All posts tagged: Pointless

The UK’s smoking ban is government meddling at its worst and most pointless | Simon Jenkins

The UK’s smoking ban is government meddling at its worst and most pointless | Simon Jenkins

Published by skeptic

Just because Liz Truss and Boris Johnson – both opposed to the government’s proposed new smoking ban – hold a belief does not make it wrong. Smoking is unpleasant, but in this week’s parliamentary debate, the word nicotine could have been replaced by cannabis, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, base jumping or mobile phones for children. All have their dangers. But in each case those in favour of restrictions rely on the same argument; if something produces a burden on the state it should be banned. Personal liberty can go hang. Rishi Sunak’s anti-smoking bill carried the same smudgy fingerprints as his bill on Rwanda. It suggested a late-night Downing Street cabal desperate for somethingeye-catching to inject into the election campaign. It does not ban anyone from smoking, despite appearances. It bans shops from selling cigarettes to an ever-expanding age cohort, currently anyone under 18, with the legal cutoff increasing by one year each year. People born in or after 2009, in other words, will never be able to legally buy a cigarette in Britain. The bill’s …

Manchester City-Arsenal and the Pointless Search for Scapegoats

Manchester City-Arsenal and the Pointless Search for Scapegoats

Published by Sam

Chances are, the truth will not feature much in the coverage. It will not be a central point in the buildup. The commentators may mention it in passing, but their tone will indicate that the hyperbole is not to be punctured. And if Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta try to point it out before Manchester City faces Arsenal on Sunday, it will be viewed as gamesmanship, or deflection, or unapologetic sophistry. Still, it is true: The meeting between City and Arsenal will not provide the deciding, defining moment in the Premier League’s most compelling title race in a decade. It is a game of glowering significance and considerable heft, of course, a chance for one team to clear a towering, looming hurdle. But it is no conclusion. The mathematics, the raw facts and figures, bear that out. By the end of the weekend, a maximum of four points will separate the teams: a meaningful gap, no doubt, but not an insurmountable lead. There is a better than even chance that by the time the whistle …

Pointless host Alexander Armstrong makes rare comments on family life with wife Hannah Bronwen Snow and 4 sons – exclusive

Pointless host Alexander Armstrong makes rare comments on family life with wife Hannah Bronwen Snow and 4 sons – exclusive

Published by skeptic

Alexander Armstrong is best known for lighting up our screens on TV quiz show Pointless and bringing music to people’s ears on Classic FM. But when it came to charting new territory by writing his first novel, the presenter and comedian turned to his four sons for help. “I’ve been reading my book aloud to them and they’ve been amazing,” he tells HELLO! “I can spot instantly when they’re gripped, or when I’ve got too carried away. It’s lovely having them as a sounding board.”  “Having four boys, I wanted to write a real page-turner for children their age,” adds Alexander.  © PA ImagesAlexander shares sons Henry, Rex, Patrick and Edward with wife Hannah Advice from former Pointless co-host Richard Osman Alexander’s debut thriller The Golden Linnet comes out in September and not one to rest on his laurels, he has already started writing his second work of fiction. He credits his former Pointless co-host Richard Osman – himself, a seasoned thriller writer – with being another great support. “I can check in and say: …

Here’s How Game Shows Ensure They Don’t Lose All Their Money

Here’s How Game Shows Ensure They Don’t Lose All Their Money

Published by skeptic

It’s simple maths, right? If a game show like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire pays out the maximum amount to a winner every week, the network running it would surely be bankrupt in a season – and it’s not like you can control the quizzing skills of the person in the hotseat. If, like me, you’ve always wondered how game shows stay within a budget, Richard Osman ― author and former host of TV game shows like Pointless, devisor of 24 Hour Quiz, and executive producer of Deal Or No Deal ― has an answer. Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, he chatted with Marina Hyde about the topic. “Are the questions on daytime quizzes weighted to ensure there isn’t a daily payout, or are the questions selected randomly?” a fan of the show asked. Well, are they? “The questions wouldn’t be weighted particularly in that way,” Richard answered. “But lots of formats have ways of ensuring there isn’t a payout. So, you’ll do like a final round where you could win or …

Strictly national responses would be pointless

Strictly national responses would be pointless

Published by skeptic

Is Ecuador on the verge of becoming a failed state? This question has been raised more than ever, since the wave of violence that followed the prison break revealed on January 7 in which crime lord Adolfo Macias, alias “Fito,” escaped from the high-security detention center where he was serving a 34-year prison sentence. Macias was suspected of having ordered the August 9, 2023, assassination of a presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, who had denounced corruption and the growing influence of the drug cartels. This execution was already an alarming sign of Ecuador’s downward slide. Faced with a wave of prison riots, a spectacular hostage crisis live on state television, and the murder and kidnapping of members of the security forces, President Daniel Noboa declared on January 9 that the country was facing “internal armed conflict.” He has ordered the “neutralization” of criminal groups, but does he have the means to do so? Ecuador, which had long been a haven of peace in a troubled region, has fallen prey to organized crime due to the trade …

Debating Trump Is Pointless – The Atlantic

Debating Trump Is Pointless – The Atlantic

Published by skeptic

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Donald Trump has decided to skip the Republican presidential debates. That’s just as well: Debating Trump is demeaning to everyone involved, and it serves no purpose. First, here are three new stories from The Atlantic: Contempt for the Electoral Process Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that he’s skipping the Republican-primary debates, the first of which is tomorrow night. His decision makes political sense: A candidate who is crushing the entire field has little incentive to walk into a lion’s den and take on eight challengers. Of course, a candidate who cares about politics, policy, and the voters might want to show courage and respect for the electoral process—but this is Donald Trump we’re talking about, so those are not real considerations. Strange as it may seem, I not only support Trump’s decision, but I think both parties should seize …