Strange LTTE slams hatless Obama: serious or spoof? I honestly can't tell.

[mwb970]

The Columbus Dispatch runs one or two LTTEs every day praising bush (always saying that he "kept us safe") or slamming Obama and his supporters by parroting bitter right-wing-radio talking points about socialism or The Messiah. Today's is a bit unusual, though:

Obama blew chance at teaching moment
(Columbus Dispatch, January 26, 2009)

President Barack Obama had a great opportunity to do every parent in the country a big favor. Unfortunately, he failed.

What might this be? Why didn't he wear a hat at his inauguration? For that matter, why didn't all our "wise" congressmen do the same? It's hard enough to get kids to dress warmly and correctly; it won't help now that they can say the president doesn't wear a hat.

It is well-known that most of one's body heat can be lost through the head. Actually, this whole trend of not dressing properly is disturbing and seen way too often. Often, one can see parents and their children running into Wal-Mart without jackets when the temperature outside is below freezing. Apparently, this same habit extends all the way up to the president and Congress.

I wonder how much lost work time we will have now with congressmen and presidential staff members having colds and such. It's such a shame. Obama had a chance to demonstrate that dressing warmly is not sissy.

TALI BERZINS
Dublin

This is either a clever parody of the anti-Obama letters we are treated to every day in the Dispatch, or it is one of those letters. I can't tell which, can you? Surely making a huge deal out of the president going hatless and predicting doom for our children as a result is a parody of right-wing silliness and paranoia, right? On the other hand, plenty of people are goofy enough to try to seriously make this point (coughFRcough).

The fact that the letter comes from a wealthy suburb of Columbus rather than one of the tiny towns in the neighboring countryside (Sarah's "real America") weighs slightly on the satire side, but there are wackos in Dublin too, so it's hard to be sure. What's your guess?

[glowing]

1. Whatever. It sounds silly no matter what.

On Edit: I think the Inauguration should happen in FL, then at least everyone would be warmer. I don't understand everyone standing outside in the dead of winter freezing their asses off. One of our Presidents died from pneumonia during his inauguration and lasted only moments. I read about a couple of other First Ladies who perished this same way.. Thank God for some antibiotics and better health these days.

[livvy]

2. Not only that, but it is medically incorrect.

Heat loss through the head is no greater than the heat lost through any other part of the body. Heat is lost through the skin in ratio to the amount of skin exposed. For the head that is about 7%. The only time it is greater is in the initial stages of exercise (like jogging, etc.). Once the body (muscles) start requiring more blood flow, for the increased need for oxygen, the heat loss returns to about 7%.

http://wildernessmedicinenewsletter.wordpress.com/2007/02/14/heat-loss-through-the-head-and-hypothermia/

[dbmk]

3. He is all cattle and no hat.

[TheDoorbellRang]

9. Oh, that was a good one!

:spray: :thumbsup:

[PylesMalfunction]

12. LMAO!

:D

[Shiver]

4. I wanted to see a top hat

Or maybe a fedora. Bring the look back, dammit! All my old hats are just collecting dust!

[KittyWampus]

8. How about a turban? Nothing would be stranger looking than that thing Fat Tony Scalia

had jammed down on his head.

[LaydeeBug]

5. I'm pretty sure they've been doing this since Kennedy. nt

[islandmkl]

6. maybe he should have done some samuel l. jackson:

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTIyMDA1OTYwOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDE5MDk3MQ@@._V1._CR0,0,256,256_SS100_.jpg

or

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTUxNjM0NzMwM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTA0MTk1MQ@@._V1._CR0,0,266,266_SS100_.jpg

[Clio the Leo]

7. Those of you denouncing the hat......

.... CLEARLY have never seen this picture.



:)

[Jennicut]

11. Now that is how we wear a hat, not like Poppy Bush...dork

[berni_mccoy]

10. If all they have is hats, balls and birth certificates to chase around, then so be it.

Let them go on their fool's errands then.