Festive Alignments

[Tek Roo]

Okay, we've survived the Golden Jubilee, and important win for England, Lewis' defeat of Tyson and the Knaresborough Bed Race.

This suspense prior to Armageddon is killing me!

[JimRob]

Well... In strip-time, assume we're still somewhere near the start of the Turner prize storyline (disregarding, naturally, the fact that the real Turner prize takes place at the end of June), and Sybil and Alex have insulated themselves before the Jubilee weekend and so (lacking television) won't hear anything of it until later.

Sybil's imminent 'armageddon' is her prophesied week-long mel

[Big Bad Al]

Well the timing would be spot on... if they were Russian!

[LAGtheNoggin]

Which, of course, they are not. Unless I missed something important quite a way back and am now half-way through the process of making a fool of myself...

Ummm...

Is it me or is the lack of any holiganism whatsoever here in sunny ole' England starting to make my skin crawl? Or have I been living at the bottom of this cave for a little too long?

*scratches beard and watches the fleas drop* Hummm...

[JimRob]

We export most of our hooliganism abroad, though; so if any occurred it'd occur in Japan or Korea. But I hear they're very strict about public disturbances there, so if anything erupted it'd be clamped down on almost immediately.

[LAGtheNoggin]

I would so love to see our hooligans trying to take on the Japanese riot control, ohhh that would be such a sight to see! You should see how prepared the Japanese are...

*sigh*

The yobos want a fight, but not with someone who will give them some rather prominent bruises and an arrest...

If there's going to be any rioting, it most definetly won't be in Japan, a great pity I think. About time we got rid of them... Alas, if anywhere, err, ermmm, it'll be... ummm, actually... I don't know... London... Possibly... Or maybe they've all gone to Moscow? Hummm... Rich yobos... Hummm... Or maybe they all woke up one day and thought to themselves "F' all this fightin' lark! I'm gonna' go hug trees! WEEEEE!" and lived happily ever after with peacefull and respectable lives....

Or maybe not?

[Tek Roo]

I wish I had known about the Knaresborough Bed Race though - that sounds fun.

Well, I was thinking about working it in before the race in case anyone was tempted to attend, but either couldn't get to the forums (again) or I couldn't think of anything clever to say -- probably both. I typically arrive there early to get a good spot at the river crossing near the start/finish line. Like so!



Oops! Wait a minute, I thought the wheels were supposed to be on the bottom of the bed! Hold on -- that is the bottom! never mind!

I would so love to see our hooligans trying to take on the Japanese riot control, ohhh that would be such a sight to see! You should see how prepared the Japanese are...

Ah yes. The Japanese are not into the "don't come any closer or I'll have to take a step backward" approace to law enforcement they are so used to at home!

[JimRob]

a) It happens in a river? That's just wilful perversity. Or do they start on land and cross as part of the race?
b) Of about fifteen racers I can see, only one is actually on their bed. I take it they're not too strict about technique...
c) I'm definitely going next year. It looks like fun

[Tek Roo]

a) It happens in a river? That's just wilful perversity. Or do they start on land and cross as part of the race?
b) Of about fifteen racers I can see, only one is actually on their bed. I take it they're not too strict about technique...
c) I'm definitely going next year. It looks like fun

The first couple or three miles are on land, including some very steep uphill segments. There used to be a treacherous downhill segment down a cobblestone road, but too many teams were crashing at the bottom of the hill. The river crossing, now that everyone is exhausted and fatigued, is across the surprisingly cold River Nidd, which is where everyone really cramps up. Some of those in the water are divers, standing by in case a rescue is required. Surprisingly few had to be dragged across the river this year.

The teams are made up of six pushers I think, and one rider. Traditionally, the pushers are of one sex, and the rider is of the opposite. Style doesn't count for much, as long as everyone eventually makes it to the finish line.

I'll try to give you adequate warning next year!

[Gloria]

I know, I know. We Americans have things a lot better than anybody in the world, but... Darnit, I still thinhk it'd be cool to live in Britain. And Devon agrees with me.... Oh c'mon! We'd fit right in, aside from our accents.... really... *wanders off to her own message board*

[JimRob]

I know, I know. We Americans have things a lot better than anybody in the world, but... Darnit, I still thinhk it'd be cool to live in Britain. And Devon agrees with me.... Oh c'mon! We'd fit right in, aside from our accents.... really... *wanders off to her own message board*

Ahh, come on. You know you want free* healthcare and ad-free* TV. I always say that Britain is America, but smaller; the cultural differences, thanks to international communication, are virtually negligible. But we have more mad traditions (cf. above, the House of Lords, foxhunting etc. etc.).

(*Free meaning 'slow, inefficient and paid for with your taxes' in the former and 'less frequent and paid for with your taxes' in the former.)

[LAGtheNoggin]

YARRR! I be livin' on the Isle ah' Wight! The Isle of free-dom! The Isle where you know where your tax is going! The Isle of REAL ALE!

And so much of it! Awww man! You gotta' come down to my local, Octobeirfest! German beer! Real Ale! HoOOOoo yeah, now if only they sold Scrumpy... Humm. I wonder how many Americans have heard of the Isle of Wight? *shrug* I too have always thought of America and England as being pretty much the same apart from the distances... Until I went there. I felt at home in Normandy and Belgium, but in America everything was so strange. Odd how I can't speak a drop of French and yet that's the case... I think it's more to do with the architecture really. I'm so used to old style buildings; victorian cricket greens, pubs, tea and town squares in comparison to California's lack thereof... I just feel really out of place.

Or maybe it's the fact I can't function after two days without a good cup of tea...

[Tek Roo]

YARRR! I be livin' on the Isle ah' Wight! The Isle of free-dom! The Isle where you know where your tax is going! The Isle of REAL ALE!

And so much of it! Awww man! You gotta' come down to my local, Octobeirfest! German beer! Real Ale!

Now, wait a minute....no one told me it was the Isle of Real Ale!

::checks his CAMRA ID Card to verify that it hadn't expired::

And to think that I was in South Hampton a couple of years ago on business, bored out my skull, and in need of something to do! Dang! I missed out!

Humm. I wonder how many Americans have heard of the Isle of Wight?

I'm sure most have, since it got a quick mention in some Beatles song (I forget which one), but they wouldn't know where it was located or what it's history was. I must confess that I had to check my atlas to make sure I knew which Isle you were talking about -- and I didn't.

Perhaps I should open that atlas more often!

[LAGtheNoggin]

Well, no, it isn't the Isle of Real Ale, but hey! Nearly every pub in Newport serves the stuff so woooOO! It's close enough! And possibly as close as you can get in Britain...

As for getting the Isles mixed up, I can forgive you for that... Just... -.- ... Seeing as Wight is oldee speak for Man so in theory they were both given' the same name. How original...

Anyway, just in case, Isle of Wight is Sauth. Isle of Man noarth. OOOo arr etc, fear my complete lack of Devonshire accent...

[Tek Roo]

As for getting the Isles mixed up, I can forgive you for that... Just... -.- ... Seeing as Wight is oldee speak for Man so in theory they were both given' the same name. How original...

In yet another confusing twist, there is a brewing operation on the Isle of Man that claims that Man is the Isle of Real Ale!

Are you certain that they're not the same place? Perhaps the ferry to Man is just taking the long way around!

[LAGtheNoggin]

In twenty minutes? Blimey, that Ferry travels faster than I thought... And I never knew you could see Portsmouth from the Isle ^.^

Ahhh, the Isle of Wight, Ryde, sea side resort for rich townies... Joy... But at least I get all the Real Ale and chips I can afford. And damn good chips too!

And a little bit of a pity my place doesn't even have a phone let alone a cable connection like here back home in Richmond. The home of the Rich and, well, the even richer. It's so nice around here, Cable! WOOO! And it's all nice & quiet and near Richmond park ^.^