Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Deduction #4

This deduction marks an important milestone for this blog.


I learned quite a few things from this picture. Most of them were not facts about the owner of the bookshelf, but creative ways of finding information and, more importantly, confirming it.

For starters, I am a huge Dan Brown fan. In fact, I own all of his novels. The thing is, I didn't recognize the ones on your shelf - at least I didn't at first. That's not the American cover art. Based on that, and the AA driving manual/practice book, I feel same in assuming that you are the first non-American to submit a picture to my blog, and for that I am immensely grateful. Add the interesting fact that the picture arrived on the submission page approximately 7 hours after it was taken (time zone difference), and I deduce that you live in the UK (the Doctor Who books helped too).

Next, let's narrow down physically who you are. I'm operating under the assumption that you are male based on your interest in role-playing games (bottom shelf on the left), your music (metal, if I'm not mistaken), and your ownership of lighter fluid and accessories for a bee-bee gun. That being said, you could also be a statistically uncommon female, but the balance of probability says otherwise. You are almost certainly Caucasian (30 SPF sunblock in the UK), and you are a swimmer( although whether it's for a club, your school, etc. - I cannot be sure).

Based on your literary interests and the books referencing eating on a budget, student cooking, etc., I'm placing your age somewhere in the university range. It's likely that you live in a small apartment/flat (terminology is fun) for two reasons: The first is that, while I am unfamiliar with dorm living over there, I would assume that bringing your own bookshelf is hard to do. The second is your bike pump. There are many places where a person with a lot of space to work with could keep a bike pump - the top of a bookshelf doesn't seem like one of them.

You are interested in computers (potentially a university major), puzzle solving, and different methods of thinking (explaining your participation in the blog). You enjoy mysteries, and figuring things out firsthand. 

Finally, I have some questions. Are you a magician? That seems to be a lot of decks of cards, even for someone who plays table-games. What in the world is that green slime-looking stuff in the small bucket?

Thanks for submitting! I await your response!

2 comments:

  1. Hello,

    I did not post this photo. But I like to add some suggestions.
    The one who posted the picture might live in a coastal region and he probably does something very outdoorsy and responsible (or faking that).
    He has two Red Cross manuals standing in the shelf. I think he got one while getting his driving licence. In some EU countries this is mandatory, I am not sure about the UK though.
    But why a second one? Who in his right mind does buy two such books? And there it is where I take an even further leap. Outdoorsy and responsible.
    The poster owns a book about knots. Not a very common thing for most people to possess. Maybe he lives in a coastal region, where knots are more common to be seen. Maybe he even is sailing, that’s what might have gotten him interested in knots the first place. I am not quite sure, but it seems, he has lighter refill on his board. So he does use his lighter very frequently. Why not buy a new one if the old is finished? For a random smoker that would be sheer avarice. So it seems it is a special lighter. Maybe a lifeboat match/reusable metal lighter? This would fit in with the knots, the sun block and the fact that he is a swimmer. He is outdoors often, maybe for longer stretches of time. So the second book may be here, because he is outdoorsy in combination with a responsible position (scouts, youth red cross or member of a life-guard organization) or because he is a responsible person.
    There are some things that puzzle me. In the shelf, there seem to be aqua beads. They are too small to be used for decorative use. But maybe they are used instead of potting soil for some indoor plants. Since the poster seems to have a penchant for plants (mini flower pot and what seems to be plants in metal buckets) I would not be surprised if it is so.
    He does like Terry Pratchett. This is an either-or-author. Either you like his style which is packed with allusions, homages or footnotes or you don’t. But given the fact, that he likes him, that there is a rather new version of Trivial Pursuit in his shelf and Pictionary I would guess he is rather intellectually fun to be around. With some wicked humour and at least probably more than average education and shrewd common knowledge.
    But probably I just twisted the facts to fit my theories and as we all know, all people lie even if they do not intend to do so, I may be way off. But given the picture this are my 2 ¢.

    Kind regards,
    E.H.

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    Replies
    1. E.H. Those are some really interesting ideas, and bring up an interesting point. There's always room for theorizing, even when one has little data to work with, as long as one is aware that they are dealing in probabilities - not certainties.

      That being said, I think you've greatly expanded our working profile on this subject, and while some elements of the theory may turn out to be false, I believe that we have a strong insight into this person's life which further data will only deepen.

      Thanks again for your input!

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