Well, I confess I kind of like the songs, too, also the chance to win a trip to Ireland, but really? Instead of Hyacinth and the gang? C’mon, PBS! I also have to confess that I haven’t seen every episode (haven’t seen the iron one), but I do have a few memorable moments—love the Christmas one with Hyacinth as Santa, love w/ Mrs. Fortescue when she gets stuck on the bag of the truck, love when she dumps a bucket of horse manure all over the h’or dervs at her "Candlelight Supper", and have a soft spot for when she’s getting "alarmed" and no one has any idea what she means right away and thus are "alarmed". It’s  the descent into madness, complete and utter madness, what Hyacinth hath wrought, that I love. Though I love Onslow and Rose and Elizabeth too!

I’m not going to lie, I was channel-surfing because my PBS British comedies weren’t on as usual and I found School of Rock on TBS. As someone who’s quite familiar with educators I just kept dying every time the uptight principal (Joan Cusack) showed up. And Jack Black taking her on a date with beer? Hilarious. Never thought I’d like that movie, I try to have more intellectual tastes, but it served its purpose. It was kind of cute, too.

Oh my God, I LOVE Keeping Up Appearances! LOVE IT! It’s almost predictable but never quite and always a scream! I’m a bit annoyed because now my PBS station seems to prefer to show Irish women singing when they used to show the British comedies. But perhaps they will bring it back. Good to find a fan!

Happy Birthday from one Liz to another and you are one great 86!

The whole tribal aspect was exactly EC’s point…and I mean, I agree with her. We just automatically feel more comfortable around people with whom we share common attributes and history. Even the tale about your grandchildren illustrates that—once the Nigerians were part of the family (which shares common attributes and history) there was no prejudice. And is there anything wrong with a comfort level? No. Not to say that we shouldn’t reach out and expand the comfort level, but it’s unrealistic to believe that a whole society of people with different comfort levels and different backgrounds can reach one benchmark of acceptance, especially when so many differences that we rightly celebrate exist. Thanks for your responses. ;)

There should be nothing wrong with differentiations and diversity. Just judgements based upon it.

Nothing is an official issue unless Dave Barry has weighed in on it. Therefore…distract yourselves with this. “John McCain, at a strategy session at a golf resort, tells his top aides to prepare a list of potential running mates, stressing that he wants somebody ”who is completely, brutally honest.” Unfortunately, because of noise from a lawn mower, the aides think McCain said he wants somebody ”who has competed in a beauty contest.” This will lead to trouble down the road.”… “Meanwhile John McCain, still searching for the perfect running mate, tells his top aides in a conference call that he wants ”someone who is capable of filling my shoes.” Unfortunately, he is speaking into the wrong end of his cellular phone, and his aides think he said ”someone who is capable of killing a moose.” Shortly thereafter McCain stuns the world, and possibly himself, by selecting Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.” God bless America.

Ah yes, here’s another uninspired good deed…cook dinner for a friend and surprise them with it.

Giant bi-partisan effort on anything would be welcome! Labels can be useful as descriptive terms…then of course so often they go negative. A society without labels…would that necessarily be a society without racism? Maybe a society without words. Hmm. You’re making me think here.

I think what we’re discussing here are extreme cases of racism that should be condemned…otherwise I agree with the Avenue Q song “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist”. Just listening to Eleanor Clift say that Obama’s election is not going to help the black man on the streets of New York at 2 am get a cab. Which stinks. How much racism are we willing to accept? Is there ever an acceptable level? What are the consequences of being color-blind? Personally I would love to be but I wonder about the feasibility of it. It’s much like wondering if conflict is the human condition…oh wait, same thing.

I usually watch PBS. I’m glad I didn’t then. I kept switching back between NBC and ABC, and I would agree with you about ABC’s coverage being the most interesting. It also seemed substantially longer than NBC’s.

NBC likened him to Dr. Strangelove…

I was nearly nauseous by the time Warren finished. UGH!

Oddly enough, Bush’s father started the ceremony, I heard. And I know what you mean.

I would love to make it serious, but I would probably just be humming nervously “I can’t dance, I can’t walk, the only thing about me is the way I talk…”