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Century Old Antarctic Expedition Notebook Found Underneath Ice
An anonymous reader writes During his second expedition to Antarctica, British explorer Robert Scott—and most of his team—died from overexposure to the elements. Over 100 years after their deaths, an artifact from his journey has surfaced. New Zealand's Antarctic Heritage Trust reports that they have found a notebook which tracked Scott's last Terra Nova Expedition. According to the Antarctic Heritage Trust, the notebook belonged to a surgeon, photographer and zoologist named George Murray Levick, who accompanied Scott at the unfortunate Terra Nova expedition. Executive Director Nigel Watson said, "It's an exciting find. The notebook is a missing part of the official expedition record. After spending seven years conserving Scott's last expedition building and collection, we are delighted to still be finding new artifacts."
Welcome to British Sarcasm, lesson 1 (not 101, this ain't fucking America).
The British don't like to make a fuss if we win. "Oh, well glad that nonsense is all over. Game of cricket, anyone?"
To quote Dambusters:
"You say you need a Wellington Bomber for test drops. They're worth their weight in gold. Do you really think the authorities will lend you one? What possible argument could I put forward to get you a Wellington?
Barnes Wallace: Well, if you told them I designed it, do you think that might help?"
But we also don't mind to see people lose. But only if they do it with the same kind of style. And that's "classy" style, not over-the-top "WOOHOO!!" American "style".
Hence, Scott wins because even though he lost - he managed to lose saying "Things have come out against us, and therefore we have no cause for complaint" where everyone knows his internal monologue is saying something more akin to "Oh, bollocks, we're fucked. And I'm all out of dogs."
Also, Oates' "I may be some time" is up there with "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" and "Hang on lads, I've got an idea.... Erm..." (and if you know where that one's from... Frankly, my dear....)
We don't care if we win or lose. So long as we do it with style. Amundsen didn't have style. He's just a winner. It's an entirely different class of person.
To understand that, you probably have to be British.