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My Princess Diana Christmas ornaments are carefully put away until next
December. Holiday travels were safely completed. While away, I enjoyed
keeping up with royal doings from newspaper and television coverage (and
the royals were a busy bunch these past few weeks, weren't they?!). I did want to share the results of a luncheon conversation on New Year's
Eve. We were 12 around the table, and, looking toward the millennium, we
were talking about some of the great achievements and/or positive
contributions in various fields of endeavour. As a measuring stick, we
tried to define achievements and contributions as things that were
beneficial for society as a whole -- things that made the world a better
place. We reached consensus on accomplishments in medicine, technology,
art, and even religion. When talk came around to significant royal
achievements there was agreement that King John left a great legacy, for
although he signed the Magna Carta under duress that action nevertheless
paved the way for progressive change and ultimately for democratic
movements. The other significant royal contribution that reached
consensus was the support by Spanish and Portuguese royals for mapping and
exploring the "new world," though we all agreed that the environmental and
human exploitation which often resulted from exploration was deplorable.
And that was absolutely *all* we were able to come up with as a group!
It's important to point out that some individuals advocated on behalf of a
royal here or a royal there, but no group consensus was developed except
for the instances I've cited above. Several people opined that, as a whole, royals tend to be judged
negatively by history. Some around the table expressed the view that the
negative perspective really was deserved; others said it may be deserved
only in specific cases (the last Russian Tsar was offered as an example). So I invite agr to the luncheon table. What were (if any) the great
achievements and/or positive contributions made by royal individuals?
Which of them did things that made the world a better place during the
past 999 years? |
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-Not surprising considering it was a group of Americans in the discussion. You
are taught that The Republic is the best form of government there is. -It doesn't even begin until January 7th if you're Orthodox; January 19th,
if you're Armenian.
There is the presumption -- as with many collectibles -- that they will
be worth lots of money some day -- like commemorative spoons (you know about this,
I imagine). I do not collect ornaments (except for fur coats and alligator bags), but I
suspect that there are other royal commemoratives besides the Diana, other RF
members, perhaps. - it's the first I've heard about them. Another fad which will disappear
in a year or two, sort of like Tickle Me Elmo toys. |
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