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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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 Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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Dear lazycomputerkids,
I get the distinct feeling this may be a "paraphrase":
"President Obama also congratulated the King on the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust)describing it as one of the edifices of knowledge in the world.
unless, of course, Obama has an "Edifice Complex."
Regards,
John |
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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
I get the distinct feeling this may be a "paraphrase":
"President Obama also congratulated the King on the opening of...Kaust describing it as one of the edifices of knowledge in the world.
unless, of course, Obama has an "Edifice Complex." |
Obama is just your avatar, isn't it, John? And now I know Camel isn't really a Camel |>_<|
But you make a good point. What world leaders say in phone conversations is a lot like a circle game...by the end, a message is horribly garbled.
Obama more likely said, "Your university, it rocks." |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:13 am Post subject: |
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I've always wondered if these world leaders actually call each other. I suspect that it was a couple of underlings...
VS |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:02 am Post subject: |
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My, John, I'm surprised at you! Doubting a phone call from one rock star to another to another? Well, if it was a paraphrase, I'm sure it went like this:
Secretary to king abd: "Would you like to leave a message, President Obama?"
Obama: "king abdullah rocks!"
Again, Sheesh!!!
NCTBA  |
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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:51 am Post subject: |
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Dear NCTB,
Ahem...You, sir, fail to anticipate that if the King fails to persevere the flak of setting a modern precedent of co-education, my exaltation of "rocks" turns to "King Abdullah Rolls!" |
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gorkomi
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 142
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:26 am Post subject: |
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I am sorry, but cynicism is in my nature.
"one of the edifices of knowledge in the world" - that's funny. Do you know what edifice means? The translation reads as "one of the universities in the world." Not one of the best, or most exciting- there is not an adjective anywhere to be seen. But then, how could Obama know what goes on there since it just opened this month? I bet King Abdullah said, "I just opened up a university here" and Obama said "Oh, congrautations."
But Obama didn't care about that- he wanted to know what to do with Iran, and with Afghanistan.
I fear for Saudi Arabia, which has no friendship whatsoever with Iran, but one giant business friendship with America. Iran is plotting away, and who will pay? |
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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:15 am Post subject: |
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| gorkomi wrote: |
I am sorry, but cynicism is in my nature.
"one of the edifices of knowledge in the world" - that's funny. Do you know what edifice means? |
Is that the rhetorical you?
| gorkomi wrote: |
| The translation reads as "one of the universities in the world." Not one of the best, or most exciting- there is not an adjective anywhere to be seen. But then, how could Obama know what goes on there since it just opened this month? I bet King Abdullah said, "I just opened up a university here" and Obama said "Oh, congrautations." |
KAUST is the first university to allow co-eds. Not a meagre precedent. Not likely to have been ignored.
| gorkomi wrote: |
But Obama didn't care about that- he wanted to know what to do with Iran, and with Afghanistan.
I fear for Saudi Arabia, which has no friendship whatsoever with Iran, but one giant business friendship with America. Iran is plotting away, and who will pay? |
Wow...you must be prescient-- or deluded.
But that's normal-- most people enjoy inventing alternate circumstances to the lives of their leaders, celebrities, next-door neighbors, etc.
The actions of leaders are largely symbolic. Actual terms and circumstances are guarded, revealed decades after the fact.
Clinton going to N.Korea is a great example. The facts of that ruling class soft-ball game might not emerge for a century.
Of course Iran is plotting away. What leaders don't? Who will pay? That's pretty open ended. You mean nukes? Media trends must be viewed critically.
You might note Iran admitting its nuclear labs occurred days after Obama ditched the missile shield-- de-escalation and negotiation are positive changes to the middle east. May the pendulum swing wide.
I agree with your gist the Kingdom's trade interests are western friendly. But I would argue Iran and S.A.s equitable land mass, population and sharing of the Persian Gulf create mutual interests in terms of development. Arabs and Persians may fight like protestants and catholics, but much is achieved in times of peace. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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Dear lazycomputerkids,
You're far too reasonable. My advice is - eschew a career in politics. 
Regards,
John |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Wheels within wheels lazyck... history is written by the victors so the real truth is almost never sure.
But back to KAUST... I saw an article yesterday talking about the religious leaders in Saudi hyperventilating about the "co-ed" part. The plot thickens...
VS |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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MUTAWWA ROCK!!!
NCTBA |
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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Never Ceased To Be Amazed wrote: |
MUTAWWA ROCK!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
NCTBA |
We discover truth as often by beliefs we abandon as adhere. Were clerics and mutawwa not swearing greater diligence to scrutinize KAUST's precedent, I would suspect bribery or dementia. Repression is the objective of any moray of any people and change is painfully slow, but forward change is the fate of our being-- the arc toward justice Martin Luther King phrased.
The division between thinking people, I find, is one of inertia-- apologists content to languish and praise and antagonists impatient to reform and render. You strike me as leaning to the latter.
We all antagonize and apologize...of the variables in play, I suspect age and experience most weights our patience. |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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xox
NCTBA |
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gorkomi
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 142
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 12:24 am Post subject: |
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lazycomputerkid,
I do not agree with you completely, but I like your thinking and articulation.
As far as KAUST and Obama knowing about it- who knows? Clinton and Bush were both criticized by Canadians for not knowing there were new passport regulations.
You mention that Iran and Saudi Arabia come together in times of peace. I never heard a word other than one related to disgust by Saudis when bringing up Iran. My concern is that Saudi Arabia will pay the price, being a next door neighbor, for being an American ally if and when Iran lets off nuclear weapons.
I also fear for teachers and students at KAUST in their first year. I am going to pray that everyone there is safe and that it brings great change to the country. I commend everyone there, but I wouldn't want to be a first year experiment, with all the religious lunatics in Saudi Arabia. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:43 am Post subject: |
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| gorkomi wrote: |
| My concern is that Saudi Arabia will pay the price, being a next door neighbor, for being an American ally if and when Iran lets off nuclear weapons. |
Can you give one example of Iran attacking any other country? ... or even threatening to attack unilaterally?
I am referring to since ancient history texts...
I'd say that the Saudis have much more to fear from their own...
VS |
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