December 2005 (II): Brand Loyalty

Poor Clever Sister: forced to hear a co-worker's daily news roundup, accompanied by hearty praise of her source—"I'm a liberal! I listen to NPR!"

Now that the latest corporate takeover has hit local phone service, this woman burbles: "I'm so happy it's AT&T again! It's what I grew up with!"

This is after revelations of the scope of NSA spying on Americans' calls, accomplished with the "cooperation of American telecommunications companies."

CS' annoying co-worker also keeps announcing, "I can't wait until 2008, to vote for John McCain—he's a maverick!" Now, wherever could she have gotten that idea?

CS finds this seasonal item—

A bah humbug moment
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
BARRIE BARBER
THE SAGINAW NEWS

A Saginaw Township leader wants an apology from national talk show TV and radio host Bill O'Reilly for his on air declaration that the suburb has banned anyone from wearing red and green clothing.

At Democratic Underground, where this excerpt still dwells, a commenter says O'Reilly has made this claim before—when it supposedly happened in Plano, Texas.

It would seem illogical for O'Reilly to pick on good Republican-voting places in "The Heartland" for his rants. But this must be part of your right-wing demagogue's confidence that cognitive dissonance is unknown to his audience, since it would require cognitive ability in the first place.

Just as it's fine for him to scream about "values," while writing bad, dirty fiction. And whose sexual harassment of an employee includes turning a previously innocent vegetarian dish into something revolting.

At work, the funds raised for poor folk have been distributed. And the thank-you cards are posted in the lunchroom.

One is from a woman who tells us how she prayed for her family to have Christmas this year. She is not surprised that her prayers were answered, because, "My God is an awesome God!"

Her God, apparently, being the God of Cheap Shit Made By Chinese Slave Labor.

And there's the letter from a man who tells how he's never asked for a handout, yet—he was laid off; he developed a life-threatening medical condition; he has small children; his unemployment (which he only took for the sake of the children) ran out...

All detailed in several pages the guy needs for self-justification.

Finally thanking those responsible for the gift, the wonderfully voluntary and non-governmental people [never mind that their paychecks are subsidized by State and Federal funds...], Mr. Fox Target Audience signs off—

I could wish you "Happy Holidays," but instead I will say: "Merry Christmas!"

A bold, defiant stand, in his own mind.

He may have nothing else, but his friends on the teevee will make sure he always has imaginary liberals to blame for threatening his Christmas...