Get Bent

Hey,

So I broke down and picked up a subscription to The Legend of Korra, the Avatar sequel on Nickelodeon.

First -- I bought a subscription to a new tv show...the future is getting better.

Second -- yeah, I'm still really enjoying this. I can tell when they're trying to make ties to the previous series, sometimes it's just a touch ham-handed, but I think the show is moving forward and the new cast will come into their own. I'm also a little confused that fire benders can also cast lighting bolt (that really should be an air trick, but earth benders can levitate rock which also seems off-element).

Because, you know, The Internet, I was able to look up that some fire benders did have lightning powers and that it now appears to be a much more common technique. In much the same way that earth benders could sometimes manipulate metal, but now Republic City cops can do it at will. I actually really like this -- as the setting has advanced in a technological sense, the magical powers have also grown and developed. Fantasy is often a quest for the status quo, but here it changes and evolves in a more science fiction-y way.

I also really like the bad guys of the show. They've got a solid motivation (we're jealous that some people have magical powers and we don't), and are actually effective (chi-blocking strikes to shut down benders, but they have to get close enough). The bad guy did, in fact, totally fail to kill Korra when he had the chance, but you can't have everything.

So yeah, good stuff
Tom

Ask Dr. LJ -- MBTA funding

Hi,

So the MBTA is part of the Mass Dept. of Transportation (MassDOT). Although the T raises money through fares and the like, they certainly get funding through the DOT and thus through the state.

My question is, which legislative committee is most responsible for approving funds for the DOT (or the budget in general)? It's not clear who holds the purse strings.

Thanks
Tom