Ken

Indeed I do! My better half and I almost came to blows over it, well not quite but we did see it differently. From my perspective I understood that some mayors would not fly the flag at half mast. The reason, I read, was that it would be paying homage to Royalty and that goes against the grain of the republican ideal. I can actually go along with that if it were true and showed solidarity with Royalty. BUT! My argument with my better half was that Macron wasn't showing solidarity with Royalty but simply asking for flags to be lowered out of respect, a different thing entirely. That some Mayors have made it political I think is to their discredit. If they don't have respect for the Queen then so be it but don't make excuses for not doing so!

She didn't call, ask, intimate or accuse France at all. That's the point. I can only say you should never be on a jury. Check what she did say!

Amazing that by simply making a speech about cheese and being photographed on a tank leads to a Premiership, still you know best!!

Ah, that was it then, you misheard!!! I knew there had to be a logical explanation. And no you don't sound bitter at all!

You have already judged her. You have said so! You then say you want to judge her again!!! Quite obviously you have followed her career and know all of her appointments in detail and how good, or bad she was!

Rather strange that think that you think so ill of Liz Trust then go on to say she needs to be judged over the next two years! Obviously you don't think there is any contradiction or indeed, anything wrong with that statement?

It was for Macron to say what he did, he could hardly say anything else without being offensive and this occasion isn't the time to be offensive towards Britain. As for Liz Truss, quite obviously you don't like her and revert to insults as the default. As far as I'm aware and I stand to be corrected, she didn't call France a 'foe' at all. Still, don't let the truth stand in the way of a bit of bitterness! Personally I think she is off to a good start in trying to look after Britain.

ALFB. Thanks for that. I always appreciate advice. I understand why you say that someone is just creating mischief and possibly trying to 'get me banned'! For me, I don't like to just allow people to say what they like without challenging it; a fault maybe. It has happened here when some have made remarks that have insulted but tried to be seen as 'just comment' and not meant to be snide. It is always the same people and quite honestly I'm always amazed that often others seem to endorse them! Anyway thanks again and 10 out of 10 for observation.

At the moment emotions are through the roof! The whole world is sympathetic towards Charles and the Royal family, well apart from a few nutters anyway!! Once the funeral is over it will be back to 'normal' in as much the family will be facing the usual criticisms. I do hope Charles does reduce the 'size' of the Royal family by excluding many of the peripheral ones from enjoying the status it brings. That would go a long way to endearing himself to the public.

Have seen some dreadful comments regarding the death of the Queen ranging from the fish and chip shop owner in Scotland revelling in her death through to a football pundit, Sinclair, virtually blaming her for racist attacks on black and brown people. Throw in comments by the NYT and some Argentinian commentator 'celebrating' with a glass of Champagne and you see a different side to people's behaviour that is quite despicable. Objecting to the monarchy for what ever reason is an individuals privilege but to use her death to spout political nonsense or to not consider the grief of the family and the millions of people who are offended by this behaviour is totally unforgivable. I'm mean enough to hope they are all ostracised to the degree they deserve!

I saw this when it was first shown. I can't think of any other piece that shows the Queen in such a human and affectionate way. Who ever dreamt it up really got it perfect.

I'm quite surprised that not a mention of the Queens death has been posted here. As for me, well I'm a royalist so I feel rather sad at her passing and sincerely hope that King Charles has as successful reign as his mother.

And long may it continue. You would have seen though the many who haven't had your good fortune. I appreciate that those poor ****s had no choice in the matter, inherited and whatever but where I live (on a hill) the valley and village were devastated not so long ago (St Pée sur Nivelle) It really was mind-blowing to see what water can do, all in the space of two hours!! I sincerely hope your good luck lasts.

When looking for a property many years ago the estate agent gave us two very good pieces of advice. 1. Think about when you want to buy a bag of sugar and 2. Never buy a house near a river! Two absolutely priceless pieces of advice.

The 'merry-go-round' of finding the cheaper prices, food, petrol and other goods is almost, if it weren't serious quite funny! Belgians and now the Germans are flocking to France because the petrol is cheaper. A little while ago the French were going to Germany because goods and food was cheaper; I go into Spain, as I live in the Pays Basque, regularly for cheaper fuel and food along with thousands of French. In fact, you are hard pushed to find a Spaniard in many of these frontier shopping centres. Even the workers are French! The day of reckoning will come that's for sure. Subsidies sound great, ask any socialist, but eventually they have to be paid for. It's the economics of the lunatic to continually subsidise to appease the masses!

Sooner or later the subsidies this government continues to give is going to catch up with them. Someone is going to have to pay for it and guess who that will be!!

Hey come on Banana! It worked!! Have you never been fishing in your life?

Just as I feared! It is ALBF, Riggers (or their!) and DaveLister's fault that the thread is now completely committed to the banal or even worse, dead! 'I've been to London, did you go to the Carnival? I went to Camden Lock!' I'm thinking of continuing with the mind blowing time time I walked up Camden High St. looking in the shop windows or even for something really gripping like the the time I rode my motor bike through there!! Oh well, all things end I suppose!

It's refreshing to hear a youngster voice his limitations!! Rare these days. I've taken the liberty of referring to you as a 'he'! You are a 'he' I take it, wouldn't want to offend you!!!

Exactly, it is why you don't understand the 'North/ divide thing' How could you? As you say you were too young, maybe not even born!

If you are young enough and it sounds as if you are, solar and wind may well be an option. It comes back to finances, everything does! You may be able to afford the capital outlay and being young may recuperate that outlay in your lifetime, all things being equal! For the older generation recuperating a possible outlay of around £10,000-£15,000 is almost an impossibility. In other words it is cheaper to stick with increased prices of gas and electricity. An elderly person switching to 'sustanables' has probably been conned or misled in some way.

It would seem you are too young to understand what it was like in the 60s in London. Nothing snobbish about it at all. It was purely territorial. Both sides of the river were poor. The snob value may, though I don't believe it, have come much later; if at all. It was the time of people like the Krays(North London) and The Richardsons (South London) No question there was a certain status but definitely not 'snobbish' in the sense you infer.

And it will probably be money that eventually changes these peoples opinions. Eco enthusiasts are like children who hide behind their hands so as not to see danger! When it hits their pockets or the lights go off (as Mm borne hinted at this morning!) I think we will hear a lot of crying and finger pointing. Naivety, just a word in a dictionary but ever so valid!

Things certainly have changed since I worked there in the 60s. Before that the only time me and my mates went into Camden was when there was a fight to be had, that would have been in the late 50s!!! I was an Islington boy and territorial was the name of the game back then. London is often described as just a set of 'villages' and back then it seemed like it. We more or less stayed in our own areas. North and South of the River was also a similar territorial affair. The only French things in Camden back then were French letters!!!! As for the the 80s! By then I was married with children and had a mortgage and ten years later preparing to live here!

I doubt you ever knew Camden. It was the pits! Yes the roundhouse became popular with the trendy people who worked there , just like Islington and other boroughs of London. The reality is those boroughs were a disaster! Left wing councils! Should I say more? And yes, I worked there for many years.