23 August 2008

Just some random thoughts at end of week

We now live in a world where the fastest man is named Bolt. It’s as if the folks at Marvel or DC Comics have taken over from Newton and Einstein, tired of simply defining blockbuster movies they are now defining our reality.

In Cancun, one of the guides asked us what the difference was between Miami and Cancun. The answer? In Cancun they speak English.

I’m delighted that Obama chose Biden as his running mate, but I have to take a shot. The good news is that Obama actually has someone old enough to offer adult supervision to his campaign and administration, to enforce things like a curfew, for instance. The bad news is that Biden is too old to stay up late enough to find out whether Obama actually observes the curfew. I shouldn't joke, though. This could not have been easy for Obama who, in order to balance the ticket, had to find an older white guy active in politics.

My notion that women in their forties and fifties are in the prime of life has gotten two more confirmations. 50 year old Madonna has launched her new tour dancing like someone half her age and 41 year-old Dara Torres is swimming away from Beijing with three silver medals. Minds as interesting as any 60 year old’s and bodies as able as any 20 year old’s. If that isn’t the prime of life I’m unclear on the concept.

My favorite quote regarding McCain’s need this week to check with his staff on the number of homes he owns.
"The number of Americans who do not know how many houses they own is so small they could probably fit in a golf cart."
- John Dickerson, at Slate

What is worse, McCain’s resident blogger has twice ridiculed the “pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd.” One commentator writes, “the McCain campaign has inadvertently woken an angry nerd army.” I hardly know whether to chuckle or wince at the thought of a swarm of dice-throwing pale and angry men shaking their fists at the former POW who would be president.

And yet, McCain has recently gained on Obama in the polls.



Finally, for those of you wondering about all the effect of mingling all those amazingly fit bodies together in one place at the Olympics, you may want to read Matthew Seyd’s article, Sex and the Olympic City, in The Times. The Greeks loved the physical and their Olympics were a celebration of the body. Apparently, modern athletes continue this tradition and sex between athletes is rampant within the Olympic Village.

10 comments:

Jennifer S said...

Perhaps the Secret Service will be responsible for flipping on the White House porch light when Obama stays out too long?

The fact that you aged-UP the minds of women like Dara Torres ("...Minds as interesting as any 60 year old's") makes me wish more people would give the same credit to women in that age group. My age group, soon. It is the prime of life. Or I'm hoping it is.

The John Dickerson quote is great! And the story about the Olympic athletes made me very happy, because good for them.

Allen said...

I’m bettin’ if Obama-Biden win it all, they’ll BOTH live in the White House. That way Joe can tell Barack, “remember to wake me up when you come home tonight so I’ll know you’re home safe.”

What do Dara Torres and the Russian Pole Vaulter you pictured have in common? HOT bods! That’s why I wasn’t all too surprised to hear about the free condom give-away in the Olympic Village. I’m sure the weather wasn’t all that was steamy in Beijing. And now I know why the female TV reporters kept bringing up Phelps shoe size. A guy with 8 gold medals and size 14 feet . . . betcha’ he was practicing strokes of a different kind after winning his 8th medal.

Ron Davison said...

Jennifer,
minds - the interesting ones anyway - tend to get MORE interesting as they get older.

ALLEN! ALLEN!
Did you just use my blog to accuse Phelps of inappropriate stroking?!?! Can you do that? Isn't this a family blog where we do our bit to support rather than slander the national heroes?

Allen said...

Ron, you silly fellah. Phelps is practicing his brush strokes, I'm sure, just so's he can sign a more elegant signature to all those autographed photos he'll be sending out. I'm SURE that's what I meant. yep. that's it.

exskindiver said...

hello ron.

Gypsy at Heart said...

You remind me that the first time I ever set foot in Miami, I thought that but for the architecture, I was walking through Havana again. I can vouch that English is a third language there. First Cuban (anyone will tell you it's a bonafide language ESPECIALLY if they are Cuban). Then Spanish, and third English.


On another note, Big Al? You're pretty funny.

On yet another note, will you look at the pole vaulter's calves - Wow!

Anonymous said...

Speaking of looks, the funniest take I've read on the Biden choice is that Obama wanted a running mate that really does look like the guy on the dollar bill!

-In fact, a curly white Dorothy Hamill-bob and a frilly collar would just about seal the deal.

Ron Davison said...

ALLEN!
Phew! I was almost positive that is what you meant.

Hello Chesca.

Milena,
Please, don't encourage Allen. Wait. No. Go ahead and encourage Allen. Just don't rave about his calves. If you do, none of us will ever again hear the last of it.

Scott,
This is me laughing. And why wouldn't a candidate in such attire rise to the top in polls? I may just don such a look for blogging.

Allen said...

Milena/Gypsy at Heart,

The pole vaulter has calves? Oh, you're right. She does! Silly me . . . I guess I just didn't pan down far enough, er, I mean, my computer screen was, oh never mind!

BTW, LOVE the handle. Oh, and the compliment was oh-so-nice too.

Ron, PLEASE, please, please, please, PLEASE don the cool white hair wig. I don't know what makes me more jiggy: the wig or the frilly collar. Okay. Made up my mind. It's the frilly collar. I WANT ONE!

Ron Davison said...

ALLEN!
Your laptop was at an angle? What? What are you saying? And as mentioned, I have donned a revolutionary outfit.