Oxymoron: Liverpool 2008 European Capitol of Culture?
Jan 5th, 2008, 09:25 AM
#21
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Patrick, I think some of the confusion then may not come so much from the word "Culture" in the title as the word "Capitol". Capitol, to me, seems to be some sort of an epicenter or pinnacle. While it comes across as one of the travel column's "new hip places to visit" pieces, none of the recent selections come across as being particularly the center of anything terribly important in relation to Europe as a whole. I'm not sure my otherwise pleasant visits to Sibiu or Cork left me with that impression.
Jan 5th, 2008, 10:27 AM
#23
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Ah, I see. In each case, my visit had shortly preceeded the CCE announcements. If they're building a showcase and schedule around the event, thus making it briefly a cultural capitol, then I am glad more people are thinking to visit places other than Paris and Prague, etc.
Jan 5th, 2008, 10:40 AM
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"Anfield Road Stadium - 'home pitch of Liverpool Reds Premier League soccer team whoses season runs thru May - VIP tours take visitors behind the scenes here."
Don't you just love it? The British Tourist Board sent this out? Excuse my disbelief - nay, incredulity. Try going to Liverpool and asking for Anfield Road, home of the Liverpool Reds!!!!
Was it Gillette or the other one that spoke of looking forward to playing Manchester U?
Don't you just love it? The British Tourist Board sent this out? Excuse my disbelief - nay, incredulity. Try going to Liverpool and asking for Anfield Road, home of the Liverpool Reds!!!!
Was it Gillette or the other one that spoke of looking forward to playing Manchester U?
Jan 5th, 2008, 10:52 AM
#25
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Liverpool is a cultural CAPITAL.
CAPITOL is a record label. Or a pseudo-Classical forum for pompous oratory.
I appreciate spelling's not high on American priorities. But if you really can't differentiate between your nation's capital and the building where policies get discussed, there really is no hope.
CAPITOL is a record label. Or a pseudo-Classical forum for pompous oratory.
I appreciate spelling's not high on American priorities. But if you really can't differentiate between your nation's capital and the building where policies get discussed, there really is no hope.
Jan 5th, 2008, 11:48 AM
#26
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Well, damn. My grammar teacher would be rolling over in her grave, but since she's much more dangerous not yet being in one, I am not going to confess it, should I meet her again.
Sometimes I just don't pay attention. All hope is indeed lost.
Jan 7th, 2008, 03:20 AM
#29
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I sincerely think that Liverpool has a claim to being a Capital of EU Culture as much as any city in Europe
culture is not the realm of stuffy art museums with works centuries years old IMO
Liverpool, like Detroit, has contributed greatly to whatever culture is
I do agree with flanneur's take on the folly of anointing such cities and using EU money presumably to promote it
But if we or you have to have one Liverpuddle is as good a contributor to culture as say Oxford IMO - though culture of course is a nebulous term
culture is not the realm of stuffy art museums with works centuries years old IMO
Liverpool, like Detroit, has contributed greatly to whatever culture is
I do agree with flanneur's take on the folly of anointing such cities and using EU money presumably to promote it
But if we or you have to have one Liverpuddle is as good a contributor to culture as say Oxford IMO - though culture of course is a nebulous term
Jan 12th, 2008, 06:10 AM
#30
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Sir Ringo Starr opened the Liverpiddlian festivities last night according to BBC News with a concert
And Sir Paul coming for a big concert on June 1
this concert should be even bigger than the Dead Zeppelin concert a bit ago in the Millennium Dome
And Sir Paul coming for a big concert on June 1
this concert should be even bigger than the Dead Zeppelin concert a bit ago in the Millennium Dome
Jan 12th, 2008, 06:56 AM
#31
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Ringo Starr hasn't been knighted. Just plain Ringo: no Sir.
My memory might be faulty, but I don't think he's been promoted at all since the MBE that caused all the fuss back in the mid-60s.
Since Gordon Brown doesn't go in for populist gestures (he says), we'll have to wait for the Cameron premiership to see this great wrong righted.
My memory might be faulty, but I don't think he's been promoted at all since the MBE that caused all the fuss back in the mid-60s.
Since Gordon Brown doesn't go in for populist gestures (he says), we'll have to wait for the Cameron premiership to see this great wrong righted.
Jan 12th, 2008, 09:37 AM
#34
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Even more hilarious is the selection of Stavanger, Norway as the co-capital. I had to google it to find out what was even there. Whoa, watch out everyone! Major oil port! Used to be the herring capital of Norway! Sounds more like a Smell-tural Capital to me.
Jan 12th, 2008, 07:23 PM
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And I say, Goooooo Ringo! He hasn't done too badly, a working-class dropout from the Dingle. Even if he isn't a Sir. (Don't know that that will ever happen.)
Hey, if the EU wants to spread some money around, and encourage some tourism in other areas besides the obvious cities, that's okay by me. I suspect that Liverpool will be quite busy in '08 with all their visitors.
There's a certain travel writer who oftens talks about "europe through the back door". Southerners in England (esp. those in London) are often surprised when I tell them how often I've been to the 'Pool, and yes, you can actually stay in a *hote* there, just like any other town.
I'm pleased to see more development there (regardless of where the money comes from). If only the hen and stag parties would let me sleep in my hotel, I'd be okay. It takes some *rest* to visit Paul's childhood home, wander through Albert Dock, and ride the Ferry Cross the Mersey....
I don't know when I will return, but I will....
Hey, if the EU wants to spread some money around, and encourage some tourism in other areas besides the obvious cities, that's okay by me. I suspect that Liverpool will be quite busy in '08 with all their visitors.
There's a certain travel writer who oftens talks about "europe through the back door". Southerners in England (esp. those in London) are often surprised when I tell them how often I've been to the 'Pool, and yes, you can actually stay in a *hote* there, just like any other town.
I'm pleased to see more development there (regardless of where the money comes from). If only the hen and stag parties would let me sleep in my hotel, I'd be okay. It takes some *rest* to visit Paul's childhood home, wander through Albert Dock, and ride the Ferry Cross the Mersey....
I don't know when I will return, but I will....
Jan 13th, 2008, 05:40 PM
#38
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I don't care
To me much of the lure of going to Liverpool is Beatles related. A great city by any measure, if not by dreamy appearance but by its importance culturally and whatever and i just think Liverpool is one of the world's most fascinating cities
I wish i could have been around their in the early 60s
why such energy musically wise should come from this down at its heels place in most measures is a Magical Mystery Tour to me.
To me much of the lure of going to Liverpool is Beatles related. A great city by any measure, if not by dreamy appearance but by its importance culturally and whatever and i just think Liverpool is one of the world's most fascinating cities
I wish i could have been around their in the early 60s
why such energy musically wise should come from this down at its heels place in most measures is a Magical Mystery Tour to me.
Jan 14th, 2008, 02:02 AM
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Nah. A few imported LPs just influenced what music a few groups played. But between 1960 and 1962 there were an extraordinary number of groups - playing all sorts of music.
Put it down to our native fecklessness, or to the fact that the city's economy had been going downhill since the 1929 Depression. Economists claim that Depression was a lot shallower in Britain than elsewhere in the world, and they're right. But the protectionist wars of the 1930s killed international trade (ie Britain became more self sufficient), so laying LIverpool low while economies like SE England did moderately well. After WW2, Liverpool didn't recover, because our trade was shifting (even before we joined the Common Market) to Europe, and Scouse bolshiness was destroying the local economy anyway.
The result of that (or possibly of some odd local quirk) was that talented young kids didn't go to university (the historical mediocrity of the local education system helped there: there's no local equivalent of Manchester Grammar or King Edward VI), join the civil service, get an apprenticeship at local metal-bashers or become articled as accountants in the way their oppoes in Manchester did. From the 30s onwards, a hugely disproportionate number went into entertainment (think Arthur Askey and his generation) or professional sport (and not just football: boxing, for example).
Add to that the fact that joining a pop group is perfect for - how can I put this - the kind of kid who's not a fully paid-up subscriber to the Protestant work ethic and delated gratification. Liverpool's never been big on delayed gratification.
Put it down to our native fecklessness, or to the fact that the city's economy had been going downhill since the 1929 Depression. Economists claim that Depression was a lot shallower in Britain than elsewhere in the world, and they're right. But the protectionist wars of the 1930s killed international trade (ie Britain became more self sufficient), so laying LIverpool low while economies like SE England did moderately well. After WW2, Liverpool didn't recover, because our trade was shifting (even before we joined the Common Market) to Europe, and Scouse bolshiness was destroying the local economy anyway.
The result of that (or possibly of some odd local quirk) was that talented young kids didn't go to university (the historical mediocrity of the local education system helped there: there's no local equivalent of Manchester Grammar or King Edward VI), join the civil service, get an apprenticeship at local metal-bashers or become articled as accountants in the way their oppoes in Manchester did. From the 30s onwards, a hugely disproportionate number went into entertainment (think Arthur Askey and his generation) or professional sport (and not just football: boxing, for example).
Add to that the fact that joining a pop group is perfect for - how can I put this - the kind of kid who's not a fully paid-up subscriber to the Protestant work ethic and delated gratification. Liverpool's never been big on delayed gratification.
