Speedy's Cafe - General Chat about anything you like!

[Carol the Dabbler]

54 minutes ago, besleybean said:

 I am republican and frankly furious at the immedate installation of a king.

Apparently that's simply the tradition, and tradition is, after all, the foundation of the current Royal Family.  Near as I understand it, they haven't held much actual power for quite some time.

If anyone's planning to see the British royalty demoted, now would be an extremely awkward time, what with a good many people feeling grief and even disorientation.  Best to wait till the matter can be discussed calmly.  I've read that the new King is wanting to decrease the number of people who are officially considered royalty, which could be considered a step in that direction.

 

[Fantasy Lover]

23 minutes ago, Pamela said:

He has to wait a year for his coronation. He's 73.

Says who?

[besleybean]

My whole issue is that there is no discussion.

We might as well live in Russia!

[Pamela]

31 minutes ago, Fantasy Lover said:

Says who?

An article I read, which I can't find now. But there is this one: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a39194535/prince-charles-king-coronation-timing/ 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Apparently Charles automatically became king at the instant of Elizabeth's passing.  Coronation is traditional and ceremonial, but it won't make him the king.

1 hour ago, besleybean said:

My whole issue is that there is no discussion.

We might as well live in Russia!

Bev, I could very well understand your feelings if the Prime Ministership suddenly became hereditary.  But it doesn't seem to me that Elizabeth's death is quite the time to be discussing whether or not to have a new king. 

Or are you saying that there should be more effort in general -- not specifically at this time -- toward eliminating or phasing out the monarchy?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

17 minutes ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Apparently Charles automatically became king at the instant of Elizabeth's passing.  Coronation is traditional and ceremonial, but it won't make him the king.

It's comparable to a new US President taking office.  The oath of office is not what does it, it's the clock.  The 20th Amendment states, "The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January...; and the terms of their successors shall then begin."

 

[besleybean]

It's not comparabe at all.

That s my whole point.

You get to vote, we don't.

Republic now.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Sorry, Bev, I should have said "analogous" -- since my point was that neither the oath nor the coronation is what makes the person a president or a monarch.

But I'm still a bit puzzled by your strong objection to the monarchy, perhaps because I'm not all that well versed in what a modern British King can and cannot do.  My impression is that (other than his clout within the Royal Family itself) his role is mostly ceremonial -- e.g., waving at people and dubbing the occasional knight -- and the "kingdom" is actually ruled by Parliament, mostly the House of Commons.

Which brings up a related issue:  What is the current role of the House of Lords, do they still have any power to speak of, and do you object to them as well?

 

[besleybean]

Yes I do object to The House of Lords, too.

They are also unelected.

[Artemis]

On 9/10/2022 at 1:10 AM, besleybean said:

They are also unelected.

Who do you get to elect?  Sorry for the dumb question.  I was under the same impression as Carol about role of the monarchy.

I get why there are people who want to do away with the establishment, but what surprises me somewhat is the timing and intensity.  I've heard hardly any objections really in ages, but now suddenly there is intense outrage en masse.  Where has the outrage been for the last decade?  You knew you'd be getting a new monarch after the death of Elizabeth II, didn't you?

On 9/8/2022 at 3:04 PM, besleybean said:

My whole issue is that there is no discussion.

Who's responsible for starting that discussion, and in what format is it to be discussed?

Sorry again if these are dumb questions, I'm very curious about this issue.

 

[Artemis]

On 5/26/2022 at 12:26 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

Hey, where is everybody?

Apologies for my extended absence.  Good God Almighty, have I had the summer from Hell.  From HELL, I say!  Second worst of my life.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Welcome back, Artie -- we missed you!

Judging by your post on another thread, you've been dealing with covid.  I hope your autumn will minimally be an improvement over your summer!

 

[Artemis]

7 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Welcome back, Artie -- we missed you!

Judging by your post on another thread, you've been dealing with covid.  I hope your autumn will minimally be an improvement over your summer!

Thanks Carol!  Sadly, as bad as covid was, it’s been the least of my problems these past months.

Blahhh.

 

[besleybean]

Same in my life, I have to say...

When I had covid at Easter, I remarked that it wasn't even the most ill I'd been that year- never mind in life! Ha.

Yeah, life 's a bit of a...you know what, at the moment.

xx

[Carol the Dabbler]

A little blue car passed up on the highway yesterday, and the words painted on its door said something about Street View, which surely explains the odd contraption mounted on its roof:

A bit later, the car moved back into the other lane and as we passed it I tried to get a side photo.  Unfortunately by the time the shutter actually clicked, I missed getting the words, but did (barely) catch the little Street View man:

 

 

[besleybean]

Have you not seen it before?

We often see them over here...maybe cos our scale is a bit smaller!

[Carol the Dabbler]

No, I hadn't seen it.  But then they mostly work in cities and towns, don't they?  We live out in the country, so I guess the only times we're likely to see them would be either when we're in town shopping or when they're on the highway traveling from one town to another.

So what *does* it say on the doors?

 

[besleybean]

Google Earth?  Dunno,

However, this does remind me of an amusing story that my son told me.

He teaches in a private school in quite a well off area of Italy.

He was showing the kids Goggle Earth/street view and they found this house...

the kids commented on what a cheap car we had on the drive!

[Carol the Dabbler]

3 hours ago, besleybean said:

... my son ... teaches in a private school in quite a well off area of Italy.

He was showing the kids Google Earth/street view and they found this house...

the kids commented on what a cheap car we had on the drive!

This makes me wonder two things:

1. Does everyone in their neighborhood drive a Maserati?

and

2. Did he tell them it was just the pizza delivery?

(Also, thank goodness your son doesn't know where I live!)

 

[besleybean]

Ha.

No, he just explained that it was his dad's car!

[J.P.]

Most probably it's Google's StreetView. (the orange human logo)
Apple started it's own project recently, but their symbol is a binocular. BTW, if you want to virtually drive through Germany, it's the only way.

[Carol the Dabbler]

1 hour ago, J.P. said:

Most probably it's Google's StreetView. (the orange human logo)

I'm sure it is.  They presumably have the name (and logo) copyrighted.  I'm just bugged that I wasn't able to catch the exact wording on the doors of the car -- I kinda think it was something like "Street View Camera Car.")

1 hour ago, J.P. said:

Apple started it's own project recently, but their symbol is a binocular.

I wasn't aware of that -- but then again, I don't have any Apple devices.

1 hour ago, J.P. said:

... if you want to virtually drive through Germany, it's the only way.

Google Street View doesn't cover Germany?

I was surprised just now to find that they do cover my rural area -- but only the county roads, which tend to be about a mile apart.  They don't cover private roads (AKA "driveways") within housing developments.

 

[besleybean]

I don't know if that is a blessing or a curse!

[Artemis]

4 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

I was surprised just now to find that they do cover my rural area

I don't find it terribly surprising.  It's information gathering.  Google wants to cover everything.

 

[besleybean]

It is a useful tool.