos faking?


----------



## graaf

Proper or fake? I guess proper.

Brittany or Asturias?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

graaf said:


> Proper or fake? I guess proper.
> 
> Brittany or Asturias?


Asturias

Oil on canvas or woven tapestry?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Oil on canvas, although the tapestry of Picasso's Guernica that hangs in the UN is better than the painting in my opinon.

Toshiba or Dell?


----------



## graaf

Toshiba.

Zhang Yimou or Takeshi Kitano?


----------



## hawk

Takeshi Kitano? (don't really know about either)
red whiskered bul bul or pyrrhuloxia


----------



## samurai

@ Graaf and Hawk, Am I the only one here who doesn't have the slightest clue as to what both of you are referring in your either/or choices  
Please help me if I am, or just use simpler choices.


----------



## hawk

Steve my choices are two species of birds I don't have a clue about Graafs choices. I suppose I could have looked them up but to lazy.

Red Whiskered Bulbul~









Pyrrhuloxia~


----------



## samurai

Hawk, Thanks. I know I'm getting old and crazy, but I didn't think I was losing my last mind *that quickly!*
Anyways, I prefer the Bulbul bird.

Steak or Hamburgers?


----------



## graaf

samurai said:


> @ Graaf and Hawk, Am I the only one here who doesn't have the slightest clue as to what both of you are referring in your either/or choices
> Please help me if I am, or just use simpler choices.


They are both film directors. Zhang Yimou also directed 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. 
Kitano's career is somewhat strange (as Japanese culture is often perceived to be), so he is also comedian, singer, tap dancer, presenter, poet, painter and what not...



samurai said:


> Steak or Hamburgers?


Steak.

German beer, or your local beer? (German or Czech, if you happen to be from Germany - tough luck anyway)


----------



## Sid James

Our local Aussie beer any time, I won't have any of that posh European stuff!!! 

Now you have a choice between 2 great cellists who are now no longer with us -
Gregor Piatigorsky or Mstslav Rostropovich?...


----------



## Almaviva

graaf said:


> They are both film directors. Zhang Yimou also directed 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.
> Kitano's career is somewhat strange (as Japanese culture is often perceived to be), so he is also comedian, singer, tap dancer, presenter, poet, painter and what not...


 Kitano's films are a bit disturbing but interesting. Zhang Yimou's are lyric, touching, and among my favorites.


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Sid James said:


> Our local Aussie beer any time, I won't have any of that posh European stuff!!!
> 
> Now you have a choice between 2 great cellists who are now no longer with us -
> Gregor Piatigorsky or Mstslav Rostropovich?...


MR

Oboe or clarinet?


----------



## science

Clarinet. Maybe my favorite instrument. 

Zemlinsky or Nielsen?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Nielsen for sure.

Kodak or Polaroid?


----------



## kv466

Polaroid, simply because I dislike the brand K



hmmm, to stay in the same vein...



Digital cameras or Film cameras?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Digital cameras. Loading film into cameras is a pain.

Optical mice or wheel mice?


----------



## graaf

wheel, anyday... hard to find lately 


Palme d'Or or Academy Award?


----------



## samurai

Academy Award

Tangerines or Oranges


----------



## clavichorder

Tangerines.

Macadamia Nuts or Cashew Nuts?


----------



## Sid James

Macadamias for sure, they're grown here in abundance.

A choice for you between two Beethoven "light" classics -

_Minuet in G_ or _Fur Elise_?


----------



## science

I asked my wife, she says Minuet in G. (Usually credited to Bach.) In her schools, Fur Elise was used for recess bells. 

Hong Kong or Tokyo?


----------



## Sid James

Hong Kong for it's harbour, which competes easily with Sydney's.

Going off that Asian theme -

Balinese music (_gamelan_) or puppet shows/theatre (_wayang_)?...


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Gamelan.

Marsupials or monotremes?


----------



## Couchie

Marsupials!


Going a month without any running water, or going a month without electricity?


----------



## science

Without electricity. I have things to flush. 

Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan?


----------



## graaf

science said:


> Without electricity. I have things to flush.


 so true! 


science said:


> Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan?


Alexander, of course! He spread culture also, not just death. And culture brings me to the next question:

stratfordian theory or oxfordian theory?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Stratfordian theory. I think Shakespeare's plays were written by somebody else with the same name.

Big bang theory or steady state theory?


----------



## Polednice

Fsharpmajor said:


> Stratfordian theory. I think Shakespeare's plays were written by somebody else with the same name.
> 
> Big bang theory or steady state theory?


Big Bang Theory, I haven't heard of that other TV show. 

Here's a triple: milk, plain, or dark chocolate?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Neither one works...

Wait, excuse me! Plain, definitely.

Cash or credit?


----------



## kv466

Cash


Johnny Cash or Bob Dylan?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Bob Dylan!

Hertz or Avis?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Fsharpmajor said:


> Bob Dylan!
> 
> Hertz or Avis?


Hertz

_4'33"_ or fart ?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

They're not mutually exclusive.

Gangsta rap or death metal?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

regressivetransphobe said:


> They're not mutually exclusive.
> 
> Gangsta rap or death metal?


Gansta rap

_4'33"_ or a silent fart?


----------



## Art Rock

4'33" - smells better.

Bandoneon or bayan?


----------



## Sid James

Tough choice, I like hearing both of them, but i'll choose *bayan*, as my mother had one once but gave up trying to learn it & went to normal piano accordion instead!

Talking of more "exotic" instruments -

Cimbalom or zither?...


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Sid James said:


> Cimbalom or zither?...


Zither, which sounds exquisite for Chinese traditional/classical music. The Cimbalon has too much of a soupy _twang_.

Stockhausen: _Telemusik_ (1966) or _Sirius_ (1975-1977). Clips to sample, respectively.


----------



## clavichorder

To answer sids excellent question just because I want to, I like the zither, and not the chinese zither, but the alpine zither as played by Anton Karas for the third man theme! I would learn it if I weren't so fixated on keyboards.

Answering HC question is actually more interesting than I anticipated. I like Telemusik more, it has cooler sounds. But I did take your instructions literally and just sampled 

Couchie's fantastic facelift of this game(hint hint) or the plain old vs. game?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

clavichorder said:


> Couchie's fantastic facelift of this game(hint hint) or the plain old vs. game?


This version as per this thread.

*Pierre Schaeffer* (1910-1995): _Apostrophe _or _Eroïca_. Clips to sample, respectively.


----------



## graaf

HarpsichordConcerto, I understand that you dislike contemporary music (so do I), I don't understand why you have to attack it, but I do think that you should keep that animosity of yours out of this thread. It effectively spams the thread that by definition can hardly be spammed.

now... fork or chopsticks?


----------



## Polednice

graaf said:


> HarpsichordConcerto, I understand that you dislike contemporary music (so do I), I don't understand why you have to attack it, but I do think that you should keep that animosity of yours out of this thread. It effectively spams the thread that by definition can hardly be spammed.
> 
> now... fork or chopsticks?


He hasn't said anything disparaging - perhaps he's being serious.


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Fork. I'm no good with chopsticks.

Glumes or awns?


----------



## kv466

Glumes



BBQ Spare Ribs or Chinese Style Spare Rib(s)?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Chinese.

Lemons or limes?


----------



## graaf

Lemons.

Orange or grapefruit?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Orange.

Red wine or white wine?


----------



## hawk

white (for cooking as I don't drink alcohol)

Cold rainy day by a fire or hot day at the beach


----------



## Polednice

hawk said:


> Cold rainy day by a fire or hot day at the beach


Definitely the rainy day by the fire!! Cosy. Homey. Warm. Comfy. Possibly romantic. Beach = BLARGH! Sweaty. Ugly, half-naked people. Burning. Boring. Too bright. Just horrible!

Marmite: love it or hate it?


----------



## hawk

Marmite is similar to Veggimite isn't it? Well I don't hate it but would rather
have p'nut butter 

@Polednice:

bacon or ham :devil: :lol:


----------



## Polednice

hawk said:


> Marmite is similar to Veggimite isn't it? Well I don't hate it but would rather
> have p'nut butter
> 
> @Polednice:
> 
> bacon or ham :devil: :lol:


Oh please, do you honestly believe that I don't partake in a bit of yummy cannibalism?! I'll take some thick, juicy, grease-sodden bacon - slathered in copious butter and HP sauce, between two slices of well-toasted bread! 

@hawk

Would you rather I sold your dog to South Koreans for food, or just ran it over with a car?


----------



## hawk

Oh you _*are*_ a mean one aren't you!
I am always willing to try exotic food so I'll go with the Korean for food choice as long as it is cooked in bacon grease... 

adrift in a raft on the open ocean or lost in the desert?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Deserts, because they're more picturesque, even when you're dying of thirst.

Volcanic craters or meteor craters?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

graaf said:


> HarpsichordConcerto, I understand that you dislike contemporary music (so do I), I don't understand why you have to attack it, but I do think that you should keep that animosity of yours out of this thread. It effectively spams the thread that by definition can hardly be spammed.
> 
> now... fork or chopsticks?


I actually listened to those pieces and was curious which of the two someone else might choose (even though I didn't really enjoy it). I didn't attack it at all. You completely misunderstood with incorrect presumption. And thanks for derailing my turn above. OK, we'll get back to fork or chopsticks, etc. if that's what you prefer, and if that's all you could handle without incorrect presumption.



Fsharpmajor said:


> Deserts, because they're more picturesque, even when you're dying of thirst.
> 
> Volcanic craters or meteor craters?


Volcanic craters

Serbia or Australia? (We have a lot of Serbians in Australia. They are an interesting group of people).


----------



## hawk

Australia

Native American reservation or inner city ghetto


----------



## kv466

Native American Reservation (better beer!)


Being atop a mountain or at the ocean floor?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Inner city ghetto, so long as it's multicultural, not too dangerous, and has good fast food every Saturday.

Buckets or pails?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Posts got crossed--sorry--but atop a mountain. I like to be able to breathe. How 'bout those buckets or pails?


----------



## samurai

Buckets {deeper and sturdier}

Creamy or Chunky {Peanut Butter}


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Chunky for sure.

Queens or Brooklyn?


----------



## samurai

Brooklyn {that's where I was born}

Fans or air-conditioning?


----------



## hawk

Fans any day! Nothing like a hot sweltering day with a fan going full blast and not providing any relief from the heat~they just add ambience.

knowing yourself or knowing others


----------



## Fsharpmajor

samurai said:


> Brooklyn {that's where I was born}
> 
> Fans or air-conditioning?


What a cruel question *that* one is! Fan-assisted space heaters, and a warm radiator to dry your clothes!

Antihistamines or decongestants?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

hawk said:


> knowing yourself or knowing others


They're the same thing. To know yourself is to know others.


----------



## Klavierspieler

Fsharpmajor said:


> They're the same thing. To know yourself is to know others.


What?

Antihistamines.

Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith (which is worst)?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

I only know them by their names, but _Attack of the Clones_ sounds like the worst one. None of the first three were much good, either, in my opinion, but they had their moments.

_Halloween_,_ Alien_ or _The Thing_?


----------



## Theophrastus

Alien.

Twiddling curled mustachios or stroking pointed beard?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Gotta be twirling.

"Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith (which is worst)?"

And let me steal this, since I saw them. Revenge of the Sith has to be the worst, even if the others are more offensively bad in short bursts. It's a narrative trainwreck and it seems like it was written by a 10 year old. Imagine if Shakespeare had characters say stuff like "hark, I have been betrayed, and therefore, I am angry at you. You are the villain of this story." So bad.

The first Star Wars vs. Empire?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

_The Empire Strikes Back_ at least had the SFX budget to make it look more like it should look--

--but anyway, _Starship Troopers_ or _Blade Runner_?


----------



## Theophrastus

regressivetransphobe said:


> Gotta be twirling.
> 
> "Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith (which is worst)?"
> 
> And let me steal this, since I saw them. Revenge of the Sith has to be the worst, even if the others are more offensively bad in short bursts. It's a narrative trainwreck and it seems like it was written by a 10 year old. Imagine if Shakespeare had characters say stuff like "hark, I have been betrayed, and therefore, I am angry at you. You are the villain of this story." So bad.
> 
> The first Star Wars vs. Empire?


You are mistaken my young apprentice. Clearly the most portentous is Phantom Menace. Not saying Sith wasn't bad, mind you - but if the Jedi are as humorless as Liam Niesen in Menace, no wonder the Sith want to destroy them. I mean remember Yoda in Empire? A crazy-wise master, not a solemn dullard.


----------



## samurai

Blade Runner

Philip K. Dick or J.G. Ballard?


----------



## graaf

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> I actually listened to those pieces and was curious which of the two someone else might choose (even though I didn't really enjoy it). I didn't attack it at all. You completely misunderstood with incorrect presumption. And thanks for derailing my turn above. OK, we'll get back to fork or chopsticks, etc. if that's what you prefer, and if that's all you could handle without incorrect presumption.


Sure.


samurai said:


> Philip K. Dick or J.G. Ballard?


Philip K. Dick
We or Brave New World?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

I hadn't heard of _We_ but I've read _Brave New World_ so I'll choose it.

_Animal Farm_ or _1984_?


----------



## Theophrastus

Difficult call to make, but I think I'd plump for 1984 because more than anything else he wrote it gave us the vocabulary to talk about tyranny and propaganda.

Er..

Just changed this - as I think it's a more relevant choice in the context of the last few posts -

1984 or Brave New World?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

_1984_, for the reason that you prefer it to _Animal Farm_.

_1984_ (the film) or _Brazil_ (Terry Gilliam's dystopian science fiction film)?


----------



## samurai

1984

Red or Black Raspberry Jam?


----------



## Sid James

Red raspberry jam. Actually have had a jar of it in my fridge for like 6 months, for some reason I've gone off eating jam & bread as a dessert, I've gone over to buscuits.

Speaking of which -

Shortbread or chocolate chip buscuits?...


----------



## clavichorder

Shortbread.

Rusks or Pilot Bread?


----------



## samurai

Rusks

Ballpoint or Fountain pen?


----------



## Polednice

samurai said:


> Rusks
> 
> Ballpoint or Fountain pen?


Ballpoint all the way.

Blunt or sharp weapon?


----------



## clavichorder

Blunt for sure.

Lynx point white or black cat in my avatar?(respectively, Simon and Raven)


----------



## Couchie

Blunt - makes it last longer.

[edit] White

Salami wrapped in seaweed, or a pencil sharpener?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Couchie said:


> Blunt - makes it last longer.
> 
> [edit] White
> 
> Salami wrapped in seaweed, or a pencil sharpener?


Pencil sharpener

Piano quintet or string quintet?


----------



## Couchie

Piano Quintet

Harpsichord, or Concerto?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Concerto for instrumental variety. The harpsichord can seem a bit overly victorian and snobby at times, and is a tad limited.

The Smiths or Joy Division?


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

regressivetransphobe said:


> Concerto for instrumental variety. The harpsichord can seem a bit overly victorian and snobby at times, and is a tad limited.
> 
> The Smiths or Joy Division?


The Smiths

(The harpsichord died out during Victorian times. Your knowledge of music history seems a tad limited. You might like to enrich yourself).

Regressive autism or transexual transphobia?


----------



## clavichorder

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> The Smiths
> 
> (The harpsichord died out during Victorian times. Your knowledge of music history seems a tad limited. You might like to enrich yourself).
> 
> Regressive autism or transexual transphobia?


The options on this one are both clearly loaded, but I'll go with Regressive autism.

Homo Erectus or Homo Neanderthalensis?


----------



## samurai

Homo Erectus

Big Band Swing or Be-Bop Jazz?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> The Smiths
> 
> (The harpsichord died out during Victorian times. Your knowledge of music history seems a tad limited. You might like to enrich yourself).
> 
> Regressive autism or transexual transphobia?


Notice I didn't capitalize "victorian" for a reason, and instead used it as a generic adjective to describe a vague aesthetic the instrument is evocative of. Look up the definition and look at the second one.

Speaking of both autism and limited knowledge... 

Anyway! Keep following me around and barking, doggy.

Bebop.
Celery or broccoli?


----------



## Couchie

Celery with craft cheese in the concave. Perfection.


A Martini, or a Manhattan?


----------



## Sid James

A martini, and a dry one, like James Bond!

In terms of alcohol -

Pilsener beer or a Heineken?...


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Sid James said:


> A martini, and a dry one, like James Bond!
> 
> In terms of alcohol -
> 
> Pilsener beer or a Heineken?...


I haven't touched beer for years now. But I'll go for _Heineken_.

Performing improvised cadenza or written cadenza?


----------



## Polednice

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> I haven't touched beer for years now. But I'll go for _Heineken_.
> 
> Performing improvised cadenza or written cadenza?


Written cadenza because I have no imagination.

A disco remix of Beethoven, or Karl Jenkins?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Karl Jenkins, because _The Armed Man_, in my opinion, is quite good. You can successfully overlay its _Benedictus_ with the slow movement of Dvorak's Ninth Symphony, if you have them both, and the result will please you, I think.

Brahms, or your eyesight?


----------



## samurai

My eyesight, more than any composer.

Tonal or Atonal music {oops, here we go again!}


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Hindemith--because with him you can have them both.

Manhattan or the Bronx?


----------



## samurai

Da Bronx

Ziti or penne?


----------



## science

Penne. (Almost went with ziti; changed my mind late.) 

Black oxfords or brown monkstraps?


----------



## Polednice

Fsharpmajor said:


> Brahms, or your eyesight?


I'm glad I wasn't around to try to answer that one!


----------



## clavichorder

science said:


> Penne. (Almost went with ziti; changed my mind late.)
> 
> Black oxfords or brown monkstraps?


From the looks of it, Brown Monkstraps.

Chicken gizzards or chicken bone cartilage?


----------



## Sid James

Gizzards, though not much meat on those, but at least more meat than on bone cartilage!

In terms of poultry items -

Turkey wing or turkey drumstick?...


----------



## hawk

turkey wing cooked til the tip is crunchy~yum!!

sweet potato or white potato?


----------



## Klavierspieler

White Potato.

Dog or Piranha?


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Dogs. I keep fish as a hobby, but piranha are best avoided unless you know what you're doing.

Catfish or oscars?


----------



## samurai

Catfish

Chinese or Italian food?


----------



## clavichorder

Chinese food. I don't have to worry about cheese with Chinese.

Creedence Clearwater Revival or The Doors?


----------



## hawk

Posted the same time as Clavichorder so I'll change my answer

The Doors

haddock or cod


----------



## clavichorder

:lol:


hawk said:


> Posted the same time as Clavichorder so I'll change my answer
> 
> The Doors
> 
> haddock or cod


Cod.

Polednice or Aramis?

:devil:


----------



## samurai

Polednice {of course!}:scold:

As a genre, string or piano quartets?


----------



## Sid James

*String quartets*, they are the staple of the chamber area, but I also like piano quartets (unless they are played in the wrong way like a piano concerto - wrong, wrong, wrong, people!).

On a completely different topic (samurai's name made me think of this - the Japanese link there) -

Miso soup or sushi?...


----------



## Fsharpmajor

Miso soup.

Tokyo or Mount Fuji?


----------



## Polednice

clavichorder said:


> :lol:
> 
> Cod.
> 
> Polednice or Aramis?
> 
> :devil:


GRRR! How dare you compare me with that treacherous coward?!

Well done Samurai for making the right choice!


----------



## clavichorder

Polednice said:


> GRRR! How dare you compare me with that treacherous coward?!
> 
> Well done Samurai for making the right choice!


I live for your faux(?) indignation. It makes my day!


----------



## clavichorder

clavichorder said:


> I live for your faux(?) indignation. It makes my day!


I mean, beg your pardon Polednietzsche! It was only to prove how great you are that one only need take a sampling to prove your favorability. I beseech you to forgive me!

Now, on a more sincere note, I honestly like Polednice better and thought I could get away with it since Aramis is gone(I enjoy pushing Polednice's buttons), and on Aramis; I find very funny and occasionally profound but sometimes extremely irritating, the latter of which is never the case with Polednice.


----------



## kv466

Ok,...nice asides but let's keep this train a-rollin'



Whatchamacallit or Kit Kat?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Whatchamacallit. I actually prefer Aramis (if only to bug Poly). Perhaps this is because I haven't been around as long...

Eh? Someone else. What do you think, John?


----------



## samurai

Ground or Instant Coffee?


----------



## Polednice

clavichorder said:


> I mean, beg your pardon Polednietzsche! It was only to prove how great you are that one only need take a sampling to prove your favorability. I beseech you to forgive me!
> 
> Now, on a more sincere note, I honestly like Polednice better and thought I could get away with it since Aramis is gone(I enjoy pushing Polednice's buttons), and on Aramis; I find very funny and occasionally profound but sometimes extremely irritating, the latter of which is never the case with Polednice.


Hahaha! I don't know whether to grin with smug, self-satisfied pride, or to frown at the apparent ease with which I'm manipulated and mocked!


----------



## kv466

samurai said:


> Ground or Instant Coffee?


Ground

Theatrical release or Director's Cut?


----------



## samurai

Director's Cut

Pink or Yellow Lemonade?


----------



## Sid James

Yellow lemonade (I've only come across pink lemonade in that scene in _The Sound of Music_).

White or red roses?


----------



## samurai

Red Roses

Malteds or Milk Shakes?


----------



## Huilunsoittaja

Sid James said:


> Yellow lemonade (I've only come across pink lemonade in that scene in _The Sound of Music_).
> 
> White or red roses?


Red roses!

Glazunov or Stravinsky?
: puts a bear trap under the word Stravinsky ::tiphat:


----------



## lou

Stravinsky

The newbie says; "Because I don't know who Glazunov is!"


Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot?


----------



## hawk

Poirot

Monk or CSI


----------



## Couchie

CSI

Heroin or Cocaine?


----------



## clavichorder

Cocaine, but I don't speak from experience but assumption of which isn't as grotesque, although I think it would be painful to sniff.

Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?


----------



## clavichorder

Polednice said:


> Hahaha! I don't know whether to grin with smug, self-satisfied pride, or to frown at the apparent ease with which I'm manipulated and mocked!


Best to frown and be more cynical. It makes you more powerful than you already are!


----------



## Polednice

clavichorder said:


> Cocaine, but I don't speak from experience but assumption of which isn't as grotesque, although I think it would be painful to sniff.
> 
> Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?


Naturally, I am bound to choose Ravenclaw,
as I have just been assigned by Pottermore!
I cannot understand the infatuation with Gryffindor,
it's just a throng of self-obsessed bores.

Barenreiter or Henle?


----------



## clavichorder

Polednice said:


> Naturally, I am bound to choose Ravenclaw,
> as I have just been assigned by Pottermore!
> I cannot understand the infatuation with Gryffindor,
> it's just a throng of self-obsessed bores.
> 
> Barenreiter or Henle?


What is Pottermore? How do they assign houses? I want to know my house!

I don't have Berenreiter, so I'll go with Henle, which is excellent.

Peregrine Falcons or Gyrfalcons?


----------



## Couchie

Crap.........


----------



## Polednice

clavichorder said:


> What is Pottermore? How do they assign houses? I want to know my house!
> 
> Peregrine Falcons or Gyrfalcons?


"What is Pottermore?"?! Are you a Harry Potter fan or not?! 

It's the latest J.K. craze - the _official_ everything-Potter website newly released, which I have early Beta access to because I'm especially pathetic and fanboyish. It offers to immerse you in the books with new writing from J.K. (about 18,000 words I think); some pretty amazing illustration; games; social media; and the only place to get HP eBooks. Of course, the most important two things are having your wand assigned and your Hogwarts house! Naturally, being the tolerant genius that I am, I was put in Ravenclaw.

SOMEBODY DUEL ME!


----------



## clavichorder

Polednice said:


> "What is Pottermore?"?! Are you a Harry Potter fan or not?!
> 
> It's the latest J.K. craze - the _official_ everything-Potter website newly released, which I have early Beta access to because I'm especially pathetic and fanboyish. It offers to immerse you in the books with new writing from J.K. (about 18,000 words I think); some pretty amazing illustration; games; social media; and the only place to get HP eBooks. Of course, the most important two things are having your wand assigned and your Hogwarts house! Naturally, being the tolerant genius that I am, I was put in Ravenclaw.
> 
> SOMEBODY DUEL ME!


Not to divert this thread too much, but how are you assigned a house? Do they do some personality test or something?


----------



## Polednice

clavichorder said:


> Not to divert this thread too much, but how are you assigned a house? Do they do some personality test or something?


Yes, it's just a little stylised test with very few questions - not like the faux-personality questionnaires you find on fan-sites. There are questions with obvious house-related answers ("Would you rather be: envied/admired/praised _etc._?) and more obscure ones ("Which are you drawn to: woods/castle/sea _etc._?) - I think they had to make it largely variable otherwise no one would end up in Slytherin!


----------



## clavichorder

Have you ever seen this quiz? http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quiz-House.html

I thought this one might be pretty decent, what do you think? On this test I usually score Hufflepuff with Ravenclaw a close second.


----------



## Klavierspieler

Gyrfalcons.

What's a hairy potter?

Tolkien or What's-his-name-who-wrote-'The Hairy Potter'?


----------



## Polednice

clavichorder said:


> Have you ever seen this quiz? http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quiz-House.html
> 
> I thought this one might be pretty decent, what do you think? On this test I usually score Hufflepuff with Ravenclaw a close second.


Interesting! I was 11/11/10/10 Gry/Huf/Rav/Sly!

Obviously, the houses themselves are just stereotypes that are open to misuse anyway - I mean, seriously, Hermione in Gryffindor? That's only because the protagonists _have_ to be in Gryffindor because that's the 'cool' house. It's just a wizarding prejudice akin to some awful American teenage drama!  But yes, I imagine the author of that test will be disappointed with the official one!


----------



## clavichorder

Polednice said:


> Interesting! I was 11/11/10/10 Gry/Huf/Rav/Sly!
> 
> Obviously, the houses themselves are just stereotypes that are open to misuse anyway - I mean, seriously, Hermione in Gryffindor? That's only because the protagonists _have_ to be in Gryffindor because that's the 'cool' house. It's just a wizarding prejudice akin to some awful American teenage drama!  But yes, I imagine the author of that test will be disappointed with the official one!


The way this test author explains Slytherin makes more sense than how most people interpret the book, after all, who would want a house full of ambitious, cunning and ruthless people? Even after this author made the test, I still pose the question who wants slytherin? And I feel like I'm eating humble pie by being placed in Hufflepuff, but whatever.


----------



## Polednice

clavichorder said:


> And I feel like I'm eating humble pie by being placed in Hufflepuff, but whatever.


You're obviously very nice but stupid.


----------



## samurai

Tolkein

Lord Of The Rings or Avatar?


----------



## Huilunsoittaja

lou said:


> Stravinsky


Well, I guess you chose to get your hand cut off by the bear trap.  Just kidding. 



> The newbie says; "Because I don't know who Glazunov is!"


Rubs hands evilly. :devil: 

Look around at various threads/posted by me, you've come to the right place to learn.


----------



## hawk

Avatar

Lost in Space or Flash Gordon (the original)


----------



## Klavierspieler

Movies? They both sucked.

Hobbit or Dwarf?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Whoops! I would answer your question, Hawk, but I've never heard of either.


----------



## kv466

............me thinks I'm goin' ta jest lay back here and take a daing nap; right here!!!....naaaa, I ain't been drinkin!''......I just wanted to play a game but some folk keep comin' back and mistaking this very simple game for a chat room..............


Please wake me up when it is back to the way it was!! Tell me it was a dream!!!


----------



## Klavierspieler

kv466 said:


> ............me thinks I'm goin' ta jest lay back here and take a daing nap; right here!!!....naaaa, I ain't been drinkin!''......I just wanted to play a game but some folk keep comin' back and mistaking this very simple game for a chat room..............
> 
> Please wake me up when it is back to the way it was!! Tell me it was a dream!!!


It's back to normal. You can sober up now.


----------



## hawk

@Klavierspieler~ What!!!????
The original Flash Gordon was outta this world!!!! Come on now a space ship with a fizzly candle like smoke stream for a rockets, all the highly advanced knob's and buttons, the strings that hold up the rocketship are ALMOST invisible and the space suits are just so futuristic... Here take a look at the Earth Man Flash Gordon and prepare to change your answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:tiphat:


----------



## samurai

Hawk, You tell these young 'uns what's what. You go, man!


----------



## Couchie

clavichorder said:


> Have you ever seen this quiz? http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quiz-House.html
> 
> I thought this one might be pretty decent, what do you think? On this test I usually score Hufflepuff with Ravenclaw a close second.


I got:

Your in-depth results are:

Gryffindor - 12
Ravenclaw - 10
Slytherin - 10
Hufflepuff - 8

DO I WIN?


----------



## clavichorder

Couchie said:


> I got:
> 
> Your in-depth results are:
> 
> Gryffindor - 12
> Ravenclaw - 10
> Slytherin - 10
> Hufflepuff - 8
> 
> DO I WIN?


By the book's standards, you do indeed win. You are predominantly the better of the two houses, lets face it. I on the other hand am "very nice but stupid" since I'm predominantly hufflepuff, I don't wanna take it again either... Humble pie for me.


----------



## Klavierspieler

My in-depth results are:

Hufflepuff - 12
Ravenclaw - 12
Gryffindor - 8
Slytherin - 8


----------



## clavichorder

Klavierspieler said:


> My in-depth results are:
> 
> Hufflepuff - 12
> Ravenclaw - 12
> Gryffindor - 8
> Slytherin - 8


Very similar results to mine, though I'm higher on the hufflepuff and ravenclaw extremes and my slytherin suffers for it.

Should we just make a new thread for this?


----------



## samurai

Flash Gordon

Rippled or plain cut potato chips?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Plain-cut.

Hobbit or Dwarf?


----------



## Couchie

clavichorder said:


> By the book's standards, you do indeed win. You are predominantly the better of the two houses, lets face it. I on the other hand am "very nice but stupid" since I'm predominantly hufflepuff, I don't wanna take it again either... Humble pie for me.


*tears up* This is exactly the self-confidence boost I needed, to be sorted into the best house of a fictional book by a 12-question online poll!


----------



## samurai

Hobbit

Acoustic or Electric Guitar?


----------



## regressivetransphobe

Depends 99.9% how it's played, but usually electric.

Forced to watch this guy's videos all day: 



Or stick your head into a cactus pit?


----------



## Xytech

Cactus pit. 

Democratic government or marxist utopia?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Neither one actually works, but Democracy works longer. 

Mau or Pol Pot?


----------



## samurai

I think you meant Mao-Tse Tung, so I'll "choose" him, although they were both mass murderers.

Waltzes or Polkas?


----------



## clavichorder

Waltzes all the way.

Steamed Brussel Sprouts or Steamed Cauliflower(I mean this seriously, I love both, if you haven't tried steamed...)


----------



## kv466

Steamed cauliflower (tough choice as I love them both as well)


White Castle sliders or Krystal steamers?


----------



## samurai

Sliders {though the next time I get to Pensacola, I'm going to try those Krystal joints.}

Science-Fiction or Biographies?


----------



## Couchie

Biographies! (Including those of science-fiction writers!)

Soap or body wash?


----------



## Shamit

Body Wash, its less annoying

Guns or Swords?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Guns, then I can shoot all the fools who chose swords.

Bicycles or mopeds?


----------



## graaf

Bicycles, I need to lose weight.

jogging or going to gym? (not in respect to weight loss, but in respect of lesser of two evlis  )


----------



## hawk

jogging ~I really need to jog to the gym but time and distance are to my advantage errrrmmmm I mean disadvantage 

The smell of smoke from the woodstove on a beautiful crisp fall day or the smell of a fresh fallen snow in January?


----------



## Klavierspieler

*Cough* *cough* I think I'll *cough* take the snow. *cough*

Boiled in oil or impaled on a stake?


----------



## samurai

Impaled on a stake {Quicker and less painful, I would imagine}

Automatic or Quartz watches?


----------



## Sid James

Automatic.

Do you like mild/medium or hot/very hot curry dishes?


----------



## samurai

Sorry, neither

Cricket or Rugby?


----------



## Sid James

Not a fan of either, but rugby, at least it's not as boring as cricket.

Now, you can choose one of these two characters from _Alice in Wonderland_ -

The Cheshire Cat or the Mad Hatter?...


----------



## kv466

The Mad Hatter


Black bean soup or white bean soup?


----------



## Lenfer

Black bean soup although not a fan...

Burial or Cremation?


----------



## samurai

Cremation

White or Dark Chocolate?

p.s. Lenfer, It's wonderful to have you back posting; I hope you are feeling much better than before you went into the hospital.


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

samurai said:


> Cremation
> 
> White or Dark Chocolate?
> 
> p.s. Lenfer, It's wonderful to have you back posting; I hope you are feeling much better than before you went into the hospital.


White chocolcate

Roast chicken or roast duck?


----------



## hawk

Roast chicken~never had duck

Tiny Tim (the singer) or Pewee Herman


----------



## samurai

Peewee

Dmitri Shostakovich or Sergei Prokofiev?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Shosty.

Drug addiction or alcoholism?


----------



## samurai

Even though alcohol is itself a drug, I'd choose that in a pinch because it is still--no pun intended--legal {after our failed "experiment"of *Prohibition*, of course!}

Cocoa or Coffee?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Cocoa, no coffee for me. 

Zee or zed?


----------



## clavichorder

Coffee. But with cocoa added, for mocha.\

Edit: Zed

Insincere kindness or sincere meanness.


----------



## samurai

Sincere meanness 

Banana Split or Chocolate Fudge Sundae?


----------



## kv466

Fudge Sundae (!!)



Bottled Lipton Iced Tea or Bottled Nestea Iced Tea?


----------



## samurai

Lipton

Land lines or Cell phones? {for reliability}


----------



## Klavierspieler

Land lines, definitely.

Asterix or Obelix?


----------



## samurai

Asterix

Magic markers or Highliters?


----------



## clavichorder

Highliters.

Clavicitherium or Virginal?


----------



## Couchie

Clavicytherium


Or or ore?


----------



## Polednice

Oar.

Nor or gnaw?!


----------



## Klavierspieler

Gnome?

Bungo or Balbo?


----------



## clavichorder

Bungo I guess. Don't know my hobbits very well.

Byrd or Dr. Bull?


----------



## Meaghan

Polednice said:


> Nor or gnaw?!


Haha, I just realized that you probably pronounce these the same, or at least very similarly. I don't.

It's like the "orphan"/"often" bit in Pirates of Penzance, which also would make no sense at all in an American accent.


----------



## Klavierspieler

Byrd.

American English or British English?


----------



## kv466

American English


Peanut butter or Almond butter?


----------



## HerlockSholmes

kv466 said:


> American English
> 
> Peanut butter or Almond butter?


Almond.

Sherlock Holmes or Arsène Lupin?


----------



## samurai

Sherlock Holmes

Donna Summer or Tina Turner {now I'm *reeeally* dating myself!}


----------



## HerlockSholmes

samurai said:


> Sherlock Holmes
> 
> Donna Summer or Tina Turner {now I'm *reeeally* dating myself!}


Donna Summer (but only if she was the last woman on the planet).

Game playing insanity or insane game playability?


----------



## samurai

The latter

Bosco or Cocoa-Marsh? {again betraying my advancing years!]


----------



## clavichorder

I'll just say Bosco. Looked them up and they seem tasty.

Canoes, Kayaks, or Row Boats?


----------



## kv466

Canoe


black ink or blue ink?


----------



## Trout

Black ink

Lists or polls? :lol:


----------



## clavichorder

LISTS!!!

Compost bins or Recycling Bins.


----------



## Igneous01

Compost Bins

Dissonance or Consonance?


----------



## clavichorder

Dissonance.

"Ghetto-*** Piano beats" vs. "interesting piano piece."


----------



## Igneous01

Ghetto-*** Piano beats - Its da Bomb yo!

reply vs reply with quote


----------



## clavichorder

Reply.

Indian Classical Music or Jazz?


----------



## Igneous01

Indian Classical Music

Aramis or Myaskovsky2002?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Polednice. 

Kiwi or Kumquat?


----------



## Trout

Kumquat

Ridiculous posts in serious threads or Serious posts about ridiculous threads?


----------



## Dodecaplex

Ridiculous posts in serious threads

Planck's constant or Boltzmann's constant?


----------



## Trout

Planck's constant

The vs. game or Would you rather?


----------



## kv466

The vs. Game


Samurai or Conor71? (sorry, you guys just popped in my head like the Stay-Puff marshmallow man!)


----------



## Klavierspieler

Ummm... Samurai, I guess.

kv466 or Polednice?


----------



## kv466

I'll take this one...Polednice, of course!


Seafood chowder or lobster/crab bisque?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Never had either but I'll say chowder.

Knit or Crochet?


----------



## hawk

Knit~started a sweater for my yet to be born daughter....this was 25 years ago. Never finished the sweater as I did not learn to correct mistakes 

Scent of rain on a leaf littered Autumn ground or the scent of a rose


----------



## TrazomGangflow

Scent of a rose (who in the world would want to smell a decaying leaf?)

North or South Carolina?


----------



## samurai

North

Football or Soccer {European football}


----------



## Dodecaplex

Soccer

Kttvvddhkigb or sssthihvxzaaopphv?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Qwerblwrryrborcks?

1700s or 1800s?


----------



## clavichorder

1800s.

Ionization or Ameriques?


----------



## Dodecaplex

Ionization

%#@"-*$#" or ;+-('/??%$'-& ?


----------



## Trout

clavichorder said:


> 1800s.
> 
> Ionization or Ameriques?


Ameriques

Answer a troll's ridiculous question or skip over it?


----------



## clavichorder

Trout said:


> Ameriques
> 
> Answer a troll's ridiculous question or skip over it?


I might answer it if its a question, but I won't answer it if its a bunch of gibberish or a non-sequitor with a ? after it.

Great sounding portable clavichord with a range of keys that can only accommodate renaissance music---or---Decent but not great sounding stationary clavichord with a range that can go up to early Beethoven?


----------



## Dodecaplex

The latter

A plane that can swim through the ground or a car that can fly on water?


----------



## Oskaar

Absolutely Neil yong!

Ceramics or Glass?


----------



## Trout

Ceramics. Glass isn't very pleasant on the ear.

Former or latter?


----------



## Vaneyes

Eagle or hole-in-one?


----------



## Trout

Vaneyes said:


> Eagle or hole-in-one?


I would do both by getting a hole-in-one on a par 3 hole. 

Chutes or ladders?


----------



## Trout

...................


----------



## Klavierspieler

Oh, Noez! What could be more horrible than this; we have lost the last few days of The vs. game!


----------



## Klavierspieler

Ugh, Heights! I guess I'll go with Ladders.

Great Crash of 2009 or Crash of 2011?


----------



## Igneous01

Great Crash of 2009, As I was not here before then.

Blue comedy or Black comedy?


----------



## Klavierspieler

Orange.

Revive This Thread or Leave It Alone?


----------



## clavichorder

Its back!!!

Science fiction or Historical Fiction?


----------



## Vaneyes

Woodcock or Zander?


----------



## clavichorder

Vaneyes said:


> Woodcock or Zander?


You are supposed to answer my question Van along with your new submission.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

clavichorder said:


> Its back!!!
> 
> Science fiction or Historical Fiction?


Historical fiction.

Steven Moffat or Russel T. Davies?


----------



## sabrina

I'd say Moffat, although I had to google search both names...

Sapphire or emerald?


----------



## An Die Freude

Emerald.

Little Strauss Or Big Strauss?


----------



## MozartEarlySymphonies

Little Strauss 

Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly?


----------



## clavichorder

I think we got stumped on this one. I can't say. 

Jorges Luis Borges or Julio Cortazar?


----------



## Conrad2

Not sure if bumping this thread is appropriate, but I think this game is interesting for everyone, and I don't want to make another clone of a thread that already has been done.

Here's OP rule for the game:


regressivetransphobe said:


> Rules: choose between x and y, and then ask your own. e.g.--person #1: Coke or Pepsi? Person #2: Pepsi. John Coltrane or Miles Davis? (etc.) They should usually be vaguely related, though not necessarily.
> 
> A brief explanation would help, and will hopefully keep the thread in a more substantial shade of space-wasting fluff. Try to avoid wasting someone's question with "both of them suck".


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jorges Luis Borges (It was a difficult choice as I enjoyed reading both authors' books)

Bob Dylan or John Lennon?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Lennon. Dylan's "coolness" doesn't wear well with age.

Pancakes or waffles?


----------



## Conrad2

Pancakes as I prefered its softer texture.

Time travel or futuristic virtual reality (able to construct own world to a level that is on par with reality)?


----------



## Bulldog

Time travel - virtual is phony.

T-bone steak or crab legs.


----------



## Art Rock

T-bone steak. Crab legs: good meat, but too much work.

Outdoor exercise: walking or bicycle?


----------



## Ingélou

Walking. I did a lot of cycling when I was young but the roads are too scary for me now.

On special occasions (assume normal non-covid times) - celebrate at home or by going out?


----------



## Conrad2

Celebrate at home. To aviod the traffic and crowd. 

Ability to see the past or see the future?


----------



## Highwayman

The past. Seeing the future probably won`t work because unlike the past there is not a single, concrete future and just a glimpse would change one`s decisions therefore alter the future which is probably paradoxical.

Listening to the music of Philip Glass or to the sound of a shattering glass?


----------



## Bulldog

Philip Glass - he's not so bad.

Read or re-read Upton Sinclair's The Jungle or Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy.


----------



## Conrad2

Listening to the music of Philip Glass. I enjoyed his Metamorphosis piece. 





Time travel to Tang Dynasty golden age or Pax Romana?


----------



## Conrad2

Bulldog said:


> Philip Glass - he's not so bad.
> 
> Read Upton Sinclair's The Jungle or Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy.


We posted at the same time. 

Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. I already read the Jungle in high school and it was a good book. Although it would be nice to reread it, I preferred reading a book I haven't read yet.

Time travel to Tang Dynasty golden age or Pax Romana?


----------



## Ingélou

Both are tempting (I studied Chinese Civilisation at university), but I think Pax Romana for me as a woman and a Christian - more likely to be able to do what I want. (And Latin was one of my A-levels.) 

Thomas Hardy or Charles Dickens?


----------



## Taggart

Ingélou said:


> Both are tempting (I studied Chinese Civilisation at university), but I think Pax Romana for me as a woman and a Christian - more likely to be able to do what I want.
> 
> Thomas Hardy or Charles Dickens?


Rustic idylls (and horrors) with reasonable characters in poetic prose or spiky urban scenes with lots of grotesques in prolixity - has to be Hardy.

Beatles or Stones?


----------



## Art Rock

Beatles and not even close. Ratio of favourite songs is about 10:1, of favourite albums 5:0.


Queen or ABBA?


----------



## Conrad2

Ingélou said:


> but I think Pax Romana for me as a woman and a Christian - more likely to be able to do what I want. (And Latin was one of my A-levels.)


An excellent choice. The only thing that stood out to me is that the Christian part. I didn't majored in history, so perhaps I'm mistaken, but I thought Christians were persecuted during that time? Regardless, Pax Romana was appealing to me as the Tang Dynasty.


----------



## Conrad2

Queen. I hardly listened to ABBA (not because I don't like it but because of a lack of exposure).

Live time forward or backward?


----------



## Ingélou

Conrad2 said:


> An excellent choice. The only thing that stood out to me is that the Christian part. I didn't majored in history, so perhaps I'm mistaken, but I thought Christians were persecuted during that time? Regardless, Pax Romana was appealing to me as the Tang Dynasty.


In certain years and in certain places Christians were hassled and persecuted. I'd hope to land in a place and in the years where I could live quietly among other Christians and yet experience some of the excitement of meeting people who'd known some of the big names and could pass on personal recollections and spiritual traditions.


----------



## Ingélou

Conrad2 said:


> Queen. I hardly listened to ABBA (not because I don't like it but because of a lack of exposure).
> 
> Live time forward or backward?


Do you mean, get younger and apply the lessons I've learned from life - that's certainly appealing. But no, I'll stick with moving forward in hope and relishing what I have.

Hamlet or King Lear?


----------



## Conrad2

Ingélou said:


> Do you mean, get younger and apply the lessons I've learned from life - that's certainly appealing. But no, I'll stick with moving forward in hope and relishing what I have.


What I meant is that you experience life backwards. Instead of birth being your first moment of life, death is your first moment. From there you aged backwards from old age to youth. You cannot "change" your past from experiencing your future as the past is your future and the future is your past. I don't know how would one go through that, but I thought it was an interesting thought experiment. I should have word it better to avoid confusion. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

King Lear. I like the story of King Lear more than Hamlet, and there was more adaption of King Lear's story than Hamlet, such as the Ran movie by Akira Kurosawa.

Able to talk to and understand other animals (this doesn't extend to "human" language and you only maintain mastery over the language you already have) or mastering all human languages?


----------



## Bulldog

Talking to and understanding animals would be fantastic; mastering all human languages is favorable but not a big deal.

Journey to Mars or the center the earth.


----------



## Conrad2

Journey to Mars. I don't think I would like the high pressure and high temperature at the earth's core. I preferred going to Mars and glance into the vastness of space. 

Stanley Kubrick or Akira Kurosawa?


----------



## Ingélou

Akira Kurosawa - I've always thought Kubrick's films overrated, fashionable stuff when they came out, but brash. 

Holiday by the sea or in the hills?


----------



## Highwayman

The hills. But a holiday by a lake on the hills would be the best. Somewhere in Switzerland perhaps.

The Iliad or the Odyssey?


----------



## Ingélou

The Odyssey. There's too much fighting in The Iliad, which I find rather boring, whereas The Odyssey reads like a novel with concurrent plots (Odysseus & Penelope) leading to a final violent but gripping denouement. 

Opera or Ballet?


----------



## Bulldog

Opera. I don't find ballet visually stimulating.

Watch action movie or family drama.


----------



## Conrad2

Family drama. I'm not keen on action movie as often the film focused on the visual effects rather than story development. Granted there are some great action movies that do both, but I rarely see it. For family drama, I like watching the dynamics in the family members, and some are my favorite films are in the genre (Ordinary People, Brighter Summer Day, Tokyo Story, 400 Blows, Kes, and others). Though, some of the films can be stale, but I can weed them out.

Surrealism art movement or Impressionism art movement?


----------



## Ingélou

Impressionism. Surrealism is witty but doesn't touch my heart. 

Jazz or Folk Music?


----------



## Bulldog

Jazz. Folk music tends to make me numb; so does Willie Nelson.

TV shows - All in the Family or Seinfeld.


----------



## Highwayman

Seinfeld. One of the greatest sitcoms ever! It`s my reference American show. In fact, every other American show I like has some Seinfeld in it. I just love the way Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld think. I see them not only as comedians but also as contemporary social thinkers.

Potato chips or corn chips?


----------



## Allegro Con Brio

Highwayman said:


> Seinfeld. One of the greatest sitcoms ever! It`s my reference American show. In fact, every other American show I like has some Seinfeld in it. I just love the way Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld think. I see them not only as comedians but also as contemporary social thinkers.
> 
> Potato chips or corn chips?


Agreed on Seinfeld

Potato chips for me. Corn chips have an unattractive bitterness to my taste buds.

Jogging or bike-riding?


----------



## Conrad2

Jogging. You can jog almost anywhere, but biking is more restrictive. 

Visiting Tokyo or New York City? (Pre or post Covid-19)


----------



## Ingélou

Tough one, but probably New York City; I hate big cities but might find it easier to get through the days in a place I 'know' from the films and where I could more easily find & understand some good museums and art galleries. 

Dublin or Edinburgh?


----------



## Conrad2

Edinburgh. My inner bookworm self vehemently opposed my decision, since Dublin was the birthplace of many authors who I treasure, and was the setting of some of Mr. Joyce's works. Yet, I choose Edinburgh as it's more beautiful and is known as the Athens of the North. I also want to try Haggis, as it's banned in the US.

Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail or staying in a luxury hotel/resort (on par or exceed the Aman brand) for a week?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Thru-Hiking the Appalachian. That sounds like a blast and a lifetime experience, whereas staying in a luxury hotel would probably only make me giddy thinking of what a waste of money and resources it all is.

Attending a concert alone or with friends?


----------



## Conrad2

Attending a concert alone. My friends and I have very diverse taste from each other, and it will be a nightmare to find the ideal concert for all of us. Plus, I value the music more than the social atmosphere for a concert. 

200 USD or one GameStop stock?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

One GME stock. No reason needed 

Solving the Collatz conjecture or the twin prime conjecture?


----------



## Conrad2

Solving the Collatz conjecture. It's a very interesting conjecture that could illustrate the relationship between the prime factorization of n and prime factorization of n+1. The conjecture is also easy to understand on an intuitive level, but difficult to formally solve. The field of number theory fascinated me. The twin prime conjecture is also a problem that I like to see solved, and I would like to get the prize money, but I prefer the Collatz conjecture.
Here's the Collatz conjecture for those who are interested: Start with any positive integer n. Then each term is obtained from the previous term as follows: if the previous term is even, the next term is one half of the previous term. If the previous term is odd, the next term is 3 times the previous term plus 1. The conjecture is that no matter what value of n, the sequence will always reach 1.

A scoop of ice cream or a slice of cake?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Depends. Cake if I know it's good cake or if I'm feeling frisky; ice cream's the safer bet.

Writing a novel or composing a symphony?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Conrad2 said:


> Solving the Collatz conjecture. It's a very interesting conjecture that could illustrate the relationship between the prime factorization of n and prime factorization of n+1.


Huh. I guess I've always intuitively thought of this as being an aspect of the importance of the conjecture, but never really bothered to put it in those words. That's a good way of putting it.


----------



## Conrad2

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Writing a novel or composing a symphony?


Writing a novel. I didn't have a formal music education so I imagine I won't have much success in composing a symphony. Writing a novel is definitely the better choice for me as I can at least write something, no matter the quality, and I have wrote a thesis in the past. It's going to be a bland book, which bring much anguish to my bookworm inner self, but I will make do with what I have.

Base jumping off the Burj Khalifa or solo climbing to Denali summit?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Conrad2 said:


> Writing a novel. I didn't have a formal music education so I imagine I won't have much success in composing a symphony. Writing a novel is definitely the better choice for me as I can at least write something, no matter the quality, and I have wrote a thesis in the past. It's going to be a bland book, which bring much anguish to my bookworm inner self, but I will make do with what I have.
> 
> Base jumping off the Burj Khalifa or solo climbing to Denali summit?


Oooh.... Probably climbing to Denali. I like nature.

Season tickets to your favorite NBA team (post COVID) or participating in an Ayahuasca ritual in Peru?


----------



## Conrad2

Season tickets to your favorite NBA team. The Ayahuasca ritual is intriguing and would be an once in a lifetime experience. Also, I'm not that interested in sports (beside hiking, jogging, and kayaking). Yet, I must sadly decline, as my younger self found that I don't mix well with drugs. The only drug I consumed is alcohol where I drink a glass of wine or a beer can, and I'm still a weak drinker. I think my nephew would enjoyed me bringing him to a game where he could watch his favorite team, the Golden State Warriors, play. May I have the VIP suite, so I can indulge on food and my nephew meeting his idol? 

Eating a full course Kaiseki or a full course French Haute cuisine? Both option are served by world-class chiefs.


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Conrad2 said:


> Season tickets to your favorite NBA team. The Ayahuasca ritual is intriguing and would be an once in a lifetime experience. Also, I'm not that interested in sports (beside hiking, jogging, and kayaking). Yet, I must sadly decline, as my younger self found that I don't mix well with drugs. The only drug I consumed is alcohol where I drink a glass of wine or a beer can, and I'm still a weak drinker. I think my nephew would enjoyed me bringing him to a game where he could watch his favorite team, the Golden State Warriors, play. May I have the VIP suite, so I can indulge on food and my nephew meeting his idol?
> 
> Eating a full course Kaiseki or a full course French Haute cuisine? Both option are served by world-class chiefs.


You may!

And as I don't know what either of these things is, I'm afraid someone else will have to take this one...


----------



## Ingélou

Conrad2 said:


> Eating a full course Kaiseki or a full course French Haute cuisine? Both option are served by world-class chiefs.


I'm afraid it would have to be French Haute Cuisine simply because I don't fancy sushi.

Crime drama or Historic Book drama?


----------



## Taggart

Or both together - Brother Cadfel or Name of the Rose. Ideally, the best crime drama like the best historical depends on detail. The need to combine two genres often fails because of excess of detail. I prefer crime, preferably reasonably hard boiled.

Countryside or city?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Countryside - I like space, and I don't like people.

(To those who don't have kids yet)

Having a son or a daughter as your eldest?


----------



## Conrad2

Having a son as my eldest child. That's a tricky question, a hard decision. A son might be the better choice for me for the first child I have as I think it would be easier to bond with him. I have some experience as an uncle to my nephews, so it would be an easier transition for me personally. But if I have a daughter as my eldest child, I will try my best to be a good dad.

Watching opera or a critically acclaimed movie?


----------



## Ingélou

Opera - I often find I don't agree with the critics and I enjoy live performances and want to enlarge my experience and knowledge of operas. 

Roller skating or ice skating?


----------



## Conrad2

Ice skating. I took lessons for both sports when I was small, and found that ice skating gives you more freedom of movement which allows you to execute interesting manuvuers and to turn easier. Also you need to know how to skate on ice to try figure skating, ice dancing, or hockey. However, ice skating is much more difficult to learn, where balance is essential. Also roller skating is much more versitle as you only need a smooth surface whereas for ice skating you need to be on ice. It depends on personal preference, but ice skating for me.

Taking a vacation in The Lord of the Rings' Middle-earth or Gulliver's Travels' islands?


----------



## Totenfeier

Middle-Earth would be exhausting; Gulliver's Travels would be fascinating.

Baseball in the 1950s or basketball today?


----------



## Bulldog

Feeling nostalgic, I'll take 1950's Baseball.

Headache or upset stomach.


----------



## Conrad2

Headache. This is the first question I saw that made me choose the lesser evil. Experiencing a headache is not ideal as it affects my productivity. However, unlike a headache, which I can manage with an aspirin, there is not much remedy for an upset stomach. Also, I considered myself as a foodie, so having a stomachache will prevent me from partaking in the activity that mean so much to me. Furthermore, I had a case of food poisoning which was way more painful than any migraine I have yet experience. I will take a headache over the upset stomach's scenario.

Witnessing Cicero's Against Catiline speech in person or Demosthenes's On the Crown speech? (Assume you can understand them.)


----------



## Ingélou

Demosthenes's On the Crown speech. I don't know anything about it, whereas I studied Cicero's speeches for my Latin A-Level, and found him a bit 'worthy'. Also, having missed the chance to learn classical Greek at school, I'd love the chance to hear and understand. 

Visit/ Tour the Andes or the Himalayas?


----------



## Conrad2

The Andes. Although the Himalayas are very famous, particularly Mount. Everest, and I'm interested in the Bhutan and Nepalese culture, I choose the Andres as I haven't visited South America yet, and I have heard good experience with past travelers. 

French fries or loaded potato?


----------



## Taggart

French fries or loaded potato? (UK English - Chips or Baked / Jacket Potato with a filling)

Chips of course with fish and mushy peas and lots of salt and vinegar.

Toad in the Hole or Steak and Kidney pie?


----------



## HenryPenfold

Q. Toad in the Hole or Steak and Kidney pie?
A. Steak & Kidney pie (S&K pudding even better)

Q. Stewed or jellied eels?


----------



## Conrad2

Stewed eel. If one can stretch the definition of stew across different culture and interpretation, then I would gladly consume the eel in the form of Chao Luon (Vietnamese Eel Porridge). I was in Vietnam to visit the other side of the family and although it was exotic for a kid, after my feeling of initial bewilderment went away, the taste won me over. 

Meeting Theodore Roosevelt or Franklin Roosevelt?


----------



## Highwayman

Nothing against FDR, I`m sure he was a nice guy but Teddy looks like a cool guy to hang around with. You know, his horse, his killer stache and all. No doubt he could chug some beer as well. 

James Joyce or Virginia Woolf?


----------



## Allegro Con Brio

Highwayman said:


> Nothing against FDR, I`m sure he was a nice guy but Teddy looks like a cool guy to hang around with. You know, his horse, his killer stache and all. No doubt he could chug some beer as well.
> 
> James Joyce or Virginia Woolf?


Joyce's über-naturalism doesn't really connect with me; while _To the Lighthouse_ is one of the most formally magnificent novels of all time. Woolf it is.

Sticking with the literary theme, the _Divine Comedy_ or _Paradise Lost_?


----------



## Conrad2

Paradise Lost. I haven't read this book and haven't finished the Divine Comedy. I choose Paradise Lost as it insipired Frankenstein, which can be argued as the 1st sci-fi book. For the Divine Comedy, I had a hard time reading past the 1st part (Inferno). Hopefully, Paradise Lost will be a better book for me.

For those who haven't read the books in the question:
David Wallace's _Infinite Jest_ or Thomas Mann's _Doctor Faustus_?


----------



## Highwayman

Conrad2 said:


> For those who haven't read the books in the question:
> David Wallace's _Infinite Jest_ or Thomas Mann's _Doctor Faustus_?


I haven`t read these books, so I can answer the question I presume. I`m familiar with the Faust legend and the name of Thomas Mann and the combination of these two sounds intriguing so I`d go for _Doctor Faustus_.

Regarding the previous one:

I have never read anything as exciting as _Paradise Lost_. Once you get used to its unusual vocabulary and rhythm, it becomes surprisingly intense (mostly the parts including _Satan_). I can definitely see how Mary Shelley was inspired by _PL_ or why Frankenstein`s creature reads it and relates itself to it. It`s very relatable for an archaic colossal poem really, even to the post-modern readers such as ourselves.

Only slightly deviating from the literary theme:

Tolkien`s Middle Earth - Living among the Elves or the Dwarves?


----------



## Ingélou

Oh, the Elves every time! I'm claustrophobic! 
But also their lore and their appearance are so *R*omantic.

Fantasy novel or Science Fiction?


----------



## Pat Fairlea

Ingélou said:


> Oh, the Elves every time! I'm claustrophobic!
> But also their lore and their appearance are so *R*omantic.
> 
> Fantasy novel or Science Fiction?


Science Fiction, as it's less likely to resort to elves and magic as a plot device. I only said "less likely", so don't bother piling in with that rare example of Brian Aldiss or Damon Knight taking leave of their senses.
Meanwhile, how do we feel about historical books that use the Present tense e.g. "It is 1532 and King Henry is seething with discontent..."?
Past tense or Historic Present?


----------



## Ingélou

Past tense. I hate the use of the present tense. The author seems to be so smugly standing there 'presenting'. 

Three piece suite or disparate set of easy chairs?


----------



## Conrad2

Disparate set of easy chairs. For a set piece they have to be together in a room to complement one another. On the other hand, a disparate set of easy chairs will allow me to place each chair in different rooms as they are independent from one another.
May I have the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman for my office, Toro Azucena Armchair for the living room, and Cassina Frank Lloyd Wright's Chair for the backyard?

Creating a new intelligent animal species or creating an new advanced AI?


----------



## Ingélou

A new advanced AI - less risk and fewer ethical problems.

Roses or Lilies?


----------



## Conrad2

Roses. What a difficult question, there is many ways to approach this. When I was in Texas, I was fortunately enough to visit Tyler, the Rose Capital of the World, and saw the absolutely beautiful garden over there. On the other hand, the Lily Stargazer that an acquaintance grew in their garden, was fabulous during the summer as its bloom was very fragrant. I ultimately chose the Rose as it's more visually appealing to me, and for its deep historical and cultural significance (Wars of the Roses/ Shakespeare Sonnet 54). 

Hot air balloon ride or a helicopter ride?


----------



## Pat Fairlea

Conrad2 said:


> Roses. What a difficult question, there is many ways to approach this. When I was in Texas, I was fortunately enough to visit Tyler, the Rose Capital of the World, and saw the absolutely beautiful garden over there. On the other hand, the Lily Stargazer that an acquaintance grew in their garden, was fabulous during the summer as its bloom was very fragrant. I ultimately chose the Rose as it's more visually appealing to me, and for its deep historical and cultural significance (Wars of the Roses/ Shakespeare Sonnet 54).
> 
> Hot air balloon ride or a helicopter ride?


Oh, balloon please! Much quieter and much less macho. Can you imagine a hot-air-balloon-gunship? Nor can I.

So...knitting or crochet?


----------



## Ingélou

Knitting. I can't crochet but used to enjoy knitting various simple articles like waistcoats and berets. Thinking things out while knitting is very productive. Doing something relaxing and mechanical with one part of the brain seems to give the thinking part time and space to come up with something unexpected. 

Would you rather watch golf or snooker/billiards/pool on TV?


----------



## Highwayman

I`ve been watching and enjoying snooker for more than 10 years now. It`s certainly my favourite individual sport. In the past few years fast and attacking players started to dominate the tour so it`s probably not the game you`d expect now. Anyway, I actually enjoy slow, tactical, grinding type of matches much more and you can still find them especially in the long format such as World Championships, even last night`s Hawkins v Trump game wasn`t too shabby in that regard. I`ve always thought that I`d enjoy playing golf but never had the chance to experience it. But I`ve tried to watch golf and quite disliked it. Thus, my vote goes for the latter option.

In continuation with the current theme: Federer or Nadal?


----------



## Ingélou

Well, sorry to be boring, but I prefer Federer. I just like his calm professional attitude and his consistency and accuracy. I would sooner invite him to tea any time than Nadal. I feel a little guilty about this as I have a Spanish sister-in-law. 

Swimming or Show-Jumping? (To do, or to watch - you can choose which of the questions to answer.)


----------



## Conrad2

Show-Jumping. It seems more interesting to watch than swimming. There are fewer chances to see it than swimming as there are several pools nearby whereas you have to find a Equestrian center. I have watch Polo before and found it to be fun to watch, perhaps I have the same reaction to show-jumping. 

Discovering the origin of life or understanding the mechanics behind dark energy/matter?


----------



## senza sordino

Conrad2 said:


> Show-Jumping. It seems more interesting to watch than swimming. There are fewer chances to see it than swimming as there are several pools nearby whereas you have to find an Equestrian center. I have watched Polo before and found it to be fun to watch, perhaps I have the same reaction to show-jumping.
> 
> Discovering the origin of life or understanding the mechanics behind dark energy/matter?


Understanding the mechanics of dark energy and dark matter. I've always been interested in the physical universe, as opposed to the living universe. We're searching for life on Mars and intelligent life in the universe when we should be looking for intelligent life on Earth.

Losing a leg or losing an arm. (Grim, I know, sorry)

P.S. I worked a summer job, two summers in a row at a showjumping competition. The crew and I would set up the jumps and between horses, run onto the course and repair the jumps if knocked over by the rider. Fun, but hard work.


----------



## Ingélou

Losing a leg or losing an arm? Tough choice. I'd hate not to be able to play my fiddle now that I've found it again after forty years' separation, when it brings me such joy each day. But I love walking too. I think it would have to be the leg, though, because I could still walk with an artificial limb, but we use our hands and arms for so much in every day life. My goodness, I hope I'm not tempting fate... 

It reminds me of when I was a child, when I'd go round asking people if they'd rather be deaf or blind, or rather freeze to death or burn to death. But no, I won't set those. 

Boating holiday or ski-ing holiday (assuming it's allowed again).


----------



## Conrad2

Boating holiday. A difficult choice, as I enjoyed going on both style of trips. I tried skiing in the Aspen area, and I enjoyed my experience over there, although I went on the beginner trails. But I chose boating, as there is many different activities I can try such as sailing, ice yachting, water skiing, kayaking, fishing, windsurfing, etc. 

Learning to play Go or Shogi board game?


----------



## Highwayman

Shogi seems like a whole lot of fun! I "googled" it after I saw your post and actually played a few games against computer since then and really liked the dynamics of the game. I might have a _go_ at it. 

Getting on with it - Sudoku or Kakuro?


----------



## Conrad2

Sudoku. I tried both puzzles before, so I can think I can give an opinion on the two games. I tried my hand at Kakuro and found the premise very interesting where you have add numbers to equal a specified number. It's like a crossword puzzle but in numbers. But, I preferred Sudoku, as it less reliant on math and more on deductive reasoning and pattern recognition. I enjoy both game, but Sudoku is my personal preference. 

Folding a piece of paper until reaching the lowest existing "level" (lower than quarks) or doubling a paper's size until it covers everything?


----------



## Ingélou

Conrad2 said:


> Sudoku. I tried both puzzles before, so I can think I can give an opinion on the two games. I tried my hand at Kakuro and found the premise very interesting where you have add numbers to equal a specified number. It's like a crossword puzzle but in numbers. But, I preferred Sudoku, as it less reliant on math and more on deductive reasoning and pattern recognition. I enjoy both game, but Kakuro is my personal preference.
> 
> Folding a piece of paper until reaching the lowest existing "level" (lower than quarks) or doubling a paper's size until it covers everything?


You start by saying 'sudoku' & seem to say that you _prefe_r Sudoku but go on to add that Kakuro is your 'personal _preference_'.

???

The OP says you have to choose!


----------



## Conrad2

Ingélou said:


> You start by saying 'sudoku' & seem to say that you _prefe_r Sudoku but go on to add that Kakuro is your 'personal _preference_'.
> 
> ???
> 
> The OP says you have to choose!


Sorry. There was an erroneous typo that slipped my attention.  I have fixed it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sudoku. I tried both puzzles before, so I can think I can give an opinion on the two games. I tried my hand at Kakuro and found the premise very interesting where you have add numbers to equal a specified number. It's like a crossword puzzle but in numbers. But, I preferred Sudoku, as it less reliant on math and more on deductive reasoning and pattern recognition. I enjoy both game, but *Sudoku* is my personal preference.

Folding a piece of paper until reaching the lowest existing "level" (lower than quarks) or doubling a paper's size until it covers everything?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Folding; I don't want everything to turn to paper. Not yet, anyway!

On a related topic:

Having unlimited access to the world's most powerful microscope or the world's most powerful telescope?


----------



## Conrad2

World's most powerful telescope. The microscopic world is very fascinating as it could showcase the inner workings of what we are made out of. Yet, I choose the telescope to see the past. You see, although light travel extremely fast, the distance between our star and other solar system is so vast, that light we see from the stars is from the past. And another reason, is that perhaps, it would answer the question that plague me as a kid, "Are we alone?" 

Solving Riemann hypothesis or Hodge Conjecture?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

The Riemann Hypothesis. To be fair, I've never looked into the Hodge Conjecture and don't think I currently have the background to understand it well. The RH is sort of the king of unsolved math problems. It's a fascinating and deep conjecture about the distribution of prime numbers and it carries with it consequences in just about every major field of mathematics.

For a somewhat technical yet not too difficult read about this problem and its significance, check out _Prime Numbers and the Riemann Hypothesis_ by Stein and Mazur.

However I'd rather know the solution to P = NP than either of these problems.

Dylan: _Blood on the Tracks_ or _Blonde on Blonde_?


----------



## SeptimalTritone

Regarding the Riemann Hypothesis, I'm a big believer in the value of explaining math/physics problems in a way that is understandable by laypeople.

So when the Riemann Hypothesis is presented as something along the lines of "The zeta function, which for Re(s) > 1 is Sum(1/n^s, 1, infinity) and also may be analytically continued to be defined on the entire complex plane, has zeros only when s = -2, -4, -6, -8... (the trivial zeros) and when Re(s) = 1/2 (the nontrivial zeros)" that kind of statement, while completely correct, is not understandable at all to a layperson nor enlightening.

So here's a better way of explaining it that's understandable by anyone!

Each positive integer is either prime or composite. The bigger the positive integer, the less likely it is to be prime. This is because, so to speak, there are more chances for there to be a smaller integer that it is divisible by. Consider the prime numbers up to 100, and notice how the prime numbers (circled) start to appear less often the bigger we get.










If we consider bigger numbers than 100, we would see that the bigger we get, the less likely we see a circle, that is, a prime number. Is there a way to quantify how often we are likely to see a prime number the bigger we get?

In the late 19th century, it was discovered that there's a formula for the approximate likelihood that a positive integer is prime. For a large positive integer n, the likelihood that n is prime is equal to 1 / log. This is called the prime number theorem. An equivalent way of putting is is that the number of primes less than n is around n / log.

Now of course the distribution of primes is not random, but is completely determined. And there will be a difference between the number of primes less than n, and the predicted n / log, although the relative difference between them gets smaller for large n. [To be more precise, I should be using Integral(1 / log) here, but the idea is the same.]

How much are these values different? How much does the actual number of primes less than n differ from our predicted n / log? The Riemann Hypothesis says that the difference is no more than if the distribution of primes was actually random. In other words, if you randomly selected positive integers with probability 1 / log and looked at the difference between the number of these selected values less than a value n and compared to n / log for large n, you'd expect a certain level of fluctuation. The Riemann Hypothesis says that this level of fluctuation is the same if were to actually take the number of prime numbers less than n and compare to n / log.

The Riemann Hypothesis says, in some sense, that the primes "appear randomly". And if the primes didn't appear more or less "randomly", this fluctuation would be larger. This has not been demonstrated it, and is a major open problem in mathematics.


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Current topic is

Dylan: Blood on the Tracks or Blonde on Blonde?


----------



## Conrad2

Blonde on Blonde. Hmm, a difficult decision. Blood on the Track reflects Bob Dylan estrangement from his wife, which channel all the different pains that a broken relationship cause, creating image and details, so overwhelming that it floors you, but relatable that it stays with you, giving you time to appreciate its poetic depth. However, right now would be Blonde on Blonde, as the feeling of listening to Visions of Johanna in the late night, unfolds a story about the night that is so distinct from his other albums.

Eating Udon or Ramen?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Easy choice for me. Udon. I like the texture of Udon better, and the amount of salt in most Ramen dishes is absolutely disgusting (it tends to trigger my acne as well).

Living in Bozeman Montana or SLC Utah?


----------



## science

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Easy choice for me. Udon. I like the texture of Udon better, and the amount of salt in most Ramen dishes is absolutely disgusting (it tends to trigger my acne as well).
> 
> Living in Bozeman Montana or SLC Utah?


Bozeman! Middle of some of the most beautiful country in the world. Utah's no slouch but SLC is not so much in the middle of it. If you'd said Kanab, we'd have a long think.

1. e4 or 1. d4?


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## Art Rock

1. e4 for the win!


Holiday in Indonesia or South Africa?


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

science said:


> 1. e4 or 1. d4?


I was actually thinking about this thread on a walk yesterday and thought that I'd ask about this exact comparison as my next question. Guess I had forgotten...

(Btw I'll take d4 if it's a serious game, mostly to avoid the French defense)


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## science

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> I was actually thinking about this thread on a walk yesterday and thought that I'd ask about this exact comparison as my next question. Guess I had forgotten...
> 
> (Btw I'll take d4 if it's a serious game, mostly to avoid the French defense)


1. f4 also avoids the French.

Just saying.


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## Art Rock

To end this intermezzo: here is a new Chess corner.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

science said:


> 1. f4 also avoids the French.
> 
> Just saying.


Against 1. f4 I'll often play (for fun) 1 ... e5, known as From's Gambit. Objectively not great of course, but it's tricky and catches people off guard. Transposing into a King's Gambit is also quite nice as I enjoy the position as black.

Back to the topic at hand - holiday in Indonesia or South Africa?


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## science

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Against 1. f4 I'll often play (for fun) 1 ... e5, known as From's Gambit. Objectively not great of course, but it's tricky and catches people off guard. Transposing into a King's Gambit is also quite nice as I enjoy the position as black.
> 
> Back to the topic at hand - holiday in Indonesia or South Africa?


Indonesia for me, especially if we can get out to some of the less-visited islands.

Eat less or exercise more?

(Asking for a friend.)


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

For me exercise more. I was really good about it before the pandemic, but I've been slacking a bit lately. But I'm 21 and closer to underweight than overweight, for what it's worth.

Depth or breadth of knowledge/experience?


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## SeptimalTritone

I'd just lift weights and adjust food intake to include more protein, which would recomp the body to have more muscle/less fat. Cardio itself doesn't burn that many calories, and eating less just by itself is hard to keep the discipline to do.

Squash or racquetball?


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## science

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> For me exercise more. I was really good about it before the pandemic, but I've been slacking a bit lately. But I'm 21 and closer to underweight than overweight, for what it's worth.
> 
> Depth or breadth of knowledge/experience?


Oh, nice one!

For me, it's breadth every time -- unless money's at stake!



SeptimalTritone said:


> I'd just lift weights and adjust food intake to include more protein, which would recomp the body to have more muscle/less fat. Cardio itself doesn't burn that many calories, and eating less just by itself is hard to keep the discipline to do.
> 
> Squash or racquetball?


You got skipped bro -- but racquetball for the balls.

Defiance to the end or making peace with the inevitable?


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

SeptimalTritone said:


> I'd just lift weights and adjust food intake to include more protein, which would recomp the body to have more muscle/less fat. Cardio itself doesn't burn that many calories, and eating less just by itself is hard to keep the discipline to do.


Right on. It's impressive how well your body can recomp, especially as a beginner (or returner) to weightlifting. Feels great too. And, yes, it requires a lot less discipline than avoiding a constant natural craving.


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## Conrad2

science said:


> Defiance to the end or making peace with the inevitable?


Making peace with the inevitable. A difficult choice, given that it depends on the situation. I decided on the second option, as I seen too many cases where being defiant to the end has lead to terrible conclusion for the parties that are involved. Making peace with the inevitable, gives you a chance to survive or succeed in the new environment, whereas being defiant requires you to make that new, upcoming world a nonreality.

Do you determine your convictions or does your convictions determine you?


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

The latter, but they're really the same thing.

Long hair or short hair on girls/women?


----------



## Art Rock

In general short hair (especially the pixie-style). Yet my wife has long hair (and had it ever since we met 22 years ago) - go figure.


Meeting friends or meeting family?


----------



## science

Art Rock said:


> In general short hair (especially the pixie-style). Yet my wife has long hair (and had it ever since we met 22 years ago) - go figure.
> 
> Meeting friends or meeting family?


Below the age of 40, friends; over the age of 40, family.

Saving for a rainy day or spending it while you can?


----------



## Conrad2

Saving for a rainy day. Saw the pitfalls of credit card spending from a second hand perspective. Better just let my money accumulate interest than for it to go "poof".

Cooking at home or dining out? (Assumed pre/post covid-19)


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## GucciManeIsTheNewWebern

science said:


> 1. f4 also avoids the French.
> 
> Just saying.


The Bird Opening is really fun. I think fundamentally its sort of unsound because of the weakened kingside, but it sure leads to some entertaining games.


----------



## Art Rock

Cooking at home or dining out? (Assumed pre/post covid-19)

Cooking at home - that way we control the fat and salt contents better, and the wine is affordable. We both don't mind cooking, and I don't mind doing the dishes.


Three no trump or four spades?


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

3 NT. My OCD likes things exact.

Day or night?


----------



## Bulldog

Night. I'm usually up from midnight to 5 am, so I must be a night person.

Construction work or social worker.


----------



## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist

Construction. I don't like people, and therapy is frankly a load of ******** as far as I'm concerned (albeit useful ********, for some).

Spending a year as a dolphin or a shark?


----------



## Conrad2

Spending a year as a dolphin. Shark would be an interesting animal to live as, but being a dolphin would be more interesting as they are social animals. Plus sharks are actually scared of dolphins as dolphin pods can effectively kill a white shark that threaten them. Dolphin also have an unique way of communicating by vocal pitches that work as echolocation whereas sharks only can communicate by body language. Also, humans are a dangerous threat to the two species. A human would certainly perceive the shark as more dangerous and thus more likely to inflict harm on them, while a dolphin looks adorable to them, so while they are snapping pics, I am swimming away. 

Electric cars or biofuel cars?


----------



## Ingélou

Biofuel cars - assuming that the biofuels are more developed than at present and that current 'petrol stations' can be providing them. I would just be worried about how frequent charging points are and delays etc for electric cars. 


Stilton or Cheddar?


----------



## senza sordino

> Stilton or Cheddar?


Cheddar. As I've mentioned multiple times here on TC, I'm an immigrant. I came from cheddar country. And, there is nothing better and easier to prepare for a workday lunch than cheddar cheese and cucumber sandwiches.

Would you go on an African safari or a Danube river cruise?


----------



## Art Rock

senza sordino said:


> Would you go on an African safari or a Danube river cruise?


I've been on a (South) African safari, so the river cruise it is.

One week in Tokyo or one week in New York?


----------



## Pat Fairlea

Art Rock said:


> I've been on a (South) African safari, so the river cruise it is.
> 
> One week in Tokyo or one week in New York?


New York. I'm no fan of big cities but at least in NY I could more or less speak the language.

Odd socks or matching pairs?


----------



## Conrad2

Matching pairs. The apparel of odd socks doesn't really appeal to me, since I tend to dress conservatively. So, matching socks works for me. 

Thru-Hiking Te Araroa Trail or Sentiero Italia Trail?


----------



## Ingélou

Wow, that's really a tough one. Of course, my long-distance hiking days are probably over but, supposing I get a sudden access of energy and stamina, I'll go for the Te Araroa Trail, as it looks spectacularly beautiful and would be something different. My mother always wished she could have emigrated to New Zealand (she was a passionate gardener) so I'd do it vicariously for her, in her honour. 

Mountaineering or deep-sea diving?


----------



## Conrad2

Deep-sea diving. Both activities interested me and I did mountain climbing in the past and scuba diving. I choose deep-sea diving as humanity has "conquered" highest peaks on Earth, but haven't fully explored the depth of the ocean. In fact, if my source is correct, only three people have made it to the Challenger Deep (currently the deepest known point). It would be interesting to design a diving suit or that can withstand the immense pressure in the Challenger Deep. What new species and wonders awaits my eyes?

Having a French formal garden (Jardin à la française) or a Japanese rock garden (Karesansui) in your backyard?


----------



## Ingélou

A Japanese rock garden. I like the look of it and find French formal gardens _too_ formal - they look and feel restricting. Odd, really, as I'm a Lully-lover. 

Beethoven or Mozart?


----------



## Art Rock

Mozart, definitely. He ranks at about #10 for me, Beethoven around #30.

Piano concertos or violin concertos?


----------



## Ingélou

Violin concertos, predictably enough, I suppose! But I find the violin more expressive and variable in tone and piano concertos often a bit 'tremendous'. I'm not fond of the heavy grand piano sound, though I like lighter music and jazz on the piano. 

Which tree - Copper Beech or Silver Birch?


----------



## Conrad2

Silver Birch. I like the distinctive whiteish color of the bark as it suggest "youth" to me. The Copper Beech is also favorable for me, as its purplish leaves color, having beech nuts, and being relatively low maintenance to the other, presents a strong case for choosing it. Yet, I have to favor the Silver Birch as my personal pick. 

Seeing the Hanging Gardens of Babylon or Old Summer Palace (Yuanming Yuan) in their former glory?


----------



## Ingélou

The Old Summer Palace in its glory - assuming one would see people there and the sorts of lives they had, plus the lovely lakeside garden on view in Wiki. The Hanging Gardens would be lovely, but there are plenty of great gardens to see today and I'd like to be in touch with the life of the past. I've always had a fascination for things Chinese.










~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dog show or flower show?


----------



## Conrad2

Dog show. Never have been to one, so it would be a new experience.

Seeing Paganini playing the violin or Lizst playing the piano live?


----------



## Highwayman

Liszt playing the piano. Although both of them were great virtuosos, I suspect Liszt has to be the better showman and entertainer.

Playing a chess match against Prokofiev or watching a soccer game alongside Shostakovich?


----------



## Ingélou

Watching a soccer game alongside Shostakovich. I dislike football but it would seem a more relaxing experience than the other. 

Discovering a long-lost music manuscript from the twelfth century or an unexpected music manuscript from the attic of a twentieth-century composer.


----------



## Pat Fairlea

Ingélou said:


> Watching a soccer game alongside Shostakovich. I dislike football but it would seem a more relaxing experience than the other.
> 
> Discovering a long-lost music manuscript from the twelfth century or an unexpected music manuscript from the attic of a twentieth-century composer.


The 12th century manuscript. Either may or may not bear engaging music, but the C12th one will have other traces of its long biography to read.

A contemporary ring in silver and diamonds or Art Deco in platinum and sapphire?


----------



## Ingélou

Art Deco ring - I love the style. 

Fancy Dress Party - medieval or futuristic costume?


----------



## Conrad2

Medieval costume for a fancy dress party. Our concept of the future is always changing, so the clothes I wear now won't reflect the attire of the future. I'm more interested in the clothes of the past than future, since I can learn more about the past culture. 

Partaking in English afternoon tea or Japanese tea ceremony?


----------



## Highwayman

English afternoon tea - Actually, I`m very curious about the Japanese tea ceremony and would love to observe one but partaking in it would make me nervous I suppose. Besides, as a Turk, I`m accustomed to Black tea.

Watching _anime_ or reading _manga_?


----------



## Conrad2

Watching anime. There are some anime film that I enjoyed, particularly those produced by Studio Ghibli. On the other hand, despite trying to read manga when I was younger, it didn't appeal to me.

Trying Suodiu (嗦丟:river rocks) or stinky tofu?

I added a link to a YouTube video about Suodiu as it's a obscure dish.


----------



## Ingélou

Conrad2 said:


> Watching anime. There are some anime film that I enjoyed, particularly those produced by Studio Ghibli. On the other hand, despite trying to read manga when I was younger, it didn't appeal to me.
> 
> Trying Suodiu (嗦丟:river rocks) or stinky tofu?
> 
> I added a link to a YouTube video about Suodiu as it's a obscure dish.


Tofu, I suppose.  It has more known health benefits.

Would you rather watch Flamenco or Thai dancing?


----------



## Conrad2

Flamenco Dancing. More energetic and dynamic to watch, although traditional Thailand dancing would be nice to watch.

Now to absurd level of luxury - owning a Jacob & Co. Astronomia or Jaquet Droz Automata timepiece?


----------



## Ingélou

Jaquet Droz Automata - it looks much more amusing. 

Choose your breakfast - 
Full British (Bacon, Sausage & Egg, Toast, Coffee or Tea) or Continental (Croissants & Coffee)


----------



## Taggart

Full British (Bacon, Sausage & Egg, Toast, Coffee or Tea) or Continental (Croissants & Coffee)

A full English breakfast (the Belfast and Scots variants have *lots* of added extras) is the only way to go - and then second helpings!

Star Trek or Star Wars?


----------



## Ingélou

Star Trek - I always thought Star Wars was a bit more childish, though Trek has its moments. (Those darned Ferengi!  )

Which would you rather start - a TC thread that never kicks off or a TC thread that carries on and on and on and on?


----------



## Pat Fairlea

A TC thread that goes on and on, because that suggests folks are enjoying it and keeping it running.

Kipper or smoked haddock?


----------



## Conrad2

Smoked haddock. Perfer the sweet and clean taste of haddock to Kipper's oily texture.

Sashimi or Nigiri?


----------

