Stand to Reason has a helpful review of the Heritage Foundation’s event. They also provide a link to a liveblog of the event.
For another Christian voice on “24,” see Mark Driscoll’s post on whether Jack Bauer is a type of Christ. The post drew mixed reaction from the blogosphere.

It is clear that “24″ is one of the most popular TV shows. It draws fans from across the political spectrum (conservative, liberals, Hollywood folk, you name it). So it is all the more interesting that the Heritage Foundation should chose to host an event entitled: “24″ and America’s Image in Fighting Terrorism: Fact, Fiction, or Does it Matter?
HT: Justin Taylor

Al Mohler has an outstanding post on a new phenomenon in our culture: the increasing use of violent, antisocial male characters in prime time television. Apparently, “competition from the Internet, video games, and a vast array of cable channels has caught the attention of television producers.” Their answer: developing shows that can capture the attention of young male viewers.
Mohler shows that these TV producers are promoting a certain type of masculinity by their programming: One who uses his God-given energy, strength and drive, in a manner divorced from moral absolutes. What we’re left with is protagonists who display a strong sense of moral ambiguity—they may have left their wife and killed someone, yet the storyline is such that the audience is moved to pity him or identify with him.
An excerpt:
What kind of morality is at play here? As St. John explains, these shows reduce morality to a Darwinian principle that “in the social chaos of the modern world, the only sensible reflex is self-interest.”
Others have gone so far as to suggest that these characters and this kind of programming represent a new vision of masculinity. Gregory A. Randall, who is developing a new show for Spike TV called “Paradise Salvage,” said that the emergence and popularity of antisocial characters–even leads–can be traced to an intentional effort by the networks to attract young male viewers by mirroring their frustrations. “It’s about comprehending from an entertainment point of view that men are living in a very complex conundrum today,” he told St. John. “We’re supposed to be sensitive and evolved and yet still in touch with our neanderthal, animalistic, macho side.” Randall went on to argue that watching male characters who demonstrate such deeply flawed personalities but who nevertheless come out on top of the social hierarchy, makes young men feel better about their own character flaws and frustrations with male identity.
The entire article is worth reading. I suspect there is a connection between mainstream egalitarianism and this rising trend, along with at least two others: women outperforming men on the college campus and the decrease in male participation in mainline protestant churches.

My cousin-in-law, Frances Haugen, is a graduate of the first class of Olin College of Engineering. She is a Computer Science and Electrical Engineering major, which means she is a total nerd. She wants to start a company developing software for high school debate teams. Olin sounds like a superb school; the fifth most competitive engineering school, I believe. Especially if one is looking to be an entrepeneur.
I say this as one who completed my Ph.D. in Materials Science Engineering at UC Berkeley in 2004. All the best to you, Frances.