I’ve said it before here many times, and I’ll say it again: Americans fawning over British royalty makes no sense. Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years on a pointless throne should mean nothing to a nation founded on the principle that monarchies should not exist.
Here is what I would rather celebrate for the Queen’s “jubilee,” a genuine British talent worth my bow …
“There never was a throne which did not represent a crime.”
– Mark Twain
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124 Responses to No Queen for Me (Except Adele)
Now on The Trail
another “genuine British talent” worth several bows
Pat,
Terrific choice! Watching gave me a chuckle all over again..Love Maggie and Downton Abbey..
Her majesty’s a pretty nice girl but she doesn’t have a lot to say.
Her majesty’s a pretty nice girl but she changes from day to day.
I wanna tell her that I love her a lot but I gotta get a belly full of wine.
Her majesty’s a pretty nice girl, someday I’m gonna make her mine.
Oh yeah, someday I’m gonna make her mine.
--macca
Reality shows ARE reality. Television reality.
Craig, you’re partially correct. She’s the titular head of a constitutional monarchy--a far cry from the govt headed by the idiot GIII. And, her presence here is great for our small business people and charities while doing no lasting harm. Besides, she’s made of the right stuff.
And, FWIW, Americans fawned over King Farouk and Haile Selassie.
This Republican Economy
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Nancy Pelosi On Hillary Clinton 2016 Bid: ‘Why Wouldn’t She Run?’ By Chris Gentilviso
Oh, Craig, some of my family has been here since the 1630s. As time passed, only one that I can find, remained loyal to the crown. Times change.
The British monarchy today is just about fluff & tradition that translates into tourist dollars and TV ratings. Blame Disney & all their princesses for instilling interest in a family that has little more substance than those animated figures. I’m all about the shiny and the pretty.
Want to be disgusted by something, be disgusted by China.
“According to law such words cannot be shown.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/odd-twist-china-stock-index-evokes-crackdown-16488755
How to become Queen in one easy lesson.
My queen for the day.
speaking of long serving queens
Apparently the National Review Online does not agree with free speech. I guess they only publish comments that agree with their viewpoint. I commented on the following article and never was informed of an error but my comment never appeared.
Romney Adviser: Romney Took Massachusetts From Last in Job Creation to 30th
By Katrina Trinko, June 3, 2012 1:03 PM
My Comment to the National Review Online that never made it:
What BS!
Mitt Romney a job creator? I think NOT! From a FactCheck.org. They have a lot better track record of being correct than either Romney pundits Ohio governor John Kasich or Eric Fehrnstrom.
http://www.factcheck.org/2012/01/romneys-shaky-job-claims/
Romney’s Shaky Job Claims
Posted on January 5, 2012 , Updated on January 6, 2011
Mitt Romney has taken to saying that he created more than 100,000 net jobs through his work in the private sector, and more jobs as governor than President Obama has created since taking office. But the first claim is unproven, and the second is misleading.
Unlike Obama, Romney took office during an economic uptick. Massachusetts had a net job growth of 1.4 percent under Romney. However, that was far slower growth than the national average of 5.3 percent. As Romney’s opponents have frequently, and correctly, noted, Massachusetts ranked 47th in job growth over the entirety of Romney’s term. The only states that did worse: Louisiana, Michigan and Ohio.
I really like Adele too. But one loves what ones loves.
I never have and never will apologize for being a sports fan. IMO, Britophiles (or whatever they’re called) shouldn’t have to apologize for loving all things British either. We are allies and friends after all.
For myself… I’m not into monarchy stuff. I did watch a bit of the royal wedding… but didn’t watch any of what took place this past weekend. Those that did watch… hope you had a good time.
oh yeah… and talking about Brits and reality tv…
tonight is the start of season 10 for Hell’s Kitchen and the 3rd season for MasterChef. I just luv me that foul mouthed crazy Brit, Gordon Ramsey…
Just use Britain as an example, coming out of a recession implement austerity with out stimulus and you get a double dip recession.
Battle Of Britain – Krugman vs. Austerity Proponents
Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger, June 3, 2012
Nobel laureate Paul Krugman takes down a fat cat Tory donor and a Tea Party Tory MP on BBC Newsnight, admonishing their austertity lust and cuts hunger.
As the hopeless Anglophile in the group, I was glued to the Thames procession, will be listening on line to the Concert from the palace on BBC Radio 2 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jg7f4 and will be watching the Service tomorrow morning.
Given the state of our politics, there are mornings when I wake up and wonder if she will say “all is forgiven, come home”
except their politicians can be worse than ours if a tad more entertaining from this side of the pond.
Oh and I’ve been keeping an eye on the lady for a long time: A Dress Remembered
So if you take the monarchy away, what of interest remains for jolly ole England? No Wills, Kate, Andy, Diana, Charles and Camilla, changing of the guard at BP, … They couldn’t buy their way onto the evening news without the monarchy.
If you like Maggie Smith, don’t miss “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”. The movie has a great cast and is lots of fun.
What about Prince Harry though? Goddamn I love a redhead, especially one so predisposed to shenanigans.
Julia
That redhead is turning into quite a good man after all the shenanigans. His African charity where he is really hands on is doing some wonderful work.
Craig, Don’t forget that at the time of the revolution only about a third of the people were in favor of it. Kind of like today: 1/3 in favor, 1/3 against and the rest in the middle just trying to get on with their lives. We didn’t even get around to an election for 14 years after the Declaration and 12 years after that the issue was still in doubt enough for the British to take DC and burn down the Executive Mansion.
OD
Another great Dame in that movie: Judi Dench. It may be her last role or close to because of losing her sight and retiring.
oh please the very idea is sickening, that anyone by right of birth lives off the public dole and parades around the world like they matter. it glorifies an institution that should not exist anywhere, especially in other places where they do real harm
Oh yeah, Jamie. He seems like he has a good heart and is learning from his mistakes, he’s just been living in a fishbowl all his life (and appears to take up after Prince Philip, foot-in-mouth-wise).
But the entertainment value, Craig! THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE! You’re really missing the big picture here!
(sarcasm, in case that wasn’t readily apparent)
Craig,
And how is that any different from those born to extreme wealth anywhere. At least the Royals have a sense of noblesse oblige unlike entitled American brats living off the trust funds while shoving coke up their noses and buying their way out of rape charges. It isn’t what you have, it’s what you do with it that counts.
geeez, Craig… I don’t know which one of you is more adamant… you with your diatribes against the British royals… or Solar with his diatribes against religion.
The Brits LOVE their royalty. Whenever surveys or polls are taken, the Brits vote in overwhelming favor for it.
It’s their country… and if they want to pay taxes to up keep their royalty, what the hell do I care.
craig, yeah like those kennedys and bushes
Next thing you’ll tell us is that it is sickening for someone to fly around the world acting like they are president of the YouKnightedStates when they didn’t even receive half of the votes cast -- like that could ever happen (oh … wait…) HAH!!!
btw, Renee, great efforts by the Celts the last couple of games (last night was a squeaker, though…)
At least the royals pay their taxes which is more than you can say for our billionaires and their gilded age pocketbooks passing laws to scrounge for every last dime they can bleed from the middle class.
The Royals, the Kardashians kind of the same
And we love Adele here at the Cracker Household…even Mr. Cracker who hasn’t liked much since Jerry Garcia died
well despite complaints about the French at least they had the sense to behead their royals and end it for good
Boy Tony Blair’s legacy -- Shrub’s poodle and the man who saved the monarchy
And the French haven’t been worth a sou since.
a bit of queen envy?
http://www.npr.org/2012/06/04/154264464/bill-clinton-campaigns-as-obama-s-no-1-surrogate
Besides Big Wow!! Tom Jones can still sing up a storm.
pogo… it was a great game up til we watched. We went to bed after the third quarter. I’m sure it ended close to midnight. If the Celtics win a 3rd game… we will stay up to watch the next one no matter what time it ends.
yeah, Craig… the French also have better cheese, wine, and teeth…
Craig, you might like Alison Jackson’s photography. She uses royal family look-alikes and stages pics and videos with them doing questionable stuff (there’s one of ‘QE2′ on the toilet reading the paper, for example). Her pics have a grainy, seedy, taken-by-hidden-paparazzi quality that gives them a very realistic feel.
warning: some pics/videos are not work safe
http://www.alisonjackson.com/category/royals/
On Talk of the Nation today there was a great little segment on summer jobs for teens. Several things stood out, if you live in the mid-west, rocky mountain states you’ll have a pretty good chance of nailing down a summer job. If you live in a big eastern metropolitan areas, if you don’t have the basic skills to make yourself understood (answering phones), if you are all pierced/and or tattooed up, you’ll be hard pressed to find work. To further complicate the process with so many older citizens out there who are also looking for work this cuts into the chances of a teen finding summer work. The reason is simple, older workers tend to be better employees, they are more reliable, and they tend to stay around. The last 2 summers were the worst in history, this summer looks no better.
40 years ago during the summer there was a large summer jobs market, employers from June through August would hire about 4% more employees than they employed hired in the late spring of that year. In the last 4 years that figure has dropped to less than 1%.
Careful pogo,
That includes both George W. in 2000 and Bill Clinton in 1992.
Fun Tweets: “Every Time Reince Priebus Denies There’s a #GOP #WarOnWomen, an Angel Gets a Medically Unnecessary Transvaginal Ultrasound”
Three weeks from tomorrow I’m going to see the Kansas City Royals. But, that’s not the same as the British Royals.
oh… I don’t know Corey…
lots of people think the British Royals are a little bits “bats” and that Prince Harry has a lot of “balls”…
Corey
the Brit royals and the KC Royals have a lot in common. Mainly that they are both a bunch of losers and they’ve been so for years.
Jack
Dreaming of a Superhero
By MAUREEN DOWD
.
Barack Obama, Barney Frank, Economics, and a Map
by Taylor Marsh
Tony,
Marsh’s continuing thesis seems predicated on the last sentence of the last paragraph of the quote you provided.
In that sentence is the statement that Obama and his administration parroted republican economics which is absolute drivel, as are the rest of the assumptions driving the conclusions in Marsh’s piece.
Flatus,
I don’t agree with your assessment of the Marsh piece..I think the President parroted Republican economics when he continued the Bush tax cuts..I don’t know if that’s what Taylor bases her thesis on but its what i was thinking..
Russ Feingold: Key To Beating Scott Walker Is Getting Democratic Turnout Higher Than 2010
Amanda Terkel
Can Merkel Be Moved?
by Robert Kuttner
Bill Clinton said what?
Praising Trump and Romney shores up his standing with investor-class donors even as it hurts the president
BY JOAN WALSH
Oh man, President Clinton likes Trump, oh stop! Trump is a nut BIRTHER!!! Bill please chose someone else to like and play golf with, really..
George Washington fought the British and eventually became sort-of American royalty…my ancestors fought him when he personally commanded US troops against farmers in the infamous Whiskey Rebellion.
I love Adele, too.
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/adele_wore_four_pairs_of_spanx_at_8h06b39RaXP28n5REF03WO
the english lopped off a royal head as well…..the head which replaced the royal one was such a pain in the ass they brought back another royal one.
Turning Our Backs on Unions
By JOE NOCERA
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/05/wisconsin-recall-scott-walker-tom-barrett-final-pitch_n_1569558.html?ref=canada
Europe’s Fade Becomes Drag on Sales for U.S. Companies
By NATHANIEL POPPER
more from huffpo article above
Bill Clinton: Romney Presidency Would Be Calamitous For The World
by Zeke Miller
Pat,
Pretty powerful statement by Barrett! Teachers being shaken by the likes of a Koch funded Governor..Its an orchestrated Republican attack on unions that’s been going on since Reagan…Oh man, if Walker keeps his job today it will be so sad!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303640104577440390966357830.html
“aren’t fighting hard enough for their interests” sounds like same argument some have with the prez.
From the piece Pat posted,
As a UAW member and GM worker from the age of 18, i can relate to this sentiment! The UAW in large part has become a company union..The needs of the company seem paramount!! The contract is still the best thing going and you do have rights you would never have without the union..Still, having watched over time, unions have bowed to the company, yes Pat in the same way President Obama has bowed time after time to the Republican’s..
Tony, what is better for our country? Having a president who can say, ‘time after time I, in good faith, have acceded to republican requests in an effort to gain traction in our negotiations recognizing that the only way to achieve progress is through a negotiated solution.’ or ‘FU, it’s my way or the highway!’
So far as Mr Clinton is concerned, no one is going to put words into his mouth. He will do his best to get Democrat Obama reelected while doing everything possible to build financial support for his wife’s 2016 candidacy. Face it, he loves his country and his wife more than his president.
from salon this morning:
With both sides counting on dramatic turnout, Tom Barrett’s campaign is charging Scott Walker supporters with dirty tricks. In an e-mail sent to supporters last night, Barrett for Wisconsin Finance Director Mary Urbina-McCarthy wrote, “Reports coming into our call center have confirmed that Walker’s allies just launched a massive wave of voter suppression calls to recall petition signers.” According to Urbina-McCarthy, the message of the calls was: “If you signed the recall petition, your job is done and you don’t need to vote on Tuesday.”
http://www.salon.com/2012/06/05/nasty_robo_calls_in_wisconsin/
What people hypnotized by they anti-union rhetoric need to remember is that when labor becomes cheap, life becomes cheap. Without a solid, purchasing middle class, the nation sinks into poverty with a few at the top and the masses easily dispensable down below with their wages constantly undercut by the lowest bidder.
Of course it is a delicate balance when there are so many billions in 3rd world nations who want to have the comforts of a middle class and the world will remain in turmoil unless technology can figure out a way to achieve some sort of balance without blowing us all to smithereens.
tony, for you with love
one more for tony
and one for me
I could be wrong, but I believe the union issue -- at least as far as it is about public employees -- stems from two issues: 1. democratic influence on union members in the voting process and 2. the costs of pension and benefit programs negotiated by the unions that exceed those for non-unionized public employees. Only (2) is ever mentioned by ‘can’t govs, and (1) is probably as important to them if not more so than (2) is. I saw an interesting fact on the Ed show last night -- Walker got $1M of his war chest from just 3 donors and 2/3 of his money came from out of state. I’m guessing that the ‘can’ts are holding out hope that they can carry WI in the fall if Walker is still gov.
And as far as Queen goes, Paul Rogers is great, but he’s no Freddie Mercury.
Republicans practicing voter suppression — boy howdy am I NOT surprised
For weeks the goops have been crowing about the Walker lead — not so close now and it looks like the labor unions have provided the support the stupid national democratic has not
I think Walker goes down and in any case no more majority in the state legislature for the Koch puppet
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/06/04/no-queen-for-me-except-adele/#comment-290503
Flatus,
Terrific post and i thank you..
I have said here many times that i do think re-electing President Obama is electing the “Lesser of two evils”..I wish i viewed the President’s complete capitulations to the Republican’s the way you do but alas i have paid way to much attention..
Also since I’m not a Democrat i don’t feel the need to advocate for the President..My final straw with President Obama, yep i voted for him was when he put together a “Grand Bargain” and offered up cuts to SS and Medicare!!.http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-chait/91941/obama-still-wants-cut-terrible-deal That’s a total betrayal of everything i was raised to believe Democrats would draw the line at doing! Lets tell sanitation workers, waitresses,cleaners like myself and millions of other hard labor workers they have to keep working till 70, shameful! I also wish i could call what the President does with Republican’s negotiations, hell he negotiates with himself long before he gets to the negotiating table..Still a President Obama is much better than a President Romney that much is true! Hopefully i will have a third party choice but if i don’t I may have to vote for Obama again as i don’t want Romney to win Florida..I won’t be enthusiastic about voting for Obama again though, no way and i will continue to post pieces that will make partisans be they Republican or Democrats cringe..
Loved your words about President Clinton and i so totally agree..Love Bill, he’s the best President ever and he truly made a HUGE difference for the good in my life!
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/06/04/no-queen-for-me-except-adele/#comment-290506
Pat,
Thanks so much for the lovely (BAZ) union videos!
Made me smile..I come from Flint, Michigan birthplace of the UAW and i have long known the history..Unions are vital and i wish we could get them back along with a burgeoning middle class..Lov right back at you…
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/06/04/no-queen-for-me-except-adele/#comment-290505
Jamie,
Excellent, just excellent, especially today with the Walker re-call election going on..
“the english lopped off a royal head as well…..the head which replaced the royal one was such a pain in the ass they brought back another royal one.” -Pogo @6:45 am
Harald (Harefoot) -- beheaded postumously and tossed into the Thames
Harald (Bad News) II dissected at Stamford Bridge
Harald (Godwinson) III -- shot with an arrow
Wm. (Rufus) II -- shot with an arrow (mistaken for a pheasant)
Richard (weaselheart) I -- shot with an arrow
Edward II -- ? procto with red hot iron ?
Richard II -- ? starved to death ?
Richard III -- dissected at Bosworth Field
Charles II -- decapitated
Tony,
You and I agree on all the important things and that’s the way it should be.
WSJ Reveals Romney Emails Showing Support for Health Care Mandate
by Taylor Marsh
http://craigcrawford.com/2012/06/04/no-queen-for-me-except-adele/#comment-290516
Flatus,
Yep we do! Lov you MR!
xr, you forgot mary stuart (took two blade swipes to decapitate -- scots can be sooo stubborn)
jamie, no offense intended
Ooh, I read that book when I was 8-yo. Mary, Queen of Scots. The execution scene was _most_ graphic.
flatus, did it include mention of the poor doggie that had hidden in her skirts and wouldn’t leave the body?
There’s a certain symmetry here. The first and last were beheaded, and the second and second to last were dissected.
Of course, George V was assassinated by his physician, Lord Dawson of Penn, using a fatal injection of cocaine and morphine sulphate.
The King’s death was hastened in order to prevent him from dying after midnight, when the first reports would come from the evening trash-news outlets -- the equivalents of the fox news.
Anti-union rhetoric (anti-worker) is just a diversion by the goopers to try to blame others for their poor policies..next they will be blaming the Jews
Patd,
Are you sure that wasn’t Ma Barker?
Pat, I did not include foreign monarchs, otherwise I might have had to add Brian Boru -- dissected at Clontarf, James(the Scot) IV -- dissected at Flodden Field, James (Scot) I -- dissected in a sewer under The Black Friar Monastery of Perth, James (Scot) II -- self-inflicted cannon wound.
Those Scottish Jameses were a caution.
Hmmm. I think I mean dissected, not disected. Sorry.
xr, foreign? there were some who tho’t she was the true heir to the english throne… enough of em to worry liz the 1st into rather ungracious behavior in that regard
Elizabth II has been one of the best British monarchs. She and her parents were wonderful.
Unfortunately, she has children, grandchildren, and cousins who are no better than ultra-wealthy trailer trash.
After her, the deluge.
Pat,
Foreigner. By place of birth, ancestory, religion, language, and temperment, Mary was every bit as foreign as George I.
She had a 3/4 English grandmother.
Liz was worried about a Catholic rising. Burley and Walsingham probably exaggerated the Catholic threat to justify their enormous paychecks and payrolls. Credible or not, the thought of a second Bloody Mary (or of a Philip II) must have had most of the English in a knee-jerk panic.
Catholics were the yellow peril, fifth column, red menace, and Islamofascist threat of the day.
I’m off to slaughter and spit the aurochs.
craig, black adder to wind up the regal regaling
Oh, come on, Craig, don’t tell me you weren’t fawning over Renly Baratheon.
Hash tag to watch on Twitter #wirecall It moves really fast, but lots of variety from all sides.
The dollars behind the Wisconsin Recall. Definitely some rancid right wing deep doo doo.
XR, I’ve been falsely accused (I think); I don’ know nuthin’ bout no lopping off of Royal heads (or if I do, I can’t remember that I do).
ZOMG!! A rare transit of Venus across the sun, not to be seen again until 2117!
…and it’s cloudy, today. : (
Champ…
you can watch the transit of Venus on your computer here:
http://www.nasa.gov/
A million apologies, Pogo. I am covered with rue.
A million apologies, Sturgeone. I am covered with rue.
Ah, crap. I missed the transit of Venus, and now I’ll have to wait until I am 170 years old to see it. And then it’ll prolly be cloudy. Ah, crap.
I must have mixed you two guys up, cuz you’re both such good-looking, brilliant, musicians, and law masters.
And, funny.
Given the cost of a college education and Governors such as Walker, why would anyone in their right mind become a teacher? Won’t be long before we have a Tennessee Ernie Ford sing a long -- 16 hour days, tenement tied to job, and food from the company store. Can’t afford to live and can’t afford to die.
Just not to be too depressing, my favorite Tennessee Ernie songs to go with one of my favorite movies
Thanks, Renee, but it’s just not the same… Wait, a break in the clouds, lemme see what I can see with my naked eye.
Auuuugh! Sweet Renly, my eyes!!!! Curses to the old Gods, and the New!
Doom looms.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/milky-way-collide.html
Fortunately, the hidden hand of the market will save us. HAHAHAAHA.
watch the transition of venus live here (8-hour show from the university of new mexico)
http://events.slooh.com/
XR
Given modern medicine, I am hopeful of more than 100. With a little Heinlein cloning and brain transplant, maybe 3,000 years. Four billion? Not so much, but I’ll alert the great grandchildren just in case.
jamie, sounds like some of the old staff jobs on the hill.
Even though this takes place in Chicago, it probably speaks volumes about why today’s vote in Wisconsin is so important.
Typical of voucher school supporters. Good schools for some, sub-standard schools for everyone else.
We are moving into an age where separate but unequal is becoming the way to reform education.
Turn out a strong back and a weak mind and pay them like share croppers.
Whatever happens Walker and the media are revealed as liars. All the reporting leading up until tonight has been about Walker headed to a clear and convincing victory …and then they interviewed Rancid Fussbudget chairman of the goopers who said the race was an indicator of the presidential campaign and when it was pointed out that in presidential preference Romney was a big fat loser then Rancid said — this race has no bearing on the presidential race.
So how come Rancid’s head didn’t explode and why didn’t Wolf Blitzer point out the obvious bullshit
Instead of covering the Wisconsin race CNN has on English criminal Pursed lips Morgan to describe watching the Queen wave…
Apparently Wisconsin likes Walker. A lot.
Thank you for Wisconsin for affirming what most of us already knew. Elections can be bought and there is no shortage of buyers.
Rats.
Write a book that says masturbation can be okay, and the Vatican will publicly condemn you. Rape a hundred children and they’ll secretly move you to a different parish.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/06/05/vatican-bans-book-on-female-masturbation.html
The war on women and girls continues.
I’ll wait until all the badger state votes are counted before I’ll believe that walker survived in WI.
I know a few Badgers, and can’t believe that Texas Oilmen own that state.
KGC,
Rats ass would more like it, as in nobody gives a rat’s ass. Walker tomorrow’s flavor of the day tea party hero. Wisconsin not only cooked their own goose , but in the process just validated Scott, Kasich, Snyder, and the rest of them.
The rip up lican War on Women continues :
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/us/politics/senate-republicans-block-pay-equity-bill.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Say goodbye to the Constitution and our Country.
Hitler’s Chief Nazi Judge John Roberts sold our Country and Constitution to Foreigners, Corporations and Foreign Governments.
He’s a Traitor and should be tried and executed for High Treason.
He sold out America to the highest bidder and now we know that there is no Justice in America any longer and the Courts are nothing but a Joke.
I hope and pray that I am long dead when the Revolution begins and their heads all roll after the backs of Their Necks feel the sweet kiss of Madame Guillotine as She Cleaves Their Heads from Their Shoulders,every single one of them.
Have a great evening, goodnight.
AP,
Take heart, we are not there yet.
This is not a sprint, but rather a marathon, and the finish line is a long way off.
The history of Citizens United is far from being complete.
It is not blood in the streets that we lack, but rather courage in the voting booth.
Unfortunately, it’s not for me to judge the citizens of Wisconsin for the ballots they have cast. BUT, I can choose whether I shall ever root for Greenbay again.