A Tale of Two Bows, starring Barack Obama

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

You judge a man (or woman) by what he says and what he does. Well here is what President Obama does.

From the YouTube blurb:

Barack Obama paid his respects to two very different monarchs. Watch the American President give a slight head nod to the UK's Queen Elizabeth, and then practically touch the toes of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah.

I don't know why the person in the blurb has to say "practically touch the toes." The reality was bad enough and quite clear, even to those who support President Obama. What will sink him will be the facts, not these exaggerations.

All I can say in relation to what he did is, "Ugh!"

Michael

[BaalChatzaf]

All I can say in relation to what he did is, "Ugh!"

Michael

If it were me, I would have bowed in the other direction, really, really low.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Chris Grieb]

While i believe in courtesy bowing to any monarch by an American President I find bothersome. I don't think we should forget when George W Bush had the Saudi King to his ranch he held his hand while Bush walked the King around the ranch.

[Selene]

People think Bush was a dummy, he just kept the Saudi's finger off the suicide belt button!

[sbeaulieu]

Actions speak louder than words. Inherently, some will say what others want to hear. But the body never lies.

~ Shane

[Alfonso Jones]

I am not able to view the YouTube video. (Termporarily blocked here.)

I gather Obama bowed to the Saudi prince?

Grossly inappropriate.

Bill P

[sbeaulieu]

I am not able to view the YouTube video. (Termporarily blocked here.)

I gather Obama bowed to the Saudi prince?

Grossly inappropriate.

Bill P

Bill,

President Obama gave a slight bow to the Queen of England...then followed up with a deep bow to the Saudi Prince. The difference was telling, to say the least.

~ Shane

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Bill,

Try Ultrasurf. It was made by the best brains in the world (Silicon Valley + Chinese) to get around this limitation in China. Here is the URL. You have to download a program to your hard disk but it is stand-alone so it can be run from a thumb drive. For it to work, you have to (1) run it (open it up) and (2) turn it on in your browser with a button that installs on your browser.

Here is how your computer normally works:

Your computer --> Server with authority restrictions on your IP --> rest of Internet with your IP

Here is how the computer works with Ultrasurf:

Your computer --> Server with authority restrictions on your IP --> Ultrasurf without restrictions on new untraceable IP --> rest of Internet with new untraceable IP

Instant YouTube and all the rest.

If you want to try it, I have read that an enormous number of people use it in your neck of the woods. If you do not feel secure, I understand. I once lived under censorship.

Michael

[syrakusos]

The Coins that Weren’t

In Saudi Arabia, gold coins have always been important in the monetary system. For years, in fact, paper money was unacceptable, and to pay royalties to the government, Aramco once flew kegs of both gold and silver coins to jiddah. In 1952, when the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) was formed, the first coin issued was a Saudi sovereign - a gold coin equal in weight and value to the British sovereign - that was later demonetized and today sells for about $124.

To collectors, however, the most interesting Saudi gold coins weren't coins at all; they were "gold discs" Similar to coins, they were minted by the Philadelphia Mint in the 1940's for Aramco, and bore, on one side, the U. S. Eagle and the legend "U. S. Mint, Philadelphia, USA" and, on the other side, three lines on the fineness and weight. They looked like coins, they were used as coins, but, technically, they weren't coins.

In the 1950's, numismatists were puzzled by these "discs" until-in 1957 – the story emerged in The Numismatist. Aramco, required to pay royalties and other payments in gold to the Saudi government, could not obtain the gold at the monetary price fixed by the United States so the U. S. government specifically began to mint the "discs" - actually bullion in coin form for these payments. In 1945, for example, the mint turned out 91,210 large discs worth $20, and, in 1947,121,364 small discs worth $5, according to The Numismatist.

Because most of the discs were melted down for bullion, or later redeemed for the Kingdom's gold sovereigns, the discs are interesting additions to art collections. But care is necessary as counterfeits are common.

http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/1981...cial.luster.htm

Edited April 6, 2009 by Michael E. Marotta

[Alfonso Jones]

Bill,

Try Ultrasurf. It was made by the best brains in the world (Silicon Valley + Chinese) to get around this limitation in China. Here is the URL. You have to download a program to your hard disk but it is stand-alone so it can be run from a thumb drive. For it to work, you have to (1) run it (open it up) and (2) turn it on in your browser with a button that installs on your browser.

(snip)

As you might imagine, that site (ultrasurf) is also blocked.

Regards,

Bill P

[Selene]

Michael you had mentioned that it does not, I believe you said work well, with Firefox. I attempted to download it and it just opened "untitled" windows so quickly that there were 35 tabs open by the time I hit the cancel button.

So I will have to ask my guy when he is here to look at it.

Any ideas as to why that may have happened?

Adam

[Chris Grieb]

To return to the original topic.

Has the White House said anything about the bow?

[Alfonso Jones]

To return to the original topic.

Has the White House said anything about the bow?

Not that I have heard. What could he say?

"I'm sorry. I acted like an absolute idiot, unthinking... I cannot explain my behavior which is properly abhorrent to any thinking American."

Don't hold your breath waiting on that!

Bill P

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Adam,

I don't know what happened. It sounds like some kind of malware to be honest. The thing works fine for me. Let me know what your technician says.

Michael

[Chris Grieb]

A more interesting question is was anyone else upset about it. Have we reached the point where nothing Obama does upsets us.

[Backlighting]

A more interesting question is was anyone else upset about it. Have we reached the point where nothing Obama does upsets us.

I'm now at the point where I immediately switch channels on the t.v. if Obama apears. If I don't I'll vomit.

[emb021]

While i believe in courtesy bowing to any monarch by an American President I find bothersome.

Well, I'd go one further.

We don't have royalty in this country. I believe we fought a war to make sure of this. ;) Our first president set the precedence of being address as "Mr. President", not "His Excellency" or the like.

We don't bow in this country. To anyone. And I don't think any American should feel or be made to feel they should bow to anyone, including foreign royalty. And that goes double for the President.

We shake hands. If we really like you, we'll give you a hug (if the French can get away with cheek kissing, why not a hug?). But no bowing.

Am sure I won't get invited to any parties with royals...

[galtgulch]

While i believe in courtesy bowing to any monarch by an American President I find bothersome.

Well, I'd go one further.

We don't have royalty in this country. I believe we fought a war to make sure of this. ;) Our first president set the precedence of being address as "Mr. President", not "His Excellency" or the like.

We don't bow in this country. To anyone. And I don't think any American should feel or be made to feel they should bow to anyone, including foreign royalty. And that goes double for the President.

We shake hands. If we really like you, we'll give you a hug (if the French can get away with cheek kissing, why not a hug?). But no bowing.

Am sure I won't get invited to any parties with royals...

Michael Brown,

I agree for the reasons you give. The president of the United States of America should bow to no one.

www.campaignforliberty.com 7Apr 6PM 140,043; 8Apr 8PM 140566

gulch

Edited April 9, 2009 by galtgulch

[Alfonso Jones]

A more interesting question is was anyone else upset about it. Have we reached the point where nothing Obama does upsets us.

How dare you criticize the annointed one!!!

Now, more seriously - I do see more open questioning about Obama's choices than before. Most presidents get a longer period of time at the start of their term when they are given a broad leeway. The questioning of Obama seems to have started very early, by comparison. Of course - his actions have been dramatic, and amounted to dramatic departures from the picture he tried to give before the election.

I haven't heard much (other than some talk radio chatter) about the bow.

Regards,

Bill P

[Alfonso Jones]

While i believe in courtesy bowing to any monarch by an American President I find bothersome.

Well, I'd go one further.

We don't have royalty in this country. I believe we fought a war to make sure of this. ;) Our first president set the precedence of being address as "Mr. President", not "His Excellency" or the like.

We don't bow in this country. To anyone. And I don't think any American should feel or be made to feel they should bow to anyone, including foreign royalty. And that goes double for the President.

We shake hands. If we really like you, we'll give you a hug (if the French can get away with cheek kissing, why not a hug?). But no bowing.

Am sure I won't get invited to any parties with royals...

I very much agree.

Bill P

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Wasn't Elvis Presley called the King?

Michael

[Selene]

Michael:

Huey Long was called the Kingfish and if you did not bow to his wishes, you got a one way ticket to the Louisiana Swamps.

Ahh, I long for the days of real bare knuckles politics lol

Adam

[Barbara Branden]

The White House has indeed commented on the bow. The explanation is this: Obama was not bowing; but the Saudi king is considerably shorter than Obama, and so the president had to stoop to shake his hand.

There's an old saying that sometimes it's better to be thought a fool and say nothing, rather than to speak and leave no doubt.

Barbara

[sbeaulieu]

The White House has indeed commented on the bow. The explanation is this: Obama was not bowing; but the Saudi king is considerably shorter than Obama, and so the president had to stoop to shake his hand.

There's an old saying that sometimes it's better to be thought a fool and say nothing, rather than to speak and leave no doubt.

Barbara

Amazing that the White House thinks its citizens naive enough not to see the truth of it. The Queen of England is shorter than President Obama, too. Let's hear another 'White' House 'lie'...

~ Shane

[Chris Grieb]

The White House has indeed commented on the bow. The explanation is this: Obama was not bowing; but the Saudi king is considerably shorter than Obama, and so the president had to stoop to shake his hand.

There's an old saying that sometimes it's better to be thought a fool and say nothing, rather than to speak and leave no doubt.

Barbara

Amazing that the White House thinks its citizens naive enough not to see the truth of it. The Queen of England is shorter than President Obama, too. Let's hear another 'White' House 'lie'...

~ Shane

You think they could come up with something better than the above.