Thursday, May 31, 2007

Putting lipstick on the pig

This article gets it exactly right.

And if you're having trouble with the "so what?," it's here.




3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

...And the lipstick isn't even the good kind.

Via the wonderful world of Skype.com, I am corresponding with several personable young women in China, one of whom lives in Chengdu City, China. She wanted me to read about their beloved Pandas, but the link she sent me would not work.

To get more information on this quaint little burg of 11 million, I stumbled across the web site for the US Consulate: http://chengdu.usconsulate.gov/

Notice the photo on the right with the handcuffs...

I'm reading Thomas Paine's Common Sense. He begins saying that the history of America is the history of mankind...I put the history of GW Bush on the same page as the Segregationist goverments of the southern states in the early sixties. On the one hand, we're going right down the tubes--but on the bright side, I like to think the BS of American Imperialism that appeared to do well with Reagan will finally be discredited in the face of reality--just as the Segregationist had their brief moment in the sun.

But it's not all bad news--President Bush finally visited a European nation and was NOT greated by a huge anti-American protest. The bad news is the nation is Albania. Be that as it may, Albania remains a firm and plucky member of the Coalition of the Willing, and reaffirmed her commitment to the troops she sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. President Bush was lavish in his praise of the high level of dedication and training of those Albanian soldiers--all 120 of them.

And no one laughed.

6:17 PM  
Blogger esquiver said...

Tsk, Mr. Roth! You've dropped your clever disguise.

Forgive me for second-guessing, but piecing together (1) your recent Skype habits, (2) your return to these pages, and (3) your more conciliatory tone...and, well, look: I'm NOT going to advise you on how to get a K1 visa for your Chinese friend(s), ok?

9:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well! If you *must* know MR. Esquiver----I adopted the pseudonym ROTH to further assist in cloaking your identity--NOT because I was ashamed of what I say, or to be associated with your august personage. As you are no doubt well aware, I am more than cable of shaming my good name without your assistance, thankyouverymuch (to coin a phrase).

As to my Chinese friends, to paraphrase the Good Book: They are called 'Legion,' for they are many. And YES, as you guessed they are all personable young women. But, in my defense, THEY came to me--not ME pursuing them. These women friends of mine are enamoured both with my patience with their English, and my ability to explain American 'poop' jokes so they can understand the joke (even though once comes the dawn, they still think the jokes are not funny. I then try to explain about The Three Stooges, and how women are genetically incapable of seeing the humour of a good two fingered poke in the eyes.....As a general rule, they agree: Chinese women, like their American counterparts, think The Three Stooges are stupid). The fact I am still pretty much a pig is irrelevant.....

Let me also explain my return to these pages is motivated ONCE AGAIN by my sighting a very personable young woman who (in my eyes) looked just like you in the Powells Bookstore on Hawthorne. Whenever I start seeing women who look like you, that is a sign I need to stop being such a hermit, and start meeting women who actually live in my hemisphere. Which is troubling in itself--but then, surprisingly, I start missing you personal...and return to these pages to find up what's up in your always interesting life.

Even though you are NOT asking: yes, I will always see you as a personable young woman. When I am 103, I'll still ogle your tight 94 year old body in that two piece swim suit, dreaming of getting to first base.....You might not want to post this one.

And if my tone appears in any way conciliatory towards the current administration--purely an accident on my part. As for whether I am conciliatory towards a certain would be author who is both fond of Nabakov and pointedly ignores my requests & queries about a certain comic novel...Well, see supra re wishful thinking.

Finally, I do NOT need your assistance re K1 Visas for my Chinese friend(s), again thankyouverymuch. We--well, I have decided to opt for the so-called 'big bag' strategy: I stuff friend in large duffel bag, and sneak her into the country via overhead luggage compartment. I promise to keep you updated as to efficacy of said plan.

I remain:
Crankily yours,
Bill Abendroth

7:07 PM  
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