Chavez's gift to Obama swiftly becomes best-seller

[Berkut]

You're surpisingly unsophisticated on this.  Being less than confrontational towards Chavez is not necessarily motivated by gaining anything from him; it could well cause gains in other areas (for example with other Latin American nations who take a dim view of blustery US diplomacy in the area).

Where you think garbon is unsophisticated, I think you're naive.  I doubt the buddy-buddy approach with Chavez in particular and vague apologies in general is going to achieve anything for the U.S. in Latin America.

It isn't a buddy-buddy approach, it is a condescending ignore the pest approach.

[saskganesh]

Indonesian? Great.

Merkel: Barack, how about this new arms deal?

Obama: WINDJAMMER ORGASM!

Merkel: Excuse me?

Obama: FOOT TWIST CATAMARAN!

[derspiess]

Where you think garbon is unsophisticated, I think you're naive.  I doubt the buddy-buddy approach with Chavez in particular and vague apologies in general is going to achieve anything for the U.S. in Latin America.

I think you are moving the goal posts a bit.  There is a difference between saying those things might not hurt or might be helpful under certain contexts with saying that those things are going to achieve anything.  Actual policies of cooperation will do something not gestures, I doubt anybody feels differently.

  I was responding to the part where Jacob said this could somehow help us with other Latin American countries.  My response was that it won't achieve anything.  How is that moving the goal posts?

[Neil]

Neil, Seigy, I kind you not but I heard this exact same exchange at Speakers Corner yesterday, though one of the protagonists was a rapid female english nationalist and the other a semi-orthodox Jew; he really did call the English barbarians compared to the civilized Jews who where building solomans temple at the time. And on of here retorts was the Jews were a tiny/very small sect/tribe. (can't remember her exact words)

When I swung back through London on my way home, I spent a night at a hotel just across Bayswater Road from Hyde Park.  I found the idea of Speaker's Corner interesting, so I stopped by to listen to a member of your Socialist Party harangue me.

At any rate, it's common for members of the ancient Mediterranean civilizations to try and claim the achievements of their ancestors as proof of their own worthiness.  Of course, all of the Mediterranean civilizations were rude and pitiful anyways, which is why their decendents speak Turkish (or actually ARE Turkish), Arabic or worst of all, Italian!

[jimmy olsen]

a rapid female english nationalist

What the difference compared to a slow English nationalist?

[Neil]

a rapid female english nationalist

What the difference compared to a slow English nationalist?

Obviously her speed.

[mongers]

When I swung back through London on my way home, I spent a night at a hotel just across Bayswater Road from Hyde Park.  I found the idea of Speaker's Corner interesting, so I stopped by to listen to a member of your Socialist Party harangue me.

Which one was it the british socialist party or the peoples liberation socialist party ?



Maybe this one:



or him:



?

[Neil]

Actually, I'm pretty sure it was that second guy. 

Still, it's funny to see what the extreme left has come to.  All the people trying to speak and organize are old, while the youth is primarily interested in getting high and having a riot.

[mongers]

Actually, I'm pretty sure it was that second guy. 

Still, it's funny to see what the extreme left has come to.  All the people trying to speak and organize are old, while the youth is primarily interested in getting high and having a riot.

Too true, though I think I'd modify it somewhat and say the younger ones there, turn to religion.

This will be Sheilbh in 50 years time:

[jimmy olsen]

a rapid female english nationalist

What the difference compared to a slow English nationalist?

Obviously her speed.

Nice

[Sheilbh]

It isn't a buddy-buddy approach, it is a condescending ignore the pest approach.

I agree, I've always found the amount of attention Chavez gets a bit preposterous.  Especially given the lack of attentions someone like Lula gets most of the time, despite being sane.