Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Cranial Hemorrhage

Oh how I've always longed to be English - the music, the rolling green pastures, the neighbourhood pubs, the pebble-dash houses, the wee little refrigerators, the chip-butty's (check out that yummy looking photo!). But I especially covet Englishdom because of the way they are able to express themselves, such as when a shot on goal in soccer from a long ways out becomes... "ambitious!". Well here's another fine example - the public reaction to the unveiling of the horrendous London 2012 Olympics logo: "a multicoloured swastika?"; "a puerile mess, an artistic flop and a commercial scandal. It is feeble."; "looks like a chav running for an exit"; "I don't understand what it is ... oh I see ... it makes a rather pathetic 2012. Well that's rubbish isn't it?"

Olympic officials have embraced the logo as "a powerful brand taking its place in a brand-savvy world… this includes a palette of colours, lines and shapes that create energy, inspiration and interest."

The following logo is available in the finest 80's-era leg-warmer palatte of colours: magenta, pink, orange and green. Judge for yourself. I'm Canadian, and unfortunately not English, so I can only manage to utter: "yuck!". One of these cost £400,000, the other was produced by a 7 year old... can you tell the difference?

6 comments:

Schuyler said...

Simon loves chip butties. I used to go to the chippy down the road and get butties for him. And then a friend introduced him to the joys of a bacon butty. There's been no turning back.

mesmith said...

"used to go to the chippy down the road"! you're killing me!!!

Schuyler said...

We've since moved, if that helps, there are no chippies down the road from where we live now. And the butty is a much more northern experience than an East Anglian one.

The chippy we used to live near was great though. It was run by a set of twins, who would alternate between teasing each other and being kind. And the brother of the set used to run a games store in town, so he and I would talk about what games he thought Simon would enjoy.

You are welcome to come visit sometime, although I'm sure the lack of chippy down the road will decrease the likelihood.

Zenmomma said...

Don't you know Schuyler? Craig and I are sneaking away to a James concert sometime soon. If we can convince our spouses, they'll be there too. You know where we're all staying right? **hint** ;-)

I didn't know about chip-butties when I was there last summer. So yet another excuse to go back. My favorite UK memory was of the old men I'd see walking about. They looked to be right out of central casting. "I need an old English bloke please!"

mesmith said...

True right! Pims for the adults, Tizer for the younger set and some bubble and squeak for tea... Yes, everything I know about Old Blighty I've learned from song lyrics and the Two Fat Ladies (though I have sipped Pims near Battersea park while munching my way through a packet of crisps!)

Schuyler said...

You are all welcome. We've got tents and a pop up camper van and a fold out couch and we can lay pallets on the floor. And a "converted loft"--they don't exist stateside do they? See, I can sound British. But I've never had Pims. I've had squash though, gosh do I hate squash. Bubble and Squeak is good, but I'm not a big fan of spotted dick, but trifle, now there's a yummy, boozy dessert.