# Logistical Problems with Harry Potter (Spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239 "2003-11-20T02:27:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239/61 "2003-11-22T02:12:51Z")
I think if I were Dumbledore, I’d just have a standing weekly meeting with Harry - just to hear about everything that happened each week. “_Anything_ unusual, Harry? Food taste funny? A bug look at you knowingly? Everything great? Tell me _how_ it’s great. I want to hear.” The defenses of Qiudditch are weak - yes, Cricket can last for days, because you’re never obligated to run. A snitch not being caught for _days_? And catching a snitch when you’re behind, even by 170 points, is nuts. You’e just two goals out. ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239/62 "2003-11-22T03:04:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yookeroo \* > \*\*More kids in the U.S. play soccer than any other sport. An American kid would likely know what a yellow card is. My nephew’s bedroom walls are covered in soccer posters. \*\* But are they West Ham United posters? I’m not saying there aren’t any West Ham supporters in the States–but I have yet to meet one (and since West Ham was relegated to the First Division, I suspect it will be a while before they gain any new American fans). That detail in itself suggests that Dean is almost certainly British (and probably from London). ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239/63 "2003-11-22T04:06:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skopo \* > \*\*But are they West Ham United posters? I’m not saying there aren’t any West Ham supporters in the States–but I have yet to meet one (and since West Ham was relegated to the First Division, I suspect it will be a while before they gain any new American fans). > > That detail in itself suggests that Dean is almost certainly British (and probably from London). \*\* Yeah, I knew I should have qualified that. The West Ham posters do suggest that he’s English. I just wanted to point out the knowing about yellow cards doesn’t really tell you anything one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239/64 "2003-11-22T04:26:52Z")
And American football has yellow flags (handkerchiefs, really) that are thrown down to signal a penalty, also. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239/65 "2004-01-02T19:16:58Z")
> [@](#): > > There’s nothing to suggest that Cho and the twins are anything other than British. The name Chang is highly likely to be of Han Chinese origin. Look, Quidditch was supposed to be a slightly insane, wild parody of Cricket. I’m american and I hate soccor and never play cricket, and even I recognized that. ---
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239/66 "2004-01-02T22:13:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smiling bandit \* > \*\*The name Chang is highly likely to be of Han Chinese origin. \*\* [aside] But “Cho” is not. Both “Cho” and “Chang” are common romanizations of _Korean_ names, but the “Cho” does not exist in standard Chinese pinyin romanization. [/aside] In any case, I think **Mehitabel’s** point was that Cho, Padma, and Parvati are British citizens, even though they are not ethnically Caucasian. It’s nice (and fairly rare) to have minority characters whose personalities, interactions with other characters, and speaking styles aren’t defined by their ethnicity. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239/67 "2004-01-02T23:26:06Z")
When Rowling first started writing her books, I’m sure she never expected them to be anything more than mildly popular within her intended audience of 12 year olds. So she comes up with a sport, and invents the rules in an afternoon. It fits the story she wants to tell, it has a mixture of cricket, basketball, and rugby in there, the rules are simplistic and uncomplicated, and it has an energy to the game. Suddenly she’s the huge worldwide sensation, and the game is getting scrutinised by a lot more people than she could ever have expected, sometimes experts in their fields, and at a level of pedantic detail that is frankly ridiculous. They’re just kids books. You should always keep that in mind; she just wants you to be entertained while you read them, and doesn’t deserve this kind of obsessive scrutiny. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistical-problems-with-harry-potter-spoilers/214239.md?page=3)