Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, 45156 said:

Well I enjoyed the coronation for the main part - the true star of the show IMHO was Penny Mordaunt, who carried off her duties with grace and poise - she did so as well when the late queen's passing was announced.  Politics aside, she seems to have a real feeling for that sort of event.

Certainly in some US reporting with "The lady in blue" featuring in headlines. Now I am probably more familiar with British institutions than the 'average' American but arcana such as "Lord President of the Privy Council" needed to be explained to me.

[Coombe Barton]

... Experimental pics ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/no-zoe-data-and-a-photographic-experiment/

[Gwiwer]

13 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

* a good union will work with “management” and “keep ‘em honest” and vice-versa. Win-Win allround.

As opposed to a union where the "Leader" acts as a dictator, bids the Executive do his will and refuses his members a ballot before acting unilaterally.  

 

In other news I may have imbibed a little more than usual this afternoon.  A Coronation tea-party with Dr. SWMBO's senior team in private gardens within the RBG Kew site and where I was careful to keep to just one small glass of Pimms before driving us both hime was followed by the postponsed party on the lawns at the Hill of Strawberries.  It having been too wet yesterday the masses assembled to day instead.  They were still in full party mode when we returned so I joined them.  The rest is .... errr .... hic-story 🤦‍♂️🍻

[4630]

16 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Certainly in some US reporting with "The lady in blue" featuring in headlines. Now I am probably more familiar with British institutions than the 'average' American but arcana such as "Lord President of the Privy Council" needed to be explained to me.

I’m sure you’ve probably already found it, but just in case;

 

the Privy Council

 

and 

 

The role of the Lord President

 

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

It very nearly did:

 

 

A WPC on crowd control got a whack in the process (as did some of the crowd) which I imagine wasn't fun.

 

 

See?!

 

SEE?!

 

Its those psychopathic &#^*$& horses again!  You're always "Oooh Australia, ooohh spiders ,Ooooh snakes" and I keep telling you its the horses - and , they're up to their psycho tricks there  too.

 

Dont say I haven't been trying to warn you.

 

Sydney Funnel Web spiders are gents in comparison.

Edited May 7, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[polybear]

On 16/04/2023 at 14:28, Adam88 said:

Horses - for safety's sake just keep well clear of all the moving parts.

 

3 hours ago, Adam88 said:

If only they'd all taken my advice, freely given only last month...

 

Too right - a rather young Cub once got a kick in the hind leg by a Shetland Pony who's ar5e end started bouncin'** as he started spinnin'.....Bear scarpered, but not quickly enough and got a hoof in the leg - how it didn't break is once of life's mysteries.  It sure as hell hurt for quite a while afterwards though.

 

(**Anyone remember Buckaroo as a kid?)

 

 

 

[Compound2632]

22 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Certainly in some US reporting with "The lady in blue" featuring in headlines. Now I am probably more familiar with British institutions than the 'average' American but arcana such as "Lord President of the Privy Council" needed to be explained to me.

 

The irony is that Liz Truss appointed Penny Mordaunt to that position as a way of excluding a rival from the public limelight. Like everything Liz Truss touched, it turned out well, didn't it?

[Ozexpatriate]

7 minutes ago, 4630 said:

I’m sure you’ve probably already found it, but just in case;

 

the Privy Council

 

and 

 

The role of the Lord President

Thank you. The reporting I referred to had a very brief summary of why Penny Mordaunt was there carrying the sword - absent political nuance.

Quote

Decked in a teal cape and cap with gold detailing, a woman in blue commanded attention as she wielded an important object of the coronation regalia – the Sword of Offering or the Jewelled Sword, before and after the investiture, when it was used. But who is she?

 

Penny Mordaunt is a Conservative lawmaker in the United Kingdom, and has been since 2010.

 

She was involved in the ceremony because, as the current Leader of the House of Commons, she is also the Lord President of the Privy Council – a body formed of senior politicians who act as the monarch’s official advisers.

 

The council’s president is involved in a variety of royal ceremonies, acting as a symbolic bridge between the King or Queen and the country’s elected officials. Mordaunt spoke at the Proclamation of King Charles, two days after the Queen’s death.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

On 06/05/2023 at 08:01, Gwiwer said:

We both commented upon the seas of almost-all white faces among those parading in military uniforms while the police seemed to better represent the wider community.

It's an interesting observation Rick. I haven't watched the coverage on my DVR. (Not sure I will.) I have looked at photo-essays online.

 

I concur with your assessment relative to the what I saw of photographs of Grenadier Guards, Household Cavalry and RAF. CNN published this photograph of some RN sailors - which as a counterpoint is more diverse, including women and people of colour.

 

Makes me wonder a little about whether there are some subtle service variations. (I wouldn't be surprised to see units like the Guards and Household Cavalry being more 'selective' regarding representation.)

 

Of course the honour guard around the state coach was carefully chosen to represent diversity.

[4630]

12 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Thank you. The reporting I referred to had a very brief summary of why Penny Mordaunt was there carrying the sword - absent political nuance.

 

For a non-UK audience that sounds to me like a pretty reasonable summary.

 

This is how the BBC has presented Penny Mordaunt’s role. 
 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by 4630

[Neil]

2 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 I don't think Lewis was commenting on drivers specifically but engineering roles and other areas

within the F1 arena hence my comment {Lewis Hamilton has long moaned about this in F1 , but if

minorities of any ethnicity don't want to be involved that's  it . .....}

 

 See this .  https://www.hamiltoncommission.org/

 

while I haven't had time to read the full report that's not what the published sumary says.

[Ozexpatriate]

RE: Mandatory HR training

 

The white collar professional world in the US of course includes this sort of thing. In some positions (like managers of California-based employees) annual training (specifically sexual harassment) is a legal requirement.

 

I remember first encountering business ethics training in my early days at a large mil/aero multinational corporation, who, as part of the legal ramifications of contract irregularities with the DoD were ordered to 'train' all employees. My division was not involved in the offending contract but the head of purchasing did have his team make sure his large motor car was gassed, washed and detailed and his secretary had to show up at 6:00am on Mondays (to call the golf course when the pro shop opened to ensure his preferred Saturday morning tee time.)

In my experience the training had devolved into a mandatory online compendium of business ethics / sexual harassment / equal opportunity* / diversity awareness training. These were (of course) tedious and while people liked to complain about them, they were frankly not that onerous - at less than an hour or so annually they really weren't that terrible and fell into a 'suck it up, buttercup' menial chore.

 

* For EEOC (equal employment opportunity commission) compliance

 

The biggest focus was on the legal liability topics - ethics, harassment and equal opportunity. There's a lot of overlap between diversity awareness and equal opportunity.

[monkeysarefun]

18 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Thank you. The reporting I referred to had a very brief summary of why Penny Mordaunt was there carrying the sword - absent political nuance.

Quote

 

 

The bloke who handed Charles the Spurs of Incredibleness or whatever has an interesting back story too.

 

If you believe Tony Robinsons et al research as to the "Rightful Monarch" based on the theory that Edward IV was illegitimate and the current lot are therefore a bunch of usurpers and German imports then the  bloke who  should have been the one in the big chair is apparently a farmer from Wangaratta, who played a part in the ceremony :

 

(From The Mudgee Guardian, A  paper of record:)

 

The only Australian with a role in the coronation of King Charles III has touched down in London and has been busy rehearsing.

Simon Abney-Hastings is the 15th Earl of Loudoun and will perform the Bearer of the Great Golden Spurs role on May 6. He is a Wangaratta resident and some historians say the rightful heir to the throne.

The Earl's private secretary Terence Guthridge said the final coronation rehearsal was completed on May 4 and Abney-Hastings was "very excited".

Mr Guthridge said Simon Abney-Hastings and King Charles III exchange birthday or Christmas cards each year.

"He's a loyal supporter of the monarchy," he said.

The Earl is directly descended from George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, brother of Edward IV and Richard III, who was King of England from 1483-1485.

Because of this royal lineage some historians believe the Earl is the rightful heir to the British throne. This argument involves the claim that Edward IV of England was illegitimate because he was born of an affair while his father was fighting in France. This thesis claims George should have been king as the legitimate eldest son.

The Earl's late father, Michael Edward Abney-Hastings, 14th Earl of Loudoun, was a British-Australian farmer and Jerilderie councillor who died in 2012.

He came to believe in the family's claim to the throne in 2004, when a documentary crew arrived at his door in the New South Wales town of Jerilderie with the news that he was royalty, as part of the documentary 'Britain's Real Monarch'.

 

According to Mr Guthridge, Simon Abney-Hastings has never held this view and has always been a loyal, staunch supporter of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III.

The Earls of Loudoun have been the bearers of the golden spurs at coronations dating to King Richard I who ruled England from 1189 to 1199.

Gold spurs were first included among the English coronation ornaments in 1189 at the coronation of Richard I the Lionheart.

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

6 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

The Earl is directly descended from George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, brother of Edward IV and Richard III, who was King of England from 1483-1485.

Because of this royal lineage some historians believe the Earl is the rightful heir to the British throne. This argument involves the claim that Edward IV of England was illegitimate because he was born of an affair while his father was fighting in France.

Some Lancastrians might disagree (for reasons separate from allegations of bar-sinister)! 😉

[monkeysarefun]

11 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I remember first encountering business ethics training in my early days at a large mil/aero multinational corporation, who, as part of the legal ramifications of contract irregularities with the DoD were ordered to 'train' all employees. My division was not involved in the offending contract but the head of purchasing did have his team make sure his large motor car was gassed, washed and detailed and his secretary had to show up at 6:00am on Mondays (to call the golf course when the pro shop opened to ensure his preferred Saturday morning tee time.)

 

 

Same here! Working for an unamed large arms manufacturer who was convicted in 2010 or so  of 20 around years or so of dubious dealings with Yemen, Tanzania ana a host of others and ordered to pay £300million in fines.

 

P art of the agreement was apparently all staff have to undergo regular ethics training. So here we are, every 6 months or so since then, even us innocent sub- contractors who just write software, install systems at sites etc have to sit through an hours long presentation of stuff like:  "Jill sees Jim come back from lunch with a client carrying a huge bag of cash". Should Jill  A) Question Jim as to why he has a big bag of cash B) Speak to Jeremy, their manager about the cash C) Demand half of the cash from Jim otherwise she will tell on him" and so on......  

[monkeysarefun]

8 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Some Lancastrians might disagree (for reasons separate from allegations of bar-sinister)! 😉

Man its so much easier when the only qualification needed  is pulling a bloody big sword out of a rock. Dont know why they changed it.

[Ozexpatriate]

12 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

"Jill sees Jim come back from lunch with a client carrying a huge bag of cash". Should Jill  A) Question Jim as to why he has a big bag of cash B) Speak to Jeremy, their manager about the cash C) Demand half of the cash from Jim otherwise she will tell on him"

Yup.

 

Though you left out "D) Call HR" which is the answer to all the harassment questions

 

Our ethics questions changed after being acquired by a large multinational company headquartered in Europe to include similar questions about working with middle eastern royal families.

 

As written the questions look inane, but you know they are directly related to big smacks on the corporate wrist.

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

3 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Man its so much easier when the only qualification needed  is pulling a bloody big sword out of a rock. Dont know why they changed it.

No, no, it's about moistened bints lobbing a scimitar (or something like that, according to my sources). 😉

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

As opposed to a union where the "Leader" acts as a dictator, bids the Executive do his will and refuses his members a ballot before acting unilaterally.  

That hasn't been so since strike ballots became compulsory, under Margaret Thatcher. As my late father said a lot of the anti trade union laws introduced under Thatcher and Major actually strengthened the unions. 

[Lochgorm]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

An interesting little analysis of yesterday's proceedings:

 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/strong-bladders-required-for-interminable-faffing-of-king-charles-s-coronation/ar-AA1aPxTl?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=b6c6c13baecd474c9a6d9ab449d4c691&ei=40

Shares in Tena must have sky rocketed!

[Andy Hayter]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

As opposed to a union where the "Leader" acts as a dictator, bids the Executive do his will and refuses his members a ballot before acting unilaterally.  

 

 

I have probably missed something important here, but I was under the impression that the union members had voted to continue strike action for up to a further 6 months.  Now I recognise that they were not specifically asked if they accepted the current offer, but doesn't the agreement to continue strikes act as an indication that the offer does not meet their expectations or needs.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Walking around the toy fair this morning woke up Arthur Itis so Nurofen has been taken and he's now back in his box. I've been measuring up the chassis of the locomotive I purchased today, the bogie wheelbase is 24.5 mm and the bogie centres are 73.5 mm giving a total wheelbase of 98 mm. The prototype I want to use the chassis for has a scale bogie wheelbase of 28 mm with bogie centres at 72 mm giving an overall wheelbase of 100 mm so it looks as if its the right size for the job.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

I didn’t post this morning, as I wanted to make use of the sunny weather, so after breakfast I went straight to the workshop to carry in with the repairs. By the time I’d finished for the day I had completed the side wall repairs, including making a replacement foot to support the wall. I’ve also finished the foot for the rear wall as well. If the weather is good tomorrow, I’ll make a start on the rear wall, which is as bad as the side wall was, so I only need to replace 6 small sections of wall. 

 

Below are a couple of photos of the garden, showing what I view is like when I sit on the bench under the workshop window, it’s really starting to look nice after all the work I’ve done to it over the last few years. 

 

 

[Barry O]

Had a busy day at the office. Start of mat h was delayed.. started at 3pm, 30 overs per team. First innings very slow..excellentvtea, then as we got near the result a batter took a ball right on his hand. As a doctor he recognised that he had broken his hand. The delay meant the game was late finishing so I missed out on having a pint orvtwo with @roundhouseand his good lady. Pah!

 

Baz

[BSW01]

Goodnight all