LOST - Dead is Dead

What I liked:

--Ben Linus vs. The Smoke Monster. The greatest buildup to one final confrontation since David vs. Goliath. Everything about the build was excellent, from Ben revealing he's needs to be judged by what they call "The Monster", to Ben threatening Rousseau, to Alex emerging from the smoke of his memories. The last five minutes with the smoke surrounding Ben might've been the most exciting "What the hell is going to happen now?" moment since Tony Soprano walked into the Holsten's Diner. I liked the subtle touches in the episode which showed that Ben and The Smoke Monster weren't really as demonic as they've been made out to be throughout the last 4-5 years.

--Ben vs. Locke and the role reversal. Another great thing about the episode was how the power structure slowly, yet suddenly, shifted. With Locke making amends with Ben, while showing he's not buying into his bullshit anymore, to Ben revealing to Sun that he was frightened of John's resurrection, Locke was taking charge of the Island throughout the episode and Ben was turning into a follower. Smoke Alex's confirmed the shift, but she didn't cause it.

--Ben vs. Charles Widmore. I loved how Widmore told Ben he had to kill Alex, and Ben told Charles "No, you do it." I also liked the foreshadowing/implication of Charles telling Ben the Island would take Alex's life. The two villains have great chemistry on screen together, even though I was disappointed with one aspect of their confrontations.

--Ben vs. Penny. Ben taunting Penny instead of shooting her was sort of a James Bond-villain moment for sure, but it was counterbalanced by his non-hesitiation in shooting Desmond, and his sudden hesitation to do the deed when he saw Little Charlie. Desmond's sudden recovery and subsequent beatdown of Ben was exhilirating. I'm a fan of Ben, I've always rooted for great villains, but even I went "YEAH!" as he got thrown into the water with blood pouring out of his nostrils.

--24 vs. absurdity. It has nothing to do with Lost, but I just wanted to mention I haven't done a mocking post about the chronicles of Jack Bauer because it has been excellent ever since Bill Buchanan sacrificed himself for the greater good. The show does get ridiculous. There is and always will be "WTF?" moments from ticking clock to ticking clock. Even so, I find myself wanting to find out what happens next, rather than making sarcastic comments to my roommates about whats happening on screen. Jack's sudden mortality has been surprisingly poignant, and a possible foreshadowing to a Metal Gear Solid-esque (hero battling evil while facing death) final season. Re-establishing Tony as a hero, rather using him as a "is he a villain or not?" plot device has been very smart. And Jonas Hodges, played by the great Jon Voight, could be the best villain in any of Jack's 7 long days. I have no complaints about the past 4-5 episodes. Unfortunately, the foreshadowing of Kim Bauer's return could mark an end to this mini-Golden Age for the Bauer Hour, but right now I'm just glad 24 is back to being a great action show, rather than a showcase for the absurd.


What I didn't like:

--Michael Emerson playing a young-adult Ben Linus. Emerson has a boyish face, but he's still an middle aged man. It was awkward to see, especially since the original Ethan didn't play his younger version.

--Charles Widmore's exodus. It's disappointing if the reason Charles got exiled from the island was because he made frequent visits to the real world. They didn't go much further into what happened, but hopefully there's more to the story.

--The other passengers. I reserve judgment, because I get the feeling they're involved with the Island somehow, possibly as agents for Charles Widmore, but I don't like any of them. The one character who was interesting, Cesar, got shot by Ben. Although contrary to what Ben told Sun, Dead apparently isn't Dead at all.

The best and the greatest

When there's a "Who/What is the best/greatest (fill in the blanks)", it eventually devolves into an argument of what the term really means. And it really comes down to what term is being used, because there's a distinct difference between best and greatest. For example, right now, LeBron James is the best player in the league. People who say Kobe is better clearly haven't watched James play. The kid (and at 24, he's still a kid in NBA years) is stronger than , faster than Bird or Magic, a more skilled ball handler than Russell or Chamberlain. He's capable of putting up a triple double every night, and he's become a defender who can guard any position on the floor. LeBron has a realistic chance at becoming the best to ever play the game.

However, he hasn't accomplished anything yet. Kobe has more rings, has an MVP, more scoring titles. Is LeBron a better player than Kobe? Yes. Is he a greater player than Kobe? Not yet. The term better or best refers to a measure of pure talent, those who have the ability and skill to do the most things. Greatness is a measurement of accomplishments the best have achieved.

There's a reason why there's such confusion over the two terms, and the reason can be directly linked to one player. A player with five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances and three All-Star MVP, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, the all time record in regular season and playoffs points per game. A player who is the standard of excellence and will always be compared with an upcoming superstar, whether it's Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James. A player who had no weaknesses on offense or defense, beat every great player in his time, and is being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this September.

Kobe and LeBron are successors to Michael Jordan. The best and greatest example of how the terms "best" and "greatest" can sometimes be the same thing.

On the Record - 2009 MLB season

AL East
Rays 99-63
Yankees 97-65
Red Sox 95-67
Orioles 77-85
Jays 69-93

AL Central
Indians 86-76
Royals 83-79
Twins 79-83
White Sox 77-85
Tigers 70-92

AL West
Angels 85-77
Rangers 81-81
Athletics 73-89
Mariners 66-96

Division Series
Rays over Indians 3-0
Yankees over Angels 3-2

ALCS
Yankees over Rays 4-3

NL East
Phillies 94-68
Mets 90-72
Braves 85-77
Marlins 76-86
Nationals 70-92

NL Central
Cubs 95-67
Brewers 85-77
Cardinals 84-78
Reds 78-84
Astros 69-93
Pirates 60-102

NL West
Dodgers 88-74
Diamondbacks 86-76
Giants 76-86
Rockies 70-92
Padres 68-94

Division series
Phillies over Dodgers 3-2
Cubs over Mets 3-0

NLCS
Phillies over Cubs 4-2

World Series
Yankees over Phillies 4-1

Awards
AL MVP: Evan Longoria, Rays
AL Cy Young: Jon Lester, Red Sox
AL Rookie of the Year: David Price, Rays
AL Manager of the Year: Trey Hillman, Royals

NL MVP: Manny Ramirez, Dodgers
NL Cy Young: Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
NL Rookie of the Year: Pablo Sandoval, Giants
NL Manager of the Year: Lou Piniella, Cubs

The New House

Billy Crystal famously said this, and it's become somewhat cliche to describe Yankee Stadium, but it's absolutely true. The best moment about going to a game at the old Yankee Stadium was walking from the concourse to your seat, and seeing the field for the first time. I've been to dozens of Yankee games at the Stadium throughout my life, but I always got the same feeling. Everyone who went to a Yankee game feels the same way. Maybe it had to do with all the history, the World Series and the great players who played in them. Maybe it's because the field was the only green patch of land in the Bronx. Maybe it's just as simple as the thought of "Hey now, I'm at a ballgame!". Maybe it's all of those things.

The field at the New Yankee Stadium looks almost exactly the same. The diameters of the field are identical to the House across the street, the grass is just as green, it's the same pinstripes, the same interlocking NY painted behind home plate. It's only when you look up and all the stands are different, and there's a monster HD screen in centerfield. Building sized. It's not just high definition, it's high definition high definition. As I was walking around just to check out other areas of the park, I turned to take a look at the HDHD screen, and I could literally count the hairs on Johnny Damon's head. It's super crisp no matter how far away you are.

Not sure if it's because today's game was just exhibition, but the security at NYS was a lot less Nazi-ish. No metal detecting wands as soon as you enter the stadium, no intense grilling over what's inside your bag. The Bleacher Creatures got to do the "Box Seats Suck!" chant right after the Roll Call. You could tell the cops were just happy to be there. Even the concession stand workers were pumped. I have never seen a more excited serving of a hamburger than I did by the woman working the counter of Johnny Rockets in the centerfield plaza.

The whole place is a tribute to Yankee History. Walking down towards the stadium looks just like the pictures from 1923. Inside the Great Hall there are gigantic banners featuring all the recent Yankee greats like Bernie Williams or Paul O'Neill on one side, and legends like Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio on the other. Lining the concession stands are pictures from each of the World Series wins. There's a Yankee Museum to go along with Monument Park. Memorabilia is everywhere.

If you're a Red Sox or Mets fan, you might get a little sick, but anyone with a sense of baseball history will have a lot of fun walking around the Great Hall and the Concourse. It's going to be one of those rituals everyone does. Get to the Stadium extra early, and take a lap around the park. There's a lot to take in, a things to see, a lot of food to eat. I didn't get to check out the Hard Rock Cafe or the Mohegan Sun Sports Bar, but I did hang out the plaza right by the bleachers which is on top of the sports bar. It's gonna be a great place in the summer to hang out and drink a beer. There wasn't an equivalent in the old place. The food options are incredible, from Carl's Cheesesteaks to Boar's Head sandwiches to sushi. That's right. Sushi. Like most ballparks, the food is a little pricy, but delicious. There's no excuse to go hungry when going to a Yankee game. There's something for everyone, especially those who are into having cholesterol problems.

There were some hiccups, however. There was a montage playing in the sixth inning when Mariano Rivera entered the game, and apparently the guy working the music didn't realize what was going on, because "Enter Sandman" didn't play until Mo was well into his warmup session on the mound. For the final few innings, the third spot in the Yankee lineup was blank on the screen next to the HDHDTV. And at one point in the final inning, "#28 - Unknown" was listed as the Yankees catcher.

One thing I was bothered by somewhat was the inundation of advertising throughout the stadium. There are framed posters of Budweiser and Geico ads, among others, all over the concourse. Pretty much everything that appears on the HDHDTV is sponsored by something. Every ballpark does this, but it's really noticable at NYS. I was half expecting the announcer to say "Leading off, the shortstop, #2, Derek Jeter...brought to you by Pepsi."

The most lucrative advertising opportunity was the one not offered. The new place is not Bank of America Field, or Time Warner Park. It's still Yankee Stadium, the grandest stage in American sports. The highlights of the first game include Jeter getting the first Yankee hit, Robinson Cano hitting the first home run, the Yankees getting the first win. It's not Gehrig's farewell address or Reggie hitting three bombs on three pitches, but how could it be? Nostalgia runs rampant in the New House, but the history took place across the street. Lasting memories will come, but they're not there yet. Gods don't build stadiums, they only play there.

LOST - What Happened, Happened

What I liked

--Miles and Hurley time travel debate. I've always enjoyed how Hurley is sort of the spokesperson for the audience, how he asks the questions everyone is asking. At these times, he's used as an exposition device, but Jorge Garcia is good at making it not seem that way. The time travel debate isn't as complicated as Miles and Hurley, or many different bloggers/commentators, make it out to be, but there are obviously a lot of questions and when anyone tries to explain it, it sounds ridiculous, so this was a funny way to tackle them.

FYI, The way I would explain it is to think of the time travel guys is to think about veryone lives life in one straight line, even if they travel through time. If Jack died in 1977, his tombstone would read 196X to 2007 to 1977.

They can't go back in time and change things, because it's all the same reality. Even they know what they're doing already happened, they haven't experienced it yet. Everything that's supposed to happen already happened. If Old Ben Linus is alive in 2004, then Young Ben Linus can't die in 1977, he has to survive. The real mystery is how he survives.

Even though I wrote it, the last paragraph just confused me. Maybe it's best not to think about these things.

--Kate coming back to the island to find Claire. I like how Sawyer and her quietly buried their relationship, because they've both grown up over the past three years. Sawyer being in a stable environment with a stable woman, and Kate learning about becoming a mother and the value of family. The love triangle is slowly dissolving.

--Saving Ben Linus. Kate, Sawyer, and Juliette obviously know who Ben Linus is, knowing all of their actions is turn him into the man he eventually becomes, and not caring because they see a dying child who needs help. It's an interesting plot development, but the more subtle and fascinating story and character progression was Jack refusing to get involved. For a man of action and leadership, Jack took his hands off the wheel and let fate take over. The man of science is becoming a man of faith.

What I don't like

--Jack is still a douchebag. Man of science or man of faith, he's still a man you want to punch in the face repeatedly.

--Where are Rose and Bernard?!

Fools

There was a time when April Fools Day consisted of innocent, harmless gags. These included pranks like pretending you're sick before shooting silly putty when you sneeze, or telling your girlfriend that you've been sleeping with her mother. It was a simpler time, but everything changed when the internet exploded. Now it has become an April Fools tradition for every single website to concoct some elaborate scheme to confound their audience.

Some of the pranks I saw today literally five minutes after logging into my computer at work was the "New Gmail Autopilot" and news about a new Grand Theft Auto game called Harbor City on IGN.com. Some of the more elaborate ones include YouTube setting all their videos to play upside down. I did get fooled by one, a breaking news story on WWE.com which said General Manager Vickie Guerrero was pregnant, which seemed like a storyline on RAW to me, because every day is April Fools Day in wrestling. The one I liked the most was the brilliant and shameless advertising prank on Collegehumor.com, where AXE Body Spray took over the entire site.

The one curious prank to me was the Guardian News story about how the venerable newspaper was shutting down and switching to Twitter. It amazed me they did this, because it's an obvious prank, but it could actually happen. Twitter is the fastest growing web phenomenon of all time. Everyone has one because its simple to use and not much thought needs to be put into it. Newspapers around America and the world are in shambles, and the internet is holding the gun at the industry's head, ready to pull the trigger and take over. Since the news industry is becoming more and more brainless as we speak. Something like this could actually happen in a year or two, or maybe sooner if the economy goes off the cliff and every company is desperate to make money by any means necessary.

One day, there's going to be an scandalous breaking news story on April Fools Day, and everyone is going to think its just a joke. Hillary Clinton is going to rise up from the State Department in 2010 and stage a coup for the Presidency. She will be engaged in a sword fight with Barack Obama in the Oval Office. Sides will be drawn. Tim Geitner will be leading the Obama Forces through the Executive Office Building, while Bob Gates tries to outflank them with the Clinton Forces at the East Wing. Robert Gibbs will scream frantically at the White House Press Corps to remain calm, and they will all laugh at him. Chuck Todd's hearty giggles will be the soundtrack to the Secretary of State and the President dueling for control of the United States Federal Government. This will happen, and no one will believe it.

April Fools.

Taxi

In the movies, New York City cab drivers are a cross between Jeff Gordon and Saddam Hussein. People are often ignored by the first ten cabs they see. It becomes a movie in of itself to find a taxi who will stop and take them in. Movie cab drivers run red lights, drive in the wrong direction, barely miss hitting pedestrians. They have to run with other asshole drivers, and deal with them by being assholes right back. They manage to know every shortcut, and can get to any location in the city in mere minutes, but their passengers are often terrified and/or angry by the end of the ride.

In reality, it's pretty easy to find a cab. Outside of the airport or train station, there's a line of taxis waiting for you. And if you're on any major intersection, it only takes a few minutes to flag down a cab. Anyone who has been in grade school and has experience raising his or her hand in the air should have no problem finding transportation.

Another myth is how cab drivers know where everything is. This may be true in Manhattan, but if you're traveling to the outer boroughs, it might take a minute or two to explain where you're going. Luckily, some cabs are equipped with GPS where they can just punch in the address. Otherwise, they call some mysterious person who knows where everything is in the city, and they get directions from them. Sometimes though, they will get lost, and drive in the wrong direction. They will actually slow down and look at the street signs to see where they are. You may actually have to lean over and say "We need to turn around" or "You don't have to cry, I'll tell you where to go."

From there, it's actually a smooth ride. It's New York City, so there's inevitably traffic and asshole drivers and pedestrians who are jerks, but the New York City cab driver is unaffected by his surroundings. He's too busy laughing at some Jamaican, Italian, or Arabic comedian on the radio. Or he's listening to his iPod, singing along to Katy Perry. Yes, Katy Perry is popular among New York City cab drivers. If you're lucky, you can ignore the driver's vocalizing because there's a touch screen TV in the cab. It's especially great if you like watching Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa talk about touch screen TVs in cabs.

I've taken cabs in almost every city I've visited, and no one comes ahead of New York in terms of service. Unless you're drunk, then you'll pay $100 for a 1 hour cab ride from 42nd Street to 40th.