I'm never sure whether it's okay to be mean about President Bush around Americans, y'know? Whether it's one of those 'we can mock, but outsiders better not' situations, like with family?

Personally, I'm at the point where all I can do is sigh and say "Yeah, I know."

"He's an ass."

"Yep."

"He's stupid."

"Look, you're not telling me anything I don't already know, okay? Lots of us aren't happy about it."

But I'm also on the "Mock the man, not the office" train.

That's what my biggest worry is, I think. That people will confuse criticism of a certain action by a certain administration as criticism of what that administration represents.

To be honest though, Americans are more or less the only people I feel this with. I'd never worry about pissing off my French friends by saying that Chirac is a philanderer or Australians by saying that there's a certain amount of racism in their administration.

I think my bias on this may come from the media rather than any conversations I've had with people, which is not a good thing.

I don't think he could have said something like that, because I don't think he believes it.

ETA: That was to Cashmere

I'm wondering if the sudden temperature spike and the fact that it soon will be dropping like a coyote off a cliff has something to do with my horrible backache.

Yeah, probably not.

I have an unusual sitch, here. I bring a lot of foreign national hires here. I feel like they're guests at my dinner table, it's considered an honor to be here.

And there's been a couple of times when some bureaucratic nonsense has created a brief snag in computer access or something, and some asswipe takes a slam at America for the problem.

As if we as a country voted to make the Firewall software unweildy.

This is what bristles, not so much the criticism of "the US Administration is fucking shit up in the Middle East" and such.

But when I've written a completely plain contract and asked you if you understand it, and you sign it, and then argue after the fact that I've cheated you out of money because you didn't understand it, please don't EVER say, "Americans..." under your breath because you can't take responsibility for your shit.

Heather, yeah. But I'm having trouble letting go of my fantasies.

But when I've written a completely plain contract and asked you if you understand it, and you sign it, and then argue after the fact that I've cheated you out of money because you didn't understand it, please don't EVER say, "Americans..." under your breath because you can't take responsibility for your shit.

Yeah, I can see that getting one's dander up.

"Look, buddy...it's true that this contract was written by an American. And it's true that it was presented to you by Americans. It's true that you signed it in America.

But it's not like ALL AMERICANS wrote this. And, as mentioned above, it's you, the Not-American who, y'know, signed it and agreed to its terms.

It's not like we tricked you. It's not like ALL AMERICANS switched the contract out from under your pen at the last second all 'Yoink! Ha ha! You just signed away your left testicle! Bring me the rusty scalpel, boys!' In fact, it's not like anyone did that.

So take your country bashing and your lack of perspective over there and grouse about how you're getting screwed to yourself, because that's who screwed ya."

But when I've written a completely plain contract and asked you if you understand it, and you sign it, and then argue after the fact that I've cheated you out of money because you didn't understand it, please don't EVER say, "Americans..." under your breath because you can't take responsibility for your shit.

Ouch. Yeah, rude.

My Iranian friend LOVES America. He mocks the administration but is very definitive about his love for the US. He thinks people that voted for Bush are crazy, but he's not running around saying mean things about them. He's more puzzled than anything else. Like he can't quite figure out why we're not treating our democracy any better than we are.

Question re: the pics upthread--how did y'all manage to find an uncarved spot on the wall at Gino's?!

Oh, and a great article (Chicago Tribune reg. required) on National Pie Day, along with some "lost pie" recipes.

Slightly askew Buffistas in Chicago

Awww....I'm so bummed I couldn't come. Especially since I work in the same freakin' building as Gino's. But, alas, I had class last night.