35 posts tagged “qotd” (page 2)
What was your reaction to the results of the Iowa caucuses?
Pleased to see that Barack Obama won the Iowa Caucus, it's not being nominated, but it is a big boost. A few months ago people had started to write him off, people had started to write off everyone who wasn't Hillary Clinton. Last night's result showed that Clinton is beatable to the nomination, last night showed people who thought that Obama was too young or could not get enough support that he can.
I've liked Obama for some time now, and his book The Audacity of Hope is a really good read, I like his ideas and his humane values. People say that it's spin, and that even if elected, he'd still have to live up to them, but surely better to have someone who will at least try than all these boring old faces who are entrenched in decades of politics and have forgotten what can be achieved if you just try. Even if Obama only lives up to some of his potential, he is still a good prospect.
I've seen him attacked a lot for being naive. They say he's naive with foreign policy because he said that he would talk to America's enemies. At present America refuses to talk to certain states unless they agree that they'll do what America wants. Barack Obama says that he would talk to these states, he'd open up a dialogue with them. Surely that is not naive, but sensible?
Watch his speech and you see someone who is optimistic and focused, his eyes are completely on the prize. That speech is not fighting for a nomination, that speech is confident and fighting for the election. Note the constant references to uniting republicans and democrats, etc.
My only concern is the south. Will hicks vote for a black man? Do hicks have a big sway in the electoral college? These questions remind me of the JFK biography, at the time so many people said JFK could not win the nomination, never mind the presidency because he was Catholic and yet he did. I think Obama has the right style and vitality to appeal to a pretty broad base of the electorate. I just hope that America believes in, as Obama puts it, The Audacity of Hope.
What's the best book you read this year?
That's a pretty challenging question, I've read quite a lot of good ones this year. Memorable reads include Khartoum way back in January, Restless by William Boyd, For Whom The Bell Tolls and The Prisoner of Zenda; which I enjoyed so much I raced through it in one day. It's so hard to pick one, but I've narrowed it down to three. (Hey - I love books, I can't help it!) Worryingly, it did make me think about how many books I have read this year, and it seems I may spend a little too much time reading, if that's possible...
Suite Francaise - a classic, probably one of the best written books I have ever read, it has the scope of an epic like War and Peace, but it's far more readable and enjoyable. One of the true master pieces in the history of literature, I think, it explores the human condition set against the invasion and occupation of France. It was originally to be five books, but tragically Némirovsky was sent to Auchwitz and died with only two written. The back story of the book and how it lay undiscovered for five decades by Irene's daughter who assumed it was her diary and would be too painful to read is also amazing.
Non-fiction wise I've read some very good ones that I'd advise to anyone and narrowing it down is almost impossible, but I chose this one because it's a really impressive biography, and it's on a really awesome man. It's well written and very interesting, Wilberforce was positively unbelievable his achievements are amazing, and while the BBC seemed to spend the spring time being disrespectful to his legacy, the book rightly praises the work he achieved.
If you could easily choose to live in another country without all the red tape and legal stuff, which one would you select and why?
Submitted by Matthew 25.
You know, I love England - I love the climate (even if I do reserve the right to complain when it's minus four!) I love the history, it's everywhere and you can't escape from it, and I love the cultural heritage of Europe as a whole. However, I can honestly see this country becoming somewhere it's not nice to live any more, sad as that is, and if it ever does, I'd move. First choice would be Scotland, if it ever gets it's independence, I love that country, it's probably the best country in the world.
Beyond that I'd probably say America, but only if I can specify New York. I do love the idea of the great European capitals, but I don't speak the languages. New York for me doesn't seem like America - although granted I have yet to go there so it could surprise me. It's this odd paradox of so many iconic American things and yet it's made up of so many other cultures and peoples - maybe in that sense it is more literally America than anywhere else.
Even post-Guiliani people always mention the crime, but for some reason that doesn't enter my mind, I've never really worried much about crime, and generally feel pretty secure in cities. Ideally I like the look of the village, it looks very human and real, like a real neighbourhood should be, of course it's not stupidly expensive and full of celebrities, but hey ho. I also love the fact that New York has real institutions, museums and galleries and such of pedigree, big stores, historic buildings, parks, the things that make a city centre.
I know that some people would probably say that I subscribe to much to the Hollywood idea of New York, but I still think it's probably a great place to live, if you can afford it.
Audio: What's your favorite carol or holiday song?
I love old school Christmas songs mainly, Louis Armstrong is brilliant, as is Jona Lewie, but a real favourite has to be the Pogues with Kirsty McColl.
I love this song, I know some people find it a bit melancholy, but it's just such a classic. I also have a major problem with anyone covering it, especially Ronan Keating and Moire Brennan who seem to try to make it into some nice friendly Christmas thing. It just doesn't sound right, "cheap lousy faggot" gets changed to "cheap and you're haggard." A small change, but it kinda sums up the wishy-woshy feel to it when they do it. Ronan is too much of a bland, boring wet pop star to pull off what Shane McGowan does with so much aplomb. When something works this well, you shouldn't touch it.
If you could perform alongside any artist (actor, dancer, musician, etc.), who would it be, and what would you perform?
Submitted by Kristin.
The scene above is just brilliant, it really brought Shakespeare to life for me for the first time. I think the whole movie is a totally amazing achievement of his as both an actor and a director, although a couple of minutes in the middle of the battle it gets a bit gross, which makes me hesitate before recommending it to folks. (That said, it's a PG, I just am not into movie violence, lol)
I'd kill to be able to carry off a speech like that, I may try to learn it off by heart for next time we paintball. ;)
Ringtones: What's yours and how often do you change it?
Submitted by enrico.
I should apologise unreservedly for having a ringtone, I never used too, I was Mr Discrete and always had my phone on vibrate (I still do for texts). However, on holiday our cottage had only one spot where you got phone signal - in the kitchen, by the back door. So I had to put a ring tone on and I have to be honest I kinda liked being able to hear the phone. When I replaced my phone last week I was sticking mp3's on for ringtones and thought I'd pop this on as it always makes me smile so maybe it would make everyone else smile, but I've never got far enough into the tune to see yet.
For Christmas I was planning on changing it to this, one of my favourite Christmas songs ever, but now Next have appropriated it for their Christmas Adverts I'm not so sure...
Music-wise, what was the first 45, single or download you bought?
Submitted by Paddy Melt Wagon.
I own two 45's, which is, I suppose, a little odd as I don't have a deck. However, I like vinyl, and as I play music via computer or iPod it seems to make no difference what medium I buy singles in, and eventually when I do get a wee deck, I shall have something to put on it. The first I actually bought, however, was not one of the above but Funny Little Frog by Belle and Sebastian, which I bought for a friend. These are the first I have bought and kept, I love the way vinyl comes and is packaged, it's so much nicer than jewel cases...
Today is Veterans Day. Is there anyone you know who has served or is serving in the military that you'd like to honor today?
George. My Great Grandfather. He was in The Green Howard's during World War One, and fought at a number of the infamously bad battles such as The Somme, Flanders and Ypres. I know very little about him, as he died long before I was born, but I do know from an old newspaper obituary I read when I was a kid that he won the Military Cross for running ammunition along the lines at Flanders. He made the front page of the local paper when he died. I have great admiration for the bravery of everyone in that war, but those who risked their lives in situations where they could not fight back (stretcher bearers, running ammo, etc) really do stun me by their bravery. He took shrapnel in the lungs, but fought through the whole war.
After he left the military he became a bank manager and eventually died, in his 60's, because he had some sort of attack that should not have been fatal, but because of the shrapnel in his lungs, he couldn't breathe through it. I am very proud of what he did, even though he's not actually blood relation (his son was my mothers adoptive father), it's odd to feel so proud of someone you never knew, but he's the personal face of that most terrible of wars for me.
It makes me sad because I can find no more about him, the lists seem generally to cover only those killed in action, or who won the VC/GC, but he was MC & MM. He also had a common surname, which doesn't help any! It makes me wonder how many more brave people aren't properly remembered. There should be an online roll of honour with every soldier who fought during both world wars, along with any info/press clippings about them. Lest we forget.
There are others but I know very little about them, I know that someone else on my mothers side of the family (my Grandma's cousin, I think) was murdered* by the Germans at Dunkirk. He was in a tank trying to protect the access to the beaches and a dive bomber got him. They never recovered the body.
All this makes me very sad.
* - Dive Bombing retreating soldiers is murder, it's not war when they're cowered on a beach and can't fight back.
What are your predictions for the World Series?
My predictions for the world series are that once again no teams from anywhere outside of North America will play. The World Series is a major bugbear of mine. Why, I hear you ask, why would anyone object to the World Series? Mainly because it's not the world series, is it now? How can it be the world series when all the teams are North American? In the name of all that is shoddy, introspective and inbred, how can this be so? How can a team be the World Series Champions when they've never played against any teams from the rest of the world?
Anyway, more to the point, who cares? It's not even a real sport, they don't even stop for tea! Now cricket...
Al Gore was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work raising awareness on global warming. Who would you award a Nobel Peace Prize to?
Honestly? Why lie, I'd give it to me, because being a Nobel Laureate has to make you eminently employable.
Peace out.
