ron,

you were quite clear that you didn;t distain anyone who had unearned wealth just the royal family.

now websters definition of a bigot is...

a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.

the two sure seem to have some congruence to me.

i don;t think i've ever said that they are a vital asset just that if you were to pay similarly famous people to do their jobs it would cost a whole lot more than it currently does.

also i don;t think i've ever said that the royals embody everything that is good and true about being brittish. even i'm not crass enough to suggest that.

as you say you consider yourself to be a republican through and through. i prefer to take a more balanced aproach and not throw the baby out with the bath water. that great paragon of republican thought, america, has been subconsciously yearning for a king for ages. consider the reverence they afford the kennedys, sports personalities, actors, bill gates. i prefer our real and innefectual royal family to someone who's influence is based on how tall they are or how well they can mumble a few lines in a film.

cheers

julian