So much has happened over the last week and a half or so. I can't believe I haven't shared all of the excitement with you yet. I have given comedy performances outside in a sukkah on a very cold night at an Orthodox congregation and at a retirement home/assisted living facility. The audience age at the first averaged around 26. At the latter... about 89. I spent four days in New York City with 31 tenth graders, saw Wicked and met some of the cast, went to an 80's prom in The Village, visited the Saturday Night Live studio (where I accidentally dropped a business card. Oops!), and ate Chinese rose treats, pickles, and tofu as I walked the streets of the Lower East Side. I took Baked Cheetos with me to the city so that I could eat them on game day. Thank goodness, too! It was a close one as Texas topped Oklahoma State to stay atop the national rankings and on track for a national championship run. This week presents yet another monumental task for the Horns in Lubbock at Texas Tech. Yikes. And hook 'em.
I have also spent a great deal of time responding to emails, facebook posts and the like which claim that Barack Obama is either a communist or a terrorist or that he believes judges should rule based on empathy rather than the law. There seems to be no end to the ridiculous crap people will communicate and believe.
The one thing I have not done is vote. Early voting ends today in my state and I will have to do it on election day. I hear terrible tales of the lines I might have to wait in, but wait I shall! If I should decide that I'm too busy to vote, I risk this...
Watch News Story
Don't let that story be about you!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Your Auto: Liberal or Conservative?
Recently, I was in traffic behind a small Subaru wagon that was adorned with an Obama '08 bumper sticker. It occurred to me, then and there, that Subaru seems to be a decidedly Democratic car. I thought through the Subaru owners that I know and their political leanings all fell into 3 of 5 categories that I quickly created at a stoplight.
1) Regular/Frequent Democratic voter
2) I don't know, but if I had to guess, I'd say regular/frequent Democratic voter
3) I really don't know
4) I don't know, but if I had to guess, I'd say regular/frequent Republican voter
5) Regular/Frequent Republican voter.
Every single Subaru owner I know fell into either category 1, 2, or 3, with several in category 1. It is important that share with you, at this point, that the total number of owners I could come up with was about 10 - a rather small chunk of the electorate. A small chunk, yes, but an undeniable correlation between party and car. I tried to think of any other car maker that I could connect so closely with a political party. I thought through luxury car makers and the Republican party, but I could name Democrats that drive them all.
It's probably too late for this election cycle, but it seems quite clear that the Democratic party must forge partnerships with Subaru and Subaru dealers to get more Americans in those vehicles. Perhaps Democratic National Committee dollars could be utilized as subsidies for those wishing to purchase Subarus. For the DNC, it would be an investment in practically guaranteeing future votes.
I did a very quick internet search for "Subaru Democrat" and did find this article, which confirms Subaru, and a couple of other makes as having been decidedly Democrat in 2004, and Porsche as a car whose owners overwhelmingly supported George Bush that year. It also mentions some other proclivities of voters, including hobbies, and all I can say is Democrats watch some crap TV!*
* They, like everyone else, should be tuning in to see Texas Longhorns football games like the one played last weekend that propelled the 'Horns to #1 in all the land!
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1) Regular/Frequent Democratic voter
2) I don't know, but if I had to guess, I'd say regular/frequent Democratic voter
3) I really don't know
4) I don't know, but if I had to guess, I'd say regular/frequent Republican voter
5) Regular/Frequent Republican voter.
Every single Subaru owner I know fell into either category 1, 2, or 3, with several in category 1. It is important that share with you, at this point, that the total number of owners I could come up with was about 10 - a rather small chunk of the electorate. A small chunk, yes, but an undeniable correlation between party and car. I tried to think of any other car maker that I could connect so closely with a political party. I thought through luxury car makers and the Republican party, but I could name Democrats that drive them all.
It's probably too late for this election cycle, but it seems quite clear that the Democratic party must forge partnerships with Subaru and Subaru dealers to get more Americans in those vehicles. Perhaps Democratic National Committee dollars could be utilized as subsidies for those wishing to purchase Subarus. For the DNC, it would be an investment in practically guaranteeing future votes.
I did a very quick internet search for "Subaru Democrat" and did find this article, which confirms Subaru, and a couple of other makes as having been decidedly Democrat in 2004, and Porsche as a car whose owners overwhelmingly supported George Bush that year. It also mentions some other proclivities of voters, including hobbies, and all I can say is Democrats watch some crap TV!*
* They, like everyone else, should be tuning in to see Texas Longhorns football games like the one played last weekend that propelled the 'Horns to #1 in all the land!
.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Rebuttals, Realignments, Rivalries, and Repentance
Note: This post will be conveniently divided by the respective "R" words above so you can easily access the R-topic that most interests you (though I wholeheaRtedly Recommend Reading all fouR).
R1: I have decided I don't care for the Presidential debates. Even the most casual of ZiggyBackRiders will know that I am very interested in the election and the political process, but I really believe that no purpose is served by these little get-togethers. The candidates just break their stump speeches into little answer-sized pieces (though actually slightly larger than answer-sized, as they continually exceed the agreed upon time limits) and deliver them in response to whatever question seems to come closest to broaching the appropriate speech piece. They also engage in a great deal of pettiness in hopes of looking better in a side-by-side comparison. Last night, I learned nothing new. The only interesting part was thinking about how I would have anwered the final question: "What don't you know and how will you go about learning it?" Perhaps I'll address that in a future post. Or maybe I'll finally write that list of my favorite sports movies, which I've promised to Zina, David, and others for about three years now! That brings us to...
R2: I'd like to take this opportunity to invite/encourage all Chicago Cubs fans to realign themselves with the New York Yankees. Here's why. The Cubs have broken your hearts again. Again! I would never encourage you to return to a lover or a business associate who had scorned or cheated you so many times and I can not, in good conscience, let you think it's okay going on believing that the Cubs will win you a championship one day. The Cubs are just wrong for you - plain and simple. I've always thought of them as somewhat similar to the Yankees, though - aside from the winning, of course - in that they are a classic team with a national following, a colorful history, and a landmark stadium. So, it's not that big a switch, really - aside from the winning, of course. And while I don't think sports fans should be casual about switching alliances, I think it's always okay to like the Yankees. They are baseball history and they are America. They are pinstripes and pride, legends and lore. Their story is every baseball fan's story. They can be your team. And you, Cubs fan... you, too can know what it's like to be with a team that cares about you. Welcome aboard!
R3: Texas vs. Oklahoma! This Saturday! Two undefeated teams! Both ranked in the top 5! Red River Rivalry! History! Heisman candidates! College Gameday! Big Tex! Bevo! Baked Cheetos! National Champi...No! I dare not!
I'm excited. A little.
R4: Yom Kippur, the Day of Repentance, begins tonight at sundown. May you who are observing have an easy fast and a meaningful day, may you find it easy to forgive and to feel forgiven, and may you emerge from this holy day ready to be better and do better, ready to live the life - and build the world - of your dreams.
R1: I have decided I don't care for the Presidential debates. Even the most casual of ZiggyBackRiders will know that I am very interested in the election and the political process, but I really believe that no purpose is served by these little get-togethers. The candidates just break their stump speeches into little answer-sized pieces (though actually slightly larger than answer-sized, as they continually exceed the agreed upon time limits) and deliver them in response to whatever question seems to come closest to broaching the appropriate speech piece. They also engage in a great deal of pettiness in hopes of looking better in a side-by-side comparison. Last night, I learned nothing new. The only interesting part was thinking about how I would have anwered the final question: "What don't you know and how will you go about learning it?" Perhaps I'll address that in a future post. Or maybe I'll finally write that list of my favorite sports movies, which I've promised to Zina, David, and others for about three years now! That brings us to...
R2: I'd like to take this opportunity to invite/encourage all Chicago Cubs fans to realign themselves with the New York Yankees. Here's why. The Cubs have broken your hearts again. Again! I would never encourage you to return to a lover or a business associate who had scorned or cheated you so many times and I can not, in good conscience, let you think it's okay going on believing that the Cubs will win you a championship one day. The Cubs are just wrong for you - plain and simple. I've always thought of them as somewhat similar to the Yankees, though - aside from the winning, of course - in that they are a classic team with a national following, a colorful history, and a landmark stadium. So, it's not that big a switch, really - aside from the winning, of course. And while I don't think sports fans should be casual about switching alliances, I think it's always okay to like the Yankees. They are baseball history and they are America. They are pinstripes and pride, legends and lore. Their story is every baseball fan's story. They can be your team. And you, Cubs fan... you, too can know what it's like to be with a team that cares about you. Welcome aboard!
R3: Texas vs. Oklahoma! This Saturday! Two undefeated teams! Both ranked in the top 5! Red River Rivalry! History! Heisman candidates! College Gameday! Big Tex! Bevo! Baked Cheetos! National Champi...No! I dare not!
I'm excited. A little.
R4: Yom Kippur, the Day of Repentance, begins tonight at sundown. May you who are observing have an easy fast and a meaningful day, may you find it easy to forgive and to feel forgiven, and may you emerge from this holy day ready to be better and do better, ready to live the life - and build the world - of your dreams.
Monday, October 06, 2008
A Fond Fair Well
The Mid South Fair has made it's final stop at the Memphis Fairgrounds over the last couple of weeks. Carnival enthusiasts soaked it up, as the future of the event is uncertain. I certainly made the most of the opportunity to create a memory that will last a lifetime. I'm not sure if you saw the news story. Here it is...
The Ride of My Life
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The Ride of My Life
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Thursday, October 02, 2008
Sensory Selection
I was recently asked, "If you had to give up one of your five senses, which would you choose?" Here is my answer. (Please feel free to use the comment feature to share your answer.)
I found it pretty easy to narrow this down from five, but harder to decide on one.
Sight is out. Not an option. Not beeing able to see changes life so dramatically, so quickly - the way you interact with people, with the world, with stumbling blocks, with dogs, etc.
Hearing wasn't far behind. Being deaf isn't as bad for your shins as being blind, but it has to be worse for relationships. I like hearing (certain) people's voices too much, I like hearing music too much, I like to hear jokes too much, I need to hear my alarm clock too much.
Actually, that last one makes me want to be deaf a little. But just a very little.
Touch got eliminated next. Dangerous! I'd hate to think that I was hurting myself or someone else and couldn't tell. Also, there are, well, certain things that I like to feel. That's for another conversation, though!
So it's down to Smell and Taste. Which has to go? Hmmm....
On one hand, I do enjoy food and certain things taste very good. Also, certain things taste very bad and that could let me know I shouldn't be eating those things (e.g. bleach, acid, sardine-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, etc.). And there are lots of smells that aren't really all that enjoyable. For every comment I've made or thought I've had about how nice something smells, there have surely been two about how undesirable another thing smells. And rarely (not never, but rarely) do I get the same enjoyment from smelling anything as I get from tasting certain things. Smell seemed to be losing the battle.
HOWEVER...
Like I said, I do enjoy food and certain things taste very good. Perhaps if I could not taste, I would be able to truly eat for sustenance rather than for entertainment. I could probably be much healthier if broccoli tasted like milk chocolate, and bell peppers like Cheetos. Also, how often do I really eat bleach, acid, and sardine-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? Especially with my keen sight that would help me read pertinent labels and my tactile acuity that would make my fingers burn at the touch of acid, my olfactory brilliance that would alert me to the presence of bleach in or near my mouth, and my hearing that would enable me to hear those who care calling out to me, saying "Michael Ziggy Danziger, don't eat that sardine-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean! You probably won't like it."
Just like that, the dangers of being without taste seemed to melt away. At the same time, I remembered how closely the sense of smell is tied to taste and how giving up smell might mean substantially giving up both. I also remembered how closely smell is tied to memory and how smells constantly remind me of another place or time. I also remembered that there are a lot of smells that aren't that enjoyable and I realized that I would certainly want to know if any of them was emanating from me. How could I know that if I could not smell?
And so the answer became clear. If I should be called upon (for whatever reason - it's hard to imagine such a scenario) to choose a sense to lose, I would choose taste. And from then on, it would be said about me, "He has really poor taste." Like I haven't heard that before!
I found it pretty easy to narrow this down from five, but harder to decide on one.
Sight is out. Not an option. Not beeing able to see changes life so dramatically, so quickly - the way you interact with people, with the world, with stumbling blocks, with dogs, etc.
Hearing wasn't far behind. Being deaf isn't as bad for your shins as being blind, but it has to be worse for relationships. I like hearing (certain) people's voices too much, I like hearing music too much, I like to hear jokes too much, I need to hear my alarm clock too much.
Actually, that last one makes me want to be deaf a little. But just a very little.
Touch got eliminated next. Dangerous! I'd hate to think that I was hurting myself or someone else and couldn't tell. Also, there are, well, certain things that I like to feel. That's for another conversation, though!
So it's down to Smell and Taste. Which has to go? Hmmm....
On one hand, I do enjoy food and certain things taste very good. Also, certain things taste very bad and that could let me know I shouldn't be eating those things (e.g. bleach, acid, sardine-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, etc.). And there are lots of smells that aren't really all that enjoyable. For every comment I've made or thought I've had about how nice something smells, there have surely been two about how undesirable another thing smells. And rarely (not never, but rarely) do I get the same enjoyment from smelling anything as I get from tasting certain things. Smell seemed to be losing the battle.
HOWEVER...
Like I said, I do enjoy food and certain things taste very good. Perhaps if I could not taste, I would be able to truly eat for sustenance rather than for entertainment. I could probably be much healthier if broccoli tasted like milk chocolate, and bell peppers like Cheetos. Also, how often do I really eat bleach, acid, and sardine-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? Especially with my keen sight that would help me read pertinent labels and my tactile acuity that would make my fingers burn at the touch of acid, my olfactory brilliance that would alert me to the presence of bleach in or near my mouth, and my hearing that would enable me to hear those who care calling out to me, saying "Michael Ziggy Danziger, don't eat that sardine-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean! You probably won't like it."
Just like that, the dangers of being without taste seemed to melt away. At the same time, I remembered how closely the sense of smell is tied to taste and how giving up smell might mean substantially giving up both. I also remembered how closely smell is tied to memory and how smells constantly remind me of another place or time. I also remembered that there are a lot of smells that aren't that enjoyable and I realized that I would certainly want to know if any of them was emanating from me. How could I know that if I could not smell?
And so the answer became clear. If I should be called upon (for whatever reason - it's hard to imagine such a scenario) to choose a sense to lose, I would choose taste. And from then on, it would be said about me, "He has really poor taste." Like I haven't heard that before!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Welcome To The Bailout Ball
The Senate just passed a financial bailout plan by a vote of 75-24. I hope, very sincerely, that it does what it is meant to do and will bring financial peace to the citizens of our nation.
I am hopeful. And I am annoyed.
As I write, leaders of the Senate are taking turns patting one another on the back in press conferences for their great work on this. They are also extolling their own bipartisanship, proud of their ability to come to consensus within five weeks of an election.
Translation: It is accepted that they are usually willing to avoid doing what the country needs if doing so may result in electoral gain.
That is not leadership and that is not what we pay them for. ZiggyBackRiders, don't be so quick to join the party congratulating our lawmakers for this. Don't let them get away with trying to make us believe that that is how it should be.
I don't care if the election is fifty years away or thirty seconds away. Any lawmaker who would ever do anything other than what they think or know should be done for the good of the nation to gain something politically should be removed from office immediately, if not sooner.*
If we want more, we have to ask for it and keep asking, even demanding it, until we get it. And when we get it, we should, like any supervisor, show appreciation for a job well done, but we need not throw a party every time a senator does his or her job. Now, let's see if the Members of the House can do theirs.
* I would love, LOVE to see a list of every senator or representative whose vote had to be bought with the addition to this bill of some unrelated clause. Forget voting against them. We should consider trying them for treason.
I am hopeful. And I am annoyed.
As I write, leaders of the Senate are taking turns patting one another on the back in press conferences for their great work on this. They are also extolling their own bipartisanship, proud of their ability to come to consensus within five weeks of an election.
Translation: It is accepted that they are usually willing to avoid doing what the country needs if doing so may result in electoral gain.
That is not leadership and that is not what we pay them for. ZiggyBackRiders, don't be so quick to join the party congratulating our lawmakers for this. Don't let them get away with trying to make us believe that that is how it should be.
I don't care if the election is fifty years away or thirty seconds away. Any lawmaker who would ever do anything other than what they think or know should be done for the good of the nation to gain something politically should be removed from office immediately, if not sooner.*
If we want more, we have to ask for it and keep asking, even demanding it, until we get it. And when we get it, we should, like any supervisor, show appreciation for a job well done, but we need not throw a party every time a senator does his or her job. Now, let's see if the Members of the House can do theirs.
* I would love, LOVE to see a list of every senator or representative whose vote had to be bought with the addition to this bill of some unrelated clause. Forget voting against them. We should consider trying them for treason.
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