What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
- Ouchmychin
- Posts: 1595
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:03 pm
What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
I have been posting here for several years. Often I am an outlier with my opinions. I never get criticized for them here. I have another interest. I roast my own coffee. When I go to one site devoted to that subject I often get flamed and even by the administrator himself. They are opinionated and don't tolerate those whose experience differs from theirs. I hope that never happens here.
Ouchmychin (Pete)
- Straight Arrow
- Posts: 1259
- Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:45 pm
- Location: NJ
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
I don't like it that you think this site is gentlemanly. Keep your opinions to yourself.
Rich
- Ouchmychin
- Posts: 1595
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:03 pm
-
- Posts: 3102
- Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
Pete, I've remarked before that this is the House of Lords compared to other forums. This is not to vainly exalt the members here but simply describe their behavior towards one another. Nor do I seek to denigrate the membership of other forums by my declaration.
A deeply sincere nod has to go to our moderator group who have struggled to keep the decorum as highly gentlemanly as possible (and that is not an easy feat being a popular site on the internet). Without them we would descend into the wild, wild west. And I'd rather be in the House of Lords.
Chris
A deeply sincere nod has to go to our moderator group who have struggled to keep the decorum as highly gentlemanly as possible (and that is not an easy feat being a popular site on the internet). Without them we would descend into the wild, wild west. And I'd rather be in the House of Lords.
Chris
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
The Upper House. Another Place. The Red Benches. An undemocratic institution that happened to function exceedingly well to control and check an elected government and look after the interests of, rather ironically, the people. There may be a resemblance. But now I'm about to digress. The uninterested may leave.
But sadly it has been subject to abuse by the elected government of the day.
In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht was passed only by the creation of 12 tory peers to swing the vote.
In 1832, the Reform Act was passed only under the threat of creating 80 new peers.
In 1910, Lloyd George sought to create 400 new liberal peers to enforce an unpopular budget.
Worst of all, in 1999, all but 92 hereditary peers were expelled from the House by Tony Blair. All other seats to be occupied by government appointees, thus obviating the inconvenience of creating a new peerage to win a point, you simply fill the place with your lapdogs in the first place. The British people have lost one of their more useful protections against the excesses of government.
Now before you imagine me as a red-faced old buffer surrounded by smelly spaniels and incapable of talking in whole sentences, you should know the truth is far from that. My background is coal miners, small farmers, railway fitters. One reason I left the UK was because I couldn't overcome my irritation at being asked what my father did all the time (inevitably followed by a sniff and a turning away when I told them). I can't defend the nature of the unelected, hereditary membership house of lords, but when it comes to its track record, I don't need to defend it. It worked. Now the Brits will have something like the Canadian senate, a pointless way of thanking political friends by giving them an income, one that comes with the requirement that they attend the senate and continue to be occasionally useful when your benefactors require you to support them. Recent scandals here about the astonishing abuse of senate expenses will probably lead to something worse - an elected senate. Then we'll be as badly off as those poor Americans. I have the same rather pragmatic approach to our head of state. A hereditary monarch is obviously silly and unfair to all parties. But the restrained form of constitutional monarchy that the UK has slipped into has worked well, and the Queen more than pays her way with income she generates for the country. Far more successful and profitable than having an elected figurehead president (remember Americans, you are the exception in giving power to your presidents. Mostly they cut ribbons and welcome other presidents.) The upcoming release of the 'Black Spider Memos' may well change that situation, as Charles' meddling with government will probably be a great embarrassment, especially given the hugely inflated view he has of his own intellect. He should have stuck to his first ambition, to be Camilla's - well, you know what he wanted to be. His belief in homeopathy is particularly unfortunate. He has ended the career of the world's first professor of complementary medicine, who saw it as his duty to show what worked and what didn't and was honest enough to say so when he couldn't prove that anything he tested actually did anything beyond placebo, lobbied the medicines approval body until they allowed homeopathic remedies to make medical claims with no evidence, and put on sale his own range of expensive homeopathic waters that he claims will detoxify you (nowhere does the small print actually say that the only thing they can remove is cash from your wallet).
I could go on, but I'm rambling and depressing myself. But there again, what kind of a gentlemen's club would this be without an old bore in the corner going on and on about how the country has gone to the dogs?
C.
But sadly it has been subject to abuse by the elected government of the day.
In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht was passed only by the creation of 12 tory peers to swing the vote.
In 1832, the Reform Act was passed only under the threat of creating 80 new peers.
In 1910, Lloyd George sought to create 400 new liberal peers to enforce an unpopular budget.
Worst of all, in 1999, all but 92 hereditary peers were expelled from the House by Tony Blair. All other seats to be occupied by government appointees, thus obviating the inconvenience of creating a new peerage to win a point, you simply fill the place with your lapdogs in the first place. The British people have lost one of their more useful protections against the excesses of government.
Now before you imagine me as a red-faced old buffer surrounded by smelly spaniels and incapable of talking in whole sentences, you should know the truth is far from that. My background is coal miners, small farmers, railway fitters. One reason I left the UK was because I couldn't overcome my irritation at being asked what my father did all the time (inevitably followed by a sniff and a turning away when I told them). I can't defend the nature of the unelected, hereditary membership house of lords, but when it comes to its track record, I don't need to defend it. It worked. Now the Brits will have something like the Canadian senate, a pointless way of thanking political friends by giving them an income, one that comes with the requirement that they attend the senate and continue to be occasionally useful when your benefactors require you to support them. Recent scandals here about the astonishing abuse of senate expenses will probably lead to something worse - an elected senate. Then we'll be as badly off as those poor Americans. I have the same rather pragmatic approach to our head of state. A hereditary monarch is obviously silly and unfair to all parties. But the restrained form of constitutional monarchy that the UK has slipped into has worked well, and the Queen more than pays her way with income she generates for the country. Far more successful and profitable than having an elected figurehead president (remember Americans, you are the exception in giving power to your presidents. Mostly they cut ribbons and welcome other presidents.) The upcoming release of the 'Black Spider Memos' may well change that situation, as Charles' meddling with government will probably be a great embarrassment, especially given the hugely inflated view he has of his own intellect. He should have stuck to his first ambition, to be Camilla's - well, you know what he wanted to be. His belief in homeopathy is particularly unfortunate. He has ended the career of the world's first professor of complementary medicine, who saw it as his duty to show what worked and what didn't and was honest enough to say so when he couldn't prove that anything he tested actually did anything beyond placebo, lobbied the medicines approval body until they allowed homeopathic remedies to make medical claims with no evidence, and put on sale his own range of expensive homeopathic waters that he claims will detoxify you (nowhere does the small print actually say that the only thing they can remove is cash from your wallet).
I could go on, but I'm rambling and depressing myself. But there again, what kind of a gentlemen's club would this be without an old bore in the corner going on and on about how the country has gone to the dogs?
C.
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
I didn't know that about Charles. I and many others have always known he was/is a foolish man - tossed away his sainted wife, the mother of Kings, no less. Now he's selling snake oil to the masses.
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
- Ouchmychin
- Posts: 1595
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:03 pm
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
I am a U.S. history buff and I believe the U.S. congress is bought and sold by anybody with enough cash to throw to their election and party. Couldn't be worse, except it is not a dictatorship. Sadly, it has been so since early in the 19th century. Wish it were not true.
Ouchmychin (Pete)
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
You chaps pipe down. This is a private club and some of us are trying to sleep.
Regards,
Squire
Squire
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
Straight Arrow wrote:I don't like it that you think this site is gentlemanly. Keep your opinions to yourself.
David
“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
Squire wrote:You chaps pipe down. This is a private club and some of us are trying to sleep.
Re: What A Gentlemanly Site This Is
ZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSquire wrote:You chaps pipe down. This is a private club and some of us are trying to sleep.
Regards,
Mike
Mike