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

So I wonder if our disgust at having a government who can, fairly unfetteredly, put their plans into action is a sort of control freakishness.

My disgust is all about the plans they are putting into action

The jubilee doesn't mean anything to me, I'm glad Spiller has an extra day off and gets to spend the week down here for the price of three days off

Jwf,

As you mention the whirled, I thought generally, so I couldn´t help thinking of the elite that is ruling the whole whirled, and you know as well as me which is that entity: The unbriddled finantial sector. Politicians are no more than the evangelists of their God Market.

Some arguments pro the Monarchy:

- Never mind the monarchy , most politicians have privileges too and abuse the power.

- The monarchy is the price we have to pay to show off our economic power. A country without this anachronism is like a house without an old, useless and expensive decorative object. It´d be too plain. It would say nothing of a glorious past…

Con:
Privileges must end. All of them. A country must have an effective democratic system where all are represented.
If, once we get over this Post-Democratic period we are living now, society demands a venerable figure that represents the virtus of the collective, let´s consensuate it. Let´s choose it according to the values we, the citizen decide.

....
I wonder which are the values that the British Monarchy represents.

Films can´t be trusted. Helen Mirren is great, but the film depicts the Monarchy in a simplistic way.

And the King´s Speech... a distortion of history.

I'm rather conflicted about the whole thing, to be honest.

Part of me rejects the anachronistic spectacle as irrelevant to modern life, modern politics, and a having no place in a fully democratic society.

Another part of me loves the anachronistic spectacle simply because it is anachronistic. Is it irrelevant in the modern world? Absolutely. Is it a strange and bizarre set of outmoded rituals and obsequiousness? Totally. This is however, what charms me about it.

I suppose it's a head/heart thing. My head says, "This is all so strange, and pointless"; and my heart says, "This IS strange and pointless. Brilliant, isn't it?"

I guess I just love weird things. And the monarchy is incredibly weird.


Geggs

Oooh, what you said, Geggs. Really. I shouldn't try to justify it really.

*Stands down the inclusiveness argument*

Hey! Look what I found: Republican Street Parties!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Republican-Street-Parties-For-The-Queens-Jubilee-Year-2012/115252035223900

I've realised another reason why I'm feeling pretty positive about the Jubilee and it's to do with the use of the Union flag, a national symbol, rather than QEII's personal standard, an avowedly royalist one. To me that makes it a national, inclusive celebration and we don't have many of those: the closest we really come is Remembrance Sunday which isn't a celebration.

It was going down Leeds Road in Bradford and seeing a mosque draped with Union flags that made me realise this and it warmed the cockles of my heart.

Well, we’ve got her and long may she reign (I nearly spelt that wrong, I don’t think folk would care for a Queen, if everywhere she went, it rained).

Better than having a president any day, especially a French one (OOPS, not good for French / Anglo relations)

+ Bees have a Queen, you never see them in your garden debating whether to kick poor old Queeny out

"When we say the queen works hard - Does the head of state in Britain work harder than the heads of state in France, Germany, or the USA?" [KB]

The Queen of England works *with* the heads of state of a wide number of nations. She reassures them on some points, urges them to action on other points, and keeps her country's interests at the front of her mind throughout. She is the "First Reader" for all classified documents. She reads them thoroughly. When important foreign guests visit, she shows them to their rooms personally. She goes through guest lists at banquets herself, and makes sure people are comfortable. If people try to engage her in conversation on political matters, she tactfully steers them to people who can oblige them.

There are people who think Fate has put the right person into the right job.

Well said that Yank!
I count myself among those who believe thusly.

~jwf~

There's something I'm confused about. According to Wikipedia Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in February. So why is the Jubilee in May/June?



~*~Kings do not need to be popular. That is the true
advantage they have over politicians.~*~

Kings most certainly DO need to be popular. Just look at what happens when they aren't.

Her father died in Feb 1952 and she immediately
became the queen but the official coronation was
not held until the next year.

2012 is the 60th anniversary from 1952 but ceremonies
are being held in May&June for reasons of finer weather.

The crowds won`t come out in February the way they do in June.


-jwf-

Post 67

By latest reports, the crowds are going to get pretty wet, too.

So we feel pretty strongly then. Literally fair weather monarchists?



Sadly not really an option in 2112.

PP.

~*~So we feel pretty strongly then. Literally fair weather monarchists?~*~

Apparently Del Boy thinks it's lovely.

Ah, a prog rock classic. Don't remember the bit about kings, though.

Anybody watching the Thames pageant on the gogglebox ?

Anybody actually there ?

I want to know which boat/ ship, what ever there called, won the race and as for that sad shower at the end that were trying to sing (screeching, comes to mind)

They are saying that one and a quarter million persons
lined the banks. I hope this won't further contribute
to their collapse. Even at a conservative average of
100 pounds-per, that's well over a hundred million
pounds.

~jwf~

We walked along the river to Battersea Park for the Festival there. The atmosphere by the river was great. Couldn't hang though. Two small children to sprint this way and that after. The Park was a tad blighted by rain, but all the stuff there was amusing. Building the Queen's face out of biscuits! A kiss the Queen competition! Learning to foxtrot by the bandstand. A Faberge egg and spoon race! Rained out in the end though.