It was a weird age for me. My mom said, "don't worry, my 40s were better than my 30s, and my 50s were better than my 40s. Here I am in my 60s, having the time of my life!" It's been true for me as well. I'm not 60 quite yet, but no longer worry about getting older. There's a freedom in being older.
Indeed. Apparently being patted on the head & occasionally told something important is a 'special relationship'. For most people that is how they treat their pets, but some Brits (mostly English to be fair) think this makes them important.
Considered by whom? They aren't a top 5 economy or military and their political inflluence is actually less now that it was even a few years ago. The only important 'top five' position Britain has is at the UN, and that is a hangover from the way the world was in 1945. My nation used to rely on Britain for its security. They were our major ally. We realized by the early 60s that Britain was no longer a 'major world power' and shifted decisively to the US despite having a Prim Minister who described himself as 'British to the bootstraps'. He understood that Britian was not a 'major world power' 60 years ago. Time to catch up.
Most Americans “worship” politicians/politics the same way here. Really not much difference—unfortunately. Human nature seems to not be able to evolve past needing/craving being ruled in some form.
He's plenty left wing so I don't see why we wouldn't like him. People seem to like William and Kate, who will be taking over soonish anyway. I myself don't consider monarchism a great system, even in its neutered form as it is today - but I don't trust us to replace it with anything better, we will almost certainly make a terrible republic - so keep them around I reckon. Less chance for us to **** it up.
I thought you wanted to leave Australia to go live in a republic. For someone born & bred in Australia you certainly don't have much good to say about us.
If you'd read my above comment you'd see I don't like monarchism and ideally support a republic, I just don't trust any group of people of any nation in 2023 to amend their system of government for the better. The status quo is preferable to whatever sort of republic that we'd come up with at this time.
Can't see anything there that contradicts my post. I can barely recall a post of yours about Australia that doesn't criticize it. This is just the latest. You really seem to have a low opinion of your own nation. As I said, strange for someone born & bred to hate their own nation so much.
They let it wear out naturally. I can remember my grandmother showing me a “shove ha’penny” board. It was basically a marked board that you slid a coin along in a game. She explained we were not allowed to put the Queens face to the board as that might damage it and that was not allowed!
Technically the Monarch is head of the Church of England, the armed forces (they swear allegiance to the Monarch, not the country nor the politicians) and the legal system. It is a soft power that gives some protection against politicians, although the venal and evil Boris Johnson tried to bypass some of the conventions in order to establish his faux Trumpian dictatorship, it didn’t work. As long as the UK Monarch can behave like the late Queen there is some buffer against the deeply unpleasant politicians.
We had to see the Australian made Diamond Jubilee coach used It is lighter than the traditional one, air conditioned has electric windows hydraulic suspension, heating and according to one of our posters, holders for the beer cans
I don’t see it being anything but, going forward. Charles is progressive and has already reduced the monarchy’s footprint. His nieces are no longer princesses, for example. William isn’t going to suddenly got Henry VIII, either. He seems well grounded, as does his wife. The kids aren’t likely to be idiots, either.
Last time I checked I hadn't suggested otherwise. Just strange to encounter someone who seems to do nothing but criticize.
