Log in

View Full Version : Walking the tight rope

SteamWake
12-10-09, 11:36 AM
I will have to give Obama credit where credit is due.

Never before have I witnessed such fine balance while straddeling the fence.


OSLO (AP) - President Barack Obama entered the pantheon of Nobel Peace Prize winners Thursday with humble words, acknowledging his own few accomplishments while delivering a robust defense of war and promising to use the prestigious award to "reach for the world that ought to be."


http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091210/D9CGG6680.html

But as always there is an example of "you cant please all of the pepole all of the time".

Barack Obama's trip to Oslo to pick up his Nobel peace award is in danger of being overshadowed by a row over the cancellation of a series of events normally attended by the prizewinner.
Norwegians are incensed over what they view as his shabby response to the prize by cutting short his visit.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/09/obama-nobel-peace-prize-snub
Skybird
12-10-09, 12:03 PM
Just have read over excerpts in german. It seems he subscribed the audience a big dose of realism for which it was not prepared. German commentators say the applaus was rare compared to earlier laureats, and the atmosphere was sub-optimal. Well, they got what they deserved, i think. If somebody thought he could influence Oabma to become an international Ghandi by stupidly giving him that prize, since today he probably knows better.
frau kaleun
12-10-09, 12:11 PM
Norwegians are incensed over what they view as his shabby response to the prize by cutting short his visit.

Well, naturally, he should've stayed longer. It's not like he's got any other demands on his time. :O:
SteamWake
12-10-09, 12:16 PM
Just keep in mind that at least half the 'audiance' did not feel lilke he deserved the prize in the first place. Of course their reception was mixed.

But yea they dont like their pie in the sky happy place disturbed by reality at all.
Snestorm
12-10-09, 12:26 PM
Does anybody have any idé what he did to deserve this award?
ETR3(SS)
12-10-09, 12:42 PM
Does anybody have any idé what he did to deserve this award?YES! He had all these great ideas for the world. Based on that logic I should be getting mine in the mail here in a couple of days.:haha:
Snestorm
12-10-09, 01:02 PM
YES! He had all these great ideas for the world. Based on that logic I should be getting mine in the mail here in a couple of days.:haha:

I hope it's not too late because, THIS is the Post Of The Year.

So funny, and yet so true.
Skybird
12-10-09, 04:36 PM
The speech was brilliant again, and typical for the best of Obama's speeches. However, I separate the rethorical brilliance, and the deed in reality. He is the best rethoirical speaker I have ever witnessed in my life. If only his deeds and political acts would be en par.

I can not escape to be amazed of how different the reactions of commentators in the German press are, no other speech I have seen to trigger so very different, polarised assessements. Some commentators write the audience was cool and at best: polite but distanced, others said the audience spend ovations and some even were moved to tears. Never before have I read so extremely different reactions in the German press about one of Obama's speeches.

I can only guess that those subscribing to a form of naive pacifism that thinks by just wishing well and rejecting force in principal it can change the world, describe Obama's speech and reactions to it as not so good, and those following a more realistic perception of things, liked it better.
Snestorm
12-10-09, 04:54 PM
The danish press came across pretty neutral.:
Here is what usualy happens.
Here is what did happen.
Here is who recieved the award in the past.
And more or less left it at that.

I didn't find the list of past recipiants to be very impressive.
SteamWake
12-10-09, 04:55 PM
I can not escape to be amazed of how different the reactions of commentators in the German press are, no other speech I have seen to trigger so very different, polarised assessements. Some commentators write the audience was cool and at best: polite but distanced, others said the audience spend ovations and some even were moved to tears. Never before have I read so extremely different reactions in the German press about one of Obama's speeches.

There following the US press lead ;)

One thing is almost certain and that is somewhere between the two lies the truth.
SteamWake
12-10-09, 04:56 PM
The danish press came across pretty neutral.:
Here is what usualy happens.
Here is what did happen.
Here is who recieved the award in the past.
And more or less left it at that.

I didn't find the list of past recipiants to be very impressive.

Not since the 50-60's now its just a popularity contest evidently.
Skybird
12-10-09, 05:10 PM
I didn't find the list of past recipiants to be very impressive.

Maybe the prize should be changed: to being given to the best Science Fiction author. :D
OneToughHerring
12-10-09, 05:17 PM
The reason behind why the Norwegians gave him the prize and didn't want Obama to leave so soon and got angry when he did...well let's just say the people in Norway, Sweden and Denmark really like Obama.


And to be precise...



...it's the guys who like him.



Ewwww! :DL
Snestorm
12-10-09, 05:20 PM
The reason behind why the Norwegians gave him the prize and didn't want Obama to leave so soon and got angry when he did...well let's just say the people in Norway, Sweden and Denmark really like Obama.


And to be precise...



...it's the guys who like him.



Ewwww! :DL

This one doesn't. And he doesn't like you either.
OneToughHerring
12-10-09, 05:24 PM
And he doesn't like you either.

*phew*

It's also worth remembering that christianity, the guys in long robes who fancy little kids, came to Finland from Sweden.

This was the original Finnish response (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Henrik_Lalli_Ekman.JPG/800px-Henrik_Lalli_Ekman.JPG) to this Swedish religion.
Gorduz
12-10-09, 06:16 PM
Sure the Norwegian media have discussed why the visit is cut short, but I did not have the impression that there was any resentment towards it. Reasons range from "he has a lot to do" to "he would like this fuss to go over as soon as possible" and all reasons are valid. The Norwegian public(both conservatives, lefties and righties) questions the reasons for this prize as much as anyone, generally the leader of the comitee is considered kind of a renegade and attention hungry politician (ok not by everyone but still).

But still now he has the price lets hope it aspires him to truly accomplish something on the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation (especially with regards to Iran)
Snestorm
12-10-09, 06:40 PM
*phew*

It's also worth remembering that christianity, the guys in long robes who fancy little kids, came to Finland from Sweden.

This was the original Finnish response (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Henrik_Lalli_Ekman.JPG/800px-Henrik_Lalli_Ekman.JPG) to this Swedish religion.

1: I' m not religiouse.
2: I'm not a swede.
3: I don't like the guys in the long robes who fancy little kids either.

Next.
OneToughHerring
12-10-09, 06:58 PM
1: I' m not religiouse.
2: I'm not a swede.
3: I don't like the guys in the long robes who fancy little kids either.

Next.

All you Scandis speak the same language, have kings and queens and whatnots and have economic and cultural ties with each other that none of you has with Finland. Together you force Finns to speak your incomprehensible scandi-language that basicly nobody else speaks in the world.
Snestorm
12-10-09, 07:47 PM
All you Scandis speak the same language, have kings and queens and whatnots and have economic and cultural ties with each other that none of you has with Finland. Together you force Finns to speak your incomprehensible scandi-language that basicly nobody else speaks in the world.

That's the breaks.
Life can be tough, but it sure beats the only alternative.
Torvald Von Mansee
12-11-09, 02:50 AM
Does anybody have any idé what he did to deserve this award?

He's not George W. Bush. That's about it. It seems like pretty thin reasoning, to me (if true, which I suspect it is).

The Al Gore Nobel was also a f__k you to Bush, too, I think.
Sailor Steve
12-11-09, 02:57 AM
All you Scandis speak the same language, have kings and queens and whatnots and have economic and cultural ties with each other that none of you has with Finland. Together you force Finns to speak your incomprehensible scandi-language that basicly nobody else speaks in the world.
Now that's funny!

Credit where credit's due.:sunny:
OneToughHerring
12-11-09, 04:15 AM
Now that's funny!

Credit where credit's due.:sunny:
Well we're not the ones napalming kids.
Onkel Neal
12-11-09, 10:13 AM
Well we're not the ones napalming kids.

What? :doh:
AVGWarhawk
12-11-09, 10:28 AM
Maybe the prize should be changed: to being given to the best Science Fiction author. :D

Al Gore got his already. :03:
Morts
12-11-09, 11:11 AM
Well we're not the ones napalming kids.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c297/morty-dk/1196538870953.jpg?t=1260547854
OneToughHerring
12-11-09, 04:27 PM
What? :doh:

Whaat, I wrote that in a hurry, I was busy going somewhere else. Allow me to elaborate.

Sailor Steve is more then correct in ridiculing Finland's subservient position in relation to the other Scandinavian countries. Traditionally the other Scandinavian countries have been closer to US and also Nato then Finland is. Jehova's witnesses, members of a religion founded in the US, have been exempt from the Finnish military, as are the residents of Ĺland.

Swedes got the Jehova's witnesses out of the Finnish military service, they also got Ĺlanders out of the service. Not to mention Swedish espionage of Finland for the US. So there has always been a very close unity between Sweden and the US, against Finland.