Corpus Christi Trimble

[Charlotte]

The Manchester captain's just been on telly saying that he's not sure whether the Corpus Christi team have broken the law and he's going to wait until there's been a full investigation.

It's an entertaining television programme, for heaven's sake, you spawny wazzock!

As The Liz pointed out, that's like having an investigation into whether or not a panellist on Gardener's Question time gave some wrong advice about when to plant a herbaceous border...

[Wowbagger]

I'm thinking of suing all of Britain's Universities because, not having gone to one, I was deprived of my right to take part in University Challenge.

Having said that, in the 1970s my sister sported a very fine sweatshirt with a standard University-style logo in the front which said "Idontgoto University". Perhaps the alumni of that august seat of learning could raise a team?

[Greenbank]

Anyone know the rules?

Apparently he was student on application, and during all the games apart from the final by which time he had graduated......

Is there anything in the rules to deal with this?

The BBC article say:-

"
The rules state that contestants must be a student throughout the filming and broadcasting.
"

By his own admission he wasn't a student for the QF round and beyond:-

"
He told the Observer: "I was a student when I applied to be on the show and on the day when we filmed the first two rounds, so I don't think I've done anything wrong."
"

Seems pretty simple to me. Rules say one thing. He did something outside the rules.

Disqualify them on the technicality and the prize should be handed over to the University of Manchester.

The BBC should have made more thorough checks at the time. The college, or team, should have owned up to it.

Gail Trimble should be burnt as a witch (a la The Daily Mash).

[Manotea]

As The Liz pointed out, that's like having an investigation into whether or not a panellist on Gardener's Question time gave some wrong advice about when to plant a herbaceous border...

and whether, once planted, it should have the right to stay.

[Really Ancien]

The usual MO would be for the team to travel in some sort of coach with supporters, organised by the Union, they should have noticed that one of the team could not be contacted via the internal mail. I suppose part of the problem is that they will have had his mobile number and E-mail, neither of which are geographical. So when they contacted him to make arrangements they would have had no indication that he was no longer at the University. They should take this opportunity to restrict the show to undergraduates.

Damon.

[andygates]

*takes surfboard to edge of teacup to ride the storm swell*

[clarion]

I once took part in a University Archery Team which we later realised contained no current students other than (on a technicality) myself.

[Julian]

The usual MO would be for the team to travel in some sort of coach with supporters, organised by the Union, they should have noticed that one of the team could not be contacted via the internal mail. I suppose part of the problem is that they will have had his mobile number and E-mail, neither of which are geographical. So when they contacted him to make arrangements they would have had no indication that he was no longer at the University. They should take this opportunity to restrict the show to undergraduates.

Damon.

If you're a student at Oxford, your college.ox.ac.uk address keeps working for almost a year after you graduate, and if you contact the Union they will give you a permanent ox.ac.uk email address if you want one.

[clarion]

At Oxbridge, aren't they 'studying' for their MAs after graduation?

[Julian]

No, and they don't pretend to be.

And the guy hadn't finished a BA, he'd dropped out of a PhD (I think).

[her_welshness]

The fact remains though that he is at full-time employment with PWC, he was not a student when they filmed the final. Therefore the team gets an automatic disqualification.

I still luv the Trimble...

[TheLurker]

Latin is very misunderstood. It is not the study of a language, like French or German. It is the definitive grammar and logic of thought that underpins most European languages - certainly English.  It is Latin that is also teh accepted language of the scientific definition or the law court - because its meanings and roots are so precise. Unlike the vernacular.
[snip]

Latin is no more precise than any other language. Legal and scientific terms in Latin are just names, the concepts have no connection with Latin itself. And Latin is not the definitive grammar and logic of thought that underpins most European languages, certainly not English. English is a Germanic language, although a large part of its vocabulary has Latin origins via French.

+1 See if you can find a copy of Baugh & Cable.  An excellent book on the history of the English language.

[TheLurker]

Oh be still my beating heart...
a thread about intelligent women with glasses and bicycles, and now librarians.

I'm going for a short lie down in a darkened room.

You are John Betjeman* AICMFP.

*Myfanwy. Verses 3 & 4

[Manotea]

Oh be still my beating heart...
a thread about intelligent women with glasses and bicycles, and now librarians.

I'm going for a short lie down in a darkened room.

You are John Betjeman* AICMFP.

*Myfanwy. Verses 2 & 3

For TheLurker, a picture of an intelligent woman librarian with glasses and bicycles.

Sorry, closest I could get.

[TheLurker]

Hmmm yes. Not _quite_ my cup of tea, but thank you for the thought.

[cc93]

Has been defenestrated!

[Greenbank]

Excellent. You don't look that clever now do you Corpus Christi Trimble?

All that remains is to burn her. I hope, for Mr Larrington's sake anyway, that they're busy rounding up the Lighthouse Family for the pyre.

[clarion]

Did Kay answer any questions, or was he just a makeweight in the Trimble All Stars?

[Julian]

They could have replaced him with a sack of hay and they'd still have won. 

[simonp]

Did Kay answer any questions, or was he just a makeweight in the Trimble All Stars?

You could try reading the article.  

(yes).

[cc93]

Did Kay answer any questions, or was he just a makeweight in the Trimble All Stars?

Apparently

Mr Kay was an important factor in the showdown, answering two "starters for 10" at a crucial point when his team was trailing.

[clarion]

Did Kay answer any questions, or was he just a makeweight in the Trimble All Stars?

You could try reading the article.  

(yes).

Ah.  It wasn't in the shorter version I read earlier.  Ta.

[Jaded]

It's all over for Trimble.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | University quiz team disqualified

No final year students can be part of a UC team, it's official.

[Wowbagger]

It's all over for Trimble.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | University quiz team disqualified

No final year students can be part of a UC team, it's official.

That, I think, is quite hard to enforce. PhD students quite frequently fail to complete their projects, or take unexpected gap years. Their funding can be dependent on annually awarded grants, so if funds dry up part way through their course, they will have a problem.

[Frenchie]

It's all over for Trimble.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | University quiz team disqualified

No final year students can be part of a UC team, it's official.

That, I think, is quite hard to enforce. PhD students quite frequently fail to complete their projects, or take unexpected gap years. Their funding can be dependent on annually awarded grants, so if funds dry up part way through their course, they will have a problem.

Really?! I have never seen nor experienced this Wow to be very honest. Never. So it is not as generalised as you make it. In the current university system it is hard to justify signing someone up for a PhD without funding lined up upfront; unless of course the person is what we call "self funded" maybe (even so if it is rare that they get their award annually, at least in science, engineering or business I would say). For every PhD student that makes it past Year 1 but does not complete one's academic record gets "tarnished" with possible implications on further funding; so when one appoints a student one does not expect them to disappear at will. If they were to disappear, for any raeson, including to earn money, their PhD and student status would most likley be suspended. I think it will be possible to enforce the above as PhDs have finite lifes (4 years in the UK full time) and most universities have progression reports/vivas between Year 1 and 2 and Year 2 and 3 which formalise the progression of the student. For UG it is even easier; unless they are enrolled initially on a MEng for example and would decide to take the BEng or BSc only ending after 3 of a scheduled 4 year programme. But I still expect the type of students to take part in the show to take the longer route. I would maybe add one caveat though: A lot of classics students do take classes and labs to fund their research or do PhDs in parallel to some admin/teaching support; which may leave the door open to some controversy.