SoS: The Secretary of State's Shoes, Hairdos, and Fabulous Fashions, Part Two, 2006

(AFP, 01-30-06)

2006 really was Condi's banner year. She did the most while accomplishing the least. By this time, Team Condi had everything down to a science. And while you may argue that Condi's tenure at the State Department constituted more than simply a series of vapid photo-ops, you have to admit that her tenure included an astounding number of them, most of which were faithfully dissected by yours truly. As Condi's routine gelled and settled, so too did this blog's fascination with the minutiae of her fairytale world increase. The highlights from year two:

• 01-06: Bush 'n' Condi allow "5-10 minutes" of their time for Colin 'n' Maddie photo-op.
• 01-06: Condi, Karen Hughes and Margaret Spellings, together at last.
• 01-13: Condi's resemblance to "Chucky Doll" noted.
• 01-16: Condoleezza Hairdo Alert System briefly raised to "Elevated" due to fanciful hats.
• 01-26: Jumbo Conditron is introduced.
• 02-13: We momentarily thought Condi had adopted a large, square afro:

(Reuters)

• 02-16: I indulged in more Condi afro fantasies.
• 02-25: Condi makes the cover of The Black Republican, a real magazine.
• 03-01: The exciting debut of network Condicising.
• 03-02: Condi 'n' Crazy Eyes, the dinner guests from Hell.
• 03-09: If looks could kill, Rumsfeld would be a pile of smoldering ashes.
• 03-12: Condi receives prank cocaine-lined ukulele with love from Bolivia.
• 03-14: Condi meets Elmo, as eerily foreshadowed by PSP.
• 03-16: Condi briefly forced to wear baseball cap, dine with mortals on Australian visit.
• 03-21: Condi does three matching armchairs photo-ops in one afternoon.
• 03-27: A new photo-op type is born as Condi rushes from one Sunday show to the next.
• 03-31: Romance with Jack Straw continues (see below) as Condi visits glamorous Blackburn.
• 03-31: "I know we have made tactical errors, thousands of them."

• 04-01: Pony Pal™ z7 introduces a still functioning Condiriffic diploclock.
• 04-02: Prevalence of Kleenex™ in Arab photo-ops noted.
• 04-06: State Department staffer surfs 53 pages of PSP in 26 minutes.
• 04-08: NY Times publishes puff piece on Condi's chamber music group.
• 04-11: Associated Press obtains hot Condi juvenalia.
• 04-25: Greeks pay tribute to Condi with a special puppet show.
• 05-01: And Rumsfeld glares right back at Condi. Who will win this battle of endurance?
• 05-05: MOMA acquires unflattering portrait of Condi.
• 05-07: Condi dumps Jack Straw.
• 05-08: Wasted Condi appears to fall asleep during Bush speech.
• 05-09: Condi honored by Time Magazine, wears satin, carries Judith Leiber purse.
• 05-10: Condi has to bat off an overexcited Javier Solana.
• 05-16: Her boring iPod playlist revealed.
• 05-16: Superiority of Reuters Yuri Gripas conclusively demonstrated when he wins the Condirazzi Iron Photo-Opographer challenge.
• 05-31: Condi introduces ring-toss as a way to liven up press conferences:

• 06-01: Condi introduces us to Ursula, her exact chromatic opposite. Later, Ursula would be revealed to be the Anti-Condi.
• 06-01: Hilarious Bush/Condi rumors are taken seriously for about five minutes.
• 06-03: The return of Condicising.
• 06-13: Condi 'n' Rummy: still super awkward.
• 07-03: PSP nails down the requirements for a truly cliché Condi presidential rumor article.
• 07-10: Afro fantasies reach their logical conclusion.
• 07-16: Wheee! Condi rides on a golf cart driven by Vladimir Putin.
• 07-20: Condi and Jesse Jackson, together at last.
• 07-24: Condi suffers a nearly complete hairdo breakdown in Lebanon.
• 07-26: "Touching her forehead" or "wincing in pain"? You decide!
• 07-27: Condi shakes off the bad times, dons a bizarre sparkley outfit, plays the piano.
• 07-29: Condi inspires renaissance of mean-spirited Lebanese caricature:

• 08-02: Condi becomes chic fashion accessory for goats.
• 08-03: What if Condi traveled back in time and appeared in a serigraph by William H. Johnson?
• 08-24: PSP endures 10-day Condi dry spell, survives.
• 09-01: Angela Merkel knocks Condi off the "Most Powerful Woman™" pedestal.
• 09-12: Condi has a whirlwind, caffeine-fueled dream date (see below) with hunky Peter MacKay.
• 09-12: Meet serial Condi portrayer Penny Johnson!
• 09-14: Reuters Condiographers begin Condi upskirt contest. All will fail.
• 09-25: Experimental "reaching across the banquet table" photo-op debuts, flops.

• 10-06: Condi completes terrifying 50-yard dash in Baghdad.
• 10-10: Vampire Condi officiates at gay wedding, almost bites Crazy Eyes.
• 10-18: Two words which always quicken my pulse in Condi photo captions: gusty winds.
• 10-18: Origin of "holding the invisible sphere" gesture found in Italian Surrealist sculpture.
• 10-19: Koreans make the prettiest anti-Condi graphics.
• 10-20: Multiple Chinese matching armchair photo-ops spoiled by enormous flower arrangements.
• 10-20: Karen Hughes likens Condi to 7th Century Muslim woman.
• 10-25: Condi flops on return to Heritage Foundation, neocons turn on her, too.
• 11-09: Condi introduces washed-up ice skater as latest weapon in the war on terror.
• 11-12: Condi vs. Rummy battle over, Condi wins.
• 11-15: Peter MacKay breaks up with Condi long-distance.
• 11-17: Condi 'n' Crazy Eyes wear ill-advised satin outfits to banquet.
• 11-21: She finally gets leid:

• 12-01: Protesters decide Condi is best represented by a hirsute bird puppet.
• 12-11: Hacky rom-com author gazes at Condi, finds her wanting.
• 12-12: Condi experiences bigger invisible spherical friend envy.
• 12-14: PSP longs for Condibot/Ben Bot romance.
• 12-19: Angry Condi avatar hits the WII.
• 12-29: We notice that Condi wisely keeps her ladyparts covered during close encounters with the rest of the Bush administration:

Another crazy year for Condi watchers! Note, however, that 2006 contained the crest of her fabulous trajectory as SoS, and by the end of the year, people would regularly be writing mean things about her and deciding that some dumpy German lady was more powerful. The nerve!

Stay tuned for 2007, a year of decline and embarrassments, and 2008, re-runs.

Here's 2005, 2007, 2008/9.

Karen "Kick Ass" Hughes Sneaks Back for a Quickie

President Bush, second from right, makes a statement to reporters after a meeting regarding the U.S.-Palestinian Public-Private Partnership, Monday, Dec. 3, 2007, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. From left to right are: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson; Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley; Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes; White House Communications Director Kevin Sullivan; former Citigroup Chief Executive Officer Sandy Weill; businessman Walter Isaacson; the president; and Palestinian Minister for Youth and Sports Tahani Abu Daqqa. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Wait a minute, are you seeing what I'm seeing? Yes! It is! I knew she wouldn't really leave:

Yes! Yes! Yes! I wonder why Secretary of State Laura Bush was absent?

Death Sentence

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, expresses her appreciation to Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes, left, as Hughes announced she is leaving her post to return home to Texas, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Awwww! So totally sweet! And after all, Karen "Kick Ass" Hughes has done every bit as much as Dr. Ferragamo herself to bring peace and understanding to the world. What's your favorite Kick Ass moment? I think mine is when Karen compared Condi to a 7th Century Muslim wise woman, but it was also a gigglefest when she got told off by an Indonesian teenager. Good times!

Meanwhile, elsewhere at the State Department, as Condi was bidding farewell to her departing friend, others were gathering in a big meeting room and expressing dismay over their short-term survival prospects:

Several hundred U.S. diplomats vented anger and frustration Wednesday about the State Department's decision to force foreign service officers to take jobs in Iraq, with some likening it to a "potential death sentence."

[...]

"It's one thing if someone believes in what's going on over there and volunteers, but it's another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment," Crotty said. "I'm sorry, but basically that's a potential death sentence and you know it. Who will raise our children if we are dead or seriously wounded?"

"You know that at any other (country) in the world, the embassy would be closed at this point," Crotty said to loud and sustained applause from the about 300 diplomats who attended the meeting in a large State Department auditorium.

Happy Halloween and think about death, State Department staffers!

We Won't Have Karen Hughes to Kick Around Anymore

Reuters: Jim Young, 09-06-2006

Karen "Kick Ass" Hughes resigned! And she's done... um... what, lately? I mentioned recently, of course, that Laura Bush has pretty much taken over her job, so maybe Karen got a little miffed? Or maybe the Blackwater scandal made the job she was barely doing just that much harder not to do? This is sad, though, because she's one of Bush's last few incompetent Texas buddies to stick around. Can Tori Margaret Spelling be far behind? According to the Associated Press:

Hughes said she plans to quit her job as undersecretary of state and return to Texas, although improving the world's view of the United States is a "long-term challenge" that will outlast her.

"This will take a number of years," Hughes said in an interview to announce her departure. She was informing her staff of her decision Wednesday morning.

And Karen's right! It will for sure take "a number of years" for the world to recover from her efforts on behalf of her much-beloved boss.

Adios, Karen!

Faced with Tough Foreign Policy Questions, Condi Says OMG, Look! Here's Cal Ripken!

Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. (R) stands next to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at an event where he was named special sports envoy for the Bush administration in Washington August 13, 2007. (Molly Riley/Reuters)

Oh, she's got a million tricks up her chic sleeves (and possibly a box of adorable puppies hidden behind her back just in case this photo-op doesn't pan out)! What's all this about major setbacks in Afghanistan? Allow me to present Michelle Kwan! And now it's Cal Ripken, Jr.'s turn to play merkin to the Bush Administration's naughty bits. I bet if there's "another 911," Condi will pull an entire soccer team out of her ass.

Also, um... isn't this supposed to be public diplomacy guru Karen Hughes' job? Where's Karen been, anyway? She seems to be performing her duty by hiding in a cave, which, if you think about it, is probably more effective than her previous efforts.

Condi Throws State Dept. Fiesta in Honor of PSP's Second Blogiversary

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, greets Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, Monday, Feb. 26, 2007, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Isn't that nice of her? Technically, yesterday was the beginning of this blog's third year. OMG, how did that happen?

So let's review: Condi still reigns supreme, but Ursula Plassnik has made surprising inroads. After a strong last-quarter start, Micheline Calmy-Rey, I'm sorry to report, has underperformed. The Christian Right has continued to be a fabulous fountain, a never ending supply of story ideas. Thanks, wackos!

Would I ever try to take this site commercial? No. First of all, I already have a great job I love. Second, in order to go for-profit, I'd have to start paying AP and Reuters to use their photos and, obvs, I'd have to start blanketing the darn thing with ads, and that just isn't going to happen. Third... um... I'm too lazy and I don't have enough readers, anyway.

All publishers, however, should be advised that I'm not against lucrative book deals, so bring 'em on!

EDIT: Oh! And I realized just recently that I do have a sense of decency after all! Yay! I totally resisted the temptation to post this recent photo (warning: disturbing photo) of Karen Hughes holding an injured child with a headline saying...

Nope, I'm not going to do it. See? Decency!

Micheline + Ursula = Best Friends FOREVER!!!

November, 2005 (AP Photo/KEYSTONE/Edi Engeler)

Last Thursday I introduced a new starlette in the Pink Pony Pantheon, fabulous Micheline Calmy-Rey, ceremonial girl President/Foreign Minister of Switzerland. I suspected this frisky little attention-getter could hold her own in the pink spotlight with such beloved Sparklefaves as Karen Hughes and Tzipi. And sure enough, I was gratified when Pony Pals™ responded excitedly in one voice: We love Micheline! And I do, too! OMG! I also sensed an extra frisson of pleasure amongst readers of this blog concerning the photo of Micheline with her slumber party-mate Ursula Plassnik, the amiable, herculean Austrian diplogiantess. Well! Consider this post porn for you, then! I love the above photo for the sheer magnitude of Ursula's scarf alone, but I'm sure you'll agree with me that its best feature is just how much the photographer had to tilt his camera to get the two gal-pals' heads level. You've gotta look up to Ursula, and I mean that physically! Mrrrowr! More? Prepare yourself:

July, 2006 (AP Photo/HOPI MEDIA/Bernhard J. Holzner, handout)

That's right, Pony Pals™, it's a hot diplomatrix sandwich. And who's the mayo? Why, that's Leichtensteinamarian foreign minister Rita Kieber-Beck! *sigh* Aren't you already imagining them in a giggly pillow fight with Condi 'n' Tzipi? OK, that's plenty of Ursula/Micheline fantasy material to last you all a while.

And, finally, I couldn't resist:

Obligatory Borat Reference: Karen Hughes Does Not Participate in Kazakh Jokes... Or Does She?

Photo:Paul J. Richards/AFP, 4/06

Though Kazakh officials have decided to exploit Borat, their embrace of the Gypsy-hunting sexist buffoon is still at arm's length.

At an embassy reception here Wednesday, graced by Washington luminaries such as veteran Senator Orrin Hatch and Bush's public diplomacy czar Karen Hughes, Borat was persona non grata, though he must have been on everyone's mind.

As the ambassador gave a speech about US-Kazakh relations, however, two Central Asian diplomats snatched a hushed conversation at the back of a reception room.

"Jagshemash!" whispered one, using the catchphrase of Kazakhstan's supposed second-best television reporter, and raised a glass of wine. "I like!" his friend answered, thumbs up, Borat style.

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that Ms. "Kick Ass" Hughes was involved in any of the film-inspired levity, but anybody who has seen the movie is bound to get a chuckle out of the photo I've chosen to illustrate this otherwise off-topic post. Any excuse to get Karen's picture on the Pink Pony will do!

And by the way, this post is dedicated to the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. They know why.

An Unexamined Scarf is Not Worth Wearing

Austria's Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik (R) talks with her German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the start of an E.U. foreign and defence ministers joint meeting in Brussels November 13, 2006. REUTERS/Thierry Roge (BELGIUM)

There are certain searches I perform daily (Condoleezza, Karen Hughes, Laura Bush, you know, all the hot chicks), but none of the results are ever more magical than the occasional surprise Ursula Plassnik appearances. Oh, how I love her. And, oh, how I love her scarves (new Pony Pals™ and nostalgic types may wish to catch up on the history of Ursula's scarves here, here, here, here and here).

Today, apparently, the fabulous Austrian giantess was caught unprepared and scarfless for a photo-op. Undaunted, she reached for the nearest beach towel, rolled it up and fashioned it, noose-like, around her mighty neck.

Bestill my heart.

Update: Where's Condi Been? On the Radio! Also: the Iraq Thing? It's All Her Fault!

Last Tuesday, I wondered where Condi was amid all the election madness. I wasn't aware that the Secretary of State is supposed to be a non-partisan position, and they're not supposed to be involved in that kinda thing. Who knew? Well, it turns out that Our Favorite is a renegade, and she was all over conservative talk radio like a cheap suit, so no wonder I didn't notice:

Two weeks before crucial midterm elections that could tip the balance of power in Congress, Rice has been on a media blitz that appears aimed mainly at conservative media outlets, particularly radio talk shows. Secretary of state is traditionally a nonpartisan position, and Rice's media itinerary differs sharply from the practice of her predecessors during election campaigns, according to State Department records.

Rice has given nine interviews on radio, starting with three appearances on Oct. 24 during "Radio Day," when 42 radio hosts, most of them conservatives, were invited to the White House to spread the administration's message to President Bush's political base.

Clever girl! And although she avoided all of the (political) race baiting, her message was crystal clear: staythecoursestaythecoursestaythecourse. It's, like, totally her mantra.

And all the kids are talking about the new article in Vanity Fair, and it's a pretty messed-up read. You know how all of us thought it was Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld who pushed us into Iraq? Wrong:

Michael Ledeen, American Enterprise Institute freedom scholar: “Ask yourself who the most powerful people in the White House are. They are women who are in love with the president: Laura [Bush], Condi, Harriet Miers, and Karen Hughes.”

OMG, the chicks did it! Figures.

Quickie: The Headline Says It All

Condoleezza Rice likened to 7th century female Muslim wise woman!

EDIT: Oh, what the heck, it's a short article, so here's the whole thing:

Washington, Oct 20: US Under Secretary of State for Interfaith harmony, Karen Hughes, has likened Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice to Amara bin Al-Rehman, a wise women who lived at the time of Prophet Mohammed.

Addressing a gathering of Muslim diplomats and journalists at a State Department Iftar reception, Hughes said that Rice like Al-Rehman, was an extremely knowledgeable woman who shared her knowledge with many famous men of her time.

"Recently I was told a story from the time of the Prophet about a famous man who expressed a desire to seek knowledge. He was advised, by another man to join the assembly of a well-known woman jurist of the day named Amara bin Al-Rahman," the Daily Times quoted Karen as saying.

"She was described as a boundless ocean of knowledge and she shared her knowledge with a number of famous men which kind of reminds me of our boss Dr Condoleezza Rice when she shows up at a national security meeting and shares her boundless knowledge with all the men in the room," she said.

What library-level speech researcher came up with that one, I wonder? Because you know Texas soccer-mom Karen Hughes didn't.

Condi Achieves Second Major Asian Photo-Op Objective

It's only her first day on the continent, but Condi's trip is totally superfantastic! Earlier today, the Japanese quickly fulfilled the matching armchairs photo-op requirement specified in Dr. Ferragamo's contract, and they've moved right along, with typical Japanese efficiency, to the dueling podiums stage:

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L) answers a reporter's question as Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso watches during a joint news conference in Tokyo October 18, 2006. Rice reassured Japan on Wednesday that Washington would stand by a commitment to protect its Asian ally, where North Korea's atomic test has stirred debate about acquiring nuclear weapons. REUTERS/Itsuo Inouye/Pool (JAPAN)

So now that Condi's primary photo-objectives have been taken care of, the rest of the trip is just gravy!

You know what my hopes are for this trip? I'm pining for Condi to do a little photo-op hotdogging and try for the tricky yet adorable "surrounded by a protective cloud of adorable local children" availability so favored by her pal Karen Hughes. Keep your fingers crossed!

UPDATE -- innovative triple matching armchair shot:

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (C) meets Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso (L) and Minister of State for Defense Fumio Kyuma (R) at the Foreign Ministry's Iikura guesthouse, in Tokyo October 18, 2006. Rice arrived in Tokyo for talks with the Japanese foreign and defence ministers as intelligence experts warned a second nuclear test was likely following an increase in activity at the site of North Korea's test on October 9. REUTERS/Franck Robichon/Pool (JAPAN)

The Japanese are so advanced. Updates as they roll in!

Sweet Nothings

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove (L) laughs as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes whispers in his ear before U.S. President George W. Bush makes remarks on terrorism in the East Room of the White House in Washington, September 6, 2006. Bush acknowledged for the first time on Wednesday that some foreign terrorism suspects have been held by the CIA outside the United States. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)

I'm terribly sorry to be so late with the above, but I've been a little lazy lately. Sometimes, though, you stumble across something so horrifying, so utterly wrong, that you just have to share it with everyone. And here's the view from the other side, thoughtfully provided by Reuters' Jason Reed:

You may start screaming now.

Extreme Makeover: Karen Hughes Edition

Two especially glittery hooves up for Pony Pal™ krimpet for these two extraordinary visions of Karen Hughes. Krimpet's right: if Karen wants to improve the United States' image, maybe she should start with her own.

The "Kiss Me I'm French" lapel button is an especially inspired touch.

Praise Satan!

Karen Hughes, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, close advisor to President Bush, and Austin, Texas native, flashes the University of Texas Longhorns' 'hook 'em horns' sign before speaking at the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education at the State Department Friday, Jan. 6, 2006 in Washington. The summit is encourging talks with U.S. higher education leaders in strengthening international study and discussing the future of U.S. higher education in the global arena. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

I don't know how I missed this picture on Friday. Because, you know, nothing says 'education' like college football.

Three of a Kind

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, center, and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes arrive at the day's opening session of the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education at the State Department, Friday, Jan. 6, 2005 in Washington. The summit is to encourage discussions with U.S. higher education leaders in strengthening international education and discuss the future of U.S. higher education in the global arena. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Wow, Karen, Margaret and Condi all behind the same podium! It's like a wonky remake of Clueless. Or The Witches of Eastwick. OK, so obviously Glenn Close plays Karen, and Diane Keaton Reese Witherspoon gets to be Spellings. Who should play Condi? I vote for Wesley Snipes.

Red Taffeta Monster Nearly Devours Princess Condi!

Actor and Kennedy Center 2005 Honoree Robert Redford (R) chats with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as they depart the gala dinner at the State Department in Washington December 3, 2005. (Mike Theiler/Reuters)

Unfortunately, the above is the only photo I can find of our heroine last night (I think that Reuters caption has the date wrong) as she entertained Robert Redford at her pre-Kennedy Center Honors gala at the State Department, so important questions about that dress remain unanswered. Was it really as unflattering as it seems? Was Condi the first US Secretary of State to attend a function sleeveless? When they headed outside, did she have a little fur wrap, as the dress practically demands?

These are nagging questions on the eve of her trip to Europe, where she's going to tell the Europeans that what the United States does in Europe is none of Europe's business, and Europe should just BACK OFF, OK?

I wonder if they'll send Karen Hughes over next week for the mop-up?

EDIT: More pics!

Oh.... no, Condi, no.

No no no no no.

UPDATE: Here's a long article in today's New York Times about the Condibot, and it explains why she keeps getting greeted at airports by such unlikely types as falconers and Sumo wrestlers. I was wondering about that.

UPDATE 2: According to the Washington Post, the dress is an Oscar de la Renta.

UPDATE 3: Kid Rock was at Condi's reception, according to the NY Times.

I have rarely had to update a post so much! Are we all settled down now?

AP Headline Writer States the Obvious

I wonder if AP's Anne Gearan knew that such a hilariously tactless headline/photo combo would accompany her totally sympathetic, mostly pointless article about Team Bush's diplomatic record. It's too bad she isn't as succinct as the headline composer.

Gearan doesn't portray Condi's Big Adventure as a series of failures and embarrassments --Oh no! That would be too easy!-- but as a stealthy accumulation of back-pedaled compromises.

Yeah, whatever. And the rest of the world doesn't hate us, either. Just ask Karen Hughes!

Try to read the article yourself. I found Gearan's twisty analysis to be totally bewildering. The whole thing seems like revisionism now!

Annnnnd More Karen Hughes

U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes (R) listens to U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia Christopher LaFleur during a news conference in Kuala Lumpur October 24, 2005. Hughes appealed on Sunday for Malaysia, an Asian melting port of religions, to use its influence in the Islamic world to help bridge a gulf of misunderstanding about U.S. policies abroad. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad

Misunderstanding? Isn't the whole problem that the Islamic world understands us perfectly? It's the typical "admit no errors" Bush Administration approach. Isn't this supposed to be a "listening tour" rather than a "your opinion is wrong" tour?

And on a lighter note to start your Monday, I was amused to see this on CNN this morning:

You could if you read Princess Sparkle Pony this weekend! Also, wouldn't "Can you name..." be more gramatically correct?

Magical Misery Tour Update

And then, Zoolander-like, Karen Hughes shrieked, "What is this, a Mosque for ants?" and sent the architectural model crashing to the floor. Reuters Photo.