Wake Up Crew highlights: November 8, 2022
Wednesday the Jay Day and The Day Home Team Pet of the Week
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What If You’re Still In Line To Vote When The Polls Close?
It’s impressive just how many early voters have already cast their ballots ahead of the midterm elections. I mean, records have already been broken in several states for this election. But tomorrow, November 8th, is the actual big day…the grand finale…Election Day!
And while the higher-than-usual voter turnout is encouraging evidence of democracy in action, it could mean that folks like me who waited until Election Day to vote could end up having to endure long lines & wait times. So, what happens if your polling place closes & you’re stuck at the back of the line? What should you do?
You stay right where you are. Do not go anywhere except forward as the line moves.
While federal law doesn’t require an employer to give their staff any time off to vote, much less paid time off, state law here in Maryland DOES require paid time of to go vote. Two whole hours, in fact! Maryland is one of 29 states & the District of Columbia that require employers to give their employees time off to vote in general elections. So, if at all possible, vote during the workday. Because, if you don’t end up taking advantage of Maryland’s voting time-off law to cast your ballot during the workday, there’s a good chance you’ll end up stuck in an after-work stampede of other late-going ballot-casters. But even if that happens, don’t fret! As long as you’re in line at the time the polls close, you still have a valid, guaranteed legal right to vote. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. In fact, if someone does try to make you to leave, call a voter protection hotline like 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) or contact the Department of Justice at 1-800-253-3931 to file a complaint.
Because THE most important point is this: you need to, and should, VOTE! Vote…don’t not vote…do the exact opposite of not voting. Vote harder than you’ve ever voted before. Vote like your life depends on it. Because, in the grand scheme of things, it actually does. All our lives do. (Yes, it’s that important.)
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
Wake Up Crew highlights: November 2, 2022
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Is “New Car Smell” Really?
If you’re anything like me, the smell of a new car is amazing…alluringly appealing, as I like to say. You might not be able to put your finger on exactly what that smell is, but it’s just excitingly enticing. But what is “new car smell” really? And what makes it so distinct that air fresheners & sprays continue to try & replicate it?
Despite its crisp aroma, the smell of a brand-new car is not natural. “New car smell” is actually the result of what’s called “outgassing”, which is the release of various chemical compounds from the plastics, paint, lubricants, sealants, plasticizers, and other materials that were used to make your new ride.
To make cars so that they last, they’re built with materials that allow minimal corrosion, which usually means a plethora of high-performance vinyls & plastics, which are really great at preserving car interiors. Like polyurethane, a tough flexible material that’s resistant to temperature extremes & abrasion from weather, radiation, and most solvents. Then there’s polyethylene terephthalate, better known as polyester, which is used for wiper arms, engine covers, and connector housings. Materials like these, along with lots of others, all contribute to that tantalizing new car smell.
But while the scent might smell divine to many, such as myself, it can be as toxic as it is intoxicating. The volatile organic compounds, or V.O.C.s, that get released from those kinds of materials have high vapor pressures as well as low boiling points, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate into the air. As a matter of fact, scientific studies have been conducted to test whether or not those smells are concentrated enough to produce any health risks, whether they be short- or long-term. Some of those volatile chemicals, which are the same ones commonly found in paints & glues, can actually result in dizziness, allergic reactions, headaches, or even cancer if inhaled in large enough quantities for long enough periods of time.
Thankfully, though, most of the VOCs in a new car’s interior dissipate over time & can be released from the car by just rolling down a window & getting some fresh air circulating. So, if you love new car smell as much as I do, just remember: the safest way to enjoy it (just like anything else) is in moderation.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
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