What Gudanov offered up:

THE PRESIDENT: You work three jobs?

MS. MORNIN: Three jobs, yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that. (Applause.) Get any sleep? (Laughter.)

MS. MORNIN: Not much. Not much.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, hopefully, this will help you get you sleep to know that when we talk about Social Security, nothing changes.

I've seen Bush be charming, but I've never seen such an adept, classic "I feel your pain" politician moment out of him. This is so charming I composed half the post before wondering if it could have been scripted, and I feel a little cynical for wondering. Anyway, the part I composed was just that multiple jobs aren't nearly common even in America: 1 in 19 employed Americans has two jobs (5.2%), and only 1 in 500 works two full-time jobs (0.2%).

Alibelle we are independent. She's pretty much a figurehead.

This is how the Gov't website defines a constitutional monarchy:

A monarchy whose ruler is only entitled to the powers given to him or her by a nation through their constitution and laws. Often, the monarch fulfills more traditional and ceremonial duties.

I've seen Bush be charming, but I've never seen such an adept, classic "I feel your pain" politician moment out of him.

Huh. You're the only person I've seen who didn't think it was a complete jackass remark.

More boring Canadian Govt. facts here: [link]

I don't like all these new people on CSI. It's confusing.

You can indicate that losing salary, etc., would create a hardship preventing you from serving. Not that it will always work.

See, it should either work always in which case you get really skewed juries, or it should never work, and people get fucked over.

Maybe it was destined to be one perfect season of teevee and that's all.

Was there no Oliver in your season 1?

More boring Canadian Govt. facts here:

Not so boring. Kind of interesting, and it alerted me to the existence of Nunavut, which I'd somehow never noticed before, and which looks pretty fascinating.

You're the only person I've seen who didn't think it was a complete jackass remark.

I'm usually very willing to see much of what Bush says as stupid or rude (because it is), but I didn't see it here. Maybe I read it that way (as in, not in a bad way) because it sounded like the woman heard it that way.

You're the only person I've seen who didn't think it was a complete jackass remark.

There's definitely a human connection in their dialogue, you can't deny that. He comes off as admiring her work ethic, concerned about how much sleep she gets, and wanting to look out for her interests when she's too busy. The comment about "uniquely American," well, I grew up on Reader's Digest stories about the immigrant who came over and worked three jobs sleeping three hours a night so he could send his daughter to school or buy a popsicle stand or something. When we see someone working those hours, we don't immediately think "wage slave," we think "work ethic." It comes from identifying the wellbeing of America with the productivity of its economy, but I can think that way sometimes.

When we see someone working those hours, we don't immediately think "wage slave," we think "work ethic." It comes from identifying the wellbeing of America with the productivity of its economy, but I can think that way sometimes.

Really? I thought of all the people outside of America who need to work multiple jobs, and thought it arrogant and dismissive of him to try and claim it.