ToonForum - Newcastle United Forum

The fact that Newton stabbed himself repeatedly in the eye with a darning needle in order to study optics ought to guarantee him a place in the top 3 at least.

skalpel wrote:The fact that Newton stabbed himself repeatedly in the eye with a darning needle in order to study optics ought to guarantee him a place in the top 3 at least.

By that logic Micky Quim should be on the list based on his long running study into the effects of unexpected human excrement on various social situations.

When this research brings about an unveiling of the fecal spectrum or the invention of the smelloscope, then we'll talk Micky Quim.

skalpel wrote:The fact that Newton stabbed himself repeatedly in the eye with a darning needle in order to study optics ought to guarantee him a place in the top 3 at least.

He did that, plus invent calculus just so that he could explain to a friend why the planets orbit in ellipses all before he had even turned 30.

I would like to know the reason for the disparity between Newton and Darwin. Even though they were very different scientists, they were still both scientist and ones who profoundly influenced both their science field and the human race. Yet one has over double the votes as the other.

No idea either, I voted for Newton and expected it would be a pretty tight run between the two. But perhaps people are voting for their four in categories. For instance 1 Sciences, 1 Arts, 1 Politics, 1 Engineering. Perhaps it just so happens that more people think Darwin just about edges it and throw him the vote.

Dawin wasn't even that revolutionary. He was to evolution as Apple was to tablets.

Yeah I thought Newton was going to top the poll or be there or there abouts. Maybe yeah, but even if people were just picking 1 from science I would of thought it would of been more evenly split.

Churchill was an a**hole, Darwin didn't really do that much really, Berner's-Lee was just a pawn and Adam Smith is a total nobody compared to Keynes.

The character destruction in this thread has been probably the best thing about it .

Alfred the Great actually wasn't that great.

skalpel wrote:Churchill was an a**hole, Darwin didn't really do that much really, Berner's-Lee was just a pawn and Adam Smith is a total nobody compared to Keynes.

The character destruction in this thread has been probably the best thing about it .

To be fair I think one of those statements is probably true. I won't say which.

The degree to which us nobodies dismiss the achievements of the great and good is funny though.

Oh and I voted for both Darwin and Newton so the gap has nothing to do with me.

Donkey Toon wrote:

skalpel wrote:Churchill was an a**hole, Darwin didn't really do that much really, Berner's-Lee was just a pawn and Adam Smith is a total nobody compared to Keynes.

The character destruction in this thread has been probably the best thing about it .

To be fair I think one of those statements is probably true. I won't say which.

The degree to which us nobodies dismiss the achievements of the great and good is funny though.

Oh and I voted for both Darwin and Newton so the gap has nothing to do with me.

The great and the good and the Churchill?

skalpel wrote:

Donkey Toon wrote:
To be fair I think one of those statements is probably true. I won't say which.

The degree to which us nobodies dismiss the achievements of the great and good is funny though.

Oh and I voted for both Darwin and Newton so the gap has nothing to do with me.

The great and the good and the Churchill?

Got it in one.

What can I say, I'm just not that into him.

Mifune wrote:Alfred the Great actually wasn't that great.

I think skalpal's little bio suggests otherwise. What was wrong with him?

Paco wrote:

Mifune wrote:Alfred the Great actually wasn't that great.

I think skalpal's little bio suggests otherwise. What was wrong with him?

It was nothing more than some quite devastating character destructing.

Paco wrote:

Mifune wrote:Alfred the Great actually wasn't that great.

I think skalpal's little bio suggests otherwise. What was wrong with him?

Well he was crap in the kitchen for a start.

Donkey Toon wrote:

Paco wrote:
I think skalpal's little bio suggests otherwise. What was wrong with him?

Well he was crap in the kitchen for a start.

Couldn't cook an oatcake if his life depended on it.

Can we add the guy who built this to the list as a late entry?

ToonForum's Greatest Britons

1. Charles Darwin - 23

2. Isambard Kingdom Brunel - 17

3. Isaac Newton - 15

4. Tim Berners-Lee - 14

5. George Stephenson - 13 (6 Nominations)

6=. William Shakespeare - 13 (3 Nominations)

6=. George Orwell - 13 (3 Nominations)

7. Winston Churchill - 12

8. Adam Smith - 10

9. William Wilberforce - 9

10. Alfred the Great - 7

I'm doing a research project over the next few weeks on Winston Churchill for a book, specifically his leadership qualities.

I'll be looking to cover most of his political career, obviously, but does anyone more knowledgeable than me have any suggestions of relevant events to look into aside from the more obvious speeches/Battle of Britain etc. which display his leadership skills?

The more obscure the better really.