Bonfire of the Vanities---Week 66

Yes, it's the 66th week of the most flameworthy postings in the Blogsphere. People often ask us, "Ray, are you guys serving up carved Llama meat, or are you mysterious Andean pack animals, boldy and bravely swinging sharpened cleavers in the name of truth, justice, and free HBO?" To which we respond, "Spain?" Well, we really don't know---it's a conundrum. Or maybe a paradox, we forget. Anyhoo, a similar existential dilemma exists with the Bonfire of the Vanities: is it the chance to torch the week's most fragrantly fetid posts, or is it a chance to illuminate to the world the wacky and the new? We have no idea, so we're going to do both.

We Llamas thought that in celebration, we'd hop in our big old pink Cadillac and go cruising for hitchhikers on Route 66. Just see what we picked up:

Our pal JohnL over at TexasBestGrok is displaying some Riker-On-The-Holodeck tendencies in a post about the pursuit of the perfect, uh, mechanical playmate. We're gonna make him ride in the trunk.

Mike the Interested Participant asks "Who the hell is driving!?" Don't worry, Mike - someone's at the helm. And if the kid conks on us, we Llamas don't have opposable thumbs, but we can jam our hooves into the spokes. We'll get ya home.

Norm at Espresso Sarcasm has a Presidential Debate Top Ten List that you can use to while away the miles if you get tired of looking for Stuckey's signs.

Elderbear, in a further effort to break up the trip, is poking holes in the sky. It's always funny until someone loses an ion.

Uh, oh! Detour! Dr. Rusty takes the Sandcrawler to Sweden. Jawas don't do well on ice.

Hey, who's got a map around here? The Gleeful Extremist goes to the Kerry website as John-John urged during the debate. There he finds the plan for Iraq and tells you what you already know: It sucks. (BTW, Llamas luv guys who write their own copy!)

On the other hand, making a strong challenge for the coveted Navigator position, The Neophyte Pundit is waiving around his MapQuest pre-presidential debate roadmaps.

In the why did you tell me to take this exit? department, Brian Noggle blows the lid on another BushitlerCheneyHalliburton conspyracy!. Okay, you may be saving the world from the Eviiiiil of George Dubya, but I saw you steal my french fries!

In the lamest of all car date moves, Josh Cohen wants to show you the size of his Instalanche. It? It. Out? Out.

You kids in the back seat ready for a nice movie? Matt at Overtaken By Events has one that'll make you laugh, cry and sleep.

Sean at the American Mind is seeking out French roadkill. Then backing up.

Ew. Speaking of roadkill, Spirit Fingers rants about, well, hairy things.

It's said that people can go bonkers driving the endless miles of the Great Plains. S'True. Just check out the Editor of the Living Room Section over at Pajama Editors. He's seeing Kerry metaphors in football games. Oh God! They're green and all over me!

We must be getting near the West Coast, because Austin Barrow has a Candidates in Drag poll. With pictures. Oh, hep me!

Ensconsed in a fabulous retro HoJo on the end of the road, we have a chance to reflect back on the trip. All credit has to go to Monkeywatch for being the first to link to us back in December.