Standing in line to vote the other night, and listening to the conversations, I'd be hard pressed to disagree.
One of the people on my immigration forum posted that with the claim that this proves he wasn't American enough to be President. (These guys are usually my barometer for the 28% crazification factor.) About half pointed out that he stood respectfully, about half said he was too liberal, but only a few squawked about HUSSEIN OSAMA.
Bah to the "reason vs. emotion" dichotomy. We high-falutin' types also have emotional reactions to candidates. It's just that our emotional reactions are predicated on different things. Don't be such a snoot.
The majority of voters have no idea what might be a good reason to vote for one candidate over another except the candidates' personalities, and could not possibly be informed enough to have such an idea. This seems to have been the conventional wisdom forty years ago, but now it's forbidden to say it, unless you're one of those oh-so-outrageous Republican strategists.
Why do you [keep making me] hate America, Ogged?
I don't go to sports events much, which means my anthem manners are weak. Are women supposed to take their hats off and hold them over their hearts? I vaguely thought that was for men only, but I also thought that if I left my hat on someone would hit me (it was happening elsewhere around me), so I took it off.
Bah to the "reason vs. emotion" dichotomy
There was no such dichotomy in the post.
Are women supposed to take their hats off
Pants.
It was implied. As in,
most political messages are aimed at "low information voters" who can be swayed by emotional appeals
6: Baton Rouge is a woman? Damn, all my hypotheses about the identities behind these one-day pseuds are proving wrong!
Most people are idiots. I think that's the whole story.
The proper answer to those questions would be, "What are you? Retarded?"
Unfortunately, proper answers are rarely the best strategy in electoral politics.
I don't go to sports events much, which means my anthem manners are weak. Are women supposed to take their hats off and hold them over their hearts? I vaguely thought that was for men only, but I also thought that if I left my hat on someone would hit me (it was happening elsewhere around me), so I took it off.
Whenever I've heard an actual announcement it's been "And now, please stand, and gentlemen, remove your hats, as the First Archiaparchal Choir sings our National Anthem."
Presumably this is because women's hats used to be attached with pins back on the veldt, so they could not be expected to follow these orders while still maintaining a presentable appearance.
13: Except that the specific example being offered is about "emotional appeals," not "misinformation."
Although to be fair, Obama getting asked this stuff is likely akin to how classes get disrupted. There's always some retard who has to ask the stupidest fucking question ever, and most everyone else is mentally begging for God to strike them down, or contemplating the feasibility of beating the questioner to death.
Presumably this is because women's hats used to be attached with pins back on the veldt, so they could not be expected to follow these orders while still maintaining a presentable appearance.
Zackly. Miss Manners says that nowadays, when women aren't wearing "ladies' hats" but baseball caps, they should remove 'em, same as the boys.
13: Except that the specific example being offered is about "emotional appeals," not "misinformation."
Both, no? Are you supposed to heart/hand during the anthem? I didn't learn that set of behaviors.
14: What was the National Anthem back on the veldt?
What was the National Anthem back on the veldt?
A hearty blast blown through a mammoth sphincter.
What, we're back to regular names?
I don't take my hat off for God Bless America at ballgames because it's stupid that it's become some kind of second national anthem. I usually stand, but that's only because it's the 7th inning stretch.
Symbols matter, especially to those who are looking for them. Why anyone who claims that they want to be President of these United States wouldn't place his hand over his heart is beyond me. Appealing to only those who agree with you is no way to win an election.
Baton Rouge is a woman?
Seriously?
This is fun, it feels like a layer of care has been stripped away and we're a bit more like our old selves.
I put my hand over my heart for every John Cougar Mellencamp song.
16: Yes! Only sadly, in elections, people are afraid to do what any half-decent teacher would do and, after this has happened a few times and been dealt with "respectfully," just refuse to call on that person.
23: I am mysterious and stealthy.
As sad as it is, I agree with the first two sentences of 22.
Miss Manners says that nowadays, when women aren't wearing "ladies' hats" but baseball caps, they should remove 'em, same as the boys.
Not a problem for me. I always wear a straw bonnet.
I am mysterious and stealthy
Surprisingly, also showing a gullible streak.
26: not mysterious to me, to the questioner.
Are we sure these aren't people that came specifically to spread the rumor and make Obama look bad?
OT: I just got this email from a student: "I must apologize. I had no idea that anything was plagiarized. You see, a friend of mine wrote the paper for me because I was pressed for time. All I did was submit it!"
32: Oh dear. Can you please fail this student?
"I'm so sorry, I put the grade on your record rather than his. If you give me his name, I'll correct that. By the way, do you plan to submit a paper?"
At what point does everyone pull off their mask and reveal their secret identify?
I'm going to go first, because I need to sign off for a while. If this is premature, just shoot me.
pox = Knecht Ruprecht
Isn't that the sort of thing that you typically get expelled for?
Symbols matter, especially to those who are looking for them. Why anyone who claims that they want to be President of these United States wouldn't place his hand over his heart is beyond me.
I'm rethinking my agreement with this. See, it's so similar to the whole lapel pin nonsense that, upon further reflection, I'm finding myself enraged by it. Seriously, people would rather make inferences about Senator Obama's patriotism from the placement of his hand during the national anthem than, you know, FUCKING LISTENING TO THE FUCKING WORDS THAT COME OUT OF HIS FUCKING MOUTH.
Fucking stupid? I'm becoming more and more convinced.
How embarrassing for you, pox. We're never going to reveal who we are.
34's pretty good, but not pointed enough.
pox = Knecht Ruprecht
That, and about four or five others, have been obvious to me (as far as I know), but the rest, I have no idea.
37: Especially since he stood respectfully with his hands folded.
I think 34 is plenty pointed.
Also....lol, Knecht, is your face red! There's 7 more hours of anonymity left in the day! TAlk about a party pooper.
I'm pretty sure about 'ack', because no one else uses scare quotes, stars, and 'duh', that much.
The ones I'm sure of are pox (correct!), Anon A. Moose, baton rouge, ack, cps (of course), and ink aid (um, dude...).
I think 34 is plenty pointed.
That's because you're not as stupid as the student who "didn't plagiarize, I just let my friend write the paper because I was pressed for time." You must consider your audience.
45: And here I thought it was because I managed to piss someone off in the other thread. (By admittedly not being particularly nice, but the person that got pissed off seems rather to have deserved it, from what I can tell.)
Yeah, I think ink aid is less anonymous now than he was under his ordinary name.
So, ogged, you started this thing with I read something yesterday (not on this blog) that cracked me up, and then I saw who had written it, and realized that I probably wouldn't have laughed if I hadn't been wrong about the author.
So was that a case of the statement solely being funny because of the identity of the author, like it was someone talking about their cock and you assumed it was B but it turned out to be Emerson? Or was it something where you had a prejudice that the actual author is an unfunny person?
48: I don't know baton rouge. But I'm pretty sure about Junius Ponds. (If you're married, steer clear of him.)
51 is an interesting question, but shouldn't it be in the original thread that started this? (not the closed one, the one from earlier today)
Because I was just about to start talking about the pseudonyms and then realized that this thread has actual content and I should put that in the meta-thread.
Or was it something where you had a prejudice that the actual author is an unfunny person?
I had a prejudice that the supposed author is a funny person.
Which would have made you not laugh? You are a strange and subtle person.
I laughed because I was favorably disposed to the supposed author, and wondered whether I would have laughed otherwise.
baton rouge, I think ogged is saying he read the comment thinking it was from someone in the set of people ogged thinks is funny, laughed, saw that the author was in the set of people ogged thinks isn't funny, and then changed his answer.
ogged is making a good point here.
In high school I somehow became the guy who says funny things, and it got so that I could easily make a completely obvious observation in a deadpan voice and people would laugh. Quite predictable. Sometimes I would watch a non-funny person get lo love from saying a funny thing, and then I would sort of repeat it shortly thereafter, and it would get a huge laugh, at which point I would try to give props to the originator of the funny thing. But I too often took advantage of this phenomenon to steal lines from others.
Humor is very context-dependent. That should be obvious. It was mentioned in the sitcom thread.
This is on point because at one point I started to have scorn for my friends because their response was so predictable and manipulable.
37. I concur about the lapel pin, but the tradition is to place one's hand over one's heart. Fuck with tradition, and you reap the whirlwind. I mean what if Candidate X said "No thank you, I can't kiss your baby" or "No hotdog for me, they're gross!" One can admire his honesty, but would have to write him off as a candidate.
58: Which makes sense because, yes, our responses are to some extent conditioned by our expectations.
58, 59: Got it. I had the situation reversed.
To be honest, I wasn't really that concerned about anonymity. I suppose someone can clean up the "posted by" line if they want to preserve the integrity of this game.
The translation of the Zhuangzi I am using in class renders a characters name as "Master Ink Aid", so I couldn't resist.
Somewhat back on topic, did anyone hear the NPR story this morning about HRC visiting a diner? The owner comped her meal, but apparently no one in her entourage has ever waited tables, because they didn't leave anything for the waitress (who is a single mother earning minimum wage). Don't worry Hil -- your exciting presence is worth more than the tips she would have made from the customers she could have being waiting on. (Yeah, I know, HRC has People to take care of these things. But she should hire People who know how hard it is for most to make a living.)
Far worse than not knowing the price of milk, if you ask me.
Sometimes I would watch a non-funny person get lo love from saying a funny thing, and then I would sort of repeat it shortly thereafter, and it would get a huge laugh, at which point I would try to give props to the originator of the funny thing.
And I fucking hated it when you did that shit to me.
66, but it wasn't my fault! The masses are asses!
65: Hillary should fire one of her People for that, pour encourager les autres.
65. Better check snopes. I seem to remember the same thing said about Kerry the last time. Doesn't mean it isn't true.
67: But you got the laugh off of my line, then pointed me out as the loser who couldn't get a laugh off the very same line. Thanks a lot.
I concur about the lapel pin, but the tradition is to place one's hand over one's heart.
Not true, or at least not strongly true, in places I've lived. More of a some do, some don't sort of thing.
the tradition is to place one's hand over one's heart.
It's stupid that it's important, but this actually is kind of weird. The story sounded as if he literally did not agree as to the tradition. Is there a regional thing? Is the 'hat over the heart' thing only for ball games, and for the anthem at non-sports event you just stand there? What gives?
but the tradition is to place one's hand over one's heart.
People split. Watch for the players. (Unless you think Bill Walton is some kind of American-traditon-hating hippie.)
Huh. Crossed with, and answered by, 70.
72, maybe it's because he grew up in one place and other people grew up in other places.
I'd rather have people react emotionally to the institutionalization of torture or poor health care policy than to have them reason informationally on the basis of which candidate puts their hand over their heart during the national anthem.
Of course the emotional reactions I'd prefer would be: against torture and for expansion of health care coverage. It's not like reacting emotionally or informationally carries with it only one set of political programs.
65: Do you mean this NPR story?
Since this story aired, Hillary Clinton's campaign contacted NPR to say that the campaign paid Maid-Rite a bill for $157 the day of Clinton's visit and left $100 in tip money. NPR contacted Maid-Rite manager Brad Crawford, who confirmed that a bill was paid and tip money was left. Crawford, who was not in the restaurant at the time, said that he believes a campaign staffer left the money with one of his employees, but "where Hillary was sitting, there was no tip left." Neither Anita Esterday nor the manager on duty that day were available for comment as of noon Thursday.
pox = Knecht Ruprecht
That, and about four or five others, have been obvious to me
If it's not too solipsistic of me to ask: why gave me away? Style? Content? I have a pretty good idea, but I would be interested to see if it is confirmed.
68: Fire, and send the waiter a sincere apology and a hundred bucks.
78: If it's interesting, I didn't get you. I had a very weak guess that you were teo, based on I don't remember what, but drifted away from it.
69: The reporter interviewed the waitress, who mentioned it. It wasn't the point of the interview. (Which was more or less do voters feel like politcians give a damn when they meet them in person.) She could have been lying, I suppose, but she sounded totally credible.
why gave me away? Style? Content?
Oh, I'm not going to tell you.
I don't take my hat off for God Bless America at ballgames because it's stupid
This is true. This is our response to terrorism? It's a good thing there hasn't been another 9/11, because if there were, we'd be singing America the Beautiful in the middle of the third, and then My Country 'Tis of Thee in the fifth. Eventually the terrorists would turn all our sports into one painfully earnest musical .
77: Damn liberal media. Always trying to make conservatives look bad.
85: Well knock me over with a featherduster. *That* gave me away?
It sounds as if tips handed to the manager don't make it to the waitstaff, which completely bites.
73. Meh- I think athletes get a pass. Most football players can barely stand still during the anthem. It is funny to watch hockey players, who are either Canadien (Go Habs), Scandanavian or Russian, with a few Yanks for flavor.
I know in scholl we were taught to place our hand over our heart for the pledge. (Hooray fascism!) I don't remember about the anthem. Point is a guy who went to a madrassa for elementary school needs to go the extra mile when dealing in retail politics.
You aren't the most brazen person, given to not caring what people think.
I submit that the problem with "everyone's anonymous" day is that we aren't really reading each other sans standing prejudices, but are instead trying to guess who each other are, based on standing prejudices.
God Bless America pisses me off so much. Ugh ugh ugh.
It sounds as if tips handed to the manager don't make it to the waitstaff, which completely bites.
A waiter/manager I really like and tip well recently revealed that the owner of the place pays him a mediocre salary and makes him hand over the tips. Now I'm not sure what to do next time there. Tip in cash and hope he's skimming, I suppose.
I know in scholl we were taught to place our hand over our heart for the pledge
I think others may have pointed this out before, but this may merely reflect where you went to school. My sense is that I split between the heart/hand and the crotch guard.
God Bless America is better than the *actual* national athem, though, come on.
Point is a guy who went to a madrassa for elementary school needs to go the extra mile when dealing in retail politics.
As does one who did not, but was accused of that by his electoral opponents, I take it?
God Bless America is better than the *actual* national athem, though, come on.
America the Beautiful is better than all of them.
94: It's not a bad idea to tip in cash, because then people can underreport to the IRS. WRT this particular situation, though, ask the guy how you can make sure tips go to him, personally--maybe write a check?
No, it's the worst. I loathe it. God Bless your God God Irving Berlin Yankees God God God. Ick.
America the Beautiful This Land Is Your Land is better than all of them.
Am I the only one here who never knew (or knew as a kid and forgot) that it was tradition to put your hand over your heart during the national anthem?
100: As opposed to a song to the *flag* that's all conditional and shit?
101: apparently Single Blindness makes me humorless.
107. Answer- get blind drunk! Unless you're one of those sad drunks, then nevermind.
If management kept the 100 dollar tip, that's reprehensible, obviously. However, sometimes tips go into a general fund, to be divided amongst all staff (including, eg, the dishwashers and kitchen staff and other behind-the-scenes workers who otherwise wouldn't get tips).
It's definitely better to tip in cash.
Apparently I should, like, read these threads before commenting.
humorless
Because one never knows how a stranger will take a personal joke, does one.
105: I learned that you put your hand over your heart for the pledge but not for the anthem. I mean, some people did it for the anthem, but it wasn't expected. That's what I still observe at ball games & the like.
This Land Is You Land, sung in Spanish in the Norteño style
Like TLIYL, but think AtheB is the best. And Ray Charles' recorded version meant a lot to me when I first heard it.
It suddenly occured to me that the reason none of you remember putting your hand on your heart is because the godless commies took over the schools in 1972. How old are the people who question Obama on this subject? Could this be a generational difference as opposed to regional?
That story made me feel all warm and mushy inside. I'm becoming an NPR-targeted goober, I guess. The Led Zep cover was fun too, though I've been on a kick of enjoying covers a lot.
Am I the only one here who never knew
Yes, you pinko.
I really like the national anthem. I'm also very attached to the symbols; I want to fly a flag on the front porch - there's a flag holder and everything - but I don't because it would bother me not to follow all the protocols and I would feel sincere guilt. That said, y'know what? Hating on a dude for not putting his hand over his heart is totally stupid.
94: Ask point blank. Be honest with him and tell him you assumed tips were going to him and you want to make sure that happens. Ask him how to proceed. He will probably be shy and tell you not to worry about it; at that point, insist. Tell him you're both going to feel pretty stupid when he catches you trying to slip a fiver into his back pocket when he's not looking. Be as blatant as it takes. That kind of shit has got to go.
And Ray Charles' recorded version meant a lot to me when I first heard it.
I will somewhat sheepishly admit that Al Sharpton's speech to the 2004 convention moved me to tears, when he talked about the (then recently deceased) Ray Charles, "blind from birth," singing America the Beautiful in praise of an America he couldn't see; just as he, Al Sharpton, was in love with a vision of America that had not yet been realized.
I later learned that Ray Charles was not, in fact, blind from birth, and I felt really cheated.
I really like the national anthem
The part where they put the word "free" on a note so high nobody can reach it?
"My Country Tis of Thee" is my favorite.
He went blind from masturbating too much, right?
"My Country Tis of Thee" is my favorite.
... because you're secretly a monarchist.
The part where they put the word "free" on a note so high nobody can reach it?
Drop down an octave. It's not that hard. Also, that note is hell of fun to play if you're in the trumpet section.
Drop down an octave.
But it's, you know, the symbolism. Don't you see the symbolism, man?
A waiter/manager I really like and tip well recently revealed that the owner of the place pays him a mediocre salary and makes him hand over the tips.
Jesus. Time for a beatdown.
Also, that note is hell of fun to play if you're in the trumpet section.
Oh no, I lived in fear of this part. We played an arrangement in a key where that note was a high F on the trumpet, and I was always petrified I wouldn't be able to hit it, especially at a football game where your lips were too cold to pucker properly.
RMP- fly the flag proudly! The only protocol you need to worry about on your front porch is to take the flag down at sunset or to shine a light on it. Don't fly "Old Glory" in the dark, or inclement weather.
In some movies from the 30s and early 40s - a couple of Capra movies, if I remember right - people sing "Sweet Land of Liberty" where you'd expect the national anthem today. I'd link to the relevant scene from Meet John Doe, but I can't find it isolated online (no point in linking to the whole movie).
And I'm glad to see I'm not the only non-hand-over-hearter.
I started to suggest that you perform a sex act instead of singing that note and then, y'know, I felt a little guilty.
It suddenly occured to me that the reason none of you remember putting your hand on your heart is because the godless commies took over the schools in 1972.
It must be regional, because way back in 1962 we were putting our hands over our hearts for the pledge, but not the anthem.
130: No light, and I get home after dark between November and March whereas Rah is already gone to work. I dunno. Maybe I can work something out.
134: just make sure to set it on fire the minute you get home.
Have Rah take down the flag when he leaves. It's not like you need a color guard or anything.
Ask point blank. Be honest with him and tell him you assumed tips were going to him and you want to make sure that happens. Ask him how to proceed. He will probably be shy and tell you not to worry about it; at that point, insist. Tell him you're both going to feel pretty stupid when he catches you trying to slip a fiver into his back pocket when he's not looking. Be as blatant as it takes. That kind of shit has got to go.
Yeah, that's basically the plan, except for the "shy" part, which made me laugh. This is a guy who's way over the top in a sort of stereotypically gay way (although apparently straight).
What, and you're a flag salesman?
Optional for the anthem, not for the pledge when I learned it, also in the 60s.
No, but I do feel strongly that the flag belongs to all of us. I really hated that whiny column from that chick after 9/11.
Didn't you learn a different song when you were young, HAL? Dave's not here to ask you to sing it for us, though.
140: I don't know the column of which you speak, but on the flag belonging to all of us: anony-comity!
If it's not too solipsistic of me to ask: why gave me away? Style? Content?
Content, definitely.
But you definitely, absolutely, must take your hat off for the anthem. And what do you do with your hat? Hold it over your heart. The only non-hand-over-hearters must be non-hat-wearers.
If HAL puts his hand over his heart when he sings, he'll fall off his bicycle.
Daisy, Daisy give me your answer, do.
I'm ...half ...crazy.... all for... the ... loooove of youuuuuu
Kind of on topic since this is the political thread. God I hope this is real.
Jimmy Carter: He will slay your cat
147. Good thing it wasn't a swimming rabbit.
Putting my hand over my heart during the anthem, *and* standing/hand-over-heart during the pledge, for that matter, feel of a piece with the new thing in Catholic churches of holding hands during the Lord's Prayer. So fucking showoffy and embarrassing. I hate all that shit.
For the record, the only comments I posted under any alternate pseuds today were 5, 10, and 11.
The scene I was talking about starts at about 15:45 in this clip. Watch any more than the song and you'll be watching spoilers.
Is there a possibility that these people are plants? Or people asking "when did you stop sucking dick" questions?
There's selection bias (is that the right term?) at play here, too. I suspect the loudmouths who like to ask psuedo-questions/give commentary are over-represented in audience speakers. Cards and pencil is a much better system.
Heyyyyy, and now that I've gone and read that thread, just as well that I posted it here! If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
It seems as if Obama is trying to change what a retail politician has to be. That there are other ways to show loyalty, and approach issues. But it's not working. That national anthem was painful.
OT, but I know this will appeal to some:
DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist are going on tour again! Their February 1st date in Chicago just got announced, so I bet tickets will go on sale for their other venues very soon.
Also, add my vote to the "single blind sucks" pile. Others may have been very good at identifying commenters, but I certainly wasn't, and it was really annoying to suddenly lose all the personalities, background information and relationships that make this place so interesting and pleasant.
I've been posting all day with my alternate pseuds. I used a few at first, but eventually settled down on one.
I've only posted in this thread and the single blind thread and only as eb.
But it's not working.
It's working with a lot of people who show loyalty and approach issues in those other ways. Unfortunately, there are lots more people in this great big who approach politics as professional wrestling.
I think I recognize Sifu, LB, B, Emerson, Tweety, soup biscuit, and Knecht so far. But it really is surprisingly tough to know who's who.
Okay, I'm bored with single blind day. I was glaringly obvious, I figure. And Tweety was Beer Nuts.
155. I don't doubt his sincerity, but in my opinion he does not have that je ne sais quois that would allow him to break with tradition that much. Bill Clinton or Ron Reagan could have done it, had they chosen to.
161: You're giving yourself credit for Sifu and Tweety? Bold.
98 -- AtheB beats them all, hands down. There was a move to make it the anthem, but Baltimore politicians beat it back. Led by then-Mayor Schaefer: "first they steal our Colts, now they want to steal our anthem."
120 -- I fly a flag on appropriate holidays, but not the national flag. I have a Bennington flag, that works fine. I bought a Taunton to fly from time to time, but the red in the field didn't match the red in the canton, so I had to take it back.
You're giving yourself credit for Sifu and Tweety?
Oh, oops.
Not that I was trying to fool anyone, but HAL is me. Perhaps you should try "write in the style of" day, like that scene in "Asmodeus".
Not that I was trying to fool anyone, but HAL is me
It helped that you left your real email address in the email fied.
98. True fact, the house wherin the poem was written is a dorm at my high school.
I was glaringly obvious, I figure.
Yep, so that's two correct so far for me. Tweety as Beer Nuts seems obvious in retrospect, but I didn't get it at the time.
I was glaringly obvious, I figure.
I figured, too. And then my-guess-of-you made some random comment about...gawd knows, Amish accounting practices or something...and I decided I wasn't so savvy after all.
it really is surprisingly tough to know who's who.
Only because most people have no personalities.
I thought it was fine. I sort of don't care who's saying what anyway; if it's cool it's cool, if it's dumb it's dumb, if it's funny, it's funny. I'm sure it's true that there are individuals who, because I like them or know them to be touchy or whatever, I will pull punches with, and that I won't do that with anonymous people I have no relationship to, but I mean, the *content* of the convos was basically the same, no?
162: You were really that obvious? I was looking for medium-length posts of incredibly concise reason, but didn't spot any deadringers. Of course, I did give up on the sex thread around comment 200, because it was getting to the point where I thought anyone who came up behind me at work would think I was reading the most neurotic dirty site ever.
168 I'm stealthy that way.
Huh. I was figuring I was obvious on punctuation -- the dash problem, which I cut down on but couldn't eliminate, and the twitchy need to answer everyone's questions as soon as they're asked. I was breaking up long, grammatically non-functional sentences into short ones at the start of the day, but couldn't keep it up. Maybe I hid better than I thought.
Bitch was very obvious, Coconuts, right?
176: you were very obvious; there was a comment where you had clearly clicked on a link and then read it in a relatively deep, lawyerly way that was pretty identifiable. Bitch was, apparently, not so obvious.
I was figuring I was obvious on punctuation -- the dash problem, which I cut down on but couldn't eliminate, and the twitchy need to answer everyone's questions as soon as they're asked.
Yeah, this came though clearly. Plus the sheer number of comments.
Bitch was very obvious, Coconuts, right?
You're the second person that said this. I don't even know who this "coconuts" person is; I didn't notice the name at all. Then again I wasn't trying to guess, b/c I'm lazy like that.
Bitch was obviously ack; come on, people.
Plus the sheer number of comments.
I am, in fact, losing my mind at work. You all realize that the way I comment here is a cry for help, right?
Ok, move it to the new thread, please.
The only thread I've read in full (or close to) is this one and ack was obviously B just from comment 3.
God Bless America is better than the *actual* national athem, though, come on.
America the Beautiful is better than all of them.
Non! The one true song is "Take Me Out To The Ballpark."
My son's been doing My Country 'Tis of Thee/God Save the Queen for his piano lessons and now uses the two sets of words more or less interchangeably, depending on how the mood strikes him.
I didn't stand for the pledge in high school, they said we didn't have to.
I love the national anthem. Mostly because I'm from Maryland and I like being reminded that Baltimore held its own before the British went and burned DC.
However, I seem to rember in my youth that the tradition was for everyone to sing the national anthem at a sporting event. That doesn't happen so much any more. Now, there is a performer who sings it, and everyone else stands around respectfully, some with thier hand over thier hearts.
I liked it much better when everybody used to sing.
Each in his own key, of course.
It's a big country though, 12 keys aren't enough. The additional ones can get a mite grating.
Yeah, the best part was always the high notes that few people can hit. It makes me feel patriotic just to hear them try.
192: we will rattle the very rafters of this stadium with our patriotic dissonance!
I'm a huge fan of singing crowds, as long as they're large enough to drown out individual voices to people not actually in the crowd.
While y'all are fixing the blog on the other thread, I'll take care of this one with help from Marvin Gaye. If you still hate the Star-Spangled Banner after hearing him sing it, you must genuinely hate America.
Way too late, but members of the US military do not do the hand on heart thing either. If covered they salute. If not, they stand at attention. Those anti-Americans are everywhere!
As usual- Family circus has the amswer!
http://www.arcamax.com/familycircus
