Solid State

Happy Obama Day, Solid State!

As I'm sure many of you do, I know several people who were at the festivities in DC today, including a few who areattending Inaugural Balls this evening. While I normally avoid large crowds like the plague, I haveto admit, I'm a little jealous. Given the electricity just in the tinyconference room in which I watched the speech with a handful of 7Dstaff — via an intermittent web feed, no less — I can only imagine the feeling of being there in person. Even the most ardent naysayers would have to admit that this was a pretty remarkable day.

Anyway, a few quick, random thoughts on the Inauguration:

Aretha: Still the best pipes in soul. And what a hat!

Any combo featuring Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman is guaranteed to impress. But am I the only one who would have preferred Danny Elfman to John Williams? That's change we can believe in.

Ironic that the most eloquent President since Kennedy would fumble the swearing in.
(Note: Upon further review, totally not Obama's fault. The Chief Justice dropped that ball.)

"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."
If I'm President, er, ex-President Bush I'm squirming like a whore in church at that line. If only a camera had cut to his reaction.

Do you even remember the last time the man in control of the nation's nukes could actually pronounce the word "nuclear?"

". . . know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."
Proof that the most profound sentiments are almost always the simplest.

And finally, goodbye, Dubya. Can you believe we put up with eight years of this guy?