lol noob
Do not lock your knees.
“Jeeves, have that man executed.” -the queen probably
The dead queen?
That is a pretty old image. It was the Queen in the image.
Fair. I don’t mind the imagery of her rising from the dead just to order an execution for some dude who passed out.
Lol, so disgusted by his lack of decorum and commitment.
I hope that as we all learn to cope with climate change, they let the king’s guard wear shorts. Tiny ones, like a postal worker would wear.
Tiny ones, like a postal worker would wear.
Daisy Dukes
The hottest pants.
Kilts.
Nah don’t let the English appropriate kilts.
I can’t get the image out of my head of my postman who wears shorts in the dead of winter wearing one of the floofy hats of the palace guard on top of his normal winter work outfit
I’d imagine they’d wear what they were wearing in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When was this? Any context?
It looks like it’s from June 1970 during the Trooping the Colour, which was the Queen’s birthday celebration.
1970?! That photo looks so good for being half a century old.
That’s the power of film-based photography. It’s why some old movies look good even at 4K
I love how they are trained to not help. Good job, braindead drones.
There are dedicated stretcher bearers to take them away.
you do realize that there being dedicated stretcher bearers makes it about a hundred times worse, right?
Hey, a wild Uhm, akshully appears!
It does? Any moderately large and well organised public gathering in Britain would have at least one set of paramedics on standby. Is that so terrible?
Dedicated medical personnel is bad?
Intentionally putting a large number of people in a position that they are likely to pass out from heat exhaustion isn’t normally considered a good thing…
Especially, when it’s because it “looks cool”. And your response to this knowledge, isn’t to change putting them in that situation, but dedicate people to picking them up and getting them out of sight.
if they knew what they were signing up for, why shouldn’t the employer be allowed to use harm mitigation rather than improve safety ?
Except they do.
You’re still defending a public display for a monarch who doesn’t have to do any real work even once in their life and gets everything handed to them on a silver platter
A bootlicker is a bootlicker
We need somebody to be our head of state
Somebody who happened to be born in a ruling family? That’s just stupid. “Monarchy” more like moronity
Nooooooo.
Don’t bring facts into this discussion. How else would i show my signature superiority complex.
Yeah. People don’t like their outrage being quelled here.
Is this loss?
Seems more like reverse loss
Edit: maybe rotating the frames rather than reversing?
oh my.
I don’t see any of the other “soldiers” moving in to help here. Or are you talking about the random person that runs in? And if so, how does that prove in any way that the soldiers themselves aren’t trained to ignore fallen comrades? These pictures just make it look worse cuz his buddies literally just have to stand there and wait for someone else to rush in
Those aren’t “random people”. They’re literally in military uniform. What are the ones next to him supposed to do about it? Make a big fuss and cancel the parade over a common occurrence? In fact, this happens quite commonly across the world.
When I sung in a choir in primary school. we were literally told if someone faints in front of us during a performance, to ignore it and keep singing. We thought it was an over-exaggeration. Until the Christmas concert when someone literally fainted in front of us during it and we kept singing. Of course, the teachers then came and rushed to their aid and carefully brought them away. So during organised performances like this- it’s quite standard not to freak out if somebody faints.
For some reason my mind replaced “faints” and “fainted” with “farts” and “farted” when I read this. Had to go back and re-read lol.
Yes the correct course of action when someone farts is to freak out and try to help them
Maybe don’t put a group of human beings in a situation where they’re constantly passing out then? Especially if they’re children, it’s wild that that’s the comparison you use. The issue here isn’t JUST that they’re expected to do nothing when comrades are in trouble (yes, even with trained help there), but it’s ALSO that people like you excuse it because it’s “the norm.” Like sure, yippee, they have trained help for when they pass out, but apparently they’re EXPECTED to pass out? Ok
I don’t know the details of the military demonstrations, but singing in a choir as a kid in front of hundreds of parents is exactly the kind of scary thing with no actual danger that can really help kids grow and conquer fears.
By that logic we should close all roads because we EXPECT automobile crashes to happen, we should cease all construction and industry because we EXPECT accidents to happen, we should ban all sports because we EXPECT injuries to happen, etc.
I’m chiming in as someone who actually fainted during a choir practice. Our teacher cautioned us at least five different times not to lock our legs for that exact reason, but in the moment I wasn’t thinking, and I locked my legs. It happened only one time, and I was the only kid who fainted in the entire four years I sang in that choir. But oh, how inhumane of our school for hosting a choir recital (gasp!). It sure was evil of them to put us in a situation with a normal level of risk while trained first aid personnel were present.
I think maybe you’re just severely overestimating how much it happens. The other person used the word “commonly,” but you used the word “constantly,” and that is not the same thing at all. We have to prepare for the most common mishaps because there are inherent risks in everything we do. But I assure you, if people were constantly passing out in parades and choir recitals, we would stop having them.
What use is for “soldiers” (they seem more like exhibition pieces…) standing around for someone who just happened to be born in the right family, and now has all the wealth they could ever need and a thousand times more?
A road facilitates transport, what good is wasting money for a monarch?
Monarchy defenders perplex me, how can your tongue be so deep in someone’s boot
Oh, I’m not defending the monarchy at all. They can absolutely go to hell. There is a big leap between “the monarchy is fundamentally evil” and “standard military parade practices around the world are unsafe,” and then to “we shouldn’t let children perform in choirs because they’re constantly fainting.” I latched on to that latter piece because it’s so ridiculous.
Why the heck is locking your knees making you faint? How’s that work?
Locking your knees causes more blood to pool in the lower extremities so less of it reaches the brain. It normally takes at least several continuous minutes of standing with your knees locked like this to faint. It sometimes happens when singing in a choir, or standing in formation, because
a) you have to stand in the same position for extended periods of time,
b) your body is consuming oxygen faster because of singing, a warm uniform, and/or hot weather, and
c) you may be so focused on your task that you disregard your discomfort and don’t even realize you’re locking your knees or feeling faint.
When I fainted in choir rehearsal, I think I was only unconscious for a couple seconds. I fell forward on my hands and knees and came to my senses at the choir director’s feet. I felt really flushed and clammy at the same time, almost feverish, and it took a few more seconds after I regained consciousness for my vision to clear. Basically as soon as I was horizontal and normal blood flow resumed, I started to recover immediately. But if heat stroke or other factors are involved, that might not be the case. I don’t envy that soldier being carried on a stretcher in that picture; I don’t know what kind of environmental factors or underlying conditions may have been involved.
Extremely valid and important argument against car infrastructure presented as a clownish slippery slope
what other options works for moving one(s) of people hundreds of miles?
This is an example of the slippery slope fallacy. Logic would not take you down that line of thinking.
Slippery slope isn’t a fallacy. It’s a widely observed pattern.
They’re not expected to. But it happens. If you have concerts, people usually pass out. That’s why you have trained medical staff on standby, no matter the event. It’s just that the military has an organised way of doing it… Because it’s the military.
Are these people ACTUALLY their military though, or just for show? I always thought they were just for show but I don’t actually know. Not that it makes a huge difference, just curious
They do put on public displays, but they’re actual soldiers in the army. Their primary duty is as a guard.
They’re actual soldiers.
they are not doctors nor qualified to help and even so, they know there is someone on the sideline who is the person to help in these situations
So ignore the bigger problem because the already provided temporary solution might keep your friend from suffering permanent damage, after being put into a situation known to lead to this outcome.
I don’t see any of the other “soldiers” moving in to help here
It’s crazy how hard people miss the memo on this.
You are in parade formation. One of your coworkers collapses from strain. You do not help because your boss hazed you into subservience. This is fine because idk maybe someone else will be by to handle things eventually.
Fucking corporatist mindset on steroids. People are denuded of their empathy in their quest to perfectly follow orders.
I wonder how any one of these freaks behave in a torture blacksite when their bosses line up another round of “enemy combatants” for waterboarding…
Thank you, finally someone else with some empathy not excusing every stupid unnecessary thing monarchs force on their subjects. Even ones in the military.
Literally the dedicated medical team monitoring everyone and equipped and prepared for this common situation.
I think his point is that intentionally putting someone where they are likely to pass out isn’t a good thing.
Even worse when you put them in wildly inappropriate clothing. And a oven for a hat. For… showing off.
And lastly, it should be noted that people (even young healthy ones) literally die from heat exhaustion.
We actually don’t know what happened, locking your knees can cause this as well. I’m not disagreeing with you, it is absolutely an unnecessary display with some archaic traditions. But calling the other soldiers “freaks” for letting the trained and available medical professionals handle the situation was unfair.
If they’re going to die from standing in the British sun for half an hour, the Army recruitment medical examiners really fucked up.
Wonder what happened to that guy. I don’t think he didn’t face any consequences for embarassing them.
I don’t see why he would have? Fainting is a natural human biological function. And if you think that someone - who put their life on the line for our country - succumbing to that is an “embarrassment”, then you are an embarrassment.
He most likely locked his knees standing at attention too long. It’s not an uncommon occurrence in training. I saw one guy do it during a locker inspection and whack his head hard on a bench on the way down. The fall itself is the real danger.
I was in JROTC in high school and before some ceremony the colonel explicitly warned us about this exact thing. I don’t remember anyone passing out.
I think the point is powerful people with money don’t give a shit about the peasants. I don’t think that’s the case here, but I’m using my context clues to understand the point, given that OP used this language: “living decorations”.
The Queen was known to discreetly enquire as to the condition of soldiers who passed out on parade though.
But didn’t bother to stop with this inane practice of displaying power gained through being born in the right family?
The royal family aren’t too powerful de facto. At least Elizabeth II was quite down to earth and an excellent lady. Charles III isn’t too bad either
Still more powerful than us. Do you have a palace with a bunch of red coat guards? Does everyone on the planet know you and your family? Do you still worry about money and retirement and providing for your family? Would your life be turned upside down if you lost your job and couldn’t find something for a few years?
You just described the majority of heads of state. Except for the fame part (everyone on the planet knowing someone, even then, the Commonwealth Royal Family aren’t the only famous family)
I think I gave you the wrong impression, I don’t think that. I just thought they might have strict rules and all that and his superiors might not be so kind to him.
This isn’t North Korea. If anything, his comrades would probably take the mick out of him
Nice.
Lemmy ahh comment.
Remember, kids, don’t lock your knees ~ someone who did marching band for years.
It was hot and he was wearing a bear on his head.
Þe Army teaches it, too.
This idiotic thing should be a crime against humanity, because it’s a crime against your “subjects”.
Fucking “monarchies”.
Happens in every army, monarchy or not.
Seriously I know a ton of guys who do MMA/Boxing and served in the military and they almost all told me their time in the military did the most damage and often it was parad shit that fucked them up. One guy had his first TBI fainting just like this guy and hitting the back of his head on the ground. Or it fucks up their knees and ankles. And no one watches that shit. There is no reason for it, it’s just there to entertain the dumb nepobabies that make ip the officer class.
I always thought military training was about improving people’s ability to fight for their country, not reduce it. And yet, it’s not the first time I’ve heard that kind of story.
Go read All Quiet on the Western Front it really showcases the real purpose of military training (no critical thinking, just obey) which hasn’t changed a lot since then.
The bootstraps people would tell you that it’s about “discipline and order, two things that are essential in a functional military”.
I love getting rid of my own braincells! Lack of then is essential in a functional military!
Military should have safety standard. Marching and falling over is too unsafe. They should only be sent into the heat of battle.
Marching is a highly efficient way to move large amounts of people.
Twirling your gun around isn’t though
Shit you don’t even have to join ROTC/military. You can just join band in high school and you’ll get your chance to watch kids drop. Cross country/track… football. When it’s hotter than hell and humid and your stacking pads and pushing yourself, some people just die.
I don’t think Americans understand quite how militaristic their society is.
Would you like to know more?™
Yeah it is but high school sports ain’t one of them, plenty of issues there otherwise
They don’t have Marching bands and flag shagging?
A kid fainted straight off the risers at my 3rd grade Christmas program
I’m talking about this picture, about the “royal guards”, a totally stupid idea in the 21th century. This is just more bullshit added to it.
Pretty sure every head of state in the world has military guards.
There’s worse things happening in Brazil.
Military parades are hardly monarchy-specific.
Off with their heads.
This looks like a screenshot from an early-2000s strategy game
It’s way older. This happened in the 70s or early 80s. It was at a time when Queen Elizabeth (the one on the horse) was still young enough to ride. And no, you don’t get disciplined when something like this happens.
Officially
Oh, I know
Heat?
Locked knees.
Absolutely it. Happened to me standing for a memorial service. Lots of stories from military where this happens, and “don’t lock your knees” is often taught first thing.
Does locked knees prevent you from falling backward or from passing out?
Locked knees causes you to pass out. If I understand it correctly, while standing around casually, you still move around a bit, which causes muscles in your legs to contract and relax, which squeezes your blood vessels and helps pump blood back up to your torso. If you lock your knees and stand perfectly still at attention, your leg muscles are no longer doing that, so blood pools in your legs and you grey out at 1G.
From my own experience in marching band, this is worse in hot weather. I think it’s because in hot weather you’re more likely to be dehydrated, so less water in your blood = less total volume of blood, and your capillaries dilate in an attempt to circulate blood closer to the skin = more volume in your circulatory system, == less blood pressure in the first place. I never once remember someone passing out during the winter. Happened a lot in the summer though.
Especially on 9/11/2002. Our genius principal decided we were going to have a memorial service on the one year anniversary of the attacks, with all students and faculty in attendance. There was one facility on campus that could seat all 1200 students and 120 faculty at once: The football stadium. And even then it was a tight squeeze to get everyone into the Home side bleachers…no worries though, we’ll put the 40 student JROTC and 120 student marching band in uniform on the field itself. They’ll play the national anthem at the beginning and then stand there at attention for the entire 45 minute pointless speech. In the direct sun on a hot and humid Carolina morning. 5 JROTC and 4 from the band passed out.
Sounds horrible. Up until graduating from highschool, year closing ceremonies were a big thing in schools in my country (Europe). So in some of the hottest days in June-July, you have kids dressed in cheap suits stand on hot concrete in the school’s court, sweating under the scorching sun. Always had somebody escorted out when feeling ill, luckily nothing as bad as falling over. But still, what a pointless thing
My graduation took place in that same stadium, on a morning in late May. We were all facing East, wearing suits, jackets and ties under cheap polyester smocks. What a farce the whole thing is.
weird thing, here we just go back to school to try to find our name on a list attached on a wall. Well now they check online
Europe isn’t a country
Your mom is a country.
why was your memorial service in November
Intentionally misinterpreting the date on a post that very clearly indicates both geographically and by major world event where it was posted from isn’t funny or quirky, it just makes you look like a jerk.
I’m sure you’re quite a lovely person, but please post like it.
From passing out. Locking knees can reduce blood flow
The trick is tense your leg muscles when standing at attention for long periods of time. Or subtly shift weight from one foot to the next.
Yes extreme heat plus those stupid outfits.
They’re going to be forced to current that uniform as climate change worsens.
Probably got written up for slacking off on the job too
Doubt it
Is someone forcing them to do that job?
no. They’re army veterans who usually take good pride in it.
They are an active regiment in the British Army. You’re probably confusing them with the Beefeaters, who wear an entirely different uniform, and are mostly ex-service persons.
Probably should have been more specific. Usually the guards are ones who have already been deployed and are coming to the end of their service. They are veterans, just not ex-servicemen.
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If it works like the recruiting works the same way in the US they where probably lied to/tricked.
I believe the king’s guard only recruits from enlisted veterans. They also have to have been deployed to an active warzone. In those terms, it’s both quite relaxed and an important position. The pomp and ceremony that visitors see is only a small part of their job.
That actually sounds like a much nicer option for veterans than the homelessness or underemployment they can experience in other countries.
It’s worth noting that their job has zero room for errors. They are expected to be basically invisible, outside of the ceremonial parts. They are also (I believe) authorised for live fire, at their own discretion.
They walk a political tightrope, and the last major fuck up I heard about was decades back now.
The King’s Guard is a rotation of one of 5 active front-line infantry regiments in the British Army.
Not quite, Royal Guards typically know what they were getting into - it’s a little more involved than just joining the military and being tricked into the position.
Same, mate. Same.
What’s up with the fake 'fros?
They’re bearskin hats. Just a tradition.
Poor bears.
The British army are/were looking into synthetic alternatives…
