Saturday, July 14, 2012

Willard Goes Jetskiing

19 comments:

Doc Häagen-Dazs said...

Figures.....

Tillerman said...

This photo is being compared in some quarters to the photo that was published during the 2004 presidential campaign of John Kerry windsurfing. Both were supposed to make the candidates look as if they are not regular American guys. Of course both of them are filthy rich and so are not common folk, but apparently if you want to be President of the USA you have at least to be good at faking being a regular guy.

I never really understood why being a windsurfer was such a bad thing. Don't some regular Joes go windsurfing? I admire windsurfers. It's not all that easy. I've tried to do it several times and never really mastered it. I wrote a post in 2007 Why Don't Bubba Windsurf about my failure to understand this aspect of American culture.

I must admit I have a prejudice against jetskiers. But is jetskiing really seen just the same as windsurfing in America? If you jetski are you an elitist and out of touch with the common man? I must admit that it seems to me (from my position of total lack of real understanding of American culture) that using a toy with a powerful engine that makes a lot of noise would make you even more popular with many sections of American society. Isn't that what all real American red-blooded males crave to do?

Please explain all this to me. But please stick to the place of jetskiing in popular culture, what participation says about your image etc. etc. If you want to discuss other aspects of Mr. Willard Romney's character or why his policies would or would not be right for America, there are plenty of other forums out there for you.

Doc Häagen-Dazs said...

Don't tell me what to do, Skipper, (like I was part of your crew). When I comment, I comment without rules. His wanting to flaunt his jet-skiing abilities [sic!] is just the 445th reason not to support him. It takes no more ability to jet ski than it takes to drive my 1992 Integra. I can personally attest to the fact that the case is not the same with windsurfing, at which I'm sure you mastered better than I. In the case of John Kerry, all of the negatives I previously had in my mind and heart about his personal .... qualites were reduced when I saw that he could windsurf....

Doc Häagen-Dazs said...

However, if Willard strapped his dog on to the back of his jet ski, then that might suggests some ...... potential.

Tillerman said...

This makes me feel seriously weird but I am going to say some positive things about Willard's photo...

1. Whatever a lot of the press are saying, riding a jetski does not make you seem like an out-of-touch rich dude. To quote the Washington Post, "Every tobacco-spittin', gun totin', Bible thumpin' redneck from the Ozarks has a jet ski. A jet ski costs less than a good bass boat. You can rent a jet ski at the local marina for half a day for $100."

2. Willard is wearing a life jacket. Great example to all other boaters. Well done sir.

3. Willard is letting his wife drive. Very modern of him. Obviously not a male chauvinist.

OK. Shoot me.

Tillerman said...

Maybe he could give the dog a ride on a wakeboard behind the jetski?

Willard said...

PETA is not happy that my dog likes to wakeboard.

David Axelrod said...

"1. Whatever a lot of the press are saying, riding a jetski does not make you seem like an out-of-touch rich dude."
- launching from the private dock at your $5 millions USD vacation home likely covers the out-of-touch rich dude meme.

"2. Willard is wearing a life jacket. Great example to all other boaters. Well done sir."
- hopefully he is wearing sunscreen brushed his teeth and used floss

"3. Willard is letting his wife drive. Very modern of him. Obviously not a male chauvinist."
- spineless, pussy whipped rich fellow incapable of driving a jetski

Tillerman said...

Hmmm. I wonder when someone would make that last point. I am way too politically correct to say that.

Doc Häagen-Dazs said...

It's really immaterial to me if a every tobacco-spittin', gun totin', Bible thumpin' redneck from the Ozarks has a jet ski or can rent one for $100. My POV comes from the Metaphysics of Value, something I first ran across in Pirsig's Lila. (A valuable read) many decades ago. IMHO, the use of motorized craft in recreational waters for recreational purposes adds very little value to the dynamics of the universe. Actually motorized craft have only four valuable functions in recreational waters: (1) to tow racing sail boats to a start line when necessary, (2) to tow racing sailboats back to their berths after a race when necessary, (3) to rescue sailors when they can't rescue themselves and (4) fishing [Bassboats]. Speedboating, waterskiing, and jetskiing do not add value to the cosmos because they are artless pursuits which consume non-renewable resources and disturb the tranquility of the waters enjoyed by the rest of us. Now, as happy as I might be to share my neighborhood with a redneck from Texas, I would not want him in my waters as long as he were motorized, nor would I vote for him to represent me in any capacity.

John in PDX said...

You guys must be from the NE. We don't give a crap whether he jet-ski's or not. He's just a ham sandwich.
According to O - the only reason you get to sail is because of the government.

Tillerman said...

I totally agree Doc. Jet-skiing has always seemed to me to be a worthless, not to say annoying and sometimes even dangerous, pursuit. So my gut reaction when I see a photo of a public figure on a jet-ski is that it lowers that person in my esteem.

I was just asking what general opinion in the USA would be to seeing a picture of a presidential candidate on a jet-ski. Does it make him seem (even more) like an out-of-touch rich dude? Or does it give him some credibility with the "tobacco-spittin', gun totin', Bible thumpin' rednecks from the Ozarks" whom the Washington Post seems to think are a key demographic that said candidate needs to court?

Doc Häagen-Dazs said...

I know and fully understand what question you were asking, Skipper. It's just that I rarely like to answer any question as asked.

Tillerman said...

Your friend "O", whoever he or she is, is very perceptive.

When I go to sail I drive to the launch site on roads funded by the government, drive over bridges funded by the government, check the weather forecast provided by a government agency, use charts provided online by that same government agency, often launch from a ramp built and maintained by the state government, sail past buoys maintained by a branch of the government etc. etc. etc. Oh, and talking of crap, it's also government agencies that stop people from dumping crap in the bays and lakes and rivers on which I sail.

As a result of all this work by the government we can all enjoy the freedom of sailing. What a great country!

I have a question though. As this post was originally aimed at encouraging people to educate me about American culture, can you please explain the expression, "He's just a ham sandwich." I really don't understand what that means.

Doc Häagen-Dazs said...

Thanks for asking that question, Skip. And also for the points raised above.

Tillerman said...

I did look up "ham sandwich" on the Urban Dictionary website and most of the meanings are very rude.

Willard does seem like quite a pleasant guy for a jetskier for Pete's sake, and so I would hesitate to call him such rude names.

Doc Häagen-Dazs said...

You could say that. And you could also say he's not driving, that he just along for the ride........

Willard said...

For Pete's sake, I had no role whatsoever in the driving of the jet-ski after I sat in the back seat in 2009 even though it is true I did sign documents telling the State of New Hampshire that I was the registered driver for 3 years. I retroactively retired from driving the jet-ski. The driving of the jet-ski was in a blind trust. I had no role in any of the decisions as to where the jet-ski would go, or how fast it would go. I may have technically been the owner of the jet-ski but that doesn't mean I actually had any involvement in driving the jet-ski or any responsibility for any of those unfortunate incidents caused by the jet-ski.

I've given you people all you need to know.

R W Rawles said...

Perfect!

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