What could be more futile than Democrats reaching out to Republicans? How about Greens reaching out to Klingons?
A Finnish member of parliament is aiming for re-election by campaigning with a translation of his Web site into Klingon, used in the TV series Star Trek.
"Some have thought it is blasphemy to mix politics and Klingon," said Jyrki Kasvi, an ardent Trekkie. "Others say it is good if politicians can laugh at themselves."
He said his politics posed some translation difficulties, since Klingon does not have words for matters such as tolerance, or for many colours, including green — the party under whose banner he is running in the national elections on March 18.
(No word yet on whether the Finnish Green Party's parliamentary debates will be hosted on Targ News Channel.) While I admire Mr. Kasvi's inclusiveness and positive thinking, I think it's more than a little naive to expect votes from people whose language doesn't even have a word for your party.
I mean, I'm sure some Klingons are very gentle and nurturing, but for most of them, their love of combat and incomprehension of tolerance makes them a poor fit for the Green Party. I would say that it positions them closer to the Republicans, except for the fact that Klingons believe in actually participating in combat (they also have that whole "honor" concept going for them, so Republicanism is right out). I'm not sure where they would fall on the political spectrum, really. Reform Party, maybe? Jesse Ventura might make a halfway decent Klingon, but Ross Perot is clearly Ferengi. Anyone have any suggestions as to what political party the Klingons would belong to? Or the party affiliation of any other Star Trek species, for that matter.
For those of you who don't know that much about Klingons, I have compiled some educational resources to help you understand and appreciate this proud and colorful people.
Klingon relaxation techniques.
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first!
second!
Third!
Apologies for the timestamp, BTW. I originally had it scheduled as 16:00, but the time change apparently prevented it from posting…
You mean Finnish isn’t Klingon?
Oh my. Oh my.
Phoenix Woman @ 4
When I clicked on his Klingon page, I had some difficulty distinguishing between them. But the oddly-placed capital letters in Klingon are kind of a giveaway.
FinLand Finland Finland is the country where I want to be…….
He has my vote beam me up
Phoenix Woman, very very funny
incidentally, do we have any Chicago area bloggers planning to blog the Conrad Black trial?
Oh — y’all gotta look at this video of the chimp, laura and condi. Another embarrassment for all the world to see.
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/….._0310.html
angie @ 9
Laura Bush is officially The Whitest Person On Earth. I happily renounce my crown.
angie @
10
I guess Condi’s classical concert piano training didn’t have a section on “rythm”
Nate @ 11
Maybe if she had been on skates…
Not in a million years would I be caught dead defending George Bush, but I didn’t think that was all that embarrassing. I thought it was actually nice that he acted like he was enjoying himself.
angie @
10
Wow. I had no IDEA there were that many Republican voters in Latin America available to be pre-screened for a Bushco visit… I guess Hugo Chavez hasn’t corrupted them all after all…
Whoa, Firepups! OT, I suppose – related to voters, perhaps, though not to Klingons—-
I just got off the phone w/ an interviewer for the Gallup poll!
And yes, the 5 questions were just what I hoped….do you approve of how GWB governs? (heh, heh, heh)? A second question about Bushie (I forgotten it! Sheesh, getting old is hell). Do you think the Iraq war was worth fighting?
Do you think the economy is ..excellent, good, fair, poor. I chose ‘fair.’
Cripes, I was so excited I can’t remember the last one either. But, trust me, I was very emphatic.
Then there were questions about computer ownership, phone lines, income, etc.
Damm, pupsters, I can hardly wait to see the poll results.
It’s good to know they do speak to real people…I’ve never known anyone who was called for such a survey.
Okay, back to my tasks…I’ve just been lurking today, with lots to do.
And why is this threesome traveling and dancing together…
hmmm?
cathy– did you see him posing for the cameras?
Just another photo-op is how it looked to me.
cathy @ 13
I kinda agree. Laura was the only one who really made me wince.
angie @ 17
Well, they can do that in Latin America without (apparently) being bothered by annoying questions about Iraq and US Attorneys and Iran and Korea and … and… You get the idea… (Besides, didn’t they have to check out the new compound in Paraguay?)
Eli-
Yes, if anyone should be embarrassed it was Laura with her inability to fake looking even a little bit comfortable.
Making nice (compromising) to Republicans is viewed by those of that party as being weak. I’d rather fight these guys.
What in the world is a Laura Bush?
OK-
It’s one with lots of prickers on it and is poisonous.
cathy @
14
Yeah, but they’re a bunch of stiffs! They’re not good at pretending they’re having fun. Their daughters do a much better job! At least they’re not stiff! I’d file this under “Pitiful!”
Alice @ 9
Alice — sounds like a job for Driftglass!
No mystery about Laura’s presence on the South American tour.
She just wanted a fly-by of her new home in Paraguay.
Wouldn’t you, if you were going to have to flee there in two years?
Rayne-
And don’t forget that she probably didn’t want Condi alone with George either.
Ann in AZ @ 23
The Bush girls don’t generally need to *pretend* to have fun…
driftglass may have a day job that prevents it, that is why I never made it to the Prettyman Cout house and why I am not blogging the Waxman hearings.
it is a good thing there are so many bloggers.
Hey OK, you asked where Condi was earlier today iirc,
she’s been located!
Eli!
Among us, do we have 300?
————-egregious, 1 of 300
Eli @ 28
True! In fact, their claim to fame seems to be for having a little too much fun!
Didn’t you think Condi had some rather strange dance moves?
angie @ 29
I should mention that in the course of my extensive research on Klingon culture and politics, Condi’s name came up rather frequently.
egregious @ 30
Heh. I was particularly pleased with that one.
Loosehead #60 from very old thread.
http://www.firedoglake.com/200…../#comments
I hope it’s ok to bring my response up here. I’m sorry that my job and kids got in the way of a more immediate response.
To reply to your comment:
Yes, I weep too at the loss of ethic, intellegence, integrity in the DOJ, and the loss it means for the American people. But I know there are many people there who are trying to hang on and trying to do the right thing. And if any of them are here, I want them to know that I thank you for your work and your big heart.
I can see the pandering now, as politicians eat live gack for the TV cameras….
silence is complicity @ 33
‘Sokay. I think it’s understood that a thread about Klingons is probably not going to have a lot of “on-topic” comments.
So how do you say “google” and “toobz” in Klingon? Or do you just say, “Patak!” and hit someone?
Hugh @ 36
I think you *always* just say “Patak!” and hit someone.
Qapla’!
O J Simpson lives in America with little fear of being separated from his money let alone his acting talent .
That’s a lot of work on the Klingonese , impressive . I love the idea that Finnish is related .
egregious @ 30
Eli
What are you guys talking about? I went away to put a load of laundry on, and I musta missed everything.
Frederic Royce Perez @ 38
Thanks. I spend rather a lot of time on YouTube… (And I still left a lot of stuff on the table)
Ann in AZ @ 39
Check out my link for “Klingon pornography”.
(Besides, didn’t they have to check out the new compound in Paraguay?)
stop me if you’ve heard this one before:
a Paraguays walk into a bar…
Frederic Royce Perez @ 39
What acting talent?
cathy @ 23
;0)
Ann in AZ @ 43
That’s why he has little to fear.
I seem to remember reading that one of Tolkien’s Elf languages Quenya was based on Finnish. What is it about Finnish and fantasy languages?
Check out my link for “Klingon pornography”.
That might have some republican corollary , with all the crushing , hitting and fresh blood .
Frederic Royce Perez @ 47
The Republicans *think* they’re Klingons. But at least 90% of them would sell their own grandmother to avoid combat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediasele…..bgc=003399
Liste to Harry Belafonte. The fire has not dimmed. Plus you get to hear his opinion of condisleaza.
I used to always be impressed when Chelsea traveled everywhere with Bill & Hillary. I can’t remember seeing a family pic of the Bushies in years, if ever.
punaise @
43
One says to the other: “Chile?”
-GSD
Republicans definitely have more ferengi traits than any other. Ross Perot only looks ferengi.
cathy @ 52
Yeah, I tend to agree on both counts.
Hugh @ 47
It’s part of the Finno-Ugric language group — Wikipedia:
The Finno-Ugric languages form a subfamily of the Uralic languages. The majority of linguists believe that Hungarian, Finnish and Estonian, among other languages, should be included in the group. Unlike most of the other languages spoken in Europe, the Finno-Ugric languages are not part of the Indo-European family of languages. The Uralic languages also include the Samoyedic languages, and some linguists use the terms Finno-Ugric and Uralic as synonyms. Many of the smaller Finno-Ugric languages are endangered and near extinction. The term Finno-Ugric peoples is used to describe peoples speaking a Finno-Ugric language.
GSD @ 52
The other one says no, uraguay, but I’m not.
Finnish isn’t related to any of the local languages . I think it is more related to the subcontinent Indo something . So it just seems fantastic to the Viking , Beowulf types long on devotion short on school . The Finns are pretty rugged folks with unbelievable privation for a survival technique . Their history is less well documented then the other Germanic especially Viking neighbors being so ungermanic in speech , so it is easier to think of them in fantastic ways .
cathy @ 56
A paraquayan returns from a business trip his wife ask: “How’s the weather in Brazil.”
“Chile”
One of my favorite Star Trek TNG shows was the one Picard lived an entire lifetime in a dream he had. Since that dream he was able to play the picolo.
“Mr. Gorbachev, Tierra del Fuego this wall!”
But my favorite character of all was Q. I loved every episode he was in.
Earlier the prez blamed Iran for Iraq’s troubles.
AP – President Bush said Sunday that Iran and Syria need to follow through on pledges to help Iraq, but left the door open to additional contacts between Washington and its chief Mideast foes.
cathy @ 60
Now there was someone who really *could* create his own reality.
Eli @ 63
Well if you want to get all new agy and all, we all can create our own reality.
cathy @ 63
But most of us can’t impose it on everyone else…
Eli-
No, but neither could Q when it came down to it. Picard always saw a way to do his own thing and live by his principles.
cathy @ 65
Well, Q *could* alter reality. Just not principles.
One of my favorite episodes is with Jane Wyatt playing Spock’s mom. Sort of “Mother knows best” thing.
Oklahoma kiddo — Here you go.
Apologies for going OT, but the latest Plame thread is deep into EPU.
I thought I saw reports here after the verdict that Valerie was going to be on TV Saturday. I’ve been away from civilization in the woods with a bunch of Boy Scouts all weekend and was shocked to get back and see nothing here. Did I misread something? Was it cancelled after Waxman’s announcement? Did it happen ad no one here noticed? (Riggggght)
This thread demonstrates yet again that fdl is a full-service blog. Klingon vocabulary, music, Klyoga, porn, and voter outreach if that isn’t redundant.
“I can bring home the bacon
…Fry it up in a pan
…And never ever let you
…Forget you’re a man
‘Cause I’m a woman…”
?What? Karaoke was a different thread?
Hm. Sorry.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 62
This is good news. General Wesley Clark, Zbigniew Brezinski, Madeline Albright and so many more pushing hard for diplomacy with Iran all the while A-pac pushing hard for confrontation with Iran. (go check out the a-pac website)
egregious @ 71
Not necessarily.
Dear egregious, I love your sensibility!
Iraqi Body Countis committed to ensuring that there never has to be an Iran Body Count project. We support the following initiatives working to resolve the Iran crisis through diplomacy and dialogue:
British American Security Information Council (BASIC)
Crisis Action
Oxford Research Group
Earlier analysis of the consequences of an Iran war…
LindaR @ 69
Thanks. I’ll bet I’ve seen this movie a gazillion times. ;0)
Kathleen @ 72
Kathleen,
I believe the requested form of that is A*P*C in order to keep these threads out of google searches which have attracted violent commenters.
Oklahoma kiddo @
62
Showing his political weakness all the way. The stupid, I mean really stupid aspect of the tough talking cowboy bullshit that Bush used is that when necessity forces you to back down it is seen as being weak.
We know what Al Qaeda thinks about weakness, right Mr. Cheney?
-GSD
Kathleen @ 72
Thanks. I like Zbig and the rest. ;0)
I always thought that Klingons were deeply conflicted- battle, honor, peace. Worf is the best example. Alexander might be a gen-X Klingon. A little self-indulgent.
OTOH, Fins are basically groovy.
GSD @ 78
So very true.
Halliburton moves HQ to Dubai.
Not sure if everyone saw this:
Libby trial bloggers fall on their faces
http://newhouse-web.syr.edu/le…..ogpost=197
Chaboard @
70
http://www.oversight.house.gov/
Her testimony will be televised this Friday and can be seen by clicking on the link above.
You are correct: her interview with Keith Olbermann has been postponed, if I am not mistaken. Does anyone have current information about rescheduling of that interview?
ccmask @
83
What a pile of crap. Who is this jerk? (not ccmask)
Chaboard @ 70
I think I heard she testifies to Congress this coming Friday and on Oberman the night before? Going on memory.
I found it through a pressthink link. Jay Rosen has added after matter to his firedoglake post here:
http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubz…..l#comments
Queen of the Right Worms has been labeled a biggest loser and has been lumped in with Mel Gibson and Michael Richards.
-GSD
ccmask @ 83
The mainstream is threatened by the FDL’s of the world.
ccmask @ 87
red alert! *s* (someone had to say it in this thread)
firedoglake’s coverage rocked them all off their foundations. The guy at Newhouse didn’t even mention the lake.
A while ago, a New York State mental hospital was seeking to hire people with a working knowledge of Klingon. Apparently, they have a gaggle of patients who only speak it.
Remember contact your reps this week about continuing the Plame investigation. Fitz has done what he can and opened the door for the congress to read his full investigation will they walk through? We need to push.
Also I have been encouraging people to contact the Diane Rehm show about Marcy’s book “Anatomy of Deceit”.
Blub @ 92
That was one of my links, actually.
Blub @ 92
How do you say thorazine in Klingon?
Eureka Springs, AR @ 95
A true Klingon would never ask for it.
ccmask @ 91
Yeah, just a disparaging “your agenda.” Funny how comments go backwards there too. And still no links. What a dick.
I wonder if Big Time speaks (or is) Klingon?
Weekly Standards William Kristol, Joseph Bottum, and National Review’s Charles Krauthammer, Rich Lowry, and Jonah Goldberg are all singing versions of the same song. President Bush you need to “Pardon Libby” just because you can.
I guess these guys need lies about a —-job to consider an issue serious enough for impeachment or jail time.
Would someone please give everyone in the Bush administration (including Libby) —-jobs so that the guys at National Review and the Weekly Standard would call for impeachment proceedings.
So much for our justice system. The whole world is watching and laughing!
Scooter Libby could tell us how many episodes featured Klingons.
Oh excuse me. Convicted felon Scooter Libby could tell us how many episodes.
Blub @ 98
The Klingons would have nothing but contempt for Dick and his “other priorities”.
you mean blow jobs? Who do you think has been blowing them for the last several years?
William Kristol, Joseph Bottum, Charles Krauthammer, Rich Lowry, and Jonah Goldberg come to mind.
He definitely should have gone with Tolkien’s Quenya. At least there’s 6 ways to say “green” in it.
And there’s even the obvious constituency, the green elves or the laiquendi.
Doug Keenan @ 100
I like it! Kinda like…
disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff
Siun’s got a new thread upstairs.
ccmask @
83
the journalist doesn’t even know his bloggers…
we know our bloggers OWNED the scene!
Zbigniew Brezinski will be on the Diane Rehms show on Tuesday.
I think I’d prefer having Klingons as an alternative to Republicans. At least then I’d know what to expect! (I don’t think there are any eligible for President yet, though.)
‘Shakespeare in the original Klingon’
P J Evans @ 107
Well, at least they’d fight their own damn wars, and I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t lie us into them either.
On the other hand, they wouldn’t need much reason beyond “War is glorious and good”.
angie @ 10
Just priceless, isn’t it? I must confess I watched it twice…once in sheer disbelief and second, in utter hysteria. Beam me up, Scotty!
Voting for Klingons makes as much sense as voting for Republicans and Democrats. The message is loud and clear. Elections are a farce; and by participating, we give them the aid of credibility that they really don’t have.
Don’t forget Klingon Art Professors. (Her dad is the source: he was a roomate of Gene Roddenberry in college)