RIP Queen Elizabeth

[a.twiddler]

The Harpers link leads to this, amongst other nuggets.

View attachment 661229

https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/wxngy9/queen-elizabeth-ii-drug-discounts

Is this a link for people with bad eyesight? It might be funny if it wasn't related to this product. Not quite what I meant by a space filler.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Is this a link for people with bad eyesight? It might be funny if it wasn't related to this product.

You've completely lost me I'm afraid. Maybe kaleidoscope eyes would help?

 

[mjr]

I read a couple of articles two or three days ago which were predicting (had a slight feeling with a certain glee) that the queue would turn into a human disaster/thing of national shame

Probably should stop reading so many facebook articles.

- fortunately doesn't seem to have happenned - seems to have been well organised (way in advance of course) and folks seem to be being very patient/enjoying it for various reasons.

Indeed, but it could yet go wrong as the deadline approaches, of course.

One of those articles suggested that the lying in state should have been at the NEC!
Home of trade shows/caravan shows.
s/he probably thought that very clever.

Probably: the spacious central location and good transport links (including intercity and crosscountry trains and not too bad to NCN 523, 52, 41 and 5) would have allowed far more people to pay their respects. How is that not a clever idea?

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Probably should stop reading so many facebook articles.

them maybe. not me if that's what you meant - am not really on facefark - nor twatter.

 

[a.twiddler]

You've completely lost me I'm afraid. Maybe kaleidoscope eyes would help?

It comes out as an extremely large print paragraph above. However when I replied to it, seems to link to a more comprehensive article too. Not what I had in mind indeed.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Probably should stop reading so many facebook articles.


Indeed, but it could yet go wrong as the deadline approaches, of course.


Probably: the spacious central location and good transport links (including intercity and crosscountry trains and not too bad to NCN 523, 52, 41 and 5) would have allowed far more people to pay their respects. How is that not a clever idea?

er pretty clear I would have thought. Hardly fitting or resonating with atmosphere and tradition.
I have tramped round many many trade shows at the NEC - basically a collection of hangars.
Westminster Hall is the obvious place for so many reasons.
The author probably wasn't really serious in their suggestion - just being rather fourth form.
If you think the suggestion a goer I think I'd ask a few folks in the queue who have come from north of London whether they would have welcomed such an alternative.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Interesting article here.

interview with simon schama.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-fantasy-behind-queen-elizabeths-reign

journalist either displaying creditable newshound questioning attitude or indulging in sustained snarkiness.

I found the bit where he seemed determined to be comforted that the queen wasn't happy particularly interesting/amusing.

Of course you could say that schama is biased - was knighted by her - but seems to/claims to know her.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Words like "Sycophancy" and "Adulation" don't help. I think for the great majority of posters with positive views of the Queen it's more likely to be well founded respect. We live in an age of skepticism. As often happens, the 24 hour media coverage can be saccharine but there have been some good information pieces too. Like it or not, this is a bona fide historical event that actually will be remembered for years to come. In this age of streaming and alternative entertainments surely it is not beyond the wit of man to turn it off when it gets too much or if you find it totally offensive to your beliefs. There are bound to be a range of opinions but a degree of tolerance is in order.

I'm not fond of football but you don't see me posting negative stuff when some big game swamps the media and that happens several times a year, not once in a lifetime.

well said - I don't think Brits are generally thought of as sycophantic abroad.
Far from it.
If anything for having a certain dry pomposity puncturing humour.
Some might be inclined to direct some of that at folk who seem only to be able to snark.
Am a republican but I make no assumptions about the politics or general views of anyone in the queue.
I imagine many many are quite capable of telling folks of whatever background where to go if they step out of line/get uppity.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Boris the Liar? Why was he even still there? People, including himself, seem to forget he is in disgrace, should have gone over a month ago. His presence tends to interfere with the good work that anyone else might be doing by injecting me, me, me into the picture.

yep - was a beeb journo I think who asked B if the queen had said anything to him about the partying on the eve of the duke's funeral, where she sat alone. B said she hadn't, had maintained her dignity/businesslike/constitutional bearing.
Am a republican well aware of and value the constitutional aspects of the monarchy but I reckon that as a human being she would have been totally justified for one meeting in giving him a contemptuous blast/turning her back on him.
then in the next meeting back to business.
Can't help thinking that she steeled herself, with whatever injections if necessary, to welcome his demise/successor before departing for a well earned rest.

 

[Mike_P]

24+ hour wait in the queue; surely time to hand out ticketed numbers and tell people to come back tomorrow with an almost guaranteed entry time.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

24+ hour wait in the queue; surely time to hand out ticketed numbers and tell people to come back tomorrow with an almost guaranteed entry time.

Think of it as a pilgrimage.

The destination is important, yes, but the journey itself matters more to the pilgrims.

 

[Ian H]

Think of it as a pilgrimage.

The destination is important, yes, but the journey itself matters more to the pilgrims.

So is this a prelude to her being beatified, or perhaps even deified? There are precedents.

 

[Mike_P]

Interesting; BBC News has just split from BBC1 to give the days other news.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

So is this a prelude to her being beatified, or perhaps even deified? There are precedents.

brits won't beatify anyone in my opinion.
i well remember some twonk in a guardian comments on something or other claiming that britain, yep britain, was a theocracy,
I fear s/he'd been reading the defender of the faith stuff on coins etc rather too literally.
and had zilch historical awareness/empathy/intelligence.
what are these "precedents" you refer to?
British?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

So is this a prelude to her being beatified, or perhaps even deified? There are precedents.

I think in many ways she already has been beatified, as was Diana.

Non Royals sometimes get similar treatment; Thatcher is regarded as such in the Conservative party, for instance, and Martin Luther King springs to mind.

None of which is intended as any criticism of these individuals or their followers, just that their treatment by those followers can go far beyond a rational analysis of their lives and achievements.

The rituals of death for sure help mould the future status.