The long boat game

[Lateralthinking1]

Which it is.

Yeah, right. One of the two admitted someone who wrote an essay of two words. The subject was "Why?" and his "essay" was "Why not?". Had I entered, mine would simply have been "Because". I am sure that they would have been frothing at the mouth over that one. Regrettably, I have many character flaws and one is disdain of fraud.

My establishment has just been accepted into the Russell Group. What nonsense that is too. It held off for as long as it could. It had hoped that its higher position in the league tables than most in that Group would be sufficient. But oh no. Applicants decided that the Russell Group meant the difference between being privileged and just normal. I find it all so depressingly basic.

As for the boat race, it should be for undergraduates only. No purchased heavyweights. It shouldn't be an oligopoly. Every member of the electorate should receive a letter annually requesting their use of our river. And no throwing up in the gardens.

[mangerton]

This thread started recently by Pianorak:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?4884-An-antidote-to-this-week-s-R3&p=145277#post145277

is more than apposite, because what Mr Haddock did was to jump into the Thames from Hammersmith Bridge.

I do hope that today's swimmer fares rather better than Mr Haddock, who was fined £2, and whose appeal was dismissed.

[vinteuil]

This thread started recently by Pianorak:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?4884-An-antidote-to-this-week-s-R3&p=145277#post145277

is more than apposite, because what Mr Haddock did was to jump into the Thames from Hammersmith Bridge.
I do hope that today's swimmer fares rather better than Mr Haddock, who was fined £2, and whose appeal was dismissed.

AP Herbert lived in Hammersmith Mall, a couple of minutes' walk upstream from Hammersmith Bridge, with a garden stretching down to the river. For a time I rented a flat a couple of doors from his blue plaque : happy days...

[MrGongGong]

The Thames is publicly owned.

I agree with those who say that the tradition should be kept but that it should be a final between the best of universities.

I wouldn't bet on it being owned by us. So much of our "public" space has been privatised and is not owned by us any more, Trafalgar square being a prime example , one is not "allowed" to make sound recordings without permission etc etc

and the tradition puts me in mind of this

http://demotivators.despair.com/traditiondemotivator.jpg

[teamsaint]

Odd really, only 2 teams in it, and nobody can remember who won even a month after the event, let alone last year.

[Vile Consort]

Why should other universities be involved please? It sounds a very anti-libertarian proposal to me - if compulsion is being suggested.

[Flosshilde]

It does sound rather as if the only thing of interest was someone swimming.

I find it quite astonishing that an event between two elite institutions is ramped up to be something of national importance, rather than what it is - a purely parochial contest.

I mean, surely the Eton & Harrow cricket match is the contest that matters?

[Nick Armstrong]

mis-spelling my old school

Possibly the top 'reason for editing' of 2012 so far!

[JFLL]

The Thames is publicly owned. What preferential conditions are requested by Oxford and Cambridge on boat race day and what constraints applied to other users of the river?
.

And the streets of London are publicly owned, but that doesn't stop the whole of SE London (well, Blackheath), being a no-go area for the local inhabitants for much of Marathon day. Ah, but they're not toffee-nosed elitists robbing genuine Londoners of their centuries-old right to the public thoroughfares.

And what about the skies? All these rich businessmen in their helicopters making it impossible to fly kites on the heath immortalized by Wat Tyler? Don't get me started .....

[MrGongGong]

I understand that some banks are also "publicly owned" but will they lend us some of our own money ?

I didn't know that this daft event was on today as we went for a very long walk
but what on earth does it really have to do with the two Universities anyway ? not much really
about as much as the footballers who play for Manchester United have anything to do with Manchester
which is sweet F A

[Serial_Apologist]

I understand that some banks are also "publicly owned" but will they lend us some of our own money ?

I didn't know that this daft event was on today as we went for a very long walk
but what on earth does it really have to do with the two Universities anyway ? not much really
about as much as the footballers who play for Manchester United have anything to do with Manchester
which is sweet F A

[Vile Consort]

I was going to suggest that the race was held between two boat clubs and not two universities but thought I'd get pilloried for nit-picking. But it's true. The two boat clubs are unincorporated associations made up of their members and are self-governing. The Cambridge club is affiliated to the University which means the University can exercise some control over the constitution and it has to file its accounts with a University official, but the University cannot exercise much, if any, control over its day to day activities as long as they are legal and do not conflict with the running of the University.

The boat race has a lot in common with the Royal Shrovetide Football Match in that it is a game between two private teams held on a public highway which has to be closed for the duration and no doubt cleaned up afterwards. Does the fact that it uses a public road mean they should be forced to admit teams from Leek and Uttoxeter? Would TV coverage?

[Nick Armstrong]

Turned into a great thread, this!

[EdgeleyRob]

You will all be pleased to know that I've been inspired to write a poem about this on the any poets thread.(groan!).

[Vile Consort]

The idea that public ownership equates to public access is rather laughable when you think about it. The most restricted places in the country are publicly owned - GCHQ, 10 Downing Street and the nuclear submarine base in Gare Loch spring to mind.