random stuff

[El Pibe]

I didn't really know where to put this, but wanted to share a joyous snippet of history

from this blog[/url]]Shortly after World War Two, the Italian cycling authorities introduced the Black Jersey, awarded, along with a cash prize, to the entrant who came last in each stage of the Giro d'Italia. This was partly to encourage the fans to identify with cyclists nearer their own level of skill and partly to encourage the crowds to hang around after the leaders had whizzed past. The shirts were black because the organisers wanted to mock Mussolini and the cult of victory associated with fascism.

It worked rather better than the organisers expected. Because an averagely skilled cyclist got nothing for not winning and a prize for coming last, a subcuture developed of black jersey specialists who would dawdle along, stopping in bars and restaurants on the way and hiding from each other in the hope that their competitors for the maillot noir would inadvertently pass them. The most famous of these, Luigi Malabrocca, was once discovered by a farmer hiding in his septic tank. Coming last was a serious matter.

As I said, the aim behind the Black Jersey was to encourage the public to identify with professional cyclists, and it worked. Malabrocca and his imitators had their own fans, who would stay at home when the leaders raced by and then come out three or four hours later to watch Luigi amble by, bearing banners with slogans reading 'Long Live Last Place'. "After asking who the leader was, the next question on people's lips was 'who has the black vest'" writes John Foot in Pedalare! Pedalare!, from where I'm taking this.

The practice ended after an epic struggle for last place fought between Malabrocca and his great rival Luigi Carollo in the 1949 Giro, which ended in utter defeat and victory for Carollo, who drew on truly superhuman reserves of patience to stroll in nine hours and 57 minutes after the stage winner. A more daring cycling administration might have seized the opportunity to restructure the entire race. But no, the black jersey was abolished, the cult of victory was reestablished without challenge and the way cleared for mass pharmaceutical enhancement.

[red devil]

:-) Nine hours and 57mins is a sinch if you can stop off in bars etc, besides, that's a normal lunchbreak to an Italian ;-)..the challenge should have been that you had to stay on the bike with no stops and not veer off the course...

[El Pibe]

AFter 9 hours and 57 minutes of drinking chilled ros?s and campari I'd struggle to manage anything on a bike!!!

[Undisputedtruth]

Interesting stuff, EP. And I thought it was only this country that rewarded failures. You know, the bankers, the chief executives, the directors, etc.

[El Pibe]

the centre forwards....

;-P

[steveo]

Like

[Help-Ma-Boab]

I?m in possession of 4 Barry Black T's. Going for my 5th this year...

[El Pibe]

I think it's very in-keeping with the spirit of that competition, you should definitely make it official, stopping off at the Great Exhibition, hiding in the bins of the evangelical church, snaffling a quick kebab at the chippie etc.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Indeed EP, its very much in the spirit of the BBRR. It will nae doubt be awarded sometime after midnight on the 21st July. There are a lot of stops enroute.

Not officially organised (in keeping with the spirit of the BBRR) the HoT were going to knock up a Barry Barry Rum for the day. I could well seek refuge in there for a few hours prior to the finish line...The Barry Black T is in my sights!

[red devil]

In this age of instant gratification, just hand over the Black T to Jah, you know he's going to win it hands down...

[El Pibe]

Sadly I'm at a wedding in Ireland so will miss it for third year in a row, colour me miffed (though at least not covered in evangelical bin juice).

[steveo]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In this age of instant gratification, just hand

> over the Black T to Jah, you know he's going to

> win it hands down...

Jah would never be seen dead in a Black T... oh... possibly if dead I suppose

[KidKruger]

what "pharmaceutical enhancement" would be necessary to help LOSE the race , INSTEAD of win it, to be sure of getting the back jersey ?

Probably Methadone, or Valium.

[El Pibe]

Night Nurse should do it.

[El Pibe]

Photographic essay of the decaying detritus of the Soviet Union. Weirldy beautiful.

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-haunting-photographs-abandoned-soviet-military-bases-0

[Salsaboy]

There are only 18 countries in the world that are richer than Bill Gates.

[El Pibe]

A new blog by Mr XKCD, basically a realllllly geeky version of Notes & Queries

http://what-if.xkcd.com/1/

[Ridgley]

Does anyone get fed-up of the same old faces on TV especially TV presenters like Philip schofield and the Cheshire cat presenter Christine Bleakley.

[Tarot]

What about the very slow updating of the news, and its text, how can it be perpetual "BREAKING NEWS" all night long and the next day.

Dont forget Holly wannabe advertising her twee dresses every day. free.

Good morning has become boring and miserable best to turn off than get the royal hump,or fed up with stupid cackling from both presenters

Bring back D.I.Y and does anyone remember two old scots women who could turn their hand to anything,cooking craft,painting and decorating they were very interesting to watch better than all these plastic celebs and barbie doll women.

The formats on these shows are tired now, and i wish someone would stop Davina Mcall shrieking stupid girl. T.V. oh

dont get me started. Celebs rule. Harry styles Jagger for instance!

[*Bob*]

And - as if by magic - a potential thread of quirky delights is magically transformed into a banal moan-a-thon.

No, really - tell me more of your thoughts RE the current state of daytime television. Light up my life.

[maxxi]

*Bob* Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> And - as if by magic - a potential thread of

> quirky delights is magically transformed into a

> banal moan-a-thon.

>

very nice but you only get it now if you order the bang tuk sit-down menu.

[Jah Lush]

steveo Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> red devil Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > In this age of instant gratification, just hand

> > over the Black T to Jah, you know he's going to

> > win it hands down...

>

> Jah would never be seen dead in a Black T... oh...

> possibly if dead I suppose.

I'm wearing one right now actually. I've quite a few as it happens. Useless information I know, but it may be helpful to someone. Who knows? I was born to lose or in this case win.

[Guest]

Don't know if this counts, but a couple of days ago I read a news story about a 29-year-old woman who was (I think) working as a call girl to fund a degree at Westminster University and who had been found guilty of evading ?120,000 of tax despite being able to afford a ?110,000 deposit on a ?360,000 flat on the Brompton Road in Chelsea.

I noticed that my main reaction was, 'that flat must be the size of a shoebox'. My second was, 'like a degree from Westminster is going to improve on those earnings'.

I think my moral compass is broken (or maybe I'm just worn out by all the politician/banker/media finger-pointing).

[maxxi]

Ms B Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't know if this counts, but a couple of days

> ago I read a news story about a 29-year-old woman

> who was (I think) working as a call girl to fund a

> degree at Westminster University and who had been

> found guilty of evading ?120,000 of tax despite

> being able to afford a ?110,000 deposit on a

> ?360,000 flat on the Brompton Road in Chelsea.

>

> I noticed that my main reaction was, 'that flat

> must be the size of a shoebox'. My second was,

> 'like a degree from Westminster is going to

> improve on those earnings'.

>

...Not to mention the huge drop-off in earnings she could expect if she'd applied to somewhere like Keele...

[Guest]

On the plus side, though, she could probably afford a detached house up there.

Where is Keele exactly?*

(*Traditional response)