The Martin WooHoodStock Thread

[Cagranosalis]

See that is where citizens in the US look at it differently. We saw the marriage as a "fairytale" romance not being aware of what actually goes on there. And many people here have a "fantasy" about royalty as well. I liked Diana but thought she was way too young and imature to marry Charles....who seemed way older than his years.

As for Charles - he has always been somewhat of a pathetic character here. Royalty but a "mommy's" boy having to do her bidding (which I know is natural in royal families - just giving the viewpoint of people here)! Camilla was the older woman who cheated on her spouse to have a long time affair with Charles so her character was less liked.

Then the sad and traggic death of Diana just made things worse. Personally - I would have had her live on. And Charles would finally get the balls to ask "mummy" if he could marry his true love. But not sure Camilla would have liked her being the "Princess" and she whatever title she would have gotten.

That just goes to show the power of the propaganda machine and how easy it can be to manipulate people's opinions of someone by reporting them in certain ways. Something the makers of Reality TV shows have taken to a whole other level, and why I won't watch them. It's one thing to assassinate the personality of a public figure (well, no, that's still not right but it's more understandable) but it's totally wrong to take a normal member of the public and make them a puppet of your media money making machine. And that's all reality TV does.
In either case, what we see (the public) about these people in the spotlight, is like an iceberg; we only see the tiny bit above water and not the whole, and that bit is magnified to the nth degree on the whim of a producer, and if the producer decides they're the class idiot / clown/ Mr Nasty the this is what we are sold. How can we teach our children tolerance and understanding... not to be bullies and bigots when our television programmes, newspapers and gossip magazines are getting fat on the profits of doing just that?

*looks around furtively*

Gosh... here's hoping that serious rant comment does't break GW. I think we're safe; it's not a Friday.

I've never understood the fascination with monarchies, frankly. Maybe if we had a monarchy I'd be fascinated by it, but I certainly don't feel the need to stay current on the goings on of other countries' monarchies. I'm just contrary, I guess. I'd much rather be fascinated by music, PTB, TV ... to each their own passion/fascination/obsession, I guess.

I always thought it was because we had our own that I never cared for anyone elses.
I'm not a royalist by any stretch, but I recognise the financial and emotional value of the institution and think, overall, they make a positive contribution to the country.

Sarai - this is the new blog created by Dan Shea in case you didn't see the notificatin on FB.

www.dsheastunts.blogspot.ca

Yay! Signing up for the updates on that.

[DutchIndeed]

You know that there's something wrong in the world when WooHoo posts get a) long and b) political.

I'm not fascinated with monarchies either. Living in one means that I get to see that Kings and Queens have faults and are by no means all worthy of the pedestal they're put on.
Having said that, there are many fun things about monarchies. Like the parties.
Though I'm sure I'd get arrested if I were to show up nekkid.

[Nolamom]

I think that goes without saying Nad, but think of how fun it wood be!

[Luvnjoe]

Aw, no nekkid parties for the Dutch (at least not public ones, heehee).

Yay for a Dan Shea blog!

[Sarai]

Sarai - this is the new blog created by Dan Shea in case you didn't see the notificatin on FB.

www.dsheastunts.blogspot.ca

Thanks Laurie, great pic on the first post !

[Jumble]

*flops on couch*

Well that's the OFSTED inspection over for another few years It wasn't bad. Didn't get the same one as last time (Yay!), instead got two nice ladies who, although still pointing out my failings regarding paperwork and the OFSTED Framework blah blah blah, did, in the end, tell me that I am obviously very gifted and intuitive when it comes to caring for children and so calm with them that they feel safe and loved Quote: "In the end, one only has to look at your children to see that they are thriving, and are very happy and content with you."

*takes a bow*

Oh wait! Isn't that what I've been telling them for years is the most important thing?

*goes to get a well-deserved cup of coffee*

[starlover]

*runs in*

Only a few days left of work!

I tried to go here the last few days...but got interrupted by RL every time

*flops on couch*

[Luvnjoe]

Wow. Rough night! Rotten kids didn't sleep, so neither did I.

[Jumble]

*hugs LJ for rough night*

*waves to Jann*

[EH-T]

She won't. She has far too strong a sense of duty, I think, and we have no tradition of abdication in favour of the next generation here like they do in Holland (isn't Beatrix the third successive monarch to do so?) In fact, she is probably anti-abdication even more than most, given her experience with Edward VIII doing so and plunging her father into the job when she was a child. There's very strong anti-abdication sentiment in our Royal family, it's just not the done thing.

Charles will undoubtedly take on more duties as she gets older, and of course there is precedence for some kind of regency should she get too infirm to keep going, but I'd be amazed if she actually abdicated. I'm sure she's on the record more than once talking about the monarchy being a "job for life".



Lovely story

You are spot on. Elizabeth II is also the Queen of Canada so we do follow what goes on. It is her absolute sense of duty that will prevent her from abdicating (although past history plays a role). I view that as a trait to be admired. One of the reasons that I still favour the Queen as our official head of state rather than some nitwit politician. We have enough of those thank you very much.

Love the AFA art Jumble!

As for abdication...
I think that if you compare the UK Royals to the Dutch Royals, you'll find that there's a far stronger sense of tradition, period. The way we deal with them is quite a bit different anyway. In the UK, (from what we see here) the monarch has a far stronger symbolic meaning. The Queen comes across as a big status symbol in a nation that isn't afraid to honour in big patriotic display. That's huge and it wouldn't be very fitting to say 'enough with the banners and air shows, I quit!''
But here, the Monarch is someone who must be human and who is expected to ride her bike trough the village after retirement. When we officially celebrate our Queen, we all dress like orange idiots, while our entire Royal family is in a village somewhere where the Crown Prince tosses toilets on a lawn on national TV while his brothers play soccer with the local FC. (True story). Our Queen is seen as 'one of the people' who can work hard and then retire.



I saw a few of TV items about this and it's very nice. Especially because Beatrix' sister, Princes Margriet was born during their time in Ottawa. She didn't get the Canadian nationality because they declared the hospital to not be Canadian territory for a while.
But she is considered to be the most friendly one in the family.

I am familiar with the story of her birth, in fact at the Tulip Festival I think the whole story is displayed on plaques. Not surprised she's the most friendly.

[Cagranosalis]

*flops on couch*

Well that's the OFSTED inspection over for another few years It wasn't bad. Didn't get the same one as last time (Yay!), instead got two nice ladies who, although still pointing out my failings regarding paperwork and the OFSTED Framework blah blah blah, did, in the end, tell me that I am obviously very gifted and intuitive when it comes to caring for children and so calm with them that they feel safe and loved Quote: "In the end, one only has to look at your children to see that they are thriving, and are very happy and content with you."

*takes a bow*

Oh wait! Isn't that what I've been telling them for years is the most important thing?

*goes to get a well-deserved cup of coffee*

Yay! Well done. See you just need to have the right people with the right attitude to see beyond the silliness.

And something else to make you happy... look what I found in Sainsbury's today:

Apparently the latest thing is calls for mandatory drug testing in all jobs. Apparently to dissuade people from taking drugs. Er, surely that would just dissuade drug takers from getting jobs?

[llp]

You know that there's something wrong in the world when WooHoo posts get a) long and b) political.

I'm not fascinated with monarchies either. Living in one means that I get to see that Kings and Queens have faults and are by no means all worthy of the pedestal they're put on.
Having said that, there are many fun things about monarchies. Like the parties.
Though I'm sure I'd get arrested if I were to show up nekkid.

I do agree with what you say..... I don't go gaga over royalty - I just find their behavior fascinating. That in today's world they get away with things that - well frankly it is their money more than anything that allows for that. Money taken from the very poor backs of their people centuries ago. Personally - I think they should return a lot of it to the UK - the country could use a financial boast right now! Pay them for their jobs and then let it be...... however, not going to happen! Your country has a much more civilized approach to the royal family. After all - they are still only just people who won the gene pool lottery!

You are spot on. Elizabeth II is also the Queen of Canada so we do follow what goes on. It is her absolute sense of duty that will prevent her from abdicating (although past history plays a role). I view that as a trait to be admired. One of the reasons that I still favour the Queen as our official head of state rather than some nitwit politician. We have enough of those thank you very much.

Hmmm you could be right there - we have quite a few of those nitwits in the US Congress right now. Or at least in the old Congress - not sure how many got re-elected. More than should have!

[llp]

Yay! Well done. See you just need to have the right people with the right attitude to see beyond the silliness.

And something else to make you happy... look what I found in Sainsbury's today:

Apparently the latest thing is calls for mandatory drug testing in all jobs. Apparently to dissuade people from taking drugs. Er, surely that would just dissuade drug takers from getting jobs?

Hmmm! What - obviously someone doesn't eat their veggies! Broccoli is a good leafy green veggie!

BTW - a powdered custurd? What is that like?

[llp]

And for JUMBLE - a very big congrats to you! Although I didn't expect anything less from you. I've seen the way you train you wards - nicely done!

[Cagranosalis]

Personally - I think they should return a lot of it to the UK - the country could use a financial boast right now! Pay them for their jobs and then let it be...... however, not going to happen!

Never mind the monarchy, it's the thieving bar steward low life politicians that need to stop paying themselves way more than they deserve and we'd be in a lot better state.

BTW - a powdered custurd? What is that like?

It's lovely when it'd mixed up, having the added bonus of you being able to control who much fat and sugar you add yourself. It's how custard (unless you're actually making it from scratch) used to be made before we all got lazy and bought it ready made.