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King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has revealed to a Dutch newspaper that he has flown as a co-pilot for the airline KLM about twice per month for the last 21 years. His flying hobby will require retraining to fly Boeing 737s, as the airline is phasing out its Fokker 70s. The King says he was not recognized often, especially after 9/11 as passengers now have less contact with the cockpit.
Japan's Princess Mako will reportedly lose royal status due to marrying a commoner, as Japan's current imperial law requires. The move is "expected to reignite debate" over the nation's imperial succession law and is "raising fresh questions about the status of women in the imperial family". Emperor Akihito, who is 83, has recently hinted that he wants to step down, which would require a legislative change or a one-time exemption. [This bill is expected to be introduced on Friday.] Only males can currently become Emperor, and there are only four heirs left to the Chrysanthemum Throne. However, the restriction on female succession dates back to an 1889 Meiji government law, and was retained in the 1947 postwar Constitution. Japan has had six Empress regnants in the past, the most recent reigning from 1762 to 1771. The sons of female royal family members are also not currently in the line of succession, as only the male offspring of the male line can succeed the throne.
MonarchyNews is subjects.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by inertnet on Friday May 19 2017, @02:47PM (11 children)
I fail to see how this is an "article about technology, science, and general interest".
There are probably lots of other sites where people can follow royalty and celebrities. So why post this here?
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @02:57PM (1 child)
Have you failed to notice this a political discourse site?
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday May 19 2017, @03:01PM
The change has been noticed. The problem with politic discourse that doesn't have a clear and relevant impact is endless debate that leads to just less attention spent elsewhere.
Like introducing SOPA etc.
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Friday May 19 2017, @03:01PM (1 child)
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @06:29PM
Plenty of them have in the past. The difference was they often would NEVER disclose this fact because it was unacceptable for a Royal to be seen sullying their hands like a commoner, except under the most exceptional of circumstances (This is one of those bell curve things where in the far past it was acceptable, it rose to a point where it was unacceptable in different regions, and in some of those regions it has declined to acceptable normalcy again.)
Having said that: Yes, it is nice to see royalty performing activities that one would either consider normal, or could be considered something of a non-photo op public service.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Friday May 19 2017, @03:07PM
I fail to see how this is an "article about technology, science, and general interest".
How is this not general interest?
Would you consider some random country in the Middle East getting its government toppled to be not newsworthy, too?
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 3, Interesting) by its_gonna_be_yuge! on Friday May 19 2017, @03:51PM (3 children)
Genetics is an interesting field, isn't it? The genetics of the Japanese royal family is a good study. The inevitable degradation of mental and physical acuity associated with constant inbreeding within a fixed social class is evident here.
Nobody has ever accused Akihito of being the sharpest blade in the box. When he talks, it's like listening to a 12 year old speaking through a wet cloth. They tried to improve their genetic traits by bringing in a bright woman (Masako) as the wife to the crown prince, but the royal family and staff suffocated the spark out of her. She's had mental issues ever since.
Darwin will eventually catch up with this bunch, but for now the Japanese people have to put up with substandard heads of state. Just as England does - especially if Chucky ends up on top.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @04:11PM (2 children)
For what it's worth, while Prince Charles has had his regrettable moments, when the spotlight is off him he has actually done some rather good work on the front of wildlife conservation and organic farming and so on.
I'm no royalist, but if there is to be a king, it may as well be someone with an eye on the future and ecology.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by bob_super on Friday May 19 2017, @04:40PM
He might keep being more useful if he followed precedent, abdicated because of his woman, let the charismatic kid and his wife be the popular figureheads, and kept pushing his causes without the constraints of being king.
(Score: 2) by its_gonna_be_yuge! on Friday May 19 2017, @07:29PM
Sure. Chucky talks to his plants.
And who could forget his remarks in 2004 that people should know their "god-given" places in life. As if somehow his place was given by god.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Phoenix666 on Friday May 19 2017, @04:03PM
Submit more science/tech articles, if you have them. Fridays, weekends, and holidays are good times to get your feet wet since there are usually fewer articles in the queue then. Less pressure on submitters.
I tend to harvest a bunch from various feeds on tues-thus and batch them in so the editors can schedule them for weekends if they want, or keep them open on tabs in the browser in case the pipeline dries up.
Generally speaking, if tech/sci articles have been submitted they'll get preference over other subjects.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @05:19PM
> why post this here?
Flight nerds.
The princess bit, nipponophiles.