24

So for some strange reason I have been watching the latest season of “24″ over that past two nights, 4 episodes total, despite having never watching any of the previous 6 seasons. I gotta say, I don’t get it.

So in short there is this magical laptop that lets the user control everything in the USA (air traffic control in particular); this lets the terrorist do terroristy things and make demands of the government. So now the good guys have to get the magic laptop back before planes start crashing.

The plot device just seems silly, but that I can let slide (I do watch Stargate and Chuck both of which just make stuff up to progress the plot). The thing that really bothers me is the way the “hero” (Jack) and the good guys (FBI) are depicted. Basically Jack is shown to be smart, quick on his feet, and able to get results by just beating the crap out of people; while the FBI agents use restraint go by the book, but ultimately are depicted as impotent in the fight against terrorism.

I find this to be terribly disappointing. It just seems like this show is saying that the only way to beat terrorism is to do bad things, but it will be OK because it will wash out in the end.

Now, I admit that it is early in this season, so there is always the chance that the FBI agents will have some vindication later on; but for now I remain skeptical.

Indelible Grace

http://www.igracemusic.com

Check them out, they basically play a bunch of Hymns, and a few original songs. But these aren’t just any Hymns, they are the cool ones I remember from RUF.

Forgot how much I enjoyed this groups music, which is evidenced by the fact I’m 3 CD’s behind. Anyways, I remembered about these guys this morning and bought a few of their newer recordings. Oh! and they are now on iTunes.

Spanish Lesson

So this morning Abigail and Lydia were still at the table while I was cleaning up the kitchen. That is when I heard this:

Abigail: Lydie? Can you say ‘Hola’?
Lydia: [something that sounds kinda like ‘Hola’]
Abigail: Thats right Lydie! Good job! You said ‘Hola’!
Abigail: Lydie, do you know what ‘Hola’ means?
Lydia: [something that sounds kinda like ‘Hola’ again]
Abigail: It means ‘Hello’.
Lydia: [something that sounds kinda like ‘Hello’]

So yeah, my daughters are brilliant, the 2.75 year old is teaching the 1.25 year old Spanish.

Finished Gibraltar Earth

The Gibraltar Series.

Finished reading “Gibraltar Earth” by Michael McCollum; was a really fun read. In short humans have begun to explore space, and finally have bumped into aliens. Come to find out there are about a million worlds out there all forcibly ruled by the Broa, so the story centers one figuring out details of the Broan rule as well as what to do about it.

I particularly liked that it’s sci-fi, heavy on the science. While humans have developed faster than light travel there are no crazy transporter beams, laser pistols, or gravity generators.