This is fun:

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) Tuesday released the following statement in response to the news that Stephen Colbert will speak at the 2006 Knox College commencement:

"Stephen, Congratulations on being asked to speak at the 2006 Knox College Commencement. This is an enormous honor and on behalf of the people of Illinois, I'd like to welcome you to our state. As you know, I was invited to speak at Knox after my keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and subsequent election to the United States Senate. Your convention speech must also have gone really well to have been invited. It's weird that I didn't read about it somewhere.

"Before you deliver your remarks in front of literally millions fewer people than you would at say, a nationally televised political convention, I'd like to offer you a few words of advice. First, I know you're fond of your Peabody Awards, whatever those are, but I'd recommend not bringing them. The students at Knox are down to earth and not impressed by materials possessions like my Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album.

"Second, use hand sanitizer after the Pumphandle. Lots of germs there. I cannot stress this enough.

"And finally, don't forget to bring the Truth. I'd recommend putting it in your carry-on bag rather than in your checked luggage. O'Hare Airport is notoriously unreliable.

"To the Knox College class of 2006, I'm sorry I won't get to speak with you this year, but congratulations and best of luck. You make us all proud."

Note: This release is completely tongue- in-cheek - except of course for the part about the graduates making us all proud. They do. Colbert has had so much fun with members of Congress on his show that we decided it was our turn.

[link]

Gimme, and send one to Jess while you are at it.

Good thing we've got vacuum tubes set up between our three apartments. It should keep in a Thermos.

That link is so weird - the columnist posting the Obama letter seems to think that it's a smack-down of Colbert, rather than, you know, some really funny shit in a credibly Colberian fashion.

Bwah! Too funny.

Also, my eye is scratchy today. I think it is empathizing with your eye, tommy.

Aw, Obama's a Colbert fan! Let's elect him President.

Timelies all!

My Day of the Beast went reasonably well, except for some tissue sample containers exploding close to my head and grazing my cheek.(The containers were taken out of a liquid nitrogen freezer and must have had some liquid N2 in them, which expands as it warms and becomes a gas)Meh.

My other annoyance is really minor. I went to the mall to try to find a comb or similar hair accesory so I can put one section of my hair up for the wedding this weekend. Everything I saw was too casual, too blingy(I want to go simple with my accessories) or meant for a 16yr old. Ah, well, guess I'll wear my hair completely down.

Sheryl, try Rite-Aid or other drug store. I've found the best hair stuff there usually.

Aw, Obama's a Colbert fan! Let's elect him President.

Not yet. We have to wait. For reasons that will come to me again...sometime.

I'm in class. Soooo bored. We're learning how to search the education research databases at school. Because I've never done that before.

Now Snacking On: Ritz crackers spread with Rondelle garlic and herbs cheese spread. Mmmmm. Gives me a Proustian memory hit of being 4 and going down the morning after a party and sampling all snack trays while my folks slept in.

I think I'll have to see if Dad'll take me here next time he comes up to see me. The question is, do I want goulash or paprikash? That cherry soup is definitely going to be sampled, though. (Actually, the entire dinner menu is entirely too tempting!)