As an encore to yesterday's return to something approaching a post, I would like to share a little amuse-bouche with you.
In the light of the 'rioting' that has been going on in the UK these past days, you may care to know that there used to be an actual Riot Act in the UK.This from Wiki:
"The Riot Act[1] (1714) (1 Geo.1 St.2 c.5) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain that authorised local authorities to declare any group of twelve or more people to be unlawfully assembled, and thus have to disperse or face punitive action. The Act, whose long title was "An act for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters", came into force on 1 August 1715, and remained on the statute books until 1973."
It has since been superceded by the Public Order Act 1986.
In order to have any legal force, a specific form of words had to be read to the assembled masses (or 12) by a magistrate. This took the form of:
"Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably depart to depart to their habitations or to their lawful business upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies.
GOD SAVE THE KING"
The said 'pains' were death by hanging and, later, just transportation to Australia.
If the assembly did not disperse within an hour, all hell broke loose. Troops would be called and they could use whatever force they deemed necessary, including 'shoot to kill', to break up the crowd. If an enterprising citizen decided to chip in on the troops' side, he or she was indemnified for any injury or loss of life which be occasioned upon the rioters.
Ah, how times have changed! It's where the English phrase 'to read the Riot Act' comes from.
Now this would be merely a idle curiosity were it not for one fact. The last time the Riot Act was actually read was in 1919; to striking policemen who were insisting that the Government recognise their trade union, the National Union of Police and Prison Officers, along with the usual changes to the Terms and Conditions of Service and better pay. Needless to say, the Government of the day did not capitulate (it read the mood of policemen rather better than the NUPPS) and it is why your average bobby has only a Federation, which is not allowed to ballot members for a strike, rather than a recognised Trade Union.
Does that count as ironic?
WTF? What book?!!!!! Please tell me you aren't going to publish any nonsense! Haha!!! You crack me up. What, WHAT are you talking about!?
ReplyDeleteOh, btw, chontchy is the cute one, (they're all cute, I know) with her tongue wrapped around her cheek. Oh, and with the dog. Also? I totally love her. And? I think she is perfect. So, yeah. Chontchy. She has saved me more than once from myself.
PS- thinking about starting another blog. Is that a foolish idea?
ReplyDeleteThe July 2011 post offers a slightly expanded view.
ReplyDeleteAfter the stroke, and up to the end of last year, I was still having problems in reading and 'retrieving' vocabulary from my mind. Having had a little encouragement, and after being made redundant, I decided to try and see if I could put a coherent narrative together dervied from such drivel as I have written here and elsewhere, suitably edited and expanded.
It is now complete and, as a bonus, I have regained a measure of my reading ability, a book no longer is as daunting as it was last year and I have managed as many books in the last six weeks as I did for the whole of 2010!
"With her tongue wrapped around her cheek" and you wrapped around her little finger! :)
I have to confess to disliking Facebook, although not as much as Twitter, but curiously, although I seldom post comments, I did two yesterday, yours and another. And what should pop up? Someone I haven't heard from for over 10 years! Ah, the power of 'social networking!
Yes, penguin. PLease link me when you arrive to Amazon.
ReplyDeleteI am taking field camp next summer in Nairobi! Ha! Hahahahaha! My top flight choice flies through London!
Where are you?
Well, I'll be in the southern Antarctic Ocean next summer! My pal, MG, lives in SW London, about 10 miles from the centre of the capital, but that doesn't mean much as London is HUGE! He's about 75 mins away from Heathrow, about 90 mins from Gatwick, 2 hours from Stanstead and an hour from City Airport; yes, London has 4 airports! Just remember, it's the Olympic Games next summer! London should be avoided at all costs!
ReplyDeleteIf it ever sees the light of day on Amazon, I'll guess I'll have to send you a freebie as you're mentioned at least twice! :)
So. I got your risque (riske?) comment on facebook. Naughty. Aren't you tied up with a book right now? How are you feeling? And you haven't changed your profile picture in years. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteI am tired of you leaving posts on a blog, email me:
ReplyDeletemalcolmg2@inweb.co uk
Perhaps I'll answer. I have been known to :)
And it's not risque, that implies a sexual connotation, None was either implied or meant! You are however beautiful!