16. mai 2004

For Bush: Barbies with firm bodies and a trouble-free Florida election I almost feel bad about making a joke of this, but within a very serious Economist article about the very tragic Sudanese conflict, we find this highly amusing anecdote: Since President George Bush is widely seen as the architect of peace, he is perhaps more popular in southern Sudan than anywhere else on earth. At the Rumbek sub-chief's election one young warrior called Thuapon leaps frenetically in the air, proudly waving a white Barbie-doll in a pink dress. “This is a new wife for President Bush. May God grant him many fertile women with firm bodies and an election victory without problems in Florida.” I found this thanks to the Slate magazine roundup. 10:35:35 PM    comment []  trackback []

"Wild Dance" I am proud to say I did not watch the Eurovision Song Contest this year either (in fact I did not know the final was tonight), but I did catch a glimpse of the Ukrainian winner Ruslana (picture). Well, wow! Ukraine has only taken part in the presigious competition (really!) of horrible pop music once earlier. At any rate, nobody would be ashamed of being represented by Ruslana, no matter what she sang. Norway's Knut Anders Sørum ended rock bottom despite calling his exceptionally crappy song "High." He was saved from zero points by Sweden. PS: Famously, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with "Waterloo" in 1974, 30 years ago. Nothing even remotely interesting has happened in the competition since. Musically, that is. 2:39:24 AM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2004 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.06.2004; 12:24:54.