Grenadier wrote:

As former HM Forces, I have to say I don't understand the fuss. I see nothing that insults me or my fallen colleagues. If you clamber and p*ss all over the Memorial itself, during an anti-something or other March, then that is specifically targeting the Memorial and what it stands for. If you drive past and flick the bird, if you steal a wreath, etc etc, likewise it is targeting the Memorial a is entirely disrespectful. But If you do doughnuts on a public street along which the Memorial happens to stand, then you're not targeting the Memorial or making it a centrepiece. So what's the fuss?

Further, think of the sort of men and women who join the forces. The Spitfire Pilots doing fly pasts against their Squadron Leader's express wishes. Soldiers doing doughnuts it tanks. Photos of crazy sailors in Bermuda shorts on their big grey machines. Let's be honest, most servicemen and women are made of exactly the sort of DNA that Top Gear is derived from. People who like fun, excitement, irreverence. To challenge the norm. Who are fed up with H&S, PC, EU led Britain. So as long as it wasn't directly targeting the memorial, then I'm sure many would love a good doughnut in central London. Life is just too bl**dy serious now.

Grenadier wrote:

As former HM Forces, I have to say I don't understand the fuss. I see nothing that insults me or my fallen colleagues. If you clamber and p*ss all over the Memorial itself, during an anti-something or other March, then that is specifically targeting the Memorial and what it stands for. If you drive past and flick the bird, if you steal a wreath, etc etc, likewise it is targeting the Memorial a is entirely disrespectful. But If you do doughnuts on a public street along which the Memorial happens to stand, then you're not targeting the Memorial or making it a centrepiece. So what's the fuss?

Further, think of the sort of men and women who join the forces. The Spitfire Pilots doing fly pasts against their Squadron Leader's express wishes. Soldiers doing doughnuts it tanks. Photos of crazy sailors in Bermuda shorts on their big grey machines. Let's be honest, most servicemen and women are made of exactly the sort of DNA that Top Gear is derived from. People who like fun, excitement, irreverence. To challenge the norm. Who are fed up with H&S, PC, EU led Britain. So as long as it wasn't directly targeting the memorial, then I'm sure many would love a good doughnut in central London. Life is just too bl**dy serious now.

Quote:

Ken BlockLike Page
17 March at 14:20 ·


Explanation FOR THE FANS: the British tabloid media decided to try to make Top Gear, host Matt LeBlanc and myself look bad this week by exaggerating a story about us doing some slides and donuts near a war memorial in London. That is unfortunate and I want my fans to know that I have complete and total respect for veterans (my Dad was a veteran) and would never do anything to deliberately disrespect them in any way whatsoever - so I was quite disappointed that some of the media was (and still is!) misinforming the public about what we were doing.

For those of you that don’t know what happened: we did our slides/donuts down the street (closest drift tire mark was 180 feet (60 meters) away) from a war monument (the Cenotaph) in central London. The press ran long-lens photos that compress the distance and makes it look like we are much closer - and then they said that we “disrespected” the memorial. I drove past the memorial several times (it’s in the middle of a two lane road, London traffic goes past it 24 hours a day, every day of the year), but I did not do anything on or around it. We were respectful, and the production crew instructed me to be the appropriate distance away - which I adhered to.

This whole tabloid negativity came as a complete surprise to me as BBC are the ones who invited me over, worked for months applying for all of the proper permits to do the driving/filming, got it all approved by the proper councils of government as well, and directed my actions. We did nothing wrong, yet the British tabloids have made something out of nothing.

Unfortunately, sensationalized headlines garner attention in this day and age. I was in London to work with Top Gear to make awesome automotive television programming and promote the country and city - and we continued to do that and make an awesome piece, despite the paparazzi and false reporting.

Anyway… the entire shoot went amazing, Matt LeBlanc and I had a great time making an amazing/funny piece and it will be broadcast in a few months. And, it will not feature the war memorial because it never was intended to be featured in the first place!

jimbob7 wrote:

Grenadier wrote:

As former HM Forces, I have to say I don't understand the fuss. I see nothing that insults me or my fallen colleagues. If you clamber and p*ss all over the Memorial itself, during an anti-something or other March, then that is specifically targeting the Memorial and what it stands for. If you drive past and flick the bird, if you steal a wreath, etc etc, likewise it is targeting the Memorial a is entirely disrespectful. But If you do doughnuts on a public street along which the Memorial happens to stand, then you're not targeting the Memorial or making it a centrepiece. So what's the fuss?

Further, think of the sort of men and women who join the forces. The Spitfire Pilots doing fly pasts against their Squadron Leader's express wishes. Soldiers doing doughnuts it tanks. Photos of crazy sailors in Bermuda shorts on their big grey machines. Let's be honest, most servicemen and women are made of exactly the sort of DNA that Top Gear is derived from. People who like fun, excitement, irreverence. To challenge the norm. Who are fed up with H&S, PC, EU led Britain. So as long as it wasn't directly targeting the memorial, then I'm sure many would love a good doughnut in central London. Life is just too bl**dy serious now.

But you got upset at someone not fastening his top button/ tie?? (sorry,I got's nowt else to do,tho caramel (coffee) syrup with vodka is worth tryin,you will have to looksy on the bottom shelf in Tesco tho!)

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic40125-15.html

"Yes it does. He is able bodied and able of mind, so can do his top button up and make sure his tie isn't half mast. A slovenly appearance shows lack of forethought, lack of effort and a lack of appreciation for the event. It take five secs to do your button up, five secs more to pull your tie up. Given the reason he is there, to remember the huge efforts/sacrifices these pilots made, ignoring (or I suspect positively rebelling against) these tiny little details equals lack of respect, notably in an environment where most of the attendees (and those being remembered) take a huge pride in their appearance. Indeed in any similar context (any remembrance services) the service men and women who attend, into their 90s, missing limbs, infirmed, incapable, maybe suffering from dementia etc, all make a huge effort to look their smartest, because you are making that effort in memory of fallen comrades.

Anyone can rock up in their day-to-day attire. Taking the time to be smart on such occasions, I still do, engenders respect for your comrades by saying 'I have made a little more effort for you today' and takes you out of your day-to-day comfort zone. That is what 'remembrance' is all about.

So yes, huge disrespect and even more so, IMHO, than not singing the anthem. He simply 'couldn't be bothered' for the sake of 10 secs of effort or as I mentioned above, he feels it is his socialist duty not to kow-tow to the tie-wearing establishment, which as a political statement in a non-political environment, is wholly inappropriate. Imagine if the pilots had the same lackadaisical, give a f*** mentality, he wouldn't even be in opposition.

Tw*t. Censored".

Hope you enjoyed the shots Jimbob. Popular over here on Apres Ski, not my cup of tea. Neat, straight and very cold is my preference for Vodka.

In answer, they're not one and the same. The doughnuts were not deliberately targeting the memorial, they were near it. They used the whole road and people getting their knickers in a twist about disrespecting the memorial were doing so disengenuously and likely or not (as non members of the Armed Forces) doing so on 'our' behalf. As far as Corbyn is concerned, I stand by what I said. He's a public figure representing our nation and his party and a slovenly appearance questions the man's attention to detail in other matters of his work. Tidy desk, tidy mind, blah, blah, blah. But as I also said, if anyone believes his tie and top button combo are anything less than a purposeful decision and a uniform of the disestablshment and therefore a nod to his hardline, sailor cap wearing socialist Union chums, then they are misguided. His button being undone and his brown tie being half mast are no less 'considered' than Cameron wearing a conservative, blue suit. So yes, I do think his attitude is inappropriate and I don't have any issue with TG having fun. Indeed, refreshing that they have done so in the greatest city in the world rather than, say, Vietnam. Movies are made on these streets all the time, not to mention what the general public get up to, so why target TG? Because they're the 'bad boys' of British TV and an easy target for the Daily Mail reading chattering classes and it's a nonsense. Monsieur Le Grenadier

I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list.....

2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey

Grenadier wrote:

jimbob7 wrote:

Grenadier wrote:

As former HM Forces, I have to say I don't understand the fuss. I see nothing that insults me or my fallen colleagues. If you clamber and p*ss all over the Memorial itself, during an anti-something or other March, then that is specifically targeting the Memorial and what it stands for. If you drive past and flick the bird, if you steal a wreath, etc etc, likewise it is targeting the Memorial a is entirely disrespectful. But If you do doughnuts on a public street along which the Memorial happens to stand, then you're not targeting the Memorial or making it a centrepiece. So what's the fuss?

Further, think of the sort of men and women who join the forces. The Spitfire Pilots doing fly pasts against their Squadron Leader's express wishes. Soldiers doing doughnuts it tanks. Photos of crazy sailors in Bermuda shorts on their big grey machines. Let's be honest, most servicemen and women are made of exactly the sort of DNA that Top Gear is derived from. People who like fun, excitement, irreverence. To challenge the norm. Who are fed up with H&S, PC, EU led Britain. So as long as it wasn't directly targeting the memorial, then I'm sure many would love a good doughnut in central London. Life is just too bl**dy serious now.

But you got upset at someone not fastening his top button/ tie?? (sorry,I got's nowt else to do,tho caramel (coffee) syrup with vodka is worth tryin,you will have to looksy on the bottom shelf in Tesco tho!)

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic40125-15.html

"Yes it does. He is able bodied and able of mind, so can do his top button up and make sure his tie isn't half mast. A slovenly appearance shows lack of forethought, lack of effort and a lack of appreciation for the event. It take five secs to do your button up, five secs more to pull your tie up. Given the reason he is there, to remember the huge efforts/sacrifices these pilots made, ignoring (or I suspect positively rebelling against) these tiny little details equals lack of respect, notably in an environment where most of the attendees (and those being remembered) take a huge pride in their appearance. Indeed in any similar context (any remembrance services) the service men and women who attend, into their 90s, missing limbs, infirmed, incapable, maybe suffering from dementia etc, all make a huge effort to look their smartest, because you are making that effort in memory of fallen comrades.

Anyone can rock up in their day-to-day attire. Taking the time to be smart on such occasions, I still do, engenders respect for your comrades by saying 'I have made a little more effort for you today' and takes you out of your day-to-day comfort zone. That is what 'remembrance' is all about.

So yes, huge disrespect and even more so, IMHO, than not singing the anthem. He simply 'couldn't be bothered' for the sake of 10 secs of effort or as I mentioned above, he feels it is his socialist duty not to kow-tow to the tie-wearing establishment, which as a political statement in a non-political environment, is wholly inappropriate. Imagine if the pilots had the same lackadaisical, give a f*** mentality, he wouldn't even be in opposition.

Tw*t. Censored".

Hope you enjoyed the shots Jimbob. Popular over here on Apres Ski, not my cup of tea. Neat, straight and very cold is my preference for Vodka.

In answer, they're not one and the same. The doughnuts were not deliberately targeting the memorial, they were near it. They used the whole road and people getting their knickers in a twist about disrespecting the memorial were doing so disengenuously and likely or not (as non members of the Armed Forces) doing so on 'our' behalf. As far as Corbyn is concerned, I stand by what I said. He's a public figure representing our nation and his party and a slovenly appearance questions the man's attention to detail in other matters of his work. Tidy desk, tidy mind, blah, blah, blah. But as I also said, if anyone believes his tie and top button combo are anything less than a purposeful decision and a uniform of the disestablshment and therefore a nod to his hardline, sailor cap wearing socialist Union chums, then they are misguided. His button being undone and his brown tie being half mast are no less 'considered' than Cameron wearing a conservative, blue suit. So yes, I do think his attitude is inappropriate and I don't have any issue with TG having fun. Indeed, refreshing that they have done so in the greatest city in the world rather than, say, Vietnam. Movies are made on these streets all the time, not to mention what the general public get up to, so why target TG? Because they're the 'bad boys' of British TV and an easy target for the Daily Mail reading chattering classes and it's a nonsense.