Boadicea's Chariot

Management Speak to send you crawling up the walls.

I thank God on awaking every morning – or I would if I did that sort of thing – that I have been spared management goobledegook these past nigh ten years. What in-phrase inclines you to want to throw a brick through the office window when you hear it?

Remember

Queen – These are the days of our lives.

And Who Else… ?

When Elizabeth died in 1603 she was succeeded by James VI of Scotland. His accession to the English throne seems, in retrospect, to be ‘right and proper’. He was, after all the descendent of Henry VII’s eldest daughter Margaret, sister to Henry VIII, who had married James IV of Scotland. However, Elizabeth had refused ever to name a successor, and Henry VIII’s will, enshrined in an Act of Parliament, had overlooked the Scottish line in favour of the descendants of Henry VIII’s younger sister, Mary Brandon. It was by no means certain that James would inherit the throne, and after his accession that Act of Parliament was repealed.

The repression of the Catholics under Elizabeth is well known and towards the end of her reign Catholics began sending envoys to both Phillip II of Spain and James VI of Scotland. The Essex Rebellion of 1601 brought the names of many of those who were at the forefront of the Catholic cause to the attention of the Government, including that of Robert Catesby, later leader of the Gunpowder Plot. It is said that English Catholics acquired from James the promise of toleration in the event that he did succeed Elizabeth.

Almost immediately after James’s accession there was a plot to place Arbella Stuart, another of Margaret Tudor’s descendants, on the throne. She was Catholic. It is hardly surprising that the harsh penalties for recusancy were re-introduced – and it is hardly surprising that many Catholics felt betrayed.

The story of the Gunpowder Plot is far too well to be retold here. Guy Fawkes is reputed to have said that the purpose of the plot was to “Blow the Scotsman back to Scotland”. But it would seem that the idea was to kill James, and a large number of MPs and put James’s daughter, nine year old Elizabeth, on the throne.

Warning! This is long…. Continue reading “And Who Else… ?”

Janus’s Bookie

Well, I’m not onsite a lot these days, but I could hardly miss Janus’s win or the opportunity to turn his poem into a booklet. I’ve added a few more pieces of art (interfering book designer types!), and am still debating whether or not I like the second to the last image. I may change it if urged to do so. But here you go, it’s at http://issuu.com/trobairitzj/docs/janus_pamphlet_layout_1

Cheers!

A wee Scottish tale, which crossed my desk this morning, to cheer your evening…don’t we just love to hate the English?!

A golfer is cupping his hand to scoop water from a Highland burn on the St Andrews course.

A grounds keeper shouts: ‘Dinnae drink tha waater! Et’s foo ae coo’s shite an pish!’

The golfer replies: ‘My Good fellow, I’m from England . Could you repeat that for me, in English!?’

The keeper replies: ‘I said, use two hands – you’ll spill less that way!

Detroit Billboards

Are these cool or what?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

And here’s my favourite … Continue reading “Detroit Billboards”

On the same aircraft carrier?

‘I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.’

General George S. Patton

Goodnight everyone, sleep well.

The joys of learning Chinese.

This is a story – we learned this on my Chinese course, lo, these many moons ago – it impresses Chinese people no end when you can relate it.

Why does it impress…