Opinion Popcorn

'Lost' Is Back...Sort Of

If you've perused these pages before, you know what a big Lost fan I am, right? Given that the next season is still months away, I'm hoping football, The Office, Mad Men and a handful of other shows can help fill some of that void, but thanks to Pop Candy, I just found out that cable/satellite network G4 is running every single episode of Lost beginning September 15! Woo-Hoo!

They're calling it Lost 2.0, because it'll include commentary, on-screen informational pop-ups and more. Brilliant, because you can begin from the very beginning and understand (or be confounded by) the full story going back to the plane crash. And there's no pesky hiatus of months while they shoot new episodes!

I know, I know. I could just get the DVDs and do essentially the same thing, but having the series on television and watching it actively or passively on a regular basis is just...different. Besides, we're canceling Netflix because we don't use it nearly enough to justify the monthly payment, and I'm done buying DVDs of just about anything because technology updates formats and whatnot too quick to keep up, so until holographic TV takes hold and there's media to support it, I'm just not investing too much in formats. Wow. That was a long sentence. Besides, we live in a near on-demand world anyway. But I digress.

If you've always wondered what the hubbub about Lost is all about and got in a little too late to get the full picture, it's G4 to the rescue!

Toasting the Yanks' Run

Going into this week's monster series in the Bronx against the Boston Red Sox, I had faint hopes that a sense of urgency and a renewed desire to end their time at venerable Yankee Stadium on a high note would propel the Yanks back into the wild card race, but as the last two nights (7-3, 11-3 losses) indicate, they're done. Who to blame? There are so many candidates.

So here's a toast to the dynasty that was. It gave us some thrilling moments (see Leyritz's homer in 1996, Aaron "Effing" Boone in 2003, Derek Jeter's "right place-right time" flip to get Giambi out against Oakland) and countless other memories, not to mention some seriously forgettable moments (2004 ack!) that we're not going to link to for obvious reasons.

Thanks, boys! Thanks for the memories.

Terps' Hoops Schedule: A Tough Season Ahead

Took a quick skim through the Terps' men's basketball schedule, and no matter which lens you use to analyze the results, it looks like it's going to be a tough season for Gary Williams's bunch. Nonconference games include the winner of Gonzaga/Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Michigan, George Washington in the annual BB&T Classic at Verizon Center (which Maryland always seems to lose in the opening round), and of course, the home and home series against Duke and North Carolina. Could a .500 season be in the offing? You decide.

Next Up: Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai in Mr. and Mrs. Kumar?

Disclaimer: I'm a huge Bollywood fan and love Hindi movies, including the often blurred lines between campy and super-dramatic, saccharin and grit and everything that goes in between. I even love the songs that sometimes randomly break out in the middle of a scene (Sorry! Couldn't find this in English).

Having said that, I can't say I'm really surprised that some D-list Bollywood producers have teamed up to offer "Hari Puttar - A Comedy of Terrors," about a ten-year-old boy who relocates to London with his family and all sorts of hilarity ensues. Of course, Warner Bros., eager to protect its billion-dollar Harry Potter franchise, is suing producers Lucky Kohli (whose only previous production was Ei8ht Shani, a "horror" movie from 2006) and Rajesh Bajaj, another unknown.

For those unfamiliar, Hari is a pretty popular Indian name, and Puttar is an affectionate term for "son" or "child" in Punjabi. Since the Harry Potter franchise emerged, the term Hari Puttar has been bandied about in conversation time and again. This is the first time, however, that it's been part of a commercial production.

While I can understand Warner Bros. doing what they must to protect their intellectual property rights, I'm wondering if they won't spend more money on litigation than they'll get back from the producers of this movie, the only "star" of which is Jackie Shroff, whose best days are clearly a decade behind him. And this surely isn't the first time this has happened (see this Awesome with a capital A homage to Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' video - including captions) and it's surely not the last.

The Day Sports Radio in Washington Died

The death certificate reads 12:00 a.m., July 1, 2008 as the official date and hour of death.

That's when one Daniel Snyder took over what was once SportsTalk 980, home of the irreverent, often critical-of-the-Redskins Steve Czaban and Andy Pollin (Andy Polley, for longtime WTEM listeners). See, it seems that Mr. Snyder had a couple of problems: one, a weak network of local stations that provided a neutered, cleansed, sanitized account of all things Redskins; and two, notoriously thin skin when it comes to anyone criticizing his billion dollar football franchise, which has been mired in mostly mediocrity for the oh, last decade or so.

Cash Incentives for Attending School? Seriously?!

Let me first disclaimer this by stating that I'm not an educator, psychologist or social worker and I'm not a firsthand witness to the plight of some impoverished inner city conditions.

Having said that, I find it really troubling that the District of Columbia announced plans to offer cash incentives of up to $100 a month for performance, behavior and attendance to students in half the city's middle schools.

We already live in a culture that is driven by the dollar and instant gratification. Isn't offering cash to already impressionable 13- to 15-year-old school kids sending the completely wrong message? Hey, kid. Don't feel like studying? What if I give you ten bucks to finish your homework?

It's interesting to note that just recently, I've begun wrestling with my own beliefs on when and how to get my three- and five-year-old kids to follow instructions and do what they're told. Offering anything as an incentive may work in the short term, but isn't it creating a long term expectation that anytime they need to do something for their own good, there also needs to be a reward tied to it?

Maybe I'm being naive, but this cash reward for doing what you're supposed to be doing just seems wrong.

The Anticipation Builds for Madden 09!

So the latest iteration of Madden comes out tomorrow, and like always, I plan on hitting the store sometime on my way home from work to grab the latest copy and setting up my Steelers franchise for another year of sticking it to the AFC North in my little world. I can't believe it's been 20 years since it came out, and I can clearly remember at least 15 of them. I'd be embarrassed estimating how many hours I've spent battling my brother and friends in the last 15-odd years.

According to reviews, this year's Madden is supposed to be better than ever. I sure hope so, because last year's version for the Nintendo Wii left quite a bit to be desired. Look for my mini-review in the next few days after I've had some time to enjoy it.

In the meantime, here's a look back at every single Madden cover over the last two decades, 24 hours of Madden by ESPN's Jon Robinson, and a short review by the Associated Press' Lou Kesten.

Gotten a Traffic Ticket? Your Identity Could Be Online

Came across this a few days ago and was meaning to put this out there:

So you take the right steps, shred everything, cut up all your credit cards, never use public computers to do personal financial business, etc.. But despite all that, if you've ever (at least in the last 30 years) gotten a traffic ticket in Maryland, your social security number could be out there on a public web site, just sitting there for identity thieves to grab and do all sorts of bad things with. Best part about it, our intrepid state lawmakers know all this, and yet they don't plan on really doing anything about it. Awesome. Read the full story at WTOPNews.com.

Superheroes, Done Simpsons-Style

For all you Simpsons fans out there, this is a pretty cool blog/labor of love for one Dean Fraser, who creates superheroes and other pop culture icons Simpsons-style! Good stuff. Link via Neatorama and SuperPunch. Enjoy!

Oh, and after a summer hiatus from Opinion Popcorn, which we spent...working, most of us are back soon with thrilling kernels of opinions on lots of things happening this fall - football, kids, the latest most important election in decades, and other random thoughts.

Inge's Pillow Owie...Us Parents Have Been There!

I came across this story earlier today about Detroit Tigers infielder Brandon Inge going on the disabled list with a pulled side muscle he injured while pushing a pillow down behind his three-and-a-half-year-old son's head while he slept in his parent's bed. Amusing, yes. Quirky, yes, and it definitely adds to the list of strange injuries suffered by baseball players over the years.

But if you're a parent, you've been through this before. Just the other night, my sneaky three-year-old crawled into our bed around 2 a.m., and spent the next three hours practicing kung fu on my ribs. I'm sure there's some grant money out there for a study on why toddlers do gymnastics while asleep in their parents' beds, but I digress.

Brandon, we feel for you.

Bill Gates Just as Frustrated With Windows as You!

Granted this is from 2003, but an email from Bill Gates to his Windows team offers a glimpse into his frustration when trying to download Windows MovieMaker. Good stuff, and despite the gajillions of dollars and unlimited resources and power, he's just like you and me, folks. A frustrated Windows user. Linked to from BoingBoing Gadgets and TechDirt.

An excerpt: "At some point I get told I need to go get Windows Media Series 9 to download. So I decide I will go do that. This time I get dialogs saying things like "Open" or "Save". No guidance in the instructions which to do. I have no clue which to do.

The download is fast and the install takes 7 minutes for this thing.

So now I think I am going to have Moviemaker. I go to my add/remove programs place to make sure it is there. It is not there.

What is there? The following garbage is there. Microsoft Autoupdate Exclusive test package, Microsoft Autoupdate Reboot test package, Microsoft Autoupdate testpackage1. Microsoft AUtoupdate testpackage2, Microsoft Autoupdate Test package3.

Someone decided to trash the one part of Windows that was usable? The file system is no longer usable. The registry is not usable. This program listing was one sane place but now it is all crapped up."

Careful What You Drop Off to Goodwill!

Let's see. Stuff to drop off at Goodwill: Two bags of clothes. Check. Toaster oven. Check. Bicycle. Check. French impressionist painting of a Parisian street scene. Check. Wait. What was that again? French impressionist painting of a Parisian street scene. No. That one's worth $40,000.

Turns out it happened at an Easton, Md. Goodwill. Someone dropped off a French impressionist painting that ended up being auctioned at Sotheby's for $40,600.

Got (Cheap) Gas? Let GasBuddy Help!

Not that this comes as any great revelation or breaking news, but with gas prices being what they are and the fact that we're firmly entrenched in the summer vacation travel season, any little edge you can get to help save gas and travel smarter is helpful. Of course, you have to consider the cost of finding cheaper gas, especially if it means traveling to places you wouldn't normally go just go save a couple of cents on gas, right?

A friend pointed me to Gas Buddy, a web site that lets you find the cheapest gas by zip code. Again, if I live in Silver Spring but can save a few cents on gas by going to Olney, it doesn't really make sense because I still have to get to Olney. But if I'm comparing stations in my immediate area, it's definitely helpful.

Looking Back at the Len Bias Tragedy

If you were a tweener or a teenager growing up in the greater Washington Metropolitan area in the 1980s, there's one moment you'll never forget - the death of Len Bias. I distinctly remember being off from school and going out shopping with my mother and brother on a warm, sticky June morning. The news broke and all I could do was sit in the car while listening to WTOP and sobbing. Just months ago, I had watched Bias lead my beloved Terps to an upset of No. 1 North Carolina, giving the Tar Heels their first-ever loss at the bright, shiny new Dean Dome. I had clipped out the Washington Post story about it and put it in a shoebox, along with several large photos of Bias, which have now become near iconic and are still in my Reebok shoe box, 22 years later.

The Psychology Behind 'Body Talk'

Just came across a fascinating article and photo gallery on washingtonpost.com about how nearly every gesture we make or observe can be interpreted to mean something. It was written by ex-FBI observer and author Joe Navarro. Interesting read, but now I just know I'm going to be observing extra carefully for every single little gesture anyone around me makes.

'Belichicky' Is My New Favorite Word

I've never been a big Kobe Bryant fan because he's always come off as somewhat aloof and cold, not to mention the little rape allegation thing and the urinating contest with Shaquille O'Neal. But I think I dislike Curt Schilling even more, because he comes across as a smug, always-right know-it-all who paints himself as some sort of paragon of sports virtue.

But two things I liked about Kobe happened in the last 72 hours.

What Do I Want for Father's Day?

Just skimmed through some of the real options for Father's Day offered by Rebeldad Brian Reid on the On Parenting Blog on washingtonpost.com and it got me thinking. What do I want? I mean, being the tech and sports junkie with a pretty easygoing wife, I have all the gadgets I need, ample time to play and watch sports, and somewhat regular opportunities to hang out with friends. So really, being an average, normal guy, I have it all.

So what do I want? It's something only I can give myself, really. Time. An empty inbox, a clean home office and all my various work and client obligations fulfilled for just one day. See, the problem is that everyday life is so rigorous nowadays, that finding time to manage my professional life and duties is the challenge. Someone come up with a magic pill for this little problem, and you're sure to make a lot of dads very happy. In the meantime, I'll take spending a long, leisurely afternoon picnicking with the family. Beats any gadget any day.

Have We All Turned Into Weather Wimps?

At work the other day, my co-worker and I discussed the recent hot weather in the Washington, DC area.  And seeing as how I was sitting inside for lunch and ignoring the company of my other colleagues who were basking in the sun with their noon-time food, my work pal asked why I was not joining them outside.  My answer?  I've been domesticated to such a degree that I can only survive within a narrow band of the climate spectrum.  Namely, it has to be 65 to 75 degrees with 20 to 30% humidity.  Outside of that, and I'm either toast or a snow cone, depending which way the temperature dial falls.

Hank Stuever Tells Me Why I Like Indiana Jones

When I first found out a couple of years ago that Lucas, Spielberg and Ford were working on a fourth Indiana Jones movie, I found myself pretty excited at the prospect of seeing how they would "realistically" portray Indy, oh, 20 years older than he was in the Last Crusade. I've come to love that movie for no particular reason, I think. Let's face it, I've probably seen it upwards of 20 times in various times and places. Often it's one of those white noise movies that plays in the background while I work.

As I thought about the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, however, I had a sinking feeling that it might not live up to my expectations, what with all the newfangled and over-the-top digital effects that often plague adventure movies nowadays.

After reading the always brilliant Hank Stuever's essay, Indiana Jones and the Meaningless Void (Stuever will be live online today to discuss his essay), I delved deeper into my psyche to figure out what it is about the Indiana Jones films I like (especially the Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Last Crusade - the Temple of Doom was the one I didn't like much).

Madonna Turning 50? Can't Be!

The Material Girl is turning 50 this year, but judging from her photo on the front cover of the May issue of Vanity Fair, you would never know it. Not only does she still look amazing, the woman is a machine. A director, producer activist and musician, Madonna is focused on ruling the world. Her latest album, "Hard Candy," just came out on April 29. The first single released on that album, ""4 Minutes," features Justin Timberland and Timbaland. The song has a great hip-hop beat, displaying Madonna's knack for keeping up with cultural and pop trends. Although I like the sound of her album, as well as her 2005 "Confessions on a Dance Floor," I miss the Madonna of the 80s and the music that was a big part of my generation. Let's review my ten all-time favorite Madonna songs:

1. Borderline
2. Material Girl
3. Like a Virgin
4. Crazy for You
5. Holiday
6. Hung Up
7. Music
8. Vogue
9. Live to Tell
10. Into the Groove

I just celebrated another thirty-something birthday last week, and felt wistful about how my youth has quickly flown by. And then I learned that Madonna is turning 50, which totally surprised me. How could the Material Girl be turning 50? The woman who shocked America with her "Like a Virgin" and "Papa Don't Preach" videos? The artist who pushed the boundaries, whether it was her "Truth or Dare" documentary or her "Erotica" period. Where does the time go? But after reading about how she is still innovative and trailblazing as ever, I felt more hopeful about the years ahead of me. Madonna still amazes and inspires. I can't wait to see what she does next!