serial, perhaps:

To me, that felt like cloaking a pretty naked business arrangement in flowers and candy hearts.

And how is that not whoring, then?

Agreed -- I was just thinking about the "pictures in the paper and people discussing their dresses" angle.

I was thinking more in terms of barriers to moving up socially, not just yourself, but whatever group you identify with be that your family, race or whatever. Money alone doesn't remove those for anyone, but possibly you yourself. You aren't going to bring your group with you without power which you can't just get with only money.

Maria, from what little I saw of the DC scene, it was downright scary.

Sometimes I think I'd feel safer in the African wild. The first thing anyone asks when introduced to someone is, "What do you do?" If the job doesn't have the right cachet or is too many degrees separated from a power source, the offending person is discarded and left to commiserate with the rats.

But did they read the papers and talk about the dresses and stuff? Nobody does that now.

Nope. We watch awards shows and talk about the dresses and stuff.

The first thing anyone asks when introduced to someone is, "What do you do?"

I think this is a fairly common first question no matter where you are.

If the job doesn't have the right cachet or is too many degrees separated from a power source, the offending person is discarded and left to commiserate with the rats.

This reaction, however, seems more DC-y to me. I get blank stares from people about my job but that's because it's in a very niche industry that most people don't even realize is an industry.

I don't get why saying it is the wedding of the year is saying it is a great marriage - I read it as saying that it is getting the most media attention.

I see the Trump marriage like some of the old Hollywood "dating couple" and marriages that were more about studios demanding the relationships from their contracted stars than real relationships. Well except I don't think she is protesting at all, I think she is a knowing and willing participant.

It's tacky (as is everything he does), but as an unknown whatever she is, all the coverage certainly won't hurt her. It's what the public wants.

my career path would be very different if I had understood, at 19 or 20, that unpaid internships = connections = future jobs. It honestly never occured to me.

I think I did know this, but didn't know it know it. And, on some thought, it's probably just as well. I'm not ambitious enough to care.

Yeah, DC has it's own way of looking at things.

We watch awards shows and talk about the dresses and stuff.

In this day and age, the vast majority of the population is suckered in by notoriety, rather than high society. Look at the hubub one breast revealed at the Super Bowl caused, yet I'll bet you no one outside of the cities of origin (and us) can name an old money family.

But we all know Tara Reid doesn't care if her dress falls off.

My folks live in SC . one of thier neighbors - into the whole society thing.

Right now, netflix is winning the money game - because I have had three movies in my house for months. but it was a great deal for us. esp since they have a lot of music programs on DVD that DH enjoys. Blockbuster or hollywood video - doesn't have them ,nor does pay er view. I know a number of people that have no cable - 70 dollars for cable without pay per view, netflix to the house for 20 a month... pure economics.

however today - i have a cat that is willing to destroy things if I ignore him. Really , that is what today is about.