Wimbledon Stripped of Ranking Points

[stotty]

There is not much Oaska gets right.

My take is Wimbledon outsmarted themselves on this one. I don't expect many other tournaments will follow their lead.

The government is very pro on backing Ukraine here. I think that was the reasoning behind the decision.

[jimlosaltos]

The government is very pro on backing Ukraine here. I think that was the reasoning behind the decision.

We may never go the discussions that went on between Boris Johnsnon's administration and ALTEC.

I don't know British politics well but even out here in California I recall about hearing that time a lot of negative press about Russia money that had been donated to Boris' party, as well as massive country estates owned by Russians that weren't being seized, and yachts that "escaped".

So, I'm guessing there was pressure on ALTEC to show Britain was acting.

[stotty]

We may never go the discussions that went on between Boris Johnsnon's administration and ALTEC.

I don't know British politics well but even out here in California I recall about hearing that time a lot of negative press about Russia money that had been donated to Boris' party, as well as massive country estates owned by Russians that weren't being seized, and yachts that "escaped".

So, I'm guessing there was pressure on ALTEC to show Britain was acting.

Yes, the Brits have left is all a bit late to clamp down. At least they have now...to.a degree. For years we've been happy to let Russians launder and pump money into London while simply turning a blind eye. The problem with leaders like Trump and Boris is the pose as democratic politicians while trying secretly (and sometimes in broad daylight) trying to bend rules as an autocratic would...autocrats in disguise is what they are. With Boris it's all about Boris...no one else matters. Don't get me started...!

And yes Wimbledon followed the government's current stance to a large extent.

[stroke]

I just got off a Panama Canal cruise on the British line Cunard, the Queen Elizabeth. I certainly feel like I have a better perspective now on the differences between British and American culture.

[dimbleby69]

I just got off a Panama Canal cruise on the British line Cunard, the Queen Elizabeth. I certainly feel like I have a better perspective now on the differences between British and American culture.

Stroke,

Although, unlike you, I have never been on one, in my opinion one of the last places to look for what British Culture is really like is a Cunard Cruise. Quite likely they are trying to project a 'chocolate box' image, I would have thought. Protocol, politeness and manners?

Or was it just a disappointment?

regards
Rob

[jimlosaltos]

Whoa! Did I start this. { ducking. out.}

[dimbleby69]

Whoa! Did I start this. { ducking. out.}

Oops. Sounds like that didn't come across as intended. Got to remember we are divided by a common language.

I suppose I am a bit disenchanted with the state of my nation at present - partly for the reasons Stotty mentioned above. London, and its 'satelitte' Jersey have had a high old time laundering stolen Russian billions, and its one of the reasons Putin et al. are in the position they are. Given the general stance against Russia, which I agree with, there's more than a tang of hypocrisy.

Sorry if my reply to your post seemed aggressive, Stroke. It would be interesting to read how British culture came across to you on the cruise.

regards
Rob

[stroke]

Oops. Sounds like that didn't come across as intended. Got to remember we are divided by a common language.

I suppose I am a bit disenchanted with the state of my nation at present - partly for the reasons Stotty mentioned above. London, and its 'satelitte' Jersey have had a high old time laundering stolen Russian billions, and its one of the reasons Putin et al. are in the position they are. Given the general stance against Russia, which I agree with, there's more than a tang of hypocrisy.

Sorry if my reply to your post seemed aggressive, Stroke. It would be interesting to read how British culture came across to you on the cruise.

regards
Rob

No apology needed. I am more than a bit disenchanted by the way things are in the US. The cruise was a bit eye opening though to me. The ship had very strict Covid protocols in place, mask in all indoor areas except when eating or drinking, only 4 to an elevator, testing for covid every 3 days, and quarantine in room for those that tested positive, I heard were quarantined in room, normally for 6 to 10 days. All on ship were vaccinated and boosted, and it appeared that all 200+( the ship unsurprisingly gave out no information on this) that tested positive for Covid seemed to be asymptomatic. A lot of activities on the ship were canceled because of the "threat " of Covid. All passengers I talked to on board were not aware of this Covid "abundance of caution " protocols prior to booking this cruise. The mostly British passengers all went along with no problem. I did not like it at all and let them know it, not that anyone cared. Being tested constantly with the looming threat of quarantined confinement, was stressful to me and put me and my wife in not a good mood about this cruise line. When we had a stop at Grand Turk, a Carnival Cruise Line was also there at Grand Turk. I talked to several of their passengers and they were tested boosted etc prior to boarding and that was it. No masks, no ship activities called, elevators can be used properly, just a regular cruise. BTW, Carnival owns Cunard Cruise Line. I got no answer to my question about this inconsistent Covid protocols.

[stotty]

No one does protocol quite like the British aristocracy. The pinnacle of it all being the royal family. The Royal Yacht Britannia's staff would take around 3 hours just to lay the table for dinner. All the knives, forks and spoons are laid an equal millimetres distance apart and at an exact distance from the edge of the table. The plates and anything that is laid on the table prior to the royals and their guests being seated is measured to the millimetre from the centre of the table. Quite ridiculous compared to when my wife and I have guests.

Manners are also an exact discipline...even the way one talks. Apparently you cannot easily fake being a royal because it's the manners side of things which catch the phoneys out.

But this is not in anyway a mirror of British society. The man in the bowler hat marching to the office in London doesn't really exist. Actually, we have some of the roughest and most unsavoury people over here you could ever wish to meet. It's hard to sum up the typical Brit to be honest. Reserved certainly. An unsual sense of humour most Americans don't usually get...we are on the dry side. We are not a nation with a 'winning' mentally but are pretty darn good when our backs are to the wall...the best example of that being WW2. Oh, yes, and we absolutely love an underdog.

[stroke]

One couple ar my dinner table were Brits, and were at my dinner table for the 1st few days. Then he tested positive for Covid and spent the rest if the cruise confined to the Covid wing of the ship. He was asymptomatic. He and his wife were anti Boris left leaning, per their own description. They were all in on the Covid protocols. I also met another Brit couple on board, per their description, that were pro Boris conservatives. They as I were not amused or buying into the Covid nonsense.

[stotty]

One couple ar my dinner table were Brits, and were at my dinner table for the 1st few days. Then he tested positive for Covid and spent the rest if the cruise confined to the Covid wing of the ship. He was asymptomatic. He and his wife were anti Boris left leaning, per their own description. They were all in on the Covid protocols. I also met another Brit couple on board, per their description, that were pro Boris conservatives. They as I were not amused or buying into the Covid nonsense.

Yes, well, my wife and I went to Seville in Spain and had a good holiday ruined by having to wear a mask at all times when in the hotel...unless seated at a table to eat...not fun.