CNS for June 3, 2012- God Save the Queen

Everybody loves a party! 

And with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee there is just no way to avoid the Queen this week. While she way not qualify as cantankerous or a coot, she is definitely old. You have to agree that she is still on her game after 60 years on the job. How many of us can say that? I don’t care much a about royalty. Here in the states we’ve had an aversion to royalty for going on 250 years. These days the Royals don’t actually do much about running the UK but they do symbolize the history of England and the Empire at a time when Europe is sinking into irrelevance and profligacy. Who am I to begrudge a little celebration that helps remind us that England used to matter.

I remember the Coronation.

The Queen has a 16 year head start on me. I was 12 when she was crowned back in 1953. Even a twelve year old boy noticed the big event. If I remember right it was televised live which was quite remarkable back then. Nobody cared that it was black and white. It was a big deal.

Now sixty years later, the Queen is still going strong with a big celebration this weekend. She may not be a coot but she is an original. She may not be cantankerous but she is one of a kind. She may be an anachronism but you can’t ignore her. Whatever your opinion of the UK, it is impossible to imagine the UK without the Queen. She embodies the spirit of the country and makes it larger than life.

So God Save the Queen!

So today the Cantankerous Old Coots celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. She may be rich as Croesus but it’s a job most people wouldn’t want and couldn’t handle for 60 years anyway. She is a credit to the UK and the Coots wish her another 60 years if only to keep the pathetic Price Charles off the throne.

Today’s news stories celebrate the Jubilee and Queen Elizabeth.

A look back at Queen Elizabeth II

And some little known facts about the Queen.

The Queen You Don’t Know: 20 Surprising Facts About Elizabeth II

In celebration of the jubilee, Parliament is planning a sex change for Big Ben.

It WILL be the Elizabeth Tower

And it marks freedom for a turtle.

Caymans freeing turtle to honor British queen

So what’s your take on the Queen and the Jubilee? Much ado about nothing or is it the real thing?  The Coots want your opinion.