Still Lost after the Tornadoes

Not only did I not see Lost last night, I had to be the one to tell the TV viewers of central Nebraska that they wouldn't see it either.

But I hope people are understanding that tornadoes take precedent over TV. Even a season finale.

We did get some email from upset viewers. But we got ten times as many people emailing storm stories, video, and pictures.

Grand Island seemed to have been spared. But our neighbors to the west in Kearney and east in Aurora got nailed by tornadoes. Thankfully, it sounds like no one's hurt.

But it's a mess. It was a long day, and looks like another long day's ahead of us.

Go over to www.nebraska.tv to see video.

Lost: Predictions

Thursday is TV night in the White household (established April, 2008).

We really have only two shows we watch. The Office, which has replaced Arrested Development as our favorite comedy.

But the show we have to watch weekly is Lost. I don't know why we were slow to catch on. Maybe it seemed like a Castaway rip-off. Beautiful people crash on a desert island and try to survive. Guh. Doesn't sound like much.

It's more Twin Peaks or X-Files than Castaway. There are elements of sci-fi (time travel, smoke monsters, the dead coming back), action, adventure, drama, plus it's told in serial fashion. You really can't miss a week. It's not like the X-Files when Cigarette Smoking Man would show up a few times a season. With Lost, there have only been a few throwaway episodes. On the flip side, that means storylines stretch out forever. But I can live with that.

Really, I think it's setting a new standard for postmodern storytelling. The story is by no means linear. Not only do the writers use flashbacks, but flashforwards, showing us snippets of what will happen. Heck, we even know who gets off the island. The fact that millions still tune in to find out how and why tels you something. They can give that away and still leave you wanting more.

Plus they have characters named Locke and Rousseau. This season they even introduced a character named after C.S. Lewis. How could I not like that?

Did I mention the biblical allusions, including a scene that came straight out of the old testament history of the temple? Not to mention a drug lord turned priest who carries a "Jesus stick".

Anyway, if you're still reading, here are my predictions for the season finale. And if you don't watch, this stuff won't make any sense.

But here goes. Here are the questions this episode has to answer.

1. How will they move the island?

I've heard speculation that it's a move in time or a physical move. A physical move seems unlikely. I also think there could be another purple sky episode, where the Island goes haywire and somehow the electromagnetism hides the island from the outside world. But I'm going with a move in time.

2. Is Claire dead?

Well, she's walking around talking to her dead father, so I'm going with yes. She's dead. Don't know when for sure she died, but I'm saying she is.

3. Will Jin, Michael, and Desmond die?

We know by way of a flashforward that there's a grave for Jin in South Korea. Even if he dies now, I think Michael and Desmond won't. The island won't let Michael and Desmond has unfinished business. He's not done.

4. Will we meet Jacob?

I think they might string us on a little more on this, but they have to give us more than they've given. I think Jacob appears and talks, but I don't think we really will learn his identity and story here. That comes next year. That's my prediction.

5. Who's in the coffin?

I say it's gotta be someone who we previously thought wouldn't be dying -- i.e. someone the island wouldn't let die. That could narrow it down to Ben and Michael, maybe Locke, or I'll got out on a limb and say Richard Alpert. Ben and Michael are too obvious. Just for the sake of making a guess, I'm going to say Locke.

6. Crackpot theory

Locke sacrifices himself in the Orchid station to move the island and save everyone, but since it moves the island in time, he's brought back. So his body ends up in the coffin, but he's basically cloned in time and stays on the island.

So I'm probably dead wrong on all this, but we'll see tomorrow night!

No Time for Wal-Mart?

Perusing Wal-Mart's magazine aisle tonight, I noticed Hot Rod, Hot Rodder, Street Rodder, and about two dozen other car magazines not having anything to do with rods, hot or otherwise.

But did I see Newsweek or another news periodical?

In the checkout you'll find People, Teen People, TV Guide, some mags about soap operas and country music. Plus those who need no last names, Martha, Oprah.

Still no Time?

I'm sure Wal-Mart has plenty of marketing data that shows which magazines sell, and specifically which celebrity-driven rags sell in the checkout aisle. I can't fault them for making money. That's their business.

I didn't expect National Review or the New Yorker, but no Newsweek?

I know news is my business, but even if I weren't on TV I'd still be reading some sort of newsmagazine. And I know the internet has changed the landscape. But the people who aren't reading newsmagazines aren't reading blogs and aren't watching TV news.

Those who watch me on the local news generally read their local paper and check a site like cnn.com. I don't mind when someone doesn't know who I am if they watch another news program. But when they tell me they don't follow the news... then I understand why voter turnout is 25%.

Not quite a close shave

No close shave in either of the U.S. Senate primaries I covered this week. (Video of me & the governor here) Nor a shave for me either. The beard continues to grow.

Bleed Into One

Here's a trailer for Bleed Into One, the story of Christian rock.

It's got a lot of the usual suspects, and some shows I was at. Looks pretty interesting.

Election Day

Finally, months after not-so-super-Tuesday, Nebraskans get to cast their vote.

Sara and I just voted. We were #s 93 and 94 on the day at our precinct. Pretty quiet there.

Tonight I'm covering too US Senate campaigns, Democrat Scott Kleeb and Republican Mike Johanns.

Johanns is a popular former governor and former US Secretary of Agriculture. He'll have no trouble.

As for Kleeb, he's facing Republican-turned-Democrat Tony Raimondo, who owns a manufacturing plant. I have no idea who's going to win that.

If you're in Nebraska, go vote today!

And now, the rest of the story. Angel Dies at 92

ABC News: Paul Harvey's Wife Dies at Age 92

The rest of the story is this. Behind Paul Harvey is a wife whose contributions live on beyond Paul's legacy. The "kicker" is used on nearly every local TV newscast.

And she gets credit for developing "The Rest of the Story", one of the finest programs in radio history.

Paul never called his wife Lynne. One of these days we will lose Paul. But this weekend we lost an "Angel".