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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: admiralxgmx on March 30, 2009, 06:46:22 am

Title: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: admiralxgmx on March 30, 2009, 06:46:22 am: I would.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Nuke on March 30, 2009, 06:48:41 am: no
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Turambar on March 30, 2009, 06:55:30 am: this is an odd question, since he already wrote 2 books that i havent read.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: BloodEagle on March 30, 2009, 06:56:00 am: (Resounding) Hell no.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Narvi on March 30, 2009, 07:10:19 am: If I had the means, certainly. I'd like to read his existing books as well.

I'm not going to ignore what the "leader of the free world" has to say. That would be foolish.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: watsisname on March 30, 2009, 08:46:03 am: (Resounding) Snuffleupagus!
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Stealth on March 30, 2009, 08:57:06 am: he has practically no experience - he's been the president for a month and a half... i'd consider reading it when he actually had something to say, in 4 years perhaps
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Dilmah G on March 30, 2009, 09:06:11 am: He's black
I'm black

I'll read it :)
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Galemp on March 30, 2009, 09:16:53 am: He did. We didn't.

Any more questions?
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 30, 2009, 10:30:33 am: Uhhhh.... No, probably not. I have to be pretty obsessed to read an autobiographical book. It's only happened once.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Snail on March 30, 2009, 10:36:16 am: I don't read non-fiction books generally unless they're actually interesting. Autobiographies just aren't interesting.

(especially god ****ing damned footballer's autobiographies! Argghhh!!)
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: castor on March 30, 2009, 01:18:07 pm: Nope, I'd be hard for him to write about anything interesting, now.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Polpolion on March 30, 2009, 01:44:03 pm: It depends on how many times he says "helicopter."

If he says it 2 times, or any prime number of times greater than or equal to seven, then I will read it. If he mentions "helicopter" 1 or 5 times, then I will read 86 (inclusive) pages, then stop. Any other frequencies, and I will not read it.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: redsniper on March 30, 2009, 04:25:15 pm: That seems reasonable.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Lucika on March 30, 2009, 06:44:34 pm: Barack means Peach in Hungarian.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Solatar on March 30, 2009, 06:51:32 pm: I might read it if it's a book on his political career thus far.

Seriously, how long can twenty pages take?

We'll see after his first term as president...
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 06:59:59 pm: George Bush's political career started in 1994 when he was elected Governor. He had 6 years before being President. Obama was elected in 1996 to the state senate. That means he's been an elected official for 12 years before being President.

Just think it's being a little disingenuous.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: SpardaSon21 on March 30, 2009, 07:06:00 pm: Being Governor of a big state like Texas is a bit different from being an anonymous state senator from Illinois. You actually have to make decisions when you are the head of an Executive Branch. Obama's favorite vote as a state senator was "present". I wonder also if he'll write a book about how he insulted our closest ally.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Polpolion on March 30, 2009, 07:08:24 pm: Quote from: SpardaSon21 on March 30, 2009, 07:06:00 pm
Being Governor of a big state like Texas is a bit different from being an anonymous state senator from Illinois. You actually have to make decisions when you are the head of an Executive Branch. Obama's favorite vote as a state senator was "present". I wonder also if he'll write a book about how he insulted our closest ally.

State Senators aren't anonymous. There's only two Senators per state, so it's actually a pretty big deal.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 30, 2009, 07:09:16 pm: We still have allies?

State senator like a senator in the state senate, not the national senate.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 07:14:05 pm: Quote from: SpardaSon21 on March 30, 2009, 07:06:00 pm
Being Governor of a big state like Texas is a bit different from being an anonymous state senator from Illinois. You actually have to make decisions when you are the head of an Executive Branch. Obama's favorite vote as a state senator was "present". I wonder also if he'll write a book about how he insulted our closest ally.

Mexico?
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: karajorma on March 30, 2009, 07:36:06 pm: Quote from: SpardaSon21 on March 30, 2009, 07:06:00 pm
I wonder also if he'll write a book about how he insulted our closest ally.

And who would that be?
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: peterv on March 30, 2009, 07:56:37 pm: Israel, everybody knows that. But when exactly did he dare to insult the worlds leader? :confused:
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Turambar on March 30, 2009, 07:59:58 pm: You know, I think most of us were waiting for someone to claim that Israel is our best ally.

Just so that they can pull out all the stops to prove just how wrong that idea is.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: peterv on March 30, 2009, 08:04:16 pm: I'll take that back after someone anwser's when the worlds leaders were insulted by the US president. :pimp:
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 30, 2009, 08:08:00 pm: Quote from: Turambar on March 30, 2009, 07:59:58 pm
You know, I think most of us were waiting for someone to claim that Israel is our best ally.

Just so that they can pull out all the stops to prove just how wrong that idea is.

Israel can go to hell.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: peterv on March 30, 2009, 08:20:26 pm: Seriously, think about it: Israel is in hell.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 08:21:52 pm: I still don't know who he meant as our closest ally. Britain? Canada? Japan?

Who?
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 08:26:29 pm: I believe that this goes back to the exchanging of gifts with Gordon Brown.

Quote
Obama created a minor diplo-mess when British Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to the U.S. for a visit. Obama's historic Oval Office desk, a gift from Queen Victoria to Rutherford Hayes, is made from the timbers of the HMS Resolute. Brown proudly presented Obama with a pencil holder carved from its antislavery sister ship, the HMS Gannet. Classy! Obama lamely reciprocated with a DVD set of Hollywood movies, including "Psycho." When Brown got back home, he discovered they didn't work in his European player.

Source (http://www.newsweek.com/id/191421)
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 30, 2009, 08:27:41 pm: The UK is our closest ally? Don't they think we're mostly retarded?
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 08:32:00 pm: I would consider a pencil holder pretty insulting. At least he can watch the DVDs.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 08:33:15 pm: Uh. How did you manage to pick out one word from that quote without reading literally anything else? Bah, the Sparknotes generation will be the downfall of this country.

Quote
The UK is our closest ally? Don't they think we're mostly retarded?

*too worn down to dispute*
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 08:46:25 pm: Quote from: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 08:33:15 pm
How did you manage to pick out one word from that quote without reading literally anything else? Bah, the Sparknotes generation will be the downfall of this country.

Quote
The UK is our closest ally? Don't they think we're mostly retarded?

*too worn down to dispute*

Me or Zack? Cause I already knew about this when it happened.

Cause if I had to pick which was more insulting, DVDs or a pencil holder, I know which one I'd pick!
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 08:50:09 pm: I was refering to you. More sarcasm or whatever, yeah man, okay.

My answer to the OP is "yes," but I would swiftly put the book down if it turned out to be nothing but talking points. Obama actually writes his own books without help from a speech writer/ghost writer, so he has that going for him, I suppose.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 09:12:16 pm: Quote from: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 08:50:09 pm
I was refering to you. More sarcasm or whatever, yeah man, okay.

How is that sarcasm? The UK's gift was awful.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Scotty on March 30, 2009, 09:16:04 pm: Quote
The UK's gift was awful.

Not worse than the "100 Best American Movies." I mean, seriously :wtf:.

Quote
Don't they think we're mostly retarded?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I reserve that moniker for our current government.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 09:18:10 pm: Quote from: Scotty on March 30, 2009, 09:16:04 pm
Not worse than the "100 Best American Movies." I mean, seriously :wtf:.

Let's have fun!

Tell me why it's a bad gift.

If I got a gift of the 100 *something* movies, sweet!
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 09:20:32 pm: Quote
The UK's gift was awful.

Yyou really didn't read what I posted. I thought you were just being sarcastic.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 09:21:26 pm: Quote from: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 09:20:32 pm
Quote
The UK's gift was awful.

Yyou really didn't read what I posted. I thought you were just being sarcastic.

I've seen what you've posted a number of times. I'm still not seeing the problem.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 09:23:19 pm: This time I'll bold and underline the important parts for you, ALA Spark Notes.

Quote
Obama created a minor diplo-mess when British Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to the U.S. for a visit. Obama's historic Oval Office desk, a gift from Queen Victoria to Rutherford Hayes, is made from the timbers of the HMS Resolute. Brown proudly presented Obama with a pencil holder carved from its antislavery sister ship, the HMS Gannet. Classy! Obama lamely reciprocated with a DVD set of Hollywood movies, including "Psycho." When Brown got back home, he discovered [the DVDs] didn't work in his European player.

Brown's gift had deep historical signficance and recognized the vitality and legitimacy of the USA's past history.

Obama gave some (admittingly classic) American DVDs that did not make a similar gesture to the UK, and ironically could not even be watched by Brown.

Probably not a big deal to most Americans (as you demonstrate), because as iamzack (well, sort of) says we don't understand the history of foreign relations/foreign countries let alone our own history, and would rather be entertained by shiny things on a screen. I don't claim to be above this, seeing as I'm on a videogame modding forum, and all that. :D
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 30, 2009, 09:41:23 pm: pencil holder from a sister ship is a bit of a step down from a desk made of the real ship
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Zacam on March 30, 2009, 09:43:04 pm: Quote from: iamzack on March 30, 2009, 10:30:33 am
Uhhhh.... No, probably not. I have to be pretty obsessed to read an autobiographical book. It's only happened once.

(j/k)

How so? I haven't written one yet!

(end j/k)
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Scotty on March 30, 2009, 09:43:14 pm: But the ladder completes itself with the addition of a $20 pack of DVDs.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 30, 2009, 09:44:45 pm: Quote from: Raskolnikov on March 30, 2009, 09:23:19 pm
Brown's gift had deep historical signficance and recognized the vitality and legitimacy of the USA's past history.

It's only historical to England (Or the UK... or Britain or whatever)? How does this have any bearing on America's past? It fought neither with nor against US forces.

Anti-slavery? It was commissioned in 1878, 23 years after slavery didn't exist in America.

Then they made part of it basically a cup... for pencils.

Why didn't they just cut some steel out of a ship that fought at the Falklands, turn it into a coffee cup and have it symbolize America's war with Mexico?

Quote
Obama gave some admittingly classic American DVDs that did not have the same significance and could not even be watched.

So you think he did it on purpose? Is it lame because they were DVDs or because they didn't work? Are you guys really made Brown didn't get.. essentially, a knickknack?
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Janos on March 31, 2009, 04:43:20 am: MY FELLOW OBAMAS

I HAVE HERE IN MY HAND A BOOK

IT IS A RED BOOK

IT IS CALLED MEIN KAMPF

I HAVE BECOME OBAMA DESTROYER OF WORLDS
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 31, 2009, 06:56:28 am: lol wtf
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Solatar on March 31, 2009, 02:48:14 pm: Which HMS Gannet is being referred to? I've looked at several online and a few were commissioned before 1833 (the date of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire). As for one being commissioned in 1878, 23 years after abolition of slavery in the United States; correct me if I'm wrong because I can't remember the exact year, but wasn't slavery abolished during the American Civil War (1861-1865)? I can't remember which year during the war it was abolished, but it definitely wasn't 1855.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 31, 2009, 02:51:57 pm: Slavery was abolished in the confederate states by the emancipation proclamation during the civil war. Slavery was outlawed elsewhere afterward. (13th amendment)
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 31, 2009, 03:13:33 pm: That's a typo, it's supposed to be 13.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Solatar on March 31, 2009, 09:21:33 pm: Should have figured it was a typo since it was off by a nice round ten, no problem. :)

I think it was important that the item had British historical significance. I mean...it was a gift from Britain to the United States, after all. I'd expect a gift from the US to be mostly US historical, but not a stupid DVD set. Basically I just expect more from a head of state to another head of state than some films.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 31, 2009, 09:55:07 pm: Why? Is our relationship that tenuous and shaky if he doesn't give the Ark of the Covenant they think we hate them?

He may not have sent the most earth shattering gift, but it was about modern American culture. Brown's gift reminds me of a gift your grandmother gives you.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: SpardaSon21 on March 31, 2009, 10:06:59 pm: Priceless historical artifact versus 100 DVD's he can't even watch due to region restrictions. Smart move Obama.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: iamzack on March 31, 2009, 10:12:50 pm: You know what? Both gifts suck. There.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Blue Lion on March 31, 2009, 10:18:21 pm: Quote from: SpardaSon21 on March 31, 2009, 10:06:59 pm
Priceless historical artifact versus 100 DVD's he can't even watch due to region restrictions. Smart move Obama.

Well I guess when you're an aging power with no real relevance to the world, you're reduced to handing out old pieces of you life as a way of saying "Hey, remember when we were cool and popular?"

Everyone else pretends it's an awesome gift and then it just goes in storage.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: redsniper on April 01, 2009, 12:34:16 am: Quote from: iamzack on March 31, 2009, 10:12:50 pm
You know what? Both gifts suck. There.
This.

Also, this thread is bad and you should all feel bad.
Title: Re: If Barack Obama wrote a book, would you read it?
Post by: Nuke on April 01, 2009, 01:52:17 am: i agree, locking