Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts

11/06/2007

Can Civil Oppression Offer Up a Dash of Sexy?

Saucy women's gossip blog Jezebel has decided take on a very pressing issue by crafting a morally weird online poll that throws religion, politics, and gossip into fever pitch. Let's honor this nutty poll and take some time to ponder: Just who, exactly, are hotter—the Bhuddist monks in Burma calling for an end to the ruling military junta, or the scruffy lawyers in Pakistan protesting in favor of democratic institutions?

How to decide? It is quite the predicament for many an informed Internet opinionator. The results currently register a statistical dead-heat. I’m trying to drum up some support for the lawyers myself. Shaved heads on peace-loving monks? Not so much. Middle-class Muslim intelligentsia rallying against an oppressive dictatorship fueled by hyper-religious zeal? Way sexier. Let’s make sure these guys come out on top!

At first, I was a little taken aback by this ridiculous, in-a-thousand-ways objectionable poll. I mean, c'mon, these people are suffering! But after giving the post a once-over, I couldn’t stop laughing. And I voted. Twice. It’s the kind of proposition that’s so offensive, it’s not at all. In some ways, it's actually sympathetic to the plight of these democracy-clamoring revolutionaries.

Here’s how I figure: I’m pretty sure the average Jezebel reader simply doesn’t care what goes on in those far-off parts of the world. With this post, Jezebel manages to pique reader interest in two salient, violence-fueled crisis situations that are escalating as you read this, and does so with a solid dose of tongue-in-cheek humor.

I know, I know, it’s unsavory, insensitive and superficial to create a poll asking which group of oppressed yet “fine-dressed men in Asia” is hotter. But Jezebel makes a good point: As a rule of thumb, what gets more girls, bald heads or shaggy beards?

10/24/2007

Political Automotive: Zero to 60 in 3.5?

For the past couple of days, I’ve been putting together a user-friendly glossary of vehicle parts and features for a corporate client's online help center, and as a result, I’m feeling straight-up Motor City--more so than ever before. I've suddenly turned vehemently vehicular. Automotive to the core! That's right, baby!

Ahem. Anyway, to honor this carefully cultured enthusiasm for all things Car And Driver, I felt like penning a post in tribute to that grand, global industry that’s gifted us with cruise control, hybrids, and variable valve timing (oh my!).

To look for fresh ideas, I started perusing my e-mail inbox this morning, when lo! An unread day-old message from a fellow colleague that my hurried eyes had inexplicably missed. It included a URL to a nifty little online game, created by ABC News, called Candidates and their Cars. Check it out! It's quite amusing. Do you think you know your presidential candidates? Are they being consequential with their political stance against global warming? Can you match them to their wheels? Put them and yourself to the test!

Most of these candidates drive American cars, which is always good politics, I’m sure. Those who don’t, drive hybrids, which is also a political plus. Solid. There are a couple of gas-guzzling Republicans, a Democrat with a mystery machine that runs on E85, and a lone 'vette enthusiast. One candidate purportedly drives some sort of ghetto Ford Focus. My favorite ride is McCain’s.

Anyway, go ahead and play the game. The political race is on: Will knowledge of the candidates' rides sway your voting preferences? Do you even care? Let me know!