RIP Margaret Thatcher

Yeah, the Falklands War was a rather timely boost for the nation's ego, but to elevate her to the level of the guy who was in charge during World War II seems a bit of a stretch. Losing the Falklands was hardly a threat to the country's existence.

 

Buckingham Palace is worried about pomp?

 

It's worried about ceremonial tradition.

Do you give Margaret Thatcher a 'military' funeral? Or a 'state' funeral?

Subtle difference, I suppose, but apparently an important one.

 

Indeed. What's she getting is officially a ceremonial funeral. A state funeral is generally reserved for monarchs and requires an act of Parliament. Churchill was the last PM to get one. A ceremonial funeral is what, among others, Princess Di and the Queen Mum got.

The argument is apparently that it's dangerous to "politicize" the military by involving it so heavily in this particular funeral.

 

All living US presidents got an invite to attend the funeral. GW Bush declined (GHW Bush is staying home too). Hillary is going for Bill. Didn't see anything on Jimmy Carter. I think it's in the realm of possibility that Obama attends.

On a side note, Mikhail Gorbachev won't be there because of health reasons.

 

Would assume that's the same reason GHWB isn't attending too.

 

That's just fucking wrong, but that's the SoundScan era we live in.

Suppose it's better than "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling" being No. 1 for 27 weeks in 2009.

 

It ended up No. 2, but the BBC refused to play it in its entirety, instead playing a few seconds within a "news report" about how the song rose to where it did.