Who's looking forward to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee? And who's excited about the Olympics?

This might be it, Milly.

Not interested in the Jubilee - mildly impressed that EW has kept on trucking so consistently - but then she has never had an appraisal or had to live through a restructuring or round of redundancies has she
I seriously wonder whether all the red white and blue stuff in the shops is actually going to sell - but we shall see. Anyone being buying it???
No denying though that the monarch is the tip of a pyramid of wealth and privilege that has kept a huge amount of wealth in a small number of hands through the centuries, while a lot of other people struggled in poverty. If you look into history the ancestors of the aristocracy and the royals by back stabbing, front stabbing, plotting, forced marriage, exploitation of the weak, torture, slaughter of innocents etc etc. So I don't understand why people hold them in such high regard.
Have to confess though, I did enjoy the royal wedding, as a great show it was a credit to UK ltd.
I am getting excited about the olympics - I have a ticket for the first day of the athletics. And I adore athletics. So watching it on TV after being there on the first day will be special.

Where I live all the shops are decorated with red white and blue, there's bunting out and Union Flags, the children are doing a concert in the street afterwards and there is a buzz because the Olympic Torch comes through next Thursday; anyone else got it going through their patch and will you go and watch?

I've never been called bitter before - suppose there's always a first time. I look to people like the Bill Gates family, who have billions and have given lots away to needy people and organisations. I don't believe in having much more money than is needed to live on - greed and power spoils people's lives.

I like local celebrations that are organised because of real achivements or to commemorate something we can all relate to in the community I live in. Celebrating the queen being on the throne is nowhere near as enjoyable as gathering together to celebrate a garden restored or parkland and the local horticultural centre made available to local residents who can plant fruit and veg and enjoy sharing the crops they have worked hard to grow. In August, me and my neighbours will be having a 'Lane Party' on the bank holiday and we'll all contribute and bring out our tables, chairs and crockery and have a great time. Dogs are invited, too!

janthea

Is that an order, jeni!

ansgramagreed. Now back to work

yes anagram, foreign aid going to the rich. Haven't heard about euro bail out. We aren't in the euro? so thought we were safe. Don't mention bankers bonus....MP's expenses.....

We celebrate lots of people's aniversaries without questioning the ethics.. concentrate on the good side we all make the best of the hand we are dealt. I know the theory but practice is different.

I'm more concerned about money to bail out the Euro, foreign aid which is not used for the purpose it was intended and huge compensation payouts for discredited Police Chiefs and the like than I am about the money being spent on these two one-off events.

I'm afraid I can't get my knickers in a twist about the fact that this country has a Royal family, and is likely to for a good many years yet, still less can I get angry with an old lady who didn't ask to be Queen and is doing as good a job as she can.

janthea This is a free country and like you I am entitled to my opinion which I stick to. Definition of "parasite" - person who lives at the expense of others.

Please don't feel sorry for me I am not bitter at all just realistic and see no reason to celebrate the life of someone who was born into such privilege.

and the "millions of people" you talk about will be glad of the extra day off from work , of that I have no doubt.... but celebrating the "jubilee" I think you are under the influence of the good old BBC.

whenim64 I couldn't agree more. plenty of money for her queenships jubilee or the bloody Olympic fiasco but free school milk and dinners for little children? No chance. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

gillybob and whenim64 It was lighthearted until your, quite frankly, aggressive anti-monarchy posts. I think it's unncessary to call the Queen a parasite and go on about her money. There are great many more people in the world have considerably more money than her. There will always be people with more than others and I'm afraid that's the way of the world and nothing is going to change it. Communism tried and failed. Republics aren't any better. I'm sorry you are both so bitter and can't enjoy the Jubilee celebrations. I will, along with millions (no exaggeration!) of people, enjoy it!

Way back we celebrated all the old festivals and lots of the current ones are a hand down altered version of these. Without the old ones, (I still celebrate them in a small group) folk still like to have a festival now and then and these are being organised, so easy to join in. Easier than organising one of your own. All these ceremonies have a history, some very ancient, and have become corrupt, but with remenants of the original meaning. My family tree is 'purer' than the queens but perhaps we should think about what it symbolises rather than the reality. Hard to put into words but the essence/spirit of the occasions? Can anyone better articulate or even understand what I am trying to say.

gillybob granted she may have lain in bed worrying about Andrew flying a helicopter during the Fauklands war, as would all relatives of people in the forces (we have a bomb disposal expert in my family) and I can empathise with her on that level. She seems harmless enough, but that is no reason to claim a life of privilege. For every 'worthy' appearance any of them make, they enjoy all the perks of extreme wealth - time they shared it with the nation in a meaningful way, in my opinion. I accept other won't agree - just don't understand why hardship and poverty should be dealt to some and not others. It's amazing how money can be found for some things like royalty, war and olympics, but not to ensure that not a single child lives in poverty in this country.

whenin64 and anagram Thank goodness. I was beginning to think the whole world was going crazy.

when I totally agree that she only keeps going because of the privileges she enjoys. The best of all food, the best of all medical attention and the money to do anything she likes for herself and her parasitic family.

I bet she has NEVER lay in bed at night worrying whether her grandchildren are warm and fed. Well I have.

As I have mentioned before my granny is 96 years old, she has had a hard life and is still worth a million of her !

when and gillybob - soulmates!

Personally, I would like to see a republic - the sooner the better. The royals are parasites who live a life of privilege simply because of their birth into a family that hails from all parts of Europe. The queen can keep going because she has had such an easy, well nourished life and hasn't had to lift a finger. The job she does has only been created so she can be wheeled out every now and then, and if she wants to be a tourist attraction, all well and good - she could receive the same pay as Mickey and Minnie and all the other tourist attractions we have in Europe. Or, Buck palace could be turned into a great hotel and conference centre, and she could manage it, like a proper job!

janthea Oh I do beg your pardon. I will try harder in future. I have told myself a million times not to exaggerate !

............and here's me thinking this was all so light hearted .

hand well and truly slapped.

Doesn't change my opinions though....

gillybob It's probably sensible to be accurate when you make those sort of statements as it lessens the impact and makes your whole statement wildly exaggerated. I don't agree with your opinions, but as you say, 'what's an 'illion' between friends'

anagram He he he.... Come the revolution !

janthea Millions, Billions, Trillions what's an 'illion between friends?

gillybob I don't think the Queen as billions of pounds of personal assets. The majority of it belongs to the State.

Well, it looks like that's a definite NO to the first question from gillybob then...!

seasider I really don't think "our" lives would be any different with or without her to be honest. What really sticks in my throat is the fact that this woman has billions (its hard to imagine isn't it) of pounds worth of personal assets and yet "we" her loyal subjects are forking out to pay for bloody parties and barges and crikey knows what else. The woman could personally wipe out poverty as we know it in this country. she probably spends more on a meal than a family get to live on in a week ! Her family are all parasites who spend money like water and haven't got a clue about the real world.

...........and finally you said it all. this will be a great boost to the tourist industry in London ! Just like the Olympics. London gets the benefits and we ALL have to pay for it.

Pennysue I totally agree with you and cannot understand the animosity against the monarchy. People can be miserable, can't they. I would NOT want a President and to be honest, I don't think that would save the country any money. After all someone voted into that office would not use their own money for expenses, etc. as the Queen does. Therefore the country would have to pay!! A President would definitely not have the draw that the Queen has and no tourist would visit the UK to see a President!!

I will be watching anything to do with the Jubilee and nothing to do the Olympics. I may watch the Torch as it passes along the top of my road but won't go out of my way.

gma you might want to join in on this thread!

I cannot understand why some people show such animosity towards the Queen. Do people think our lives would be so much better if we had no royal family? We would still have the same bunch of twerps ( no allegiance really to any party!) in charge and no excuses to celebrate occasions like the Jubilee. I love the pomp and circumstance of the royal celebrations and I do believe they are a great boost to the tourist industry in London.

Incidently Madame Tussauds when they opened their waxworks in Blackpool decided not to keep the royal family (must have thought there was no interest up north) but apparently they are constantly asked why the Queen is not there among the reality Tv and pop people.