Top Multi-part movies

I am back. I am hoping to have my replacement laptop from the school tomorrow so I will be able to check on others blogs more often (And maybe do a little work also). I thought I'd come back with another list. This time a top multi-part movies. The movies have to have 3 parts or more. I made a top 15 of my choices.


15. Naked Gun: This series is a great spoof set. Leslie Neilson may be the best at this type of humor.


14. Karate Kid: Although the third in this trilogy was awful, the first two were very good movies. Jamey's high school crush was the star also :)


13. I know we haven't seen the third one, but if it anywhere near the first two this will move even further up the list. Great movies. Shrek will always be remembered.


12. Die Hard: I am a huge Bruce Willis fan and there are some of the first movies I saw him in. Great movies to watch if you want some action with little thought.


11. Lord of the Rings: If I had watched these movies they would be further up the list. I put them here based on others recommendations.


10. Lethal Weapon: Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are great characters and this set of movies is great. Another action series in my list...imagine that.


9. The Godfather: I have only seen two of these, and only once. But their impact is undeniable.


8. Mission Impossible: I loved the first one of this set. The other two were good movies as well, but not as good as the first. Tom Cruise does great in his role.


7. Teminator: I don't know which I like the best. T2 is great and is actually the first one I saw. The first one is classic as well. Jamey and I watched the last one on the big screen and enjoyed it, just not as much as the first two.

6. The Matrix: I have only seen the first two all the way through. I think I have seen part of the last one. They made the list because of how impressed I was with the first one.


5. James Bond: All of these films have been worth the watch. While I am still partial to Connery, I have enjoyed all the other "Bonds" out there.


4. Star Wars: Some will want it higher on the list. But I was not as into the movies as many were. Still, they are great films.


3. Indiana Jones: I love this series. I think it is the next one I want to own. Harrison Ford does a great job in this role. Still don't know which is my favorite.


2. Back to the Future: A great series of movies. I am into science fiction and love the time travel in the movie. Also love the comedy. Marty McFly will be one of my favorite characters.


1. Anyone that knows me well knew this was coming. It is what sparked this list in my head. I love the Rocky movies. Rocky 4 is my all-time favorite movie. Rocky 1 and 2 are next. I also liked the Rocky Balboa movie that just came out. Not much of a fan for 3 or 5.


Just off the list: National Lampoon's Vacations, Spiderman, Harry Potter, Alien, Home Alone, X-Men, Superman, Ocean's Eleven (they are in the works for a third part).

Been robbed recently...

We have. Last night Jamey and I came home to find stuff on the floor in our entryway to the house. We (or I) looked through the house to make sure the person had left. He/They had, so we looked to find that only a few of Jamey's rings had been taken. I am sure the person will be very pleased when they realize that we shop at Walmart and the ones they took were fake. After we calmed down (thanks Dawn and Chris for coming over) we managed to get some sleep. This morning though I realized they had taken my laptop (or ACA's laptop). So I went ahead and filed a police report to hopefully have insurance from the school cover our loss.

I am normally a very laid back person, but I am glad I did not find someone still at our house.

Thanks for coming by and taking what is not yours. Thanks for making my wife feel unsafe in her own home. Thanks for taking about 1/2 a year of work on my computer. Hope you make your quick $500 and can smoke out for a few days. If you are a real man you know where I live, come by when I am home!!

Sorry for the rant. I know we were blessed to have not had more taken, or anyone (Curtis) injured, but man that upsets me.

TV Time

Here are the shows I am watching. I have always had a weak spot for reality shows, but this season I seem to have much more balance.

24: I am pumped about the show. Even with some of the predictability (at least Jason Bybee says there is) it is a great show. A little over the top, but we have already seen L.A. blown away. I am expecting great things from Jack this season. I'm sure he won't disapoint.



Prison Break: I love this show. The only thing I don't enjoy is waiting between episodes. If you haven't seen Michael and his brother trying to escape it is worth a try. My prediction is that the show is wrapping up this season or the next and I hope it does not try to drag it on.


CSI's: Jamey and I mainly stick with the CSI's in Miami and Vegas. The Miami to me is the stronger of the two. But the Vegas one has some very good characters and plot lines. Will Gil come back? I think so.

American Idol: I am one of the few that actually like the shows better when they have already got rid of the awful singers. Simon is great and at times I like Randy. The only time Paula is worth watching is when she is hammered. We are rooting so far for the guy with an afro.


Survivor: I know it hasn't started yet, but I love this show. Hopefully it will be as good as the past shows.

The Unit: I really enjoy this show. The main character (president from 24, who was assassinated) is great. I could do without the wives part, but really like the show in general.

Shark: Another newer show that Jamey and I have started following. About a defense lawyer turned prosecuter who is working in high-profile cases.



Amazing Race All-stars: I know it hasn't started yet, but I plan on watching more of the only reality show in which I'd like to be a contestant.

ESPN: This is constantly on in our house. I am now in college basketball season, so that is what is on.

A show I have heard are good and may give a chance: Heroes.

I noticed a trend on this. I watch many shows on Fox and CBS, but don't see any on NBC or ABC which used to be the top two tv channels.

Ouch

I hate needles. I have never in my life been okay with them. When I was about 5 my mom told me it took 5 military doctors to hold me down to give me stitches in my chin. I dreaded doing blood work for the life insurance company.

Well yesterday I decided to "man-up" and give blood at the ACA blood drive. I figured I needed to set a good example and face my fear. Besides, Jamey has given blood several times and was done in minutes it couldn't be that bad...could it?

After getting up my courage I got in the chair and looked away as the nurse took 10 minutes to find a vein. I kept thinking "is this normal". Apparently it wasn't. After she dug around in my arm to find it (OUCH) we finally got going.

Not too bad, until near the end when my blood stopped (how does blood stop anyway?). I had enough blood for the bag (with her moving the needle in and out of the vein to get more blood (OUCH), but not enough to fill up the little tubes. So...we had to use the other arm. After digging around in that one, we got the blood. So now I have two arms that are sore from the moving of a needle around on the inside.


OUCH

What do you think?

What do you think of this quote? It was sitting on the top of the desk in our coaches office.

"War is an ugly thing. But not the ugliest of things; The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth war is much worse.
A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight; nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free; unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

Top 10 Heroes

Cool Slideshows

Top Ten Heroes

10. Lt. Pete "Maverick" Miller: Top Gun may be one of my favorite all-time movies. "I feel the need, the need for speed" every time I watch this movie. Maverick is the perfect character that is carefree until he has to watch "Goose" his partner die. From then it is about a man that will not quit (OK...so he quits and then they bring him back, whatever).

9. Rick Blaine: Casablanca is a classic movie. Blaine is a great hero.

8. Capt. John H. Miller: Tom Hanks makes it with the first of two of his top ten heroes. This is off Saving Private Ryan. The cast is great, but Hanks shines in his role.

7. Forrest Gump: The second Hanks character. Forrest is an endearing character that everyone cheers for (except that guy throwing rocks at him). The fact that it has so much history makes it a favorite of mine.

6. Batman: A favorite of mine, because he does not have super powers. All the gadgets he has are great as well.

5. T.E. Lawrence: I watched this movie with my grandfather when I was about 12. It was so long it had a 15 minute intermission. I still thought this guy was the coolest though.

4. Indiana Jones: A great character. I am contemplating buying the trilogy with my Christmas money. Harrison Ford makes him a funny/everyday kind of hero. With brains and a little brawn Indiana Jones is a great hero.

3. Rocky Balboa: My personal favorite. If I were being completely biased in this list he would be number 1. I love all the Rocky's (except 5, which is Jamey's favorite). I just bought the 5 DVD set and have seen the new one (which I will add when it comes out on DVD). The steps of Philadelphia are forever popular because of Rocky. Rocky 4 is my favorite as we watch the U.S.A. vs. USSR in the ring.

2. James Bond: An all-time favorite. I put the picture with Sean Connery because I think he was the best Bond. Many agree with that assessment. Either way this character has made it through the years and is my number 2...just barely behind...

1. Atticus Finch: A classic character. Jamey and her mother would have never let me live it down if he was not number one. With the younger students still reading the book he is likely to stay high for a long time.

Well, what did you think? Who did I leave off? Who should not be on the list?

Top 10 Villains

Cool Slideshows

Top Villains

10. Nurse Ratched: One flew over the Cukoo's Nest is a classic movie. And she is a major reason that Jack Nicholson's character went "cukoo". Scary in a way only a women can be. No yelling, just intimidation and manipulation by actions and looks.
Not that I know any women that do that.

9. The Wicked Witch of the West: Another classic and the highest ranking woman on the list. This green witch will forever be rememebered. "I'm melting..."

8. Terminator: Only character to make both lists. In the first terminator, which I think is almost as good as the more popular T2, Arnold is evil. He does a great job at it too.

7. Count Dracula: Another character that is in several different movies played by several men. The character remains a great villain.

6. Freddy Krueger: A nightmarish character. The picture above says enough for me.

5. Predator: A great villain. I now think of all the football players with their dreadlocks hanging out as a version of him.

4. Michael Corleon: The Godfather's are a great series of movies. He might be the ultimate villain on some lists. He makes mine as number 4.

3. Norman Bates: Psycho is a great movie. I have not even seen it, or at least all of it. Which may explain why he is not higher on the list.

2. Hannibal Lecter: Great villain. The series of movies he puts out are great. Although the first stands out as the best. Really, a man that will eat other people has to be a great villain. "Hello Clarice..."

1. Darth Vader: My number one villain for several reasons. I think he is known to all. His voice is great (every time someone even breaths hard you think of him). And above all he is the father to the hero of the movie.

Villains 19-11

Here are villains 19-11

19. Michael Myers: Halloween is one of the original scary movies. Myers is a great villain who many are probably still scared of.

18. Scrooge: Every Christmas most of us watch a movie with Scrooge in it. Even though he comes around in the end, he is a great villain.

17. Dr. Evil: A great villain. The Austin Powers movies would be nothing without this guy. Who else could make putting you pinky in your mouth funny. "Lasers", "One million dollars" and "release the globe" are some of my favorite quotes from him.





16. The Mask from Scream: A great villain. I know there were many that got behind the mask, but every time you see it you are reminded of these movies.





15. Booth: In the Line of fire is a classic movie. This villain does a great job of being evil in his quest to shoot the President.

14. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker: Older movie. But the names are still known by many who haven't even seen the movie.

13. Amon Goeth: Schindler's list villain is a terrible person. Watching this movie is very moving and this character does a good job at being such an awful person.

12. The Queen from Snow White: Another Disney villain. Probably the most classic of them all.

11. Mr. Smith: The Matrix is a great series of movies. This villain is well known and has super powers. Has great lines in the movies as well. The seen where he has copied himself and like a million of him are attacking at once is classic.

20,000 More??

20,000 more troops. Is it worth it? I am not sure. I am not in favor of what is taking place now. So the question becomes: How do we get out?

I am not sure. Do we just pull all our troops out and sit back and watch Iraq go into a full scale civil war? Do we not send anymore troops and try to slowly back out, while watching more soldiers that do not have the means get killed?

On the other side, do we send more troops and try to fix this mess? If that is the case we’ll need much more than just 20,000. But I do not see any democrats allowing more troops.


Here are just a few things President Bush said:

“Victory will not look like the ones our fathers and grandfathers achieved. There will be no surrender ceremony on the deck of a battleship,"

"failure in Iraq would be a disaster for the United States."

Bush acknowledged mistakes in Iraq noting that U.S. forces "have done everything we have asked them to do." He said where blame lies, it rests with him, but efforts by the U.S. were in vain for two main reasons:
"There were not enough Iraqi and American troops to secure neighborhoods that had been cleared of terrorists and insurgents. And there were too many restrictions on the troops we did have. Our military commanders reviewed the new Iraqi plan to ensure that it addressed these mistakes. They report that it does. They also report that this plan can work," ---Fox News


Some of the responses

“We're not going to baby sit a civil war," Sen. Barack Obama

"Tonight President Bush acknowledged what most Americans know — we are not winning in Iraq ... indeed the challenge is grave and deteriorating," Durbin said. "Twenty thousand American soldiers are too few to end this civil war in Iraq and too many American lives to risk on top of those we've already lost.", Dick Durbin Senate Majority Whip

Heroes 19-11

Heroes list 19-11.

19. Terminator: A great movie. This is the Terminator in T2, the other might be on the villain list. So as Arnold would say "He'll be back". Arnold is great in this role (one where he doesn't talk too much).

18. Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh: I love the Lethal Weapons. With the brawn and comedy you cannot go wrong. Gibson and Glover are a great team.

17. Oskar Schindler: Powerful movie. A guy that in no way wants to help the Jews, who becomes their only salvation.

16. Austin Powers: Might be one of the best comedies ever done. But you would have to ask my friend Jake Bennett about the final spot for this comedy. Yeah baby yeah.



15. Han Solo/Luke Skywalker: The Star Wars trilogy (now 6-part series) is a classic and has a cult type following. If I were in that group these two would be much higher. I'm not, so they're not. But I am a Harrison Ford fan and he does a great job.

14. Superman: The ultimate Superhero makes the list at number 14. The last Superman movie was good, just not great.

13. Zorro: I love the Zorro movies. Antonio does a great job with this character and Catherine Zeta Jones is great in the movie as well. BTW: I got some "Antonio" colognue for Christmas (it is actually pretty good).

12. General Maximus Decimus Meridius: One of my favorites. Gladiator is a classic movie (with a villain that also made the list). When he avenges his wife/child in the end (and then joins them) it is a great scene.


11. William Wallace: Braveheart is a great movie. Mel Gibson makes the list again (he is on 4 times which is the most of any actor). I could watch this movie once a week. It is very inspirational (even with the awful accent of Gibson). Jamey and I even watched it while we were in Paris.


Any guesses on the top 10?

Villians 29-20

Here is the next part of the villians/heroes series. Let me know if this is worth dragging out or I should just get it over with.

29. Harry Lime and Barry Merchants: The home alone villains are some of my favorite. This movie is a classic and they provide some great scenes. When the guys hair catches fire is still my favorite.


28. Cruella De Ville: The 101 Dalmations would have no arguement here. "If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will".

27. The Shark: In Jaws this is the main character. I know he doesn't act, but he still gave me many-a-nightmares.

26. The Joker: Batman is a great hero (not superhero because of no supernatural powers), and he has his villain.

25. Max Cady: Cape Fear is a great movie. And this villain makes the movie.

24. Scarface: Great movie. Great character. Great acting.


23. Eleanor Islen: Manchurian Candidate is a great movie. What kind of woman would do that to her son?

22. Castor Troy: This character is great because he is played by two actors (John Travolta and Nic Cage) in the same movie. I love the movie face off. And this character under both men is a great villain.


21. Lady Tremaine: The evil stepmother of Cinderella. Didn't you just want to hit her? She also continues are woman villain theme :)

20. Tyler Durden: Fight club is a classic movie. Brad Pitt does an outstanding job in this movie. To be a fictional character in the end, he makes one great villain.

Who I look like

Got this from my friend Laura's blog. This is the celebs I look like. What do you think?

*** I tried Nick Saban's picture and it brought up Benedict Arnold. Isn't that wierd?

http://www.myheritage.com

ANY MORE QUESTIONS!!

Any more doubters for Florida (or the SEC for that matter). Not only did Florida prove them wrong. They did it in a big way.
I actually am one of the few that picked Florida to win, but I did not know it would be soooooo pretty. To win in a game that was over before half time against a team no one thought could be beat is great.

Chris Leak and his 95 years of experience showed on the biggest stage as he completely out-played Troy Smith. The defense decided to show that the SEC is built on speed...and speed kills (just ask OSU).

The Gators (13-1) had 21 first downs to OSU's 8. Florida outgained the Buckeyes (12-1) in total yards, 370 to 82. How's that for domination?

Troy Smith was 4-of-14 passing, 35 yards and was sacked 5 times and pressured all night long.

This has been a great year for the Gator fans as we have now won the two most important (popular) titles: Men's Basketball (looking for a repeat) and Football.



On a side note: Not hearing much about Michigan these days...

Cool Slideshows

Avery growing up

Avery has grown so much this past year. Take a look and see.

Cool Slideshows

Heroes 29-20

The next part of the heroes...

29. Spiderman: Great character. I'd probably have him higher on the list if the movies did not have the two worst actors ever (Toby Mcguire and Kristen Dumb).

28. Creasy: Man on Fire is another great Denzel movie that is under-rated. Creasy is a great tough guy that falls for a little girl and in the end...well, rent the movie and see.

27. Rudy Ruettiger: Who doesn't at least know of Rudy? Every time some scrub on a team makes something happen you here jokes about Rudy. If he hadn't played for Notre Dame he would move up at least 5 more spots.


26. John Rambo: Sylvester Stallone is one of my favorite actors and he has two on the list. Bet you can guess the other one. But Rambo is another great series.

25. Ethan Hunt: Mission Impossible is a great series of movies. And as much as Tom Cruise is crazy in real life, he is a great actor.

24. Sparticus: Classic movie. Great character. I still remember the pepsi commercial that referenced the movie with the whole "I am Sparticus" scene.

23. Jefferson Smith: I love the older movie "Mr. Smith goes to Washington". Jimmy Stewart is great in this role as a young senator that learns of the corrupt politics in Washington and then defeats it.

22. Detective John Mclain: Die Hard is classic. I am also a huge Bruce Willis fan. His role as this tough guy is great.





21. Daniel Larusso: Jamey's favorite character of her teen years. The Karate Kid is a classic movie and the kick in the end will forever be remembered.


20. Thelma Dickerson and Louise Sawyer: Classic movie again with characters everybody knows.

Little Nicky

I am not a Nick Saban fan. I never have been. I am glad as a Dolphin fan to see him out the door. What burns me up though, is that I live in Alabama and will have to listen to stories about him for the next however many years he is here (until he leaves them for a "better job").
To re-empahsize I am glad the Dolphins can finally get someone in place that can turn around the sinking ship that is our franchise. That Neo-nazi of a coach and his 1.2 million assistants can hit the road.
Alabama now gets to hear him talk about integrity and being a champion, while not living as he talks. The man simply ran out on a job that he had not done well. Instead of fixing what he created he ran to a place where he will easily be able to win more games. Teaching young minds to run whenever tough times come, is not a lesson I'd want my son to learn Little Nicky...

For more coverage of what this coach did try this link.

I have been neutral in my cheering for teams from Alabama, but now while I am not an Auburn fan, I will be pulling for any team playing against the Tide.

*** Addition: Here is another point of the Little Napolean complex that Saban is struggling with from the Miami Herald: "An official said a Dolphins staffer once complimented Saban on his haircut. That staffer later was told not to speak directly to the coach again. And as profootballtalk.com once reported -- and an official confirmed -- Saban once snapped because a team staffer didn't purchase the correct type of ''Little Debbie'' cakes.

• Saban last year wouldn't allow quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett to join Scott Linehan in St. Louis, privately saying he had to be loyal to the Dolphins. How's that for irony?"

39-30 Villains

Here are villains 39-30. Let me know what you think.

39. Jack Torrance: The shining. Great villain played by Jack Nickolson.

38. Carl Lee Hailey: Actually I would consider him to be the good character in the film "A time to kill", but he did kill two people. Samuel Jackson does a great job in this movie.

37. Capt. Frank Ramsey: Crimson Tide. This guy does a great job as the officer that is too hard nosed to look at other options. Hackman does another outstanding job. The scenes with him and Denzel are great.



36. Ursula: The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite movies. Ursula is a great villain. "Those poor unfortunate souls..."

* Just a side note here: There seem to be a lot more women in the villains list than the heroes list.

35. Ed Rooney: The principle in Farris Bueller's Day off. Does a good job of being the "villain" in this comedy.

34. Captain Hook: Another Disney character. I love this story and he will always be remembered.

33. John Patrick Mason: The rock. Another villain only in the technical sense. Sean Connery does a great job as a man that comes out of prison to help save the day in The Rock.

32. Col William Tarvington: The Patriot is one of my favorite movies of all time. This character makes one of the best arrogant villains in any movie. After all, he killed a boy. The scene where he is attempting to get Mel Gibson to fight by bragging on the killing of his son is intense.

31. Commodus: The evil Emperor who kills his father and attempts to kill Maximus is a great villain in Gladiator. He can make your skin crawl with the way he acts.

30. Lex Luther: A more famous villain. It would be hard though, to always be against Superman. What kind of chance is that?

Heroes 39-30

Here is a continuation of the Heroes/Villains list. The Villains will be posted tomorrow.

39. Three Musketeers: These guys have been famous for awhile. I enjoyed the latest movie about them, although it did not top the Charlie Sheen, Keifer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay version which I feel was a classic.

38. Tarzan: Famous character. I prefer the cartoon version, but Brendan Fraiser did a good job as well.

37. Robin Hood: A classic pick here. There have been several great movies with this story. Men in Tights is my favorite though.

36. Luke Jackson: From Cool Hand Luke. Paul Newman does a great job in this movie.



35. Lt. John Dunbar: Dances with wolves is a classic. As a white-man turned indian this character will not be forgotten.

34. Dr. Richard Kimball: Harrison Ford does a great job with Kimball as
"the fugitive". Ford will be on the list with a few other greats as well.

33. Anne Porter and Jack Tarven: Speed was a great movie. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock will be forever linked to this as their big breaks.

32. Mary Poppins: The classic lady that had everything you could want...all in one bag.

31. John Q: Another Denzel character. He makes you feel for him in this movie where he comes within seconds of killing himself for his boy. You almost forget that he is holding an entire hospital hostage. Great movie.

30. Dirty Harry: A great character.

More to come. Let me know what you think.

Happy Marriages?

On a recent poll by Foxnews, 1/2 of women say they would not marry the same man if they could do it again. While it is not a scientific poll, it does make sense with the divorce rates so high.

Double Standard

Apparently if you are a female teacher it is not as big a deal if you have sex with a student. This has got to be one of the worst double standards I have ever seen. I knew there was a chance of her not going to jail, but to actually hear about it makes me wonder why? Cameo Patch should be in prison for what she did. Now she will be famous.

Top Heroes/Villains

I have a new list, imagine that. After watching several good movies over the break I got to thinking of all the great characters I have watched.
I am going to unveil my list of top movie villains and heroes in a series of blogs over the next few days/weeks. I have done my ranking of the top 50 heroes and the top 50 villains using several lists (inluding American Film Institute's list. The criterea I went with was movies in the last 100 years that have been somewhat widely viewed. The character must be known (at least by name to the average person over the age of 20. The heroes were easy to pick (although not to rank), but the villains were a different story. Some are people that you actually cheer for, while some you root for their death. Some are funny, and some are pure evil. Either way I enjoyed ranking these characters (with the help of my wife and mother-in-law). Here are numbers 50-40 with heroes first.

Heroes

50. Jason Arnold: The character played on the Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Identity. Great action hero.

49. Lt. Chris Sabian: In the Negotiator. Great movie, great character.

48. Harry Stamper: Bruce Willis character in Armageddon. He does a great job as the tough, but ultimate hero of a father.



47. Dr. Stanley Goodspeed: Played by Nicholas Cage in The Rock. Comedy mixed with a character we can relate to who adapts to his situation.

46. Trip: The character played by Denzel Washington in Glory. One of three Denzel characters to make the list. A great movie that had many heroes to pick from, his role was very memorable.

45. Simon Templar: In the movie The Saint. Jamey and I love the newer version with Val Kilmer in this role. His many costumes/roles are great. The older version, I have heard, is great as well.

44. Doc Holliday: The second Val Kilmer character. This movie is great and the alcoholic gunslinging Doc Holliday is a great movie character.

43. Chon Wang: The only Jakie Chan character to make the list is hillarious in both Shanghi noon and Shanghi nights.

42. Coach Norman Dale: The ultimate coach in the ultimate sports movie. Gene Hackman does a great job in this underdog story.



41. Benjamin Martin: A Mel Gibson character in the Patriot. He does a great job as the father and the soldier.

40. Jack Ryan: Harrison Ford in Patriot games. Great movie. Harrison Ford does a great job.


Villains

50. Shooter McGavin: The crazy golfer in Happy Gilmore. He does a great job of making you hate him.

49. The Clown in IT: This has made my generation fear clowns.

48. Biff Tannen: The Back to the Future Trilogy is one of my favorites. And this character is perfect (all 4 generations of him) as the villain to Michael J. Fox.

47. Jigsaw: In the first two Saw movies. Jamey still has nightmares of this one. He does a great job, and most of his role is just his voice. The situations he puts people in still make me cringe.

46. Rachael Phelps: The owner of the Indians in the great movie Major Leagues. Makes you hate her and root for the bunch of misfits she has put on the field.

45. Jack Sparrow: One of the villains you love. Although I was not as impressed with the second movie, Jonny Depp did an outstanding job with this villain we love.



44. Gaston: The first of a few disney characters to be on this list. He is the Beast hunter in Beauty and the Beast. "No one fights like Gaston..."

43. Chucky: One of my little brothers is still scared of this doll.

42. The Grinch: I know we are all "Christmased out" but this character is a great one. I am not a Jim Carrey fan, but he does a good job with this one.

41. Senator Joseph Paine: The Senator in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". He is a great character that does come around in the end.

40. Dr. Malcolm Crowe: In the sixth sense. Bruce Willis (one of the few to make both lists) does an outstanding job with this character. Even though he is a good character he technically is the villain (he is a ghost).

Well that is the first ten in each list. What do you think? I am going to release 10 more heroes in a few days and then 10 more villains.

Sad

I am not a Bronco fan (in fact I rooted against them last night), but this story is awful. One of the Broncos up and coming players at 24 years old was shot yesterday (along with two others) in his limo.

Death Penalty

Do you believe in the death penalty? I am not fully sure. There are compelling cases on both sides.
The "pro" side would argue that their must be punishment that would deter criminals from committing such heinous crimes. This side would point to the Old Testiment in the bible with God ordering the deaths of several for breaking the law.
The "con" side would argue that Jesus asks us to turn the other cheek. We should not be violent to others, no matter the crime.



While I think I tend to lean to the pro side, I do have a hard time thinking of someone being hung, electricuted, or leathaly injected. I have seen the movie the Green Mile, and that is as close as I have ever come to seeing someone executed. I understand and support the rational thought behind the death penalty, but have a hard time thinking too long on the topic.

What do you think?

Should he be put to death?

I think so. Here is a story on the death of Sadame Hussain. This is being carried out by the Iraq court systems. What do you think?

NFL All-Pro Team

Here is my All-Pro Team for this season in football.

QB: Manning (Ind)
RB: Tomlinson (SD)
RB: Johnson (KC)
OL: Jamal Brown (NO)
OL: Kris Deilman (SD)
OL: Jeff Saturday (Ind)
OL: Chris Naeole (Jax)
OL: Willie Anderson (Cinn)
TE: Gates (SD)
WR: Harrison (Ind)
WR: Johnson (Cinn)


DE: Taylor (Mia)
DE: Kapman (GB)
DT: Sapp (Oak)
DT: Williams (Minn)
LB: Merriman (SD)
LB: Fletcher (Buff)
LB: Thomas (Mia)
LB: Urlacher (Chi)
DB: Bailey (Den)
DB: Williams (Dal)
DB: Wilson (AZ)
DB: Rhodes (NYJ)


K: Gould (Chi)
P: Turk (Mia)
Ret: Hester (Chi)


Almost on: Wayne (IND), Brees (NO), Gore (SF), Gonzalez (KC), Young (Ten)

Conservative or Liberal

I'm back. Took awhile with the traveling.

Are you a conservative or liberal? Do you think you fall somewhere in the middle? So do I, and about 99% of others reading this blog. After much thought on this subject I decided to blog on the issue. I am using the terms somewhat loosely (conservative/liberal). I mean them in the political and religious sense.

If most of you are like me you tend to view people that are more conservative than you as “not open-minded”. These people are just not educated enough to see things the way you do. These people are just not able to see what is true and important and usually stick to just a few issues that we would consider to be minor problems while missing the big picture.

The other type of people are those that are too liberal. These people are viewed as people that do not have a sound foundation of beliefs as far as the more conservatives would believe. Many of them ignore issues that we would find to be of extreme importance and they do not stand for what they do, or should, believe to be true. These do not want to levy their beliefs on others because they must not truly believe.

I compare this scenario to when I am driving. Those that are going slower than me are “old foggies” that are making it unsafe by how they are driving, while those that are passing me are “out-of-control” and do not understand how dangerous they are driving. While of course I am driving (at whatever speed I decide for the day) at the optimal speed that others should be driving at.

Personally I tend to lean more to the conservative side on most issues. However I find myself critiquing those that are more conservative that I am as people that cannot find the forest for the trees. While the many that are more liberal than me do not have a firm grasp on reality or they will not stand for what they believe in.

What I have learned in my interactions with many that see things differently than I do is that other people study as much, and often more, than I do. These people have put much thought into what they believe and although I do not always agree with them that does not make them wrong.

What do you think?

Freedom

What do you think about this article? Here is the headline:
WELLINGTON, Ohio — An artist who was forced to remove his Nazi gingerbread men from the window of a hardware store has set up the display in an empty storefront in another town.


What about "free speech"? It is fine by me to have him take down this disgusting "art", but do you think he ought to be forced to?

Or what about this?



I support GWB for the most part. I know he has made some bad decisions, but who hasn't. This one though was a terrible move. One of the most difficult problems we have is immigration. I'd love to see the process made easier for those who'd like to be in America. That way they have rights, and are paying taxes. A fence!! Was that the best we could think up with the "smartest" men advising the president!! Really now, I could have given you that idea.

Pop vs. Coke

Found this off my friend Jeremy's blog. What do you call your fountain drinks? I have always gone with Soda (I don't really know why). Living in the south though I hear about Coke all the time (even if people want a Dr. Pepper they call it coke). And I always found it funny to hear "them crazy yankees" call it Pop. Come on now, Pop?!?!
So what do you call it? Here is a map of the breakdown of the U.S.

My Blog

Somebody got to my blog with this as a google search:
tommy lee jones revolutionary war fan club

Ok...

Redneck

I don't deny living in Alabama. I enjoy living in the deep south, but there are times when I do feel uncomfortable with the rednecks.

I call this one the redneck christmas.

What I would do with Avery, if I was truely a redneck.

Top 100 Artists Last group

Here it is. The top 20 in my artists. There are a few that made this group because of my love of their music, but for the most part I tried to be as objective as possible.

20: Garth Brooks: The face of Country music in the 90’s. He helped bring country music into the mainstream. He has several great songs. I even bought his box set, which is quite good.

19: Maria Carey: A great singer. She has been a constant in the music industry for many years. Her voice is unreal; too bad she is so weird. Looking forward to more of her music. She has over 15 number 1 singles already, and will most likely put out even more.

18: Journey: A great group. I still enjoy many of the songs they put out.

17: Sting: He was great in a group and as a solo artist. His voice is so distinct that it is hard to see anyone imitating him ever.

16: James Taylor: He has some great music. I still listen to his greatest hits while driving around.

15: Steven Curtis Chapman: My personal all-time favorite. He has produced hits since the early 1990’s and still is putting out great albums. His most well know (I will be here) is still played in many weddings.

14: Michael W. Smith: A stalwart in Christian music. For many years he was the face of the entire industry. He still puts out great worship music even today.

13: Nirvana: Dominated the music scene for several years. The music still reminds me of the mid-90’s.

12: Beach Boys: This was a great group. Have many hits that still make you want to sing today.

11: Led Zeppelin: Not my favorite. But they have sold more records than anyone other than the Beatles in the U.S.

10: Pearl Jam: This group was a great group for several years. I have always thought they were way under-appreciated for the impact on the music industry.

9: DC Talk: I feel this is the best group that existed in Christian Music. They were back in the days when old school rap was the way to go, and evolved into a great alternative sound.

8: Queen: I think the greatest group. They have many hits to back it up. And are still played today.

7: Metallica: A great group. They could easily be higher on the list. The Black album is a classic, but they have produced great songs throughout the years. Jamey actually came down the aisle to a Metallica song.

6: Pink Floyd: Again, not my cup of tea, but the music sold more copies than almost any other group.

5: Madonna: She changed music forever. Not always in a good way. But her influence is unmistakable.

4: Michael Jackson/Jackson 5: I know he is a terrible person today, but he was the king of pop. His impact still resonates in the music industry. And the Jackson 5 probably could have made the list on it’s own.

3: The Beatles: Way before my time, but I cannot argue with all they have accomplished, and the effect they have left in the music industry.

2: U2: A great group that has spanned the decades. They had great music back in the 80’s and have great music today. The Joshua Tree has to be one of the best all-time albums.

1: Elvis: He has to be at the top. How many people have a city named after them? His songs are still played and will always be played. He was more than just a great singer, but now is a historical figure.

Well, that is the list. Let me know who I left off that should have been included, or who shouldn’t have even been on the list. Who should be higher than who, and so on…

Let me get fat if I want to

NEW YORK — The Board of Health voted Tuesday to make New York the nation's first city to ban artery-clogging artificial trans fats at restaurants — from the corner pizzeria to high-end bakeries.


What's next, closing all the McDonalds?? Don't get me wrong I am not saying this is the best food to eat. But what happened to free choice.

Top 100 Artists part IV

Here are 40-21. Tell me who is too high/low.

40: Dave Matthews Band: Too many are almost in a worship-like trance when it comes to them to not include them on this list.

39: Patsy Cline: The greatest woman country singer. She has been the inspiration to many that have come after her.

38: Eric Clapton: He put out several albums that were at the top. Great to just sit and listen to a soothing voice. Change the world is a great one.

37: Third Day: Another great Christian group. They are in their peak now, so it might be too soon to judge them. Hopefully they will put out a few more albums like the first few and continue to be a great group.

36: Eagles: A good group. To put them higher would be I think to over-rate how good they were. Although, Hotel California is still a great song.

35: Barbara Streisand: Put out many albums that were very solid. She gets this high for her longevity and the sheer numbers of her fan-base.

34: Bruce Spingsteen: Great artist that was great to hear live.

33: Louis Armstrong: The father of the Jazz singers. Many still love to impersonate this great singer.

32: Phil Collins: A great artist. He has many hits by himself and with the group Genesis. “In the air tonight” is still one of my favorites right before a game on Friday night.

31: Harry Connick Jr: This one is for Jamey, although he has sold millions of albums, and still continues to put them out today.

30: Tim McGraw: He is still dominating the Country music scene. With over 7 singles off one album he established himself and he has not stopped putting out great music. His newest “My little girl” is a must listen to for all the dads out there.

29: Jimi Hendrix: He has influenced many with the guitar solos and unique music. Often imitated, but never duplicated.

28: Prince: “Purple Rain” is a great song. He has many others that have become great songs as well.

27: Chicago: A very good group. I have enjoyed their music for a long time. They have many songs that will stay around for a long time.

26: Elton John: Some would not include him on the list and others of you are telling me how dumb I am to have him this low. He has produced some great songs and is an icon in the music industry now.

25: Whitney Houston: Probably has the best voice of all-time. Her music gives anyone goosebumps.

24: The Temptations: “Sittin by the dock of the Bay” is a classic, as is most of their music. They have inspired many to sing in their style.

23: Lionel Richie: A great artist that had several albums in a row that were successful.

22: Bob Marley: A great artist in his own style. He has brought many who would love to copy his music into the industry.

21: The Rolling Stones: Alright, before you old fogies get onto me. This group has been old and not very good since the 1980’s so I am not counting longevity. Still they were good back in the day.

People person or task oriented person

Is it better to be a "people person" or someone, like me, that is task oriented? In class on Sunday the question was asked, and the answer was that both are important to have. I would agree, but I often wonder if it would be more important to focus on people than on getting the job done.
As a coach/teacher, I am friendly to the students I am around and do care about them, but I often am so OSD that I have to finish what I set out to do that day (especially in coaching).
The main example we use as Christians is Christ's, and many times he gives the example of putting people first and not always finishing whatever "task" was on his plate. I would say this is a bit unfair however, because Jesus' real task was people.

So I ask again is it better to be people minded or task oriented?

How 'bout them Gators

Way to go Florida. Beat OSU in the championship.

On a side note...I hate the Dolphins.

Top 100 Artists Part III

Here is 60-41. Let the comments fly.

60: John Mellencamp: Another artist that I did not realize had sold so much music.

59: Stevie Wonder: A great musician that has a voice that I could listen to all day. Not to mention the fact that he is blind.

58: 2 Pac/Biggie Smalls: I know I am putting 2 together, but the impact of their careers, and deaths, is still felt in rap music.

57: Shania Twain: I know she has not done much since her 2-3 first albums. But both those started the Country/Pop era of music.

56: Hank Williams Sr.: An artist that has inspired many Country singers.

55: Barry Manilow: I am not a “fanilow” but do respect the fact that he still has a huge fan base. The fact that I work with a guy who sang back-up to him helps as well.

54: Marvin Gaye: “What’s going on” is a great album. He is an icon in his type of music.

53: Johnny Cash: How many of these artists have had a movie come out about their life? Answer: Not many.

52: Bee Gees: Their very unmanly high voices have sold a lot of records. And “Stayin alive” is still a big hit.

51: Ozzy Ozborne: Not a great role model but has influenced music in a way not many others have. His “Ironman” is a favorite of mine.

50: Areatha Franklin: The first of the Divas. Might have been the best too.

49: Fleetwood Mac: I didn’t realize how many albums they’d sold until I started doing research. The numbers alone put them this high.

48: Ray Charles: A great artist that succeeded despite of his condition. Also had a movie done on his life (an automatic to get onto this list).

47: Alice in Chains: This is for all the real metalheads out there.

46: Bon Jovi: Anytime I want to hear an artist that is better when he is screaming than singing I plug him in. I actually really enjoy many of his songs.

45: Reba McEntire: A great story teller in her music. “The lights went out in Georgia” is still a classic.

44: Santana: I’ll admit I had never heard of him before his recent success. He is a great musician however, and he is still producing music that is popular to everyone.

43: Eminem: He represents a lot that is wrong with America today. But his impact will not be forgotten. And he did prove that some white-boys can rap.

42: Hootie and the Blowfish: If they were not still trying to hang-on to their careers they would be much higher on the list. Their “cracked rear view” album is one of the greatest of all time.

41: Celine Deion: Great singer. She has put out several hits. If she was not Canadian she might have been higher on the list (just kidding). Love to hear her belt out the notes.

Books for the holidays

Some books I'd like to see written for the holiday season. They would make great gifts.

Better Speech Writing: By George W Bush
Civil Rights: By Michael Richards
The Holocaust (why it didn't really happen): By Mel Gibson
How to be a clutch player: By Scott Norwood
How to add muscle: By Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Shawn Merriman, etc...
Why people like me: By Terrell Owens
How to win an election with no platform other than I hate George Bush: The Democrats

Let me know if you see any on the shelves in the upcoming year.