Comments on: The American Constitution splits infinitives

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:28:59 +0000

Sorry Antoine, but I disagree. Intelligence is not about how many exams you can pass. It’s a lot more complicated than that. Go back and look at some of the things Alfred Sant said (well most of them to be honest). Do they seem the words of an intelligent man? Maybe he had an agenda, maybe he’s too ‘intelligent’ for me, because I don’t get it.

[Daphne – He has no emotional intelligence but plenty of the other sort. That was the essential problem. People with no emotional intelligence are unable to read situations, despite being very good at maths.]

By: cikki

cikki — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:35:46 +0000

@ Steve

She went to Princeton too!

By: Harry Purdie

Harry Purdie — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:04:38 +0000

Daphne.

Really liked this thread on split infinitives. However, I must have ‘misunderstood’ the ‘Oaf of Office’ I thought the Chief Justice said ” Do you, Barack Faithfully Obama, Promise to Hussein execute the office of Faithfully President of the United States, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health and to defend the Constitution, for which it stands, one nation , under faithfully, to the best of your ability, so help you God”.

The clothes stuff I can do without.

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:27:08 +0000

Steve
“What we do know though is that attending Harvard is no guarantee of intelligence. Have we forgotten already how ‘intelligent’ our former leader of the opposition is?”

Actually, nobody has ever put Alfred Sant’s intelligence in doubt. He showed, however, that being intelligent is not enough to make one a good politician.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:06:08 +0000

“I’ve never been able to understand why straight men, however au courant with things, can never work out what a woman’s outfit might cost.”

I also have never been able to understand how women, however au courant with things, could be more interested in what a woman is wearing than what her husband has to say. Especially when that man is the President of the World (well he is isn’t he?) It must be that darned multi-tasking thing again. Listen to speech, check-out first Lady’s dress and make a cup of tea all at the same time. We poor (straight) men have to decide between dress, President’s inauguration speech or light refreshment.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:59:26 +0000

@Cikki

Chicago Southside to Harvard is impressive, but not impressive intelligence (although I have no doubt she must be), but impressive resolve. To be honest pre-Alfred Sant, it would have impressed me a lot more. He’s kind of taken the sheen off that institution for myself and a lot of others.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:57:19 +0000

To be honest I ‘assumed’ since everyone here is saying the dress was ugly, that it was inexpensive, at the time I really wasn’t looking at her clothes. I agree with you that ugly clothes can be expensive, and vice versa, but still insist that whatever she had done (cheap and ugly, cheap and elegant, expensive and elegant and what she apparently wore, i.e. expensive and ugly) she would have been attacked.

Anyway, if anyone’s to blame about her wardrobe choice, I’m sure she has someone on her staff who can take the blame.

[Daphne – Nobody criticised Jackie Kennedy’s clothes. Or the late Princess of Wales’. Or Carla Bruni’s.]

By: cikki

cikki — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:26:14 +0000

@ Steve

There is absolutely nothing snobbish in talking about someone’s clothes. Also, some of the most expensive
designer clothes are, in my opinion, hideous. Expensive doesn’t mean beautiful nor cheap ugly. I don’t know Mrs. Obama personally either, but as I said Chicago southside to Harvard Law School is pretty impressive. Read about her career so far, listen to her speak and I’m sure you’ll think she’s quite a lady
without having had to meet her.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:24:38 +0000

@Tony Pace

Watch your blood pressure.

By: Tony Pace

Tony Pace — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:39:37 +0000

Jesus, ok, so her dress was awful but expensive, but is it really all that important in relation to such an historic occasion? I mentioned the tabloids per se, because I felt the broadsheets would probably minimise the issue seeing that Michelle is not Carla Bruni etc etc. and her husband is giving us all grander aspirations than Sarki, but then it’s a matter of personal opinion, an opportunity which your website thankfully provides us with.
If Sunday’s broadsheets give the dress issue major coverage, then I suppose I’ll eat humble pie.
Good wknd all.

[Daphne – You won’t have to wait until Sunday. There’s plenty of discussion already about Michelle Obama’s election night and inaugural day dresses on the on-line versions of leading newspapers. Google ‘Michelle Obama’s dress’ and you’ll get endless results. Try these for starters. You’ll notice that even The Wall Street Journal covered the dress story (and Aretha Franklin’s hat):

http://blogs.wsj.com/runway/2009/01/22/coach-profit-drops-14-michelle-obamas-fashion-message-aretha-franklins-hat-sales-soar/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/20/michelle-obamas-inaugurat_n_159344.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/fashion/08michelle.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1232722951-nWpuXhxV1zwH5MhDMWZXoQ
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article5086230.ece
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/3388432/Michelle-Obamas-election-night-dress-upsets-Americas-fashion-crowd.html
http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/fashion/2008-11-05-michelle-obama-dress_n.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/fashionnews/4317336/Michelle-Obamas-dress-designer-Jason-Wu-in-profile.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/21/arts/NA-US-Obama-Fashion-Dress.php
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-michelle-obama-dress-story,0,1949360.story