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Finally, after wearing ladies clothing for the last 500 years..

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
...An actual woman becomes a Beefeater...

:)

Wrath of the Beefeaters after a woman is appointed to their ranks
3rd January 2007

For more than 500 years, it has been a man's life in the Beefeaters.

While chomping on sirloin, wearing funny outfits and guarding the Crown Jewels, the Yeoman Warders have proudly maintained their tradition as one of the last preserves of masculinity.

This year, however, an unwelcome wind of change will blow through the Tower of London after the decision to appoint the first female Beefeater in history.

The unnamed senior NCO in the Armed Forces beat five men to the job and will commence her duties in the summer.

So are her new colleagues celebrating? Not on your life.

Staff at the Tower revealed yesterday that the woman's impending arrival has caused deep dissatisfaction and there are mutterings about sacrificing tradition on the altar of political correctness.

One member of staff, who wished to remain unnamed for fear of losing his position, said:

"It's ruffled more than few feathers. The guards aren't happy that a woman will join them. There was uproar when she was first interviewed a few months ago."

Though Beefeaters on duty declined to comment directly on the appointment yesterday, many pointedly refused to welcome the news.

While civilian female staff have worked in the Tower as warders for years, none has been allowed to join the distinctive Yeomen who patrol daily, acting as tourist guides.

Officials at the Tower insisted yesterday that they had chosen the woman because she was "simply the best candidate".

A spokesman for the Historic Royal Palaces said that the new recruit was yet to sign her contract, but she had accepted the position informally and they hoped to be able to set a start date at the end of the week.

All 35 Beefeaters must be former senior NCOs from the Army, RAF or Royal Marines.

They need to have served Queen and Country for a minimum 22 years and must hold long-service and good-conduct medals.

The lady recruit will be paid £20,000 a year and enjoy perks including a subsidised apartment in the Tower, plus tips.

Other female staff have welcomed the change. One warder in the White Tower said: "They've had it coming to them. They have been fighting this for years now because they didn't believe it was a woman's job.

"I think that it's great that a woman has succeeded in breaking through their ranks - it's high time. Women are allowed to work everywhere else in the Tower."

Beefeaters date back to 1485, when Henry VII formed a bodyguard after his victory in Bosworth, and are thought to have got their name from their generous daily ration of meat.

Recruits must learn the Tower's history by heart to answer questions posed by two million visitors a year.
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Not related, but I was watching a DiscoveryHD program about Greenland last nite. Apparently when the vikings settled the place, it was, on average, about 3 degrees warmer there then, than it is today. I wonder how that plays into this whole "global warming" thing since Ive never heard that brought up before. Anyone got any info?
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Not related, but I was watching a DiscoveryHD program about Greenland last nite. Apparently when the vikings settled the place, it was, on average, about 3 degrees warmer there then, than it is today. I wonder how that plays into this whole "global warming" thing since Ive never heard that brought up before. Anyone got any info?
nope... but could make for a fun afternoon of google research for some one.
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Well N8, if they cant disprove it, than it proves once and for all that Global Warming is a farce.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
56,430
22,517
Sleazattle
Not related, but I was watching a DiscoveryHD program about Greenland last nite. Apparently when the vikings settled the place, it was, on average, about 3 degrees warmer there then, than it is today. I wonder how that plays into this whole "global warming" thing since Ive never heard that brought up before. Anyone got any info?
I'm just guessing here but local climates, especially islands, depend a lot on ocean currents. A modest change in the gulf stream could easily make Greenland cool 3 degrees yet global averages actually go up. Since currents like the gulf steam are largely driven by temperature differentials general warming or cooling could cause the opposite affects on a regional scale.
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
I'm just guessing here but local climates, especially islands, depend a lot on ocean currents. A modest change in the gulf stream could easily make Greenland cool 3 degrees yet global averages actually go up. Since currents like the gulf steam are largely driven by temperature differentials general warming or cooling could cause the opposite affects on a regional scale.
Well from what I gathered, the temp has been down there for the last couple hundred years, which is why it was never re-settled very much. But with all the news about "Greenland's Glaciers" showing some of the most telltale signs of global warming recently, it's just a bit confusing. Wouldnt those glaciers have melted more back then, than today?
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
56,430
22,517
Sleazattle
Well from what I gathered, the temp has been down there for the last couple hundred years, which is why it was never re-settled very much. But with all the news about "Greenland's Glaciers" showing some of the most telltale signs of global warming recently, it's just a bit confusing. Wouldnt those glaciers have melted more back then, than today?
I think glaciers aren't a good sign of average temperature but more of average summer temps. A colder winter isn't going to make a glacier any bigger but a warmer summer will increase melting, so wider temp swings will cause more glacial retreat. So I'm just guessing but they could have had warmer average temperatures but cooler summers and warmer winters.