Obama's Overseas Trip/G20 Summit

Warning: I'm feeling very cynical...

I didn't really follow much of the "important" stuff happening at the summit. Not like I think the G20 countries are really doing anything that is actually helping the world economy. Most other people didn't seem to be following the serious things either, all the trivial things were much more exciting.

-Interesting Obama gave an iPod to the Queen. Really, an iPod? Couldn't they get something better, like some wine from California or some genuine Vermont Maple Syrup? I couldn't help but wonder about the content. It was filled with some of his speeches. Seems a tad arrogant to me. Not quite as arrogant as the what the royal family gave to them: signed portraits of themselves. (Maybe I should think of give someone a signed portrait of myself for a birthday gift; that would be a pretty funny.) They're probably not really that arrogant, but it does come across that way. I guess there was some music on there too, some of the Queen's favorite music. Oh, I can just imagine her headbanging to some music. Taking a jog and listening to something good. Maybe some Lil Wayne or Eminem. And perhaps a little T-Pain. Ha, the queen and an iPod. Wow, there's tons of potential for comedy there.

-I enjoyed the whole fiasco where Michelle Obama hugged the Queen. I'm glad they weren't offended. It was just a sign of "spontaneous mutual appreciation and affection", as the statement the Queen released said. Wow. That's a surprise, I didn't think that was the usual function of a hug. I'm so glad they cleared it up for me; I was pretty uneasy about the situation. I'm just glad the First Lady didn't have to release a statement like the Pope did years ago, "forcibly denying there was any physical contact". Thank goodness the pope understood how big of a deal it was. I mean, apparently the Queen is God or something. Nobody else is good enough to touch her.

-The whole royality thing seems kinda silly to me. Well, I suppose it's a nice tradition. It does make for alot of entertainment. It is a remnant and reminder of a more corrupt, authoritarian past though.

-I do think it would be pretty neat to meet the Queen. I wonder what she's really like. She should have a reality TV show. Maybe she could go to rehab for something. That would be hilarious. Or she could have a Bachelorette series.

-Thank goodness for the entertainment news programs. Of course I could hear all about the "hug" controversy everywhere else, since it was the top story on most "legitimate" news outlets. But I was able to see plenty on Obama's sneeze during one of his speeches, which they dubbed so affectionately "the sneeze heard 'round the world". I was also able to hear plenty about the fashion battle between Mrs. Obama and France's first lady, former model Carla Bruni. Apparently the French first lady stayed home because she was intimidated by Mrs. Obama and didn't know if she could win the fashion battle. (They said people prefer Ms. Obama brightly-colored outfits to Mrs. Bruni's more drab outfits right now.)

-Speaking of the news media, I wish they could pretend like they weren't in the tank for Obama. Surveying the London newspapers, and what from I saw on TV, you'd think he was Jesus or something. (The best headline I saw from the prominent Lodon periodicals was "Going Gaga for Obama".) I liked the title of CNN's special program: Obama's European Tour and the New World Promise. I'm still wondering what that promise is. I enjoyed watching a few minutes of the show. Basically a tribute to Obama, full of scenes from the trip, some of his inspirational words, repeated pictures of adoring fans, all set to music. (It was various popular rock songs, which was fitting since he's a rockstar.) Boy, I'd hate to see the coverage MSNBC had...

-I saw Obama gave a townhall meeting somewhere in Europe. Seems a little strange, but I suppose since people don't like the U.S. too much right now and all the G20 leaders are blaming the U.S. for the breakdown of the financial markets it's probably good he's trying to go and garner some support for America. It still seems a little bit like everybody's still in campaign mode. Though Republicans don't seem to be doing much of anything right now except for fighting over who is really the head of the party.

I'll turn off my cynicism now.