blamebrampton | Spot more Olympics, and International Monopoly

Apparently I can't avoid the Olympics no matter how much I try. After having everyone at work point out that the UK was ahead of Australia in the medal tally (a fact which I have graciously not brought up once), J has started to do the same. On the news tonight (the sensible, grown-up news), an Australian was interviewed outside the velodrome (the cycling arena where the UK had just swept up many of the medals). He was asked what he thought about the Brits. He replied –
"And there they were, winning gold medals, and taking it all in their stride, as though they did it every day. It was embarrassing [for us]!"

To which the interviewer replied: "Maybe they were in shock ..."

I was just having a glimpse at the cycling results, because I wanted to see if Anna Meares had taken the silver (I knew Victoria Pendleton would take the gold). She DID! This may not sound as exciting to you as it does to me, but that would be because you do not know that Anna broke her neck in a massive cycling accident in January and wore a special brace to support half her body so that she could exercise while she healed. She is genuinely impressive.

And then there was Sally McLellan. This 21-year-old Queenslander rather redeemed Olympic sport for me with her incredible joy at her silver in the 100m hurdles. The American won by a good margin, then four girls went over as one. While they waited anxiously for the results, Sally exchanged a few encouraging words with Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep. Then the results flashed up, Sally was second, Priscilla third. They clutched each other's arms, and leapt around in circles squealing with glee. It was Total Girl. Delightful!!

Afterwards, Sally was called over by an Australian interviewer, and gave a brilliantly Queenslandish interview, including: "I knew I was out in front and I just thought, 'Holy Shit, just keep going'!"

The journalist asked about her start, and she goggled at him: "Were you watching?!"

I love her a little bit.

But since there's no one else interesting doing anything and the equestrian is over, that's probably my lot. So I can go back to disapproving of the IOC giving the games to China.

In other trashy news on the non-trashy news channel, the International edition of Monopoly was released today. People from around the world voted for their favourite cities and the top votes made it onto the board. Sydney was the only Australian city to make it on, in the red zone, alongside New York and London. There has been a wee bit of crowing, along the lines of Sydney is like New York! And Melbourne isn't there! Nyah nyah ne nyah nyah!!

I have two things to say to this. The first is that if I were a Sydney-based politico, I would not be that excited about having my city on a board that gives the Mayfair square to Montreal. And includes Gdynia, Vancouver and Toronto (GOOD block voting there, Canadians!)

The second is that Sydney likes to believe it is like New York, but really it is like San Francisco at most. Melbourne also likes to believe it is like New York, but it is more like Seattle. Adelaide likes to believe it is like Seattle, but it is more like Boston. Brisbane likes to believe it is like Des Moines. It is.

Hobart, Perth and Darwin are all just happy someone has heard of them.

The final news moment? One of the genius gibbons in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade left out in the open an internal memo discussing NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark in which it described her as rigid and untrusting. She, being amazingly cool, had a jolly good giggle.

I am behind on comments and editing the most boring report in the world in my after-work hours. Expect more mild diversions ...