Hmmm. This is going to be tough.

1. The higher gas prices that have resulted have encouraged people to drive less and consider alternative energy.

2. The war rhetoric of "support the troops" as the same administration de-funds VA hospitals has made acceptable to offer patriotic dissent.

3. People have been brought together to oppose this war. We are still a deeply divided nation in many ways, but there is a 7 in 10 chance any American is against the war. Who would have ever thought that Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader could agree on so much!

4. The war has led people to see that the concept of "faith and values" extends WAY beyond abortion and gay marriage. Peace and Justice voters are voting their religious values, too.

5. Withdrawal is likely to begin in 2008.

6. This should get more people to vote and bring us closer to becoming a Democracy again.

7. It has become easier to win political arguments with my conservative parents.

8. I don't think we'll try "pre-emptive" war for a long time after this one.

9. No draft, yet.

10. All of my friends who served (some WAY beyond what they should have) have come home safely.


That was tough. Next: 10 things I like about the planet (should be easier)

1. The way she looks.

2. The things she cooks.

3. How smart she is.

4. How she likes video games and Simpsons.

5 . Her commitment to her faith, and how she lives it out.

6. She is courageous and assertive.

7. She hasn't stopped growing and learning.

8. She cares for me.

9. She can and does drive a truck with a manual transmission.

10. She makes really beautiful music.

I heard on NPR today that somebody burned the burning man. That's what he's there for, right? Yes, but here's the problem. A performance artist decided to set the man ablaze about four days early.

He has since been arrested, and the hippies out west have vowed to rebuild the man in time for the scheduled burn.

This cracks me up. I didn't think one could do ANYTHING to get arrested at the burning man. And it seems so goofy for this crowd to focus so heavily on a schedule, and doing things the right way, and re-building something to be burned because the original something to be burned, burned.

10 More things tonight.

1. An amazingly large cast of characters.

2. Characters of surprising depth, considering how many there are.

3. Nobody's perfect, but nobody is beyond redemption, either. (Lisa and Mr. Burns both come close, respectively, but not quite)

4. A perfect balance of reality/fantasy (i.e. basic rules of earth are followed, but it doesn't seem to matter how many side jobs Homer takes).

5. It bites the hand that feeds it occasionally (FOX).

6. They are one of the few tv families that regularly prays/attends church.

7. The jokes are packed densely, and often layered.

8. They consistently reference the classics, and are still funny even when 90% of the audience misses the reference.

9. The leap to film worked.

10. The humor stands the test of time.



Coming soon: 10 things I like about my wife, and then some more challenging posts (maybe 10 things I like about the Iraq War?). If you have any requests, let me know!

1. Eating. Buffalo knows how to eat. Wings, Pirogies, Fish fries, pizza--it's all good.

2. Cheap houses. We couldn't live in a house like ours in a neighborhood like the Elmwood Strip in Pittsburgh. And Pittsburgh is cheap. Buffalo is uber-cheap.

3. Summer fun. There was so much to do, and much of it is cheap/free.

4. Personality. I like rust-belt friendliness.

5. Entrepreneurship. People start their own businesses/movements/whatever here. They get stuff done.

6. Nearby stuff. Lakes, skiing, falls, hiking, etc. It's all good.

7. Online media. Holla back estrip!

8. Walka-bikability. You can get around here without a car.

9. Elmwood Ave. Another candidate for a 10 things within 10 things list. Much to like about this part of town.

10. It's trivia. We birthed a super-freak and killed a president. We invented a bar food and were the first wired for electricity. And what other city hates the St. Lawrence Seaway like we do?