Doom, The Rock, Will Shortz, The Ukulele, and Negative Political Attack Ads

Yesterday I realized that we get free cable and I watched Doom. Yes, Doom. The one with the Rock in it. Why did I watch Doom? Because it was on. I felt like a muttonhead, but I turned it on right when they were explaining that ancient humans had 24 chromosomes (as opposed to the modern human's 23) which gave them super-powers... and I was hooked. Why did 24 chromosomes make them super-human? Because of the biological principle: more chromosomes are better (which makes all the other great apes better than humans incidentally). As the biological theory goes: when the quantity of chromosomes increase, strength increases exponentially.

Suffice it to say, humanity's intelligence stands in an inverse exponential relationship to the amount of Doom they watch. So I am going to spend today under the guidance of Will Shortz to attempt to reverse the negative effects of yesterday's indiscretion.

In unrelated news, everyone should play the Ukulele. It is more fun than getting hit with a paintball ("Oh boy, there is a welt on my body and my clothes are stained with purple goo. This is fun.").

On a more serious note, I think this is one of the best political commercials I have ever seen.


Whether you agree with it or not, it is a succinct explanation of what Obama claims to stand for and against without going for negative, personal attacks. I wish McCain's campaign would try to model this, rather than the Karl Rove (or Lee Atwater) smears.

On the other hand, I've been annoyed lately that people I meet seem to think that negative campaigning is a new phenomenon that emerged within their life-times. In reality, it was a factor in every election after Washington's first unanimous election. Adams spread rumors that Jefferson supported incest; Jefferson claimed that Adam's had several mistresses and was hermaphroditic. And these two were actually friends. Smear songs are one of the oldest forms of American music. Negative poster campaigns were mass produced. When the radio was invented, negative radio ads were pioneered. And TV ads were used before even before the TV was invented (or shortly thereafter). In ancient Rome (which is like America, but older) they would write negative campaigns or smear efforts on the wall, a political effort they adopted from the Cavemen (and women).

It seems that the American voter responds more strongly to fear than to a ten-point plan (which might make Obama's ad ineffective). We have not moved beyond this to an enlightened voter yet, and I don't see that as happening anytime soon. Kerry was not the first to be "swift-boated."