Thursday, July 12, 2012

What's in the Queens Handbag?






Well, yesterday's post on the Queen produced some speculation.

Allow me to address the salient question as to what actually is in Queen Elizabeth's handbag.

On good authority she carries a make-up kit (compact), a pair of reading glasses, a small box of tissues, some pepper mint candies to feed to the corgis, a fountain pen plus notebook and a small album of family photos.

An added accessory is a small, carved metal hook from which she suspends her bag while formally seated at the dining table.
It would never do to have the monarch searching around for her bag somewhere on the floor.

Also the bag is used for cryptic signals to her her staff.

 When her bag is placed on the table in the afternoon it is an unspoken instruction that tea should be served in five minutes.
The bag, shifted from right to left hand means that she is getting bored with conversation and it is time for the next visitor to be introduced. When the bag swings leisurely from the crook of her right arm she is enjoying the moment and does not mind if it is prolonged.

When it is lifted from the table hook, the meal is over.

I was wrong on my statement that the Queen carries no cash. Every Sunday she carries a neatly folded banknote (of unknown denomination) for the offering plate at church service.

Therein lies another example to her subjects;  go to church and give to God.

Jubilate.

Ian



Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Speaking of money. The Queen.









One of her subjects once referred to the Queen as "The Lady with the Handbag."


She is rarely seen without one in public. It is a question that has never received a satisfactory answer as to what lies within the depths of a woman's handbag, but be assured, Queen Elizabeth carries neither cash nor credit cards.


She uses neither, and the money that bears her insignia she rarely, if ever, sees.

Since she was crowned monarch 60 years ago the queen has never had to pass a banknote or use a credit card and has her secretary to write her cheques.

This all puts me in mind of Paul Getty, the founder of Eastern States Standard Oil (ESSO), who famously stated:

"If you can count your money you ain't rich"

To which the Queen might have replied:

"Mr Getty, if you can SEE your money you are not truly rich!"


Jubilate.

Ian

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Britains's Richest Woman found dead







This morning the richest woman in Britain was found dead.
Eva Rausing, daughter of a former Pepsi Cola executive and later co-owner of Tetra-Pac, died under mysterious circumstances.

What was not a mystery was that she had been charged with possession of cocaine and other hard-core narcotics.

Incredible that a 49 year old woman, a mother of four, with billions in the bank was still a deeply unfulfilled and  profoundly troubled soul.

She should stand as living lesson to all engaged in the lemming-like rush for money, that greater wealth does not, and never will, bring greater happiness.

Few will take heed, but to those with an ear to hear, listen to the words of Christ.

"What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and  lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Each of us must provide his own answer to those questions.


Jubilate.

Ian


Monday, July 9, 2012

Speaking of money: the world's richest woman.






We were talking yesterday about the whacked out values in our consumer-mad society. Here is a living example of what it's all about. Meet the world's richest woman, Gina Rinehart  from Australia. If it takes you a minute to read this post Gina will have made $24,000:00. That works out at $400:00 a second.

Don't tempt Gina with diamonds, they won't phase her. What makes her really drool is the sight of a chunk of iron ore. Her company digs millions of tons of it each year from the Outback and ships it to China and Japan.

It may be that the piece she is holding in her hand will be part of your Honda Civic next year.

At an estimated $100 billion in mineral holdings, Gina has a slight problem; how to get through the "eye of a needle."

Try giving a few billion away, Gina. You can do a lot of good in the earth and still afford a cottage on the Bondi Beach.

Jubilate.

Ian

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Keep your money in your wallet












Pauline and I checked out the price of  tickets for Wimbledon Final this week, changing hands at a cool $6,200:00 apiece, we won't be going anytime soon.

But, by way of perspective in a wacky world, this week also saw the sale of Constable's painting "The Lock" for  $76,000,000. , the most expensive bottle of Champagne sell for $35,000 in Paris and a hockey star sign a ten year contract for $103,000,000.

When the average yearly wage of a worker in India is $2,500 and people are existing in Saharan Africa on less than a dollar a day I begin to wonder, if indeed, the world has gone completely bonkers.

Then will someone please remind me that the best things in life are truly the things that are free: the gift of good health, of old and trusted friendships, the beauty of an evening sunset, the joy of a newly born grandchild and the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Such things, compared with the other wonky stuff, help to put us back on an even keel and know that "with God in His Heaven all will be right in His earth."

Jubilate.

Ian