Australia gives Knighthood to Prince Philip - er, ... A Prince Philip appreciation thread

[Hauldren Collider]

I actually agree with Kentonio that democracy itself is overrated. It's really only good when combined with limited government. Democracy without limited government elects Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, Recep Erdogan, Maduro, etc...

[DaShi]

It's only our new silly bunyip knighthoods.

http://www.news.com.au/national/australia-day-2015-prince-philip-angus-houston-our-newest-knights/story-fncynjr2-1227196591312

In some ways Philip is perfect - he makes a mockery of just about anything or anyone he comes into contact with.



Perfect choice Monarchists

He sounds like a republican.

[regexcellent]

All of the quotes in the OP are excellent

[Alexander's Horse]

Ah **** it, I've got better things to do.

Are you channelling Prince Philip?

[Sava]

probably not because that senile bastard has nothing to do

if BK moved to the UK, he would be a more useful human being than prince philip

[regexcellent]

Oh yes. The trade benefits. Because it's a well-known fact that the markets of the world will ignore silly trifles like price and quality, and buy any old tat if Prince Andrew can leave the sex-trafficked jailbait alone long enough to grudgingly shake their hands. They are but childlike simpletons, the foreigners.

I thought it was Harry who was spitroasting hookers in Vegas with his bodyguards or w/e

[Sava]

and just think how much that helped UK tourism

[Hauldren Collider]

I thought it was Harry who was spitroasting hookers in Vegas with his bodyguards or w/e

I give Harry a pass on spitroasting hookers in Vegas because apparently he regular-roasted Taliban in Afghanistan from the skies a lot which is pretty neato

[regexcellent]

I give him a pass for his vegas shenanigans because they are awesome on their own notwithstanding blowing up taliban

[Sava]

i have no problems with hookers

prostitution is not morally wrong, imo

but he is definitely going to hell for the taliban roasting stuff

not that I'm shedding any tears

but lets be real

that's not a war of necessity

i've reasoned that war kills are only justifiable if your nation is facing an existential threat (with an exception if you were duped into fighting by jingoistic fervor or lying politicians)

anyone who believes the taliban is or was or ever could be an existential threat to the US needs to secure a plastic bag over their head... like right now

[Alexander's Horse]

Actually Prince Philip was widely known to frequent cathouses in his youth, and possibly later.

He was a naval officer after all.

[Sava]

true or false

the last woman he has had sex with was the queen

true or false

the last time they had sex was during the obama presidency

[Alexander's Horse]

Its really hard to tell with Philip - the dirty old dog...

[Sava]

if i couldn't ejaculate for an extended period of time... i suspect i'd last a year before killing myself

my plan is to have fruit smoothies and lift weights until i am physically incapable

hopefully, that'll be a week before I die when I'm 96 (assuming no life extending/youth restoring breakthroughs)... my grandfather worked as a shoe repair until about two weeks before he died at 93.

I gave myself three more years because i have a little lost time to make up for

[Alexander's Horse]

Our hapless monarchist PM has actually managed to rekindle the dormant republic debate, an own goal of epic proportions

Editorials across the country have condemned the appointment, even very conservative papers and the Murdoch press.

Editorials of newspapers across the country have slammed Prime Minister Tony Abbott's decision to hand Prince Philip a Knighthood, labelling the move "ludicrous" and "flabbergasting".

Here we give you a taste of the coast-to-coast flack the Prime Minister is copping.

The Sydney Morning Herald

The Sydney daily led its editorial by welcoming Opposition Leader Bill Shorten throwing his toes into the republic debate.

But the new knighthood failed to escape the editors' attention, who said the knighthood was a "disturbing" dispatch from modern Australia's front lines.

"It was a cringe-worthy decision to reward Prince Philip with the recently created Australian knighthood ... because it sends an disturbing signal about modern Australia."

The Australian

The broadsheet's editors said Knight Phil was a "decision lacking leadership", "high-handed" and "tone-deaf", saying that another captain's pick like this "might be mutiny".

"It's a decision that reeks of an outsider cocking a snook rather than a prime minister seeking to unite a nation," the editors said.

The Australian Financial Review

While the thrust of the editorial was on the government's failure to sell its budget repair measures, editors left space to call the move an "indulgent captains choice" as well as an "unfortunate" start to the year for the government.

The Courier Mail

The sunshine state paper took time off from hunting for hot independent candidates and other coverage of the forthcoming state election to slam the Prince Philip gong, saying the day was "royally hijacked by Tony Abbott".

"On the day we should be celebrating Australia's national identity ... we were instead dragged by our elected leader into a cultural cringe so remarkable that it is almost beyond comprehension."

The can and slam party did not end there. The newspaper also said the knighthood for Prince Philip was "fair dinkum ridiculous" and "out of touch".

"Mr Abbott must decide whether he wants to be a monarchist, first and foremost, or the Prime Minister of Australia," it finished.

The Daily Telegraph

Telegraph editor Paul Whittaker not only called the royal appointment "ludicrous", but also published a series of vox pops with Sydneysiders who said the move "doesn't make sense" along with a damning cartoon from Warren.

"The knighthood itself was a very poor decision. it gains no ground and only invites ridicule," the editorial read.

Adelaide Advertiser

Over at the 'Tiser, the paper said the decision was "flabbergasting".

"There are several reasons it is in fact an extremely bad idea – the Prince has, in the past, been accused of racism; his appointment stole all the oxygen from Australians being honoured yesterday; the move is sure to further enrage a grumpy backbench and skittish frontbench and ramp up leadership rumblings; and it seems plain old-fashioned."

Burn.

The Age

Our southern neighbours also found the move puzzling, calling Mr Abbott "tin-eared".

"It is almost impossible to fathom Prime Minister Tony Abbott's justification for naming Prince Philip [a knight]."

The newspaper went further, questioning how the Prince's work could even put him in contention.

"The Age takes issue with the representation of Prince Philip's service as being either extraordinary or pre-eminent; it is considerable, but no more than would be expected."

The Canberra Times

And finally at the home stable, The Canberra Times said the move showed blatant disregard for the electorate and reeked of elitism.

"Most Australians are wary of class and elitism, which may go some way to explaining why the decision to reintroduce an order of Australian knights and dames drew so much derision when it was announced last March. But to use that system, which sits above the Australian of the Year Awards, to honour a foreigner over all the inspiring and impressive Australians named just hours earlier seems wrong on many levels."

Hear that? That's the sound of Prime Minister's Office spinners face-palming in unison.

Being accused of hijacking the national holiday is pretty much as bad as it gets for an unpopular PM. Can't wait to see the polls next week.