Charles and Camilla 2

[AmazonGrace]

It is on the profile in the achievements section.

Mine is currently On What Some Might Call a Vacation (297/300) which is strangely accurate as the title is on its last legs and I go back to work on Monday.

[KnittingOwl]

I just got notification that I have a new title - Degreed Medical Professional - to which I say, “take that, mom! The internet says I’m a real doctor!” 
 

She once told me that having a PhD didn’t really make me a doctor. Ok, maybe I was a doctor, but not like a doctor doctor. 🙄

[KatharineClimpson]

8 hours ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

My aunt and I disagree about the Queen. She doesn’t like the entire BRF due to historic treatment of the Irish and the Troubles. 

Ahh well I've always thought that the relationship between England and Ireland was complicated, and England doesn't exactly come out well in it,  is your aunt Irish?  In the Queen's favour I thought that she was making steps towards reconciliation ( It obviously took a backstep when Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA)  and did visit the Republic of Ireland in 2011.

[Jackie3]

11 hours ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

My aunt and I disagree about the Queen. She doesn’t like the entire BRF due to historic treatment of the Irish and the Troubles. 

Or it's historic treatment of India, Africa and many other places.

No amount of tiaras makes that go away.

[Father Son Holy Goat]

7 hours ago, KatharineClimpson said:

Ahh well I've always thought that the relationship between England and Ireland was complicated, and England doesn't exactly come out well in it,  is your aunt Irish?  In the Queen's favour I thought that she was making steps towards reconciliation ( It obviously took a backstep when Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA)  and did visit the Republic of Ireland in 2011.

Yes, she’s Irish but not from Ireland. Her mother used to complain about the Queen eating grand while Irish children starved. It was unclear whether “the Queen” was Elizabeth or Victoria. 

[Jackie3]

34 minutes ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

Yes, she’s Irish but not from Ireland. Her mother used to complain about the Queen eating grand while Irish children starved. It was unclear whether “the Queen” was Elizabeth or Victoria. 

Either way it's wrong. And there are hungry children in Britain now, while the royals "eat grand."

Edited July 22, 2023 by Jackie3

[Father Son Holy Goat]

On 7/22/2023 at 3:35 PM, Jackie3 said:

Either way it's wrong. And there are hungry children in Britain now, while the royals "eat grand."

It is wrong, but it’s a situation hardly unique to the UK. I live in America and struggle on food stamps each month while Jeff Bezos flies a Doctor Evil penis rocket. Income inequality exists everywhere. 

[Jackie3]

10 hours ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

It is wrong, but it’s a situation hardly unique to the UK. I live in America and struggle on food stamps each month while Jeff Bezos flies a Doctor Evil penis rocket. Income inequality exists everywhere. 

Jeff Bezos is no angel, but he worked for many years to build Amazon. He raised funds, went to meetings, reviewed sales data, leased offices, built warehouses, hired software engineers, beta tested, flew across the world  etc. That's how he spent his life.

That's not how William and Kate have spent theirs.

Does Bezos deserve all his billions? Who knows? I'm sure he met with many high powered accountants to structure things to his advantage. But he certainly worked to build an empire and undoubtedly that took intelligence, hard work, and creativity.

The US doesn't have a system where millions of tax dollars are simply handed to one privileged family, so the comparison falls apart there, too. 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Jackie3

[Father Son Holy Goat]

11 hours ago, Jackie3 said:

Jeff Bezos is no angel, but he worked for many years to build Amazon. He raised funds, went to meetings, reviewed sales data, leased offices, built warehouses, hired software engineers, beta tested, flew across the world  etc. That's how he spent his life.

Working royals spend years raising funds, going to meetings, flying across the world but instead of pocketing the profits they raise money for charity and the UK. It’s very much the same animal. 

[Jackie3]

1 minute ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

Working royals spend years raising funds, going to meetings, flying across the world but instead of pocketing the profits they raise money for charity and the UK. It’s very much the same animal. 

I assume you are joking. That must be a joke.

Writing an annual report, pitching to venture capitalists, drafting business plans, meeting payroll, designing a new warehouse,  planning trucking routes. . . you think Kate or William are capable of these things? How about Diana or Phillip or Margaret?

Royals cut ribbons, wave, hand people trophies, make small talk with diplomats, move curtains to reveal plaques. Things that anyone can do, really. Things that take little training or skill or intelligence.

While Jeff B is very wealthy now, he did not always have millions. He had to earn it, and if he makes a profit now, I'm fine with that. He gave up decades of his life to create something that is useful. He had years of working long days and weekend,  something incomprehsible to the royals. No one would create something like Amazon, unless there was a reward at the end. While Jeff worked 24/7/365 for decades, the royals work a handful of months a year.

The royals have had luxury from birth, and they have it even if they sex-traffic young girls. They have it even if they say blatantly racist things. They have it even if they break the law, drive recklessly, almost cause an air catastrophe with their private plane. And the royals have done all these things. Jeff, to my knowledge, has done none of them.

The royals generally don't raise money for charity. They associate themselves with a charity and it's hoped that that association will help the charity. And it actually doesn't, studies show. I can provide a link if you like.

You may want Amazon to go away, but that's an ableist position. Millions of shut ins and disabled people can easily get what they need because of Amazon. They can get their food, clothing, batteries, toiletries and medications delivered to their door, all because of Jeff B. 

You want to take away his millions? Well, he might shut down Amazon then.  That would hurt a whole bunch of people.  In contrast, who would suffer if the royals "quit" their "jobs" and went to live private lives?

If you dislike Amazon so much, do you boycott them? Most people wouldn't because Amazon is so useful.  But most people could easily live without the royals.

 

 

[prayawaythefundie]

2 hours ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

Working royals spend years raising funds, going to meetings, flying across the world but instead of pocketing the profits they raise money for charity and the UK. It’s very much the same animal. 

When Jeff Bezos flies across the world, it‘s hard work. When William and Kate fly, they do it just to emit carbon dioxide because they are so EVIL !!!!!1!!!
Seems crystal clear to me, how do you not get it? 😉

[treehugger]

Oh jeez…. I had this conversation with trolletta months ago.

Corporate billionaires and Hollywood are all the salt of the earth type people who have earned every ridiculous mansion they live in and all the champagne they can drink. They may exploit every other human on the planet for their labour and their bodies, and are permitted to rape the earth of its resources, but they earned the right and privilege to do so because they WORK dammit.  
The royals on the other hand. Pure scum of the earth. I don’t know how they dare to breathe with the overwhelming privilege of their lives. 🙄. Anyways, it’s really not worth the bother. Ignore her. This is one of her favourite topics. 

[Jackie3]

10 hours ago, prayawaythefundie said:

When Jeff Bezos flies across the world, it‘s hard work. When William and Kate fly, they do it just to emit carbon dioxide because they are so EVIL !!!!!1!!!
Seems crystal clear to me, how do you not get it? 😉

 

It's very ableist to trash Amazon. I prefer to recognize my privilege as an abled person.

I am able to get to the store on my own. I don't really need Amazon, though it's a convenience. But there are blind people who wake up and don't have a ride to the store. They can't see what they're buying, once they are in the store. The dont' have an easy way to get home. Thanks to Amazon, they can get what they need to live. Without having to ask for help or depend on others. 

 

When Jeff flies across the world, it's to further his business. Like millions of people do. He's a businessman with a business.

When the royal fly across the world, it's to maintain their empire. Appease the commonwealth countries so they won't leave. 

What is their work, exactly? Shaking hands with POC through a chain link fence, or allowing POC to carry them on their shoulders? While expecting their "hosts" to provide them with luxury every step of the way. 

Jeff sounds like a bastard, but he doesn't do that stuff. He's created a world where the disabled can meet their needs, and improve their quality of life. It's so arrogant to dismiss that, as if it wasn't important.  If he makes a profit off that, who cares? He wouldn't have done it for nothing and why would we expect him to? 

I have way more respect for people who actually earn their millions. The royals grift their millions off the back of shopgirls and careworkers.

[AmazonGrace]

We are told that they're laughing about a pie

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12340357/That-looks-just-like-husband-Charles-Camilla-share-joke-pie-bears-uncanny-resemblance-King.html

[Mama Mia]

15 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

We are told that they're laughing about a pie

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12340357/That-looks-just-like-husband-Charles-Camilla-share-joke-pie-bears-uncanny-resemblance-King.html

That’s the most flattering dress I’ve ever seen on her. 

[Coconut Flan]

That's what I was talking about the other day that she had some "day dresses" that are great.  This is one of those.  They're soft and flowy.  They fit her narrowest part to give her some shape and she looks thinner.  There is no "bathrobe zipper down the front."  None of the bad looking over the bust front seams and too full pleated skirt that make her look boxy and bigger than she is.  She should stick with these for most daytime engagements.  

[viii]

On 7/26/2023 at 2:22 PM, AmazonGrace said:

We are told that they're laughing about a pie

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12340357/That-looks-just-like-husband-Charles-Camilla-share-joke-pie-bears-uncanny-resemblance-King.html

I saw the video on TikTok. It’s a pie that looks like Charles. She started laughing and said it looked like her husband. She went to get him to come look at the pie and they both laughed. It’s a cute video and a refreshing change. I feel like lately the videos of them are him snarking at her. 

[noseybutt]

Lawwwd. Jeff Bezos is many things but one thing he is NOT is patron saint to the blind community.

[louisa05]

1 hour ago, noseybutt said:

Lawwwd. Jeff Bezos is many things but one thing he is NOT is patron saint to the blind community.

As a caregiver for a blind person, I must quote David Rose in response to that post: "That is the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard". 

Also, how does our resident troll explain that these billionaires in business all got substantial amounts of money that they didn't earn handed to them (usually from wealthy parents) to start these businesses? Bezos did. 

[noseybutt]

23 minutes ago, louisa05 said:

As a caregiver for a blind person, I must quote David Rose in response to that post: "That is the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard". 

Also, how does our resident troll explain that these billionaires in business all got substantial amounts of money that they didn't earn handed to them (usually from wealthy parents) to start these businesses? Bezos did. 

To be fair, Bezos had an upper middle class upbringing, not wealthy. His (step)dad was a Cuban immigrant who became an engineer for Exxon/Esso. His mom was a stay at home mom for most of her life. So not old money and not fancy rich. Also my recollection is that he wasn’t given money but it was either loaned or treated as a stock option from his parents. That money was likely accumulated by his parents after Bezos had already left home.

But Amazon’s relationship with the blind community hasn’t been great. They have struggled to make and keep their website and mobile app accessible to screen readers. For years the entire Kindle line was completely inaccessible—that’s been somewhat remediated with the Kindle Fires. I once saw a news report about how Amazon had hired some blind workers at a distribution facility, but the back story was numerous ADA violations and a lawsuit.

Bezos doesn’t personally give a rip about the disabled community. It’s all about money and what he can get away with legally or through public opinion.

 

[louisa05]

30 minutes ago, noseybutt said:

To be fair, Bezos had an upper middle class upbringing, not wealthy. His (step)dad was a Cuban immigrant who became an engineer for Exxon/Esso. His mom was a stay at home mom for most of her life. So not old money and not fancy rich. Also my recollection is that he wasn’t given money but it was either loaned or treated as a stock option from his parents. That money was likely accumulated by his parents after Bezos had already left home.

But Amazon’s relationship with the blind community hasn’t been great. They have struggled to make and keep their website and mobile app accessible to screen readers. For years the entire Kindle line was completely inaccessible—that’s been somewhat remediated with the Kindle Fires. I once saw a news report about how Amazon had hired some blind workers at a distribution facility, but the back story was numerous ADA violations and a lawsuit.

Bezos doesn’t personally give a rip about the disabled community. It’s all about money and what he can get away with legally or through public opinion.

 

Bezos' parents provided a $245,000 loan to start Amazon. Most people's parents do not have that much in cash assets available to help them start a business. Without that leg up, he likely would not be where he is. Yet again, the myth of the "self made" billionaire strikes out. On topic, royals are bad because they were born into money, but guys like Bezos, to adapt from the late great Ann Richards, were born on third base and people like our troll think they hit a triple. 

 

[noseybutt]

31 minutes ago, louisa05 said:

Bezos' parents provided a $245,000 loan to start Amazon. Most people's parents do not have that much in cash assets available to help them start a business. Without that leg up, he likely would not be where he is. Yet again, the myth of the "self made" billionaire strikes out. On topic, royals are bad because they were born into money, but guys like Bezos, to adapt from the late great Ann Richards, were born on third base and people like our troll think they hit a triple. 

 

Oh for sure. It was a lot of money.
 

It was also money that they seem to have earned (or reaped the benefits of investing) after he left home. He was not one of the ones born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His mom was a single mom and it took years for his dad to climb the corporate ladder. His upbringing was not at all like the royals. It also was not like a working class family either.

Edited July 28, 2023 by noseybutt

[Jackie3]

2 hours ago, louisa05 said:

Bezos' parents provided a $245,000 loan to start Amazon. Most people's parents do not have that much in cash assets available to help them start a business. Without that leg up, he likely would not be where he is. Yet again, the myth of the "self made" billionaire strikes out. On topic, royals are bad because they were born into money, but guys like Bezos, to adapt from the late great Ann Richards, were born on third base and people like our troll think they hit a triple. 

 

Certainly William Windsor had help from his dad--to the tune of several billion! If it's a competition, William wins, because he got WAY more than $450,000.

Lots of people get Friends and Family Loans. Some people get them to go through med school. Does that mean their medical career is invalid?  The fact Jeff got a loan has nothing to do with whether he worked hard. 

Bezos parents did not do the work to create Amazon. They lent him the seed money to get started. That would invalidate a claim that he's a self-made man. It doesn't invalidate the fact that he worked hard.

My point is, Bezos spent years doing complex work that involved intelligence, drive and ingenuity. He may be a jerk, he is certainly an adulterer, but he worked VERY hard over the last 2-3 decades. Far harder than William Windsor, or all the Windors put together for that same period.

Like him or hate him, the man gave up years of his life to build a huge business. While Kate Middleton is working two days this summer. 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Jackie3

[QuiverFullofBooks]

On the plus side, Bezos is sinking massive amounts of money into the Washington Post, more or less as a public service.

On the minus side, Amazon has destroyed many small (and large) local businesses and the communities that they supported. Maybe that would have happened anyway as modern technology enabled larger businesses.

[louisa05]

51 minutes ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

On the plus side, Bezos is sinking massive amounts of money into the Washington Post, more or less as a public service.

On the minus side, Amazon has destroyed many small (and large) local businesses and the communities that they supported. Maybe that would have happened anyway as modern technology enabled larger businesses.

I live in a small town that hasn’t had much retail business since the 70s. Bezos didn’t kill it. WalMart came ten years ago. They didn’t kill it because there was nothing here to kill. Easy proximity to a larger city and a wealthier population that doesn’t need to /won’t work retail is the perfect storm for very little retail or food service. Similar sized towns in the state with less wealthy populations and more distance from major metro areas have way more retail and restaurants. So the reasons for lack of local retail are not that simple.