Burning the negatives
I’ve been tagged with a meme by the dastardly Mr Teabag. This one involves citing seven things of which I am in favour, in order to disabuse people of the notion that I am a ‘negatavist’ of popular legend.
Mr Challinor also provides an excellent list but rather shoots my fox when he says:
Any miserabilist with a modicum of low cunning can disguise a negative as a positive by subtly darkening the shades of meaning.
A shame. Apart from describing me to a tee, he’s ruined my planned strategy. The first thing was going to be air-dropping pro-war journalists and bloggers on Basra - they can have their glorious liberation but they have to fight for it themselves.
Now I feel compelled - by Challinor’s fine example - to play nice: a rather harder proposition. Here goes:
1. This.
2. This.
3. This.
4. This.
5. This.
6. This.
7. This.
I don’t usually tag but I like this one - it’s positive. So, those under no obligation are: Jim, Tim, Mike, Rachel, Eugenides, Bookdrunk and Mahmoud.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 12:33 am
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Heh heh, okay then. In the spirit of putting a positive spin on life, the universe and evryfink, I bring to your attention the sage summation of Lord Malloch Brown, speaking to the Seer of Ears (aka Andrew Marr) on the matter of Iraq.
“ANDREW MARR: What did you think when you read, or saw, President Bush saying that this was going to be a magnificent victory eventually in Iraq?
LORD MALLOCH-BROWN: Well, you know, I mean at the beginning I devoutly hoped it would. I mean I think while there was a great caution in the UN about this, you know, nobody wished it to fail, and obviously everything that’s happened since the UN has been deeply involved, we’ve lost a lot of people there. And, you know, I mean this is not something that there’s triumphalism on any side, this is a terrible episode for everybody.”
Get that? The invasion of Iraq has been a terrible episode…FOR EVERYONE! Clearly, the loss of 3-4000 troops is just as bad as the death of 100s of thousands of civilians, the internal displacement of millions and the emigration of millions more. So if US/UK lose 4000 troops and Iraq loses 1.5 million civilians (ballpark figures) as a result of violence since 2003, does that mean that one US/UK squaddie is worth 375 Iraqis? - is that what the honourable Lord means? In another age wasn`t this known as racism?
Eh? If someone murders my granny and 375 of your relatives, then that could fairly be described as “a terrible episode” for both of us, without implying that my granny is 375x better than your relatives.
Cheers Justin - I’m gratified that my offering has even survived the wrath of the notorious meme-killer. As for your answers - I find that only agree with 4/7. I shall not say which.
John - that’s a poor example. Your granny’s absolutely rubbish.
Only four, Larry? If one of them isn’t Battenberg cake than me and you are finished.
Oh, no. Not me. I’m staying in my cave until I’m damn well good and ready.
*releases hungry bear into cave*
Larry - true, but as it happens she is 375x better than any of /your/ relatives.
I would never dream of shooting your fox. I prefer to think of it as nicking the marzipan off your Battenberg.
I bet you’re making these out of it.
Mmmmm, marzipan….
*feeds bear marzipan*
*watches it writhing in agony*
*gestures to bear in effort to make none-too-subtle point*
I will attend to this later on, but rest assured my answers will be dull enough to make the meme look extremely unattractive to future recipients. I mean, generally I’m in favour of TV, football, beer and girls; not exactly riveting reading. (What do you mean, The Sun?)
Argh, homework. All right, will do later on.