The Beatles

Three weekends ago, I took a trip to Liverpool! The home of singing sensation, rock legend The Beatles! I tool the Magical Mystery Tour which drives you around to all the best Beatles’ sites. I was able to see all four of their houses, strawberry field (a second hand shop, not an actual field!), Penny Lane, and the venue at which they played. The tour guide told stories about how some of the buildings and shops had inspired several of their songs. I learned so much about the boy band who took hold of Europe and the rest of the world!
The band first started when John invited Paul into his band called The Quarrymen. Several months later, George Harrison, a school friend of Paul’s, was invited to watch the band. He joined on as the lead guitarist. The band had trouble finding a drummer to stay. They went through two drummers before they settled on Pete Best. This group played at several venues around Liverpool, before taking a trip to Germany to play there. The Cavern Club in Liverpool was one of the most frequently used venues by the Beatles when they first started playing. They made their first appearance there in 1961. The Beatles signed a contract with Brian Epstein. Pete Best was asked to leave the band just days before recording their first album. He was replaced by Ringo Star, a drummer from the poorer part of Liverpool. The group recorded their first song “Love me Do”. Their second single “Please Please Me” reached number two on the UK chart, and number one on the NME chart. The rest is history.
The Beatles were known for their recreational drug use, which they openly admitted. Many of their songs describe their feelings while high. However, this didn’t stop the boys from becoming the most popular band in history. Every girl wanted to date them, and every boy cut their hair like them and wanted to be them. They changed the style of music of the time and were leaders of fashion. They had a tremendous effect on culture in Europe as well as the rest of the world. The sixties would not have been the same without the Beatles!

Wimbledon!

Since I was a little girl, tennis has always been my favorite sport to play. From my very first pink Zebra racket to my titanium Prince, I have had a lot of history out on the courts. Therefore, in coming to London, it was very important to me to go see Wimbledon and its historical grass courts. On March 16, I made the long tube ride out to the stadium with my parents, since my dad is the main reason I love tennis in the first place. We unfortunately missed the last tour, but were able to visit the Tennis museum. As it turned out, this museum was my favorite of all that I’ve been to (and I’ve been to a lot in the past four months!). I learned so much about the sport at Wimbledon, especially in regards to it’s predominance in Europe in the past century.
One of the most important developments in tennis was the creation of the Wimbledon tennis championship. This event actually started in the late 1800’s, but became popular into the 20th century. Wimbledon became and international tournament in 1905 when US player May Sutton entered the tournament. After the 1st World War, the stadium was moved to Church Court Road, and opened by King George V. The games were aired over the radio in 1937, which allowed audiences worldwide to watch the event. The Second World War affected the game like everything else. The games were cancelled from 1939 to 1946, but reopened after the war to a progressive new game. Along with the rest of the world, tennis rode the post war wave. The game turned into a sophisticated middle class activity.
Throughout the fifties, Americans dominated the sport. Famous players such as Ted Schroeder, Tony Trabert, Louise Brough, and Maureen Connolly made their marks at Wimbledon. Over the past 30 years, there have been several exciting players at the Championship. Bjorn Borg became the first player in a century to win five consecutive titles. Boris Becker in 1985 became the youngest, first German, and first unseeded player to win the men’s single. The great Pete Sampras got a record of seven titles, the last in 2000. Since then Roger Federer has tied with Borg with five consecutive wins. During this time John McEnroe added excitement and popularity to the game with his famous temper tantrums and bad mouth.
Now, more 60 countries participate in the Wimbledon Championship. The sport has grown to have an enormous fan base, especially here in Europe. Two of the greatest players in the world right now are from European countries, Swiss player Roger Federer and Spanish player Rafael Nadal. The abundance of international champions in this game is one of the reasons I love it so much. All around the world, and especially here in the UK, tennis is a part of culture.

Musical Theater in London

As I walked into the Apollo Victoria Theater my eyes lit up with anticipation. I was going to see my first ever professional musical, Wicked. I was impressed with the grand interior of the building; it was unlike any venue I had been in before. The carpets, staircases, and ceilings all reminded me of an old-timey ritzy theater out of a movie. I saw words around me like ‘stalls’ and ‘grand circle’; I was sure that these were seating areas, but I had no clue as to wear they were located or which one I was sitting in. I asked an attendant where to go and was led up to the very top of the grand circle (my 20 pound ticket did not get me a very good seat). Even though I used binoculars, I was stunned by the enormous theater and the intricate set (especially the very large dragon above the stage). As the first number started, I knew I was hooked. The play proceeded, gave me chills and made me cry. I fell in love with musical theater and while Wicked has been the first and best show I’ve seen, it certainly wasn’t my last.
The modern musical started in Europe in the 1700’s, but has taken off in the twentieth century. Vaudeville and Burlesque shows (such as Chicago) became popular in the early 1900’s. These declined after the First World War and replaced by Revue. This type of musical was a show built around a star performer, and was very popular in between the wars. Pantomime and Music Hall were other types of musical popular in the 20th century. The first modern musical shown in England was Chu Chin Chow. It went on in 1916, and was an operetta. Since then musicals have evolved through the compositions of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sondhiem and the productions by Cameron Mackintosh.
Since Wicked I have seen several other musicals such as Sunset Boulevard, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and Spring Awakening. Sunset Boulevard was a unique experience firstly because it was written by Andrew Lloyd Weber, a native British composer, and secondly because the actors not only sang, danced, and spoke but they also played the entire score without a sheet of music. We Will Rock You was also a different experience because the play was based around the British rock legend Queen. Les Miserables is a classic, and therefore amazing. The way the entire script was sung required a lot of talent which was fulfilled by able actors. My second favorite behind Wicked is taken by the new hit musical Spring Awakening. Going into this performance I was a little wary due to bad reviews from American high school theater teachers; however, by the end of the first song I realized that even theater teachers can not be trusted. I enjoyed Spring Awakening immensely because of its unique choreography, modern music, and meaningful plot. I can understand that my taking to this show may be influenced by my age. If I were over thirty and not as liberal minded, the show would certainly have had a different effect on me. However, regardless of age I feel that the shoe was filled with talent, in the actors, director, choreographer, composer, and writer, and that they deserve a lot of applause.
Back home on the weekend I might go to see a movie or a school play every once in a while; Being in London has opened up a new world to me where I can go to the theater every week! It has been explained to me that theater in England is different than the same in America because back home, going to the theater is an event. I have seen this to be true as in London people might go see a show twice a month, and not bother to dress up a bit. For the British theater is and has been for more than a century, a part of every day life and culture. I find this way of life fascinating, and hope that my experiences with musicals here in London impact my attendance of shows in America. It will be challenging because in my town, musicals are much less accessible; hopefully I can find a way to enjoy my new found love. If not, I guess I will just have to come back to London soon!

Health Care in the UK

In preparing to come here to London, it was advised, and even required of some of us, to get health insurance. Here in the United Kingdom it is hard to receive Health Care without some sort of insurance. One of my friends on this trip had to make the dreaded trip to the doctor and found that it is quite unaffordable for non citizens of the UK.
After the Second World War on July 5, 1948 the National Health Service or NHS was created. This provides the majority of health care for Englanders. The service included primary care, in-patient care, long term care, ophthalmology, and dentistry. All of this treatment is free for tax paying citizens, with the exception of fees for prescriptions, ophthalmology, and dentistry. In theory the NHS seems like a brilliant idea and the answer to post war health care problems. However, Britain’s system is noticeably flawed.
A common myth regarding the NHS is that it is one of Britain’s greatest accomplishments. In fact most countries view Britain’s health care system as one of the poorest in the world. A recent study in Lancet showed that England has one of the worst cancer survival rates in Europe. The study showed that the US has the best survival rate for women with cancer at 62.9 %; Britain is severely lagging with only a 52.7 survival rate. In men the gap widens even further with the US leading with a 66.3 survival rate and the UK with only a 44.8 % cancer survival rate. Along with poor cancer survival rates, one would not want to be a stroke or heart attack patient in the UK either.
Some may think that the solution to this problem would be to switch to a private health care system like the US in regard to the aforementioned cancer survival rates. Citizens of the UK can purchase private health insurance, but only about 8% choose to do this because of cost. The problem with this is that the US still spends 16 % per capita on nationally funded health care. Many politicians are looking toward a continental health care system as a solution.
There are some advantages, however, to Britain’s health care system in comparison with the US. Because the NHS has been in effect for over 50 years in the UK, citizens are more realistic about the limits of their health care. For this reason malpractice cases and specialty referrals are not as common. Primary care physicians in the US are under more pressure to refer patients than British doctors.
As a scientist and an aspiring physician, health care is an important part of my life, in regard to my health as well as my future. I find it difficult to live in the UK, as I’m sure any other country would be, and receive health care. As different as the systems are, I have found it interesting to live in a country and learn about their national health care system.

A History of Medicine

Last week I took a trip by myself to the Science Museum. Frommer had told me that it was a must see museum (it had lots of little stars beside it) and I thought that since I am a science major I would probably find it interesting. As I walked in I was overwhelmed by children, apparently I didn't read the part of the guide book where Frommer said what a great place the museum was to bring your kids; however, regardless of the young ones, I made my way up to the fifth floor where there is a history of Medicine exhibit. Luckily this exhibit was a bit boring for children, so I took my time and learned a lot about the advances in medicine throughout time. This made me realize how much of our modern medicine practices we use today come from the 20th century.
In 1928 Scotish bacteriologist left a Petri dish uncleaned thus discovering penicillin. Alexander Flemming’s discovery was turned into the miracle drug of the 20th century almost a decade later. The discovery of the fungus is still used today to treat many bacterial infections. Mengele, a German doctor who worked at the concentration camps, did many experiments on the prisoners. Most of his experiments had to do with twins. Although his methods were unethical and terrifying, much of what we know today about twins came from Mengele’s work. In 1978, scientists in Great Britain produced the world’s first test tube baby. As controversial as this was seen, it has helped many infertile couples have a baby.
Many of the procedures and methods that one might think as obvious today were discovered in Europe in the 20th century. A British obstetrician in 1900 made the observation that only human blood should be used in transfusions. Gregor Mendel, and Austrian botanist, published his observations of genetics; this provided us with much of the information about heredity we still use today. Polish/French scientist Marie Curie discovered and experimented with radiation. This led to the use of x-rays and the treatment of cancers. Polish biochemist Casimir Funk identified vitamins. Also the discovery and use of the pacemaker, artificial organs, and organ transplants happened during this time.
There are numerous more medical advances that happened in the 20th century. Living so close to the places the scientists made these discoveries is inspiring. It is most interesting to me to wonder about the vast advances that will occur in the next century.

THe Last Debutante

One of the first places I visited in London was Kensington Palace. I loved being able to tell my friends back home that I had gone to class, gone shopping, and taken a tour of a palace. Since visiting a home of royalty is an everyday part of life here in London! At the palace, they were featuring an exhibit called The Last Debutante. It was about life in the upper middle class during the fifties and sixties. The museum had dresses, makeup, pictures, and other memorabilia from the day. It even had a room to teach the visitor how to curtsy and walk with correct posture! The young men and women featured in the exhibit described a life of posh parties, some of which even the queen attended. This was the first glimpse I got of the apparent class system in England.
During our BLC lecture about the class system, the speaker said that it was difficult to move up in the social structure already in place in this country. This type of lifestyle is opposite from how we are raised in the US, in which we are told from a very young age that we can achieve anything we put our mind to. In England, a person normally stays in the social class that they are born into. Our first speaker made the comment that no matter how hard she works, she knows that she can never be queen.
In the video we watched in class "Mrs. Minerva", one of the purposes for making the movie was to show a dissolving class system in England. In the movie, Mrs. Minerva socialized, and even became a relative of an upper class woman. This theme was meant to cause Americans to sympathize with the British and see that the class system is not as prominent as once thought.
While the English still claim that there is a distinct class system, I have yet to encounter it in my experiences in London so far. Other than not being able to meet the Queen, my middle to lower class standing has not had much of an effect on my stay.

"Dolce et Decorum Est"
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares2 we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest3 began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots4
Of tired, outstripped5 Five-Nines6 that dropped behind.

Gas!7 Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets8 just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime9 . . .
Dim, through the misty panes10 and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering,11 choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud12
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest13
To children ardent14 for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.

This is one of the most Famous world war 1 poems written by Wilfred Owen. The poem is an anti-war piece of literature which describes in poetic detail the experience of a soldier. The poem was written during a period of extreme nationalism. The poem stood out against patriotic literature of its time.

The first line "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks" describes how the trenches cause otherwise healthy young men to behave like old people. It continues on to illustrate the horrors soldiers encountered in the trenches. Owen, a soldier himself, could adequately portray these images having experienced the trenches. The last line, a latin phrase, means "It is sweet and right to die for your country". This was a popular quote during the war, and Owen uses it at the end of his poem to emphasize his anti war stance. This account portrays a gruesome and tragic part of the war in which the government preferred to gloss over.