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iM@k · Jan 20, 2009, 08:19 AM

Oddly enough I woke up before the sun had started to rise (very unusual for me without an alarm).

As I watched the light grow stronger in the east and saw a crisp clear sky, this is the song that popped into my head:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtYBQXIeLRw

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 08:25 AM

Why?

design219 · Jan 20, 2009, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Why?

First black president is getting inaugurated. A great day, and I'm glad I'm hear to see it. 50 years ago in this country, Obama would have to drink from a different water fountain.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 08:42 AM

Oh, so this is a Pol Lounge topic then?

design219 · Jan 20, 2009, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Oh, so this is a Pol Lounge topic then?

No, it's a great day in history topic.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by design219

No, it's a great day in history topic.

Why?

Because America declares itself no longer racist by constantly banging on about the new president's colour? Bizarre.

design219 · Jan 20, 2009, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Bizarre.

Perhaps.

America has not declared itself to be perfect, but we cannot deny that things are better today than 50 years ago. And I don't see a lot of colour in the governance of the UK either.

Spheric Harlot · Jan 20, 2009, 08:55 AM

Not because America has "declared" itself this or that.

Because America actually ELECTED him.

mattyb · Jan 20, 2009, 09:13 AM

Great song for a great day.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by design219

Perhaps.

I just find the whole thing to be somewhat akin to mass hysteria. I mean, what, there's supposed to be 1.5 billion people going to watch today's events. Why? Why?

I can honestly say that nothing that any US president, of any colour, has ever done has ever affected me in the slightest.

Originally Posted by design219

America has not declared itself to be perfect, but we cannot deny that things are better today than 50 years ago.

This is true. But that's not specific to this day, is it?

Originally Posted by design219

And I don't see a lot of colour in the governance of the UK either.

You aint' looking hard enough then. The Lords is chock full of Asians. But nobody bothers to mention it because we're not all that focussed on race (except for the few odd nutjobs, as usual). To most folks in the UK, *all* politicians are tossers, regardless of race.

The day that Amerika is truly non-racist is the day when you elect a "new" race of president (black's been done now, so it doesn't count - so let's have South Asian) and the press/people aren't all hyping the event because of the guy's race.

You might see a black guy standing up there taking that oath today. I don't. I see this guy:

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Because America actually ELECTED him.

Just like they've elected every other president since whenever it was they first started doing that kind of thing.

So what's the big deal with this guy?

Spheric Harlot · Jan 20, 2009, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

I can honestly say that nothing that any US president, of any colour, has ever done has ever affected me in the slightest.

And that is completely, utterly false.

You don't believe for a second that British soldiers and equipment - paid for by your tax money - would be deployed and losing a war in Iraq for the past six years if the Bush administration hadn't chosen to push that through, do you?

And you don't believe for a second that this whole financial crisis would look the same if the Bush administration hadn't blown its surplus and funded a multi-trillion-dollar war on credit, do you? Not saying it wouldn't have happened, but it might have looked rather different.

mattyb · Jan 20, 2009, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

I can honestly say that nothing that any US president, of any colour, has ever done has ever affected me in the slightest.

Let me see, how about WW1 and 2? How about Gulf War 1 and 2? How about Reagan's time?

I could go on.

These decisions do impact those in the UK because 'we' end up tailgating the US. I would say that in the world of today, its rare that anyone in a first world democracy is not touched by the President of the US of A's decisions.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

And that is completely, utterly false.

Wrong, sorry.

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

You don't believe for a second that British soldiers and equipment - paid for by your tax money

I'm not stupid enough to pay tax.

(Well, except property tax, which is unavoidable. But as far as I can tell the whole amount of that is used to pay for glossy brochures telling me how good the local council is).

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

would be deployed and losing a war in Iraq for the past six years if the Bush administration hadn't chosen to push that through, do you?

Yep. It was British intelligence who provided the means for the whole thing to start in the first place. Pretty sure it was us who pushed for it and Bush was just a fall guy.

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

And you don't believe for a second that this whole financial crisis would look the same if the Bush administration hadn't blown its surplus and funded a multi-trillion-dollar war on credit, do you? Not saying it wouldn't have happened, but it might have looked rather different.

What financial crisis? There's a financial crisis?

For the rest of you, this was going to happen anyway. In fact, if the little away trips hadn't have happened, this crisis would have occurred far sooner and far more dramatically then it's currently playing out. I'd got the US pegged as going under by 2002.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by mattyb

Let me see, how about WW1 and 2? How about Gulf War 1 and 2? How about Reagan's time?

Nope, nope, nope, nope and nope.

design219 · Jan 20, 2009, 11:03 AM

Denial.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by design219

Denial.

Amerikan arrogance.

zro · Jan 20, 2009, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

I can honestly say that nothing that any US president, of any colour, has ever done has ever affected me in the slightest.

So what.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by zro

So what.

Exactly. So what. Why are 1.5 billion people around the world getting a boner about today when it only affects half a billion of them at most?

The US will have a new prez. So what. Meet the new guy, same as the old guy.

Mass hysteria. That's what it is.

design219 · Jan 20, 2009, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Exactly. So what. Why are 1.5 billion people around the world getting a boner about today when it only affects half a billion of them at most?

The US will have a new prez. So what. Meet the new guy, same as the old guy.

Mass hysteria. That's what it is.

Why are you arguing about something you don't care about, or supposedly doesn't affect you in the least? This thread started as a nice thread about a great day.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by design219

Why are you arguing about something you don't care about, or supposedly doesn't affect you in the least?

I'm trying to understand why the rest of the world is so happy about it.
And it's something to do while I wait for my RAID array to resync itself.

Originally Posted by design219

This thread started as a nice thread about a great day.

Again, what's so great about it?

Zeeb · Jan 20, 2009, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Exactly. So what. Why are 1.5 billion people around the world getting a boner about today when it only affects half a billion of them at most?

The US will have a new prez. So what. Meet the new guy, same as the old guy.

Mass hysteria. That's what it is.

Not exactly mass hysteria but rather mass marketing. I walk down the street and there are tons of vendors selling anything and everything with "Obama" on it. I'm waiting for the "Obama Store" to open up soon in fact.

It *is* a significant event, but I agree the inaugeration is being vastly over-hyped. I think Putin said it best, "The greatest dissapointment arises out of the greatest expectations" or something like that.

shifuimam · Jan 20, 2009, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

You aint' looking hard enough then. The Lords is chock full of Asians.

Come on, Doof - don't you know that Asians don't count as a minority? Since they're stereotyped as being academically gifted and highly driven and accomplished, they're not seen as requiring pity and handouts to do anything with their lives.

There's also the point that the reason certain races aren't "represented enough" in a given government because those particular races didn't run for office, etc. I don't think it's that big of a deal that Obama is half black, personally. Statistically, the United States has always been more likely to have a white president - not because we're racist (we're really not), but because the percentage of the population that is white is so much higher than any other ethnicity.

It's like the likelihood of a white guy getting elected to office in an African country like Nigeria or Ethiopia.

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

Come on, Doof - don't you know that Asians don't count as a minority? Since they're stereotyped as being academically gifted and highly driven and accomplished, they're not seen as requiring pity and handouts to do anything with their lives.

Two countries separated by a common language.

Your asians:

Our asians:

No such "academically gifted" tag attached to ours - they're just as dumb as the rest of us.

Laminar · Jan 20, 2009, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

The day that Amerika is truly non-racist is the day when you elect a "new" race of president (black's been done now, so it doesn't count - so let's have South Asian) and the press/people aren't all hyping the event because of the guy's race.

I've been saying this for a long time. Same goes for women.

SpaceMonkey · Jan 20, 2009, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by iM@k

Oddly enough I woke up before the sun had started to rise (very unusual for me without an alarm).

As I watched the light grow stronger in the east and saw a crisp clear sky, this is the song that popped into my head:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtYBQXIeLRw

Ironic, because it was one of the batch of choices that Hillary Clinton selected her campaign song from.

Chongo · Jan 20, 2009, 12:00 PM

Hey you know what make this even better!

mattyb · Jan 20, 2009, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Nope, nope, nope, nope and nope.

I'm not saying that you had to have participated in these events to have been affected, but the fact is that Britain and all the people living in Britain were affected by these events.

Anyway, still a great song and I'm proud to be half American.

Chongo · Jan 20, 2009, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Two countries separated by a common language.

Your asians:

Our asians:

No such "academically gifted" tag attached to ours - they're just as dumb as the rest of us.

You don't count the ones that moved from Hong Kong?

Doofy · Jan 20, 2009, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Chongo

You don't count the ones that moved from Hong Kong?

All three of them?

RAILhead · Jan 20, 2009, 01:35 PM

Obama's black? I thought he was half-white?

Shaddim · Jan 20, 2009, 03:42 PM

I woke to Dear God by XTC in my head, hmm...

iMOTOR · Jan 20, 2009, 03:43 PM

Am I the the only person that feels like this ongoing rant about how Obama is the first black president and history is being made, actually marginalizes Obama’s personal achievement?

Obama came from a modest background and his hard work and perseverance led to this moment. But that’s not important, the important part is he’s the first black president.

The way I see it, that kind of makes him a token.

design219 · Jan 20, 2009, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by iMOTOR

Am I the the only person that feels like this ongoing rant about how Obama is the first black president and history is being made, actually marginalizes Obama’s personal achievement?

People can obviously see this however they want. That doesn't change the fact that there is nothing wrong with minorities feeling proud today.

Dakar V · Jan 20, 2009, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by RAILhead

Obama's black? I thought he was half-white?

A glass half-full type person, I see.

Laminar · Jan 20, 2009, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar V

A glass half-full type person, I see.

Brilliant.

Chongo · Jan 20, 2009, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Laminar

Brilliant.