Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Special Envoy to Haiti
Former President Bill Clinton has a new job as UN Special Envoy to Haiti.
Because my mind can occasionally work in completely inappropriate ways, one of the first things I thought of after reading this news was the SNL skit spoofing the old Dockers pants ads, entitled "Bad Idea Jeans," and the line about Haiti near the end.
The country of Haiti has been an ongoing tragedy for most of the last couple of centuries, and the high rate of HIV/AIDS infection implied in the SNL skit is only one small chapter. The Dominican Republic, occupying the eastern part of the same island of Hispaniola, has not been as much of a basket case, particularly during the last few decades, when it has attracted a significant amount of capital targeting the tourist industry. While I don't think this proves anything about the superiority of a Spanish colonial legacy over a French colonial legacy, it is an interesting study in why culture, politics and leadership matter, given equivalent geography.
President Clinton has a challenging task ahead of him.
Strangely, in seemingly unrelated news, the stock of Church & Dwight (makers of Trojan brand condoms) is down $1.00 today.
7 Comments:
By 
TigerHawk, at
Tue May 19, 02:53:00 PM:
That's one of the funniest SNL "ads" of all time. I've linked it here before, I think, and have been heard to describe a really terrible idea as "bad idea jeans." Fewer and fewer people get the reference, which is a shame.
By Charlottesvillain, at
Tue May 19, 03:36:00 PM:
Definitely a classic. Right up there with Schmitt's Gay.
I have to say, when I saw the headline for the Clinton appointment I couldn't help wondering what the catch is. Is there some new supermodel from Haiti that I haven't heard of?
By Cardinalpark, at
Tue May 19, 04:37:00 PM:
Hill said "it's me tonight in leather" or off to Haiti with you. I know what I'd choose...
By 
, at
Tue May 19, 05:09:00 PM:
Interesting. Trojans used to be made by the Young's Rubber Company right down there in Trenton.
Several derogatory ditties are running in my head based on the train bridge sign.
JLW III
PS: It's noisy here; the Blue Angels are practicing for tomorrow. I just had an FA18 go over my house at about 200 ft and 300 kts. JLW
By , at
Tue May 19, 05:30:00 PM:
I used this term in a meeting when I was a minion of Sir Tigerhawk. Unfortunately, he was the only guy in the room who still remembered the "Bad Idea Jeans" skits.
My favorite is still the one where Kevin Nehlen says to I think David Spade, "Now that the affair is over, I think I am going to tell my wife all about it."
By TigerHawk, at
Tue May 19, 08:49:00 PM:
By Georg Felis, at
Tue May 19, 09:32:00 PM:
Of course not QC. You didn't submit your Minion Application on time.
