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New York, 11:34 AM
Mon Nov 16
30 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Btwbfdimho Btwbfdimho
    10:56 AM

    In reply to Know Who Else Bowed to Japan's Emperor? Nixon.
    After two nuclear bombs, they deserved a formal apology. #barackobama
     Reply
    Btwbfdimho was starred Btwbfdimho was unstarred
    Image of HenryLovesFonzie HenryLovesFonzie
    10:48 AM

    In reply to Barack Obama Has Better Things to Do Than Tweet
    These are the same people who were shocked when they learned Britney Spears was lip-syncing. #twitter
     Reply
    HenryLovesFonzie was starred HenryLovesFonzie was unstarred
    Image of Magister Magister
    10:33 AM

    In reply to Barack Obama Has Better Things to Do Than Tweet
    Yeah - I don't particularly want a President who tweets and if you were vulnerable enough to believe it was really him, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn, I'd like to sell. #twitter
     Reply
    Magister was starred Magister was unstarred
    Image of BadUncle BadUncle
    10:32 AM

    In reply to Barack Obama Has Better Things to Do Than Tweet
    Shocking. I'll never trust a celebrity endorsement again. #twitter
     Reply
    BadUncle was starred BadUncle was unstarred
    Image of drunkexpatwriter drunkexpatwriter
    10:26 AM

    In reply to Barack Obama Has Better Things to Do Than Tweet
    Next you'll tell me that Carolyn Keene didn't write The Secret Of The Old Clock. #twitter
     Reply
    drunkexpatwriter was starred drunkexpatwriter was unstarred
    Image of meg9 meg9
    10:40 AM

    @drunkexpatwriter: What!? Life will not be the same... #twitter
     Reply
    drunkexpatwriter promoted this comment meg9 was starred meg9 was unstarred
    Image of drunkexpatwriter drunkexpatwriter
    10:42 AM

    @meg9: A friend of mine once told me about a conversation she had with her mom when she told her she wanted to be a writer.

    "You could be just like Carolyn Keene," her mom said.

    "Mom," she replied, "I could be Carolyn Keene." #twitter
     Reply
    drunkexpatwriter was starred drunkexpatwriter was unstarred
    Image of skt.smth skt.smth
    09:27 AM

    In reply to Know Who Else Bowed to Japan's Emperor? Nixon.
    Also, what the Bowgate people don't seem to understand is that, if Obama is bowing in order to show that he is the subordinate of the Emperor of Japan, he's essentially subordinating himself to a guy with no real power. The Emperor is nothing but a figurehead now. #barackobama
     Reply
    skt.smth was starred skt.smth was unstarred
    Image of The One The One
    10:55 AM

    @skt.smth: Is that supposed to be a positive??? #barackobama
     Reply
    The One was starred The One was unstarred
    Image of skt.smth skt.smth
    06:41 AM

    In reply to Know Who Else Bowed to Japan's Emperor? Nixon.
    Who will complain about this? Everybody who doesn't know shit about Japanese customs. #barackobama
     Reply
    skt.smth was starred skt.smth was unstarred
    Image of trucha trucha
    07:53 AM

    @skt.smth: No one bows that deep in Japan unless it is for an apology. Greeting bow is just a few degrees and a little bit more (range of 45ยบ?) for showing high respect. No, I'm not in the Obama is apologizing for America camp but in this case someone told him wrong or he is ignorant or he really is apologizing for something.
     Reply
    skt.smth promoted this comment Edited by trucha at 11/16/09 7:55 AM trucha was starred trucha was unstarred
    Image of skt.smth skt.smth
    08:03 AM

    @trucha: Actually, the depth of the bow depends entirely on age and position. For example, if you work in a school, you'd do a regular bow to a fellow teacher, a deeper bow to the principal (especially when meeting the first time), and you'll show more respect if these people are older than you. If there were ever a place for the deep bow, it would be upon meeting the Emperor of Japan. And if you watch the actual video of it, it's not like Obama holds the bow for a long time. He's bringing his head lower than Akihito's, and since he's a pretty tall guy, it looks like this major act of self-effacement. The media has, of course, seized on a shot of Obama at the absolute lowest point of the bow in order to make it look even more sensational.

    In any case, the bow in Japan is not a sign of submission. It's a sign of respect. It's nice to have a president who seeks to achieve his ends by showing respect to other world leaders, rather than just expecting them to bend over to the U.S. president from the outset. #barackobama
     Reply
    skt.smth was starred skt.smth was unstarred
    Image of Magister Magister
    08:13 AM

    @skt.smth:
    Some of the FoxFollowers have been commenting about it and it's been something on their network.

    Yesterday, they posted a clip from Fox News Sunday on Mediaite, showing the Obama bow and followed it with film of Dick Cheney not bowing, which prompted his daughter to say something about "Cheney 2012".
     Reply
    Edited by Magister at 11/16/09 8:17 AM Magister was starred Magister was unstarred
    Image of trucha trucha
    08:22 AM

    @skt.smth: I agree with what you are saying but I've never seen anyone bow at that angle before outside of hearings. I've never lived in Japan so I'm just going by what people have told me in the past and what I've seen in various media before this instance.

    I have no clue about bowing in relation to one's head height so if that's the case then I'm the ignorant one. I thought it was all an angle thing. #barackobama
     Reply
    trucha was starred trucha was unstarred
    Image of Motoko Kusanagi Motoko Kusanagi
    09:08 AM

    @skt.smth: While I agree with your last point, you are wrong about the custom of bowing in Japan.

    Obama's bow is 45 degrees or more, and eyes to the floor, which means either: (a) that he views the Emperor as an authority in the manner of a divine being, or (b) that he is apologizing.

    Of course Obama is probably just exaggerating the motion out of unfamiliarity, but these "nuances" are well understood by all Japanese and many others. Someone told Obama that the deeper the bow, the more polite, which is only kinda correct, but overly simple.

    Nixon did it right -- eye-to-eye, and no more than 30 degrees. This is how one would bow to sensei, peers, etc.

    I'm no raving right-winger, but how fucking hard is it to get such a commonplace custom right when your job is visiting foreign dignitaries? It does make him look foolish. This is especially the case because the Emperor offered him the handshake, and did not reciprocate the deep bow.

    Final point: maybe Obama meant to apologize. Given U.S. history in Japan, this would be a legit (if controversial) thing to do in my opinion. #barackobama
     Reply
    Motoko Kusanagi was starred Motoko Kusanagi was unstarred
    Image of skt.smth skt.smth
    09:09 AM

    @trucha: Honestly, the details of the bow are immaterial. Watch the video. I think you'd be hard pressed to find anything offensive about it.

    The point is that, in Japan (especially ceremonies of state), bow = handshake. It's not a sign of supplication. It's a sign of respect. You'll notice that Obama bows and that Akihito gives him a hearty handshake. But I doubt you'll hear many people in Japan saying "Oh my God, Akihito shook Obama's hand heartily, what a cheese-eating surrender monkey, kick him off the throne!"

    That there would be even the slightest actual controversy about this in the mainstream is patently absurd.
     Reply
    Edited by skt.smth at 11/16/09 9:10 AM skt.smth was starred skt.smth was unstarred
    Image of skt.smth skt.smth
    09:18 AM

    @Motoko Kusanagi: Umm, the Emperor himself no longer views his position as divine. That concession was made a while ago.

    You're right. I think Obama is exaggerating the motion because it's not a familiar thing, or more likely because he knows he's pretty fucking tall and isn't sure if he has to overcompensate because of that.

    Where you're wrong is in attributing some deep meaning to this event. Watch the effing video, man. The bow is deep but quick. That particular photo is incredibly misleading, which is probably why you won't see the Obamabowgate crowd using the video as a source.

    I think that, if Obama bowed that deeply in order to correct something, it was likely not for U.S. history with Japan, but for the dunderhead presidents before him who never felt as though they had to pay any real respect to Japan in order to get what they wanted.

    He bowed. He showed respect. The Emperor shook his hand. The Emperor showed respect. That is the beginning and the end of what happened in that scene. #barackobama
     Reply
    skt.smth was starred skt.smth was unstarred
    Image of Buttafooco Buttafooco
    10:51 AM

    @skt.smth: As someone who knows a bit, amen to that. I am surprised they didn't start breaking down degrees into parsecs. I doubt he would be judged by the Japanese leaders as somehow being ignorant for going a bit beyond the norm when paying respect. #barackobama
     Reply
    Buttafooco was starred Buttafooco was unstarred
    Image of Mediahohoho Mediahohoho
    11/13/09

    In reply to Politico Challenges Bob Bauer's Credentials, Headlines Story 'Bob Bauer's Credentials Challenged'
    The Republican party will take help wherever they can find it. If no existing (and/or self-respecting) media outlet will not report the spin they want, they simply create a media outlet that will. The only difference between Politico and the Washington Times is that the Times has an intermediary cult between it and the mother ship. Politico has a direct line. #politico
     Reply
    Mediahohoho was starred Mediahohoho was unstarred
    Image of misslinda misslinda
    11/13/09

    In reply to Politico Challenges Bob Bauer's Credentials, Headlines Story 'Bob Bauer's Credentials Challenged'
    Hello Politico? You there? Remember Harriet Miers? Bush's personal attorney who worked on his 2000 campaign? Who he later nominated to the Supreme Court and had to withdraw the bid cause it was just that ridiculous? Yeah *that* Harriet Miers, the one who gives President Obama license to appoint a fucking frog in a bear costume to the position of White House counsel. #politico
     Reply
    misslinda was starred misslinda was unstarred
    Image of If_I_Had_a_Poodle If_I_Had_a_Poodle
    11/13/09

    @misslinda: FROG IN A BEAR COSTUME. OMG. #politico
     Reply
    If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred If_I_Had_a_Poodle was unstarred
    Image of If_I_Had_a_Poodle If_I_Had_a_Poodle
    11/13/09

    In reply to Politico Challenges Bob Bauer's Credentials, Headlines Story 'Bob Bauer's Credentials Challenged'
    I heard that the editors of Politico enjoy goatfucking. Questions arise whether that is true. But now that it's out there, it would be irresponsible not to investigate it. Also, did they kill anyone?

    Also, did they ask if Atty Gen Gonzo was qualified?
     Reply
    Edited by If_I_Had_a_Poodle at 11/13/09 4:55 PM If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred If_I_Had_a_Poodle was unstarred
    Image of Trixie from Toronto Trixie from Toronto
    11/13/09

    In reply to Politico Challenges Bob Bauer's Credentials, Headlines Story 'Bob Bauer's Credentials Challenged'
    How do you know those criticizing him didn't contact Politico first? #politico
     Reply
    Trixie from Toronto was starred Trixie from Toronto was unstarred
    Image of Jes St.Lawrence Jes St.Lawrence
    11/13/09

    In reply to Politico Challenges Bob Bauer's Credentials, Headlines Story 'Bob Bauer's Credentials Challenged'
    Kenny, show us on the doll where Matt Drudge touched you. #politico
     Reply
    Jes St.Lawrence was starred Jes St.Lawrence was unstarred
    Image of seyswho seyswho
    11/13/09

    In reply to Politico Challenges Bob Bauer's Credentials, Headlines Story 'Bob Bauer's Credentials Challenged'
    "Questions arise whether incoming White House counsel Bob Bauer's experience as a partisan warrior is appropriate for the position."

    Frankly, I think a few more partisan warriors is exactly what this administration is sorely lacking.
     Reply
    Edited by seyswho at 11/13/09 4:39 PM seyswho was starred seyswho was unstarred
    Image of BullfightsOnAcid BullfightsOnAcid
    11/11/09

    In reply to The Four Clips That Prove ABC's V Is Anti-Obama Propaganda

    The 80's series was actually an allegory for the Teapot Dome Scandal of the 1920's as evidenced by this picture. #v
     Reply
    BullfightsOnAcid was starred BullfightsOnAcid was unstarred
    Image of topsy topsy
    11/11/09

    In reply to The Four Clips That Prove ABC's V Is Anti-Obama Propaganda
    Does it matter what subliminal messages V is sending out, when the overwhelming impression is one of overwhelming crap? The cast tries their best, but this latest version makes the 80s model look like Masterpiece Theatre. #v
     Reply
    topsy was starred topsy was unstarred
    Image of ts4april ts4april
    11/11/09

    @topsy: Thank you. Where is Michael Ironside when we need him?
     Reply
    MissNormaDesmond promoted this comment ts4april was starred ts4april was unstarred
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