Spot more Olympics, and International Monopoly

[blamebrampton]

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 ...

Comments

[tomatoe18.livejournal.com]

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

Really? *is amused*

[raitala.livejournal.com]

Is there really a city called Gdynia? It got on the Monopoly board? I've never even heard of it *boggles*

[pushdragon.livejournal.com]

Like the Melbourne-Sydney rivalry needed any more fuel ...

No board is truly international while it ignores Moscow and St Petersburg and the whole of South America, and I think Melbourne is in pretty good company with those cities and the likes of Prague, Stockholm, Dublin, Copenhagen, Geneva, and India too. They should have given it some mathematical sense by grouping the cities by cost of living - I think that would put Tokyo, NY, Sydney and London in the dark blue and green streets.

Thanks for the diversion!

[annes-stuff.livejournal.com]

"Adelaide likes to believe it is like Seattle, but it is more like Boston"

You mean Boston is just a big country town mascarading as a city with a lot of "old money" overly concerned with status and is generally just slow to change and accept new ideas. I might also add boring.

(Before anyone from Adelaide gets of perocial on me and accusing me of being from Melbourne, I was born and bred and SA and have lived in Adelaide for the last 9 years).


A question for people out there how does one use italics when commenting?

[shoeboxer4life.livejournal.com]

[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.]

I almost spit out my coffee laughing at the end of this! I've only been to Australia once and it was just to Canberra! I know, I know. I was broke but missed my boyfriend and that's where he was, so that was it. So then Canberra would be like...

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

We keep winning things. I'm not sure I know how to cope with that. It's unnatural and unBritish.

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

The thing about Helen is that those things are completely true. (Untrusting? Duh, she's a national leader*.)It's just that she also has an excellent sense of humour, which a lot of people don't seem to get.

I have not managed to watch any olympics yet. I tried to watch the men's gymnastics, but my pc would not let me. :o(

* That's national with a lower case "n" as in leader of a nation, as opposed to National with an upper case "N" because that is a whole different thing.

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

Brisbane likes to believe it is like Des Moines. It is.

LOL! I gotta visit Brisbane!

[who_la_hoop]

I want to know which city scored the 'Old Kent Road' spot... and whether they rose up in protest, burning Monopoly boards merrily as they went.

[drgaellon]

I would not be that excited about having my city on a board that gives the Mayfair square to Montreal.

Mayfair square? Which one is that? Presumably the same as the US Park Place. (You know that the original Monopoly board was based on Atlantic City, New Jersey, yes?)

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.

THAT is hysterically funny.

Even New York isn't much like New York any more, between Guliani and Bloomburg, and the Disnification of Times Square and the British MegaMusicals... *sigh*

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

Fear us Canadians - we are not many, but we are organized! lol

[jackieohno.livejournal.com]

Singapore has only won ONE measly medal this year, but we are quite thankful for it because we haven't won a single medal since 1960. Yes, 1960. Heh. I'm not sure why we suck so badly at sports, but I think it might be because we are a nation of nerds, not jocks.

Also, I have heard of all three cities!! Admittedly I only know of Hobart because I hooked with a Tasmanian boy from there once. Hee.

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

It takes a great deal of energy to repress my embarrassingly fangirlish impulses to tell you 'I love you' because I know that it's a patently obnoxious phrase in that context. BUT ... there are times when you make my insides go all warm and gooey. This would be one of them.

I would add that I think Sydney lacks a lot in comparison to San Francisco, Melbourne is rather more like Boston (IMHO) and you have totally hit Brisbane on the head (and don't we wish someone would?). I haven't been to Seattle. *ponders*

Darwin? Is that in Africa?

My olympic boycott is going strong. I did suspend it for about 10 minutes to watch the synchronised swimming - because a) I don't really consider it an olympic sport, and b) OMG, it's the silliest thing ever, but damn those girls are talented.

I'm waiting for someone to do 'So you think you can Sync' - I suspect it will be BIG! The double meaning in the title alone should earn a Golden Logie!

I have a lap full of hot furry pussy. >.>

[emerald-dragon8.livejournal.com]

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

And apparently Canberra doesn't even rate a mention! We have to go and cry into our coffee mugs now.

I like Brisbane. And Canberra - sure, they're not big cities, but I'm a country girl (I was born in Rockhampton) - they're a good speed, and they have everything you need.

That isn't to say I'm not desperate to visit New York, San Francisco and London next year.