High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Now it's all over what was your high and low of the Diamond Jubilee?

My high was Madness performing on the roof of the Palace.

My low was most of the rest of it! :D

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The low was all the money spent on it

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Prince Phillip on the barge nodding in time with the band.

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Annie Lennox wearing angel wings was a low for me.

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the lows for me where people putting their Union Jack up the wrong bloody way...simple fools

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An high for me was the Queen's smile on the balcony today. I am by no means a Royalist, but I found it somewhat touching.

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The high-not watching television.
The low-realizing how near the Olympics are.

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The low - the pathetic concert. The inane commentaries from the BBC presenters
The high - the flotilla and the people who waited in the rain to catch a glimpse of the Queen

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My high is "Now" its oer with.

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Enjoyed it all, think it has been a great few days:)

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My high not seeing any of it at all. Could not of given a flying fig. Now to try and do the same and miss that other waste of money the olympics.. :D:D:D

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Alan, if you find a sure fire way of avoiding the Olympics....please will you tip me the wink?
I am dreading it.......wish I could sleep right through it.

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Yes - a high, and Charles Camilla and Philip bobbing up and down to the Sailor's Hornpipe as they do at the last night of the Proms. And the Queen's obvious enjoyment of the whole event.

Yes - knew the concert would be a low, that's why I didn't watch. And totally agree about the BBC's coverage of the whole weekend. Bring back Richard Dimbleby!

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Yes, Richard Dimbleby would have shown them how a real presenter does it....and would have lent a bit of gravitas to the proceedings. I was ashamed to think that the BBC was beaming these broadcasts around the world.

Bah humbug. I bet you're a real barrel of laughs

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Just watching the highlights and got to say the choir at the end of the floatilla must be one of the best bits. Absolutely soaked yet sang their hearts out, amazing good on the lot of you:D

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I wish Elton John would learn to enunciate. I could barely make out the words of the songs he was singing. It just sounded like grunting. And as for Paul McCartney, he was struggling to reach the high notes.

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Yes, and I wish the BBC would have shown us the musicians on the other barges too, but no we had to have the endless presenter waffle instead.

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Elton John took part?

I thought it was Shirley MacLaine, who was playing the piano.

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as i explained it was a printing error at the Y-front factory and i cant do handstands :(

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Not only the smile, but the look on her face as she watched the Spitfires, the Hurricane, and the Lanc fly over ... the CBC had great coverage of all the events, and there were interviews with many of the thousands from all over Canada who attended ... The Queen enjoys immense popularity over here, and Chuck had a warm reception wherever he went ... although, he didn't go to Quebec.;) However, Will and Kate had a great reception there when they were over last year. I wonder how many elected heads of state have the approval rating that Her Majesty has?

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The High Point for me was this morning knowing it was all over, the Low was when it started on Saturday and I'm not anti Royal at all, too much TV with very poor presenters

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Seems like we were not alone in our disapointment athe BBC coverage, Margaret. They received over 2000 complaints.

BBC News - Jubilee coverage: BBC receives more than 2,000 complaints

And I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with this comment - and I shouted as much at the TV at the time, when whoever it was came out with it.

Even the BBC's former Royal Correspondent Michael Cole joined the criticism, saying the presenters were under-prepared.
"I think it's outrageous when you hear a person who's been paid to be a commentator refer to Her Majesty The Queen as Her Royal Highness," he said.
"No preparation, no homework. There was no gravitas. I don't remember one memorable phrase or evocative expression."

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It seems one of the main complaints was about Fern Cotton, with a sick bag, with a picture of Her Maj on it, they've got some real stick over that, who the hell decided to run with that stupid piece of television

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Madness singing- "MY house " on the roof of Buck. Palace was truly MAD -have to agree....wrote it on another thread here, as it happened.

Didn't see it all as my son came in and changed channel.

Loved Her Maj's outfits -throughout the whole jubliee jamboree -epecially though the gold and diamond outifts of the concert and Pall Mall finaleé.:)

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They did two songs - "It must be Love" the 2nd one was edited out of the program showed the day after the concert. They should have done their version of Swan Lake! :D

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Not a clue as I didn't see any of it, thankfully!

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me too Bernie,,:wave8::wave8::wave8:

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Me too, hon ... it was great to see the crowds gathered to express their admiration for the Queen of Canada;):D. And you never know, she could have another 15 years as Queen:theband:.

Unless you are born here, there is still only one way to become a Canadian citizen. It goes something like this: "I swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen."

There always have been, and still are strong ties between Britain and Canada. During WWll Canada gave $3.5 billon to Britain, and after the war, a long term loan of $1.2 billion. This was finally repaid in 2006. And one should also remember the support given to the war effort by the RCAF, The Royal Canadian Navy (which, by the end of the war was the world's third largest), the Candians sacrificed at Dieppe, and the 3rd Canadian Division who landed at Juno Beach on D-Day. Sharing a Head of State serves to maintain the close realtionship between the two countries.

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Pity they don't have to do the same if they come to live in this country Eric:mad:

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Another high of the Jubilee Celebrations is - the way communities have worked together with a common goal, whether that was to hold a street party, or to clean up the area in which they live.
It just shows that a common goal is a good motivating factor.

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I have been looking into this. Since 2007, anyone who wishes to become a British citizen has to take a test about life in the UK

UK Border Agency | Knowledge of language and life in the UK

They then have to take an oath and a pledge at a citizenship ceremony. The wording of these is not dissimilar to the Canadian one quoted by Eric.

UK Border Agency | Citizenship ceremonies

The pass mark for the citizenship test is 75%. There are many sample tests on the www - I have taken a couple and failed to meet the required pass mark. This is quite disconcerting as my Polish neighbour is considering applying for citizenship and has suggested that I might be able to help her prepare for the test! I have to say that some of the questions seem completely ridiculous, for example the ones in this example from the BBC about Santa Claus. Most British people wouldn't have a clue about a lot of this stuff - I don't know who came up with the questions.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Can you pass a citizenship test?

How British Are You? | You may think you know everything about being British, but could you pass the British citizenship test?

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Ok ... I passed ... so, now what:confused: Do I pack up my bags and my critters and head for the UK? Nah ... think I'll stay in the colonies.;):D

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Shame... we could do with someone like you over here to redress the balance but I'm not sure they'd let your critters in.

You passed? Obviously folks who don't belong here have a better grasp of what the question setters are after than we natives...:rolleyes::eek:

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So ya recon everybody who lives in this country speaks English, there's a article on one of the papers this morning which has a photo of a classroom full of kids where 31 different languages are used as the kids first language and most of were born in this country. There are women who have lived in this country for 30 years who still can't speak a word of English

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

My low points were Cheryl Cole singing live (without anyone to digitally correct the flat notes)......Peter Kaye resurrecting an old routine first heard 10 years ago.....and the appalling Lenny Henry interrupting Rolf Harris's rendition of Two Little Boys.......

Best part was seeing so many tens of thousands of people not letting the weather get to them.

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At least half those questions are irrelevant n therefore a waste of time.:rolleyes:

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I'm with Cashy on that one.

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Well all I can say is you have to pass an English test as well as the citizenship test

UK Border Agency | ESOL course in English with citizenship

And Cashy, Margaret, as I said earlier I don't know who sets the questions or what the criteria are for what they include. I think they should have a far more practical slant. Perhaps we need to read the book to find out more. I just took the official practice test on this website and failed again but possibly because they had failed to include all the multiple choice options on some of the pages!! Ho hum...

Life in the United Kingdom - The Official Practice Citizenship Test

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

This is being taken out of context.

As anyone knows who's been on a training course recently, a 2hr course is usually stretched into an 8hr course by adding meaningless, mundane and irrelevant information.

However as part of the questionaire(sp?) at the end of the course you are usually asked something mundane, meaningless and irrelevant.

This is no different, it's simply the way courses are run these days. You get a lecture, you get a questionaire and you write the answers.

Without looking it up, do any of you drivers know the thinking, braking and stopping distance of a car, and do any of you drive with this in mind, and for you motorway drivers...how many chevrons between cars? How many non drivers know the box junction rule?

You guys, and me (who also failed on 68%), are going in cold, without the assisting 8hr training session or preparation book, we are set up to fail.

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Personally, I think it is a ploy to get would - be citizens to part with their money to buy the booklet and then sit the test(I didn't check to see if there were fees involved, but I am cynical enough to suppose that there are).
I took the test and got all of the questions right......and only one of them was a calculated guess.
I do not really see their relevance to life in the UK.....it would be much more relevant to make sure these people had a good grasp of the English language, a job, somewhere to live, and the means to support themselves for at least two years without a recourse to benefits. But then that is too much to expect...isn't it??

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You learn all this stuff in order to answer questions when you take your driving test(and I know that is your point)........and whilst you may not be able to parrot off the answers after 30 years or so of driving.....you develop the instinct of recognising your stopping distances in different circumstances/weather(you know your reaction time, and your car)....which as a learner you actually don't........you pass your test and then you really learn to drive once you have passed.

I do not drive any more, but yes, I did always consider my speed and the condition of the road, the weather and the amount of traffic.
My husband used to tell me that I thought too much about how I drove...but to me you cannot(and should not) drive if your brain is not engaged.

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

You're right of course. No one would take that test without preparation and if you look at the answers to the official practice test it tells you which page of the book to refer to if you don't get it right.

I just wonder what subjects they include in the test and why. I hope my neighbour does decide to go for citizenship (see post 32) then I might get a chance to find out otherwise I will have to buy the book!

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Also costs about eight hundred quid, I believe. Fortunately, it was all so much simpler and cheaper 20 years ago when 'er indoors applied for British citizenship!

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So, I was right to be cynical then........I didn't think it would be free.

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[quote=jaysay;996602] there's a article on one of the papers this morning which has a photo of a classroom full of kids where 31 different languages are used as the kids first language and most of were born in this country. quote]

A "photo" of a classroom full of kids who's first language is not English :D.. first queery is how can anyone gauge the language of people from a photo?...and are you telling us this class (taking in mind the UK limit of 35 pupils in any classroom) has 31 pupils with different languages! :D .. were do you dig this rubbish up from?

It was 31 languages in the school. Is this another topic that is going to turn to the right

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

the tv programmes ive managed to catch .. part of the flotilla (tho i did have the sound turned down after half an hr), the concert and the bit on tuesday when sitting in xray at blackburn hospital ..were very good .. could have done with mr dimbleby there to do the commentary ...

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

You know the sad thing is I just got my US citizenship and one of the first things on the documents is you must have and be able to speak English
what do the two ladies that go for the final test with me have

BLOODY INTEPRETERS

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It isn't anywhere else in the world Margaret, its only the good old UK where you can walk in and hold your hand out and have it crossed with gold, not even silver, no questions asked, try getting into the States or Australia even and see what they say, and it won't be welcome:rolleyes:

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

I've failed my Britishness test, does that mean I can claim for everything?

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agreed:eek::)

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i enjoyed the jubilee party party,now for the football,and then the olympics what a brilliant summer ..:):)

Re: Highs and Lows of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Football I though football would have been the furthest from your mind this summer what with the Jocks not taking part even in the group stages and with all the problems a Ibrox, the only thing worse is being a Rovers Fan:D

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[quote=Mancie;996668]The photo was labelled with the language that was the mother tongue of that child.

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[quote=Margaret Pilkington;996705]Ah so you saw it too Margaret, I've actually been on line to try and find it but drawn a blank

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I can't find it either...was going to post a link.

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Found it now.
Tried to post a link and it just gave the Mail online website rather than the picture and the exact page, but then Mancie wouldn't want to sully himself, by looking at a Mail online picture/story.

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From The primary school where 31 languages are spoken (and they're brilliant at English!) - Parentdish The emphasis in bold is mine.

A primary school has been praised for improving its results – despite the challenge of its pupils speaking an incredible 31 languages between them.

Only a small minority of the 414 pupils at English Martyrs' Catholic School in Sparkhill, Birmingham speak English as their first language.

But this rich diversity has improved its SATS results: last year 91 per cent of pupils achieved the benchmark level four or above in English, and 89 per cent in maths; an achievement the new head Evelyn Harper says is down to the value the pupils' home cultures put on learning.

Languages spoken at the school are: Afrikaans, Arabic (Iraqi), Arabic (Lingala), Arabic (Sudanese), Arabic (Yemeni), Bengali (Bangla), Bengali (Sylheti), Czech, Dutch, English, Gaelic, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Hindko, Jamaican Patois, Kachi, Lingala, Mirpuri, Nepalese, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Somali, Spanish, Sudanese, Swiss French, Tamil, Urdu and Yoruba.

The majority come from a Pakistani background and the most common first languages spoken are Urdu and Mirpuri.

To deal with the range of languages spoken, teachers are all trained to teach English as an additional language.

The school sometimes uses translators, as well as a 'buddy' system where new students are paired with one already at the school who has the same mother tongue and can help them to start picking up English words.

Head Ms Harper said: "I only came here seven weeks ago, but already I can't believe the respect that parents and children show teachers and the teaching profession that maybe isn't there from white indigenous cultures.

And here is a link to the Daily Mail article

The primary school where pupils speak 31 different languages - and one class has just a single British pupil | Mail Online

The picture shows one class where many languages are spoken. The 31 language count applies to the whole school.

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

I tried to put that link up purely to illustrate what John had posted.....and failed miserably.
Thanks for managing to do it Sue.

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I spent five years researching on the internet as part of my job. I don't give up easily!

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

it is good to have somebody who can see through the mists and point me in the right direction.......I don't give up easily either...I was just a bit lacking in patience and felt that Mancie wouldn't appreciate it anyway....that is my excuse, and I'm sticking to it :D

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Ah so I know where to come when I'm stumped:D

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Is he ever sober enough to appreciate anything Margaret:rolleyes:

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I don't know John........I wouldn't like to put his posts down as drunken ramblings - I like to give people the benefit of the doubt..... until I can smell the alcohol on their breath....and even then, one drink smells just the same as ten.

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And thanks Susie for the link, we are talking about an entire school.. Jaysay posted that it was just one class of 31 different languages were spoken.. I said Jaysay had posted rubbish and I was correct.:D

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He may not have got it quite right, but I would not say that he had posted rubbish.

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Now, Mancie, the subtleties of the English language(over which Jaysay obviously has full command) are clearly beyond you!
He didn't say it was a class of kids who spoke 31 different languages, he said it was a 'classroom full of kids who spoke 31 different languages'.
The kids could have come from several different classes and all got together for that photo!
So jaysay was right and it's you who are talking rubbish and you are wrong.

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Actually Gordon if we're splitting hairs, the children in that photo speak 22 different languages. It's the whole school that has 31 languages in total. And some of the children speak more than one language, see the labels on the photo.

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Well OK I'll be the first to admit my grasp on grammer and English has never been my strong point.. but I will at least make an effort to answer questions about anything I post without resorting to the childish playground name calling Jaysay employs when he is challenged.:..and I would'nt expect other members to do it for me.;):)

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Susie, I don't have that many hairs-please don't split any more!
I never thought of counting them-trust a woman.

Mancie, fair point, no offence intended.

Re: Highs and Lows of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Having read your post which included a quote from Mancie, the only reason I don't take him to task when he has anything to say is I don't read the crap he posts, and haven't done for a long time, makes AccyWeb a nicer place to be

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My high was making up the official posies for the Queen.... when she came to Accrington....

Re: High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

My high was making up the official posies for the Queen.... when she came to Accrington...

Did you take Photos of them?
Will have to look for them in Photos

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Take a look at this, its lovely
Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II (morph sequence) - YouTube

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I don't know who was responsible for that video, but it was ingenious.
Thank you.

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I'll second that. Wow.

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I think we were given the Olympics because of the Queens Diamond Jubilee - as they knew it would all fit together! :D

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Your wasted, you should have been a brain surgeon

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You idiot! It's obvious that we got the Olympics in 2012 to fit in with the Queens Jubilee - you need to use your brain mate!

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Kes I think you are barking up the wrong tree with this one. The Olympics could have gone to any of several countries in 2007. And think about it, there's a possibility that there may not have been a Diamond Jubilee if the Queen didn't make it to 2012 - she is 86 years old after all.

I don't think there was any connection at all between the two when the award was made, but as the time for both has drawn closer there will obviously be or appear to be a symbiosis between the two.

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With all due respect :D It was 2005 when they made the decision that GB were holding the Olympics not 2007.

Mmm it's up to you what ever you think is alright by me. But that doesn't mean your right.:rolleyes:

Re: High's and Lows of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Agreed.

Our bid was put together shortly after the Queen's golden jubilee, and made no reference to her diamond jubilee, because as you say, there was no guarantee there'd be one.

Re: High's and Lows of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

At least I've got one, which can't be said about you:rolleyes:

Re: High's and Lows of the Diamond Jubilee!?
 

Apologies on one count, it was as you say 2005. I was sidetracked on that by thnking of 7/7, the bombings the day after the successful bid was announced.