Current Affairs 2024

[Mervyn and Trish]

State opening of Parliament today ,but no mention of plans to address the small boats from France.
Maybe that's why he's upped house building.

Very little detail on anything really. Mainly aspirations with nothing on delivery

[towny44]

Stephen,you are talking about Royalty. So with reference to OL, he would be in charge of the order of the loo.

Or custodian of the Kings c**p.

I can certainly vouch for the fact that he along with the other freeloaders produce loads of it.

I think if you had to undertake the Kings schedule, you might re-think your accusation of free loader.

[towny44]

I wonder if the OBR have done a full cost evaluation of all the nationalisation our new govt is planning. Not sure whether there will enough cash left to fund a hospital cat, never mind a few thousand doctors and nurses.

[david63]

I wonder if the OBR have done a full cost evaluation of all the nationalisation our new govt is planning. Not sure whether there will enough cash left to fund a hospital cat, never mind a few thousand doctors and nurses.

Of course they have - they looked out of the window and saw a forest of magic money trees

[Mervyn and Trish]

Never mind the costs, are they bringing back stale curled up British Railways sandwiches?

[Onelife]

Or custodian of the Kings c**p.

I can certainly vouch for the fact that he along with the other freeloaders produce loads of it.

I think if you had to undertake the Kings schedule, you might re-think your accusation of free loader.

I’m in no doubt that a couple of Royals have a busy work schedule (which in reality probably only amounts to working 6 months of the year) as for the others most work far less judging by their official engagements. I think it was reported that your “Queen” puts in the equivalent of about two weeks work a year...that’s not counting her official holidays of course, I hear the happy couple are off on another official holiday later this year…you would have thought someone would have told them that to thirds of Australians want to ditch the Monarchy. But hey! you’ll no doubt be hoping their hosts find a few ribbons for them to cut and bus a few natives so they can pass on a few pleasantries…. all in a hard day’s work I suppose.

[oldbluefox]

Are they genuine figures OL or just guesswork?

"The British Royal Family undertook approximately 3,000 official engagements in the year ending March 2023, compared with 2,300 in the previous year. Although the British monarchy usually undertakes around 3,000 engagements, the number of these in 2020/21 was significantly lower due to the COVID-19 pandemic".

Source: Statista
https://www.statista.com/statistics/122 ... al-family/

More details here:
https://www.royal.uk/the-role-of-the-royal-family

[david63]

So after I cannot remember how long we have the first of nine Covid reports and one of the main criticisms is that we were prepared for the wrong pandemic! Could someone with such great hindsight knowledge apply that to predicting what the next pandemic will be and when so that we can be better prepared.

I don't know how any government can prepare for the unknown,

[Stephen]

Only in America

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cldy39vpv4qo

[Onelife]

Are they genuine figures OL or just guesswork?

"The British Royal Family undertook approximately 3,000 official engagements in the year ending March 2023, compared with 2,300 in the previous year. Although the British monarchy usually undertakes around 3,000 engagements, the number of these in 2020/21 was significantly lower due to the COVID-19 pandemic".

Source: Statista
https://www.statista.com/statistics/122 ... al-family/

More details here:
https://www.royal.uk/the-role-of-the-royal-family

Hi Foxy,
They are genuine insofar as one chooses to believe…

If your figures and links are correct then my assertion that the Royals are freeloading part timers is absolutely correct.
Your figures are calculated on how many Official Engagements they attend… with this in mind one can easily see how the figures you have put forward distort the actually days it takes to perform such engagements, especially when most Royals take in several official visits in one day.

Princes Ann often fits in five engagements in one day.

Do you believe in me Foxy?

[david63]

Only in America

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cldy39vpv4qo

It's a fashion statement, apparently

[Mervyn and Trish]

Are they genuine figures OL or just guesswork?

"The British Royal Family undertook approximately 3,000 official engagements in the year ending March 2023, compared with 2,300 in the previous year. Although the British monarchy usually undertakes around 3,000 engagements, the number of these in 2020/21 was significantly lower due to the COVID-19 pandemic".

Source: Statista
https://www.statista.com/statistics/122 ... al-family/

More details here:
https://www.royal.uk/the-role-of-the-royal-family

Hi Foxy,
They are genuine insofar as one chooses to believe…

If your figures and links are correct then my assertion that the Royals are freeloading part timers is absolutely correct.
Your figures are calculated on how many Official Engagements they attend… with this in mind one can easily see how the figures you have put forward distort the actually days it takes to perform such engagements, especially when most Royals take in several official visits in one day.

Princes Ann often fits in five engagements in one day.

Do you believe in me Foxy?

A number of the senior Royals are at an age where most of us are retired and enjoying our cruises. And will keep working until they die. How many days work did you do last year OL? I reckon I did about 50 in a voluntary capacity.

[barney]

EU E/ES program delayed again.
How comforting to know that their politicians are equally useless as our politicians

[Onelife]

Are they genuine figures OL or just guesswork?

"The British Royal Family undertook approximately 3,000 official engagements in the year ending March 2023, compared with 2,300 in the previous year. Although the British monarchy usually undertakes around 3,000 engagements, the number of these in 2020/21 was significantly lower due to the COVID-19 pandemic".

Source: Statista
https://www.statista.com/statistics/122 ... al-family/

More details here:
https://www.royal.uk/the-role-of-the-royal-family

Hi Foxy,
They are genuine insofar as one chooses to believe…

If your figures and links are correct then my assertion that the Royals are freeloading part timers is absolutely correct.
Your figures are calculated on how many Official Engagements they attend… with this in mind one can easily see how the figures you have put forward distort the actually days it takes to perform such engagements, especially when most Royals take in several official visits in one day.

Princes Ann often fits in five engagements in one day.

Do you believe in me Foxy?

A number of the senior Royals are at an age where most of us are retired and enjoying our cruises. And will keep working until they die. How many days work did you do last year OL? I reckon I did about 50 in a voluntary capacity.

Tut,tut....Your post is a distraction from whether or not Foxy agrees with the explanation I gave to his question.

However, in answer to your question I worked every day last year…gardening, cooking, washing and ironing etc. Unlike the Royals the vast majority of the country don’t get waited on hand, mouth and foot by servants who look after their every need…. it’s no wonder they live and work (part time) so bloody long. As for charitable work I donate a large percentage of my surplus income to the retired bookmaker’s fund.

[oldbluefox]

Do you believe in me Foxy?

I am left in wonderment that anybody can come out with such twaddle that makes no sense and worse still, they believe it. You trying to wind me up?
But you're a good chap at heart

[david63]

And not before time

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c880xjx54mpo

Although the way things are going they will be out next week.

[Onelife]

Do you believe in me Foxy?

I am left in wonderment that anybody can come out with such twaddle that makes no sense and worse still, they believe it. You trying to wind me up?
But you're a good chap at heart

I may not be as eloquent as some when it comes to explaining things but I credit you with more intelligence in that you should be able to decipher the difference between the amount of official engagements carried out to that of the period of time it would take to do them.

P.s Was the “Good chap at heart” an afterthought, or is it your way of saying Onelife’s Twaddle was right?

[Onelife]

EU E/ES program delayed again.
How comforting to know that their politicians are equally useless as our politicians

Hi Barney, I dread to think what biometric hurdles one will have to get over before you are in a position to use this new system….no wonder there are delays in setting this up.

[towny44]

Do you believe in me Foxy?

I am left in wonderment that anybody can come out with such twaddle that makes no sense and worse still, they believe it. You trying to wind me up?
But you're a good chap at heart

I may not be as eloquent as some when it comes to explaining things but I credit you with more intelligence in that you should be able to decipher the difference between the amount of official engagements carried out to that of the period of time it would take to do them.

P.s Was the “Good chap at heart” an afterthought, or is it your way of saying Onelife’s Twaddle was right?

Once you take in the preparation time, the Royals need to know everyone they will be introduced to at all the events they attend, then there is the travelling time to take into account.
It must be a fairly full schedule and as Merv points out, most people of the King, Queen and Princess Royals age are enjoying a leisurely retirement under no pressure at all, unless they are spending too much on the horses.

[Onelife]

EU E/ES program delayed again.
How comforting to know that their politicians are equally useless as our politicians

Hi Barney, I dread to think what biometric hurdles one will have to get over before you are in a position to use this new system….no wonder there are delays in setting this up.

Following on...

I’ve been giving some thought about this biometric identification technology stuff and while I appreciate, we need more sophisticated forms of identification recognition I can also see how it could be used in ways that discriminate and segregate certain types of people. Are we moving towards the time when biometrics will be used to determine job suitability e.g. using facial dimensions, eye colour, and expression as a means of identifying those that have the right characteristics for the job…Scary!
I don’t know what the politicians are arguing about with regards to delays but I hope the gathering and misuse of personal information is part of their discussions because I can see how easily this could get out of hand…especially when you consider the speed in which this technology is moving forward… without I believe, the full understanding of where it is taking us.

[Stephen]

Good to see, but make the fines higher.

The reason we go on holiday in school term time so there aren’t the little darlings running amok everywhere.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2grrvn4kjo

[towny44]

Good to see, but make the fines higher.

The reason we go on holiday in school term time so there aren’t the little darlings running amok everywhere.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2grrvn4kjo

You know my views on this, every family should be able to take up to 2 weeks holiday a year in term time, not compulsary though, with no fine.
This would stop all the complaints about over priced school holidays and, IMO, make it much more likely that parents would make more effort to ensure their children attended school regularly. And despite teachers concerns, I don't think this would affect attainment standards at all, in fact with the reduced stress it may well improve them.

[Onelife]

I am left in wonderment that anybody can come out with such twaddle that makes no sense and worse still, they believe it. You trying to wind me up?
But you're a good chap at heart

I may not be as eloquent as some when it comes to explaining things but I credit you with more intelligence in that you should be able to decipher the difference between the amount of official engagements carried out to that of the period of time it would take to do them.

P.s Was the “Good chap at heart” an afterthought, or is it your way of saying Onelife’s Twaddle was right?

Once you take in the preparation time, the Royals need to know everyone they will be introduced to at all the events they attend, then there is the travelling time to take into account.
It must be a fairly full schedule and as Merv points out, most people of the King, Queen and Princess Royals age are enjoying a leisurely retirement under no pressure at all, unless they are spending too much on the horses.

Hi John, I don’t dismiss what you and Sir Merv are saying about travel, handshakes and background knowledge, I also understand why you Royalist are so in awe of the sacrifices they make for their subjects. But thinking about it, what options do they have if they wish to continue the lifestyles and privileges they presumable enjoy.

With the scaling back of working royals it was inevitable that the onus of royal engagements would fall on fewer members of the royal family and it is also inevitable that once Charlie and your Queen pop their socks there is going to be a massive void of suitable royals to take up the handshaking traditions. One than has to ask oneself is it really viable to keep up all the pomp and ceremony when the country gets so little back in return.

I believe Princes Ann spends a lot of her free time around her love of horses and I dare say Charlie still likes to get his leg over the donkey from time to time.

[Onelife]

Good to see, but make the fines higher.

The reason we go on holiday in school term time so there aren’t the little darlings running amok everywhere.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2grrvn4kjo

You know my views on this, every family should be able to take up to 2 weeks holiday a year in term time, not compulsary though, with no fine.
This would stop all the complaints about over priced school holidays and, IMO, make it much more likely that parents would make more effort to ensure their children attended school regularly. And despite teachers concerns, I don't think this would affect attainment standards at all, in fact with the reduced stress it may well improve them.

I totally agree with your comments John….I could enlarge on that and probably will once I have done my household chores and cleaned out the girls (chickens) bedding.

[Mervyn and Trish]

My view is opposite. Okay at primary school but after age 13 schooling becomes more critical and harder to catch up without disrupting the rest of the class. If people want to have children then it should be no sacrifice to give up foreign summer holidays for 4 or 5 years. I listened to the woman who's been all over the news. Yes she saved £3000 on her holiday to Egypt, which financially is a no brainer. But Egypt is not compulsory! We're taking our daughter and granddaughters to a nice cottage in the Lake District in a couple of weeks. They'll love it, they'll spend all week in the pool and it's costing under £1500.