Recently in Social Category

A few weeks ago, we got to attend the second night of the Banff Film Festival World Tour here in Madison. There were two films that have stuck with me simply for the determination of each of the adventurers.

In the first film, Dominic Gill rides a tandem bike from Point Barrow, Alaska to Puerto Toro, Chile. (Oddly, I tried to used Google Map's bike directions to go from point to point and it couldn't calculate a route.) He documents his adventure in the story, Take a Seat. With the tandem bike, he gets to pick up random people to help him; he even had a website that folks could sign up to ride with him. Overall, it takes him two years to complete the journey.

The second film chronicles Roz Savage as she was Rowing the Atlantic. She sets off on her journey completely solo. She has a satellite phone that breaks just over halfway through the journey. She has no other contact and no medical/supply drops. However, the British Royal Navy did stop by at one point. It takes her three months to complete the trip.

In the weeks since seeing the movies, I wonder and asked some folks, which one would you rather do? Two years of biking with the opportunity to stop and converse with locals, even convince them to ride your bike with you? Or, three months of solitude rowing yourself across an ocean? The results have been mixed. So, which would you rather do?

And when you're done here, be sure to check out the rest of the movies in the festival.

So Britney ties the bald look. (The local ABC affiliate has some video.) Be sure to check People.com's pictures. Like the rest of the country, we were talking about what the hell she was thinking. Here's what came up:

My basic thought (and the most likely) is that she's suffering from postpartem depression. TJ quickly corrected me and added that it's more likely "post-stardom depression." Nice.

When discussing her recent "drive-through" rehab session, Kris commented that that when when hears that any celebrity has to go to rehab, if they're not out within twenty-four hours, they're not as good as Britney. (Though, after her recent actions, the treatment she received may be questionable.)

Update: She did it again! Damn! she's good.

Lou Dobbs calls out everyone writing what I'm sure a lot of people are thinking. If you're jewish, please follow his best bit of advice:

And I hope you'll celebrate the Christmas season by offending someone. If you're Jewish, how about a hearty "Happy Hanukkah" to a good Christian? If they're offended you've revealed a fool, not such a good Christian and someone you shouldn't waste your expression of good will upon. But get ready for a few robust "Merry Christmas" calls to be thrown your way as well.

I for one will welcome any "Happy Hanukkahs" tossed my way. Even better would be the ocassional "Happy Kwanzaa!"

On Thursday's "the show" by Ze Frank, he makes a great comment on terrorism and how to react:

Bush today said this country is safer today than it was prior to 9/11. Personally, I don't think he knows. Whether we like it or not, terrorist attacks on Americans are now part of the global reality. They will continue to happen. Many places around the globe have had to deal with a similar reality for years. India, Ireland, England, Spain, Russia, to name a few. In many cases, these societies have pulled together and not allowed isolated acts of violence to tear at their fiber. Like disease and the forces of nature, it's a risk that we have to rationally come to terms with. The government's responsibility is to make sure that fear and terror are not disproportionate to the reality of the situation.

Today the President said, "This nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom to hurt our nation." Generalized statements like this which instill nebulous fear without specific information are exactly in line with the goals of terrorism.

Midas awards dumbass for driving 372 miles round trip everyday. Said winner Dave Givens:

"I have a great job and my family loves the ranch where we live," he said in explaining why he makes the commute. "So this is the only solution."

Here's where it gets good:

"We were impressed with the [nearly 3,000] responses," said [Rick] Dow [senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Midas.] "Apparently, there are a lot of Americans putting a lot of miles on their cars to get to the office each day. Consequently, it's more important than ever that commuters properly maintain their vehicles."

No word on the impact to the envrionment by each of the 3,000 contest entrants. Dave, I suggest you rent The End of Suburbia. Not that it's all true, but it does provide some interesting viewpoints on where we're headed.

I've given myself two days to ponder Madison's annual Halloween bash over the weekend. I seem to support all the views except the Mayor's:

"What does it cost us, literally, as a city?" (He estimated that the weekend will cost Madison $350,000.) "Neither does it take into account the tremendous drain on his time, Police Chief Noble Wray's time and that of their assistants. The cost is one thing. The other thing, For what? What does all this money go for? It goes for a huge public drunk and I'm really concerned about the impact on young people."

The mayor wants to shut down the entire street, businesses and all for next year's Halloween. Businesses claim their best business over this weekend. The Mayor would, in effect, be canceling Christmas for these business owners. This is after the City enacted a stricter ventilation ordinance, prohibited weekend drink specials, and finally outlawed smoking in public buildings. I would have to believe that the Tavern League's collective heads would blow up.

The Capitol Times today summed up the collective thoughts of everyone: Chill Out Mr. Mayor. It basically says that for any other event, the cost to the City is worth the sold-out hotels, crowded streets, and 100,000 people from all over the world spreading the good word about Madison.

I'm thinking about printing that out and sending that to his office, just to make sure he gets the message. I would add the fact that a controlled party with gates, a private security company and a entrance fee would solve most of the Mayor's problems.

$350,000 or not, something should be done about the horse shit. I would not miss the putrid smell of the horse shit that covered the street under the lights. The mass stomped through the piles, dragging across the entire street, preventing any step hitting clean pavement. I purposely ran down State Street the next morning to see the aftermath. Kids were dazed, clutching their overnight and sleeping bags as they found breakfast and rides home. The street itself was still covered in a layer of horse shit. All the cracks were filled with it, and there was a faint hue of greenish-brown that glistened in the sun. It's great to know that will all wash into the lakes with the next rainfall. So, thanks for that, Mr. Mayor.

I consider myself a good tipper, always rounding up to at least 20%, even more when the service deserves it. Thankfully, Kris is the same way, sometimes even more so. But that's not always the case. The Wall Street Journal discusses the different view points on the hotly contested value of tipping. The following quote sums up my reason for rounding up:

"In the end, the difference between a 15% tip and a 20% tip really only amounts to a few extra dollars out of my pocket, but it can make a lot of difference to the person receiving the tip. If you're dining at the restaurant, chances are you make more money than the people waiting on you. As a percentage of income, those few extra dollars make a far bigger difference to a waiter or waitress than to you -- especially if other patrons adopt the same strategy."

So there you have it. If you make sure my glass it topped off, clear my place when I'm finished, and just be friendly, I will make sure that you know you earned it. Bonus points for establishing a connection through a conversation or offering a particular menu item you enjoy. However, being directly rude or cruel will make me keep the extra bucks in my pocket.

I started following Odin's amazing entry into life just about a year ago. His journey through micro-preemie life, and and now age-adjusted life as been special to watch. Monday, he celebrated his first birthday. Happy Birthday Odin! I wish him and his family all the best.

Thousands of people are flocking to an underpass of the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. They want to see a likeness of Mary stained in the concrete by the salt and snow melt from the past winter. Many claim to see Mary holding a rosary in prayer. I can see the resemblance, but it doesn't move me to make a pilgrimage like it does others. In fact, it's very difficult for me to understand why others do this.

I finally convinced myself this morning that this is important to them. I don't know why it didn't hit me this earlier. I caught a clip of a woman saying through her tears, "...I just hope that by coming hear, I'll get better." That's when the box of rocks hit my head. These people have committed so much of their lives to their faith in God that unfortunate events such as a terminal illness shake their belief to the core. I imagine they have huge battles of doubt in everything they have faith in. Some cave in and give up. Others cling even tighter to their faith and seek out events like this to affirm their beliefs.

I've come to believe The mind is much too powerful for us to understand its power. (That's makes sense, doesn't it?) What I mean to say is that, put your mind to anything, and, given enough conviction, it will be so. Lance Armstrong had a revelation while waiting to die, got on his bike and beat cancer. George Bush wanted to be like his daddy, and bought the presidency. Cults believe their from another planet and the Halle-Bopp comet is their ticket home, and they kill themselves wearing Nikes. For me, I hated being overweight, convinced myself to lose weight, and now I'm training for an Ironman. And so on and so forth. You can make yourself believe anything, all it takes is a little nudge from your consciousness to get you going. The stronger the belief, the grander the results.

So these people praying under the expressway are simply giving themselves a little nudge that their belief God does exist, because for some, that is what they need to survive. It's simply easier for them to use their religion to explain the unexplainable than to understand the complex science and mind power that makes up the human species and its interaction with the universe.

Yesterday, I called my doctor's nurse inquiring about a referral to see a nutritionist. I'd like to meet with one to review my diet and how I should be eating as I continue to train. Basically, I wanted to continue my new-found healthy lifestyle, and looked toward the medical profession for help. The response was, "I don't know if we have anyone like that on staff."

Just goes to show where our society's priorities are.