Pictured is Pancit Palabok. It was on Wikipedia.

This conversation relates in part to my blog post Obama and the Peace Prize with reactions from its feed on my facebook.  I will try to integrate some of that feedback within the context of the conversation, since it’s obviously not on my blog itself.  This conversation also involves other aspects such as the closing of Gitmo, the war in Afghanistan, economic crisis and the Olympic bid.

Jay: Isn’t it odd how if any other person from any other country won the Nobel prize, there would be a surge of national pride from that country?
cct: Haha.  That’s what I’m saying…
Jay: But here, if an American won it, we automatically think political parties and get polarized.
cct: Why don’t we just be freakin’ proud, say “good job” five people gave you a big award, and call it a day?

[Some discussion occurs here about my facebook post and mutual friends and their reactions to it.  One friend - EB - said that based on the reasoning of the committee Hitler should have been given a Nobel Prize.  Essentially because Hitler did what he did, it united people together in peace.  He was being sarcastic...really...he put it in <sarcasm> brackets.]

Jay: EB is crazy.
cct: The Hitler thing?  Yeah, I know.

[Another friend - BB - provided some astute points and reasonings, stating that  Obama has had opportunities to provide for peace in his role as a leader and hasn't done it yet.  He is the one who brought up things like the War in Afghanistan and closing of Gitmo.]

Jay: BB is a little more thoughtful on his opinions.
cct: Yup.  I see where BB is coming from totally.

Jay: Yeah, but what I’m starting to see is that Obama is forced into the reality of things, that talking of closing gitmo and actually getting private military briefings on terrorists are completely different.
cct: Definitely, I don’t believe that he doesn’t believe in what his platform [stands] for.  I think he honestly wants to close gitmo and wishes he didn’t have to put more troops in, but like you said, reality, it’s not easy.

…and he’s a thinker. he’s not going to sit down and make rash decisions to try and get something “done”.  He’s the kind of guy that wants to think things through and make sure they’re done right.  [In putting this up, I really wish I had made a "I will not blink" joke a la Daily Show Reel of Palin and Bush.]

Jay: Yeah, and there’s already talk of where to put these prisoners once gitmo is close[s].
cct: Exactly.
Jay: But these are national issues, Nobel is talking about world issues as a whole: nuclear non-proliferation [and] mid-east peace.
cct: Maybe i’m sitting on the soft cushions of American perspective idealism, but i really think that having Obama as our president has really turned people’s perspectives of our country’s stupidity…which might warrant a Nobel prize.
Jay: For sure.
cct: I saw some woman’s post about how Obama has multiplied our debt a bunch of times overs, and he hasn’t really fixed anything.
Jay: Yeah. but it’s money that he meant well with – that’s the difference. It’s money that he expected would get some sort of pay back in the long run.   The Iraq war was just spending for a war without anyone making sacrifices…except troops of course.
cct: And there’s something to be said of taking solutions now, to fix things that need to be fixed now.  Crisis = fix now.  And more spending [on the war] just to make sure we don’t lose.

Even healthcare,  I know it’s important, and i wouldn’t want people to not have it, but saving the country from economic meltdown?
Jay: It’s very important, and i’m glad we’re beyond the screaming though.
cct: And i’m glad things are picking up with things like equal rights, and Obama speaking about that.  After the peace prize stuff, it was kind of a nice segue.
Jay: For sure.

cct: People were talking about him going to pitch for the olympics, about how that wasn’t important.  I was like “excuse me? global image…check. tourism revenue…check check check.”  But of course i would have voted for RIO too!
Jay: i’m glad for Rio,  they’ve never had the olympics in South America.  Though I would’ve LOVED if they were in Chicago.

cct: Really? [about it being the first Olympics in South America].  That’s even cooler.  Good job, Rio!
Jay: And once again, you’re right. Chicago…Olympics…Jobs created.

Side note for amusement: this conversation began with Glee, and ended with Michael Jackson, Guitars, and the Peanuts.

-cct

About Pandits and Pancits – During the presidential election of forever (i.e. the lame duck term of George W. Bush), Jay and I realized how often the word “pundit” was mentioned. So we jokingly said that we could be a pundit and came up with the play on words of “pandits and pancits”. “Pandit” is a related or root word for “pundit”, which means a skilled scholar. “Pancit” is a noodle dish of the Philippines of which Jay is Filipino and I am honorary. This series is just a bunch of random political conversations Jay and I have over IM. Obviously we don’t take ourselves seriously, so you don’t have to either.