You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. --Some Spanish guy in response to the usage of the word "firewall" on this season's 24.

So, since last we live blogged 24, I gave away my TV. While having no television has several upsides, it makes the whole live blogging concept substantially more difficult. For example, did you know that 24 started a new season a week ago?

Thanks to the wonders of Hulu, I've made it through the first three episodes from last week. Currently in my 24 time frame, Jack has just done a bad-ass crash through a parking garage barrier to escape the FBI. Unfortunately, the previous episodes before the last one were so bad that I nearly quit on it. However, concrete barrier busting (not exactly biting a man to death, but still) + continuation of my Buchanan as a mole theory + a comically ridiculous technology angle = a couple of more episodes of patience.

Random observations that would have been live blogged were I still living like the non-Unabomber portion of the country . . .

(I don't need to mention Die Hard 2, right?)

* Seriously, Janine Garofalo? Laura Kitlinger wasn't available?

* Trying to justify the various instances of torture (not to mention killing Ryan Chappelle because a terrorist said so) is tedious at best.

* How did Jack get a cell phone?

* Should I worry about the cell phone when the premise of the terrorist threat is that we're going to die of thirst if homeland security's firewall is breached?

* Seriously, do you think that the organization that came up with the idea of categorizing the myriad of threats to this country as one of five colors can really coordinate the entire country's water supply to begin with?

* Bill Buchanan = Steve Jobs, but not as healthy looking.

* New Chloe: I pinged the line and it automatically reset

* Near death has not been kind to Tony Almeida. Jack acquired a heroin addiction when he went undercover, Tony a cheese fry addiction . . .

Incidentally, I've started to watch season 1 of 24 on Hulu, and I can confirm that 24 used to be excellent. Now it's more like a circus freak show. At best, you can hope for the bat boy biting a terrorist to death. At worst, you're expected to sympathize with the plight of the bearded lady explaining how her acts of torture were for the good of the nation. And don't get me started on the long discussions between the crocodile man and the first lady.