Your daily flat-WHAT

[sabotabby]

A senior Conservative cabinet minister has made my Monday by dropping one of the most hilariously WTF statements ever uttered by a Canadian politician who wasn't the Honourable Wife-Beater.

“We talk about Gangnam Style. There wouldn’t be a Gangnam Style if we hadn’t had the sacrifice of Canadians, members of the United Nations who came together with a resolve to ensure that we repelled communism,” [Veteran’s Affairs Minister Steven Blaney] said.

There is no response worthy of such a statement but a stream of Psy gifs.



That's right, kids! You wouldn't have K-Pop if Canadians hadn't battled communism.



Wait, were we even in the Korean War? And, um, didn't that one kind of end in a stalemate?



Anyway, it's a statement worthy of some of the DPRK's more hilarious moments. Also, where are the Tories keeping their stash of crack, and did they bring enough for the rest of the country?

(The Star responds, cheekily: "There was no word either on whether Canadian veterans would be saddled with responsibility for the current free fall down the musical charts that the South Korean artist’s follow up song, “Gentlemen,” has experienced in recent weeks.")

In "Things Canadians Actually Did Do," news, we are totally complicit in the brutal murder of a Chiapas anti-mining activist. So there's that.

Comments

Yes, we were there

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

I don't have details, but Canadians formed a (relatively) substantial part of the "police action". And further, it did end in a draw, but since it started with the North conquering pretty much all of the South, the worthy Minister's statement is inane but, arguably, technically not false.

[sabotabby]

It still seems like an odd thing to say in an address to Canadian WWII veterans, who a) were technically allied with the USSR at the time, and b) responsible for brief popularity of the Scorpions in the early 90s.

[begundan.livejournal.com]

You, and sabs, would have had the details had they been taught at Canadian schools, as per a recent initiative. (Wasn't there a post here in support of that just recently?) But then, Canadians are, by and large, uncurious of their past.

Perhaps ...

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

... but in Young Geoffrey's case, school was quite some time ago.

To play devil's advocate (because my knee jerks in favour of history in schools, and plenty of it!), it occurs to me that there might be a strong correlation between a strong sense of history in a nation's population, and a tendency towards the harboring of grudges unto the 7th (if not the 70th) generation.

Could it be that historical amnesia has its place?

[begundan.livejournal.com]

I don't know, why don't we ask sabs? Can we have historical amnesia to the north american indians issue, sabs?

Let me rephrase ...

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

... my already teetering question:

Could it be that some historical amnesia has its place? Sometimes?

Re: Let me rephrase ...

[begundan.livejournal.com]

I believe complete amnesia, in this journal anyway, should apply to all history the diligent examination of which may undermine sabs' certainty in her dearly held political beliefs. In other cases amnesia will not be granted.

Re: Let me rephrase ...

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

Thank you sir and/or madam. I've been having a rough day and you brought literal laughter forth from my innards.

I applaud and second your proposal and, further, note that we have never been at war with Oceania.

[sabotabby]

While Management understands that this is a blog, not an English paper, it does insist that all trolling be at least minimally comprehensible to a general audience.

[begundan.livejournal.com]

Criticizing my deliberately lazy-ass English? You'd make a good teacher.

No, I have a better one. Living in exile from the anglophone community, I come here for the sole purpose of maintaining my language skills, which even at their best left much to be desired. Of course, I stutter, stumble and occasionally babble, but I really am doing the best I can. Please, 99th linguistic skills percentile management, show some understanding and compassion to those who've never risen above the 98th.

[the_axel]

Well, Canada committed about 8 000 troops to the Korean War.
South Korea had 600 000.
USA deployed 325 000.
The remaining UN contingent was 35 000.

So we did participate, but our force commitment wasn't large enough to have a material impact on the outcome.

(By comparison, China deployed 1 350 000, N. Korea 270 000 and USSR 25 000).

[begundan.livejournal.com]

Well, if there was a catchy Afghani tune topping the charts maybe Blaney could have used a more suitable example...

[symbioid.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but N Korea has Pocohonbo Electronic Ensemble!

[sabotabby]

We were obviously on the wrong side.

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

I like Gangnam style! So, uh, thanks for that, Canada!

[sabotabby]

You're welcome?

(I like it too. I'm sorry the fad is over; I found it far more enjoyable than most.)

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I would like to join the parade of people who liked Gangnam Style!

Although I'm kind of sad that the follow-up is so similar in style, and not like Psy's other work. /things pretentious white K-pop fans say

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

thinking about it, the US was super active in the Korean war, so we are probably due credit for like 75% of Gangnam Style. So YOU should really be thanking ME!

[sabotabby]

Right! Thank you for Gangnam Style.

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

Ms. Manners says that real thanks involve a handwritten note.

It's not over in Ottawa!

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

Why (and I mean this literally, no lie nor exaggeration), I heard it playing from a car going past my window only yesterday.

Of course this is Ottawa, so perhaps the fad is only starting here in this god-forsaken burg on the edge of the Outaouais.

[kryss-labryn.livejournal.com]

I have to say I totally adore that song. My day was just that bit more awesome every time it randomly showed up on the radio or what. And I totally danced to it in stores. :D

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Do we really have to thank Canada for K-pop? 'Cos, I mean, it's pretty great musically and all, but that whole industry is shady as fuck. Do you really want to take responsibility for that?

[sabotabby]

HELL no. I don't even want to take credit for Justin Bieber and Celine Dion.

[kryss-labryn.livejournal.com]

I think our main contribution has been largely manning the DMZ, if I recall correctly. And yes, that would make it the Dee Em Zed. *Grin*

Here, have a Todd in the Shadows* review of it, because it's pretty entertaining.





Aargh, LJ coding. Let me try something... Well, if I can't fix it, here's the link to it, anyways.

Also, dear LJ, having a gorram preview button on the comments again would save poor Sabs from having like ten almost-identical email versions of this sent to her while I try to get the coding to work. just saying.

*His One Hit Wonderland series is pretty entertaining too, and a heck of a lot more in-depth than one might expect from an Internet reviewer.

[kryss-labryn.livejournal.com]

Meh. I give up.

[sabotabby]

Ah well. I'm sure it's good. :)