Questor
2020-12-03 21:35:21 UTC
Blah blah blah blah blah detour, blah blah blah blah, blah blah blah roadblock,
blah blah blah blah blah...
Has the Amazing Race become so routine that noone has anything to say about it?
I know that Usenet has long been declining in active participants, but the
sound of crickets this season has been overwhelming. There used to be a handful
of regulars that posted... where have they all gone?
Did anybody wonder why the length of the fishing net was 3280 feet? It's just a
little over 6/10s of a mile -- i.e., one kilometer. I guess the producers were
concerned that Americans wouldn't understand the metric system.
I don't like it when the race goes to temples, etc. and involves religious
people in handing out clues at route info points. It's one thing to involve
costumed locals and the like at historical sites and other locations of
interest, but I think it's disrespectful to have monks or whatnot do it -- as if
it was just another tourist attraction to be used for the benefit of a
commercial operation. Have a clue box outside in front of a temple, sure -- get
that scenic camera shot. But don't go inside, and don't enlist the faithful
religiious adherents in what is decidedly a secular enterprise.
Something I've noticed in recent seasons, and particularly this one, is the use
of the "thumbs up" gesture by locals when racers successfully complete a detour
or roadblock. AFAIK, it's largely an American-only move, one that is actually
viewed as obscene in other parts of the world. In some countries it means
something like "sit on it" or "up yours." Clearly the producers have directed
this action. I wonder what the people who live in such countries think of this.
As we know, racers aren't allowed to help their teammate in any way during a
roadblock. Often, as with last night's tile-making task, they are close enough
to be able to watch and yell encouragement. It occurred to me that racers could
create a secret way to communicate with their partner to assist them. For
example, if they say "you can do it, babe," that would mean their partner should
look or move to their left. If they say "you can do it, honey," that would mean
their partner should look or move to their right. If they say, "you've got this
(name)," that might mean they're missing something and should look at the
sample again. All these seemingly innocuous comments could actually be
transmitting instructions. I wonder if any teams have thought to do this, or
actually done it.
blah blah blah blah blah...
Has the Amazing Race become so routine that noone has anything to say about it?
I know that Usenet has long been declining in active participants, but the
sound of crickets this season has been overwhelming. There used to be a handful
of regulars that posted... where have they all gone?
Did anybody wonder why the length of the fishing net was 3280 feet? It's just a
little over 6/10s of a mile -- i.e., one kilometer. I guess the producers were
concerned that Americans wouldn't understand the metric system.
I don't like it when the race goes to temples, etc. and involves religious
people in handing out clues at route info points. It's one thing to involve
costumed locals and the like at historical sites and other locations of
interest, but I think it's disrespectful to have monks or whatnot do it -- as if
it was just another tourist attraction to be used for the benefit of a
commercial operation. Have a clue box outside in front of a temple, sure -- get
that scenic camera shot. But don't go inside, and don't enlist the faithful
religiious adherents in what is decidedly a secular enterprise.
Something I've noticed in recent seasons, and particularly this one, is the use
of the "thumbs up" gesture by locals when racers successfully complete a detour
or roadblock. AFAIK, it's largely an American-only move, one that is actually
viewed as obscene in other parts of the world. In some countries it means
something like "sit on it" or "up yours." Clearly the producers have directed
this action. I wonder what the people who live in such countries think of this.
As we know, racers aren't allowed to help their teammate in any way during a
roadblock. Often, as with last night's tile-making task, they are close enough
to be able to watch and yell encouragement. It occurred to me that racers could
create a secret way to communicate with their partner to assist them. For
example, if they say "you can do it, babe," that would mean their partner should
look or move to their left. If they say "you can do it, honey," that would mean
their partner should look or move to their right. If they say, "you've got this
(name)," that might mean they're missing something and should look at the
sample again. All these seemingly innocuous comments could actually be
transmitting instructions. I wonder if any teams have thought to do this, or
actually done it.