Yes, the photo is real

I correctly guessed the countries run by seven of these men, and the names of six of them. Without checking the internet, who can you identify? If you guess everyone right you win $2, payable live or via Paypal--provided I believe you didn't use outside sources. So no one will win. But try anyway!

I am proud to say that my president is the second-happiest man in the photo, and I thank the Agence France Presse for this and many other fun photos that you can see by poking around their website.

<3

I had a better title for this blog, but it was just too awesome to go with this very short post. Hopefully I'll remember it and use it for introspection and shit later.

In random news, I have purchased the rights to nowedidnt.com (but don't go there, it's just held with ad space right now). I felt inspired. Kind of the same way I felt inspired to register several email addresses for myself, like kernelsweeto at gmail dot com, because I was reading a bunch of webcomics. Nowedidnt.com was inspired by seeing all these advertisements saying "YES WE DID" plastered all over the interweb. Being the contrarian I am I reflexively would reply, "No we didn't!" and upon reflection I would think, "Hey, yeah, what exactly did we do?"

I mean, the whole electing-a-black-dude-promising-change thing is pretty cool, but even Obama himself said that the work is far from over. And there is no guarantee that his administration will bring about good things or avoid bringing about bad things. So to see "YES WE DID" inspires some apprehension within me. But it also provides me with an opportunity to target my fellow Obamoids and criticize whatever unpleasant events may transpire as a frustrated individual who was an itty-bitty part of the drive to Obama's election.

If I am irked to the point of putting my ire to paper, I will be glad that nowedidnt.com sits with me. I foresee myself playing a role similar to Arlen Specter's, where I sharply criticize everybody, reserving particularly nasty barbs for those who are doing it wrong. I believe I would fit that niche very well if I felt compelled to fill it. But it would take effort, time, associate bloggers and a spot of cash so such a compulsion would need to be strong.

So watch out, Obama administration, lest you provoke me enough to add my voice to the thousands upon thousands who will already be tearing into you! I'm fearsome!

Courtesy of Chris Beam

From: [Redacted]
To: [Redacted]
Subject: WHO IS BARACK OBAMA?

There are many things people do not know about BARACK OBAMA. It is every American's duty to read this message and pass it along to all of their friends and loved ones.

Barack Obama wears a FLAG PIN at all times. Even in the shower

Barack Obama says the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE every time he sees an American flag. He also ends every sentence by saying, "WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL." Click here for video of Obama quietly mouthing the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE in his sleep.

A tape exists of Michelle Obama saying the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE at a conference on PATRIOTISM.

Every weekend, Barack and Michelle take their daughters HUNTING.

Barack Obama is a PATRIOTIC AMERICAN. He has one HAND over his HEART at all times. He occasionally switches when one arm gets tired, which is almost never because he is STRONG.

Barack Obama has the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE tattooed on his stomach. It's upside-down, so he can read it while doing sit-ups.

There's only one artist on Barack Obama's iPod: FRANCIS SCOTT KEY.

Barack Obama is a DEVOUT CHRISTIAN. His favorite book is the BIBLE, which he has memorized. His name means HE WHO LOVES JESUS in the ancient language of Aramaic. He is PROUD that Jesus was an American.

Barack Obama goes to church every morning. He goes to church every afternoon. He goes to church every evening. He is IN CHURCH RIGHT NOW.

Barack Obama's new airplane includes a conference room, a kitchen, and a MEGACHURCH.

Barack Obama's skin is the color of AMERICAN SOIL.

Barack Obama buys AMERICAN STUFF. He owns a FORD, a BASEBALL TEAM, and a COMPUTER HE BUILT HIMSELF FROM AMERICAN PARTS. He travels mostly by FORKLIFT.

Barack Obama says that Americans cling to GUNS and RELIGION because they are AWESOME.

I said Texas votes on March 6th?

Really? That's just embarrassing. I am tempted to go right now and edit the previous post so that no one ever notices the error. But, owing to my policy of not editing unless I have to, even allowing blatant untruths to linger, I've decided to point it out and print a retraction. As though that makes sense on an internet blog. Eh.

So Barack Obama is looking pretty good. The leftish tilt always has been and always will be bothersome, and the clear lack of detail behind the message of hope is quite concerning. Nonetheless he has, and has had, my favor among all non-Bloomberg candidates for several months now (ever since I realized that robo-Romney had definitively abandoned the social liberalism that I admired and adopted a foreign policy that made me queasy). Indeed, even though I have no idea how Obama will deliver us unto prancing unicornland, the strength of purpose that he seems to possess is extremely encouraging, and he gives off a very reassuring feeling that he'll attempt to do everything in good conscience while toeing the pragmatist line.

And he seems to have an edge--for now--over Clinton in general election polling, which I would have tentatively predicted yet hardly believed months ago when I argued that Obama could overcome those who held racial prejudices by winning over people who were just straight-up impressed with the man.

But of course I still love my Bloomberg, and I've even put my name out there on Meetup.com in case someone's crazy enough to want to organize his Austin area supporters. So far we number three. Exciting.

Much as I hate to take this opportunity to hawk my candidate, it would be really cool if you guys checked him out and signed a completely non-binding petition (you're free to vote however you wish in any and all elections) that would encourage him to enter the presidential race, thus increasing our choices from two to three. Hurray!

Hope you enjoyed that excessively well-written schtick. Good night, folks.

Barack Obama intends to ratify the free trade deal made with Peru

And that makes me very happy. Yes, it's only one trade agreement out of the four still awaiting approval by the Senate, and yes, it is actually not opposed by the AFL-CIO, but damn if I'm not glad to at least see a glimmer of free trade in Senator Obama. If Obama can avoiding tacking left on economic policy and he keeps steaming through the way he is now, he'll most likely wind up with my vote (unless Bloomberg jumps into the race--then we'd have something interesting).

Oh, and Danielle's here. Hurray!