A Potpourri of Poetic Curiosities
Viewing comments for Chapter 222 "Hello, 911?"A collection of poems showcasing unusual words
17 total reviews
Comment from Robbie Yates
...who you gonna call??!
GHOSTBUSTERS!
(Sorry, couldn't resist).
What a brilliant piece! I had never thought about the Americans missing out - here I was thinking we were all unlucky because Aussie kids ended up growing up thinking "911" was OUR emergency number!
Also - nod to the very well chosen Porsche image :D
reply by the author on 12-Aug-2018
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...who you gonna call??!
GHOSTBUSTERS!
(Sorry, couldn't resist).
What a brilliant piece! I had never thought about the Americans missing out - here I was thinking we were all unlucky because Aussie kids ended up growing up thinking "911" was OUR emergency number!
Also - nod to the very well chosen Porsche image :D
Comment Written 12-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 12-Aug-2018
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Thanks once again for a super review :) Glad you enjoyed the photo of my Porsche - I'd have taken one of the Rolls, but it's in for a service ;-)
Most grateful, Craig
Comment from Ulla
Well, and in Europe, which also includes the Uk, as long they are in the EU, the number is 112. But trust the British to be different. They have both numbers. I like your pun with the Porche 911. Great word and great little poem. All the best. Ulla:))
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Well, and in Europe, which also includes the Uk, as long they are in the EU, the number is 112. But trust the British to be different. They have both numbers. I like your pun with the Porche 911. Great word and great little poem. All the best. Ulla:))
Comment Written 11-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Thanks for picking up on the little visual joke, Ulla :) So far, you are the only one to mention it. Most grateful -- Craig
Comment from Mustang Patty
Hi, Craig,
Nope - here in the US, you need to keep your head and dial using the entire phone pad - the nine-one-one truly came to bite us in the butt when the terrorists used the distress call against us and attacked on nine-one-one.
Thank you for sharing another new word,
~patty~
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Hi, Craig,
Nope - here in the US, you need to keep your head and dial using the entire phone pad - the nine-one-one truly came to bite us in the butt when the terrorists used the distress call against us and attacked on nine-one-one.
Thank you for sharing another new word,
~patty~
Comment Written 11-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Hi Patty,
The late Christopher Hitchens had a theory on why Al-Qaeda chose 9/11 as the date, and it wasn't to do with it being the emergency number. If you're interested, you can read about it here:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/oct/03/september11.usa2
Thanks for reviewing :)
Craig
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Wow - it does make sense. Seems like they never forget anything! But, world-dominance has always been very important to them. THANK YOU for sharing that,
~patty~
Comment from Pamusart
Hi Craig. I guessed that repdigit meant repeating digits. I assumed it would be 911 in all countries. But leave it to the US to be different. I do not expect to ever be in any of these other countries, but it is nice to spread the word. Thank you for sharing
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Hi Craig. I guessed that repdigit meant repeating digits. I assumed it would be 911 in all countries. But leave it to the US to be different. I do not expect to ever be in any of these other countries, but it is nice to spread the word. Thank you for sharing
Comment Written 11-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Hi Pam. The US isn't the only country not using repeating digits, it seems to be split 50:50, from those I have come across (about a dozen, I haven't "researched" it lol) Many thanks, Craig
Comment from lyenochka
Oh, I didn't know! South Korea doesn't have a repdigit, either. Their emergency number is 119. Great poem with good situational examples to let us know when to use a repdigit or not.
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Oh, I didn't know! South Korea doesn't have a repdigit, either. Their emergency number is 119. Great poem with good situational examples to let us know when to use a repdigit or not.
Comment Written 11-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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LOL, so they have simply reversed the American code :) Thanks, Helen.
Comment from MissMerri
This poem is clever and written with no visible flaws that I can perceive so I guess it won't kill me to give it a six. Yes, perhaps that seems a little grudging, but you earned it, so you'll get it. LOL I was wondering if our emergency number, 911, might also qualify as a repdigit since the 1 is repeated. Or does it have to be repeated three or more times? Or do you think that is really the number eleven? In which case, nothing is repeated. You give me lots to think about, but I love the word poems, so keep going. Soon you will have a whole book to publish. This is fun. MM
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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This poem is clever and written with no visible flaws that I can perceive so I guess it won't kill me to give it a six. Yes, perhaps that seems a little grudging, but you earned it, so you'll get it. LOL I was wondering if our emergency number, 911, might also qualify as a repdigit since the 1 is repeated. Or does it have to be repeated three or more times? Or do you think that is really the number eleven? In which case, nothing is repeated. You give me lots to think about, but I love the word poems, so keep going. Soon you will have a whole book to publish. This is fun. MM
Comment Written 10-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Hi, MM.
Repdigits can be any length (not just 3 digits, as in my examples), but they do need to be ALL the same. I'm wondering if any country has 666 as their emergency code. That could be spooky. Many thanks for the lovely award of six stars. I suspect that's too generous, but don't let me put you off :) Cheers, Craig
Comment from Y. M. Roger
Okay...so that is now a word that i, as a math teacher, do hearby promise to bring back into use! It's fun AND it's logical: a repeated digit, repdigit! :) ;) And your poem is not only well-done but is educational as well - love it! :) ;)
As always thanx for sharing!
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Okay...so that is now a word that i, as a math teacher, do hearby promise to bring back into use! It's fun AND it's logical: a repeated digit, repdigit! :) ;) And your poem is not only well-done but is educational as well - love it! :) ;)
As always thanx for sharing!
Comment Written 10-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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So, a math teacher! I expect you've memorised pi, at least up until the 6 repeating 9s in the sequence (it's only 762 places in) ;-) Thanks for the lovely review, and if my poem gets a tick from the math instructor, I'm giving myself a pat on the back :)
Comment from Gloria ....
Well this is a word that actually makes sense, yes? Rep for representative and digit for finger puppets. Personally I think 000 might be a bit of tough one because you might dial four zeros rather than three, or does the call just automatically transfer? haha.
A great fun poem, Craig and a pleasure to read.
Gloria
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Well this is a word that actually makes sense, yes? Rep for representative and digit for finger puppets. Personally I think 000 might be a bit of tough one because you might dial four zeros rather than three, or does the call just automatically transfer? haha.
A great fun poem, Craig and a pleasure to read.
Gloria
Comment Written 10-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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I think it goes through after the three, and the operator hears a single "Ohhhhhh!"
Many thanks, Gloria :)
Comment from --Turtle.
Hey, Craig,
Nice job with this series of rhyming sets that look across different locations for emergency numbers to emphasis an example of repdigits. Was pleasing to read aloud, had an easy pace. Learned a bit too.
and dial nine-nine-nine.
(Smooth rhyme and an instant sense of what is being discussed. Emergancy number comparisons)
the number's oh-oh-oh.
(By here I enjoyed the setup of a pattern being established... location, emergency, ... number, different places... different numbers, but there's a pattern.)
so, who you gonna call?
(Ah, not a trio of the same number, but at least it's a short number to remember. The number 911 is so engraved in my head, I'd never even thought about how other locations handle emergency call numbers.
One of the things I wondered with the 999, 000, 111 ... is if those numbers are dialled more often by accident or not because of them being repdigits. (Though, 911 gets a lot of butt dials. I had some idle curiosity of what three digit number is dialled accidentally the most. Would emergancy get more or less butt dials if it were a repdigit?))
Then again, I also wonder what the effects of rotary phones and habit had to do with the choice of 911 too. 1 being the fastest number to dial on a rotary phone and 9 being a long string. Now I'm curious, I'll probably go look up the history of why that number.
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Hey, Craig,
Nice job with this series of rhyming sets that look across different locations for emergency numbers to emphasis an example of repdigits. Was pleasing to read aloud, had an easy pace. Learned a bit too.
and dial nine-nine-nine.
(Smooth rhyme and an instant sense of what is being discussed. Emergancy number comparisons)
the number's oh-oh-oh.
(By here I enjoyed the setup of a pattern being established... location, emergency, ... number, different places... different numbers, but there's a pattern.)
so, who you gonna call?
(Ah, not a trio of the same number, but at least it's a short number to remember. The number 911 is so engraved in my head, I'd never even thought about how other locations handle emergency call numbers.
One of the things I wondered with the 999, 000, 111 ... is if those numbers are dialled more often by accident or not because of them being repdigits. (Though, 911 gets a lot of butt dials. I had some idle curiosity of what three digit number is dialled accidentally the most. Would emergancy get more or less butt dials if it were a repdigit?))
Then again, I also wonder what the effects of rotary phones and habit had to do with the choice of 911 too. 1 being the fastest number to dial on a rotary phone and 9 being a long string. Now I'm curious, I'll probably go look up the history of why that number.
Comment Written 10-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Well, I guess back in the rotary phone days, it might have been a valid complaint that our emergency number here was the slowest they could possibly have chosen, for a three digit number. I suspect people in most western countries know two emergency numbers -- their own, and 911 lol
Many thanks for a great review; Craig
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: ) Actually did go back and read up on it a little bit.... read that one state started with 999, and then the government went to AT&T because they were worried every state would have one of their own, so they standardized it to 911 as the second digit one indicated a special service number, and it wasn't in use for any area code or starting phone number...
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
I've never thought of this, Craig. You did a good job posing this idea/question. I believe it would be great if all countries had the same easy to remember number, but it ain't gonna happen, right? Good job with your word for the day. Your lines flow well with good rhymes. Your author notes very informative, too. Thanks for sharing. Jan
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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I've never thought of this, Craig. You did a good job posing this idea/question. I believe it would be great if all countries had the same easy to remember number, but it ain't gonna happen, right? Good job with your word for the day. Your lines flow well with good rhymes. Your author notes very informative, too. Thanks for sharing. Jan
Comment Written 10-Aug-2018
reply by the author on 11-Aug-2018
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Nope, never will happen, Jan lol
Many thanks for the lovely review -- Craig