The Steeple Times

Tag: British

  • David Reuben Jr: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

    David Reuben Jr: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

    The Steeple Times asks emerging market investor David Reuben Jr: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

     

    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

    I try to follow the “Golden Rule”. Treat others the way you would prefer that they treat you. Be careful how you are with people on your way up, you just might meet them on the way down.

     

    “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

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  • BT phone home

    BT phone home

    The future for red telephone boxes

     

    The red telephone box is something that tourists often cite as being symbolic of Britain. Just like the red London bus and the red pillar box, though, these Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed kiosks are sadly disappearing from our streets.

     

    Decaying red telephone boxes are an increasingly common sight throughout Britain
    Decaying red telephone boxes are an increasingly common sight throughout Britain
    Traditional red "K6" model telephone boxes being removed from Warwick town centre
    Traditional red “K6” model telephone boxes being removed from Warwick town centre

     

    Killed by the mobile phone revolution, British Telecom successfully lobbied to remove public telephones as usage has declined dramatically. The company state that calls from payphones have fallen by more than 80% in the last five years and that around 60% of the boxes cost more to maintain than they generate in revenue.

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  • Tanya Gold

    Tanya Gold

    Tanya Gold 550This acid tongued journalist doesn’t care about causing offence. (more…)

  • A monstrous murder in Mayfair

    A monstrous murder in Mayfair

    Matthew Steeples offers offers a tribute to the late Robert Troyan

     

    I first met the larger than life Bostonian character Robert Troyan (1950 – 2013) with his partner Anthony Feldman in the early 2000s at their impressive apartment in Mayfair. Though I did not come to know them well, I fondly recall a number of evenings that they hosted there planning an event for a charity we were all involved in named Marine Conservation and several dinner parties.

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  • Trebled by The Tout

    Trebled by The Tout

    Three out of four for our man, The Tout

     

    The first day of Cheltenham has been kind to our mysterious friend, The Tout.

     

    Quevega wins at the Cheltenham Festival 2013
    Quevega wins at the Cheltenham Festival 2013

    His predictions of Hurricane Fly to win the Champion Hurdle, Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle and Simonsig in the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase all paid off and no doubt a few of you will be celebrating tonight.

     

    Be sure to check The Tout’s tips for tomorrow. His form will hopefully be just as good.

     

    The Tout’s tips for the week: http://thesteepletimes.com/today/the-theatre-of-dreams-and-the-home-to-real-men-and-horses

     

    For more information on the Cheltenham Festival 2013, go to: http://www.cheltenham-festival.co.uk

  • The theatre of dreams and the home to real men and horses

    The theatre of dreams and the home to real men and horses

    The Tout’s tips for the Cheltenham Festival 2013

     

    Finally, after a long and harsh winter we have arrived at the greatest show on earth for National Hunt fans. The Tout feels his blood pressure rise and a keen sense of anticipation as this week looms and now that it is upon us we are about to be presented with four of the greatest days of sport imaginable.

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  • Jessica Fellowes: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

    Jessica Fellowes: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

    The Steeple Times asks journalist and author Jessica Fellowes: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

     

    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

    To learn from history – in all senses of the word – but listen to the needs of the present.

     

    “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    “No man lives by bread alone – he needs his bit of crumpet”.

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  • Neil Hamilton: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

    Neil Hamilton: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

    The Steeple Times asks writer, broadcaster and entertainer Neil Hamilton: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

     

    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

    Christine.

     

    “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    If you say so dear.

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  • Keep Calm and Get Certified

    Keep Calm and Get Certified

    Is it time for “Keep Calm And…” to “Sod Off And Get Lost”?

     

    Since 2001, whatever the situation and whatever the context, three words, “Keep Calm And…”, can and often have been applied. The rediscovery of what was originally a British wartime propaganda poster in a secondhand bookshop in Alnwick, Northumberland set about this trend and it has continued unabated.

     Keep Calm & Carry On 300
     

    The bookshop’s owners, Stuart and Mary Manley, seized upon their customer’s enthusiasm for “Keep Calm And…” and they, then others, printed it onto clothing, doormats, postcards, mugs and other merchandise. Millions of items featuring the distinctive font and “Tudor” crown have been sold worldwide and a trademark dispute about it commenced in 2011 and continues to this day.

     

    On the Barter Books website is a link to a video giving the story of how such a simple phrase has become so popular. On it the narrator states:

     

    “It’s perhaps the words on the poster that people find most enchanting. Like a voice out of history, it offers a very simple warmhearted message to inspire confidence in others in difficult times and it is something that should never fade from fashion”.

     
    Keep Calm Or Drink Wine 300Keep Calm & Act Like Kate Middleton 300Keep Calm And Go Watch The Hunger Games 300

     

    Adaptations naturally followed and amongst the many thousands created, some of the more tolerable ones include:

     
    –       Keep Calm Or Drink Wine

    –       Keep Calm You’re Not On The Titanic

    –       Keep Calm And Smoke Weed

    –       Keep Korma And Curry On

    –       Keep Calm And Get Over Yourself

    –       Keep Calm And Chillax (for David Cameron)

    –       Keep Calm And Kill Justin Bieber

    –       Keep Calm And Get Certified

    –       Keep Calm And F**k Off

    –       Now Panic And Freak Out

    –       Change Words And Be Hilarious

     

    Increasingly, though, the overuse of “Keep Calm And…” has resulted in even Stuart Manley stating: “You almost get sick of it… Very few are genuinely funny”. There are hundreds of them and some are more bizarre than others. A selection numbers:

     

    –       Keep Calm And Have A Cupcake

    –       Keep Calm And Farm On

    –       Keep Quiet And Continue Working

    –       Keep Calm And Rule Britannia

    –       Keep Calm And Pass Me The Ball

    –       Keep Calm And Watch Skins

    –       Keep Calm And Go Watch The Hunger Games

    –       Keep Calm And Fake A British Accent

    –       Keep Calm And Hack On

    –       Keep Calm And Go Gangnam Style

    –       Keep Calm And Act Like Kate Middleton

    –       Calm You Shall Keep
     
    Keep Calm & Kill Justin Bieber 300Keep Calm & Get Certified 300Keep Calm & Fuck Off 300
     

    Frankly, the majority of us are now bored. The time has come for reasonable souls to adopt the tone of Victor Meldrew. On sight of another piece of “Keep Calm And…” merchandise, the cry should ring out: “Sod Off And Get Lost”.

     

    Barter Books: http://www.barterbooks.co.uk

     

    Watch the Story of Keep Calm And Carry On at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrHkKXFRbCI&feature=player_embedded

     

    If you must, purchase “Keep Calm” merchandise at: http://www.keepcalmhome.com, http://www.keepcalmstudio.com and http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com

  • Toby Flood

    Toby Flood

    Toby FloodThis level-headed “reluctant star” of English rugby grew up in Northumberland and describes himself as a “horse whisperer, ventriloquist, ladies swimwear model and soft play enthusiast” to his 50,000 followers on Twitter. He enjoys gardening, fishing and walking his black Labrador and eventually intends to become a lawyer. Whilst both of his grandfathers were actors, he has become an ambassador and model for the Eden Park fashion brand, official suppliers of formalwear to the RFU. His view on fame is simple: “I don’t want to be a celebrity or be on the front pages of the papers. I don’t want to be recognised. I just want to play rugby to the best of my ability and lead my own life away from the job”. His fans are rightly united in calling him a “great bloke”.