Sarah Palin in 30 seconds

Takuan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ3fjQa5Hls&feature=related

sammich

Wigwam jones @ 36 – Perhaps you should be wearing your tinfoil helmet with the eyeholes to the front?

sammich

And Takuan trumps the debate with Fred and Ginger…

Xopher

Honestly, next people will be claiming that there’s only one correct place to put the stress on ‘insurance’, and which one is correct will depend on whether they’re from the North (“inSURance”) or the South (“INsurance”).

The fact is, there are simply two different pronunciations, and the difference is distributed regionally. Neither is “more correct” than the other.

So too with ‘aluminum’ and ‘aluminium’. And before someone says it, no, UK doesn’t automatically get to claim “correctness” because the language originated there. Stuff and nonsense.

The pronunciation /nu kyu lr/ is not a simple matter of stress, nor is it justified by a corresponding spelling, nor is there a regional distribution. It’s either a symptom of being poorly educated to the point of being semiliterate, or a deliberate attempt to seem so.

Now, people who are illiterate, never mind merely semiliterate, are not necessarily stupid. But I don’t think someone like that belongs anywhere near the White House (except on a tour). We’ve already tried that, and we’re damn sick of it.

Of course, it could be a deliberate attempt to be folksy, like the mention of the Joe Sixpacks and so on. If so, she’s a liar. But that’s not news; she lied about the Bridge to Nowhere over and over, apparently with complete comfort; you can’t do that if you’re new at it.

wsccpr

I think Sarah Palin can be summed up in three words she uttered during the RNC- BALLOONS ARE FUN! check out the loop my friend and I made
http://www.wherethesummercalmofcharityperpetuallyreigns.com/?p=29

turgidnoodler

Many seem to be suggesting that saying ‘nu-cu-lar’ indicates: (a) a lack of familiarity with nuclear matters and (b) a disqualification for a job in the White House. Jimmy Carter (BS in physics, nuclear sub certified in the Navy, 39th president) would disagree.

Look, there are a lot of things about Sarah Palin that scare the fuck out of me. A regional dialect is near the bottom of that list.

FoetusNail

I’m not believin’ you are actually reading and comprehending. The fundamentalist reformation does not just seek to amend our constitution. What they are doing will lead to the gutting of the United States Constitution. What they are proposing is treason. Their fully realized goal is christian fascism, which will render the USofA unrecognizable. Knowing some of these people as I do, trust me when I tell you, as a catholic you should be very afraid.

The fringe I’m talking about hates jews, blames them for the crucification, but supports Israel. They do this because their all powerful god needs their help to fulfill his prophecies. It is very important everyone understands her beliefs, before she is given the launch codes.

Palin, and the other fundies, are running for office to help things along. When praying for the rapture, they are in effect praying for the destruction of our world. So, by extension, they are praying for the destruction of our country.

Their political agenda is to create a waiting room for the faithful, protected by the US military. That is why Palin is running for office; well, that and outright hubris. Never forget the only thing the wealthy or the fundies need, that they cannot supply themselves, is a military; this is the only reason they need the rest of us.

Voting McCain/Palin is voting to hand over control of the most powerful military in the world to ignorant fundamentalists. Fundamentalists who are waiting for god to destroy our world after whisking their families safely away to heaven. Thanks, but no thanks.

Doran

Winky!

sammich

Did Jimmy Carter not know how to pronounce nuclear? That does disappoint me…

dimmer

“And before someone says it, no, UK doesn’t automatically get to claim “correctness” because the language originated there.”

Not on the whole basis of language, fersure, but the pronunciation of the word “aluminium”? You betcha!

Michael

Thank you, Xopher. By the way, Alcoa.com spells it “aluminum”, for the same reason they don’t spell those round rubber things “tyres”: because they are in the United States, where Dan’l Webster Americanized (not Americanised!) the spelling in the 1800′s to differentiate the growing American culture from its British predecessor.

Given that Alcoa works with aluminum more than I suspect our posters here do, I’m going to continue to use that spelling.

Regarding pronunciation: Merriam-Webster says \É™-ËˆlÃ¼-mÉ™-nÉ™m\ (here if you don’t believe me) and so I don’t think I’m going to be changing that one any time soon, either. I don’t think Merriam-Webster is trying to sell me siding — and frankly, I’m not sure what decade you’re from if you think siding is still made of metal.

Palin’s choice of the “Nucular” pronunciation is probably deliberate; she’s attempting to sell the Republican team to the Red States. Polls say she’s failing — but four weeks is simply not enough time to give up the only strategy they’ve got.

TEKNA2007

@wigwam #124:

I liked the fact that he went to work on Habitat for Humanity and other projects after his time as President and didn’t pop up on the world stage to offer his opinions and gainsay whatever the current administration was doing. But then he started doing so, and got kind of nasty about it here and there. I stopped paying much attention to him after that.

Looks from here like we all should have been listening a bit more. Is there anything left the Bush admin hasn’t broken? Oh wait — don’t point it out, they might notice their omission.

I’d really love to hear what professional psychologists say to each other about Bush’s nature.

Enormo

@#29 RichardP

I’m a Australian and an outsider, but it seems to me that the comments made here, and on places like Huffington, Gawker, SNL etc all simply reinforce the determination of those who support Ms Palin

Yes, but after 8 years of the Bush administration the population of voters who are closer to center is probably larger than usual. They’re the swing vote.

The mere presence of a canditate like Palin will probably bring out more of the established conservative vote. I’m not sure if parodying a parody is going to make it any worse.

mdh

When did the ability to speak become elitism?

Jan 21, 2001.

That’s the very same day that calling ‘shenanigans!’ became treason.

Wigwam Jones

@ #46

…I WILL beat upon you if you persist.

Doubtful. In any sense of the phrase. But feel free to contact me off line if you feel you require a demonstration.

Come now, you have the mental equipment to understand, now prove your good intent.

I do, and I have, repeatedly. I now reach back to the early days of Usenet for a term I haven’t used in years, but which I believe is appropriate in this case.

*plonk*

Wigwam Jones

@ #130 FoetusNail

I’m not believin’ you are actually reading and comprehending.

I think I am both reading and comprehending, but in this case, I’m not agreeing.

The fundamentalist reformation does not just seek to amend our constitution. What they are doing will lead to the gutting of the United States Constitution. What they are proposing is treason. Their fully realized goal is christian fascism, which will render the USofA unrecognizable.

I am familiar with some aspects of the Fundamentalist Christian agenda, but not those parts.

Knowing some of these people as I do, trust me when I tell you, as a catholic you should be very afraid.

I am familiar with many groups that have tried to do everything from marginalize to murder Catholics in the USA for the crime of being Catholic. It is a long and varied history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Catholicism

I am always cautious, but I try to base my fears in what I see as reality.

The fringe I’m talking about hates jews, blames them for the crucification, but supports Israel. They do this because their all powerful god needs their help to fulfill his prophecies. It is very important everyone understands her beliefs, before she is given the launch codes.

I understand the beliefs of the group(s) you are referring to, but I don’t think Sarah Palin is one of them. She claims not to be a member of the Assemblies of God (Pentecostal) church, but attends one regularly. I don’t see AoG as one of the ‘baddies’ out there. The speaking in tongues bit is a little over-the-top for me, but to each their own. I believe in the miracle of transubstantiation, so my own beliefs are a bit wack, by some standards.

Again, this is just my opinion. I do know the groups you are talking about, and those who would immanentize the eschaton are a bit frightening to me. But I don’t think they’re in the mainstream of Christianity, even the Evangelicals.

Antinous

Wow. Some of you have caching problems. Number references are now meaningless.

FiveAcres

Wow, I really needed that extra credit. I am getting too old: I remember what life was like when you could tell something must be from The Onion.

Antinous

Wigwam,

Takuan uses Chuck Norris as a plant stand. Just so you know.

wfrancis

McCain ’08!
Palin ’09!

wolfiesma

FoetusSnail,
That was a very well done argument. I envy your lucidity.

I just wanted to say I have no problem with creationism in the schools IN THE CONTEXT of a study of religion. No matter how religious you are, you should be able to see that it is a system for helping you lead a better life, and tolerance for other ways of life can be tolerated.

If your religion or lack therof doesn’t permit you to tolerate others’ way of life then it needs to evolve.

minTphresh

tekna, prolly what the shrink says at about :45 secs in. : http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2782596869083274725&ei=vNXqSLeVB4aYrQLWhZmZCw&q=original+halloween+movie&vt=lf

Anonymous

#22 POSTED BY WIGWAM JONES , OCTOBER 5, 2008 4:53 PM

Even my spell-checker wants me to spell it ‘aluminum’, which is the way most Americans spell and pronounce it. We’re joined in this by Australia and…um…no one else.

———

As an Australian… I take issue with this claim. I have not once heard anyone here pronounce the word “aluminum”… it’s always aluminium.

The only people living in Australia who are likely to say “aluminum” are all going to be ex-pat Americans. It’s just not used here by the locals. I don’t know where you got that idea from.

sammich

Nice cleanup Antinous

Wigwam Jones

@ #115 FoetusNail

First, you are correct in saying, Americans are free to practice whatever absurd religion they wish. However, their right to keep their children ignorant, and therefore dangerous, does not mean they can foist this crap on the rest of us. This is not just maddening, but unconstitutional.

I’m afraid I don’t agree. Any group of believers in just about anything is free to use the political system to attempt to persuade lawmakers to change laws to suit themselves. Where such laws would conflict with existing constitutional rights, they are free to try to get amendments to the Constitution passed.

The supporters (and detractors) of Prohibition would be a case in point.

I don’t agree with the political position of many Evangelical Christians, but they certainly do have the right to try to change laws to suit themselves, even at the detriment of the rest of us.

These people are not just trying to shelter their spawn, which are nothing more than Zombies for Jesus, but attempting to remake America into a religious state.

Yes, many of them are. However, I believe that the day of the Moral Majority as a force capable of changing the political landscape is over for now. That’s just my opinion.

Their problem, which they work tirelessly to correct, is their religious freedom ends at the front door of their homes, churches, and private idiot farms. Once they step out that door, our right to shelter our children from their ignorance and intolerance begins. Also, unless they want to allow others to sacrifice chickens before their child’s game starts, they should rethink this whole religion in schools. This country is becoming to diverse for that shit.

I agree with you that religious freedom extends to everyone, or it does not exist. I agree with you as well that I don’t want Evangelical Christians attempting to change the laws of the land to suit themselves, I like things pretty much as they are in that sense. I only disagree with you over their right to attempt to change the laws if they wish.

For example, If they want to teach creationism in schools, then they must include the thousands of equally unscientific myths from every other religion in the world, or at least the top fifty.

I have agreed with Takuan repeatedly on this issue, and I’ll agree with you as well – I also do not think creationism should be taught as science in any public school over evolution. I think it is perfectly valid to teach it as a creation myth, part of the study of religions (sociology, american history, etc), but not as a valid scientific theory.

The christian myth is really quite boring and childish, there are much more beautiful myths. I don’t study this stuff, but I prefer The Dreaming.

To each their own. I am Catholic, I do like our creation myth. I especially like the very first bit, about the Void and the Word. I like to visualize the very moment of the Big Bang, where all of the energy and spacetime of the entire universe was compressed into a single sub-atomic-sized point, the singularity, and then it exploded and the universe came into being. I ponder what it means – is there a ‘Cause’ for that? It seems tome that there must be, but I have no idea what it is. No one else seems to, either.

Why is Palin running for office? Everyone that opposes her is wondering the same, but I like NOYB’s comment @96. Let’s face it her being “annoyed” with Katie Couric springs from her inability to understand why her volksy mind tricks failed to work on an actual intelligent, well-informed woman who is far more qualified to be President than Palin. Not that I would vote for Katie, Iâ€™m just saying. Personally, I think moderate conservatives screwed up by not supporting Hillary.

My comment about Palin running was in response to a statement that “They don’t care about this country. Many are praying it will be destroyed in their lifetimes,” made by Takuan. My response seemed valid to me – if they “don’t care,” then why would they run for public office?

Takuan (and later, you) responded that you just meant the ‘lunatic fringe’ and Takuan accused me of ‘Cherry Picking’ statements to respond to, but I really was under the impression that he meant Palin was part of that so-called ‘lunatic fringe’ he was speaking about.

That’s not actually possible – if she’s the ‘lunatic fringe’ and does not care about the country, then she could not be running for various public offices – one by definition has to ‘care’ to run. One might not agree with her values and what she chooses to care about, but it is clear that she cares.

I personally do not agree with many of her personal religious beliefs, but I don’t think she would attempt to impose that on the rest of the country – and even if she would try, I don’t think she would have the power to do so. So I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about her religious beliefs. Or McCain’s, or Obama’s, or Biden’s.

Takuan

heh heh! wicked Wfrancis, wicked and funny!

TEKNA2007

Just keep her away from the levers of power

yes, for all the obvious reasons, but also because (never heard anyone else say this yet) if she ends up in the president’s chair, it’ll be some as-yet-unspecified group actually running the country.

been there. done that. paid the $700billion bailout.

sammich

Wicked, funny, scary

george57l

Why is it that although some of all the people who cannot bear to hear nucular must be American, many/some of these same people seem not to understand how to pronounce (or how annoying it is to hear mispronounced) words like mirror or terror? GW Bush being one of the worst offenders. I’m fed up of hearing about terrists and the war against terr.

There’s a UK TV ad running now for a film whose title is announced in that typical American deep male voice reserved for horror (oh dear – there’s another one) film trailers, which, when I first heard it without looking at the screen, I thought was for a film called “Meer in cinemas now!”. Turns out it is called Mirror.

I’m just musing if maybe some of it is simply the “accent” of some variations of the American spoken language as opposed to other forms of spoken English. Just like mirror, terror or horror.

One other I find amusing is hearing about merlin. I first heard it from a US friend telling me he went to merlin for the weekend. Took me and my friends many iterations of asking what he had done before we figured out it was Maryland.

Wasn’t all the above irrelevant? Yes! So perhaps you US chaps/chapesses complaining about Palin’s deficiency in this regard could stick it to Palin for some reasons that will do more, and be more persuasive, than simply to confirm to her mindless supporters that her opponents are anal language dweebs who think pronunciation is an important political issue in the coming election. (Not that most of her supporters would know a political issue if it jumped up and bit them.)

sammich

Tekna2007 @(meaningless)72 ‘been there. done that. paid the $700billion bailout’ surely as a nation of 300,000,000 you’ve only paid $2333 each?

Wigwam Jones

Oh, and an addendum…

These people are not just trying to shelter their spawn, which are nothing more than Zombies for Jesus, but attempting to remake America into a religious state.

I took this photo last year at the local Zombie Walk. Look, Zombie Jesus!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wigwam/1460308519/

Jake0748

Tekna, somebody else’ll have to pay my $2333, I’m broke.

wolfiesma

@72
So true! Everyone gets so distracted with the candidates, when they are most certainly not the ones who are running the country. Its all about the administration they usher in and almost nothing to do with the individual person(puppet.) That is why the focus on the figurehead seems so irrelevant to me. We should be talking about Karl Rove, not Sarah Palin for goodness’ sake.

wolfiesma

Wigwam,

I think I agree with you on most of what you are saying…. but this last bit about how Palin wouldn’t impose her religious worldview and wouldn’t have the power to do so… that’s been proven really wrong. The religious right she ushers in have made enormous changes in the world. Think family planning clinics in Africa. The religious right elements of the current Republican administration has repeatedly revoked funding for birth control, condoms, education. Of course they are doing the same thing in clinics and schools across America as well.

I respect Jimmy Carter for holding fast to his religious beliefs, while respecting the separation of church and state. He wrote a book recently called, “Our Imperiled Values.” I think. I haven’t read it but heard him speak on it and he made the most sense of anyone. Wish more people would listen to him.

TEKNA2007

“purely and simply … evil”

Good stuff, MinTPhresh.

Really takes me back, too. My first drive-in movie make-out session in my parents’ station wagon was while not watching that movie. Vinyl seats FTW!

Nelson.C

Okay, fact check: When British scientist Humphrey Davy first isolated the metal from the mineral alumina, he named it alumium (sic). Later, he changed his mind and named it aluminum â€” without the second I, note, just like platinum. So, technically, the without-an-I spelling is both correct and British, contrary to the popular opinion of fuss-budgets.

Nonetheless, the fuss-budgets won in the UK, and so we spell it with the I. The US retains the (not quite) original spelling.

grikdog

Say it ain’t Soho…!

Tom Hale

Thanks WOLFIESMA, That’s close to what I believe. The president is just a puppet for the OLD MONEY RICH – though not Rove – he’s just a tactician.

sammich

nelson c @77 are you UK? ‘Fuss-budget’ seems a bit foreign to me…

from wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium
‘Americans adopted -ium to fit the standard form of the periodic table of elements, for most of the nineteenth century, with aluminium appearing in Webster’s Dictionary of 1828. In 1892, however, Charles Martin Hall used the -um spelling in an advertising handbill for his new electrolytic method of producing the metal, despite his constant use of the -ium spelling in all the patents[23] he filed between 1886 and 1903.[29] It has consequently been suggested that the spelling reflects an easier to pronounce word with one fewer syllable, or that the spelling on the flier was a mistake. Hall’s domination of production of the metal ensured that the spelling aluminum became the standard in North America; the Webster Unabridged Dictionary of 1913, though, continued to use the -ium version.

In 1926, the American Chemical Society officially decided to use aluminum in its publications; American dictionaries typically label the spelling aluminium as a British variant.’

Tom Hale

Sweet! Though this started with a video about a Vice Presidential candidate’s debate tactics – we now know much more about the history and proper pronunciation of aluminum than we ever wanted to know.

rollermonkey

You say nuclear, I say nucular, lets call the…no who really gives a damn. The only thing that matters is this less than mediocre, chirping twit is closer to the presidency than any woman that has ever lived. Even though it appears (knocking loudly on wood) she will be kicked back to Alaska where she can patrol Russia for us forever, this development alone is the most depressing thing about this entire campaign. I pray I never hear her voice after Nov. 4th but I fear her Fox News stardom is locked in now. She’ll be just another boorish, pointless pundit to avoid forever.

Xeni Jardin

@rollermonkey, you mean “pundint.”

Ceronomus

‘Fuss-budget’? Lucy from Peanuts was referred to as a ‘Fuss-budget’. That isn’t exactly foreign.

What saddens me is how many Americans demand that English be proclaimed our official language, and yet they seem afraid of electing someone who knows how to speak it.

Takuan

“pun-ditn’t”

WarLord

Margaret Cho was on Craig Ferguson and said about Sarah P: “I don’t want to vote for her but I do want to have sex with her”

Sekino

The more I look at this, the more I realise that it’s no longer even about the religious belief or the language quirks. Heck, it’s even beyond Rep vs Dem:

The woman can’t hold a coherent, meaningful conversation on ANY topic (aside from anectodes about Alaskan country living). It doesn’t matter what side she’s on. She’d be a complete insult to intelligence no matter what colour she’d wear. I’m not scared of Sarah Palin-the-person nearly as much as the complete lack of standards that allowed such a person to run for office. It is simply appalling that America has to consider her as an acceptable option.

Wigwam Jones

@ #121 Wolfiesma

I think I agree with you on most of what you are saying…. but this last bit about how Palin wouldn’t impose her religious worldview and wouldn’t have the power to do so… that’s been proven really wrong.

Well, here’s what I base my opinion upon. She has been Governor of Alaska for 2 years, and in that time, she has not attempted to change any laws with regard to religion that I am aware of.

As to her power to make changes – as part of the executive branch, she can’t make law (as President of the USA, she could issue Executive Orders, which have the force of law). As Vice-President, she would serve as President Pro Tem of the Senate, casting tie-breaking votes, but that’s pretty much the limit of her power.

She would actually be in a position to do more damage as a member of Congress – introducing bills and so on.

The religious right she ushers in have made enormous changes in the world. Think family planning clinics in Africa. The religious right elements of the current Republican administration has repeatedly revoked funding for birth control, condoms, education. Of course they are doing the same thing in clinics and schools across America as well.

Ah, I see your point. Not laws, then, but directives for funding of various federal agencies. Gotcha. Fair enough.

I respect Jimmy Carter for holding fast to his religious beliefs, while respecting the separation of church and state. He wrote a book recently called, “Our Imperiled Values.” I think. I haven’t read it but heard him speak on it and he made the most sense of anyone. Wish more people would listen to him.

I haven’t paid much attention to Jimmy Carter in recent years. I had a lot of respect for him, not as a President (I was in the military during his years in office, the military was badly treated), but as a human being. I liked the fact that he went to work on Habitat for Humanity and other projects after his time as President and didn’t pop up on the world stage to offer his opinions and gainsay whatever the current administration was doing. But then he started doing so, and got kind of nasty about it here and there. I stopped paying much attention to him after that.

Tom Hale

pundint – http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/pundint.html

pundit – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_commentator

buddy66

I’d really love to hear what professional psychologists say to each other about Bush’s nature.

Two of my friends who are psychologists agree that he displays symptoms of a sociopathic personality.

But I don’t like psychospeak and never use it, preferring instead Kidspeak. So I just think of him as a snotty little rich kid who grew up to be a big, mean, dumb dangerous snot.

sammich

ceronomus@82 – I meant foreign to the UK. Peanuts ~used~ to be foreign here, and hasn’t had an entirely benign influence on uk culture…
Personally, I identify the British adoption of the poisonous ‘Trick or Treat’ tradition with an episode of Charlie Brown screened in the early/mid 70s. Cute as Mr Schultz’s creations were, I cannot forgive him for that…

sammich

And let’s hope Sarah Palin will be just another boorish, pointless pundit to avoid forever

TseeBaeng

This is ripping off 23/6′s Palin sketch. Their skit is way better too.

Here, judge for yourself:

http://www.236.com/video/2008/the_best_of_sarah_palin_cd_9332.php

minTphresh

xeni, oh no you di-in’! (snap)

sammich

oops – Schulz, not Schultz, sorry…

Takuan

so she is qualified?

Ceronomus

sammich, my mistake. Trust me, I do wholeheartedly apologize for thinking you were an American. Often times these days it is a label that *I* don’t want, so I’m sorry to have inadvertently hung that on you.

Though I’d hardly call the “Trick or Treat” tradition “poisonous.” ;)

mdh

Jimbuck @ 115 – And McCain says something that sounds like Warshington/

When I moved west for a time about 15 years ago I found out where all the R’s we drop in Boston go.

They go to Warshington.

Takuan

apple?
http://i.pbase.com/g4/80/636180/2/65136289.Fm4wE4gJ.jpg

Swampdog

Aluminum is actually quite different from aluminium. They’re different colours.

Takuan

that statement was in fact a quotation by myself of another. Hence the quotation marks surrounding it.

noneofyourbusiness

Sarah Palin is a megalomaniacal sociopath. She has no concern for the plight of other women, especially pregnant women who were raped by a family member or…even her own daughter. Her ambition to be President has been well documented. Today’s Frank Rich piece describes how and why she “didn’t blink” an eye when asked to be VP: she fully expects McCain to keel over on the job. During the debate, she had no reaction to Biden’s show of emotion regarding the tragic loss of his family. This woman is a machine, not a human being. She knows the basic mechanical sexual lure of winking and folksy homilies to get ahead as they worked for her during her beauty pageant days. Even if she is an absolute moron intellectually, the few brain cells she has are used to calculate what she needs to do to win no matter the cost.

If Palin is not disposed of now as a serious political candidate, she’ll be back in our faces like a flaming case of herpes in 2012. She’s the ultimate combination of Dick Cheney and Richard Nixon in a skirt, but with a telegenic face. This woman is dangerous and needs to be stopped.

sammich

Ceronomus@93 Prior to the ‘Give me stuff or I’ll pelt your house with eggs’ tradition, halloween, at least in the north, was all about bob-apple and treacle-toffee, and lanterns carved out of turnips – (the big ones with the orange flesh) there’s more issues going on here than you can possibly imagine…

dimmer

Well, thanks for that image NOYB. Can I have my analyst call your analyst/PR department?

wolfiesma

#124
Your comments make me feel better about myself.

FoetusNail

Well, I’m starting to see Empress Palintine, aka Darth Idiot, working her Jedi mind tricks.

Palintine: You don’t need to see my qualifications.
I don’t need to see your qualifications.
Palintine: Those aren’t the dudes you’re voting for.
Those aren’t the dudes I’m voting for.
Palintine: You can go about your business.
I can go about my business.
Palintine: Move along.
Move Along… Move along.

Takuan

nope ,she’s stoopid.

Antinous

wolfiesma,

Sorry, I orphaned your comment.

mgfarrelly

But what about all the facts and relevant data she…oh.

Tom Hale

I think she’s absolutely adorable! I can’t see her as our next VP – Does Not Compute -But still, she’s as cute as a button.

Jack

Can’t see her as VP? Tom, you’re the first person to say that. You’re a maverick!

arkady

Quite nice; honestly, a bit too nice to the lady… Maybe weave the Tiny Fey end of days comment in?

tx_ROOK

I nominate Tom Hale for Vice Maverick!

… couldn’t resist. ;P

JFlex

John McCain: You can be my wing man anytime.

Sarah Palin: No… you can be mine!

Anonymous

LOL – exactly what I remembered from her side of the debate.

Please, American people, go vote!
Please don’t let this joke happen.
There are enough of them around already.

Geraldine, from France.

brooklyntwang

putin defy border red roby fed nit up

yes, thats a PALINdrome

Davin

She makes me so angry my blood boils.

anthropomorphictoast

…

I’m gonna go weep in a darkened corner now.

mykie

“Nucular.”

It’s pronounced “Nucular”.

alowishus

Aww, wook at the cute widdle governor trying to be a big VP!

mdh

My girlfriend owns a shotgun and can field dress a deer, and she thinks Palin’s a fool.

Palin isn’t drawing the voters you’d think she is, but she has made a lot of McCain supporters unapologetic.

Micheal Kelly

Please. Please. PLEASE!

No more “Nucular”! Just hearing nuclear mispronounced like that makes my ears bleed.

nigelstwin

If McCain’s such a Maverick, does that make her Goose?
I mean, I saw Top Gun…

minTphresh

EB, first time poster i see. since you despise these types of posts, why the f**k are you even bothering to comment here. unless you have some ulterior motive…

mdh

TOMHALE …when the video was first posted, I really didn’t see conversation being about how to pronounce certain words. Most of the usual BB commenters must be taking a break tonight.

Gov Palin is not terribly interesting, though she is proving to be interestingly terrible.

But Tom, that pronunciation debate is much more attention grabbing than Gov. Palin, and our feelings about it run much much deeper. I kid you not.

Wigwam Jones

@ #9

You’re right. That’s how Bill Clinton said it, according to William Safire, NYT.

Metronicity

@ Wigwam Jones #35

Mate, HMAS Stirling is clear across the other side of the continent from New South Wales (NSW) in Perth, Western Australia (WA). But I’ve no doubt you were there if you were sucking on that cats piss Swan Lager.

sixister

god DAMN she’s cute.

SO cute.

lmc

What is it with the “nucular”? During the debate, I thought it was just the way she thought it was pronounced. But today I saw her speaking on CNN from a couple of weeks ago and she clearly said “nuclear”. She must be pronouncing it “nucular” on purpose now.

Ian Forsyth

It’s funny. I’m actually looking forward to Saturday Night Live’s take on political events involving Palin than I am looking forward to watching Palin and the actual election events.

In case you missed the absolutely hilarious SNL Tina Fey numbers, I’ve got all three linked together on my blog:

http://www.thosecoolnewthings.com

complete with an actual plug for Gwen IFill’s book, which is ironically available at Amazon!
The videos of Palin are not to be missed. I was almost in tears in laughing when Fey said, “I believe that mariage is supposed to be an institution between two unwilling teenagers…” You just can’t write better stuff than that.

Anonymous

Also posted to the Palin Debate Prep thread.

FoetusNail here, let’s face it, Palin proves there is a hardcore group that would have trouble voting Dem, even if god came to them in a dream and said vote Obama. At this point it would be too embarrassing to change horses. Just imagine what would happen in some of these churches, if they were to find out someone betrayed the values.

This is not about Iraq or fiscal responsibiility, or even the long stream of half truths or outright lies. It is not even about patriotism.
It is all about creating an enviornment that shelters their children from opposing ideas, and prepares the world for the rapture and armageddon. They don’t care about this country. Many are praying it will be destroyed in their lifetimes.

A small active group of uneducated religious zealots are, in Palin’s words, going to reform the country. If you want to know what that means your answer, their “Values”, was posted hours ago.

nyn tht cms t ths st t hv “dscssn” s t th vry lst dshnst.

Jake0748

As someone who worked for a while in a lab, as a nuclear medicine production tech, who knows a little about nuclear physics, and who is sick of political bullshit…

Let me just say, it is pronounced “NUKE – LEE – ER”.

(Or “NUKE- LEE – AR”, if you prefer).

People who can not, will not, or prefer to remain confused about the concept, lose a lot of points in my book.

the_boy

I really like this. Palin, distilled into the pure form her base wants to see, without so much as an acknowledgment of the existence of anyone else. I wouldn’t be surprised if a campaign ad took this tactic. Heck, either side could use it.

(That said, I really hope her media existence ends the 5th of November. Remember, remember.)

slywy

“like, five weeks?”

Like, wow.

TEKNA2007

@wolfiesma #76

That is why the focus on the figurehead seems so irrelevant to me. We should be talking about Karl Rove, not Sarah Palin for goodness’ sake.

well put. also wondering what plans cheney has for after he leaves office.

been there, done that, got the $700billion t-shirt.

chetoverton

@LMC

Yeah, the reason why Palin was able to pronounce nuclear correctly in that speech with CNN was because she was able to use a teleprompter. The speech writer wrote it out as “NEW CLEAR” so that she wouldn’t say nucular. She’s not doing it on purpose now. She just really doesn’t know how to pronounce it.

Wigwam Jones

@ #17 Jake0748

May I ask, how many people, in your estimation, pronounce ‘aluminium’ correctly – or spell it correctly? Even my spell-checker wants me to spell it ‘aluminum’, which is the way most Americans spell and pronounce it. We’re joined in this by Australia and…um…no one else. Not even Canadia.

As to the continuing mispronunciation of the word ‘nuclear’, I quite agree. I find it a trifle galling as well. However, it has gained currency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucular

“Though disapproved of by many, pronunciations ending in [kjÉ™.lÉ™(É¹)] have been found in widespread use among educated speakers, including scientists, lawyers, professors, congressmen, United States cabinet members, and at least two United States presidents and one vice president, who are, in other respects, educated. While most common in the United States, these pronunciations have also been heard from British and Canadian speakers.”

Antinous

who are, in other respects, educated.

I suspect that you and I have very different definitions of what it means to be educated.

cortana

@#18 – Close. NYUU-KLEE-AR

nuclear operator pronunciation nazi now going back to his nice warm plant.

the53rdcalypso

Thttp://www.236.com/video/2008/watch_vp_debate_in_a_minute_9334.php
Yeah it’s pretty much exactly the same. Way to be original dude.

Takuan

any easy solution: henceforth the term shall be:
“Tomic”

Tom Hale

The use of accidently pronunced words can supposebly make a person seem more down to earth. Personally, if I hear nucular alot it makes me nauseous.

P.S. in case you dint know, nauseous is also incorrect – figured most a ya wouldn’t catch that one.

Digital Artz

God /Buddha Bless us all if Palin-McCain win.
I see cultural jails being set up for free thinkers
Atheists,Commie Jews ,oh that was Senator McCarthy!

dimmer

[i]May I ask, how many people, in your estimation, pronounce ‘aluminium’ correctly[/i]

Simple: Al (as in you can call me) U (also as in you can call me) Minium.

Anyone saying “Aluninem” is either an idiot or trying to sell you siding…

Takuan

“It is all about creating an environment that shelters their children from opposing ideas, and prepares the world for the rapture and Armageddon. They don’t care about this country. Many are praying it will be destroyed in their lifetimes.”

Exactly what a Taliban member believes. Lunatic fringe christians and lunatic fringe muslims beset us from all sides.

adsum

she actually ended her latest speech saying she believed in American Exceptionalism. Just think of all the greatness that mindset brings!

RichardP

I’m a Australian and an outsider, but it seems to me that the comments made here, and on places like Huffington, Gawker, SNL etc all simply reinforce the determination of those who support Ms Palin, and just prove to them that there is a bunch of pointy headed elitists who can pronounce ‘nuclear’ correctly and who need to be removed as soon as possible, and that Sara and John are the team to do it.

On another point, some of us in Australia say (wrongly) ‘nuculear’ some of us even say (wrongly) ‘burgular’ but we dont dont say ‘aluminum’. Wigwam Jones you must have met a linguistic double agent under deep cover.

Antinous

pointy headed elitists who can pronounce ‘nuclear’ correctly

Thanks for the tee shirt idea. When did the ability to speak become elitism?

Jake0748

Wigwam, Aluminium has nothing to do with it. Nuclear, the word, is derived from the nucleus of the atom. There is nothing between the “C” and the “L”.

Jetflyer

Editing a video together to make someone appear to be less than they truly are. Brilliant!

I wonder if this could be done with Barack? Hmm…

Tom Hale

@ 28 – TAKUAN, that’s a little extreme don’t you think? Out of the 9 other people that work with me on my shift, 8 are Christian Conservatives, the other is a Christian Democrat (Yes, he separates his politics from his religion), and I know good and well that all of them are not looking forward to Armageddon. We are all looking forward to our children and grandchildren, etc. living long happy lives. Heck, my church (Church of Christ), doesn’t even believe in the rapture as it is commonly interpreted from Revelations.

Nelson.C

Goodness, is a Brit not allowed to use American English words now? I’ve got a whole shelf-full of loan-words that I need to give back in that case.

Daemon

I’m sort of wondering how long it’s going to be before we start seeing LolPalins.

jackie31337

Daemon @33: “I’m sort of wondering how long it’s going to be before we start seeing LolPalins.”

You can see them right now over at PunditKitchen.

Anonymous

Lunatic Fringe
I know you’re out there
You’re in hiding
And you hold your meetings
I can hear you coming
And I know what you’re after
We’re wise to you this time
Won’t let you kill the laughter

Lunatic Fringe
In the twilight’s last gleaming
This is open season
But you won’t get too far
Cause you got to blame someone
For your own confusion
But we’re on guard this time
Against your final solution

We can hear you coming
(We can hear you coming)
No you’re not going to win this time
We can hear the footsteps
(We can hear the footsteps)
Way out along the walkway

Lunatic Fringe
We know you’re out there
But in these new dark ages
There will still be light
An eye for an eye
Well, before you go under
Can you feel the resistance
Can you feel the….thunder
FoetuNail

Wigwam Jones

@ #104 Metronicity

Mate, HMAS Stirling is clear across the other side of the continent from New South Wales (NSW) in Perth, Western Australia (WA). But I’ve no doubt you were there if you were sucking on that cats piss Swan Lager.

My bad, yes, it was WA and not NSW. I was there as part of “Freedom Pennant 82″ and I rather liked Swan Lager. The choice in most of the bars we visited in Perth was Swan Lager or Emu, and Emu really was terrible.

Wigwam Jones

@ #27 – I didn’t ask if you could pronounce it, I asked how many people do you suspect do? Most Americans (from every walk of life) do not. By your estimation, they are all, therefore, idiots or aluminum-siding salespersons. Since the market for siding has largely shifted to vinyl, I suspect you mean the former.

@ # 29 – Forgive me for being wrong about Australia. I spent some time at HMAS Sterling in NSW some decades ago, and that’s how I remember it. Of course, I spent a bit more time concentrating on the Swan Lager, so I could have killed an inappropriate memory accidentally.

@ # 30 – Yes, I am aware of how nuclear is pronounced. My point is that many people pronounce words incorrectly. While I also find it grating, I have been corrected on my own pronunciation of words from time to time. Glass houses, stones, etc – I guess that was the point I was trying to make.

nonford150

Hate to bring this up, but the proper pronunciation of nuclear didn’t stop us from electing Bush43 twice. Nor did being the governor of a small state keep us from electing Clinton. For that matter, it didn’t prevent FDR from picking Harry Truman.

Let’s attack Palin on her mis-merits – if we don’t, we might as well be on the hook when they discuss BOs’ short time.

I have enjoyed the aluminum discussion – I’ve always pronounced ali-minium, but I did have s speech impediment when I was a kid.

Jake0748

@ #34 – I know you didn’t ask if I could pronounce it correctly. That had nothing to do with my response. I was talking about the word associated with the chemical element AL.

Yes, many people DO pronounce words incorrectly. But it is the ones who INSIST on doing it repeatedly, for YEARS, that strike me as, to say the least, disingenuous.

Wigwam Jones

@ #28 Takuan

“It is all about creating an environment that shelters their children from opposing ideas, and prepares the world for the rapture and Armageddon.

Last I heard, in America, people were allowed to practice their religion in peace. Meaning even sheltering their children from opposing ideas if they so wish. That may be maddening, but if we are to allow people to believe as they wish, it is going to happen.

And it is not just Evangelical Christians who do this. Orthodox Jews form their own communities, Amish, even the founder of Domino’s Pizza is building a community for Catholics.

As to Rapture and etc…well, some people believe in it. Pesky old religion thing again.

They don’t care about this country. Many are praying it will be destroyed in their lifetimes.”

A) If they didn’t care about the country, why would one of them run for public office? Jollies?

B) I doubt they do, but so what if they do? If it’s all just a myth, their prayers will have no effect.

Exactly what a Taliban member believes.

All Muslims have a similar view of the End Times as Christians and Jews, with some distinct differences.

Lunatic fringe christians and lunatic fringe muslims beset us from all sides.

Fortunately, I have a tinfoil helmet just for such emergencies. It even has eyeholes.

NicodemusLegend

There is a certain sense in which, if a word is consistently pronounced a certain way, that pronunciation becomes correct, even if it once wasn’t. I expect that something like this is behind the dropped-off “i” in how Americans pronounce “aluminum” vs. the UK/Australian “aluminium” (of course, the American prounciation is backed up by a spelling that fits it, whereas “nuclear” is always spelled as such, no matter who’s pronoucing the word).

That said, I consider “nucular” an incorrect pronunciation, too, no matter how common it currently is in certain parts of the United States.

orbitzsmack

Here is a video mix I did of McCain…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8dHoxPR-VY

rrsafety

Pln, Pln, Pln.

Digital Artz

The world wide economy has been nuked this Morning.
Motherboard don’t fail me now.

Takuan

I did say “lunatic fringe” did I not?
Now all this has me trying to remember how engineer Scotty pronounced “transparent aluminum” in the Star Trek movie… which leads me to the recent promise of transparent nanotubule based carbon sheeting stronger than steel…
see? even Palin is useful on some level in what she sparks. Just keep her away from the levers of power.

AGF

I’m pretty sure you can pronounce aluminium two ways. (actually wiki seems to think you can spell it two ways – aluminium or aluminum) In my part of canada we only use 4 syllables – vs the british way with 5. I think it’s like tomato – or umbrella . . .
I can’t stand nucular! or my favorite – “I seen something.”

BBNinja

Its pronounced Nuke-wee-ear Wessle Damnit!

Jake0748

RRSAFETY -

What’s your point?
What’s your point?
What’s your point?

sammich

Don’t get me started…
Nucular is just plain WRONG
Aluminum, however, seems to be the accepted US ~spelling~ of Aluminium, (just as in the US they spell Sulphur ‘Sulfur’), so we surely can’t blame anyone educated in the US for pronouncing it that way…

mdh

aluminium or aluminum

Chips or Fries?

Crisps or Chips?

Perambulators or Strollers?

but no matter what, it’s never nukular.

Takuan

ah Jones, you persist in prevaricating through cherry picking and subsequently willfully misrepresenting the words of others through disregard of context, dishonest I say. Do stop. I’ll not be dragged on some merry little circular “have you stopped beating your wife yet dance” and I WILL beat upon you if you persist. Come now, you have the mental equipment to understand, now prove your good intent.

Takuan

newgleeyur?

rationalist39

Palin is proof positive how dumb our country has become. I hear people say things like “shes just like me” and then drive away in a 78′ F150 with a rebel flag and 3 kids with rat tails. I’m sorry, but I don’t want someone like that to be the VP! Is it wrong to want someone with a high level of education? Someone who won’t try to throw us back to the stone ages with primitive religious beliefs. I’d be willing to bet that in her home laden with country decor and wood paneling there were many dicussions where the term fag or nigger were used. Shes ridiculous and not fit for the position. Please everyone, we need more freinds in the world and a victory for her will make us the most hated country on the planet. We don’t need that.

Antinous

drive away in a 78′ F150 with a rebel flag and 3 kids with rat tails

Writing that without a link to a Flickr set is just mean.

jimbuck

Palin says Nucular. And McCain says something that sounds like Warshington. The latter drives me insane. And Thursday I found out Biden says it the same way. This might force me to vote for the Libertarians.

wolfiesma

#38
That was frightening. Good but frightening.

Sekino

@ SIKUFRNC

You obviously don’t understand the rules and how they operate. You just marched in there, picked whatever you felt supported your angry rant but failed to quote several important aspects of the policy that make sense and justify the moderation.

Hi and bye.

Ponchyan

Stanford linguist Geoff Nunberg produced an essay on the mispronunciation of “nuclear.” (You might have heard it on Fresh Air.) You can find it here:
http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~nunberg/nucular.html

Excerpt:

Take the pronunciation of nuclear as “nucular.” That one has been getting on people’s nerves since Eisenhower made the mispronunciation famous in the 1950′s. In Woody Allen’s 1989 film Crimes and Misdemeanors, the Mia Farrow character says she could never fall for any man who says “nucular.” That would have ruled out not just Dubya, but Bill Clinton, who said the word right only about half the time. (President Carter had his own way of saying the word, as “newkeeuh,” but that probably had more to do with his Georgia accent than his ignorance of English spelling.)

(Regarding politicos who say “nucular”:) Maybe it appeals to them to refer to the weapons in what seems like a folksy and familiar way, or maybe it’s a question of asserting their authority — as if to say, “We’re the ones with our fingers on the button, and we’ll pronounce the word however we damn well please.”

FoetusNail

Ah, WIGWAM JONES, you’re back. Let me explain your feeble response @37 to my post at @16, which Takuan was kind enough to reference @28. For the record, Takuan and I are both referring to the small, but vocal Lunatic Fringe, which feeds on ignorance and the misplaced tolerance of moderates. If these people actually cared about this country or freedom, they would respect the rights of others, which they most certainly do not. Their *Values* platform proves they have absolutely zero respect for others. Being new here, I am still up for a long post, but I too will soon tire of responding to comments obviously designed to mislead the lazy. Comments such as yours are better suited to youtube.

First, you are correct in saying, Americans are free to practice whatever absurd religion they wish. However, their right to keep their children ignorant, and therefore dangerous, does not mean they can foist this crap on the rest of us. This is not just maddening, but unconstitutional. These people are not just trying to shelter their spawn, which are nothing more than Zombies for Jesus, but attempting to remake America into a religious state.

Their problem, which they work tirelessly to correct, is their religious freedom ends at the front door of their homes, churches, and private idiot farms. Once they step out that door, our right to shelter our children from their ignorance and intolerance begins. Also, unless they want to allow others to sacrifice chickens before their child’s game starts, they should rethink this whole religion in schools. This country is becoming to diverse for that shit.

For example, If they want to teach creationism in schools, then they must include the thousands of equally unscientific myths from every other religion in the world, or at least the top fifty. The christian myth is really quite boring and childish, there are much more beautiful myths. I don’t study this stuff, but I prefer The Dreaming.

Why is Palin running for office? Everyone that opposes her is wondering the same, but I like NOYB’s comment @96. Let’s face it her being “annoyed” with Katie Couric springs from her inability to understand why her volksy mind tricks failed to work on an actual intelligent, well-informed woman who is far more qualified to be President than Palin. Not that I would vote for Katie, Iâ€™m just saying. Personally, I think moderate conservatives screwed up by not supporting Hillary.

Actually, Palin told us why she is running for office, she wishes to reform this country, plain and simple. And as I said above, if anyone wonders what that means just review the GOP Values platform.

Don’t for one minute think I am worried about their prayers. However, I do find their fundamentalist reformation just as frightening and no less dangerous to freedom than the Taliban’s. These misogynist religious groups all share one thing, a desire to protect their children from opposing views. By doing so, they protect their power over their subjects. And you can take this to the bank, they don’t do this for any concern for their eternal souls.

The leaders of these religions exploit our ability to believe to further their own power hungry agendas. If god did exist, there would be no need to punish heretics. If god is all-powerful, heretics threaten only the clergy position of power.

sammich

My problem with people who mispronounce/misspell is that i really feel they can’t be really listening…

Ceronomus

This stupid Aluminum/Aluminium thing again?

“Nucular” bothers me, but honestly? I wish Palin would just shut her lying pie-hole and crawl back to Alaska and stop stinking up the rest of the country.

Tom Hale

C’mon, who cares – People will always pronunciate words wrong. Heck, many are known to invent words. I admit hearing nuclear pronounced incorrectly so often by people who are supposed to be highly educated is irritating but, when the video was first posted, I really didn’t see conversation being about how to pronounce certain words. Most of the usual BB commenters must be taking a break tonight.

Ian Forsyth

I live in California which borders Mexico, a foreign country. Since I now have substantial foreign policy experience, I’m going to run for office.

Granted, I can’t see Mexico from my backyard, but I occasionally see quite a few of its natives crossing my backyard to their end destinations.

Sarah Palin in 30 seconds

More at Boing Boing