QUICK UPDATE: Christmas Edition

Yes, yes, I know I said I'd write again come New Years. I caught the writing bug, but only a little, so this will be a very short Update.

Current Events
I changed the title of this section, and I think it'll be changed going forward, because I've realized something. I'm not so much interested in straight politics in this section as I am in the way current events impact our common culture – what's left of it, anyway. It's just that a lot of current events and issues are political, and political events really catch my particular eye.

This week, I want to briefly address something that I know others (Jonah Goldberg for one) have spoken on in the past: the way that progressives use language in the media to create a public narrative surrounding current events that agrees with their worldview. Why they do this is a question for another time. For now, I would like to spotlight three separate instances of word-twisting that have become media memes in the recent past.

Here's the first: "Russia hacked the election." No, a hacker or hacking group from Russia phished the email account of the campaign manager of a candidate in the election, then Wikileaks posted his emails because reasons. That is all we know. Everything else – including the hacker or Wikileaks working for Putin or Russia – is just speculation. Not only that, but hacking the email account of someone affiliated with the campaign of a candidate for president does not constitute "hacking the election." To hack an election, you would need to hack voting machines and change vote totals, but there is no evidence that such a hack occurred. Rhetoric like this serves to further destabilize America's distrust of the result of the 2016 election when there is no reason to do so.

Another recent talking point: "The North Carolina state legislature executed a coup against their incoming Democratic governor." Again, no. The Republican-controlled legislature just passed a series of laws that secured their legitimate "advise-and-consent" powers, though their timing and methods were . . . not great, to put it mildly. The Wall Street Journal did an excellent job of summing up the whole hullabaloo, but suffice it to say that democracy is not under threat in North Carolina.

And finally: "The 2016 election proves that we have to reform the Electoral College." Why is it that when a change in institutions will benefit the Left, it's a "reform" or a "fix," but when it won't, it's a very bad idea? With that rhetorical question hanging in the air, I'll leave this wrongheaded statement about abolishing the Electoral College be.

When certain media outlets raise a stink for weeks about "fake news" then spread headlines like those above, one has to wonder whether they recognize the irony. Would it be too much to hope that the media as a whole could just attempt to report the facts with an even hand, and not engage in speculation?

Movie(s) of the Week
I saw Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The film does an excellent job of expanding the Star Wars universe without overextending itself.  It also complements A New Hope very well, filling in plot holes and even ending about ten minutes from the beginning of Episode IV.  The characters are well-acted for the most part, with the standout being the quippy and sardonic K-2SO, a reprogrammed Imperial droid.  The story revolves around a ragtag group of Rebel spies journeying to find the designer of the Death Star and steal the Death Star's plans, and though it drags in the middle, my goodness does it ever finish well. See this movie if you like war movies or if you have even a passing interest in Star Wars. You will not regret it. 4/5 Death Stars.

Sports
I'm still watching bowl games! You should too! The remaining schedule of Connor's Games Worth Watching can be found in my last Weekly Update.

Etc.
Isaiah 9:2-7:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy;they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest,as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder,the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For every good of the tramping warrior in battle tumult,and every garment rolled in blood,will be burned as fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder,and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God,Everlasting Father,Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom,to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness,from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this.

Merry Christmas.

WEEKLY UPDATE: Dec. 12-18

A bunch of stuff has happened since I posted last, but I've been busy studying for exams, taking those exams, and recovering from those exams. This Weekly Update will thus be broader and less focused on the events of only this week.

Politics
For the umpteenth time, let's talk about Trump. Kinda.

I'm getting very tired of the Never-Ending Post-Election Freakout of the Left, especially from those in entertainment and media. It's getting sillier and sillier the longer the transition to a Trump presidency continues. I've liked about 75% of his cabinet picks, which is better than I originally hoped, while the media seems to throw a fit every time Trump picks someone that touches a nerve. (Mnuchin for Treasury? Goldman Sachs connections! Mattis for Defense? He's a general! Tillerson for State? He's friends with Putin!) Some of these reactions raise valid concerns. Others do not. When the media reacts with concern every time Trump does something, though, at some point people will start tuning it out.

Much of the Left has left the Denial phase of grieving over their election loss, and have entered Anger, Bargaining, and Depression. Notable examples of each have popped up just this week.

Under Anger, we have the continued blame game that tries to pin Trump's victory on "fake news," Russians "hacking the election," racism, or nearly anything other than bad strategy by the Clinton campaign and an American population fed up with elites in politics and culture. There is zero evidence that "fake news" (which no one seems to be able to adequately define, except in the vague "I-know-it-when-I-see-it" sense), the hack of the DNC by Russians, or supposed racial hatred was the crucial factor that won the election for Trump. To me, such arguments come off as overstatement at best and willful denial of reality at worst.

The Bargaining response emerges in the recent activist push to ask electors to change their vote from Trump to someone else on Monday. A few days ago, a bunch of actors and celebrities decided that the only thing to do was to make a video pleading with Republican electors cast their vote for someone else, anybody else but Trump. This video not only serves as an example of more lecturing of the "common folk" by celebrities using their star power to comment on politics, it is bound to be completely ineffective. Why would anyone think that 37 Republican electors will be swayed not to vote for Trump by a bunch of famous people talking at them? (By the way, if you're wondering, I disagree with Evan McMullin's embrace of the "faithless electors" movement, mostly because Trump is doing a better job of placing conservative thinkers in positions of power than Clinton would. I find it doubtful that the electors would switch their votes to someone besides Clinton to throw the election to the House of Representatives, as McMullin hopes.)

And finally, Depression is evident in Michelle Obama's Eeyore-esque (boy, that's a lot of E's) proclamation that "we are feeling what not having hope feels like," as though she was speaking for the nation. In reality, though, she's speaking for a subset of the population that's nowhere close to the majority – the group on the Left who think that what goes on in Washington will heavily affect their daily lives, and who think about national politics constantly. I suspect the rest of the nation is more concerned with whether Rogue One: A Star Wars Story redeems the Star Wars prequels, or whether CeeLo Green is alright. With regard to the subset the First Lady is speaking for, I'm sorry that they feel hopeless, and I would love to come alongside them and reassure them that a Trump presidency probably won't turn out as badly for them as they think.

As Stephen Colbert said the night of the election, maybe this year we OD'd on politics as a nation, and we need to come down off of that high. Some of us are coming down a bit faster than others, I think. Suffice it to say, I really hope that the portion of the Left that's still freaking out calms down soon.


Movie of the Week
I saw Moana this week. The animation and voice work in this movie are excellent. I don't know where they found the voice for Moana, but she is going places. And of course The Rock can do no wrong these days. Lin-Manuel Miranda's capable and creative songwriting hands are all over this soundtrack, which has some of the best Disney music in a while - yes, better than Frozen. (Fight me.)

As for the plot, well, it's a Disney movie. The formula is predictable. Hero/heroine is unhappy with their station in life and wants adventure, so they cast off and enter a world of wonder and magic with their animal sidekick, where they undertake a song-filled quest that will teach them something about who they are, and they succeed and live happily ever after.  Moana hits all these beats with gusto. It even gives its heroine two animal sidekicks, though one only shows up briefly at the beginning and end. However, while most Disney heroines have "true love" involved somewhere in their quest, this one changes the formula slightly by cutting that element out entirely.

I liked Moana just fine, and I think you would too if you like a good Disney movie. 3/5 Stars.

(I haven't seen Rogue One: A Star Wars Story quite yet. That's next week. NO SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS!!)


Sports
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIIIIIIIME OF THE YEEEEEEEAR.

Not Christmas, silly. Bowl season.

I love me some bonus college football, and this year, there are some matchups that are great! There are others that are technically football games. Lucky for you, I have collected the matchups that are great below, along with their dates and start times. You should watch them! Here they are, with all times CST.

• San Diego State vs. Houston (Las Vegas Bowl, already happened)
• Memphis vs. Western Kentucky (Boca Raton Bowl, Dec. 20, 6p, ESPN)
• Boise State vs. Baylor (Cactus Bowl, Dec. 27, 9:15p, ESPN)
• Indiana vs. Utah (Foster Farms Bowl, Dec. 28, 7:30p, FOX)
• Texas A&M vs. Kansas State (Texas Bowl, Dec. 28, 8p, ESPN)
• Oklahoma State vs. Colorado (Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29, 8p, ESPN)
• Michigan vs. Florida State (Orange Bowl, Dec. 30, 7p, ESPN)
• LSU vs. Louisville (Citrus Bowl, Dec. 31, 10a, ABC)
• Alabama vs. Washington (Peach Bowl, Dec. 31, 2p, ESPN)
• Ohio State vs. Clemson (Fiesta Bowl, Dec. 31, 6p, ESPN)
• Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin (Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2, 12p, ESPN)
• USC vs. Penn State (Rose Bowl, Jan. 2, 4p, ESPN)
• Auburn vs. Oklahoma (Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2, 7:30p, ESPN)
• National Championship Game (Jan. 9, 7:30p, ESPN)

Let me explain why I have these games on this list. You may raise your eyebrows at the Boca Raton Bowl, but Memphis won the American Athletic Conference this year and WKU is always good for a point or 70. Boise State should trounce Baylor, but you never know with an explosive team like the Bears. In the Foster Farms Bowl we have two excellent offensive powerhouses that punched above their weight and challenged top-tier teams this year. The Texas Bowl will be a clash of styles and conferences, as KSU tries to grind out a win against the sputtering but high-flying Aggies.

Then we get to the good stuff. You do not want to miss any of the games I have listed after the Texas Bowl.

Michigan is consistently entertaining and Jimbo Fisher gets FSU ready to play in big games. LSU and Louisville both have very good and very meh things about them, so seeing a game between them should be intriguing. Bama should destroy Washington, but you never know, maybe the Huskies will get in a pass or two (they won't). I have no idea who will win the Fiesta Bowl, which is usually the sign of a really good game waiting to happen. The Cotton Bowl is a true underdog story, with #RowTheBoat in the role of David trying to take down the lumbering Goliath that is Wisconsin. The Rose Bowl is another game I don't really know how to pick, because both teams are very good. In the Sugar Bowl, Oklahoma should beat Auburn, but the Tigers may sneak up on OU if they're distracted by recent off-the-field issues. And of course you should watch the National Championship, because you're a cool person.

Finally, don't watch Florida vs. Iowa in the Outback Bowl. You're welcome.

Etc.
I saw my sister in a wonderful production of Beauty and the Beast this past weekend. She did wonderfully, and the production was fantastic. Next week I will be taking off because Christmas, so I will Update you again on New Year's Eve! Merry Christmas to you all.