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Newkie Brown. I haven't had one in years. Distinctive flavour. I used to drink Tetleys quite a lot in my youth, but, as Mick says, the others are fine.
I tend to have a spiced rum in the coffee down the allotment more than anything else exept in summer when there's nothing like a cool pint.
Is your local Tetleys as good as that of your youth Paul? I only ask because some beers don't travel well. I was in Leamington Spa a while ago and went to a pub across from the municiple bowling greens. The landlord recognised my accent - to within about 10 miles - because they got alot of bowlers in from "up north". "I've just the thing for you" he said, then pointed out the Timothy Taylor's Landlord he had on tap, which is brewed in Keighley and usually very nice. He proudly pulled me a lovely looking pint and with several locals looking on I took a sip. It was disgusting. However I looked into the landlord's eager face and felt that telling him so would be like kicking a puppy. "Mmmm that's grand." I said.
Now you've set me a task. I'll have to invest a little time to answer. I can still taste the first sup of Tetleys I used to have in good old Wakey. Very distinctive.
Slake's the operative there actually - Vintage creates a thirst. I defy anyone, boozer or no, to stop at just one. So Newc's and Coop's are probably similar - going by a few boutique ales I've tasted - but again I'm not really a drunk (though I've certainly had my moments of glory), a pint usually lasts me half an hour to an hour (unless we're talking party, in which event who tracks time?)
I've discovered a pub that serves only imported beer, with a huge ornately chalked blackboard displaying their offerings. Newc's on there and Boddies too, though don't remember seeing a Tetley's, but perhaps they do.
Unfortunately it's a city hotel with no garden, and that generally means I'm not likely going to hang around, and also it has the air of an up-market bistro rather than a place you'd want to spend the day in - with a view to tasting everything in one sitting - but it could be fun to try
(After about the third I'd guess)
I haven't had that Tetley's yet. There's a festival over in Earlsdon on Monday - (Earlsdon is a part of Coventry which has been referred to as the muesli belt). I think they put a lot into the street party - it's the kind of place that has committees for everything. Perhaps I'll get to have the Tetley's there.
By the way, did I tell you that I've been invited onto the allotment committee? Out of seven, there were three, and so they're just making up the numbers. Now I get to help out in the shop. I think I'll be carrying compost bags out of the store as a start.
^ With power comes privilege.
Earlsdon sounds the kind of place where you're more likely to get a pint of Evian than a Tetleys.
It certainly does. I'll have a gander tomorrow during the festival. It might provide entertainment of one kind or another.Quote:
Originally Posted by prendrelemick
The missus and I finished the "Boddies" and she followed up with a purchase of Becks last week.
Today we swung by the grocer to get some hamburger buns for our grill night. As fate would have it, the bread aisle is adjacent to the beer and wine section and what to my wandering eye do I spot? Newcastle Brown Ale, right next to the Boddington's. I'm on my second bottle. Quite good.
Bass Ale was on the shelf as well. - How does Bass Ale stack up with you blokes?
Paul - A character from one of those bizarre tales of mine was named "The Dungloader"
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Quite good! Well I suppose it could be an aquired taste. I think it is akin to a food, its a nourishing drink designed for these cold damp cilmes, to be had in front of a warm fire of a winter evening, rather than with a barbie. Course I drink it all the time.
It sounds as though your grocer is better stocked with good beer than our supermarkets are these days. I like the Bass Premium Ale - that's a black can with a big red triangle on the front, it comes in at around the Tetleys mark, so not bad at all, a bit over priced though.
We have Becks Coors and Buds over here, I find them flavoursome though a bit gassy for my taste.
I didn't make it to Earlsdon for the festival. A bloke at the gate barred my way with a spear and called me a knave and a wastrel. I took umbrage at being called a wastrel, but he wouldn't let me in, and, as he was backed up by a big bloke with a large axe, we went on into ye olde Coventry and had a pubbe Lunch instead.
Instead we saw a Hurricane, a Spitfire and a Messcherschmidt109 in the newly paved centre, and I had a burger whilst Mrs Paulclem had a curry. They didn't have Tetleys on tap either. We had a pleasant time of it though.
Wish I were there to see three of the greatest fighters of the time. The local air museum has a Spitfire and a Messerschmidt 109 fitted with a British Rolls Royce Merlin engine. (you can tell by the position of the exhaust ports) oh the shame!Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
Regardless, both are beautifully restored aircraft.
I just finished the last of the "Newkies" and now I'm starting on a Warsteiner.
As Hamlet put it.-Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
Could'st thou on this fair mountain leave to feed,
And batten on this Moor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
As a matter of intrest GG, what would the American equivalent of those three aircraft be? Iconic dog fighter, that is.
Here's a joke from my school days.
After the war Douglas Bader goes to a girls convent school to give a talk about his wartime experiences.
"I was on patrol over the Kent coast, when suddenly two Fokkers came diving out of the sun towards me -"
Noticing some giggleing on the front row, the Mother Superior stepped in. "I should tell you girls that a Fokker was a type of German aircraft. Isn't that right Mr Bader?"
"That's right Mother Superior, but these Fokkers were in Messerschmidts!"
Ahh how we laughed.
Was this one of these Mediaeval Crafte Fayre things, which involves unconvincing broadsword jousting between a portly greengrocer and sallow History postgrad, and some pale hippy chick attempting to make a loom interesting and a bell-hatted wanker on stilts scaring children while discomfited parents look on murmuring, "It's alright, Jocasta. He's funny."?Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
Or not?
I’ll give the top three to:Quote:
Originally Posted by prendrelemick
Lockheed P-38 Lightning (J and L models),
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLKiQ06z7_g
*North American P-51 Mustang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEpzG...eature=related
and the Vought F4U Corsair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQxb-...eature=related
*Mustang’s were eventually fitted with the Rolls Royce -Packard Merlin V-12
Now most folks would give the Mustang the nod for top U.S. fighter but I must go with the Lightning for reason of personal pride. My father flew the Lightning in the Pacific theatre. Here he is on the wing of “Blood & Guts” assigned the Captain Elliott Summer somewhere in the Phillipines. They were in the same squadron:
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...8Lightning.jpg
I’ll see about rounding up a few more shots I found among the rolls of film from my father’s Leica.
"LIGHTNINGS IN THE SKY"
George A. Evans
Oh, Hedy Lamar is a beautiful gal, Madeline Carroll is too.
But you’ll find if you query a much different theory amongst any bomber crew
That the loveliest thing of which one can sing This side of the heavenly gates
Is no blonde or brunette of the Hollywood set
But an escort of P-38s
In all the days past when the tables were massed with glasses of scotch and champagne
It’s quite true that that sight was a thing to delight us intent on feeling no pain
But no longer the same nowadays in this game as we sail onto the missing state
Take your sparkling wine but always make mine
An escort of P-38s.
Byron, Shelley and Keats ran each other dead heats describing the views from the hills
Of the valleys in May where the winds gently sway an army of bright daffodils
Take your daffodils Byron, the wild flowers Shelley, yours is the myrtle, friend Keats
Just preserve me those cuties, all-American beauties
An escort of P-38s.
Sure we’re braver than hell on the ground all is well, in the air it’s a much different story
As we sweat out our track through the fighters and flak we’re willing to split up the glory
Well, they wouldn’t reject us so heaven protect us until all this shootin’ abates
Give us courage to fight ’em and another small item
An escort of P-38s.
Brilliant !!Quote:
Originally Posted by prendrelemick
We have Scarborough Rennaisance festival http://www.srfestival.com/Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkBastable
One year we attended with our son, about 8 years old at the time. A wench with clevage was flirting with our son. Suddenly from acroos the green we hear a ragged knave pushing a cart of rags yell "Leave him alone, he has not yet known woman"
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^Thanks for thar Gilliatt, I had a feeling you'd choose the Lightning.
The sound of those supercharged merlins (in the Mustang) with that doppler effect as they fly past makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Madeline Caroll, a prototype Hitchcock blonde who gave it all up when her sister was killed in an air raid.
Who can forget this .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5tmP...eature=related
Yes, fair enough. Bloodye Irrytating Crafte Fayres do have that going for them - women with cleavage. Though most of them tend to be of the sturdy English oak rather than the slender green willow variety. Not that there's anything wrong with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
And I do have a sneaking suspicion that all this Mediaeval festival stuff and the Sealed Knot palaver and anything that involves bustles and bonnets and top hats and twirled moustaches at neighbourhood Christmas Fairs - all that - is actually no more than extended Method-acting foreplay in anticipation of sepia-tinted oh-Sir-Jasper owzyerfather when the participants get home.
Strange times.
Great photo, Gill. I may be projecting, but your dad looks like a man who is ready to take on whatever life is going to throw at him. At any rate, it’s a great photo.
I agree. The P-38 was the king of the Pacific. Everything in aviation is a tradeoff – speed for maneuverability – fuel for weapons load – etc. But with the P-38, the sacrifices made for the extra engine were more than paid back by getting the plane back home, over long stretches of ocean, with one feathered.
The Cats did fairly well against the Mitsubishi Zero. The Navy has always liked Grumman as an air-framer. The U.S. got ahold of its first A6M Zero in the Aleutian Islands. Japanese Petty Officer Koga took a .50 cal round to an oil line, but rather than scuttle the plane in the ocean and wait for a submarine rescue (as were his instructions), he decided to land the plane in a meadow and then, presumably, planned to torch it and walk down to the beach and wait for rescue. I suppose he figured that Alaskan water was awfully cold and the meadow looked so inviting, but the meadow turned out to be muskeg (tundra) and a really poor landing surface. The plane flipped and Koga was killed – he had a broken neck, but he also had water in his lungs indicating he may have drowned as water filled the cockpit. Anyway, the plane was recovered by the Navy and taken to San Diego where it was repaired and flown against everything we had. Those tests strongly influenced the design of the F6F Hellcat, which turned out to be very effective against the Zero. The F8F Bearcat was probably an even better plane against the Zero, but it came along so late that it didn’t see much action.
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/a...6F-Hellcat.jpg
If the Cats did well in the Pacific, there was a junkyard dog of a fighter plane that did well over Germany – the P-47 Thunderbolt. The Jug had a reputation for making it back across the channel with an obscene amount of battle damage – even with cylinders shot off. The P-51 Mustang, by contrast, was more of a finely tuned racehorse; one shot to its pressurized liquid-cooling system and it was out of commission.
The P-47 wasn’t pretty, or particularly lovable, but was effective, like a junkyard dog:
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/a...hunderbolt.jpg
How does the Corsair measure up? A plane that looks menacing even when it's on the ground (or carrier.)
Our junk yard dog was the Hurricane. Though out performed and out graced by the Spitfire, it could be patched up with a bit of cloth and a slap of glue, and be ready for the next scramble, it was also alot cheaper and quicker to make. these were pretty important factors during those desperate times.
I've just been reading about the De Havilland Mosquito, the World's fastest plane of its day, it was built of balsa wood which meant its airframe parts could be produced in small workshops all over the country and not take up stratigic resources and materials. In fact it was only because of this, the Air Ministry approved its development.
Do you know how many minutes' ratta-tatta-tatta the Spitfire could deliver before the pilot had to go home for more bullets?
None.
It was sixteen seconds.
That's not how it comes across in the movies, I'm telling you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sancho
Thanks Sancho. My father did quite well for himself after the war, through the remainder of his life.
(Quick correction: That's MAJOR Elliott Summer referring to my earlier post)
The P-47 is a beast.
A humorous excerpt from Famous Fighters of the Second World War by William Green:
“When in January 1943, the U.S.A.A.F.’s 56th Fighter Group arrived in the United Kingdom with its massive Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, R.A.F. fighter pilots banteringly suggested that their American colleagues would be able to take evasive action when attacked by undoing their harness and dodging about the fuselage of their huge mounts.”
The Corsair was quite intimidating with an impressive performance under the Navy and Marines. It was the longest production piston fighter continuing service into the Korean War. The Corsair’s fame was due in part to the accomplishments and antics of the “Black sheep Squadron” led by “Pappy” Boyington.Quote:
Originally Posted by prendrelemick
With only balsa and plywood wrapped around two Merlins, high speed was not difficult to achieve in the Mosquito!
I spent some time on a sentimental journey digging through old photos and found a few you might appreciate.
First some background music - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot_1M...eature=related
Father during Primary Training (“PT”) phase along with the rest of the class. He is standing at far right. The tubes coming out of the ears received a flexible communication hose, given that you can tell who the instructor is!
The plane is a Ryan PT-22
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...iningclass.jpg
Next phase was Basic Training (“BT”). The plane is Vultee BT-13 “Vibrator”
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...lightBT-13.jpg
Final phase was Advanced Training (“AT”) using the North American AT-6 “Texan”.
Father and a nightclub blonde bombshell. Somewhere in California, probably LA, during fighter training before heading off to the Phillipines.
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...bbombshell.jpg
Good looks must skip a generation, cause I sure as hell don’t look like this:
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...tudiophoto.jpg
Finally, some P-38 nose art plus one from a C-47 photos taken by my father C’mon, they’re no worse than some of those images St. Lukes posts:
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...Artreduced.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gognoseart.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...artreduced.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...eGalonC-47.jpg
It’s counterintuitive but 16 seconds is an eternity in Air Fighting, and more than twice the trigger time of modern Fighters. So if it seems like a very long time when that the movie pilot is firing away – it is in real life too. What Hollywood doesn’t get at very well is trigger discipline, which is a technicality and doesn’t really matter to the plot or to movie goers anyway, so – who cares? Suffice it to say, in Air-to-Air or Air-to-Mud whether you run out of fuel or bullets first (Bingo Out or Go Winchester) is a crap shoot.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkBastable
Nice photos, Gill! I haven’t heard that story, but I suppose at that point in time, having survived the Battle of Britain, the RAF Blokes certainly had bragging rights over their Yankee brothers. The always quotable Winston Churchill said of the RAF’s performance during - the most intense air battle of all time: Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. Another well-known quote (or at least sentiment) from the time prior to D-Day, when much of the US Army was in England, was about the only problems with the Yanks…was that they were overpaid, over-sexed, and over here. But I reckon John Bull preferred Uncle Sam to Herman the German.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
I’ve gotta tell ya, Mick, I’ve met more Aviation buffs in the UK than any other place I’ve been. I suspect the Battle of Britain left a mark on the national consciousness aviation-wise, but I don’t know. At airports like Manchester Intl’ they still have viewing stands by the runway where people hang out and write down the tail numbers of airliners in their logbooks as they land. Speaking of Manchester, the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry has a very good aviation hall. There’s no Hurricane but they do have a Submarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hunter. I was disappointed that there wasn’t an Avro Lancaster Bomber, but there was an Avro Shackleton Maritime plane. And more importantly there were a bunch of old guys hanging around there who knew absolutely everything about all of the exhibits. I got a personalized tour – “Hey mates, it’s a Yank, let’s show him around…he needs to know about the aspect ratio of the wing on the Hawker Siddeley Trident…oh yes, and we need to tell him about the engineering history behind the pitot-static system of the de Havilland Vampire…and so on. I stayed there until closing time, and then the old guys let me buy them a few pints at an off-license pub. It was a great day. And this is sort of weird, but somehow symmetrical, considering you mentioned Madeline Caroll, I ate at an excellent restaurant in Manchester on that trip – a little pricey but worth it – called 39 Steps. Freaky,eh?Quote:
Originally Posted by prendrelemick
I'm sure it did, everywise. I think that the fact that the war came to the towns and countryside has made it an immediate part of British understanding of the world in a way that until recently was impossible for Americans to understand.Quote:
Sancho wrote: I suspect the Battle of Britain left a mark on the national consciousness aviation-wise, but I don’t know
In the winter of 2001, my wife - who'd by then lived in London about eight months - and I went to an exhibition at the Barbican of photographs of the City during the Blitz. All those images of London in flames were familiar to me, of course. But she said, "God - I never realised what it was like. It was 9/11 every night."
While we're talking about the Second World War, by the way, I highly recommend this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Double-Cross...6891897&sr=1-1
Those are great photo's GG, your father was a real hero.
I suppose the Battle of Britain is stamped upon the consciousness of the Nation. Or should I say the Legends are. Churchill, The Few, the Spitfire, our finest hour and all that. Perhaps it is because it was fought overhead in full view of the population, or the fact that we were the underdog. Whatever the strategic implications, it was a glorious episode in our history.
I would recommend reading Adolph Galland's biography for a German view on the Battle of Britain. Fascinating stuff.
I know the MMSI well, though I like to go and look at all those huge mill engines next door.
I couldn't remember the lovely Jean Creamer who's image appears on that plane so I looked her up!:blush:
Thanks Sancho and Mark for the book suggestion. Coincidentally, I am currently reading volume one of Anthony Cave Brown’s Bodyguard of Lies from my father’s library.
“The extraordinary true story of the clandestine war of intricate deceptions that hid the secrets of D-Day from Hitler and sealed the Allied victory.”
Richard Hough and Dennis Richards The Battle of Britain is another we’ve had in the family library.
There’s a humorous sketch in the book, exemplifying how near to home the battle truly was. The sketch shows a couple blokes out in the countryside, one of which is offering directions to the other:
“Eglantine cottage? Go down the lanes past the Messerschmitt, bear left and keep on past the two Dorniers, then turn right and it’s just past the first Junkers.” Punch, 4 September 1940
I stumbled on this video back during those glorious chemtrail thread days. On a serious note, it still brings brings a tear to my eye:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUx3MU9iM6c
Thanks Mick and also for the book suggestion. Galland and Rommel seemed to be of similar stripes regarding their personal feelings about the war and attitude toward Hitler, Nazism.
I’m pretty sure Jean was a fictional character whose role was to “cream” the enemy with four .50 caliber guns and one 20 mm cannon. Note the one gun port that is taped over.
If you will indulge me one more time with a family photo, it is Mother’s Day here. Mom in uniform as WW II Army nurse:
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...IArmyNurse.jpg
The pictures and discussion has taken an interesting turn. I've been a bit busy recently, though I've dropped in to take a look at what's happening.
Fantastic pictures Gilliatt - thanks for sharing. You must be proud of your parents. They look great in the uniforms.
I have little knowledge of planes, but a few of our relatives have told us of the effects of the bombing in Coventry during WW2.
My Mother-in-Law was evacuated to Wales when she was a kid during the Blitz. She didn't like the schools there as they did too much singing, but she had fun working on the farms.
The old Uncle and his family was bombed out of their home. They lived near a huge ordanance warehouse, which was not the best place to live during total war. They had just spent their first night in a house in a village - Fillongley - a few miles away, and when the old Uncle and his Dad returned to the house the next day after the big raid, they found that a slab of masonry had gone through the roof and smashed his parent's bed through the living room ceiling.
They didn't return to the house, as it had been rendered uninhabitable, but eventually got their own place in the village.
One of the learners in my class a few years ago told me that she had been a schoolgirl during the war, and, upon going home for dinner one day, she was fired at by a German plane. She said she told her Mum, who told her off for exaggerating, and sent her back to school for the afternoon.
I agree. Those are fabulous pictures, Gill. And you’re a good son – Happy mother’s Day to your Mom. While I was browsing those photos I had to keep reminding myself that for all those people, with all those smiling faces, the future was uncertain. We all have the benefit of knowing what happened, but at that time the outcome of the war was far from guaranteed.
Also, that's an amazing schoolgirl story, Paul. The Nazis did some horrible things, but strafing schoolgirls is below dastardly.
Very proud indeed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
Well Paul, you only have yourself to blame with your mentioning on the planes you saw during your recent to “ye olde Coventry.” One mention of a WW II fighter plane and you’ve suddenly opened up the throttle to a classic blokey subject.
The mention of Conventry and the Blitz, brought to mind a gesture of peace I learned of a few weeks ago when I was trying to recall the name of the ruined church in Berlin. Inside Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church there is a cross made from large nails once used in the wood structure from Coventry Cathedral that was destroyed during the Blitz.
From Wikipedia:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ntry_Cross.jpg
Thanks and interesting observation Sancho. In the case of the photos above, the smiles were a little easier to come by among those you see and among the Allies in general, since they were taken toward the latter half of 1944 and into 1945. The Allies had, by that time, gained air superiority and it was clear that we were advancing on the ground in Europe and island by island in the Pacific.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sancho
One serious threat to that air superiority came with the advent of jet power and the Messerschmitt ME 262. Fortunately Hitler’s coked up mind (see Theodor Morell) convinced him that the jet should be used primarily as a ground attack weapon instead of a pursuit fighter against the waves of allied bombers. And it was those bombers that included ME 262 factories among their top priority targets thus stymieing production.
Back to planes and engines. Another British workhorse that I’d always admired, is the Hawker Tempest. The subtle gull wing and curvature of the trailing edge of the Tempest is beautiful, not quite as pronounced as the Corsair. A 24 cylinder Napier Sabre engine hauled the Tempest over 400 mph.
Listen to the pass at 4:23
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKq51LdJ-ZU
(what is happening to this thread?)
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I had a Sancho like experience in Coventry Cathederal, I was taken in hand and given a three hour tour by an old bloke who remembered the bombing.
Coventry Cathederal sent many of those crosses out all over the world. Strangely for a symbol of peace, the original one that was fashioned immediately after the fire cooled was given to the warship HMS Coventry and was passed on to Ships bearing that name untill The Falklands conflict, when the last Coventry was sunk.
Navy divers salvaged the cross and it is now on another ship with Coventry connections. (I can't remember the name.)
Yes - they've got a cross of nails in the ruins of the old cathedral too. It's a powerful symbol of regeneration for the city. There was a lot of reconciliation work done after the war.
I'm going to post those pictures of the Spitfire and Messcherschmidt. I would have done it just now but the converters for the micro SDs have gone!! Grrrrrrr
Just as an aside to the current topic, I watched the last Match of the Day last night which showed the last games for this season played in the football premiership.
I have to say it was brilliant.
It was between Manchester United and Manchester City - reds and blues respectively.
The went into their final games on equal points, but with Man City ahead on goal difference - the amount of goals scored minus the amount conceded. Manchester United needed to win to have a hope of winning the title again.
If Manchester United won, then Manchester City needed to win to stay on top with the better goal difference.
Man United were playing Sunderland away. They had quite a few chances, but Wayne Rooney scored to make it 1:0 to Man U. Sunderland came close, but didn't look like winning.
Man City took and early lead against Queens Park Rangers to make it 1:0, but QPR came back with two goals to make it QPR 2, Man City 0.
Both games were drawing to a close, and the situation remained the same. It looked like Man U had snatched it from Man City.
Then extra time was added - 3 mins for the Man U game and 5 mins for the Man City game. As a consequence Man U's game ended, with them winning their game and waiting for the final whistle in the other. They were in front, and it looked like they had won.
Then, in the extra time, Man City scored two gaols within a minute, and took the lead 3:2 over QPR, won the game and won the title.
It was a brilliant end to a brilliant season. I'm glad Man City won, as Man U have won the title loads of times. Roll on the next one in August - after the European Cup. Yippee!
Yup, Football is Drama. That's its appeal to me, and Sunday had it in bucketfulls. The whole season came down to the very last minute.
Afterwards the joy of those Man City fans was brilliant, it reminded me of the first time Man United won it under Fergie - before they became used to winning all the time.
As one City fan said, they have been waiting 44 years for a bit of luck and on Sunday it all arrived in one two minute dollop.
Tsk tsk tsk...I return after a long time and decide to take a sneap peak at the enemy camp and lo and behold! we have pornographic content in the blokes' thread! :P Stereotypical much? :D :D xx
No no, Our historical and cultural discussions are wide ranging and unbridled.
eg. compare this with the WW II art
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k7...us_de_milo.jpg
Don't forget those pictures Paul.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
Yes, I noticed the headline a few days ago about Man City winning. Congratulations.
The Dallas Mavericks (pro basketball) were swept in the first round of playoffs after winning it all last year.
The Texas Rangers (baseball) are starting out pretty well. Maybe third time's a charm after losing the World Series two years in a row.
Haha! brilliant.Quote:
Originally Posted by prendrelemick
I can picture it now; the Mona Lisa on the nose of a B-17.
Who knows there may have been one.
.
I won't forget. I'll pop them up as soon as I find the micro-sd converter.
More footballing drama last night. Chelsea are European Champions. They were 1-0 down to Bayern Munich with 2 minutes to go, ( they should've been about 5-0 down on balance of play,) then Didier Drogba pops up and scores. It's still all square after extra time, (Robben failing to score with a penalty) and in the penalty shoot-out it's Drogba who gets the winning goal, with what could be his very last kick as a Chealsea player.
I'm not a big footie fan anymore, but you can't beat it for drama. It has all the classical elements - Tragedy, Hubris, Pathos, it's Heros and villians its Gods and Titans. A match has a narrative too, a story with twists and sub-plots. Chelsea last night were out played and out classed, they were down and out, but somehow managed to win in the end.
Even Halifax Town vs Torquay on a sleet riven wednesday night will have a moment of artistry that makes the spectators (20 cold men and a dog) gasp and remember why they turned out.
The manager has done a great job after Villas-Boas made a hash of his time there. It was a good game, and would have been even better if they had not flashed the result onto 5 news, which took me by surprise.
The BBC did that on the last day as well announcing Man City as the winners at the beginning of the news before Match of the Day. I swore.
I don’t know anything about soccer.
But I did get to go a match a few years ago in Manchester – what a gas. We knew something was going on in town as soon as we hit the ground. The whole place was nervous, on edge. It was in the air. The concierge at the hotel filled us in: England was playing Wales in the elimination for the World Cup, which was a matchup that hadn’t happened in quite some time. I said, “Oh hell yeah! We gotta go.” The hotel man said, “It’s sold out, but I know a bloke who…”
So we called the guy, who probably figured we were alright on account of our Yankee accents, and he told us to meet him under a certain sign in front of the stadium and he would contact us – Oh yes, and have the money ready, in small unmarked bills. I guess they’re weird about ticket scalping in Manchester.
Anyway, it all worked out and we got in (for around £100 apiece). And so we’re sitting there, watching the game, getting comfortably numb, and chatting it up with our section mates. They filled us in on the finer points of the game – I think – I’m not really sure, because between the many pints involved and those crazy accents, I was only getting about half of what they were saying.
What impressed me most was the coordinated abuse heaped on the Welsh by the English fans, the Welsh being ensconced in a tightly knotted defensive position in a small section of the stadium. The English had one cheer in particular that everyone seemed to know. They’d all start chanting something unintelligible (to my Yankee ears anyway), and then, on cue, and in unison, they’d all turn towards the Welsh section and – flip them off. It was hilarious. I was dying.
David Beckham was playing for England, and I surmised it was somewhat of a homecoming for him (he’d already left Man-United). The Fans certainly loved the man. At one point in the game he took a hard hit and was down on the field. Again, I don’t know anything about soccer, but I know a cheap shot when I see one. I also sensed it was probably a vendetta. Anyway the whole stadium fell into a stunned silence for a few moments until one guy, not too far from us, jumps up, with veins popping in his neck and spittle flying from his mouth, he screams at the Welch section: “YEW F*CKING BASTARDS!”
And so it went.
After the game we walked back to town, which was a sport in itself. Everybody was going in the same direction, but the battle line ran down the center of the street. Unwittingly we found ourselves on the side of Wales for this skirmish. My buddy (a former field artillery man) yelled, “Incoming!” and then we dodged a salvo of beer bottles from the other side of the street. We then watched while the Welsh returned fire and the English reloaded. We figured it wasn’t our fight, so we wound up taking refuge in a pub (they didn’t want to let us in until they figured out we were Yanks – “This way, mates.”).
Anyhow, next chance I get, I’m going to another soccer match.
Was it "Are you Scotland in disguise?" A popular chant around that time.