Oi!!! 'Eres an e-mail featuring some interesting observations from Faithful ForceCast listener, Steve Lyon in the UK!
I've been a loyal ForceCast listener ever since I bought my first Ipod, and Ive never missed an episode since.
I grew up in the 70's and 80's in a small town called Richmond in the Yorkshire Dales in England.
It is a sleepy picturesque town with a lot of history, where if something occurred within the last 200 years it is considered a recent change.
It has an old Norman castle and cobbled streets and was a very nice place to grow up, although not a great place for work, hence I had to leave.
I've been a Star Wars fan ever since I went to see A New Hope back in '78, and I still have my fan Club membership card from that time. I've loved it ever since, and now my kids do too.
It was while listening to your Empire discussions that I was reminded of a local story that we were told in school. Here's a brief summary I took from a commemorative sign when I was back home last:
"In 1606 Robert Willance, a Richmond draper, was hunting when a fog descended. His young mare leapt 60 feet over the edge of Whitcliffe Scar, Swaledale, and was instantly killed. Robert's life was saved by inserting his broken legs into the Horse's belly."
Does this sound familiar at all?
I'm sure there is no connection at all, but is a good story.
I think in the end he became the local Mayor as opposed a Jedi! There is still an area of Swaledale known as Willance's Leap, which is a steep area of cliff face dropping down to the river Swale below.
One other thing...
I'm afraid I was one of the thousands that put Jedi in the census the other year, and I thought I would let you know why, as a lot of people seem to have missed the point.
It was a very dry form that we had to fill in, which I objected to on several levels.
I think its something to do with the British sense of humour that made me write Jedi, as well as a small way to stick two fingers up to the establishment.
At the time I had no idea that so many others had done the same.
It still makes me smile now.
I don't think it ridiculed Star Wars or their fans at all, at least not in the UK. They just took it as a way to show a little protest and have a laugh.
Although I am not condoning those idiots at the Jedi Church....
Anyway keep up the good work!
Steve Lyon from Wimbledon, Surrey
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