1 Topic by GB (edited by GB 2026-04-29 05:32:50)

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Topic: Chuck's address

No, not Buck House, London, I refer to the King Charles' speech to the US Congress today, which I have just watched. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2UEPiN_xmA He received a great deal of enthusiastic applause for his comments, but it was quite noticeable, that there were two rather telling occasions when the Vice President did not join in. One was the need to strongly support Ukraine and the other was emphasising the benefit of NATO to its member countries and the rest of free world!

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Re: Chuck's address

JD Vance doesn’t strike me as a man who’s ever felt inclined to keep his opinions to himself.

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Re: Chuck's address

Well, Alfred, if the man actually had an original opinion of his own...

But that will never happen.

The country got what it voted for. I for one am happy to see America do to itself from within that which it has been doing to other countries for decades and decades.

America the beautiful isn't so beautiful any more.

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Re: Chuck's address

Twolane wrote:

Well, Alfred, if the man actually had an original opinion of his own...

But that will never happen.

A good point well made!

Twolane wrote:

The country got what it voted for. I for one am happy to see America do to itself from within that which it has been doing to other countries for decades and decades.

America the beautiful isn't so beautiful any more.

I find it hard to disagree with any of that.

“Welcome to the present moment. Here. Now. The only moment there ever is.”
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5 Reply by GB (edited by GB 2026-04-30 20:39:49)

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Re: Chuck's address

I think Charles' speech was absolutely brilliant! It was such an overwhelming contrast to anything that Trump has ever, will ever, or could ever deliver, that that alone was as much a rebuke of Trumpism as any head of state could possibly, diplomatically, be able to make. Those who wrote the speech, which undoubtedly  included the King himself, Keir Starmer and the Foreign Office, ambassador Sir Christian Turner and a variety of diplomats, created a masterpiece. Charles' delivery was perfect too.  Of course it was somewhat subtle, and will all have gone way over the head of Trump himself!

It's interesting to hear the comments on LBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep3cz3go5fg, even from admitted UK republicans.

Like many in the UK, I thought it a mistake for this State Visit to go ahead, but Starmer and others who insisted it go ahead as planned, have been completely vindicated. It was a triumph!

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6 Reply by GB (edited by GB 2026-04-30 23:47:18)

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Re: Chuck's address

Oh dear!!!

What is wrong with this picture of King Charles at Arlington National Cemetery?
https://i.postimg.cc/9RVsj8ct/IMG-1959.webp
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/uni … ccounter=1

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Re: Chuck's address

No surprise with the flag debacle, given Australian flags had to be removed from around D.C. and replaced with the proper flag.

Maroons, all of them.

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8 Reply by GB (edited by GB 2026-05-01 04:39:24)

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Re: Chuck's address

Australian flags had to be removed from around D.C. and replaced with the proper flag.

Quite, but at least Charles is also the Head of State of Australia, and the flags were the right way up!

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Re: Chuck's address

GB wrote:

Charles is also the Head of State of Australia

Some have argued, and continue to argue, that the Governor-General of Australia is the Head of State.

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Re: Chuck's address

GB wrote:

What is wrong with this picture of King Charles at Arlington National Cemetery?

Was that intended to be a trick question, Geoff? There’s technically nothing wrong with the picture, since it correctly shows the Union Flag being incorrectly flown upside down. I certainly don’t see anything wrong with the picture of King Charles himself.

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11 Reply by Twolane (edited by Twolane 2026-05-02 04:35:29)

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Re: Chuck's address

I rather enjoyed the bemused expressions on the faces of the King and Queen as some fat old guy jumped in front of them to shake as many of the extended hands as he could. They got out of his way, stood back, and let him run with it. Priceless.

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12 Reply by GB

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Re: Chuck's address

Some have argued, and continue to argue, that the Governor-General of Australia is the Head of State.

Well, they are wrong! The Governor General is the King's representative, who is empowered to perform the King's duties while the King is absent, such as signing legislation, and presenting honours.

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13 Reply by GB

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Re: Chuck's address

Was that intended to be a trick question, Geoff?

I should perhaps have said "What, shown in this picture, is wrong?" There are a great many Brits who make the same mistake! It's quite difficult to get England's flag upside down.

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Re: Chuck's address

GB wrote:

Some have argued, and continue to argue, that the Governor-General of Australia is the Head of State.

Well, they are wrong! The Governor General is the King's representative, who is empowered to perform the King's duties while the King is absent, such as signing legislation, and presenting honours.

You’re right, of course, but that won’t stop some people arguing otherwise!

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Re: Chuck's address

GB wrote:

Was that intended to be a trick question, Geoff?

I should perhaps have said "What, shown in this picture, is wrong?" There are a great many Brits who make the same mistake! It's quite difficult to get England's flag upside down.

It’s quite difficult to get Scotland’s flag upside down, too! However, it’s clearly rather easy to get the Union Flag upside down accidentally, or it wouldn’t happen — and go unnoticed by those whose responsibilities include noticing such things — quite so often.

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16 Reply by Ali (edited by Ali 2026-05-02 08:16:33)

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Re: Chuck's address

It's the offset of the two diagonal crosses (the Saltires of Scotland and Ireland) that is the cause of the issue. It was done when Ireland joined the Union so as to ensure that the Saltire of Scotland did not look like a border rather than a cross in its own right.

Because of this, the corners of the flag differ: the corner at the top has to have the broad end of the red Saltire of Ireland abutting the flagpole for the flag to be the correct way up.

Yes, we see it upside down here as well, but it's one of those things that ought to be correct at a state event of that magnitude. The Olympic Committee seem to be able to get it right ...

Once you know, it jars immediately on the eye when it's wrong.

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