Shut It Down. Shut It Down, Now.

First of all, it's important to note that any man who works in a sewer is not competent enough to ask for identification when you need a power grid shut down. Remember that, kids. When FBI agents Johnson and Johnson have run out of cards to play against Hans Gruber and his gang of merry men, they decide to take it up a notch - by shutting off the power.

When I first saw this movie as a kid, I didn't get it. I mean I was WAY too old to be afraid of the dark. Aside from the fact that the power play (no pun intended) was an essential part of Gruber's plan, I didn't understand what it was supposed to accomplish. Where the terrorists supposed to throw their hands up and surrender because things in Nakatomi just got slightly darker?

But now I think I understand a little more clearly. Power outages are annoying as hell. You can't watch TV, you can't listen to your boom box, and you can't update your status on Facebook. It might not be life-threatening on the surface, but if you have milk or dairy in your fridge, it can indeed turn out to be a very dangerous game. Plus, have you ever had to take a piss in the dark? It's a mess.

So take this for what it's worth. One of my buddies has had my first season of 24 for several months, and I want it back - but I'm too much of a sissy to confront him face-to-face. But that doesn't mean I won't get it back. I drive through his neighborhood every day, just waiting for the afternoon when there's an inept maintenance man peeking out of a manhole. Once the power is out at Henry's house, I know his immediate safety won't be threatened, but I know he won't be watching my DVD, either.