June 8th

[j.sabourn]

I must have been the only one born a toff then. My Aunt reckoned she was related to Mary Queen of Scots and used to communicate with that famous musician Edward Heath the greatest fiddler of them all. JWS

[John Pruden]

only a few years ago any professor astronomer all the professionals would have been classed as upper? look at us now all working on computers can do the same as them times are changing all the time you can get any qualifications on line today.jp

[happy daze john in oz]

Interesting news today. Your gov is to sell it's shares in RBS bought by Brown and Blair during the global financial crisis.
They will be sold for exactly half of what the then Labor gov paid for them as now that is all they are worth.
Wonder what Sturgeon thinks of that?

[John F Collier]

Interesting news today. Your gov is to sell it's shares in RBS bought by Brown and Blair during the global financial crisis.
They will be sold for exactly half of what the then Labor gov paid for them as now that is all they are worth.
Wonder what Sturgeon thinks of that?

Hi John, When he was Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown sold half of the UK's gold reserves between 1999 and 2002
it proved to be deeply controversial as by selling selling such a large amount of gold "395 tonnes" in 17 auctions helped to
drive the price of gold to a 20 year low, it is estimated that the sales cost the UK over £5 billion and at todays price the loss
is worth a lot more. cheers JFC

[Fouro]

Hi John, When he was Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown sold half of the UK's gold reserves between 1999 and 2002
it proved to be deeply controversial as by selling selling such a large amount of gold "395 tonnes" in 17 auctions helped to
drive the price of gold to a 20 year low, it is estimated that the sales cost the UK over £5 billion and at todays price the loss
is worth a lot more. cheers JFC

Gordon Brown the silly ass
Didn't know difference between gold and brass.

FOURO.

[Keith Tindell]

And I well remember Blair describing Brown as " this prudent chancellor ", mind he was only playing with our money, kt

[Fouro]

White collar as opposed to blue collar workers is the definition used to describe the two classes. But white or blue, unless you are a very wealth person you have to work.

There was a time in UK, and it may still be, where certain areas saw certain workers live. Blue collars predominately in the north, with white in the south.
Here in Oz there is none of that, a wealthy stock broker may be living beside a bus driver, we try not to discriminate. Though we do hav
Ie some upper crust, which really is nothing more than a load of crumbs sticking together.

It beggars belief that bus driving is often said to be a bottom of the ladder occupation.
Many years ago it was a privilege to be employed as a bus driver with London Transport.
Something to remember:-
Up until the year 2000, London Transport were the only civilian group given the honour of laying a wreath at the Cenotaph as well as marching alongside the Armed Forces in the annual Remembrance Sunday Parade.
King George V granted this honour to the London General Omnibus Company in 1920 in recognition of the services rendered by the men who drove buses to the Front Line in France 1915.
Something else to remember:-
It wasn't until the year 2000 that seamen who flew the 'Red Duster", the MN ensign, were granted the right to march as an official body on the Cenotaph commemorations.

FOURO.

[John F Collier]

It beggars belief that bus driving is often said to be a bottom of the ladder occupation.
Many years ago it was a privilege to be employed as a bus driver with London Transport.
Something to remember:-
Up until the year 2000, London Transport were the only civilian group given the honour of laying a wreath at the Cenotaph as well as marching alongside the Armed Forces in the annual Remembrance Sunday Parade.
King George V granted this honour to the London General Omnibus Company in 1920 in recognition of the services rendered by the men who drove buses to the Front Line in France 1915.
Something else to remember:-
It wasn't until the year 2000 that seamen who flew the 'Red Duster", the MN ensign, were granted the right to march as an official body on the Cenotaph commemorations.

FOURO.

Hi Fouro, I've always thought it was an insult to the memory of the merchant seamen who died serving their country in the
two world wars, I won't go on about what they did as everyone here already knows, but I will always find it hard to understand why these men were not shown the appreciation of the nation for so many years, it's disgraceful really. cheers JFC

[Fouro]

Re # 21.
John, the blame is down to the Royal British Legion's shameless attitude in not acknowledging the dedication, courage and commitment of Merchant Navy seamen during both world wars.

FOURO.

[j.sabourn]

With all these rules and regulations it beats me how the MN uniform which is standard and as stated by the Palace, that so many people wear it and misuse it by not being MN personell. You can see this on rivers especially where a boat driver is ferrying passengers wearing MN uniform 4 gold bands with diamond and the lot. Probably never been to sea in his life, yet never gets pulled up because of impersonating someone he isn't. Most seamen on passenger vessels and the like wear company livery and doesn't apply to them, why cant the boat drivers do the same. JWS