Barack Obama gave the Queen an iPod the other day, and the American right-wing media went berserk: didn’t he know that she already had an iPod?
Except that she had an old iPod that didn’t play video; she asked for a newer one, and was reportedly delighted with the gift.
Now, on one level this just goes to show the sort of drivel that the right-wing media can dig up and claim to be news. What’s interesting to me is what it must be like to be the Queen.
Ordinary people, having decided they wanted an iPod, would check whether they could afford one, find out where to get one, and either go out and get one, or order it online.
The Queen, on the other hand, having decided she wanted an iPod, clearly thought “Who makes the iPod?” and, realising that it was America, told her staff “Have the President of the United States bring me one when he’s next over”.
(Incidentally, that must be one of the best perks of working at the White House: someone asks you how your day was, and you can say “You know, nothing special; bought an iPod for the Queen.” I wonder what your Amazon recommendations would look like if you only used your account to buy presents for foreign heads of state.)
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