It's Time.

I have a rule that I only buy DVDs when they're $7 or cheaper - I can Netflix whatever I want, and all DVDs end up in the bargain bin at some point, so whatever it is, it's always worth waiting on.

I bought a $5 Titanic DVD a coupla weeks ago and watched it tonight. Can we finally agree that Titanic is no longer the most overrated movie of all time and may now be one of its most underrated?

It's no longer considered proletarian to admire Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, frankly, it probably just means that you now watch a lot of indie movies. Winslet's been nominated for 5 Academy Awards, for chrissakes, DiCaprio's been nominated for three. And James Cameron hasn't made an ass of himself for a full decade now. He even showed enough humor to mockingly play himself on "Entourage" as the director of an Aquaman movie (and if James Cameron actually made an Aquaman movie, I would totally see it, and so would you). And it was the last time we ever saw Billy Zane? Remember Billy Zane? I miss that guy.

There just aren't that many really epic movies crafted with such loving care anymore, even Peter Jackson and Ridley Scott can be hit or miss these days. But Cameron weaves a love story around through a disaster film chock full of excellent turns by dozens of character actors, giving a sense of both the scope and the heartbreak of the sinking. Remember the musicians playing as the boat sank? The officer accidentally shooting a passenger, then committing suicide? The gentlemen asking for brandy as they waited in the parlor room for the end to come? The captain standing alone at the tiller as the water shattered the windows? Remember Billy Zane using a kid as leverage to find his way onto a lifeboat? Man, you wanted to smack him so hard (by the way, count the amount of times someone is suckerpunched in Titanic sometime. It's well over a dozen).

If Titanic came out for the first time tomorrow, you would be remiss if you didn't go out and see it. It's an event movie, and we don't have enough.

Though you would still be wise to leave before Celine Dion started singing over the end credits.

Six Records You Must Have Right Now

There is a multitude of music out there for free or for very cheap, and most of it is pretty bad. But when you can find a truly great record for $2 or less, you'd be a fool not to jump on it. All of these records fit that description. I'll give you links for guidance.

Matthew Perryman Jones
Throwing Punches In The Dark
Cost: Free
This record is unbelievable - one of those albums that whenever you talk to someone who has it, they immediately start gushing with you, thrilled to find somone else who enjoys it. Jones an introspective singer-songwriter who's accented some fairly soul-bearing tunes with crunchy electric guitars and anthemic choruses. It's available on Noisetrade, a site a lot of indie Christian acts are using these days, where you can either pay what you want or email five friends about it. I emailed five friends, but now I feel that's not enough. I might go back and send along some cash. The album's worth it.
Download: 'Emily's Song,' 'Breaking Out The Windows,' and 'Waiting On The Light to Change.'

Jack's Mannequin
The Glass Passenger
Cost: $1.62
Immediately after recording their debut record, Jack's Mannequin vocalist Andrew McMahon went to the hospital to check out some throat problems he'd been having, and was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He started chemo immediately and the band sat and waited to see the results. Three years and a clean bill of health later, The Glass Passenger finally arrives, and it's hear-wrenchingly sweet to hear it. McMahon's always been a singer prone to desperation and bravado, but hearing him sing it through waves of honest doubts of his mortality brings it closer to the bone. "Even if your voice comes back again," he ponders on 'Crashin,' "maybe there'll be no one listening." With songs as rawly emotional as this, that shouldn't be a concern.
Download: 'Caves,' 'Crashin,' 'Annie Use Your Telescope,' and 'Hammers and Strings.'

The Killers
Sawdust
Cost: $2.43
Killers fans seem to divide into two camps: people who think that that their first indie rock record was brilliant and their second album was nothing more than overwrought Springsteen worship, and people who think that Sam's Town was the first time big, anthemic rock has sounded alive in a very long time. I belong in the later camp, but whichever side you pick, Sawdust has something for you. One of those B-sides records where it's more of a lost tracks collection, the record is a bit hit-and-miss, but the highlights are some of the Killer's finest tracks.
Download: "Tranquilize" (featuring Lou Reed), "Under The Gun," and "Show You How."

Jakob Dylan
Seeing Things
Cost: $1.35
I want to live where Jakob Dylan lives. I'm not sure exactly where that is, but it seems to be some combination of the South and Middle America in the 1920's. Everyone seems to be a coal miner sipping three-day old coffee or farmhand unwrapping cornbread from wax paper with their feet propped up on a potbellied stove. Considering his parentage, it's unsurprising Dylan grew up in a way where that's considered a normal way of life, but there's something authentic about Dylan's songs, as if maybe this perfect untouched America exists somewhere else other than his own mind. I hope so. I'd like to see it sometime.
Download: 'Everybody Pays As They Go,' 'Something Good This Way Comes,' and 'This End Of The Telescope.'

Derek Webb
The Ringing Bell
Cost: Free
Webb's always been a consistently good singer-songwriter, though he had a long stretch where he considered the sound of his speaking a more appealing sound than his singing, and so his concerts got a little self-aggrandizing. Still, Webb's always been a unique voice in the Christian world, cutting and insightful, demanding to be heard. The Ringing Bell is well named, an album that calls the listener to action, a battle cry of Christian love and peace, with previously untapped pop hooks bouncing underneath Webb's plaintive vocals. Of all the recordings of Webb's short but prolific solo career, this album may be his finest piece of work.
Download: 'Name,' 'I Want To Marry You All Over Again,' and 'This Too Shall Be Made Right.'

Sixpence None The Richer
My Dear Machine EP
Cost: Free
Sixpence broke up about four years ago, figuring that the time had come and it was time to follow other musical pursuits. Everyone went off and did their own thing for a little while before they all realized that the whole band was much greater than the sum of its parts, and got back together again. Good choice - Leigh Nash never sounds quite as good as when she's singing Matt Slocum's earthy, melancholy tunes. The EP will fill you with hope for the band's triumphant return.

Download: The album. It's only four songs long.

Total Cost: $5.40. Really, you can afford that.

I thought about it.

Why My Generation Doesn't Vote

The leadership team at the Loft had a meeting with a polling expert from our church. We’d done a fairly extensive poll to try to get a rough picture of what our church was doing right and wrong, and he was interpreting the results for us. We were talking about the incorporation of young adults into the church and trying to get them to sign up and become official members. It was at that point he said something really interesting:

He said that young people today – people in their mid-twenties – generally refuse to incorporate in any aspect, which is why Obama will likely have some sort of trouble on election day. The people that are his strongest supporters are also the least likely to show up and vote for him.

I imagine he’s right. I am in no way a typical anything, but I comprehend exactly the difficulties Obama faces. The problem is not passion, but rather diligence. Twenty-somethings will expound passionately on the reasons Obama is a better candidate, or the problem with government today being greed/warmongering/stupidity/etc, or Bush’s general evilness, but find actually registering and going to vote a chore they need not take part in. Registering makes you part of the system. It makes you part of the problem.

Ultimately, we’ve become a generation that believes it’s more important what you think than what you do.

Whether Obama wins or loses, part of the election day coverage will focus on Obama’s turnout being weaker than expected. No one will focused on the general disenfranchisement of the younger voting set. Instead, Fox News will call it “people waking up and realizing that they just can’t vote for a feeble, ill-equipped candidate like Obama,” a strategy Bill O’Reilly will refer to as “common sense.” CNN will call it “closet racism rearing its head,” and do specials on it for a week. MSNBC will call it “out-and-out racism,” and then find a way to mention Bush’s name in the same sentence.

The first “are young people going to go the polls or not?” article should be appearing in your local paper/subscription to Newsweek in about two weeks.

Thanks, Taylor.

McCain-Obama Debate Live Reactions

All times Central.

8:07 Brokaw asks McCain who he'd nominate for Treasury Secretary. McCain quips "not you, Tom. Sorry." Probably the last life of the night. And not a big laugh.

8:10 McCain is going after Obama.

8:14 Obama says "I've got to correct some of McCain's history. Not surprisingly." McCain starts force-laughing. Man, they're gonna be gunning at each other tonight.

8:14 Obama wants to make Warren Buffet Treasury Secretary and thanks him for his support. Shedding that celebrity label, eh Barack?

8:15 Obama stops pointing fingers for a moment to say "you don't want to see politicians pointing fingers."

8:17 New Drinking Game: Drink every time McCain says "croneyism."

8:20 New Drinking Game: Drink every time Obama puts Bush and McCain in the same sentence.

8:21 McCain almost said "maverick" but didn't quite.

8:22 "Pork-barrel!" Everybody drink.

8:25 McCain said "clean coal technology" and Obama visibly flinched. I think he wanted to hit him on it, but he doesn't get to because of the rules.

8:26 Drink every time Brokaw reminds the candidates about the rules.

8:27 Obama sent out an aide to check the gas prices in the area. Smart.

8:27 Brokaw motioned Obama to wrap up and he smacked him down. "Just one point I want to make, Tom." Ooooooh.

8:27 Brokaw reminds everyone about the rules! Everyone drinks!

8:28 There's a question about sacrifice and the American Dream. Obama's gotta be breathing a sigh of relief that McCain is going first. You never want to go before the Vietnam vet.

8:29 McCain spends no time on sacrifice and the American Dream and instead talks about earmarks for two minutes. The message being "no sacrifice needed! I've got this under control. Elect me!"

8:30 Obama invokes 9-11. This is either a kill punch or a huge mistake.

8:31 It's neither. Obama reminds everyone how terribly Bush did during the 9-11 crisis. Weirdly, that's not how I remember it.

8:32 Obama's now talking about energy incentives. Do you get the sense that both candidates have only two or three issues they're going after tonight?

8:33 Woah, rules comment! Everybody drink!

8:33 Brokaw asks a question with Bush in the question. Little bit of a softball there.

8:34 Obama defended earmarks. He probably shouldn't have mentioned that earmarks are 18% of the federal budget. That is not helping.

8:35 McCain just invoked both Herbert Hoover and Protectionism. No one there has any idea what he's talking about.

8:37 I like Obama's little head twitch whenever he can't respond. It's killing him not to say anything.

8:37 Woah! Take eight drinks! What happened there? Obama tried to respond even though it wasn't his turn, so Brokaw slapped him down, but Obama kept going anyway, so Brokaw started reading a new question anyway. I think Brokaw's getting pissed at Obama's cavalier attitude toward the debate rules.

8:39 Obama has now completely ignored the question and started talking about tax exemptions anyway. Maybe Brokaw will call him on it.

8:40 Obama hits McCain back for his "overhead projector" crack. Saw that coming.

8:40 McCain wants to answer the question and to respond to Obama at the same time. He's so excited he's not sure where to start.

8:41 McCain's getting Mavericky up there.

8:41 Oooh, base closings. Hitting the tough issues.

8:42 No one broke the rules and Brokaw made a rules comment anyway. Take two drinks!

8:43 McCain makes Lieberman reference. Take a drink.

8:43 Am I the only one that thinks that McCain makes it sound like he and Lieberman are perhaps some sort of superhero duo traveling the world proposing alternate energy solutions?

8:45 Obama struggles when he goes first but kills when he goes second.

8:46 Technical director miscuts again. Welcome to prime time, rook.

8:47 Both candidates have this look when the other one is going that says "man, look at this hack dithering away with all this nonsense."

8:47 Huge rules smackdown! Obama takes a potshot. McCain does all but wink at Brokaw. I think he's enjoying that he and Brokaw look like a matched set up there with Obama looking like the odd man out.

8:49 McCain getting cute, he just referred to Obama as "that one." You know that's going to be quoted out of context constantly on MSNBC this week.

8:51 Obama talks health care and only talks about women's issues. Smart.

8:53 I really feel that McCain is winning so far tonight, but I might be too biased to tell. He's certainly extremely well-prepped tonight, and he's throwing heat. But with Obama having a strong lead in economic issues, to undecideds he might look a little desperate more than passionate.

8:55 McCain just booted the health care question. Not good.

8:56 Obama going second on health care is gonna be rough for McCain. He's gonna eat this one up.

8:56 Obama invoked his dead mother. Ooh.

8:57 Obama hints that he thinks it might be possible that John McCain hates children. He's really gunning for him.

8:58 Woah, Obama just took a shot at the great state of Arizona. Don't bring that business up in here, sir.

8:58 New Drinking Game: take two drinks every time Brokaw makes a rules comment and then McCain makes a joke about it.

9:00 "We don't have time for on the job training." Then he turns around and stalks back to the chair. Woah.

9:02 Obama calls McCain a "cheerleader for Bush." That's two drinks.

9:03 Obama says we can't help Darfur until we change John McCain and George Bush's foreign policy. That seems mean of us.

9:05 Darfur reference #2. And wait, the problem is that McCain can't rally international support, but Obama can. Well, he can when he's President. That's when he will receive that magical power.

9:06 McCain wants a cool hand at the tiller. I feel that if you're in charge of steering the boat, you should be allowed gloves.

9:08 McCain just referenced "his hero," Reagan, while also pointing out that he knew more than him about the military. Gutsy.

9:09 Obama might be right. All our problems might really be that we never finished hunting for bin Laden.

9:11 McCain just flip-flopped and said that Teddy Roosevelt is his hero. Reagan or Roosevelt, McCain! Pick a side.

9:12 McCain and Obama can't even agree on how to pronounce "Taliban." Obama pronounces it "TAL-lee-ban" and McCain calls it "TAHL-eh-BAHN."

9:13 Obama just smacked down Brokaw again, and kept going, so much so that Brokaw said "well, I'm just a hired hand here." Someone is not going to be invited to Brokaw's famous Halloween party and bob-for-apples marathon.

9:14 Obama says that McCain calls him "green behind the ears." It does sound like McCain.

9:15 McCain said that he could totally catch bin Laden if he wanted to. He's probably just feeling a little sluggish today, that's all that stopping him.

9:17 Drink every time McCain references General Petraus. That's at least four drinks so far.

9:18 The candidates sound mad at each other. Like, a fight might break out. Quick poll: who's the most likely to hurl their microphone at the other in anger? I think it's tied.

9:19 McCain just said that we're not going to have another Cold War with Russia. Yeah, but that's probably what the last guy said.

9:20 McCain wants to show Georgia "moral support." Just what they're looking for.

9:21 Obama also feels that Georgia could use some moral support. We need to do something about that poor nation's self-esteem.

9:24 Brokaw just asked a "yes or no" question. Nice try.

9:24 McCain said that if he answered "yes" to the question, he would start another Cold War with Russia. The stakes for this debate are high, huh? Also, five minutes ago there was no chance of a cold war, so, this seems like an empty threat.

9:25 McCain just patted an Navy officer in the audience on the shoulder in a decidedly grandfatherly manner. Good work in the Middle East, sonny. Swing by for pinochle sometime.

9:27 Obama went over to the Navy officer to shake his hand, but I think he didn't want to look unoriginal, so he's just standing too close to him, instead.

9:29 Foreign policy is not treating Obama well. He's got his one point ("I hate Iraq. And Bush."), and the rest is a lot of tap dancing. I think he's happy the debate is finally leaving this subject.

9:30 Obama referenced his wife, his grandmother, and his single mother, then swung back and referenced them again. Finish off whatever alcohol you have left.

9:32 The question is "what don't you know?" and both McCain and Obama's answer is "pretty much nothing."

9:34 Oh, a steady hand at the tiller. The guy must've gotten gloves.

9:36 How much does this shaking hands with the audience at the end of the show montage look like the end of SNL each week?

9:40 The "that one" comment is going to be the the story of out this debate. It's gonna be at least three or four news cycles. Guarantee it.