I found out this week that I’ve taken so little vacation so far this year that I have to take at least three days in the next couple of months or lose it. So we’ve been thinking about where to go. One destination for us where we’ve been several times is Niagara Falls. We were there a few years back for a summer vacation and it was a lot of fun.

It was the first time our girls had ever been there and we spent the day looking around, visiting the falls, and then having dinner at the local Rainforest Cafe. And in August, when summers are the hottest here in Maryland, heading as far north as possible is always a good idea.

Of course, you Google various things and look for help to find hotels and activities, especially now that we have kids. One site that has been helpful isTrusted Tours & Attraction online travel guides. They cover several destinations of interest to us. They show quite a few fun things to do in New York as well as things to do in Orlando. Madame Tussauds tour also looked interesting. I noticed too that there’s a special promotion where you can win a $150 iTunes Gift Card by signing up for their newsletter. Bonus!

The loving and focused treatment that Senator Obama receives by the mainstream media is positively shameful. The fact that four news anchors accompanied the Senator on his “world tour,” and newsbreaks throughout the day telling Americans about the latest leg of his trip. CNN even interrupted a show to announce that Senator Obama’s plane had landed safely on the first leg of his trip. Personally, I cannot remember ever seeing a candidate get such four-star treatment.

Meanwhile, McCain has been getting minimal notice in the press. What has been clear, however, is that the media is more than willing to tell us when McCain “disagrees” with Obama. So, when McCain talks about his own vision for the country, he gets no attention. When McCain critiques Obama’s words or actions, he gets attention.

Well, it seems the McCain Campaign has figured this out and rolled out an ad two days ago which threw Senator Obama’s rock-star like status and treatment right back into his face. And it did so very effectively, with nothing in the ad being false or deceptive, but rather giving us a visual view of where this candidate is on the issues.

Of course, the media was livid. And in their anger, they moved this ad up to the top of every media hour, right where you can be sure most Americans who are paying attention could see it.

What has happened since the debate began? If you look at the Gallup daily polling numbers, you find that the first major lead Obama has enjoyed so far in the race, which came on the heels of his world tour, has been erased. For the first time, Senators Obama and McCain are tied at 44% each.

Of course, there is still a great deal of time left in the race and this will change again, but it will be interesting to see if this trend produces any change in strategy from the Obama Campaign. In speeches over the past several days, Obama has been accusing McCain of “inciting fear” in voters over the fact that he does not “look like those others presidents on our currency.” Certainly a less-than-subtle referral to Senator Obama’s race. But other than that, it has been business as usual for Senator Obama.

So is Senator McCain the problem here? I would argue that he is not.

Senator McCain is merely responding in the only way to which the media rewards. The media has consistently rewarded McCain for negativity, therefore he is giving them what they want; what they are willing to respond to.

These media professionals tell you they hate negativity, but, at the same time, they reward it with more attention. So, it is a surprise that we see more from candidates?

The United States of America is the greatest nation on earth.  Not only the greatest nation presently on earth, but the greatest nation ever to appear on earth.

Is that an arrogant statement or a confident one?

I think it’s a confident statement, and hugely necessary.  How can a people be great if they don’t believe in their greatness?  How can a nation be great if it’s citizens don’t believe in it’s greatness?

If someone from Germany tells me to my face they are the greatest nation, while I might disagree, I would respect their confidence and conviction.  My reply would be simple.  “How is your nation the greatest?”  It’s not all about words, it’s also about deeds.  Put your money where your mouth is, as we say in America.

These days in the US it seems like we have more naysayers than we do even overseas.  Overseas I am likely to debate someone as to why my nation is the greatest, but in the US I’m more likely to have to  debate over whether or not we are the worst nation ever to exist.

We have a big problem in that there are many many Americans who hate America.  They hate that we are powerful and that we are influential.  They want an America that is “humble” and “knows it’s place.”

I would argue that this is already true.

We are humble, and we do know our place.  We generally temper our strength, while at the same time we know we’re strong.  After 9/11, we didn’t re-institute the draft and go to war with every Muslim nation.  Instead, we went after al Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan and finished the job in Iraq that we should have finished back in 1991.

If you know your history, then you’ll remember that, after WWII, we were the most powerful nation on earth by far.  While most of Europe and Asia lay in ruins, the US was on a roll both economically and militarily.  We controlled the seas with our ships, the air with our planes, and our troops were all over the world.  We had 16 million men under arms by the end of WWII.  And we were the only nation with the atom bomb.

So did the US take the next logical step and take control over the shattered nations of the earth?  No.

Instead, we brought our troops home, helped rebuild Europe and Asia, and  got back to the business of democracy and prosperity.  The word “meek” is defined as “strength under control.”  After WWII, and for ever decade since, we have demonstrated that we are indeed a meek, if misunderstood, nation.

Yet not a perfect one.

If I told you that you use only about 20% of your brain, would you conclude that it’s worthless and want to get rid of it?  If your leg were only about 50% functional, would you cut it off?

So the United States is not perfect.  You could argue that we’re not even close.  I would agree with that argument.

But we are still the greatest.  We have a long way to go, but we’re closer now than we were when 100 years ago.

We’re freer, wealthier, more powerful, and more influential than ever.  Even with an economy that is in somewhat of a downturn, the world still looks to the US for leadership.

Not perfect, but still the greatest nation.

In November of this year we will select a new president to lead this greatest of nations.  While I believe both candidates can lead, I also believe that one of them is more ready to lead.

While I believe that Senator Obama is a great man and a great candidate, I think that Senator McCain is ready for the job.  Senator Obama is hoping to become president on the force of his charisma, Senator McCain hopes to become president on the force of his experience.

Senator Obama wants us to have faith in him, Senator McCain wants us to have confidence in him.  That’s the kicker for me.

My faith is in God only.  My confidence is in McCain.

On my way to work this morning (I ride a bus between Annapolis and DC every morning), Julie IM’d me with this cute little story regarding my youngest daughter, Marleigh, who is 5-years-old:

Marleigh is funny….she asked me how much Mikaela’s baby bed was….so i verified that she was asking about the crib. I told her $300-$400 and she put her hand up to her mouth (like, “oh, no”) and I asked her what was wrong….she said, “I was just wondering what if I changed my mind and wanted to have babies” I told her not to worry that we would buy her a crib—she was happy with that.

You see, she has been insistent that she was never going to get married and we have been always replied with an answer like, “that will be your choice honey.”  What made her suddenly think about marriage, babies, and cribs, I have NO idea.

Personally, my plan once the girls get to be dating age — which I’m thinking will be age 24 or 25 –  is to buy a shotgun and put it in a glass case with a little sign that says “Break In Case of Boyfriend.”  There’s no doubt in my mind that I’m going to be “Jack Byrnes” crazy.  Byrnes is the father played by Robert De Niro in “Meet The Parents.”  You know, the one who gives Focker (Ben Stiller) the lie detector test and has his friends at the CIA run a background check?

That will be me.  You know, background checks are not that expensive these days.

I read a great interview today (linked from Drudgereport.com) with Clint Eastwood by The Guardian UK newspaper. You hear a lot of things about Mr. Eastwood here and there in the media, but I give the Guardian credit for what seemed to be a balanced view of a Hollywood legend.

Here’s a relevant excerpt to whet your appetite for the rest:

Eastwood still likes to let his views be known, often forcefully. In 2005, he vowed he’d kill Michael Moore if the documentarian ever showed up at his house, the way he had doorstepped Charlton Heston in Bowling for Columbine. This March he was sacked from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California state parks commission for objecting to the building of a toll road through a national forest. But though he has been associated in the public mind with Republican viewpoints, he’s something of an individualist. “I don’t pay attention to either side,” he claims. “I mean, I’ve always been a libertarian. Leave everybody alone. Let everybody else do what they want. Just stay out of everybody else’s hair. So I believe in that value of smaller government. Give politicians power and all of a sudden they’ll misuse it on ya.”

Well said!  If you want to read the rest of the article, you’ll find it here.

Randi Rhodes, the foul-mouthed, mean-spirited talk show host on the liberal Air America network was suspended Thursday for calling Senator Clinton a “whore,” using the F word as part of her description. You can see her performance on YouTube here.

So why is this such a scandal? After all, it was part of a comedy routine and Ms. Rhodes has been given a great deal of leniency when in comedic mode. For example, there was that comment a couple years back, when, during her radio show, Randi was comparing the Bush family to the Corleones from “The Godfather.”

Randi told the caller that, “the Fredo of the family is the president of the United States, so why doesn’t his father or his brother … take him out for a little fishing, and let him say some Hail Marys – he loves God so much. … You know, Hail Mary, full of grace, God is with thee – pow [gunshot sound] – works for me.”

Ms. Rhodes got into a bit of trouble for that statement when the secret service looked into the threat. Randi’s response was to apologize. She told listeners, “I feel bad that anybody would feel threatened by comedy. That’s one thing, but I also feel bad that it wasn’t funny.” Of course, a lot of liberal “comedy” is unfunny, so no big surprise there.

But what do you think is worse, threatening the President of the United States or calling someone a “f@!?ing Whore”? I would think wishing harm on the President as being far worse, yet Rhodes was not even suspended for that remark.

I guess it’s okay to wish death on someone as long as they are Republican, but dare to call a Democrat an inappropriate name and you are toast! An unfortunate but unsurprising double-standard.

Politico.com is reporting that Democrats plan to hammer Senator McCain for his “100 years” comment. He said this during a Town Hall Q&A session when a participant asked the Senator about a recent statement made by President Bush regarding the fact that we might be in Iraq for the next 50 years. McCain was fairly straightforward as usual. He replied, “Make it 100.”

McCain went on to clarify by reminding people “we’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That would be fine with me. As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, that’s fine with me. I hope that would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al Qaeda is training, recruiting and equipping and motivating people every single day.”

So Democrats are going to “hammer” McCain with this? I hope they’re not paying these so-called Democratic “strategists” for this kind of stuff. Really, the foolishness of this line of attack is summed up in three points.

First, this line of attack will only underscore Democrats’ weakness when it comes to foreign policy. Senator McCain was right on the need for a troop surge in Iraq, so why remind voters of that fact?

If you want to know how little foreign policy experience DNC candidates have, just take a look at the CBS video of Senator Clinton, where, during a recent press conference, the Senator discusses a 1996 trip to Bosnia. Senator Clinton remembers the trip as being rather dangerous, with sniper fire and soldiers telling her to duck and run to the vehicle. How exciting!

Well, CBS went back and found the video footage of that trip, showing then-First Lady Clinton walking calmly with daughter Chelsea, accompanied by American troops and attending a reception ceremony with Bosnian children bearing gifts for the First Lady. That is foreign policy experience? In her wildest imaginings, sure!

Secondly, Democrats seem to assume that Americans obsess over the Iraq War as they do. Not true. Americans have concerns, but as conditions have steadily improved in Iraq, the war has become a weaker issue overall, which is why the mainstream media gives so little coverage these days. But just as the bad news of Iraq becomes the good news of Iraq, Democrats want to try and use it against Senator McCain? This makes no sense.

Finally, attacking Senator McCain on the war, where he can turn right around and remind everyone that he criticized the administration for its handling of the war, distracts from other issues where they might have some hope of winning support. The economy, for instance, is an area where Democrats tend to poll better anyway, so why not go there?

This whole “100 years” strategy is going to wind up blowing up in Democrats’ faces. But if Dems want to go after McCain in a way that undermines their chances of winning in November, I guess I shouldn’t complain.

Have at it!

Listening to Obama’s speech on race in this country a few days back again reinforced to me the fact that Obama is a highly skilled politician. First, because the guy can deliver a speech so brilliantly. And this one was truly brilliant.

At the same time, it left no doubt in my mind that this guy is just another politician, not the savior he’s being billed as by his loyal supporters. And I’m surprised that no one has yet called out the fact that Obama was telling us things that his grandmother once said, likely thinking that it would never go past their intimate family circle.

Instead, Senator Obama aired his family’s dirty laundry out for the nation to see and history to record. The fact that his grandmother once said that she was afraid to walk past black men on the street — Jesse Jackson once said the same thing, btw — and that his grandmother has in the past uttered “racial epithets” that made him cringe. I’m assuming his grandmother must be dead and his mother still alive since he didn’t air her dirty laundry in the speech.

The fact is, once Pastor Wright’s statements emerged in public, Senator Obama tossed him aside.  When we began to hear Pastor Wright’s sermons saying that God should “damn” America and that HIV was manufactured by the government to kill Blacks, Senator Obama quickly move Pastor Wright off of his advisory council.

Then, when people began to seriously ask Senator Obama why he stayed in that church for 20 years, he tried to justify it by pulling his own grandmother into the fray and using her as a negative example.  “Well,” says the Senator in so many words, “my white grandmother said racist thing too!”  Of course, what he forgets to mention — but that which we all know anyway — is that you can pick your pastors and your church, but you cannot pick your family members.

You can, however, publicly humiliate them by pointing out their racist views to the entire country I guess.

If that’s not a skilled and typical politician for you, then I don’t know what is.

First the amazing.

Tonight I’m watching American Idol and here in Season 7 there is a pretty talented group of singers. One of the most interesting is Amanda Overmyer, who I realized tonight is a fascinating mix of Elvis, Janis Joplin, and Joan Jett. Both last week and this week she did a great job with her songs. But the breakout winner this week was from one of those who I thought of as one of the weaker performers, Chikezie. He did a version of “She’s a Woman” that was completely brilliant. As for Kristy Lee Cook, I think it’s her time to go home. Not impressive.

Simon Cowell was booed for his harsh critique, but he was right on the money.

Now for the stupid.

Geraldine Ferarro, the 1984 Vice Presidential running mate for Walter Mondale said today, “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”

Now, if you remember, back in 1984, the Mondale/Ferarro ticket turned in a less than stellar performance. Reagan won in a landslide.

I guess the country was NOT caught up in that concept.

It amazes me that so many make so much of so little.  Can you say “obsess”?  Nice try!

I think the Time’s appropriately named Swampland blog taps into the intense obsession rather well.   Imagine worrying over whether or not the slats of a bookshelf behind a 30-second TV ad were meant to represent a secret “floating cross”.  Or wondering if flashing the 1.5 second title of “Christian leader” is a backhanded swipe at another candidate.

When did political ads become a form of Rorschach Test?  Perhaps it’s been that way for a long time, but, really, it’s getting rather silly.

In politics, people think that everything that is said has a hidden purpose.  As Freud once remarked to a student who had asked him if the cigars he always had in his mouth were phallic symbols, “son, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.”

If you haven’t already guessed, I’m a James Taranto (Best of The Web Today) junkie. I was reading his column today and noticed two interesting things. First, Mr. Taranto also mentioned the Linda Quiquivix incident and, second, he had an interesting second installment regarding a recent op-ed written by Anita Hill, the woman who long ago tried to derail the Supreme Court nomination process for Justice Clarence Thomas with some pretty outrageous accusations.

The long and short of both Mr. Taranto’s posts on the Anita Hill op-ed was the thought which occurred to me of a parallel between Ms. Quiquivix and Ms. Hill. They are both impressively intelligent women, and they both seem to be short on wisdom.

What good is intelligence without wisdom? Intelligence is the tool, wisdom is the application of the tool. Without the latter, you have something (and someone) truly dangerous. Perhaps a truck careening down a highway without a driver is a good analogy. In both cases, Linda and Anita have proven themselves to be a danger to anyone who happens to find themsleves in their path.

Fortunately, Justice Thomas has the wisdom to temper his intelligence. I think he is formidable in both those traits and I admire him tremendously. I’m going to get the audio version of Justice Thomas’ book. I look forward to benefiting from his wisdom.

Linda Quiquivix Update

I received an email just about an hour ago with the following message:

In February 2007 you wrote a blog story on Linda Quiquivix, I noticed in yesterday’s Daily Tar Heel that she was recently arrested for assault with a deadly weapon on a government official.

The message contained a link to the Daily Tar Heel’s Police Log page, which reported:

Graduate student Linda Elizabeth Quiquivix was arrested Thursday for assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, according to University police reports.

Many thanks to the person who wrote to let me know of this. I would be happy to credit the person, but he or she never left anything but an email address, and I have no intention of giving that out without this person’s express permission.

If anyone hears any additional information on what happened, please let me know.

Original Post - Published in February of 2007

James Taranto of Opinionjournal.com’s Best of The Web Today recently called attention to an article by a grad student at UNC, Chapel Hill and contributor to the campus newspaper, The Daily Tarheel. The article was penned by Linda Quiquivix (pronounced kee-kee-vicks), an obviously intelligent and driven young lady.

Ms. Quiquivix’s article is titled, “Know this, future ex-boyfriends of mine,” and it lends credence to my long-held belief that a person can be both highly intelligent and very unwise. Here are a few relevant excerpts from the article:

Friends who know me weren’t surprised to learn that my Zionist boyfriend and I broke up last summer shortly after Israel began dropping bombs on Lebanese children. But the friends who really knew me were surprised to learn that I had even dated a Zionist to begin with.

In my defense, I thought he was just Jewish when it all began - a progressive one who was white but had tendencies for black supremacy. Politically, we aligned well, so I figured that he’d automatically agree with my stance on Israel-Palestine.

Right from the first sentence, her prejudices are clear, and her assumptions regarding the world nothing less than legion. What does it mean to be a “Zionist” or even to be “just Jewish.” And, without going ad nauseam into this whole topic, why is it that Linda feels so strongly about the bombs dropped on Lebanese children but not the hundreds of missiles fired at Israeli children? Missiles which, by the way, continue to rain down on Israelis even to this day from Gaza.

I could probably go on for pages with Ms. Quiquivix’s article, but I think I should cut to the chase. There are two startling trends in this article that I believe reflect the current mental state of left-leaning liberals in the US today:

A massive number of assumptions which left-leaning liberals tend not to question.
The prevalence of double standards which liberals often decry in others but rarely question in themselves (which, if you think about it, is a double-standard in itself).

Let me list out just a few of the assumptions which Linda makes in just this one article:

• You’re a Zionist if you support Israel
• Nations which are more powerful are always in the wrong
• If you’re white, you already have one strike against you
• People who are aligned politically should agree on everything
• If you’re “brown” then you must have anarchistic tendencies
• If you don’t agree politically, you can’t date
• A boy’s primary value comes from his penis
• Boys must be “enlightened” by their girlfriend(s)
• The state represents only the interests of the powerful

A sizable list, wouldn’t you agree? Add to this list the double-standards which Linda seems to proudly display for her readers and what you seem to have is quite a mish-mash of racism, false assumptions, hatred, and just plain naivete. And let’s not forget the fact that liberals often look to the state to solve problems, whereas conservatives tend to look to society. But in her article, Ms. Quiquivix seems to think that the state is the major problem. Now you know why conservatives want limited government. A government that can solve all your problems can also create many many more problems.
For example, why is it alright for Ms. Quiquivix to state that the value she places on her boyfriend is in his penis when, for a male to make a similar comment about a woman’s value being in her sexual organs would likely end in his expulsion from that institution? I guess the saying which applies here is, “where’s the outrage?

In addition, why must the male be “enlightened” by the female? I thought relationships were all about the joys of mutual discovery. Of course, here Ms. Quiquivix displays a very typical egocentric view of the world for someone her age. “The world revolves around me,” is what she is saying. No shocking revelations regarding that worldview.

Finally, an interesting assumption that Linda makes regarding her ex-guy is this; she assumes he was hanging the Israelis flag over his bed to show his solidarity with Israel. Perhaps he hung it there simply to drive her away. You know, sort of like wearing a cross to keep vampires away.

Regardless of the ex-boyfriend’s flag-posting motivations, Ms. Quiquivix is clearly an intelligent, articulate, and motivated young lady. She has traveled already to more nations than I may ever see. Which is why I find it so ironic that she is so naive and unwise.

Again, this is not simply Linda’s problem, but a tendency of left-leaning liberals in general. They expect everyone to share their worldview. If you do not, then you are “bad,” or “evil,” or, a “zionist,” or even “just like hitler.”

We must share their values or be rejected. I prefer rejection.

An article published by Newstar.com offers some insight into the meaning of the word ignorance. An elementary school on the campus of Grambling State University, while teaching about racism and the civil rights movement, put a noose around an elementary school child’s neck:

According to an article in the newspaper written by Justin LaGrande, posted on the student newspaper Web site some time this week, and sent to The News-Star by Ruston Daily Leader publisher Rick Hohlt, “kindergarten and first-grade students at Alma J. Brown Elementary will always remember the day they marched for equality. The children marched in protest of the imprisonment of Mychal Bell, and the seemingly racial bias shown toward blacks in a small Louisiana town.”

LaGrande wrote that while the students “marched,” they actually only circled their playground with their teachers during the event.

“Before marching, the students were taught about racism,” LeGrande wrote. “They also learned about the events surrounding the ‘Jena Six’ and their arrest.”

According to the article, teachers “had a replica noose and explained why it is such a symbol of racism. They also allowed the children to carry chains and shackles.”

The Gramblinite’s Web site Friday included a comment from a woman who identified herself as Irene Booker. She said in her posted comment, “Yes, it was a rope around the little girl’s neck. It was a (safe) demonstration as to what the rope symbolized to blacks. This was my granddaughter and she along with so many of the other students did not understand the intimidation of the noose. I held her in my arms and she knows that I would not harm her or put her life in danger. In order to understand racism one must experience it to make the connection.”

Is it ignorant to teach children about racism and it’s consequences? Not at all.

The problem with this incident is that the teachers and Irene Booker, the child’s mother, were teaching fear and anger. Is this a good idea?

Showing young children a noose and explaining that it was used to hurt people and make them afraid — which is something that all elementary-age children can understand — is perfectly appropriate. Teaching them to fear the noose is in no way productive. Even with parental approval, to put a noose around a child’s next and hold it up as if they were going to be hanged is a horrible idea.

If you disagree, please free to tell why you think I’m wrong.

On Sunday, July 29th, Julie and I took the girls down to Riordan’s Saloon and Restaurant for one last meal before it closed for good. You can read more of the details here, but this post is just my own personal tribute to a place that helped shape and define the character of Annapolis’ City Dock area.

Riordan’s was owned and managed by Mike Riordan who invested money he had earned during his 9 seasons in the NBA (1968-1977, with an NBA Championship win in 1970 as a member of the NY Knicks), and opened his first restaurant in the downtown city dock area of Annapolis in 1978. Riordan’s quickly became known for its great food and reasonable prices.

Over the three decades of it’s life, Riordan’s employed every member of my family — except for my Dad — at one point or another. Even my Mom worked for Mike briefly, baking cakes and pies for the restaurant. As for my brothers and I, we all worked there in various roles. My oldest brother, Jack tended bar and later managed for a while. My second-oldest brother, Chris, worked at the bar for several years and met his wife, Mary Beth, there. Mary Beth worked her way through nursing school while at Riordan’s and now has a very successful career with GE as a consultant helping to set up medical database systems for hospitals. My third brother — just a year older than I — whose name is also Mike, worked for several years behind the bar and was very popular both with his general customers as well as with nearly any attractive woman who walked into the place.

I began working for Mike Riordan around 1986 when my brother Mike let me know they were seeking help at the door. Very rarely did Riordan’s have issues with bad behavior, but Mike liked having a friendly face at the door on busy nights to make sure we were carding our younger customers and welcoming everyone as they came by for a drink or dinner.

Initially, I worked for Mike during the holidays while I was going to St. Mary’s College, then a bit during summer breaks. You might think that being a doorman would be boring, but I enjoyed the job. While dooring, I was the first person customers would see as they entered. I would smile, say hello, hold the door and, if necessary, ask for ID. If things got really busy, I would set up a line outside the restaurant and let people in as there was space available in the Saloon area. Simple but enjoyable work.

There were a few times when I had to turn some “characters” away, but it didn’t happen too often. Once, though, I was dooring with one other guy on a busy evening when suddenly we both spotted a bachelor party moving along the sidewalk towards us, having just exited another nearby pub. The bachelor was incredibly drunk, and his friends had somehow attached a chain to a bowling ball, then had secured the chain to the guy’s leg!

As the guy staggered down the sidewalk with all his friends walking behind, laughing at him of course, people coming the other way had to jump out of the way to avoid being tagged by the bowling ball, which was whooshing out to the side every time he took a step. We looked and saw that, yes, they were definitely coming our way.

As the party approached, we just kind of both moved in front of the door at the same time and stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the guy walked up to us. He looked up and asked if he could go in. We just looked at him and I said, “no, I’m very sorry, but you can’t come in tonight.” There was no need to be rude, but then again, no way were we going to let someone come in with a bowling ball attached to their leg. Think of the collateral damage he would cause!

“Aw, c’mon guys,” they said, “it’s his bachelor party.” “Sorry,” we replied politely, “wish we could, but you can’t come in with that thing on your leg.” We wished the guy luck in his marriage and watched as he swung off down the sidewalk to find another pub.

There are better stories, but many of them are not fit for publication. I will say, however, that I learned something very important during my time on the door at Riordan’s. Bachelorette parties are almost always more rowdy, raucous, and dangerous than bachelor parties. I still don’t know why, but I do know it’s true.

After college, while I was in grad school, I began to bus tables for Mike as well. I enjoyed this job as well. I found that I liked creating order out of chaos, which is a central part of the job as you assist the wait staff and keep the dining area looking spiffy.

By the way, Mike was almost always around. He worked at least 6 days a week at the restaurant, managing every part of the operation. It was Mike’s very firm hand at the helm which kept Riordan’s so consistently great over the three decades it was in operation. Without close management, restaurants often fail as profit margins tend to be pretty thin in this industry.

In all the years I worked for Mike, my only regret is that I was a lousy waiter. Mike gave me a chance to move up and begin waiting tables at one point, but truly, I stunk at the job. So I went back to busing and dooring and that was fine for me. That said, I’ve never forgotten how hard it is to be a good waiter at a restaurant. Mike had some really good people waiting tables for him; some of whom worked for him over decades, not just years.

After grad school, as I began my professional career, Riordan’s remained one of my very favorite places to go. I have so many great memories; such as going there for brunch when Julie first introduced me to her parents, meeting family there for meals on weekends (especially after Navy Football games) celebrating my 30th Birthday there, going there on St. Paddy’s Day, Christmas Eve, etc.

For Julie and I, Riordan’s remained our favorite place to go for brunch, and our two girls have been going there since they were tiny little babies. My oldest daughter Mikaela’s favorite thing was going for brunch and getting a basket of Blueberry Muffins for us all to share.
Overall, if we went to downtown Annapolis for a meal, 90% of the time it was to Riordan’s.

On this last Sunday of its existence, we had dinner there, all four of us, and the place was packed. It wasn’t even a dull roar that came from the bar area, it was a thunderous roar. We could barely hear each other at the table, and the menu was smaller due to the fact that they were preparing to close down for good that same evening.

But we had a great time. I said hello to Mike and wished him well. I also saw Mary Beth and Chris there, though I had just missed my Dad, who left a half-hour earlier. I even saw a few of the folks I had worked with in the late 80’s and early 90’s, one of whom still worked there. It was a lot of fun, but also very sad, especially as we walked out for what we knew would be the last time.

Something very good has come to an end in Annapolis. Riordan’s made Annapolis a better place to live and work, and I cannot see how there can ever be something as good to take its place.

I took Riordan’s for granted because it had been there for so long. I cannot remember a time without it.

I should have known better. As they say, all good things come to an end. I wish it were otherwise.

But I think people should understand this; Riordan’s was more than a restaurant; it was a gift to the community. For so many of us who worked and played there, it remains a landmark of our lives.

I know that I speak for the entire Flanagan family in wishing for Mike and his family all of God’s blessings. We’ll see you around town.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-13
What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

Last night I lined up with what must have been a couple of thousand others to see the midnight premiere of Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix.  And you know what?  It was a lot of fun.

The movie, of course, is darker than the others, but then, so is the book.  Also, much of the richness of the characters expressed so well by Rowling in her books had to be left out as well.  But the elements that went into the movie worked well, and I enjoyed the movie as much as any I’ve enjoyed this year.

Let me tell you something you should know, Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood in the movie was a delight!  She nearly steals the whole show.

As I said, I stood there in line with a couple thousand die-hard fans to see the movie.  Actually, I arrived an hour early and the line was already huge, so, being on my own, I kind of snuck myself into the line fairly close to the front.  That way, I was able to get a decent seat.  And only a decent seat, despite the fact that every one of the theatres (there were 11 total) was set up to show the film!

But I digress…

The audience was incredibly excited to see the movie, cheering when the Warner Bros logo came up on the screen with the original Harry Potter score playing in the background.  And every time Luna appeared in the movie, you could just feel the audience’s fascination with her.

I wonder if part of the fascination with Luna comes from the fact that Luna reflects some of the oddness — some might call it “geek-ness” in those of us who are fans of the books.  She is just so different, that even Harry doesn’t know what to make of her.

But throughout both “Order Of The Phoenix” and “Half-Blood Prince,” the character of Luna just adds a whole new element to the storyline.  She is a nut, but then again, so are many of us who are so into Harry Potter, so we have that in common.

Most of us, though, try to blend in, whereas Luna is just too true to herself to ever care what others think.  And Evanna did a phenomenal job of bringing all that to life in the movie.
Another phenomenal performance came from Imelda Staunton, who played the part of Delores Umbridge.  She too was perfect for the role.  Delores Umbridge is, in every way, a fascinating character brought beautifully to life by Staunton.

Not that you like Umbridge.  She’s a mean, sadistic, child-hating, power-mongering semi-sociopath who also just happens to love kittens and the color pink.  If she were your neighbor, you would think she was just the most wonderful person, until she gets herself elected President of your community association and bans pets, pools, laughing children, and Christmas decorations.

It is those kinds of performances, along with excellent performances from the normal cast, that makes this movie worth seeing.  I think this movie outshines “Goblet of Fire,” which seemed to me to be just too fast-paced, like a rock skipping frantically over the waters of a lake, missing most of the water below, then sinking suddenly to the bottom.

This movie does a bit of skipping, but it also dips in a bit, and I think the combination produces the right balance.  I’m not a movie critic (not a professional critic anyway) but I would give this movie three stars out of four.  But go see for yourself and let me know what you think.

Reuters is reporting today that a hacker “who goes by the name ‘Gabriel,’ claims to have taken a digital copy of author J.K. Rowling’s seventh book, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,’ by breaking into a computer at Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.” As many Potter fans are aware, the details of the final book have been carefully guarded by author J.K. Rowling and her publishers.

With the release of “Deathly Hallows” less than a month away, anticipation and excitement continues to grow, with fans eagerly awaiting the opportunity to finally know what happens to Harry and other lead characters from the series. Rowling fueled fans’ excitement some months ago when she claimed that two of the main characters from the series would die in the final book.

In May, Rowling posted a message on her site stating she could see the “first distant rumblings of the weirdness that usually precedes a Harry Potter publication.” Rowling asked fans who might somehow learn the details of her final book not to publish them for others to read. J.K. stated that her desire is for readers “who have, in many instances, grown up with Harry, to embark on the last adventure they will share with him without knowing where they are going.”
I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. And it’s quite likely the vast majority of Potter fans agree as well.

Why would anyone want the endings of both the book and this monumental series spoiled when the release of the final books is less than a month away? After years of anticipation, reading what happens in a series of posted spoilers on the Internet will almost certainly ruin the final book for you. And it could potentially ruin the series as well.

This blogger is a “hater” when it comes to spoilers, and I’ve spoken out against this horrible habit before. Two posts in particular, Just say NO to spoilers!, and Help! Star Trek has fallen and can’t get up!, make this clear to readers.

Think about this; if Gabriel truly did hack into a computer and steal the book, then he or she has committed a serious crime. Definitely, Gabriel should be thrown in jail and Rowling’s publishers should sue for damages.

The self-alleged criminal, Gabriel, is very pointed in his desire to damage Rowling and her publishers. Gabriel says unequivocally that “We make this spoiler to make reading of the upcoming book useless and boring.”

This person wants to ruin your experience, and they want to damage 10 years of very hard work on the part of J.K. Rowling. Does anyone truly think J.K. began writing expecting to become a billionaire? She began writing because she had a story and characters whom she desired to bring to life.

Now Gabriel is trying to get a tad bit of fame by damaging 10 years of hard work. This is a criminal act and, if they truly did steal a copy of Rowling’s final book, Gabriel needs to treated as the criminal he truly is.

If a copy was stolen, it is more likely Gabriel worked for the publisher rather than they were able to hack into their computers. In most cases where data in one form or another is stolen, leaks occur from the inside.
But this is a personal theory. Ultimately, we may find that the loser “Gabriel” was just telling a huge lie to get some attention, or to promote a pet theory.

Regardless, I think fans everywhere need to avoid spoilers of any kind. The best reaction to people such as Gabriel is pity and contempt. Pity that they should be so immature and reckless, and contempt for their thoughtless actions. It is not “cool,” or “admirable” in any way to do what loser Gabriel claims to have done.

What we can know with certainty is this; Gabriel is either a thief, a liar, or both. Any way you look at it, this person is, without a doubt, a loser. And if you read spoilers stolen illegally from Rowling, then you’re a loser too.

There is a very interesting picture up on Drudge Report right now showing a crying Paris in the back of a patrol car. I’m not sure when that was taken, but let’s hope it was today.

What can I say? I have NO sympathy for Ms. Hilton and it doesn’t seem as if anyone else does either. You can hear people talking about her everywhere; in the office, on the street, and with friends. They talk about the beautiful spoiled brat who has never had to take responsibility. Well, right now, it seems she is in the process of being spanked by reality.

I’m very glad to see that the judge who presided over her case and the prosecutor who brought the charges against her are pushing back on the decision to send Paris home to serve detention there. Paris, who thought at first she was going to be allowed to phone into the court was, instead, picked up by the Sherriff’s office. Apparently the Sherriff’s office thought they could disregard the Judge’s order for her to appear in court. I guess the Judge was able to get them to change their minds after he threatened to charge Sheriff Lee Baca with contempt.

So Paris is headed back to jail, reportedly having been escorted out of the courthouse screaming for her Mom. Good for him.

A little time in jail, and a little does of true reality might be just what the Judge ordered. Who knows, maybe some family members are also hoping this experience will teach her a bit of self-control.

We’ll see.

Photo property of DrudgeReport.com.

On July 21, 2007, “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows,” the last book of the wildly popular Harry Potter series, hits the stores. The release of the seventh book marks the end of a 10 year journey for fans all over the world. To date, the first six books of the series have sold more than 325 million copies and have been translated into 63 different languages. For the last book in the series, publishers have already announced they’ll print a record-setting 12 million copies, just for distribution in the United States alone!Of course, the books are also becoming, one at a time, major motion pictures. As a matter of fact, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” is scheduled for release on July 13, about a week before the final book goes on sale.So, to say that anticipation is growing among fans is an understatement. Take a bit of time to visit Potter-oriented blogs and you’ll see that fan anticipation is growing exponentially. Understandably, fans are expressing both exhiliration at the prospect of having so many of their questions answered by the final book, and sadness at seeing the series come to its final close.

And in the midst of the wild sucess enjoyed by this series, there has also been ongoing controversy surrounding it as well. It’s ironic that, while the individual books in the series have all enjoyed high best-seller rankings, they also suffer high rankings on “banned” lists as well. Author J.K. Rowling even mentioned the fact that, in 2006, her books featured prominently on the year’s list of most-banned books.

As an evangelical Christian, I have listened to the “Harry Potter Debate” unfold in our community since shortly after the release of “Sorcerer’s Stone.” What surprised me was the fact that there were such strong feelings on both sides of the issue within the Christian community. I remember listening to a debate moderated by James Dobson on his show, “Focus on The Family,” which I listen to quite often.

Dobson didn’t take a position, rather, he sat back and listened to his guests debate back and forth regarding the value vs. the danger of some of the themes in the book. These books do, after all, prominently feature the practice of witchcraft, with most of the story taking place at the “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

What could be clearer than this? The Bible condemns the practice of witchcraft. In Deuteronomy 18, versus 10 and 11, for example, we’re told, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”

What most people do not know, and what God is addressing in Deuteronomy, is the practice of witchraft in Canaan, which happened to commonly include ritual human sacrifice. As Deuteronomy tells us, and archeology has confirmed, newborn infants were often burned alive as sacrifices to their gods.

Witchcraft was unacceptable then and it is unacceptable for believers today. I believe that and, ultimately, know that practicing “witchcraft” or “Wicca” as many call it today, is fundamentally (no pun intended), a rejection of God. That said, I know quite a few people who are Wiccans, including one who is a High Priestess, and I’m happy to count them as friends. I disagree with what they believe, they know I disagree, and we have some good debates regarding our beliefs.

But I digress…

The important question then is whether or not it is clear, based on Biblical exhortations, that Christians should avoid this series of books? Believe it or not, the answer is not a clear “yes” or “no.” As I mentioned previously, there are devout Christians who adamantly oppose this series and those who who wholeheartedly endorse these books. So, where do I stand?

It just so happens that I am one of those who wholeheartedly endorses this series. In order to explain my reasoning as well as my recommendations to fellow Christians who may not yet have read these books yet are considering it, I think it is necessary to step back a number of years to the time when I first learned to love reading.

It was 1975, I was 10-years-old and was in the fourth grade at Germantown Elementary School in Annapolis, MD. On one particular day, I walked over to the library during a break in classes to see if I could find something interesting to read.

When I entered the library, it was very busy, with the librarian frantically working to get books back on the shelves as quickly as students were pulling them off. I thought to myself, “the librarian should know what is worth reading,” so I walked over to her, standing near a particular shelf of books with her book cart, where she was diligently creating order out of chaos.

I asked her, “could you help me find a good book?” She gave me hardly a glance. Instead, she looked quickly up to the nearest shelf, grabbed a book, and placed it in my hands. “Here,” she said, “this is a good one.”

I looked down and read the title; “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.” I thanked her and walked off.

I vividly recall opening the book to begin reading it later that same day. I remember because the book captured my attention quickly and I remember reading about a little girl named Lucy, who entered a wardrobe thinking it a good hiding place during a game of hide-and-seek with her two brothers and sister. Trying to hide as best she could, Lucy walked farther and farther into the wardrobe, until she found herself in a quiet wood with snow falling all around.

When I read this, my eyes widened and I said out loud to myself, “it’s a magical wardrobe!” I was, no pun intended, enchanted. And my love of reading in general was greatly enhanced because of this wonderful book. Over the next few years I read all seven books in the series and loved every one of them.

Now, many know that the author of those books, C.S. Lewis, a good friend and fellow Oxford Professor with J.R.R. Tolkein, was one of the greatest Christian apologists (defenders of the Christian faith) of the 20th century. His friend, J.R.R. Tolkein had helped him move from devout atheism to devout Christianity. Lewis was a prolific author and the body of his work includes fantasy, scifi, Christian-theology, and some biographical works.

Lewis wrote the series we know today as “The Chronicles of Narnia” because he wanted to write a children’s series that would help readers to feel the power of the Christian story. He did not write these books in an allegorical manner; rather, Lewis literally inserted Jesus into his Chronicles as Aslan, a great lion who created Narnia, was sacrificed on the Stone Table by the White Witch, and rose again to free his people from her tyranny.

Through this mode of story-telling, Lewis hoped to teach a story readers likely already knew, but in a different way. For me, the strategy worked perfectly. Growing up, I longed to know the Aslan of those stories. And one day, mid-way through college, I met him in the person of Jesus, whom I gave my life over to and whom I today call Lord and Savior.

But as a child, I read these books over and over again, longing to visit Narnia, and longing most of all to know God the way Narnians knew Aslan. A personal relationship with a Lord who saw through them, understood all the weaknesses of those who loved him, and loved them anyway with a love that transcended all understanding.
It was many years before I understood that this is exactly what Jesus offers, a personal relationship. So, the “Chronicles of Narnia” gave me that first taste of what God really offered, not staid religiosity, but a personal walk with the creator of the universe.

The lesson I ultimately learned from this experience was that stories, even ones which include magic, can still teach important moral lessons. And because of my love for these books, I was encouraged to read other series; including “The Lord of The Rings.” And, while J.R.R. Tolkien consciously presented a clear “good vs. evil” message, he did not overtly or covertly insert a Christian theme into his books.

Regardless of the fact that both Tolkien and Lewis were devout Christians, there have been ongoing debates over the fact that protagonists in both series understand and, at times, employ magic to accomplish their goals. So, is the use of magic in the context of a fictional story a bad thing? Many Christians, and I include myself among them, do not believe so.

Understanding this, one can better understand why there are many Christians like myself who have enjoyed the Harry Potter series. And in may ways I believe that this series is as significant as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.

Personally, I did not begin reading the Potter books until late in 2005, seven years after the first book appeared. But then a coworker began to loan me the books on tape and CD. I was so enchanted –again, no pun intended — by the books that, I finished listening to books 1-6 in the space of just about four months, the entire time thrilling at the quality of each of the books and the awesome narration skills of Jim Dale.

I listened to the books while driving to and from work each day. With a 100-mile-per-day round trip, I was, at that time, a prolific audiobook consumer. And during those months of listening to the Potter books, I was never so happy to be stuck in traffic.

Despite my own love for these books, other Christians might ask if there are worthwhile themes in this series from a Christian perspective? The answer is a definite yes!

From a high-level perspective, some of the most important themes relate to love, family, friendship, loyalty, forgiveness, and even redemption. Specifically, we see the constant and overarching theme of love.

Professor Dumbledore, the Hogwarts Headmaster, expresses the belief that love is more powerful than any magic several times, and tries to teach Harry that this is his only hope of defeating his arch-enemy, Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore is the personification of love, just as Voldemort is the personification of hate.

So, you can see while we do not hear the words “good vs. evil” much in the series, we constantly see the theme of “love vs. hate.” And the benefits of love and the consequences of hate are constantly, and quite effectively, portrayed by Rowling.

The hate-filled Lord Voldemort loves no one, trusts no one, and confides in no one; not even his closest followers. Voldemort is utterly without mercy, eliminating anything and anyone who gets in his way. As you read about him, you see his psychotic personality. A genius, but one who is utterly controlled by his hate, fear, distrust, and ambition.

In contrast, Dumbledore is ever loving, always forgiving, and seeks always to influence his students in a positive way. In the sixth book of the series, “Half-Blood Prince,” Dumbeldore shows love and compassion even to one of his students who is threatening to kill him. Dumbledore believes in the power of love and lives his life in a manner that is consistent with his beliefs. And as Rowling hints throughout the series, Dumbelodore’s insistence on the power of love will somehow be the key to victory over Voldemort and his followers.

Another well-expressed theme in the series is the value of family. Harry Potter’s parents were ruthlessly murdered by Voldemort when he was just an infant, and his non-magical relatives do not treat Harry well while raising him. So the family of one of his best friends from Hogwarts, Ron Weasley, takes him in and treats him as one of their own.

Ron Weasley is one of seven children, a family which is poor in monetary terms but incredibly rich and alive with their love for each other. And Ron’s parents show great love and devotion to Harry, showing Harry, and readers of the series, the joy and value of family.

Here, Rowling does a phenomenal job of communcating something that many of us never understand, that a loving family life is worth far more than a mountain of gold. You feel right down to the depths of your soul what the young Harry Potter understands; he would gladly give up every ounce of his family’s personal fortune to have his parents back.

Overall, I think it difficult for anyone to argue these books are “devoid of value,” as some claim. Like the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings, The Harry Potter series is full of important values and lessons, only in the backdrop of a magical world.

Does this mean that I recommend the Potter series unequivocally? No, I do not.

Rather, I think that, for parents who are concerned, they should read through the books before their children and decide for themselves if they wish to let their children read them or not. For adults who feel the content, despite the positives, is too dark or too oriented on witchcraft, then I recommend they not read the series.

Just as in every community, there are varying levels of opinion, I think it imporant for both Christians and non-Christians to respect those who might respectfully disagree with the themes written into the Harry Potter Series. And I place an emphasis on “respectful disagreement.”

In the end, this is a story, not a biography, and the events of the story are fictional. That said, what a wonderful experience this has been for fans of the series! A story this engaging and compelling does not come along very often, and we’ve had the opportunity to watch both the characters and the tale itself unfold and develop over the past ten years.

It has been a great ride, and in July of this year, we’ll see the conclusion of the series with the release of “Deathly Hallows.” Like other fans, I’m excited and sad to know that the final book is almost here.

I so appreciate J.K. Rowling’s wonderful books. And personally I’m very grateful for the work she has done in the creation of this wonderful, inspiring, and worthwhile series of books. What an amazing adventure it has been so far. I can’t wait to read the final book in the series, both to see it’s conclusion and also to know that I was privileged to watch this series unfold from beginning to end. It has been a great blessing!

Christians believe that God is revealed to the world in two ways; “general revelation” and “special revelation.” General revelation is where God reveals himself to all people through aspects of the world around us and some in-built predispositions and longings for a relationship with Him. Christians often say that we have a “God-shaped hole” in our hearts that we seek to fill.

Special revelation of course is the specific and special information and exhortations we receive directly from God through his prophets and, more recently, his Son. Those of us who believe the Bible to be the infallible word of God see this “book of books” as special revelation. It details specifically God’s actions, purpose, and will for all His people.

Have you ever heard someone ask the question, “what about the long-lost tribesman deep in the heart of some unknown jungle who never heard of God, will they go to hell even though they never had a chance to believe?” Even if you have not and are just reading this for the first time, the answer to the question is that, without special revelation, God’s people can, and will, respond to him via general revelation.

But the main point of my post is this. The scientific method was established and has generally flourished in Christian societies because of general revelation. Just because we have Bible does not mean we do not want to discover more of the character of God through a better knowledge and understanding of his creation.

Just as a company might “reverse engineer” a competitor’s high tech product in order to discern how it works, so Christians believe that through science we can know more about the creator of it all. So, in looking at a single cell of the human body, seeing the vast complexity of that cell, and the fact that our bodies are composed of trillions of such cells, all knowing their function, we see the incredible engineering of God.

So, in a real way, complexity reveals God. And thus, many Christians like me have become supporters of the new movement called “Intelligent Design.” This approach to understanding our origins is one which relies solely on science’s ability to reveal complexity on such a scale that it is either “irreducible,” or impossible to explain from the standpoint of Darwinian evolution. So, the presence of vast numbers of hugely complex systems which could never have evolved in a progressive step-by-step manner proscribed by evolution, or could not have developed in the brief period that Earth has been habitable, shows evidence of design.

So, if you picked a watch up off the beach, you would immediately assume it to be man-made and that its owner had lost it. But walking past something vastly more complex, such as another human being, we have been trained to think that is just an accident, the result of mindless forces over vast periods of time. You can argue this point, but it seems to me that, as science gets more sophisticated, Evolution seems less and less certain.

So those of us who are Christians will continue to embrace science wholeheartedly and will employ science to learn more about the natural world around us so as to better understand the power, wisdom, and awesome majesty of the world’s creator. We know God in a personal way through His special revelation, and we learn about His awesome power and majesty through the use of science, which gives us an additional window into the heart and mind of the creator of all things.

The Hill newspaper reported yesterday that Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is at the center of an emerging story regarding one of the largest cases of government fraud ever. The Hill reports that the senator was for five years the “top Democrat on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (or “Milcon”) sub-committee, where she may have directed more than $1 billion to companies controlled by her husband.”

The Hill also reports that Senator Feinsten “left the subcommittee in late 2005 at about the same time her husband sold his stake in both companies. Their combined net worth increased that year with the sale of the two companies by some 25 percent, to more than $40 million.”

So, in other words, the Senator was able to direct federal money to her husband’s companies so as to capitalize (no pun intended) both on the federal money directed his way and on the resulting sale of those companies, whose value will plummet now that it has been revealed they were receiving money illegally.

So they robbed taxpayers, the people who purchased their companies under false pretenses, and the employees who work for those companies. And yet, I have not seen one major newspaper or network pick this one up.

If it had been a Republican who had done this, headlines would be flashing worldwide. Well, that is why we have the Blogosphere now, isn’t it?

Senator Feinstein is not going to get away with this. Liberals in the mainstream media won’t be able to simply ignore one of the greatest instances of federal corruption in our lifetimes.