Secretly plotting your demise

With all the crises going on today in this crazy, mixed-up world, a man sometimes wonders why he doesn't just quit his job and live his dream of becoming a national shark rodeo champion.

There's the mortgage crisis, the economic crisis, the crisis in the Middle East. The impending food and water crises. Humanitarian crises across the globe, particularly in Africa. Mass layoffs, ice storms, climate change - you name it, it's in trouble.

Our home – Earth – is in grave danger.

And now, just in time for the sacred national holiday the No Fun League graciously allows us to call Super Sunday, a chicken wing crisis.



Clearly, our day devoted to the worship of lite beer, overeating and the violent ballet that is the gridiron will not be the same. Indeed, it may never be the same again. At least, I suppose, the Big Game will meet its doom while playing host to Sen. John "Death Proof" McCain's embarrassing Arizona Cardinals and the eternally annoying Pittsburgh Steelers.

This never would have happened if Tom Brady were still alive.



Hearing all this talk 'crisis' at every turn - even from Neil deGrasse Tyson, vis-à-vis a potential Deep Impact scenario - got me thinking.

What would happen if a real crisis - the proverbial doomsday scenario - actually went down? How would we react?

Would we be overcome by our most base survival instincts, discarding our morality and social mores in favor of a live-action Lord of the Flies-style grand finale? Or would we - at least some of us - band together and fight to the end, maintaining to the last that which makes us human?

The evidence, I realize, seems to point to the former. I think the picture of the Terrible Towel guy tells us all we need to know about human nature.

But you know what? I want to believe we're better than that. Yes, perhaps that's only because I turned the channel to Rocky IV this weekend just in time to see the immortal "If I can change, and you can change ..." speech. And yes, maybe I do harbor dreams of leading a utopian, post-apocalyptic society, which will require survivors of the finest ilk to realize.

I guess we'll just have to wait for Super Sunday to find out the answer to the most difficult equation since the one Matt Damon's character solved while mopping floors at MIT:

Mass quantities of alcohol + chicken wing shortage * most boring Super Bowl in recent memory = ____________

Until then, godspeed.
dk

Remember us, Mr. Bauer?

If the plight of Jack Bauer wasn't enough, here's some reinforcement for one of life's cardinal rules - don't mess with the Chinese government.

For your entertainment

What's the deal with prominent New Yorkers? First, Timothy Geitner - the man being entrusted with the U.S. Treasury Department - forgets to pay his taxes and runs into some legal issues with his hired help. Now, apparently, Caroline Kennedy - at least according to some sources - has run into the exact same problems.

Although, to be fair, I guess I shouldn't be one to throw stones.

And neither should this guy, apparently. That's just weird.

Or this guy. But I think we already knew that. Mr. Limbaugh is, indeed, more suited for being on the receiving end of such a transaction.



godspeed,
dk

Where do we go from here?

The words are coming out all weird ...

Aside from the unfortunate performance of Justice Roberts - or, as my editor affectionately calls him, "the little boy" - and CNN's exhausting, annoying broadcast of every single inaugural ball/dance, Tuesday pretty much lived up to the hype.

Millions on the Mall. A speech built to both seize the moment and echo through history. A lot of goosebumps, and a sense of deep pride that's hard to describe.

So what now?

Well, it looks like we'll finally be getting back to business diplomatically. The president has spoken frequently of his intention to engage the global community - particularly the Muslim world - and it would seem that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be the ground he chooses to make his first stand.

Ambitious? Undoubtedly. Smart? I think so.



There was at one point talk of a speech in Indonesia, which at first blush also seemed like a shrewd and potentially profitable move on President Obama's part. But the fact remains that the Palestinian situation is perhaps the most critical hot-button issue in the Middle East and Muslim world, the issue which more than any other breeds anti-American and anti-Western sentiment. To make a good faith effort at peace - especially in light of the recent conflict in Gaza, and in recognition of Israel's timing of the cease fire and withdrawal with the inauguration - is likely the most important measure the president could take both substantively and symbolically.

The stakes, of course, are extremely high, and the downside of failure immense. But what better time will the president have to capitalize on the incredible goodwill he is receiving both here and abroad? When will the world have a higher opinion of him? At what other point is the sheer force of his personality likely to hold such power in terms of diplomatic leverage?

In spite of the messianic hoopla surrounding Barack Obama, miracles are, of course, not in his repertoire. Peace in the Holy Land - the land of eternal conflict - is one tough nut to crack.

Pragmatism and inventive thinking, however, have been hallmarks of the president's career. Utilizing his current international standing to set in motion a new peace process in Israel and Palestine seems, to this observer, a prime example of both those virtues.

Onward and upward

In light of the history being made tomorrow (or later today), I thought this might be a valuable opportunity to chart a new course in my short and, thus far, inauspicious blogging career.

And so, I bring you The Bomb Dot Com, which I conceptualize as a news digest/sounding board for those who, for whatever misguided reason, may be interested in what I'm reading or what I have to say. Honestly, this is as much for me as anyone else (although I suppose that's true of most, if not all, blogs). Keeping active and informed is sometimes a challenge, and I'm hoping this will make those objectives easier.

I'll keep this introductory post short and sweet, and direct you to the links/news feed at the right side of the page. The links - under the header 'Light reading' - are a quick collection of some of the blogs/sites/etc. I tend to visit on a daily basis. The news feed - "As we speak" - features stories from Google News, using a few search terms I think are relevant (and which I plan to update as frequently as possible).

I'd recommend The Big Picture, a feature on the Globe Web site that has some pretty awesome photo collections for various events/subject areas. Here's a sample:



godspeed,
dk