This land was made for you and me

One of the first songs I learned in grade school music class was "This land is your land."

Originally written as a defiant, subversive song, Woody Guthrie's tune has been used for patriotic purposes much more often than not. That's the beauty of art, which truly is in the eye - or ear - of the beholder.

As Obama gets ready to take his oath of office, we are reminded of the power of democracy. I do hope the new government takes on the ethos of the song, because the U.S. of A. needs some work. While we can't rely on government to fix the country, we can expect it to provide some tools. We should expect it to not stand in the way, for this land really was made for you and me.

Here's a video of ancient folk singer Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and someone else I don't recognize, singing the song at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Obama send-up

Okay, we're just days away from a historic inauguration of the nation's first black president.

As much as people are focusing on the cost of the inauguration (more than $120 million and counting), what I'm looking forward to are his first 100 days in office. I want to see what he'll do with regards to the economy, the environment, Russia, the Middle East. There are so many problems he will face, and I wish him well.

To keep things more lighthearted, here are some funny and strange Obama-related Youtube videos.