Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Still in awe though of how well SF have used this for their 2016 election push. They really are superb politicians whether you like them or not. Really a symbol for the benefits of introducing competition to public services. As that new entrant Ryanair did to the Irish airline industry, so our Northern newcomers have done to moribund civil war era Southern Irish politics.
we don't know if they are superb politicians or not
you will only know that when (or if) they get to form a government
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
In related news: Mary Lou went for the old "you wouldn't see crowds like this in Croker" comment while trying to say there was 80,000+ there today. Frankly that demonstrates two things to me -
1. She knows the turnout was disappointing and they really need to talk it up
2. She doesn't go to Croke Park that often if at all
You are technically correct...the best kind of correct
World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011
Curious as to who we might classify as 'superb politicians' in our own times. The criteria cannot only be 'getting elected', surely it must also cover 'achieving results in office'?
Would suggest:
Clinton
Merkel
Blair
Thatcher
John Howard
Can't think of a single Irish pol I would place in this bracket
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
In related news: Mary Lou went for the old "you wouldn't see crowds like this in Croker" comment while trying to say there was 80,000+ there today. Frankly that demonstrates two things to me -
1. She knows the turnout was disappointing and they really need to talk it up
2. She doesn't go to Croke Park that often if at all
Curious as to who we might classify as 'superb politicians' in our own times. The criteria cannot only be 'getting elected', surely it must also cover 'achieving results in office'?
Would suggest:
Clinton
Merkel
Blair
Thatcher
John Howard
Can't think of a single Irish pol I would place in this bracket
It's a bit embarrassing as to how many historical figures would get on this list. Straight off the top of the head you would have to have:
FDR
Truman
Eisenhower
Churchill (can argue the 'getting elected' bit)
de Valera (although the 'achieving results' bit is debatable)
WT Cosgrave
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
I'm judging politician superbness based on ability to get into power. Ideally there would be another word for those who are coincidentally good while in power - an easily secondary concern
oh OK. Well then Sinn Fein are not 'superb politicians' based on your own definition!
then we have to have such geniuses as CJH and Bertie on the list
not to mention lovely chaps like Andreotti
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Has the second season upped the game significantly?Watched most of 1st season except for last episode as I just got bored, especially of that nick cave song they seemed to have blown their entire music budget on
Curious as to who we might classify as 'superb politicians' in our own times. The criteria cannot only be 'getting elected', surely it must also cover 'achieving results in office'?
Would suggest:
Clinton
Merkel
Blair
Thatcher
John Howard
Can't think of a single Irish pol I would place in this bracket
238 1657
Re dobs post yeah it wasn't cool but over 1800 people have been on the site today, only 238 of them members. Anything you post here can be seen by them and presumably they are not all pillars of the community like the BBV regs.
No parties other than the Communist Party and the eight allied parties were allowed at the elections, which took place from October 2012 to March 2013.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
The party is, but the actual election of leader is surprisingly efficient, with a lot of controls in place. So the leader themself is not really a true dictator, even if the system that elected them is dictatorial
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
As a matter of interest, would you classify Truman as a great politician?
Oh God no. Best US Presidents (as politicians as opposed to leaders or figureheads) were John Quincy Adams, Andrew Johnson and LBJ.
Kennedy achieved fuck all really. Almost no domestic success. One horrible foreign military excursion and one hail mary catch to save the Cuban situation in the missile crisis. Ably assisted by his monstrously talented brother and vice-President.
You are technically correct...the best kind of correct
World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011
Just to pick up on one you mentioned earlier: WT Cosgrave was an astonishingly good politician who made some utterly astounding achievements. Shamefully forgotten here for what he managed to do.
In that vein R.B Bennett in Canada was another ridiculously effective politician in the same era.
You are technically correct...the best kind of correct
World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011
Just to pick up on one you mentioned earlier: WT Cosgrave was an astonishingly good politician who made some utterly astounding achievements. Shamefully forgotten here for what he managed to do.
I like to give credit where it's due:
Originally posted by Raoul Duke III
1. WT Cosgrave
2. Sean Lemass
3. Eamon de Valera
4. John A Costelloe
5. John Bruton
6. Garret Fitzgerald
7. Albert Reynolds
8. Liam Cosgrave
9. Charlie Haughey
10. Jack Lynch
11. Brian Cowen
12. Bertie Ahern
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
I'd be fairly certain, for example, that the Chinese 'dictator' is required to file reports with the communist party on a regular basis. What self-respecting dictator has to do paperwork?
and still he digs
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Fucking exhausted, one killer roadblock in the way of success that I can't get past.
Not giving up, the lad with me is like a duracell bunny, he will go do another all nighter rather than give up but I know we are fucked
FFS!
Ship it! Made the deadline and will get a few hours sleeep too!
Had to get a lad out from the office Christmas party, in a taxi to work to update a key. Going to cost me a bottle of grey goose but well worth it
Kennedy achieved fuck all really. Almost no domestic success. One horrible foreign military excursion and one hail mary catch to save the Cuban situation in the missile crisis. Ably assisted by his monstrously talented brother and vice-President.
surely everyone thinks this of JFK though?
do you really not rate Truman? The Man liked to drink and play poker (and less importantly staved off war between East and West).
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Well you have changed the rules over the original post, so allow me to sulk a bit while I do my nighttime reading on the surprisingly undemocratic islands that are the topic of The Sex Lives of Cannibals. (a rather entertaining travelogue for anyone on the look out for suchlike; albeit there's another 70% left to go in the book)
I've actually read that. Kiribati, yeah? You've already read the best bits.
Edit: Paul Theroux's 'The Happy Isles of Oceania' is 10 times better.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Love that thing Raoul does of setting a badly specified task and then arbitarily deciding who is correct or not, with extra abuse to one contestant in particular. Basically channelling his inner Lord Sugar.
Love that thing Raoul does of setting a badly specified task and then arbitarily deciding who is correct or not, with extra abuse to one contestant in particular. Basically channelling his inner Lord Sugar.
Matches my parenting style too.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Eldest brother went and popped his clogs yesterday. Hadn't been well for a few weeks, and confirmed with cirrhosis of the liver 2 weeks ago. Put me off going to the IPB beers at the time, had no idea he'd be gone so soon though.
Somewhat happier times. He's the one with the longer hair. The irony of pics in his pub, meh.
Oh God no. Best US Presidents (as politicians as opposed to leaders or figureheads) were John Quincy Adams, Andrew Johnson and LBJ.
Kennedy achieved fuck all really. Almost no domestic success. One horrible foreign military excursion and one hail mary catch to save the Cuban situation in the missile crisis. Ably assisted by his monstrously talented brother and vice-President.
Lagos is a special kind of crazy. There are Primary Elections in progress, its some sort of complicated process, that I'm too tired to google tonight.
Every hotel in town is full of people and last night and this morning this one was crammed with politicos and their extraordinary looking entourages. Tonight its a ghost town when we got back a while ago there was no one around we didn't see a single other guest. Apparently thy are all gone out to a big stadium where someone will get a nomination and then they will all come back at about 2 or 3 AM when the party will kick off and then go on for days.
Where are you? I saw the picture earlier but not the answer.
Sunny Lagos.
Other than about a half an hour during the day where I was waiting for something to happen I was going non stop full intensity for 15 hours. Back again in 6 hours but it should be a breeze from here on in. Thought I'd be fast asleep by now but I'm buzzing.
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