Not trans but there has been Russian (IBA) speculation that she may be intersex.
People keep saying she's been through male puberty. What does that mean exactly? How does a woman go through male puberty?
Intersex is what used to be called hermaphrodite. The rumour put about by the Russian-linked IBA, and then only half of it, is that she was found to have XY chromosomes (like a bloke) even though she has female genitalia.
Leaving that to one side, because the next part can happen without it, the other rumour from the IBA was that she had very high testosterone levels which is obviously a male sex hormone (and steroid) which could help in developing muscles which is useful for boxers.
But before we get carried away, remember she has a fairly chequered fight history, losing nine bouts, so it is not like a prime Mike Tyson beating up the ladies.
She's not trans, and while there is obvious debate about whether she should be allowed to compete as a man, Ms Rowling has totally shit the bed on this one.
Whether or not Khelif should have been barred from competing on a technicality she has been badly treated. The corrupt and now dismissed IBA have said she failed a test but won't say anything about the test because it supposedly is confidential. Meanwhile the IOC says that's wrong but won't definitively demonstrate that she is eligible.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
I still think the best comment ever about Australia was from Robert Hughes' fellow emigre, the late, great Clive James.
"The problem with Australians is not that so many of them are descended from convicts, but that so many of them are descended from prison officers."
Still don’t understand why squash isn’t in the olympics. Tennis, ping pong and badminton are. So why not squash?
The Brits really did invent almost every sport in the world, eg all those
Tennis, ping pong, badminton, squash
What are we like? We changed the world from our tiny foggy islands. It;s like the Faroe Isles became the Roman Empire times a million
I fear we are dwarfed by our own achievements. So we nervously overeat, and wank to Onlyfans, and elect Primark Pinochets like "Sir" Two Tier Keir fucking Starmer
I suppose your thesis would explain the Spectator author view ratings.
BUT does NOT explain the next great Olympic sport of the 21st century: pickleball!
No Brits involved with its creation . . . unless the UK annexes Bainbridge Island WA . . .
Still don’t understand why squash isn’t in the olympics. Tennis, ping pong and badminton are. So why not squash?
The Brits really did invent almost every sport in the world, eg all those
Tennis, ping pong, badminton, squash
What are we like? We changed the world from our tiny foggy islands. It;s like the Faroe Isles became the Roman Empire times a million
I fear we are dwarfed by our own achievements. So we nervously overeat, and wank to Onlyfans, and elect Primark Pinochets like "Sir" Two Tier Keir fucking Starmer
Onlyfans was, of course, founded by a Brit.
SKS is going down well in foreign capitals. He’s an understandable, solid, Colin Firth version of their favourite British stereotypes.
She's not trans, and while there is obvious debate about whether she should be allowed to compete as a man, Ms Rowling has totally shit the bed on this one.
Not trans but there has been Russian (IBA) speculation that she may be intersex.
People keep saying she's been through male puberty. What does that mean exactly? How does a woman go through male puberty?
I've no idea what the position is with this boxer.
But AIUI a male may be born with some form of DSD and very undeveloped genitals so he looks like a girl from the outside and may be brought up as one. Internally though he has testes etc and his chromosomes are male. When puberty comes he gets testosterone etc so puberty is male and has all the effects on bones, strength etc that happen to all males. The genitals may develop a bit externally. But the body produces or is capable of producing sperm not eggs. Caster Semenya I believe has fathered children. The person may then realise they are a male or just think they are a masculine sort of female. It must be confusing. But from a chromosomal perspective they are male. And if they have male strength then it would not be fair to have them in a female sporting competition.
Sure scientists will explain if I've got it wrong. But as I say no idea whether this applies to this boxer. That's why I'm puzzled why the IOC won't have simple cheek swabs to establish sex.
Certainly no woman goes through male puberty. You can only go through puberty as the sex you are.
She's not trans, and while there is obvious debate about whether she should be allowed to compete as a man, Ms Rowling has totally shit the bed on this one.
She's not trans, and while there is obvious debate about whether she should be allowed to compete as a man, Ms Rowling has totally shit the bed on this one.
Whether or not Khelif should have been barred from competing on a technicality she has been badly treated. The corrupt and now dismissed IBA have said she failed a test but won't say anything about the test because it supposedly is confidential. Meanwhile the IOC says that's wrong but won't definitively demonstrate that she is eligible.
I wonder if the controversy might have helped her, competitively. Boxing is about confidence and fear as well as skill. That Italian competitor’s statement after pulling out must surely have struck fear into other opponents. Like Jonah Lomu in his first World Cup.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
Still don’t understand why squash isn’t in the olympics. Tennis, ping pong and badminton are. So why not squash?
The Brits really did invent almost every sport in the world, eg all those
Tennis, ping pong, badminton, squash
What are we like? We changed the world from our tiny foggy islands. It;s like the Faroe Isles became the Roman Empire times a million
I fear we are dwarfed by our own achievements. So we nervously overeat, and wank to Onlyfans, and elect Primark Pinochets like "Sir" Two Tier Keir fucking Starmer
I suppose your thesis would explain the Spectator author view ratings.
BUT does NOT explain the next great Olympic sport of the 21st century: pickleball!
No Brits involved with its creation . . . unless the UK annexes Bainbridge Island WA . . .
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
She's not trans, and while there is obvious debate about whether she should be allowed to compete as a man, Ms Rowling has totally shit the bed on this one.
Whether or not Khelif should have been barred from competing on a technicality she has been badly treated. The corrupt and now dismissed IBA have said she failed a test but won't say anything about the test because it supposedly is confidential. Meanwhile the IOC says that's wrong but won't definitively demonstrate that she is eligible.
I wonder if the controversy might have helped her, competitively. Boxing is about confidence and fear as well as skill. That Italian competitor’s statement after pulling out must surely have struck fear into other opponents. Like Jonah Lomu in his first World Cup.
It sure as hell didn't help her or her family move around without 24 hour protection.
We also need a proper inquest into the sailing team, it's been a truly awful return for a country that's supposed to be pretty good at sailing, given we're an island nation. It's one of the higher funded sports too so we will definitely need answers on why everyone seems to have crapped out.
It seems to have been handicapped by the wind rarely blowing in Marseille.
Has this been mentioned? Nigel Farage MP @Nigel_Farage My thoughts are with all of those affected by the awful fire in Jaywick. I'm being kept fully updated and will visit in the coming days.
The 'coming days'. Is Farage in competition with Jared O'Mara as Parliament's s****est ever MP.?
She's not trans, and while there is obvious debate about whether she should be allowed to compete as a man, Ms Rowling has totally shit the bed on this one.
Whether or not Khelif should have been barred from competing on a technicality she has been badly treated. The corrupt and now dismissed IBA have said she failed a test but won't say anything about the test because it supposedly is confidential. Meanwhile the IOC says that's wrong but won't definitively demonstrate that she is eligible.
Surely under the IOC rules she is clearly eligible. My understanding is that she is in the same situation as Caster Semenya who was allowed to compete in the Olympics. Since that appears to be the basis of the IBA case against her it surely falls if the IOC has said those with her condition are allowed to compete.
The IAAF has a limited ban on atheletes with this condition competeing in specific middle distance events but that is not a rule that aplies to her discipline.
I don't actually see that the IOC could take any other postion at present given their current rules. Going forward, if there are safety inplications then I can see them changing the rules but since boxing has been dropped from the Olympics for the next games it doesn't really matter.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
Mum is convinced Josh and Melissa's vegetarianism c.1991 "influenced" me
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
Why did they talk about the Australian institute of sport ?
IIRC Shane Ramsey did some diving but there was nobody else.
I don't remember carrot cake either.
Wasn't it supposed to be some 1940s invention to use carrots instead of sugar during rationing ?
Not trans but there has been Russian (IBA) speculation that she may be intersex.
People keep saying she's been through male puberty. What does that mean exactly? How does a woman go through male puberty?
I've no idea what the position is with this boxer.
But AIUI a male may be born with some form of DSD and very undeveloped genitals so he looks like a girl from the outside and may be brought up as one. Internally though he has testes etc and his chromosomes are male. When puberty comes he gets testosterone etc so puberty is male and has all the effects on bones, strength etc that happen to all males. The genitals may develop a bit externally. But the body produces or is capable of producing sperm not eggs. Caster Semenya I believe has fathered children. The person may then realise they are a male or just think they are a masculine sort of female. It must be confusing. But from a chromosomal perspective they are male. And if they have male strength then it would not be fair to have them in a female sporting competition.
Sure scientists will explain if I've got it wrong. But as I say no idea whether this applies to this boxer. That's why I'm puzzled why the IOC won't have simple cheek swabs to establish sex.
Certainly no woman goes through male puberty. You can only go through puberty as the sex you are.
I understand your point but isn't the real issue here that it doesn't matter under the current IOC rules. If they got her to take the test and it confirmed the IBA claims then it still makes no difference as the current IOC rules state that she can compete even with that condition.
Forcing an athelete to take a test whe the results don't change anything seems pointless and intrusive.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
I still think the best comment ever about Australia was from Robert Hughes' fellow emigre, the late, great Clive James.
"The problem with Australians is not that so many of them are descended from convicts, but that so many of them are descended from prison officers."
Australians have heads like their country - big and empty.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
Snip
As I mentioned the other day, it was already a common term in the early 80s when I went to Uni.
We also need a proper inquest into the sailing team, it's been a truly awful return for a country that's supposed to be pretty good at sailing, given we're an island nation. It's one of the higher funded sports too so we will definitely need answers on why everyone seems to have crapped out.
It seems to have been handicapped by the wind rarely blowing in Marseille.
I really don’t understand why they didn’t hold the sailing somewhere on their huge and beautiful Atlantic coast, a few hours’ drive from Paris. Nantes would have been ideal, or even somewhere in Normandy.
Still don’t understand why squash isn’t in the olympics. Tennis, ping pong and badminton are. So why not squash?
The Brits really did invent almost every sport in the world, eg all those
Tennis, ping pong, badminton, squash
What are we like? We changed the world from our tiny foggy islands. It;s like the Faroe Isles became the Roman Empire times a million
I fear we are dwarfed by our own achievements. So we nervously overeat, and wank to Onlyfans, and elect Primark Pinochets like "Sir" Two Tier Keir fucking Starmer
I suppose your thesis would explain the Spectator author view ratings.
BUT does NOT explain the next great Olympic sport of the 21st century: pickleball!
No Brits involved with its creation . . . unless the UK annexes Bainbridge Island WA . . .
We ought to, if only for the view from the ferry:
(My quota for today.)
Like the pic . . . HOWEVER while taken (no doubt) from the deck of the Bainbridge Island ferry, you were pointed the WRONG direction . . . as the view is NOT of BI but instead of downtown Seattle . . .
Not trans but there has been Russian (IBA) speculation that she may be intersex.
People keep saying she's been through male puberty. What does that mean exactly? How does a woman go through male puberty?
The theory which I saw online speculates that she was categorised as female at birth but may have one of the intersex conditions whereby she has a vulva, a clitoris, possibly also a vagina, but has internal testes and no ovaries. Those testes can't function fully (because of internal temperature) but can function partially. When she hit puberty they kicked in and produced some (but not all) of the testosterone variants. That would explain why she is taller and more broad shouldered, but does not have an Adams apple nor beard hair, and still has a female hairline and a non-broken voice. Her lack of ovaries would explain why she appears to have a narrow pelvis. Her enhanced musculature would explain the square jaw (as bone growth scales to muscle strength).
Whether this is true or not depends who you believe,which I will cheerfully leave up to you.
Probably got considerably lower testosterone levels than many Chinese or east German female athletes back in the day. People need to chill out, humans have natural variation and Olympic athletes aren't normal humans, 99.99% will never cycle, run, canoe, row as fast or punch as hard as an them.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
Why did they talk about the Australian institute of sport ?
IIRC Shane Ramsey did some diving but there was nobody else.
I don't remember carrot cake either.
Wasn't it supposed to be some 1940s invention to use carrots instead of sugar during rationing ?
Are you sure you weren't watching Home and Away, or even Skippy? Carrot cake was a staple of the coffee shop, and as a result started to be sold here.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
I agree with you about 'uni'.
But not about bungalows - there were huge numbers built in the UK in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but I've not seen any since.
And the Archers, Emmerdale Farm and Brookside were all middle class soap operas.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
Snip
As I mentioned the other day, it was already a common term in the early 80s when I went to Uni.
That needn’t mean Neighbours didn’t have a huge role in spreading the term.
The very fact several people on here first heard it used on that programme suggests it was influential.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
Why did they talk about the Australian institute of sport ?
IIRC Shane Ramsey did some diving but there was nobody else.
I don't remember carrot cake either.
Wasn't it supposed to be some 1940s invention to use carrots instead of sugar during rationing ?
Are you sure you weren't watching Home and Away, or even Skippy? Carrot cake was a staple of the coffee shop, and as a result started to be sold here.
Didn't they sell it in the Home and Away coffee shop ?
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
Snip
As I mentioned the other day, it was already a common term in the early 80s when I went to Uni.
Still don’t understand why squash isn’t in the olympics. Tennis, ping pong and badminton are. So why not squash?
The Brits really did invent almost every sport in the world, eg all those
Tennis, ping pong, badminton, squash
What are we like? We changed the world from our tiny foggy islands. It;s like the Faroe Isles became the Roman Empire times a million
I fear we are dwarfed by our own achievements. So we nervously overeat, and wank to Onlyfans, and elect Primark Pinochets like "Sir" Two Tier Keir fucking Starmer
I suppose your thesis would explain the Spectator author view ratings.
BUT does NOT explain the next great Olympic sport of the 21st century: pickleball!
No Brits involved with its creation . . . unless the UK annexes Bainbridge Island WA . . .
We ought to, if only for the view from the ferry:
(My quota for today.)
Like the pic . . . HOWEVER while taken (no doubt) from the deck of the Bainbridge Island ferry, you were pointed the WRONG direction . . . as the view is NOT of BI but instead of downtown Seattle . . .
Indeed. Sadly the quota now prevents me from posting pictures of my hike around Bainbridge Island. The town next to the port was a little bit twee, but overall I liked it.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
I agree with you about 'uni'.
But not about bungalows - there were huge numbers built in the UK in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but I've not seen any since.
And the Archers, Emmerdale Farm and Brookside were all middle class soap operas.
I’d say the Archers and Emmerdale are supposed to be full spectrum. From Iceland to Waitrose to the farm shop. Representative of all classes in a geographic location. Brookside is lower middle - ASDA. Neighbours was uniformly comfortable middle-middle. The range was from Tesco to Sainsbury’s.
Bungalows - the point there is they had fallen deeply out of fashion in the 80s, like the fate that befell Liebfraumilch and Beaujolais nouveau in the 90s. Most were built in the 60s and 70s. Neighbours kicked off their repositioning as desirable pads, a little exotic, possibly even leading out to a swimming pool.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
Snip
As I mentioned the other day, it was already a common term in the early 80s when I went to Uni.
That needn’t mean Neighbours didn’t have a huge role in spreading the term.
The very fact several people on here first heard it used on that programme suggests it was influential.
I think it speaks more to the age of the person, tbh. If you were in your teens when watching neighbours you'd be born around 1970 or after, so you would have heard "Uni" from that and thought they invented it. But those born earlier would have heard it before then.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
I agree with you about 'uni'.
But not about bungalows - there were huge numbers built in the UK in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but I've not seen any since.
And the Archers, Emmerdale Farm and Brookside were all middle class soap operas.
It seems really weird that Brookside Close is a real place with real people living there. I don't think I would like it much to live somewhere famous with people turning up to gawp.
Wrt Khelif. Aren't all Olympian gold medallists in some way genetic abnormalities? Ian Thorpe had size 17 feet. He basically had flippers. Victor Wembanyama is a seriously talented basketball player. He would be less effective if he wasn't seven foot four. Simone Biles is four foot eight. Which is quite handy if you want to triple somersault. Etc., etc..
She's not trans, and while there is obvious debate about whether she should be allowed to compete as a man, Ms Rowling has totally shit the bed on this one.
Whether or not Khelif should have been barred from competing on a technicality she has been badly treated. The corrupt and now dismissed IBA have said she failed a test but won't say anything about the test because it supposedly is confidential. Meanwhile the IOC says that's wrong but won't definitively demonstrate that she is eligible.
I agree 100%: if she can't compete, it's not because of something she has done, and she should be treated with absolute sympathy.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
I agree with you about 'uni'.
But not about bungalows - there were huge numbers built in the UK in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but I've not seen any since.
And the Archers, Emmerdale Farm and Brookside were all middle class soap operas.
It seems really weird that Brookside Close is a real place with real people living there. I don't think I would like it much to live somewhere famous with people turning up to gawp.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
I agree with you about 'uni'.
But not about bungalows - there were huge numbers built in the UK in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but I've not seen any since.
And the Archers, Emmerdale Farm and Brookside were all middle class soap operas.
I’d say the Archers and Emmerdale are supposed to be full spectrum. From Iceland to Waitrose to the farm shop. Representative of all classes in a geographic location. Brookside is lower middle - ASDA. Neighbours was uniformly comfortable middle-middle. The range was from Tesco to Sainsbury’s.
Bungalows - the point there is they had fallen deeply out of fashion in the 80s, like the fate that befell Liebfraumilch and Beaujolais nouveau in the 90s. Most were built in the 60s and 70s. Neighbours kicked off their repositioning as desirable pads, a little exotic, possibly even leading out to a swimming pool.
Bungalows have always been desirable for oldies, especially so as they've hardly built any for forty years.
Brookside was about Thatcherite social mobility so you had the Collins family on the way down, the Grant family on the way up and various yuppies passing through.
Emmerdale Farm was initially based upon the returning Jack Sugden who had lived in London, written a book, had progressive ideas on farming, was a womaniser and whose goulash was 'famous in Notting Hill'. I wonder if he was based upon the poet Ted Hughes.
Seems like they're still flying really old ones built long ago before they laid off their engineers.
They're building some new ones that Trump made a big deal about allegedly cancelling then ordered anyhow once everyone had forgotten about it, but they got delayed.
Still don’t understand why squash isn’t in the olympics. Tennis, ping pong and badminton are. So why not squash?
Two problems: viewer-friendliness, though transparent walls have largely solved that. but for me the problem is you can have quite a long rally, then one player impedes the other. Then the judges have to decide and there are 3 possible outcomes - the point can go to either player, or they play a "let" and start the point again. So too much decided by judging for my taste.
You can post about drifting dreamingly through a languid early evening London where youngsters are living their best lives under a humid August sun and twenty something year old girls are wearing very little and a taxi driver just offered you a massive spliff and suddenly the rest of the world can go hang itself.
Hey, Boeing finally got around to replacing the crap door design (the one that fell off the airplane a whle back) and have moved their HQ back to . . . wait for it . . . Seattle.
So am hopeful that they'll get around to planes of POTUS, ex-POTUS, wannbe-POTUS, etc., etc. any day now!
WHY with less than 90 days left to campaign, is Donald Trump flying to Montana EV = 4 (which is one more than in 2020)?
Short answer: to help local GOP defeat US Sen. John Tester (D - Cow Chip, MT) so Republicans can capture the US Senate.
Slightly longer answer: Trump campaign is NOT the Best & Brightest; more like as Weird & Warped as DJT himself. Pundits (at least Dem ones) have been calling him the laziest presidential candidate since the invention of the automobile jump-seat. So naturally he jets of . . . to Big Sky Country!
Note that Trump got 56.9% of Montana vote in 2020 versus 40.6% for Biden, with margin of +99k out of 500k votes cast. So not look like he's likely to lose to Harris in 2024 . . . *UNLESS the wheels of the Trumpmoble REALLY start falling off . . .
TRUMP: "You have no choice. You have to vote for me. If you don't, you'll be putting in radical lefties, you'll have a depression, your stocks will be worthless, 401(k)s will be gone, there will be crime all over your streets ... you have no choice, right, right?" https://x.com/atrupar/status/1299498704093749248
You can post about drifting dreamingly through a languid early evening London where youngsters are living their best lives under a humid August sun and twenty something year old girls are wearing very little and a taxi driver just offered you a massive spliff and suddenly the rest of the world can go hang itself.
I’m back! Til the end of August. I climbed Primrose Hill this evening. Sweet
"Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree blocking access to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, for 10 days following a public spat with owner Elon Musk. The two men have traded barbs since Mr Maduro was declared the winner of last month's disputed presidential election"
"Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree blocking access to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, for 10 days following a public spat with owner Elon Musk. The two men have traded barbs since Mr Maduro was declared the winner of last month's disputed presidential election"
"Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree blocking access to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, for 10 days following a public spat with owner Elon Musk. The two men have traded barbs since Mr Maduro was declared the winner of last month's disputed presidential election"
This reminds me - for anyone who was looking at the Presidential market on Polymarket that I mentioned here a few times suggesting betting on Maduro, it eventually settled in favour of Gonzalez (and only Gonzalez). Happy that I followed my cowardly gut and didn't put any money down.
I'm still pretty sure I was "in the right" though by that perverse wording.
"Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree blocking access to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, for 10 days following a public spat with owner Elon Musk. The two men have traded barbs since Mr Maduro was declared the winner of last month's disputed presidential election"
This reminds me - for anyone who was looking at the Presidential market on Polymarket that I mentioned here a few times suggesting betting on Maduro, it eventually settled in favour of Gonzalez (and only Gonzalez). Happy that I followed my cowardly gut and didn't put any money down.
I'm still pretty sure I was "in the right" though by that perverse wording.
The rational explanation for the consistent Michelle Obama price on Polymarket is that somebody's building up a massive position and they plan to attack Uma to make it missettle for her.
"Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree blocking access to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, for 10 days following a public spat with owner Elon Musk. The two men have traded barbs since Mr Maduro was declared the winner of last month's disputed presidential election"
This reminds me - for anyone who was looking at the Presidential market on Polymarket that I mentioned here a few times suggesting betting on Maduro, it eventually settled in favour of Gonzalez (and only Gonzalez). Happy that I followed my cowardly gut and didn't put any money down.
I'm still pretty sure I was "in the right" though by that perverse wording.
The rational explanation for the consistent Michelle Obama price on Polymarket is that somebody's building up a massive position and they plan to attack Uma to make it missettle for her.
Maybe - but it's been going on for a few election rounds now.
Unless the previous ones were just to lull eveyone into a sense of false security....
The contrast between the Harris/Walz and Trump/Vance campaigns is only reinforcing my view that Harris will win this easily.
I know we’ve seen the likes of the Cleggasm and Milifandom over here before but it’s apparent there is genuine enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket and part of that is relief that Biden saw sense. Harris and Walz are projecting fun, they look like real people. In the US this matters. And maybe the US is now ready for a female CiC in a way that they weren’t in 2016.
In contrast Trump is fighting the same old same old campaign. He looks old and low energy and Vance brings little or nothing to the ticket. They look tired, bitter and stale.
I know rcs and others still think the economy will harm the Democrats. In an ordinary election it might, but this isn’t an ordinary election. Despite the Dems having held the Presidency for 4 years it feels like Harris represents the change candidate. And in any case the stacking of Scotus, the Republican House etc., gives a more nuanced picture of who is in power.
I don’t think this ends up close. The Republicans have been hoisted by their own petard. Their cowardice in respect of Trump is going to ensure them an epic defeat.
Mr. Monksfield, point of order: the USA was absolutely ready for a female president in 2016. Clinton buggered it up by insulting the electorate and persistently allocating resources in a foolish way.
Starting to wonder if the result will be the same in every state as it was in 2020, except with Georgia going back to the GOP
What about Texas and Florida. One of those for KH would pretty well settle it.
Very unlikely, especially Texas.
Abortion is on the ballot this November in the shape of Florida Amendment 4, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) - which would provide a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability or when "necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's healthcare provider."
These abortion measures have been a huge driver of turnout when on the ballot elsewhere. If you are looking for a "surprise" win for Harris, Florida is my top tip.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
University has always been referred to as Uni in Scotland.
The turnaround in 🇺🇸 is remarkable. Can’t say I’m not jealous of the energy in the Harris campaign. We need a bit more of that in the U.K. I think. Cathartic.
Suddenly Trump looks like the tired establishment candidate. The energy is all with Harris.
Mr. Monksfield, point of order: the USA was absolutely ready for a female president in 2016. Clinton buggered it up by insulting the electorate and persistently allocating resources in a foolish way.
The core theme there was her arrogance and sense of entitlement.
Sure, Trump has that too, but he was at least "new" and at least moderately entertaining whilst doing it, but she had no sense of humour.
Just for a bit fun, the Medal Table updated, with 3 points for a Gold, 2 for a Silver, 1 for a Bronze.
G S B Total points United States 99 78 39 216 China 99 52 23 174 Great Britain 42 40 23 105 France 42 40 22 104 Australia 54 32 14 100 Japan 48 16 13 77 Italy 33 24 13 70 South Korea 39 16 7 62 Germany 36 18 8 62 Netherlands 39 12 10 61
It's fascnating how nations of roughly equal economic/politicai power do roughly the same in the table
China and the USA are about the same in most ways, China does more trade, America has more soft power, China is bigger on PPP, America on nominal, and so on. They are the two superpowers, it is very hard to say which predominates, and they have exactly 99 golds each
France and the UK are the two great post imperial European powers, similar sized populations, similar GDP, France is considerably more fortunate in some ways (landscape, urbanism) yet Britain has much the greater legacy (language, culture) - so like China and the USA they are basically equal - and they have basically identical medal tallies
And the entire top ten is basically the ten richest nations on earth, with Australia the exception
Australia is the only nation in the top 10 that is there because it’s “sporty”.
With the others it’s basic GDP x how bothered the government is about the olympics. With Australia, it’s because they’re a sporty bunch.
When you go to Oz - as I've done many times, and all over - you realise they aren't THAT sporty. No more than the Brits, albeit with better weather (which helps in quite a few events)
But they do talk about it a lot, even if not many actually participate. Again, like the Brits
In Robert Hughes' superb history of early Australia THE FATAL SHORE (the best book ever written about Oz) he speculates that one reason the Aussies became so obsessed with macho sport victories is because the entire nation had a reputation for sodomy in the 19th century (due to a lack of women). And it really did. Aussies were known for it, and redcoats were told to watch out for it. If you go to the old gaols in Sydney you can see the squints by the door through which redcoats were able to check the latest convict immigrants were not buggering the Hell out of each other
This became a kind ofn ational shame so the later Aussies became weirdly obsessed - TO PROVE A POINT - with winning at tough sports like rugby and Rules
Hence the reputation they once had for overt homophobia, as well. Denial
As every 1980s Neighbours viewer will know, Australia was the first country to take sport seriously with its Australian Institute of Sport. (Not counting national doping programmes behind the Iron Curtain.)
Why should 1980s Neighbours viewers know that ?
It was based about a suburban street and Lassiters hotel not a sports club.
They talked about it a lot. Of course, the real influence of Neighbours on British culture was not Kylie or Natalie Imbruglia or Guy Pearce, but carrot cake.
And, though people on PB seemed keen to doubt this, the popularising of “Uni” for university. It’s certainly the first time I heard it.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
I agree with you about 'uni'.
But not about bungalows - there were huge numbers built in the UK in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but I've not seen any since.
And the Archers, Emmerdale Farm and Brookside were all middle class soap operas.
I’d say the Archers and Emmerdale are supposed to be full spectrum. From Iceland to Waitrose to the farm shop. Representative of all classes in a geographic location. Brookside is lower middle - ASDA. Neighbours was uniformly comfortable middle-middle. The range was from Tesco to Sainsbury’s.
Bungalows - the point there is they had fallen deeply out of fashion in the 80s, like the fate that befell Liebfraumilch and Beaujolais nouveau in the 90s. Most were built in the 60s and 70s. Neighbours kicked off their repositioning as desirable pads, a little exotic, possibly even leading out to a swimming pool.
Bungalows have always been desirable for oldies, especially so as they've hardly built any for forty years.
Brookside was about Thatcherite social mobility so you had the Collins family on the way down, the Grant family on the way up and various yuppies passing through.
Emmerdale Farm was initially based upon the returning Jack Sugden who had lived in London, written a book, had progressive ideas on farming, was a womaniser and whose goulash was 'famous in Notting Hill'. I wonder if he was based upon the poet Ted Hughes.
I had no idea about Brookside. I'd always assumed it was about the roughest and most criminal people on God's earth. Seems a tad unlikely that a single uniform urban street in a large city would encompass that wide a social range. I
Mr. Monksfield, point of order: the USA was absolutely ready for a female president in 2016. Clinton buggered it up by insulting the electorate and persistently allocating resources in a foolish way.
The core theme there was her arrogance and sense of entitlement.
Sure, Trump has that too, but he was at least "new" and at least moderately entertaining whilst doing it, but she had no sense of humour.
It was interesting looking back at a thread from about a week before the 2016 election.
Most posters (including me) were confident Clinton would still win, but an awful lot of them were trying to explain to me that the fact Hilary Clinton was under investigation by the FBI was not an equivalence issue because the crimes Trump was accused of were worse.
The relative gravity point was of course entirely true, but overlooked two rather significant problems: (1) Clinton being accused of crimes (and crimes related to the time in office she was trading on, at that) neutralised her best attack line against him and (2) they were explaining and therefore losing.
If Hilary Clinton had not been the candidate it is highly unlikely Trump would ever have been President.
Last night Harris and Walz had a sold out rally in Phoenix. Around 20,000 present. Walz acted as her warm up act and had the whole crowd roaring.
Trump held a rally in Montana, capacity 7,000, at best half full.
He was played on to the stage by Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On,' from the soundtrack of a movie about a ship that everyone knows is unsinkable hitting an unexpected obstacle and sinking with disastrous results for the passengers.
Mr. Monksfield, point of order: the USA was absolutely ready for a female president in 2016. Clinton buggered it up by insulting the electorate and persistently allocating resources in a foolish way.
The core theme there was her arrogance and sense of entitlement.
Sure, Trump has that too, but he was at least "new" and at least moderately entertaining whilst doing it, but she had no sense of humour.
It was interesting looking back at a thread from about a week before the 2016 election.
Most posters (including me) were confident Clinton would still win, but an awful lot of them were trying to explain to me that the fact Hilary Clinton was under investigation by the FBI was not an equivalence issue because the crimes Trump was accused of were worse.
The relative gravity point was of course entirely true, but overlooked two rather significant problems: (1) Clinton being accused of crimes (and crimes related to the time in office she was trading on, at that) neutralised her best attack line against him and (2) they were explaining and therefore losing.
If Hilary Clinton had not been the candidate it is highly unlikely Trump would ever have been President.
It was also 2016. We had just Brexited. There was an ill wind that Trump captured.
The contrast between the Harris/Walz and Trump/Vance campaigns is only reinforcing my view that Harris will win this easily.
I know we’ve seen the likes of the Cleggasm and Milifandom over here before but it’s apparent there is genuine enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket and part of that is relief that Biden saw sense. Harris and Walz are projecting fun, they look like real people. In the US this matters. And maybe the US is now ready for a female CiC in a way that they weren’t in 2016.
In contrast Trump is fighting the same old same old campaign. He looks old and low energy and Vance brings little or nothing to the ticket. They look tired, bitter and stale.
I know rcs and others still think the economy will harm the Democrats. In an ordinary election it might, but this isn’t an ordinary election. Despite the Dems having held the Presidency for 4 years it feels like Harris represents the change candidate. And in any case the stacking of Scotus, the Republican House etc., gives a more nuanced picture of who is in power.
I don’t think this ends up close. The Republicans have been hoisted by their own petard. Their cowardice in respect of Trump is going to ensure them an epic defeat.
I would agree that there is a problem with complacency on the part of the Republicans and little sign that this is going to be corrected. But there is a certain sense of over confidence/hubris emerging about a Harris victory. If they can keep up the current momentum and there is no effective response from the Republicans then it seems likely to happen, but the situation is obviously highly volatile and changeable.
Mr. Monksfield, point of order: the USA was absolutely ready for a female president in 2016. Clinton buggered it up by insulting the electorate and persistently allocating resources in a foolish way.
The core theme there was her arrogance and sense of entitlement.
Sure, Trump has that too, but he was at least "new" and at least moderately entertaining whilst doing it, but she had no sense of humour.
It was interesting looking back at a thread from about a week before the 2016 election.
Most posters (including me) were confident Clinton would still win, but an awful lot of them were trying to explain to me that the fact Hilary Clinton was under investigation by the FBI was not an equivalence issue because the crimes Trump was accused of were worse.
The relative gravity point was of course entirely true, but overlooked two rather significant problems: (1) Clinton being accused of crimes (and crimes related to the time in office she was trading on, at that) neutralised her best attack line against him and (2) they were explaining and therefore losing.
If Hilary Clinton had not been the candidate it is highly unlikely Trump would ever have been President.
It was also 2016. We had just Brexited. There was an ill wind that Trump captured.
Eh? Hard to divine cause and effect there. A bit of post hoc ergo propter hoc going on.
Japan are suddenly on 16 golds. Post-Tokyo effect in full swing. France needs to get a move on.
Yes Japan will finish strong, the UK and France are running out of gold medal opportunities. I think Japan could end up third, Australia fourth and between the UK and France for fifth.
Australia have had a brilliant games so far after a few weak cycles for them. We're really going to have to up our game for the 2028 and 2032 cycles. Especially with 2032 in Australia and with Australia competing in basically all the same sports as the UK other than athletics.
There are 52 gold medals left. Which ones do Japan have a chance in, to 'finish strong'?
GB have chances in the four remaining track cycling events, modern pentathlon, and athletics.
Modern pentathlon is basically a discipline designed for GB to win. It’s Wednesday afternoon games at public school. A good old muddy cross country run, some ponies, bit of sword fighting and shooting.
A more proletariat version involving breaking & entering, GBH, Twocing, throwing bricks at coppers and setting fire to upturned cars would boost our medal prospects.
Nah, we'd never beat the French at that sort of nonsense.
Also it's bollocks. Britain's lumpenproletariat isn't that active
The sports should be
"Pointless swearing", followed by "ordering takeout on Deliveroo", then "video games while smoking a blunt", then "getting a tattoo", then a dramatic conclusion with "half hearted wanking to Only Fans"
I have managed to go my entire life without watching a single minute of "Strictly" and it is my sincere hope that I shall expire with that claim wholly intact
“ Then shut the fuck up” .… about whomever it was that wrote that crap book.
I probably shouldn't shut the fuck up, just because I get told to. My beef with Douglas Murray ....
His many critics focus on Murray's Islamaphobia and racism, to be told that's not the point. Actually it is entirely the point. Murray far from hiding his Islamaphobia, intellectualises it. His only defence can be that Islamaphobia and racism are justified. It's the battle he chooses to fight; we should engage him on it.
His book, The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam, is the most significant polemic in the canon of Islamaphobia. The three words of the subtitle distil his argument: Islam is bad; Islamic immigration into Europe is doubly bad; it leads to a loss of identity in Europe and ultimately a cultural death. This trend is abetted by an effete liberal ascendancy who have lost Europe's previous self confidence by questioning cultural assumptions on colonialism etc and denial of the Islamic problem.
Murray claims to empiricism in his arguments. You observe and from your observations you get to the truth. What I have missed by not reading his book is all the fascinating, or depending on your view dreary, detail on the ways in which Islam is bad. I am sure however that Murray is seeing lots of trees and no woods and therefore not getting to the truth.
Bad or not, Islam just isn't that important in Europe, certainly not to the extent of causing it to die. Muslims make up 5% of the population and a marginal and not well integrated minority (not least because of the hostility towards them that Murray espouses). They are not imposing their cultural norms, including on homosexuality, onto anyone else. Meanwhile socially conservative elites that Murray is very friendly with, such as Orbán and Meloni do.
Muslims make up about half of immigration into Europe, but most immigration in Europe is other Europeans including recently many Ukrainians.
He is also wrong about liberals, of which I am one, lacking self confidence. We may be deluded but to a man and woman we think we're superior to the obscurantism of Putin, the Iranian theocracy and others. If we reject colonialism and slavery it's because we think we are better than that. Meanwhile Murray is the one who thinks Europe is dying. The cultural death is all projection on his part.
Strip away the intellectual veneer and Douglas Murray"s Islamaphobia and racism is no more justified than his fellow sectarians who trashed the mosque in Southport last week.
Comments
Leaving that to one side, because the next part can happen without it, the other rumour from the IBA was that she had very high testosterone levels which is obviously a male sex hormone (and steroid) which could help in developing muscles which is useful for boxers.
But before we get carried away, remember she has a fairly chequered fight history, losing nine bouts, so it is not like a prime Mike Tyson beating up the ladies.
"The problem with Australians is not that so many of them are descended from convicts, but that so many of them are descended from prison officers."
No Brits involved with its creation . . . unless the UK annexes Bainbridge Island WA . . .
SKS is going down well in foreign capitals. He’s an understandable, solid, Colin Firth version of their favourite British stereotypes.
But AIUI a male may be born with some form of DSD and very undeveloped genitals so he looks like a girl from the outside and may be brought up as one. Internally though he has testes etc and his chromosomes are male. When puberty comes he gets testosterone etc so puberty is male and has all the effects on bones, strength etc that happen to all males. The genitals may develop a bit externally. But the body produces or is capable of producing sperm not eggs. Caster Semenya I believe has fathered children. The person may then realise they are a male or just think they are a masculine sort of female. It must be confusing. But from a chromosomal perspective they are male. And if they have male strength then it would not be fair to have them in a female sporting competition.
Sure scientists will explain if I've got it wrong. But as I say no idea whether this applies to this boxer. That's why I'm puzzled why the IOC won't have simple cheek swabs to establish sex.
Certainly no woman goes through male puberty. You can only go through puberty as the sex you are.
(My quota for today.)
First race from Paris (so they've really missed a chance there).
Obscurely satisfying that it was won by a pair of Usonian chaps who landed in Yorkshire, of all places. Fylingdales, too.
The IAAF has a limited ban on atheletes with this condition competeing in specific middle distance events but that is not a rule that aplies to her discipline.
I don't actually see that the IOC could take any other postion at present given their current rules. Going forward, if there are safety inplications then I can see them changing the rules but since boxing has been dropped from the Olympics for the next games it doesn't really matter.
IIRC Shane Ramsey did some diving but there was nobody else.
I don't remember carrot cake either.
Wasn't it supposed to be some 1940s invention to use carrots instead of sugar during rationing ?
Forcing an athelete to take a test whe the results don't change anything seems pointless and intrusive.
But the influences go far wider. Beyond the Hollywood stars and pop musicians. The Australian inquisitive ending in sentences now universally deployed by British youth. The rehabilitation of the bungalow as a respectable housing unit. The idea that a soap opera can be middle class, rather than either working class (UK) or plutocratic (US), leading directly to the likes of hollyoaks. The normalising of the open plan kitchen-living room space. The acceptance that dogs have
dreams. The received image of the archetypal Japanese businessman in Mr Udigawa.
People need to chill out, humans have natural variation and Olympic athletes aren't normal humans, 99.99% will never cycle, run, canoe, row as fast or punch as hard as an them.
But not about bungalows - there were huge numbers built in the UK in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but I've not seen any since.
And the Archers, Emmerdale Farm and Brookside were all middle class soap operas.
The very fact several people on here first heard it used on that programme suggests it was influential.
President Donald Trump’s plane had to make an emergency landing in Billings ahead of his appearance in Bozeman tonight due to a hydraulic leak.
https://x.com/ClassCRadio1/status/1822015832555462764
Bungalows - the point there is they had fallen deeply out of fashion in the 80s, like the fate that befell Liebfraumilch and Beaujolais nouveau in the 90s. Most were built in the 60s and 70s. Neighbours kicked off their repositioning as desirable pads, a little exotic, possibly even leading out to a swimming pool.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Albert+Square,+London/@51.5477594,0.0070934,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x47d8a7850e1775cf:0xc66089e6621ebc1d!8m2!3d51.5477594!4d0.0096683!16s/g/1tk1y9f0?entry=ttu
Brookside was about Thatcherite social mobility so you had the Collins family on the way down, the Grant family on the way up and various yuppies passing through.
Emmerdale Farm was initially based upon the returning Jack Sugden who had lived in London, written a book, had progressive ideas on farming, was a womaniser and whose goulash was 'famous in Notting Hill'. I wonder if he was based upon the poet Ted Hughes.
I’m just gonna post a photo from my recent travels cuz it’s my photo quota
The dreamy weirdness of Paris during Les Jeux
The sun belt is in play.
They're building some new ones that Trump made a big deal about allegedly cancelling then ordered anyhow once everyone had forgotten about it, but they got delayed.
but for me the problem is you can have quite a long rally, then one player impedes the other. Then the judges have to decide and there are 3 possible outcomes - the point can go to either player, or they play a "let" and start the point again. So too much decided by judging for my taste.
Olympics is so last week.
UK. 31-32 degrees for Monday.
You can post about drifting dreamingly through a languid early evening London where youngsters are living their best lives under a humid August sun and twenty something year old girls are wearing very little and a taxi driver just offered you a massive spliff and suddenly the rest of the world can go hang itself.
So am hopeful that they'll get around to planes of POTUS, ex-POTUS, wannbe-POTUS, etc., etc. any day now!
WHY with less than 90 days left to campaign, is Donald Trump flying to Montana EV = 4 (which is one more than in 2020)?
Short answer: to help local GOP defeat US Sen. John Tester (D - Cow Chip, MT) so Republicans can capture the US Senate.
Slightly longer answer: Trump campaign is NOT the Best & Brightest; more like as Weird & Warped as DJT himself. Pundits (at least Dem ones) have been calling him the laziest presidential candidate since the invention of the automobile jump-seat. So naturally he jets of . . . to Big Sky Country!
Note that Trump got 56.9% of Montana vote in 2020 versus 40.6% for Biden, with margin of +99k out of 500k votes cast. So not look like he's likely to lose to Harris in 2024 . . . *UNLESS the wheels of the Trumpmoble REALLY start falling off . . .
Rogan recants. “I only like RFK… didn’t mean to endorse him.”
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1299498704093749248
August…. 2020.
2024 Arizona GE:
Harris 44% (+2)
Trump 42%
@azhighground 500 LV, 7/30-8/5
https://x.com/Politics_Polls/status/1821600687735644591
Biden is in DE. Harris in AZ
https://x.com/selinawangtv/status/1822047606287249907
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ypx0p84rgo
I'm still pretty sure I was "in the right" though by that perverse wording.
Unless the previous ones were just to lull eveyone into a sense of false security....
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/how-britain-voted-in-the-2024-election
https://news.sky.com/story/brazil-latest-updates-passenger-plane-crashes-in-residential-area-of-sao-paulo-13194169
That said, there is a suggestion that Cruz, who is of course a very divisive figure, is under real pressure to hold his senate seat.
I know we’ve seen the likes of the Cleggasm and Milifandom over here before but it’s apparent there is genuine enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket and part of that is relief that Biden saw sense. Harris and Walz are projecting fun, they look like real people. In the US this matters. And maybe the US is now ready for a female CiC in a way that they weren’t in 2016.
In contrast Trump is fighting the same old same old campaign. He looks old and low energy and Vance brings little or nothing to the ticket. They look tired, bitter and stale.
I know rcs and others still think the economy will harm the Democrats. In an ordinary election it might, but this isn’t an ordinary election. Despite the Dems having held the Presidency for 4 years it feels like Harris represents the change candidate. And in any case the stacking of Scotus, the Republican House etc., gives a more nuanced picture of who is in power.
I don’t think this ends up close. The Republicans have been hoisted by their own petard. Their cowardice in respect of Trump is going to ensure them an epic defeat.
Mr. Monksfield, point of order: the USA was absolutely ready for a female president in 2016. Clinton buggered it up by insulting the electorate and persistently allocating resources in a foolish way.
These abortion measures have been a huge driver of turnout when on the ballot elsewhere. If you are looking for a "surprise" win for Harris, Florida is my top tip.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/18/ted-cruz-colin-allred-texas-senate/
Suddenly Trump looks like the tired establishment candidate. The energy is all with Harris.
Sure, Trump has that too, but he was at least "new" and at least moderately entertaining whilst doing it, but she had no sense of humour.
Seems a tad unlikely that a single uniform urban street in a large city would encompass that wide a social range.
I
Most posters (including me) were confident Clinton would still win, but an awful lot of them were trying to explain to me that the fact Hilary Clinton was under investigation by the FBI was not an equivalence issue because the crimes Trump was accused of were worse.
The relative gravity point was of course entirely true, but overlooked two rather significant problems: (1) Clinton being accused of crimes (and crimes related to the time in office she was trading on, at that) neutralised her best attack line against him and (2) they were explaining and therefore losing.
If Hilary Clinton had not been the candidate it is highly unlikely Trump would ever have been President.
Last night Harris and Walz had a sold out rally in Phoenix. Around 20,000 present. Walz acted as her warm up act and had the whole crowd roaring.
Trump held a rally in Montana, capacity 7,000, at best half full.
He was played on to the stage by Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On,' from the soundtrack of a movie about a ship that everyone knows is unsinkable hitting an unexpected obstacle and sinking with disastrous results for the passengers.
You could not make this up.
NEW THREAD
His many critics focus on Murray's Islamaphobia and racism, to be told that's not the point. Actually it is entirely the point. Murray far from hiding his Islamaphobia, intellectualises it. His only defence can be that Islamaphobia and racism are justified. It's the battle he chooses to fight; we should engage him on it.
His book, The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam, is the most significant polemic in the canon of Islamaphobia. The three words of the subtitle distil his argument: Islam is bad; Islamic immigration into Europe is doubly bad; it leads to a loss of identity in Europe and ultimately a cultural death. This trend is abetted by an effete liberal ascendancy who have lost Europe's previous self confidence by questioning cultural assumptions on colonialism etc and denial of the Islamic problem.
Murray claims to empiricism in his arguments. You observe and from your observations you get to the truth. What I have missed by not reading his book is all the fascinating, or depending on your view dreary, detail on the ways in which Islam is bad. I am sure however that Murray is seeing lots of trees and no woods and therefore not getting to the truth.
Bad or not, Islam just isn't that important in Europe, certainly not to the extent of causing it to die. Muslims make up 5% of the population and a marginal and not well integrated minority (not least because of the hostility towards them that Murray espouses). They are not imposing their cultural norms, including on homosexuality, onto anyone else. Meanwhile socially conservative elites that Murray is very friendly with, such as Orbán and Meloni do.
Muslims make up about half of immigration into Europe, but most immigration in Europe is other Europeans including recently many Ukrainians.
He is also wrong about liberals, of which I am one, lacking self confidence. We may be deluded but to a man and woman we think we're superior to the obscurantism of Putin, the Iranian theocracy and others. If we reject colonialism and slavery it's because we think we are better than that. Meanwhile Murray is the one who thinks Europe is dying. The cultural death is all projection on his part.
Strip away the intellectual veneer and Douglas Murray"s Islamaphobia and racism is no more justified than his fellow sectarians who trashed the mosque in Southport last week.
Tell me where I'm wrong?