War of Weirdness

So recently, it looks like the Bush administration's strategy of treating the American public like retards is starting to backfire a little. Bob Woodward's new book slams the administration for its denial of the truth and misleading the American public about the true ferocity of the fight going on in Iraq. The conservative pundits are lining up as usual to blame the Democrats, when finally, Bill Clinton decided to slap back. So things are getting a little more fierce on the political scene. No surprise when we're only a little over a month away from the midterm elections.

But not only have things gotten more fierce on the military and political fronts, but things have gotten just plain weird. In today's New York Times, there's an article on how the Maine National Guard is giving the families of its soldiers cardboard cutouts of their family members deployed abroad. This way, their children can include "flat daddy" in pictures they take, and pretend that daddy is really around. I can't believe some dumbass in the chain of command thought this was a good idea. It's just creepy. See:

It reminded me of an episode of the Simpsons, where Homer is teaching a class about something, but it always dwindles down into him telling intimate secrets about his lovelife with Marge. Marge, naturally, finds it extremely embarrasing, and eventually tosses Homer out. Living in the treehouse, Homer makes a plant version of Marge, which he tells his children is their new mommy. Funny because of it's madness. See:

It even happened on an episode of Sex and the City, where Kyle McLaughlin buys his wife a cardboard baby, when she wants a real baby. Naturally, it leads to a bitchy fight because it's just a strange and creepy thing to do.

So in the end, things are just bizarre on every front. But so long as none of my friends decide to travel somewhere, and leave me a cardboard cutout of themselves, I think things will be ok. Cardboard cutouts should be limited to advertising, and advertising alone. Outside of that context, it's just creepy.

I know I start nearly every blog with the word "So." Well, if you don't like it, I don't like your ugly shorts.