The life of a stalker: reading body language

Intro:

I’m walking down the hallway when I bump into Cari. As we depart, Cari pulls her pointer finger and her middle finger to her eyes, and then points them at me. I start laughing; she’s telling me that she’s watching me. Little does she know, I’ve been watching her.
The idea that one’s body language tells all is an old cliché, but it’s one that’s inescapable. Ever notice how someone leans back when they’re done talking? Or squints when they’re not quite sure what you’re saying? Ever heard the old song “Lying Eyes”? If any of these are relatable, you understand the permeating power of body language.
In this section, Spencer and I observed two new staffers—Cari McAfoos and Jared Schooley. As creepily as possible, we watched their reactions and body language to different situations, and took candid photos. Most importantly, we looked to see if their thoughts and words—what they verbally communicated—were consistent with what their body language told us.

Non-verbal cues:

Non-verbal cues:

Eye contact Signals preparedness; confidence; interest in communication
Raising eyebrows Interest in conversation
Breaking eye contact Mentally clarifying thoughts, preparing feedback; may also be distracted
Quickly becoming busy Unprepared or uncomfortable

Head nod Agreement or not listening

Head shake Disagree
Cocked head or frowning Confusion or mentally clarifying thoughts

Banging hands on table Dramatic effect

Playing with hair If absent-mindedly, deep concentration or frustration
Postural shift Transition of conversation or strong reaction
Middle finger Anger or childish facetiousness
Leaning sideways Disbelief, hostility toward message
Any touching Attraction (not necessarily romantic)
Wearing bright clothing Generally cheerful and happy personality
Stroking hair, arm Warmth, close friendship

Leaning forward Wants to begin or maintain speaking
Leaning backward Done talking
Pat on shoulder Playfulness, friendship

Blink Emotionally responding; or dust in the wind
Bury head in hands Embarrassed

Dressing neatly Compliance

Tapping head w/ forefinger I’m thinking

Tapping head near temple That’s intelligent/that person’s crazy
Slapping hand to back of head Disturbed or startled
Dilated pupils Alertness
Lowered eyebrows Threatened or angry
Wetting little finger, drawing across Some other person is gay
eyebrow
Scratching or rubbing side of nose Someone is lying
Cheek stroke Contemplation
Chin stroke Contemplation or admiration
Folded arms Defense posture or disagreement
Elbows bowed outward Aggression, resistance, impatience, anger
Arms behind back, hands grasped Nothing to fear

Observations:

To understand the situations I have observed both Cari and Jared in, I should begin by explaining my relationship to them. Apparently, Jared stalked me long before I stalked him: he claims he had a crush on me in the first grade, though I didn’t know he existed until late elementary school. He fell off my radar for a few years, but I now work with him both on newspaper staff and our English academic bowl team. They are both entirely different situations: English bowl is incredibly relaxed, whereas newspaper is typically stressful.
I’ve ran with Cari for several seasons now, so I’ve seen her work ethic on the course as well as her playful side, as most of the girls are very close. Now I work on the staff with Cari, where I see her incredibly no-nonsense approach to work along with her apparent shyness.
Although they’re two of my favorite people, they could not seem to be any more different. They both do all of their work, they’re both enjoyable company, they both uphold intelligent conversation, they both laugh frequently—and they have nearly opposite body language reactions.
In the lab, when I say one of their names, Cari always turns deliberately to face me. Cari does not move unless it is purposeful—she never jiggles her legs, or needlessly plays with small items. She always maintains eye contact, which shows she is prepared with work, or at least confident she can finish it. Jared reacts a bit differently; he sometimes whips around to face me, but does not always maintain eye contact. As Stephanie Routhier (sociology teacher) explains, this may not necessarily mean he is unprepared to speak to me, but more likely unwilling. Sadly, Jared probably knows that when I call his name in the J-Lab, it usually means bad news. I commend both, however—not once have they ever suddenly become busy if I call their names, which shows they’re not uncomfortable with me.
Both Jared and Cari do, however, maintain an unnerving amount of eye contact. Most sources claim this is an interest in communication, so I ought to feel flattered that they want to speak to me. Cari only breaks eye contact to mentally clarify her thoughts, or to think through her feedback to me. Jared, however, breaks eye contact for a simple reason: distracted by the movement of something else.
Jared’s movements are always more dramatic than Cari’s, and his stories are always told in a wilder manner. He frequently bangs his hands against “the island” to emphasize a point, or runs his fingers through his hair if he is frustrated. Conversely, Cari is almost stoic, telling stories with no hand gestures or fiddling. This reflects their personalities, from what I’ve seen: Jared loves to entertain, but Cari loves to be entertained.
I don’t typically touch Cari or Jared, but I did experiment with proxemics (spacing). I was roughly five feet from Jared, so I stepped a few feet closer. His acceptance of my intrusion on his space indicated that we were friends. After some more conversation, I decided to break past the friendship barrier. I stepped closer—and he immediately shifted backward. I repeated this experiment with Cari later that day, but she never shifted backward. This effectively gauged my relationship with both—my friendship with Cari is much deeper and entirely comfortable.
There were moments where Spencer and I considered upping the ante, such as slipping an anonymous note into Cari or Jared’s locker and watching their reactions. When it all boiled down, however, we didn’t need to force simulations because both Jared and Cari react the same in different environments. Jared leans forward to talk and watches others’ reactions to determine his own. Cari is much more introverted, standing erect and impassively watching others. The most relevant part of the experiment is that what they say doesn’t always match with what they do—and I know them well enough that I can tell the difference.

Connections

It’s a bad time to be a gangster. Last weekend, the Windy City suffered 36 shootings that killed at least nine people. Police reports believe that 14 of the shootings are gang-related, and that the lock-up of older gang members has led to a lack of discipline for the younger gang members. As summer approaches, police fear that the crime level will skyrocket.

Speaking of skyrockets, NASA celebrated its 50th anniversary. Professor Stephen Hawking called for more money being poured into the space program, comparing our situation today to that of Europe in 1492. While some may have argued that Columbus ’ trip was a costly waste, it led Europeans to a new world they only imagined. Today, Hawking wants a 30-year space program, despite the “wild goose chase” costs.

One person who should not be worried about costs is Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. In her duel against Barack Obama, she clinched the Pennsylvania delegates and another $2.5 million toward her campaign. Clinton spokesperson Mo Elleithee calls Pennsylvania “our best fundraising night ever.” As the race drags out and the candidates rake in more money, it looks like the Indiana primary on May 6 may be an important—if not decisive—vote for the Democrats.

Track meet at Northridge

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Originally uploaded by jlab140

Kem Reyes (11) ran the 4×800 relay last night at the girls track meet. The girls lost last night against Plymouth (81-51) and Northridge (87-45).

AP Biology labs

   Lindsey Downs (12) works with partner Tony DeMarco (12) on an AP Biology lab. The pair examined the air used in three different test tubes of different substances.
   “We’re trying to figure out the respiration of germinating peas,” DeMarco said. “It was easy, but I don’t think the results came out right.”

Burn-out week over

The week after spring break always brings painful sunburns, heaps of athletic competition and unseemly amounts of tests and homework. While some students revel in the excitement, others feel the stress is a bit too much.
“It’s good to get back in competition,” Todd Dion (10) said.
The boys had a meet on the first Tuesday back from break after a week of grueling practices.
“The distance guys didn’t do as well as we’d like,” Dion said. “It’s a long day. Everyone’s tired, really, right now. It’s mid-season, so our bodies are getting worn down.”
Others like to play harder than they practice. For Tracy Swain (12), juggling traveling soccer, varsity track and varsity softball is all about the games.
“I just figured it would be fun to do a lot of stuff,” Swain said. “This week has been okay because I’ve just had a game or meet every day.”
Swain sometimes practices three times a day, but has noted the most burn-out in her girls track team.
“There’s so many hard practices, and not so many meets,” Swain said.
Still, the transition back into school has provided its challenges for all athletes involved.
“It’s like I’m still recovering from spring break,” Swain said.

Hall sweeps continue

Spring break–although filled with sun and laziness–has a serious downfall: students get behind on the latest gossip and news. The week after spring break, which began today, stereotypically serves as a re-gathering time in which sunburned and pale students alike catch up on news.
Warning to all CHS students: gossip, catch up, but STAY OUT OF THE HALLS.
That’s right; the CHS hall sweeps are projected to continue, despite the progress being made. They were spurred by a handful of insubordinate students in addition to large masses of tardy students, and provide more severe punishments for any student receiving a tardy.
“It did seem like [tardies were] just excessive,” Shawn Angel (attendance office) said. “Since they’ve [began hall sweeps], it has dropped tremendously.”
The threat of hall sweeps affects students differently, but many students fear the sweeps and seriously consider going to class on time. Others prefer to ignore the threat and continue with their daily activity.
“I figure if they don’t catch me, I’m good,” Melissa Horne (12) said. “I can run.”

Catechism-22

            Historically, stereotypes are difficult to break. Our presidents still have affairs, the Cubs still can’t win a game and students still think that band is cool. The oh-so-cliché “religious right” is not such a right-wing faction anymore. In fact, the Catholic church, arguably the most archaic form of Christianity does not endorse right-wing politics. As surprising as it may sound, it endorses individualized thinking and weighing of important issues.
            By no means it is an easy choice. Suzy Samuels (office manager at St. Vincent de Paul parish) explains this when she notes that a candidate can be perfect in all but one area. Catholic doctrine strictly prohibits abortion, so a pro-life candidate is favorable. At the same time, a more liberal candidate may have favorable economic plans that help the poor on welfare and minimum wage.
            “It’s a difficult choice for Catholics,” Samuels said. “We do have a moral duty to vote.”

             This duty segregates the Catholic church from other Christian perspectives. Employees at St. Vincent—as well as Catholic youth leader—confirmed that it is considered our duty to take care of the world.
            “The idea of simply leaving it up to God is really a cop-out,” Patricia O’Connor (director of religious education) said. “We have a real sense of responsibility.”

            While she cannot legally endorse a candidate, she understands the complications of aligning the candidates with church issues. She referred back to the concept of social justice versus abortion, and notes that it may be impossible for a Catholic to vote in good conscience.  
              It was interesting to hear the differing opinions of Catholics who intend on voting in the upcoming election. Most plan on voting for McCain because they hold a pro-life candidate as the highest priority for them, although some intend on voting in the Democratic primaries simply to stop Hillary Clinton. In all honesty, it tends to be emotional voting, rather than carefully planned decisions—although that can be said of any party, regardless of religion.

Religion in the raw

            While it is generally accepted that individuals should look at issues from multiple angles, this rarely applies to religion. For such a personal, often irrational belief to be poked and prodded, it requires some sensitivity on the part of the prodder and a good sense of humor on the part of the believer. We attempted to look at religion from multiple angles by visiting two very different churches, St. Vincent de Paul parish and the Elkhart County Community Baptist Church. Chris, previously a Methodist and currently agnostic, and Kelly, a cradle Catholic, explored these churches, talked to their inhabitants and used the findings to discuss religion. We try to connect what we saw—essentially religion in its rawest form—with the upcoming elections, exploring the beliefs that manifest themselves on the ballots.

 

Kelly: Why don’t you start by telling me a little bit about what we’re doing and why. And I’ll interject.

 

Chris: We went to two different churches to see how different denominations handle their services and the environment, I guess.

 

Kelly: There are a lot of flavors of Christianity. I know there’s an underlying belief that all Christians should treat each other the same because they all believe in Jesus Christ. But to be frank, the two churches we went to could not have been any more different.

 

Chris: There were both very different, but it was more like two different approaches to Christianity. The Catholic Church was VERY traditional, while the Baptist church was more of a grassroots approach to religion.

 

Kelly: I grew up in a Catholic church, but I was an absolute stranger in the Baptist church.

 

Chris: I didn’t feel very comfortable at either, but I felt like I knew what I was doing at the Baptist church more than the Catholic one. Mostly because the church I grew up in was Protestant and the services ran more like the Baptist church.

 

Kelly: So let’s talk about the Catholic Church experience.

 

Chris: I guess we should also mention the names…

 

Kelly: St. Vincent de Paul parish, and Elkhart County Community Baptist Church.

 

Chris: At St. Vincent’s I was lost. I didn’t know what any of the traditions were, and I didn’t know what was going on.

 

Kelly: It’s almost comforting, knowing what will come next because it rarely changes.

 

Chris: It was a game of follow the leader. “Now we’re standing. Now we’re sitting. Now we’re singing in Latin. Now we’re saying ‘And also with you’”

 

Kelly: As my track coach says, the people know what kind of Sunday it is. This time it was a children’s mass, so the homily was shorter and meant for children.

 

Chris: I think I would get very bored at something like that. The priest only addressed the children for a few minutes. At the Baptist service (and services I attended as a child) the majority of the service is the pastor’s sermon. He’s supposed to teach the congregation, but I didn’t really get that impression at St. Vincent’s.

 

Kelly: Mass isn’t meant for teaching the congregation solely. The entire mass is a prayer leading up to communion, and the sermon plays a small role. All of the kneeling and Latin were all preparations for communion. I think for this reason, it isn’t as friendly toward visitors. Communion is not allowed for non-Catholics, and so the whole prayer leading toward it may seem pointless for someone who isn’t preparing to take it.

 

Chris: It did. I was confused and bored. It was almost embarrassing to not know what to do, but at the same time I wondered what the point was. I guess I never really understood rituals. Though I will say I was much more comfortable with the overall presentation of Mass than the Baptist service, which was much louder (and longer).

 

Kelly: One of the biggest problems facing Catholics is that they don’t understand the rituals, so it’s very important for teaching masses. Do you remember the “peace” ritual?

 

Chris: “Peace” “Peace” “Peace” “Hey, you, Peace” “Oh, and you, Peace” That ritual?

 

Kelly: Yeah. Why do you suppose we shake hands just then? Why not at the beginning of mass?

 

Chris: No idea. Just in case somebody comes in late?

 

Kelly: (Laughing.) Definitely not. We said the “Our Father” right before the peace-making ritual. In which it says Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. The Gospel recounts Jesus telling a group of men to make peace with their brothers before approaching the altar.

 

Chris: I see.

 

Kelly: It’s very important to us to reconcile with everyone before communion. When it all comes down to it, it’s all about communion. We hold it as the most important sacrament.

 

Chris: At the Baptist service, it seems like we greeted those around us right after singing, right? They probably did do that in case somebody came in late…there were a lot of people that came in late.

 

Kelly: There were people coming in late at mass, too. They were just more embarrassed, I think. It’s not exactly a laid-back environment.

 

Chris: That’s true. I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles.

 

Kelly: That’s probably how Catholics get their iron fist reputation; they’re gracious with outsiders, but they don’t appreciate late-comers and such.

 

Chris: The 11th commandment: Thou shall not be late.

 

Kelly: Everyone noticed you, but no one said anything to you in case it would embarrass you. They all asked me about you later.

 

Chris: At the same time, not saying anything to me made me feel like nobody noticed or cared I was there.

 

Kelly: Mass is usually an independent event. It’s not common to make friends during church. We depend on fellowship developing afterward, on committees, and our famous CRHP weekend.

 

Chris: I see.

 

Kelly: Trust me, I had at least 10 people ask me about you; they noticed and cared. So how about the music? How different was that compared to what you’re used to?

 

Chris: Haha. We’ll I’ve never sung in Latin before. And the Hymnals were a blast from the past.

 

Kelly: Not exactly how I would describe them, ha.

 

Chris: The churches I went to all had projectors that put the words up on a screen big enough everyone could read. And it was usually Christian rock music.

 

Kelly: You know how I said the parishioners know what kind of Sunday it was? That was a traditional Sunday. I went back to mass later that day and there was a longer, more pointed homily, as well as more upbeat music. Rock, no. But upbeat, yes. It’s difficult to please the crowds; there’s the Old Italian group, a newer English group, and a thriving, energetic Latino group. St. Vincent’s struggles to mix the three ethnic groups.

 

Chris: That’s interesting. The Baptist church seemed to be 100% WASP.

 

Kelly: WASP?

 

Chris: White Anglo-Saxon Protestants

 

Kelly: Gotcha. St. Vincent’s has about 3,000 members though, compared to the 30 we saw at the Baptist church.

 

Chris: That’s true. Should we talk about the Baptist service now?

 

Kelly: Sure, if you think we have enough material.

 

Chris: Well, you seemed to be completely taken aback by it, so why don’t you start?

 

Kelly: I always thought the ‘fire and brimstone’ stereotype was just that: a stereotype. It definitely wasn’t. There was yelling, there was hell. I have heard one homily in my life where we addressed how scary it would be to go to hell. The preacher there spends three sermons on it yearly, plus the hell references during all of the other sermons.

 

Chris: He also yelled quite a bit. I have a feeling that’s his style. It’s probably the way he knows and thinks it is most effective in getting his message across. Nobody wants to go to hell, so they will listen. They’re scared.

 

Kelly: But nobody seemed scared. They were all smiling, hugging, and amen-ing. Oh, and nobody sat still. That drove me crazy; people just walked in and out, shuffling around.

 

Chris: It certainly didn’t have the structure rigidity that Mass did.

 

Kelly: Not just the structure rigidity. It was so lax (clothing, moving around, free mic) that it nearly seemed poor. And by that, I mean that it felt like a handful of farmers had come together with no agenda to praise the Lord. Poor probably isn’t the best word, but I imagine barefoot children in the South coming in from their cotton-picking to talk about the damnation of hell.

 

Chris: I wouldn’t say that at all. I think they came together to “praise the lord.” And it was a much more grassroots approach, but I think it is that they believe religion should be accessible to anyone. You shouldn’t have to know a bunch of rituals or speak Latin, it should be about a personal relationship between you and God.

 

Kelly: It didn’t feel personal whatsoever. It was a shared, common faith; that was probably the best part about the service. It wasn’t an individualized, personalized service. You were meant to speak your amens and talk with your neighbors. Your prayers were public. It wasn’t personalized. It was a big community worship. And I did say it was to praise the Lord, even if there was no agenda.

 

Chris: I meant personal in the sense that it was comfortable. It wasn’t a formal relationship, but that God was your Dad…not your Father.

 

Kelly: To me, calling God your Dad seems a bit irreverent. I think there’s a line; we’re taught to give God your best, so you dress up. It’s hard for me not to feel strange about churchgoers in jeans. If they truly were poor farmers, I wouldn’t think twice. But they’re not poor farmers. I wanted them to dress up. At least I hope they’re not poor farmers. Then I’d feel like a jerk.

 

Chris: I think they probably are the Elkhart’s equivalent of poor farmers. They weren’t wealthy in appearance, and the majority of them probably had blue-collar jobs. Not quite the peasant slave of Hamlet’s time, but they’re far from Donald Trump.

 

Kelly: I know, but Goodwill exists. I still don’t think anyone should wear jeans with holes in them to church.

 

Chris: That’s because you’re Catholic. You guys are sticklers about your traditions. Like I probably said before, these people are less formal with God. Rituals don’t have as much meaning.

 

Kelly: It’s not a ritual though, it’s respectful.

 

Chris: Maybe it simply isn’t enforced or thought about within their church and belief system. I don’t think they dress in jeans to be disrespectful–if they did why even go to church? I think they do it because they are comfortable within their beliefs and don’t see it as something wrong.

 

Kelly: It’s not like it’s a sin. It just seems strange–there’s that old phrase “your Sunday best.” I figured it would apply to Baptists more than other denominations.

 

Chris: The thing about many Protestant churches is that they are making religion more fun. To keep people coming to worship, they relax the strict traditions–like dressing up and singing hymns.

 

Kelly: I’m not sure religion was meant to be fun. That kind of defeats the purpose if you go out of your way to make your worship fun. It’s about God, not you. I admit that we include more upbeat music because it is more pleasing, and the Vatican has relaxed a lot of strict traditions. But there’s got to be a line somewhere. At some point you have to say, “This is formal worship. I should wear something whole.”

 

Chris: Catholics maybe. But, that’s not what this church was about. It was about community. Coming together to worship God. If I’m not embarrassed to wear something in front of my neighbors, why should I be to wear it in church? They focused on community much more than at St. Vincent’s. They had a time where they had members ask for the congregation to pray for individuals, they had an individual sing a hymn to mark the one year anniversary of her mother’s death. They greeted us as soon as we came in and said goodbye when we left. The focus isn’t on being formal–what the Catholic tradition is doesn’t apply here.

 

Kelly: Those traditions aren’t foreign to the Catholic Church. I have been to masses where individual prayers are encouraged (just like what we witnessed), and even personalized music. The reason you didn’t see it was pragmatic; we’re a huge congregation compared to them. And we weren’t greeted because we came in the back way. Father Phil did say goodbye to us. The differences you noticed had nothing to do with doctrine–it was pure pragmatism. The biggest difference I see is one of purpose. It appeared as though they gathered to teach, whereas we gathered to pray.

 

Chris: I guess there’s something to be said about that too. Not all the changes we notice can be attributed to the religion–only the church. As I’m sure other churches of the same denomination carry out services differently. I would agree with that statement.

 

Kelly: I wish we had the time to go to a Mennonite church. My experiences at the Mennonite church have been incredible. I was publicly encouraged to genuflect and cross myself in order to “be the best Catholic I could be.” It’s incredible; we have a Mennonite man who is very active on Catholic retreats and formations. They’ve actually merged some customs…it’s really neat.

 

Chris: Methodists have communion–but we let others take it.

 

Chris: *we=they (I’m only a Methodist when it’s convenient).

 

Kelly: Mennonites also have communion, but only baptized Christians can take it. Because I’m a practicing, baptized Catholic, I was allowed to take it. The idea that communion is only for those who truly understand it isn’t a Catholic idea. Ha: Catholic means universal. That sentence made me laugh. Okay, sorry.

 

Chris: Did we mention that you laughed out loud during the Baptist service? Because I want to make sure that makes it in.

 

Kelly: All the fire and brimstones, clapping and shouting was funny. It confirmed the stereotypes so perfectly…

 

Chris: Actually, both churches lived up to their stereotypes. Maybe we should do another story called “All I learned about religion I got from stereotypes.”

Confession…

   I’m struggling right now with a bit of a writer’s block. I can’t seem to engage myself in any events and nothing’s really caught my interest. If anyone has some suggestions, I’d like to break out of this rut.

Thanks,
Kelly

Carnival show exhibits talent

   The annual Carnival Variety Show has a multi-faceted meaning—to the students, an exhausting week of preparation; to seniors, the last big hurrah; to spectators, arguably the most entertaining musical performance that CHS has to offer. This year, the Carnival show had a few down moments, but generally upheld its promise of entertainment.
            The Lion King theme baffled me, as only two performances out of the 21 sported any ties to it, but the spectacular set compensated well enough for me to overlook it. The opening sequence was well-executed and flavored by the miscellaneous band members wandering around in giraffe and monkey costumes.
            The Concord Singers performed “On Children” next, which had its strengths and weaknesses. The singers themselves were excellent, and the lyrics were amusing to a teenager; the performance style was what struck me as unusual. As a showcase of talent, the Carnival Variety Show scores very well. As a form of entertainment, however, the concert-style pieces—in band, orchestra and vocalists—seem out-of-place. Pieces without movement just didn’t hit the entertainment quota.  
            While I concede that I may have a bias, I must admit that I was most impressed by the orchestra. Their rendition of “Pirates of the Caribbean” rocked the show with its quality, amusement, costuming and general effect. As far as I’m considered, they coupled their talent with entertainment to provide the best piece of the night.
            The Concord Singers displayed exquisite talent too, although I was disappointed with how little they danced. Soloist Bethany Curton was hauntingly beautiful in “Shadowland” and Liz Kelly’s “The Girl in 14G” was just plain impressive. She ended the senior slides with Arielle Muccio in a remarkable duet of Wicked’s “For Good.” It was a difficult piece, but both girls pulled it off.
            The jazz bands’ performances seemed a bit askew this year. For some reason, Jazz I, typically known for its enthusiasm and talent, just pulled away with the talent portion this year. For the first time in my recollection, the performers just looked tired. Their pieces “Blue Ramble” and “Thriller” were both excellent tastes of music, but after years of the jazz band hamming it up, left me surprised.
            My only complaint regarding the dance team is that there was only one solo performance (not including the opening number’s inclusion of dance). There were many pieces where I felt that it would be appropriate to add in dancers and wished they would have been included.
            It is impossible to remember the 2008 Carnival Variety Show without instantly thinking of the “American Idol-Cowboy: ‘They Went Thataway’” segment. The three judges—Kenny Mashala, Abby Miller and Fernando Gonzalez— impersonated Randy, Paula and Simon perfectly, although my personal favorite was Jeremiah VanderMolen’s interpretation of Ryan Seacrest. Although it was inevitable that the screeching Bob (Andy Ha) would capture the title, my heart was stolen by Travis Cox’s “Cows Got In My Way.”
            The show ended with the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and at the risk of sounding largely unpatriotic, it did not fit the atmosphere of the show. All in all, the show ranked highly and talent even higher—excluding Bob, of course.