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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Jubillee? Bah Humbug
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Gee D
Shipmate
# 13815
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Posted
In the old days ( 50 years ago) the best way to watch the cricket on TV here was to turn off the sound and listen to the radio commentary by Johnny Moyes - brother of the then + Armidale. His comments on the movement of the seagulls during any Sydney game have never been equalled. The BBC commentators should take lessons by watching any old tapes.
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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican
Posts: 7028 | From: Warrawee NSW Australia | Registered: Jun 2008
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
I felt quite worried about the Queen standing that length of time.
Yes, I thought particularly of that when I heard that trains from Birmingham to London yesterday morning were packed to full capacity on leaving Birmingham, which meant crowds waiting at later stations didn't manage to get on. It's quite a long way to have to stand.
But it does show how many people were enthused by the idea of the river pageant and willing to travel a long distance in some discomfort for what could only have been a distant sighting of the Queen for a few minutes before the barge had passed, but wanted to be part of the day.
There's been a lovely party atmosphere with all the decorations up, very colourful, even one of the street sweepers had his barrow decked with bunting.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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luvanddaisies
the'fun'in'fundie'™
# 5761
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
The voice-over commentary was bad enough and I kept the sound off a lot of the time but the cameras kept switching to that pod thing with Sophie Raworth and whoever it was she had with her. I could understand it before things got going but they kept it up all through. We had the Queen and other Royals, the boats and the buildings along the Thames, but the BBC thought we needed regular breaks from all this for some pointless interview in the pod.
Agreed. And I felt that - until the end - we didn't actually see all that much of the actual flotilla: loads of shots of Gloriana, the Queen's barge and the rowing-boats, much less of the working boats (for instance). Not a televisual triumph - why can't they understand that the pictures (plus a background commentary with facts) tell the story?
Yes, yes and thrice yes - they barely showed the 'historic boats' or the little passenger and motor boats, which must be really disappointing to those participating who'll have spent hours upon hours getting their little boat looking her best. They didn't even really bother to sweep the cameras down the 'avenue of sail' - and it looked like all sorts of interesting boats (and ships) were there - what a shame, given the effort of organising them all to be there.
quote:
Originally posted by Laud-able:
I understand that Pageant Master Adrian Evans was two and a half years in preparing for the event: the BBC would appear to have spent perhaps two and a half weeks.
You know, that's exactly how it did seem.
Still, the crowds there seemed to have a good time, and there were a couple of nice shots of the boats - it's a pity that the BBC think we're all more interested in vacuous drivel than in the things that were the whole focus of the event.
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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." (Mark Twain)
Posts: 3711 | From: all at sea. | Registered: Apr 2004
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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Yerevan:
a nod in the intercessions - you don't exactly have to agree with someone to pray for them. Mercifully us non-conformists weren't obliged to do anything beyond that on Sunday.
Nor were Anglicans obliged to do anything.
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
Missed the river pageant? See all the boats in 3 minutes with the BBc's timelapse photography.
(Some of it looks more like the Dodgems than a flotilla.)
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Anselmina
Ship's barmaid
# 3032
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
I felt quite worried about the Queen standing that length of time.
It was remarkable! Despite my first post, I'm not really a rabid monarchist. But I'll give her her due, and I did mean what I said earlier.
I'm fairly sure that one of the Queen's priorities during the event would be to make sure that she gave her people as much value as possible, in terms of seeing her aboard the barge. Whatever is right or wrong about monarchy, she has never short-changed the British public - or the Commonwealth in giving of herself. As far as she's concerned God placed her in that role (whether by accident of birth or naughty uncle David, or whatever), and it's her job to give it everything she's got, till the end of her life. She has never reneged on that promise.
In that respect she might well be unusual! A royal who puts duty and commonwealth ahead of personal satisfaction. But all credit where it's due.
I loved the Warhorse feature on the National Theatre building; and I thought the barge with the Jubilee bells was lovely. Nothing says 'festival 'in England better than a ring of bells. The theme of harking back to the old Thames pageant days was an inspiration. One could almost imagine the old monarchs floating their way down the river, followed by barges of musicians etc.
The rain was a shame, but in decades to come, it will be a noteworthy detail in a history book; that while the weather peed with rain, the public turned out in unusually great force to wish their queen a happy jubilee.
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Irish dogs needing homes! http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/ Greyhounds and Lurchers are shipped over to England for rehoming too!
Posts: 10002 | From: Scotland the Brave | Registered: Jul 2002
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Jay-Emm
Shipmate
# 11411
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Missed the river pageant? See all the boats in 3 minutes with the BBc's timelapse photography.
(Some of it looks more like the Dodgems than a flotilla.)
It's amazing how wobbly some of the boats are.
The London eye looks like it's rotating at a normal wheels speed so it really does trick the eye.
Also the crowd member made the talk about 'only in Britain' and that made me wonder how it actually compared with other countries celebrations.
I'm surprised that Felixstowe only deals with 10 ships a day admittedly they're massive (plus you have the 1/2 hourly ferries etc...).
But it makes the procession look a bit more impressive.
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
Then buzz out of this thread and do it, leo, just do it!
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Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
I felt quite worried about the Queen standing that length of time. I think the plan was for everyone to be seated for the sail and it looked like Prince Philip encouraged her to try the seats but I don't think there was enough shelter from the wind.
Prince Philip is in hospital now with a bladder infection. I'm sure the queen will miss him tonight and tomorrow.
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Missed the river pageant? See all the boats in 3 minutes with the BBc's timelapse photography.
(Some of it looks more like the Dodgems than a flotilla.)
I would rather watch paint dry.
I've enjoyed the retrospectives, such as Griff Rhys Jones on Queen Elizabeth (I)'s progress in 1574 and Charles' tribute to his Mama with private archive film footage, but the procession was just that, a procession (with as others have said, some pretty ordinary seamanship on display). The 'Spirit of Chartwell' looked like a tarted up garbage barge and must have made HMtQ cry that her beloved Britannia is no more. No wonder her smile didn't look entirely radiant.
And now the Duke's in hospital, poor chap. He was ill over Christmas. Is he trying to tell HMtQ to cut down on high-profile TV appearances? He might try, but he won't succeed.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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WhateverTheySay
Shipmate
# 16598
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Posted
It is due to rain tomorrow where I am. Hopefully the street parties will have to go indoors and not inflict themselves on those of us who want to go about the day as normally as possible.
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I'm not lost, I just don't know where I am going
Posts: 872 | From: Lost in Space, without a map | Registered: Aug 2011
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shamwari
Shipmate
# 15556
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Posted
So here we go.
A Jubilee concert. For whom? The Queen or the mob that throngs the Mall?
Obviously not for the Queen. Will i am and Jessie J are the cast-offs from a failed BBC extravaganza. If thiis is the start what will the end be?
Posts: 1914 | From: from the abyss of misunderstanding | Registered: Mar 2010
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Horatio Harumph
Shipmate
# 10855
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Posted
the most entertaining thing is reading peoples tweets while watching.
i had come to the conclusion that the auto tune and monitoring was badly off, however alfie bo is doing a pretty good job!
however up until now, how shocking its been, espesh cheryl.
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www.helenblogs.com
@helen_a13
Chocolate is proof that God wants us to be happy.
Posts: 2857 | Registered: Jan 2006
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Miffy
Ship's elephant
# 1438
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Posted
Thanks for the link to the time lapse photography, Ariel. I was able to catch up on what I'd missed. Fell asleep watching the pageant. ![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif)
Looking back over my blog post on the weekend, I realise I sound disgustingly gung-ho about the whole Jubilee. Not the impression I'd intended to give at all. ![[Confused]](confused.gif) Must be my Enneagram 6 ishness coming out.
Posts: 4739 | From: The Kitchen | Registered: Oct 2001
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Steve H
Shipmate
# 17102
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Posted
Must admit, I got quite dewy-eyed watching this, republican though I theoretically am.
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Hold to Christ, and for the rest, be totally uncommitted.
Herbert Butterfield.
Posts: 439 | From: Hemel Hempstead, Herts | Registered: May 2012
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Steve H:
Must admit, I got quite dewy-eyed watching this, republican though I theoretically am.
It reminded me of the Titanic!
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Miffy
Ship's elephant
# 1438
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Posted
Yes, gets to you, doesn't it?
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"I don't feel like smiling." "You're English dear; fake it!" (Colin Firth "Easy Virtue")
Growing Greenpatches
Posts: 4739 | From: The Kitchen | Registered: Oct 2001
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passer
Indigo
# 13329
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
I felt quite worried about the Queen standing that length of time. I think the plan was for everyone to be seated for the sail and it looked like Prince Philip encouraged her to try the seats but I don't think there was enough shelter from the wind.
Prince Philip is in hospital now with a bladder infection. I'm sure the queen will miss him tonight and tomorrow.
On the positive side, the BBC has rushed up a Q&A for bladder infections. That's the kind of service we pay our licence fee for.
Posts: 1289 | From: Sheffield | Registered: Jan 2008
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by shamwari:
So here we go.
A Jubilee concert. For whom? The Queen or the mob that throngs the Mall?
Obviously not for the Queen. Will i am and Jessie J are the cast-offs from a failed BBC extravaganza. If thiis is the start what will the end be?
The ruin of civilisation as we know it? It can't be much worse than a Royal Variety Performance, can it? Would the 'mob' in the Mall have any of the same constituents as the Loyal Cheering Crowds lining the Thames yesterday?
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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shamwari
Shipmate
# 15556
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Posted
Half way through and its worse than the beginning.
Rumoured that the Queen ( who has eventually arrived) is wearing ear plugs.
Posts: 1914 | From: from the abyss of misunderstanding | Registered: Mar 2010
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
You're being forced to watch it? There's some Weber and Schubert on The Third.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
While for those who must watch TV there's Handel on Sky Arts 2. Queen [the rock band as opposed to Her Majesty the] is on Sky Arts 1.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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shamwari
Shipmate
# 15556
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Posted
The great thing about the Queen is that for 60 years she has endured much tedious, fawning, and unadulterated rubbish with a good grace.
This last has been her greatest feat yet.
Posts: 1914 | From: from the abyss of misunderstanding | Registered: Mar 2010
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Drifting Star
Drifting against the wind
# 12799
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Posted
To quote someone on Twitter:
quote:
Originally posted by @taniakindersley:
Ordinary Decent Britons are smiling and singing and gently waving flags. I'm damn well not going to get cynical about that
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The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts. Heraclitus
Posts: 3126 | From: A thin place. | Registered: Jul 2007
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PaulBC
Shipmate
# 13712
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Posted
Just watched the last act of the celebration at the Palace. Nicely done . And yes I saw some of the procession on the Thames yesterday and will probably see some of the service of Thankssgiiving at St.Paul's to morrow but on tape , coverage in Canada starts at 0130 here on Canada's west coast.
You know how are the Olympics going to top this ? Be very 2nd rate . God Save the Queen
![[Votive]](graemlins/votive.gif) ![[Angel]](graemlins/angel.gif) ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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"He has told you O mortal,what is good;and what does the Lord require of youbut to do justice and to love kindness ,and to walk humbly with your God."Micah 6:8
Posts: 873 | From: Victoria B.C. Canada | Registered: May 2008
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
My evening was made last night watching the replays down here with ABC of the frantic conductor and the choir, dripping with water, out in the rain, hair hanging limply and singing Land of Hope and Glory. Then a few minutes later, Rule Britannia and the anthem.
Lots of pomp and circumstance done well. Oh, that's not a new phrase?
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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.
Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
"The University Hospital of South Manchester commissioned a sculptor to produce a beacon made of recycled hospital beds which resembles a giant stylised crown measuring 5ft wide, with towering spikes more than 12ft high."
It's not quite what I imagined a beacon would look like but I guess the definition has stretched a little since those days of brushwood pyres.
Having missed all the fun of the lighting of the beacon I can only say I wish I hadn't. What a spectacular finale that was. The fireworks must have been visible for miles.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
I think I heard the fireworks for one of the nearby beacons, but if so it was 6 miles away. Wandering down to the fields to catch the sunset last night there was the bizarre experience of standing in greenery with a cuckoo, blackbirds, robins et al singing away, a street party off to the north (which is the one I suspect was 6 miles away) and one to the south. I could have headed to one of the beacon lighting dos complete with hog roast, but it didn't decide to stop raining until 7pm.
I'll take my grumps about the street parties to Hell.
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Zappa
Ship's Wake
# 8433
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
I felt quite worried about the Queen standing that length of time.
Yes, I thought particularly of that when I heard that trains from Birmingham to London yesterday morning were packed to full capacity on leaving Birmingham, which meant crowds waiting at later stations didn't manage to get on. It's quite a long way to have to stand.
Liz caught the train in? No wonder Phil took a sicky.
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shameless self promotion - because I think it's worth it
and mayhap this too: http://broken-moments.blogspot.co.nz/
Posts: 18917 | From: "Central" is all they call it | Registered: Sep 2004
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M.
Ship's Spare Part
# 3291
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Posted
Yep, the concert kept us giggling for 3 hours. We'd only intended to watch the beginning and the end but it was so dreadful, we couldn't stop watching.
Was it the fact that it was in the open air or a fault with the sound system or what that no-one could sing? Paul Macartney was awful - he sounded like he had a sore throat.
The only ones who produced any noise at all were Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and Robbie Williams. Alfie ('Face of') Boe wasn't bad. Grace Jones was impressive with her 'oop skills. The comedians were nearly all just about as deeply cringingly embarrassing as one would expect.
Yep, pretty much like a Royal Command Performance only more so.
M.
Posts: 2303 | From: Lurking in Surrey | Registered: Sep 2002
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
"The University Hospital of South Manchester commissioned a sculptor to produce a beacon made of recycled hospital beds which resembles a giant stylised crown measuring 5ft wide, with towering spikes more than 12ft high."
If you knew what "The University Hospital of South Manchester"* actually looks like (or rather doesn't, so please don't try and find it on a map) you would find this even more strange. It is not a real hospital, but a collection of staff spread around buildings on at least two other hospital sites plus some back rooms of clinics as well. Therefore the number of hospital beds it has is very limited, I suspect less than a dozen are based in the labs (there are sleep labs as part of it and I seem to recall a bed in one of the rooms at the top of the building I worked in). In other words it is pretty close to being a bedless hospital or at least was twenty years ago. It is in the end a bueaurcratic figment that allows some sort of structure to the teaching and research that goes on in South Manchester under the auspices of the University but paid for by the NHS.
Jengie
*I am assuming this is the modern name for South Manchester Teaching Hospital.
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Anselmina
Ship's barmaid
# 3032
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Missed the river pageant? See all the boats in 3 minutes with the BBc's timelapse photography.
(Some of it looks more like the Dodgems than a flotilla.)
I would rather watch paint dry.
Well, aren't you incredibly fortunate to live in a country where you have the choice? Think North Korea, leo, where like it or lump it, you'd be out there with the other proles, 'weeping' with joy over the semi-divine What's-his-face and vowing to give your life's blood to show your gratitude at being allowed to breathe - at the butt-end of a military rifle. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Not even Henry VIII was so effective as some modern-day State-Heads in managing to jail and intimidate everybody who spoke against the King's majesty - and by golly he certainly tried ![[Paranoid]](graemlins/paranoid.gif) .
Posts: 10002 | From: Scotland the Brave | Registered: Jul 2002
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Rosa Winkel
Saint Anger round my neck
# 11424
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Posted
Indeed. Just like here in Poland, where we don't have a monarchy and are in daily thrall to the president.
To be serious, you serve up a false dichotomy between monarchy or dictatorship.
Subservience to authority is the issue. Here people can be quite fawning over whoever is the president. Being pro-democratically elected heads of state (or being anti-state ![[Razz]](tongue.gif) ) can involve being being critical of those we elect. Germans tend to manage that (though not yet with the present president there).
Nationalistic ejaculations about "we are better than them there foreigners" aside (to make this post more Heavenish), it's good to see glorious indifference to the festivities among large swathes of people in Britain. In any case, there's only one Queen I recognise, and that involves a moustachoed-man prancing about on a stage.
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The Disability and Jesus "Locked out for Lent" project
Posts: 3271 | From: Wrocław | Registered: May 2006
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St. Gwladys
Shipmate
# 14504
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Posted
i't think much of the concert - I'm afraid age hasn't been kind to Cliff, Elton or Shirley, though I did enjoy the flamenco version of "Delilah" from Tom Jones.Jools Holland was good, as was Lang Lang.
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"I say - are you a matelot?"
"Careful what you say sir, we're on board ship here"
From "New York Girls", Steeleye Span, Commoners Crown (Voiced by Peter Sellers)
Posts: 3333 | From: Rhymney Valley, South Wales | Registered: Jan 2009
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
Paul McCartney would look a lot better if he didn't try so hard - that hair is just not believable. Tom Jones has the right idea in not hiding the grey.
Lovely outfits from the Queen - all appropriately sparkly for her diamond celebration.
Posts: 2319 | From: thither and yon | Registered: Nov 2006
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balaam
Making an ass of myself
# 4543
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Posted
The highlight for me was Alfie Boe turning O Sole Mio into It's Now Or Never. Turning opera into a crowd pleaser takes some doing.
Low point was the performance of talent show judges Cheryl Cole and will.i.am. If you can't do better than that you shouldn't be judging talent.
Oh...
...and the Archbishop of Canterbury singing along to Two Little Boys. Shame on you.
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Last ever sig ...
blog
Posts: 9049 | From: Hen Ogledd | Registered: May 2003
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Anselmina
Ship's barmaid
# 3032
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Rosa Winkel:
Indeed. Just like here in Poland, where we don't have a monarchy and are in daily thrall to the president.
To be serious, you serve up a false dichotomy between monarchy or dictatorship.
I'm not serving anything up but my own opinion that there are things to celebrate in the context of this Jubilee, and anti-monarchists are fortunate to have the freedom of dissent; that freedom being one of the things to give thanks for.
A freedom, incidentally, I would certainly uphold and fight for.
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Irish dogs needing homes! http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/ Greyhounds and Lurchers are shipped over to England for rehoming too!
Posts: 10002 | From: Scotland the Brave | Registered: Jul 2002
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Rosa Winkel
Saint Anger round my neck
# 11424
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Posted
I don't get your point. You're saying that we should feel lucky to be able to openly say our views? That despite having a system we don't like we are still able to say what we don't like?
If so, we can do that, but pointing out things like slave labour for the jamboree yesterday does make us do things like be critical.
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The Disability and Jesus "Locked out for Lent" project
Posts: 3271 | From: Wrocław | Registered: May 2006
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Barnabas62
Shipmate
# 9110
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Posted
Ah well. She's showed it again over the last few days. QE11 is a class act, whatever opinions one may have of the institution. That's worth celebrating and saying thank you. 60 years is a very long time to survive doing anything.
Constitutional monarch is a daft, self-contradictory job maybe. But her personal job evaluation review scores are high from dyed in the wool republicans, dyed in the wool monarchists and all along the spectrum in between.
She's not just a class act, she's a very hard act to follow.
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Who is it that you seek? How then shall we live? How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Posts: 21397 | From: Norfolk UK | Registered: Feb 2005
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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Anselmina:
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Missed the river pageant? See all the boats in 3 minutes with the BBc's timelapse photography.
(Some of it looks more like the Dodgems than a flotilla.)
I would rather watch paint dry.
Well, aren't you incredibly fortunate to live in a country where you have the choice? Think North Korea, leo, where like it or lump it, you'd be out there with the other proles, 'weeping' with joy over the semi-divine What's-his-face and vowing to give your life's blood to show your gratitude at being allowed to breathe - at the butt-end of a military rifle.
Not even Henry VIII was so effective as some modern-day State-Heads in managing to jail and intimidate everybody who spoke against the King's majesty - and by golly he certainly tried .
In what way has the Queen been able to stop extreme governments?
The USA haven't got a monarchy but they hardly stifle freedom of speech.
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My Jewish-positive lectionary blog is at http://recognisingjewishrootsinthelectionary.wordpress.com/
My reviews at http://layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
{tangent alert}
If she's still on the throne in ten years, what will they call the jubilee?
{/tangent alert}
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
{tangent alert}
If she's still on the throne in ten years, what will they call the jubilee?
{/tangent alert}
Moo
Platinum . 75 is Diamond again. (She'd be the same age as the Queen Mum!)
Go, Brenda, go!
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Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Zappa
Ship's Wake
# 8433
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
Paul McCartney would look a lot better if he didn't try so hard - that hair is just not believable. Tom Jones has the right idea in not hiding the grey.
They should have invited His Bobness - judging by his demeanour at Obama's gig the other night he could have defined face-lift-avoidance as an art.
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shameless self promotion - because I think it's worth it
and mayhap this too: http://broken-moments.blogspot.co.nz/
Posts: 18917 | From: "Central" is all they call it | Registered: Sep 2004
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passer
Indigo
# 13329
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Posted
Anyone following #jubileestewards on Twitter? There was a report in the Guardian about unpaid and uncared for stewards, with associated financial shenanigans, and it looks as though it's going to kick off tomorrow in Parliament.
John Prescott is pursuing it out of a sense of altruism. The Charity involved is sufficiently alarmed to have created a Twitter account to attempt to ameliorate the situation.
Posts: 1289 | From: Sheffield | Registered: Jan 2008
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
Originally posted by Boogie:
quote:
Prince Philip is in hospital now with a bladder infection. I'm sure the queen will miss him tonight and tomorrow.
I hope he makes a speedy recovery. As a friend of mine observed, it must be a bit tough having people across the globe knowing about your wonky winky issue.
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Anselmina
Ship's barmaid
# 3032
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Posted
quote:
Rosa Winkel: I don't get your point.
It's honestly not complicated. I'm saying we should be able to acknowledge that living in a democratic society, headed by a constitutional monarchy, has some advantages compared to some other national situations. There is nothing in that which prevents the criticism of such a society or such a constitution. Nor which prevents its people working towards reformation of that society or constitution, if the people have the will to do so.
Isn't that what Parliament has always done? Isn't that - at least in theory - why people go into politics and other forms of influential lobbying? Who knows, Rosa, when you start your reform party, I might well sign up to it!
And, leo, I'm not crediting the Queen, individually, with anything beyond the very specific things I have actually credited her with; the phenomena of bringing in shiploads of income to the British economy because of royalty tourism, and her own personal commitment to the nation. She, as an individual is not personally responsible for your freedom to say what you wish. Additionally, neither have I said that I think a country with a monarchy is better than one without one. Far from it, the USA is in so many ways a shining light of an example of a nation that needed to remove itself from historical empire and monarchy, in order to thrive. US citizens have every right to feel proud of their independence.
However, two points.
Firstly, she's a head of state who has done and is doing an incredible job, with integrity and ability. I think it's absolutely right that her nation celebrates her achievement. And my personal feeling is that it's niggardly to begrudge a bit of a knees-up on such an occasion.
And secondly, I do, as it happens, believe that Britain enjoys what status and privileged rights it does have, because for at least over 11 hundred years (in various guises) it has undergone a long, tortuous maturing process with emerging aristrocratic military and political elites tempered inevitably by the increasingly powerful dissenting, democratizing commons. To my mind, that's just a matter of historical fact. So our personal freedoms of today are intrinsically a result of that extremely long-term tension and negotiating process.
So, if we seriously wish, in future, to option out the royals, the question is not whether royalty as a concept is 'right' or 'wrong'. To my mind, it is actually entirely neutral, as a concept. Good and bad, the nation is what it is as much because of the effect of aristocracy, as of the commons. The question is: what's the future; if we want to get there without royalty, how can we do that without doing harm to the fabric of the nation?
Prune and weed the plant, by all means, of its dead wood - but leave it healthier and more fruitful, otherwise leave the axe at home.
[ 05. June 2012, 23:43: Message edited by: Anselmina ]
Posts: 10002 | From: Scotland the Brave | Registered: Jul 2002
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Anselmina
Ship's barmaid
# 3032
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Posted
Sorry, Zappa. I missed your host's post!! Feel free to delete my post.
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Irish dogs needing homes! http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/ Greyhounds and Lurchers are shipped over to England for rehoming too!
Posts: 10002 | From: Scotland the Brave | Registered: Jul 2002
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Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
# 10505
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Posted
Given that the BBC have now had thousands of complaints about the inane and vacuous commentary that accompanied the photography of the river pageant; perhaps they will release a video of it with a more informative overdub. I sincerely hope so. I was of the understanding that every complaint received by a tv station represents 100 unhappy viewers who grumble without e-mailing or phoning. That means 250,000 disgruntled viewers so far.
Do you think that's enough to make them attempt a better edited overview?
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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.
Posts: 7080 | From: Canberra Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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