First, an apology to those of you (and I know there are just throngs of you out there) who have actually noticed that I haven’t blogged since January. And, after I promised I was going to review and deconstruct evey single episode of LOST’s fifth season as it aired! Okay, now that we’re all over that, let’s talk about last night’s no-breathe-TV 2-hour episode — the one that will have to hold us for the next nine months! If you haven’t watched the episode yet, DON’T READ ANY FURTHER! If you have, get out of this paragraph and into the next one…hurry!
You know Jacob has to be in the first paragraph. For someone who has been so elusive for so long, he sure was easy to find here! The dude was everywhere! But, more than that, he gave us one of the most gorgeous opening scenes of the entire series! Sitting inside his giant foot (which was a whole statue then), he spun and wove by firelight. Whoa. Moments later, he went all Bobby Flay on us and cooked some fish on his rock grill (Lostpedia says it was a red herring…a cool tidbit). When the second guy showed up, I’m betting I’m not the only one who thought HE was Jacob (it was the beard). Once the Black Rock appeared and the conversation began, I was sure ONE of them was, anyway. By the end of the scene, we knew which one was, but the identity of the other remains a mystery. Can’t say I’m thrilled with that, but being frustrated over mystery on LOST seems kind of like being frustrated about the thrill you feel when you willingly get on a roller coaster!
Once we have established that Jacob seems to be able to control the actions of others and seems to exist outside of time (he brought the Black Rock to the island, apparently to prove that things will play out the same perpetually…except for the mysterious reference he made to “progress”), we see him make his rounds, clearly keeping an eye on those whose lives are tied to the island. We see Kate, Sawyer, and Juliet as children and I didn’t realize why it was those three until I just typed their names all together. They were uncomfortably chained to a table on the submarine together, broke out of it together, and stood against Jack and Jughead together…initially. They came around to see Jack’s view together (well, Sawyer allowed Juliet to run the show, but the ladies were genuinely convinced), and they all ended up at the mouth of the drilled hole that led down to the dreaded “pocket.” I’m guessing these three will have a lot of screen time in the beginning of season 6. What? You think Juliet is dead? Didn’t you watch the season 2 finale where Desmond turned the key and the sky went all purple and the hatch blew up? On this island, my friends, being at ground zero isn’t necessarily the end of the game!
Jacob also makes appearances at key moments in the lives of Jack, Sun & Jin, Locke, Hurley, Sayid, and Ilana. We see Jack’s first major surgery and pick up some history on the “count to five,” technique. We see Locke apparently resurrected by Jacob after being pushed out of the window that left him paralyzed. I always wondered how the heck he survived that fall, didn’t you? It seems, perhaps, that he didn’t. I loved this setup because it seemed to explain why Locke was alive on the island after being killed by Ben. That small window of satisfaction was then ripped away from us when we finally saw what was in the crate! We saw how Hurley came to be in possession of the guitar he carried on board Ajira 316, and we saw Nadia die. Even though we’ve seen that hit-by-a-car/bus/quarterback film technique a million times, now, I am still amazed by it. It seems to have replaced the cat leaping out of the dark as the quintessential guarantor of gasps! Back on point, Jacob touches or gives something to everyone he encounters. That physical contact was certainly played up as significant, making me wish it wasn’t going to be nine months of waiting to find out more about it.
Okay, so our love triangle of the season are out of the sub (one of the coolest escape scenes I think I’ve ever seen! I mean, who the heck escapes from a SUBMARINE?) and rushing off to stop Jack when Vincent comes running out of the jungle. Wait, what? Aren’t we in 1977? Oh, so that means Vincent must have time traveled, too. By the way, that was so clearly not the same dog actor, it was almost distracting as I was trying to process this scene. But, the moment Bernard and Rose showed up, I let that all go and just drank them in. Their peaceful hippie vibe made for an outstanding scene! We’re so accustomed to everyone being all dirty and sweaty and urgently running off to deal with some crisis and right in the middle of that we have this serenity that is just unshakable, even when the happy couple is told they’re about to die. Priceless! It did raise one question, though: How is it Rose and Bernard never had any problems with the Hostiles (was it because they were not a threat?) and how did they keep themselves in Dharma provisions? Okay, that was two questions. Any thoughts?
Drama, drama, drama while the core is removed from the bomb and carried through Dharmaville out to the Swan construction site. Sayid gets gut shot and there is a dramatic VW bus getaway that you just gotta love! Radzinsky continues to be way too intense and annoying and Pierre Chang is doing his darndest to stop the drilling. Once the bomb core is dropped down the drill hole (nice work covering Jack by the VW bus and the gang, by the way!), we get to watch the faces of Jack, Sawyer, Juliet and Kate up close and teary-eyed as they prepare to never have been to the island. Then, we get the anti-climax of the century as — well — nothing happens. But, a moment later, the pocket begins to suck metal and we watch “the incident” unfold.
Yea…Phil is dead by impaling! That guy was asking for it almost as much as Radzinsky and exactly as much as that annoying dude that was trying to steal Libby from Hurley and got it with a flaming arrow! Now, let me pause here and confess that I genuinely cried when Juliet was hanging on for dear life in that hole with Sawyer and Kate trying to save her. The eye contact between her and Sawyer and the stream of “I love you’s,” and “Don’t you leave me’s,” was actually stronger than the grip they had on one anothers’ hands. That Kate was present and desperately trying to be a part of that moment, but unable to touch either of them was poignant on a number of levels. This scene was EPIC in the same way as the two reunion scenes between Desmond and Penny (the one on the telephone in “The Constant,” and the one on her ship as the Oceanic 6 were rescued). That was just great television and there is just no arguing with that.
As creepy as her alien-eque stare can sometimes be, Elizabeth Mitchell deserves serious recognition for her acting prowess here. The scene where she recovers from her fall, momentarily panics, then causes the bomb core to detonate (another juicy tidbit from Lostpedia says she strikes it “8″ times) puts her on a par with Terry O’Quinn (Locke) and Michael Emerson (Ben) in my book. I’ve always been ambivalent about her as Juliet, but I think that feeling has made for the best characters on Lost. My hat’s off to her. And, now that she has won me over, I’m a bit sad to have read that she is already cast in a remake of the 1980’s schlock TV series, “V,” so there’s no telling if we will actually see her here again. I know, I said in the third paragraph that this whole episode set her up for season 6, but perhaps that’s not the case. I’m making this up as I go along, people!
Okay, before we talk about the sky going white and the awesome white ending title screen (oops…I guess I just did that), let’s go back to 2007 and the shadow of the statue. Ilana asks the now-famous question of Richard, who correctly responds in Latin, “”He who will protect/save us all.” Whatever that means. So, even as Jacob is being stabbed and burned to death inside the statue, Ilana is fulfilling her promise to “help” him by delivering Locke’s corpse to Richard as proof that the man who took Ben inside was not the man we thought he was. This leaves me wondering how this “helps,” since Jacob ends up dead, but there’s one more reason to tune in for season 6. The man we’ve thought was Locke is now revealed as the bearded man from the opening scene who expressed how badly he wanted to kill Jacob and vowed to find the loophole that would make it possible. Whatever that loophole actually is, I’m not sure, but this scene and the one where Juliet detonates the bomb seem to tell us definitively that whatever happened didn’t necessarily happen and time can be changed. Having said that, we have seen so many examples of “course correction,” that I’m currently of the opinion that there are major points that are non-negotiable but several possible ways to reach them. Whether the bomb was part of “the incident” or not, Chang loses the use of his let arm and the Swan station gets built and he goes on to make the Dharma station orientation films. If you haven’t noticed, watch The Swan orientation film to see that his left arm does not move:
No matter what Desmond does to stop it (or even step in as a replacement), Charlie dies. The Black Rock will land and the people on it will do bad things, though there may be some “progress” involved in the changing minor details. So, I’m guessing that either Oceanic 815 crashes no matter what, or these individuals who end up on the island will always end up there even if it’s on Ajira 316 or some other way. Hey, they’ve been touched by Jacob!
Entertainment Weekly’s Jeff “Doc” Jensen has been writing awesome pre- and post-episode articles here. I recommend signing up for the email alerts if you don’t already. He’s issued a call for your top 3 mysteries that MUST be answered before the series ends next season. There are still many unanswered questions and a few new ones just cropped up last night! But, see if you can get it down to three completely non-negociables — the ones that will make you feel like you just wasted 6 years of your life if they aren’t answered by the big wrap up. You can submit your responses this week at JeffJensenEW@aol.com, but be warned: His inbox fills up and stays filled up so you might have to try a dozen times and get bounced a dozen times before your message gets through. Your other alternative is to just post a comment here and we can keep it nice and cozy! Here are my three picks:
Who are the “Adam & Eve” skeletons found in the cave in season 1 and what is the significance of the black and white stones Jack found on them?
What is the smoke monster…and I want DETAILS!
Who/what is Jacob?
Of course, I want to know about everyone who doesn’t seem to be a “normal” human being, so I could cheat and make my questions more compound than they are, but these are the crucial ones. I’m very curious about the nature of Richard (”I am like this because of Jacob,”) and Christian Shepherd (is he also an enemy of Jacob taking the form of another person…or perhaps the same enemy?). I’m curious about the Hostiles in general (if they are truly “indiginous,” where did all of the Egyptian culture come from and why are they speaking Latin all the time?). Is Claire dead? Are dead people showing up a good thing or a bad thing? Is Desmond coming back to the island? Who are the new posse headed by Ilana that claim to be “the good guys,” just as Ben did is season 2? If the outcome is always the same, what ist here to war about and which is acutally the “right” side? Okay, let’s hear from you!
1 Corinthians 15:35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain–perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Here, everyone. Just, here. I’m so revved up for this! Just bought Season 4 and lent my brother Season 3 so he can catch up in time for the Season 5 premier on January 21. More Island freshness!
Not a scripture today…but a hymn:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear, and Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear…the hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come. T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far and Grace will lead us home. The Lord has promised good to me; His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. When we’ve been here ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’ve first begun. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now, I see.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so hungry for fresh footage in all my days. I mean real, post-production, polished, juicy, fresh footage. You, too? Well, feast your eyes and ears, my darlings!
Aaaahhh! That’s better! I cannot wait for January 21!
Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
Props to YouTube Director “FATMIME,” who has a real name that I haven’t gotten permission to use because I had to blog the moment I saw it and he wasn’t online so I could ask him! He posted this on Facebook and I saw it in my newsfeed about 5 mintues ago. It was posted on the YouTube Comedian channel CHTV: College Humor on November 11, but I really hope you haven’t seen it yet and I have the pleasure of being the first to show it to you. I haven’t checked out the rest of their channel, so if there’s gross, juvenile, profane, or otherwise collegy stuff on it, I’m not endorsing it. But THIS VIDEO rocks like there’s no tomorrow!
Do I sound a little over-excited? Well, I’m a big fan of the first Matrix film. I can seriously live without the other two, but you kind of have to take them as a package deal, don’t you? Good Matrix parodies have always tickled my funny bone. For instance, Here’s another effort from a few college students doing a project for their technical school. I sure hope they got an “A!”
Then, there’s this nearly-identical version based on the same movie trailer, only featuring the South Park cast instead of the Muppets:
And, just to bring you back to live-action for a closer, here’s Dave Chappelle’s hilarious take on things:
You’re welcome.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Another short blog today…with apologies to those of you who are utterly enraptured by my every word (snort)!
I have a personal goal of promoting the activities of aweseome people I’ve encounterd on the internet. Right at the tippity top of that list are Rhett and Link, for those who have never read The Garden Party before (or even taken a peek at the sidebars). Though my boiz were criminally under-appreciated at YouTube Live on Sunday, they did have an opportunity to perform…in a parking lot…standing in the back of a dressed-up tractor trailer. It was a pre-show thing. Friend and fellow Rhett & Link fan, Genevieve, captured a bit of that here (including technical problems):
But, Harnett County, NC gave them all the love they deserve when they got home! Readers, I give you Rhett and Link on their local news station:
Okay. I can walk away from my computer with a clear conscience now. Please let me know if you enjoyed these little confections.
This isn’t actually a Levi Strauss & Company ad. It was made as promotional material for “AboveGray Pictures.” Still, I had to give it a tip of my hat:
I’m no longer a celebrater of Halloween, but this just tickled my funny bone.
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.
Well, for any of you who don’t yet know (because I started this blog during the hiatus after Season 4, I am one enormous LOST fan! Oh, yes I am! I’m telling you right now, there are gonna be in-depth discussions of every single episode right here once the 2009 season starts. So, these ridiculously long breaks between seasons cause a very dry, barren feeling in my soul. Thankfully, my best friend Jill just emailed me the link to this wonderful ladel-full of sparkling spring water:
New images! Hints! It’s like a cheeseburger after a 5-month fast! I am so grateful! I am a happy, happy lady today!
Jeremiah 50:6 “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place. 7 All who found them have devoured them;
Watch this and just try not to make a joyful noise! You can’t just smile…you’ll have to chuckle, if not LOL!
Luke 1:41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
Double shot of video humor for you today! Remember the “Take On Me,” video I posted a few days back? Well, Dustin McLean is at it again! Just click the little triangular button and grin until your face hurts! Oh, and comment! Let me know your favorite line!
Genesis 41:15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”
Please enjoy Hugh Laurie (aka “House”) and Stephen Frye in this British sketch that is Python-esque enough to make my day!
Be sure to click the little “x” to kill the advertisement afterward…it is extremely obnoxious.
Edited to add: If you get a message saying “This video is no longer available, you can watch it directly on YouTube here. But, please do come back and comment, okay?!
Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
Today was a bad day. Really bad. I had to make a 10-hour round trip drive to do something unpleasant that turned out to be even more unpleasant than I expected. I came home to find my sister not only had to say goodbye to one of her cats (who was in the critical stages of cancer and suffering terribly), but took a bunch of verbal abuse from a co-worker for taking a personal day because of this. Then, my property management company sent an email saying they’re probably not going to do the right thing in a homeowner’s association matter that may cost us money we don’t have to spend (I’m the HOA president). I mean, it came from all sides today. So, when my dear, dear, dear friend Jill sent me this little gem, I was indescribably grateful! Just enjoy the heck out of this! Especially if you’ve had a bad day.
The Lord gets the whole psalm tonight:
Psalms 30
1 I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3 O Lord, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4 Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6 When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” 7 O Lord, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. 8 To you, O Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9 “What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me; O Lord, be my help.” 11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Remember how many times you sat through this video back in the day…and neither the lyrics nor the images seemed to make sense. Sure you do. We loved it anyway because it was unique and dynamic and had a catchy beat. Who cares if we couldn’t sing along, right? Well, now you can, thanks to Dustin McLean. Enjoy this and let me know if you got through it without at least one LOL.
Special thanks to Brian…my favorite Hedgehog for alerting me to this! Go visit his blog, listed under “Friends” in my right column.
Exodus 22:21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”
Maybe it has to be 11:00 p.m. or later - like it is now - for me to find this stuff hilarious. The fact remains that I am just tickled pink by this whole thing. A bunch of YouTubers seem to enjoy taking old videos of pop hits and overdubbing them with death metal versions of the songs. While it may sound like something that would get boring in a hurry (especially for a middle aged woman who does not listen to death metal), I’ve gotta say: When done well, this is truly an art form. (Warning: The comments sections of these video pages are littered with profanity.)
Submitted for your approval: Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” covered by Italian band “Raintime.” The audio doesn’t always match the video, but that’s hardly the point:
Like that? I placed it first because it was the most listenable track I found. Now, how about Britney Spears’ covered by “Ten Masked Men.” I just could not stop laughing watching this. It’s 11:09 now. Maybe that’s why. Or, maybe it’s really just funny as all getout:
These are the only two I found that were good enough to post here. There are more, including several attempts to cover Tay Zonday’s “Chocolate Rain,” death metal style. All of those failed miserably, making me wonder why so many people thought it would be a good idea to try. See, now? It’s 11:22 and I seem to be coming to my senses! What did you think?
Job 37:17 Why are your garments hot, When He quiets the earth by the south wind? 18 With Him, have you spread out the skies, Strong as a cast metal mirror? 19 “Teach us what we should say to Him, For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness. 20 Should He be told that I wish to speak? If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.
Just got this from my favorite joke-forwarder, Dave (known affectionately as “Obie.”) Enjoy!
Once upon a time in a village, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for $10 each.
The villagers seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest, and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10 and as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort.
He further announced that he would now buy at $20. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again.
Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer increased to $25 each and the supply of monkeys became so little that it was an effort to even see a monkey, let alone catch it! The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him.
In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell them to you at $35 and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each.
The villagers rounded up all of their savings and bought all the monkeys.
Then they never saw the man nor his assistant again, only monkeys everywhere!
Now you have a better understanding of how the stock market works.
2 Chronicles 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. 22 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
Received this email moments ago from dear frient Charlotte (a horse owner). Meet Molly:
Molly: A survivor with spirit!
Here is the text of the email as it was forwarded.
Meet Molly. She’s a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn’t seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didnt overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.
Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.
This was the right horse and the right owner,’ Moore insists. Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. Shes tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore, is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.
Mollys story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.
The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly’s regular vet, reports. And she asks for it. She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too.’ And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. It can be pretty bad when you can’t catch a three-legged horse, she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it.
Its obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life, Moore said, She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others. She could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.
This week, Molly the Pony, a childrens book about the pony who has already inspired thousands of people around New Orleans, has been published. Its not a book about amputation or prosthetics, its a book about people and ponies.
Not very well-written, but you can read the snopes article here, which is a much more eloquent account of Molly’s story and provides some links to other articles about her. The book, “Molly the Pony,” is available on Amazaon.com.
LSU’s YouTube channel offers this promotional video featuring Molly. If you’re squeamish, be aware there are a couple of mildly graphic views of Molly’s wounds and surgery.
This is Molly’s most recent prosthesis, which has a smiley face embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind. Last time I published a feel-good animal story, I was a little cantankerous, but I’m feeling warmed and inspired by this story, from the spunk of the pony to the compassion of the rescuer to the remarkable medical and technological teamwork that went in to giving Molly a new lease on life. Her smiling hoof-print and her work with children make this that much more special. Today, I am thankful for this opportunity to witness humanity at its best…and to read a Katrina success story.
Isaiah 63:13 Who led them through the deep, As a horse in the wilderness, That they might not stumble?” 14 As a beast goes down into the valley, And the Spirit of the Lord causes him to rest, So You lead Your people, To make Yourself a glorious name.
Please take a moment to view this little news item about my late-to-the-table presidential campaign. Then, I hope you will consider voting for me for President of the United States of America!
Or, if you don’t feel I would be a better president than Barack Obama or John McCain, you can launch your own campaign! To find out how easy it is, click the link, watch my campaign video (less than 2 minutes), and then click the link to make your own.
I got 2 political “humor” emails this morning. This was one, courtesy of my dear friend Pam (who has supplied me with blogworthy emails before…thanks, sweetie!). The other said this:
There is now less than a month until the election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States.
The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans.
To show our solidarity as Americans, let’s all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice.
It’s time that we come together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of John McCain, please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support Obama, please drive with your headlights off at night.
Thank you for your participation.
My personal preference is to start my own campaign…how about you?
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Because, I, too, would be devastated if my ex actually survived a plane crash. Who wouldn’t, right? Oh, and let’s put the actual survivor in a little circle and splash the famous women who are no longer a part of his life all over the cover. Brilliant.
I’m going to stop now.
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
It’s Friday. The SuperNote challenge launched 5 days ago (I blogged that here). I’ll tell you this much: Rhett and Link dream big! On Day 5, at 11:30 a.m. EST, 678 people have submitted their video SuperNote for the team captain of their choice. That’s an average of 136 submissions a day. The contest continues until Halloween. If things continue at this rate, there should be about 5,424 videos of people going “AAaahhhhhh…” on YouTube by then. That, my friends, is an EVENT!
So, here’s what’s going on:
Rhett and Link, famed internet comedy duo (see box in my left column and link in my right) have hatched this wickedly cool idea. Challenge the YouTube community to record themselves making the longest vocal note they can produce and upload it as a video response to their team captain’s SuperNote video. The team captains are these popular YouTube entertainers, all of whom have significant followings:
As a casual YouTuber, I was unfamiliar with most of these people, but now subscribe to nearly all of them. So, this is bound to be good for business for the team captains! I borrowed these graphics from Rhett and Link’s website, where you, too, can visit to keep an eye on the contest as it develops, choose a team captain, read comments, and view the top 100 submissions on a given day. That’s rhettandlink.com/supernote. Click on any of the team captain banners there and you’ll be whisked to the team standings for that captain.
As SuperNote videos are submitted, they are tracked by a super secret review database where several actual human beings sit, watch, and time the SuperNotes. They are given Mini Wheat Thins and small bits of swiss cheese for their efforts. Water if they review more than 20 submissions in a half-hour period. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. From there, the top 10 SuperNoters are displayed on the SuperNote page (updated periodically), as well as the overall team standings. At this writing, here is what those stats looked like:
September 26, 11:30 a.m. Standings
Visit the Rhett & Link SuperNote page to see this chart live and to click on those links so you can view these over-achievers with your own eyes and ears. Heck, let’s face it, this is not nearly as much fun to read about as it is to actually listen to. The first few are annoying, but after a while, there’s a kind of zen-like feeling that creeps in. By the 10th video, you’re convinced you have to be part of this thing! You have been warned.
Yours truly is currently in the #35 position, which is not too shabby, considering how many entrants we have at the moment!
September 26, 11:30 a.m. Ranking
Here’s what I think about the SuperNote contest…er, challenge…er, experiment. I think it is good, clean fun that absolutely anyone can participate in and that it builds fellowship and community. There are a few complainers that don’t seem to like contests that have actual rules. SuperNotes must be one, real, continuous note produced by the person (or persons) whose face can be seen on the video producing it. If you don’t have a microphone, don’t like your face seen on the internet, or flat out think you can cheat your way to the top, you’re just not in the right contest. Complaints these exclusions aren’t “fair,” are cropping up, but to them I say, “Hey! This is a silly internet contest…lighten up!”
Prizes are being offered by Rhett & Link as well as by some of the team captains. Creativity is rewarded as well as simply holding the note the longest. I’m glad I discovered The Boiz (I had better call them “The Boiz” at least once in this post since I made such a big deal about that being my personal pet name for them in the launch post) before this took off. It’s a great ride, playing in their yard. Go find out for yourself! I’m predicting right now that this will make national news and result in late night talk show appearances for at least The Boiz, and maybe some team captains as well. So, why not get in on the ground floor!
Exodus 32:18 It is not the noise of the shout of victory, Nor the noise of the cry of defeat, But the sound of singing I hear.
I reviewed the Fringe Pilot a few posts back. I was on the fence then, but anticipated sticking with Fox’s “New Hit Series,” for the first season. Now, I’m not so sure. Somehow, I managed to completely miss the second episode, but watched about half of it last night on Fringe Television - a pretty impressive website where full episodes are available for viewing without having to dowload a player. I only watched half because I had just finished watching the third episode, “Ghost Network,” and had really had enough for one night.
This episode opens exactly…and I mean exactly…like an “X-Files” episode. Same dark lighting, same something-really-spooky-is-about-to-go-down music, same ominous dialogue, same focus on a desperate character haunted by something supernatural, culminating in a big “What just happened?!” moment and then the first commercial break. That’s not officially a complaint, since it inspired a wonderfully nostalgic feeling and really sucked me in to the episode. On the other hand, the thought, “This feels just like an ‘X-Files’ episode opening ” repeated in my brain throughout the entire segment. So, maybe it is a complaint. In any case, I’ll get to the real complaints in a moment.
See, here’s the thing: If I’m going to invest myself in a new epic mythology television series (like “LOST” or “X-Files,” both of which I am enormously devoted to), there has to be a…well…a natural process. It’s like dating. If the guy shows up in his best suit, bearing a dozen long-stemmed roses and a Cartier watch, it’s not generally a good idea to presume this is what the entire relationship is going to be like. I mean, you wouldn’t marry that guy based on that first impression, would you? I hope you wouldn’t. Your mama raised you better than that, didn’t she? No, you’d spend time with that guy and get to know him and, if you’re both fortunate, love would grow. Granted, I fell head over heels for “LOST,” at episode 1 (It had me at “hello”), but that’s just what kept me coming back for more. And, it never once disappointed. I mean, not once. Some might disagree, but I have never experienced a let-down with any episode.
But, if that guy showed up for the first date in his best suit, but still had bits of tissue stuck to shaving nicks on his face and his socks were two different colors, maybe you’d try to overlook that to give the actual person behind the faux pas a chance…but you’d be leery. And, “Fringe” had me leery from the start. I’m often turned off when I can see stagecraft. It is easy to see “Fringe” trying very hard to show us how much it is “just like” its predecessors…trying to convince us that we should put it in the same pantheon and not evaluate it for ourselves. Did those other two series’ do that? They didn’t have to. See where I’m going with this? And, the careful plotting of a mythology in a television series is really starting to get old for me. As a device to gain a faithful audience from the outset, I think it also has the potential do alienate those who are not blown away by the first few episodes. You can claim the episodes stand alone for casual viewers until the cows come home, but I’m not sure you can really have it both ways here. A show like “Fringe” is after the superfan demographic. And, well, I just don’t think I have enough room in my heart for another series.
Sure, the production values are extremely slick, the characters are all well-cast and engaging, and those symbols (or glyphs) are intriguing. (To see hi-resolution images of each glyph and a brief description, visit the Fringepedia.) But, when I started to see the tiny little Easter Eggs being logged at Fringe Television here, my brain just short-circuited. Not again! It was a great ride with “LOST,” and eagerly anticipate Season 5 and the new nuggets it will bring to my over-active, analytical brain, but how much of this can one really tolerate in one’s diet? I’m talking about tiny things…like a brief shot of a dusty old car in a dark garage with the logo modified from “MG” to “MD,” referring to “Massive Dynamics,” the big, mysterious corporation. Come on! And, I’m still not complaining yet!
Let’s get to the actual episode, because I see I’m ranting just a bit. Focus, woman! Focus! Here are the glyphs that appeared during the breaks in “Ghost Network:”
Episode 103 Glyphs
This episode centered on Roy McCohn, a guy with metal in his blood (put there 20 years previously by Dr. Bishop, who is now receiving transmitted thought over a “spectrum” supposedly unknown to anyone except Dr. Bishop and his old lab buddy “Belly.” Roy sees things that are about to happen…terrible things…because he’s picking up the intentions of others who have, apparently, discovered this spectrum of thought waves…this ghost network. I just know the writers wanted to call it a “Psychic Network,” but I think they would have either had to get permission fro Dionne Warwick or given her a guest spot or something. The opening segment was awesome and the scene that greeted us on the other side of the commercial break was equally so: a bus full of dead people frozen in place by a silicon-based substance like - as Dr. Bishop put it, “mosquitos in amber.” Nice. If they could have kept up that level of eloquence and intrigue for the entire hour, they might have had me.
But, in the very next scene, we’ve got Dr. Bishop and his son Peter sitting in a diner. When Peter gets up from the table and his cell phone, left on the table, vibrates, the good doctor is mystified by it. He later says to Peter, “It was moving. I stopped it.” Okay, for a guy who’s been locked up in a mental institution for 17 years, I can actually accept that. But, remember how I complained about how familiar he was with the computers he used in the pilot? In this episode, he confidently asks to “view axial images,” during an MRI of poor old Roy, even though he lets us know he’s never seen an MRI machine before, and he later makes a reference to satellite television. These inconsistencies in his knowledge base just say “sloppy” to me. Don’t try to tell me this is because he’s crazy or anything like that. If you’re trying to be “LOST,” or “X-Files,” then you need to put that same kind of devotion in to the internal consistency and maybe stop spending so much time changing car logos. You know what I’m sayin’?
And, apparently the writers felt there wasn’t enough quirkiness in the house. It suddenly became necessary to have a piano brought to the lab because piano music helps Dr. Bishop focus. We learn that he and Peter both play very well…setting up yet another contrivance we will surely see more of…much, much more of. I also know I can count on every episode to have these elements:
A confrontation between Agent Dunham and Special Agent Broyles
A flirtation between Agent Dunham and Peter Bishop
A big lab experiment
A weird Dr. Bishop moment
A Massive Dynamics scene with creepy Nina Sharp
A chase and a takedown featuring Agent Dunham
The formula is already smelling a bit musty to me.
But, because I want to give credit where it is due, there are a couple of humorous moments that are genuinely engaging and smart. At the start of an experiment on poor Roy involving drilling right into his brain and monitoring his responses to pictures shown to him, the door to the Harvard basement lab is knocked upon, making the characters…and me, in this case, jump. Agent Olivia Dunham answers and we see two students who ask, “Is this Poli-Sci 101?” Her response? A straight-faced, “Not remotely.” Good one.
I may become a “casual viewer,” but I’m sure not changing any plans to be sure I see every episode. I’ve given my heart twice to series’ before. That’s enough for this old girl. You follow your own heart, but guard it well!
Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith– 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Katers17 is one of the YouTube team captains for the “SuperNote” collaborative experiment/contest spawned by Rhett and Link. Don’t know about that yet because you don’t read my blog every day or because you don’t know Rhett and Link or because you actually have a life outside of the internet? Well, either check out yesterday’s post here at the Garden Party or head on over here for more information on how you can become a part of the greatest thing that has ever happened to YouTube. Miss that, and you’ve missed being a part of history. That would be tragic.
I’ve only been a casual YouTuber since I first discovered it a couple of years ago. I don’t follow many of its in-house celebrities. When Weezer did their “Pork and Beans,” video last May, I discovered a whole bunch of iconic YouTube figures and realized I wasn’t fulfilling my civic duty to stuff my brain full of popular culture until I glaze over. So, I gave myself an education and added a bunch of subscriptions to my channel. However, neither Rhett & Link nor Katers17 were included in that pantheon. Now, with the SuperNote party in full swing, The Boiz (my new pet name for R&L) have introduced me to a whole new crop of wackos that are beginning to really eat into my real life. Not that I’m protesting…much.
Rhett & Link themselves (oh, excuse me…I mean, The Boiz (that might get old sooner than I anticipated…even for me)) wormed their way into my heart the very moment they showed up in my email inbox and have simply refused to leave that warm and cozy spot even though they aren’t paying any rent. But, that’s okay…they’ve commented here (which is very close to paying rent in my book…I thrive on comments) and they’ve called me “awesome,” (which is actually one better than paying rent). Beyond that, they’ve led me to Katers17. Let me tell you something, friends. This is exactly what YouTube ought to be about! Katers17 has real talent, and has that spectacular combination of gorgeousness and humor that make a performer irresistible. She sets out to entertain…and I’d much rather watch one of her sketches than some dude making sure the world knows how little thought he is willing to put in before activating his webcam. Want to meet her? Of course you do. Here’s a wonderful introduction for you:
Now that you’ve been properly acquainted, let’s go right on to a more intimate relationship. I get the impression Katers doesn’t mind of we move a bit fast. Spend about five minutes with her here:
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Katers17 has also done a 4-part series called “Garden Party,” which, I’m certain has nothing whatsoever to do with this blog, but is kind of serendipitous anyway! Here’s the first of the series…go on her journey!
To visit Katers17 right at her own home on YouTube, click on this little linky. You’ll be greeted by her and by her Team Captain SuperNote entry. Then, come back and tell me you adore her as much as I do. Then, go record your SuperNote and upload it to the contest!
Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
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