olympics

[Ocean Moves]

I think its fantastic.

getting the Olympics AND pissing the french off all in one go.

What more could you ask for?

[Black Biscuit]

Good on ya. I notice that you live in Sydney. That's in "Ostraya", innit?

Got a problem with the French have you? Or are you just a fashion victim?

When I lived in England, all anyone ever did was work. Similarly, a friend who came back from there told me he arrived in London after being in Hawaii, LA and New York. He jetted into London, full of beans and generally high on life, and excitedly arrived on the doorstep of five Australian friends living in a cramped, run-down house near Camden Markets.

"Let's party!" he said to them.

"We can't", they replied, "work tomorrow."

He described their situation to me as "always working - and always broke."

Here's my take on (a) world history, and (b) the Olympics....

The French Revolution, in 1789, was a middle class revolt against the privileged elite of the aristocracy to help the peasant class lift itself out of its dire circumstances.

You would never get such a revolution out of the English middle class, as the English middle class is much too complacent.

Australians, being English refugees, would know about this.

And history has been known to repeat itself, hence the current influx of Brits emigrating to "the arse end of the world" as one ex-Aussie Prime Minister referred to Australia.

The Palace of Versailles is situated 12 miles (20 kms) outside of Paris. That was a long way back in those days, and was a convenient retreat from Paris for Louis XIV, which is why he moved there. (If you were too poor to afford a horse, what would you do, walk the 20 clicks?) To this day it is the largest palace in Europe. Louis XVI gathered a coterie of some 20,000 staff and nobility around himself in that place.

It's funny, I was listening to a Tom Petty CD earlier today, after watching the 4-box 1985 Live Aid DVD boxset that I've spoken about 'round here before. It's like he says, "you don't have to live like a refugee, everybody's had to fight to be free".

Today, or in the days of the Wild West, Americans have always been gunslingers. Depends on your perspective, but despite the contempt they receive internationally, the Yanks are actually a very together people. This is why they've accomplished so much as a relatively young nation. Perhaps a few people round here would've been kicked a little harder during WWII if it weren't for Johnny Come Lately showing up to save their ass.

As for the Olympics, as someone involved in sports and personally acquainted with several Olympians, I can tell you this, just quietly: those dudes pay a supremely heavy price for their one moment of glory. I sure hope they enjoy it.

Summer Olympics are more drug-oriented than Winter. I play hockey, it's nice and brutal and there are no steroidal drugs going down that I know of, nor are there in figure skating, team (synchronized) skating, pairs (dance) skating, etc.

I would not believe the same to be true of swimming, track and field or other (summer) Olympic sports.

There is an air of nationalism at the Games, summer or winter, but generally you don't see too many flags flying other than those displaying the names of the corporate sponsors. I think you should go to London on a working holiday during the time of the 2012 Games - so much to look forward to!

[Ocean Moves]

Sorry, I got abit bored half way through
when you started talking about some French
people who are dead, that I don't care about.
Maybe thats cos I'm English, not Australian.

Anyway, I'm sure it was all very well argued.

Even the bit about Australia being the
"arse end of the world".
(Actually, no, that's Marsailles, come to
think of it)

If you think modern Australia is a nation of
"English refugees", you obviously don't
get out very much.

"When I lived in England, all anyone ever did was work"

I take it you found France more to your liking then?

[Black Biscuit]

In a word, yes.

[Black Biscuit]

the bit about Australia being the
"arse end of the world".
(Actually, no, that's Marsailles, come to
think of it)

---- It's probably Rotterdam, actually.

[Ocean Moves]

the bit about Australia being the
"arse end of the world".
(Actually, no, that's Marsailles, come to
think of it)

---- It's probably Rotterdam, actually.

No, Actually its Sydney Harbour. Arse end of the world here.
Don't know why it got chosen for the 2000 olympics.

Don't bother coming out here though, we're full.

[markfiend]

Perhaps a few people round here would've been kicked a little harder during WWII if it weren't for Johnny Come Lately showing up to save their ass.

F*ck that. The siege of Stalingrad did the Wehrmacht far more harm than did the Americans.