March 31, 2004

Condolences to our monkeyfriends in the Netherlands, as they lay to rest their Queen Juliana. She sounded like an interesting woman. This quotation of hers haunts me: "A lot of the sorrow of my life is unknown and should remain unknown, but it was an intense and valuable life."
posted by SideDish 20 years ago
  • In a way, you know, the best argument for abolition of traditional monarchies is not their political importance (usually negligible these days), but the extraordinarily oppressive practice of forcing one family to live out this impossible role (however luxurious the conditions). Who else has their whole future dictated by the state from the moment of birth?
  • There's an easy way to get out of it in Britain: be an ardent fan of the Nazis. Then it'll be arragned that you no longer have the heavy duties of a King, but can toddle off to the Caribean.
  • Used to be that all you had to do was fall for an American divorcee, but Charles is obviously so keen to get that throne that he's just going to carry on with Camilla behind Britain's back until he's King, then do whatever he wants. I wonder how respectable other countries' monarchies are -- I imagine the British royals are the worst of the bunch. The Monaco royals are just royally tragic.
  • Out of monkey curiosity, how many Dutch are there on the board?
  • The notion of a respectable royalty redolent in middle class values is mostly the fault of Victoria, Elizabeth II, and the Queen Mum. It's a silly idea that people would once have laughed at. That said, King Carlos of Spain is a bona fide hero - having been groomed by Franco to continue facism in Spain, he rejected the idea in favour of helping lead the country away from that abyss; similarly, the Danish royal family behaved (as did the Danes themselves) with extraordinary decency to help shelter Danish Jews from the Nazis.
  • Rodgerd is right - we just have our standards too high today. Or maybe too low - frankly I think that for scandals and sex the current Royals aren't a patch on George IV or Charles II (father of his country). Charles II was such that when they made a BBC mini-series about him it was juicier than a soap.
  • Don't forget Catherine the Great when thikning of notable lechery. Or most of the Jewish kings and their small armies of concubines, wives, and generals' wives.
  • Out of monkey curiosity, how many Dutch are there on the board?
    I'm dutch but I recently emigrated to Canada so I could legally share my files. I also turned 40 4 minutes ago.
  • I also turned 40 4 minutes ago. *lights forty candles*
  • Get mare a mid-life crisis car and a [b|h]imbo to go in it, stat!
  • The car would be nice since my current wheels are falling apart. And I hate cars and don't want to spend money on them. I thought about buying a Prius because it's somehow environmentally sane but they're just too expensive.
  • KABLAM!! (enter scorched Wolof) a'right, who put the fireworks on the cake? You April Fools.
  • Goddam ACME candles.