ex-dorsement

This is the best reason so far to avoid seeing Avatar:

Lucas added: 'I liked it. I make movies like that, so I can appreciate what James Cameron went through to do it. It worked well in 3D and I'm happy it's so successful.'

How happy was George Lucas after watching Smurftanic? Happy enough that he now plans to remake all six Star Wars movies in 3D.

Thanks a lot, Cameron.

--MAJOR BLUDD

More bullets, more points

* I am glad I am not French, and that I do not shout at my wife.

* Scientists who want to live in a moon hole should be careful and have it checked out thoroughly before they move in.

* How many European countries have more prosperous populations than Kansas? One. Rock chalk, Jayhawk!

* I don't believe that religious people are dumb. But that Pat Robertson certainly is a ninny.

* Q. How many airline personnel does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A. That's not funny! (In related news...)

* Boy, I really thought we had plateaued out on this unemployment thing. Maybe not.

* There is a guy who is an expert on labor policy whose name is Sherk. Hilarious! Also, he has some point about unions or something.

* Interesting thoughts about immigration from Mark Krikorian. He's an opponent of illegal immigration, so don't read what he says if you expect that it would make your head explode. The one sentence that really made me think: "5 billion people are poorer than the average Mexican." Huh.

* How funky can an eighty year old recording of a Ukrainian harmonica group be? Very, very funky.

Peace, love, and all that other good stuff.

--DAS SCHMERZHAUS

Grasp the broom of reform

Today I get to do something I hardly ever get to do-- cast a vote in a competitive election. In fact, I think this might be a first.

I turned 18 in Kansas, and went to college in Utah, both of which are thoroughly Republican. How thoroughly? In 1992, Perot beat Clinton in Utah. And Kansas is so dominated by Republicans that some dumb Democrat went and wrote a book trying to explain it.

I've also spent almost 8 years in Massachusetts, which is practically a one-party state. It's the only state that voted for McGovern in 1972. When I pick up a ballot out here, I see mostly uncontested elections. And contested elections are as likely to have a third party candidate as a Republican.

So it's amazing to me that today I can cast a vote in an election that the Boston Globe now says is "up for grabs," although less than ten days ago they had Democratic candidate Martha Coakley up by 15 points.

The whole country is watching, and I get to be one of the lucky ones to vote! I don't know if I have ever been this excited to cast a ballot.

Yay democracy!

--CASA DE DOLOR

(Update 3:00 PM - I voted! And my roommate went with me to cancel out my vote! Hooray! Long live the republic!)

Happy New Year!

So, this is 2010. I always thought by now the future would have arrived, and then blown up and left civilization a devastated ruin. Well, there's always next year.

In the meanwhile, I am thinking about resolutions. After all, if a stupid prion can adapt and change, why can't I?

So, my imaginary readers, what should I resolve to do in 2010? And what have you resolved to do (besides be less imaginary and more real, of course)?

--JUAN PENA