h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What the proles spend on an average weekday will be more than offset by the pocket change being used in D.C. by wealthy republicans. I read a diary on dailykos by a D.C. resident who was complaining about the bad manners of hordes of women wearing furs and blue baseball caps with W's on them. Apparently some of these women even got manicures with Dubya's name on their nails.

It's costing D.C. $17 million out of their Homeland Security Fund to protect the likes of them.

Someone just emailed me to see if I was going to watch

"the coronation of mad king George II"

Oh, if only someone manufactured black magnetic ribbons so I can put one on my car to show that I'm in mourning for my country today.

I wonder if I have a black ribbon to use as an armband today?

::rummages around in her desk::

that's a good idea. I think I'll join you in that one, FG.

And yes, the Catholic Church still excommunicates people for heresy, but the definition is now so narrow that it's highly unlikely. Vatican II dictated that to be heretical, one would need to either convert to an established faith other than the RCC and/or maintain that there is more than one god (dualist heresies). Few people are Cathars these days, I'd warrant, and those that convert out of the Catholic faith don't much care if they get excommunicated.

If you don't have a black armband, you can were a Count Me Blue bracelet:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=92727&item=4960539491&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

were = wear, of course.

Actually, I do have something to say.

I am thinking it is perhaps time to dispose of another flag as a sign of protest.

Did you know (according to Jon Stewarts's book, Democracy Inaction), if Betsy Ross were alive today she would be a 13 year old Laotian boy?

I betcha Benjamin Franklin would be a blogger.

Here is a priceless transcript (thank you, DailyKos) of an interview by Barbara Quinn of Fox News with Barbara Bacharach of Vanity Fair, which went badly wrong for Fox. Evidently, no-one at Fox actually realized that Vanity Fair is not a fshion magazine but a rabidly anti-Bush glossy:

BQ: Here to talk about the festivities, Judy Bachrach, contributing editor at Vanity Fair Magazine. Judy, welcome to you. We were noticing all the snow in Washington...ah, it's really coming down. {cut to pretty, snowy White House}I hope that doesn't put a crimp in anybody's plans. Look at that gorgeous shot of the White House.

JB: Well, I have a feeling that maybe it should put a crimp or at least something should put a crimp in the plans of the White House to have such a very lavish inaugural at a time of war in--

BQ: Really?

JB: Yes.

BQ: Huh. Okay.

JB: What I've noticed is the worse war is going, the more lavish the inaugural festivites. {cut to Bush footage} When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President--during a time of war--of course, as you know, he had a very modest inauguration and a very tiny party where he served chicken salad--or where chicken salad was served, and that was when we were winning a war.

BQ: Right, but--

JB: When--

BQ: Judy, it seems like ...

JB: Sorry...

BQ: Well, no, I--look, I mean the President has, has, addressed this, hasn't he? He says that this is a -I believe the quote was we're "We're celebrating." We're celebrating democracy, we're celebrating a peaceful transfer of democracy. What--what's wrong with doing that?

JB: Um, have you noticed any peace or any transfer of democracy in Iraq? If you have, you're the first person to have seen it, and I'd like to hear of that--

BQ: Well, I've noticed the election coming up, (Judy crosstalk "They don't seem very peaceful") and--and Judy, to be honest with you, I didn't really want to argue politics with you this morning...I was, just, you know--

{cut to interview screen}

JB: Oh really? I- I thought I was allowed to talk about what I wanted to talk about?

BQ: Well, you, you, you certainly have that right.

JB: Right.

BQ: Well, let me ask you this. What, I mean, what should they have cut back on? I mean, we have lavish inaugurations--

JB: How about 40 million dollars?--

BQ: All right, well--what--what would you, how would you plan it?--

JB: May I say something?

BQ: Sure.

JB: May I say something? We have soldiers who are incapable of protecting themselves in their HUMVEES in Iraq. They have to use bits of scrap metal in order to make their HUMVEES secure. Their HUMVEES are sitting ducks for bombs, and we have a President who's using 40 million dollars to have a party.

BQ: Judy, what would--

JB: That's a start.

BQ: -- you suggest for the inauguration? How would you do it?

JB: How about a modest party, just like FDR. I'm sure you'll agree he was a pretty good President with a fine sense of what's appropriate and what's not. And during a time of war, ten parties are not appropriate, when your own soldiers are sitting ducks in very, very bad vehicles.

BQ: Well, don't you think that the President has--has given his proper respect to our troops? I mean, yesterday, as far as I can tell (Judy crosstalk "Respect means keeping them secure"), the, the festivities opened with a military gala, they ended with a -with a with a prayer service. There does seem to have certainly been a tremendous effort over the past few days, and more than that, to have, to honor our troops.

JB: Well, gee, that prayer service should sure keep them safe and warm in their flimsy vehicles in Iraq. I'd rather see that money going to them rather than a guy who already is President for a second time--

BQ: All right. Well, Judy Bachrach, I think we've given you more than your time to express your point of view this morning.

JB: Well, thanks for having me on.

BQ: All right.

=================

Wheeee! Whupa**!

You can actually watch that exchange here:

http://www.oliverwillis.com/node/view/1695

Imagine that! Free speech broke out on Fox News!

I might have to watch O'Reilly, just to watch him go purple over that one.

See, there's my same beef. 40 million on the festivites, 17+ million for the security...we could have given all the troops in Iraq the new-fangled body armor. We could have rebuilt most of Sri Lanka. We could have insured all children in the US for 5 years. We could have done a lot of things.

Gods, but it's days like this that make me really think America is going to hell in a hand basket.

That was beautiful to watch. Barbara Quinn was so mad by the end, but trying not to show it. Hilarious!

I must agree dave, that was awesome!

This seems like the appropriate time to move to a new thread, at
F38024?thread=572631
lest we seem to be stuck in an election time warp. I have taken the liberty of starting a new thread with a new name in order to keep us, if not optimistic, at least focussed on the future.