Royal Wedding....Can someone explain why you care? - Page 8

cannut · #**141** 28.04.2011, 12:54

	Quote:	Sky
	Yup.. as she said. I seriously prefer a bit of joy, pomp and pretty circumstances once in a while than thinking about all the misery in the world I can not possibly do a thing about (as in make a real difference). The world is as it is, with or without a nice fairytale wedding

Well said !!

#**142** 28.04.2011, 13:02

	Quote:	cabarnes
	The point is that people are voluntarily spending their own money on these things, but they have no choice but to spend their money on the bloated wedding budget and I can't understand how you Brits can stand for that. That's all.

How much is the wedding costing the average individual UK taxpayer? A few pennies each, I suspect. In return, we get a very decent show and the once-very-decade-or-so chance to feel moderately proud of the old place.

Excellent value for money.

Chemmie · #**143** 28.04.2011, 13:16

	Quote:	Ittigen
	The bigger royal fans started camping out last night on the London pavements, to be sure of a good viewing place on Friday morning. Starting at 5 am they were rewarded with a full rehearsal by 1,000 troops. I don't remember any such shows of loyalty for any US president. Now BBC Entertainment (It used to be BBC Prime) has a count-down clock, at top right on the screen, reminding us there are "2 days to go".

Now I don't think an elected politician can be unbiasly compared to a royal family...however, the last inauguration went pretty hardcore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inaugur...ama#Attendance

"Based on the combined attendance numbers, television viewership and Internet traffic, it was among the most observed events ever by the global audience"

cannut · #**144** 28.04.2011, 14:32

	Quote:	Chemmie
	Now I don't think an elected politician can be unbiasly compared to a royal family...however, the last inauguration went pretty hardcore. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inaugur...ama#Attendance "Based on the combined attendance numbers, television viewership and Internet traffic, it was among the most observed events ever by the global audience"

And this brings us to the Birth certificate,the long form

#**145** 29.04.2011, 00:53

	Quote:
	Funny, you seemed to care enough to start a thread about it.

I care that the UK taxpayer is footing the bill, while Thatcher, Major the Governer of Swaziland get invited and and Blair, Brown and Obama are snubbed?

Upthehatters2008 · #**146** 29.04.2011, 00:56

	Quote:	hoppy
	I care that the UK taxpayer is footing the bill, while Thatcher, Major the Governer of Swaziland* get invited and and Blair, Brown and Obama are snubbed?*

When was Major made the governor of Swaziland ???

#**147** 29.04.2011, 03:54

	Quote:	Upthehatters2008
	When was Major made the governor of Swaziland ???

No, but Sir Mark Thatcher, who inherited a baronetcy was found guilty of trying to to violently overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. I think Prime Minister Thatcher paid 2 million to get him released.

	Quote:
	In 1981, Margaret Thatcher secured a £300 million construction deal in Oman for Cementation, a Trafalgar House subsidiary. Her son was accused of receiving payments as an intermediary in the contract. In 1985, he was said to have pocketed £12 million in commissions after his mother signed the al-Yamamah arms deal with Saudi Arabia. He has also been accused of using a handwritten note from his mother, addressed to the ruler of Abu Dhabi, to secure a profitable deal and of connections with the Pergau dam affair, when British aid was allegedly linked to a £1.3 billion contract placed by Malaysia in Britain.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/au...that-a27.shtml

on top of that there is the Swiss- arms for drugs allegations etc. etc.

Very respectable British family- just the type to have at the royal wedding!

eddiejc1 · #**148** 29.04.2011, 04:29

Americans will never love soccer as much as the English, but there are a lot of Americans who do care about this sort of thing, judging from the sales of People magazine. When she was alive, it seemed Princess Di was on every other cover for nearly 20 years after she and Charles got hitched. I see no reason to expect anything different after William and Kate's wedding. Hope she likes living in a big fishbowl.

For those of you who don't care about the wedding and dislike the hoopla---feel grateful that you live in a country which has been monarchy-free for over 700 years!

#**149** 29.04.2011, 05:35

	Quote:
	British soldiers are fighting for democracy in Afghanistan and Libya, and they fought for it in Iraq. But at home, they defend the absurdly undemocratic idea that nobody but a Windsor can be head of state. Some friends and relatives will be present in Westminster Abbey, but most of the guests will be strangers, and some of them will be repulsive ones at that. King Mswati, the despot of the impoverished African nation of Swaziland who has 13 wives, will be flying in with his entourage of 50 people. Arab potentates have also been invited, some of whom are currently having pro-democracy demonstrators shot at in their streets. Who would want to get married in such company?

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...759304,00.html

#**150** 29.04.2011, 07:27

I care because its the progression of a family that constitutionally runs the country in unbroken succession for a thousand years. Oh, I'm aware they don't really run the country and haven't been able to as forcefully as I'd like since the Magna Carta (but surely we can also all agree that it ain't the Conservative Party that runs the country either), but I wouldn't expect a colonial to appreciate anything that wasn't made and then offered at a discount within the last 3 years.

Right, I'm going to turn on CSPAN and watch an 11 hour Senate filibuster over a porkbarrel prize given to a minority senator of a weapons factory for a missile that doesn't shoot straight in exchange for yet another vote on a bill that will never pass. Mmmm, relevant.

kslausanne · #**151** 29.04.2011, 08:02

I care because being a British subject is part of being Canadian, I have British roots so it's part of my history, and I think William and Kate are a lovely, modern couple who will use their position to do some good in this world. I hope they have a long and happy life together!

Ed Pummelon · #**152** 29.04.2011, 08:28

I've no interest in it whatsoever, and am sick and tired of the relentless and inane media coverage. If you have something rammed down your throat hard enough you eventually start gagging (forgive the dodgy metaphor, but you get the idea).

But having said all that... it has a certain value in terms of boosting the UK's image, if only for a short while, and that has to be worth something. I cannot understand why so many people find something so pointless so fascinating, but as long as they do, it doesn't hurt for the country to get some decent PR out of it, and there are no doubt more concrete financial benefits as well.

I'm just glad I'm not helping to pay for it, although it wouldn't surprise me to find out I somehow am.

cricketer · #**153** 29.04.2011, 09:36

....and they´re considering a run for the presidency by Donald Trump!!!!
I tell you you could not make it up!!! US politics is beyond a joke partly because of a stupid dumb electorate ...

	Quote:	economisto
	I care because its the progression of a family that constitutionally runs the country in unbroken succession for a thousand years. Oh, I'm aware they don't really run the country and haven't been able to as forcefully as I'd like since the Magna Carta (but surely we can also all agree that it ain't the Conservative Party that runs the country either), but I wouldn't expect a colonial to appreciate anything that wasn't made and then offered at a discount within the last 3 years. Right, I'm going to turn on CSPAN and watch an 11 hour Senate filibuster over a porkbarrel prize given to a minority senator of a weapons factory for a missile that doesn't shoot straight in exchange for yet another vote on a bill that will never pass. Mmmm, relevant.

PaddyG · #**154** 29.04.2011, 09:42

I can understand why Blair and Brown weren't invited; they turned an economically successful and independant and proud nation into an EU lapdog, recession-paralysed shithole. Or something like that.

Major and Thatcher were invited as they are both Knights of the Garter and I think Major was appointed the princes' official guardian when Diana died.

mimi1981 · #**155** 29.04.2011, 11:26

Seems Al Fayed was invited

cyrus · #**156** 29.04.2011, 11:30

Occasionaly watching it streaming, I have no idea who any of these people are, but some have the most ridiculous costumes on.

Sky · #**157** 29.04.2011, 12:21

Oh.... so lovely they are, so lovely

ximix · #**158** 29.04.2011, 12:26

	Quote:	Sky
	Oh.... so lovely they are, so lovely

Totally.

I started blubbing as soon as she got out of the car.

AbFab · #**159** 29.04.2011, 12:44

I'm not a royalist - but hell's bells can't we put on a show? I'm very nearly proud to be British today...

Chemmie · #**160** 29.04.2011, 12:49

	Quote:	PaddyG
	I can understand why Blair and Brown weren't invited; they turned an economically successful and independant and proud nation into an EU lapdog, recession-paralysed shithole. Or something like that. Major and Thatcher were invited as they are both Knights of the Garter and I think Major was appointed the princes' official guardian when Diana died.

hehehe Harper was invited and he declined.