October 19, 2007
FOUR FOR FIRDAY
Q1 - I'm Telling!: In many parts of the U.S., drought conditions are so bad that homeowners are banned from watering their lawns. If you lived in a town that temporarily banned outside watering and you noticed a neighbor breaking the rule, would you go out of your way to report them to the local water authority? Would your answer change if the neighbor were someone you absolutely despise or consider a good friend?
Q2 - Now That's Funny!: An unlikely new candidate entered the Presidential race this week, adding his name to an already deep field of candidates: comedian Stephen Colbert. The host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" announced this week that he would enter the primary in his home state of South Carolina. Seriously folks, would you vote for a comedian or another non-traditional candidate, (i.e., someone who is not either a successful business person, legislator, politician, or community leader) for President of the United States?
Q3 - Cafeteria Trays: When you eat at a self-serve or walk-up-and-order and carry-it-to-your-table-yourself style of restaurant, do you use your cafeteria-style tray while you eat or do you immediately remove your food from the tray and turn in all directions to see just how quickly you can get rid of the thing?
Q4 - Media Ownership: The head of the Federal Communications Commission has circulated a plan to relax decades-old media ownership rules, including repealing a rule that forbids a company to own both a newspaper and a television or radio station in the same city. Kevin Martin, chairman of the FCC, wants to repeal the rule in the next two months -- a plan that, if successful, would be a big victory for Samuel Zell, the Chicago investor who is seeking to complete a buyout of the Tribune Company, and Rupert Murdoch, who has lobbied against the rule for years so that he can continue controlling both The New York Post and a Fox television station in New York. Do you think media conglomerates like the ones Martin seeks to exist are okay, or, like church and state, should local newspapers and television and radio stations remain separate entities?
Posted by Mikal at October 19, 2007 8:58 AM
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Q1 - I'm Telling!: Nope, I'd tell on everyone. Water is THE most critical natural resource we have. And if there's not enough to go around, and some dumb ass next door is watering his lawn, you bet I make the call.
Q2 - Now That's Funny!: For sure I would. To prove a point. Probably do a better job than anyone else that's running.
Q3 - Cafeteria Trays: I keep the tray. Helps to get rid of all the trash, which I realized the other day is just insane how much garbage places create to feed you food that you're eating in their place.
Q4 - Media Ownership: I don't see the point of the rule in today's world. So many alternate media sources, I think we're OK letting something like that go.
1. I'm writing an article in the local rag about how the City (our neighbor by way of a park) is treating the park like a rainforest--they water it for two hours every day...AND YES! Southern California is in a major drought. Read Cadillac Desert.
2.If Colbert became president, than who would keep the Administartion in check? We all have our jobs, now don't we?
3. I ditch the tray.
4. If a newspaper and a tv station are going to be owned by the same corporation, than that needs to be clear to the reader/viewer (e.g. THE FOX TIMES and THE FOX NETWORK). The reader/viewer needs to know the bias so they can evaluate the veracity of the so-called news themselves. So there!
1)Hell yes, I don't think that it is fair that everyone is following the rules, and then you have one guy who thinks he is above everyone, and he can break the rules.
2)That is a tough one. I think I would vote for an experienced candidate. Plus he is running for the Democratic party.... Blah!
3)I normally just eat on it, doesn't really bother me.
4)To be honest if it helps the economy I don't really care. There are obviously down sides to both.
Posted. Click the namelink.
Q1: Nah, they might report me for dumping used motor oil in the....uh, no, I wouldn't go out of my way.
Q2: Sure, if they had the better platform. I know for sure I would if it was American Idol.
Q3: They usually take up too much room at the table so I take my food off and sit on it. You know, to catch any spills or protect from any other unforeseen danger from below.
Q4: I'm probably in favor of the law. I mean, I already have to watch the same lame commercials over and over. I don't want to open my newspaper and have to see the same add for female propeecia (I had to misspell it to get around ur filters mikal!). Hogwash!
Q1 - I'm Telling!: I don't go out of my way to much of anything...but I agree with Jeremy on this one. Water conservation is one of my big environmental issues that I concern myself with.
Q2 - Now That's Funny!: Hell yeah I'd vote for Stephen Colbert. The man is a genius. And one thing that I think is a major factor in this decision is that both politicians and comedians are full of crap. Only difference is: comedians will tell you they're screwing with you while politicians just do it and expect you to buy into their bull hooey as though the things they are doing are actually heartfelt, or serve any other purpose but keeping them IN OFFICE!
Q3 - Cafeteria Trays: They're a good way of collecting the butt load of trash they provide you with.
Q4 - Media Ownership: The media is just as full of crap as the politicians we talked about in Q2. If you want to know what's going on in the world...what's relavent to your life and the lives of those around you, go see a play. If a theatre is doing it's job it is presenting topics that speak to the current state of affairs.
1. WATER BANS: I barely have time for FFF anymore. The last thing I would concern myself with would be tattling on a water-using neighbor. Although, as I prepare to buy a bigger house at month's end, one with a lawn WORTH watering, I am aware my priorities may change.
2. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would consider, seriously, any announced candidate. A part-timer, though, probably would not give me much to consider. I LOVE Stephen Colbert, but, . . .
3. CAFETERIA TRAYS: I usually dump the tray as soon as possible, mostly for space considerations.
4. MEDIA CONGLOMERATES: I tend to agree with the current rules, but understand the business and capitalistic considerations. (Is that a typical political answer or what??)
1: I tell. Probably talk to the neighbor first. Maybe they didn't know or forgot.
2: You know he'd sure be a different kinda of candidate and that serious change could be really refreshing. Right now he's got my vote. Though would it be the Stephen Colbert character from the show or the real life Stephen Colbert?
3: I use them to eat off of. Why remove convenience for appearance?
4: I don't think it should be law. I'm not excited about giant media conglomerates, but like Jer says there are SOOOO many sources now days that it's not that big of an issue.
1: I'd tell. Probably talk to the neighbor first. Maybe they didn't know or forgot.
2: You know he'd sure be a different kinda of candidate and that serious change could be really refreshing. Right now he's got my vote. Though would it be the Stephen Colbert character from the show or the real life Stephen Colbert?
3: I use them to eat off of. Why remove convenience for appearance?
4: I don't think it should be law. I'm not excited about giant media conglomerates, but like Jer says there are SOOOO many sources now days that it's not that big of an issue.
Q1: If it were someone that I didn't like I think there is a good chance of me telling on them. If it were a friend I would not.
Q2:No for the comedian. Although, I love the Colbert Report. He perfectly shows how rediculous the current administration is. If you were to ask, I would tell you that Ron Paul is America's candidate. He is finally someone I want to vote for instead of the lesser of two evils.
Q3:I usually get rid of the tray. If the table looks as if it isn't that clean then I will keep the tray.
Q4:I like the idea of them being seperate. That way you don't have the one sided opinion on all mediums, but there are so many different tv channels and newspaper companies I don't think that it would matter if one company owned a radio and newspaper and tv show. If you don't like their point of view, change to station or read the other paper.
1. I generally have other concerns, but when I've lived in places where watering was supposed to be controlled, the relative use of water was keyed. If you used a certain percentage of your pre-drought consumption, you have no rate change, if you went way lower, you got a better water rate, and if you were cheating to water your lawn, you got a way higher water rate.
2. I like Colbert, and would consider him as much as any other candidate. He may not be a politician, but he spend's enough time understand what's going on for his show that I think he's probably every bit as capable, and maybe a bit more understanding of the average american, than most of the other candidates.
3. I just hate the amount of space they take up on what are generally small tables. If its just me plus 1, then there's enough space and I'll use it, but if there are 3+ people, they just get in the way.
4. I think the worst thing that happened in Denver media what when the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post became owned by the same company. On the other hand, saying a company can't have mulitple types of news outlets is like telling apple they can't sell ipod's in New York because they already sell computers there. I think as long as we're not looking at the Chinese version of information dissemination, we're OK.
1. I'm Telling!: Truth is, I couldn't say unless I was put in such a situation. My general instinct is to butt out. Unless my neighbor was causing harm to me or others then I would probably just ignore it. But, if I really despised the person, I might call. Then I'd wait for the cops to show and laugh as they smacked him around with their beatin' sticks. Yep... it's evil, but so am I.
2. Now That's Funny!: Colbert I would not seriously consider, but only because I know he's not serious about running. If he was really serious... I probably still wouldn't because I don't think the rest of the world would take him seriously.
3. Cafeteria Trays: If the food I'm eating is messy, I keep the tray. Otherwise I ditch it asap.
4. Media Ownership: Uhh... I don't think I really care either way. As long as there is diversity in the media so I can turn on a TV channel that's NOT some idiotic reality game show, I'm happy.
1. I would totally tell. If no one stops the person, I'd stop him/her myself. Water and ego conservation are both important for our society to function.
2. Though I think Stephen Colbert would probably make an awesome president, his running for candidacy worries me. It seems like we might fall into a trap, like in the book "All the King's Men," in which all the normal/funny democrats will be split between Obama and Colbert, and all the crazies will vote for Clinton, which could lead to Clinton winning the place for democratic candidate. And I'd really like to not vote Republican.
3. I like the trays. They help keep the table clean so that the next people don't have to eat in a pile of sticky unknown substances.
4. I agree with Ret; corporations need to be clear that the newspaper and tv are owned by the same company.
1. I would report anyone. Water is such an essential resource, without it we die.
2. Well, Reagan was an actor before he went into politics, I think a comedian would add some levity to our politics. The great thing about our country is that anyone who is a natural born U.S. citizen over age 35 can run for president; it doesn't mean they will necessarily win, but they can run. I would vote for whomever I think could do the best job.
3. I usually keep the tray stacked on the table so I can pile it up with the trash when I am done.
4. Well, if one person or entity has a monopoly on all the media outlets then there is no room for someone else to do it a different way. Too much control in too few hands.
1. I would leave it to the water police. I've heard in some places in S.Cali there are police who can actually ticket you for too much water use.
2. Sure I'd vote for him, the jokes are clever enough and stupid enough that the bare truths lay underneath. I think he knows enough, I mean I think if him and bush had a civics and ethics contest he would win, but that's not saying much..hmm
3. I stay trayed, I'm not germophobic (sp?)
4. Relaxing the laws sound cool, less Gov. right? Untill you find out that only the few have the amount of money to actually buy multiple media companies. And if only the few have control of the major media centers, does that mean that they can screen what goes out? Sounds exactly like the same thing we were trying to escape in the early 1900s with Standard Oil. Disclaimer* I am a Comm Major so I am biased : )
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