Maybe I’m just being a bit sensitive but a poppy on a weapon? Isn’t that a bit..

“If there’s going to be a national patriotism contest, I’m not playing.”
This for me , I have always been conflicted by the Poppy brother in the Army, Mother and Father evacuees who lost family in WW2 so on that side pro Poppy but on the other hand always concerned by the descent into Jingoism at this time of year .
Now the balance has come down squarely on not playing any part in what has become a massive display of egotism by politicians and tribalism from the press. Truth integrity and “respect for the fallen” take second place to spin and slur . I will stand and remember tomorrow but I will not wear a Poppy.

” Just like the white van man fiasco at the GE.” is that the one where the right wing press described a woman from an economically challenged background who grew up on a council estate as elitist?

Now he is the leader he is part of the establishment, he has responsibilities and things are expected of him.

I see. Could you tell us what angle he should bow at, and the required decibels for singing the anthem? [/quote]

I’m afraid I can’t help with the latter, but this appears to show established protocol…

When you respect your minute of silence at 11 tomorrow spare a thought for Helmut Schmidt. He’s died. Having survived action on the eastern front before being captured at the battle of the bulge. He was one those who brought an end to the cold war which became quite warm when he was in power. He was rarely ever seen without a cigarette in his mouth but still lived to 96.

He was rarely ever seen without a cigarette in his mouth but still lived to 96.

He stockpiled menthol cigarettes when the EU banned them. He spent approx.£6,000 buying enough to last him 3 years based on his 40 a day habit. That was just over 2.5 years ago.

I would like to sequence Scmidts genome

Having survived action on the eastern front before being captured at the battle of the bulge

Slight fabrication if that’s what you read. My understanding he was briefly assigned to a flak unit near Leningrad before going back to Germany to teach. He was captured by the British about a month from the end of the war in Hamburg. He was also supposedly an enthusiastic follower of National Socialism and was praised for this by his superiors. He did good things afterwards for Germany but lets not whitewash his war record.

To go back to the OP, when I was in the UK I used to donate every year but rarely wear a poppy in later years.

On the subject of war in general though, here in Luxembourg the debate is quite interesting. War memorials list names killed fighting both against and for the Germans. Luxembourg was proclaimed as part of Germany so young men were conscripted and in total 12000 served (from a country of 290000 at the time) and 3000 died. Not sure how many men fighting for the allies or resistance died (I do know only 1% of jews survived tho). Interestingly they do have remembrance day but it’s very much a gloss of all wars to avoid differentiating between “good” and “bad”.

The whole bow-gate thing actually cheers me. If that’s the best they’ve got to smear Corbyn, he must be in a pretty solid place.

you only have to look a the Sun

See, that’s your first mistake. (-:

He stockpiled menthol cigarettes when the EU banned them.

Banned where? They’re readily available in the UK and there were shedloads of different ones for sale in France last time I was there.

Work today – no poppies, red poppies, one white poppy so far and a choice of whether people want to gather together at 11:00 or not.

The fascists have been repelled again – bravo!

Cougar – Moderator

The whole bow-gate thing actually cheers me. If that’s the best they’ve got to smear Corbyn, he must be in a pretty solid place.

It’s called news selling otherwise media people will be made redundant.

Ya, it’s a chicken and egg thing for JC because without media he would just be another well paid politician with several wives/mistresses whatever you want to call them nowadays. He needs the media to stir the shite up a bit …

Why is J.Corby (not Jesus Christ) important anyway?

I have no clue why this bloke is important after all he is just another politician.

The media is trying to put everyone in their place by teaching everyone a lesson in being “king maker” …

They want to be seen as the people that can put you up then bring you down again.

Again why is JC important again?

What’s with all this shite portraying JC as some sort of new thing in politic? As if he has answers to everything?

Is everyone so eager to cling on to shite nowadays?

🙄

one white poppy so far

I hope you made a sneery patronising comment to them like you did to me when I suggested I might wear one.

See, that’s your first mistake. (-:

I’m not a reader of the Sun, but you tend to see it a lot in newsagents, cafes, workplaces etc. Trying to pretend the Sun doesn’t matter as long as you ignore it is a bit silly – it’s bought by 6 million people a day or something.

I have no clue why this bloke is important after all he is just another politician.

He’s the Leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition.

HTH.

ransos – Member

I have no clue why this bloke is important after all he is just another politician.

He’s the Leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition.

HTH. [/quote]

Ya, in that case he must bow to the Queen!

Bow then appreciate that he is the Queen’s subject.

As Queen’s subject he should know his place.

But first he must bow properly and not trying to choose between should I bow or should I not bow … you bow!

😛

Banned where? They’re readily available in the UK and there were shedloads of different ones for sale in France last time I was there.

Throughtout the EU, date of ban has been moved back, Schmidt bought in anticipation, I understand but all governments will be required to implement a ban in a few years.

See initial report here

Schmidt story

We went along today for the ceremony at 11. About 500 people, the local regiments, veterans, local dignitaries and about 5 pigeons (doves). One guy wore a poppy, a few wore bleuets (the local equivalent). Medals were handed out, the conflicts quoted (the world wars, decolonisation wars and regional conflicts France has been involved in). We will remember.