What the Fark???

[Kepler]

Re: What the Fark???

In Creative Writing, they teach that sometimes little details are the key to a scene's impact.

See if you can find that here.

[Kepler]

Re: What the Fark???

I think you need one for the 1800's and the 1900's.

4 brackets of 4.

Beards and no beards.

I actually think a contest for best nominees that never won would be more fun. Where have you gone, Robert Lafollette, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

[joecct]

Re: What the Fark???

If we want to have an election among the best from each major party, wouldn't it be George Washington (Federalist) vs James K Polk (Democrat) vs Jefferson (Democratic Republican) vs Eisenhower (Republican)? I omit the Whigs because all 4 were pretty non-descript and two of them died before completing their first term while the successor only finished out said term (WH Harrison/Tyler, Taylor/Fillmore).

Hmm... if we expand the field to 8 then we can have a playoff bracket.

Do we have a play-in for each party first? Eisenhower or Reagan or Teddy Roosevelt or Lincoln for Republicans? Polk or FDR or Clinton for Democrats?


PS technically Washington was not affiliated with any party, but I lump him in with Federalists because otherwise I am "stuck" with John Adams.



PPS even though Chester Arthur (Republican) only became President after Garfield's assassination, I have a soft spot for him. He was "supposed to" reward all the party loyalists with cushy patronage jobs, and instead he signed the Civil Service Act. He was one person who grew in stature thanks to the responsibilities of the office, IMHO. of course no good deed goes unpunished. He is one of the few incumbents who couldn't even get his party to nominate him as candidate for re-election, thanks to his stand on principle.

I think you need one for the 1800's and the 1900's.

4 brackets of 4.

[FreshFish]

Re: What the Fark???

Ike vs. JFK in 2016? Or would it have to be Reagan?

If we want to have an election among the best from each major party, wouldn't it be George Washington (Federalist) vs James K Polk (Democrat) vs Jefferson (Democratic Republican) vs Eisenhower (Republican)? I omit the Whigs because all 4 were pretty non-descript and two of them died before completing their first term while the successor only finished out said term (WH Harrison/Tyler, Taylor/Fillmore).

Hmm... if we expand the field to 8 then we can have a playoff bracket.

Do we have a play-in for each party first? Eisenhower or Reagan or Teddy Roosevelt or Lincoln for Republicans? Polk or FDR or Clinton for Democrats?


PS technically Washington was not affiliated with any party, but I lump him in with Federalists because otherwise I am "stuck" with John Adams.



PPS even though Chester Arthur (Republican) only became President after Garfield's assassination, I have a soft spot for him. He was "supposed to" reward all the party loyalists with cushy patronage jobs, and instead he signed the Civil Service Act. He was one person who grew in stature thanks to the responsibilities of the office, IMHO. of course no good deed goes unpunished. He is one of the few incumbents who couldn't even get his party to nominate him as candidate for re-election, thanks to his stand on principle.

[Kepler]

Re: What the Fark???

Ike vs. JFK in 2016? Or would it have to be Reagan?

Think bigger.

[joecct]

Re: What the Fark???

Given that folks often robotically vote for the familiar name and that for many positions elected office is a lifetime gig, it's surprising it doesn't happen more often.

Ike vs. JFK in 2016? Or would it have to be Reagan?

[CLS]

Re: What the Fark???

Given that folks often robotically vote for the familiar name and that for many positions elected office is a lifetime gig, it's surprising it doesn't happen more often.

[Kepler]

Re: What the Fark???

From what I've seen around here, a dead person in office is often a much better choice than many of the people that end up in office.

Harder to bribe, anyway.

[Siouxfaninseattle]

Re: What the Fark???

From what I've seen around here, a dead person in office is often a much better choice than many of the people that end up in office.

[Kepler]

Re: What the Fark???

Okay, I've heard stories about dead people voting. But a dead person getting elected to public office???

It seems to happen a couple times a decade, usually for a very low level office. Guy croaks five days before the election, people vote the party anyway and... there ya go.

Must feel great to be the candidate who loses, though...

[FreshFish]

Re: What the Fark???

Okay, I've heard stories about dead people voting. But a dead person getting elected to public office???

In possibly the biggest upset victory of the midterm elections on Tuesday, voters in suburban Seattle opted to keep a recently-deceased man in the state legislature.

Incumbent state Rep. Roger Freeman died shortly before Election Day, at the end of October, at the age of 48.

Freeman’s win is certainly not the first time a deceased candidate has achieved victory in a race for public office. Possibly the most famous instance occurred in 2000, when Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, running for US Senate, died in a plane crash months before the election. Voters still chose Carnahan.

[St. Clown]

Re: What the Fark???

I thought about that before asking the question, but Portuguese and Spanish are very similar, to the point that most native Spanish speakers should be able to figure out most of what the Brazilians are saying with little or no difficulty.

[FreshFish]

Re: What the Fark???

I'm curious as to why [Cubans are] importing Brazilian soap operas in the first place, rather than any other number of the Spanish speaking countries that offer soap operas rather than Brazil's Portuguese.

Here is a surmise: if they import soaps from Spanish-speaking countries, then Cubans will see how much better off all those people are than themselves, and become sullen and resentful. If you import a soap from a country that speaks a different language, that adds a "novelty" element that makes it less "real" to the viewers.

Who knows what goes on in the mind of an 83-year old dictator? (and I am referring to Raul, not Fidel, who is 88).




PS now if you really want to talk about a country run by "old white men"....

[St. Clown]

Re: What the Fark???

I'm curious as to why they're importing Brazilian soap operas in the first place, rather than any other number of the Spanish speaking countries that offer soap operas rather than Brazil's Portuguese.

[Kepler]

Re: What the Fark???

Interesting.

Soap operas from South Korea have found an unlikely audience among Cubans, it's been reported.

The popular show Jewel in the Palace is the newest import on Cuban television, continuing the "implausible" success of Korean soaps in the country, the Chosun Ilbo website reports. Cultural differences seem to be part of the appeal for Cubans accustomed to watching dramatic Brazilian soaps. "The leisurely pace and somewhat stationary acting of the Korean fare apparently contrasts pleasantly with the endless high-octane histrionics of Latin American telenovelas," the website says.