Done, no green, one good guess.

ng/ng - the central square is key: it cannot be a ...

:)

tuco, who is Mark Thompson and what point was he trying to make? Did the Royal Wedding have any relevance whatsoever?

I am not sure what information or commentary there has been in the US on the Royal Wedding, I would be interested to hear some comments. Hopefully you had coverage from the BBC or ITV as there commentators have insight. I believe around a quarter of the Australian population watched the event live and most found it to be fantastic.

A joyous occasion and one that was shared with the people of Britain, the Commonwealth and around the world.

I for one, wish Megan and Harry a wonderful life together, and like Harry's mum before him, touch the lives of millions around the world, making their lives just that little bit better.

Start

going green

ding, easy expert, could almost get to the end looking at options

done

Done...ng and 1 good guess. Pretty easy.

Mark Thompson is the host of Make it Plain on Sirius-XM channel 127. Meghan Markel is an American woman of color. Mark was making the point that if she was in an Alabama Waffle House and complained about being charged for plastic cutlery she too would have had the police called on her and they would have roughed her up too. As far as Royalty goes, I believe the whole concept should be abolished. No matter what "good works" they do, they are just another example of the "lucky sperm club". Acceptance that there is such a thing as "Royalty" continues the fallacy that there are "betters" and "lessers" and that because you are wealthy and powerful God has chosen you. It is a destructive ideology that should be left to history. No one is my "better", and I am no one's "better". It is also destructive for women who grow up with the Princess fairy tale myth that some day their Prince will come and their life will be complete. It is just ridiculous to me. Great some super rich guy who got all his wealth through birth, served in his country's military and has done some good things for society and now has married a woman of color. Good for him but he still is a member of an anachronistic parasite class.

So you are saying that being a black woman in America means you have no rights then - OK. Let's hope Meghans new profile in the UK can make a positive impact in the UK for peoples of colour, certainly off to a good start.

Royalty - inherited wealth in the main - guess that is no different to those children born to US wealthy industrialists and the like.

Agreed Stewart, and that is why I oppose any repeal or cutting of the Estate Tax (or as it is known to the Right in the U.S. the "Death Tax") here.

I will disagree with you about this marriage being a "good start" racism in the U.K. is different than it is in the U.S. Plus she is not the "first" https://tinyurl.com/y8b8b4af

Racism is a construct that has less to do with color of skin and more to do with promotion that some people are better than others by birth. So in many ways Royalty perpetuates that myth.

Quite a bit of 'stretch' in your arguments there Tuco. Afraid I cannot agree with any of them.

Where is the "stretch"? Queen Charlotte? Yeah that may be a stretch, but the Estate Tax is not a stretch. I share that argument with the Founding Fathers of our Democratic Republic.

Also Racism as a construct is no stretch. You have to believe that you are better than a group of people or that they are your lessers to rule over them, hold them in bondage, or deny them their rights.

600 years - quite a stretch. Many countries have Estate Tax incl UK. Racism, less to do with colour and skin? bet the woman who was mistreated by the cops had wished she was 'white'. Not sure how "Royalty' perpetuates the myth of racism - are you talking about UK royalty only?

No, I don't bet that woman "wished she was white" I bet she wished she wasn't mistreated by a police officer. Sheesh.

Tuco, methinks that 99% of the people here are members of the "lucky sperm" club. It's all a matter of degree.

I think you have gone full circle Tuco - you intimated originally that Meghan would have been mistreated by the cops had she been in the waffle shop - did you mean because she was a woman and not of mixed race perhaps

No I meant that Meghan would have been treated the same as Letisha. And neither one of them would have wished they were white. Both of them would have wished the police didn't manhandle them. The fact that the police manhandled a woman of color is part of the same problem. They believe that Letisha and Meghan really wish they were white because being a different color means they are "lesser" than whites and deserve to be treated differently. This is the construct that is less about color and more about a group of people being "better" than others. ie, Royalty and the masses.

When Prince Harry was misbehaving in his youth and a poor boy from Bristol got thrown in the gaol for doing something similar do you think the boy from Bristol wished he was a Royal?

Again with the stretches Tuco, you are making up scenarios to suit your dubious arguments

What is dubious? That Letisha doesn't wish she was white?

Anyway Royal families are almost a thing of the past now - except for the Middle East I guess. The UK is a democracy. The UK Royal family is an excellent tourist attraction - and if their members can do good for the world that is terrific.

dubious - a misbehaving young Harry and the boy from Bristol

Why is that dubious? https://tinyurl.com/y859g3n3

Hardly his youth - 27 for a start. Is that a jailable offence in the US? hope that Bristol boy wasn't in the room too - though I am sure he would have had fun.

It is great that Harry is a good person. But why is it that he should be considered "Royal"? I just find it silly at best and harmful at worst. I feel that way about all monarchy. I believe it helps to support racism and the prosperity gospel theology. Marrying a woman of color is not a "good start" in my mind. Good on Harry for marrying someone he loves no matter her color. But does that now "elevate" Meghan to a different plane of being? Is she now looked on by God as better than other Meghans or Alices? I just don't get it. T

whoa - I didn't say that Harry marrying her was a good start..." Let's hope Meghans new profile in the UK can make a positive impact in the UK for peoples of colour, certainly off to a good start". Should we start on why Ivanka is representing the US now??? Is she US royalty?

Bingo!

I think it is terrific if anyone 'famous' for whatever reason being perhaps self-made billionaires, musicians, movie stars, politicians, royalty...any one of ''influence'' - if they can use their public profile to highlight injustices or address poverty, health issues, etc etc. just like Harrys mother did (esp relevant in his case) I think the world benefits. Harry and Meghan will do amazing things I believe.

I hope for that too. But I still don't get why they are held to a higher esteem than those who do those things on a day to day basis. It still perpetuates the belief that some people are better than others based on their birth or who they marry. Noblesse Oblige.

I think you may be mistaken in believing that that is the case ie held in higher esteem. Maybe by previous generations.

I base my belief on the coverage of the wedding, the media worship of the Royals. The continued support of Royalty as a real thing. It is a total construct. The guillotine proved that.

You do know that the UK is a democracy don't you?

the media latches onto all sorts of 'events' - I cannot tell you how much US election coverage we got ' yawn'. At least a wedding is a joyous event. And so much better than the Kardashians - way too much coverage there - pity they don't do anything with their notoriety

Yes, The UK has a parliamentary democracy. Which has some advantages to the U.S. But you are still a Constitutional Monarchy, right? I guess I must explain. I am an Anarchist in the dictionary sense. Anarchy an-archy against archy. Monarchy, Oligarchy, etc. I also agree about the Kardashians as far as too much coverage. I will say to their defense, even though I am not a fan and am embarrassed by them and their shameless self promotion, they worked very hard for what they have. They came from some wealth, their late father was a successful lawyer, but no where in the class of any Royal and if the public turns against them they will become irrelevant. And they are no strangers to "good works" https://tinyurl.com/yb9695ed

Constitional Monarchy ie restrained by Parliament. aka got the titles but no real power.

"no real power" hehe. That phrase always makes me smile. Would you disagree that the U.K, The Netherlands, Spain, etc... keep their monarchies because of "tradition"? They are powerful enough to have existed for millenia. It is what makes you different than other nations, ie "better"?

Note that the US is NOT a Democracy, it's a Republic. (Check the pledge of allegiance). In a democracy, each citizen would vote on all issues. In a republic, a representative does that on your behalf (supposedly).

Okay spellacked we have been through this. The U.S. is a Democratic Republic. Yes we do not have one man one vote because of the Electoral college but we are still considered a Democractic Republic. https://tinyurl.com/nkmak55

Where on Earth did you get the idea that people of Constitional Monarchies believe they are 'better'

Well you have been a Constitutional Monarchy since 1682 and at one point the sun never set on the British Empire. You at one time owned us.

So? France, Spain, England, Dutch have all spread their influence across the world in the past...the US doesn't do too badly now also. Surely you don't think that people in the UK think they are better than those in the US because 300 years ago they 'owned' part of the US

or should I say invaded and took rather than owned

Exactly and what did they all have in common? A monarchy. And I totally agree about the U.S. Empire and I am against it. Oh not only do I believe it I have heard Brits admit it.

I am not sayin all Brits. Dont get me wrong there.

You generalise waaay too much

But remember all the humans on either side who died spreading their influence around the globe did it for many reasons one of them being. For God, King (or Queen) and country. In our case we do it for Capitalism. Capitalists are our Royalty.

I'm hoping Japan, Thailand, Denmark, Sweden and Norway don't take it into their heads that they are better than you too

Well in all cases except maybe Thailand they had their foreign land invasion histories.

All that is ancient history. I just believe that Monarchy is an outdated and possibly harmful vestige of a goneby age that should be relegated to subpar theater students in Renaissance Festivals and video games.

and Japan...and as you like dredging up the past, lets talk about those vikings invasions

Exactly. I thought grouping Sweden and Norway together would take care of that.

Noooo - can't we please have the real thing rather than (shudder) Renaissance Festivals

hahahaha

good one

Anyway - back to my 5th attempt at this Expert one. Bye - nice jousting with you.

cheers!

i must be on the wrong website. Nothing about the puzzle?!

how is this grid?

Good practise jane... do what you can. You will improve your skills with each attempt.

Just started it for the second time.....

done

wooot! well done jane :D

done - 1 guess

Nothing wrong with a respectful, healthy exchange of views gman ;)

Done.

oops sorry that was for Saturday 19th may expert. Have not started todays puzzle yet.

:)

Done.

Done

The time has come when working through the Iron Sudoku archives is boring at best, and can no compete with playing catch-up through Cookie Jam levels (currently only on level 3746). So for a while, it will be just the daily Sudoku puzzle and attempting to complete the Babble grid, until CJ isn't as much fun as it currently is. All the best to those still chugging through the archives !

I'm just hoping I don't run out of puzzles before my broken leg heals!

done