Things British....

Jamala said:

Gilbert and Sullivan are a British institution. Even if one doesn’t care much for Opera, the charm and comedy of G & S operettas captivate the most discerning theatregoer.

For nearly 150 years, this brilliant duo have influenced popular culture in the English speaking world. Lines and quotations from the Gilbert and Sullivan operas have become part of the English language, such as : "What never? Well, hardly ever!", "Let the punishment fit the crime", and "A policeman's lot is not a happy one” and many others all came from G & S Operettas.

Librettist W.S. Gilbert wrote the words and composer Sir Arthur Sullivan wrote the score for their fourteen operas, in a collaboration that lasted 25 years! H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado are among the best known and loved and performed nowadays all over the world.

The Mikado is a tale set in Japan. Nanki-Poo (son of the Mikado), loves Yum-Yum, although she is betrothed to Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner of Titipu. When the Mikado (the Emperor) orders a beheading, Nanki-Poo agrees to lose his head so long as he can be married to Yum-Yum for a month. Katisha isn’t happy about this arrangement as she wants to marry Nanki-Poo herself!

The Mikado arrives, believing his son to have been beheaded, and states the only way Nanki-Poo can come back to life is if Katisha marries someone else – Ko-Ko obliges. Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum then appear as husband and wife, and everyone is happy!

I have just been asked to play the part of Yum Yum in a production of the Mikado which I have accepted. Although I have played this part before in London and was much younger, I am looking forward to the challenge and wearing a kimono again ! Yum Yum’s aria …The Sun Whose rays…”

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@ Jamala, oh that sounds so great, playing the part again then, and you have accepted, exciting I think and even though you have played this part before, will be so nice to hear about it, once the play is done~
 

Jamala said:
Well.well.... one should not make assumptions. What makes you think my real name is Jamala.

https://www.seniorforums.com/threads/•“good-morning”-“good-afternoon-”-“good-evening”.75006/

and....

this is where I borrowed my Username.... enjoy...


Yep...been English for four hundred years....you will find our history in many prestigious places in the UK....
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I, for one, did not make any assumptions about you. I made an assumption about the overt racist to which you responded. ;)
 
LadyEmeraude said:
@ Jamala, oh that sounds so great, playing the part again then, and you have accepted, exciting I think and even though you have played this part before, will be so nice to hear about it, once the play is done~
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Thank you Lady Em …nice to be in the limelight again..I'm a regular show off, I am LOL
 

seadoug said:
I, for one, did not make any assumptions about you. I made an assumption about the overt racist to which you responded. ;)
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Funny thing is…she has decided from my username that I must be from a Commonwealth country! How parish-pump! Well my location reads “Hedgehog from Herts” so therefore I must be a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family :LOL:
 
Capt Lightning said:
Talking about "Things British" is difficult. The United Kingdom has four quite distinct nations. These are mainly located within the island of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. However there are many hundreds of islands which have varying relationships with the UK.
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Just to confuse Non-Brits, there is another:
The Isle of Man Government (Manx: Reiltys Ellan Vannin) is the government of the Isle of Man. The formal head of the Isle of Man Government is the Lieutenant Governor
The Isle of Man is an internally self-governing dependency of the British Crown and its people are British citizens.
 
Marie5656 said:
What do you think of the King? Quite a change for your country. Coronation is next month, isn't it? I will watch out of interest
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You can put me down as one of the 34% that argues that a monarchy has no place in an equal society. The system of hereditary power at the top of the country's political, military and religious institutions perpetuates class divisions and inequality.

The UK monarchy is unaccountable, appointing a head of state using the hereditary principle is undemocratic, unfair and elitist.
Having a monarchy underpins the aristocracy in which political power is held by a select few privileged people called aristocrats or nobles.
 
horseless carriage said:
Just to confuse Non-Brits, there is another:
The Isle of Man Government (Manx: Reiltys Ellan Vannin) is the government of the Isle of Man. The formal head of the Isle of Man Government is the Lieutenant Governor
The Isle of Man is an internally self-governing dependency of the British Crown and its people are British citizens.
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Since you've mentioned the Isle of Man, I can't help thinking of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy race. As you probably know, the race takes place on public roads with a lap of 37 miles, and has a top speed of 205 mph and an average lap speed of around 135 mph.

I have never been to this event myself, but several people I work with go every year.

 
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🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸

Let’s Talk History….

The UK, Britain, Great Britain, The British Isles, England… so what’s the difference?
Well here’s some information off the internet (everyone’s go to) but only if the information contained therein is bona fide….

So for all the Boring Berthas…no point in drawing attention
to yourself by stating the obvious!!

On with the show…..

The UK is short for The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
It is made up of four countries; England, Wales, Scotland,
and Northern Ireland.

There is a long and complicated history that follows the formation
of the United Kingdom, too much to go into…but in a nutshell here are the highlights.
Approximately in the year 925…The Kingdom of England was established by the unification of Anglo Saxon tribes across modern day England.
Around 1536 … the Kingdom of England and Wales came into being.
A bill was enacted by King Henry VIII which effectively made England
and Wales the same country, governed by the same laws.

In 1707, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of England
(which includes Wales) joined with the Kingdom of Scotland to form The Kingdom of Great Britain.
However, in 1801 the name changes again when Ireland joins the union
and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland came into being…

Confused? Here’s more…

In 1922 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was established when the Republic of Ireland (Eire, or ‘Southern Ireland’)
withdrew from the union, leaving just the northern counties of Ireland.
This is the UK that remains to this day.

So when was the UK established you may well ask? Although some people
argue that the UK was formed in 1707 by the Act of Union between
England, Wales and Scotland, the name United Kingdom wasn’t adopted
until 1801 when Ireland was brought into the Union

Whew! Glad that's over!

Britain .. Great Britain… what’s the difference?

Some Brits love the term Great Britain (makes us feel great LOL) However…
Great Britain is not a country; it’s a landmass.
It is known as ‘Great’ not because of conquered foreign lands…but…
because it is the largest island in the British Isles, and houses the countries
of England, Scotland and Wales within its shores.

The name Britain is derived from the Roman word Britannia, but there are
two conflicting arguments about why the ‘Great’ was stuck on the front of it.
The first is that, it is used to distinguish Britain from its similar sounding,
but much smaller French neighbour, Brittany. The second reason is due
to the ego of King James I, who wanted to make it abundantly clear that he wasn’t just the king of the old Roman Britain (which only included England
and some of Wales), but of the entire island; thus he referred to himself as
King of Great Britain.

The British Isles

The British Isles is the name of a group of islands situated off the north
western corner of mainland Europe. It is made up of Great Britain, Ireland,
The Isle of Man, The Isles of Scilly, The Channel Islands (including
Guernsey, Jersey, Sark and Alderney), as well as over 6,000 other
smaller islands.

A lot of history to cover and the good news is…I won’t be doing it ! Keeping it simple Simon !!

England

Just like Wales and Scotland, England is commonly referred to as a country
but it is not a sovereign state. It is the largest country within the United Kingdom both by landmass and population and, has taken a pivotal role
in the creation of the UK, and its capital London also happens to be the capital of the UK.
It is perhaps understandable then that, England is often (although incorrectly) used as a term to describe the whole of the UK.

Well, that’s it in a large nutshell with some help from
“Historic Britain”

Cheerio...or...Hasta la vista...if you prefer LOL

🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸​

 
The Royal Air Force Red Arrows:
An aerobatic display team renowned for their jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics and precision flying skills. The team is made up of highly skilled military pilots and ground crew. That have been wowing crowds around the world for over 50 years with their impressive displays. I've seen them flying several times. I think they did a whole season in the USA & Canada in 2009 & 2019. If you get the opertunity, go & see them.

They fly a fleet of nine BAE Systems Hawk T1 jets, (training aircraft). They are some of the most experienced pilots in the world, with each member having previously served as a frontline RAF pilot before joining the team.

What sets the Red Arrows apart is not just their incredible flying skills, but also their ability to work together as a seamless unit. Their displays often involve daring stunts such as flying in formation at extremely close distances. No computers in these training aircraft to aid thair formation.

One of their specialities is to create a heart shape in the sky with their smoke, and then put an arrow through it with more smoke.

Beyond their impressive displays, the Red Arrows also play an important role in promoting the UK and the RAF around the world. They are ambassadors for the UK, representing the country at events and airshows worldwide, and inspiring future generations of pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

The description in the text for this video on the YouTube page isn’t clear, but the terrain looks like it might be Cyprus? The RAF have a base in Cyprus called RAF Akrotiri. The Red Arrows train at RAF Akrotiri, which is what they seem to be doing here.

Try it in full screen then set it to 1080p HD



THE HEART
 
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Magna-Carta said:
The Royal Air Force Red Arrows: An aerobatic display team renowned for their jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics and precision flying skills. The team is made up of highly skilled military pilots and ground crew. That have been wowing crowds around the world for over 50 years with their impressive displays. I've seen them flying several times. I think they did a whole season in the USA & Canada in 2009 & 2019. If you get the opertunity, go & see them, go & see them.

They fly a fleet of nine BAE Systems Hawk T1 jets, (training aircraft). They are some of the most experienced pilots in the world, with each member having previously served as a frontline RAF pilot before joining the team.

What sets the Red Arrows apart is not just their incredible flying skills, but also their ability to work together as a seamless unit. Their displays often involve daring stunts such as flying in formation at extremely close distances. No computers in these training aircraft to aid thair formation.

Beyond their impressive displays, the Red Arrows also play an important role in promoting the UK and the RAF around the world. They are ambassadors for the UK, representing the country at events and airshows worldwide, and inspiring future generations of pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

The description in the text for this video on the YouTube page isn’t clear, but the terrain looks like it might be Cyprus? The RAF have a base in Cyprus called RAF Akrotiri.

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seen them many times.. for the Queens' Platinum Jubilee they flew over my house... spectacular...
 
Jamala said:

Gilbert and Sullivan are a British institution. Even if one doesn’t care much for Opera, the charm and comedy of G & S operettas captivate the most discerning theatregoer.

For nearly 150 years, this brilliant duo have influenced popular culture in the English speaking world. Lines and quotations from the Gilbert and Sullivan operas have become part of the English language, such as : "What never? Well, hardly ever!", "Let the punishment fit the crime", and "A policeman's lot is not a happy one” and many others all came from G & S Operettas.
Click to expand...
My father was a G & S fan and I remember seeing the Mikado at an early age.
 
A nice little video which tells a little bit about the history of Carlisle Castle in the north of Cumbria. Athough I live in Cumbria, I admit to knowing very little about the north of the county. I was born in the southernmost part when it was then in the county of Lancashire. Cumbria was formed in 1974 but I don't see myself as Cumbrian, I'm a Lancastrian.

 
One would think the National symbol of Ireland would be the shamrock but not so.
The Harp is Ireland's national symbol and has been played in Ireland for more than one thousand years.

Harping was handed the UNESCO designation in recognition of the instrument's unique position in the music and culture of Ireland.

This recognition by UNESCO is a true tribute and will ensure the transmission of
Irish harp music for generations. I am a great fan!

 
Jamala said:
Today I was asked what the national dish of the UK is and normally I would say Roast Beef, Yorkshire pudding, selection of vegetables and gravy. However, on my last visit back home, I learned most Brits (especially Londoners) favour Chicken Tikka Masala as the top dish. Apparently, it was also the late Queen’s favourite and made frequently at the palace.

While many people assume that this dish originated in India, the most popular origin story places its roots in Britain when a Bengali chef had to improvise in a jiffy to accommodate his clientele. Today, many consider it to be the national dish of the UK.

Fancy having a go at making it?

.

Now that’s the real McCoy…or you can buy a jar of the ready made stuff if in a hurry and just add the chicken, cream and fresh herbs!
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Yum! I love Tikka Masala and have learned how to make it at home. I love Indian food
 
He was born as Arthur Wellesley but gone down in history as “The Duke of Wellington”, a title he received after leading (along with General von Blucher) the Seventh Coalition during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The defeat that decreed the end of the Napoleonic Empire brought glory and respect to the Duke, known for his strategic skills but also for his demanding palate and difficult tastes. In fact, it seems that the chefs at his service never managed to satisfy him, despite their efforts to create sophisticated dishes.

One after the other, they were fired because no recipe could whet the appetite of the war hero, who had little interest in cooking and certainly not a greedy person. Yet, there was a dish that could win him over and make him think about the pleasures of the table: a roast in a crust that was reminiscent of his boots in colour and shape.

Yes, we are talking about the famous beef Wellington, one of the most iconic dishes of English cuisine, made famous in recent years by Gordon Ramsey and appreciated for its particular cooking method.

It is generally agreed that the dish was created in celebration of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18/ 1815.

 
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Jamala said:
How many? If you deviate from the recipe too much, you have to call it something else!
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Well, not so much the recipe, but the way in which someone might prepare & cook it.

Some people make it with just ‘Garam Masala’. I feel reasonably sure you know garam masala just means mixed spices, or similar. So I suppose some garam masala’s might seem of better quality than others, to some people. I believe garam masala in India is regional – some will be of different blends than others. Which is why I generally make it with individual spices – admittedly from jars. I might decide to toast some of the spices first in the pan, or not on, on occasion.

I usually marinade the chicken in yogurt, lemon juice & turmeric. Marinating it overnight in the fridge. Don’t see much point in only marinating it for just one hour.

Sometimes I might decide to then cook the chicken in the oven on a tray, being careful I don’t dry it out in the process. I might decide to cook it in the pan instead, along with chopped/crushed tomatoes & diced onions. Or a mix of chopped/crushed tomatoes from a tin & fresh baby plumb tomatoes that I then chop myself. I still haven’t figured out why I do that, but anyway, when I make it that way in the pan I generally cook it slowly.

Another time I might fry the marinated chicken alone in the pan – cooking it reasonably quickly. Cooking the onions, tomatoes & everything else separately – creating the source, adding different spices as I go along, and then adding cream. It seems I use less paprika than most people I know, as I don’t want my Chicken Tikka Masala looking like a deep bright orange hi-visibility vest.

Errr… Do I sound like an expert on Chicken Tikka Masala? I assure you I’m not.

Did I tell you I have got about 100 different ways of boiling an egg. :)

But regardless, I’m feeling hungry now, for some reason.
 
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Magna-Carta said:
Well, not so much the recipe, but the way in which someone might prepare & cook it.

Some people make it with just ‘Garam Masala’. I feel reasonably sure you know garam masala just means mixed spices, or similar. So I suppose some garam masala’s might seem of better quality than others, to some people. I believe garam masala in India is regional – some will be of different blends than others. Which is why I generally make it with individual spices – admittedly from jars. I might decide to toast some of the spices first in the pan, or not on, on occasion.

I usually marinade the chicken in yogurt, lemon juice & turmeric. Marinating it overnight in the fridge. Don’t see much point in only marinating it for just one hour.

Sometimes I might decide to then cook the chicken in the oven on a tray, being careful I don’t dry it out in the process. I might decide to cook it in the pan instead, along with chopped/crushed tomatoes & diced onions. Or a mix of chopped/crushed tomatoes from a tin & fresh baby plumb tomatoes that I then chop myself. I still haven’t figured out why I do that, but anyway, when I make it that way in the pan I generally cook it slowly.

Another time I might fry the marinated chicken alone in the pan – cooking it reasonably quickly. Cooking the onions, tomatoes & everything else separately – creating the source, adding different spices as I go along, and then adding cream. It seems I use less paprika than most people I know, as I don’t want my Chicken Tikka Masala looking like a deep bright orange hi-visibility vest.

Errr… Do I sound like an expert on Chicken Tikka Masala? I assure you I’m not.

Did I tell you I have got about 100 different way of boiling an egg. :)

But regardless, I’m feeling hungry now, for some reason.
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Sounds really yummy to me...now I'm hungry :LOL:
 
'All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players'
From William Shakespeare’s play “As You Like It..
Act 2, Scene 7.”

So many people ask me this question. Have you been to the Globe Theatre in London?
The answer to that is yes, of course yes!
I am a devotee of William Shakespeare and whenever I can, and there’s a play I particularly enjoy, we spend an evening of pure joy reliving the works of the Bard of Avon…

The Globe in present day London is of course a reconstruction since the original theatre built in 1599 went up in flames after a pyrotechnical error. During a performance of Henry VIII in the summer of 1613, a cannon filled with gunpowder was set off to mark the arrival of the king at the end of Act One. Somehow, these 'special effects' didn't go according to plan, and the thatched roof caught fire and the building was destroyed.

The reconstruction is built not far from the old site in the London Borough of Southwark, on the south bank of the River Thames.


When Anne Hathaway married and became Anne Shakespeare in 1582 she went to live with her husband in his parents' house in Henley Street, Stratford upon Avon...


Soon after the marriage, William Shakespeare went to work as an actor in London while Anne remained in the Henley Street house with her in-laws. Shakespeare visited frequently but his wife Anne Hathaway never went to London, as far as anyone knows.

Of course no visit to Stratford-upon-Avon is complete without a tour of Anne Hathaway’s cottage.

This building was the childhood home of William Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway. She was born there sometime around 1556 and it is assumed she stayed there until her marriage to Shakespeare in 1582.


“Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”

Romeo and Juliet
 
hollydolly said:
well people can talk about history, what we don't need is copy and paste from Google...we're all quite capable of doing that ourselves..if in fact we needed to know which most of us don't..we all had an education a long time ago
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True, in which case then non of us need to be in this thread, but we are.

Or perhaps some people simply enjoy talking about history? -- continued...

Or have studied it & would like to share it. There is a lot that can be learned from history after all. I sometimes think our politicians would benefit from some knowledge of history, & then maybe we benefit from our politicians knowledge of history.

Some governments, if not most, seems inclined to make similar mistakes of the past, or make mistakes in a “should have known better” kind of way.

Maybe our politicians are educated in the wrong things, or ‘edumacated’ depending on one’s point of view.
 

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