Jack Bauer’s Man Purse and Other Accoutrements of World Savers.

If you have watched the TV series 24, you have noticed, no doubt, Jack Bauer’s cloth carry-all slung across his shoulder, kind of “Johnny Appleseed” style. . . . . I don't like it. . . . . Frankly, the addition of the man purse to the Pantheon of Batmanish tool belts is a bit discomfiting to me. It is hip, but too hip for one so adept at killing. It does carry the tools necessary for the trade and in that way is in the tradition of other world savers like James Bond, Jack Ryan, and even in some ways John Wayne (notice any similarity in the names?).

Bauer, Bonds and Ryan have other things in common,

• The world’s survival is always in-balance in their mission.
• Their bosses reluctantly tolerate them and their methods.
• The bad guys are either heads of state or counter heads of state.
• The good guys are either heads of state or counter heads of state.
  
• They all work for an intelligence branch of government.
• They are all left to die in some alligator infested way in stead of being forthrightly shot.
  
• They escape through their wits and a few handy tools hidden from sight.

And they have differences. Ryan, is the bookish analyst forced into hand combat by bad luck, not unlike Chloe in 24. Also, he is a reluctant hero, unlike Bond and Bauer who relish in their vocations and its perquisites. Ryan yearns to return home to make pancakes for his daughter on Saturday morning. Bond is never seen anywhere near something we might call home, unless you consider the Baccarat table in Monte Carlo home. Bauer's Odyssean hope is reunion with daughter Kim, a hope no sensible watcher can understand. Self-consumed she is, Penelope she isn’t. Ryan, good looks notwithstanding, is a family man. We know Bond's habituations with femme-fatales and femmes-not-so-fatale. Jack is more sensitive, he falls in love before consummating his love affairs. An annoying and disingenuous quality.

But to the Bauer method of carrying his tools of trade. Unlike Bond's uber gadgets, brief cases, watches, pens and cars, Bauer’s tools of the trade are more subtle, a utility knife, lock smith picks, the all seeing eyes and brains of the CTU computers, a "unocular", and the occasional, visiting tool, the last one I recall was a infrared device that countered the motion detector of an alarm system. It was pulled out of the purse.

Come to think of it the Kung Fu guy slung the soft travelbag. But he wore sandles and karate garb and projected the softer tough guy image. A kind of feminine quality consistent with his style. And John Wayne? The morning star of world savers. He saved towns not worlds -- but instead of a man purse, he carried rawhide saddle bags, pulled off the horses back and thrown over his own. I always liked that part.

The New Cowboys Stadium

In a recent post I mentioned what an asset the Cowboy's stadium will be to the area. That area is North Texas moving in concentric circles, with Arlington as the center. I just drove by the Stadium and I have to say again, that is one great structure. Not that all sports stadiums are beneficial to the areas they are in, they aren't. But this one will be. It is preparing itself to be a premier national facility. Another thing, Six Flags, The Ballpark, Glorypark, Wet & Wild, and now the Cowboys, add up to be a sports and family entertainment district.
Given time, I think you'll see a train running through there as well as public transport buses.

Food and Faith Sunday

F&FW is traveling. Yesterday I was in an area the favorite of many, the Shenandoah Valley. I got off the freeway and took older adjacent highways through the mountains.

Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you.
Away, you rolling river!
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,
Away, I'm bound away,
'Cross the wide Missouri.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200031152/default.html
The baritone, Thomas Hampson singing this song is as good as it gets. My son introduced me to him. His rendition of this American song is considered the best. I think the above site has a link to hear him.
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Sunday's Gospel reading, September 16, 2007, is from St. Lukes Gospel, chapter fifteen, verses one through ten. The prayer is the Memorare.

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them he addressed this parable.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
That never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection,
Implored your help,
Or sought your intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,
I fly unto you,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To you I come,
Before you I stand,
Sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word incarnate,
Despise not my petitions,
But in your mercy hear and answer me.