"24"

Almost every episode of the show ends with a cliffhanger. Jack Bauer is always trying to defuse a bomb, trying to control the bleeding, getting defibrillated, being held at gunpoint, etc. Do you know why? So they can instantly write the character off of the show if Kiefer Sutherland gets arrested again.

In the third Star Trek trailer, Pike tells Kirk that his father was a starship captain for 12 minutes and saved 800 lives. Right there you figure that George Kirk's career ended quite badly:
CAPTAIN GEORGE KIRK: Sir! I pleased to report in my 12th minute as captain, I have saved 800 lives.
ADMIRAL: You were supposed to save 2000 lives. Where are the other 1200?
CAPTAIN GEORGE KIRK: Ummm....
ADMIRAL: Your services are no longer required.

Trek Trivia

Name the episodes that have plots similar to the movies listed below.
Rashomon
Home Alone
Die Hard
The Enemy Below
Jurassic Park

Star Trek

There is a new clip from the upcoming movie here. It appears to be Kirk and Spock's first meeting.

Below are some clips that are not from the movie but are worth watching anyway.

My thermostat

I came home to a very chilly house just now. I checked the thermostat, and it said "Replace Battery". Why does a gadget that is permanently attached to the wall need two AAA batteries? Was it designed for homes that are gas-heated but do not have electricity?

The modular car

Obama has promised to cover the warranties of GM and Chrysler products. But where the hell are people going to get parts for these cars if these companies go out of business? It's a vicious circle: they're going out of business in part because nobody wants to buys their cars, and nobody wants to buy a car from somebody who is going out of business.

So here it is. Here is my big idea that could possibly save GM, Ford, and/or Chrysler. Car companies should take a cue from the computer industry and start incorporating standard, modular designs in their vehicles. My keyboard, monitor, and tower were all made by different companies but still work together. It would be really practical if a GM transmission, a Ford engine, and a Chrysler chassis could all work together.

I prefer cars that are easy to repair, maintain, and upgrade. Ever try to fix a car made in the past 20 years? Once I was changing the spark plugs on my sister's 1991 Pontiac Grand Am. A couple of the spark plug wires broke, which can happen anytime you deal with spark plugs. But the distributer cap was mounted underneath the engine. So I had to feel around under the engine to plug in the new wires.

Ever have that nagging feeling that someday an important part in your car is going to break down and you can't find a replacement? Modern cars have too short of a life expectancy. If I pay $20K for something, I expect it to last longer than a Hollywood marriage.

Does Obama own a Ford Escape hybrid?

According to the last paragraph in this article, the President owns a Ford Escape hybrid. If so, he should sell it. His new job and change in lifestyle means that he needs a different vehicle. You aren't going to see a presidential motorcade with a Ford Escape in it, because the engine isn't suited for a vehicle equipped with bulletproof armor.