Via HotAir, video of Rep. David Wu (D-Oregon) telling Congress, regarding the war in Iraq,
Now, this president has listened to some people – the so-called Vulcans, in the White House – the ideologues. But, you know, unlike the Vulcans of Star Trek, who…

No, he clearly stated he slew them like animals. Not trying to “defend” SW. Perhaps I should be more clear. I thought Star Wars was crap. Simplistic and repetitive to a childish level. I doubt Lucas but any sort of nuanced “liberal” or “conservative” twist to any representatives and at least kept the original story of bad guys versus good guys. It’s clear the “rebels” were considered the “good guys” because they won. Lucas isn’t bright enough to have made it any more complicated than the old Hollywood tradition of the good guys winning in the end.

All of this, of course, being totally irrelevent to a Congressman using a really bad and childish analogy like some sort of hopeless trekkie geek attending a convention.

Not really, slaying a villiage of sand people–including the children, and then the massacre of the Jedi children and his propensity for summary executions pretty much labels ol Vader as the “bad guy”.

Keep in mind, he had been educated for most of his life by left-wing, multi-culti educators at the Jedi temple and was still under their influence when he attack the Sandpeople. He probably thought he was honoring their warrior culture by finishing them off.

Not really, slaying a villiage of sand people–including the children, and then the massacre of the Jedi children and his propensity for summary executions pretty much labels ol Vader as the “bad guy”. Shoot, in the end he switched sides because his side was losing–which arguably is why he went to the dark side in the first place–Darth was pretty much a weasel from day one.

George Lucas isn’t that deep, he kept the story pretty simple. If you view the series as a whole you can conclude he had a rather simplistic good guy/bad guy story in Episodes 4-6 and then Episodes 1-3 were essentially the same movies told slightly different in order to rake as much money as possible.

I haven’t seen Star Trek since the original series, but if memory serves, the Federation could kick ass when it needed to (and likely did to become the Federation in the first place).

“Fire phasers!”

“Sorry sir, the Federation defunded the phaser program.”

“OK…well… draft a stern letter on UN letterhead and transport it over!”

Since “Wu” in Chinese means “without” (or, literally “not have“) we can now be sure that this guy is one of the proliferating political clan of the “Wu-brains“.

(Klinging desperately to the metaphors of his childhood.)

In Congress, it’s now the Wu-wei or the highway.

(With apologies to Lao Tse.)

profitsbeard on January 11, 2007 at 9:57 PM

“profitsbread,”

I find David Wu’s comments more humorous than evil or nasty. I disagree with him that there are Klingons in the White House. I don’t know the people in the White House but I see President Bush as a good man, but misguided on many issues, such as in his referring to Islam as the Religion of Peace, or his refusal to enforce immigration, overspending, and so on.

Regarding the meaning of the surname “Wu.” Chinese Mandarin, the national language of China, and Chinese Cantonese, the two most often spoken Chinese languages – along with Toisan, or Taishan, Cantonese cousin, both from Canton, China, are “singing” languages. Mandarin has four tones and one neutral tone, while Cantonese has seven tones.

What does this mean?

If one uses a word that phonetically sounds like “Ma” in the English language, that word would mean “mother.” However, in Cantonese, for example, the meaning depends on the tones which are used when pronouncing the phonetic sound “ma.”

“Ma” could mean “Horse.” It could mean “Mother.” “Ma” could also act as a question mark as in “Nay Ho Ma?” which means “You Good – question mark” with Nay meaning “You,” and Ho, which in this case combines the Chinese characters for girl and boy together to equal “Good,” and “Ma” as “question mark” in a sense.

In Mandarin the same phrase would be “Nee Hau Ma” with Nee meaning the same as Nay in Cantonese, Hau meaning the same as Ho in Cantonese, and Ma serving as the same as a question mark acting in verbal exchanges.

Another example would be “Tong.” Phonetically it sounds as it is spelled in English, but the tones change the meaning of the word. Tong could mean “sugar” or soup, or something else, depending on which tones are used when speaking it, such as middle rising tone, low rising tone, high falling tone, and so on.

Another difference is that phonetic sounds in English, along with being different by using various tones for their specific meaning in Cantonese, Toisan, Mandarin, etc., are also differentiated by their specific characters and character combinations, so one phonetic sound could mean different things when speaking Chinese save for the tone used and the Character used to represent those words make the difference.

With Oregon Representative David Wu’s surname, “Wu” according toe Wilkipedia, the character for his name is a common character used as a common surname, or last name, among Chinese.

Historically the name “Wu” originated from a State in the ancient province of Jiangsu. It meant Big or Great. One source places the age of this particular “Wu” used for David Wu’s name at approximately 3100 years old.

The surname “Wu” which David Wu’s family uses appears to be the combination of “Sky” or “Tian” in Mandarin, with “Mouth” or “Kou.”

In this case his surname means “Big” or “Great” as stated above.

In Chinese the surname is mentioned first, followed by the first name, whereas in the US our first name is often given first, followed by our last name, such as George Bush, Emmy Rossum, Sharuk Khan, Bruce Lee, Rachel McAdams, and so forth, unless you are James Bond, in which case he introduces himself as “Bond, James Bond.”

David Wu’s Chinese name, to my knowledge is “Wu Zhenwei.”

The Character used for Wu in his name is described above. The character used for Zhen means “to stimulate, shake,” while the character used for his name “Wei” in “Zhen Wei” means “great.”

So, Wu Zhenwei, or Wu Zhen Wei, means “Great or Big” plus Stimulate or shake” plus “Great” for “Wei” and “Wu” have similar meanings, and closely related characters, albeit “Wu” is more ancient.

So, although there are numerous phonetic sounds and definitions for “Wu” in the Chinese language, in just Mandarin and Cantonese alone, David Wu’s surname “Wu” does not mean “without,” or “not have.”

M goi. (Thank you)

Joi Gin (Good bye/See you) Cantonese

Xie, xie (Thank you)

zai jian (Good bye/See you) Mandarin

Wai Lim (William) AKA “Sum Yum Guy” ;>)

Oh, I’m sure that we’ll see the merciless berating of Senator Wu’s intelligence and disengagement from what real working people in America think on The Daily Show tonight…

…or maybe tomorrow. I’m sure they’ll get around to it since, you know, those guys at TDS are so fair-minded.

ScottMcC on January 11, 2007 at 6:38 PM

“ScottMcC,”

Although I have not heard anything on the main stream news media outlets regarding David Wu’s speech, I have no doubt, based on past experience, that he was not dragged through the mud as conservatives are or were, mainly because David Wu is on the “right side” of this, he is a Democrat, and the MSM is a propaganda machine for the Democratic Party and its faithful and its high priests.

Nevertheless, I do not understand how anyone on this forum could say anything negative about David Wu’s intelligence, especially if we take the time to look into his background.

David Wu’s biography is available at his House of Representatives web site.

David Wu “…earned a Bachelor of Science from Stanford University in 1977, attended Harvard Medical School, and received a law degree from Yale University in 1982.

Congressman Wu’s distinguished legal career included a clerkship with a Federal judge in Portland. In 1988, he co-founded the law firm of Cohen & Wu. For a decade, the firm successfully served the high technology industry and numerous small businesses across Northwest Oregon.”

No, he is no slouch in the intelligence and education department, but his speech was entertaining and it is fun to talk about it.

I saw his family photograph. They look like a cute family.

We might disgree with David Wu on some things, but we do not have to fear respecting him.

William

We have Klingons in the White House. Thanks to Allahpundit for the tip, and thanks especially to Rep. Wu for this gem: …

Cute, Chris, but it’s going to confuse some people who weren’t paying attention. Among the confused? Click here….

Indeed, Vader’s command style in the Imperial Navy would be my template for my dealings with Congress if I was elected President (mirthful snort). You have failed me for the last time, Senator Reid…

austinnelly on January 12, 2007 at 7:48 PM

I like his faith-based initiative:

“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

Only to lose to Han Solo in the Presidential election

Han Solo…no, GWB couldn’t be Han Solo. Maybe Jar Jar Binks..no, that’s mean. Wait, Bail Organa. He’s a rebel at heart but he works within the system…a good behind the scenes guy but not a stand up guy.

Three good things about the Trek Universe:
1 USS Defiant

Loved that ship. Oblative armor. I don’t know what that is but I want some for my car. I bet I won’t need a radar detector anymore if I had some oblative shields.

You must be referring to Anakin/Vader, but I disagree that he is the “bad guy.”

Indeed, Vader’s command style in the Imperial Navy would be my template for my dealings with Congress if I was elected President (mirthful snort). You have failed me for the last time, Senator Reid…

"Wow. I never thought I'd be in a position one day to talk rhetorical strategy with THE Billy Jack -- a man who, for an entire generation of politically active youth weary of the toll taken on our nation's credibility thanks to o…

Nuff said. In fact, the only guy to get laid in a SW movie was the bad guy.

Faith1 on January 12, 2007 at 1:37 PM

You must be referring to Anakin/Vader, but I disagree that he is the “bad guy.” When the entire series is viewed as a whole, it is clear that Vader was the hero. He sacrificed all to try to free the galaxy from the control of a bizarre, government-established, new-age cult that had disfigured him. He was unsuccessful at rescuing Luke from it’s influence, so evil ultimately won.

I can’t believe that guy sits as an elected leader in the most powerful nation on this planet …

Well, … while we are dealing with Klingons, Blair is dealing with the Jedi.

Boba Fett would probably fly away with his nancy boy jet pack and award himself a purple heart and marry some other dead dudes wife or something.

Only to lose to Han Solo in the Presidential election.

Sidious pwned Windu.

Vader pwned Kenobi, as well as the entire Jedi Order.

All that’s left is Luke… and he cries.

Sith don’t get booty, they kick it. ”

What Sith would that be? the one that was beheaded? Or maybe the one that was cut in half? Maybe the one who was nearly roasted alive and finally killed by an old man and young kid? Or maybe the Sith overlord chunked down a shaft?

Maybe that’s why they never got booty…they got killed off too quick…

:D