Inauguration Daze: When Bush was inaugurated in 2000, I had a weird moment of media schizophrenia. The TV, tuned to NBC (I think), was covering hard-hitting news: the introduction of ten-gallon hats and cowboy boots to Washington's fashion scene. Meanwhile, DC Indymedia was reporting an entirely different reality: protesters cutting down American flags along the processional route and replacing them with black flags, eggs raining down on the presidential limo. Indymedia didn't mention the Texas Two-Step and Katie Couric and Co said nothing about the massive protests. The media acknowledged, after the fact of course, that they downplayed protest stories last time around (Danny Schecter cites findings by the Washington Post's ombudsman who admits the paper shortchanged the subject on its pages and minimized the crowd sizes. The Post also admits it donated $100,000 to Bush's $40 million festivities today.) The same thing will happen today, I predict. Because as George Monbiot writes, "the US media is disciplined by corporate America."

Buy Nothing Inauguration: Lodge a symbolic protest today by not spending a damn dime (or a red cent) in support of this adminstration. No lunch at Chipotle, no gas from BP, no trendy throwoutables from Target. The Bush White House (and inauguration) is paid for by the corporations and lobbyists that benefit from their policies. Lay off supporting them for 24 hours.