Melange Blog

July 2009

2009-08-23T08:22:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! Here are some new pics of me and my little brother!

New home and new pics!

2009-05-12T09:17:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! Here are some pictures of me and my baby brother and all the fun stuff we've been up to! We moved to a new house, I went to Indiana, and I've seen lots of animals at the zoo and a farm too!

Belated birthday pics

2009-03-09T19:29:00.001-05:00

Cake....*drool*

New kiddo pics

2009-02-17T18:03:00.002-06:00

House!

2009-01-12T15:19:00.003-06:00

Maybe?

Gratuitous male nudity!

2008-10-06T19:28:00.004-05:00

Caleb update! First, practicing my flex moves:

Snoozing--and lookin' like Daddy.

Aunt April in town! Note the uniform--Caleb is already bandwagon, but takes full credit for the Colts comeback victory this past weekend.

Sis and me and Elmo, just hanging out while mom (tries to do) laundry.

Claire update

2008-10-06T19:18:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm not supposed to be using the computer yet, so don't tell my daddy about this post. So...as you can see from below, I'm a big sister now. It's pretty cool. He stinks sometimes, and cries a lot. But he's cute and doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon.

But enough about the baby already. This post is about ME. Let's look at what I'm up to: yep, still CUTE.

Here's me and my daddy at the wedding last weekend. Did you know that Claire is spelled "A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E"? And check out Daddy looking like a young Robert DeNiro?

My Aunt April came to hang out for the weekend too. We had a lot of fun, but she went bye-bye on the airplane today. I was sad. OK, bye everyone!

Welcome Caleb Matthew!

2008-09-11T14:54:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Caleb Matthew Allen, the first boy in 33 years on his mom's side of the family! Born September 9th, 2008 at 12:18am, Caleb Matthew weighed 6 lbs, 10 oz and measured 18 3/4 inches in length. Big sister Claire already knows him as Baby Brother Caleb! Some pics follow:

Here I am, as snuggled up as can be! Note the fab 'do--very metrosexual.

This is big sister Claire meeting Baby Brother Caleb for the first time.

The happy mom and happy gramma!

Attitude!

Horn o' plenty

2008-07-19T09:12:00.001-05:00

mmmm....tomatoes

Sports star in the making

2008-07-14T13:56:00.004-05:00

Hi everybody! This is me down in Hannibal, Missouri! I was visiting all my relatives at a family reunion. As you can see, it was a lot of fun.

Dad thinks my dress is just about the cutest thing ever. I think he's right.

Hail!

2008-05-30T18:12:00.003-05:00

If you look closely, you can see the tomato plants cowering in terror. Sadly, Mother Nature proved to be unmerciful.

Springtime!

2008-05-30T18:04:00.003-05:00

What a surprise. I'm eating again.

This is the pretty plum tree in our backyard. I liked to play with the flowers!

Easter pics!

2008-03-29T12:57:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! It's been a while, so I thought I would post a few new pictures of cute ol' me. Here's me and my cousins--we're good buds, as you can see.

Also, it was Easter. Mom got me all dressed up and we went out for brunch with family. I got a *sweet* Easter basket--and some eggs. Those were a lot of fun to play with.

...as you can see. Easter was fun, but this summer is gonna be awesome! Stay tuned!

It's great to be in '08!

2008-01-23T19:22:00.001-06:00

Hey everybody, guess what? I just visited my gramma and grampa in Indiana! I was very happy to be there!

I got to hang out with my cousin Alexa--she's 5 months older than me, but we weigh the same (I'm secretly jealous of her figure--gotta get rid of these thunder thighs)

Here's my and Alexa and grampa! I'm just chillin'--note the relaxed posture. Either that or I just crapped my pants--one of the two.

Last but not least, you didn't forget that it's almost my birthday, did you? Well, we celebrated early! I get to be a freakin' princess and it's darn fun to be one! (you can send presents c/o my daddy...he, er--I really like Wii games)!

Christmas with Claire!

2008-01-07T20:43:00.002-06:00

My first Christmas! Hmmm...what could be in this package?

Let's find out...this paper is in the way, better get that off first.

Oh, score! A musical table? This is sweet! Thanks Santa!

Another present? Hmmm...let's start all over again!

Long-awaited new Claire pics!

2008-01-07T20:08:00.001-06:00

Hi everybody! It's been a while since daddy posted pictures of me--I'm getting bigger every day!

Since the last time you saw me, we went to Florida! I had a very fun time...staying warm at the pool....

...and getting silly with Daddy! Wish I was there now--this winter stuff stinks!

Babies...of a sort

2007-10-18T19:07:00.000-05:00

Here I am, cute as can be! What a beautiful October day--kinda cool, though. Had to wear my nifty sweater!

This is daddy's new "baby." I'm way cuter, but it is pretty nice. When I'm bigger, we'll play Wii games on it! Hooray for daddy/daughter time!

Hey! What the!?!

2007-09-19T19:46:00.001-05:00

Sheesh, mom!? Can't a baby bathe in peace?

Just another thing to talk to my therapist about when I'm older.....and when I can talk.

Finger Food!

2007-09-19T19:42:00.001-05:00

Putting my new teeth to the test--mmmm...I'm tasty!

Eating and sitting!

2007-08-21T12:33:00.001-05:00

A toast--to me!

Do I have something on my face? What? I do? Oh crap--I need a nappie, stat!

Why am I so happy? Because I learned how to sit today! What developmental milestone did *you* reach today, huh?

Yes, this sitting thing is interesting. I need to contemplate the ramifications for a moment.

6 months old!

2007-08-19T15:19:00.000-05:00

I'm so smiley because hey--it's my half-birthday! 6 months old, hooray for me!

Almost sitting by myself! Who doesn't enjoy a good sit?

And to celebrate, a fine meal at this little place I know out of the way. The food is *great*!

Yum!

2007-07-25T21:05:00.001-05:00

Mommy says I look like Daddy after he eats ribs. Whatever could she mean by that?

Baby at the beach!

2007-07-09T21:36:00.001-05:00

It's July, which means it's one of the two months of the year I don't have to wear a parka--yay! So, mom and dad and I hit the beach. Yes, for some reason I'm in a floating crab. Blame mom.

Hitting the beach? Gotta get my style on!

I'm so silly sometimes.

Whew--all that fun in all this heat makes a baby sleepy. Nighty-night!

Fathers and fashion!

2007-07-09T21:30:00.001-05:00

Daddy and I hangin' on Father's Day. Regarding the bib, it's common knowledge that babies can't lie.

Daddy got me these sweet shades--as you can see, I'm already a fashion maven.

Got my shades, got my stylin' hat, got my wheels--let's roll.

It's June, so that means it's time for dresses!

2007-06-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

Hooray for warm weather! Now if only it would stick around a little longer...

And....we're back

2007-05-27T20:50:00.001-05:00

"Hello? Is there anybody out there?"

In the backyard with mom--what a great day!

Being a baby is serious stuff.

Or not. :-)

And now for a short puppy break

2007-05-27T20:46:00.000-05:00

We interrupt this baby picture montage for a brief puppy respite:

A plethora of Claire!

2007-05-20T11:43:00.001-05:00

Grinnin'

Chubber!

I love my new Bumbo seat!

3 months old!

2007-05-18T09:24:00.001-05:00

And cuter than ever in my way-cool outfit!

Happy Easter!!!

2007-04-10T09:48:00.000-05:00

First Easter--bunnies and bonnets and babies!

Claire gettin' silly

2007-04-07T22:04:00.000-05:00

"Happy two months to me! Oh, and dad--this smile means there's probably a stinky surprise waiting for 'ya."

What?!? Our star free agency signing is Bobby Wade?

2007-04-02T16:51:00.000-05:00

Glamour shot!

2007-03-21T11:39:00.000-05:00

Meeting the Great-Grandparents

2007-03-12T09:38:00.000-05:00

I met a lot of people last week! Here's me with my great-grandma Etta!

Cuddling with great-grandpa Ernie...

And great-grandma Emily!

1 Month Old!

2007-03-02T18:20:00.000-06:00

Happy one month to me!!

My life...as of three weeks

2007-02-27T16:37:00.000-06:00

This picture is me in a sleeper that my Mommy wore when she was a baby. Fits me great!

You may think being a baby is all fun and games, but as you can tell--sometimes, life gets you down! No worries, I felt better soon.

My first look at...me!

2007-02-14T10:29:00.000-06:00

Clearly, I'm adorable and I know it.

Gratuitous Female Nudity!

2007-02-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

Bath-time!

Baby meets the grandparents

2007-02-11T11:50:00.000-06:00

Ahhh! AHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

2007-02-10T16:47:00.000-06:00

The life of Claire Sophia

2007-02-06T17:16:00.000-06:00

The new family, together at last!

Lots of visits from friends...

...and family...

All snugged up, just like a cute baby should be.

Pink really is a good color on me, don't you think?

Time to go home! Hooray!

Welcome to the world, Baby Claire

2007-02-03T16:14:00.000-06:00

Our very special girl has come!! After 28 difficult hours of labor, little Claire Sophia arrived at 5:43am on Friday, February 2nd, 2007. 6 lbs 13 oz, 20 1/2 inches long. Parents and baby doing fantastic. Hooray for Baby Claire!

Cutest. Puppy. Ever.

2006-10-21T10:28:00.000-05:00

Honestly. I mean--adorable, right?

20 weeks and going (growing?) strong!

2006-09-22T17:03:00.000-05:00

Oh, and it's a girl! Let the baby name game begin.

And I realize it's impolite to comment about a girl's weight, but we're proud to announce she's a full eight ounces and growing!

The miracles of technology

2006-07-31T18:50:00.000-05:00

New sonogram technology (thank you, Mr. Cruise) has allowed us a new look at the soon-to-be child. Hope s/he can hold his breath a long time!

(Too bad s/he's got his daddy's looks)

Meet the Lil' Dude/Dudette

2006-07-31T17:36:00.000-05:00

Arms and legs all accounted for, and even the hint of a smile!

Yes, We Are

2006-06-14T06:55:00.000-05:00

An Onslaught of Cuteness

2006-06-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

Red, white and blue! What a patriotic pup!

Movie Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

2005-12-09T19:11:00.000-06:00

In a word: the adaption of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is "wonderful." I went into the film with the highest of expectations, and they were met in just about every aspect.

The film starts with a bang (literally). The bombing of London is well-executed visually--angle choices are superb (inside the cockpits, overlooking London being burned, a wonderful ground-level-up shot of Edmund running from his home with dozens of Luftwaffe plummeting overhead). There are a few moments where the planes seem a
bit cartoonish, but it's certainly not glaring.

The film then slows markedly for the next 30 minutes or so. The kids
are evacuated from London by their mom, they arrive at the Professor's home (played superbly in a limited role by Jim Broadbent), get bored quickly, and into the wardrobe we go. This first post-bombing half-hour is the weakest of the film, as it basically sets up where we go for the next hour and a half. It's a tad boring during this portion.

But once all four kids finally arrive in Narnia, everything cranks up
for good, culminating in a fantastic chase sequence, the betrayal of
Edmund, and eventually, meeting up with Aslan. Of course, those who
have read the books knows what happens next.

The battle sequence is simply stunning. In a fashion, it's quite
similar to the charge of the Rohirrim in LOTR--a tad bit of tactics,
charges, battle lines crashing together, individual battles between
our main characters, a seeming defeat for the Narnians, victory
snatched from the jaws (literally) of defeat.

The kids are fantastic. Great performances all. I cannot be more impressed with the child who played Lucy, as she is the embodiment of wonder and imagination I hope for in any kids of mine. Plus, she's cute as a button. Edmund is appropriately glum, Susan and Peter play their older sibling roles well. Peter's emergence into manhood as King is particularly good. And as I mentioned, I *love* Jim Broadbent's Professor. Tilda Swinton's White Witch is almost Nazi-esque--an interesting choice if it was intended, since what would children from Britain in the '40s fear more than (essentially) The Queen of the Nazis. She's cold and terrible--what you'd imagine Galadriel would be had she taken Frodo's Ring in LOTR.

Visual effects are subtle and understated--similar to the last Potter
film. Very well done. The wolves and Aslan are superbly
rendered--Rupert Everett's fox is a tad cartoony, as are Mr. and Mrs.
Beaver. Nothing too distracting. The best effects are the ones you
don't notice--centaurs, unicorns, Mr. Tumnus' lower half. But nothing
is glaring.

Emotionally, it hits on all notes. Aslan's death is appropriately dark
and brutal, we see it through the eyes of Lucy and Susan and it is
heart-rending. Which brings into question the PG rating. I guess I'd
call Narnia a "hard" PG movie--no blood and gore, but it's quite clear
that death and violence is being dealt out. I'd have a hard time
recommending the film for anyone under 6-7 years old, although it
might be easier if kids have read the book (or have had it read to
them) already, since the dark stuff is easier to take when you know
the ending already and that all is well.

Outside of the obvious, religious content is subtle. A few lines that
Christian audiences will recognize moreso than non-Christians. My
favorite is a line uttered by Jim Broadbent's Professor when Peter and
Susan first tell him of Lucy's claim to have entered the wardrobe and
Narnia: "Well, if she's not mad and she's not lying, it must have
happened." That's essentially a line straight out of Lewis's 'Mere
Christianity' arguing that each person must determine whether Jesus
was liar or lunatic or Lord (as He claimed).

In sum, loved it. I'll probably try to see it again this weekend.

Oh, and do yourself a favor and....stay a few minutes into the credits.

So Sexay

2005-12-04T20:46:00.000-06:00

You want the sexay? You can't handle the sexay!

Thanks, Secret Stalker!

2005-11-29T19:10:00.000-06:00

Thanks TT Secret Stalker--I shall treat these Vikings Zubaz with the respect they truly deserve.

The Further Adventures of Cassie the Dog

2005-11-15T18:41:00.000-06:00

Holy crap, I updated my blog!

I'll try to make amends by putting up cute puppy pics!

Cassie's first experience with snow--as you can see, she pretty much thinks it's the best thing ever.

More Cassie in the Snow

2005-11-15T18:40:00.000-06:00

Playing in the snow also brings out her inner wolf.

*rawr*

More Cassie...

2005-11-15T18:35:00.000-06:00

See, this is what happens when you play in the snow too much. Pooped puppy!

Cassie Pictures!

2005-06-11T20:57:00.000-05:00

Cassie's First Meal At Home! Hooray!

2005-06-11T20:55:00.000-05:00

Uh, it wasn't me who pooped in your briefcase. I swear!

2005-06-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

Cassie's all tuckered out after a hard day...

The One Campaign -- Sign On

2005-06-10T10:23:00.000-05:00

Much has been made about the culture war in America. Specifically in areas such as abortion and gay marriage/rights, the fight between conservatives and liberals is such that one can rarely discuss the issue rationally anymore without resorting to hysterics and emotionalism on either side.

However, as I've previously pointed out on this blog, there are issues upon which conservatives, liberals, evangelicals, secularists (and people of other broad-brush labeling) can reach agreement. One of these is the issue of global poverty. And members of all sides have signed on--Billy Graham, John Stott, Rick Warren, U2, IRC, American Jewish Service, Brad Pitt, Save the Children, CARE, Samuel L. Jackson--all of 'em are involved. A wide coalition with some big hitters behind it. And they want our help to show we're serious, including signing a petition to present to President Bush letting him know that people of all walks of life want us to do something to fight the epidemic of poverty across the world, and especially in Africa.

Click the link. Read their goals, and what they're up to. And sign on.

Mexico Vacation Photos...

2005-06-06T18:56:00.000-05:00

As I posted earlier, the missus and I spent our second anniversary at the Secrets Excellence in Puerto Morales, Mexico (20 minutes south of Cancun). We had a marvelous time--the Secrets Excellence is all-inclusive and brand-spanking new--only eight months old! The food was great, the room and grounds were beautiful, and the pool and oceanfront/beach was wonderfully relaxing. In all, it was a great vacation--we both agree that it was better than our honeymoon! Anyway, here are a few pics. This is our view of one side of the property from our room's balcony.

2005-06-06T18:55:00.000-05:00

This is the spa--the missus got a treatment/massage here, and we both did a 20-station water hydrotherapy circuit (i.e. water treatments like sauna, plunge pool, massage jets, etc. in short succession).

2005-06-06T18:54:00.000-05:00

A picture of the Secrets beach--big and white. I like the way this picture turned out.

2005-06-06T18:53:00.000-05:00

The two of us at dinner on the beach--we got there early. As mentioned, the food was good--quality, with excellent preparation. Neither of us got sick from the food or water, which is an added bonus when traveling to Mexico. ;-)

2005-06-06T18:52:00.001-05:00

Another picture of us at dinner--a Mexican restaurant outside called 'El Patio'. Not a very original name, but a fun place to eat. After dinner, we both had 'Mayan Coffees,' which was coffee mixed with several liquors, several of which were set on flame prior to making it to our coffee! Top it off with a little whipped cream, and they were very tasty.

2005-06-06T18:50:00.000-05:00

On our anniversary, the folks at Secrets did some special things to help us celebrate--the coolest was this--a massive heart made of rose petals laid out on our king-sized bed, along with kissing "swans." They also delivered us breakfast in bed, celebratory champagne and fruit basket, along with some chocolate-covered desserts after dinner. They really went the extra mile.

Cassie On The Farm!

2005-06-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

Hi! My name is Cassie and this is my new best bud holding me. I'm not home yet, but he says in a week I get to go to my new house! Hooray for me!

I'm Hitler, You're Hitler, We're All Hitler!

2005-06-03T16:13:00.000-05:00

Godwin's Law of argument states that as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one. There is a tradition in many online discussions that once such a comparison is made, the thread is over, and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in progress.

Picking up on that trend comes this brilliant post, proving that in the future, all of us will be Hitler for 15 minutes.

We Bought a Puppy!

2005-06-02T20:48:00.000-05:00

In one week, the missus and I will welcome a little bundle of joy into our home--her name is Cassie, she's cute and cuddly, but a real bitch! Duh, we got a puppy! Cassie is a farm-born dog, with a Jack Russell terrier dad and a border collie mom. We got to meet both parents, who are both in excellent health, and got to check out all the puppies.

Cassie looks like a Jack Russell in the face, but with a fuzzy border collie body. She's mostly white, with a few black spots and a half-black face. She's playful, but not too crazy, and seems trusting--she let the missus hold her for a long time, and didn't fuss a bit. In one week, we'll go get her and then there will be three in our little family!

I was going to take a picture or three, but the camera battery died out at the farm. Am planning on going out there tomorrow night to take another. Will post it when I get it!

Lost Timeline Updated and Changed...

2005-06-01T13:30:00.000-05:00

A while back, I posted a 'Lost' timeline that someone has been keeping up-to-date. It has changed website addresses and is fully updated post-season finale. The timeline, and other great stuff can be found...

HERE.

Happy theorizing!

Lost thoughts and theories...

2005-05-28T23:46:00.000-05:00

Back from vacation, tanned and posting again. Was in Mexico when the finale aired--it was available to watch, but it was my anniversary so I don't think so. So I just caught up on it last night with the missus and here are some thoughts.

1. The episode--good, but highly predictable. Interesting that the episode opened up on the baby's (left? i think?) eye--it's been some time since we've had an episode beginning with an eye-opener. Two things surprised me, the rest I theorized beforehand and ended up being right. Danielle goes for baby? Check. Danielle working with Ethan? Check--and doesn't that raise some interesting questions! Black Rock being a slave ship of sorts? Check. Some question about whether the Others are real? Check. Bad things happening to the raft folks, very much check.

The surprises being Arstz (I know, it's Artz) blowing hisself to kingdom come. In a pre-finale news article, he said his character would do something no one had ever done on TV before, and I guess he was spot-on. That really was a classic TV moment--didn't see it coming at all. The second surprise was the manifesting "smoke" or however we're referring to it--the shadow we see scurry across the ground, as well as the thing that grabbed Locke. There doesn't seem to be much substance to these things, which has planted in my mind a possible scenario involving nanotechnology--microbots? Small, intelligent robots that can organize and infect? Which segues nicely into...

2. The monster: sounds very mechanical. They really amped up the sound on the mechanical effects this time around. In the very first episode, black lady Rose (who isn't on the show right now because she's doing Broadway) says it reminded her of a sound back home in New York. Many have also commented that the roar sounded very mechanical, like a subway going through a tunnel or something similar. That fits. I was hoping to see more of it. Odd that the first time Locke saw it, he said he had seen the eye of the island and it was beautiful--this time, he looked terrified after a beat or two of optimism. Also odd that the effects of the monster almost seem to be underground--blowing trees straight up, etc. The first monster we saw pulled a pilot out of an airplane above ground and put him in a tree. Is there more than one monster/security system?

3. The Others/Raft--I *knew* that boat was bad! First off, no running lights--at night, there's only one reason for that--the pilot doesn't want to be found. Second, that was a small boat--almost looked like a small fishing boat, very short-range. It had to have come from the island, especially if they were only 15 miles offshore. The Others were sufficiently creepy--anyone catch the white-haired freaky captain? I'll be interested to see if/how Michael, Jin, and Sawyer make it back to shore. Destroyed boat, 15 miles offshore in the ocean? Not much there exept to grab onto some driftwood and start paddlin'. Before the final episode started, I was sure that one of them at least would be a goner--still think at least one will, especially since the writers have indicated we'll have another death early next season.

Walt with the Others -- obviously his being 'Special' has something to do with their interest, don't know how yet. How did they know about his abilities, BTW? The only person(s) on the island who would know about it would be Michael and potentially Locke--who is quite perceptive. (interestingly, Locke being the source would obviously infer that he's been "infected" and one of the Others--this would play into the Locke-is-a-problem thing quite nicely next season, he would then no longer be working in the interests of the survivors). By the way, someone on the backboard mentioned they thought Alex was one of the Others we saw on the boat, and that can't be correct--we already know that Alex is a she and approximately 16 years old.

Theorizing a bit: the above-mentioned nanotech theory would also explain the source of the "infection" that has taken over the Others--anyone read Michael Chrichton's "Prey?" Humans infected/controlled by nanobots? Perhaps the island was an early site for nanotech experimentation which went bad? No wonder it's not on any maps--it's been deliberately sealed off when the tech was released and went rampaging, and someone developed a little security system to protect the island's secrets. The Others would then be the original scientists who worked on the tech--they radioed out 'The Numbers' to communicate the source of the contagion, were overcome. In America, the Navy radiomen hear the numbers, one of them uses 'em to bad effect and tells 'em to Hurley later on in the nuthouse. Also at that time, Danielle's team hears the transmission, searches for the source, gets shipwrecked and killed by the infected Others, with only Danielle, Alex, and her husband, who she later murdered after he was infected. One way to tie things together--probably way off, but worth exploring I think.

4. Hatch--boring. Nothing about that excites me. Ooooh...it's a shaft and we don't see the bottom. How interesting. Thanks for nothing, writers. The only interesting part about that sequence was the interchange between Locke and Jack--the whole man-of-science v. man-of-faith thing. How exactly does that indicate to Jack that Locke will be a problem? Guess I didn't get that.

Anyway, obvious division coming up between the castaways next season--my guess is that the left/right eye opener episodes will clue us in as to who ends up in which flock.

I've got more thoughts on this, but I've typed enough for one night. Back with more later.

Back from vacation!

2005-05-28T22:58:00.000-05:00

So nice and relaxing--I hate to be back, but alas. Will be posting pics and stuff soon.

Off We Go!

2005-05-19T07:21:00.000-05:00

Heading out on vacation for a week or so. Obviously, no posting until then. The earliest Pacific tropical storm/hurricane in recent memory is spilling clouds and showers over our vacation spot--grrr....

Here's to sunny skies, warm water, and white beaches.

The 100 "Greatest" Americans? Not Hardly.

2005-05-13T08:29:00.000-05:00

Today, AOL/NBC and the Discovery Channel unveiled their list of the '100 Greatest Americans' that will be profiled and voted upon as part of their program. To put it bluntly, the list sucks. It includes many great Americans who should be there, but severely lacks a perspective on history. This lack of perspective has led to the inclusion of current pop culture, sports, and political figures who have no business on such a historical list. Such as:

Brett Favre
Ellen Degeneres
Barack Obama
Laura Bush
Arnold Schwartznegger
Christopher Reeve
Condi Rice
Colin Powell
George H.W. Bush
Jimmy Carter
Mel Gibson
Rush Limbaugh
Dr. Phil
Pat Tillman
Tom Cruise
Michael Moore
Donald Trump

What, no Britney Spears? Are these people popular? Sure. Did they have an impact on America in some form or fashion? Of course. Are they one of the 100 Greatest Americans in history? Heck no.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Trailer is....live

2005-05-08T09:24:00.000-05:00

The Chronicles of Narnia books were essential reading during my childhood. Even today, I own a boxed set of the books (got it for Christmas a few years back--thanks Mom!) Now, the first book--the first book published, that is--is getting the big screen treatment. The teaser trailer for the film was just shown last night, and is now available online here. First impressions? Excellent. The home is exactly what I had imagined it to be, the CGI and battle scenes look to be fantastic, and the casting seems to be dead-on (especially of the children).

This film will be the successor to 'The Passion of the Christ' when it comes to box office, as well as to its ability to reach the formerly untapped Christian market. Disney, to its credit, has apparently had an epiphany of sorts and has declared it will be directly marketing this film to "every church in America." As well it should--C.S. Lewis is an icon in evangelicalism, and the amount of trust and respect that today's churchgoers have for the book series is high. Not to mention the wide-ranging impact it has had on children both inside and outside of the Christian faith. I would not be surprised to see an opening weekend of $100 million plus.

The film appears to be in good hands. Time will tell, but as for myself, I can't wait for December 9th.

Somebody buy me this...

2005-05-06T10:18:00.000-05:00

Please? It's so snarky.

UPDATE: Ordered and shipped. Should be here in a few days, just in time for it to get warm again.

UPDATE 2: It's here. But it's TOO SMALL!!! Showing off my massive pecs is good and all, but I'm not sure you all can handle the thunder. Must return for a large.

UPDATE 3: It's back! Most excellent. Wife thinks I look gay--whatever.

Holy crap this is funny...

2005-04-25T12:59:00.000-05:00

The Random Vin Diesel Fact Generator:

Samplings:

"The white girl saying "Oh my God, Becky, look at her butt" in Sir-Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" video is one of Vin Diesel's lesser known roles."

"Vin Diesel is the ultimate paradox in that he does not think and yet he very much is."

"The angels still say that when Vin Diesel invented time, God was so touched that he wrote the Bible as a love letter."

*laughing*

One Month Later...

2005-04-23T13:47:00.000-05:00

Amazing what some warm weather can do. If you'll recall, about a month ago, this scene looked like this.

Culture Check Time! (Vol. II)

2005-04-20T14:34:00.000-05:00

Previous Culture Check can be found here.

Reading: Nightfall, by Nelson DeMille; Joshua, by Joseph Girzone; The Third Option, by Vince Flynn, Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller.

Watching (TV): Alias, Lost, Revelations miniseries, Minnesota Twins baseball!

Watching (Movies): Sahara (surprisingly good), Van Helsing (unfortunately bad), A Beautiful Mind (will be reading book soon), Caddyshack (no explanation needed).

Listening to: Guero, Beck; The Bravery (self-titled); Reset EP, Mutemath.

UPDATE: How in the world did I forget that I just watched Napoleon Dynamite? Gosh!

Narnia movie website is live...

2005-04-20T12:50:00.000-05:00

The website for my most anticipated movie of 2005 is live. The website is interactive and fun--lots of stuff to look at, including video.

At first glance, it appears they've treated the theological aspects of the book in appropriate fashion. It looks like they've kept the spirit of the book (the character of Aslan is described much in the way we would describe Jesus), but there's no direct mention of the allegory--or of Lewis, for that matter.

Anyway, enjoy! It takes a while to load, so be patient.

NFL Draft Thoughts...

2005-04-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

~it's the most wonderful time of the year...there'll be drafting and trading and reaches and value and the Vikes will eff up!!!! it's the most wonderful time....of the year!!!~

Ah, the NFL draft. First and foremost, a cautionary note. I am convinced that no one, not a single person, not Mel Kiper Jr. or Peter King or any other self-proclaimed expert out there has any idea how this draft will go. While I'm sure that these experts know all there is to know about the teams, the players, and the drafting personnel, I don't think there is any way to predict what will happen this weekend in the NFL. As an example, someone pointed out to me yesterday that three NFL.com experts did a first round mock draft yesterday. The three of them were able to agree on only four of the top 32 picks. Throw in the specter of trades, and it's even more complicated. This is what makes this year's NFL Draft fun--it's going to be speculation and guesswork all day long.

From a Vikings' fan perspective, I have one massive request. Dear Mike Tice, please please please do what you must in order to draft Mike Williams. Short of kicker (which no team will draft in the first round...er, sorry Oakland), the wide receiver position is really the most glaring need for the Vikes. We need to do more to try and replace Moss than Travis Taylor--he and Marcus Robinson are talented, but neither is reliable enough to be counted upon. Mike Williams is big, strong, has great hands, and a perfect possession-type receiver who comes with a great attitude and a desire to win. He projects out like a Jimmy Smith-type of guy. I'll take that. Braylon Edwards is just as talented (if not more), but comes with the dropsies and a me-first attitude that was part of the reason we got rid of Moss in the first place. If the Vikes are honest about developing team chemistry, Mike Williams is the pick over Edwards and it's not even close. So, if it means trading up, do it Mr. Tice. If he falls to #7, the pick is clear and we giggle all the way to the bank. But get this kid.

Sidenote: if we draft Williams, the Moss deal has the following final result--Randy Moss for Mike Williams and linebackers Napoleon Harris and Sam Cowart. In the end, I can live with that.

Barring a trade, the Vikes also have a #18 pick. What we need to do with this pick really depends on what we do with the #7. If we get Williams, I think we look defense with this pick. Most prognosticators have the Vikes looking at a defensive end, such as Erasamus James or David Pollack or Marcus Spears. I think this is possible. I also like the idea of taking Thomas Davis, the safety out of Georgia. If we are serious in having a top-of-the-line pass defense, adding another top-notch safety makes sense. Davis is athletic, a hard-hitter, and is in a perfect position to learn from Darren Sharper how to play safety in the NFL. If he's on the board with the #18, he would be my pick. If the Vikes don't get a receiver with the #7, I think we go receiver here. Most likely, Mark Clayton of Oklahoma will be on the board, and he would be a great selection for value and need here. Speedy, good hands, plays like a Derrick Mason.

In the second round, I want kicker Mike Nugent. I realize it is a reach to draft a kicker so high, but I am sick and tired of the Vikes' poor kicking game. We have lost multiple games over the last couple of years due to poor kicking by Aaron Elling and whatever other putz we put out there, not to mention the fact that we're forced to take up three separate roster spaces for a kickoff specialist, a field goal kicker, and a punter. Nugent is the best kicker out there, and he's worth it, in my opinion.

So, like others, I have no idea what will happen this weekend at the draft. But at least I'm honest about it. No matter what, this should be fun.

New Pope!

2005-04-19T11:22:00.000-05:00

Bells ringing in St. Peter's Square, white (kind of) smoke coming from the chimney. We have a new Pope. May he be a man who represents the face of Jesus to the world.

UPDATE: The world's new Pope is Pope Benedict XVI, formerly known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the "right hand man" of Pope John Paul II. This should disappoint those who were hoping for a progressive Pope, one who would "modernize" the Catholic Church on social issues. Nevertheless, Benedict XVI should continue the policies of PJPII, which to my mind is a very good thing.

Love Matters...

2005-04-18T08:41:00.000-05:00

So I've been thinking some about love lately. No, not the romantic lovey-dovey kind of love that we all talk about ad nauseum. And no, not the love that I have for Minnesota sports teams either (thus proving how similar love is to insanity). I'm talking about real love--expressed love. Call it beyond-compassionate love, irregardless love--true Christian love. The type of love that is shown to a total stranger, for no reason outside of a called duty and desire to serve others without regard for self. The love shown by a young man who volunteers at a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen. The type of love exhibited by a woman volunteering at an AIDS clinic. The type of love that leads a Catholic nun to set up shop in Calcutta, treating those who are shunned and cast out. The type of love that occurs when we go past compassionate feelings, and turn them into action. The type of love that can change the world, if it is true.

We Christians talk a lot about love. And we should. Loving others should be one of the main tenets of our faith. In the early days, it was clearly so--the book of Acts recalls the early days of the church, which added numbers and thrived, largely in part due to the way they put their love for God into action by loving others--sharing food, caring for widows and others in need, spending time together in joy. Jesus said that loving others is second only to loving God, and that showing people love through our actions is the same as loving him. James picks up on this idea and confirms that our Christian faith should be shown through our actions--without action, faith is useless. The apostle John says tells Christians that we should be known by our love.

How are Christians known now? Is it by our love? Are we known by that type of selfless love of which Jesus and the apostles spoke? Do we love, regardless? Or is our love sadly conditional? Is it based not on a person's inherent worth as a child of God, but on that person's worth as we perceive it? Do we use our love as we would currency, giving it to those who we feel deserve it, but withholding it from others? Is our love a commodity?

I do think that Christians do not love as we should, or as we are commanded to. Of course, it is inappropriate to paint an entire community as one, and there are certainly many exceptions. But on the whole, we have de-emphasized the idea of love. In general, I think Christians do a wonderful job of feeling compassionate for others--"those poor dears"--and we confuse that for actual, genuine love (for some people, depending on our personal view of that person's acts and behavior, we forego even the compassion--"they deserve what they got"). But compassionate love is simply not good enough. James is right--just as faith without works is dead, so is love without loving action. We need to do a better job. We need to get beyond the idea that just because a person appears unworthy of love to us, that somehow that makes them unworthy of our love. We are called to something higher than that. A person's race does not matter, their income level does not matter, their politics does not matter, their beliefs do not matter. The only thing that matters is that they are loved by God, and therefore they must be loved by us. The early church understood this, and largely as a result of this unconditional love, they changed the world.

Sadly, I am just as guilty of this as other Christians. My whole life is marked with occasions where I chose not to love another person--or chose to feel compassion, but not put that love to work. Historically, this is because I am either too lazy or too prideful or too selfish to take the time to love, and in that, I have been dead wrong. Perhaps even sinful. I am learning, and it is hard. I recognize the problem within me, however, and I suppose that is a first step. Just as I need to change my way of thinking and put my love into action, so do many other Christians. We are not known by our love anymore, and that is a tragedy. Not only because it marginalizes our message of Jesus as the way to a true relationship with God, but also because it shows how unlike Jesus we are acting. This needs to change. For my part, I need to change. I must love as Jesus would.

Episode III: A Lost Hope

2005-04-16T10:07:00.000-05:00

Back from the posting dead...

If you have any interest whatsoever in Star Wars or the upcoming final chapter, you should really watch this parody trailer entitled "Episode III: A Lost Hope". It's hilarious, and very well done--the guy actually used green screen technology to create it. You'll need Quicktime or Windows Media Player to view it. Enjoy!

Sorry...

2005-04-12T08:26:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately--life has intruded. Will be posting again soon.

'Lost' Timeline

2005-04-05T09:23:00.000-05:00

Someone pointed me to this web page today, which is a very complete compilation of the 'Lost' timeline, a compilation of the 'numbers' in the show, and a survivor count plus their connections with each other. This is fantastic--and reflects a ton of work.

So cool.

I'm a Sucker for the Classics...

2005-04-05T09:10:00.000-05:00

Back in eighth grade, I read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee. Little did I know that there was a better version out there...

(Note: ninjas vs. pirates = totally sweet!!!)

Opening Day in Minnesota!

2005-04-04T10:59:00.000-05:00

The start of the baseball season is upon us! I've been more excited in years' past, probably because of the steroid scandal that has clouded the sport. Nevertheless, I can't wait to see how the Twins fare this season--they continue to be the best example in baseball of how to run a small market team.

I'm excited to watch some of the youngsters, especially the M&M boys in Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Mauer is an all-world player if he can stay healthy, and Morneau is the Twins' first legitimate 30 homer guy since forever. The Twins have always had a stockpile of outfield prospects--too many, some would argue (the release of Restovich is proof enough of this). This year, it's a breath of fresh air to see the team develop some infield prospects such as Jason Bartlett (SS), Terry Tiffee (3B) and Morneau that have made the jump to the big leagues. Add Mauer to that mix, and the Twins have the nucleus of a great infield for the next few years. All in all, a bit more talent on the offensive side this year, but that may end up being counter-balanced by the experience we lost when Guzman and Koskie went elsewhere.

The key, as always, will be the pitching. Reigning Cy Young winner Johan Santana is a given, and Brad Radke and Carlos Silva proved to be above-average pitchers who ate a ton of innings last year. A lot will hinge on whether Joe Mays is rejuvenated and Kyle Lohse is effective. If so, that could jolt this team from a AL-Central contending team to a World Series-contending team. Whether either can do this is the question. I am not so worried about the bullpen, as it should be solid with Joe Nathan, J.C. Romero, and Juan Rincon leading the way.

It should be an exciting year--if things go the Twins' way, this could be the best team in the new era of their success. Can they win it all? Jayson Stark (ESPN) thinks so. Peter Gammons (ESPN) thinks they could, and even if they don't they *should* because baseball needs it. And seven ESPN commentators predict them to at least make the World Series--all but two say they'll win the AL Central. Let's play ball!

Oh, and just for fun, my preseason AL Central predictions:

1. Twins 92-70
2. Indians 84-78
3. White Sox 81-81
4. Tigers 78-84
5. Royals 65-97

Pope John Paul II Dies...

2005-04-02T14:38:00.000-06:00

The only Pope I have ever known has passed away. As I watch, they are ringing the bells at the Vatican to officially announce his death to the tens of thousands congregated there, praying and now mourning.

I am not a Catholic. But I am a Christian, which means my commonality in belief with Pope John Paul II far outweighs any differences. He was spiritually and religiously conservative, a dogmatic, a political force, and a banner for human rights. He was beloved by millions, but more importantly, he loved in return. Now he is experiencing the mysteries of the invisible, and the eternal.

Well done, good and faithful servant.

What comes next? Here is a primer on the papal transition process.

Nature: Moon Eroding

2005-04-01T10:50:00.000-06:00

From Nature.com:

"Pictures captured by an orbiting spacecraft have revealed that the Moon is being heavily eroded. Images of the lunar surface reveal deep cracks and holes that are slowly but surely releasing gas and dust into space.

"This is serious," says Brad Kawalkowizc, an astrogeologist from the Sprodj Atomic Research Centre in Belgium, who has analysed the pictures. "There really is less Moon up there than there used to be." If the process continues, he adds, the Moon could eventually crumble away to nothing.

Researchers are not yet certain what is causing the erosion. Kawalkowizc suggests that bacteria left behind by the Apollo Moon landings of the 1960s and 1970s may be responsible. These earthly bacteria, exposed to intense ultraviolet radiation on the lunar surface, could have acquired mutations that allow them to digest Moon rocks, he suggests."

Ahhhhh! AHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

P.S.--April Fools.

2008: Or, An Intervention for Republicans (UPDATED)

2005-04-01T10:32:00.000-06:00

This is post two of a two-part intervention for the two major parties. Previously, I posted my thoughts on actions the Democrats need to take to remain viable. Now, Republicans, it's your turn. Now...I've considered myself a conservative all of my life, so as my pappy used to tell me GOP, this is gonna hurt you a lot more than it's gonna hurt me.

GOP, you are in trouble. I realize that some of you may react with a certain bit of incredulity given the electoral events of only five months ago. No doubt, a big win. The GOP was well within its right to celebrate and do so heartily. But time marches on, and frankly GOP, you've managed to pull off something even more stunning, something I never thought possible--you effed it all up in five short months. Congratulations. *cue applause*

From this vantage point, there are two massive problems that plague you, GOP. The first is Hubris. Ego. Narcissism and presumption. You've become the preening peacock so indulged with the plumage behind him that he doesn't notice the axe whistling down at its neck. You've developed a self-congratulatory attitude that has led to blatant hypocrisy on one end and arrogance on the other. I cannot think of a more appropriate personification of this attitude than right here. Rep. DeLay symbolizes everything that is wrong with the GOP's new attitude--ethics and corruption allegations aside, he is unapologetic and carries around an 'it's-ok-for-me-but-I-will-attack-you-for-the-same-thing' attitude that is both hypocritical and repulsive. And not only have you tolerated him as Majority Leader, GOP--you've aided and abetted.

The Hammer has become the face of GOP ethics and attitude and frankly, it is an ugly one. I've criticized Democrats for making the stunningly unwise decision to allow the Michael Moores, the Al Sharptons, the Al Frankens, the MoveOn.orgs to become the face of their party to America. Short of the President, there are none who symbolize the face of the GOP more than Mr. DeLay. If he does not go, GOP, he will take the party down with it. If the arrogance and hubris does not go, GOP, the party will not need DeLay to accomplish the same.

Some hope is found--in the last few weeks, the Wall Street Journal editorial writers issued a scathing condemnation of Mr. DeLay. For your sake, GOP, you should actively support the removal of DeLay as Majority Leader--but that is only the beginning. GOP, you must realize that the voters have given you dominance over national politics--but nothing is permanent. And while you have been given a mandate to govern, by no means were you given a mandate to do as you please without regard for consequence. There is a growing dissonance between the GOP's promises and the GOP's actions, and voters are noticing. Reality is running into hype.

Your second problem is substantive and fundamental--it is one that has laid somewhat dormant over the past four years, but now is rearing its head with a vengeance. Your second problem is the growing divide between conservatism as it is now practiced and the conservatism of history.

It is really beyond argument that over the past five years, President Bush--along with his GOP allies in Congress--has eradicated the GOP as the party of limited government, both fiscally and socially. It used to be that the GOP stood for lower taxes, less government in people's lives, and less government period. No longer. The Bush years have transformed the GOP into the proponent of a "daddy government." The GOP's message is now that the GOP knows how to run our lives and make our choices moreso than we do. The GOP still stands for lower taxes, but has combined this with the worst of both worlds--low taxes and increased spending. The GOP now stands for big GOP government. The GOP now stands for that big GOP government making choices in the place of families and individuals. Gone are the Reagans, the Buckleys, the Goldwaters. Now, the GOP is headed by the Santorums, the DeLays, and yes--the Bushes.

This quick and sudden change is the result of unwise strategy by you GOPers--rather than use its dominance over national politics to limit itself, you GOPers have chosen to extend yourselves. You have alienated the middle and moderates within your party, and veered rightwards. And this quick and sudden change is a problem, GOP, because you are now emulating everything you hated about classical liberalism over the past 70 years. This is a problem not only because it means you have abandoned your roots, but also because it allows the Democrats to seize this mantle and run with it. The sheer ineptitude of the Democrats to sense this problem is the only thing that saved you from this in 2004, GOP, but you apparently have not learned your lesson. When it comes to our conservative foundations, we have met the enemy, GOP--and he is us.

A turning point for many, GOP, may turn out to be the Terri Schiavo case, where you took action to inject the Congress and federal government in the personal decisions of a family in Florida. The facts of that case are in dispute, and mixed feelings abound amongst persons who grapple with the difficult issues raised by Ms. Schiavo's fate. But it is significant that the reaction against your actions was an immediate and sharp rebuke across the board, GOP. Not just from the Left, but from close to 70 percent of Americans. GOP, you must ask yourself why--and realize that the answer lies in in the growing perception that the GOP wants nothing more than to involve itself in the lives of the public. You played policics with a person, GOP. And not only did you abandon any pretense to the principles of federalism that have been part-and-parcel of the GOP's platform for years, but you did so in a situation where most felt your intervention was repugnant.

I will predict that the Schiavo case will end up being the tip of the iceberg. A prime opportunity is here for Democrats to peel away at the GOP majority, and it starts with your abandonment of limited government. If the Democrats come to their senses and take action to promote their party as the party of limited government, GOP, you are sunk. Libertarians will abandon the GOP like rats off a sinking ship, as will those concerned about the growing budget deficit and national debt, and those concerned about your pappy governance over the lives of individuals. Your majority is not so large as to be impervious, GOP, and the voting bloc you assembled in 2004 is not so dedicated that it should be taken for granted. All it will take is a wise strategy by Democrats, and 2006 and 2008 will be ugly, vicious years for the GOP. The Bush years have been years of plenty--but the future promises famine unless these things change.

In short, like the Democrats, the GOP faces a decision--will the GOP continue to move towards the extremes of the party, comfortable in its perception of a mandate and congratulatory in its rightness? Or will it realize that the path towards success lies in the middle? Will the GOP continue on in its newest incarnation of promoting big government, or will it return to its more libertarian roots? These years are critical for you, GOP--now is the time for hard choices. Humility and wisdom in government, and aherence to principle in governance, is essential to the long-term viability of a party's dominance--right now, this writer sees none of it. You are in trouble, GOP--the conservative crackup is just around the bend. Now is the time to make the change--if not, the results will be disasterous.

UPDATE (4/1/05): It's amazing how this Bull Moose Blog post (published the day after the post above) corresponds with my post above. All I can say is, I think we're right. GOP, beware the Democrats shaking off the cobwebs.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind...

2005-03-31T15:05:00.000-06:00

As you'll note below, one of the books I'm currently reading is entitled 'Blue Like Jazz' by Donald Miller. Witty, honest, poignant, the book is the story of his relationship with God and others, as well as his thoughts on christian spirituality (note: not 'Christianity,' which he argues has become too loaded of a term, and possessing a different meaning for just about everyone).

A great book, one that is definitely Melangeblog-approved for readers of all types--no matter what one thinks about Christians or Christianity or christian spirituality. Here is a article in the Willamette Week (local indie paper in Oregon, where Donald Miller lives) about Miller's life, books, and style. Enjoy.

Check the Faith, Yo!

2005-03-30T16:42:00.000-06:00

Christian culture can produce some pretty embarassing things from time to time.

It can also double as a Christmas tree ornament!

Great Moments in Public Education, Part I

2005-03-30T13:08:00.000-06:00

A Maryland legislator has proposed a bill that would require school health officers to make sure students are allowed to wear sunscreen when they go outdoors on sunny days. Why?

Because Maryland schools have rules that range from (A) kids needing a doctor's note to apply sunscreen to (B) some schools telling kids sunscreen use is banned at its schools, to (C) treating sunscreen as an over-the-counter drug.

Let's let the proponents of these policies explain why: "If you had a very young kid, and they put it in their eyes, it could hurt them," said Judith Covich, Montgomery's director of health and student services.

Oh, for crying out loud, people.

'Lost' speculation (UPDATED)

2005-03-29T12:26:00.000-06:00

I'm a huge fan of ABC's 'Lost.' It's the story of a group of survivors marooned on a mysterious island after their plane crashes somewhere in the South Pacific (we think). It's one of the most consistently well-written shows on TV, has an intriguing plotlines, and is presented in a truly original fashion--relating what is happening on the island to the characters' backstories.

Anyone who pays attention to the show is aware that the creators are going to be killing off one of the main characters in the next few weeks. Who that is we don't know, but I think it comes down to two. Here's my thought process. Beware of MASSIVE spoilers:

First, the character that will die will be a male. That eliminates the female members of the cast, and leaves us with the following potentials: Jack, Boone, Michael, Sayid, Locke, Charlie, Walt, Jin, Sawyer, Hurley (I suppose you could include Vincent the dog, but that's stretching it just a tad).

In an interview with Advocate Magazine, Matthew Fox confirms that his character won't be the one to kick the bucket and the death will lead to a divide amongst the survivors. Scratch Jack.

In that same interview, Fox also lets it slip that the rather combative relationship between he and Sawyer will continue to develop over time. Scratch Sawyer.

Kristin at Eonline says that the person to die is not Charlie. Based on past results, she has a very accurate track record--whoever her sources are, they have proven to be good. Scratch Charlie.

Kristin also gives some more hints:

Locke is responsible for the character's death...but not in the way you think, this person dies because of something Locke has done. Kristin also reveals that Locke lies about something, and that lie leads to the person's death.
The ultimate reason for the death will be the ultimate betrayal from someone he believes to be his trusted ally.
But I can tell you that this person is well-loved, well-featured and well, doomed. It is one of the fourteen series regulars -– one of the BIGGEST characters -- and the episode is guaranteed to make you bawl your ever-lovin’ eyes out (she clarifies that 'biggest' does not refer to the character's size).

OK. First, scratch Locke based on these clues. Clearly, he's the catalyst and not the victim. This, combined with the other scratches, leaves us with the following potentials: Boone, Michael, Sayid, Walt, Jin, Hurley.

Based on Kristin's statement in #2 that the character is well-loved, we can safely scratch Jin--he's probably the least liked character on the island (by the characters and viewers). Based on Kristin's clarification in #3, I think we can safely scratch Hurley--Kristin goes out of her way to indicate that our favorite funny fat man isn't pointed at by her clue. Without any evidence, I will also scratch Walt--the day that a TV series actually kills off a kid ain't here yet. Now I will be controversial and say that I think we can also scratch Boone--while it's true that Locke is his trusted ally--and this makes him a very potential choice--I think the writers have gone out of their way to portray him as an antagonist. He's hardly well-loved.

And then there were two: Michael and Sayid. Both have some type of alliance with Locke. Despite their initial conflict, Locke was instrumental in assisting Michael in saving Walt from a polar bear and that relationship was saved. Michael is in Locke's debt. Sayid and Locke have partnered several times in situations where force and weaponry was deemed necessary--the search for Claire and Ethan, the ultimate confrontation between Jack and Ethan, the search for the French woman. Both characters are well-loved (although Michael is somewhat of an antagonist in that he's clearly overprotective of his son--learning how to be a father on-the-job). Both are prominently featured.

In a choice that is by no means certain, I'm going to go with......this guy. Interestingly, when I started writing this article I was going to go with Michael as my choice, but after a bit more reflection I think Sayid is the goner. Both are strong possibilities, however. Here's my argument for Sayid:

First, a bit more speculation based on past events. I think we're going to discover that Locke was the one who knocked Sayid over the head earlier in the season when Sayid was trying to track down the source of a radio signal on the island. Locke has also commented (to Boone) that Sayid is someone that he wants 'on his side.' If Sayid figures that Locke is up to something and refuses, that could be a reason for Locke to lie and put Sayid in mortal danger--better he be eliminated than opposing him. Second, the developing romantic relationship between Sayid and Shannon can be viewed as a setup--get the audience to emotionally connect with the character, and the shock of his death ends up being that much more poignant. Lastly, the fact that the death results in a divide amongst the survivors is important to me--I can see the survivors dividing over Sayid's death more than I can Michael's.

So that's my reasoning--what do you think? Right, wrong, way out there? Am I missing anything? Any other theories/information out there that is helpful here?

UPDATE: A friend points out that Kristin also states that the person who dies "is kinda sexy." I think this is too subjective to point to anyone in particular, but it would be another reason to exclude Walt (as the kid--otherwise Kristin is really creepy).

UPDATE 2: Welcome 'Lost' message board readers! This blog is rather new (like, a week and a half old), but feel free to poke around.

UPDATE 3 (3/21/05): New Kristin is up! She interviews several Lost cast members. The big new item that jumped out at me is that the actor who plays Boone seems to confirm that there's at lest one more Boone-centric episode coming. Given that this year's backstories are already set, this would be another clue that Boone is not the goner.

UPDATE 4 (3/28/05): New Kristin again! Not much this time to add, other than the fact that she confirms Jack, Vincent the Dog and Hurley aren't the goners. She also adds that the soon-to-be-dead-man is looking for new projects, but is finding that "everything else pales in comparison" to Lost. Whatever that means.

Credit Card Wackiness

2005-03-28T10:13:00.000-06:00

In the town where I live, some cashiers and stores will actually compare the signature on the back of my credit card to my signature at the store. Not all, but some. This guy apparently does not live in my town, and uses that fact to create much craziness and hilarity. Enjoy.

Evangelicals: Not As Wedded to the GOP As You Might Think (UPDATED)

2005-03-28T09:24:00.000-06:00

I'm coming out of the closet. I......*big sigh*...am an evangelical. (cheers, hisses from the crowd). Credential check: protestant christian? Yes. Bush voter? Yep. Conservative living in Jesusland who voted for Bush because I hate gays and want to impose my moral will upon American society at large? Well...let's stop right there.

While it is quite true that a large amount of Bush's 2004 success comes from the fact that he dominated the evangelical vote, it is my belief that evangelicals are not so wedded to the GOP as the Common Wisdom argues. Now, did most of them vote for Bush over Kerry? Absolutely. But a proper inquiry should not end there. The question people should be asking is this: are the evangelicals so wedded to the GOP that they will consider no other alternative? And I think the answer to this is clearly no. Allow me to explain.

The CW on the "evangelical voter" says that they are single issue voters: "family values." Gays and abortion at the expense of all others, right? Relatedly, the common view of evangelicals from the left views evangelicals as easily-led sheep who vote GOP reflexively with little intellectual consideration of the issues. As with most broad-brush characterizations of a large group of individuals associated in label only, however, these views of the evangelical voter is faulty to an extreme. And if relied too heavily upon by either party, it could lead to complacency on one end and a missed opportunity on the other.

It is clear that evangelical voters are a lot more politically diverse than the CW would have you believe. Take, for example, these two recently published articles (link and link) in the New York Times which records a recent debate--and limited consensus--between heavyweights in evangelical circles on such wide-ranging issues as racial injustice, the environment, human rights, conditions in American prisons, and nonviolent resistance in the face of oppression. Liberals, conservatives, moderates. Intelligent debate on a wide array of issues. These are not the evangelicals your local op-ed page told you about. More importantly, these are not the evangelicals upon which a Karl Rove can depend or a Democrat need write off as impossible to reach.

Up until this point, the evangelical voters have aligned themselves squarely with the GOP. But this alignment is by no means permanent, and the evangelical voting "bloc" is anything but. Yes, gay rights and abortion will continue to be important issues for evangelical voters, but these are hardly the only issues. There is a growing acknowledgment within evangelical circles that our Christian faith calls us to carry out the teachings of Christ on all issues, not just picking and choosing. This includes his teachings on the environment, the poor and oppressed, respect for human life, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

What all this means is this: the GOP would be well-advised to consider appealing to evangelicals on other issues beyond gays and abortion. Bush has proven he can do this--the AIDS in Africa initiative is a classic example of this. His administration's support of human rights across the globe is another. But the GOP's attitude towards the environment is troublesome, US soldiers using torture and abuse in Iraq and Guantanamo (with the tacit support of the administration) is repugnant, and the perceived adherence of the GOP to the almighty Dollar over all else has the potential to alienate evangelicals in the future. The GOP should not take the evangelical vote for granted.

This also means that right now, there is a wide open opportunity for saavy Democrats to peel some evangelical voters away from the GOP by appealing to them on these other issues. But keep one thing in mind, DNC. We evangelicals have a healthy distrust of politicians trying to reach us by paying lip service to issues we believe in. Evangelicals can smell a panderer a mile away. We will run away in quick fashion if we even sniff an attempt at patronization (this may explain why so few evangelicals were convinced by Kerry in 2004).

Appealing to evangelicals starts with understanding us--how we think and what we believe. Understanding us begins with ending the sneering and contempt that many evangelicals sense from Democrats. A smart Democrat would enlist the services of some of these prominent evangelicals, trusted by the evangelical community at large, who are able to articulate a Christian worldview on these other issues in a language we can understand. The GOP has done this in expert fashion, which explains why evangelical voters turned out in droves for Bush.

As with most effective outreach, it starts with sincerity and respect. Respect our beliefs, stop the broad-brush and negative characterizations, and make an attempt to engage us via our beliefs. For God is not a Republican or a Democrat, and the evangelical voting bloc will reflect this if the parties are smart enough to recognize this fact.

UPDATE: Melangeblog approves of the Bull Moose Blog (which you will find listed in the right sidebar on this page). Today, Bull Moose posts on the growing environmental movement within evangelicalism--and encourages Dems to recognize that this is an issue where they can make inroads into the evangelical vote.

Bob Casey -- Dead at 79

2005-03-28T08:43:00.000-06:00

As a life-long baseball fan, I have a lot of great memories going to Minnesota Twins games. The nature of baseball is such that the team changed every year -- rookies getting the callup from the minors, the team signing new players, etc. The one constant, however, was Bob Casey--the only PA announcer in the 44 year history of the team and a Minnesota sports icon.

From his butchering of pronunciations to his constant proclamation that there will be "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO smoking in the Metrodome," Casey was one of a kind. Patrick Reusse collects several other fun Casey-isms in an article today here. However, the memory involving Mr. Casey that sticks out most in my mind was this one. It was 'Salute to Education Night' at the Metrodome (i.e.--cheap left-field bleacher tickets for college students). A large group of Minneapolis' finest collegiate representatives decided it would be sporting to not only heckle, but throw trash at Yankees' left fielder--and former Twin--Chuck Knoblauch. Bob Casey was the hero of the day--lambasting and lecturing the fans over the PA that it was an important game and if the trash-throwing didn't stop, the game would be forfeited. After several ejections, the fans were controlled and the game went on. Not the greatest moment in the history of the Twins' franchise. But a moment where Casey's class and dedication to his team shone through.

A little piece of who the Twins are died yesterday. Thanks for the memories, Bob--you will be missed.

The Amazing Testimony of Ashley Smith (UPDATED)

2005-03-26T20:56:00.000-06:00

OpinionJournal - Peggy Noonan

Ashley Smith, if you haven't heard, is the single mother who single-handedly convinced Brian Nichols--the alleged rapist and murderer of three courtroom personnel in Atlanta--to turn himself in peacefully.

This is her story, and it is powerful.

UPDATE: Conservative commentator Andrew Sullivan shares his (similar) thoughts on the intersection of lives between Ms. Smith and Mr. Nichols.

Culture Check Time!

2005-03-26T10:08:00.000-06:00

Reading: "A New Kind of Christian" -- Brian McLaren; "Blue Like Jazz" -- Donald Miller; "Transfer of Power" -- Vince Flynn.

Watching (TV): 'Lost,' 'Alias,' 'Extreme Home Makeover.' (all ABC shows?)

Watching (Movies): 'Constantine', 'Saved', 'Million Dollar Baby'. Also, 'Hostage' (but ugh, not recommended).

Listening to: Coldplay, The Killers, Derek Webb, Green Day.

A New Sport I Can Get Behind

2005-03-24T16:33:00.000-06:00

Extreme ironing. Yep, you read that right. Extreme ironing (or EI) supposedly combines the excitement of an extreme sport with the satisfaction of freshly ironed clothes.

This is fantastic. I wonder if my wife would be interested...(love you honey!)

UPDATE: Here's an NPR interview with 'Steam'...heh.

2008: Or, An Intervention for Democrats

2005-03-22T15:23:00.000-06:00

We join our political thinkin' guy in progress...

November 2004: Bush beats Kerry in the national election--GOP trounces Dems in state and local elections. GOP celebrates--drinking heavily. Dems mourn--drinking heavily.
December 2004: Bush team sobers up, prepares its second administration. Dems sober up, stagger to the nearest television, realize November actually did happen--immediately start drinking again.
January 2005: Bush inaugurated for a second term. Most Dems have stopped drinking by this point, but not this guy for whom the election loss was really just another reason to continue. Optimistic Dems plot strategies to win future elections--determine the best option involves moving and voting here.
February 2005: Bush makes his fifth State of the Union address, promising social security reform, supporting democracy around the globe, and constitutional ban on gay marriage. GOP celebrates SoTU promises with women hugging and men kissing. Dems understandably perplexed.
March, 2005: A full four months after the electoral win by the GOP. A full four months--which of course means that the time is ripe to start discussing the 2008 presidential election. /end sarcasm.

So. Dems. 2008. You've been beaten now in two straight national elections (and I will have no nattering 'selected not elected in 2000!!!' nonsense here). And what has been your response to these electoral defeats? Let's see--in 2004, your party nominated a candidate who had the most liberal voting record in the Senate for President. After he lost along with the then-majority leader of the Senate, you immediately nominated another liberal lefty to be the face of the Dems in that governing body. And to top it off, you replace the retiring head of the Democratic National Committee (whose reign improved your party in one area only, really) with another liberal ex-candidate whose candidacy ended on not a very high note.

Let me put it to you plainly: Dems, your party has been led to shambles. The GOP now controls the House, the Senate and the Presidency. The Supreme Court is up for grabs, with Bush expected to nominate at least one (possibly three) Justices over his next term. The Iraq elections occurred on schedule and succesfully, leading plenty of pundits to admit that Bush might be right about the course of action in that country. The election in Iraq appears to have encouraged the people of Lebanon to revolt against their Syrian occupiers.

In contrast, the largest success of the left over the last few months was getting an unknown conservative gay writer kicked out of the White House press corps. Congratulations. *thunderous applause*....things are looking ugly for you, Dems.

Dems, you have a choice to make. Consider this a political equivalent of an intervention. Things have gotten bad, Dems. Frankly, the rest of us are a little worried that unless someone confronts you on your downslide, it's only going to get worse. If you want to have a chance of winning an election any time soon, especially 2008, things need to change.

Dems, here is the savior of your party: the Clinton. Of course I do not mean the Clinton himself. Rather, what matters for purposes of this analysis is the politics that the Clinton represented while in office. Dems, you must run--not walk--to the politics of the Clinton. The problem with the current incarnation of the Democratic Party is that it has forgotten the lessons of the Clinton presidency. In the face of big government conservatism, the left has reacted by turning inwards--running campaigns designed to appeal to its own members rather than crafting campaigns designed to reach out to others.

Here is the overriding lesson learned from the Clinton: when Democrats run true moderates, they can win. Do we honestly think that it is a coincidence that the last two Democrats to win the highest office were political centrists? Yet despite the fact we are only five years removed from the last example of such centrism, Democrats have developed political Alzheimers when it comes to this truth. Dems, you must not repeat the lessons of your forebears. Do not run from the Clinton--rather embrace the Clinton (er, not too hard). The path to 2008 electoral success lies in the middle, not the left. You Democrats must make a choice--will you move forwards in the current mold of the Pelosis, Ted Kennedys, Gores and Moorse, the Deans? Or will you look towards the middle--towards the Obamas, the Feingolds, the Liebermans, even *gasp* the Hillarys?

I believe that right now the Republicans are vulnerable. Bush's 2004 election was by no means a convincing slam dunk--Bush's margin was convincing, and by a greater margin than most prognosticators thought it would be. But still, it was razor-thin overall--and by no means permanent. As I intimated in a previous post, the GOP 'bloc' is anything but. Underlying its apparent union, the GOP coalition is fractured and politically vulnerable. Several issues exist upon which the Dems could make convincing headway by 2008 towards attracting right centrists, moderates, and libertarians. Increasing concerns about fiscal conservatism, the budget, and the deficit/debt is one. The increasing awareness that one is seeing in evangelical circles regarding a biblical approach towards environmentalism and the poor is another. The swerve that the current GOP has taken towards a 'daddy government' rather than the Reagan/Buckley model of libertarianism, small government, and increased personal freedom is an issue that Dems could use to peel off libertarians from the established GOP clic. In addition, Dems must realize that defense and the war on terror are significant, important issues upon which the times demand they take a serious, sober stance.

But up until this point, there has been little if any effort initiated by Dems to engage voters on such issues. In fact, the opposite has occurred--Dems have stayed the course of pleasing its base at the expense of the rest. For you Dems to have any hope of succeeding in future elections, it is my opinion that you must learn the lessons of the Clinton. Moderate voters are ripe for the picking--and these next few years is when you Dems must change your strategy to effectively reach these voters. Some Dems get this. Others do not. The choice is yours, Dems. And it is clear.