Maddenization

A word that tonight returned 6 non-identical hits on Google now has official status.

In refering to the atmosphere of the Chamber of the House of Representatives, in tonight's State of the Union address, Brian Williams, anchor of NBC Nightly News, said the following:

"Well, you [Chris Matthews] saw what happened in the Chamber. Tim [Russert] and I were sitting here watching, and in the kind of Maddenization of television, you could have used a telestrator to draw a line right down the middle of that Chamber. The group sitting, standing; silent, cheering, and then the applause, the standing ovation that was sarcastic, it really is a divide not seen in a good long time."

Google it - I'd be surprised if there aren't a lot of comments on this in the next few days. The crazy part is that even if you had never heard the word Maddenization before, like myself, you probably knew exactly what he meant!

Link Error

If anyone noticed, I had a dead link to "Out of Town" Jews. I apologize to anyone who was confused these many months. I've fixed it now and I hope it works. If you're so inclined, please enjoy it, and if you are:
1. an individual not from New York, who has feelings about Judaism;

2. an individual not from New York but currently living there, hoping this to be a temporary situation, who has feelings about Judaism;

or

3. an individual from New York, but not currently living there, who has feelings about Judaism

please let me know if you would like to be a contributor to "Out of Town" Jews.

Thanks.

And this is just ridiculous. What's wrong with him???

I have to give Menahem credit for this one.

Couchbike. It's pure genius.

Welcome to the SSPFC

We must welcome Allioson Lazar, the newest member of the Silver Spring Pistons Fan Club. She and her husband Louie (he's more along for the ride, although he's a good sport) were over here at Headquarters last night to watch the Pistons-Timberwolves game. A native New Yorker, she hates the direction the Knicks are headed, and was looking for a new team to root for. She said she didn't just want to hop on a bandwagon, but she wanted to follow a fun and exciting team. She thought about Miami because of Shaq, and Cleveland because of Lebron, but I think she also wanted someone she can root with, because that adds to the excitement. Isn't that why sports fans love going to games and cheering with the crowd?

Anyway, thanks to Comcast (which is not a phrase I ever thought I'd use), we were able to watch George Blaha and Bill Laimbeer call the game, because Comcast, and probably the NBA, are trying to get people to subscribe to the second half of NBA League Pass by offering free access to it this week.

Welcome, Allison (and Louie). It's good to have you as members. Ken Yirbu!

By the way, I'm watching the Pistons play the Bucks right now, also through the local Detroit affiliate of Fox Sports, and the commercials really make me miss home. Well, some of them do. The one with Tayshaun talking about how he "can do that because I'm a pro. [Wallside Windows] can do that because they're The Factory," is pretty funny. And bad. But I still love you, Tay.

Update as of 1/26/06 at 7:13pm:

I love you more, Ali. xoxox

So apparently it's difficult to just "come back" when one wants to, in terms of blogging. I think it's because I'm not working full-time. When I was, I would spend all day on the computer, and I would have to go online when I got home in order to see to some things that needed my attention after work, and in the lulls I would blog. Everyone I know who blogs spends hours online anyway. I don't spend hours online anymore. In fact, I have gone days without even checking my email - a very strange phenomenon for me.

I apologize to everyone who has been urging me and asking me if I am every going to come back. My Kashruth investigation had to be put on hold for the same reason. I haven't been going online for hours at a time on a daily basis since right after I started my inquiry, and that has simply led to my general absence from both my blog and my projects that require an online commitment.

Anyway, I just figured I'd give an update to my activities of late.

I'm waiting for word on a particular job, to which I applied a very long time ago. I have received a conditional job offer, dependent upon my ability to pass various tests. I've passed the basic tests, but I have to undergo a series of other tests and I'm still waiting.

I'm also waiting for a part-time job to begin. I was hired by an accountant who recently moved to the area - he is older and married a local widow, and he is slowly moving himself down from New Jersey. He has an established practice there and has been slowly moving everything down to be able to work from a new home-office they just built as an addition to their house, etc. He paid for me to take an income tax course through H&R Block during the fall semester, and I will be doing tax preparation for him. This is to give me something to do during tax season, to make some money, while I wait for the other job to come through.

I currently serve on the Mid-County Citizens Advisory Board here in Montgomery County. We're an official county commission, established by the County Council, along with the Up-County and Down-County boards, in order to represent the general sense of the local citizens on various issues, and advise the County Council as to how we feel they ought to approach and vote on various issues. This isn't nearly as impressive as it might sound - I didn't have to run in any election to get this position; it was an appointment, and I had to apply and interview for it, like a job. A committee of the sitting Board interviewed me, they recommended me to the County Executive, who nominated me (without ever meeting me - he just went on their recommendation), and the County Council confirmed me (also without ever meeting me, just going on the recommendation).

So there it is. My life over the last few months summed up in a few paragraphs. Again, I'll try to continue blogging again soon.