Best inane journalist comment of Saturday, from a fluffy CNN reporter in Clarksville, TN, right over the border from Ft. Campbell, KY:

"Earlier today I overheard a poignant comment at a Pancake House..."

The rest really doesn't matter does it? "I overheard a poignant comment at a Pancake House..."

I've been trying to watch less of the coverage, because the fact that it's not even trying to bring any depth to the situation is just pissing me off. When the tagline on the screen is saying, "Coalition Forces Liberate Iraqi Town" --and it is--then you just can't tell me the news isn't expressing the Administration's point-of-view without examining it one bit. I imagine I'll have more to say about the news coverage later, but right now, let's talk about

The Oscars.

It all feels rather anticlimactic this year, as the ... Oscar Party, which usually happens at ICFA in Florida with the absolute best people in the world to watch the Oscars with (well, except for the Speedo Incident and that whole "There's not even any dialogue in that scene" debacles, but those were interlopers). None of us are there this year though, and none of us are together. Perhaps there will be phone calls? I expect that the Oscars will be a downer this year, and I haven't even done picks yet. I did have a glass of champagne, or two, at dinner last night in prep, and since it's a muted year and all went with the bottle of Coppola white rather than the usual champagne for during the show itself. Hell, I haven't even seen most of the movies yet, for some reason, and instead of going to see Chicago this afternoon, I'm walking down to the arthouse theater to see City of God.

I'm sure I'll have loads of critical comments after the ceremonies though, unless of course it's preempted by la war and emerging news from the Pancake House.

Listening to the wonderful music of Smokey and Miho, yay! (Thank you, Mr. B.)

And I've already done some rewriting on the script this morning, so the rest of the day is free to be movie watching and maybe coffeeshop e-mail answering and George walking. All of which are very good things.

You have a good day too. (Oh, and make sure to read Barzak and Kristin's pigden posts as they are both very amusemoi today.