MSN Encarta published an excellent list of the “10 Weirdest Inauguration Day Blunders”

My favorite: Richard Nixon ordered Pigeon repellent to be spread along the parade route—it was supposed to make the birds itch and hence not nest in the streets. Instead, the birds ate the repellent and the parade route was covered with dead birds.

An omen? Perhaps.

On a more serious note… I was moved by the Inaugural address—while less of a soaring oratory than I might have expected, I thought it struck exactly the right tone for the current situation. Bravo.

“…America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”

If we stay true to our founding documents, we’ll make it through—but we cannot compromise on those ideals, lest our position on the world stage will surely falter. I couldn’t agree more. Obama reportedly wrote the speech himself, which is impressive to say the least.