Michael Kilpatrick

If he refers to himself as a king, it's that very same American reluctance to update the term in the way that most of the rest of the planet has done (and, indeed was already the case in 1776, because the UK was already a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government).

How silly. Half of those countries don't have an executive head of state, and that includes some which aren't monarchies.

Most surviving monarchies on the planet aren't as powerful as the US president.

It's dictators that are the problem with not kings.

Cripes, will Americans ever learn to distinguish kings from dictators? Do they not know what a constitutional monarchy is, or a parliamentary democracy (as opposed to an executive head of state)?

Ruined by that thing in his mouth,though.

It could always do that.

Afghanistan, that other country famous for being equally accessible directly from a Schengen area country without needing anything other than a boat.

Take a ticket and wait in line...

Fair point, to be honest.

I somehow doubt that anything would threaten the historically different nature of your freedom of movement here in the UK, that goes back to the 1920s. There are plenty of different types of brown people for LabConReform to pick on before they ever get to you.

YouTube video by Harlem Jazz Orchestra Harlem Jazz Orchestra play "Swanee Shuffle" from 1929.

Bob Hunt's Harlem Jazz Orchestra playing my transcription of Swanee Shuffle, as recorded by Duke Ellington in 1929. Absolutely love playing this, and I'm proud of brief Carneyesque solo near the end.

youtu.be/3DpHMTSQ9JM

Did you misspell "remanded"?

Twat. Unless you're thinking of something with more syllables.

Pram, not park, old chap.

The BBC News are getting a bit sloppy with their proofreading. The word "policies" is missing from the end of the headline for this article by Chris Mason.

Oh my. This is a terrible loss.

As George Orwell said: all nations are equal, but five are more equal than others.

I know a British man who was detained by the French police for not having a means of ID on him when we was walking to the beach (when one wears and carries very little). That's the piont. When an ID card becomes a "licence to walk down the street", you know something is wrong.

Shinpads for pedestrians to become mandatory in new law, says government.

What a surprise.

Some people would like simply to understand you, not fix you. Maybe they even try very hard to do that. If you can't facilitate that, it doesn't help, and you're left with only the others you refer to.

Bloody hell, I ordered two boring domestic products in bulk from Superdrug and ASOS. Both to be delivered by Evri. The ASOS was damaged by Evri and can't be delivered, and the Superdrug one was allegedly shipped 6 days ago but doesn't appear to have been received by Evri yet.

Recently, I've been asked four times throughout one dining experience.

Bloody hell, stop asking if I've got any allergies when ordering a meal. I'm quite sure that people who actually have allergies always make a point of asking.

I hope it has eased off by now.

It occurs to me your post might not have been purely work-related. Harsh words earlier are much regretted.

YouTube video by Duke Ellington - Topic Tired Socks

Tired Socks, perhaps?

(At least you're not jetlagged too)

youtu.be/WvKh8ekm_fE

As ever?

Just a thought on a reflective day when dim and distant events come to mind: explaining one’s actions to those affected by them can sometimes matter more than the actions themselves.

Salivating over this...

YouTube video by Duke Ellington - Topic Lament For A Lost Love

Something gentle and reflective for anyone who is in a melancholy mood this week. Duke Ellington small-group recording from 1936:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1VO...