So, Joe Schmoe‘s resolution having been delayed a week in favor of the Flagging Magazine Subscription Awards ’03, I turned on the leaden USA remake of the DC Sniper Shootings (which I was peripherally involved in, having spent the worst of it in London).

As I sometimes do when the sound might be down, I left the Closed Captioning on, and a scene closed on a dramatic moment: a bad actor asks what the point of the shootings is. The other bad actor playing Chief “Bad Actor” Moose replied, “Fear”. This word was appropriately displayed by the Closed Captioning. The word “Fear” lingered after the scene faded to black, and the sponsor’s announcement came on.

“21 Days of Fear: the DC Sniper Shootings is brought to you by KFC.” The ubiquitous and strangely target-like face of Colonel Saunders was displayed over this announcement.

And still hanging below the red, black, and white visage of the Colonel, as the announcer faded to silence, was the word “Fear.”