The British Crown is a useless anachronism.

When an American brings up the teeth thing you know they've lost the argument. I always credited you with having an imagination, guess I was wrong.

Its our right as AMericans to question the overall abilitioes of any nation where dental hygiene is not among the top shelf concerns. If you think we give it up to you guys, you should see what we do to criticize the toothless people from West Virginia.

And when a Brit can't respond to the substance of the post that maybe included a gratutitous (despite a smiley icon) shot at British dental hygene, you know the Brit couldn't respond to the substance,

The use of the perjorative term 'socialised medicine' shows contempt enough without me looking through your old posts.

You're not thinking of getting treated at the taxpayer's expense are you?

What "argument"? Teeth reflecting decades of poor dental work only argues that Britain won the war, but lost the peace. The Brits that came to the U.S., as either war brides, or later expatriates, in my opinion, are just a cut above the ex-Soviet citizens that came/are coming to the U.S. Just folks with common sense, for this one life.

One doesn't have to be a Yank to love the U.S. (paraphrasing an old advertisement for a brand of rye bread).

Oh **** off Fluff, I've got no time for your ignorance.

When I was on holiday in Mexico all the people with bad teeth were American.

I do believe you have time for "ignorance," though. Holmes is off chasing Moriarty, and you have nothing to really do, until he returns.

You shan't have the last word, Watson. Only Holmes gets the last word.

Wrong Tenzin

Socialized medicine is a pejorative?

Yes.

Te Queen might have influential power, but the real power lay with the PM. At any rate in theory it is her government.


I will not deny there are a large number of Americans who're fascinated by the British Royals, but that's because the Royals belong to the British and are a sort of wondrous curiosity. But I think you miss the most noticeable or important aspect of the British Royals....it's the British people's heritage. True, with more and more Britons getting higher education, they might look at the Monarchy with renewed eyes, and say it's not as important as it once was; and they would be right, a lot of the brilliancy of this institution has faded, especially for the younger generation, but still psychologically, it does play a meaningful role for the older generation.

I was especially captivated by the ups and downs of Prince Charles, Diana and Camilla; they were so entertaining. And I was shocked by the untimely death of Diana. When Prince Philip, and Queen Elizabeth go to the hospital it's all over the media and we do keep up with what's happening.

I bought a dvd of the Royals entitled "The Queen." (2006) starring
Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II, and Michael Sheen as PM Tony Blair.

I didn't. They don't really interest me that much.

Michael Sheen is brilliant. He was fantastic in The Damned United. Now that's something an Englishman can get passionate about.

My favorite part is this idiotic situation (the swooning over the British Royals by Americans) was the revelation that then Vice-Presidential Nominee for the Republican Party Sarah Palin had to have it explained to her that foreign relations between the United States of America and Great Britain were not in fact brokered between the President of the US and the Queen.

"Not the Queen?" she asked, "Then who?"
"The Prime Minister."
"Really?"

Joe(yes. And they have stopped putting prisoners in the Tower of London as well.)Nation

Not since Hesse.

Ronnie and Reggie Kray were the last official prisoners of the Tower for a few days in 1952. (And it's Rudolf Hess. )

Sorry Walter.

izzythepush wrote:


Yo, I can relate to that...it's your culture and you're used to it, and most likely indifferent as well. To me, the Royals appear different and apart simply because of their history of continuity; many European royal houses have vanished but the House of Windsor remains strong albeit not as strong as in previous reigns. I suspect, *symbolically,* the British Monarchy will be around a long time, although its powerful influence will diminish drastically.....It seems many in Britain think the Monarchy belong to another age.

izzythepush wrote:


I, too, think Michael Sheen is an impressive actor. I have not seen "The Damned United."

Thanks for the youtube clip on Martin Sheen, Izzy. Sheen has played so many roles to perfection, one cannot help wondering what is he really like in real life.

He was great in Apocalypse Now.

Yes he was, particulary in the Wagner bit.