The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

[Incandenza]

I for one think that the inauguration should be a national holiday. Only comes around every four years, and it might encourage people to be more interested in the way our country is run. Plus, it's the day after MLK Day, and we'd have a four-day weekend. But mostly I want a holiday because I want to be able to watch it at home.

I was thinking that I was going to sit in my cubicle and sneak peeks at a web feed and have the audio on in the background, but today we got an email that the tech people are going to be showing the inauguration in the big conference rooms of our building. Unfortunately we don't have any TV connection, so it'll have to be an online feed. I noticed during the election that NBC's feed was really clear online. Since this is at a time when most people will be at work, I hope that the traffic isn't too bad.

Anyone else doing anything special? What are the DC people up to?

[EIM]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

When is it?

[matt j]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

Nothing much for me. We thought about going up, and probably up until the last week thought we would, but I'm pretty burnt out from work and it doesn't sound like fun to go up in terrible traffic and stand out in the cold.

I'm old apparently.

[Incandenza]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

EIM wrote:

When is it?

Tuesday. During the afternoon/evening for you.

[Moonlight Shadow]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

My "local" in Geneva is holding an Obama evening, with a choice of cocktails to mark the event, possibly the most popular one will be "Fuck Bush"...

[Sam]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

Incandenza wrote:

EIM wrote:

When is it?

Tuesday. During the afternoon/evening for you.

The party starts at 10am EST, Eric's, which is 3pm here, and the swearing-in is at midday (5pm for us).

Apparently Aretha Franklin's going to be involved in the show. Worth tuning in for the music, then (not that I'll be able to).

[Cal Alamein]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

Was hoping to show the broadcast to my students, but it will take place during my prep/lunch period, so will end up watching it w/ teaching partners and pumping fist and making as much noise as I can get away with. I have two students who will be amongst the throngs - curious to get their report in lieu of the assignments they'll miss here.

To see dirtbag shrub up there handing off will also be cherished.

Should be a cold mother!

[Reed John]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

Not going. I'm going to work like everyone should (although I just learned that our building rented out our parking spaces, fuckers). I don't want to try to negotiate a crowd of 2 million just to hear a speech. I don't buy the idea that I should go because it's history. Some history happened in November. Whether or not anything important actually changes is yet to be seen. This is just a lot of people patting themselves on the back. Bah humbug.

I'm not in favor of all this hooplah. I don't think we should treat politicians like sports teams. We need to be more objective.

[Incandenza]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

Oh, if I lived back there, there's no way I would try to go. But watch it on TV? Hell yes.

Any of you ponder renting your place out? I could be wrong, but it seems like the hoopla's died down a bit. Pity those suckers that paid thousands of dollars for a place in early December...as they're packed in like a sardine, they'll probably regret it.

[Reed John]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

I plan to watch the speech on the web. I do want to hear what he has to say. Seeing Bush go away is unambiguously good, but the schadenfreude is somewhat mitigated by the damage he's already done. Besides, he seems really keen to quit.

I'd like to see Cheney keel over from a heart attack during the proceedings however. That would be ace.

In November, there was a lot of hype about people renting out their places for outrageous prices. It turned out to be at most, a quickly bursting bubble. Demand wasn't nearly as high as initial expectations (2 million versus 4 million) and the market was flooded with chancers asking way too much.

My place would be poorly suited for that anyway. It's not too close to the Metro and there would be a whole hassle of how my lodgers would deal with our security and all of that. Plus, it's not much of an apartment. Plus, I have to live there. So to summarize, no.

But I'd gladly offer my futon to any friend who needs a place to crash.

[DCI Harry Batt]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

What is there to watch?

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

The inauguration speech drinking game.

Everyone has a keyword, and has to have a drink when that keyword is used.

"Together", "Future", "Stronger", and "Dream" would be four keyword favourites.

If he announces "I have a dream - a stronger America, facing the future together" everyone has to drain their glass in one.

[Kurt Bafokeng]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

I'm going to have a bigh laugh-in together with my mate Alfred.

[Incandenza]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

SamLKelly wrote:

Incandenza wrote:

EIM wrote:

When is it?

Tuesday. During the afternoon/evening for you.

The party starts at 10am EST, Eric's, which is 3pm here, and the swearing-in is at midday (5pm for us).

Apparently Aretha Franklin's going to be involved in the show. Worth tuning in for the music, then (not that I'll be able to).

Well, not all of the music--John Williams has written a piece for the occasion and will be there to conduct it.

[Ginger Yellow]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

I for one think that the inauguration should be a national holiday. Only comes around every four years, and it might encourage people to be more interested in the way our country is run.

Dear God no. Make voting day a federal holiday instead and boost participation. There's far too much importance vested in and deference granted to the office of the president as it is. As cool as it is to have Obama on the verge of taking over from Bush, I'm completely left cold by the inauguration itself.

The inauguration speech drinking game.

Everyone has a keyword, and has to have a drink when that keyword is used.

I think "America" and "change" are keywords that should probably be avoided unless you want your stomach pumped.

[Femme Folle]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

Ginger Yellow wrote:

As cool as it is to have Obama on the verge of taking over from Bush, I'm completely left cold by the inauguration itself.

I'm getting chills just seeing all the people on the Mall. It's awe-inspiring. The ceremony is just a formality. This one is about the American people.

[nefertiti]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

Looks like you're getting part of your wish, Reed. Cheney attends Inauguration in wheelchair after injuring himself moving boxes.

[Ginger Yellow]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

FF: I know, and the presidential inauguration feels to me like a weird way of going about it. It's months since the American people had their say, it symbolically perpetuates the whole "L'etat, c'est moi" thing that POTUS has going on, and, well, it's just not British, is it?

[Bruno]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

GY, this inauguration isn't about Obama. It's about you.

[Femme Folle]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

GY: This is the first president in my memory that did not have that "L'etat, c'est moi" going on, which is why I'm watching it (I've never watched one of these before--that I can remember, anyway).

[Bruno]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

I watched W get inaugurated the first time in 2001 and wondered what that car ride with Bill Clinton was like. What a sad day for America that was.

Those were the days...



So you knew Obama would deliver his speech behind plastic shields. Did you know he's wearing bullet resistant clothing? I wonder if it's the actual dress suit or something underneath, like long johns.

[Guest]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

I went to Clinton's second (1997). It was fun at the time. I've kind of treated it like the 4th of July - it's kind of exciting to be in the big crowd, to "be there" for something historical. But you only want to do it once. It's better to watch on TV.

The pomp and circumstance doesn't bother me that much, since the "official" activities are actually pretty minimal - oath, speech, parade.

The frustrating thing is the (sadly necessary) security. The idea behind our government and our institutions is that they are accessible to the people. The thousands of people on the mall and the parade route are citizens. They are the people that put the president-elect in the position to be taking the oath. Or, like in 2001, they are the ones that can protest what appears to be the theft of the office.

Heavy security breaks that feeling, like an actor directly addressing the camera in a movie.

[Heliotrope]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

The best thing I read in today's paper is that a group of antiwar protesters threw shoes at the White House gates while tourists looked on and took pictures.

I saw the train on Saturday, but it was a strangely low-key occasion, probably because it was from an urban overpass about a minute from the station where it first departed. There wasn't much of a crowd, and no one waved from the train, but at least I can say that I witnessed it.

[Gangster Octopus]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

According to the Beeb's news channel, there's been some sort of vague threat to the inauguration made. No more details.

[Incandenza]

The Inauguration, or Fuck Off W: Final Edition

I hate the psychologizing of the Clintons, but when he first started walking down the hall of the Capitol, Bill looked really sad.