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July 30, 2011

Tweets for 2011-07-30

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July 26, 2011

Norway’s Nightmare

A minute of silence was held across the Scandinavian countries today in honor of the victims of the terror attacks in Norway last Friday.

Several people, mostly teenagers, were gunned down at a Norwegian Labour party youth camp on the island of Utoeya. Simultaneously, a bomb was detonated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo just outside the Prime Minister’s office.

People across the world have offered their support and condolences.

“It was an attack against the very values that our countries are built upon. It was an attack against all of us,” Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said in a statement.

Queen Elizabeth II has sent her condolences to King Harald and his people. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has also publicly stated her distress and sympathy over the deaths on Swedish television, and has attended a memorial service in honor of the deceased. The Netherlands’ Queen Beatrix, along with her Prime Minister Mark Rutte, expressed shock at the attacks. President Obama of the United States telephoned Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg with his sympathies.

I am hoping to see statements from other Royal Families, especially since Princess Mette-Marit’s own family member was killed trying to protect others.

UPDATE: Condolences from heads of state

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Filed Under: Announcements, Events, In Memoriam, Monarchies, Norway Tagged With: , 1 Comment
July 23, 2011

Tweets for 2011-07-23

Gemvara

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July 21, 2011

Over and out: Andrew steps down

Duke of York

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Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has announced that he will stand down as Britain’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. After 10 years in the role, the prince is leaving behind a mountain of scandal.

As the evolution of my role continues apace and in order to reflect the changes I have outlined, I have decided that the label I gave myself when I began this role of Special Representative has served its purpose and is no longer necessary to the work that I do today and, more importantly, in the future,” Andrew said in his 2011 annual review.

Wikileaks revealed unsavory details of the Duke’s business meetings and other various dealings with foreign leaders. When his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was revealed, that was the breaking point. There were calls for the Duke to step down long before today’s resignation, but Andrew attempted to weather the storm.

Controversially, the Queen invested her second son with the titular honor of Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. It is an honor that is given personally by the Sovereign for distinguished services to the monarch. People were agog that Her Majesty seemed to be awarding Andrew’s scandals. We will never know the Queen’s reasoning behind the move – perhaps she awarded it on purely impersonal grounds. Andrew was honored because he was, officially, the Special Representative for Trade and Investment. Anything other than that, the Queen will not acknowledge publicly.

Happily, the Queen’s grandson and granddaughter-in-law will be stepping up their public roles representing the UK. Prince William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, are expected to take a larger role in promoting UK trade interests after the success of their North American tour.

Thanks to CNN

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July 21, 2011

Top ten royals you SHOULD know

Everyone knows Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge. The gorgeous Queen Rania of Jordan ranks high in the royal elite, and Queen Elizabeth II is a legend. Which modern-day royals rank in your top 10? Let’s hear the nominations as we research the hard-working and history-worthy royals across the world.

Filed Under: Announcements, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, For Your Interest, Japan, Jordan, Luxembourg, Monaco, Monarchies, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom Tagged With: 3 Comments
July 21, 2011

Magna Carta Conservation Treatment

1297 copy of the Magna Carta, purchased by the...

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The Magna Carta (in English, “The Great Charter”) is the guarantee of English liberty granted by King John at Runnymede on June 15, 1215. Under pressure from his feudal barons, the king was made to sign this document to limit his powers by law.

It essentially stated that the king’s will was not arbitrary, and no one could be punished except through the law of the land, a right which is still in existence today. It laid the groundwork for the United States Constitution.

Below, National Archives conservators discuss the weeks of work spent on the conservation treatment of the Magna Carta, the first phase of a major project leading its re-encasement and public display. This particular document was written on parchment in 1297, one of 17 surviving versions of Magna Carta in the world today.

The full translation of the Magna Carta can be found at the National Archives.

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July 20, 2011

Good advice for ALL of us

Clockwise from top left: Marge, Homer, Bart, S...

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Why won’t Fergie go away? What can we do? Well, it looks like The Simpsons have the answer.

Man: Well sir, advertising is a funny thing. If people stop paying attention to it, pretty soon, it goes away.

Lisa: Like that old woman who couldn’t find the beef?

Man: Exactly. If you stop paying attention to the monsters, they’ll lose their powers.

Lisa: But people can’t help looking at them. They’re wrecking the town. [out the window, the monsters wreck the town]

…

Outside, a crowd of people watch the monsters. … Lisa addresses them with a megaphone.

Lisa: Hey, Springfield! Are you suffering from the heartbreak of…Monster-itis? Then take a tip from Mr. Paul Anka!

[Paul waves, begins playing a small synthesizer and singing]

To stop those monsters, one-two-three,
Here’s a fresh new way that’s trouble-free.
It’s got Paul Anka’s guarantee…[winks]

Lisa: [singing] Guarantee void in Tennessee.

Together: [singing] Just don’t look. Just don’t look.
[people turn away; the monsters turn to look]
Just don’t look. Just don’t look.
[more people turn away]
Just don’t look. Just don’t look.
[the monsters try to destroy things faster, but start collapsing]

“Treehouse of Horror VI” is the sixth episode of The Simpsons’ seventh season and the sixth episode in the Treehouse of Horror Halloween series. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1995. This particular segment is called “Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores” when all of the logos and advertisements around Springfield come to life. © FOX Broadcasting Company.

Thanks to The Simpsons Archive!

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July 20, 2011

The Prince’s Trust Turns 35!

The Prince’s Trust

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