Neddy's Palaver

All of Virginia is abuzz about the upcoming arrival of Queen Elizabeth II to Jamestown and points in between from there to Washington. It was 400 years ago this month that her royal relative, the first Queen Elizabeth, sent her British subjects to the Colony which was named “Virginia” in her honor for being a “Virgin Queen”. One has to wonder if at times the present Elizabeth doesn’t wish she had been a “Virgin Queen” too, considering the antics of her progeny these last few decades.

Some lucky Virginians are going to have the great privilege of coming face to face with the Queen, but few of them know what to say nor how to behave. “Give the Queen a Hand, but When It Comes to Bowing . . . ” don’t, advises WaPo, the local self-proclaimed authority for all things Virginian.

Virginia’s governor has inserted himself into the royal festivities by creating a new Web site illustrating how HE expects HIS subjects to behave when Her Royal Highness comes calling. First tip - she will be greatly insulted if you address her as “Her Royal Highness” , according to “Virginia’s Royal Welcome”. Furthermore, His Highness the Commonwealth’s Governor has created an entire page for Virginians to learn Queenly “Royal Etiquette.”

If you are a United States citizen you are not required to bow or curtsy to the Queen. Jolly good - as after all we fought a war over just that sort of silliness with the Queen’s Great-Great, George III, back in ‘76. For genuine Americans shaking hands is acceptable. If you are British or a citizen of one of the Commonwealth states, excepting Virginia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, you must bow or curtsy, depending upon whether you are a man or a woman. Be real careful about that last rule, as these days it is hard to tell one gender from another, and we don’t want anyone on Virginia soil to be suddenly banished to the Tower of London to lose his, her or its head. If you are an illegal immigrant - anything goes, as no one can lay a hand on you, Queens, Governors, Presidents notwithstanding.

Genealogists have to be especially cautious when talking with the Queen. Her Majesty absolutely does not want to hear that you too are descended from royalty. Even if you have the DNA evidence to back up your claim, keep your lips sealed, or you may be getting a non-tour of the Tower too, as no self-respecting Royal wants to be reminded of the scattering of the Royal seed amongst the hoi polloi.

After all these centuries of British settlement here in Virginia, it was not until the Queen’s own father, George VI, came to call in 1939, that the United States had ever been visited by a British monarch. Queen Elizabeth II is only the second Royal ruler to step upon this formerly British soil that is now the Commonwealth of Virginia. This will be Queen Elizabeth’s third visit to Virginia. It was during a presentation of Appalachian dance many years ago, that the then young Queen Elizabeth referred to it as “clogging”, which name has stuck ever since then. All Hail to the Queen.

Or Forty Mug Shots of the last forty bloggers who just blogged? Find out at Philipp Lenssen’s Forty Faces. When one of Philipp’s bloggers updates, his/her photo is displayed at the top of the 40-portrait list. COOL! Here’s 16 of the 40, of whom Neddy is two. Now I have to blog to get to see my face in the blogosphere.

The most stirring call to arms in the English language was written in 1599, in Shakespeare’s Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3, when the king, on the eve of battle, rallied his “band of brothers.” (Link to Audio)

The character of man has not changed in the last 400 years, but the weapons of war have. The conflict we now face is one that is much different from any that we have fought before. Skills and talents are needed other than the traditional ones exhibited by soldiers on the battlefields. In this war, civilians on the home front or abroad can be warriors for our land. We watch with our eyes and write with our pens. We can disseminate local news and we can be creative with the new technologies that are now available. This World War III is a battle where the main weaponry is information and technology. Read and think about what can be done as a way of contributing to the war effort, instead of relying only on the military to do the job.

All can all be soldiers, in or out of uniform. Those who heed not the call to arms today will rue the victory as they will not be able to tell their children and grandchildren that they fought for the side of right and saved civilization from a dreadful darkness. When they are old men and women, today’s soldiers will say with pride that they fought and won a great war.

From this day to the ending of the world
But we in it shall be rememberèd,
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition.
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

Shakespeare’s Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3

Does this sound familiar: Ban on the Banner of Saint George? Americans all know that the “Southern Cross“, an ensign representing the cross of Saint Andrew, is offensive to some, but now comes word that the “Red Cross” is also offensive to others.

The “Red Cross” comes from the banner of the martyred Saint George, a red cross on a white background. It began as a battle flag for English crusaders during the middle ages and later became the national flag of England.

And what’s to become of the British Union Jack? That ensign contains three crosses representing three Christian saints. When the British remove the offending red cross, the cross of Saint George, does anyone truly believe that will be sufficient? Certainly, someone, somewhere, will claim something offensive about the white diagonal cross of Saint Andrew and/or the red diagonal cross of Saint Patrick. Multi-culturalism means that the majority must give up its ancient heritage, religion, symbols and history, bequeathed to it by the blood of martyrs and patriots, so that the minority be not offended. More at Kerfuffles.

How Much of a Snob Are You?

This is a cute test, brought to us by the folks at PBS. I scored 57% snob - not really good, as they said I was on my way to the middle class. All I need is a golden retriever.

Are you a snob?

There is also a page that tells what your life would be like if you lived in 1904 Edwardian England. You in 1904

The Diplomat’s Dream:

• A Chinese chef.
• An English cottage.
• An American paycheck.
• A Japanese wife.

• An English chef.
• A Japanese house.
• A Chinese paycheck.
• An American wife.

“Look at This” readers. Enjoy the visit and thanks for stopping by.

Christians Fighting Against Christians

The Massacre of Saint Bartholomew Day on August 24, 1572, was one of the bloodiest days for Europe’s Christians, staining the history of France forever. More than 425 years later, Saint Bartholomew’s Day of 1572 is yet remembered with horror. The murders of French protestants, or Huguenots, began in Paris with the slaughter of 3,000 wedding celebrants. In all of France, 70,000 protestants were killed. Although most of France was Catholic during the mid-1500s, growing numbers of elite and educated French, including noblemen and members of high ranking families, were converting to Protestantism. This historic change was brought about by the advent of mass printings of the bible, the impetus for the Reformation. (more…)

From now until the end of the world, we and it shall be remembered. We few, we Band of Brothers. For he who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. ~~ William Shakespeare (”King Henry V”)

Open your Shakespeare to Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3, where the king, at battle’s eve, rallies his “band of brothers.” The stirring call to arms dates back to 1599. The methods of warfare have evolved somewhat since that time, but the character of man remains the same. Today’s war is a global war and it is not fought solely on the battlefield. Many skills are needed in the fields of information, of technology, of ingenuity. If you cannot be a soldier in a uniform, your talents may still be needed. We could all be citizen soldiers as we contribute our skills toward the war. The poetry of William Shakespeare is a great legacy handed down to us from our cultural forebears. Cherish it. Read the Bard’s immortal lines about war and understand our warriors.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me, Shall be my brother; be ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition. And gentlemen in England now abed, Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhood’s cheap whiles any speaks, That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day. ~~William Shakespeare (”King Henry V”)

See, this baby roo hops into a bar and calls for a drink of whatever it is that roos prefer to guzzle. Actually it was in Aussieland, of course, so it was a pub that the roo was frequenting. Anyway, the pubkeeperess says …

IT’S YOUR ROUND, BOOMER! “Now 18-month-old Boomer feels so at home he spends much of his time at the bar where he enjoys a few pints with the locals. … Kathy Noble, proprietress of the Comet Inn in Australia, found the joey on the side of the road in the pouch of his dead mother. She raised him on the grounds of her 127-year-old bed-and-breakfast …. “

Oh those Aussies! They can get away with anything. Don’t try contributing to the deliquency of any baby Joeys in bars or pubs in the U.S. You’ll be a “boomer” in the slammer quicker than the bat of an eye. As for Landlady Kathy Noble and her kidnapping exploits - taking babes from the pouches of their own mothers - well that is quite a jump from what is usual here at home. And she went unpunished too, Matey.

Linked at It’s A Pundit.com and WizBang’s ‘Carnival of the Trackbacks XXIV’.