If anyone can get mad about the inauguration, it's me

Yup, sure can. Don't believe it? Here goes:

1) Okay, so maybe this first one isn't really about the inauguration, per se, but it does have to do with Fox News coverage of the day before the inauguration. I normally attempt to block out what most of the Fox News correspondents say, but yesterday I actually put down whatever I was doing and looked up in shock at the screen. One of the correspondents had said, "We're starting to get a lot of Facebook twitters at the moment." I'm sorry, but if you don't know how the internet works, please don't try to pretend like you do. I've heard stories of professors who've referred to "Myface," and this is equally bad. For the record, Facebook and Twitter are two different websites. And it's called a "tweet" or "tweat" not "a twitter."

2) Fox News coverage in general. I wouldn't normally choose Fox over other (more technologically advanced) channels, but it's what my mom watches and I was too lazy to go anywhere else. For the most part, it wasn't all that bad. There was a lot of cheer going around and there was no bitterness about Obama becoming the president. However, I sometimes wonder how these people make it on to television. Other students in my program offer more thoughtful commentary over a 15 minute coffee break than these people do over the course of 4 hours. Here are some examples:

a) While Obama's family was walking onto the main platform, the correspondents were blithering about how finally there was a black role model for young black people. They actually stated that he was one of the first non-thug/gangsta role models around for people to look up to Wow, that is so true. If only I could think of someone young black people could have looked up to before Obama. Nope, can't think of one. None, whatsoever.

b) They went on, incessantly, about what Obama said in his speech immediately after it was over. They harped on how nothing he said was worthy of being engraved in granite. They then referenced famous speeches by previous presidents and how what Obama said didn't hold up to that. Leave it alone! The speech was powerful, it said what it needed to, and compared to who was giving the speeches before him, it was a freakin' masterpiece. Don't give him a hard time, when you use the word "misunderstimate" in your programming.

c) While Obama's limo was moving towards the White House, the announcers continually went on about Jimmy Carter getting out of the car to walk by the people all those years ago. "When will Obama get out of that car?" Guess what. He's America's first black president in a time when terrorism is a pretty large threat. Any nutjob could have a gun. Unless you've got the time and patience to frisk 2 million plus people, you never know what might happen. So the chances of him getting out of the car, slim to none.


3) This whole issue over Biden's wife slipping up to Oprah. Honestly, who cares? Hillary was Obama's opponent. Unless everyone has forgotten, the two weren't always buddy buddy. Obama didn't have to offer Hillary a position at all, why should we be that surprised that he didn't necessarily think of her first when going through his list? So stop mentioning it every time the camera focuses on her!

4) Chief Justice Roberts messing up the oath. Seriously dude? Although, Obama smiled so this is more funny than anything else.

5) Ted Kennedy. Way to steal Obama's thunder. KIDDING!!!! I'm just impressed he was able to be out and about with all the trouble he's had lately.

6) Yo Yo Ma and the rest of his quartet. It was less than 20 degrees in D.C. today. And yet, the man was sitting there, playing his cello in a suit. No jacket, no gloves, no hat...and yet he had a big grin on his face. I've always been the type of person, even as a kid, to wonder when the main character of a book goes to the bathroom. I'm always able to predict the end of movies with twisted plots because I pay attention to stuff like "He forgot that thing in the kitchen." So I can't believe that Yo Yo Ma is really doing okay in less than 20 degree weather without at least a neck gater. And no, I'm not your grandma. Take a look at this cheery (and yet talented) bugger.



7) The Redcoats. Come on guys, we all know you're still a bit bitter about that whole "no taxation without representation" thing back in the 18th century, but don't you think it's time to leave well enough alone? Sure Aretha sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee," which you claim we "stole." Just because we made your national anthem better doesn't mean you have to get all huffy about it.

8) Stinkerton is not a true American. He was too "busy" doing "work for his PhD" and "teaching" to actually watch the inauguration. He even told me, "I missed the part where Obama got slimed."

9) Spellchecker on Blogger, for still not accepting "Barack" or "Obama" as correct spelling.

Some pre-coffee crankiness

Forgive me if I seem extra cranky today. Actually, I don't care if you forgive me or not. Because it's cold in my house, I'm still jetlagged, I'm tired because I haven't had any coffee yet, and I'm too tired to make coffee (terrible, I know). 

Today's crankiness is brought to you by:

Sarah Palin's current rants about the sexist media and how it hurt her chances at becoming elected.

I will certainly agree with her that perhaps the media hasn't exactly been super kind to her (in some cases perhaps more than kind). She's been speaking up a lot lately, defending herself and placing a lot of blame on others for what went wrong. Regarding her expensive wardrobe, she laments her frustration at being judged for what she wears. She wants to know why no one is asking what Obama's wearing but everyone is giving her a hard time. 

What makes me mad is not because I believe she's wrong. Okay, her wardrobe did sound kind of outrageous, but it's true that those questions haven't really been turned on Obama (although we did question how many cars and houses McCain owns). What bothers me is that when she was first nominated, she accused Hillary Clinton of being a whiner. Apparently, Hillary was holding women back by mentioning that women politicians tend to be hit harder by media pressure. She claims that Hillary has done herself a "disservice" by drawing attention to herself and that fact, and so has also hindered progress for women in America. Hillary was hindering progress. The woman who didn't have the McCain campaign protecting her every movement and telling the media she wasn't "ready" for interviews. The woman who actually made us believe that maybe one day the US could actually have a woman president.*

*Side note: Why was it, that when Obama won the candidacy over Hillary, that the media erupted with a frenzy over what a historic event it was? Yes, it was historic and really awesome for our country that a black man won it, but wouldn't it have been equally historic if Hillary had won it? The whole thing boggled my mind, and still does.

The Daily Show did a funny piece about Sarah Palin a couple of nights ago. I guess she's not just bringing the fact that she's a woman into the equation, but also her class status and the fact that she's a Republican. If she'd been running as a Democrat, things would have been a lot better for her. Oh really? 

Let me ask you a question Sarah, would you like some cheese with that whine? Maybe I'm wrong here (which I'm not), but aren't you doing exactly what you didn't like Hillary doing?  Shut up or admit that Hillary was right.