London is a fantastic place, a bit run down and dirty, but I think improving in some ways. It’s an exciting place to be, and just like any capital city, it has an atmosphere of “things happening”. I feel the same about Paris, Brussels, Edinburgh, Dublin.

As for Willie and his helecopter…. well, it was a big deal the first time here as well. There is a shortage of them out in Afghanistan, and this guy uses one to pick up his wee brother and take him to a stag night, then goes showing off to his girlfriend… It costs a fortune to take one of these things off the ground, and like his dad, he seems to think it’s there for his use for free, despite his vast bank balance. And the rest of us have to use the crumbling UK transport infrastructure.

I think most people are just disappointed that he would do that. He and Harry seemed like decent guys, but it seems that they take more after their awful father than we had thought. And that is a huge disappointment.

Royals tend to marry when the country is going through a bad time; it’s a traditional ‘cheer up call’ for the public. Well, really (and I’m not being sexist) mainly for the female public who like weddings. So, I would imagine that pretty soon there will be an announcement, seeing how the country is in a bit of a mess.

I would have thought that it was losing its charm for people (after all they all end in divorce a little while after: Charlie, Anne, Andy, Margaret, Duke of Kent), but people seem to like it while it’s working.

You’re right about Wills. He’s losing his “Diana” looks and getting more like a Windsor. Scary.

Hey Jeanie Beanie, referring to your post #19…(You’re right, this thread is getting SO long, isn’t it!!! What fun to have all this dialogue flying back and forth): Don’t you know that 9/11 was originally called “Cactus LIzzie’s Birthday” (and coincidentally enough, my mother-in-law’s, too)!! I was due to go out for a birthday lunch the day the planes started hitting the buildings, and all that got cancelled.

Also, Jeanie, referring to your same post: It’s my opinion that the reason 1/2 blacks are considered African Americans, is because of the historical attitudes of the whites in the South. If you had a drop of African blood in you, you were the “N” word. Sometimes you were called “High Yeller,” if you looked whiite “enough,” perhaps enough to pass for all-white…which was met with consternation in the South by whites towards anyone who tried to “pass.”

I watched an old film about this, and I forget the name of it now. The daughter of an African American maid is so pale that she goes off, disowning her black mother, and trying to live life as is she were born totally white. She wanted to be free of the prejudice, and seek equal rights for herself.

It’s my opinion that even today, a caramel-colored person, with tight curly “African” hair, is much more readily accepted by the black community than by lots of white communities. Being half-white seems to bother African-Americans less than being half-black seems to bother whites.

When my husband and I lived in Puerto Rico for 4 years back in the 1980’s, it was very refreshiing to live among so many mixed race people. Spanish and African American blood is so intermingled there. Couples who looked very “inter-racial” didn’t get stared at in public. Still, we noticed that the politicians at that time who held powerful positions looked a whole lot more Spanish-blooded than African American…more more fair-complected.

Yes, Brown is playing a tricky game, (and even more so by trying to undermine many of the moves the Scottish Government is taking to make life better for Scots) but for him, important electoral success is in the South East of England. He doesn’t care about what Scotland thinks until it’s time for the next General Election, when, I should think, he’s toast! Burnt toast at that!

Bush is, as you guys would say, a piece of work!

Bush went to Yale in Connecticut and then to Harvard here in Massachusetts, and he hangs out with his pappy on the coast of Maine, yet he insists on calling himself a Texan.

I didn’t realize that the move for Scottish independence — once and for all — is so active right now. Brown is playing a tricky game by not directly referring to Scotland by name. Obviously, he’s not scoring any points at home by doing that.

At the same time the UK Government (kind of Federal, but not quite) has a Scottish (Labour) Prime Minister who, if you described him as hopeless, hapless, dithering, clod-hopping and pathetic, you would be complimenting him HUGELY.

He is determined to keep the Union together, and refuses to use the “S” word, preferring North British. So it’s all a bit difficult at the moment.

As I say my stance is Scottish. I love England as much as I love France and Iceland and Ireland and Finland…. but I don’t want to be a part it, and the fact that the UK prime minister can’t admit that he is Scottish sickens me. I suppose it’s a bit like the US president being ashamed to be of his State.

Enuff politics! Doug, remember that Mom always stressed our strong “Scots-Irish” background? That kind of blows away the UK ties, in a way. Still, I’ve always wanted to go to London, too. Dave, what was all the fuss about hunky Prince Wills landing a military helicopter in his girlfriend’s backyard? He’d done it before; why is the second time a bigger deal? Why don’t they get engaged, anyway? He’s starting to look more like his Dad everyday: a bit balding a horsey-toothed!

Oh, Liz, I was so pissed off when Dubya named 9/11 “Patriot’s Day,” because Massachusetts already had one! It doesn’t matter now, because NOBODY calls 9/11 anything but 9/11, which, by the way, is the day after the birthday of Doug Pratt and his twin sister, Jean Mank!

Final note: This blog is getting lots of celebrity guest bloggers!

I got the “Boston Straggler/Strangler” pun immediately. As usual, I thought it was both clever and quite funny!! But I did not mention it. And yes, you are right, the post titles at the links you provided above are also excellent!!

I will indeed bring up your name with Pet, Davie. Assuming I’m not totally tongue-tied, that is!

Give Petula “My Love”… and have a wonderful night.

Nice to read a bit of colonial history on St George’s Day!!