John Simkin Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 While I was watching football on BBC1 last night, I received a couple of phone-calls (and several emails) to say that I had been featured in a question on BBC 2 (University Challenge). Each person had a different interpretation of what was said but it seems it went something like this: "What is the connection between a website run by John Simkin, Rosa Luxemburg and a film made in 1960. The answer is of course Spartacus. It seems a very bizarre question. I hope it was not a coded message to a CIA hitman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Richards Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 I hope it was not a coded message to a CIA hitman. (John Simkin) I don't think CIA hitmen watch BBC 2, and in particular 'University Challenge'. I wouldn't worry, John. They haven't been able to get Castro in 47 years. His stumble down the stairs a couple of years ago caused him more injury that the ghouls have ever been able to inflict. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid Walker Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 While I was watching football on BBC1 last night, I received a couple of phone-calls (and several emails) to say that I had been featured in a question on BBC 2 (University Challenge). Each person had a different interpretation of what was said but it seems it went something like this: "What is the connection between a website run by John Simkin, Rosa Luxemburg and a film made in 1960. The answer is of course Spartacus. It seems a very bizarre question. I hope it was not a coded message to a CIA hitman. Did anyone get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ecker Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 (edited) His stumble down the stairs a couple of years ago caused him more injury that the ghouls have ever been able to inflict. Coincidentally they showed a clip of Castro spectacularly falling down on the Dave Letterman Show tonight. It must have been the same incident. It was pretty funny (caught me completely by surprise), but I didn't know when it occurred and if he was hurt. I've also been wondering what happened to the poor sap who built the step. Edited March 20, 2007 by Ron Ecker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti Hynonen Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 (edited) John, I doubt anything sinister. Your website is quite a useful one and has had (hundreds of) thousands of visitors, which means your website and you are gaining popularity. On a different note, this was a fairly tough question, I doubt many would make the Spartacus connection from Rosa Luxemburg and "a film from 1960"; just curious did anyone get the right answer? Rosa Luxemburg was a founder of the German communist party and a leftist activist who was jailed for some time for apparently political reasons, and she was kidnapped and killed in 1919. Who would make the connection to the "Spartacist League" which she co-founded with Karl Liebknecht? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Luxemburg For the 1960 Oscar's (Academy awards) Spartacus did obtain the Oscar for "Supporting Actor", and the award went to PETER USTINOV who played a part in "Spartacus". In my opinion it would take somone very knowledgeable in 1960's films to know of the Spartacus connection. Therefore I would guess if they successfully answered "Spartacus", it must have been by way of knowing of your website. Edited March 20, 2007 by Antti Hynonen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Simkin Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 Therefore I would guess if they successfully answered "Spartacus", it must have been by way of knowing of your website. My nephew who has just graduated from university was very impressed (he was one of those who phoned me up while I was watching football). He seemed to think that if they ask a question like this on "University Challenge" it means that they expect all university students to know who I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Therefore I would guess if they successfully answered "Spartacus", it must have been by way of knowing of your website. My nephew who has just graduated from university was very impressed (he was one of those who phoned me up while I was watching football). He seemed to think that if they ask a question like this on "University Challenge" it means that they expect all university students to know who I am. "sterling" work John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ecker Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Andy, You're from a town called Gravesend? That sounds like a coded message in itself. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Geraghty Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 John, If you don't mind me asking, were you involved in lefty student activism with Tariq Aziz and others in the 60's. I'm just trying to pin down your claim to fame! All the best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Simkin Posted March 20, 2007 Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 John,If you don't mind me asking, were you involved in lefty student activism with Tariq Aziz and others in the 60's. I'm just trying to pin down your claim to fame! All the best, John I was a left-wing activist in the 1960s. I also owned a greyhound called Rosa Luxemburg. However, I suspect they got the question via a search for Spartacus at Google. My website is at number one for that search (even higher than the film or a page on Spartacus himself). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 So, now when someone does a search on Rosa Luxemberg your name and site may come up....mabye time to put her name and life somewhere on the site. Yes, I am sure we'd all like to know whether she won many races Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Geraghty Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 John,If you don't mind me asking, were you involved in lefty student activism with Tariq Aziz and others in the 60's. I'm just trying to pin down your claim to fame! All the best, John Tariq Ali I should have said. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Healy Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Therefore I would guess if they successfully answered "Spartacus", it must have been by way of knowing of your website. My nephew who has just graduated from university was very impressed (he was one of those who phoned me up while I was watching football). He seemed to think that if they ask a question like this on "University Challenge" it means that they expect all university students to know who I am. we won't tell.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Speer Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Therefore I would guess if they successfully answered "Spartacus", it must have been by way of knowing of your website. My nephew who has just graduated from university was very impressed (he was one of those who phoned me up while I was watching football). He seemed to think that if they ask a question like this on "University Challenge" it means that they expect all university students to know who I am. The coded message is that John Simkin's hard work is beginning to pay off and he is becoming somewhat of a celebrity. Congrats... (I think). In looking through Hunt's new book, I noticed that much of the discussion of the assassination seems to have been taken straight from the threads of this forum. I think someone already mentioned this, but after looking at the book, I know it's true. I mean, where else will one find extensive discussion of Cord Meyer's possible role? Of Phillips, Harvey and Morales? The other assassination forums only touch on these topics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Simkin Posted March 21, 2007 Author Share Posted March 21, 2007 So, now when someone does a search on Rosa Luxemberg your name and site may come up....mabye time to put her name and life somewhere on the site. Yes, I am sure we'd all like to know whether she won many races She broke her wrist in her first race and never raced again. However, I took her to mate with Flip Your Top, the St Ledger winner, and she had a litter of 11. Lenin died soon after being born (Rosa Luxemburg sat on him in the night) but the rest were good enough to race at Brighton, one of the best tracks in the country. Gramsci was the best of the litter and until he injured his shoulder he was one of the best puppies (under 2 year old) in the country. Summerhill was probably the fastest but she was too intelligent and knew it was a dummy hare and so would get to the front and wait for the others to join her. She was eventually banned from racing as she refused to win (she was not very popular with the punters). Summerhill was just not competitive enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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