My absolute favorite airline ad of all times was a parody of a tv spot, done by Saturday Night Live. I think it pretty much captures the joy of flying...

Here's the transcript of the tv spot.. Picture smiling airline employees and lots of jets flying at sunset shots...

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Jingle: "High above the mountains and the rivers of this country

A silver bird is gleaming in the sun."

Counter Girl: Hi! I'm Pam, and I'm the gal who tells you we're overbooked!

Jingle: "Taking kids to visit Grandma for a big Thanksgiving dinner

And Americans on business or on fun."

Baggage Boy: Hi, I'm Hank! I'm the guy that loses your luggage!

Jingle: "From a rancher in Wyoming, to a banker up in Boston

A nation of 200 million sings."

Security Woman: I'm Judy. I ruin your film by putting it through the X-ray machine, and then I lie about it!"

Jingle: "All praising our good airline and the good folks at Trans-eastern

It's like flying in a cattle car with wings."

Pilot: I'm Ted, and I keep you stacked up over Dallas for three hours!

Jingle: "Sing the praises of an airline."

Stewardess: I'm Arlene, and I hassle you about carrying too much hand luggage, and make sure there are loads of boring magazines!

Jingle: "and the good folks at Trans-Eastern."

Stewardess: Incidentally, I'm about as bright as a small appliance bulb!

Jingle: "It's like flying in a cattle car with wings!"

Announcer: Trans-Eastern. You feel like you never left the ground. Because we treat you like dirt.

coming this Fall will no doubt feature a Ken Lay-like white collar criminal who dies of a heart attack right before he heads to the big house. But the intrepid detectives will discover some malfeasance behind the scenes...

How DARE you presume to speak for the rest of the world. 40% of ISRAELIS don't even support the bombing of Lebanon, so get off your high horse, and stop presuming to speak for anyone but yourself and some Israelis -- NOT EVEN ALL OF YOUR OWN COUNTRYMEN.

You certainly do NOT speak for me, an American, nor do you speak for the Lebanese, or most of the Arab world, and a good percentage of the world that doesn't think that Israel's concerns should be the end-all and be-all of foreign policy decisions around the world.

So when we subtract all the people who DON'T support what Israel is doing, I think you have a whole lot less than "the world."

Go back to feeding the party line to your fellow Israelis, and leave us alone at Salon.

How DARE YOU!!!!!!!!

How about YOU run for President! I agree with you 110%!!!

Thank you for sharing this beautifully crafted, heart-felt piece. There is so much discord over the Israeli/Hezbollah political issues that it seems that Lebanon, and the Lebanese, are being forgotten.

But Anthony Bourdain never misses the essential ingredient...

Puhlease...

I'm 44, I have an 8 year old and a 2 year old. I ADORE my children.

But no, playing Legos for 2 hours with a toddler is not totally scintillating. It can be delightful and fun part of the time, but some of the time it can indeed be mind-numbing.

And hearing my 8 year old recount the entire plotline of the latest episode of Suite Life of Zach and Cody or Hannah Montana (I usually mistakenly call it Hannah Banana, which she finds hilarious) -- no, not always my cup of tea.

Sometimes, I do it, because I love them dearly. And sometimes, I tell them I need Mommy time, so I can read a book or newspaper, watch CNN, etc.

I love my husband, my best friend, and Johnny Depp too, and every one of em can be a dead bore at times too.

Why is this so hard to get?

Dendrio wrote:

From being the opium of the people, religion is now the methamphetamine of the people. What once induced people to sleepily suffer life's lot now has turned them into manic,

sadistic paranoiacs praying for Godman-Jesus's final flaying of all unbelievers.

Hey, quick someone call Mel Gibson. Sounds like a great plot for his next film...

Gee...what will the "terrorists" think when they hear that more Connecticut Democrats wanted an anti-war candidate vs. a pro-war candidate.

Hmmm...maybe they will think that...

• There are some people left in America who are not knee-jerk, conservative religious freaks like Bush and Lieberman, and some of these people can actually think for themselves
• Some Americans are sensible, and don't think that the war, which was started on false pretenses over weapons of mass destruction, and has left Iraq in a state of civil war, was a success, and they believe it should be ended soon
• Some Americans don't think that Muslims are merely collateral damage in a war on terror, but rather, people with equal rights to life, liberty and a pursuit of happiness, even if they live in Iraq, Lebanon, or, God forbid, Palestine
• Some Americans believe in principles of international community, diplomacy, and negotiation with those whom we don't agree with
• Some Americans do not slavishly support anything simply because it's in Israel's best interests

Oh come on, give George Allen a break. He was just trying to be like his beloved leader, Dubya.

After all, Dubya has a well known penchant for giving people idiotic nicknames and calling them out during press conferences.

And I've heard that "Obnoxious Nicknames" is actually a class at at the Top Secret Rovian Republican Academy for Political Maneuvering.

It comes right after Doublespeak 101...you know "War is Peace," "We must take away rights to protect rights," and all that.