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back to article Dark blue side of the Force used to quell Star Wars nerd clash

It was a conflict that didn't take place in a galaxy far, far away, but a little known corner of Norwich University. Organisers of a sci-fi convention held in Alan Partridge's home town had to use the power of the (police) force after a barney erupted between two groups of furious nerds. Officers were called after the …

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  1. Khaptain Silver badge

    Strange Coincedence

    Our El Reg hack shares the same family name as one of those star wars characters, mmmmhhhhh, something smells fishy here.

    Is your wifes maiden name Fischer by any chance ?

    Swinging back to the dark side.

    The 63 year old man was dressed as which character ? Don't let me guess Obi Wan....

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  2. Amonynous

    These are not the nerds...

    ...you are looking for.

    16 0
    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: These are not the nerds...

      Nevertheless they can feel the anger rising within themselves!

      1 0
      1. I think so I am?
        Reply Icon
        Coat

        Re: These are not the nerds...

        Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hate; hate leads to scuffling.

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        1. MrT
          Reply Icon

          "Furious nerds"...

          ... made me laugh. Am now wondering how that might look on ThinkGeek or Spreadshirt products... :-)

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  3. Nigel Brown
    Happy

    Barsteward

    Beat me to it :)

    1 0
  4. Graham Marsden
    Thumb Down

    Slow news day...?

    This story was on the BBC news site yesterday and it's a total storm-in-a-teacup piece of nonsense.

    Would it have got any coverage if it was one of the many incidents such as in pubs where a couple of voices get raised and the Police come along and say "ok, just calm down" and nothing more comes of it? No, probaly not, but because it's "oh look, let's laugh at the geeks who dress up in the funny outfits", suddenly it's worth a few column inches.

    Big deal.

    8 14
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Slow news day...?

      Can you provide a scale of what kinds of topic you deem worthy of your attention? Though wasting time on the whinge in the first place makes your judgement seem questionable ...

      6 2

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Graham Marsden
        Reply Icon

        @AC - Re: Slow news day...?

        I'll answer that as soon as you tell me on what scale this is any form of news at all.

        Despite the best efforts of some sub-editor to make this sound exciting ("quell", "furious", "barney", "gatecrash" and even "tense-stand off"!), this is a complete non-story and again I point out that had it not been for the "geeks in funny costumes" aspect it most likely would never have seen the light of day.

        1 4
        1. El Andy
          Reply Icon

          Re: @AC - Slow news day...?

          It's not news. But what tabloid journo hack could possibly overlook the opportunity to use variations of "'The Force' called in to break up angry Star Wars fans" headlines?

          1 0
        2. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: @AC - Slow news day...?

          "I'll answer that as soon as you tell me on what scale this is any form of news at all."

          I hadn't heard about it. Therefore by definition it's news. Over to you.

          As for your second paragraph, things aren't a non-story just because you're not interested. They're just something *you* aren't interested in. Well, only to try being pompous and use a clichéd title. I look forward to seeing your scale of worthiness. No doubt the editor will be grateful for your help too :)

          2 1
          1. Phil W
            Reply Icon

            Re: @AC - Slow news day...?

            Indeed, the argument that had this been a scuffle in a pub that it wouldn't of made publication is flawed.

            Such scuffles do make news, just in relevant publications such as small newspapers local to the incident.

            In this case the incident relates to geeky sci-fi types so The Register has quite good reason for posting it, given the nature of the majority of their readership.

            Not sure why the BBC bothered though.

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          2. Graham Marsden
            Reply Icon

            Re: @AC - Slow news day...?

            @AC - In which case, you will no doubt be enthralled to know that my neighbour's cat has come back after apparently going missing for a couple of days...

            0 1
            1. Anonymous Coward
              Reply Icon
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: @AC - Slow news day...?

              "@AC - In which case, you will no doubt be enthralled to know that my neighbour's cat has come back after apparently going missing for a couple of days..."

              Quit stalling, Graham - keep your word and give us the scale!

              0 0
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Slow news day...?

      Nobody said it's big news, but it is very funny :)

      5 2
    3. Tom Maddox Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Facepalm

      Re: Slow news day...?

      *Looks up*. Yes, it's in Bootnotes, all right. Who pissed in your Wheaties this morning?

      0 0
  5. mike2R
    WTF?

    I was just reading this on the Daily Mash: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/science-fiction-fans-now-harder-than-football-fans-2013051668958 and wondering what on Earth they were satirising. Now I know... the mind boggles.

    3 0
  6. Gordon Pryra

    Norwich eh?

    Says it all really

    1 0
    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Re: Norwich eh?

      NFN - Normal for Norfolk...

      Where's the tractor icon when you need it?

      0 0
  7. frank ly

    An Alan Partridge moment

    Ahhhh ..... nerdyboys.

    2 0
    1. Annihilator
      Reply Icon
      Go

      Re: An Alan Partridge moment

      "Scum, sub-human scum"

      Next thing you know, they'll be daubing "cock piss partridge" on the side of a car.

      1 0
      1. Dave 126 Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: An Alan Partridge moment

        But was a dead cow dropped on anyone?

        1 0
  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Norwich University?

    A Very Peculiar Practice?

    1 0
    1. James Hughes 1
      Reply Icon

      Re: Norwich University?

      UEA has never been known as Norwich University. Ever.

      It's just happens to be in Norwich, which is quite a nice city for those who've never been there (i.e. most people who are detrimental about it)

      (Biased UEA Grad)

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      1. ukgnome
        Reply Icon
        Trollface

        Re: Norwich University? @ James Hughes 1

        Are you serious, Norwich is a nice city.

        Oh dear boyo, Norwich is actually fine city according to there biased advertising slogans, Nice just doesn't cut the colemans!

        And as I actually live in the city of mustard and turkey I can say on record that it is much like any other city except it doesn't have great roads or practical rail connections and the airport is a bit shit.

        It's the sort of city that you design in Sim-city when you don't have much money.

        (Biased Norwich resident)*

        * Not local though, my genes come from the north!

        1 0
  9. Anonymous Coward
    Alien

    Bounty Hunter Count

    This year, the convention reunited all four bounty hounters from the Star Wars film.

    Old age is clearly getting to me as I can't quite resolve that number - the 2 Fetts and Zam Wessel are the obvious 3 that spring to mind, but then in Ep5 there's a whole bunch like IG-88 and Bossk. Someone please put me out of my misery here...

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    1. waxy41
      Reply Icon

      Re: Bounty Hunter Count

      Greedo?

      0 0
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Facepalm

        Re: Bounty Hunter Count

        Aaah, that's the one /facepalm. So that's 4 who do something besides just standing there; are they saying that they had all 4 actors (including whoever was behind the Greedo mask) at this convention then? Not bad going (if true).

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        1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
          Reply Icon
          Coat

          Re: Bounty Hunter Count

          During the brawl, Greedo got hit first!

          3 0
          1. Anonymous Coward
            Reply Icon
            Coat

            Re: Bounty Hunter Count

            But when they viewed the remastered CCTV footage it appeared that he threw a weak mis-aimed punch first...

            2 0
            1. Anonymous Coward
              Reply Icon
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Bounty Hunter Count

              But did Lucas change the story and add some unnecessary CGI to the remastered CCTV footage?

              0 0
  10. nuked
    Coat

    As my uBuntu trainer once said:-

    'Use the fork, nuked'

    1 0
  11. M7S

    All four bounty hunters?

    There's a few more than that, even on the bridge of the Star Destroyer in Episode V.

    1 0
  12. graeme leggett Silver badge
    Coat

    Norwich University

    In this case, should have been a " university in Norwich" as the event was at the University of East Anglia (established 1960s and famous for its writing course) and not the "Norwich University of the Arts" (an amalgam of the former Norwich Art College etc)

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  13. KeGoMacK
    Happy

    Life copies art?

    Sounds more like the an episode of a certain US comedy?

    0 0
    1. Dave 126 Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Life copies art?

      Sounds like a scene from the film Fanboys (2009), in which there is a scuffle between some Star Wars fans and some Trekkies ("It's Trekkers!")

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanboys_(film)

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  14. Thomas 4

    Thank God they were Star Wars geeks

    Being on the receiving end of even a replica Bat'leth would be pretty ugly. oO

    1 0
    1. sisk
      Reply Icon

      Re: Thank God they were Star Wars geeks

      I know a guy who can attest to that. Or rather I met him once. When he broke into my house. While I was rearranging my collection of sharp weaponry. Which includes a 1/2 sized replica Bat'leth.

      0 0
  15. Matt Newton

    nerds

    0 3
  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What chance have our youth got when even a 63 year old is still acting like a hormonal teenager!

    W O W, my so called peers are such a let down.

    0 3
  17. NogginTheNog
    WTF?

    As a life-long DW fan, can I ask...

    WTF is Graham Cole?!!

    1 0
    1. Narlaquin
      Reply Icon
      Alien

      Re: As a life-long DW fan, can I ask...

      He's played a Cyberman in "Earthshock" & "The Five Doctors"; The Melkur in "The Keeper of Traken" and PC Tony Stamp in The Bill. Also Countdown

      2 0
  18. Cliff

    Geeks act like kids...

    ... In other news...

    OK that's unfair, but it doesn't do the Sci-fi community any favours when fringe radicals start holy wars.

    0 0
  19. Ramazan

    http://dragonpress.tumbolian.org/Captain%20Huggies2.html

    "The Avatar looks over his shoulder and sees several Babylon 5 fans dressed up as Narn, Centauri, and members of Psi Corps"

    "Before them, a massive battle is raging. Narn, Human, and Minbari, fight the Centauri as if they were fighting for the future of the universe. They all swarm about one store, refusing to give even an inch of ground up"

    0 0
  20. madmalc
    Happy

    I thought the comments on this story would be worth reading

    and they were...

    0 0

  21. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: hats off to the police

      erm...the locals have 6 fingers on one hand and wookies have paws?

      2 1
      1. Justin Stringfellow
        Reply Icon
        FAIL

        Re: hats off to the police

        Not so, my young padawan. They have four fingers and an opposing thumb. How else would they grip a hydrospanner correctly?

        http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wookiee

        0 0
  22. Scott Pedigo
    Trollface

    When Nerds Collide

    Sort of a weak interaction, isn't it?

    1 0
  23. Andy The Hat Silver badge
    Devil

    It's not 'normal for Norfolk', it's 'News for Norfolk!' The story has been doing the rounds of the local press for a while.

    What is not made clear is that the initial argument was had in Klingon versus Huttese ...

    0 0
  24. KBeee
    Joke

    Pretty old news

    it actually happened on May the Fourth

    0 0
    1. sisk
      Reply Icon

      Re: Pretty old news

      So the embarrassing article the next day was the Revenge of the Fifth?

      0 0
  25. ColonelClaw
    Angel

    If there is a god...

    ...Please let someone have filmed it on a phone or whatever, and stuck it on YouTube

    0 0
  26. Kubla Cant
    Joke

    Who won?

    It was a meeting of Star Wars enthusiasts. Nobody won: they were all losers.

    3 2
  27. Esskay
    Joke

    "Police arrived when an assault was reported"

    "After lengthy investigation, talking to witnesses and reviewing good CCTV footage, it was confirmed that there was no assault."

    All that jedi training finally paid off.

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