#British Naturalisation

[mylegalservice]

Can I take a visa/entry in the UK after a complete 10 years banned?

If you were subject to a 10-year immigration based on deception or misrepresentation or for overstaying, once the time becomes spent, you will be entitled to apply for a new visa and entry to the UK. However, in any future application you must disclose that you were subject to an immigration ban.

If you are looking to apply for a new visa to the UK. My Legal Services have vast experience and expertise in UK immigration and EU law matters. They are based in the heart of Central London, Bond Street.

Original Source:- https://www.quora.com/Can-I-take-a-visa-entry-in-the-UK-after-a-complete-10-years-banned/answer/My-Legal-Services-1/log

#Unmarried Partner Visa #local immigration solicitors #Overstayers UK #British Naturalisation #Skilled Workers Visa

[lexlawuk]

Unlocking the Path to British Citizenship: A Comprehensive Guide to Naturalisation

Becoming a British citizen is a significant milestone that opens doors to various privileges, including the ability to vote, work, and live in the UK without immigration controls. This article aims to provide a detailed overview of the naturalisation process, requirements, and key considerations for individuals seeking British citizenship. Understanding the Naturalisation Process Eligibility…

View On WordPress

#indefiniteleavetoremain #British #British Citizen #British Citizenship #British Naturalisation #British Passport #David J Foster & Co #David J Foster & Co Solicitor #DJF Solicitors #Home Office #ILR #Immigration Policy #Indefinite #Indefinite Leave #Indefinite Leave to Remain #Individual Immigration #Lexvisa #Naturalisation #Naturalisation Application #Naturalisation as a British Citizen #Settlement #Spouse ILR #UK Immigration Advice #UK Immigration Policy #UK Immigration Solicitors/ Lawyers

[paxvictoriana]

National Status of the Former (and Ongoing) British Empire

I've been doing research on the nationalities of all the former territories occupied, colonized, settled, controlled, or otherwise claimed by the British Empire. Short story: it's a mess.

But it also occurred to me in doing that that I couldn't find a good list of former colonies and territories that noted their status today (in Jan. 2024). So... here we are! I bet there are errors and I bet there are omissions, because – again – it's a MESS to get a clear picture of. And according to many legal historians and cultural studies scholars, that was and is on purpose.

Snapshots of those lists below -- but the full, and better-formatted version on my wordpress [because Tumblr didn't support the table I tried to make].

[* Denotes countries now in the Commonwealth of Nations.]

Again, I am sure there are issues here, as there have been contestations, debates, and challenges to the statuses of people born on land around the world that was once touched by British imperial boots.

For more on the CHAOS of those struggles, including the fundamental problem with establishing what “British nationality” even means, I highly recommend:

Ann Dummett and Andrew Nicol, Subjects, Citizens, Aliens and Others: Nationality and Immigration Law (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1990).

#british empire #imperialism #colonization #settler colonialism #the empire #commonwealth nations #dominions #territories #nationality #citizenship #british subjects #the commonwealth of nations #2024 #dummet and nicol #aliens #citizens #subjects #naturalization #naturalisation #immigration #emigration

[onelawchamber]

The Ultimate Guide on How to Become a British Citizen

In order to be eligible to apply for British citizenship, you will need to meet certain eligibility requirements. Some of these criteria include having lived in the UK for a certain length of time, having an approved visa, and having a good knowledge of language and life in the UK.

#British citizenship #British naturalisation application

[probablyasocialecologist]

Palestinians, like all people, have a right to resist intolerable conditions; and conditions in Gaza have been made more intolerable than many of us can imagine, during the 15+ years that the blockade has been in place. 95% of the population have no access to clean water; 81.5% live in poverty. Infant mortality rates are heartbreakingly high—estimated at around 15 deaths per 1,000 live births—and in 2016, the World Health Organisation found that “newborn deaths represented 68% of infant deaths” in Gaza. Even before the Israeli escalation, medical supplies (including medicines) were scarce, infrastructure was crumbling (and continually threatened by persistent IOF bombardments), and the ongoing power shortages imposed by the blockade meant that hospitals and sanitation facilities were often forced to rely on back-up generators. To expect people to submit quietly to such conditions — to things that we would never tolerate for ourselves — is to contribute to and naturalise their dehumanisation. As the Palestinian journalist Hebh Jamal wrote this week: “I do not rejoice over death. I rejoice over the possibility to live. I cannot condemn the militants if I believe even for a second that there might be a possibility of all of this finally coming to an end.” We affirm the right of Palestinians to rejoice at the prospect of liberation, and, as a British publication, we add a secondary point: Given our state’s brutal and bloody history in Palestine, its cheerful profiteering from the manufacture of Israeli arms, and its continued frustration of any attempts at nonviolent resistance, nobody in Britain has any right to ‘condemn’ Palestinian resistance, whatever form it might take.

#palestine #israel #zionism

[micewithknives]

I am sliding into your inbox to ask you about historically multicultural australia 👀 what’s one fact/event/etc no one’s asked about yet that you think makes a good story?

I have a million and one ideas for things that no one has asked about that i think are terribly underrated. But I'll roll with a definitely not unknown, but definitely brushed over, simple answer of the topic of "afghan cameleers" in Australia.

While theyre often called "Afghan" in Australian history, they actually came from a variety of countries throughout the Middle East and south Asia. They were predomanently Muslim men, some bringing their families, although other religious minorities did also exist.

The Cameleers, (and their camels) were first brought over to Australia in 1838, although in no form of high numbers until 1858 when they were involved in the Bourke and Wills exploration of the east coast states. As a British colony, there were various high level people in Australia who were aware (from interactions with India and the Middle East primarily) of the benefits of camels in dealing with desert climates.

For over 50 years, camel trains became the primary form of transporting pastoral goods across much of the rural parts of Australia, at the hands of very experienced Cameleers. As a result of this, there was historically a number of towns which became known as "little Asia"s, "little Afghanistan"s or "Ghantowns".

Many of these men are coming to be recognised in modern times as fundamental actors in Australia's modern history. They also married Aboriginal, Chinese, or European women, and often, despite racial and cultural descrimination, became well respected members of local towns, playing important roles in their developments. Many of the men continued to travel back and forth from their home-countries, conducting business on an international scale. At the peak of employment, it is believed that 2000-4000 cameleers were employed in Australia, however recording of this immigration at this time is limited, and it is possible the numbers may have been higher.

However, when Australia introduced the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 (otherwise known as the "White Australia Policy"), many of these men found they were unable to become naturalised citizens of the newly-federated country, and thus unable to return to the communities (and families) that had become their homes. The remaining "afghan" communities dwindled after this. With the increase of railway access to Australia, the need for skilled cameleers died out, and the once valued workers became subject to a lack of employment, and increasing government and community persecution. Much of the men that remained into this time chose to return to their home-countries.

However, some communities remained. The town of Marree in South Australia is the location of the first Mosque in Australia, and is recognised as the longest surviving "Ghan-town" community, and the location of many descendant families. These workers, and their descendants, are also responsible for the construction of Australia's oldest permanent mosque, the Central Adelaide Mosque.

In recent times Australia is beginning to acknowledge important role these men made in the country's modern history, although they are subject to limited discussion, research, and archaeological recognition. And there is still a way to go, especially in making sure that the surviving archaeological sites relating to these communities and workers aren't lost.

#this was such a fun ask #even if it took me forever to get to it #If anyone wants actual references lmk #or just info in general #i wrote most of it from memory so I'll have to go find where my files are saved #but somewhere i have books and journal articles and stuff saved #the benefits of writing a thesis on multicultural heritage #i swear i have sources on everything #in a disorganised file #somewhere #history #Australia #ask #archaeology

[fatehbaz]

[C]olonial policies to monitor and restrict Indian cattle were coterminous with policies to monitor and restrict Indian humans. [...] [T]he ‘milk-line’ [...] has been said by [colonial] scholars since the nineteenth century to bisect the region. [...] [This] reified and naturalised what remains a contentious division between South and Southeast Asia along the western borders of Myanmar. [...] [D]enaturalise [...] this border by uncovering the colonial history of how milk became entangled in the immanent political geography of British Burma. [...] As part of imperial writings on the distinctiveness of the colony's cultural landscape, milk informed the imaginative geography of Burma as a place distinct from India. [...]

---

[T]he turn-of-the-century writings of colonial scholar officials and travel-writers [...] generated a particular imaginative geography [...]. These authors rendered Burma a ‘unique geographic entity’ [...]. Being unable to acquire milk whilst travelling Burma was a frequent gripe in imperial writings. In this it stood in contrast to the rest of British India. [...] Imperial writings on dairy consumption – or, rather, the lack of it – in Burma reified this geography [...]. Burma was where you could not get milk in British India. [...] But the difficulty of milk did not end with the cow. Once produced, the milk itself was liable to adulteration and infection necessitating state and scientific intervention. Limiting the mobility of dairy cattle and removing them from urban areas through policies designed to order and police space were central to colonial schemes for improving milk production [...]. By the twentieth century most of the dairy production in the colony was conducted by Indians who had migrated to Burma with their own cattle. [...]

The rendering of cattle as lively commodities in the milk industry was seen to be in tension with their commodification in a different economic sector, the rice industry. 

This was overwhelmingly the most important part of Burma's colonial economy. 

The late nineteenth century saw a rapid expansion of the deltaic rice frontier. By the opening decades of following century the Burma delta had become the largest rice producing region in the world. The importance of plough cattle was reflected in their market value, which doubled between the end of World War One and 1930. [...] 

In particular, they worried that the bloodlines of the Burmese breed of oxen, apparently favoured by cultivators, were at risk. [...] Indian milch cattle were considered a particular threat. This imperial imperative to protect a so-called ‘Burmese’ breed of ox reified and naturalised Burma as a geographic entity, with Indian cattle figured as invasive.

These concerns were entangled with colonial policies regarding the human Indian population in the colony [...].

---

[There was] a growing recognition of the importance of [Burmese] cattle to the production of rice in the Burma delta. [...] The stocky, strong Burmese ox [...] was thought to be especially suited to labour in paddy fields [...]. Burma was imagined as being constituted of upland areas where cattle were bred and the southern deltaic region where they were worked [...]. This was an animal geography that was transgressed by mobile herds of milking cattle imported from India residing along the sides of waterways and in the railway towns [...]. Following the colony's transportation network, migrant Indian cattle penetrated the spaces [...] To many officials, by the start of World War One the existing measures for protecting Burmese plough cattle from the ‘evils’ of Indian milch cattle were deemed inadequate. The push for greater controls began in 1915 with an agricultural and cooperative conference held in Mandalay. [...] ]C]olonial officials came to frame Indian cattle as a problem breed. The conference was attended by over nine hundred people from across Burma, including [...] state officials. It unanimously agreed that action had to be taken to protect [Burmese] cattle from Indian cattle.

Their suggested course of action was three-pronged: taxation, prohibition and segregation. [...] Attitudes to Indian cattle in the colony were conterminous with attitudes to Indian people.

The interventions [in cattle segregation] [...] can be considered as part of a wider range of state controls placed on Indian migrants to Burma. The timing of these committees was synchronous with inquiries into the sanitary conditions that Indian workers travelled and lived in [...]. At the same time [...], the state introduced compulsory medical checks and vaccinations on human arrivals from the subcontinent. In addition, the concerns expressed by officials contributing to these reports on cattle in Burma were indicative of British officialdom's paternalistic attitude towards the Burmese people, viewing their role as protecting the Burmese from the Indian and Chinese populations. The administrative view of the colony, which by the turn of the century held it to be culturally distinct from India, was increasingly imagining it as a separate geo-political entity. Officials began planning for it to be separated from British India.

During the interwar years anti-Indian sentiments gained ground [...]. Indian migrants were figured by some as a threat [...]. There were a number of anti-Indian riots in the 1930s [...]. The 1935 Government of India Act was enacted in 1937 separating Burma from India [...].

---

All text above by: Jonathan Saha. “Milk to Mandalay: dairy consumption, animal history and the political geography of colonial Burma.” Journal of Historical Geography Volume 54. October 2016. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism purposes.]

#abolition #ecology #imperial #colonial #multispecies #landscape #temporal #indigenous #borders

[jaketeachesdeath]

Day 2 of Mammal Week is Lagomorphs!

3 of 4 species found in the British Isles

European Rabbit

Brown Hare

Mountain Hare

Theres also Irish Hare a subspecies of the Mountain Hare located in Ireland

Just 2 of these species are native and thats the Mountain and Irish Hare. The Rabbit was introduced from Europe by Normans and the Brown Hare comes from Asia and was thought to be introduced by Romans. Whilst both are introduced they are considered naturalised.

Hares and Rabbits are so different they cant hybridize. Hares are much larger with very long ears and amber coloured eyes, they also dont use burrows. Rabbits however are very social and live in networks of burrows thier smaller stature is adapted for this however these social space make it easy for disease like myxomatosis to take hold.

Unfortunately the success of these species amongst other difficulties has made life for our native Hare to be a little more troublesome. The Mountain Hare is now Red Listed in Scotland. They are adapted to upland habitats where thier coats turn white in winter to aid with snow camouflage, they have big furry feet to help them shift to a whopping 45mph across the snow too. Unlike the Brown Hare the eye colour is brown they also have a white tail that lacks a black upper.

23/04/24

#vulture culture uk #vulture culture #oddities #taxidermy #bones #skull #skull collecting #animal skull #curiosities #mammal week

[i-merani]

Lawfare and discrimination against Palestinians by Arab countries

Hey I want to talk about something that is a very uncomfortable truth regarding Arab countries and their attitude towards Palestinians. Arab countries, which claim that they support Palestine, only do so to fulfill their own self interest. The reality of their "support" is different. Palestinians are not allowed to be in certain arab countries, they are not allowed to get citizenship, residence permit, pasport. Palestinians cannot fully live in Arab countries.

First read this info about Palestinians in Israel: All persons legally resident and registered, born or naturalised in Palestine under the British Mandate (1919-1948) were British Protected Persons, holders of British (Palestine) passports. Citizenship in both Jewish and Arab states – proposed by the Partition Plan set out in UN Res. 181 in 1947 – was meant to be granted to all inhabitants. However, when Britain promptly ended its mandate on 15 May 1948, it was left to the successor state, Israel, to determine entitlement to nationality.

Here are some facts:

Today more than half of the eight million or so Palestinians are considered to be de jure stateless persons. These fall broadly into three categories:

• holders of the 'Refugee Travel Document' (RTD) issued by Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and some other Arab countries (not a pasport/citizenship)

• holders of nationalities of convenience - mainly temporary Jordanian passports (not a pasport/citizenship)

• holders of the Palestinian passport issued by the Palestinian Authority (PA) which is considered as a travel document pending formation of a fully-fledged Palestinian state.

Policies of Arab countries regarding Palestinians:

Two main principles - set out in an Arab League protocol signed in Casablanca in 19651 - have determined the treatment of Palestinian refugees in host Arab states:

1. Granting Palestinian refugees full citizenship rights but denying them naturalisation (meaning, if a Palestinian is born in a certain Arab state, they will get a citizenship but a Palestinian not born in e.g. Egypt, will not get a citizenship even if they've lived there for 20 years)

2. Issuing them with Refugee Travel Documents (RTD) in order to maintain their refugee status (again, not granting citizenship)

But protocol was not followed through by some Arab countries, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Meaning that Palestinians were not only denied possibility of citizenship, but even their refugee statuses (RTD).

Additionally, Palestinians were expelled en masse from Kuwait in 1991 and from Libya in 1995. Palestinians in Iraq had to endure acts of vengeance including killings, evacuation and deportation.

Instititional discrimination against Palestinians in Arab countries:

The legal status, residency and civil rights of Palestinian communities in the Arab World are increasingly uncertain, particularly in Lebanon and Egypt where they are denied rights to secure residency, employment, property, communal interaction and family unification (this part is very similar how Jews were treated in Europe).

Procedures to allow nonresidents to apply for naturalisation in Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia do not apply to stateless Palestinians.

Palestinian refugees in Jordan have Jordanian nationality but are denied equal political participation and subjected to subtle forms of discrimination. Jordanian authorities refuse to offer naturalisation to those Palestinians who at the time of their displacement in 1967 did not hold Tordanian passports. Some 60,000 stateless Palestinians, mainly from Gaza and original holders of Egyptian RTDs, were allowed to stay but have been denied any civil rights and most are confined to a camp near the northern city of Jarash.

What is my point?

I want to demonstrate how Arab countries are directly harming Palestinians. While Arab countries express their support for Palestine, restricting their freedom of movement by elaborate rules of law that deny them possibility of pursuing better life outside Palestine is a blatant violation of human rights.

At this moment, while Israel is bombing Palestine, Egypt and Jordan are refusing to open their borders to Palestinians fleeing the bombs.

Arab countries are physically trapping Palestinians in Palestine not giving them proper means to live in the Arab world outside Palestine.

Palestinians don't have anywhere to go and that is not a hyperbole, it is a deliberate lawfare against them by their "brothers" from the Arab world. While Israel is destroying Palestine, it is also important to see how much harm the policies of Arab countries cause regular Palestinians who want to flee the conflict zone and live a better life.

#palestine #israel #arab world #arab countries #middle east #egypt #lebanon #saudi arabia #politics #2023

[kellyvela]

Oi!

Anon forgot that Grrm quote talking about the girls names! "Flowery Sansa to the sharp, like-a-knife Arya, or something"

How are we supposed to make a connection to flowers/Bael/Arya if there's only one or two mentions of flowers in her chapters?? and the Bael part is more of a knockoff? A cheap imitation??

HOOOWWW

Yes, Anon!

These are the quotes:

The names Arya and Sansa are meant to represent the polar opposites of their characters, Arya being a hard sounding name, Sansa a softer more pretty name, etc.

[Source]

Arya, I say it ar-ya, two syllables, not three, not a-ri-a, like an operatic thing, but Arya, very sharp. I wanted something that was like a knife, that was sharp and hard sound, to be a contrast to the flowery Sansa.

[Source]

Also, let's not forget that Sansa is profoundly associated with the story and songs about Florian and Jonquil, both names linked with flowers:

Florian is a male given name borrowed from the ancient Roman name Florianus. The name is derived from Florus, from Latin flōrus (originally "yellow, blond", later "flowering"), related to flāvus ("yellow, blond"); compare also Romanian flor ("blond, with blond hair"). In spite of that, by popular etymology, it is often linked to flōs ("flower"; genitive singular flōris).

Narcissus jonquilla, commonly known as jonquil or rush daffodil, is a bulbous flowering plant, a species of the genus Narcissus (daffodil) that is native to Spain and Portugal but has now become naturalised in many other regions: France, Italy, Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, Madeira, British Columbia in Canada, Utah, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and the southeastern United States from Texas to Maryland.

More here:

Thanks for your message :)

#anon asks #sansa stark #jonsa

[amarriageoftrueminds]

Could you explain more about the Blues and Royals significance? 👀 Would love to hear more on why it’s out of place for Peggy.

(in reference to)

Well my understanding is that the Blues and Royals was formed from two Royal Regiments (Royal Horse Guards and Royal/1st Dragoons), and is so-called because they act as ceremonial guard of the monarch on State occasions.

(So for example the King’s Life Guard, mounted by The Blues and Royals Mounted Regiment, gave a royal salute as Queen Elizbeth's coffin passed the Front Yard at Horse Guards.)

They don't just show up for any old tom dick or harry.

So their inclusion means they've treated Peggy's funeral as if it's as important as a Royal event / official State occasion / the equivalent of the death of a reigning monarch.

Despite her being, a) nobody b) by now surely a naturalised foreigner?? c) former head of a foreign country's alphabet agency

(which- isn't that, like, slightly frowned upon? for a British spy?)

They're so far up her arse they'll even disrespect royalty for her. 😬

#luna-rainbow #mcu critical #cacw critical #toAyourQ #dat's me #antipeggy #antisteggy #cynthia glass #p*ggy meta #steggy is hydra trash party #meta #mcu meta #my meta

[lexlawuk]

The Path to Becoming a British Citizen: A Guide to Naturalisation

Becoming a British citizen through the process of naturalisation is a significant milestone in one’s life. It opens doors to various rights, privileges, and opportunities in the United Kingdom. If you’ve ever wondered how to embark on this journey, this article will provide you with essential guidance on the different pathways to obtaining British citizenship and the necessary eligibility…

View On WordPress

#British Citizenship #British Nationality #David J Foster & Co Solicitor #DJF Solicitors #Home Office #Immigration Policy #Immigration Rules #Indefinite Leave to Remain #Lexvisa #Naturalisation #settled status #Settlement #UK Immigration #UK Immigration Advice #UK Immigration Policy #UK Immigration Solicitors/ Lawyers

[the-light-of-stars]

Netanyahu: Israel will continue to fight "until victory"

In the midst of growing international criticism on the conduct in the Gaza strip, Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his country will continue to fight "until victory" over Hamas. "Nothing will stop us", said Netanyahu in his video message. He said this also in light of "international pressure", he added : "We will continue until the end, until victory, nothing less than that."

as for what the israeli government plans to happen after "victory" (same link) :

"The israeli ambassador in the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, rules out a two state solution following the war against Hamas. In an interview with british news channel Sky News she said, on repeated enquiry, that a two state solution is "absolutely out of the question" for the time after the war in near east.

"It is time that the world understands that the Oslo-paradigm has failed on October 7." said the ultra-right wing politician who has already held multiple political offices in her home. [...] "

"The israeli Minister for Social Equality, Amichai Chikli from the government party Likud, did not rule out the creation of israeli settlements in the Gaza strip. This said the right-wing politician when asked about the future of the besieged coastal strip in an interview with the israeli news site ynet. The palestinian autonomy monitoring authority should not be part of the administration in Gaza after the war."

The israeli government repeatedly and openly states that the reason for their attacks is "victory" over Gaza and to get full political control of the area afterwards.

It's not being ambiguous about the purpose of their attacks being ethnic cleansing and a complete occupation and annexation of Gaza as well as the building of colonial settlements, with or without international support. That is their goal, they are not being subtle about it, they keep saying it again and again, directly.

And yet governments like Germany or the US still keep calling Israel's attacks "only self defense" or even "resistance" and keep acting like the death, starvation and displacement of civilians as well as the targetted destruction of cultural , medical and civilian infrastructure is merely unfortunate collateral damage that isn't intended by the israeli government and simply can't be helped.

They keep treating the israeli government like the victims and the good guys that must be supported unquestioningly, and treat anyone that questions or citicises them even in the slightest as a bigot or "terrorist sympathiser" even though even their government funded media keeps referring to israel's government not just as "right wing" , not even as "far right" but as "ultra extreme far right". But no, questioning a government like that is a bad thing to do and completely unreasonable, according to the self proclaimed progressive or liberal governments of Germany , the US and other nations.

To go even further , german federal state Saxony-Anhalt has now made a pledge to Israel requirement for naturalisation. and calls Israel's right to existence "Germany's reason for existence" again, like the german government keeps reiterating on since Oct. 7.

#current events #palestine #free palestine #german stuff #< for the bit at the end

[duchessofostergotlands]

Can someone born outside of the UK be knighted/use "Sir" and "Dame"? Like, let's say you were born in Canada and then became an UK citizen by naturalisation, would you be treated as any other brit or your "position" would be honorary? Didn't really understand the explanation online hahaha

So you might be finding it difficult because it seems like one fairly simple question but it's actually quite complicated! So you're probably getting answers that only address part of your query which might be causing the confusion. I know I've talked about it before but Tumblr doesn't show about 3 years worth of my posts so we'll have another go, see if I can express it in a way that makes sense!

Broadly speaking there are Knight/Damehoods that can be awarded to foreign citizens, but you can only use the pre-nominal Sir/Dame if you are a citizen of the UK or a country where Charles is head of state (Commonwealth realms). If you are from a different country, you can only use the post nominal letters. So for example Angelina Jolie is a Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George but she can't be Dame Angelina Jolie; she's just Angelina Jolie DCMG. However, some countries have developed their own domestic honours system which they prefer. So for example, as you mention Canada, Canadians absolutely can be knighted and use the Sir/Dame - we have no problem with that - but off and on for over a century the Canadian government has enacted laws and made requests to block Canadians from receiving honours, preferring to give out their own. So there have been situations where theoretically someone could be a Sir/Dame as they have citizenship of a Commonwealth nation, but they don't have UK citizenship so their government has stepped in and said "no, that's not happening."

In terms of defining citizenship, if you were born elsewhere but became a British citizen later, you're as eligible as I am. You're still a citizen. If you were given an honour before you got British citizenship but later in life became a citizen then usually you'll be able to start using Sir/Dame but you have to get that confirmed first (especially for men as you can't actually use the Sir part unless you've been dubbed i.e. had your shoulders touched by that big sword, which doesn't happen for honorary awards). It's pretty rare though (an example being the violinist Yehudi Menuhin).

#ask #anon #british royal family #titles

[endorphinmachine]

CHESS 1984 TRANSCRIPT

wrote it all down for you, as written, including the comma errors of which there were a few. added some notes here and there for things i thought were worth interesting or worth knowing AND i'm on mobile browser so i hope it posts alright. enjoy 👍

Act One

The World Chess Championship is about to take place in Merano, a Tirolean town in North Italy. The champion (The American, in his mid-thirties) (T/N: Huh?) is defending his title against a new challenger (The Russian, in his early forties) (T/N: Huh???). The people of Merano are by and large very enthusiastic about the great event that is taking place in their small community. The American is enthusiastic about the potential financial rewards of the match and about his own skill at bringing what has hitherto been a minority interest sport to the frenzied attention of world media. (Merano)

The American gives a press conference in his hotel at which he behaves petulantly and aggressively, denouncing his opponent, every other Soviet and the press with equal vigour. His performance is watched on television by the Russian and his KGB-employed second, Molokov, in their hotel. Molokov is inclined to dismiss the American as a nut. The Russian concedes that his opponent is eccentric but realises that every outrageous move made by the American is a calculated one. The Russian reflects upon his own rise to the top. (The Russian and Molokov/Where I Want To Be)

The Opening Ceremony is a hugely colourful event. Merano has pulled out all the stops. The Arbiter of the match points out with great gusto that his word is final during the series of games while Merchandisers, Press, Politicians, Businessmen and Diplomats all struggle to get everything they can from the excitement building up to fever pitch around the contest (The Opening Ceremony)

The American stages an effective and insulting walkout during the Arbiter's lengthy recap of the match regulations immediately after the Opening Ceremony. None are more insulted than his own second, Florence Vassy, who is left to defend her player's indefensible behaviour to a sneering and pompously protesting Molokov. During this exchange, she meets the Russian player for the first time. The Russian shows some sympathy for her situation. The Arbiter continues to prattle on about the rules. (Quartet– A Model of Decorum and Tranquility)

Florence confronts the American back at their hotel, telling him that she cannot tolerate his treatment of her much longer. We learn that she was born in Hungary, left that country when only two with her mother in 1956 during the uprising, and is now a naturalised British citizen. She has never discovered what happened to her father who 'disappeared' when the Hungarian uprising was crushed. She is determined to find out. She has worked for the American for seven years, since meeting him during a chess tournament in England. We suspect their relationship is almost like that of a mother and child, although both are around the same age. (T/N: They aren't. Florence is likely in her late twenties and the American is five to ten years older– Tim is a nut.) Their argument reinforces her belief that the only person she can ever really rely on is herself. (The American and Florence/Nobody's Side)

The first game of the contest begins with an atmosphere of mutual loathing hanging over the proceedings as the two players make their first moves. Tension builds as much offboard as on with both men resorting to underhand tactics to distract or enrage the other. Suddenly, high drama as the two players fling the board up into the air. They walk out after coming near to blows. Consternation everywhere. (Chess)

Florence and Molokov have an unofficial meeting to discuss the collapse of the match, which no one really wants to abandon. After some spirited insult-trading, Florence takes the initiative and tells Molokov where and when he is to deliver his player for a secret, off the record, meeting between the two contestants, in order that the match can resume without either party losing face. Molokov attempts to rattle Florence at one stage by implying that he knows some Hungarian history she might like to learn about.

At a private room in a restaurant halfway up a Merano mountain, Florence and the American arrive for the secret meeting. The Russian is late and the American leaves the restaurant in mock disgust. Almost at once the Russian and a junior member of his backup team arrive to find no opponent waiting for them, only his opponent's second. During the conversation that follows, the Russian and Florence are quickly attracted to each other, the almost romantic mood interrupted when the American returns. (Mountain Duet)

The American and the Russian argue, trade insults and jokes but thanks largely to Florence's delicate touch, they both agree on a press statement sharing blame for the breakdown and to resume playing.

Some days later, the American and Florence are discussing the progress of the match. Things are going badly for the American who is unpleasantly agitated. The cause is all but totally lost. He blames Florence for his failure and as they hurl abuse at each other, she tells him she is going to leave him after the match, even if by some miracle he won it. The American is devastated and alternates between fury and pleading with her to stay. His paranoia about the Reds surfaces – he is convinced that the Soviets have something to do with both his loss of form and Florence's desertion. The finish of their argument is a "squalid little ending" to their relationship. Even after Florence has left, the American continues to justify his actions to himself (Florence Quits) (T/N: Pity The Child #1 is included at the end of this track.)

At an unidentified Western embassy some days later, the Russian, the newly-crowned world chess champion, asks for political asylum, although he has problems winning the instant support and interest of the civil servants in the embassy. (Embassy Lament)

Eventually, he gets the forms and freedom he wants. Certain he has made the right decision, he is equally certain of what he will never be able to leave. (Anthem)

Act Two

One year has passed. The Russian is to defend his title against a new challenger from the Soviet Union in Bangkok, Thailand. The American and some locals discuss the unusual venue for the championship. (Bangkok/One Night in Bangkok)

Florence and the Russian, who have been lovers since his defection, are in the Oriental Hotel, Bangkok. They discuss his new opponent and wonder why the American is in town, as he has played no serious chess since his defeat in Merano. They also talk about the refusal of the Soviet authorities to let his wife out of the U.S.S.R. The Russian leaves to discuss tactics with his seconds; Florence, alone, speculates about their future together. (Heaven Help My Heart)

Molokov and his team are confident that this time around they have a player who is totally trustworthy and can be relied upon (a) to win and (b) to stay in Russia. Their new champion is a rather weird introvert who only seems to be able to function at full steam when talking or playing chess.

The Russian is interviewed on Thai TV. To his amazement he discovers that his interviewer is the American who proceeds to ask him about his personal life, about Florence and about his politics – never about chess. The American finally tells him (on the air) that arrangements have been made to fly his wife into Bangkok in time for the match. Enraged, the Russian storms out.

The Russian and Florence watch his wife (Svetlana) on television arriving in Bangkok. The event brings the tension between them to a climax. (Argument). (T/N: The second period after Argument appears to be an error; this period after the track title only appears once elsewhere. While I'm here, this is my favorite song and I'm mad it never reappears.) The Russian says he must leave Florence for the duration of the competition. Florence is left alone with the TV still showing Svetlana's image. She recalls how well she knows the lover who has just left her. Svetlana recalls how well she knows her husband. (I Know Him So Well)

The American forces his way into the Russian's quarters to offer him a deal. Despite the personal pressures already weighing heavily on the Russian, he has begun the match in great style, winning the first two games. The American now says that if his winning streak should suddenly come to an end then Florence will not be given information he claims to have received from the Soviets about her father. This information is extremely unpleasant, revealing her father to have been a traitor to his people, not a hero, responsible for a score of deaths. The Russian does not know whether to believe him or not, but throws him out. The American then approaches Florence, suggesting that if she would only return to him, not only would they once again be the greatest chess team ever witnessed, he would also be able to provide her with news (he does not say whether it is good or bad) she has always wanted about her past. She too rejects his offer (The Deal)

His frustration and rejection by Florence cause the American to explode in a fury of self-pity and anger. (Pity The Child). (T/N: Same deal with the period after the track title.)

The deciding game in the match begins. Memories of former champions are evoked. Molokov and the American have a conversation which reveals them to have been in league against the Russian, albeit for very different reasons. Florence, watching the match, although not knowing that her lover has been put under pressure to lose, sees his obsession with victory destroying his ability to care for her.

The Russian, defying everyone, plays like a dream and annihilates his opponent. He finds himself amused and delighted by the fact that his various enemies have so misjudged his will to win. He may have failed in his efforts to sort out his private life but he has succeeded in his professional, public life and he now knows that this is the only success he really wants. He rejoices in his victory, but even as the crowds acclaim him and as his wife vainly attempts to make some kind of contact with him, he almost immediately feels a sense of hollow anti-climax. He despises himself for the narrow selfish ambitions and desires that satisfy him. So does Svetlana; any chance of reconciliation between them is gone. They both acknowledge, she with bitterness, he with resignation, that henceforth their "one true obligation" is to themselves. (Endgame)

Whereas the Russian for the first time has been able to put his career before everything else, the change has gone the other way for the American. He hardly thinks of chess now; only that his machinations have failed to alleviate his personal despair – Florence will not return to him even if her relationship with the Russian has floundered. He plans his revenge on both Florence and the Russian, while Molokov, apprehensive about his own future, prepares suitable treatment for his failed protégé.

EPILOGUE: But has that relationship floundered? Florence and the Russian reflect, simultaneously but separately, upon their story that they thought was a very happy one; like the game of chess the game of love can be played in an almost limitless number of variations. Perhaps this was just one of many games that end in stalemate. "Yet we go on pretending, stories like ours, have happy endings." (T/N: It's "but." It has always been "but.") (You And I/The Story of Chess) As they finish, the American is seen approaching Florence. He has some news for her…

#chess musical #chess the musical

[portraituresque]

Peter Lely - self portrait

Sir Peter Lely (Soest 14 september 1618 – London, 30 november 1680) was a painter of Dutch origin whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court. He became a naturalised British subject and was knighted in 1679.

#pieter lely #self-portrait