SurpRyan!

   Maybe I'm trying too hard to be clever with the titles.  I'm going to write about Paul Ryan, Romney's pick for the Vice President, and how the choice surprised me.  But "SurpRyan?"  Is that too much?  Oh well, no turning back now.
   The choice did surprise me.  Not because I don't like Paul Ryan (more on that in a minute), but because Ryan and Romney just never really seemed like two people that would get along. 
   It's a smart choice for Romney, I think, because Ryan appeals to a new generation of conservatives.  He's smart, he's well-spoken, and he has a clearly defined plan for what he wants to do with the economy.  He's been at the forefront of the party when it comes to economic talks, so why not bring him into the fold?  Plus it puts his name on a presidential ticket, which tells me the Republicans must be grooming him for a later run at the White House.  But is it the correct choice?  I'm not so sure.
   Paul Ryan is incredibly capable, and I've been really impressed with his work on the budget committee.  Democrats act like they can't stand him, but I think that really they fear him because he is so well spoken and he does have a plan that, on paper at least, seems like it could work.  I would say Ryan has done the best job of competing with the Democratic ideas.  While I would argue that MOST Republican budget plans are more sound than those of the Democrats, the Democrats have the edge because their plans seem to help a larger portion of the population and make more people happy.  Forget the fact that a lot of those plans would never sustain or even work from an economic standpoint... they sound "nicer" so they win.  But here comes Ryan with his own plan, one that makes sense for a lot of people and doesn't really do a disservice to anyone in particular.  Oh sure Democrats will try to spin it or tell you that it doesn't work, but I think in the end it has every bit as good a chance as anyone else's ideas I've heard.  Of course, I'm no economist...
   So Ryan is a pretty good economist.  And he's head of the economic committee in Congress.  In my opinion, that's where he should stay.  Sure as VP he would have a deciding vote in the House... but how much budget/economy stuff would he actually get to do?  VP just seems like a waste of a position for someone as valuable, knowledgeable, and influential as Ryan.  It's like sidelining your start wide receiver, or benching your best 3-point shooter when you're down by 10 and there are only seconds remaining.
   Ryan might be a good play for Romney.  It might attract younger voters, and it might even help him win the White House.  But in the end I think it could hurt the Republican party.  They are losing a very valuable asset at a time when he is needed more than ever.  Of course all of this hinges on what happens in the Presidential Election as well as the Congressional elections.  We could be looking at a very different political landscape come November.
   Alright enough talking about stuff I don't really know much about... 

Chronicle

   From Netflix:  Soon after three teens stumble upon an unidentified substance in the Pacific Northwest woods, they begin to exhibit powers beyond their wildest dreams. But harnessing their newfound abilities proves far more challenging than they ever imagined.
   My Take:   I'd heard mixed reviews of "Chronicle."  It's actually been on and off my Netflix Queue for a while.  It seemed interesting at first because the idea of a bunch of kids getting powers is immediately dangerous.  Then I heard it was "meh" so I backed off.  Then I heard that the gimmick was that it was all shot from POV, "Cloverfield" style.  then I REALLY backed off.  "Cloverfield" was cool and very well done, but that is a rarity with "experimental" cinema.  Man I just used a lot of quotation marks.
   Then I heard that "Chronicle" was actually pretty good.  Decent story, and the camera work actually made sense.  So I figured what the hell and I gave it a try.  I'm glad I did.
   The camera does work.  It's not as good as "Cloverfield," and it takes some creative liberties that seem kind of hokey, but just when I thought it was getting a little silly, it proved to be completely critical to tying the end of the movie together.
   The story was also gripping.  To me this was much closer to what a group of high school kids would do if they were given a huge gift like this.  The answer?  Nothing.  They basically use it to make fun of people and be stupid.  Sounds about right.  But the way the story goes is very intriguing, and (I think) very real.  It's sort of an insight into the thinking of a bullied kid, a kid who sees the world through different eyes than the rest of us.
   Give this movie a shot.  It'll make you think, and you will probably enjoy the story.  Plus it has the kid from "Friday Night Lights" in it, so that's always good.


   Alright folks, some big news.  I'm moving to Phoenix.  I will be heading to the desert at the end of the month to take a new job as the Marketing Manager for a new show called "The List."  It's a big jump for me, a huge opportunity, and possibly something that could define my career.  I'm really excited, even though I know almost nothing about Phoenix.  So if you've ever lived there, or if you know anyone who lives there, drop me a line and let me know...