h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

They would have to have been some very innovative Egyptians - completely different architecture. Besides, isn't the time wrong?

Have a good time boating!

No flamenco classes? Why? Can you meet up with a classmate instead?

I tried that one summer, but neither of us had the slave-driver temperament of our teacher - we made a few half-hearted attempts before giving up...

...and the only thing we could do was rehearse steps we already knew just to keep in shape, which gets a bit boring after a while - although we attend classes at advanced level, we're still not good enough to actually coreograph a whole new dance (like our teacher)... I'm glad I've reached far enough to actually being able to concentrate less on my feet, and more on interpreting the song, and trying to express some of the feelings...

I read the paper earlier - it had a break down of the Queens spending, well, I say the queen, it actually costs the tax payer money not her and her parasites. Out of the 35+million that the government spends on them out of our tax money that could be going into health or education, £78000 a year on alcohol (haven't got exact figures handy, can dig them out if anyone wants) £500 000 on marquee tents. (buy them instead of hiring them you daft bat)
£11 000 on new cutlery and crockery. (the last two are accurate give or take a fifty pound or two) . And my kids primary school want to spend money on celebrating the Jubilee (belatedadly I know I know). Hah.

As a matter of interest, and just to play devil's advocate, does anyone know how much other heads of state cost? And not just their salary. Transport, state dinners and all that palaver.

{[caer csd] I could be one for a very reasonable salary Hope you have a good time, Munchkin, its years since I did the narrowboat thing but I had a shiny brilliant time.}

[Amy]

Just had a quick Google and found this http://www.guardian.co.uk/theissues/article/0,6512,716637,00.html which is from the Guardian, a republican paper, but does admit that the profit generated by the Crown lands, which goes direct to the government, is actually more than what the government pays the Queen to represent them. Hmmm. I'll be interested to see what comes from this.

Munchers - I think the counter argument to that would go something like this:

The crown lands, if the monarchy was abolished, would end up belonging to the state. Thus the profits from them would belong to the state in either case, so you can't use them to offset the cost of the monarchy. In other words, if you abolish the monarchy, you no longer pay the cost, but you still get the profit from the crown lands.

[MTG]

[{Courtesy}]

Just in case anyone's interested, MR and her perfectly packed U-Haul left Missoula this morning. She expects to be in Irvine by Sunday or Monday.

Munchkin

Have a good trip.

Last time I went there Wadworths did a very hospitable trip round the brewery

And you'll need it as when you reach Devizes you will be either be celebrating finishing the caen hill flight or building yourself up to face it.

For those not familiar with the UK canals http://www.envf.port.ac.uk/kacanal/html/kac0043.htm

{[caer csd] It's not that long ago the Kennet and Avon was derelict and hardly held water.

FG, thanks for MR's update. I hate the process of moving, but still feel the urge from time to time.}

The crown lands were the private landholdings of the royal family. Admittedly ammassed using the whole massed authority of the throne, but still. They gifted the revenue from them to the govt in return for the civil list (which as has been said, is actually less). It's a bit harsh to renege. Why not just let them live off their lands? Give it back, but don't pay them a penny.

Getting rid of the monarchy in order to pinch their lands' revenue would put at risk the whole foundation of propertyholding as we know it. If the govt can break faith with the crown, whose little allotment plot is safe. Particularly in Britain where we have no constitution and a law code based on precedent.

Or so the loyalists would have it GL...

That should be "whose little allotment is safe, question mark" And I'm not sure about the whose either. Oh poo.

[c]

¶[LIL]
*have a good time, Munchers*

[Amy]

{[caer csd] Went up to Kingston (upon Thames, not Jamaica ) shopping. On the way we passed Sandown Racecourse, which had a sign up for Quilt Championships, needless (or needleless) to say various puns ensued of the 4 to 1 on for Logcabin in the Silver Thimble Stakes }

unkkers