24: Day Five 9:00 p.m.

A lot of strange things happen in the world of 24.

• It's possible in a matter of eight minutes for someone like Chloe to dig up the activities of a group of people (Audrey, Henderson and Cummings) for the past 18 months. Oddly enough Chloe can get hotel managers, in the middle of the night, to confirm hotel reservations and bills down to actually who stayed in who's room, still within that eight minutes. Later on Chloe is able to find evidence of a connection between Collette and Henderson in about 10 minutes time. This girl is good with a computer and Internet. Either she is the female techie version of Jack Bauer or she is the mole.
• Terrorists can fool police into giving them free use of their cars. They can even break into a gas company undetected, however, they can't figure out where the control room is even though they have the schematics.
• Somehow Wayne Palmer is able to retrieve a very large automatic weapon from his coat pocket after having escaped his car crash while being chased by the bad guys.
• The presidential retreat is such a weird place that automatic weapon fire and missiles being launched are ignored by everyone. Not the kind of place I would want to be if I were president.
• Some women have a certain aversion to being touched casually by their employers. Especially if they work for the government.

Those are just a few things that I thought were rather strange about this episode. I'm not even going to touch the whole Audrey and Jack torture and then later kiss-and-make-up scenes. Totally strange. After last week's episode I thought that it was the vice president who ordered the hit on Wayne Palmer, but now we know that it was Henderson. So how does Henderson have so many connections at the presidential retreat? It could still be that the vice president is in collusion with Henderson or someone in Secret Service or in the president's inner circle is in collusion with Henderson. Also, Audrey could still be the mole or somehow involved with the bad guys. And, by the way, I think Jack is still alive although he's probably a bit burnt around the edges by now. No telling about Bierko. 24 is certainly getting more and more interesting. Rush Limbaugh interviews Joel Surnow and Howard Gordon from "24." (read the transcript) my previous posts 24: Day 5 8:00 p.m. Jack Bauer Cried Things I Learn While Watching 24 24 and Star Trek

Phoenix Protest March

Perhaps you heard what happened today in Phoenix? An estimated 15,000 people, the majority of whom were illegal immigrants from Mexico, marched in protest of the House bill regarding illegal immigration. Police had to shut down 24th St., a major thoroughfare in downtown Phoenix, because of the protest marchers. As a result traffic was at a standstill on many streets and businesses along Camelback and 24th St. were basically shut down. Here's what I find interesting -- they marched to Senator Jon Kyle's office to protest a House bill. Seems a bit odd to me. Also, this was an illegal march in support of illegal immigrants. They did not have a permit to hold the march. Had they gotten a permit the city of Phoenix officials and police would have been more than happy to accommodate the request, and traffic could have been rerouted ahead of time and businesses could have been alerted to the fact that there would not be access to their business for a specified period of time. So it seems that people who are in support of breaking laws to enter this country are also in support of breaking laws while in this country. Immigration is wonderful and I fully support people who come here legally. It would seem to me that if this many people from Mexico, who are here illegally, are willing to get together as a group this large and protest, then they ought to be able to do something in their own country to turn the tide of corruption that causes their lives to be miserable. The problem with life in Mexico has nothing to do with a lack of resources and everything to do with corruption at all levels.

Abdul Rahman -- Needs Our Prayers

By now most of you have probably heard of this Afghanistan man who is facing the death at the hands of his government because he converted to Christianity 16 years ago. Apparently the man was turned in by his family because he is seeking custody of his children. You can read tons more about this man's situation at Michelle Malkin's blog, Fox News, and the National Review online. I sent an e-mail to the Afghan Embassy in Washington, DC expressing my concern for this man's situation. Here is what I wrote: Ambassador Jawad, I wish to express my concern for a citizen of your country, Abdul Rahman, who is facing death at the hands of your government because he has chosen to follow Jesus Christ. This man has made a choice about what religious belief he wishes to follow, which is a fundamental right of all humans, regardless of what country they live in. From what I understand, this man has committed no crime and had lived as a good citizen. Why would Afghanistan choose to put to death such a person? American blood was shed and American money was given to create and support your current government. To put someone on trial for choosing a religion other than Islam is not what our men and women gave their lives for. This trial must not be permitted to proceed. To put someone on trial for their religious beliefs would give legitimacy to the notion that government has the right to dictate and punish religious choices of citizens. No government has that right! Even the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the fundamental human right of choosing one's religious beliefs. In the name of God and of all that is good and right in the world, I plead with you to do something to stop this trial and release this man who has done no wrong. According to news reports governments around the world including ours are asking the government of Afghanistan to stop this nonsense. There can be no democracy in a country where Islamic law supersedes human rights. Some news reports are stating that Rahman may be declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. If that happens it will be no different than what goes on in other countries such as China. People are declared to be mentally defective because they disagree with the government and they are put away for reprogramming. Totally disgusting! The sad truth is that Abdul Rahman is one of countless numbers of people around the world who are persecuted on a daily basis for their faith in Christ. These people are not always persecuted directly by the government. In many places they are persecuted by their families and more often than not they are killed for their beliefs by mobs. These people need our prayers.

Kudos to Our Local Starbucks

It's cool and a little drizzly today which makes for perfect hot chocolate weather. About 20 minutes ago Norm asked me if I would like something to drink as he was going to go out to get some liquid refreshment. Of course I had asked for hot chocolate. Norm walked in the door a few minutes ago carrying 2 cups of hot chocolate and informed me that he forgot his wallet. He didn't realize he forgot his wallet until after he ordered the hot chocolate at the Starbucks drive-through window. He told the woman at the window that he forgot his wallet and would return shortly to pay for and collect the hot chocolate. That's when she said, "we can afford to give away a couple of hot chocolates." Norm assured her he would return with the money and she said don't worry about it. How cool is that!

24: Day 5 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

I have to admit this episode was rather boring up until halfway through when the totally unexpected happens! That's why I like the show. Just when you think Jack Bauer is going to betray national security in order to get information on the terrorists just to satisfy his own personal vendetta and prevent the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in LA, you realize that he can be trusted after all. Yes, he got Chloe in some pretty hot water, but in the end he had things under control because he knew what we didn't -- he's obviously got some cool virus program that will destroy a memory card when you are about to upload information from your PDA. Too cool! And how about Chloe? She was pretty clever in knocking over that guy's coffee knowing that he was a pretty boy and would immediately run to the bathroom to clean his clothes. The German spy guy doesn't want to trust Jack Bauer anymore, but I think he's got a problem already because he's in love with Collette. Not really a good spy if you fall in love with the person you are working undercover to expose. I wonder how many names he memorized off the wet list before it exploded in his PDA? So David Palmer's brother calls Aaron, the Secret Service guy, and tells them they have to meet. Aaron says he can arrange a secret meeting for the two of them. But later we see that the vice president is informed of Palmer's presence at the gate and allows him to enter the compound supposedly not knowing why he is there. Then we see that Palmer gets hit, but manages to escape. So who ordered the hit? Aaron is seen looking at his watch which makes me wonder if he is wondering if Palmer is about ready to arrive or is he wondering if they have taken Palmer out? Surely Aaron would not harm President Palmer's brother? But we do know that the vice president cannot be trusted because he has ulterior motives. President Logan is such a wuss for following along with the vice president's plan to order a curfew and establish martial law in LA. Everybody knows that bad guys never obey curfew and obviously they are not being caught by those who are watching the streets. And now for the kicker... is Audrey a mole? Is Collette correct when she says that Audrey is her source from DOD for the schematics? I just finished watching Day one of 24 last week where Nina, whom Jack Bauer had a one-time fling with, turned out to be the mole at CTU and killed Jack's wife. Since I haven't seen all of Day 2, 3, or 4, I don't know if this is a typical senario used by the writers of 24. I somehow think that Audrey is probably being set up by somebody at DOD, but I could be wrong. Certainly we see from previews for next week's episode that Jack is going to push her to the limit to discover the truth. If she isn't the mole, then I have to wonder if her encounter with Jack's interrogation methods will cause her to rethink her desire to rekindle their relationship. Hmm… maybe Jack should be taking a closer look at Chloe? 24 certainly keeps you guessing and you never know what's going to happen next.

Bubba, Junior and the Blond

Engineers Bubba and Junior were standing at the base of a flagpole looking up. A blonde lady walked by and asked what they were doing. "We're supposed to find a height of the flagpole," said Bubba, "but we don't have a ladder." The woman took a wrench from her purse, loosened a few bolts, and laid the pole down. Then she took a tape measure from her pocket, took a measurement and announced, "18 feet, 6 inches," and walked away. Junior shook his head and laughed. "Ain't that just like a dumb blonde? We ask for the height, and she gives us the length. Bubba and Junior are currently doing government work supervising the reconstruction of those New Orleans levees. Thanks Mom for the joke! (Don't know who wrote it so I can't give credit where credit is due.)

Rainy Sunday

It's raining again this morning and I am so happy! My cats are wanting to be held and cuddled because they are cold so they are jumping up and down on my desk as I'm working on the computer composing this post. Unfortunately for them I cannot hold them because I am dressed for church and don't want to get cat fur all over me. This morning we are auditioning a potential new pastor who is from Ohio. We are praying that we will find the pastor that God wants for our church community. Off to church we go with an umbrella!

Sudoku

Have you heard of this? My father's been telling me about it for a couple of months since he has become hooked on these puzzles. Yesterday I took the plunge and decided to take a look at what Sudoku is all about. At first I thought this was a math puzzle so I really wasn't that interested. But now that I have explored it I have learned that it's basically a logic based placement puzzle. You can read more about it at Wikipedia. What I like about this game is that I can play it on a piece of paper anywhere. It seems that so many of the games I enjoy are computer games, which really defeats the purpose of having some recreation time because I'm on my computer all day anyways. Now I have found something I can do off the computer. Sudoku-puzzles.net allows you to choose your level of difficulty, play online , or be able to print up to four puzzles on a page. Yesterday, I did my first one and it took me about 20 minutes so I did a second one and that took me only 10 minutes. Of course that was that at the easy level. Last night I decided to try the medium level and I am still working on that one. I was almost finished and then I realized that I goofed up somewhere and had to start backtracking to find my mistake. Now I am hooked. Thanks Dad!

My Manicure Mission

Life in a power chair can sometimes make difficulties when one is trying to receive basic cosmetic services. I have been on a mission for several months to find a new place to get manicures. Nail salons are a dime a dozen and most full-service salons will offer nail services as well, but for someone like myself, who uses a power wheelchair, finding an accessible place can be daunting. I'm not talking about standard wheelchair access because almost all hair salons or nail salons I have ever visited are wheelchair accessible, i.e., easy access into and out of the building. The problem that I have with most places is that they use manicure tables, or booths, that I cannot drive my wheelchair up to and get my legs under the desk so that I can reach my hands to the manicurist. The top of the table is the correct height, but then there will be some sort of an apron, or a front panel, that comes down about 8 to 10 inches which I cannot get my legs under. I used to go to a wonderful manicurist who had a manicure table that I could drive right up to and not hit my knees on the front of the table. Not only that, she did such a wonderful job that she had spoiled me for life. When she moved away two years ago I started going to another person at the same salon, however, she didn't give the same level of service. Then that person moved to another salon which had accessible manicure tables, but I really wasn't satisfied with the experience. I began looking elsewhere but encountered inaccessible manicure tables everywhere I went. So I kept going back to the other lady, but a few months ago she went back to school to study nursing. For the past four months I have been doing my own nails but it's very, very difficult for me since I don't have good manual dexterity. I'm not the kind of woman who wants to have artificial nails 3 inches long with rhinestones or decorative air brushing. I just want to keep my nails looking neat and trim so that they don't bother me in when I'm working at my computer or fidgeting with my hands while I'm waiting for something. My hands are small and my skin is very soft because I don't do dishes. I like someone who gives a gentle manicure experience and does a thorough job of shaping and trimming my nails. Occasionally I will get them polished, but mostly I like a natural look. My style is not one of high fashion or a high maintenance look. I keep my hair nicely trimmed, and don't wear makeup anymore so getting my nails done is one of the treats I do for myself. By now you're probably very bored with this story. Don't worry it's almost over. After three or four months of searching at least two dozen different salons in my area, I struck gold today and found a good place with a great manicurist. Hooray!

Jack Bauer Cried

It seems that he does have a lot to cry about. Specifically in this episode: his daughter outright rejects him and lets him know that she does not want him in her life. People he has worked with for years are dying around him and some of them were specifically targeted because they knew he was still alive. He risks his life countless times and very few people really thank him for what he does. And then his friend and coworker Tony dies in his arms. Jack definitely has good reasons to cry unlike President Wiesel who cries all the time and is such a whiner with no backbone or a leadership skill in his body it makes me sick! LOL Favorite moments from this week's episode: Jack brings Chloe back to reality by pretending to strangle Kim's boyfriend/psychologist. Chloe reminds Kim that psychologists usually give advice that they never take themselves. McGill confesses the error of his ways and then sacrifices himself to save the others. Sorry this post is so short. I would write more but I'm getting confused about 24 because I have been watching season one episodes to catch up with what I had missed because I never saw season one. Now I'm totally confused as to what has happened in season five compared to season one. It definitely a great show and I will keep watching!

I Voted Today...

...and I got this nifty little sticker. Three city Council members are running for reelection in Scottsdale along with one challenger on the ballot and a whole slew of others running as write-in candidates. It took all of three seconds to cast my ballot. The exciting thing about the whole experience was that this is the first time ever voters are required to show identification at the polls in Arizona because we passed Proposition 200 in November of 2004. It always bothered me whenever I would go to my neighborhood polling place and no one wanted to see my voter registration card or proof that I was who I claimed to be. All I needed to know was someone's name and their street address in our neighborhood and then I could cast a ballot no questions asked. A lot of people don't vote and so anyone could go vote in their place, but not anymore! The rights of citizenship come with the responsibility of participation in the election process. I always vote even when there is hardly anything on the ballot. Since I began voting at the ripe old age of 18 I have never missed an opportunity to cast a ballot. Yes, that was me patting myself on my back!

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

... Norman was snoring... LOL just had to throw that in there! Heard rain during the middle of the night and woke up this morning to the wonderful sound of rain on the roof. At 11 a.m. it's still raining with air temperature of 42° and relative humidity at 91%. It's a light, steady rain with occasional heavier downpours. This is exactly the kind of rain we need right now so it will soak into the ground which is as hard as a rock in some places because we've had 143 days without rain. And, just so you know, 42° is winter storm weather here in Scottsdale! Earlier this week we were enjoying 75° temperatures. They'll be back next week! For now I'm just happy to have cooler temps and much-needed rain! Hooray! Thinking about the rain this morning brought back an old hymn to mind entitled "There Shall Be Showers of Blessing." It's based upon a passage from Ezekiel 34:26. I couldn't remember all the lyrics so I Googled it. This hymn has reminded me of some wonderful truths that I needed to hear right now in my life. God is so good that way! I've been praying and God is answering. What are you praying for right now? Don't give up because the answer is on its way. If you click on the title above it will take you to the site where you can hear the song and read the lyrics for yourself. I know it's an old-fashioned song but sometimes the old-fashioned ones have much more truth in them than the songs being produced today. I love contemporary music and if I were talented in that way I would remix a lot of the old hymns to a more modern tempo. Do go listen to the song as its lyrics have something special to teach.

Missing the Rain

It's been 141 days since we've had any rain in the Phoenix area. Today we saw a lot of dark clouds and wind and much cooler temperatures, but only a trickle of drops that amounted to about 100th of an inch of rain in Scottsdale. I actually heard a couple of drops hitting ventilation pipes on the roof while working at my computer late this afternoon. Alas, it was only a couple of drops. Earlier today I was at my chiropractor's office discussing the possibility of rain with her office assistant. She is from the East Coast and doesn't like rain but thinks it is odd that her husband always sits on the patio every time we get a rainstorm around here. I had to laugh because that's exactly what I do whenever it rains here. There's something that happens in the air when the desert receives rain that you don't get in other places. I lived many years in the San Diego area and spent much of my childhood in south Louisiana. When it rains in those places it doesn't feel like it does when it rains in the desert. There's something about the desert that makes you recognize your need for rain. In the Bible rain can be seen as a symbol of God's blessing on the land. Living in a dry, parched land helps one to understand that metaphor. They're forecasting rain for this weekend. I'm praying it will come!

Things I Learn While Watching 24

Wow, wow, wow! What an amazing show! I really enjoy a show that catches you off guard and leaves you wondering what's going to happen next, knowing all while that you could never really guess, because it's just that kind of show. Ok, here's my list of things I learned this week: Pride and a hauty spirit will get you in trouble every time. (Actually, I learned this from the Bible first, but this episode has a good example.) If Lynn McGill had swallowed his pride and actually told somebody about getting mugged and his key card stolen then CTU would not have been so vulnerable. Perhaps Lynn will make up for his stupidity by being the one to get rid of the gas canister now leaking into the air at CTU. A weak presidential administration is vulnerable to top-level conspiracy. President Wiesel, I mean Logan, is just a weak willed whimp. This whole terrorist attack with the gas canisters is actually something being planned by people at the very highest levels. It appears that the vice president could even be involved in the scheme. (More on that below.) Anytime a character in 24 criticizes CTU's ability to handle a problem they are probably a part of the ultimate conspiracy. The vice president criticized CTU's ability to handle the terrorists plan to release the gas. It's also apparent that Lynn McGill is part of that conspiracy, without knowing it, because he doesn't think CTU is capable of doing anything either. And they are incapable if he is in command of CTU. Characters like Chloe and Mrs. Logan earn my respect because they tell it like it is. Mrs. Logan did not mince words with Mike when she told him "just tell me what you want me to do." Her husband doesn't deserve her. And Chloe did a great job of letting Kim Bauer know that she needs to cut her father a little slack over the fact that he didn't clue her in earlier to his being alive. Everybody, except Chloe, who knew Jack was alive is now dead. Always be nice to the little people around you, even if they are big and annoy you. Poor Chloe had to watch Edgar die from the gas while she was protected behind a sealed room. I wonder if she realized at that point how much Edgar really loved her? I wonder if she was thinking about all the mean things she said to him and felt regret over it. I like Edgar and I think Chloe could have been a lot nicer to him. Finally, if your husband doesn't tell you what it's really going on, and says that he's doing all of the clandestine things to protect you, the truth is he really doesn't love you. You know this for certain when Jack Bauer shoots you in the leg instead of him, and he still doesn't tell Jack the truth. It's time to get a new husband. I wonder what I will learn next week? previous post on 24: 24 and Star Trek

The Memorial Service

Madeleine's memorial service was last Thursday. St. Barnabas Episcopal Church provided a wonderful service to honor her. The hand bell choir played beautifully in her memory because she gave their first set of bells. Madeleine attended the church for 30 years and was remembered as someone who had the gift of hospitality and expressed her love for God, her family and her neighbors. Norm and I are so appreciative of her church family because they visited her often during the last four years while she was unable to attend church. Someone brought her communion on a regular basis and many others came to see her just to visit and catch up on happenings at the church. It meant so much to Madeleine because the church community was a big part of her life. Every week prior to her accident, she was at the church office organizing a group of men and women who folded the bulletins in preparation for Sunday services. She was active in her ECW group and utilized every opportunity to participate in bazaars and teas and church suppers and other opportunities for fellowship and community service. Her love of music inspired her to be a part of the music ministry at St. Barnabas. I don't know if she ever sang in the choir, but she was a dear friend and ardent supporter of the organist and choir master. This photograph does not have a date, but I estimate that it was probably taken in the late 1920s or early 1930s. I think it's a beautiful photograph of Madeleine that captures her spark of playfulness and good sense of humor. Norm and I miss our laughs we had with Madeleine. previous posts: She Will Be Missed The Visitation

The Carnival of Bauer

If you're interested in knowing more about 24 or what people think of it be sure to check out the Carnival of Bauer. Blogs4Bauer has put together a collection of blog posts from other bloggers, including myself, on the topic of the Fox Network's 24 and the show's main character Jack Bauer. This is my first experience of participating in a blog carnival. You might be asking yourself, "what is a blog carnival?" A blog carnival in a collection of links pointing to blog articles on a particular topic -- sort of like a magazine. One particular blog will host it and invite others to participate. I have a feeling there are blog carnivals on just about every topic imaginable. As an aside I would like to warn you that I have not read what the other bloggers have written so read it at your own discretion. Enjoy!

Musical Entertainment and Today's Funny

Yesterday I was at the mall getting my hair cut (I like shorthair) and on my way out I went through Nordstrom's just for giggles because I can't afford to buy anything there. They always have someone playing piano which is nice. I wasn't paying too much attention to the music and then suddenly I realized it was a familiar tune -- "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." (This link goes to a site with a very jazzy rendition of the song.) I haven't heard that song in a long time! If I had a good voice I would've started singing it out loud because you don't often hear that kind of music in Nordstrom's. It really made my day and I hummed that tune all the way out the mall to wait for Norm to pick me up. Saw this joke today at the Neither Here nor There blog in Israel. "15,000 atheists rioted in London today when a blank piece of paper was found on a cartoonist's desk." That just cracks me up! LOL