On Bishops, Politicians and a tiny bit of bread

I recently came across this article about the aggressiveness coming from the Catholic Church in the Philippines (an overwhelmingly Catholic nation) against the proposed family planning bill, which would require the government to promote artificial contraception.

I could write about the irony. How the Church, who cares for all of the Lord’s people, would allow them to dig themselves into an even deeper hole, instead of allowing legislation to pass that might help provide desperately necessary population growth control. I could write about the families left in abject poverty due to the Catholic abstinence-only dogma. I could write about the deeper problems with the church’s insistence on over-stepping the constitutionally prescribed separation of church and state.

Instead, I would like to address the bishops’ threats of refusing the Eucharist to politicians who support the bill. It seems to be the common Modus Operandi for meddling clergymen.

In Catholicism, one cannot accept the Host whilst in a state of mortal sin. Doing so would compound the transgression, causing eternal damnation. The theological process of transubstantiation gives weight to the argument. In refusing to serve the Host, the clergy is saving souls. Hence, they believe it is their duty to refuse. If this were the full extent of the refusal, all would be well.

Unfortunately, more appears to be at stake. Taking my previous thought further: if said sinner were to go to confession before mass and receive absolution, theoretically he/she cannot be refused communion.

How can anyone then refuse the Eucharist if absolution is already granted? The Church already knows that if any of the involved politicians receive absolution, they are fully eligible for the Eucharist, making this threat unenforceable. So what is it about?

These bishops are entering dangerous ground. Are they spitefully inducing the wrath of God to prevent this bill from going through? Is the Catholic Church prepared to play for politics and influence on the backs of impoverished and malnourished individuals? I certainly hope not.

Oxymoron of the Year

For the past few months, it seemed that Bush, a.k.a. Procrastinating Destructor Supreme, was playing catch-up to actually accomplish something positive. According to Tina Brown, that is no longer the case. All that is on Bush’s mind is his library.

Bush? Library? Does something not sound off? Are those two terms not mutually exclusive? I think it should be called the “George W. Bush Presidential Lie-barry”. Yup, that sounds much better. Underneath the library name it should read a play on Brown’s description – House of Horrors and Half-Truths.

Tackling young and novice drivers

Young drivers (21 years of age and younger) and novice drivers in Ontario may soon face new laws in regards to alcohol consumption and the number of young passengers with them in the car. I have mixed feelings about them.

The new rules require young drivers to have a zero blood alcohol level whilst behind the steering wheel. This will also apply to novice drivers of all ages for their first year of driving. I am in agreement with this aspect of the proposed laws. Germany already has such laws in place, with the difference that novice drivers must adhere for two years instead of one.

What I disagree with in the limit set upon the number of youth in a car, which makes it illegal for young drivers to drive with more than one passenger 19 or younger with them in the vehicle. Don Forgeron, the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Ontario vice-president, rightly says that saving lives is of more importance than inconvenience. They are, however, essentially making it illegal for young people to carpool to work, or to drive their two younger cousins to their swim class. This also affects the responsible party-goers – the designated driver will no longer be able to chauffeur their friends home. This inconvenience is utterly unnecessary.

This limit comes as a result of a fatal crash that occurred on the south shore of Georgian Bay. Five teenagers died, three of which were not wearing seatbelts. According to police, alcohol did not play a role in the crash. Speed and road conditions likely did.

I do not understand how that crash would lead to the limit proposed. Instead, I believe that higher fines for speeding and failure to wear seatbelts are in order. Significant speeding should also warrant immediate license suspension.

How appropriate!

This week is International Babywearing Week. According to an email sent to me by Beate Uhse online, it is also National Climax Week.

I find this hilarious! Participation in National Climax Week this year would likely cause you to join International Babywearing Week next year. =P


Only in Continental Europe would you have a week dedicated to orgasms. And maybe, perhaps, also in Japan.

Language in the Canadian news media

One of CBC Toronto’s current headlines reads “Toronto Zoo wants to turn poo into energy”. Perhaps I am being a little nit-picky, but the use of “poo” really irritates me. It makes the headline sound like one that you would read in the Toronto Sun instead of the Globe and Mail, or something you would hear from Kevin Frankish instead of Peter Mansbridge.

One can argue that the reporters at CBC, as Canada’s national and most substantial news source, should present the news adhering to a higher standard. I would almost understand if they used the word to be witty. It appears to me, however, that the author was simply too lazy to pick up a thesaurus. After all, it is possible to be eloquent and witty whilst appealing to the largest possible readership. As a suggestion, they could have used instead:

• From feces to fuel at Toronto Zoo
• Experimenting with excremental energy
• Toronto Zoo’s manure manoeuvre

I know that I am not the most eloquent person. I, therefore, particularly enjoy reading news articles with a linguistic prowess.

Weekend Summary

I survived my first single-mom-marathon after the arrival of baby #4! Needless to say, I am very tired; hence I am tapping my inner list-freak to summarise my weekend.

What put a smile on my face this weekend:

• Pleasantly surprised concierges - I always make a point of saying thank you. I suppose that does not occur often to a hotel concierege.
• A shortened single-mom-marathon - Hubby surprised me by catching an earlier flight home!
• As is tradition, he brought me home some yummy cheese and foie gras from Pa-ree.
• Baby said "mama" - I know he still does not associate the word with me, but it still makes my heart melt.
• Hubby's mom and step-dad - Always good for a nice kaffeetrinken.
• We went out visiting museums and random exhibits in the city. Upon seeing a case filled with crowns and tiaras, our younger daughter proclaimed to anyone who would listen that they belonged to mommy and papa because they are a king and queen.
• At no point did the children become uninterested or impatient in the museums and exhibits.
• Hearing that Bush claimed his favourite childhood book to be Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". (The book was first published when Bush was in his twenties.)
  

What did NOT put a smile on my face this weekend:

• The Eurozone officially entered recession.
• My stores of Tim Hortons coffee are now completely depleted.
• Hubby's horrible hotel experience - First the hotel left him waiting outside the airport for the shuttle which was going to arrive "in ten minutes". It took over an hour for the shuttle to arrive. Secondly, he was first placed in a smoking room - despite his request for a non-smoking room. This mistake was very reluctantly rectified. Thirdly, there was patch of mould, about 75cm in diameter, right next to his bed. (All this at a four star hotel!)
• Dishonest people who cannot read - Upon hearing that he might be able to catch a delayed flight back home a day early, he spent between five and ten minutes away from his hotel room, at the front desk, to negotiate a free cancellation of his second night in person. He made sure he hung the do not disturb sign on the doorknob before leaving. When he returned, his bed was made up, and a 50 Euro note that he left on his bedside table was missing. The housekeeper was no where to be seen. Unfortunately, hubby could only place a formal complaint by risking losing the courtesy late check-in window that the airline offered him as an exception, so he left it as such.
  
• I forgot to recharge my batteries and had to leave my camera at home.
• The weather - I do not mind cold weather, but I do despise strong gusts of wind with spitting rain.
• An arrogant waitress - I do not care if you are having a bad day; you NEVER let it show to a customer!
• Hubby's aunt - She is completely oblivious and/or condescending to everything that does not interest her or conflicts with her priorities.
  
• CNNI - Enough with Tomb 33 already! It was interesting the first two times it aired, but that was weeks ago and it now seems to be aired with increasing frequency. Wait another six months and I will happily watch it again.
  
• Our planned road trip to the Harz Mountains - We had to postpone it for mid-December.

(Photo from AP)

Missing Hubby

Hubby is often away on business, and even though we’ve been married a while, we still have a hard time falling asleep alone. Yes, we are a cheesy couple.

Today, for the first time since our youngest was born in May, our home is Papa-free for more than his usual working hours. I have been feeling a little down all day, which is silly because he is flying back in two days.

Even when he is not out of the country, he still spends a lot of time at work. He, however, usually manages to be here for either breakfast or dinner, and he helps out around at home as much as he can. Now that our little army of rugrats has increased by one, there is so much more housework to do. I have not properly appreciated that fact until today, when hubby is not here to give his helping hand.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and makes our home seem bigger.

I suppose another reason that I feel crummy, other than the gloomy weather we had today, is that I wish I was in Paris with him. It appears I have adopted the need to travel several times each year – a trait integral to the collective German mentality.

I probably will not have the time to do much more than read a few blog posts and the news headlines as this single-mom-marathon continues. What is keeping me sane is our family road trip to the Harz Mountains on the 22nd. That and the cute little number I picked up for hubby’s visual pleasure; my way of saying thank you for all the help and support he has given me this past turbulent year.

Obama planning world's biggest harem

If there is a positive that comes out of all the nonsensical fear-mongering from the GOP, it is that they have provided a goldmine for satirists worldwide. Here is a clip ridiculing some of the claims made about Obama during the election campaign.

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

And the fear-mongering continues...

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) fears a possible implementation of a “Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist dictatorship” by President-elect Obama. It never ceases to amaze me how dominant the ultra-right’s obsessive-compulsiveness lets them visualise the big red dog digging in their backyards.


Obviously Clifford is not the dog that they fear - but their fear is just as infantile as the toddlers who love those books. A small amount of political education and open-mindedness would allow anyone to see how Obama is NOT even remotely tending towards Marxism. It is an entirely different cup of tea. The only Western world leader to invoke near-Gestapo-like security and surveillance is the only unelected President in American history - George W. Bush - by means of the Patriot Act.

Is the radical right genuinely this unenlightened, or are they indirectly trying to elevate the fear-mongering to mobilise mentally unstable individuals like Lee Harvey Oswald or these two skinheads? Do they not realise that the irresponsibility and the divisive consequences of their actions are inherently anti-American? (Sorry Michele Bachmann, but you opened a Pandora's box.)

"This is about the human heart"

**sigh**

He is still after my heart. There once was a time when given a choice between Colin Firth and anyone else, there was absolutely no question that I would have selected Firth. Now that I have started watching Olbermann's commentaries, I am not so sure.

Here is his response to the passage on Prop 8 in California - the banning of gay marriage. He is so eloquent and decisive... and that deep voice...

The almost-plane-crash

This video left me awe-struck. At first glance I thought that this must have been a fake. Hubby, however, being the flying guy that he is, explained to me how this landing could have been possible with 90% luck and 10% skill. Apparently the pilot made as sure as humanly possible that the nose of the aircraft was pointing upwards. Utilising maximum thrust the fall was, to a limited extent, controlled. With all environmental factors coming to his aid (i.e. - no change in wind, etc.) the pilot managed to swing the aircraft body around using maximum vertical trim, and what he's got left from the ailerons.

Can you imagine what it would have been like in the cockpit? I would have gone into full panic, spluttering out an endless string of expletives like #*$% ^&#& $##@$ *@&*#*$ @##@*... enough to make George Carlin squirm in heaven. And I am sure that the pilot never wants to do that again.

The love-hate affair between Germans and their rules

When I made the decision to move to Germany, someone “warned” me that Germans are, among other things, inflexible and in love with rules (or something similar to that – it was almost six years ago, so I paraphrased it). The warning was only partially correct. It is more accurate to say that Germans are inflexible and in love with rules, as long as those rules do not interfere with their comfort levels.

For example, two Deutsche Bahn conductors, in two separate occasions, essentially left two young teenagers stranded in rural areas far from home because they forgot their tickets at home. I understand that there will always be those who free-ride and ruin it for the rest of us. On these two occasions, however, an exception should have been made. The conductor could have taken note of the teenager’s address and DB could have clarified the situation afterwards – similar to the procedure when charged with a speeding ticket. I, myself, would also be infuriated if my 13-year-old was left stranded almost 50 kilometers away from home by an inflexible, rule-hardy conductor. At least one of the conductors have since been suspended, in addition to an apology from DB.


On the flip-side, you have the one rule that many Germans love to break: the non-smoking rule. It does not matter where you are – a subway station, restaurant, etc. – there will be someone smoking. What’s worse is that those people will argue the life out of you if you decide to point out that they are in a non-smoking area, which I often do. My favourite stand-off occurred inside an elevator on the way up to the train platform. Just as the doors closed, some nutcase lights up a cigarette and breathes out smoke into the faces of two of my children, both of whom were sitting in their STROLLER coughing! I pointed to the big non-smoking sticker on the wall beside him, and asked him if he really needed to blow cigarette smoke into the faces of my then one- and two-year-old children. He shrugged and said that it doesn’t matter because we were going to be in open air in a matter of seconds. I reminded him that the smoking ban also applied on the train platform. That was when I crossed the line. “Why do you people always try to take away our right to smoke!” he bellowed, before he huffed and he puffed all the way to the other end of the platform. Funnily enough, he continued smoking beside another non-smoking sign.

NB – Smoking is a passionate subject for Germans. They used their veto power in the EU to prevent a smoking ban from coming through. The non-smoking ban has been reversed for traditional Kneipen (corner pubs).

Yes, Germans can be very inflexible. I want to make it clear, though, that it is a stereotype, and that not all Germans are that bad – thank goodness!

Gay Gay Gay

Gay TV
All I seem to be running into today is news linked to homosexuality. A new gay television channel called Timm was launched last Saturday here in Germany. It struck me as odd that Germany, a country seemingly more accommodating towards it homosexual population than countries such as the US, launched a channel created specifically for them later than the US. What particularly piqued my interest is the channel’s slogan – “Wir lieben männer”, which translates to “We love men”. Whatever happened to lesbians? Are they not gay as well? If the induction of such a channel was done in the interest of general inclusion in the world of television, I believe that should have been reflected in their slogan.

Gay on TV
My enthusiasm for Grey’s Anatomy has been wavering this past season, but I was happy when the show introduced homosexual relationships into its storylines. Portraying normal, ordinary people in homosexual relationships on screen is a wonderful way to counter the obtuse belief some have that homosexuality is an aberration. For that reason, I am annoyed that Brooke Smith has been written off the show. (Her character, Dr. Hahn, was exploring her homosexuality with Dr. Torres, played by Sara Ramirez.)

The official reason behind her dismissal is that the character was not received well by the majority of the viewership. Many people believe this to be a prevarication and feel the producers have submitted to the will of homophobic America. Whatever the rationale, I mourn the exit of a storyline that finally entered territory that is, for the most part, woefully unexplored on mainstream television.

Gay in Real Life
Arizona, California and Florida have taken a big step forward with America in the election of Barack Obama for President. They, however, have taken a big step back when they became part of thirty states that ban same-sex marriage. Arkansas has also passed a measure banning parents in homosexual relationships from adopting children.

This has been called a victory for religious conservatives. That very description exemplifies why such bans should not even be pursued at all - the propositions were put forth by religious conservatives, who appear to enjoy scorning the principle of the separation of church and state.

I do not agree that issues surrounding homosexuality should be left to be dealt with separately in each state. I believe politicians take this stance with the sole purpose of avoiding disapproval in certain states. There should be a country-wide acceptance, not intolerance, of homosexuals, and because the rejection claims it roots in religious belief, there should be no place in the law for such discrimination.

Obama won. Now what?

Now that I have had a couple of days to let the words “Obama is the President-elect” sink in, my feelings of elation have given way to those of concern and worry.

Yes, Obama is the first African-American President of the US. I do not mean to detract from the significance of that. What worries me is the high expectation that America, and the world, now have of him. His predecessor has done an absurdly effective job destroying America. The damage incurred is of such colossal magnitude that the road to recovery will likely be painstakingly long. Obama inherits an America that has lost a fair share of its friends and most of its respect internationally.

It is imperative that we remember Obama is also human. He cannot work miracles, which is what people seem to expect of him. Mistakes will undoubtedly be made. One can be certain that these mistakes will be magnified to ridiculous proportion by the opposition (and Fox News) – you only need to look back at McCain’s election campaign to see that.

In fact, the radical conservative revolt has already begun. They are composing “Obama Administration Survival Guides". They are advising people to transfer money offshore for fear of being robbed by the government. They are calling for the impeachment of Obama, and this man has not even been sworn into office, yet! One statement in particular affronted any sensible political awareness:

“There are a lot of Americans out there that do not fully understand the concept of Socialism or Communism which is why they’ve elected Obama as president.”

Obviously the authors of the ignorant statement do not fully understand the concept themselves. (If you follow my blog, you know how much the misuse of the “S” and “C” words infuriates me.) They continue to call for Obama’s impeachment because of his support for “various unconstitutional programs such as the assault weapons ban, universal healthcare, and various schemes for wealth distribution”. Obama wants to elevate American society and Americans’ social responsibility to the 21st century! Oh no! Run for your lives! Candidly speaking, we are no longer in the Wild Wild West, where everyone needs guns to protect themselves from the unpredictable, potentially around the corner, savages.

I am veering off point. In this post I am trying caution Americans of the danger in raising their hopes too high. The groundbreaking, history-making outcome of this year’s US elections must not overshadow the reality-based possibilities in policy-making. It is easy to become exuberant and maintain exuberance about someone’s accomplishments when there were low expectations. Disillusionment can set in very quickly, and unjustly, when expectations are as high as they are of President-elect Obama.

OCW a.k.a. POCC

This is a public health announcement. There is currently a condition quickly spreading through America: OCW - Obama Campaign Withdrawal, also known as POCC - Post Obama Campaign Confusion.

The Onion has released the following report identifying the symptoms. If you know anyone experiencing them, please bring them to the doctor yourself. They will not go of their own accord as they believe they still need to campaign!

Will the real John McCain please stand up?

I think he finally did last night, when he gave his concession speech. It is a shame we lost him when he accepted the Republican nomination. I highly doubt he expected to get pulled into a campaign as filthy as his turned out to be.

I remember breathing out a sigh of relief, along with hubby, when it became apparent that McCain would be the GOP’s presidential nominee. He had, in my opinion, the most substantial and well-rounded ticket of the pack. Barring the entry of Sarah Palin into the scene, I would not have minded a McCain administration - even though I was an Obama hopeful.

His true failure was not having been the “maverick” he claimed to be. Had he fought against the negativity that his advisors essentially forced him to embrace – positively stand apart from his colleagues as a maverick does – he would have truly earned the title.

It was a nice surprise to see him bow down with that long absent touch of class. I hope that he will practice what he preached in regards to unity with the new administration. I hope he will put Country First.

(photo from nytimes.com)

Yes we can!

Congratulations America!

History is made!

Practically every news network is now projecting an Obama victory, and I cannot help but get all emotional over this. I have the same happy feeling that I had when Angela Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany. The election would have been ground-breaking regardless of the result as Palin would have made history by becoming the first elected female VP, but I would have received those news with angst rather than joy.

Now I do not need to resort to my "The West Wing" DVD collection for my Democrat-President fix! Woo-hoo!

I really should be getting back into bed, but I am dying to see if Obama snatches Florida for the landslide win!

Poking fun at the GOP's campaign one last time

Just a quick thought before I go to sleep...

The Redskins (by way of their game against the Steelers) predicted that Obama will win tonight's election. If they turn out to be correct, does that make them anti-American?

**lol**

UPDATE:
LeftLeaningLady: "Nah, it makes them the Blueskins."

Ha! Brilliant!

ACORN and the perils of the uninformed vote

Kaffeetrinken with my in-laws always comes with the guarantee of a fun-filled discussion about politics, religion, the economy and/or ethics. (Well, perhaps not always fun-filled, but definitely interesting and passionate.) Today’s get-together did not disappoint.

My step-father-in-law, like most Germans, used to be crazy for everything American – the food, the buildings, the culture and, yes, the politics. Blinded by this love, he zealously shot down hubby’s doom-filled predictions for US economy and foreign policy after “Dubya’s” reelection. “Bush may not be the smartest, but the GOP would never allow for the decline of their country,” he said confidently.

He is now so turned off by recent American political events, that he followed this past election campaign without his usual level of interest. Among other things we had to explain all about “that ACORN business” – which solicited this question: Why would anyone court the vote from the uneducated, uninformed and uninterested?

ACORN’s aim to “get-out-the-vote” is fundamentally a noble one. Theoretically, the more people vote, the more democratic the outcome. The alleged “potential election fraud” by false vote registration cards was nothing more than a political manoeuvre. I would pay to see Mickey Mouse to show up at the polling station with valid identification in order to make use of that “fraudulent” registration. Hence, there is no way these false registrations will have any effect on the outcome.

With some of the recent, outlandish remarks by likely voters, my step-father-in-law raises an interesting aspect. Why is it beneficial to a democracy for people to cast a vote, and therewith influence the course of politics potentially substantially, based on utterly uninformed opinions and/or currently less central or irrelevant issues such as:

• Obama is a one-man terror cell.
• Obama is a Muslim.
• Obama is anti-American.
• Obama is a Marxist.

(I tried to find equally bizarre rumors about McCain, for balance. I was unsuccessful. I am not surprised.
UPDATE: LeftLeaningLady supplied me with a few; they are listed in the comments section.)

• Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice
• The fact that Obama would be the first African-American President
• The fact that Palin would be the first elected female VP
• The fact that one candidate fought in a war and the other did not
• How many homes a candidate owns
• A non-American middle name

It disconcerts me that in the current economic climate some voters, such as Kevin Sheen, are solely centering their vote on abortion. I respect that to some people this is a very important issue, but I find it difficult to understand why this issue is so heavily weighted against the economy and foreign policy. Such debates find their roots in religious belief, and should stay there. For that very reason did the Founding Fathers of the US insist on the separation of church and state.

An uninformed vote adds no value to a democracy; in fact it subtracts, regardless of the political affiliation of said vote. But who would get to choose which vote is informed and which is not? The aim must be to educate, as comprehensively as possible, eligible voters of the political platforms out there. Desisting from perpetual attack ads one way or the other would be a first step. Instead, entering into an in-depth, respectful debate is far healthier and democratic than fear mongering.

The message should be: Get-out, get-informed, then vote.

Favourite Election '08 Videos

Here are a few funny Election '08 clips to help calm down the election day jitters:

Only the Japanese...

...would come up with a toy/commercial like this. This is a commercial for those electronic pets taken to the next level.

WARNING: Not safe for work!

The contents of the video are not explicit, so to speak, but you might want to lower the volume if you do not want others around you to think you are watching Japanese porn. =P

How the world almost came to an end for Hubby

Hubby found out earlier today that he’s flying out the morning the election results are revealed, which sent him into an almost panic attack. He’s pulling out all stops to make sure he gets his election fix…


Honey?
Yes?

You bought me Burger King.
Yes, honey.

You never buy me Burger King.
Yes, honey.

You also bought me maple-glazed doughnuts.
Yes, honey.

You know I’m on a diet, right?
Yes, honey.

You’re not supposed to give in to my cravings.
I know, honey.

I’m trying to get back into my pre-pregnancy pants.
I know, honey.

And why did you buy a Colin Firth DVD?
I know you love him, dear.

And why did you get a foot-cooling lotion?
Because you’re always complaining how tired your feet are, and I think you deserve a nice massage.

Honey?
Yes?

Are you trying to bribe me?
Is it working?

What do you need?
Could you wake up and watch CNN early on the 5th, so you could tell me on my way to the airport what the election results are?

Ah…. A foot massage, eh?
Yes, dear.

Will you add a nice neck and shoulder massage?
Yes, dear.

Can we go out shopping for a new coat for me when you’re back?
Of course, dear.

Will you let me buy you and our boys matching outfits for this year’s Christmas photo?
**cringing** Yes, dear.

You’ve got yourself a live updater election morning.
I love you.

Love you too, dear.

(image from newsin3d.com)

I feel the Brillante-love!

I started blogging just under a month ago, mainly because I was fed up with the new facebook layout. I wanted another way of keeping in touch with friends and family around the globe. I approached this nervously, as it was the first time I have written anything longer than a short blurb in a long while. I suppose it is similar to that feeling you get when you slip into a sexy negligee for the first time after losing your pregnancy chub.


It is nice to know that people out there enjoy, and even look forward to, reading what I have to say. And with that I thank Christina G. for awarding me the Brillante Weblog. It may be another one of those tagging, chain letter-like posts, but I think it is a nice way of showing others that you enjoy their blogs. Here are the rules:

1. The award may be displayed on a winners’ blog.
2. Add a link to the person from who you received the award.
3. Nominate up to 7 other blogs.
4. Add their links to your blog.
5. Send a message to each of those you awarded to tell them about the award.

Here are my choices:

1. Melissa's Miscellany: I've known her since high school, and she is the one who introduced me to the world of blogging. I think her blog is mainly a way of keeping friends and family up-to-date, but she also posts funny videos, like this commercial featuring her cousin, once in a while.
2. Tatiana von Tauber: Another expat blogger in Germany, whose writing and photography is nothing short of beautiful.
3. Mama Duck: I love reading about her experiences in parenting.

Is there a jinx that comes with this award? Just as what happened to Christina, my baby is starting to fuss as I write this, so I'll leave it at those three.

Getting Punk'd by Canadians

Wow - a couple of days away from the news and so much happens! As SWC correctly guessed, I found this prank very amusing. 'Ustler's Nailin Palin - Hahahahahahaha!!!!!

Hmmm... A Republican being pranked by Canadians with a joke involving foreign leaders. Does that remind you of someone else? Watch the video below - he makes his appearance starting at 1:53. Huckabee and Gore also get pranked, and I love the kid at the end of the clip!

(For non-Canadians, Rick Mercer is a Canadian political satirist, similar to Jon Stewart, only he has been at it for much, much longer. Poutine is not the name of a Prime Minister, but an inherently Canadian specialty consisting of Fries topped with cheese smothered in gravy. Delicious!)