Dr Paul

Always enjoy getting a portrait from the Quizzers. This is the most photorealistic one so far.

Labour votes at 2017 General Election: 12.9 million (Hung parliamnet)

Labour votes at 2024 General Election: 9.7 million (Big Labour majority)

Funny how it works out.

I’m super busy today, so this post is brief.

Just know this: I’m going to be writing questions about NEWTS soon and they will make their way into the database and then, in time, they will show up at the quiz.

Learn about newts!

Anyway,

Quizzes tonight:

====================
7 pm – Brass Monkey Drummond St (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - PICTURE round: "MARK TWAIN"
No bookings taken - Call pub 031 556 1961 or Facebook
====================
7.30 pm – Fisherrow Tap (with Brigid)
Jackpot – £90
Free answer - PICTURE round: "YVES SAINT LAURENT"
Book - 031 259 5830 or Fisherrow Tap Facebook
====================
9pm – Newsroom (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - MUSIC round: "JAMIROQUAI"
Book: 0131 557 5286 or Newsroom online booking
====================

With quiz and love,
Dr Paul

Siddy had a request last night from one of the bookings at the Safari Lounge, asking if they could bring their pet cat to the quiz. It would be on a lead.

Our venerable Safari leader thought about it but said no, mainly cos the pub does get dogs and cats like their own space and it might have created a problem.

Who knows? It might have worked, but it’s an unusual one, you don’t really get people bringing their cats to the pub.

I’m sure Alex at the Joker told me that he had to turn a guy away who had a parrot.

I think his line was something like “Sorry mate, you can’t bring your parrot in here”. No nonsense, likes.

Anyway, what’s the strangest animal you’ve seen in the pub?

Anyway, tonight’s best pot is ninety quid at the Ship. Here’s the Wednesday line-up:
=============
6 pm – The Joker & The Thief (with me)
Jackpot – £60
Free answer - PICTURE round: "THOMAS EDISON"
Book: 0131 556 3274 or Facebook
=============
6 pm – Oz Bar (with Stuart F)
Jackpot – £30
Free answer - PICTURE round: "EX-MACHINA"
Book: 0131 259 6295 or Facebook
=============
7 pm – Ship Inn, Musselburgh (with Stewart D)
Jackpot – £90
Free answer - MUSIC round: "KATY B"
Book: 0131 665 2642 or Facebook
=============
8 pm – West Port Oracle (with Stuart F)
Jackpot – £60
Free answer - PICTURE round: "RENAULT CLIO"
Book: 0131 283 1960 or Facebook
=============
8.30 pm – Brass Monkey Shore (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - PICTURE round: "GROUSE"
Book: 0131 555 7306 or Facebook
=============

With quiz and love,

Dr Paul

I asked the crowd last night at Brass Grange for antihistamines as I was somewhat runny nose and scratchy eyes.

Nothing.

I tried again, this time offering one quiz point for one antihistamine tablet.

And then everyone’s scrambling for the drugs.

So you don’t want to help a guy, unless there’s something in it for you.

So, I see:

This is Thomas Hobbes’s brutal state of nature. This is Werner Herzog’s universe, a cruel uncraing void.

We will all die alone.

Anyway, apart from that I should be repaired enough to host the big jackpot quiz at the Safari Lounge tonight.

See you then.

Tonight’s quizzes:
=============
6.30 pm – Porty Tap (with Isla)
Jackpot – £30
Free answer - PICTURE round: "OLIVIA COLMAN"
Book: 0131 629 6266 or Facebook
=============
6.30 pm – Waverley Bar (with Bonni)
Jackpot – £60
Free answer - MUSIC round: "BOBBY GOLDSBORO"
Book: 0131 557 9855 or Facebook
=============
9 pm - Safari Lounge (with me)
Jackpot – £180
Free answer: PICTURE round: "GIANT ANTEATER"
Book: 0131 661 4741 or Facebook
=============
With quiz and love,
Dr Paul

Karmic Quizzers. Champs!

There was a a guy last night in the Persevere who was 81 years old. I told him looked great. He grinned and said “I’m nearly 82”

This chap has been living in South Wales for several decades but grew up on Easter Road and told me that he remembers the Persevere when it wasn’t a pub at all. He says it used to be the Co-op. And that the next door bit which is now the Polish restaurant used to be the butcher’s

He recalled the late 1940s when he would be sent down the road by his mum with a line for groceries. In those days you didn’t go around the shop yourself. The grocer got things for you.

You waited on a bench and, when it was your turn, you gave your line, your written list, to the grocer and they would go round the goods, which were all on their side of the counter, and put together your order, presenting you with your messages complete.

It sounds pretty civilized to be honest.

Things have “progressed” and now we slope around the shelves, picking up this and that with all the scattergun idiocy of the modern impulsive consumer chimp.

Then we scan it ourselves, bag it ourselves and leave.

Bring back the Co-op, I say. Just not in the Percy, obviously. Let’s keep that as the splendid boozing establishment that it is..

Anyway, that was last night. Here’s all of tonight’s action:

==================
7pm – Brass Monkey Leith Walk (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - MUSIC round: "PULP"
Book: 0131 554 5286 or Facebook or the Monkey's online booking system
==================
7pm – Kitty O’Shea’s (with Alan)
Jackpot – £100
Free answer - PICTURE round: "CAPRICORN"
Book: 0131 226 2224 or Facebook or the Kitty’s online booking system
==================
8pm - Amber Rose (with Brigid)
Jackpot – £150
Free answer: PICTURE round : "STRAIGHT"
Book: 0131 226 1224 or Facebook
==================
9pm – Brass Monkey Grange (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - PICTURE round: "THE CURE"
Book - 0131 667 2335
==================

With quiz and love,
Dr Paul

It's amazing how few people know off the top of their head where Jeffrey Street is.

When I'm talking about the Hot Toddy quiz, I mention it. People look blank.

I say "You know where the Canongate meets the High Street?"
They're slightly more sure.

"You know Saint Mary's Street?"
"Yeah"

For some reason everyone knows Saint Mary's Street.

"Well it's the street across the Highs St from St Mary's Street"
"Ah right - with the Baked Potato shop?"

That's right - the Baked Potato shop. In fact, Hot Toddy is right across the road from the Baked Potato shop. Perhaps that's how I should list its address?

Anyway - £100 jackpot tonight. See you there....

I went to watch the Spartans against Forfar yesterday. It wasn’t a great game. The match finished 1-0 to the home side with a scrambled goal in stoppage time. Apart from the goal, it was forgettable stuff.

But then again, I’m not the sort of person who remembers football games in great detail.

When I was a more regular attendee (90s/00s, Partick Thistle), I would constantly be amazed as to how much detail supporters could retain about moments and matches from long before.

They would tell you of goals they could remember including: the build-up play, whether the finish was with the left or right foot, detail about other players’ reactions. And so on. The would remember the weather and what they drank that day.

In these moments of recall, the breathtaking power of the human mind. was on full display.

Sometimes I wonder, given all this human mental power, how we end up doing such dumb things like starting wars and walking into glass doors.

It’s like we’re cursed to be simultaneously smart and dumb at the same time. Dumb enough to do idiotic things. Smart enough to notice.

Come and enjoy another battle between your smart bit and your dumb half, tonight at the quizzes::

========================
6pm – Persevere (with me)
Jackpot – £30
Free answer - MUSIC round: "NELLY FURTADO"
Book: 0131 554 0271 or get in touch with them on Facebook
=========================
6pm – Porty Vault (with Alan)
Jackpot – £90
Free answer - PICTURE round: "TUNISIA"
Book: 0131 609 0810 or get in touch with them on Facebook
=========================
8pm – Hot Toddy (with me)
Jackpot – £100
Free answer - PICTURE round: "FLASH GORDON"
Book: Just turn up or Phone the Hot Toddy on 0131 285 8418
=========================
With quiz and love,
Dr Paul

Boogly boogly boo

Ray Gun. Putting Australia on the map.

finished this week which reminded me that I stalled at day 55 this year. Have decided to finish anyway. Might take till Christmas.

“Listen to the rhythm of the pouring rain.”
I love how songwriters turn sh*tty weather into beautiful poetry.

But why is bad weather more poetic than good weather? I don’t know. It’s a conundrum of language and spirit.

If you have any ideas, come to the quiz and let me know.

Apart from that all I really have to tell you about is the whopper jackpot at Brass Monkey Drummond Street tonight. Two hundred and fifty pounds? You bet!

Quizzes tonight:

==================
7 pm – Brass Monkey Drummond St (with me)
Jackpot – £250
Free answer - PICTURE round: "ANDY WARHOL"
No bookings taken - Call pub 031 556 1961 or Facebook
==================
7.30 pm – Fisherrow Tap (with Brigid)
Jackpot – £60
Free answer - MUSIC round: "AVRIL LAVIGNE"
Book - 031 259 5830 or Fisherrow Tap Facebook
==================
9pm – Newsroom (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - PICTURE round: "ANGLERFISH"
Book: 0131 557 5286 or Newsroom online booking
==================
With quiz and love,

Dr Paul

I was reminiscing with Ru last night about lock-ins in the old days. And when I say the old days, I mean about five or six years ago.

One night, we had a nice quiet summer-night lock-in at a certain venue near the University and things went on a bit. There was a lot of vodka.

By the time I stumbled out, it was daylight, early morning and, to my delight, the first buses had started running, so I didn’t have to get taxi. South Bridge? Anumber 8 in three minutes? Perfect!

I could have predicted what happened next which is that I fell asleep, missed my stop by miles and woke up in unfamiliar territory.

I smashed the bell and leapt off at the next stop, having no real idea where I was. Turns out I was in Muirhouse.

However, good news! The bus from which I’d just alighted was turning round. I was at the terminus this same Number 8 was going back the other way. I re-boarded.

“Didn’t I just let you off there?” asked the driver.
“Yes - I missed my stop, I just need to go back a little bit”
“Ya dafty”
“I know.”

I only had to stay awake for about 7 minutes to get home from there. But it didn’t happen. I fell asleep again, missed my stop by miles and didn’t wake up until… South Bridge

At this point I was still drunk, had been travelling on a bus for over an hour, just to reach the exact same point where I started.

I gave in and caught a taxi.

I don’t drink as much these days. It’s better in many ways.

Enjoy your Wednesday. I'll see you tonight:
=============
Oz Bar – 6 pm
Jackpot - £30
Free answer: "SUPERTRAMP"
Book on FB.
=============
The Joker & The Thief – 6 pm
Jackpot - £60
Free answer: "MILLIPEDE"
Book Joker by messaging on FB.
=============
Ship Inn - 7 pm
Jackpot - £60
Free answer: "JAMAICA"
Book: 0131 665 2642
=============
West Port Oracle – 8 pm
Jackpot - £30
Free answer: "MARMOSET"
Book on FB.or 0131 283 1960
=============
Brass Monkey Shore - 8.30pm
Jackpot - £50
Free answer: "COLUMBO"
Book: 0131 555 7306

So we'll see you tonight.,
Dr Paul

Wikipedia sentences of the day, reached at 1350:

"The Salvation Army flag is a symbol of the Army's war against sin and social evils. The red on the flag symbolises the blood of Jesus Christ, the yellow for the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the blue for purity and God."

Bonus prize. Win this idiotic book at the Safari lounge quiz tonight. 9pm

On my way home last night, I was waiting for a bus on Forrest Road and, from down the street, I heard a group of seagulls all squawking at each other like the demented spirits of the damned.

Presumably fighting over discarded chips. You know what it sounds like:

Ayeeeek !Ah-Ah! Nyaaaaah!

As it turned out, it was just a group of students heading towards a nightclub. They were enjoying themselves and the hilarity translated into something that sounded like crazed seagulls.

It’s fresher’s week, of course. I wish them well. God bless them all and their IDs that state “2006”.

Blimey.

Anyway, if you’re more towards my end of the age spectrum, then come to the quiz and display your massive intellectual superiority over these babies and trounce them at the quiz.

We may be getting on a bit, but we will have satisfaction.

Tonight’s quizzes:

===========================
6.30 pm – Porty Tap (with Isla)
Jackpot – £60
Free answer - PICTURE round: "BA*****ED LADIES"
Book: 0131 629 6266 or Facebook
===========================
6.30 pm – Waverley Bar (with Stuart F)
Jackpot – £30
Free answer - PICTURE round: "SID JAMES"
Book: 0131 557 9855 or Facebook
===========================
9 pm - Safari Lounge (with me)
Jackpot – £150
Free answer: MUSIC round: "BUFFALO BILLS"
Book: 0131 661 4741 or Facebook
===========================

With quiz and love,
Dr Paul

Fifty quid y'all

Abolish Anagrams win the quiz worth the usual line up, PLUS this additional talent. Strong team performance!

Happy birthday Alan, there's fifty quid.

One off thousand pounds prize tonight (with caveat)

So Kitty’s is putting up a £1000 jackpot tonight but with the caveat that you must be student to win the money. (And it MUST be won tonight.)

So the win is going to come with an ID check.

It’s not ideally the way I would run things but Kitty’s have put up the dough and that’s what they’re doing.

Obviously, it’s to do with fresher’s week when the next batch of young adults step off the train at Waverley and, in a state of wondrous disorientation, decide to acquaint themselves with our city by getting rat-arsed in various old-town and new-town boozers.

If you’re past that stage of life, leave that scene to them tonight and wish them well. Don’t creep on it.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to imagine what it would have been like to win a grand, in terms of when I was a student.

A quick look at the The Bank of England inflation calculator is showing me to have the impact as winning £1000 now in my Freshers week (1990), I would have to had won £417.

Wow. Even that was a wild amount of money back then. The rent on my room for 1st year was £170 (which was relatively expensive then, so that’s more than 2 months rent right there).

I hope whoever wins that bundle tonight is an appreciative young person who really feels the impact, not some trust funder who barely notices.

Anyway, good luck to all. Here’s all of tonight’s action:

==============================
7pm – Brass Monkey Leith Walk (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - PICTURE round: "SEINFELD"
Book: 0131 554 5286 or Facebook or the Monkey's online booking system
==============================
7pm – Kitty O’Shea’s (with Stuart)
Jackpot – £1000
Free answer - PICTURE round: "CARAVAGGIO"
Book: 0131 226 2224 or Facebook or the Kitty’s online booking system
==============================
8pm - Amber Rose (with Alan)
Jackpot – £100
Free answer: PICTURE round : "URUGUAY"
Book: 0131 226 1224 or Facebook
==============================
9pm – Brass Monkey Grange (with me)
Jackpot – £150
Free answer - MUSIC round: "SIA"
Book - 0131 667 2335
==============================
With quiz and love,
Dr Paul

Earlier this week, I finished reading ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ by Victor Hugo.

If you’re ever feeling bad about life, I thoroughly recommend classic fiction. It really takes you away from the world and makes you forget your troubles, particularly if the characters in the book you’re reading are suffering greatly, which tends to put your own troubles into positive perspective.

This is definitely the case in The Hunchback.

Everyone in the book have a terrible time. They endure kidnap, injustice, physical deformity, religious persecution, torture, death, bereavement, romantic rejection and the sheer general brutality of life in the late middle ages (the book is set in 1482).

While reading the book I have had a bit of a sore knee and a dodgy elbow. Which on their own would be annoying but in the context of the misery of 15th century Paris, seems a doddle.

Speaking of doddles, come to the quizzes tonight and breeze into victory. It’s easy if you don’t worry about it too much:

See you later:

==================
6pm – Persevere (with me)
Jackpot – £90
Free answer - PICTURE round: "GOLDFINGER"
Book: 0131 554 0271 or get in touch with them on Facebook
==================
6pm – Porty Vault (with Bonni)
Jackpot – £60
Free answer - PICTURE round: "MAC AND ME"
Book: 0131 609 0810 or get in touch with them on Facebook
==================
8pm – Hot Toddy (with me)
Jackpot – £50
Free answer - MUSIC round: "ULTRAVOX"
Book: Just turn up or Phone the Hot Toddy on 0131 285 8418
==================
With quiz and love,
Dr Paul

Last Sunday night, popped into Bells on the way home and there was a guy playing a hurdy-gurdy.

Now, you don't often see a guy with a hurdy-gurdy, but this bloke didn't just have a hurdy-gurdy, he had TWO.

That's a backup hurdy-gurdy. A spare. That's the black one by his feet.

The Edinburgh folk scene is wild.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76yWZcsgwF8&ab_channel=stiffurkel

Team Fuctifano, winning at Brass Monkey Shore on Wednesday. All contributed but everyone agrees it was mainly Nigel.

Newsroom winners THE BAMPOTS from Thursday night: