London Olympics

[louisa]

I'm not bashing Britain. I would have moved there at the age of 12 if I didn't require more sunlight than the average English day provides. I wanted to be a British archeologist. I wanted to live in Scotland, work in a museum, curate hoards, live in a stone cottage with a big vegetable garden out back... I had a healthy crush on the Island as a whole. Still do.

Scotland isn't an island, neither is Britain.

[Magpie]

As for Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden, really? That old tosh.

Monty

You dare besmirch the good name of Gilmour and Dickinson?

You sir, are a cad and a rotter


Ironically, it turns out Maiden is touring Canada at the moment....

[Archaic]

Hi everyone.

I enjoyed the opening ceremony. I think it was pretty cool of the Queen to go along with the Bond thing- though it's generally considered unwise to skydive into a stadium while wearing a skirt!

As someone mentioned previously, I too enjoy seeing the athletes come in behind the flags of their countries and suddenly discovering the existence of obscure little countries. (How did I not know there was a nation called Andorra?) I like to see all the happy, proud, smiling faces and the unique national uniforms; I especially enjoyed Cameroon's colorful garb.

I don't care about national medal counts, though the news channels usually blather on about the numbers...that's not what it's about. I enjoy learning about the lives of athletes from all over the world, whether they come from a tiny mountain village or a massive city.

Today a cyclist from Kazakhstan won a Gold Medal, and that was terrific! I love it when little countries get a surprise win like that. Think how happy it must make all the folks back home! (The Good Michael is probably dancing in the streets right now.)

Lastly, I hope we can all agree that the 2012 Olympics have already achieved something quite remarkable, and long overdue-
for the first time ever, every single nation competing in the Olympic Games is represented by at least one female athlete.

That's a milestone for all of humanity.

http://www.theatlantic.com/internati...ympics/260301/

Best regards,
Archaic

[curious]

t the twinkle in Her Majesty's eye in that film clip charmed a nation in 5 seconds flat.

Wisdom, grace, dignity and that special touch of humour. Perfect.

make that charmed the world and you'll be closer right.

I agree with the wisdom, grace, dignity and perfect touch of humor as well.

While proudly American, I deeply love the history of Britain and the people as I know them . . .

In fact, many of my roots go back to the "Olde Country."

[Phil Carter]

Hello Robert,

Great clip. Thanks!
Just to round off my previous post the German boxer was one Peter Hussing, I believe.

Best wishes

Phil

[Robert]

I like it when someone does something different. Keep your eyes on Wottle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHid-nC45k

[Phil Carter]

Hello Dave,

Although I can remember Tokyo in 1964, Mexico in 68 and Munich 72, sportingly sit in my memory.
In 68, David Coleman's commentary as David Hemery won the 400metres hurdles especially. Shouting loudly, he pronounced Hemery so far ahead as he won ahead of No.2, and 'who cares who's third' or suchlike.
Third place went to another British athlete.
So starteth the Colemanballs.

In 72, I saw the hardest punch in a boxing ring Ive ever seen. It was the semi-final in the heavyweight division, and a rather large, rotund German boxer was expected to get to the final. However, he received a punch that both split and burst open his nose that was delivered with lightening speed and immense power in a punch that seemingly came from nowhere. A trademark 'bolo' punch.

Teofilio Stevenson. The Great Teofilio Stevenson. Reckoned to be the next Ali. He never turned pro and won 3 gold medals I believe.

Good memories.

Cheers

Phil

[Errata]

If history isn't abour 'personalities', then what is it about?

Movement. I can't name the senator that beat another senator with a cane until it broke, but I know it provoked John Brown's war, which was the catalyst for the Civil War

I'd say Vaudeville was American anyway, and not British. Or do you mean 'music hall'?

Victorian Music Hall is the birth of Vaudeville.

Pigeons? What pigeons?

Every time I've ever been to London, there have been about a dozen pigeons for every human. It may not be unique, but it's unique in my experience.

What the hell is 'kindertransport'?

Kindertransport was an effort to get Jewish children out of Nazi occupied territories before the beginning of WWII, when rumors of the camps reached Britain. Children were gathered from Germany, Austria, and surrounding areas and brought to England where British families took them in and raised them, and tried to reunite them with their families after the war. It's how Richard and David Attenborough have a couple of Baltic Jewish siblings. And it was the kindest act any country managed for the Jews of Europe. Hell we were turning boats away both before and after the war. But Britain came through. You guys are a small island, you couldn't save everyone. But you made sure the children were safe. And thats totally worth a little chest puffing.

Still, at least we have a history. I once did a degree course in American History. It began at 9.00am one foggy morning, and I was all finsihed at just before lunchtime, and I got a first.

It's true. In the US, 200 years is a long time, in Britain 200 km is a long distance.

This, I feel, is going off-thread again.....

Probably. I'm just saying that Britain has a lot to be proud of, and while the Industrial Revolution literally changed the world, it's proved to be a bit of a mixed bag. What's a steam engine compared to founding a set of expectations and rights that literally every other government with a constitution is based off of?

Graham[/QUOTE]

I'm not bashing Britain. I would have moved there at the age of 12 if I didn't require more sunlight than the average English day provides. I wanted to be a British archeologist. I wanted to live in Scotland, work in a museum, curate hoards, live in a stone cottage with a big vegetable garden out back... I had a healthy crush on the Island as a whole. Still do.

My thing is that for some reason, Opening Ceremonies are really entertaining to me when I have no idea whats going on. I like feeling like my Dad watching a Cirque performance, or an OK Go concert. Like my head is going to crack open from trying to understand too hard. The London Opening Ceremonies were great. I had just been looking forward to something quite different. Something where I'm wondering if I look at it upside down it will make more sense. Kind of like going to a concert expecting a punk show and its a string quartet. Not bad, just not what I was expecting.

[Cogidubnus]

The pint

Hi Phil

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments you quote...however...just the one pint? (I'm afraid it was four)...the chaser? Oh dear, 35cm of a single malt...

I sincerely think you're slacking in your support of her majesty...(so why do I have a headache?)


Dave

[Phil Carter]

You and me both Phil

All the best

Dave

Hello Dave,

The start- the green and pleasant land- the transformation to the Brunel awakening, those brilliant 'forged' rings- the incredibly simple yet brilliant Mr Bean part entwining himself into Chariots of Fire- the aforementioned Bond sequence and the genius of introducing the fantastic tradition of bedtime stories out of the GOSH sequence- well- it was as original as it could possibly be.

Churchill would have approved.

I actually felt very homesick- and very proud. We could never compete with Beijing, nor try too much razzamatazz which our American cousins are so good at- but the self irony, the gentle reminder of what that little island HAS given the world- well- it was stunningly original without ramming it down peoples throats.

We even managed to squeeze some cricket in between the sheep.

Howzat! Not out- play on good sir, until Olde Father Time calls 'Over' and elegantly lifts the bails and quietly walks away to the pavillion.

and then comes another quintessential invention...a pint.

cheers!

Phil

[Cogidubnus]

My liege lady

You and me both Phil

All the best

Dave

[Phil Carter]

Hi All,

My new favourite Bond girl is Queen Elizabeth II.

Nicely done, Your Majesty.

Loyal regards,

Simon

Hello Simon,

As per today, fishing isn't an Olympic sport- so you won't get anywhere angling for a gong.

Woe betide anyone who says Her Majesty isnt a great sport herself. With that one fleeting cameo appearance she has soared to the top of the Most Popular Royal list.
Kate may have the looks, but the twinkle in Her Majesty's eye in that film clip charmed a nation in 5 seconds flat.

Wisdom, grace, dignity and that special touch of humour. Perfect.

Proudly British

Phil

[lynn cates]

right

Hello Simon. Hear, hear.

Cheers.
LC

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

My new favourite Bond girl is Queen Elizabeth II.

Nicely done, Your Majesty.

Loyal regards,

Simon

[Monty]

Not all the time Dave.

However, enough of my private life....

Monty