List December #15

Best (and worst) of 2008 Music Pt. 1
Before we get to my top 20 of 2008, today we're simply going to do honorable mentions (because that is what Pitchfork did). And then list a few letdowns and finally the worst record of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever
This album is pretty solid, but it's not long before the dubbed falsetto starts to get irritating.




Shearwater - Rook






Slow Runner - Mermaids






Nada Surf - Lucky






Eureka Birds - S/T






Small Sur - We Live in Houses Made of Wood






Kind of a let down:

Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Can't win 'em all.





Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creations Dark
A few great songs, one spectacular song and then a bunch of songs I am embarrassed to listen to. Just to preempt your "you don't understand because you're not from the south" crap Rick, this album makes me thankful I don't understand.


Denison Witmer - Carry the Weight
Pretty monotonous and cliche.





Centro-Matic/South San Gabriel - Dual Hawks






Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts - Temporary People






Ben Folds - Way to Normal
I appreciate the references to Illinois but seriously Ben, it's time to get a new act. Can't bank on the whole, "I'm so nerdy and such a loser" act forever.





Horrible:

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
This entire record is highly suspicious. I actually thought it was a joke, but it turns out they were serious. It's as bad as the album cover.

List December #14

Top Fifteen Comedies of All Time

In the past few days I've been able to catch up on some movies that I have never seen like The Godfather, Good Will Hunting, and The Usual Suspects. I'm hesitant to even mention that I still haven't seen Braveheart, Goodfellas, or Field of Dreams.

Why?

Honestly, I've simply grown up watching comedies almost exclusively. I've changed a lot but when I was younger I didn't want to watch a movie that was as bleak as the realities of life I saw around me. I wanted an escape and I found it in comedies (plus my attention span is short). Maybe you can relate. So here are my top ten comedies of all time.

15. Tommy Boy











14. Wayne's World











13. The Jerk











12. Fletch











11. I'm Gonna Git You Sucka











10. Blazing Saddles











9. Major League











8. Office Space












7. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation











6. Caddyshack











5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off











4. Austin Powers











3. Dumb and Dumber











2. Coming to America











1. Airplane











A few honorable mentions:
Dirty Work (one of the most watched comedies in college but not worthy of a list)
Anchorman (one of the best newer comedies)
Zoolander (is there anyone who hasn't done the Magnum?)
Billy Madison (not as funny now, but a great movie in college).

List December #13 (devin)

Top 5 Evergreeners that you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley:


Honorable Mention #2: Chris Leonardo -

His big red 'fro and bigger calves would give him away before he could do anything. Unless he improves these two features, he will never be able to snipe anyone from "out of nowhere."

P.S. Don't let the picture with his adorable daughter fool you!



Honorable Mention #1 - Benjamin Washam

To me, Benjamin seems like the type of guy who, if waiting for you in a dark alley, would McGyver some contraption together to pepper you in the eyes, sweep your legs, and render your hands useless.

Don't really want to find out what this face means.



#5 - Tom Lips

Tom looks the part of back alley brawler. Yet, his achilles heel is that he is probably more likely to crack few jokes with you than hit you from behind with a trash can lid.



#4 - Jason Siemer

Jason might just be, pound for pound, the toughest man, woman, or child at evergreen. A few reasons for this is one - he just looks tough, and two - he would rather drink a Pabst or Coors as opposed to any of the wuss Portland microbrews - you decide what that means.



#3 - Travis Moore -

This is your classic "I never would have suspected Travis..." Watch him sometime on a Sunday morning. He's constantly scanning the room, watching for who is entering and leaving...looking for some kind of weakness to exploit. And he hides this under the quiet persona of Dad, Airline Pilot, and Master Brewer.



#2 - Cru Jones AKA Garrett Simpson -

The picture says it all



#1 - Benny Posedel -

First, he is America's Funniest Videos' biggest fan, so that makes him sick and sadistic. Second, his build is slight, which means he blends in. Third, he is really, really nice. All those things put together make him the #1 person that you would not want to meet in a dark alley!

List December #12

Top Pro Wrestlers of the "Golden Era" (devin)

I don't watch professional wrestling anymore - but there was a brief time, probably from ages 6-12, that i was a fan.

My dad (for some reason) used to wake me up at 11pm on Saturday nights to watch the WWF. I had to be really quiet because my mom obviously didn't approve of my dad was letting me watch wrestling. It's weird to think back on that because my dad doesn't even like wrestling - I am not sure why he would wake me up so that we could watch it together.

Anyways - here are my favorite wrestlers from that period of time...back when wrestling was pure goodness. Without all the bad and stupid stuff...

10. George "The Animal" Steele - This guy was on his way out when is started watching. I remember that my dad took me to the Spokane coliseum and we saw this guy live. He was so fricking hairy.



9. Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake - What a great name - And he used to give his opponents hideous haircuts after he beat them. How great is that!



8. Ted "The Million Dollar Man" DiBiase - Remember how he would have kids come up on stage and offer them $1000 if they could do random things...like dribbling a basketball 10 times in a row. They would be on their 9th dribble and he would swat the ball away. Classic.



7. Jake "The Snake" Roberts - I thought this guy was nuts to always carry a huge snake around his neck.



6. The Ultimate Warrior - I thought the strings around his arms actually made him stronger in some way.



5. Randy "Macho Man" Savage (with the Lovely Elizabeth) - I loved the macho man - and Elizabeth too!



4. The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) - This wasn't one of my favorite wrestlers. He just scarred me to death. And as i was reminded the other night while watching the Blazers game with Jason, Garrett, Dustin, and Jeremy, Paul Bearer looks eerily like Jeff VanGundy - coach of the Orlando Magic.



3. Hacksaw Jim Duggan - This was always one of my favorites for some reason. He seemed like a nice all-american guy.




2. Hulk Hogan - Obviously, the Hulk was my favorite, just like every kid my age. There was some crazy mystique about him. Too bad he had to make a reality show...the mystique is ruined.



1. Andre the Giant - He was so big. Remember when Hulk body slammed him?

another break in the list action.....

Graham Harrell - 4747 Yards 41 TD 7 Int. 71.5% comp. 1 Loss

Tim Tebow - 2515 Yards 28 TD 2 Int. 64.9 % comp. 1 Loss

Colt McCoy - 3445 Yards 32 TD 7 Int. 77.6 % comp. 1 Loss

Sam Bradford - 4464 Yards 48 TD 6 Int. 68.3% comp. 1 Loss

So, how did Graham Harrell not make the Heisman Ceremony????

Does anyone have an actual explanation?

List December #11

Favorite Books Read in 2008:

10. Simply Christian - N.T. Wright

9. Lectures to My Students - Charles Spurgeon

8. Not the Way It's Supposed to Be - Cornelius Plantinga











7. Jesus: Made in America - Stephen Nichols

6. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy

5. Amusing Ourselves to Death - Neil Postman

4. Invisible Man - Ralph Elison

3. Consuming Jesus - Paul Metzger

2. Life Together - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

1. Surprised by Hope - N.T. Wright

Biggest Letdowns:

The Golden Compass -Philip Pullman

--I failed to find anything even halfway entertaining about this story. It was a struggle to finish. Dry, dry, dry....just like the movie.

Finding Our Way Again - Brian Mclaren

--I've enjoyed about 60% of Mclaren's work but the number is slowly dropping. I just didn't find anything very helpful or compelling about this one.

What Would Jesus Deconstruct - John Caputo

--About all I can say positively about this one is that it didn't take long to finish!

List December #10

Top Ten Things I Hate About Flying:

10. Paying to check a bag.

9. The pilot informing you from which direction and how hard the wind is blowing at your destination.

8. When the gate agent asks everyone to remain seated until their row has not been called but instead everyone does the exact opposite.

7. When you're seated next to Talky Talkerson.

6. People taking up overhead cargo space with their jacket and then getting angry when you place your bag on top of it.

5. The cups they serve you 1/4 of a can of soda in.

4. When the person in front of you takes advantage of their option to recline.

3. Sitting in the middle seat.

2. Having a television in the back of the seat but yours is broken (or watching a sporting event but having it disappear every time the flight attendant speaks on the intercom)

1. Sitting next to someone who "spills" into your seat.

a break in the list action...

for this ridiculousness.

My question is, when are they going to start cutting the salaries of the players?