Wow. With all the history and greatness to celebrate, we got the industrial revolution and a celebration of nationalized healthcare?
They might as well of had a celebration of bad teeth.
An episode of Downton Abbey has more action than that opening ceremony.
Well, now we know why Britain lost her empire.
And did anyone see those giant children’s book characters? Is it me or did it seem that L.A. Eucharistic conference lent the Olympics their liturgical puppets?
They put on a billion dollar spectacle and the best part by far was Mr. Bean making silly faces.
Somebody suggested that through the ceremonies, Britain was sending a stern message to the world. Don’t mess with Britain or we will bore you death.
July 29, 2012 at 7:52 pm
@_
"We may no longer rule 1/3 of the globe, but we still get annoyed when our American cousins abuse the language. It's "may as well HAVE had".
You're welcome!"
Well you are not thanked. Take your linguistic elitism elsewhere.
Language changes. Get over it. I doubt you recite the Lord's Prayer in Chaucer's dialect of English. Every region is king of their own language and dialect (note my perfectly non-mechanical and normal use of singular 'their').
"Might as well" is the way most Americans say it, and it is just as valid as "may as well." How do you get about arguing that one is incorrect? Where is the logic there?
Also, it's easy to see how someone would mistakenly transcribe the syllable [^v] (that's a "uh" sound and a "v" sound) as "of," seeing as how they sound EXACTLY THE SAME. I think we can cut people a little slack for not realizing that they're actually contracting the word "have".
July 30, 2012 at 12:18 am
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July 30, 2012 at 12:19 am
Daniel Weller,
"Take your linguistic elitism elsewhere." Speak for yourself. "_" is correct, and I enjoyed his or her comment made on this public comment page.
July 30, 2012 at 2:51 pm
I think the Queen doesn't smile with her mouth, but she certainly twinkles with her eyes, in that amused British style.
The corgis do all the happy-faced smiling for her.
July 30, 2012 at 9:36 pm
The Queen is a nice lady. Period. She is heir to a bastion of heresy, she basks in it, she celebrates it. There is no historical, intellectual or theological curiosity forthcoming from her or her heirs or her archbishop regarding the shocking manner in which Great Britain severed all ties with the One True Faith and contributed to the Broken Body of Christ. The fawning on this site, over this woman who perpetuates this travesty, is shameful. St. Margaret Clitherow, pray for us. St. Robert Southwell, pray for us. St. Edmund Campion pray for us.
July 30, 2012 at 9:45 pm
Instead of cooing over corgis, why don't you meditate on the suffering of the aforementioned martyrs for the One True Faith? Poor Margaret of Clitherow, the Pearl of York, was laid upon a beam and her four extremities were each bound to a horse each of which proceeded to rip her apart. Her crime? Harboring Catholic priests and having Holy Mass said in her home.
July 30, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Oh, I forgot, if you're British you're so veddy, veddy PC. To view the monarchy with anything less than adulation just wouldn't do now would it?
You must take the long view back–a great injustice was done, first to Catherine of Aragon, then to Henry's murdered wives, then to his friends and all of Britian. There is absolutely NOTHING to celebrate in the perpetuation of these errors.
August 1, 2012 at 6:13 am
@Unknown:
How exactly is it linguistic elitism to defend non-standard forms?* Elitism is pretending to be better than others. I'm doing just the opposite. I'm saying that "may as well" and "might as well" are equally sensible ways of saying THE EXACT SAME THING.
In your mind it is elitist to point out elitism and denounce it? Then this is probably the most anti-catholic blog I've ever read, by your standards.
*(and in this case, I would hardly call saying "May as well" non-standard, seeing as how millions of Americans say it.
August 1, 2012 at 6:15 am
Redfeather, first off, you are aware that Elizabeth II's family got power by murdering the family that did all those things? Please tell me you know the difference between Hanover, Stuart, and Tudor.
Second off, directing this degree of vitriol at the House of Windsor, in a discussion of modern Britain, is like saying something about the wild wickedness of the Ukrainian Cossacks while the Bolsheviks are running roughshod over the Motherland.