Blowing Vent with Happy Faced Balloon & a speech by Ahmet Simsirgil abou...

Galloway vs Hitchens

Galloway vs Hitchens

If you have time, please watch the entire debate as it is incredible; between these highly educated and knowledable characters.  

If you only have 30 minutes or so, start from the 15:00 minute mark.  This is when the honorable Mr George Galloway comes on; this man is the most outspoken Irishmen out there.  

     The honourable Mr Galloway

If you like what you here, search him on Youtube, the man is absolutely wonderful.  

I am a supporter of his views.  

Here is the link of the debate, below, if the link is not working, please copy and waste it to the address bar.   Or email me and I can help you out.  

Thank you, 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNxkK7elSZ4

Ben

Speech in 'Scent of a Woman

Speech in 'Scent of a Woman'

If you are following this blog, and I hope you are, three weeks prior, I wrote about a 'well given speech' by Mr Michael Douglas, in the movie, 'Wall street'.  The title of this blog is 'Greed and Gordon Gekko'.  Please look for this 'write-up', if you have not read it, as I think I did a good job at analyzing the character.  

Today, I'd like to bring to your attention, another inspirational speech given in a movie.   

The movie is titled 'Scent of a Woman' and it is staring Mr Al Pacino.   

And like Mr Michael Douglas, Mr Al Pacino, also won an Oscar for his portrayal of a 'blind general'.  I believe they both won the Oscar for not only doing a very good job in acting, but giving a rather good speech, 'sealed the deal', as one would say.  

For those who have not seen the movie, I do recommend it, and I would like to describe the lead-up to the speech-scene now. 

Mr Trask is the president of the prestigious school and he is leading  an assembly, which is conducted in front of the entire attendees of the school.  The students, teachers and parents are gathered in the gymnasium/auditorium, while Mr Trask is questioning a student, who is being accused of doing something wrong. 

However, this student, a Mr Charlie Sims, who has not committed a crime, but his best friends have, will not 'rat-out' his friends, therefore, chooses to remain silent.   

At the height of the 'questioning', the General Mr Slade (Al Pacino), walks into the gymnasium.   

Now, let us read, word for word the confrontational argument between the President and the General.  And finally, the speech by Mr Al Pacino.  

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President Trask: Mr. Sims, you are a cover-up artist and you are a liar.

General Slade: But not a snitch.

President Trask: Excuse me?

General Slade: No, I don't think I will.

President Trask: Mr. Slade.

General Slade: This is such a crock of shit.

President Trask: Please watch your language, Mr. Slade.  You are in the Baird School not a barracks.  Mr. Sims, I will give you one final opportunity to speak up.

General Slade: Mr. Sims doesn't want it.  He doesn't need to labeled: "Still worthy of being a 'Baird Man.'" What the hell is that? What is your motto here? "Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide", anything short of that we're gonna burn you at the stake? Well, gentlemen, when the shit hits the fan some guys run and some guys stay.  Here's Charlie facing the fire; and there's George hiding in big Daddy's pocket.  And what are you doing? You're gonna reward George and destroy Charlie.

President Trask: Are you finished, Mr. Slade?

General Slade: No, I'm just getting warmed up.  I don't know who went to this place, William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan, William Tell, whoever.  Their spirit is dead, if they ever had one, it's gone.  You're building a rat ship here.  A vessel for sea going snitches.  And if you think your preparing these minnows for manhood you better think again.  Because I say you are killing the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills!  What a sham.  What kind of a show are you guys putting on here today.  I mean, the only class in this act is sitting next to me.  And I'm here to tell ya this boy's soul is intact.  It's non-negotiable.  You know how I know?  Someone here, and I'm not gonna say who, offered to buy it.  Only Charlie here wasn't selling. 

President Trask: Sir, you are out of order!

General Slade: Outta order?  I'll show you outta order!  You don't know what outta order is, Mr. Trask!  I'd show you but I'm too old; I'm too tired; I'm too fucking blind.  If I were the man I was five years ago I'd take a FLAME-THROWER to this place! Outta order.  Who the hell you think you're talking to? I've been around, you know?  There was a time I could see.  And I have seen boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn't nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit; there is no prosthetic for that.  You think you're merely sending this splendid foot-soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are executing his SOUL!! And why?! Because he's not a Baird man! Baird men, ya hurt this boy, you're going to be Baird Bums, the lot of ya.  And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, FUCK YOU, too!

President Trask: Stand down, Mr. Slade!

General Slade: I'm not finished! As I came in here, I heard those words, "cradle of leadership." Well, when the bow breaks, the cradle will fall.  And it has fallen here; it has fallen.  Makers of men; creators of leaders; be careful what kind of leaders you're producing here.  I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong.

I'm not a judge or jury.  But I can tell you this: he won't sell anybody out to buy his future!! And that, my friends, is called integrity! That's called courage! Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of.  Now I have come to the crossroads in my life.  I always knew what the right path was.  Without exception, I knew.  But I never took it.  You know why? It was too damn hard.  Now here's Charlie.  He's come to the crossroads.  He has chosen a path. It's the right path.  It's a path made of principle, that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey.

You hold this boy's future in your hands, committee.  It's a valuable future.  Believe me.  Don't destroy it! Protect it.  Embrace it.  It's gonna make ya proud one day, I promise.

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An Impressive speech, right?

View from the Pera Hill

View from the Pera Hill

I would like to share the transcript of the seventh speech of mine, with some alterations made to it over the years.  This speech was given to my peers in January of 2012; for our Toastmasters group. 

Here it is below.  

Toastmasters, Speech number 7

View from the Pera Hill

On the communication manual it states that project 7 should be a “Research Your Topic” speech.  I actually did not know we were following the manual this close, really? Therefore thought back and realized that my last two speeches were not exactly done as the manual wanted and I want to correct this today.

Speech 5 guideline states that this should be a something that has an element of “Your Body Speaks”.  I definitely did not do that. I remember, I just stood out here and therefore, I would like to show you my delayed reaction…”Ohhh my, a TV!!” and “I cannot believe my eyes!".  (Make like your hands are in the air and start jumping around).  For those of you who missed my speech 5, this was a speech about the first time a Television was brought into our home, when I was only 5 or 6 years old.  

Speech 6 guideline states that it should have “Vocal Variety”. Again, I did not do that.  But, I want to correct this and here is my impression of, Lets see if you can guess this character actor? “Ahhh, A make him an offer, he can’t refuse…”  (Say it with an Italian accent) Anyone? The answer is Marlon Brando, starring in the oscar winning role of the The Godfather.

Most of you do not know, but I love to write.  I have over a dozen short stories in my native language.  I am in the process of slowly converting these stories into English.  My goal one day is to take a long leave of absence from work and try to chase this dream of mine to convert the stories into English and also expand these short stories into novels.

My speech today is titled “The view from the Pera Hill”.  I am not referring to Pisa in Italy.  I might add that, that would be a nice place to visit, right?  It would be nice to see the Leaning Tower, can you imagine standing by the leaning tower and having your partner take your picture while you are doing this (Make like you are holding up the tower).  Also, did you guys know that Pisa has less than 90,000 residences, but over a million tourists visit that city each year? That is over 10 times the population. Think about that. If we use the percentage calculation for Edmonton, that would mean that if there is 1 million residences living here (Give or take), we would have 10 million tourists visiting here. Imagine the traffic? Yuk!!

Also, my speech today is a just a very small part of one of my short stories.  The story is based in the year 1453.  This is a very important year.  It is said that “History, is written by the victor”, (Say this in an English accent), that is suppose to be an English accent by the way.  Can anyone guess who said that very famous phrase? Winston Churchill is the answer. 

I do not like wars, I am absolutely against them. “Wars are no solution to peace!” Therefore, I took an event which was a very important date in the history of Europe. 

The concurring of Constantinople. 

The fall of the old Rome. 

The end of the Byzantium Empire. 

The beginning of the mighty Ottoman Empire. 

My birth city, the city on the seven hills.

Therefore, what I did was that since the city was going to fall to the New lions of Anatolia. I dreamt up a way for not one person to die while the ruling hands changed in this city.

I describe the conversation between Fatih Sultan Mehmed; the young 21 year old conquer of the city that backs onto the Golden Horn body of water.  A body of water which holds 3000 years of treasures.  And the conversation is with a 74 year old Priest Patrick Gennadius Skolarious, who lives in the St. Aposteli Church.  A Church which has a secret item buried deep in the catacombs below it.  And, whoever has possession of this item, which dates back to the City of Jerusalem, and prior to that, to the town of Bethlehem.  The item once owned by a poor Sheppard, we all know who I am referring to.

Whoever has possession of this item, would have his one wish granted.  This conversation occurred between the two characters at 3 am on May 25, 1453 in the wooded parts of the Pera Hill on the East/North side of the Golden Horn body of water, overlooking the treasure below, the walled city of Constantinople. 

The trade occurs which saves every person, not one drop of blood spills, and everyone’s happy.

I am running out of time and therefore leave it to your imagine of how the two characters meet and communicate.  How one is at the prime of his life, full of brute force and the other advanced in years, full of wisdom share. 

Thank you for reading.