dispatches from the new world of work

Sunrise Over Hyde Park

A lovely Hyde Park morning walk at exactly sunrise, after a rainy night. The added treat: The Queen's Horse Guards, who are usually out at dawn, were uncharacteristically in spectacular full dress today, with carriage amidst them. Presumably, a Head of State is dropping by to chat up the Queen and go for a ride.

(Lest you think I'm a hopeless Anglophile, let me set the record straight. My colleague and pal, Harry Rhoads, co-founder of the Washington Speakers Bureau, was over here for Mrs Thatcher's 80th birthday party last week. The Queen attended, and apparently as the peons were being briefed on etiquette, they were informed that if they stuck their hand out for a (harmless) shake of the Royal Hand, it would be slapped away by a hovering attendant. After Harry's report on this in an email, I replied in a one-line email, "That's why we fought the damn war in 1776." Yes, I remain a steadfast Yankee Doodle Dandy.)

Tom Peters posted this on 10/19/05.

Comments

Tom,

An English idiom for you and other "yankee doodle dandies"

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

With best wishes

Posted by Stuart Jones at October 19, 2005 10:55 AM

Ah, we Yanks will just never understand that whole Royal thang...If you want a chuckle - go behind the building and watch the horse guards as they come off duty. Much grimacing and rubbing of sore hindquarters (and I'm not talking about the horses!)

Say hello to one of my favorite cities for me!

Posted by Mary Schmidt at October 19, 2005 11:02 AM

Hi Tom and Mary

We Brits love the banter of course and we have thick skins and a sense of humour. After all we are the best losers in the world!! If you think the Horse Guards is funny you should watch our English Morris Dancers!!! Now for some revenge .... Let's be clear I don't want to start some international incident here but .... Did you hear the story of the visting American tourist who was pretty impressed with Windsor Castle (one of the Queens many Royal homes) and when asked for his comments he said 'This Windsor Castle is a magical place - wonderful but why the hell did they build it on the flight path to Heathrow'

I hope my American friends will still talk to me after that one :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at October 19, 2005 1:15 PM

The mention of "1776" and "women" in the last two posts made me think of John Steele Gordon's book "An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power". In it he claims that Maryland's economy grew faster (and more refined) than Virginia's because Maryland had a higher women to men ratio (4:6) than Virginia (1:4). Very interesting.

Posted by Brandon at October 19, 2005 2:40 PM

With reference to my earlier comment!

For my American friends perhaps unfamiliar with our rather quaint old Engish ART of 'Morris Dancing' take a look at this picture and if you can look at it without smiling then congratulations - you are almost English!! Apologies of course to all those fine upstanding English gents skilled in this highly skilled activity :-) http://www.berkshirebedlam.org/Gallery/2004/2004-2/kirtlington04lge.jpg

Posted by Trevor Gay at October 20, 2005 1:48 AM

Of course, if you stuck out your hand for a friendly shake of Mr Bush, you'd be flattened by Secret Service, shoved in the back of a van and shipped off for a holiday in Cuba!

Posted by Ross Hall at October 20, 2005 7:12 AM

I hear the bobby whom Mr Bush flattened whilst cycling around Gleneagles during the G8, has just got back to work. Clearly no secret service needed for flattening duties!

Posted by Stephen Spencer at October 21, 2005 4:51 AM