Joe the Jackass.

Here we are, slovenly slouching towards the 2012, the year also known as Nostradamus' 'game over' year. There's been plenty of hype all over the internet, on television and in print about what we can expect in three years, all of it dire. Some pundits point to certain signs as proof positive that civilization is playing out its curtain call.

I for one saw the writing on the wall as soon as The Cookie Monster was forced to change his name to The Veggie Monster.

As if to lend more credence to the doom-sayers, an on-line news service has seen fit to give Samuel J. Wurzelbacher - aka 'Joe the Plumber' - an extension on his already-overdrawn 15 minutes by tapping him as a cub reporter. His assignment? Covering the Gaza Strip. As if the area hasn't suffered enough.

Every time I see this bafoon I laugh. His story epitomizes the quote, "a tale told by a fool, full of sound and fury, signifying...nothing". Upon accepting his charge, Sammy was asked why he felt he needed to go to Gaza. He responded to the effect that television reporters weren't covering the real issues, and that he had a better plan. Seconds later, when he was asked how he was preparing for his trip, he proudly stated that he was watching all the TV reports he could.

Uh-huh. I'm thinking Sam/Joe is the result of swimming in the shallow end of the gene pool. And I don't think that I'll bother with the tale this fool will tell...