Eh, I don't mind the song in general (I mean, I'm not CRAZY about the "YAY GOD!"-ness of it all, but since our actual anthem is all "YAY WAR!" it's hard to get really worked up about it.)

I just don't need to hear the "stand beside her / and guide her" phrase played OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

It's VERY ANNOYING, and I think the Minister of Kill the Stupid People should step up and do his job, which right now is killing the people involved with picking the music for the inaugural orchestra because they're stupid.

My problem with "God Bless America" isn't so much the GodYay -- it's the bombast. It seems to leave people thinking the title is a command, not a plea.

Honestly, I think Shrub should have gone all the way and just gotten Bob Roberts to do his inaugural. Why am I guessing that he and his cronies could watch that movie and not get the joke (like people I've met who thought Spinal Tap was a real documentary)?

There's a great article in today's Tribune (reg. required) about why Barack should run for pres in 2008, even though he swears up and down that he won't. A good point is that both the Democrats and Republicans look weak for 2008.

Coworker isn't really an asshole. He just has some work...issues. Some bug me more than others.

Why am I guessing that he and his cronies could watch that movie and not get the joke

That's why they didn't release the soundtrack, because right-wing groups kept asking for permission to use the songs sincerely. Or so I heard.

(I mean, I'm not CRAZY about the "YAY GOD!"-ness of it all, but since our actual anthem is all "YAY WAR!" it's hard to get really worked up about it.)

Sure. Although really our national anthem is all about "Holy shit, we are about to get our asses KICKED by a world superpower and.... We're alive? We're alive! YAY, we're alive!" which isn't really part of our current national identity either.

It's VERY ANNOYING, and I think the Minister of Kill the Stupid People should step up and do his job, which right now is killing the people involved with picking the music for the inaugural orchestra because they're stupid.

Where do you think the backlog is coming from?

Love this!

In the North Shore suburbs, several hundred teens walked out of Evanston Township High School at the start of home period at 9:45 a.m., in what student leaders said was a protest against the Iraq war and the Patriot Act.

Organizers said students carrying signs were expected to march around downtown Evanston before returning to school.

Katlen Castillo, a 16-year-old sophomore, said, "Bush went to Iraq for no reason. There are no weapons of mass destruction. He lied."

Miriam Mondragon, a 15-year-old freshman, said, "The walkout is important because Bush doesn't control everything in the United States. We have a right to say what we want."

Kathy Miehls, the high school's director of alumni relations, said school administrators knew in advance of the demonstration, and there would be no consequences for participants who returned at the end of home period.

Probably because I figure they must also assume that there's some sort of sugar daddy relationship, and I enjoy leading the imaginary double life where I'm suddenly rich and greedy.

People regularly assume I'm 10 years younger than my real age. Which means that when people see Pete and I out at dinner at a nice place, an awful lot of them assume I'm Pete's mid-life crisis freaky goth chick arm doily. I'm amused by it, but it makes him a bit cranky.