I’m settling into a houseboat on the James River, Virginia. First job in the morning, go and get some US bug spray.
Coincidentally there were some scenes of those famously stunning houseboats I saw in Srinagar, India , on a repeated old Michael Palin show tonight. I wonder if it's not so easy to visit since the war in Kashmir ; the tourism already seemed to be starting to dry up then, based on the scenes on the programme, and it looked like it was from the 1990s.
I've just watched an hour of the queue. Utterly compelling. I wish I was there. If I had fewer family responsibilities, I would be (though the number of children passing through is remarkable). I may not share the faith in the institution, but I share the respect for the individual at the centre of it. But more importantly, it would be nice, for once, to be a part of something bigger. Why aren't I a monarchist? Well, several reasons, some heart and some head. None of them very strongly felt. It seems a daft way to pick the head of state - though the random chance of genetic inheritance is probably no worse than the random chance of any other method; there is no way of getting rid of a bad monarch; my hackles rise at deference, at phrases like 'his highness'. And I've never been one for joining in unreservedly. But I've realised, watching the queue, what I really don't like about monarchy - and this is very much a 'heart' issue - is the Hello-magazine/Nichola-Witchell celebrity culture of it. Oh, the inanity! Because The Queue isn't that at all. It's almost the antithesis of that. It's about the late Queen, in her role as monarch - almost as mysterious and free of ego in death as she was in life - and hundreds of thousands of her subjects, who have chosen to be there.
And isn't this brilliant telly? When did the BBC last televise anything with such a lack of inanity? No commentary, no music. So much modern telly - fact and fiction - is terrified you won't buy into an event emotionally; but we spot attempts at emotional manipulationand our guard rises. Whoever made the brave decision just to let the pictures speak for themselves should be applauded. Also, while this looks a little mad, consider how much madder it must look to those less inured to some of the oddities of Britishness. I mean, the coffin is flanked by Queen's Guards, Household Cavalry and Beefeaters. To those unfamiliar with them, these must be some pretty startling costumes. And the response of the public - the midpoint of which is a curt little bow. You've queued for 12 hours; is this how you're going to express yourself? Yes, it is. You're British. You're not demonstrative. This is how British people mourn. I feel oddly proud. It's the opposite of how pageantry normally makes me feel.
Hats off to any pbers who have, or are, going through this.
I hope you look back in the future with embarrassment at having gibbered away like that.
"I may not share the faith in the institution, but I share the respect for the individual at the centre of it."
That is such crap. You know monarchy is about an individual, right? With opponents like you, it hardly needs supporters.
No, it's quite simple: monarchy isn't the system I'd choose, but Queen Elizabeth II was the head of state I'd have chosen. I'm a distinctly lukewarm republican. So what? It would be madness to feel strongly one way or the other about every single issue. Sane people can see pros and cons. And I respect queuing. Who doesn't?
I implore everyone to go home. We can strengthen our dialogue to repair community relations.
Your family will be worried for your safety, please accept the advice of the police who are trying to defuse and are calling for calm. 9:34 PM · Sep 17, 2022"
I really do believe some would rather people freeze to death than horror of horrors burn a little more fossil fuel as we transition to the greener future.
Except that’s a strawman isn’t it? All the fossil fuel proposals are long term, of marginal benefit and largely in there to make some questionable culture war points. Playground policy when what we need is an actual strategy.
I think we need to be realistic about getting to the end state. Sadly current events have shown us the fragility of relying on the global energy market. Becoming a bit less exposed while still working to net zero is not necessarily the wrong thing to do. We have chosen not to burn the vast amounts of coal left in the U.K. We wish to avoid putting any more CO2 into the atmosphere than necessary. But we face a real prospect of people dying through freezing weather because of the war in Ukraine.
Coal mining in the UK had all but stopped long before carbon taxes.
Deep coal mining is incredibly expensive compared with buying coal from open pit mines in Colombia, which is why pretty much the entire British coal industry had closed even before we started doing things about global warming:
Now, there are ways to extract energy from the UK's deep buried reserves - such as in situ gasification and coal seam methane - but they aren't realistic near term prospects.
Farhana Shaikh @farhanashaikh · 54m Hearing reports of mass disturbance near Melton Road. The authorities - esp the police - have failed our communities here. Faith and community leaders and MPs needed to do more to call this out a lot sooner rather than let it escalate. Shameful!
It seems to have all gone quiet for a week, and police made 19 arrests. Following the victory of Pakistan in the cricket. Police do seem to be keeping the communities apart.
It sounds that tonight's events were set off by Hindu militants marching through Green Lane (predominately Muslim) leading to a counter group of Muslims going to the Belgrave/Melton rd area (predominately Hindu).
It says there is something distinctly wrong with immigration and integration policies if police have to keep different ethnic communities apart. The UK is well into the 21st Century. Shouldn't all these people be considering themselves British?
The Daily Mail front page has between forty and fifty articles today either on the queen or other members of the royal family. That's the kind of counter-productive excess which will lead to some of its readers just ignoring the whole publication, I would imagine.
We've gone way past sensible. This Queen stuff should not be front page news any more.
Look, mate, I loathe and detest all possible forms of association football at the local, national, international and world levels, together with all and any supporters, commentators and gamblers on same. Several times a year I find I have to stfu about this, and I do. It passes.
There's a fuck of a lot more footy than there is royal jubes funes etc. Go for walks till Tuesday morning or get a hobby.
I am allowed to say what I think just as much as you do.
It is way over the top and repetitive, just as football is - in fact I detest both equally.
It isn't really fair, but I find myself thinking 20% less of people when they despise the beautiful game. It's a sport that has everything. Disliking it seems to be someone stubbornly making a point to stand out.
Queue now down to 12 hours. Probably as good as its going to get. Start now, spend the Sunday there, and you'll get out for dinner and the national silence. And you won't be cold.
If I were in London, and hadn't gone yet, I'd do it.
For one thing, reckon that most Brits have heard of the FBI, and will NOT think it's a plus for the Prime Minister's chief of staff to be questioned > grilled by US G-men.
How much it goes beyond that, depends on developments. Which I'm guessing will NOT include the FBI or DOJ giving Fullbrook a clean bill of health any time soon.
What does being questioned by the FBI actually mean though? Helping them with their enquiries or under suspicion?
Could be either. Or both. My guess is the latter, but in what proportions?
My own (non-lawyer) guess is that THAT likely depends the tune Fullbrook is singing to the FBI.
The FBI have to jump through a lot of hoops to interview someone in a foreign jurisdiction. It's not done on a whim or just in case or as a filler. So it's pretty serious for it to have reached this stage.
Whether it's because he is under suspicion or simply as a witness who can say.
It's not the public she has to worry about re this. It's her own MPs. If this fellow makes any sort of misstep in relation to politics here, then questions will be asked about whether it was wise to appoint him. Plus if there are ethical questions arising (and there already seem to be a few to my mind) it's helpful to have someone - let's call them an ethics advisor - to assist and, cynically, to take the flak and provide some distance between the offending person and the PM.
Truss has no such person so if - and it is only an "if" at this stage - things go horribly wrong, roads lead directly back to her.
This does not look good for Truss but Cameron survived dodgy advisors and Boris his Russian connections, so probably just a flesh wound.
Farhana Shaikh @farhanashaikh · 54m Hearing reports of mass disturbance near Melton Road. The authorities - esp the police - have failed our communities here. Faith and community leaders and MPs needed to do more to call this out a lot sooner rather than let it escalate. Shameful!
It seems to have all gone quiet for a week, and police made 19 arrests. Following the victory of Pakistan in the cricket. Police do seem to be keeping the communities apart.
It sounds that tonight's events were set off by Hindu militants marching through Green Lane (predominately Muslim) leading to a counter group of Muslims going to the Belgrave/Melton rd area (predominately Hindu).
It says there is something distinctly wrong with immigration and integration policies if police have to keep different ethnic communities apart. The UK is well into the 21st Century. Shouldn't all these people be considering themselves British?
I think the biggest problem with this is sourcing brides from the subcontinent generation after generation so integration never really happens and they're always a community slightly apart.
Farhana Shaikh @farhanashaikh · 54m Hearing reports of mass disturbance near Melton Road. The authorities - esp the police - have failed our communities here. Faith and community leaders and MPs needed to do more to call this out a lot sooner rather than let it escalate. Shameful!
It seems to have all gone quiet for a week, and police made 19 arrests. Following the victory of Pakistan in the cricket. Police do seem to be keeping the communities apart.
It sounds that tonight's events were set off by Hindu militants marching through Green Lane (predominately Muslim) leading to a counter group of Muslims going to the Belgrave/Melton rd area (predominately Hindu).
It says there is something distinctly wrong with immigration and integration policies if police have to keep different ethnic communities apart. The UK is well into the 21st Century. Shouldn't all these people be considering themselves British?
It is in the news because it is unusual. Race relations in Leicester are generally good.
It started following the cricket match, and has rather persisted from there.
Meanwhile on RT's show "Beautiful Russia," propagandist argues that Russia shouldn't worry about the way events like Bucha are being perceived or covered in the West. Instead, he says, Russia should lay into that: "Yes, that's how we are... We'll show you even more. Fear us!" https://mobile.twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1571266222871789575
Am I the only one to have concluded that the aim of the invasion was genocide, rather than it being a by product? Not much has been said in many months about that instructional update to the Russian military handbook on how to build a mass grave. All seems rather clear now.
Also I doubt Wagner is recruiting rapists and murders to take part in disciplined manoeuvre warfare. They’re there to conduct the genocide more likely.
What is the fate of the countless adults deported to Russia? Are Western Intelligence agencies trying to find out?
In my experience, most people in India are peace loving. They would feel shame if they realised their petrol was funding not just a distant European war but a genocide. Where’s the global psyops campaign?
Am I the only one to have concluded that the aim of the invasion was genocide, rather than it being a by product? Not much has been said in many months about that instructional update to the Russian military handbook on how to build a mass grave. All seems rather clear now.
Also I doubt Wagner is recruiting rapists and murders to take part in disciplined manoeuvre warfare. They’re there to conduct the genocide more likely...
It's been quite clear from fairly early on that Russia's aim was the destruction of Ukraine as a nation. And that the means they have resorted to comport with all the particulars set out in the legal definition of genocide.
Today was the anniversary of the 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland. The Second World War began with a Nazi-Soviet alliance. It is illegal to say so in Russia. In Germany, where people are free to reflect upon this, it would not be a bad idea to do so. https://mobile.twitter.com/TimothyDSnyder/status/1571351845242638336
I've just watched an hour of the queue. Utterly compelling. I wish I was there. If I had fewer family responsibilities, I would be (though the number of children passing through is remarkable). I may not share the faith in the institution, but I share the respect for the individual at the centre of it. But more importantly, it would be nice, for once, to be a part of something bigger. Why aren't I a monarchist? Well, several reasons, some heart and some head. None of them very strongly felt. It seems a daft way to pick the head of state - though the random chance of genetic inheritance is probably no worse than the random chance of any other method; there is no way of getting rid of a bad monarch; my hackles rise at deference, at phrases like 'his highness'. And I've never been one for joining in unreservedly. But I've realised, watching the queue, what I really don't like about monarchy - and this is very much a 'heart' issue - is the Hello-magazine/Nichola-Witchell celebrity culture of it. Oh, the inanity! Because The Queue isn't that at all. It's almost the antithesis of that. It's about the late Queen, in her role as monarch - almost as mysterious and free of ego in death as she was in life - and hundreds of thousands of her subjects, who have chosen to be there.
And isn't this brilliant telly? When did the BBC last televise anything with such a lack of inanity? No commentary, no music. So much modern telly - fact and fiction - is terrified you won't buy into an event emotionally; but we spot attempts at emotional manipulationand our guard rises. Whoever made the brave decision just to let the pictures speak for themselves should be applauded. Also, while this looks a little mad, consider how much madder it must look to those less inured to some of the oddities of Britishness. I mean, the coffin is flanked by Queen's Guards, Household Cavalry and Beefeaters. To those unfamiliar with them, these must be some pretty startling costumes. And the response of the public - the midpoint of which is a curt little bow. You've queued for 12 hours; is this how you're going to express yourself? Yes, it is. You're British. You're not demonstrative. This is how British people mourn. I feel oddly proud. It's the opposite of how pageantry normally makes me feel.
Hats off to any pbers who have, or are, going through this.
I hope you look back in the future with embarrassment at having gibbered away like that.
"I may not share the faith in the institution, but I share the respect for the individual at the centre of it."
That is such crap. You know monarchy is about an individual, right? With opponents like you, it hardly needs supporters.
Very sour response to a very nice post. I am like Cookie. I'm not a monarchist and I hated all the inane interviews when the Queen died, but the lying in state has been brilliant. Excellent TV, beautifully done, and the public queueing have been brilliant.
Comments
I'm a distinctly lukewarm republican. So what? It would be madness to feel strongly one way or the other about every single issue. Sane people can see pros and cons.
And I respect queuing. Who doesn't?
https://www.greaterkashmir.com/todays-paper/front-page/record-breaking-205-lakh-tourists-visit-kashmir-in-8-months
https://twitter.com/ClaudiaWebbe/status/1571236121866027008
"Claudia Webbe MP
@ClaudiaWebbe
Dear Leicester,
This is a time for cool heads.
I implore everyone to go home. We can strengthen our dialogue to repair community relations.
Your family will be worried for your safety, please accept the advice of the police who are trying to defuse and are calling for calm.
9:34 PM · Sep 17, 2022"
Deep coal mining is incredibly expensive compared with buying coal from open pit mines in Colombia, which is why pretty much the entire British coal industry had closed even before we started doing things about global warming:
Now, there are ways to extract energy from the UK's deep buried reserves - such as in situ gasification and coal seam methane - but they aren't realistic near term prospects.
I suspect he's in the snake now - getting near
If I were in London, and hadn't gone yet, I'd do it.
Last chance.
It started following the cricket match, and has rather persisted from there.
Russians set up this torture chamber in the military enlistment office of Shevchenkove, a town in Ukraine's recently-liberated northeast
So far, police have found 10 torture chambers on the liberated territories:
https://mobile.twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1571287887760564224
https://mobile.twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1571266222871789575
The move would see the Duke of York, the Duke of Sussex and Princess Beatrice all relieved of this duty should the sovereign be indisposed
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/09/17/king-charles-seeks-amend-law-who-can-act-official-stand-in/
Also I doubt Wagner is recruiting rapists and murders to take part in disciplined manoeuvre warfare. They’re there to conduct the genocide more likely.
What is the fate of the countless adults deported to Russia? Are Western Intelligence agencies trying to find out?
In my experience, most people in India are peace loving. They would feel shame if they realised their petrol was funding not just a distant European war but a genocide. Where’s the global psyops campaign?
https://www.thesun.co.uk/health/19839360/drink-slashes-risk-of-diabetes/
Spoiler: tea.
https://mobile.twitter.com/TimothyDSnyder/status/1571351845242638336
Downgrading Scotland from a Kingdom to a mere Principality would be more likely to break it up!