Ramblings and overdue comments

All of the following items probably should be comments on various posts (like Karl's), but I find it easier to write one post than 5 comments.

To Glenn

Congratulations is way overdue. The baby pictures were nice, but I especially enjoyed the pictures from the "Hair Raising Experience" blog entry. Today I was reading some articles by Steven Landsburg, including one called Do Daughters Cause Divorce? (Landsburg has written a series of interesting articles for slate.com about Everyday economics: How the dismal science applies to your life.) Anyway, when I read this article, I thought of you Glenn and hope that you can beat the odds.

Glenn, I also enjoyed your post on the Joseph Smith presidential candidacy. We just finished reading the D&C/History of the Church picture scriptures with our daughter, but the bid for the presidency was not a topic that was covered. I understand that it doesn't build testimonies to talk about Joseph's run for the White House, but it doesn't hurt testimonies either.

I'm listening to this book called "Lies My Teacher Told Me". Most of it deals with how our Euro-centric history text books omit or misrepresent the history of people of different races (starting with the Indians) and social classes. The author also has a section on heroification and how he thinks it does people a disservice to talk about historical figures as real people with real struggles that made mistakes. I know there is a limited time in church, so it is important to focus on the most uplifting things. Still, I can't help but feel the church does a bit of a disservice by not talking more about the whole Joseph Smith and things like his presidential bid.

Speaking of books, did anyone else volunteer to be part of the book club core or is it my turn to choose again? If it's my turn, books I have been kicking aroung include one's that I've already read "An Ordinary Man" (About the Hotel Rwanda story), books I've half read "Rough Stone Rolling", and books I plan to read in the near future "The Omnivore's Dilemma". Let me know if you have any opinions.

The Dismal Science and the Environment

So a while back I asked Jesse to post his half finished post on the environment because I wanted to comment on it. I decided that if economics and environmental science are indeed comparable, then I have been underestimating environmental scientists because I have a lot more faith in economic predictions than environmental predictions. Also, I liked Karl's point that you don't have to know when the smoker is going to die to know that smoking is bad. (Aside: I think a more apt analogy than thinking of the US as a smoker would be if the country were a '50's coal miner. Both are eventually going to suffer lung disease, but the coal miner needs the job in a different way than the smoker needs a cigarrette.)

I still feel like environmental scientists have not come up with a viable solution to the problem. Most of the "cures" are worse than the disease. I don't understand why most environmentalists aren't quicker to embrace nuclear power, as it is much more proven than wind, solar, and biofuels. If someone can explain it to me, I'll be one step closer to accepting Obama (our next president?), who often repeats the wind, solar, bio mantra, as the thoughtful person he has a reputation of being.

The Lost Cause

I still haven't come to a firm conclusion about the rightness or wrongness of Lost. In retrospect, watching 3 seasons in 3 months was probably a bit much. My wife has definitely concluded that she won't be watching it, and I definitely feel that I shouldn't spend that much time watching stuff without my wife. So by default, I guess I won't be watching the rest of Lost.

I am starting to look more into devices that can help filter out a lot of the bad stuff because, as Karl pointed out, most episodes of Lost aren't that different than the commercials or other media. Personally, I don't feel offended by most commercials or most episodes of lost, but that may be more of a reflection on me than the media. I don't know. Either way, I figure if there is technology available to help me access cleaner media, then I should try to utilize that technology. I've heard some success stories, but if any of you have had any success, let me know.

A "Lost" Cause

I know there are multiple Lost enthusiasts out there, and I need your help. My wife has been watching Lost with me (2.5 seasons in the last 2.5 months), and while she enjoys the show, she has had, from the beginning, some misgivings about the violence and sometimes the sexual innuendo in the show. Well, a combination of General Conference and an episode that was particularly bad pushed her over the edge, and she has decided to stop watching, despite the large investment of time we have already put into the show. Now I'm in a fix because I still want to find out what happens. Here's what the conversation inside my head has been like. The two participants are Good Alvin (GA) and Not-So-Good Alvin (NSGA).

NSGA: This sucks.

GA: Good thing the kids didn't hear you talk like that.

NSGA: Don't start with me.

GA: She's right, you know.

NSGA: Maybe.

GA: Maybe? Have you forgotten all those lessons on the media you received as a young man? If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, praiseworthy,...

NSGA: Praiseworthy! Lost is a genius piece of work, and it's received critical acclaim.

GA: You're grasping at straws.

NSGA: What about interesting? Shouldn't interesting be in that article of faith somewhere?

GA: Nice try.

NSGA: It's not THAT bad. We fast forward through the worst parts.

GA: So you're admitting that there are bad parts.

NSGA: A few.

GA: Don't you remember the lessons on justifying 'just a little sin'.

NSGA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

GA: Would you let your kids watch the show?

NSGA: No, but Miriam's only 3.

GA: What if they were teenagers?

NSGA: 18 is still a teenager, right?

GA:Look, if you were honest with yourself, you would admit that the show is against your principles, and you would stop watching.

NSGA: OK, Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes, you want to be honest? Tell me, do you intend to obey all of God's commandments?

GA: Naturally.

NSGA: You ready to start driving the speed limit? How about the Word of Wisdom? There's no way all of those snacks we've been eating are legal.

GA: Now, that's not fair. I never said I was a saint. Just because we're not perfect in all things doesn't mean we can't be better in some things.

NSGA: I'm just saying that not even you can avoid those chocolate mint brownies in the fridge. Eating them may not be part of treating our body like a temple, but sometimes it's OK to enjoy something that's not good for you.

GA: But TV is different, it stays in your mind longer.

NSGA: Longer than those brownies stay in your gut?

GA. Fine. You want to eat brain sugar...go ahead. Tammy never said you couldn't watch Lost on your own. You have your free agency.

NSGA: Maybe I will.

GA: Fine. [Storms off]

NSGA: [Sigh] Brownies are much more enjoyable when you have someone to share them with.