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ANSWER to DTIV Riddle (SPOILER)

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Thomas A. Murphy

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Jan 20, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/20/97
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Okay, I'll jump on the bandwagon:

"Blaine, I occur once in a minute, twice in every moment, but not once
in
a hundred thousand years. What am I?"

The answer is ... ta da ... the letter "m"

TM
"You got to keep regular if you want to be happy."
-- The Shining

Pai...@ix.netcom.com

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Jan 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/21/97
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"Thomas A. Murphy" <tmu...@usaor.net> wrote:

>Okay, I'll jump on the bandwagon:

>"Blaine, I occur once in a minute, twice in every moment, but not once
>in
> a hundred thousand years. What am I?"

>The answer is ... ta da ... the letter "m"

.....
You know that seems logical (and is a correct answer), but I think I
have to disagree in terms of what the answer will be in the DTIV.

Blaine is too clever and arrogant not to throw that one back
immediately if 'M' indeed is the correct answer.

The other riddles were harder and Blaine threw them back
with disgust at their ease.

I'm sure there is something more profound behind the answer, probably
relating to Blaine's lack of humanity, or failing mental health.

I can see Blaine answering the riddle with something obscure and
Roland saying

"Sorry, Blaine, the answer is the letter 'M'. "

and Blaine getting very aggressive and telling Roland how stupid he is
because in the Wastelands there is no minute or moment, just eternity.

All things follow the beam and all.


I hope it's more complicated than 'M'.
Blaine's too much of an arrogant bastard not to answer immediately,
and in the excerpt, Susannah has time to think...

Pai...@ix.netcom.com

, , , , , ,
1 1 1 1 1 1

Å X I O M


Randy Flood

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Jan 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/21/97
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Anybody else notice how we were set up by the Desperegulators sight?
By saying to post the answer here (with a spiffy link I might add) they
almost guaranteed that we'll be flooded with well meaning people who
think that they were the first to figure out "M". Is this meant to get
back at us for "pissing and moaning" first about the booklet and then
SK's alleged response to it?

Sorry, didn't mean to go near-topic. Let me tell you that my way of
making millions is truly the best and legal......

Randy
--
Calvin: Isn't it strange that evolution would give us a sense of humor?
It's weird that we have a physiological response to absurdity. We laugh
at nonsense.

Hobbes, walking away: I suppose if we couldn't laugh at things that
don't make sense, we couldn't react to a lot of life.

Calvin, now alone: I can't tell if that's funny or really scary.

Sven Anders Robbestad

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Jan 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/21/97
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[Pai...@ix.netcom.com]:

>I hope it's more complicated than 'M'.
>Blaine's too much of an arrogant bastard not to answer immediately,
>and in the excerpt, Susannah has time to think...

I disagree. Susannah is given time to think because she drifted off into a "day
dream" of sorts. The riddles went on, but the contest no longer held her
interest. To me, it's obvious that Blaine will answer the riddle. And besides,
they're far, far away from their destination yet :)


Sven
--
Sven Anders Robbestad, sv...@ipec.no
http://www.sn.no/~svena

Laurelin

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Jan 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/21/97
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Pai...@ix.netcom.com wrote in article
<5c23k0$9...@sjx-ixn7.ix.netcom.com>...


> You know that seems logical (and is a correct answer), but I think I
> have to disagree in terms of what the answer will be in the DTIV.
>
> Blaine is too clever and arrogant not to throw that one back
> immediately if 'M' indeed is the correct answer.
>
> The other riddles were harder and Blaine threw them back
> with disgust at their ease.
>
> I'm sure there is something more profound behind the answer, probably
> relating to Blaine's lack of humanity, or failing mental health.

I have to agree. When I was reading the excerpt one of the things that King
keeps coming back to is Eddie's trance-like state. When Roland asked that
question I thought it was maybe just another riddle that Blaine would
answer with no problems--more of a build-up to the grand finale. I have
this very strong <psychic ;)> feeling that it is going to be Eddie or Jake
who saves the day this time--and I'd put my money on Eddie, based on what
happened in the first 2 chapters. Why would King go to all of that trouble
building this incredible tension and feeling of hopelessness and then end
it with something like "M"? I'm going to give him a little more credit and
wait and see what turns up.

--
Laurelin
The Road goes ever on and on and on and on . . .

Laura Otto-Salaj

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Jan 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/21/97
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On Tue, 21 Jan 1997, Randy Flood wrote:

>
> Anybody else notice how we were set up by the Desperegulators sight?
> By saying to post the answer here (with a spiffy link I might add) they
> almost guaranteed that we'll be flooded with well meaning people who
> think that they were the first to figure out "M". Is this meant to get
> back at us for "pissing and moaning" first about the booklet and then
> SK's alleged response to it?

Well. I'm one of those folks who did not post my opinion about the
booklet at all. But you know, I really didn't think anything of it, and
FWIW, I believe the SK "post" that has been questioned regarding its
authenticity is real. And I don't care. Not one bit. King can keep
writing books, and I will buy them until they stop entertaining me.

But now I find compelled to post because, you know what? I find Penguin's
direction of riddle answers to this newsgroup irritating as hell. I know
- People have a right to post, and other people can tell me that I can
killfile them (and goodness knows, I will try to do just that) or just not
read them. And I will. But I'm annoyed, and I have a hard time believing
that Penguin didn't know the consequences of this action. I truly wish
folks would read the FAQ before posting for the first time. So there. :P

/rant mode off

Laura
(who can really tell that she started dieting yesterday...)
(Jon - any way to post the FAQ a little more often until we get through
these couple of weeks?)


***************************************************
I wear Grandmother's ring
On my finger, on my finger
She had a tooth of gold
And just before she died
She said son
You can have my tooth
But do I
Really have to go.
-Lyle Lovett


Bob Heyl

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Jan 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/21/97
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Laurelin wrote:
>
>
> I have to agree. When I was reading the excerpt one of the things that King
> keeps coming back to is Eddie's trance-like state. When Roland asked that
> question I thought it was maybe just another riddle that Blaine would
> answer with no problems--more of a build-up to the grand finale. I have
> this very strong <psychic ;)> feeling that it is going to be Eddie or Jake
> who saves the day this time--and I'd put my money on Eddie, based on what
> happened in the first 2 chapters. Why would King go to all of that trouble
> building this incredible tension and feeling of hopelessness and then end
> it with something like "M"? I'm going to give him a little more credit and
> wait and see what turns up.
>
> --
> Laurelin
> The Road goes ever on and on and on and on . . .


Didn't Stephen in his first ever post to this ng, already say that it
would be Eddie that saves everyone from Blaine? I think that I read that
in the FAQ. That would be the same post where he also said that Rose
Madder would be his next book, so that's been some time back now.

I think that the right riddle will have something to do with whatever
Eddie is trying to make out of what Roland said to Jake about getting
closer with his flint. He must get closer...maybe closer to Blaine,
somehow? It might even have something to do with Blaine's mistake about
Edith Bunker and Jakes' not being old enough for a sexual thingy.
Whatever it is tho...they only have 60 minutes left to figure this one
out!

~Bob

--
"Treat your friends as you do your picture, and place
them in their best light." ---Jennie Jerome Churchill (Winston's mom)

Jon Skeet

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Jan 22, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/22/97
to

<Pai...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:

> You know that seems logical (and is a correct answer), but I think I
> have to disagree in terms of what the answer will be in the DTIV.
>
> Blaine is too clever and arrogant not to throw that one back
> immediately if 'M' indeed is the correct answer.
>
> The other riddles were harder and Blaine threw them back
> with disgust at their ease.

But no-one has said that this is definitely the riddle that will
stump Blaine. Personally, I expect Blaine will get it extremely
easily, and the riddling will continue.

--
Jon Skeet
When 900 years old *you* reach, look as good *you* will not, hmm?
Yoda - http://yoda.trin.cam.ac.uk. Geek code:
d- s:- a-- C++ UL++ P+ L++ W+++ N++ w--- M-- t- 5 X+ tv b+++ D+ G h* r++

dav...@aol.com

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Jan 22, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/22/97
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In the first chapter, right before Blaine leaves our heros alone for a
palaver, Blaine says "Olive Oil but not Castoria." Does anyone know what
that means or if it means anything at all.

David Hendrix

Dav...@Aol.Com

Sven Anders Robbestad

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Jan 22, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/22/97
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[sv...@ipec.no (Sven Anders Robbestad)]:

>[dav...@aol.com]:


>
>>In the first chapter, right before Blaine leaves our heros alone for a
>>palaver, Blaine says "Olive Oil but not Castoria." Does anyone know what
>>that means or if it means anything at all.
>

>I thought it had something to do with the "new" Popeye some while ago.
>Castoria, I believe, was the new name for one of the characters. There, it's
>all I remember. Or think I remember.
>
>This is (probably) so far off, you wouldn't believe it :)

And one more thing: My twisted mind then figgered it like this: Given the
choice between Castoria and Olive, I'd too go with Olive. Of course, come to
think of it, I believe it was Castor. Ah well. There you go.

Sven Anders Robbestad

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Jan 22, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/22/97
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[dav...@aol.com]:

>In the first chapter, right before Blaine leaves our heros alone for a
>palaver, Blaine says "Olive Oil but not Castoria." Does anyone know what
>that means or if it means anything at all.

I thought it had something to do with the "new" Popeye some while ago.
Castoria, I believe, was the new name for one of the characters. There, it's
all I remember. Or think I remember.

This is (probably) so far off, you wouldn't believe it :)

Sven

Jon R.

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Jan 24, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/24/97
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Bob Heyl wrote:
(SNIP)

> I think that the right riddle will have something to do with whatever
> Eddie is trying to make out of what Roland said to Jake about getting
> closer with his flint. He must get closer...maybe closer to Blaine,
> somehow? It might even have something to do with Blaine's mistake about
> Edith Bunker and Jakes' not being old enough for a sexual thingy.
> Whatever it is tho...they only have 60 minutes left to figure this one
> out!

I'm pretty sure that Eddie will come up with something you have to
be human to understand. Blaine doesn't quite grasp our emotions or
the difference between fact and fiction. Perhaps he will get an idea
when Jake tries his book. Or maybe that's an enourmous red herring.

Jon R.

Jon R.

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Jan 24, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/24/97
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dav...@aol.com wrote:
>
> In the first chapter, right before Blaine leaves our heros alone for a
> palaver, Blaine says "Olive Oil but not Castoria." Does anyone know what
> that means or if it means anything at all.

Isn't there an oil named Castoria? Which he doesn't love?

Jon R.

-ice cream loud-

DG

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Jan 24, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/24/97
to

dav...@aol.com wrote:
>
> In the first chapter, right before Blaine leaves our heros alone for a
> palaver, Blaine says "Olive Oil but not Castoria." Does anyone know what
> that means or if it means anything at all.
>
> David Hendrix
>
> Dav...@Aol.Com
The only refrence I have been able to locate, is collectable Castoria
bottles for sale. I don't know what was in them yet.
Dan
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^^^^^^^ ~~~~~~~~ Dan Gumm ~~~~~~~~ ^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^ http://www.plix.com/~users/dgumm ^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^ The Computer of Tomorrow is Here Today!!! ^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^ Http://www.mtsi.com/~jicklie/dgscreen.html ^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^ email ~ Mailto:dg...@plix.com ^^^^^^^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jon Skeet

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Jan 25, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/25/97
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Laura Otto-Salaj <lott...@post.its.mcw.edu> wrote:

> (Jon - any way to post the FAQ a little more often until we get through
> these couple of weeks?)

I could post it every day, but I don't think it would do any good.
For one thing, I don't think I've actually mentioned the riddle in
the FAQ. For another, I don't think many people who post the answer
read any other posts.

Just an alternative idea: Possibly Penguin is trying to attract more
"members" to absk, and didn't think this would annoy regulars.
Personally I'm not bothered by seeing the answer a few times a day
(although preferrably without "smart" comments saying how "it's so
easy, you should have thought up a harder one"), and if we end up
with higher visibility, I'm pleased.

Lady Luck

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Jan 25, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/25/97
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I have answered this before, but, for those who didn't see it:

Castoria was a LAXITIVE. It had a fruity--prunes, raisins?--taste and
was often given to kids in the 50's.

Terry

Alan Powers

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Jan 26, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/26/97
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"Jon R." <Jon.R...@nor.uib.no> wrote:

>dav...@aol.com wrote:
>>
>> In the first chapter, right before Blaine leaves our heros alone for a
>> palaver, Blaine says "Olive Oil but not Castoria." Does anyone know what
>> that means or if it means anything at all.

>Isn't there an oil named Castoria? Which he doesn't love?

IMHO, BINGO! Jon wins the Cupie doll.
For those of you who, for reasons of pronunciation (or other), do
not see this joke, the reference is this: "Olive Oil" = "I love oil".

And yes, there is (or was) a laxative oil called Fletchers Castoria.
The scourge of children from coast to coast

Al <hoping he doesn't appear dull for explaining the obvious>


*** Visualize whirled peas! ***


Randy Flood

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Jan 26, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/26/97
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Jon Skeet wrote:
>
> I could post it every day, but I don't think it would do any good.
> For one thing, I don't think I've actually mentioned the riddle in
> the FAQ. For another, I don't think many people who post the answer
> read any other posts.

Well, thanks to the Penguin link on the Desperegulators pages, it pretty
much insures that they don't have to.


>
> Just an alternative idea: Possibly Penguin is trying to attract more
> "members" to absk, and didn't think this would annoy regulars.
> Personally I'm not bothered by seeing the answer a few times a day
> (although preferrably without "smart" comments saying how "it's so
> easy, you should have thought up a harder one"), and if we end up
> with higher visibility, I'm pleased.
>
> --
> Jon Skeet


Jon, saying my decidedly half empty glass is half full, I'm more
inclined to think that Penguin is doing this more as a slap at us
pissers and moaners. It seems to me that this just an attempt to waste
bandwidth and not encourage people to "join" the group. Ah well, I'm
done being cynical for the evening, maybe the increased exposure *is* a
good thing.

Randy
--
The truth can set you free,
Sometimes before you've found someplace else to stay.

Laura Otto-Salaj

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Jan 27, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/27/97
to

On 25 Jan 1997, Jon Skeet wrote:

>
> Just an alternative idea: Possibly Penguin is trying to attract more
> "members" to absk, and didn't think this would annoy regulars.
> Personally I'm not bothered by seeing the answer a few times a day
> (although preferrably without "smart" comments saying how "it's so
> easy, you should have thought up a harder one"), and if we end up
> with higher visibility, I'm pleased.

<humbled...>

You're right. The day I posted, I signed on and was a little overwhelmed
to see almost 500 posts to catch up on, some of them riddle answer
posts. I like to keep up on all the threads, so going through those was
a major task, and I let my frustration out in the post. Some of them
were written with attitude, and got to me (so the obvious response, of
course, was to post with attitude right back. Not.).

Let's hope this leads to some more folks becoming regulars.

<mea culpa>

Laura

***************************************************

GO GREEN BAY PACKERS!!!! SUPER BOWL XXXI CHAMPIONS!!!!

Home of Visa 1997 Coach of the Year Mike Holmgren
and 1995 and 1996 NFL MVP Brett Favre

Super Bowl records: Desmond Howard (MVP) 244 yards running;
99 yard punt return (TD)
Reggie White - 3 sacks


Final score: Green Bay 35, New England 21

***************************************************


th...@bricks.shy

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Jan 28, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/28/97
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"Laurelin" <je...@acpub.duke.edu> wrote:


Also lets not forget the hatch above the cabin, I wonder what's up
with that ? SK went to the trouble to point that out to us twice. Is
there any reason to think that a machine that would destroy an entire
city would balk at welshing on a bet?

My guess is that Blaine will hit the mountain even if it is stumped.
The only question is how is ka-tet gonna get out first, and how much
help will little Blaine be?

Also remember in The Drawing of the Three the hoods were in some way
playing the same game with Henry Eddie's brother? They were playing
Trivial Pursuit werent they? I dont think that means anything but it
provides a nice sense of closure Eddie will answer the questions that
Henry could not.


Rob Stephen

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Jan 29, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/29/97
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Another thing.... If you remember when Blaine fixed Jake's hand, he starts
to brag about his equipment (maybe he's a musician?!) and mentions that he
has a BRAIN PATTERN RECORDER. Could Blaine be cheating? Perhaps this is
why he answers with out any hesitation.. the only exception being Eddies
original riddle.

Perhaps they will stump him with "When is a door not a door?" seeing as
Eddie is thinking about Jake being "silly" (as Jake thought Roland would
find that joke)

Just a thought,

Rob

--
Rob Stephen
Coffee Manager/Roaster/Tea Buyer
Quartermaine Coffee Roasters Rockville, MD 20852
http://www.quartermaine.com

Denise Panter

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Jan 29, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/29/97
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th...@bricks.shy wrote:

>Also remember in The Drawing of the Three the hoods were in some way
>playing the same game with Henry Eddie's brother? They were playing
>Trivial Pursuit werent they? I dont think that means anything but it
>provides a nice sense of closure Eddie will answer the questions that
>Henry could not.
>

ROFL! What a great idea! Can't you just see it? Particularly after the
screw-up with Edith Bunker.... Eddie poses the riddle, "I'm also known as The
Man In Black. My first name means the same as a place you go to take a piss
and my last name means what you got in your wallet unless you're a f*cking
needle freak. Who am I?"

Think that would stump old Blaine?? hehehe

Denise :)

Denise Panter

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Jan 30, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/30/97
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fa...@concentric.net wrote:

>BTW--How are you doing? Any more on the pox front?
>
>Terry

Oh Terry! Thanks for checking -- I've got one down and three of us holding
our breath! <g>

The cow is doing fine too, btw. <teehee>

Denise :)

Lady Luck

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Jan 30, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/30/97
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OOOOh Denise,

I think you may have something there.

BTW--How are you doing? Any more on the pox front?

Terry

Who is studying absk geekcode for remedial students

Jon R.

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Feb 2, 1997, 3:00:00 AM2/2/97
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Denise Panter wrote:
(SNIP)

> The cow is doing fine too, btw. <teehee>

I'm glad.

Jon R.

-Cow Appreciation Society-

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