HRH the DoE retiring from public engagements.

[Sir C]

A war hero who has selflessly served this country for the thick end of 80 years. We will never see his like again.

I will personally fight any lefty who wishes to besmirch his reputation.

[Yesterday Once More]

It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prince-philip-dead-queen-elizabeth-ii-the-sun-mistake-buckingham-palace-emergency-meeting-royal-a7716861.html

[IUFG]

**** him. and the rest of his family imo.

I'm no lefty btw.

[Sir C]

**** him. and the rest of his family imo.

I'm no lefty btw.

Right, I'll fight you. I've put you down in my book.

Anyone else stupid enough to spout treasonous filth about Their Royal Highnesses? There's plenty of space in my book.

[Burney]

A war hero who has selflessly served this country for the thick end of 80 years. We will never see his like again.

I will personally fight any lefty who wishes to besmirch his reputation.

That's a shame. One would like to think he might be allowed a few last hurrahs during which he can be amusingly offensive to the over-sensitive. :-(

[Burney]

**** him. and the rest of his family imo.

I'm no lefty btw.

No offence, iufg, but I'd have your sort shot.

[Luis Anaconda]

A war hero who has selflessly served this country for the thick end of 80 years. We will never see his like again.

I will personally fight any lefty who wishes to besmirch his reputation.

How can he retire when he has never done a day's work in his life? *





*just channelling Jorge. I rather like the old *******

[IUFG]

non taken, b.

those who worship the privileged few (based purely on bloodline) are obviously a little bit mental :aaron: ;-)

[Peter]

A war hero who has selflessly served this country for the thick end of 80 years. We will never see his like again.

I will personally fight any lefty who wishes to besmirch his reputation.

I have no specific beef with the drunken old racist. There are no heroes in war, Sir C.

[Burney]

non taken, b.

those who worship the privileged few (based purely on bloodline) are obviously a little bit mental :aaron: ;-)

I worship no man or woman (with the possible exception of Geoffrey Boycott). I do, however, hold in respect those who serve this country selflessly for decades.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

He's 95. Whatever good or bad he's done no-one should be forced to work at that age for goodness sake.

[Pokster]

A war hero who has selflessly served this country for the thick end of 80 years. We will never see his like again.

I will personally fight any lefty who wishes to besmirch his reputation.

He opened our office in the late 80's... I was in nthe papers with a picture of him dealing with RBS

[Peter]

I worship no man or woman (with the possible exception of Geoffrey Boycott). I do, however, hold in respect those who serve this country selflessly for decades.

He has made a tremendous difference to precisely **** all since he left the navy. Served his country selflessly for decades? I am sure we could all manage to unveil the odd plaque here and there if we didn't have to, you know, earn money and feed ourselves and whatnot.

Boycott I can live with, although I would take Michael Vaughan over him.....

[Luis Anaconda]

He opened our office in the late 80's... I was in nthe papers with a picture of him dealing with RBS

1880s was it?

[Luis Anaconda]

He has made a tremendous difference to precisely **** all since he left the navy. Served his country selflessly for decades? I am sure we could all manage to unveil the odd plaque here and there if we didn't have to, you know, earn money and feed ourselves and whatnot.

Boycott I can live with, although I would take Michael Vaughan over him.....
Quite nice that he bowed at at Lord's though. Phil the Greek not the other two

[Burney]

He has made a tremendous difference to precisely **** all since he left the navy. Served his country selflessly for decades? I am sure we could all manage to unveil the odd plaque here and there if we didn't have to, you know, earn money and feed ourselves and whatnot.

Boycott I can live with, although I would take Michael Vaughan over him.....

Well that just shows how appalling your judgement is, p. Michael Vaughan indeed! The man averaged 41 in a batsman-friendly era.

He's not fit to lace Sir Geoffrey's surgical truss - as he'd probably admit himself, in fairness to the chap.

[Pokster]

Well that just shows how appalling your judgement is, p. Michael Vaughan indeed! The man averaged 41 in a batsman-friendly era.

He's not fit to lace Sir Geoffrey's surgical truss - as he'd probably admit himself, in fairness to the chap.

And Vaughan is from the wrong side of the Pennines

[Burney]

And Vaughan is from the wrong side of the Pennines

Quite. Wouldn't have been allowed back in the good old days of proper Yorkshire cricket.

[Sir C]

He has made a tremendous difference to precisely **** all since he left the navy. Served his country selflessly for decades? I am sure we could all manage to unveil the odd plaque here and there if we didn't have to, you know, earn money and feed ourselves and whatnot.

Boycott I can live with, although I would take Michael Vaughan over him.....

As honorary patron of the Tiger Club he did a great deal to encourage and support aerobatic and formation flying in the 60s and 70s. Without the Tiger Club there would have been no Neil Williams, no Nigel Lamb and no Brendan O'Brien.

So that's your 'point' utterly debunked.

[Peter]

Well that just shows how appalling your judgement is, p. Michael Vaughan indeed! The man averaged 41 in a batsman-friendly era.

He's not fit to lace Sir Geoffrey's surgical truss - as he'd probably admit himself, in fairness to the chap.

Hee hee.

You have to admit that Vaughan was a fine captain though.....

[Burney]

As honorary patron of the Tiger Club he did a great deal to encourage and support aerobatic and formation flying in the 60s and 70s. Without the Tiger Club there would have been no Neil Williams, no Nigel Lamb and no Brendan O'Brien.

So that's your 'point' utterly debunked.

There's no point bickering with such people, old chap. They're just terrible human beings who, in a more enlightened society, would have their heads on spikes.

[Peter]

As honorary patron of the Tiger Club he did a great deal to encourage and support aerobatic and formation flying in the 60s and 70s. Without the Tiger Club there would have been no Neil Williams, no Nigel Lamb and no Brendan O'Brien.

So that's your 'point' utterly debunked.

I stand corrected. ;)

[Peter]

There's no point bickering with such people, old chap. They're just terrible human beings who, in a more enlightened society, would have their heads on spikes.

It is incredibly rude to talk about someone as if they were not there. Bad form....

[Burney]

Hee hee.

You have to admit that Vaughan was a fine captain though.....

He was. And I loved watching him as a bat. It was frustrating the way he declined and allowed technical errors to creep into his game - such as missing straight ones on off stump. Although how much of that was down to the fact that his knee was fûcked I couldn't say.

[Luis Anaconda]

As honorary patron of the Tiger Club he did a great deal to encourage and support aerobatic and formation flying in the 60s and 70s. Without the Tiger Club there would have been no Neil Williams, no Nigel Lamb and no Brendan O'Brien.

So that's your 'point' utterly debunked.

594

Lovely bowler, Neil Williams - didn't realise he could fly a plane as well

[Burney]

It is incredibly rude to talk about someone as if they were not there. Bad form....

Do you mind? I was addressing Sir C.

[Burney]

594

Lovely bowler, Neil Williams - didn't realise he could fly a plane as well

He was. I remember him bowling with Cowans for Middlesex and thinking he was seriously rapid. Why did he never break through?

[Sir C]

I stand corrected. ;)

Here he is, in fact, flying a Turbulent. (I subsequently flew that exact aircraft, so I'm now semi-royal.)

595

[Sir C]

594

Lovely bowler, Neil Williams - didn't realise he could fly a plane as well

I would be grateful if you would cease to sully the name of our greatest ever aerobatic pilot with your ridiculous, childish stickball game.

[Luis Anaconda]

He was. And I loved watching him as a bat. It was frustrating the way he declined and allowed technical errors to creep into his game - such as missing straight ones on off stump. Although how much of that was down to the fact that his knee was fûcked I couldn't say.
It was always a flaw in his game but definitely exacerbated by the knee problem. He was also always quite a **** fielder which is weird for a batsman in the modern age

[Burney]

Here he is, in fact, flying a Turbulent. (I subsequently flew that exact aircraft, so I'm now semi-royal.)

595

That seems a rather silly little plane. Shouldn't it be bigger than that?

[Peter]

He was. And I loved watching him as a bat. It was frustrating the way he declined and allowed technical errors to creep into his game - such as missing straight ones on off stump. Although how much of that was down to the fact that his knee was fûcked I couldn't say.

A lot to do with it I would guess. My knee was knackered in my last couple of seasons and it made driving off the front foot and judging line much more difficult.

Some of his knocks in his peak years were outstanding.

[Burney]

It was always a flaw in his game but definitely exacerbated by the knee problem. He was also always quite a **** fielder which is weird for a batsman in the modern age

Sometimes, if I didn't know better than to think a top pro could suffer from such a schoolboy flaw, I could have sworn he got his head up when going for those big, booming drives

[Burney]

A lot to do with it I would guess. My knee was knackered in my last couple of seasons and it made driving off the front foot and judging line much more difficult.

Some of his knocks in his peak years were outstanding.

Yes. You can't really get to the pitch properly with a crook knee and can end up hitting on the up through the line, which is risky if the ball deviates even slightly.

[redgunamo]

I have no specific beef with the drunken old racist. There are no heroes in war, Sir C.

I was on the staff at Buck House for a time. I wish him well, decent bloke, imo.

[Burney]

I was on the staff at Buck House for a time. I wish him well, decent bloke, imo.

Do you mind? We're discussing the finer points of the off drive, here.

[redgunamo]

He was. And I loved watching him as a bat. It was frustrating the way he declined and allowed technical errors to creep into his game - such as missing straight ones on off stump. Although how much of that was down to the fact that his knee was fûcked I couldn't say.

Almost all of it, I'd say. Perhaps he could've adapted but it surely cannot be an easy thing to do at the top level.

[Sir C]

That seems a rather silly little plane. Shouldn't it be bigger than that?

It's a death trap, to be honest. It has a VW Beetle engine of around 40 bhp and can barely drag itself into the air. Anything more than a rate 1 turn is highly likely to end up with a dynamic stall/spin and subsequent painful connection with terra firma. I've no idea what they were for, really. It's a sort of Tiger Club tradition; you have to survive an amount of Turb flying to be a real Tiger Club pilot.

Here they are at an air show. Going very, very slowly.

596

[redgunamo]

I was on the staff at Buck House for a time. I wish him well, decent bloke, imo.

Sorry. Running a little late.

[Luis Anaconda]

He was. I remember him bowling with Cowans for Middlesex and thinking he was seriously rapid. Why did he never break through?

Injuries mostly - seemed to come at the most inconvenient time. Had one Test in 1990. Died at only 43 as well :(

[Burney]

Injuries mostly - seemed to come at the most inconvenient time. Had one Test in 1990. Died at only 43 as well :(

Yes, I remember.

I'm 44 in June. :-(

[Alberto Balsam Rodriguez]

A war hero who has selflessly served this country for the thick end of 80 years. We will never see his like again.

I will personally fight any lefty who wishes to besmirch his reputation.


Do you have to be a lefty to not particularly like the Royals or is that part of the definition of being a lefty?

[IUFG]

Do you have to be a lefty to not particularly like the Royals or is that part of the definition of being a lefty?

I think it helps with the definition of Lefty but not particularly true.

I have no particular allegiance to any party but think the royal family are nothing but an anachronistic bunch of parasites.

[Burney]

Do you have to be a lefty to not particularly like the Royals or is that part of the definition of being a lefty?

Not at all, but as a rule of thumb, not all anti-royalists are lefties, but all lefties are anti-royalists.

It's disastrous from a Labour point of view, of course. There are an awful lot of what were once Labour supporters are repelled by that sort of reflexive anti-royalist, anti-patriotic sentiment. Still, if lefties knew or cared what real people thought, they wouldn't be lefties.

[Burney]

I think it helps with the definition of Lefty but not particularly true.

I have no particular allegiance to any party but think the royal family are nothing but an anachronistic bunch of parasites.

A parasite is something which lives off another organism without giving anything back. It's impossible to justify applying that definition to the Royal family. The anachronism thing is entirely subjective. They are only an anachronism if you choose to see them as such.

[IUFG]

I struggle to see the symbiotic nature of the royals and the public. They live in a big ****ing house in a prime bit of London, which is merely one of their properties, paid for by the public of which some get to wave at them occasionally.

I suppose tourists do wander around Green Park waiting for some very expensive military ceremony to take place on the royal's ****ing doorstep, but other than that . . .

I'm afraid we'll have to disagree on this one, b.

[Rich]

Do you mind? We're discussing the finer points of the off drive, here.

Joe Root plays it pretty well too, in fairness. A far better all-round batsman than MP Vaughan.

Let's just hope his back doesn't get worse.

[Luis Anaconda]

Joe Root plays it pretty well too, in fairness. A far better all-round batsman than MP Vaughan.

Let's just hope his back doesn't get worse.

Without a doubt. Hopefully he'll give up the longer form of pyjama cricket after 2019 so it won't have to suffer that nonsense. 2020 should be fine.


Speaking of 50 overs stuff. Sounds like a great knock from Bairstow yesterday. Interesting that Billings will keep in the one-dayers against Ireland though

[Sir C]

I struggle to see the symbiotic nature of the royals and the public. They live in a big ****ing house in a prime bit of London, which is merely one of their properties, paid for by the public of which some get to wave at them occasionally.

I suppose tourists do wander around Green Park waiting for some very expensive military ceremony to take place on the royal's ****ing doorstep, but other than that . . .

I'm afraid we'll have to disagree on this one, b.

You realise that Her Majesty, anointed by God, is our Monarch, defender of the faith, and Empress of India? Do you think the British Empire rules two thirds of the world by accident?

[Peter]

Yes. You can't really get to the pitch properly with a crook knee and can end up hitting on the up through the line, which is risky if the ball deviates even slightly.

Its psychological as well. Even when you do reach the pitch you tend to reach it late which throws the arms out of timing with the head and body. You are also reluctant to throw all your weight onto the front knee which means you don't get properly over the ball. I felt like I was striking the ball in front of me rather than under the eyes. I started punching down the ground rather than the full drive and where is the beauty in that.

Defensive strokes are ok on fuller deliveries but there is a temptation to reach a bit where you don't get to the pitch. That I could handle because I always had a great leave, but it certainly made it harder to judge.

Turning for the second run was no picnic either.

[Luis Anaconda]

Turning for the second run was no picnic either.

That's what boundaries are for, P

[Peter]

That's what boundaries are for, P

They are harder to reach when you cant drive properly. I started to rely on runs shovelled through the on side. I am still ashamed to admit it.....

Still, its not as if I was the biggest hitter or the fastest scorer to begin with. It was a bit like Per losing a yard of pace :)

[redgunamo]

It was a bit like Per losing a yard of pace :)

Explain, please. I *think* I know what you mean but ..

[redgunamo]

I struggle to see the symbiotic nature of the royals and the public. They live in a big ****ing house in a prime bit of London, which is merely one of their properties, paid for by the public of which some get to wave at them occasionally.

I suppose tourists do wander around Green Park waiting for some very expensive military ceremony to take place on the royal's ****ing doorstep, but other than that . . .

I'm afraid we'll have to disagree on this one, b.

Yet despite all this, the remain enduringly popular. With the public :shrug:

[Peter]

Explain, please. I *think* I know what you mean but ..

The weakening of something that has never been your strength.

[redgunamo]

The weakening of something that has never been your strength.

Right. Got it.

However, I would just say that just because it may be acceptable that a particular trait has never been a strength, it is a different matter entirely if it actually becomes a weakness.

Or as my son put it the other day, a slow footballer should *never* be found wanting for pace #premierleague

[Ash]

Yet despite all this, the remain enduringly popular. With the public :shrug:

That might be tested when the new fella eventually gets to the crease. Unless by then he has been coached to avoid the silly stuff and play with a straight bat, of course.

[SWv2]

Yet despite all this, the remain enduringly popular. With the public :shrug:

I have never seen the point of them, but then again I am not “the public” you refer to.

While I get that you have a King and Queen, and a next in line, it is all the other useless saps that I see referred to that I don’t get.

Your Andrews and the other lad, the bints they marry who become some titled so and so, their offspring who I expect are hideous characters. Harry is another one, not sure why anybody gives a flying **** about these people.

And I expect they are mostly all propped up by your taxes?

[Burney]

They are harder to reach when you cant drive properly. I started to rely on runs shovelled through the on side. I am still ashamed to admit it.....

Still, its not as if I was the biggest hitter or the fastest scorer to begin with. It was a bit like Per losing a yard of pace :)

I certainly hit in the air far more as I got older and the pitch of the ball got that bit further away. Of course I compensated by purchasing a rather expensive and heavy bat that meant I always had a good chance of a/ getting it over the in-field and b/ reaching the boundary.

The really depressing thing was last season when I found that my ability to pick up the length of the ball had slowed to alarming proportions and I was constantly finding myself neither back nor forward.

Time to stop anything resembling serious cricket, I fear. :-(

[redgunamo]

That might be tested when the new fella eventually gets to the crease. Unless by then he has been coached to avoid the silly stuff and play with a straight bat, of course.

Sure, but they've seen worse. And that's actually the point; their enduring appeal is a reminder that our society is an ancient, strong and dignified one and was *not* focus-grouped and spin-doctored into existence yesterday by Wolverhampton Polytechnic political science undergraduates.

[Ash]

I have never seen the point of them, but then again I am not “the public” you refer to.

While I get that you have a King and Queen, and a next in line, it is all the other useless saps that I see referred to that I don’t get.

Your Andrews and the other lad, the bints they marry who become some titled so and so, their offspring who I expect are hideous characters. Harry is another one, not sure why anybody gives a flying **** about these people.

And I expect they are mostly all propped up by your taxes?

Supposedly you need a bloated squad beyond the obvious heir and spare, to maintain the mystique of it all from which the awe and popularity derives.

I don't see the point of it all myself but if people on the whole like it then so be it. As long as the royals have no real power.

[Burney]

I have never seen the point of them, but then again I am not “the public” you refer to.

While I get that you have a King and Queen, and a next in line, it is all the other useless saps that I see referred to that I don’t get.

Your Andrews and the other lad, the bints they marry who become some titled so and so, their offspring who I expect are hideous characters. Harry is another one, not sure why anybody gives a flying **** about these people.

And I expect they are mostly all propped up by your taxes?

The Civil List has largely been restricted to those who actually perform significant numbers of royal duties these days, so it's not anywhere near as bad as it used to be.

Also, I can assure you that both our taxes prop up far more useless people in our respective governments/civil services and the *spits* EU than the Royals. I'm happy enough to pay a few pennies a year for the royals.

[redgunamo]

And I expect they are mostly all propped up by your taxes?

They are a division of our political and governmental household, yes. So was Barbara the polar bear and Squeak the bunny rabbit too. What of it :shrug:

[SWv2]

They are a division of our political and governmental household, yes. So was Barbara the polar bear and Squeak the bunny rabbit too. What of it :shrug:

Don't take that tone with me pal.

I merely asked a question as was evidenced by the question mark.

[Ash]

Sure, but they've seen worse. And that's actually the point; their enduring appeal is a reminder that our society is an ancient, strong and dignified one and was *not* focus-grouped and spin-doctored into existence yesterday by Wolverhampton Polytechnic political science undergraduates.

Now steady on, redg. No need to start having a pop at West Midlands' polytechnics. Not that you'd catch me doing such a bullshít course.

And let's not analyse the supposed 'dignity' of some of the previous appointed-by-god incumbents. Bunch of twelve-toes. :jorge:

[Burney]

Don't take that tone with me pal.

I merely asked a question as was evidenced by the question mark.

In short, they're a great bunch of lads and whatever pittance we pay a year is worth every penny not to have this sort of thing happening.

597

[SWv2]

In short, they're a great bunch of lads and whatever pittance we pay a year is worth every penny not to have this sort of thing happening.

597

Well indeed, don't even get me started on that fúcking eejit.

[redgunamo]

Don't take that tone with me pal.

I merely asked a question as was evidenced by the question mark.

Please accept my apologies and this photograph of young Barbara as a peace offering, a small token of esteem

http://www.godfreydykes.info/whale%20island%20zoo.jpeg

[redgunamo]

Now steady on, redg. No need to start having a pop at West Midlands' polytechnics. Not that you'd catch me doing such a bullshít course.

And let's not analyse the supposed 'dignity' of some of the previous appointed-by-god incumbents. Bunch of twelve-toes. :jorge:

Merely using them as an example of "modern method and thought."