24 : 3 a.m. - 4 a.m.

24. 7.20. Jack informs Renee that Tony was the second man and is to be approached with extreme caution. Jack feels to blame for trusting him. Tony shoots his way outside the perimeter. Have the perimeters ever done any good on this show? Galvez wants money for the canister. Tony’s already wired it but the canister isn’t in the bag and Galvez pulls a gun on Tony who warns him “you don’t wanna do this.” I guess not. Jonas pulls through. They figure out his suicide attempt was coerced by the woman impersonating his lawyer who must be part of the larger group he mentioned. If they convince Jonas that the people who wanted him dead succeeded, that will protect his family. Mrs President can make him disappear to a hundred acre ranch in Colorado.

Tony and mystery woman discuss their next move. He thinks they should finish off the enemy while he’s down. But it isn’t their decision to make. The Evil Group holds a phone conference. Everyone received a data pack. The evidence trail will finger an innocent. Olivia isn’t happy with Jonas’s witness protection plan. Jack questions him but all he can reveal is he worked with like minds. People who can protect the country and show that the government can’t. He doesn’t know names. The project was based on anonymity and held together by one woman. Seems to involve private military firms, did they say?

Jack wants access to CTU servers and needs someone who knows the protocols. He phones Chloe to reconstitute the servers. She tells Morris to take their son and leave the city. Olivia can’t live with her mother’s decision. After venting to Aaron about killing Jonas, she calls a man named Martin who once mentioned there was no problem that couldn’t be handled or eliminated. Janis objects that Jack is violating the Bill of Rights among other things. Wow, she becomes more annoying every episode. Jack wants her to go whine somewhere else. In his rant, he calls the president Palmer. Chloe’s concerned about his confusion. Two brothers find the lights in their apartment go out and they receive a visit from Tony. Most poignant line: Aaron’s “I have seen the guilty walk free many times.”

24 : 2 a.m. - 3 a.m.

24. 7.19. Jonas requests his attorney, Miss Eames. As she’s getting ready to leave, she’s maced and injected with something that can’t be good. Her identity is stolen by a look alike. The suspect, Galvez, is in a storage yard in the projects. Tony tells him to stay put and wait for his call. Tony shoots himself to look like Galvez did it. Previously unbeknownst to us, Tony talked Galvez into working and stealing the canister for him. During debriefing, Jack hears Larry’s dead. He decides to help Renee. Tony tells Galvez to draw the FBI into the building and blow them up with the C4 he gave him. The fake Eames meets with Jonas. She guarantees his family’s safety if he does the right thing (have a natural dignified death) and slips him a pill that will induce cardiac arrest.

Kim didn’t have the heart to tell Jack he has a granddaughter named Teri. Jack notices both 9 millimeter and spent 45 casings at Larry’s death site. That many weapons doesn’t add up, so someone must have helped Galvez. While being delivered to the FBI, Jonas gulps the pill and is taken to the hospital instead. Jack’s notified of a discrepancy in his debriefing. Tony’s source, Cardiff, who supposedly died during Tony’s investigation, was arrested just now while going to Canada.

I think I fell asleep here and missed something. When the building blows up, Jack notices someone’s transponder wasn’t in it, so he wants the perimeter kept. Jack finds Renee. They concur that the sweep patterns were known. Jack pulls a gun on Tony. He’d told him earlier if he was lying, he’d kill him. Now he demands an explanation. Tony says he cut a deal with Cardiff. It was a meaningless lie. To Jack, there is no such thing. What is Tony’s involvement? Tony thinks Jack’s toxin is affecting his judgment and he’s paranoid. Jack suffers an untimely seizure so Tony can take his gun. Galvez kills a medic and commandeers his vehicle.

Citizens of hope and glory

Some of Karl’s quotes from Ricky Gervais’ Guide to the English.

• Being old isn’t great, is it?
• I suppose I was happiest in 1984.
• I could frown before I could walk.
• Me eyes moved about more than I did.
• Me Mum tried to send me to nursery. I said, no, I’m not having this.
• I was a late comer to pasta… There isn’t really anything like that in England.
• There was a fellow called Shorts Man.
• I’m being bombarded by everyone else’s hassle.
• It’s like grabbing a slug… Have you ever tried to grab a tongue?

24 : 1 a.m. - 2 a.m.

24. 7.18. Mrs President pulls out Tony and Company. Starkwood has surface to surface missiles in an underground depot next to the bioweapon storage. Who doesn’t? Tony has C4 on him. Again, who doesn’t? Jack demands Mrs President tell him the truth. Jonas wants a face to face meeting and she plans to make him realize the futility of his actions. Oh so naïve. Mrs President tells Jack she expects him to do what he thinks is right. He takes it as a cue for him and Renee to go covert. Jonas claims he didn’t know what Juma was up to and Starkwood should be allowed to protect the country. He wants to have level 6 access to classified material. Mrs President refuses to debate since he’s threatening to kill thousands.

The gang at Starkwood discover a government breech which is their cue to start the launch sequence. Tony fights with some guy which results in the bioweapon facility being destroyed. The presidential meeting is interrupted with the news. Mrs P wants Jonas and flunky Greg taken into custody. He warns her that it doesn’t end with him. Jack asks to have Tony cleared. Renee brings in Kim since she might have compatible stem cells. Jack’s furious but Renee explains Kim was at the Senate hearing in the morning and has been trying to see him all day. Kim regrets pushing him away but Jack believes the treatment’s small risk to her is too great. Aw. The Starkwood dude who was so keen on the launch has a canister of the bioweapon. He overpowers an FBI agent and flees. At a roadblock on Highway 42, Larry is hit. Tony, apologizing as he does so, finishes him off.

24 : 12 a.m. - 1 a.m.

24. 7.17. There are hostiles on all sides. Jonas insists weapons don’t exist in the building and the FBI has five minutes to get off the base. Since things are out of control, Jack calls Chairman Knowles who was cooperating with Mayer. What’s a prion variant? Anyway, an impromptu fist fight helps Tony and Knowles slip by unnoticed. The FBI feeds them numbers they need for entry. Knowles bolts and is discovered by one of Jonas’s people and taken to his office. Tony gets in. Jack’s symptoms begin. An air strike is ready for when the weapons are located. Olivia’s news guy, Ken, threatens to say she’s responsible for the chief of staff leaving and a source saw the WMD hijacked. The story would create panic. He’s willing to have her convince him to kill the story but even after she takes one for the team, he says he plans to run it anyway.

Jack will be injected with pandopamine or similar every two hours to mask his symptoms. There are experimental studies including possible treatment using stem cells from a family member. Jack won’t let them contact Kim. Tony has a visual and sends the picture for verification. The canisters are being transferred to a delivery system. Jonas questions Knowles about his snooping. He says he saw the FBI raid. They can’t take on the federal government. Jonas, having a different opinion, kills him. A squad of F18’s is headed for Starkwood. Olivia tells Ken if he runs the story or tries to blackmail her, she will use the cleverly recorded videotape of their tryst. Jonas has a proprietary line to Mrs President. Three missiles are loaded with the pathogen and aimed at cities. She has thirty seconds to abort the air strike. Best line we all want to ask the writers: “Who dreamed up this charade?”

24 : 11 p.m. - 12 a.m.

24. 7.16. They need Jack to get undressed. Been waiting seven seasons for that! In case we’re not worried enough about his fate, they show us horror films of what happened to the Sengala villagers who were exposed to same bioweapon. Jonas is getting ready to deploy. Tony won’t admit to knowing anything. Larry and Mrs President finally realize Starkwood framed Jack, were behind the day’s attacks, and worked with Juma. Renee debriefs Jack. One of the bad guys is about to kill Tony but is shot by another bad guy, Greg Seaton, who claims he needs help to stop Jonas. He refuses to spend his life in prison because Jonas has lost his mind. If granted immunity, he’ll show Tony where the weapons are located. They can set up a secure land line in his office. And this is where I fell asleep.

Jack’s blood work is positive. He’s infected. The disease isn’t contagious but there’s no cure. Tony calls the FBI. Greg wants a deal. Mrs President will be consulted. Greg takes Tony to the warehouse on the northeast part of the Starkwood compound. Jack wants to go, but they can’t risk his symptoms starting while he’s in the field. The FBI arrives at the compound with an executive order to search the building but the weapons aren’t there. Greg says Tony threatened to kill him so he told him what he wanted to know. Jonas is glad Greg bought them some time. The FBI plans to keep looking but Starkwood people ask them to leave. They’re on private property and Starkwood is prepared to defend itself. Best line: “Know the psychology of your subject. That’s in our manual.”

and the hubcaps all gleam

Drop by Walkscore and enter your home address. It will calculate how walk friendly your neighborhood may or may not be. Mine is 48 out of a possible 100, meaning I need a car. Here's the distance to some place they think I need to go:


Grocery Stores
0.36 Mi
Kwik Fill-Services
0.45 Mi
Fresh Cut Meats & M
0.63 Mi
Farm Fresh Foods
0.64 Mi
Lake County Dairy
0.7 Mi
Rite Aid
0.77 Mi
Gokey Mini Market
0.83 Mi
5th Street Sunoco
0.9 Mi
Kwik Fill-Services
Restaurants
0.45 Mi
Fresh Cut Meats & M
0.63 Mi
Fisher's Family Res
0.66 Mi
Shawbucks
0.69 Mi
Ironstone Restauran
0.7 Mi
Friendly Restaurant
0.7 Mi
Tim Hortons
0.74 Mi
Golden Griddle Fami
0.86 Mi
Mac Duff's Restaura
Coffee Shops
0.7 Mi
Tim Hortons
0.86 Mi
Timothy's
0.87 Mi
Labyrinth Press Com
0.91 Mi
Stedman Corner Coff
1.82 Mi
Coffee Cup
2.31 Mi
Starbucks
2.7 Mi
Tim Hortons
2.82 Mi
Dunkin' Donuts
Movie Theaters
0.79 Mi
Lucille Ball Little
0.83 Mi
Crown Theater & Ban
0.85 Mi
Chautauqua Cinema
0.87 Mi
Reg Lenna Civic Cen
2.05 Mi
Park 60 Drive-In
2.86 Mi
Cinema I & II Theat
4.06 Mi
Lakewood Cinema 6
13.68 Mi
Chautauqua Cinema
Schools
0.4 Mi
DeMarco Sisters Sch
0.48 Mi
Lincoln Elementary
0.51 Mi
Holy Trinity Luther
0.52 Mi
Milton J Fletcher E
0.6 Mi
Hillcrest Christian
Parks & R
0.6 Mi
Fenton Park
0.73 Mi
Baker Park
1.36 Mi
Nordstrom Park
Libraries
0.62 Mi
Fenton History Cent
0.87 Mi
Prendergast
0.9 Mi
WCA Health Sciences
3.13 Mi
Fluvanna Free Libra
3.34 Mi
Falconer Public Lib
3.8 Mi
Hazeltine Public Li
4.21 Mi
Lakewood Memorial L
6.5 Mi
Ashville Free Libra
Bookstores
0.69 Mi
Chautauqua Comics
0.82 Mi
Christian Treasures
0.82 Mi
Paperback Exchange
1.05 Mi
Book Outlet
2.69 Mi
Waldenbooks
13.9 Mi
CLSC Veranda
13.91 Mi
Barbara Berry's Boo
14.07 Mi
Chautauqua Bookstor
Drug Stores
0.63 Mi
Quality Markets: Ph
0.7 Mi
Rite Aid
0.7 Mi
CVS Pharmacy: Store
0.71 Mi
Walgreens
0.8 Mi
Resource Center
0.99 Mi
Parmed Pharmaceutic
1.13 Mi
Eckerd
Hardware Stores
0.6 Mi
Chautauqua Brick Co
0.6 Mi
Nelson Brothers Lum
0.63 Mi
Southern Tier Wood
0.73 Mi
Holmlund's Wallpape
1.21 Mi
Astry Bob Hardware
2.42 Mi
Home Depot
2.48 Mi
Sherwin-Williams
Clothing & Music
0.75 Mi
Bag Babe The
0.77 Mi
Lander's Men's Stor
0.79 Mi
Top Hat N Tails
0.81 Mi
Benson's
0.83 Mi
Suburban Blend
0.87 Mi
Townhouse Records a
0.87 Mi
Labyrinth Press Com

24 : 10 p.m. - 11 p.m.

24. 7.15. Somehow Jack and/or Tony figure out the bioweapon is at the Port of Alexandria with a thousand other canisters to search through. Since Ethan sanctioned Jack’s release from custody, he feels he must resign as chief of staff. Jack and Tony approach port authority officer Carl. The bad guys (led by Jonas, whoever he is when he’s at home) told Carl they were smuggling weapons from South America. Since he needed money for he and wife to conceive, he agreed to help. Jack needs the manifest but the database is password protected. Where’s Chloe? They need her. Wouldn’t you know, the phone lines are jammed. Bad Starkwood guys contact Carl by radio. He’s to pretend all is normal and let in the eight heavily armed hostiles.

Olivia informs a press guy that Jack killed Mayer. Isn’t she special? The FBI finds it curious that Mayer was killed with a machine gun Jack didn’t have. Plus there were broken doors and extra slugs around. And open files about Starkwood. Renee tells Larry that Jack believes Starkwood is behind Juma’s attacks. Bad Guy Cooper promises money for Carl in a truck but instead he’s to be killed. Jack can’t let Carl down and takes out Cooper. Carl runs away, with thanks. When Cooper doesn’t copy, combat ensues and suddenly it’s Butch & Sundance against the Bolivians. Jack leaps on a semi and escapes but Tony is caught. Jack calls Larry to inform him of the latest events. Amidst more gunfire, a chopper swoops down and airlifts the bioweapon out. Unfortunately, when Jack was doing something or other in the back of the semi (it’s night, it was dark), one canister was breached and he may have been exposed. Now we’re talking! Best line: Jack’s, “Don’t even think about going for your weapon.”

24 : 9 p.m. - 10 p.m.

24. 7.14. When he looks for Chloe, Morris is told the FBI has her in holding because she’s been arrested. Jack calls the suspended Renee and reiterates that he’s being framed. He manages to grab a frame from the hospital surveillance camera of the hit man who killed Burnett and sends it to Renee. She identifies him as John Quinn who works for Starkwood defense consultants. Senator Mayer would know if Quinn worked with Juma. Jack heads off the see Mayer who I thought was the bad guy, but it appears to be someone else who actually said “the loss of one soul is tragic to me” followed by stating how “collateral damage” was different. Larry figures out Renee talked with Jack and has her records checked. They trace calls to a stolen phone. She’s put in holding. Not the same holding as Chloe. Mayer listens to Jack’s reasoning and allows him access to his files.

Janis can’t decrypt Renee’s files. Only Chloe has the power to do that. Larry informs Morris that he needs to help them find Jack or Chloe will be prosecuted for colluding and given a fifteen year sentence. No slouch, Morris easily figures out the override codes and decrypts the files. Instead of answering the question of where did Renee send Jack, I’d like to know why the FBI hasn’t hired Morris. Jack discovers an accident victim alleged that Starkwood was involved in assassination plots and attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction, particularly bio weapons. Juma tested a pathogen on a village in Sengala. Chances are Starkwood has the same weapon and intends to use it.

The metro police knock on Mayer’s door. Knowing the police won’t listen to him, since they haven’t for the previous six seasons, Jack plans to run. Mayer advises him to trust the people he’s protecting. Trust isn’t Jack’s greatest asset, but he tries. Unfortunately, it was Quinn, not the police, at the door. Quinn guns down Mayer and Jack makes a run for it. He cuts his hand so Quinn has a blood trail to follow to a shack. When Quinn goes inside, Jack tips the shack over. Quinn jumps out the window and they fight. I believe before dying, Quinn said the weapons were already there. Thinking Jack killed Mayer, Larry orders him to be shot on sight. Jack calls Tony and arranges a meeting. Best line: Jack’s “If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already.”

Go ahead you can laugh

Some Pilkington quotes from The Guide to Philosophy:

• Because I haven’t been sleeping that well (re: how does he know this isn’t a dream?)
  
• If I was dreaming all this, I reckon my boiler would have been fixed ages ago.
  
• You don’t want fun all in one go.
  
• You’ve got the problem gene in your head.
  
• The problem hole is a standard size on everyone.
  
• You’ve got a load of skittles. I’ve got a big cream egg. (The difference between Ricky’s problems and his.)
  
• The problem ball is growing.
  
• I was emptying my worry hole.
  
• That me name was Brett (re: the one thing he would want to change.)
  
• I kept forgetting I was Brett ‘cause I wasn’t answering, so they went back to Karl.
  
• The thing with numbers is, there’s loads of ‘em.
  
• You could rule numbers out of your life if you wanted to.
  
• Anything over 3, they say we’re just being greedy.

24 : 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.

24. 7.13. Conveniently for the good guys, there are five canisters (oh, canisters again!) of CH-4 or similar in the lockdown room. Jack figures he can make a run for it and cause an explosion. Mrs President asks for the release of the other hostages. Juma’s semantics may need help. Depending on your definition of release, he does release one. Mrs President is forced to read a statement. Bill overhears that Juma is not acting alone. Jack will need to find out who on the outside is helping so Bill runs for the CH-4 and causes the explosion. A shootout ensues. Juma orders the hostages killed but Jack corners him, planning to bring him in. Juma moves and Jack brings him down. And Bill is honored by the silent clock. With his hair emitting a golden halo this season, I figured he was already halfway to the angels. Sad, sad…

Mrs President brings FD Olivia on as an advisor, or a political liability since she leaked damaging personal information during the campaign. Larry suspends Renee for going behind his back and talking Ethan Kanin into allowing Jack access to Burnett. Meyer has twelve possible targets programmed in. He sends hit man Quinn to the hospital. Quinn kills a patient so the nurses will have to leave their station and he can block their computer monitor. A pen drops from the ceiling in Burnett’s room. The gas it gives off renders Jack unconscious long enough for Quinn to slit Burnett’s throat. When Jack comes to, he jumps up in the ceiling to escape, then he calls Larry to inform him he’s being set up by someone wanting to distract the FBI. The threat isn’t over. Best line: “The rules don’t apply to you anymore.”

24 : 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

24. 7.12. The frogmen swim across the Potomac and quite easily gain access to the White House from underground. Burnett is transferred to Kennedy memorial. Jack wants Bill to go to him and get information but Bill doesn’t think that would be prudent. Renee runs mighty fast. Not fast enough. Dubaku’s son reaches her. She informs him that Juma killed his father to stop him from talking. He doesn’t buy that story. They fight. As he’s about to strangle her, he’s shot from behind. Renee tells the FBI where the target is and they lockdown the WH. But too slow. Juma’s men are headed straight for Mrs President. Bill puts on her tracker and heads west with it, drawing them away from her. He’s seen and taken hostage with some other unknowns. Aaron and the First Daughter look for a way past the hostiles. Jack and Mrs President are sealed off in lockdown. Agents move in but Juma claims he has the president and they must evacuate or she will die.

They can’t risk that Juma is lying. Juma’s men think they can open the lockdown door in fifteen minutes because they have access codes. They don’t know Jack. He finds a toolbox and disables the door. Juma calls Mayer. They don’t have the shipment yet. What shipment? Suddenly I’m lost. If they find FD, Mrs President will have to open the door. Aaron knows Juma is bluffing and hopes to get out a signal but he’s shot. He sends FD to a security kit where she can signal code green out the window. She’s grabbed before she finishes. Juma spots the camera in the chandelier and threatens to kill FD if Mrs President doesn’t come out. Jack doesn’t want to open the door, but relents. Best line: “Stress is the fertilizer of creativity.”

24: 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

24. 7.11. Code blue in ICU. I take it there’s no hospital security. Again. An unidentified man was with Dubaku before his sudden heart attack. Jack calls Chloe and asks her to delete Ryan Burnett’s name from the list or they won’t get the information in time. Janis interrupts her. Burnett’s trying to extend the window. If they recess the hearings, Jack’s subpoena expires, and Mrs President can pardon him. Senator Mayer won’t hear of it. Jack renders Bill unconscious so he can have a little chat with Burnett. Janis plays her boss a call between Chloe and Jack that implicates Burnett. Jack’s chat with Burnett includes a lot of high voltage tasering and the risk of becoming paralyzed but Burnett insists he doesn’t know the target. Mrs President pages Jack to stand down. He shoots out the intercom but the door is blasted through before Burnett gives in.

Mrs President offers Burnett full immunity if he talks. Otherwise, he’ll be charged with treason and she has no problem with the death penalty. On her own, Renee follows the soldiers to a warehouse basement. She calls Larry to inform him she saw Juma with the soldiers who she then follows to a boat, giving us new respect for her swimming abilities. Janis loses Renee’s signal. Glub glub. When the scuba geared guys jump off the boat, Renee quickly finds their plans include targeting the White House. She’s seen by Dubaku’s son, I think it was, and quickly dives in the water. He follows in a motor boat.

24 : 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

24. 7.10. Marika tries to play dumb but Dubaku shoves her around and takes her phone. He quickly tries to cover his tracks by saying his enemies showed her lies when he actually brought peace to Sangala. He’d still like her to accompany him. Whether to play the hero or martyr, she does. Jack and Renee are released but lose Marika’s phone signal when Dubaku crushes it. Somehow they get a make on the car. Copy that. Big car chase ensues. When it looks like Dubaku will escape, Marika attacks him and the car crashes. Jack easily takes out the driver and pulls Dubaku from the car which is about to explode. Jack begrudgingly helps Renee drag Marika out of the car, but to no avail. She’s a martyr. Dubaku’s critical. Jack has him brought around with epinephrine. Talk or he’ll make his son suffer. He has a list of names. Interestingly, he carries it with him in a plate just beneath his ribs. Who doesn’t? Jack extracts the digital storage device.

The device has an auto erase function. Chloe will have just one chance to download. Sean realizes he and Erika’s names will be in the database. If he crashes the server, they’ll have time to reformat and she can configure parameters or whatnot. When it’s accomplished, Sean shoots Erika. Chloe figures someone deliberately crashed the system. Sean claims Erika followed him up to the server room and shot him so he grabbed her weapon in defense. He didn’t mean to kill her. Chloe miraculously recovers the file, as only she can. Sean has a sudden errand but the FBI is quick and he doesn’t get away, but starts crying for his lawyer. Bill goes to bat for Jack with Mrs President. Tony has a lead for Jack. There will be another attack, target unknown, by Juma. The window opens at 1900 hours. Ryan Burnett, who works for the confusingly named Senator Mayer, is involved in its planning. Best line: Jack’s, “You ever pull your weapon on me again, you better intend to use it.”

24: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

24. 7.9. Information is not to be disseminated. Jack calls Mrs President to say the FH has been transported to the hospital. Dubaku is trying to leave the country, with an exit strategy already in place. Bill wants Chloe cleared to help the FBI. Dubaku tells Marika his visa expired and immigration caught him. He must leave tonight, but invites her to go with. Her sister can join them later. Mrs Vosser’s anguish bothers Renee who should feel better knowing Mr Vosser was a killer and a traitor. In a weird scene, Morris, with son Prescott in the back seat, drops off Chloe at the FBI. Will she ever see them again?

Here is where the cat sat on my notes and things become even sketchier.

Mrs President has Aaron contact the First Daughter. Rosa rats out Dubaku. Our heroes want Marika to help them find out where he wants to meet. She doesn’t know, since he’s sending a car and driver for her. They can use her cell phone as a transponder. Janis is suspicious of Chloe who briefly loses the tracking grid because someone/Janis was in the system. The metro police place a road block around Jack and Renee. Federal warrants for their arrest were issued by the FBI/Sean. Dubaku is tipped off about Marika. Best line: “Life gets ugly, innocent people get hurt.”

24: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

24: 7.8. The First Husband is locked in the trunk of a car. I hate when that happens. This was a few weeks ago, so I’m trying to remember if he overheard that Dubaku was behind the First Son’s death or how we viewers were informed. Mrs President wants an explanation from Jack, Bill and Renee. They say using the CIP device as bait was necessary to get Dubaku. He has names of government betrayers so they can’t involve the FBI or Homeland Security. Dubaku calls. He has FH. Mrs President will meet his demands or he’ll send FH back once piece at a time. Mrs President feels she can’t give in. Jack offers to find FH.

Renee inexplicably trusts Larry Moss and enlists him to help find out who Gedge was in contact with. Sean doesn’t like being kept out of the loop. While Jack finds/crashes into Edward Vossler, Renee goes to Vossler’s house. She threatens to off his wife and child. There’s a green grocer with a staircase in back, Vossler offers, but then tries to one-up Jack so Jack must kill him in self defense. Marika’s sister Rosa doesn’t trust “Samuel.” She checks with immigration and finds out he doesn’t exist. Marika decides to break up with him that night. At the grocer’s Jack and Renee exchange hand signals. In a shootout, the FH is shot. Jack yells for an ambulance. Best come back line: “The rules are what make us better.” “Not today!”

I know what I like

Pilkingtonisms from "Guide to the Arts":

• It’s just something for your eyes to look at (art)
  
• I know my eyes will get bored of it eventually.
  
• That’s what art is to me: fill in a gap that otherwise would have naught in it.
  
• At the end of the day, if everyone wants one, then it’s gotta be good.
  
• I haven’t got any hair to comb so I don’t look in the mirror as much as the normal person.
  
• If Suzanne’s sat next to me, I tend to talk to her through the mirror.
  
• There’s no neck usage going on.
  
• It’s like there’s more people in the room.
  
• I can see everything in that room that’s going on in there without moving my head. Stephen Hawking would be well happy.
  
• If the flat’s a mess, it’s a mess twice.
  
• Why is it always a yak on every wall? (cavemen paintings)
  
• Why can’t they just do a full person? (statues)
  
• I don’t whistle that much I think ‘cause I’m fed up most the time in London.
  
• Me brain can come up with words that I don’t normally say: squirm.
  
• To make the classics live on, I’m surprised someone hasn’t added to ‘em.
  
• Nothing’s hard if you’re given it as a kid.
  
• A hobby shouldn’t take up a whole corner of the room. (piano)
  
• Just tell me what happened. I don’t want a weather forecast. (poetry)

It's only living, it don't matter at all

From the Gervais, Merchant, Pilkington e-book: "Guide to Natural History." Some of Pilkie's quotes:

• A spider won’t be unlocking any mysteries.
  
• It’s like having an old woman as a neighbor: she never goes out, she doesn’t bother you, let her be.
  
• Look at the stuff that’s being invented now: the Frisbee.
  
• There must’ve been some alien involved here.
  
• A computer chip, where’s that come from?
  
• Your eyes are what comes up with a lot of thoughts.
  
• If you look half decent to the human race, they’ll take care of you.
  
• Nature chucks up odd things, doesn’t it? (looking at Steve Merchant)
  
• If we ate polar bears, we wouldn’t be short of ‘em… What’s a polar bear doing? Sat on a block of ice, floating about.
  
• You had your day, it didn’t work out.
  
• Them two should never even meet. How did that disagreement happen? (horse & frog)
  
• I mean, who knows what’s gonna happen?

24: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

24. 7.7. PM & wife are taken to the Router Building to meet Dubaku who demands they give Juma names of fellow traitors. Janis (who can live without Sean’s negativity today) somehow notices the next target might be Kidron, Ohio’s Boyd Chemical which makes insecticide. Renee enters Router & informs security she’s on official FBI business. I found it weird no one noticed her talking to herself. She helps the guys enter the building. Chloe steers them to some floor panels they can boogie on through. Janis phones the Ohio plant and speaks with John Brunner about possible breaches in the area. Are they having problems? Are they ever. Three safety vales won’t re-set. They initiate on-site emergency procedures but can’t shut down the place. The pressure builds and in 15 minutes 3,000 gallons of insecticide will be released in Kidron’s atmosphere. The workers are evacuated except Brunner who will try release the chemical in the room where he is. Although he’s wearing protective gear, he doesn’t seem confident about it.

Dubaku sees Tony & Jack and decides to attack a different location. The breach closes but Brunner doesn’t get out in time. Bummer, Brunner. Following a shootout with Dubaku’s men, PM and Wife are safe but Dubaku escapes and threatens some guy named Latham’s family. Latham must help, but for his efforts, is blown up. Mrs President is informed that First Husband is pursuing their son’s death and is missing. One of Brian Gedge’s accomplices arrives at Sam’s apartment, trapping FH. Since when can Chloe only do one thing at a time? Jack believes they need help from the government. Bill agrees and has PM call Mrs President. Tony bows out so he’s not arrested. It’s not that he doesn’t want to deal with the consequences of his actions, it’s that he wants Dubaku caught first. Uh huh. Dubaku and some chick named Maria arrange a dinner date. Best line from Janis: “Normally I don’t allow people to call me honey but we can talk about that later.”

A hoopy frood

Which Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Character are You?

You are FORD PREFECT. You are a relaxed, hoopy sort of frood when it comes to big mind-boggling things like life, the universe, and everything. You are not, as many people think, an out-of-work actor from Guildford, but rather an alien from somewhere around Betelgeuse, and a writer for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. You love towels, drinking, girls, and maybe also the ape-descendant you rescued. One never knows with you.

24: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

24. 7.6. Sean may be hasty in presuming or hoping that Renee is dead. Chloe and Bill magically find/uncover her and revive her with a shot of adrenaline. They warn her not to contact the compromised FBI. Jack asks how Emerson sprang Tony from CTU. He says Christopher Anderson, who I just about remember, missed the artery on purpose. Tony has to shoot Emerson to stop the deal. Jack explains to the PM and wife that they need their help and says they won’t let Dubaku torture them. Let’s all laugh. The PM is against being used as a pawn but wife wants some excitement after all these years.

Dubaku phones Mrs President so she can witness a plane hit another plane or flock of birds. Seagulls, perhaps. She must withdraw forces from Sangala or more will die. Why does Joe from the cabinet appear to be Tony’s twin? PM wonders who Chloe is and why she’s putting a transmitter on his teeth. She says she’s a stay a home mom. During the diamonds exchanged for PM, Jack saves Tony from being shot. Let’s put that behind us. When Samantha returns to her apartment, Brian stabs her to death. He tries to hang First Husband from the rafters but the paralyzing drug wears off. FH starts to strangle him and they fall. Brian dies. Dubaku targets a small town in Ohio to destroy next.

24: 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

7.5. The FBI calls back Renee but she won’t go. Jack pumps ammonia something into the safe room. Although PM and wife try to tell themselves their cause is more important than they are, she wimps out and opens the door. The attorney general’s office has questions for Janis but she insists she’s not involved at all. Jack frisks Renee, which we’re sure he didn’t enjoy. Emerson checks with his source at the FBI to find out how much she knows. With is wife safely landed, Sean is once again friendly with Erika. The FH meets with Roger’s friend Brian who says he has documents to prove Roger was murdered. Brian takes FH to Sam’s apartment, drugs him with tetradyazine or similar, with plans to kill him and bring Samantha there and kill her too.

Emerson learns Renee is extraneous. They take her to an abandoned construction site to kill her, which Emerson orders Jack to do. He tells her he can get her out alive, but then makes it appear he shoots her and kicks her in a ditch. He hopes plastic tarp will be good enough cover but Emerson demands Jack and Tony bury her. With only half an inch of dirt covering her face, I guess we were supposed to be worried she’ll suffocate. Did the writers not see what happened to Nikki & Paolo on Lost?

24: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

7.4. Alan Tanner, confidante of Tony, is out of surgery. Mrs President doesn’t want to negotiate with terrorists. Tony explains to Jack that David Emerson paid off someone at CTU to inject him with something to make him appear dead, but later revived him. Of course. Emerson targeted former employees with grievances against the government and Tony worked for him, which he must pretend to do again to retrieve the device. Sean snaps at an FBI co-worker named Erika who appears confused. Emerson doesn’t think it’s worth the risk to include Jack and wants Tony to kill him. Jack fights the guards. He’s offended because he came there to do a job, not to be double crossed. Emerson warns him, by killing an employee who doesn’t, “Fall in line or you’re gone.”

Sean impersonates an Agent Moss and arranges for his wife’s flight to be moved to the head of the queue to land. Juma’s troops advance on a refugee camp. The Sangala PM wants help/weapons. Mrs President is reminded that “a superpower has to act on its own interests.” Emerson’s gang plans to pick up a package/person: the PM. Roger Taylor (still not the Queen drummer), discovered bank records that proved trading with Sangala. The accounts were traced to a senior member of the administration. On questioning, Tanner scoffs at Renee and demands his lawyers who Janis stalls long enough for Renee to pull out his ventilator. I’m not comfortable with that either, but Renee learns Tony’s group plans to abduct the PM who is locked in a safe room of reinforced concrete. As if that will hold Jack back. Best line: “You have enough to think about without being burdened with details.”

24 : 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

7.3. Tony, in custody, claims he’s working for the Juma regime which demands the US get out or stay out of Sangala. To save himself time and pain, Jack wants Tony to explain how he’s still alive. More important, why would he want to aid a genocide? Jack about strangles him for information, which turns out to be “deep sky,” their previous code to call CTU. Since it’s been disbanded, Jack calls Bill who appears to have colored his hair to the point of achieving a halo glow. Tony is actually working undercover for Bill, though now there’s the problem of Tony not being able to control the CIP device as they planned. They need him back undercover. And hello there Chloe who commends Jack for looking good on C-Span.

Samantha, former girlfriend of Roger Taylor (not the drummer from Queen,) calls the First Husband. Janis discovers Sean’s involvement in something. He claims he wanted to see if his wife’s plane was involved. Janis deletes his name from the evidence. Jack renders Renee unconscious as I wonder why Bill and Chloe didn’t tell Jack what was going on to being with. Jack springs Tony, who’s grateful. Jack’s “just glad I didn’t break your neck.” Janis notices someone has accessed the FBI’s surveillance system and boots them out, so Chloe loses her feed. Tony jumps from the parking lot to Bill’s van. Pursued, Jack has to hot wire a car and drive over the building side to reach them. Why do it the easy way? I’m still wondering what “cycling frequencies” means. Best line: “The government poisons everything in its path.”

24: 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.

7.2. Looks like someone working for the FBI tipped off Tony. Anyone suspect Janis? The screens for the Eastern Quadrant are locked. Probably important. At JFK planes are on a collision course and everyone holds their breath until Tony orders one up before they crash. Next time it won’t be just a warning, he warns them. The sniper hides in the basement of the Columbia building. Tony sends FBI agent or similarly dressed person possibly named Lennart to help him escape. But forgot it’s in the details. Jack notices the dude’s shoes are different from the others & clues in Renee. They intend to handle it on their own. This should go well.

The First Gentleman (Mrs President’s Mr) hires a private investigator to check out his son’s death since he refuses to believe it was a suicide. Samantha, the former fiancée, tells FG there was money in an offshore account. Not her money, but her aunt’s. Hiding from the IRS. Why this is important is unclear in my notes, as are the notes that follow. I might have been half asleep at this point. Tony’s priority is the CIP device. He’s on a boat and plans to chopper out with the device, but Jack stops him. As Shakespeare said: They fight. The device gets away. Most don’t tell that to Chloe line: “It’s just technology.”

24: 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.

7.1. Some rogue group kidnaps Michael Latham (whoever he is when he’s at home) and forces him to make a CIP device (whatever that is) work. Jack tries to avoid answering questions at a senate hearing with the old “that’s classified info” trick. He adapted and broke procedure (i.e. used extreme interrogation methods) to achieve results and protect innocent lives. Renee Walker interrupts the hearing. Jack is needed to help with a homeland security problem. It seems Tony Almeda isn’t dead after all. He is, though, blaming the government for losing Michelle.

Jack and Renee follow a forged access card lead from old CTU files to find Gabriel Schecter. They “get behind the operation with both shoulders,” whatever that means. Schecter won’t talk until Jack’s ready to “break procedure,” but shots blast through the windows and Schecter’s taken out. Jack and Renee pursue the assailant in the building across the street. The Sangala subpot continues to bore. Juma must be stopped. Mrs President ponders what to do. The Feds notice a 767 has lost control. Tony, with CIP device, orders a plane to lower altitude. Line most Chloe-like from FBI’s Janis: “Most people don’t like sarcasm.”

Don't go imagining that time is medicine

The Big Three (Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and round-headed Karl Pilkington) recently released a new podcast or ibook or similar called Medicine. Keeping up with Karl's quote gems, here's some to add:

• What did he say? (wondering what he just said)
• If your brain was in your foot, it’d take ages to say anything.
• “Smallpox, we’ll keep it just in case”? Get rid of it!
• There are not tough babies anymore.
• Sometimes I don’t know whether I feel well.
• If an idea isn’t daft, it isn’t worth thinking about. (what Einstein might have said)
• If you can’t get through the door, I’m not seeing you (re: fatties getting special treatment at the doctor’s)
• She rattles, she carries that many pills, like a maraca (re: Auntie Norah)
• With all fiction comes the future.
• A problem solved is a problem caused.
  

vitklädd med ljus i hår

For Christmas decorations, I placed a figurine of Lucia on top of the fridge and B asked me about the lit candles on her head. What did they signify? I wasn't sure and asked my Grandmother, who was born in Sweden, but she didn't know either. So I googled.

Lucia was an Italian saint who appeared vision-wise, as saints will, along with a ship of food during a Middle Age famine in Sweden's Varmland province. Since Lucia wore a wreath of candles on her head and took food to the poor people in dark tunnels, she became a symbol of light. In Sweden, on December 13th, the oldest daugther traditionally prepares a special breakfast of Lussekatter (saffron flavored rolls) and gingerbread cookies, wears a white dress with a red sash and the wreath of candles (now typically battery operated because too many gals had their hair catch fire.) Following her are similarly dressed girls (tärnor) and boys wearing a tall pointed hat carrying a star wand (stjärngossar.) They sing carols and then everyone enjoys coffee and the rolls and cookies.

Quote for the day

"I know all they lyrics, except for the ones I can't understand."
--B

24: Redemption

Jack decided to get away from it all, where else but in the unstable African country of Sangala (probably next door to Senegal?) A UN guy delivers a subpoena but Jack’s got no time for that. He’s busy helping Hamish MacBeth (or Robert Carlyle from The Full Monty) run a boys school which is soon under attack by seemingly 50 soldiers Jack easily picks off one by one all by his lonesome. I’m not sure how long he’s carried that stick of dynamite in his pocket (or purse/Jack Sack he’s still toting), but it came in handy. And I saw the Thighs of Death about to be used as soon as the torture scene began.

More miraculously, his facial burns recovered in an hour. He helps transport the boys to safety but when one of the boys steps on a landmine, Hamish sacrifices himself and takes the kid’s place. Nice guest appearance for Carlyle, despite the messy blow-up. For the kids to be air lifted out of Sangala (Sangria?), Jack must agree to give himself over to authorities, setting up next season. The subplot was as incompressible as Ozzy ordering coffee. The writers must have thought Hillary would win the election. Next up: Chloe delivers a surprise bundle of joy.

The Pets get ready for Christmas

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If you really want to hear our views

Yes, it's nearing that time again, which everyone who hasn't been living on Neptune for the past oh four years must know. Election day = November 4th. So everyone in the States who's registered, please express your opinions with a vote. For everyone not in the States, you can virtually vote on If the World Count Vote.

It's been a long long long time

Movie: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. An entertaining adventure film continuing the long, and I mean long, running series. The one character asking, “How much of human life is lost in waiting?” made me think of how long viewers have to wait for Spielberg and Lucas’s next installments. For the love of all that is sane, Raiders of the Lost Ark was 27 years ago. Anyway, to tie in the Mr Pilkington’s “Do We Need ‘Em?”-- how about those Siafu ants which were voraciously swarming upon and munching on the bad guys. In real life, these ants are not as large and are slower moving (and also not native to Peru.) While they have shearing jaws and move in columns of up to 50 million, they rarely take human life unless there’s a reason someone can’t escape. Disability or illness. Since they consume crop pests from insects to large rats, it appears we do need ‘em. Sorry Karl. Stuff of nightmares, they are.

Pilkie's making podcasts again

As marketing for his newest book due out in the next few weeks, Karl Pilkington now has his own blog, Karlology. He also teamed up again with Ricky & Steve for another podcast series. Here are some highlights from the K-Man:

• If this is still in, then it didn’t go well.
• I have not got room for a live owl, never mind a dead one.
• They all went mimimulistic.
• If something’s not used over 3 months, chuck it out, it’s not needed.
• I don’t wear a tie. I would if it had pockets.
• Any problem solved is a new problem made.
• Look at me, I wouldn’t survive as a gay man.
• This is a made up man and I know I don’t like him.
• The in-your-face woman and the in-your-face man, I don’t want any of ya.
• Water’s just happy where it is.
• That’s like having a no trespassing sign and they’re just going “bollocks to that.” (re: slugs)
• Brains that don’t wanna do what their owners are good at. Let’s go to the extreme: people with no legs who wanna be swimmers. Don’t be stupid.
• A plumber who can plumb is annoying when he chucks it in.
• Problem I’ve got with me legs, how they sort of come alive at night. (re: Restless Leg Syndrome)
• They’re not problebleming me.
• What was the last thing that was invented by nature?
• Never seen a track in its life, that track suit.
• Doesn’t Jane get annoyed? Doesn’t she feel like she’s been ripped off? (re: Ricky's weight gain)
• Food’s too nice now.
• A fat person’s always got the fridge open.
• Same with babies: sometimes you just wanna slap their head. Not hard.
• You might’s well be some sort of moth. (re: Anne Frank)
• There’s a woman in the loft, it’s just the norm. With all the Jewish people around, everyone must’ve had a Jew in the loft.
• A squatter with a diary. (re: Anne Frank)
• Your eyes get bored of anything. That’s why relationships break up, Me eyes want a change.
• I don’t want to be annoying meself.
• If I’ve got a better vocab, I’ll have a good little chat.
• If you bore yourself, what’s the point?

Erin wants to know...

Directions! Now, Here Is What You Are Supposed To Do...And Please Do Not Spoil The Fun! Hit Forward, Delete My Answers And Type In Your Answers. Then Send This To A Whole Bunch Of People That You Know...And Send It Back To Me So I Can See Your Answers, The Theory Is That You Will Learn A Lot Of Little Known Facts About Those You Know. Remember To Send It Back Please.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
> > Yes. A girl my mother went to school with.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
> > Friday night
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING
> > printing yes, cursive no
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
> > roast beef
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
> > Only the one I live with :)
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
> > Yes
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A Lot?
> > Yes, sometimes too much
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS
> > no
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
> > not unless my life depended on it
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
> > Captain crunch
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
> > no
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
> > not physically
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
>> vanilla, but I can't eat it because I'm lactose intollerent
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
>> their eyes
15. RED OR PINK?
> > Pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
> > Being friendly doesn't come naturally
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
> > my grandpa Carlson
8. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
> > Yes.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
> > I am wearing a black, red and blue flowered skirt with black shoes
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
> > french toast
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
> > the hard drive whine
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
> > Green
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
> > apple pie
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
> > Randi
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
> > extremely much
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
> > Hockey
27. HAIR COLOR?
> > brown/chestnut brown?
28. EYE COLOR?
> > green
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
> > I did but had to switch to glasses
30. FAVORITE FOOD?
> > Swedish kaldormar
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
> > Happy Ending
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
> > Kabluey
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
> > black
34. FAVORITE SEASON ?
> > Summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES?
> > Hugs
36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
> > Pies: raspberry, strawberry, peach, pear, apple, pumpkin, any pie!
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
> > not sure
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND
> > People I don't sent it to
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
> > Just finished "The Book Stops Here" by Ian Sansom
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
> > gateway symbol
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
> > an episode of Brothers & Sisters
42. FAVORITE SOUND?
> > music I like
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
> > Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
> > Scotland
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
> > Crocheting
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
> > Jamestown, NY
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
> > everyone

Images of broken light which dance before me

Movie: Across the Universe. A visual and auditory masterpiece. Vibrant, stunning, trippy, and creatively crafted by the perhaps brilliant director Julie Taymor. B might have called her a genius. Not to take anything away from her or the actors who performed spectacularly, but there were things I couldn’t help wondering as someone who lived through the majority of the 1960s. First, B and I were singing along and using the same inflections and nuances that the Beatles did, which the actors did not. Especially the high notes. Where was the scream at the beginning of “Revolution”? Where was Shakespeare at the end of “I am the Walrus”? (Granted, they did have background talking, but it was far from King Lear.) The word died in “Oh Darling” isn’t died, it’s “dieieieieied.” (Or similar.) I could list probably a hundred more examples but won't. And “While my Guitar Gently Weeps” was just painfully slow.

Second, is it possible to think of those songs not in terms of what was happening at the time they were written and released when you’re as ancient as me? For example, can “Dear Prudence” be about anyone besides Prudence Farrow? Thirdly, not lastly, but I’ll stop there so as not to sound like I’m slagging off the film, the singers seemed to sing the songs, and just that. (See above, lack of Beatles nuances.) This seems to be a plague of today’s commercial music. Lack of putting one’s soul and guts into a song. No substance. Just notes. The exceptions being Dana Fuchs who played Sadie (and who could step right into any Joplin biopic), Joe Cocker (who always puts everything he has into a song), and Bono. So, watch it and enjoy it for what it is, but buy the Beatles albums.

A very very fine house

Find out the value of your home in years to come at Home Value Calculator.

Carried away

Movie: Sex and the City. Watched this last weekend with B who spent a great part of the often times seemingly interminable two and a half hours calling the main characters (especially Big) rather unsavory names, the only printable one being, "Idiot!" A chick flick for fans of the original television series. I have sincere hopes that Carrie never wore any of those old clothes she was trying on. "Some labels are best left in the closet" indeed. B was more frightened by the scene of Sarah Jessica Parker without makeup. I'd really like to know who has three friends that can take off and fly to Mexico with you just because you've been jilted rather than say, "Get over it, he wasn't worth it." And the truly pressing question, does Miranda call her son Brady Brady?

Get a good job with more pay and you're okay

If you're lucky enough to save some money each month, you can find out how what you save compares to how much the average American saves at Bankrate. I'm still trying to figure out what banks are giving 6% interest rates.

You know I love you still

Yesterday a brother-in-law once again stated that he thought there were no good songs on the Beatles "White Album." I scoffed aloud & he challenged me to name one & the first one I thought of was "Birthday." Unfortunately, he didn't give me time to name others. IMO nearly every song on the double album is good. Here's a list of what I consider exceptional:

• Back In The USSR-- The answer to the Beach Boys' "California Girls" and Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA."
• Dear Prudence-- Written for Mia Farrow's sister Prudence.
• Glass Onion-- Playfully refers to a bunch of other Beatles songs: Strawberry Fields Forever; There's A Place; Within You, Without You; I Am The Walrus; Lady Madonna; The Fool On The Hill; Fixing A Hole. Lennon wanted Badfinger to use the name Glass Onion. They chose Badfinger after "Badfinger Boogie," the original/working title of "With a Little Help from my Friends." Perhaps they'd have had better luck with Glass Onion.
• Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da -- I was very young when it was released & it was easy & fun to sing with.
• While My Guitar Gently Weeps-- I became tired of this one because it was played & covered to death, but the brilliance remains.
• Martha My Dear-- Written about Paul's sheepdog, or Jane Asher. Jane probably hopes it was the dog.
• I'm So Tired-- Me too
• Blackbird-- Musically inspired from a Bach piece, written for Black women.
• Piggies-- humorous social satire from Harrison.
• I Will -- Beautiful McCartney love song.
• Julia -- Dedicated to John's late mother and Yoko.
• Birthday -- Paul rocks
• Yer Blues -- Those were my teen years.
• Mother Nature's Son -- I find myself humming this all the time.
• Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey -- John rocks
• Helter Skelter -- Paul rocks again. Who knew.
• Long Long Long -- Beautiful love song (to God) by George.
• Revolution 1 -- I prefer the faster single version, but this is excellent too.
• Cry Baby Cry - Although the final song, "Good night" was written as a lullabye, this one fits in my mind better. I hum this a lot too. And have been to Kircaldy.

It's just that mean old Texas sun

Texas Ranch House: another installment in the PBS House series. The premise is to go back in time to an era, in this case 1867, and live as they did then. But in interviews, several participants stated that they were told to bring their 21st century values with them. Either they misunderstood or the show’s producers wanted to defeat the entire purpose. Which they sure did.

Most of the Cowboys seemed immature and I hate to say lazy because when they worked, they worked well, but they sure needed to wake up long before 9 o’clock, especially to avoid some of the day’s heat. They childishly resented their first foreman, The Colonel, for his strictness. Lucky for them The Colonel was fired over an altercation with Nacho the Cook, perhaps provoked by Nacho’s whining and lack of cleanliness. Cowboy Ian left before the halfway point, using the death of a friend to get out while the getting was good. I don’t want to sound uncaring, but what else could he do besides attend the friend’s funeral? Guess if I was a fellow Cowboy, I’d have felt hurt and abandoned. Before long, Nacho’s filthiness & sickening all the Cowboys got him fired. If only it improved from there.

The ranch owner, Mr Cooke, is the henpecked wimp of his “bloviate” wife Mrs Cooke. They live in the Big House with their three daughters who seemingly did little besides eat and make a couple corn husk dolls. Only a few times did Mr Cooke go on the cattle roundups and then didn’t last long, which couldn’t have commanded respect either. The Cooke family seemed to keep themselves separate and above the Cowboys, not sharing enough food, causing further resentment. Especially since they had a garden full of veggies they neglected because they “weren’t vegetable people.” If I’d been a Cowboy, I’d have snuck in the garden during the night, taken produce and blamed the Comanche’s who had no problem spiriting away several horses.

The girls shouldn’t have been surprised when the Cowboys showed little interest in dancing with them at the Fandango. And when the Cowboys returned from the cattle drive to find four lazy women hadn’t done dishes for eight days or picked up a shovel to move manure from the front door so they wouldn’t be infested with flies, they must have been livid. I was. The maid of all trades living with the family seemed superfluous since the three daughters should have taken care of the house. (Then again, see above.) Maura said she was told she’d be allowed to ride with the Cowboys and I don’t understand the producers thinking behind this because it wasn’t done then and she needed to live within societal restraints, not try to prove herself as some hero with a personal agenda.

The participant who seemed to most understand his role was the Comanche chief Michael, although he was far too lenient on everyone. Any Cowboys riding up to him and saying “Howdy” would not find themselves taken in to play the flute. I was hoping when he returned to the ranch to negotiate, he would take the Cooke women, as they sure deserved it. For not defining the terms of the negotiation, Mr Cooke was negligence to the point of stupidity, then in the final episode blamed Jared who seemed to be the most easy going, straightforward Cowboy. Simply appalling behavior of Cooke. I was glad all the Cowboys stuck by Jared and said adios to the ranch. Back in 1867 word would have spread about Cooke’s actions and he would have found it nearly impossible to find anyone to work for him.

Final word: praise must go to Shaun who took over Nacho's duties and showed diligence & patience & maturity beyond his years.

I am a goat girl

Find out How many goats are you worth?

Personally, I am worth 4. Not sure out of how many, but apparently I'm almost golden, except for the fact I'm not. I'm the silver egg, second choice, let's say. So THEY say.

What a long strange trip it should be

Check out (from your local library, literally) the book 1001 Historic Sites You Must See Before You Die. If you're like me, and I pray you're not, you need to do a lot more travelling. Here's what I've seen so far:

1. US Supreme Court
2. White House
3. Capitol Building
4. Washington Monument
5. Ford's Theatre (spooky!)
6. Library of Congress
7. Lincoln Memorial
8. Arlington National Cemetery
9. Empire State Building
10. New York Public Library
11. St Patrick's Cathedral
12. Plymouth Rock
13. Casa Loma
14. Toronto's Union Station
15. Bannockburn Battlefield
16. Edinburgh Castle
17. Forth Railway Bridge
18. Glenfinnan Monument
19. Palace of Holyroodhouse
20. Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews
21. Stirling Castle

Quote for the day

"Why does it look like it's been thrown on the floor?"

-- BDT at age 6 regarding whole wheat spaghetti but who ate & enjoyed it nevertheless.

They didn't spell compliment right either

According to BlogThings, people like me! They really like me! Let's all laugh at that.

People Definitely Like You

You are very well liked, and many people admire you. You are friendly, well mannered, and fun to be around. Of course, you're not perfect... but that's okay. Your friends are usually willing to accept you for who you are! What People Don't Like About You: People don't like that you're quite sensitive and easily offended. People feel like they have to watch their words around you. People don't like that you secretly are annoyed by them. You may think they can't tell, but they can. People don't like that you forget them easily. No one wants to be friends with someone who doesn't remember their name! What People Like About You: People like that you are genuine and real. They can count on you to be yourself. People like that you can defend what you believe in calmly and rationally. You stand your ground and gain respect. People like that you take responsibility for your actions and admit your mistakes. They appreciate your maturity.

That's what I want

If you use the Simple Savings Calculator it will do the math for you and figure out how much you can save over a certain amount of time. I don't know who's managing to swing over 6% interest these days, but if you save a $100 a month at 2.5% interest for 10 years your total = $ 13,618.96. If you plan on living a long time and save $100 a month at 2.5% interest for 50 years your total = $ 119,408.87. Good luck everyone!

It's not easy being green revisited

Choose your favorite color from a few possibilities at this site and it will tell you what your personality is like.

My favorite color is green, so!

• Green is the color of healing.
  
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  Green personalities want to help every one. They are natures mothers. These people are usually in the medical profession or some occupation which helps people.
  
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  Preferring to watch rather than to become involved in others business, they usually keep their thoughts secret. Others see them as good listeners because of this quality. This characteristic makes them wonderful counselors. Others take for granted that the green personality can see more than one side to a situation without bias.
  
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  Green personalities make others feel at home in their house by putting them at ease immediately. They try to take care of others with all the care their mothers gave them.
  Peacemaker is their sworn duty. They want harmony in every one's life. Green personalities may even stop an argument between others by starting one themselves.
  
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  Others think that green personalities make the best of friends because they are jovial, caring and can keep a secret.
  
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  In order for a green personality to feel good about themselves, they have to be helping someone or something. Nurturers by choice, they are the ones who take care of animals, humans and plants.
  
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  Green personalities need to be careful not to make martyrs of themselves. This is something they easily can do

Today's misspelled word, as seen on the web

Chaous.

That would be Chaos, or if you're on the side of evil in Get Smart, Kaos.
"Missed it by that much!"

it's my birthday!

Birthday Meanings

Is your birthday day 11 of the month?

Your Life--You are gracious, elegant and prudent. People admire your qualities and some even become jealous of you. You are realistic, flexible and adaptable. You are remarkably kind and moral person.

Your Love--You are willing to sacrifice yourself for the one you love. Your lover will always have your gentleness, care and loyalty. You will always be happy to hang around the one you love.

Question of the day

If you see a dress in the thrift shop that looks exactly like one back home in your closet, is it time to donate your closeted dress to said thrift shop?

I got lost on my wedding day

If you've ever wondered how you would rate as a husband or wife in the 1930s, (and who hasn't?), you can take the test to find out at 1930s Marital Scale. I rated as an average wife with a score of 47, but that might be because I'm not married.

Tell me who are you?

According to the How Many Of Me? site, at this moment there are 304,432,235 people in the U.S. Ever wonder how many share your name? You can find out using their search engine.

For fun, I entered the name Varushka and was surprised to see anyone else at all, much less 1,522 people (or fewer) in the U.S. with that first name. As for my last name, there are 207,014 people in the U.S. with it. And it's the 132nd most popular last name. There are 2,452 people in the US with my father's first and last names combined. Only 63 with my mother's.

Create copy & print online

If you need customized address labels, business cards, memo pads, postcards or similar, check out Staples Custom Printing where you can create your own. Like this one above.

Carolyn's Just Curious

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your friends. Copy this and paste into a new email that you can Send; change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person that sent it to you.

1. What is your occupation? Library technician or similar
2. What color are your socks right now? Blue
3. What are you listening to right now? The computer hard drive whirr
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Crackers for break
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Ha ha! (laughing hysterically) No.
6. What color would you be, if you were a color? Emerald
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Someone who called work asking for Martin.
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Very much.
9. How old are you today? Above 40 but in denial as to the exact number.
10. Favorite drink? Raspberry herbal tea
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? Hockey.
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? Only when I was a kid to streak it green for Halloween.
13. Pets? 2 cats: May and Gus.
14. Favorite food? Pizza or cheesecake or raspberry pie or...
15. Last movie you watched? The Other Boleyn Girl
16. Favorite Day of the Year? Can't think of one.
17. What do you do to vent anger? Scream, slam cupboards, throw things, cry.
18. What was your favorite toy as a child? Little Kiddle dolls.
19. What is your favorite time of year? Used to be summer but maybe fall?
20. Cherry or Blueberry? Cherry.
21. Do you want your friends to email you back? Yes.
22. Who is most likely to respond? Erin.
24. Living arrangements? At my house with the cats.
25. When was the last time you cried? When I had to go to the doctor. I hate doctors with a passion.
28. Favorite smell? Just baked apple pie.
29. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Plain or cheese - or mushrooms if available.
30. Favorite car? VW bug? Or anything Honda.
31. Favorite cat breed? Tuxedo: black & white.
32. Number of keys on your key ring? I have several key rings. House key is on Scottish castle ring. Work locker key on Swedish flag ring. Rest of house keys on Reykjavik ring.
33. How many years at your current job? 23? What year is this?
34. Favorite day of the week? Sunday.
35. How many states have you lived in? 2: NY & MA

Growing beside my garage

These lovely Columbine flowers:

Pilkingtonisms 2008

• It's like a museum: everyone rushes to the weird stuff first.
• If I'm not me, what am I?
• When do you ever see an old worm?
• The Scottish voice sounds old. Even though he was a baby, he had the voice of an old man.
• We've got all these years: See something... But I'm saying, watch it on the telly.
• My brain was quite happy working on the book but my ears got bored.
• Me brain can think better without me ears.
• It's Dunkin Donuts & Starbucks. (regarding Boston)
• Sloths never get the flu 'cause that's when you're replenishing.
• You never see 'em getting run over 'cause they're too small to hit 'em (regarding midgets)

Where the hours go

If there are 168 hours in one weeks, where does all your time go? You can find out at: A Delicate Balance

In my case, the breakdown is an estimated or guestimated:

Work: 40 hours 24%
Sleep: 45.5 hours 27%
Meals: 24.5 hours 15%
Commute: 2.5 hours 1%
Leisure: 28 hours 17%
Chores: 21 hours 13%

That leaves a few unexplained hours, but this survey didn't take into account things like showering, getting ready for work, cleaning up cat puke, etc. And the fact that I tend to eat in front of the television, thereby combining meals and leisure.

Where the songs are

Sort of an audio form of youtube (and no wonder since it seems they take the audio from a lot of the videos at that site), Songza is a music search engine. Type in the artist you want to hear and with luck you'll receive a list of songs you can play streamed. You can also make playlists and share which songs you like via e-mail. As for copyright, it all seems above board as the site says "Songza pays for licenses from all the major performing-rights organizations, who then pay the publishers and writers in proportion to the number of plays." And they have a surprising amount of Icelandic and other foreign music.

Lost: There's no place like home Pt 2 Hour 2

Lost: Ben explodes the vault and explains to Locke that whoever moves the island can’t come back. It’s Locke’s turn to lead the Others. Ben goes into a tunnel or cave until he finds a frozen wheel which he turns. Sawyer swims to the island where Juliet watches as the freighter burns. Frank thinks he can reach the island with what little fuel they have but the island disappears. He orders everyone to put on their life vests before they crash in the ocean. They pull themselves onto the life raft. Someone drags in Desmond, who’s not breathing until Jack performs CPR. Hurley reasons that Locke moved the island. Jack realizes they have to lie after all. A Portuguese boat finds them and Penny happens to be on board (or she found Desmond by tracking his phone call) so they can have a happy reunion. Jack hopes he never sees Frank again.

In the flash forwards, Kate is troubled by nightmares, including one where she’s warned by Claire not to “bring him back.” Bring Aaron back to the island or bring Sawyer back off the island? Sun confronts Widmore in London and urges him to call her. Jack breaks into the funeral home where Bentham awaits burial. Ben creeps up behind him. Bentham spoke with Jack about a month ago and mentioned Ben was off the island. Bentham also said that bad things happened after they left and it’s Jack’s fault. Jack feels he must go back. Ben knows the island won’t let him go alone. They must all go back, including Bentham who turns out to be Locke, or an incredible simulation.

Lost: There's no place like home Part 2 Hour 1

Lost: Keamy takes Ben to the chopper. Kate and Sayid, being chased by Others, run up. Keamy is about to kill Sayid when Dr Alpert, still the same age as ever, shoots Keamy. Ben keeps his promise to allow Kate and Sayid to leave the island. Jack/Sundance and Sawyer find Hurley at the greenhouse. Locke wants Jack to stay on the island, reasoning they’re not supposed to go home. Not a good enough reason for Jack, so Locke asks him to lie to protect the island since miracles happen there. Big talk from someone who couldn’t find the anthuriums. Ben sends Jack to the chopper, then descends the elevator with Locke who watches a video from Edgar Halliwax/Candle about experiments in space and time and negatively charged exotic matter. He warns viewers never to place metallic articles in the vault, which is what Ben does.

Keamy finds the elevator and explains Alpert didn’t kill him because of his body armor. He’s sure Ben won’t kill him because he has a heart monitor masquerading as a bomb detonator strapped to his arm. Locke wants to talk but Ben goes ballistic & kills Keamy, thereby killing everyone aboard the boat. With Sayid, Hurley, Sawyer, Kate and Jack aboard the chopper, Kenny Rogers/Frank realizes they’re losing fuel due to a bullet hole in the tank. Hurley seems nervous they need to lose all excess weight. Sawyer whispers something a la Lost in Translation to Kate and orders her, “Just do it.” Then he jumps out into the ocean. In an unrelated event, Dan can’t convince Charlotte and Miles to accompany him on his next trip to the freighter.

Meanwhile, Desmond figures out the explosives are on a timer, triggered remotely (Boom!) by a signal. Michael thinks they can freeze it with liquid nitrogen while they work out the wires. But the red light comes on. Desmond rushes to get people off the boat while Jin & Michael stay in hopes of deactivating it. The chopper has no fuel and has to land, despite Desmond’s warning. Luckily Sun and Aaron hop on. Michael sends Jin out but he doesn’t reach the chopper that takes off again before the freighter explodes. Can we hope Jin jumped into the ocean?

In the flash forwards, Kate’s incensed that Jack says they have to go back. He appears to have left her and Aaron three years ago. Sayid kills a lookout at Hurley’s hospital, then asks Hurley to go with him. Jeremy Bentham is dead, ruled a suicide. Hurley won’t go. He finds paranoia is keeping him alive. Later the now high school aged Walt and Grandmother visit. Bentham dude, before dying, visited Walt who asks why the Oceanic 6 are lying, Answer: to protect everyone who didn’t come back.

Where the weeds are

Now that I finally have a yard, I’ve been trying to learn more about how to take care of it. So I took home a video from that practical gardening guy, Jerry Baker, to see what advice he offered. He suggested mowing after 7 pm as it’s better for you and the lawn. Obviously he doesn’t wake up at 3:30 am like I do. By 7 pm, I’m on the couch, fighting off the zzz’s. Only feed plants in the morning, which makes sense as far as needing daylight to photosynthesize and whatever else they do. Lemon scent repels flying insects. Use salty water to kill weeds. That’s something I’ve read before and have been meaning to try for the couple cracks in my sidewalks. Then he mentioned something about including hair when planting and I fell asleep, only to wake during the credits. So yep, that’s it for me and gardening.

Except to say, I know Veronica is a weed, but I still find the flowers very pretty.

Lost: There's no place like home (part 1)

Lost: The Beach Gang can’t use the phone to call since it is monitor only. Hearing Keamy discuss a secondary protocol worries Dan. On the way to the chopper, Kate and Jack run into Miles and Sawyer who mention the Chopper Gang tried to kill them. Jack and Sawyer rush to the chopper and find a captive Frank. Meanwhile Sayid lands on the beach and says they must go to the freighter because the Chopper Gang plans to kill them. Kate and Sayid go after Jack and Sawyer. Dan drops off the first group. To make up for what he did, which it doesn’t, Michael got the engines working but something on the boat is broadcasting and causing interference. Desmond discovers a room of explosives. Kate and Sayid run into Dr Alpert and find themselves surrounded.

Locke, Hurley and Ben head to the greenhouse. Never mind the crackers are 15 years old, what did Ben communicate via mirror to the Others? They find the Orchid Station but the Boat People are already there. Ben encourages Locke to go to the greenhouse, past a patch of anthuriums (it’s all in the detail) where he’ll find the switch that activates the elevator. Ben has another plan for himself: surrender. He also has the best no kidding line of the episode with: “I wasn’t being entirely truthful.”

In the flash forwards, a chopper carries Bad Mojo Cargo: the Oceanic 6. Jack thinks it best they keep their mouths shut. At a press conference, it’s said they used an Indonesian fishing boat that washed up on shore of their island, Membato, to reach another island. Sun says her husband never survived the crash. Kate says she gave birth to Aaron. Sayid finds Nadia waiting for him. Sun ends up buying a controlling interest in her father’s company. Hurley’s parents throw him a surprise party. His father fixed up the old car but the speedometer has The Numbers and Hurley runs from it. At his dad’s funeral, Claire’s mother informs Jack that Christian went to Australia to see his daughter Claire, who happened to be on the plane with Jack. Funniest line from Hurley’s mother: “Jesus Christ is not a weapon!”

Where the squirrels are

A few weeks after hanging up my new birdfeeder out in the back yard, I looked out one day and to my horror found that it was no longer hanging. It was on the ground with a pesky squirrel (who had chewed through and broken the hanger) happily munching away at its contents. As if what the birds had dropped on the ground wasn't enough for the critter. So when I saw a video titled Squirrel Wars and How to Win Them, I decided to watch and see what they had to say.
The emphasis was on placing a feeder 5 feet off the ground with a clearance of 7 feet on both sides and 9 feet on the top. How on earth you would fill the feeder, I don't know. A pogo stick perhaps. Other things suggested were:

• Empty soda bottles attached to a wire (squirrels slip off them when the bottles spin).
• Dome baffles or some sort of inverted cone on top of the feeder.
• Wire mesh.
• A slinky attached to the bottom pole so the squirrel ends up with a bouncy ride which looks very amusing.

Some more ideas from the internet:

• Mix hot pepper in the birdseed. The capsaicin within is too spicy for mammals but the birds don't taste it. (Although it will bother the birds eyes, so this doesn't seem like a good solution to keep birds around.)
• Put cayenne pepper and crisco on the pole or any wires near the feeder. Slip and slide time.
• Use safflower seeds instead of sunflower seeds. Squirrels don't care for safflower.

Lost: Cabin Fever

Lost: Locke and Ben are following Hurley to Jacob's cabin which is a pretty good trick considering Hurley isn't "even in front." Locke has a dream of meeting Horace who keeps chopping down the same tree as part of building a getaway place for him and the Mrs or a break from the Dharma Initiative or a way to kill time since he's been dead 12 years. He tells Locke to find him and Jacob. Ben used to have dreams too. Hurley wonders if the three of them can see the cabin because they're the craziest. No one argues. Locke gives Hurley the chance to leave so he's not in harm's way except the jungle is no safer. After finding the cabin plans in Horace's skeleton, Ben refuses to go inside, figuring the island wanted him to get sick which must mean his time is over. Hurley's cool with Locke going alone. Locke discovers Christian Shepherd who is not Jacob, but can speak on his behalf. A spaced out or drugged Claire is there too. Locke learns to save the island, he must move it. Which gives us the chance to echo Hurley's "Uh, what?"

Frank and the mean guy Keamy chopper back to the freighter with a smoke monster casualty. "A pillar of smoke ripped his guts out," not your average epitaph. Keamy's upset that Ben knew everything about him and beats up Michael for telling Ben. The Captain stops him from killing Michael. They need him to fix the engines since he's the one who broke them. Sayid enlists the Captain's help in getting the people off the island before Keamy torches it. But Keamy goes berserk, threatens to kill Frank, does kill the doctor who washed up on shore in a previous episode and then shoots the captain who we'll miss because he was mighty good looking. Frank relents and the chopper flies to the Beach Group. Unknown to Keamy, Frank drops a bag with a tracking phone. Jack figures they're meant to follow the signal.

In the flashbacks, a 1950s Reese Witherspoon or similar sneaks out to meet her twice her age boyfriend but is hit by a car. She informs ER she's pregnant and they save the baby, Locke. Dr Alpert, who either time travels or never ages, visits the child Locke but doesn't believe a knife belogns to him and deems him not worthy for his school. In high school, a teacher resuces the geeky Locke from being stuffed in a locker and mentions how Locke was noticed at the science fair by a representative from Alpert's Mittelos Labs. Locke doesn't want to go to science camp, even if he isn't a superhero. Later during rehab, the orderly, or a lot more since he recruited the Chopper Gang, discusses needed walkabouts with Locke. Best exchange: Locke and Ben's: "I'm not you." "You're certainly not."

Where the birds are

Should you want, you can keep track of what the birds or other wildlife are doing around your bird feeders, baths, houses or in their nests while you're not there with the Wingscape BirdCam. It's weatherproof and motion activated and can capture photographs or videos which you can then upload to your computer. Batteries not included, though.

Where the poets are

While poetry isn't as popular as it used to be in the happenin' romantic 18th century when Brits were harking all over the place, it still exists and thrives. To find poets in your state, head on over to Poets and choose where you live to bring up a list of names.

Lost: something nice back home

Rose doesn’t care for Charlotte’ tone. Or possibly hair color. Because we’ve seen the previews, we know Jack’s not okay. He keels over, claiming food poisoning. Juliet respectfully disagrees. His appendix must come out. She sends Dan and Charlotte, under Sun and Jin’s supervision, to the medical hatch for supplies. Rose is as confused as views why Jack would get sick when the island makes everyone better. Ask Ben’s tumor. Jack’s ego wants Kate to hold a mirror so he can see the surgery. Yes, we’re all surprised he’s not doing the surgery himself. Jin realizes Charlotte knows Korea and gets her to admit it by threatening Dan. He demands Sun be on the departing helicopter, which is the same in Korean as English.

Claire’s woozy and seeing things as she, Sawyer and Miles walk back to the beach. Miles hears voices which lead him to Karl and Danielle’s very shallow graves. The Boat People, though, are not Miles’ buddies and he didn’t sign up for whatever he’s doing. Seeing him leer at Claire a few times, Sawyer places an imaginary retraining order on him. Frank runs out of the jungle and warns them to hide from the Boat People. The night after they escape, Claire sees her father and walks off with him. As far as we know, she’d never bee told Dr Shepherd was her father. Due to the retraining order, Miles could not stop her. Sawyer finds the baby, but not Claire.

In the flash forward, Jack trips over a Millennium Falcon toy. Not the first or last shout out to Star Wars. He and Kate are raising Aaron. Dr Stillman contacts Jack because Hurley isn’t taking his meds. Jack visits. Hurley says they’re all dead. He was happy for a while, but then he saw Charlie. Hey, we all feel that way. Hurley’s message for Jack is that he’s not supposed to raise Aaron. Jack returns home and asks Kate to marry him. A co-worker actually says that engagement is supposed to reduce stress, not create it. There’s someone who never planned a wedding. Jack briefly sees his dad again. Worse, he doesn’t trust Kate. She admits she’s doing something for Sawyer who chose to stay behind. Jack reminds her that he saved her and nastily reminds her she’s not related to Aaron, suggesting he knows he is.

Lost: the shape of things to come

Jack’s not feeling too spiffy. He thinks it’s just a bug. Let’s all laugh. The Beach Group find a drowned man who didn’t down since his throat was cut. Dan identifies him as the freighter’s doctor, who was fine when last he saw him, although “when is kind of a relative term.” Somehow Bernard knows Morse code and figures out Dan and the Boat People are never going to take them off the island. Meanwhile Alex is taken by said Boat People to the security fence and told to deactivate it.

Hurley, Sawyer and Locke are playing Risk and it’s probably not a coincidence that “Australia is the key to the whole game.” The phone rings with code 14J, obviously for Ben, not pizza. The code was Alex’s warning that the Boat People are on their way. Ben thinks Locke should stick close to him because they won’t hurt him and Locke needs to survive so they can go to Jacob. Hurley needs to survive because he knows where the cabin is. Sawyer makes a mad dash to get Claire and is ambushed. Claire’s house blows up but she’s alive. Miles ends up at Ben’s door. The Boat People have Alex hostage. Formalities are dispensed with. They refuse to fly away and forget they ever heard of the island. Ben claims Alex means nothing to him so the Boat People kill her. And more of a surprise, I felt sorry for Ben. Rules should never be changed mid game. No goal!

Ben quickly heads into some secret room and releases the smoke monster to off the Boat People. Hurley regrets following the wacko’s. In the flash forwards, Ben’s in the Sahara and ambushed by some camel dudes that he overpowers rather expertly. He ends up at a Tunisian hotel under the name Dean Moriarty on October 24, 2005. On the news he sees Sayid is about to bury his wife. Was he married to Nadia? Ben approaches him and together they set up the man who killed the wife and kill him. Ben visits Charles Widmore and vows to kill Penny as payback for Alex. Charles is sure he’ll never find her. Ben is sure Charles will never find the island.

Iceland Rocks - or Socks

While we're having fun, here's your chance to send a sock-o-gram from Iceland. Visit Iceland Express's site and send your friends a "sock movie." Sort of a channelling of Sherri Lewis and Lambchop, you choose the two socks you want to appear in the little clip, name them and write in a phrase for them to say.

And while we're on sock puppets, check out one of the truly inspired entries in last year's YouTube competition for make and post your own video for non-Icelandic but still genius Kristin Hersh songs.

Four wheeled friends now

For a bit of typing fun, head over to Type Racer and see how fast you can type. More fun: play against others and see how many your cute little VW car can beat. I got a 2nd place, which makes my day and says pretty much how uneventful the day has been. But if whoever won 1st place can not fulfill his or her duties, hey, I'm ready to take the crown!

Catch the Mouse

For all the cat people out there, here's a game to play where you get to be the cat who catches the mouse: Catch The Mouse.

Birthday Calculator

Head on over to Birthday Calculator and place in your birthdate and year and it will give you more facts than you knew were available. Here are some of mine:

11 July
Your date of conception was on or about 18 October which was a Tuesday. (A little TMI, but thanks.)
You were born under the astrological sign Cancer.
Your Life path number is 8.
Your fortune cookie reads: Your heart is pure, and your mind clear, and your soul devout.
Life Path Compatibility: You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 8, 11 & 22. You should get along well with those with the Life Path number 6. You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 1 & 5. You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 3, 7 & 9.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Ox.
Your Native American Zodiac sign is Woodpecker; your plant is Wild Rose.
Celebrities who share your birthday:
Lisa Rinna (1965)
Suzanne Vega (1959)
Mark Lester (1958)
Leon Spinks (1953)
Giorgio Armani (1934)
Tab Hunter (1931)
Yul Brynner (1920)
E.B. White (1899)
John Quincy Adams (1767)
Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 6.6880626223092 years old. (You're still chasing cats!)
Your lucky day is Monday.
Your lucky number is 2 & 7.
Your ruling planet is the Moon.
Your lucky dates are 1st, 10th, 19th, 28th.
Your opposition sign is Capricorn. (Sorry, Lori!)
Today is not one of your lucky days! (Oh no!)
Your birthstone is Ruby --> Ruby is said to open one's heart to love.
Your birth tree is Fir Tree, the Mysterious.
Extraordinary taste, dignity, cultivated airs, loves anything beautiful, moody, stubborn, tends to egoism but cares for those close to it, rather modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious uncontent lover, many friends, many foes, very reliable.
The moon's phase on the day you were born was waning crescent.

Gotta go, gotta go!

With everyone and their neighbor who can afford it going on spring break or some other vacation this time of year, it's helpful to know, when you have to go, where to go. So here's a Public Toilets site that will tell you the locations of some public rest rooms around America and the world. In time it looks like it will become more comprehensive. Until then, if where you're headed isn't on the list, best of luck.

Light up the darkness

Movie: I am Legend. Adapted from the classic 50s novel of the same name by Richard Matheson. I watched this while alone in the house at night and since the weather is warming, the neighbors were out and about outside. With the movie being so intense, every little noise outside was making me think one of the creatures was about to break in. Pretty much a one man show, that man being the talented and always good looking Will Smith, the movie moved at a fast, exciting pace. Bonus points for the Bob Marley music. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen the other film based on the novel, The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston (RIP), which might have been slower but still as gripping. Makes one think how you would survive and how you would feel if you truly were the last person living in a vampire filled land. Read the book, watch the films. With some company.

Money for nothing

At the Global Rich List site you can enter your annual income and find out where in the world Carmen Sandiego is. Or where you fall in terms of everyone else's income. Before taxes, my "rich list position" is 611,464,295 which puts me in the top 10.19% richest people in the world! After taxes, that number falls to 674,400,662 and puts me in the top 11.24%. Not as impressive and probably rather lame in comparison to other Americans, but still way over to the right side of the world chart. Something to be grateful for.