A Nation Mourns

[melonfool]

Glad now I was in Italy when Diana happened. And I dread what they might inflict on us for the truly ghastly Dylan: at least Bowie was inoffensive.

I was in Italy when Diana died too!

Mel

[kiloran]

I was in bed.

In italy?

--kiloran

[melonfool]

These obituaries have been in the vault for years. And vacuous interviews with the great and good are not exactly challenging... it is what they do, day in, day out.

I'd rather they did a bit more serious investigative journalism. It's not as if there's nothing going on the world. Now that would involve a bit of work.

Yes, I realize they have had the obits recorded for ages, funnily enough I didn't mention them but thanks for explaining that very obvious fact to me.

I didn't say it was "exactly challenging", I just said it wasn't easier then just hitting "play" on a run of scheduled recorded programmes.

Mel

[melonfool]

I was in bed.

In italy?

--kiloran

I was definitely in bed in Italy.

When we went down to breakfast the waiter came up to us and said "Diana, Princess Diana...." and we smiled and nodded, you know how foreigners sometimes come up to Brits declaring things like "oh British, Manchester United, lovely jubbly" and we thought he was just doing that so we just tried to walk past him.

Then he said "Princess Diana, she Di" and we said yes, yes, some people call her Di - still smiling.

He said "no, no, SHE DIE"......Oh! Die?? Weirdly I said "how? Was it a boat crash?".

Mel

[bungeejumper]

I was in Italy when Diana died too!

I was driving to Cambridge for a meeting in August 1997 when the news came up, and my first thought was that the crash story was probably a cover-up for a quick disappearing act. Given that she was already getting a hard time from the press. I expect there are some who still believe that?

The great Diana catharsis has been psychoanalysed to death, and probably accurately. It was swelled by a lot of emotional stuff that was already going on in the back of the nation's mind before it happened. The loss of a public sense of simplicity and confidence, the weird coolness of a royal family that didn't exactly exude empathy, and a general feeling that Britain these days didn't count for as much as it had done in the good old days. It all came together in a great backdated wave of weeping that had not particularly much to do with the death of one person.

Somehow I doubt that all of those factors will swing the mood this time, though. For a start, Philip wasn't a 36 year old glamourpuss with an eye for PR.

BJ

[servodude]

Yes but the burning question is when?

Day two and R4, R5 and R6 and Times Radio still giving it blanket coverage. Are we in for the full eight days of this?

I think like the virus waning it will start gradually. My favourite radio station (Planet Rock) is back to normal fare after a part day of playing all their most mournful songs.

Oh excellent, that must be the first straw in the wind...

And now I've just encountered another. Sean Daniel (very entertaining American guitar tutor) just uploaded a video reviewing some new bit of looping kit, and NOT ONE MENTION of the DoE passing.... Yay!!

Another RC series thing I'd wager!?
Will it ever end....

-sd

[tjh290633]

Back in February 1952 I was at home on leave after passing out as a newly commissioned Acting Pilot Officer on probation, preparing to go to RAF Desford for the Basic Flying Training Course on Chipmunks. I received a letter from the Air Ministry, the day after or so King George VI had died, instructing me to obtain a 3" wide armband of Black Crepe, to be worn on the left arm for the duration of Court Mourning. As far as I can recall that was for 6 months, but it could have been 3. I see that HRH gets 8 days mourning, but a further 3 weeks of Court Mourning. Not sure why the difference. Flags at half mast until the funeral, I suppose.

It does come as a shock seeing all those TV presenter females in their Little Black Dresses. The men found black ties very quickly. I wonder if they were under instructions to have them at the ready?

TJH

[bungeejumper]

It does come as a shock seeing all those TV presenter females in their Little Black Dresses. The men found black ties very quickly. I wonder if they were under instructions to have them at the ready?

From my limited experiences with live TV studios, they keep that sort of stuff in the drawer, along with the emergency PanStik and anti-sweat powder, and the Remembrance Day poppies for the guests who turn up without them. Admittedly, a black tie takes up less drawer space than half a dozen little black numbers in varying sizes.

BJ

[swill453]

"We should all be grateful to be alive and well in 2021 with access to Netflix and Amazon because when the Queen Mum died Blockbuster was f*g ransacked."

(tx Twitter)

Scott.

[bungeejumper]

I thought the little black dresses all came in one size. Just made of very stretchy material.

You might be right. Couldn't tell the difference on our tiddly little 24 inch screen, but I imagine having one of those massive screens like yours might make a difference to the (ahem) viewing experience. I suppose you'll be telling me now that it does 3D as well?

BJ

[XFool]

BBC flooded with complaints over Prince Philip coverage

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/apr/10/bbc-flooded-with-complaints-over-prince-philip-coverage

Corporation opened dedicated complaints form on its website to deal with high volume of comments

One issue facing the BBC is when to return coverage to normal and how to respond to complaints. In a sign that the corporation is doomed to be criticised by all sides, the rightwing Defund the BBC campaign described it as “disgraceful” that the corporation was making it easier to complain about its coverage, saying: “The anti-British BBC has set up a form to encourage complaints about the volume of coverage of Prince Philip’s death.”

[melonfool]

LBD is not one dress of very stretchy material it's a generic term for a sexy black cocktail dress. NOT appropriate mourning attire at all.

For mourning one would wear a black (midi) dress with jacket or a suit.

Maxine Croxall who first broke the news would have had her own black outfit to hand. Apparently she also quickly took off her necklace. Shd did look somewhat godsmacked. I mean, we all knew this was imminent, and the BBC has protocols and rehearsed plans, but I doubt any individual thinks they will be the one to have to make the actual announcement.

Most places I've worked the senior people have a black tie in a desk drawer and/or a black jacket on their office. Just in case.

Maxine Croxall came to my house once, to meet a dog we were fostering with a view to adopt it. The charity had told me she was a BBC newsreader. I didn't recognize her and when we met and she mentioned it I said "on the radio presumably?", Er no, BBC News 24 on TV. Embarrassing!

Anyway, the dog both peed and threw up on her and her kids and the charity decided they didn't want her to have the dog. Turned out she'd been tweeting as if shd already owned him and talking about him as if he was an accessory rather than a complex rescue dog with specific needs.

Mel

[melonfool]

Martine, not Maxine, sorry!

Mel

[Dod101]

BBC flooded with complaints over Prince Philip coverage

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/apr/10/bbc-flooded-with-complaints-over-prince-philip-coverage

Corporation opened dedicated complaints form on its website to deal with high volume of comments

One issue facing the BBC is when to return coverage to normal and how to respond to complaints. In a sign that the corporation is doomed to be criticised by all sides, the rightwing Defund the BBC campaign described it as “disgraceful” that the corporation was making it easier to complain about its coverage, saying: “The anti-British BBC has set up a form to encourage complaints about the volume of coverage of Prince Philip’s death.”

The BBC is damned if they do and damned if the don't. Best just to ignore all complaints. Considering the announcement of the death was around midday, the item ceased to be 'news' by about 1.30 pm. Thereafter it was just a case of filling the channels with stuff to ensure that they showed sufficient respect.

They did that pretty well I thought, but then I simply do not care what is on television as I watch very little of it anyway.

Dod

[robbelg]

BBC & Sky coverage has had me watching Al Jazeera and RT. which has led to me knowing that on Monday it's the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight

They have a very different view of world news to the BBC and Sky

Rob

[Mike4]

Maxine Croxall came to my house once, to meet a dog we were fostering with a view to adopt it.

Funny you should mention fostering dogs, I've just fostered one myself...

[Mike4]

I think like the virus waning it will start gradually. My favourite radio station (Planet Rock) is back to normal fare after a part day of playing all their most mournful songs.

Oh excellent, that must be the first straw in the wind...

And now I've just encountered another. Sean Daniel (very entertaining American guitar tutor) just uploaded a video reviewing some new bit of looping kit, and NOT ONE MENTION of the DoE passing.... Yay!!

Another RC series thing I'd wager!?
Will it ever end....

-sd

Yes very amusing!!

Almost worth a rec.....

[Rhyd6]

I wondered where our wire haired fox terrier Ziggy had bought her outfit. - Nice one

R6

[PinkDalek]

He said "no, no, SHE DIE"...

Was he an avid watcher of Fawlty Towers?

[kiloran]

BBC & Sky coverage has had me watching Al Jazeera and RT. which has led to me knowing that on Monday it's the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight

They have a very different view of world news to the BBC and Sky

Rob

Wait until Putin or the Saudi king pop their clogs!

--kiloran