Bad Role Model

I think AmericaBlog's point is that GW will be ignoring Earth Day and isn't listening to the people, just his iPod, but if Bush is indicating that he'll be riding his bike while he's plugged into an iPod, I'd like to argue that as a role model for good biking behavior he's an abysmal failure. I will actually go out of my way to tell another biker to lose the ear plugs if I see them riding with them in use, even if it's on a trail - they're a danger to motorists, other cyclists, pedestrians and themselves. It's one of the few issues over which I'll ditch my genuinely pervasive Minnesota Nice and be a serious nuisance. If I see you with them in and you're biking, I'm going to make sure your ride and music are ruined for at least the short duration and hopefully for the rest of the day. It might be argued that with the Secret Service tagging along, he's in no danger of not having enough ears and eyes, but given his track record for accidents, literally running over others, and relying on faulty perceptions of reality, he might try giving his own senses a try for once.

Bush's bike ride Saturday was no Earth Day stunt. The president rides on most weekend mornings, but made the special detour to overnight in St. Helena
just to get in a picturesque ride through wine country. He had no official events there.

"I can't wait," Bush told his San Jose audience. "I'll be plugged into an iPod."

AmericaBlog also has a link up to Pink's Dear Mr. President at YouTube (it's not a Marilyn Monroe thing), and if you're more of a just listen without hearing the words sort of person, you can catch the lyrics here.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away

And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay

I can only imagine what the first lady has to say

You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine

Pooteewheet has her first really sizeable post in quite some time up: I Heart Porn.

And finally, Kyle, TallBrad, Erik and I (shout out to Darren from work who was also there) went to the Summit Brewery Scandia Release Party this last Thursday to try their new beer - a wheat beer not unlike Blue Moon. S4xton left a comment on my blog and has pictures up - not too exciting, but you can see TallBrad looming a head over everyone else in the fifth (and perhaps eleventh) pictures.