Author Topic: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,  (Read 751 times)

Alfred

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Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« on: Jun 23, 2018, 07:41:00 AM »

It seems for many years gongs were and are still being issued  to all and sundry , assumabley recognition for dames, knights and gongs used much like confetti, to any one who mixes in the right circles, not for the charity work they do,


so what was i assume the original reward in the past for say people who had done charitable work, humanitarian , Nobel peace work , and other people who really did earn, or was recognised for the work they have done, as it was then a reward for services rendered,


to day  these rewards go more to people who happen to know other people who simply because they move in the right circles, and hob nob with well known figures in politics, theatre and everything else makes me wonder why they are handed out to people at all who to my mind haven't done very much at all simply by being seen in all the right places,


Q; So with all the gongs, and knighthoods, handed out simply because some on knows some one else, means  that that qualifies them  presumably some sort of recognition, defeating the real purpose itself,
of rewarding people who have done genuine work and deeds for humanity ,


so what are your views on Dames, gongs,  and knighthoods what do they really stand for,??and are they really necessary,  ???         as usual i look forward to reading you replies with interest,

sparky

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #1 on: Jun 23, 2018, 08:42:14 AM »
These awards are a complete joke, they are  invariably  handed to people that least deserve them . so called pop  stars, and crooked politicians, etc. so either do away with them entirely or come up with a system whereby only people that have contributed something worthwhile receive them.

Michael Rolls

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #2 on: Jun 23, 2018, 08:52:05 AM »
There was a lovely take on all of this in one episode of 'Yes, Prime Minister'. I've never been happy with awards simply for doing one's job - which a lot of the awards to civil servants and politicians seem to be. Genuine achievements? Hard to measure, I suppose - but, much as I enjoyed England recapturing the Ashes in 2005, to gave awards to the whole team seemed vastly over the top. Similarly, awards to actors and actresses.
On a lighter note, I always loved the old interpretation of the ranks of awards in the Order of St. Michael and St. George:-
CMG  - Call me God
KCMG - Kindly Call me Gpd
GCMG - God Calls me God


Mike
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Phil

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Re: Dames, Gongs, and Knighthoods.
« Reply #3 on: Jun 23, 2018, 09:00:04 AM »
The OBE was often awarded to women who were in charge of the local WRVS or a charity, where the actual work was done by the lower order volunteers.

Hence the OBE became known as 'Other Buggers' Efforts'.
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Alfred

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #4 on: Jun 23, 2018, 09:05:04 AM »

A strange thing happened to me this morning as i had typed out my post about dames, gongs and knighthood , afterwards i popped into our local asda store bought a news paper and on the front page of the daily mail was the words … how many more tainted gongs.


how strange is that ,

Scrumpy

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #5 on: Jun 23, 2018, 09:35:37 AM »
It’s who you know .. People getting awards when it is others below them that do the graft ( as Phil said).. Lots of backhanders..
It means nothing to me . And as for being knighted.. what a load of tosh.. A lot of them are rogues ,as proved by that fat man on his boat .. I think his name is Philip Greene.. No, I will not use their Sir titles..
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Johned

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #6 on: Jun 23, 2018, 10:44:40 AM »
High time the whole system of Knighthoods, Gongs whatever was abolished together with the House of Lords at £300 per diem expenses to boot!  The whole thing is complete Ruritanian farce with no place in modern society.  Paradoxically I am not so hypocritical myself though as to refuse the aforementioned dosh for doing nought!

sparky

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #7 on: Jun 23, 2018, 10:55:04 AM »
Johned, To suggest they do nothing is a bit cruel, look at their considerable support to our drunks industry, with all they scoff in their subsidised bars, along with the other ponce's in the commons.

Phil

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Re: Dames, Gongs, and Knighthoods.
« Reply #8 on: Jun 23, 2018, 10:59:41 AM »
Johned, To suggest they do nothing is a bit cruel, look at their considerable support to our drunks industry, with all they scoff in their subsidised bars, along with the other ponce's in the commons.

Lol, I haven't heard the word 'ponce' for a while.

 ;D
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Ashy

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #9 on: Jun 23, 2018, 04:18:56 PM »
Some people get honours for things they have actually done and possibly deserve, even though they were paid to do it at the time, but the most lucrative honours seem to go to people who are of little use to anyone.

Bee

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #10 on: Jun 23, 2018, 05:06:12 PM »
There is a lady in my town that has just received an MBE, she is local bred and born and definitely deserved the MBE for what she has done for my town over the years where as the M.P. for my area has been made a Sir and I doubt if he could find my town using a SAT NAV let alone any thing else, not a popular decision by the majority of the town. :o
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sparky

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Re: Dames, Gongs, and Knighthoods.
« Reply #11 on: Jun 23, 2018, 05:20:18 PM »


Lol, I haven't heard the word 'ponce' for a while.


Phil, yeah I was being a bit polite. my post would be blocked if I used all my choice words to describe them.

Johned

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #12 on: Jun 23, 2018, 06:33:56 PM »
Why should showbiz, film and entertainment industry folk be honoured with titles and gongs?  Surely fame is enough for them?  I can remember when the only titled actor was Sir Cedric Hardwick and Sir C Aubrey Smith, both Hollywood film personalities and that was about it!  Grudgingly some accord should be paid to industrialists and business folk who have tried to bring lucrative trade to this country for the benefit of the community but that is about it.  No titles, no medals though!

Traveller

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Re: Dames, gongs, and knighthoods,
« Reply #13 on: Jun 24, 2018, 11:03:15 AM »
Of course you could always buy a worthless title.  Some years ago, there was a TV programme in which 3 'celebrities'  tried to win the "Baron of Troup".  Troup is a local council constituency in Banffshire and Troup Head is an RSPB nature reserve.  The most colourful contestant was Malcolm McLaren who was in turn the most outrageous and the most sensible of the three.  The contest was based in Gardenstown which has some very vocal evangelical residents.  Eventually McLaren as run out of town by a 'lynch mob'.

Mike Reid , won the popular vote, but died soon afterwards.  The Barony itself is real enough and is heritable,  but has no privileges except the use of the title .
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