The Great International Pancake Race

[Tonyblack]

Today is Pancake Day! It's also the day that two towns, one in England and one in the USA, compete in the International Pancake Day Race.

It's a tradition that has been going on in Olney, Buckinghamshire since 1445 and in Liberal, Kansas since 1950.

I mention this in particular because Liberal, Kansas is Sharlene's home town.

Who will you be cheering for?

[Penfold]

I'm going to cheer on Olney, but the event in Liberal sounds like great fun too.

[Tonyblack]

Liberal Race

Olney Race

Yes, I know they are different years, but you get the idea.

[Poohcarrots]

As someone in England said, "Long may the race flourish as a relic of simple enjoyment from our colorful and robust past in this sophisticated and somewhat grim atomic age."

I'm sorry, but I can't believe this is a true quote from 2011!

Come on Olney!

[Tonyblack]

Sharlene will tell you that the name of the town is a great irony, as it is far from Liberal.

[raisindot]

:lol: Sharlene will tell you that the name of the town is a great irony, as it is far from Liberal.

Have you and Sharlene read "What Happened in Kansas"? It makes a compelling case that Kansas was once one of the most liberal and progressive new deal Democratic states, but that amazingly effective grassroots organizing and propaganda by Reagan Republicans effectively turned its most liberal voters into conservatives.

[snowballs]

Here we don't have pancake day, instead we have semla day.
A semla is a type of sweet bun, you cut the top off, hollow it out then fill it with marsipan and whipped cream, put the top back on top of the cream and dust it with icing sugar.

[Poohcarrots]

...and then run with it?

[Joolz]

Mmmmm pancakes

[Tonyblack]

:lol: Sharlene will tell you that the name of the town is a great irony, as it is far from Liberal.

Have you and Sharlene read "What Happened in Kansas"? It makes a compelling case that Kansas was once one of the most liberal and progressive new deal Democratic states, but that amazingly effective grassroots organizing and propaganda by Reagan Republicans effectively turned its most liberal voters into conservatives.

I'll mention it to her. Liberal is actually right on the border with Oklahoma.

The funny thing is, according to Sharlene's politically liberal friends still living there, the town is rapidly being taken over by Mexicans who are employed in the meat packing plants there. Give it a year or so and the political landscape there could change completely.

This made me laugh out loud:

In popular culture

In the movie National Lampoon's Vacation, Clark W. Griswold mentions departing the route of travel to Liberal to see the world's largest house of mud. The idea is rejected by his wife, Ellen, in favor of getting to her cousin Eddie's home.

[snowballs]

...and then run with it?

Na Swedes are lazy. But you gave me an idea, possibly have a ski race with them instead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semla

[Poohcarrots]

A ski race when you've got to eat three semla at the same time as skiing.

[Tonyblack]

...and then run with it?

Na Swedes are lazy. But you gave me an idea, possibly have a ski race with them instead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semla

Maybe they could try cheese rolling in the snow.

[snowballs]

So now I have a plan, down hill skiing, eating 3 semlors (semla in plural) while all the spectators roll cheeses down the slope. Sounds like my kind of fun, plus that I could collect the cheeses (that didn't have blood on them) afterwards.

[Dotsie]

Yeah, cos you need a more dangerous sport

Can't you take up knitting or something?