Signs of the Apocalypse

Watching Mr. Bush speak in public is like watching high schoolers giving speeches in class. You know, that uncomfortable feeling you have for someone obviously having a difficult time. Nervous laughter, inordinate amount of hand gestures, painful silences, repetition. So the recent news conference in Cleveland was no exception. Usually the President's handlers keep him away from such unscripted moments but his recent nose dive in the polls has called for drastic measures. After his performance there, I wonder if they are wishing they had kept him silent.

During the news conference, a questioner asked the President, referring to Kevin Phillips book called, American Theocracy: "... He makes the point that members of your administration have reached out to prophetic Christians who see the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism as signs of the Apocalypse. Do you believe this, that the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism are signs of the Apocalypse?"



Bush hemmed, hawed, stammered, made inappropriate facial gestures ... but W-O-U-L-D N-O-T S-A-Y N-O. To any sane person, religious or not, you would not even have to think about it. An unequivocal, emphatic NO. Not Bush. So afraid to offend the lunatic fringe of Christiandom, he tried to change the subject.

Jon Stewart, as usual, had a very funny and astute take on Bush's performance. He kidded about Bush having an inner-dialogue that was alternatively telling Bush to not sound crazy and to appeal to the base. He failed miserably on both counts.

Some of us feel the apocalypse is coming. They say the signs are around us: plagues and pestilence (disease), an impending World War III. I think that every time Dubya opens his mouth in public, it is a sign of the apocalypse.

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On the subject of religious loonies ... more fun with science in our classrooms:

Scientist discovers that evolution is missing from Arkansas classrooms

I love this line from the subject of the author, "I am instructed NOT to use hard numbers when telling kids how old rocks are. I am supposed to say that these rocks are VERY VERY OLD ... but I am NOT to say that these rocks are thought to be about 300 million years old." Yeah, we all know who wants you to say they (and everything else) is about 6,000 years old. We are in hell.