The Royal Representative

Archive for the ‘United States’ Category

I started an online course in the study of U.S. government. It is intensive and lasts only three weeks with essays, tests, and discussions every single day. So that means my posting here will be very limited. In other words, non-existant.

My planned upload of my royal collection has been put on the back burner for now, but expect that to be seen in early February. And don’t worry about a January commentary at August Annotations - Miss Jerramy Fine has that all under control! She is my guest writer and a total godsend!

Jerramy is the author of “Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures of a Wannabe Princess”. Raised by hippies in Western Colorado, Jerramy went to England in pursuit of her true love - the now-betrothed Peter Phillips.

She didn’t marry Peter, but her life and her book are full of the wonderful adventures she’s had by trying to meet him. On the shelves January 10th, 2008.

Maybe I’m just in a blue mood, but something has gone seriously wrong with our country.  As an American, I am flabbergasted that there are people in Britain that would support a President. “The Queen is your head of state,” I think to myself. “How can you possibly do better than that?”

Don’t get me wrong - I am very patriotic when it comes to the concept of freedom and democracy and the principles on which America was founded. It’s in reality that I sing a different tune.  After eight years of President Clinton and his wife (loss of morality) and eight years of President Bush (loss of country’s infrastructure and common sense), that adds up to SIXTEEN long years of decline. It’s amazing, and not in a good way.

So to me, having a President is not a step up in the world. That’s just my opinion.

It sounds like Britain is not having a very good time, either, and they have a Prime Minister. Why is it that the men in suits cannot stabilize their country?

 If you live in Britain, please leave your opinion of your country and of America. Am I just being depressed?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A rare 710-year-old copy of the Magna Carta valued at up to $30 million (14.9 million pounds) is due to be sold by The Perot Foundation at Sotheby’s in New York in December, the auction house said on Tuesday.

The Magna Carta established rights of the English people and curbed the power of the king. The U.S. Constitution includes ideas and phrases taken almost directly from the charter, which rebellious barons forced their oppressive King John to sign in 1215.

Sotheby’s said the Magna Carta was ratified and reissued with each monarch who succeeded John. It was enacted as law in 1297 by parliament when it was reissued by King Edward I. The copy to be sold is from 1297.

Sotheby’s said there are fewer than 20 copies of the Magna Carta and that this copy, which has been on display at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington D.C., is one of only two held outside of Britain. The other copy, also from 1297, is owned by the Australian government.

David Redden, Sotheby’s vice chairman, said the document “symbolizes mankind’s eternal quest for freedom; it is a talisman of liberty”.

Sotheby’s said The Perot Foundation, created by billionaire former U.S. presidential candidate Ross Perot to make philanthropic grants, would use the money for its charities. The Foundation bought the Magna Carta in 1984.

I received a burning question from a native Briton at YouTube. It’s a great one, and one that I can easily answer.

hey, im british, and i think its really cool that you find our royalty so interesting, because so do i. i think my country is full of history, and of course, being british, we all worship our royal family. i was just wondering why you find our royalty so interesting, and not your own presidents.

British history, from the Celtic Brits to Normans to now, is awe inspiring. Why do I find royals interesting and not my own presidents? Simple. Monarchy is above the petty strife of politics. The Queen sets a mighty impressive example of how to conduct yourself. Not only that, but the pageantry that they lay on is the stuff of legends. The lineage of the royal house IS world history. I could go on, but I’m sure you have things to do!

Simply put, you just can’t get emotional over guys in suits. Bush, Clinton, governors, senators…. a bit blah. How much interest was stirred up by the passing of the baton from Blair to Brown? I’m sure that there was interest politically, but as far as emotional reach and a source of national pride, it was just another day at Number 10. A bit on the boring side, eh? ;-)

But that’s just my opinion. I’ve got a lot of English blood, so maybe adoration of the Royal Family is just in my DNA.

I am so sad and distressed over the bridge collapse in Minnesota. This is such a terrible thing to happen, and I pray for the people and their families.

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - A Republican state senator who punched a Democratic lawmaker in the head expressed regret, saying “that’s not the way grown men solve their problems,” but he said he won’t immediately apologize.

Republican Sen. Charles Bishop claimed that Democratic Sen. Lowell Barron called him a “son of a (expletive)” in the Senate chamber on Thursday.

“I responded to his comment with my right hand,” Bishop said.

Alabama Public Television tape captured the punch.

This has to be the funniest thing I’ve heard in a while. That means that the government isn’t as staid and boring as I thought. They’re feeling their oats, and getting more involved in what’s happening. Heh.

I’ve been waiting for a more active debate.

It must be quite something for President Bush to come face-to-face with the Queen. I wonder what you talk about with someone who has 50+ years of experience in matters of state when you have none? ;-) Hm…

Read about the Queen’s recent visit to America at royal.gov.uk.

HRH Prince Edward and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger were guests of honor at a recent school awards ceremony. The Earl of Wessex had been invited to see Duke of Edinburgh awards presented in the US for the first time ever.

Edward’s presence - which has been commemorated with the planting of a California oak in the school grounds - is the culmination of an 18-month process to establish the awards stateside. The scheme - which was founded by his father Prince Philip over 50 years ago and has been completed by 5 million young people in 110 countries - will be known as the Duke of Edinburgh Young Americans Challenge in the US.

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Read about the Queen’s visit with Bush here (The BBC)

Check out the comments on the “Have Your Say” board:
“Do ’special relationships’ matter?”