London 2012 Olympic Logo - positive view of city?
Jun 11th, 2007, 10:46 PM
#61
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specs:
We have a cultural confusion here. I'd forgotten you might not have heard of Old Moore's Almanac in whatever colony you hail from. "Old x's forecast" is a typical cliche of lazy writers in Britain. It carries no implications about the actual age of the lazy writer.
Depending on how you define 'hometown' , it'll be the Mersey, Thames or Evenlode they'll carry me across when I finally succomb to the seizure inevitable after reading one of PalQ's confusions. And it'll be that bit of the Thames where not even the most creative tour guides think it's really called something else.
We have a cultural confusion here. I'd forgotten you might not have heard of Old Moore's Almanac in whatever colony you hail from. "Old x's forecast" is a typical cliche of lazy writers in Britain. It carries no implications about the actual age of the lazy writer.
Depending on how you define 'hometown' , it'll be the Mersey, Thames or Evenlode they'll carry me across when I finally succomb to the seizure inevitable after reading one of PalQ's confusions. And it'll be that bit of the Thames where not even the most creative tour guides think it's really called something else.
Jun 12th, 2007, 02:27 AM
#62
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Jun 12th, 2007, 01:38 PM
#63
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flanner,
We use the "Old" expression as well. One famous example is after Richard Nixon lost an election early on in his career. As a parting shot to the gathered press corp he said "Well, you won't have Old Nixon to kick around any more". Alas, his prediction had about as much reliability as the Farmer's Almanac or a cuppa tea leaves. He came back again and again, until he was finally duckwalked off the grounds of the White House and into a waiting helicopter.
Most typically, when a surname is prefixed by "Old" there is a suggestion of age, but more often it carries a tinge of sarcasm. A well worn phrase among the Colonial Dames in my small circle is, "Don't anyone lift a finger to help. Old Mom is happy to be your maid".
It is this sort of confusion over words and customs that always makes attempts at colonization a poor idea. How fortunate you Brits are to have had chances to learn this lesson over and over during the last few centuries.
On the John Daly website (referenced previously) the Olympic logo is well skewered. Better still, there is a hilarious bit on The Unpleasantries in the Colonies by Eddie Izzard. Don't know if it will have you gnashing your teeth, or shouting "Here! Here!". Hope you enjoy it, however.
We use the "Old" expression as well. One famous example is after Richard Nixon lost an election early on in his career. As a parting shot to the gathered press corp he said "Well, you won't have Old Nixon to kick around any more". Alas, his prediction had about as much reliability as the Farmer's Almanac or a cuppa tea leaves. He came back again and again, until he was finally duckwalked off the grounds of the White House and into a waiting helicopter.
Most typically, when a surname is prefixed by "Old" there is a suggestion of age, but more often it carries a tinge of sarcasm. A well worn phrase among the Colonial Dames in my small circle is, "Don't anyone lift a finger to help. Old Mom is happy to be your maid".
It is this sort of confusion over words and customs that always makes attempts at colonization a poor idea. How fortunate you Brits are to have had chances to learn this lesson over and over during the last few centuries.
On the John Daly website (referenced previously) the Olympic logo is well skewered. Better still, there is a hilarious bit on The Unpleasantries in the Colonies by Eddie Izzard. Don't know if it will have you gnashing your teeth, or shouting "Here! Here!". Hope you enjoy it, however.
Jun 13th, 2007, 02:07 PM
#64
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The govt. is resisting calls for the logo to be scrapped:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6750149.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6750149.stm
Jun 13th, 2007, 03:29 PM
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"The Nunavut wouldn't have a snowflake's chance of swaying the Olympic committee...[to revoke the use of a supposedly upsetting logo]"
specs, your apparent assumption that this is a case of First Nations victimhood at the hands of the International Olympic Committee or for that matter anyone else is, shall we say, a little premature.
I'm not sure just who you think the Olympic Committee or anyone else should hold to account for the Inuit, but given that both the (elected) premier of Nunavut and a leader of another Inuit organization supported the logo and were there for the unveiling, why should the Olympic committee conclude there has been some kind of miscarriage of justice here? So some former Nunavut commissioner claims he is the reigning authority of what is and what isn't authentically Inuit. All that tells us is that the Inuit have their share of pompous farts and political opportunists, along with everyone else.
I find it hard to believe that anyone represents themselves as president of the B.C. Indian chiefs. Did the CBC mean Edward John, Grand Chief of the First Nations Summit in BC? If he indeed spoke disparagingly of the logo, maybe he was genuinely unimpressed with its artistic merits. He is of course free to express his opinion, and many people, including those of the mainstream, apparently agree with him. However, one should take his opinion of a non-BC First Nations group symbol with a grain of salt: in the usual manner of inter-regional rivalry (which is a common theme in Canada and elsewhere, no matter what the racial makeup of the regions) John apparently resents the selection of a logo from an 'outside' First Nations group. Notwithstanding his view, this is a Canadian Olympics, not just BC's Olympics, and the Inuit reside within Canada, a fact not lost on the IOC.
specs, your apparent assumption that this is a case of First Nations victimhood at the hands of the International Olympic Committee or for that matter anyone else is, shall we say, a little premature.
I'm not sure just who you think the Olympic Committee or anyone else should hold to account for the Inuit, but given that both the (elected) premier of Nunavut and a leader of another Inuit organization supported the logo and were there for the unveiling, why should the Olympic committee conclude there has been some kind of miscarriage of justice here? So some former Nunavut commissioner claims he is the reigning authority of what is and what isn't authentically Inuit. All that tells us is that the Inuit have their share of pompous farts and political opportunists, along with everyone else.
I find it hard to believe that anyone represents themselves as president of the B.C. Indian chiefs. Did the CBC mean Edward John, Grand Chief of the First Nations Summit in BC? If he indeed spoke disparagingly of the logo, maybe he was genuinely unimpressed with its artistic merits. He is of course free to express his opinion, and many people, including those of the mainstream, apparently agree with him. However, one should take his opinion of a non-BC First Nations group symbol with a grain of salt: in the usual manner of inter-regional rivalry (which is a common theme in Canada and elsewhere, no matter what the racial makeup of the regions) John apparently resents the selection of a logo from an 'outside' First Nations group. Notwithstanding his view, this is a Canadian Olympics, not just BC's Olympics, and the Inuit reside within Canada, a fact not lost on the IOC.
Jun 13th, 2007, 05:03 PM
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The top half looks kinda like a snail (not good for sporting events), and the bottom half looks like Japanese lettering.
If I try really hard, I can see that the top half is really 20 and the bottom half is 12. But, it does nothing (for me, anyway) to evoke thoughts of London.
If I try really hard, I can see that the top half is really 20 and the bottom half is 12. But, it does nothing (for me, anyway) to evoke thoughts of London.
Jun 13th, 2007, 05:11 PM
#67
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Yikes! I shouldn't have looked at it a second time. Now, I see a guy on the left hand side, and on the right-hand side is a chick with huge hair (perhaps a Geisha 'do, in keeping with my Japanese theme) who is bent slightly over and his adjusting the guy's zipper.
Is this a Rorschach test? I think I just failed.
Is this a Rorschach test? I think I just failed.
Jun 13th, 2007, 10:30 PM
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Oh my goodness! I wouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater and revoke the whole logo. I simply meant that the Nunavet would have a snowball's chance of having the logo be called an inunguat instead of a inukshuk.
My thought was, historically speaking, the O. Committee has been resistant to change and moves slowly in its deliberations. Now that you have pointed out the divisions which exist between the Native Canadians, I doubt that the Oly. Committee would want to step into this hornets nest.
If you are correct, and the Oly. Comm. goes out of its way to be p.c., then they will obviously leave it to the native speakers to decide among themselves all matters concerning their language and will be content to watch from the sidelines.
I had no "assumption that this is a case of First Nations victimhood at the hands of the Olympic Committee".
On the contrary my thought was that the First Nations had formed an uneasy alliance with the O.C. which could provide financial benefit to all parties. The money and merchandising involved in the Oly. Games often makes for strange bedfellows.
I have no opinions about miscarriage of justice or Canadian politics. As I don't know our neighbors to the north very well, it would be impertinent to make assumptions.
The thrust of my posting is this. I am mildly amused that despite the best intentions, and large expenditures of capital, the O.C. has had more than its share of cock ups with their logos. And, I am genuinely tickled that Chief Stewart also noticed the similarities to PacMan. This may make us kindred spirits, but I promise you we are nothing more.
My thought was, historically speaking, the O. Committee has been resistant to change and moves slowly in its deliberations. Now that you have pointed out the divisions which exist between the Native Canadians, I doubt that the Oly. Committee would want to step into this hornets nest.
If you are correct, and the Oly. Comm. goes out of its way to be p.c., then they will obviously leave it to the native speakers to decide among themselves all matters concerning their language and will be content to watch from the sidelines.
I had no "assumption that this is a case of First Nations victimhood at the hands of the Olympic Committee".
On the contrary my thought was that the First Nations had formed an uneasy alliance with the O.C. which could provide financial benefit to all parties. The money and merchandising involved in the Oly. Games often makes for strange bedfellows.
I have no opinions about miscarriage of justice or Canadian politics. As I don't know our neighbors to the north very well, it would be impertinent to make assumptions.
The thrust of my posting is this. I am mildly amused that despite the best intentions, and large expenditures of capital, the O.C. has had more than its share of cock ups with their logos. And, I am genuinely tickled that Chief Stewart also noticed the similarities to PacMan. This may make us kindred spirits, but I promise you we are nothing more.
