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rickp

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

Its absolutely packed out there:

snap2.jpg


Rick
 

aitchw

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

All credit to Blair and the Queen for responding quickly and without all the petty debate and niggling. Totally deserved. We are a lucky bunch to be involved in a sport and activity which breeds people who have genuine character and personality.

Sailing really is unique.
 

rickp

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

Absolutely, it was wall-to-wall Ellen in the gym this morning - BBC 1, News 24, ITV, Sky News....

Seems that quite a few people they've spoken to in Falmouth aren't sailors and are just caught up in the atmosphere. Superb stuff.

Rick
 

nicho

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

Oh dear, it appears I'm going to piss off a lot of people, but I see this as nothing more than a prime bit of electioneering by Downing Street. I've long held the view that sports personalities (e.g. Steve Redgrave, Kelly holmes and now Ellen) do these things more for their own benefit than for the "good of the Country". For sure their achievments are huge (and in every case far, far, far exceed anything I could manage), but then so are their financial rewards. No doubt they will all become millionaires, and deservedly so, but to award them with a Knighthood or Damehood - I personally don't think so.

In my view, the whole Honours system lost it's way many years ago. The more deserved recipients are those who bravely and selfessly put themselves in harms way to save lives in exceptional circumstances e.g. the likes of helicopter crews (winchmen in particular), lifeboat crews and so on that receive little/no financial reward for their efforts.

However, it's the system as it is at the moment, and there's no reason for Ellen and the others not to feel very proud of receiving the honour.

All this of course is my opinion only, and no doubt flies in the face of what most of you think, so I'll now run for my foxhole!!
 

Ships_Cat

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

This half blind (non UK) cat is on the sidelines boggle eyed at the frenzied forum worship of the goddess and the smack in the face that anyone who says any little thing that could be seen as criticism of her gets /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

Will rush off to bed now before some dimwit posts telling me to pull my head in /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

John
 

AlexL

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

I kind of agree that honours are being 'dumbed' down and many people are getting honoured for stuff which wasn't done a few years back, BUT many civil servants and government ministers get knighthoods merely for doing their job. Most senior civil servants are sirs or dames, having acheived nothing special, just a succesful career. Senior execs in private sector companies don't get so honoured dispite being equally as succesful, and arquably more productive to the good of the country as a whole.
Against that background I think Ellen, Redrave et al thoroughly deserve their honours as they are exeptional, and not just merely reasonably good at what they do.
As far as saving lives etc is concerned then the George Cross and other gongs are awarded for such events -however don't tend to get much press as there is almost invariably some 'headline grabber' in the honours list.
 

StugeronSteve

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

Stop Press....

A Downing Street source has announced that a leading personality, in the world of sailing is to receive a knighthood in the forthcoming Birthday Honours list.

Lord Jimi of Hythe, as he is to be known, has been rewarded for his foresight in extracating his boat from Hythe marina, "even as the very jaws of the lock gates were closing for their annual maintenance".

Certain cynics have suggested that this honour is, in fact, a pay off for Jimi's staunch support of the government's stance on global, and domestic, issues. And that his recent "brave" relocation of his vessel was conducted with self serving intent.

The Nation unites in congratulating, Lord Jimi, on this much deserved recognition.
 

Sailfree

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

Now do I vote for them for making Ellen a Dame or against them for red diesel, the notification of accidents by the MCA and raising £110m as extra revenue from speed camaras - now that is creative accounting, completely decriminalised speeding as now everyones granny now has an endorsement! But whats the alternative?
 

Ohdrat

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

Have to agree that our sporting heros are mostly in for themselves (nothing at all wrong with that) and I would like to see more honours (if we must have such a ridiculously arcane institution) .. Can I also add that as far as I can see our politians are also in it for themselves and not as they are supposed to be elected representations of us... It would be great to have seen the guy who spent hours edging his landy out to a family whose house was inundated by the recent hurricane.
 

Evadne

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

I'm pleased Downing street has responded promptly, Ellen's achievement is easily as highly thought of by the great British public as that of the England world cup rugby team and the medal winners from the olympics last year, and in my book that is a good enough reason.
I'm sure as well that for some forum members Mr Blair would be castigated if he walked on water, healed the sick and fed the 5,000, but that just puts him on a par with a previous prime minister who sucked up unashamedly to an american president, led the country to war and seriously pised a lot of people off in the 1980's.
 

jimi

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Re: It Really is DAME Ellen

You're absolutely right! I'd sack her PR man though cos I'm sure everyone has dark celtic thoughts but rarely do they get publicised so widely .. be very surprised if Chichester et al were'nt miserable gits as well .. though by the time they arrived etc etc they'd cheered up a bit. Think Ellen has suffered with the almost voyeuristic nature of the moment by moment emails!

Anyway all northerners are whingey gits only outdone by West Midlander and the Welsh who are even worse
 
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