Monday, September 18, 2006

Believing Their Own Press Clippings

We've all seen it happen. One team, obviously stronger, better talented, faster, stronger and favored by some amount like three touchdowns walks onto a field of another team that really shouldn't even be in the same sport with them.

And reenacting Cinderella, the weaker team beats the stronger. Sometimes it's after a long fought game where the stronger team can never pull ahead, sometimes the stronger team completely falls apart when the weaker team refuses to roll over and play dead. But the weaker team wins, making the hearts of its fans happy, giving hope to underdogs and those who pull for them, and making bookies everywhere gasp in dismay.

I say the stronger team was 'reading their own press clippings', the ones that had extolled and praised, the ones that had made no mention of any weaknesses or chances of failing, the ones that had frankly suggested the weaker team mail a formal submission and save everyone the trouble. They believed the hype and reality killed them.

I'm sure you can see where this is going by now.

Bush has said he doesn't read too much news and relies on others to tell him what's going on. The people he relies on seem to have a near complete belief in their own superiority, and any evidence of trouble (reality) is explained away by that favorite uber-demon, The Liberal Mass Media. Why, it can't be right, look who printed it!

So like the favored team, reality gets a last laugh. It's just like a politician going out to give a pep talk:

"I know there have been reports that my campaign is running out of money, far behind, disorganized, that my main workers are quitting, that it's going to be revealed that in my youth I was a gay Communist NAMBLA member. I tell you it's not true, none of it! We have plenty of money! We are catching up! We have a plan to move forward, we have helpers aplenty, and there is no such information out there!"

A rousing speech follows. When the candidate goes off stage, his few remaining workers grab him, and say "What are we going to do?"

And he looks at them in confusion. "About what? We have plenty of money, we are catching up..."



After a long break

Well, here I am. After four months, you would hope things have gotten better. (With my writing or the world, you pick.) So let's ask:

Do you feel better off than you did four months ago?

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Stirrings of life...

Posts may be resuming soon...you have been warned...