Wow. I thought of 20 very fast. Moved several in and out of the list, but it comes down to "what criteria defines greatest invention." So I used the following:
-Originality. Something from nothing. That is, adapting a natural process into a mechanical process is adaption, not invention.
-Impact. Did the invention fundamentally change human affairs? How quickly did it do so?
-Thing Not a System. I discarded "Banking" and "Plumbing" as systems, not things.
These are arguably too restrictive, but, hey, argue with me. Without further ado...
1) Metallurgy (40,000 BC [gold] and 3,000 BC [bronze]). The ability to consistently create bronze (copper and tin) led to the first great age of advancement in human history.
2) Astrolabe (Hipparchus 150 BC). The astrolabe guided seafarers for over a thousand years before the sextant improved on the basic concept. But the ability to navigate accurately without reference to land enabled brave souls to explore beyond the horizon.
3) Gunpowder (China 800 AD). Oh my. The start of technology based arms race. "You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can get with just a kind word." - Al Capone. Upside - fireworks!
4) The Printing Press (Gutenberg 1450). "What gunpowder did for war, the printing press has done for the mind.” - Wendall Phillips. I don't consider this the single greatest invention, but the impact of cheaply distributing the printed word can not be underestimated.
5) Calculus (Newton/Leibnitz 1680). Greek philosopher Zeno saw an arrow fly and wondered: If at any instant in time, an arrow travelling through space is in a fixed position, so how do you explain "movement"? By infinite series. Derivatives and integrals gave me fits in school, but form the basis of all modern engineering and applied science.
6) Steam Engine (Newcomen 1712). I am giving Newcomen credit, though many others can claim credit, because his steam engine was the first widespread practical industrial engine. And it is really the "industrial" part I am focusing on.
7) Cotton Gin (Whitney 1793). I have been torn on what I would call agricultural inventions. You could argue the Plow was a great invention, though I would argue the Combine, which allowed farmers to produce a surplus of grain, had a bigger impact. But the combine owes its basis to the cotton gin, which mechanized the production of cotton fiber. The downside is that the cotton gin (gin, BTW, is short for "engine") was so successful in advancing cotton production that it prolonged slavery.
8) Radio (Tesla 1893). Next time you access WiFi at Starbucks remember Nicola Tesla. Until wireless communication there needed to be a physical connection (cable or sight) between communicating parties. Radio was the first step in drastically shrinking our world.
9) Penicillin (Fleming 1928). This was a coin toss with Vaccines, Anesthesia and Pasteurization. But the impact of Penicillin to basic health has been miraculous.
10) Transistor (1947 Bardeen/Brittian/Shockley). The movement from pure conductors (say copper wire) to semi-conductive material initiated the Electronic Age, the Information Age and all things beyond.
So some of the items that did not make the list, but could have: Alphabet, the Lightbulb, the Battery, the Zipper (don't laugh) and Atomic Bomb.
8.02.2007
Kill All the Lawyers
Eric over at Classical Values (quickly becoming a daily read for me) has a really good post on creating wealth vs. redistributing wealth. As an attorney and having practiced in the "real world" I will say that the vast majority of lawyers I knew were good people trying to help clients.
But I am a creator of wealth by nature which is why I found lawyering professionally unsatisfying.
What struck me about the post, though, is that as I look at and back upon my professional career my closest professional friendships have been creators and my worst professional enemies have been thieves...er, redistributors.
Furthermore, it seems to crystallize my political views also. I care less whether a person had an "-R" or "-D" after their name then whether they are out to tax me more and/or squander my money. Ted Stevens is taking our tax dollars and funnelling it to his family...that is thievery. I don't give a shit that he is Republican. This entitlement attitude of Congress is the one area of real bipartisanship and proof we need term limits.
Finally, EXCELLENT challenge. I will post on this later today.
But I am a creator of wealth by nature which is why I found lawyering professionally unsatisfying.
What struck me about the post, though, is that as I look at and back upon my professional career my closest professional friendships have been creators and my worst professional enemies have been thieves...er, redistributors.
Furthermore, it seems to crystallize my political views also. I care less whether a person had an "-R" or "-D" after their name then whether they are out to tax me more and/or squander my money. Ted Stevens is taking our tax dollars and funnelling it to his family...that is thievery. I don't give a shit that he is Republican. This entitlement attitude of Congress is the one area of real bipartisanship and proof we need term limits.
Finally, EXCELLENT challenge. I will post on this later today.
8.01.2007
Opinions are like rectums...
I was speaking with a client during the normal course of business, and it came up as a sidebar the sport of golf. The corporate sport, wheeling and dealing on the golf course, etc etc etc.
The question was posed to me about my golf game, and when I responded that I was a lower single digit handicapper, the response was "whoa, you must play good golf all the time". I wish. I have my days, and as a joke, I responded with "well, most of the time - but I could have a breakdown and then it's ugly." I'm sure I have invented new swear words on a truly bad hole, especially if said breakdown causes me to lose a match to Tilam.
But this conversation got me thinking...since I have seen fit to invent new ways of cursing a golf ball, golf course, the greenskeeper, and my caddie, I also wondered aloud today's challenge...
What would you consider the top 10 inventions of all time?
The question was posed to me about my golf game, and when I responded that I was a lower single digit handicapper, the response was "whoa, you must play good golf all the time". I wish. I have my days, and as a joke, I responded with "well, most of the time - but I could have a breakdown and then it's ugly." I'm sure I have invented new swear words on a truly bad hole, especially if said breakdown causes me to lose a match to Tilam.
But this conversation got me thinking...since I have seen fit to invent new ways of cursing a golf ball, golf course, the greenskeeper, and my caddie, I also wondered aloud today's challenge...
What would you consider the top 10 inventions of all time?
Ouch
Of course, I COULD talk some grammatical smack talk "he was not think" should really probably be "he was not thinkING", but in the end, I f**ked up royally with my history memory.
The pain of Tilam's laughing voicemail will haunt me forever.
The pain of Tilam's laughing voicemail will haunt me forever.
Bluto Blutarsky View of WWII
Bluto: "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"
Otter: "Germans?"
Boon: "Forget it, he's rolling."
FDR was not thinking at all when the Bomb was dropped...he was dead. Truman decided to drop the Bomb.
Nonetheless, FDR is a very worthy dinner guest for all sorts of reasons.
UPDATE: Doh! "Think" has been corrected...
Otter: "Germans?"
Boon: "Forget it, he's rolling."
FDR was not thinking at all when the Bomb was dropped...he was dead. Truman decided to drop the Bomb.
Nonetheless, FDR is a very worthy dinner guest for all sorts of reasons.
UPDATE: Doh! "Think" has been corrected...
Good List
Well, we are thinking somewhat alike. My Top 5 are:
Jesus Christ. #1 by a long shot. Fraught with risk, but, as a Christian, talking to the Son of God would be spectacular.
John Adams. Thew's comment on the Founding Fathers is dead on...my choice is Adams. I read David McCollough's book and was hooked. Few people realize that Adams defended the soldiers who shot the protesters at the Boston Massacre.
Socrates. The ultimate conversationalist.
Admiral Lord Nelson. I would love to spend time with him on the HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar. Oddly, of all the military leaders to talk to, Nelson is my top guy.
Jacques deMolay. Who??? The last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Burned at the stake because he refuse the corrupt King Philip and Pope Clement demand to confess to heresey. Cursed his accusers who both died that same year. But I really want to know where is the Holy Grail.
The last few people to be dropped from the invite list were Cleopatra, Sun Tzu, Shakespeare and Saladin.
Next challenge Thew???
Jesus Christ. #1 by a long shot. Fraught with risk, but, as a Christian, talking to the Son of God would be spectacular.
John Adams. Thew's comment on the Founding Fathers is dead on...my choice is Adams. I read David McCollough's book and was hooked. Few people realize that Adams defended the soldiers who shot the protesters at the Boston Massacre.
Socrates. The ultimate conversationalist.
Admiral Lord Nelson. I would love to spend time with him on the HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar. Oddly, of all the military leaders to talk to, Nelson is my top guy.
Jacques deMolay. Who??? The last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Burned at the stake because he refuse the corrupt King Philip and Pope Clement demand to confess to heresey. Cursed his accusers who both died that same year. But I really want to know where is the Holy Grail.
The last few people to be dropped from the invite list were Cleopatra, Sun Tzu, Shakespeare and Saladin.
Next challenge Thew???
Like missing a 2 footer for birdie...
Hmm, it does seem I screwed up. Augusta was on my original list, not sure where it got deleted when I made the post. Take off the TPC @ Sawgrass and replace it. Thew records a double bogey with this omission.
Clarification: I played Oakmont East. Not THE Oakmont, otherwise known as Oakmont West. Beat Oakmont East into submission, but that's a hollow victory at best.
Onward...
**********
Wow, what a tough question! Thoughful and insightful, something not normally evident during conversations with Tilam.
FDR - I'd very VERY interested in the process this man went through when deciding to drop the atomic bomb on Japan.
Da Vinci - this man was a creative thinker and artist decades ahead of his time, to be able to chat with him about his thoughts and how they pertain to the world while he was alive would be fascinating to me
Albert Einstein - just to pick his brain about the universe, the theory of relativity, and all the science stuff would be a neat thing
Benjamin Franklin - really any of the Founding Fathers would be an excellent conversation about liberty, revolution, and plans for a new nation (Jefferson, Washington, Madison, Adams, Hamilton, Hancock, and et al)
God - cuz I want answers about Life, the Universe, and Everything
Other notable people who would be an excellent dinner conversation:
King Arthur
Julius Caesar
Winston Churchill
Karl Marx
Cortes
Confucious
Buddha
Atilla the Hun
Ramses II
Christopher Columbus
Charles Darwin
**********
Kudos to the Bravo's for making some excellent MLB trades. Do you think that acquiring Eric Gagne was more about Boston NOT letting the Yankees get him? Nice to see that Kevin McHale still plays for the Celtics - anyone who knows even a smattering about the NBA will look at his trading of Kevin Garnett to Boston for a bunch of shitheads and scrubs as the stupid GM move of the NBA season. I hope whoever blew McHale swallowed too.
Well, Gary Player was right. Alessandro Pissilli was found guilty of using a banned substance. The bad news is that he is facing a 2 year ban from Italian Professional Golf. The good news is that he's already qualified for the Tour de France next year.
Thew out...
Clarification: I played Oakmont East. Not THE Oakmont, otherwise known as Oakmont West. Beat Oakmont East into submission, but that's a hollow victory at best.
Onward...
**********
Wow, what a tough question! Thoughful and insightful, something not normally evident during conversations with Tilam.
FDR - I'd very VERY interested in the process this man went through when deciding to drop the atomic bomb on Japan.
Da Vinci - this man was a creative thinker and artist decades ahead of his time, to be able to chat with him about his thoughts and how they pertain to the world while he was alive would be fascinating to me
Albert Einstein - just to pick his brain about the universe, the theory of relativity, and all the science stuff would be a neat thing
Benjamin Franklin - really any of the Founding Fathers would be an excellent conversation about liberty, revolution, and plans for a new nation (Jefferson, Washington, Madison, Adams, Hamilton, Hancock, and et al)
God - cuz I want answers about Life, the Universe, and Everything
Other notable people who would be an excellent dinner conversation:
King Arthur
Julius Caesar
Winston Churchill
Karl Marx
Cortes
Confucious
Buddha
Atilla the Hun
Ramses II
Christopher Columbus
Charles Darwin
**********
Kudos to the Bravo's for making some excellent MLB trades. Do you think that acquiring Eric Gagne was more about Boston NOT letting the Yankees get him? Nice to see that Kevin McHale still plays for the Celtics - anyone who knows even a smattering about the NBA will look at his trading of Kevin Garnett to Boston for a bunch of shitheads and scrubs as the stupid GM move of the NBA season. I hope whoever blew McHale swallowed too.
Well, Gary Player was right. Alessandro Pissilli was found guilty of using a banned substance. The bad news is that he is facing a 2 year ban from Italian Professional Golf. The good news is that he's already qualified for the Tour de France next year.
Thew out...
7.31.2007
Retort and Challenge
No Augusta? I am a bit surprised, but a solid list and also rans are all worthy. But I thought you played Oakmont...
Okay, the next challenge is something completely different. You have a time machine that will take you to any time and any place in the past. (It gives you the give of tongues, also.) You have five trips.
Who are the five people you would visit in history? Why? Feel free to describe what you might say or do.
Rules: you can't alter the space-time continuum, so any attempt to kill Hitler will not succeed.
Okay, the next challenge is something completely different. You have a time machine that will take you to any time and any place in the past. (It gives you the give of tongues, also.) You have five trips.
Who are the five people you would visit in history? Why? Feel free to describe what you might say or do.
Rules: you can't alter the space-time continuum, so any attempt to kill Hitler will not succeed.
Winter Rules Everywhere!
Interesting list. Actually, we don't have very many in common, looking at them. I live near Pacific/Bandon Dunes here in the pacific NW, I'm dying to play there, I've heard people fawning all over themselves to compliment this course. Medinah would have been on my list had I a month to live, but alas, not if it's only a week. An old girlfriend told me to kiss her where it smells, so I drove to New Jersey and planted one; no interest in Pine Valley. The only thing that would drag me back to New Jersey is a Bon Jovi concert (mostly because Mrs Thew would be soupy at seeing Jon strut his stuff). Anyway, here ya go, my last week on earth golfing:
Sunday - Oakmont - maybe if I land in the CHURCH pews I'd get a diving reprieve?
Monday - Pinehurst
Tuesday - Winged Foot
Wednesday - Bethpage Black
Thursday - TPC @ Sawgrass
Friday - Pebble Beach
Saturday - St. Andrews
Professional courses I've actually played:
Oak Hill in Rochester, NY. Made a decent enough accounting of myself, shot an 81.
Kapalua (since I've already played this gorgeous gem, I will not play it again before I die) in Maui. Windy yes, but the slick greens are the big monster at this place. Shot an 82.
Couer d' Alene in Idaho (1994 Andersen Championships for those of you "out of the loop") could not withstand my assault, a solid 76 at this Pac NW Gem. Got to play a 19th hole that night too. *grin*
The Monster @ the Concord Resort in Lake Kiamesha, NY? I have played there before, it's a really angry course. My best score is in the mid to high-80's (last time I played there was age 16?) after a stellar 40 on the front started my round off nicely. I know I'd do WAY better at 42 than anything prior to 30.
Tilam, your turn to choose topic?
Sunday - Oakmont - maybe if I land in the CHURCH pews I'd get a diving reprieve?
Monday - Pinehurst
Tuesday - Winged Foot
Wednesday - Bethpage Black
Thursday - TPC @ Sawgrass
Friday - Pebble Beach
Saturday - St. Andrews
Professional courses I've actually played:
Oak Hill in Rochester, NY. Made a decent enough accounting of myself, shot an 81.
Kapalua (since I've already played this gorgeous gem, I will not play it again before I die) in Maui. Windy yes, but the slick greens are the big monster at this place. Shot an 82.
Couer d' Alene in Idaho (1994 Andersen Championships for those of you "out of the loop") could not withstand my assault, a solid 76 at this Pac NW Gem. Got to play a 19th hole that night too. *grin*
The Monster @ the Concord Resort in Lake Kiamesha, NY? I have played there before, it's a really angry course. My best score is in the mid to high-80's (last time I played there was age 16?) after a stellar 40 on the front started my round off nicely. I know I'd do WAY better at 42 than anything prior to 30.
Tilam, your turn to choose topic?
Fore! I Mean My Top 7 Courses...
One week. Shall I assume that "private" courses have a terminal illness clause? One other caveat: I have played The Country Club, so I have been able to strike that from the list and .
Sunday: Augusta - I just want to make sure I get this round in.
Monday: Pebble Beach - Seeing it so many times on the tube makes it seem like a neighborhood course.
Tuesday: Pacific Dunes - And its neighbor, Bandon Dunes, become instant classics.
Wednesday: Kapalua - I hate windy courses, but I am dying in a few days anyway...how much worse could my mood get?
Thursday: Medinah - A diamond in the Midwest.
Friday: Pine Valley - The only nice thing in NJ.
Saturday: The Monster - Sentimental reasons. Let's see if I do any better at 44 then at 14.
Back at you...*croak*
Sunday: Augusta - I just want to make sure I get this round in.
Monday: Pebble Beach - Seeing it so many times on the tube makes it seem like a neighborhood course.
Tuesday: Pacific Dunes - And its neighbor, Bandon Dunes, become instant classics.
Wednesday: Kapalua - I hate windy courses, but I am dying in a few days anyway...how much worse could my mood get?
Thursday: Medinah - A diamond in the Midwest.
Friday: Pine Valley - The only nice thing in NJ.
Saturday: The Monster - Sentimental reasons. Let's see if I do any better at 44 then at 14.
Back at you...*croak*
7.30.2007
When Silver Equals Gold
So the 49ers were famous for their activities in and surrounding the gold rush - but many will remember Bill Walsh's striking SILVER when hoisting the Lombardi trophy as the NFL Super Bowl champion. His legacy will live on long beyond his passing - the sport has lost a real pioneer.
One of Michael Vick's co-defendents is pleading guilty and stating that he will cooperate fully with the federal government and that this is NOT a deal to bury Vick. Seems like friendship for mah homie only goes so far...
Okay, back to the debate:
TILAM, you have 1 week to live, and you can play golf on ONE course per day. Pick 'em...
One of Michael Vick's co-defendents is pleading guilty and stating that he will cooperate fully with the federal government and that this is NOT a deal to bury Vick. Seems like friendship for mah homie only goes so far...
Okay, back to the debate:
TILAM, you have 1 week to live, and you can play golf on ONE course per day. Pick 'em...
Then Miner, 49er, Soon Began to Peak and Pine
Bill Walsh has died. Most people forget that the success of the NFL is a 20-25 year phenomenon. After the Bradshaw/Noll Steelers and Staubach/Landry Cowboys peaked the public's interest, along came a quarterback named Montana and a classy Coach by the name of Bill Walsh. On January 10, 1982, Dwight Clark caught a pass which became know as The Catch and the Niners beat the Cowboys in the NFC Championships and the torch was passed. Walsh leaves behind an impressive legacy of proteges.
With the Michael Vick saga grabbing the front page, it is important to remember the Class Acts in the sport.
Requiescat in Pace
With the Michael Vick saga grabbing the front page, it is important to remember the Class Acts in the sport.
Requiescat in Pace
Hmmmmm, Not Quite What I was Expecting
We do agree, as it turns out, on more than a few of these. I have a few to add, though I am guessing that these are a bit obscure. But first a story...
When I was a Little Tilam, my folks went out to eat and left my younger brother, my younger cousin and me at home with our much older cousin babysitting. That night we were watching a horror flick called "The Crawling Eye." I was probably 8 or 9 and the other two were 6 or 7. We were on the couch scared out of our minds watching this thing when my cousin went to the bathroom. As a joke, she let out a blood curdling scream. I have never been more scared in my life. At that age, there were Crawling Eyes and it definitely had just eaten our cousin.
Horror movies suck you in and make you believe.
The ones we agree:
Psycho. Hitchcock at his horrible best. I still get scared.
Alien. Classic haunted house genre done perfectly. Deleted scenes too much for even jaded audiences.
Exorcist. The grandpappy of the "possession" thrillers, so Rosemary's Baby and The Omen don't make it.
Jaws. "You're gonna need a bigger boat," to knock out this movie.
The Shining. "Here's Johnny!" Nicholson at his creepy best.
Caveat: I have not seen Saw, but more then Thew place it in the Top 10...
The next five:
The Sixth Sense. Loved it and the final twist just made the movie.
Manhunter. The much better prequel to Silence of the Lambs. Dark and disturbing.
Halloween. The original slasher is still the best.
The Other. The movie was just as scary as the book. Several plot twist keep you guessing.
The Changeling. George C. Scott overlooked pants pisser. Makes a rubber ball bouncing down the stairs terrifying.
There several honorable mentions. I loved Poltergeist. In particular the use of kids to create the suspense got to me. I need to tip my hat to Willard. Another 70s throwback that scared the shit out of me (and everyone else). I also loved Se7en with Brad and Gweneth, and thought the end was great. Kudos also to Jurassic Park which managed to peg the "oh, shit" meter a few times.
Here is another perspective from the Boston Globe.
Finally, I would be remiss in not mentioning Resident Evil. No, not the movie, but the game. The music, the undead, CLASSIC!
When I was a Little Tilam, my folks went out to eat and left my younger brother, my younger cousin and me at home with our much older cousin babysitting. That night we were watching a horror flick called "The Crawling Eye." I was probably 8 or 9 and the other two were 6 or 7. We were on the couch scared out of our minds watching this thing when my cousin went to the bathroom. As a joke, she let out a blood curdling scream. I have never been more scared in my life. At that age, there were Crawling Eyes and it definitely had just eaten our cousin.
Horror movies suck you in and make you believe.
The ones we agree:
Psycho. Hitchcock at his horrible best. I still get scared.
Alien. Classic haunted house genre done perfectly. Deleted scenes too much for even jaded audiences.
Exorcist. The grandpappy of the "possession" thrillers, so Rosemary's Baby and The Omen don't make it.
Jaws. "You're gonna need a bigger boat," to knock out this movie.
The Shining. "Here's Johnny!" Nicholson at his creepy best.
Caveat: I have not seen Saw, but more then Thew place it in the Top 10...
The next five:
The Sixth Sense. Loved it and the final twist just made the movie.
Manhunter. The much better prequel to Silence of the Lambs. Dark and disturbing.
Halloween. The original slasher is still the best.
The Other. The movie was just as scary as the book. Several plot twist keep you guessing.
The Changeling. George C. Scott overlooked pants pisser. Makes a rubber ball bouncing down the stairs terrifying.
There several honorable mentions. I loved Poltergeist. In particular the use of kids to create the suspense got to me. I need to tip my hat to Willard. Another 70s throwback that scared the shit out of me (and everyone else). I also loved Se7en with Brad and Gweneth, and thought the end was great. Kudos also to Jurassic Park which managed to peg the "oh, shit" meter a few times.
Here is another perspective from the Boston Globe.
Finally, I would be remiss in not mentioning Resident Evil. No, not the movie, but the game. The music, the undead, CLASSIC!
Oh, the horror!
For my money, if it's a horror flick, and no one dies in the first 5 minutes, it's not worth the money. But as Tilam says, good horror flicks are not about blood, gore, entrails, and nakes co-eds (well, maybe naked co-eds), good horror flicks affect your mind, not your eyes. Splatterfests with flying karo syrup and body parts, drooling nasties feasting on the innards of poor women, these were de facto for a long time. Now we see a change back to the psychological horror movies, movies that scare the shit outta you with suspense, not with boogeymen leaping out of the close and cutting you up with a meat cleaver (which, btw, can be kinda cool looking).
So, in response to Tilam's conversational segue, I present Thew's top 10 horror flicks:
Psycho
Jaws
Carrie
Saw
The Exorcist
Alien
the Hitcher Rutger Hauer is AWESOME
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Omen
The Shining
Honorable mention goes to a few others, in my opinion. Bram Stoker's Dracula is a great movie just because of Gary Oldman's portrayal of the Count, at least in the earlier part of the movie - he brings a power and, well, sexiness to the character never before seen. Also props to the "big three" of the 80's (or so), Halloween with a young hottie named Jamie Lee Curtis, Friday the 13th with a young Kevin Bacon, and Nightmare of Elm Street with a young Johnny Depp. The Sixth Sense was not so much of a "psychological horror flick" but was a great suspense movie and kudos for a GREAT ending twist. The Amityville Horror probably should make it on the list, but I'm kinda "so so" about it - oooo, spooky spooky, but ultimately not as much of an impact as I'd like. I'm going to get slammed for not including Silence of the Lambs, but I don't see it as a "horror flick", it's more of a crime drama. But based on Anthony Hopkins' creepy joi de verve in playing Hannibal the Cannibal, it must be mentioned. I'd give some props to Salem's Lot but ultimately have a real difficult time praising a HORROR moving starring Hutch and Lance Kerwin, one of the boy toys of the 70's.
So, in response to Tilam's conversational segue, I present Thew's top 10 horror flicks:
Psycho
Jaws
Carrie
Saw
The Exorcist
Alien
the Hitcher Rutger Hauer is AWESOME
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Omen
The Shining
Honorable mention goes to a few others, in my opinion. Bram Stoker's Dracula is a great movie just because of Gary Oldman's portrayal of the Count, at least in the earlier part of the movie - he brings a power and, well, sexiness to the character never before seen. Also props to the "big three" of the 80's (or so), Halloween with a young hottie named Jamie Lee Curtis, Friday the 13th with a young Kevin Bacon, and Nightmare of Elm Street with a young Johnny Depp. The Sixth Sense was not so much of a "psychological horror flick" but was a great suspense movie and kudos for a GREAT ending twist. The Amityville Horror probably should make it on the list, but I'm kinda "so so" about it - oooo, spooky spooky, but ultimately not as much of an impact as I'd like. I'm going to get slammed for not including Silence of the Lambs, but I don't see it as a "horror flick", it's more of a crime drama. But based on Anthony Hopkins' creepy joi de verve in playing Hannibal the Cannibal, it must be mentioned. I'd give some props to Salem's Lot but ultimately have a real difficult time praising a HORROR moving starring Hutch and Lance Kerwin, one of the boy toys of the 70's.
The Cooler King
C'mon. Give me a hard question.
Kudos to Animal House, which I should have considered more seriously and bumped Fletch. Same with Bachelor Party, which certainly deserves a mention, though is not Top 10 material.
The seems to be an Ahnold bias with both Terminator and Predator in the Thew Top 10. Oddly, I was torn about including an Ahnold flick, but my favorite Schwarzenegger movie is Total Recall. Terminator is a close second.
But the fact is that there at least 20 Top 10 Guy Movies. I just don't think you can narrow it down to a "definitive" 10.
Now, I pass the leadership hat back to Thew and ask for his Top 10 Horror Films. Caveat, we do not measure "horror" by the amount of blood, we measure "horror" by the minutes of sleep lost and the number of heart attacks during the movie.
Kudos to Animal House, which I should have considered more seriously and bumped Fletch. Same with Bachelor Party, which certainly deserves a mention, though is not Top 10 material.
The seems to be an Ahnold bias with both Terminator and Predator in the Thew Top 10. Oddly, I was torn about including an Ahnold flick, but my favorite Schwarzenegger movie is Total Recall. Terminator is a close second.
But the fact is that there at least 20 Top 10 Guy Movies. I just don't think you can narrow it down to a "definitive" 10.
Now, I pass the leadership hat back to Thew and ask for his Top 10 Horror Films. Caveat, we do not measure "horror" by the amount of blood, we measure "horror" by the minutes of sleep lost and the number of heart attacks during the movie.
7.27.2007
Firing the Movie Critic Bullitt(s)
I wouldn't say "screwed up", I'd merely offer different points and theatrical fodder.
"Stand by Me" is a movie for guys...who are just entering puberty. It's not a movie I'd throw in the DVD player and watch with a bunch of men, scratching burping farting and oogling. "Die Hard" is a great flick, but it's still off my radar, mostly because of Bonnie Bedelia's cocaine snorting dickhead co-worker. But "yippie ki yay mother f*****r" is a great line to repeat when you have the chance. I've never seen "the Magnificent Seven" so I cannot comment on that movie - although it must have been good to have a movie "Seven Samurai" branched from it - or is that the other way around? "Fletch" is a great movie, Chevy Chase was great, but I'd still pick "National Lampoon's Vacation" over this one. "Ben Hur" is awesome, but it's way too long to hold the attention of "guys"...
Okay, you're right, you screwed up badly with "Stand by Me".
So without further adieu, I offer THEW's Top 10 GUY movies...
Tombstone "You die first, get it? Your friends might get me in a rush, but not before I turn your head into a canoe."
Terminator "I'll be back"
Gladiator "Stick a sword into a man's flesh, and they will applaud your for it"
Scarface "Say hello to my little frien'!"
Rollerball "Jonathan!"
Predator "Get to duh choppah!"
Animal House "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid "What do you mean you can't swim - the fall will probably kill ya!"
The Blues Brothers "We're on a mission from God"
Dirty Harry "Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?"
But since *I* feel there are so many quality movies, here are my honorable mentions.
Troy Heads the list of "conflict" movies - containing battles, wars, fights, as the primary setting or storyline. Next comes Apocalype Now, The Great Escape (TILAM! What was Steve McQueen's nickname in the movie?!), and The Dirty Dozen. Lest we forget our neighbors from down unda, Mad Max also deserves a footnote.
Comedies are well represented above, and with some quality near misses: Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the best, and who can not be moved to tears by the Bachelor Party scene at the end of the movie ("Hi, come on in. Drugs to the right, hookers to the left."). Rodney Dangerfield is hilarious in Back to School, never count this classic movie out either.
Deliverance I don't really see as a guy movie, mostly because of the rampant inbreeding insinuations as well and Ned Beatty taking it up the ass ("Squeal like a pig!").
Speaking of that, Raging Bull is a near miss (and I mean NEAR) in addition to having one of the great all-time smackdown lines - "You punch like you take it up the ass". THAT is Oscar material folks. But men beating the hell out of each other can be a common theme in this list, thus an honorable mention to Fight Club.
There has to be some cheese in here as a near miss, Top Gun takes this spot. And even though it's a great movie, a guy movie, and cannot be ignored, Rocky is still slightly cheesy.
Organized crime enters the zip code with a couple of classic movies, old AND new: The Godfather always makes us an offer we can't refuse when asked to watch, while Goodfellas is always asking "Do I amuse you?".
Amazon Mars Babes, Wild Sorority Girls from the Planet Playtex, Wild Things, Debbie Does Dallas, Behind the Green Door, the Devil in Miss Jones, and Deepthroat also cum to mind, but I think that category is sort of ... well, out there.
"Stand by Me" is a movie for guys...who are just entering puberty. It's not a movie I'd throw in the DVD player and watch with a bunch of men, scratching burping farting and oogling. "Die Hard" is a great flick, but it's still off my radar, mostly because of Bonnie Bedelia's cocaine snorting dickhead co-worker. But "yippie ki yay mother f*****r" is a great line to repeat when you have the chance. I've never seen "the Magnificent Seven" so I cannot comment on that movie - although it must have been good to have a movie "Seven Samurai" branched from it - or is that the other way around? "Fletch" is a great movie, Chevy Chase was great, but I'd still pick "National Lampoon's Vacation" over this one. "Ben Hur" is awesome, but it's way too long to hold the attention of "guys"...
Okay, you're right, you screwed up badly with "Stand by Me".
So without further adieu, I offer THEW's Top 10 GUY movies...
Tombstone "You die first, get it? Your friends might get me in a rush, but not before I turn your head into a canoe."
Terminator "I'll be back"
Gladiator "Stick a sword into a man's flesh, and they will applaud your for it"
Scarface "Say hello to my little frien'!"
Rollerball "Jonathan!"
Predator "Get to duh choppah!"
Animal House "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid "What do you mean you can't swim - the fall will probably kill ya!"
The Blues Brothers "We're on a mission from God"
Dirty Harry "Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?"
But since *I* feel there are so many quality movies, here are my honorable mentions.
Troy Heads the list of "conflict" movies - containing battles, wars, fights, as the primary setting or storyline. Next comes Apocalype Now, The Great Escape (TILAM! What was Steve McQueen's nickname in the movie?!), and The Dirty Dozen. Lest we forget our neighbors from down unda, Mad Max also deserves a footnote.
Comedies are well represented above, and with some quality near misses: Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the best, and who can not be moved to tears by the Bachelor Party scene at the end of the movie ("Hi, come on in. Drugs to the right, hookers to the left."). Rodney Dangerfield is hilarious in Back to School, never count this classic movie out either.
Deliverance I don't really see as a guy movie, mostly because of the rampant inbreeding insinuations as well and Ned Beatty taking it up the ass ("Squeal like a pig!").
Speaking of that, Raging Bull is a near miss (and I mean NEAR) in addition to having one of the great all-time smackdown lines - "You punch like you take it up the ass". THAT is Oscar material folks. But men beating the hell out of each other can be a common theme in this list, thus an honorable mention to Fight Club.
There has to be some cheese in here as a near miss, Top Gun takes this spot. And even though it's a great movie, a guy movie, and cannot be ignored, Rocky is still slightly cheesy.
Organized crime enters the zip code with a couple of classic movies, old AND new: The Godfather always makes us an offer we can't refuse when asked to watch, while Goodfellas is always asking "Do I amuse you?".
Amazon Mars Babes, Wild Sorority Girls from the Planet Playtex, Wild Things, Debbie Does Dallas, Behind the Green Door, the Devil in Miss Jones, and Deepthroat also cum to mind, but I think that category is sort of ... well, out there.
Top Ten Guy Movies
You know to be fair to Thew, it is easy to sit back and criticize a pioneer. So I thought I would take the liberty and post the next list first. That way he can say something like, "Tilam, that jerk, how could he forget the BEST GUY MOVIE EVER!!!"
I would offer some criteria, while there is nothing more most guys would like to do then watch Neve Campbell and Denise Richards kiss, Wild Things is not a guy movie. Now part of the indication of it being a guy movie may be your wife/girl friend/date says, "Ugh! No way," but that is merely one positive contributing factor.
Okay, so here it goes:
- Stand By Me. This is definitely the definitive guy move for the late-Boomers.
- Deliverance. Dueling banjos. Burt Reynolds (who narrowly missed the last list). Total suspense. It also allows me to grudgingly not put Smokey and the Bandit on the list.
- Dirty Harry. With all the Clint Eastwood movies there have been, especially The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, it is really hard to choose.
- Die Hard. Yippee Ki Yay. Love it the 10th time.
- The Godfather. My homage to James Caan, not Marlon Brando.
- The Great Escape. Beats out some outstanding war movies like Apocalypse Now, The Longest
Day, Saving Private Ryan, Midway and To Hell and Back. There are a bunch more great war flicks, including my sleeper favorite, Rambo II.
- Gladiator. Beats out Ben Hur and 300 in the same genre. Leaving Charlton Heston off the list is just hard.
- The Magnificent Seven. This is freakin' heart-breaking because it means I leave Gary Cooper (High Noon) and John Wayne (The Alamo, True Grit, Rio Lobo) off the list. Something is not right.
- Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. "Who are those guys?" And Katharine Ross, too.
- Fletch. Sorry, I have to respect the guy comedy...and Caddyshack was on the other list.
Other I thought really hard about are The French Connection, and Bullitt, but there so many more. This was much tougher then the last category.
Thew, I am anxious to hear where I screwed up...
I would offer some criteria, while there is nothing more most guys would like to do then watch Neve Campbell and Denise Richards kiss, Wild Things is not a guy movie. Now part of the indication of it being a guy movie may be your wife/girl friend/date says, "Ugh! No way," but that is merely one positive contributing factor.
Okay, so here it goes:
- Stand By Me. This is definitely the definitive guy move for the late-Boomers.
- Deliverance. Dueling banjos. Burt Reynolds (who narrowly missed the last list). Total suspense. It also allows me to grudgingly not put Smokey and the Bandit on the list.
- Dirty Harry. With all the Clint Eastwood movies there have been, especially The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, it is really hard to choose.
- Die Hard. Yippee Ki Yay. Love it the 10th time.
- The Godfather. My homage to James Caan, not Marlon Brando.
- The Great Escape. Beats out some outstanding war movies like Apocalypse Now, The Longest
Day, Saving Private Ryan, Midway and To Hell and Back. There are a bunch more great war flicks, including my sleeper favorite, Rambo II.
- Gladiator. Beats out Ben Hur and 300 in the same genre. Leaving Charlton Heston off the list is just hard.
- The Magnificent Seven. This is freakin' heart-breaking because it means I leave Gary Cooper (High Noon) and John Wayne (The Alamo, True Grit, Rio Lobo) off the list. Something is not right.
- Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. "Who are those guys?" And Katharine Ross, too.
- Fletch. Sorry, I have to respect the guy comedy...and Caddyshack was on the other list.
Other I thought really hard about are The French Connection, and Bullitt, but there so many more. This was much tougher then the last category.
Thew, I am anxious to hear where I screwed up...
Whoa! Now for Some Serious Debate and a Major Sports Movie Gaff
Okay, some quick thoughts on the movie list. There are a few omissions in the consideration category at least. And he did not even THINK about the GREATEST SPORTS MOVIE EVER!
But without further delay...
I agree with:
Raging Bull
Hoosiers
Caddyshack
I did not see (gasp!!):
Friday Night Lights
Remember the Titans
Million Dollar Baby
Would have in my Top 10 no matter what:
Breaking Away
The Rookie
Miracle
So some other point one should consider. First, Bull Durham is not even Kevin Costner's best baseball movie...it is second behind For the Love of the Game and in front of Field of Dreams.
I would also look at Glory Road, Invincible and The Longest Yard (original).
He is also not considering two soccer movies: Goal and The Game of Their Lives.
Of the comedies, I would only have Caddyshack in my Top 10. Overall, I have a preference for "feel good" come from behind types of sports movies. I loved Slap Shot and Major League.
But I am shock, nay beyond shock, that he did not even call out the best, I mean THE BEST, sports movie ever.
The Pride of the Yankees. OMG, High Noon in Pinstripes.
All the others...well, I just don't think they cut it. So my Top 10 are:
The Pride of the Yankees
Breaking Away
Hoosiers
Miracle
The Rookie
Raging Bull
For the Love of the Game
Invincible
Glory Road
Caddyshack
The only caveat is to swap out the movies I did not see at some future date.
And I would swap out Jennifer Garner for Ashley Judd in a heartbeat...
And on September 21, Faith Hill for Jody Foster
Oh, and Kate Hudson for Jessica Simpson...
Oh, and Mrs. Tilam for all of the above.
But without further delay...
I agree with:
Raging Bull
Hoosiers
Caddyshack
I did not see (gasp!!):
Friday Night Lights
Remember the Titans
Million Dollar Baby
Would have in my Top 10 no matter what:
Breaking Away
The Rookie
Miracle
So some other point one should consider. First, Bull Durham is not even Kevin Costner's best baseball movie...it is second behind For the Love of the Game and in front of Field of Dreams.
I would also look at Glory Road, Invincible and The Longest Yard (original).
He is also not considering two soccer movies: Goal and The Game of Their Lives.
Of the comedies, I would only have Caddyshack in my Top 10. Overall, I have a preference for "feel good" come from behind types of sports movies. I loved Slap Shot and Major League.
But I am shock, nay beyond shock, that he did not even call out the best, I mean THE BEST, sports movie ever.
The Pride of the Yankees. OMG, High Noon in Pinstripes.
All the others...well, I just don't think they cut it. So my Top 10 are:
The Pride of the Yankees
Breaking Away
Hoosiers
Miracle
The Rookie
Raging Bull
For the Love of the Game
Invincible
Glory Road
Caddyshack
The only caveat is to swap out the movies I did not see at some future date.
And I would swap out Jennifer Garner for Ashley Judd in a heartbeat...
And on September 21, Faith Hill for Jody Foster
Oh, and Kate Hudson for Jessica Simpson...
Oh, and Mrs. Tilam for all of the above.
A Flurry of Guy Opinions
Political Candidates, Sports Idiots, Bombs in the Middle East, when will all the BS end? Not sure, but here's a good opportunity for a break and points for discussion - Thew's Top 10 Sports Movies!
Not in any specific order.
Hoosiers
Caddyshack
Friday Night Lights
Remember the Titans
Bull Durham
Slap Shot (I still have my Hanson #17 jersey!)
Major League
Pumping Iron
Million Dollar Baby
Raging Bull
No, Happy Gilmore didn't make it.
Neither did A League of their Own, which was a good movie but not top 10 material.
The Natural was too schlocky for me.
Brian's Song was a good movie, but ultimately missed the cut.
Rocky? An easy choice, but Raging Bull is more visceral, and DeNiro is head and shoulders above Sly as an actor.
Cinderalla Man was THIS close, but Million Dollar Baby was ultimate more enjoyable and kept my attention better.
Tin Cup was a fun movie, but Caddyshack ("big hitter da lama") is the "cinderella story outta nowhere", and is the classic golf movie.
Dead Solid Perfect is another good movie, enjoyed with popcorn and beer at Tilam's casa so many years ago, but it was too dull at times.
*************
Not to be outdone by the Sports World, since we're talking about favorite guy things, here is a list of my top hotties (by age group!):
Top 5 under 30
Jessica Alba
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Biel built and in shape - woof woof
Jennifer Love-Hewitt
Kate Beckinsale
Top 5 30-40
Rebecca Romijn
Jennifer Anniston
Jennifer Garner
Penelope Cruz Kudos for dumping Cruise
Evangeline Lilly I'd like to be LOST with her on an island
Top 5 40+
Diane Lane
Jody Foster
Rachel Hunter (2 words: Stacy's Mom!)
Renee Russo (you might forget she played Mel Gibson's ass kicking girlfriend in Lethal Weapon 14)
Demi Moore
Not in any specific order.
Hoosiers
Caddyshack
Friday Night Lights
Remember the Titans
Bull Durham
Slap Shot (I still have my Hanson #17 jersey!)
Major League
Pumping Iron
Million Dollar Baby
Raging Bull
No, Happy Gilmore didn't make it.
Neither did A League of their Own, which was a good movie but not top 10 material.
The Natural was too schlocky for me.
Brian's Song was a good movie, but ultimately missed the cut.
Rocky? An easy choice, but Raging Bull is more visceral, and DeNiro is head and shoulders above Sly as an actor.
Cinderalla Man was THIS close, but Million Dollar Baby was ultimate more enjoyable and kept my attention better.
Tin Cup was a fun movie, but Caddyshack ("big hitter da lama") is the "cinderella story outta nowhere", and is the classic golf movie.
Dead Solid Perfect is another good movie, enjoyed with popcorn and beer at Tilam's casa so many years ago, but it was too dull at times.
*************
Not to be outdone by the Sports World, since we're talking about favorite guy things, here is a list of my top hotties (by age group!):
Top 5 under 30
Jessica Alba
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Biel built and in shape - woof woof
Jennifer Love-Hewitt
Kate Beckinsale
Top 5 30-40
Rebecca Romijn
Jennifer Anniston
Jennifer Garner
Penelope Cruz Kudos for dumping Cruise
Evangeline Lilly I'd like to be LOST with her on an island
Top 5 40+
Diane Lane
Jody Foster
Rachel Hunter (2 words: Stacy's Mom!)
Renee Russo (you might forget she played Mel Gibson's ass kicking girlfriend in Lethal Weapon 14)
Demi Moore
7.26.2007
Around the Political Horn
Now that sports are done (for now), let's see what is going on in the political world. (The answer is, alot, but these are the things that interest me, and allow me another excuse to show a picture of a congressional staffer.)
Democrat Candidates. Like it or not, Hillary is lapping the field. Obama v1.0 is showing his inexperience with answers like, "Of course, I will meet (and legitimize) every petty despot in the world." Now I believe in diplomacy as well as the next guy, but you really need a negotiating partner who makes a good faith effort to come to terms and honor its agreement. Obama, I have two words for you: Neville Chamberlain. Don't be fooled.
John Kerry. Has there been a more disgraceful representative of the Commonwealth? While most analyst agree that the bloodshed in Iraq will get significantly worse if the US leaves, the great Senator compares those forecasts with the concern with about pulling out of Vietnam: "We heard that argument over and over again about the bloodbath that would engulf the entire Southeast Asia, and it didn't happen."
It didn't happen. 1-2 million Cambodians dead at the hands of Pol Pot, 100Ks of Vietnamese and Laotians shipped to "reeducation" camps. All Neo-Con propaganda. Nope. Did. Not. Happen. I think we are seeing the Democrats strategy for the aftermath of a US withdrawal.
Eliot Spitzer. To any objective observer, the guy has been a total shithead thug for years. Bullying innocent, but high profile, targets to extort ransom from their corporations. Did he ever land a big fish? Usually, his vehicle of choice were anonymous leaks of exagerated claims or outright lies. Now, he has been caught. Freud called this behavior "projection."
Fred Thompson. Readers know I am a Thompson fan, but enough already. Shit or get off the pot. Declare or say no. Fred, you are starting to look like an ego-maniac more concerned with the attention then service.
Democratic Congress. After riding into town on a wave of public discontent with the way Republicans were behaving, they proceed to take this as an indictaor that the public wants them to behave even worse. More pandering to special interests, MORE pork (I hardly thought that possible), more socialized Medicine (the lesson of HillaryCare: keep things secret!) and more anti-Bush rhetoric. Governing? Let's see...nope, to paraphrase Senator Kerry, it ain't gonna happen.
The result: lower approval ratings then the President! I hardly thought THAT possible!
Work calls...
Democrat Candidates. Like it or not, Hillary is lapping the field. Obama v1.0 is showing his inexperience with answers like, "Of course, I will meet (and legitimize) every petty despot in the world." Now I believe in diplomacy as well as the next guy, but you really need a negotiating partner who makes a good faith effort to come to terms and honor its agreement. Obama, I have two words for you: Neville Chamberlain. Don't be fooled.
John Kerry. Has there been a more disgraceful representative of the Commonwealth? While most analyst agree that the bloodshed in Iraq will get significantly worse if the US leaves, the great Senator compares those forecasts with the concern with about pulling out of Vietnam: "We heard that argument over and over again about the bloodbath that would engulf the entire Southeast Asia, and it didn't happen."
It didn't happen. 1-2 million Cambodians dead at the hands of Pol Pot, 100Ks of Vietnamese and Laotians shipped to "reeducation" camps. All Neo-Con propaganda. Nope. Did. Not. Happen. I think we are seeing the Democrats strategy for the aftermath of a US withdrawal.
Eliot Spitzer. To any objective observer, the guy has been a total shithead thug for years. Bullying innocent, but high profile, targets to extort ransom from their corporations. Did he ever land a big fish? Usually, his vehicle of choice were anonymous leaks of exagerated claims or outright lies. Now, he has been caught. Freud called this behavior "projection."
Fred Thompson. Readers know I am a Thompson fan, but enough already. Shit or get off the pot. Declare or say no. Fred, you are starting to look like an ego-maniac more concerned with the attention then service.
Democratic Congress. After riding into town on a wave of public discontent with the way Republicans were behaving, they proceed to take this as an indictaor that the public wants them to behave even worse. More pandering to special interests, MORE pork (I hardly thought that possible), more socialized Medicine (the lesson of HillaryCare: keep things secret!) and more anti-Bush rhetoric. Governing? Let's see...nope, to paraphrase Senator Kerry, it ain't gonna happen.
The result: lower approval ratings then the President! I hardly thought THAT possible!
Work calls...
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