Winter Olympics

[desertgrandma]

Oh crap. Should I have said something else?

"UK"? "All those Islands Over the Pond"?

Someone correct my ignorance!

[Wetdogeared]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

...and the very beautiful Vancouver and environs. I so want to go back for a proper visit.

It is very beautiful here. I just hope that the weather clears so that everyone can see just *how* beautiful.

Just watching tivo'd Opening Ceremony. Ice breaking up...orca whales...ORCA-BLOODY-WHALES! Freaking awesome!

Really awesome! Seeing the orcas in the wild is even awsomer -- their tall dorsal fins breaking the water as a pod of 3 or eleventy swim by. If they breach completely out of the water it is moment that you'll never forget.

Tattooed, punkish, kilt-wearing tappers and fiddlers...WTF!

Fiddling and/or step/tap dancing is a tradition in many families all across Canada and they have their unique styles within certain regions. My father and all his brothers played the fiddle, as did his father. Two of my mother's brothers played the fiddle. There are 2 fiddles in our home and I hear someone practice on them daily.
A bit of artistic license and stage drama was added by the director in using the punk rockers with their tattoos. The tattoos were of indigenous people's design and the punk rock version may have originated with the final fiddle player, Ashley MacIssac (one of our favourites), from his earlier days. They finished that segment with his The Devil in the Kitchen.

Joni Mitchell happening in an inevitable way I wish Bryan Adams hadn't. Beautiful.

I enjoyed all of the songs showcasing our Canadian talent, with the exception of the rendition of our national anthem.

TRON-scaters FTW!

They represented the speed skaters and cross-country skiers if you watched the movement of their arms. This being an inside event, with no ice, I guess they had to go with wheels to represent both. The trails, I guess, were to show the speed, or induce flashbacks.

Who's the bear poet?

I take it by "bear poet" you mean Shane Koyczan and his slam poetry "We Are More".

Oh, look, Channel 9 screwed up the start & finish times of the broadcast so that we got half an hour of rugby at the start and missed the last half hour of the ceremony. There's a shock. Jerks.

Was that before or after kd lang's rendition of Hallelujah.

Welcome to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Bienvenue!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Oh crap. Should I have said something else?

"UK"? "All those Islands Over the Pond"?

Someone correct my ignorance!

For things like this, "United Kingdom" (UK) is the official name of the team. The adjective, however, is "British".

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by HarryT

For things like this, "United Kingdom" (UK) is the official name of the team. The adjective, however, is "British".

"United Kingdom" includes Scotland?

'sigh....I know we've been thru this before. (running to change op again......)

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Oh crap. Should I have said something else?

"UK"? "All those Islands Over the Pond"?

The team is 'Great Britain' at the Olympics (which covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) - although technically the term 'Great Britain' doesn't include Northern Ireland.
We often refer to 'Team GB' for our Olympic participants.

The Republic of Ireland isn't part of GB, and have their own team, so their entry in your list is fine as is.

[desertgrandma]

Thank you all. I really need to remember this.

Truly, I meant no insult.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

The team is 'Great Britain' at the Olympics (which covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) - although technically the term 'Great Britain' doesn't include Northern Ireland.
We often refer to 'Team GB' for our Olympic participants.

The Republic of Ireland isn't part of GB, and have their own team, so their entry in your list is fine as is.

You're right - it is GB and not UK. That's odd - UK would be a more accurate name.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Thank you all. I really need to remember this.

Truly, I meant no insult.

None taken .

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

"United Kingdom" includes Scotland?

That's the very reason that it's called the "United Kingdom" - it was formed by the union of the Kingdom of England with the Kingdom of Scotland. The two are still separate in many ways - Scotland issues its own bank notes, has its own entirely separate legal system, and so on.

[GraceKrispy]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Ah yes, there ain't an 'England' team at the Olympics, it should be 'Great Britain' instead (altho 'United Kingdom' may be more accurate).

But the configurations of our various nations are confusing; so I'm not surprised that people from other parts of the world are unaware of the nuances, I barely understand them myself.

Thanks! This diagram was particularly helpful! I usually refrain from saying anything because I have really never understood the nuances of how the places are divided. Now I have to come to terms with the idea that Wales is a separate place, and now just a county in England?? For some reason, I always thought the Prince of Wales was in England? Oh dear, now *Iʻm* showing my ignorance.

Originally Posted by montsnmags

According to Wikipedia, in the Olympics since 1992.
*snip*There can be a world of pain and disorientation coming to you.
I hate mogul fields, and I don't know how those folks who ski straight down them so well don't have silly-putty for knee joints...or maybe they do.
Cheers,
Marc

One of the US skiers (placed like 7th I believe) has had 6 knee surgeries- 3 on each knee. I was thinking the same about the silly-putty. Looks so incredibly painful on the joints!

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

*snip*

I enjoyed all of the songs showcasing our Canadian talent, for the exception of the rendition of our national anthem.
*snip*

I agree- I actually really really disliked the rendition of the national anthem. here I was thinking "great opportunity for the kids to hear the national anthem sung well" and it was junk (imo). Itʻs not like we hear the Canadian national anthem a lot down here (heck, Iʻm honestly not sure if the kids have ever heard the US national anthem either... but we know all the verses of the Hawaiian "national" anthem- as itʻs thought of more like a "nation" and not so much a state), and I was looking forward to hearing a good rendition. Oh well, when Canada wins a gold weʻll hear it ! (Weʻre behind on the watching, so perhaps they have and we missed it)

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

Thanks! was particularly helpful! I usually refrain from saying anything because I have really never understood the nuances of how the places are divided. Now I have to come to terms with the idea that Wales is a separate place, and now just a county in England?? For some reason, I always thought the Prince of Wales was in England? Oh dear, now *Iʻm* showing my ignorance.


I agree- I actually really really disliked the rendition of the national anthem. here I was thinking "great opportunity for the kids to hear the national anthem sung well" and it was junk (imo). Itʻs not like we hear the Canadian national anthem a lot down here (heck, Iʻm honestly not sure if the kids have ever heard the US national anthem either... but we know all the verses of the Hawaiian "national" anthem- as itʻs thought of more like a "nation" and not so much a state), and I was looking forward to hearing a good rendition. Oh well, when Canada wins a gold weʻll hear it ! (Weʻre behind on the watching, so perhaps they have and we missed it)

The national anthem is sung here before every Nascar race and other sports.

My husband and I both feel strongly it should be sung as written. We have been known to often throw things at the tv after various celebrities and honored us with their "artistic renditions".

Its a beautiful song, and if your voice can't handle the notes, you shouldn't sing it. I love it when they choose a military man or woman to sing.......they invariably do it properly.

(soft things, of course!)

[Jan J]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

The national anthem is sung here before every Nascar race and other sports.

My husband and I both feel strongly it should be sung as written. We have been known to often throw things at the tv after various celebrities and honored us with their "artistic renditions".

Its a beautiful song, and if your voice can't handle the notes, you shouldn't sing it. I love it when they choose a military man or woman to sing.......they invariably do it properly.

Couldn't agree more!

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That "mogul" is a bit of an oddball sport, isn't it? Basically skiing down a very bumpy hill! Anyone know if it's been in the Olympics long? I don't recall ever having seen it before.

moguls ROCK!!! my daughter was being groomed as a possible Olympic class mogul skier, but she had 4 concussions in one competition season, with a helmet!!! and had to withdraw from that level. *and points to recently replaced knee*

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I enjoyed all of the songs showcasing our Canadian talent, for the exception of the rendition of our national anthem.

we used to compete in Draft Horse competitions throughout the PAC NW and British Columbia. there is a pretty lively competition between the Canadians and the Americans (my daughter won the Canadian Junior category one year). the running joke was the Americans always knew the Canadian anthem better than the Canadians did! really seemed like it!

[GraceKrispy]

Youch!! I just watched Michelle Roarke, the aforementioned US mogul skier who has had 6 knee surgeries and she wiped out after that first jump and youch! her legs totally look like they separate. owie.... moguls look like one of my worst nightmares! (I have not had much luck skiing)

I also watched Apolo get silver. As much as I love that man, and Iʻm so excited for that first time Olympian to get a bronze (michael? I forget his name ceres or something- the one who sliced his leg during Olympic trials or something) Iʻm so sad for those poor Koreans didnʻt stay on their feet. Koreans should have swept that race.

****eta JR Celski is his name

[kindlekitten]

*so glad I'm not watching!*