"Fiscally conservative" Republican Congressman uses taxpayer money to decorate his office in the style of "Downton Abbey."

"What? There's a TV show whose interior shots look like my office? No way!"

Courtesy of TPM:  

One of the youngest members of Congress, Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL), just got himself into a strange public relations spat over office decor. 

When Washington Post reporter Ben Terris popped into Schock's new office Monday in the Rayburn House Office Building, the outer room stuck out to him for its bright red walls and gold wall sconces. A woman at the front desk told Terris that the decor was inspired by "Downton Abbey," the British period drama that airs on PBS. 

After a woman who introduced herself as Shock's interior decorator offered to guide Terris though the rest of the rooms, he snapped photos of the crystal chandelier and bunches of pheasant feathers that completed Schock's new digs.

 Interestingly enough when the reporter, Ben Terris, tried to ask follow up questions about the office decorations he ran into a little trouble. 

Terris wrote that a staff member asked him to delete the photos he'd taken. After much back-and-forth, Cole later offered Terris a chance to speak with Schock about anything other than his office space (it should be noted that extra furniture or decor not provided by the House is paid for by the lawmaker). 


“He’s happy to talk to you, just not about the office,” Cole reportedly told Terris. “I’m really sorry and want you to know this is not fun for me.” 

Cole even was coy about Schock's "Downton Abbey" fandom. 

"I don’t even know if he watches it; I don’t know what shows he watches," he told Terris. "But I don’t think he watches much TV.”

Nah, he doesn't watch TV. And if he did why would he watch a British TV program when there are so many awesome 'Merican made reality shows on?

However Terris did NOT delete the photos and they are on full display on his Twitter account.

People want more photos from Schock's office. Here are pheasant feathers. http://t.co/dhDUoBMnNF pic.twitter.com/gu1Qc4oSFS
— Ben Terris (@bterris) February 3, 2015

Last one. Full shot of Aaron Schock's office. http://t.co/PJ1NGekafQ pic.twitter.com/2SjsGQlKhp
— Ben Terris (@bterris) February 3, 2015

By the way this Schock guy is a handsome fellow how come he is not yet married?

Oh, well this explains a lot.

New rug in Florida Sheriff's office accidentally printed with words "In Dog We Trust." I like it.

Courtesy of Mashable: 

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in Florida has gone to the dogs. Well, at least its rugs have. 

Department spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda said Wednesday that a new, $500 rug at the sheriff's administration building said "In Dog We Trust" instead of "In God We Trust." 

The forest green rug with the sheriff's yellow badge was in the entrance area for a couple of months when the error was discovered Wednesday by a deputy. 

Apparently this is being claimed on a manufacturer's error and the Sheriff's office is receiving a new one, with the correct wording, to replace it.

Personally I think that the wording is fine just the way it is.

After all who would you rather trust, your faithful canine companion, or a deity who is well known for ignoring prayers, causing pestilence and disease, and occasionally losing his temper and annihilating thousands, if not millions, of people?

Sure the dog might pee on your carpet, but has he ever caused a tidal wave to devastate Malaysia?

Besides the rug sat in the entry way for months not bothering anybody until somebody hired a deputy that could read. Stupid literate deputy!

I know people do this for Christmas, but Halloween too?

 If this house were in my neighborhood I wouldn't even bother to decorate.

I have a couple of Styrofoam tombstones and a skeleton for the door, but that's about it.

Still I bet they hand out full size candy bars and homemade popcorn balls.

I love homemade popcorn balls. 

First Lady welcomes Christmas tree to White House along with Sasha and Malia. Right Wing immediately assumes it is a pagan socialist trick.

Courtesy of CNN:  

First Lady Michelle Obama, along with daughters Sasha and Malia and dogs Bo and Sunny, welcomed the official White House Christmas tree Friday. 

The 18.5-foot-tall Douglas fir will go in the White House Blue Room. Chris Botek, the third-generation Christmas tree grower from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, and his family, were at the White House when the tree from his farm arrived. Last year's tree was from a farm in North Carolina. 

A White House tradition, the tree was delivered by carriage to the North Portico. 

"We're honored to have it. This is the best part of the holiday season is when our tree comes," the First Lady said.

To be honest I usually avoid posts about these silly fluff stories about the President and First Lady, you know the whole pardoning the turkey, Easter egg hunt, and  Christmas tree decorating thing.

However this year with the Right Wing ramping up the War on Christmas, and the book by "She Who Must Not be Named" falling like a flaming turd down the Amazon best sellers list (Right now at #438 as of this posting), I think of this kind of thing as a giant FU to the forces of darkness who attack this President and his wife at every opportunity.

So yeah, the Obama's got themselves a big ass Christmas tree, just like most other American families.

And I am sure that once decorated it will be spectacular. Just like the family in whose home it will now reside.

What is this "War on Christmas" you speak of?

Hey I just have to say that I am one atheist who LOVES Christmas. Always have.

It was always a very special holiday in my house growing up, and my mom went all out to celebrate it. Still does to this day in fact.

I just wish the Christians had not watered down the Saturnalia celebration quite so much. For instance we could bring this part of the early Christmas festivities back: 

The earliest Christmas holidays were celebrated by drinking, sexual indulgence, singing naked in the streets.

Though I have to say that living in Alaska would keep much of that naked singing to a minimum.

This pretty much reflects my attitude.

Look I'll put up a tree. 

I'll hang some stockings. (With care even.)

But do NOT expect me to triple my electricity bill just to impress the people who live on my street.

So obviously I LOVE this guy's response.

(H/T to Andrew Sullivan.)