I've kind of had a passing fascination with "Biblical prophecy expert" Jack Van Impe ever since I first saw the commercials for his televangelism show when I moved to Arizona. We didn't get that kind of... interesting... viewing material where I came from.

Plus, his wife's name is Rexella, which is kind of nifty. Rexella Van Impe. It actually rolls off the tongue. They did a commercial for their TV program where he lavishes praise on her for earning her doctorate. It's like watching the kid whose leg is in a cast try to walk up the flight of stairs...you're rooting for him, but at the same time you don't want to stare because you know he's just going to fall again.

So I'm even more impressed with him since he called Pat Robertson on the mat today for Robertson's crazy assassination talk last week. I don't know if he did it for the ratings or what, but you've got to respect an extremist like Van Impe - and for all my distant admiration, he's still an extremist - for policing his own. Especially with someone as powerful and scary as Robertson. If genuine, that took guts and integrity.

On the other hand, one guess who Robertson's gonna blame for the next terrorist attack/hurricane...