speckytecky Posted May 8, 2012 Posted May 8, 2012 Seems crazy to me that Kelly Holmes wins 2 Olympic gold medals and Straight Away is made a Dame, our rowers and cyclists are also equally quickly honoured yet Ronnie O'Sullivan wins the World Masters Snooker for the multiple time and not a blip of recognition. Same sort of goes for Paula Radcliffe who has surely done far more than many others for athletics but never seems to get the recognition I at least think she deserves. Surely if we need an honours system it should be fairly administered?
FN-GM Posted May 8, 2012 Posted May 8, 2012 Personally i wouldnt honour any of them. In the grand scheme of things sports means nothing. We can run without it. If it was upto me people to be honoured will be the ones who make a real difference to life. 3
Arthur Posted May 8, 2012 Posted May 8, 2012 If it was upto me people to be honoured will be the ones who make a real difference to life. Like the Nobel Prize?
FN-GM Posted May 8, 2012 Posted May 8, 2012 Like the Nobel Prize? Well not quite as high up as that but you get the idea
PICNIC Posted May 8, 2012 Posted May 8, 2012 UK Honours system - flawed? No, really? quick call the papers There always seems a few people that get honours and you are left wondering why? But also there do seem to be a lot of deserving ones as well.
Popular Post penfold Posted May 9, 2012 Popular Post Posted May 9, 2012 Personally i wouldnt honour any of them. In the grand scheme of things sports means nothing. We can run without it. If it was upto me people to be honoured will be the ones who make a real difference to life. Actually completely disagree with you there. While you may not see sports as meaning anything our contry has a stupid amount of people who are obese and the problem is getting worse. Anyone who can motivate people to get up and exercise deserves recognition. And kids are more likely to want to be like a Gold medal winner than me. 5
speckytecky Posted May 9, 2012 Author Posted May 9, 2012 Thanks for the input so far folks but the point I'm trying to make is that any system like his needs to be seen to be fair and I for one don't think that Kelly Holmes winning 2 Golds at an Olympics rates her any higher than the enormous amount of good will generated by the work Paula Radcliffe has also done for athletics. Equally to achieve what Ronnie O'Sullivan has in snooker has on the scale of things been huge for UK Plc yet, probably because he doesn't speak posh I suspect, the best he can look forward to is an M.B.E. I bet Ronnie's fitness training is just as rigorous as that of many top athletes and that's certainly the case when it comes to our F1 drivers.
witch Posted May 9, 2012 Posted May 9, 2012 Presumably there is a committee or something who decide and therefore it is always going to sway with the personal opinion of those people. I'm not sure you could do a proscribed system, could you? One medal = CBE etc? And whilst I do see where you are coming from..er..I've never even heard of Ronnie O'Sullivan! (completly agree about Paula Radcliffe though) I am with FN-GM though. There are many people whose massive contribution to improving the lot of many is not even noticed by the powers-that-be, never mind rewarded.
Sheridan Posted May 9, 2012 Posted May 9, 2012 I think the honours system is a waste of time these days - sports 'personalities' are in it for their personal gain and glory and when someone like Elton John is made a Sir you know the system is a complete load of bunk!
speckytecky Posted May 9, 2012 Author Posted May 9, 2012 Very much moving toward agreeing with you Sheridan. The Lib Dems Policy never used to favour the honours system yet many a Lib Dem has been PDQ to accept one when offered. Overall it's just not a level playing field - Sir Patrick Moore the Astronomer was only knighted in his 80s after much public pressure, why on earth hasn't Stephen Hawking been recognised and if my memory serves correctly ex NCO Army PTI Kelly Holmes was announced as a Dame even before she left Melbourne! For Witch Ronnie O'Sullivan is a very plain speaking Londoner who has now won the World Championship four times. The guy who is equally able playing left or right handed is described by many experienced snooker commentator as "The most naturally gifted snooker player ever". One heck of an ambassador for UK sport. I think the honours system is a waste of time these days - sports 'personalities' are in it for their personal gain and glory and when someone like Elton John is made a Sir you know the system is a complete load of bunk!
witch Posted May 9, 2012 Posted May 9, 2012 That comment about the LibDems also works, some could say more pointedly, for the Labour MPs etc who have accepted promotion to the Lords - never mind just being made a Sir! 1
pshuttle Posted May 9, 2012 Posted May 9, 2012 MBE - My Bl**dy efforts OBE - Other bug*er's efforts CBE - Covers Bl**dy everything. 1
Disease Posted May 9, 2012 Posted May 9, 2012 Nothing to do with the fact that O'Sullivan has a drug problem, maybe, and therefore not exactly a good advert for this country, would be like giving Dwain Chambers an OBE
sonofsanta Posted May 9, 2012 Posted May 9, 2012 A lot of honours do go to more normal bods and sods, particularly MBEs, but you don't hear about it cos the papers fill their pages with all the celebrities getting them because they think it has more appeal. Personally I'd rather read a daily series of thought-out articles on the unknowns being honoured for great charitable work etc. rather than Mr Musician or Mrs Sporty, but I've long since known that I am not the target market the papers keep pandering to
speckytecky Posted May 9, 2012 Author Posted May 9, 2012 You certainly have a point there Disease but on the other hand the media have been unable to get a clear picture of the history of many a prominent politician when it comes to what they did or not in their younger years! Nothing to do with the fact that O'Sullivan has a drug problem, maybe, and therefore not exactly a good advert for this country, would be like giving Dwain Chambers an OBE
Flatpackhamster Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 If you think the honours system is flawed now, wait until you've taken a look at the honours doled out to high-ranking members of the Civil Service. Also, John Prescott. 1
aerospacemango Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) If you think the honours system is flawed now, wait until you've taken a look at the honours doled out to high-ranking members of the Civil Service. Also, John Prescott. These are the ones that the media don't really talk about. The Whitehall mandarins who have spent 40 years in the background, but suddenly get a high honour.... Before we get into the whole Labour and honours debate, I'd just like to put forward a name... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Wedgwood_Benn Now, there's a man with principles.... Edited May 10, 2012 by aerospacemango 1
speckytecky Posted May 10, 2012 Author Posted May 10, 2012 Thanks for the response and I fully agree. Just wonder what wonders he might have woven had the country had the sense to make him Prime Minister. These are the ones that the media don't really talk about. The Whitehall mandarins who have spent 40 years in the background, but suddenly get a high honour.... Before we get into the whole Labour and honours debate, I'd just like to put forward a name... Tony Benn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Now, there's a man with principles....
alttab Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 These are the ones that the media don't really talk about. The Whitehall mandarins who have spent 40 years in the background, but suddenly get a high honour.... what's sudden about it ? It's probably seen as a perk of the job for spending most of your working life as a mandarin.
Flatpackhamster Posted May 11, 2012 Posted May 11, 2012 Thanks for the response and I fully agree. Just wonder what wonders he might have woven had the country had the sense to make him Prime Minister. Well we wouldn't have had to worry about the economy collapsing since the socialist paradise he'd have created would have brought joy, moonbeams and limitless wealth to us all, just like socialist paradises have the world over. 1
Earthling Posted May 11, 2012 Posted May 11, 2012 Well we wouldn't have had to worry about the economy collapsing since the socialist paradise he'd have created would have brought joy, moonbeams and limitless wealth to us all, just like socialist paradises have the world over. I think it's his principles rather than his politics which are being lauded. Can't say that about the current crop of power-hungry, unprincipled bunch of n'er-do-wells, scallywags, cheats, frauds and thieves we get to choose from these days. Signed Disgruntled Taxpayer of Herts. 1
kili Posted May 11, 2012 Posted May 11, 2012 ABOLISH THE MONARCHY! Problem solved no more sycophants keeping the system of privilege going. Create a peoples award>
aerospacemango Posted May 11, 2012 Posted May 11, 2012 May I just add another name to the list????? Jeffrey Archer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This is a man that continues to hold his position DESPITE going to prison for perjury.... 1
Flatpackhamster Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 ABOLISH THE MONARCHY! Problem solved no more sycophants keeping the system of privilege going. Create a peoples award> What makes you think that abolishing the Monarchy will abolish sycophancy? Do you not think people did the same under the Soviet system for awards? Orders, decorations, and medals of the Soviet Union - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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