Posted by JP on March 28, 2007 at 21:44:36:
In Reply to: American TV and books and art and stuff posted by Gail V on March 28, 2007 at 21:17:08:
For some weird reason this post reminds me of a joke I heard recently.
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Albert Einstein dies and goes before St. Peter who demands to know who he is.
"Albert Einstein."
"Prove it," says St. Peter.
Whereupon Einstein describes the theory of relativity in great detail.
"Oh, you are him," says St. Peter. "You may pass."
Years later, Pablo Picasso appears before St. Peter. "Who are you?"
"Pablo Picasso."
"Prove it."
Whereupon Picasso describes how he and Georges Braques started the modern art movement of Cubism in Paris.
"You may pass."
Years later, the American President George W. Bush appears. St. Peter says, "Who are you?"
"Why, I was the 43rd President of the United States."
"Prove it."
"Why should I?"
"Everyone has to prove who they are. Einstein and Picasso did it."
"Who?"
"Oh, you are THAT George Bush. You may pass."
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I guess the reason this post reminded mr of that currently-popular joke is that I couldn't imagine anyone telling such a joke about any previous American President. Something fundamental is changing, something about what is seen as worth learning nowadays.