Suffrage

In other words, let's talk about voting. Voting is important, and voting is awesome. On this, the day of the 2012 Presidential Election, let's remember that. No matter who wins, we can all have a say in that winner if we choose. Allow me to repeat myself. Voting is awesome.

A good friend of mine has an unwavering passion for the history of voting, so much so that she dressed up as a suffragette for Halloween this year (you know who you are, if you happen to be reading this). And it caused me to think about how proud our American female predecessors would be to see our country as it is today. Where women can not only vote, but they can participate in democracy while looking fierce.. in fake nails, bling, and highlights. Beyonce makes democracy look good. 

Source: usmagazine.com

Redskins Rule

Happy Election Eve! Today I bring to you a fable as old as time itself (considering 1940 to be close enough to "old as time itself") that brings together U.S. politics, U.S. sports, and U.S. data analysis. Well, the data analysis could probably hold a number of national affiliations, but U.S. probably did this best. I'm feeling patriotic.

Wikipedia best describes this one: "There is a high correlation between the outcome of the last Washington Redskins home football game prior to the U.S. Presidential Election and the outcome of the election: when the Redskins win, the incumbent party wins the electoral vote for the White House; when the Redskins lose, the non-incumbent party wins." 

Source: Geoff Burke, US Presswire

In the Washington Redskins last home game, they were defeated by the Carolina Panthers. If we're going with that one, look for a Mitt Romney win tomorrow, folks. You're a disbeliever and not a Redskins fan? Well, at least the Panthers finally won a game. I'm Cam Newton, and I approve this message.

Unofficial New York City Marathon

Source: Robert Caplin, The New York Times

You can cancel the race, but you can't stop people from waking up early, putting on spandex, and running in circles to say they completed a marathon.. even if it's an unofficial marathon.

After the Friday announcement of the first NYC Marathon cancellation since 1970, the participants in one of the largest marathons in the world were left wondering what to do with their Sunday morning. I, like many of the other participants, did not need to wonder for too long. After a post-cancellation margarita, it seemed clear. Run anyways.

But more than loving the fact that thousands of other marathon runners from around the word flooded into Central Park to finish the race that has been a longstanding tradition in the great city of New York, you have to love the New Yorkers that also came to Central Park to cheer and support the runners with a little New York hospitality. You have to love the children passing Halloween candy to the athletes and the crews of Uptown-ers holding signs like "you've been training for this race longer than Kim Kardashian's marriage" on the side of the road. 

Mostly, you have to love that one guy in Harlem holding up a 2 liter bottle of Diet Pepsi and a Dixie cup yelling "Hydration!" and "You're almost there!" When you're running in circles (4.5 circles to be exact), it's hard to know exactly where "there" is.  I love New York.

Uniqlo

One of my favorite Fifth Avenue retailers and places to marvel at the excitement of khaki-clad tourists as they marvel at "New York City fashion," Uniqlo is an affordable and fashionable place to get every item you could probably ever need for your closet.

This includes "Ultra Light Down" winter jackets... and, though I couldn't find them on the sales floor, what appeared to be "Ultra Light Down" SKIRTS. Yes. Almost like a puffy vest, the mannequins of Uniqlo (at least the female ones) were dressed in puffy skirts. That's really all that I wanted to say.

I didn't get a picture, but that will force you to go to a Uniqlo to see. At that point, you will probably buy a few things, having made this post a source of revenue to that store location. You're welcome, Uniqlo.

Source: Uniqlo

Grana Padano

When you go to a marathon expo, because most people go to those quite frequently, you probably expect to see Gatorade and Adidas well represented. You probably suspect there will be people selling shoelaces and track jackets that would make Sporty Spice weak in the knees. But would you think to see wheels of cheese?

Me neither. But I didn't hate it. Seriously, this is some fantastic cheese. I'm from Wisconsin. I should know.

Kobe Bryant

(Photo: Jaime Valdez, US Presswire)

After a one month hiatus, I will guess that nobody thought my first topic would be Kobe Bryant. Well, it is. Even though Los Angeles added Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to their line-up (that's a big deal, for anybody who isn't a basketball fan), the Lakers haven't won a game this season. Out of two games. No need for alarm.

The fans are not happy about this 0-2 record, and elicited this response from the Lakers' guard and guy who took Brandy to his high school prom (yes, that happened and I'm bringing it up again):

"I just I don't understand. The city here, for me, not trying to bite my tongue and not calling them dumb, which I kind of just did, but they've seen us win multiple championships here playing in an offense that was tough to learn. ... They know how that stuff works."

"I won't say idiotic, but it's close."

I'm not saying this because I love Shaquille O'Neal, but I think that things really took a turn when Shaq left that team. I'd like to think that Kobe is channeling Shaq in the above finger wag (not Dikembe Mutombo, but guessing not many people know the difference, so let's just say Shaq and go with it). 

Who says the NBA can't be exciting??? Fear the Deer!*

*I'm a Milwaukee fan, and that's what Bucks fans say. In case you didn't know the Bucks had catchphrases... or fans.

OCTOBER HIATUS

Just like the title says, I'm taking a brief hiatus. During the month of October.

Though not explicitly declared, I will be returning to the blog on 1 November (again, maybe not entirely obviously, but 1 November 2012).