# Brit Dope Winter 2003 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 1, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981 "2003-10-01T21:07:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 36
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/701 "2003-11-13T13:03:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Angua \* > As long as no one beats me up for the “Vanya”=“Ian” comment, everything will be fine. And whoever tries to beat me up for such a thing will be denied my baked goods. 😃 I won’t beat you up (who wants to be denied baked goods? plus it’s not nice), but **Shade** is correct; Vanya is a diminutive of Ivan. Although not being a comparative Anglo-Saxon/Slavic linguist, I couldn’t begin to tell you the relationship between the name Ivan and the name Ian. Ivan translates to John. When you get really drunk, you can call your Ivan Vanyusha. It’s strictly a masculine name, in spite of the -a ending. Sasha, however, can be a nickname either for Alexander or Alexandra. (Mom says when she was pregnant with me, she read lots of big, fat Russian novels; since I’m the eldest, she knew it would be the last time before retirement she’d have the time for that sort of thing. It explains a lot. The bigger novels sometimes come with a chart in the front that lists all the characters’ various nicknames.) ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/702 "2003-11-13T13:04:48Z")
Oh, and I don’t know why Vanyas tend to be the buffoon/idiot. If your prof has any insights on that, I’d love to hear them. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/703 "2003-11-13T14:03:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eva Luna \* > \*\*Oh, and I don’t know why Vanyas tend to be the buffoon/idiot. If your prof has any insights on that, I’d love to hear them. \*\* Aaah… So Vanya is a diminutive of Ivan. Ivan translates to John, and Ian is the Scottish for John. Hence Vanya _does_ (more or less) equal Ian. 😃 I will have to ask my Polish prof as to why Vanyas tend to be the buffoons, but I think its fairly amusing, given the number of Ians that I know. 😃 Hence, by this logic, Ians are buffoons. 😃 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/704 "2003-11-13T14:30:58Z")
Wow, I was right! The only drawback is that my given name is ‘Jack’ which is traditionally a form of ‘John’ so I’m apparently a buffoon too. But you probably already knew that 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/705 "2003-11-13T14:35:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > \*\*Wow, I was right! The only drawback is that my given name is ‘Jack’ which is traditionally a form of ‘John’ so I’m apparently a buffoon too. But you probably already knew that 😃 \*\* Bwahahaha! 😃 I’m surrounded by Ians, or variants thereof. Funnily enough, I don’t know that many “Johns” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/706 "2003-11-13T14:49:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Funnily enough, I don’t know that many “Johns”😃 Why is this worth a :D? Is it just habit for us to end every sentance with a smilie? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/707 "2003-11-13T14:51:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > \*\*Why is this worth a :D? Is it just habit for us to end every sentance with a smilie? 🙂 \*\* I dunno. I just think that its rather strange that I know at least 6 Ians. But only one or two Johns… Who knows. Maybe I’m just high on caffienne. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/708 "2003-11-13T15:11:23Z")
High on caffeine, low on sugar, drunk on beer, so many ways to make a person more interesting 🙂 I know a couple of Johns/Jons (including one “John Minus h”) but no Jacks. Which is getting confusing as the new wave of younger Jacks catches me up, as I’m not used to not turning round when someone says “Jack” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/709 "2003-11-13T15:22:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > \*\*High on caffeine, low on sugar, drunk on beer, so many ways to make a person more interesting 🙂 > \*\* Are you prophesising my state on the 27th and at the BritDope? Cause it’s probably going to be accurate. And then I shall explain star formation to you all. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/710 "2003-11-13T15:25:43Z")
Are you suggesting caffeine, sugar _and_ beer? :eek: But you’ve already explained star formation. I I think I can figure out for myself that there has to be some stuff that you do something to 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/711 "2003-11-13T15:28:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > **Are you suggesting caffeine, sugar _and_ beer? :eek:** At the BritDope at any rate. Look, we will be in a pub, hence beer. I am going to be baking various things, including chocolate covered espresso bean cookies, hence caffeine and sugar 😃 > [@](#): > > \*\*But you’ve already explained star formation. I I think I can figure out for myself that there has to be some stuff that you do something to 🙂 \*\* 😛 In which case I shall explain WAT formation at the LonDope. If someone asks me. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/712 "2003-11-13T15:41:30Z")
> [@](#): > > It seems that not eating properly all day will lower my blood sugar levels to the extent that I go hypo. Not good Does excess sugar have the same effect as deficient sugar? :eek: > [@](#): > > In which case I shall explain WAT formation at the LonDope. If someone asks me. OK guys, however drunk you get _no-one mention tails_ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/713 "2003-11-13T15:43:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > **Does excess sugar have the same effect as deficient sugar? :eek:** No, with lots of sugar, I _bounce_!! 😃 > [@](#): > > \*\*OK guys, however drunk you get _no-one mention tails_ 🙂 \*\* My research happens to be interesting, if not Earth shatteringly important. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/714 "2003-11-13T15:55:53Z")
I should hope that the stars you study aren’t earth-shattering. That would be bad. And ‘interesting’ _to you_, or ‘interesting’ as in people in pubs don’t knaw their own arms off to get away? Not that I’m implying you weren’t aware of the difference, but you have to be careful - we caught a natsci last night and explained the axiom of choice to her, and well, it was bad 🙂 (FTR my second choice of response was “so, what are WATs?” but I thought I would save that for the 'fest.) ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/715 "2003-11-13T16:02:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > **I should hope that the stars you study aren’t earth-shattering. That would be bad.** I don’t do stars. > [@](#): > > **And ‘interesting’ _to you_, or ‘interesting’ as in people in pubs don’t knaw their own arms off to get away?** Err… pass. 😃 > [@](#): > > \*\* Not that I’m implying you weren’t aware of the difference, but you have to be careful - we caught a natsci last night and explained the axiom of choice to her, and well, it was bad :)\*\* That’s just evil. I’ve been known to have perfectly reasonable conversations about my research, down the pub, with non-astrophysicists. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/716 "2003-11-13T16:08:29Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t do stars. As the bishop said to the actress. > [@](#): > > That’s just evil. > > I’ve been known to have perfectly reasonable conversations about my research, down the pub, with non-astrophysicists. She was asking for it. Literally - I can’t remember exactly what happened, but she did bring it up 🙂 Yeah, me too. But it’s not as funny 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/717 "2003-11-13T16:11:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > \*\* > Yeah, me too. But it’s not as funny 🙂 \*\* I think, that at every DopeFest I’ve attended I’ve managed to get into a conversation about what I do. Last time, I think I managed to convince people that I was a useful, contributing member of society 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/718 "2003-11-13T16:15:50Z")
> [@](#): > > I think, that at every DopeFest I’ve attended I’ve managed to get into a conversation about what I do. Last time, I think I managed to convince people that I was a useful, contributing member of society Can you show me that trick? I know a pure maths department that would be very grateful. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/719 "2003-11-13T16:24:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > \*\*Can you show me that trick? I know a pure maths department that would be very grateful. \*\* At the DopeFest. The only problem with the argument is that it takes a certain level of drunkenness to: a) say with a straight face b) for it to make any sense to anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981/720 "2003-11-13T16:29:21Z")
I bet being cute helps as well. Come to think of it drunkeness would help there too 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981.md?page=35) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brit-dope-winter-2003/204981.md?page=37)