Top Ten Things I Love About NPR

For years I wrongly poo-pooed NPR as being radio for old people. Even though I am older now, I was wrong. NPR is a source of interesting, thought provoking and entertaining information that makes me feel more knowledgeable about and connected to the world around me. Here now are my Top Ten favorite things about NPR.

10. The Political Junkie- Every Wednesday Ken Rudin comes on Talk of the Nation and spews his vast knowledge of US politics for 35 minutes. It's very informative.

9. NPR.com- The website is chalk full of articles and audio clips from all the NPR contributors and programs.

8. Dori Anisman- The lady who answers the phones on The Diane Rehm Show- you my girl, Dori!

7. Frank Deford- Every Wednesday on Morning Edition, sports writer Frank DeFord gives a great 3-5 minute commentary on a pertinent sports topic. He's been doing this a long time, and it shows.

6. Salt Lake's local NPR stations- KUER and KCPW

5. Lakshmi Singh- She is easily one of my top three favorite Sikh reporters.

4. Science Friday- Ira Flato is a science master, and he sounds exactly like Alan Alda.

3. Diane Rehm's Friday News Roundup- A nice capper to the week that was. I always feel very smart and connected after both the international and domestic hours.

2. Ira Glass- Even though he isn't actually employed by NPR, his immensely popular show, This American Life, is featured on many NPR affiliates. He's coming to Salt Lake later this month, and I intend to see him.

1. RadioLab- I've already sung the praises of this show in an earlier post, but I don't care because it is that good.

Support for this blog entry came from NPR listeners, like you.

Top 10 Authors

I've read a few books in my time, (in between issues of MAD Magazine) and as such, I have been influenced by them. I saw this list on Facebook, and decided to steal it for my blog. Here now is a list of 10 authors that have somehow made an impact on me in one way or another.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

Not only was he arguably the greatest leader of the 20th Century, he was a prolific writer. His memoirs of World War I and World War II stand out as the definitive accounts of the two wars from someone who was there, on the scene. I have read them both, and while long, they paint an amazing portrait of life in the thick of world conflict. Churchill's memory for the facts is only surpassed by his skill with the written word.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

As a former Theatre major and actor, I cannot help but put Shakespeare on this list. His plays are the stuff of legend, and I have been in, seen or read most of them. There is a reason he is still relevant in today's world- his works are timeless.

J.K. ROWLING

Sure, this may seem like a cop-out pick, but I really think that Harry Potter's creator belongs on this list. With her books about a teenage wizard, she helped me to find joy in reading again. After being forced to read so many books in high school, I had given up on reading for pleasure- until my aunt gave me the first two Harry Potter books. That was it, I was reading for fun again after that.

C.S. FORESTER
Forester is here because of his thrilling historical fiction starring British sea captain Horatio Hornblower. The Hornblower series is one of my all time favorites, and really engrosses you with details about life on a ship during the Napoleonic Wars. For a history major, there are few more fun authors out there than Forester.

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Of course he is known for his Sherlock Holmes adventures, which I love, but I also like one of his other great creations- The White Company, which is the story of English Longbowmen during the 100 Years War. It is a gift when an author can transport you to another place and time with such detail, and I have always felt that Conan Doyle does this superbly.

ROBERT BLY
I have only read one of his books, but it made an instant impact on me. The book in question is Iron John, a book about men, and why they are the way they are. It is a fascinating read that draws on mythology, science and psychology to help men understand themselves and how to overcome issues that can stem from childhood and society. It was an eye opening read that made me more self aware.

EDWARD ABBEY
His love of the outdoors and respect for the natural world is what puts Abbey on this list. Through books like The Monkey Wrench Gang and Desert Solitaire, Abbey makes his audience feel more in tune with the environment, and really care about what humanity's role is in relation to the wild, specifically the desert in the American West.

JOEL LONG
My good friend and poet Joel Long is an inspiration to me both as a teacher and an author. His words are written with such care and passion that they leap off the page. One morning I woke up and was inspired to write some poetry of my own because Joel's words were swimming in my head, having heard him read his poetry aloud the night before.

MALCOLM GLADWELL
I have never been able to read anything by Malcolm Gladwell and not have my mind blown. He writes about things that are seemingly so simple with such complexity and depth that he uncovers details most people would never see. His books, as well as his New York Times articles, cover such a wide variety of topics that something he has written that will speak to just about everyone.

IAN FLEMING
I cannot stress enough what Ian Fleming's work has done to inspire me. All you need to know is that James Bond is who I would be if I could be anyone else. No, his writings are not the most sophisticated or complex, but they are fun and harken back to a time when spies and Cold War political intrigue ruled the world. It would be a much less exciting, sexy and dangerous world if Ian Fleming had never penned his Bond novels.

Top 10 Movie Duos

Some films feature as their protagonists a team, a tandem, a pair. Here now is my list of the best onscreen duos of all time.

10. WAYNE AND GARTH

These two are the classic party pair. Appearing in two films together, they showed us the fun in head banging to Bohemian Rhapsody, hanging backstage with Alice Cooper and bagging schwing-worthy babes. Myers and Carvey were the perfect foils for each other in these roles that they originated on Saturday Night Live. Other than The Blues Brothers, they hold the distinction of having the best movie based on SNL characters. (Played by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey)

9. WALLACE AND DAVIS

Appearing together in the classic White Christmas, these two song and dance men had great chemistry and comic timing. Unlike Bing Crosby's work with Bob Hope, this duo has the benefit of singing classic Irving Berlin songs. This duo is a triple threat- singing, dancing, and wisecracking. (Played by Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby)

8. MILES AND JACK

This may seem like a weird choice, but this duo from Sideways is classic. These two misanthropes provide some great moments as they drink wine, charm the ladies and get into some compromising situations. The movie is great, but so is the DVD commentary that features the two actors channeling their onscreen chemistry. (Played by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church)

7. JOE FRIDAY AND PEP STREEBECK

This is a marquee big screen tandem. Aykroyd is perfect as the straight man while Hanks is free to be wild and wacky. While many would say Aykroyd's best paring was with John Belushi and Hanks' was with Peter Scolari, or Wilson the volleyball- I disagree. Many people forget how funny Tom Hanks can be, and in Dragnet he was paired with one of the great comic actors of his generation. The final scene where they discuss the virgin Connie Swail is a great microcosm of the Friday/Streebeck relationship. (Played by Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks)

6. HARRY AND LLOYD

Whether they're selling dead birds to blind kids, accidentally poisoning mobsters or going where the beer flows like wine, Harry and Lloyd are absolutely hilarious. Like all great twosomes, they really love each other, even if they let a girl get between them. However, at the end of the day their friendship is the driving force in the film, and for that the viewers are grateful. (Played by Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey)

5. C-3PO and R2-D2

The droids that love to argue are an intergalactic version of The Odd Couple. I even heard that they were cast in an off Broadway version of the Neil Simon classic. Fussy, uptight C-3PO would be nothing without his crusty little counterpart, R2-D2. Without their plucky comic relief, the Star Wars movies would have been much less fun to watch. (Played by Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker)

4. GUSTAFSON AND GOLDMAN

Lemmon and Matthau shared the screen several times in their storied film careers, but their best and most side-splitting work came in the two Grumpy Old Men movies. It was as if Felix and Oscar in The Odd Couple both got old, bitter and started swearing at each other. Not only do they make you laugh at their antics as they fight over Ann-Margaret, they touch you with their eventual friendship. (Played by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau)

3. PEACHY CARNAHAN AND DANIEL DRAVOT

The real life friendship of Caine and Connery comes across in this tremendous movie duo. As Masons and British soldiers, they embark on a dangerous and exciting adventure that takes the audience inside their deep friendship of many years. It is thrilling to watch their adventures together, as their relationship is put to the ultimate test in The Man Who Would Be King. (Played by Michael Caine and Sean Connery)

2. RIGGS AND MURTAUGH

Sure, Mel Gibson has lost it, but he did have it at one point and he 'had it' best when paired with Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon movies. These two are the archetypes for buddy cops and have given us some of the most fun moments in action movie history. It may seem like a cliche now, but Riggs and Murtaugh as the loose cannon and by-the-book family man, respectively, were trendsetters in their day. (Played by Mel Gibson and Danny Glover)

1. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID

Arguably the most iconic screen pair ever, these two got into and out of more trouble than every other pair on this list combined. It is a thing of beauty to watch Butch and Sundance bicker, run, work and shoot. Much of what this pair did has been emulated by other great movie tandems over the years since this film's release. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? (Played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford)

Top 10 Albums of All Time

Music makes the people come together, and these ten albums have brought many together over the years. It is hard to pick only ten albums, and while there are many deserving bands and records, these are the ones that I feel are the cream of the crop. Here now is the list...

10. THRILLER- Michael Jackson

The top selling album of all time starts us off on the list. It spent 37 weeks at number one and includes some of the King of Pop's biggest hits including- Beat It, Billie Jean, Wanna Be Starting Something, and of course, Thriller. Jackson would have other great albums as well, but none would ever come close to this seminal work.

9. GRACELAND- Paul Simon

This may seem like kind of an odd choice, but I think it is one of the most complete albums ever made. From start to finish, Graceland is great. All of the songs on it are listenable, which I feel is the ultimate test a great album must pass. Paul Simon used a liberal dose of South African music and musicians on the album, as well as the talents of Linda Ronstadt and the Everly Brothers on select tracks. It won the Grammy for best album, and gave us classics like You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes and Gumboots.

8. WHO'S NEXT- The Who

Who's Next is a hugely important rock album because of its use of the synthesizer and advances in sound engineering, and also its list of many fabulous tracks. A bit of a departure for the group, this album is marked by the variety of sounds and styles- going from loud rock anthems like Won't Get Fooled Again to quieter, introspective songs like Behind Blue Eyes. In addition to these songs, Who's Next includes some of the group's most well known hits like, Baba O'Riley, Going Mobile and Bargain. Well done, lads.

7. SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND- The Beatles

The Beatles sixth studio album is arguably the most influential one ever made in the history of rock and roll. As the first true concept album, it raised the bar for what rock bands could do with instrumentation and song writing. The songs on the album are not the best the group ever produced, but this record signaled the beginning of the 'Summer of Love' and was the epitome of hippie culture. This album is less about the music and more about the message, but there are still amazing cuts on it, including A Day in the Life, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Lovely Rita.

6. BACK IN BLACK- AC/DC

Written as a tribute to fallen lead singer Bon Scott, Back in Black is the best hard rock album ever. Taking over for the late Scott, new singer and lyricist Brian Johnson gave it to audiences with both barrels by teaming with the brothers Young to create some of the band's most memorable songs. Every song on this album kicks ass, and lets you know AC/DC is still out to rock as hard as they can. I could list any song on this album as a classic, but the best ones are Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Shoot to Thrill and Hells Bells.

5. ABBEY ROAD- The Beatles

Not only is the cover iconic, so is the music. The last album recorded by the Beatles, Abbey Road boasts perhaps the best collaboration by the band since their early days. Each Beatle is given room to shine, and does so in impressive form. Unlike Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road is a complete record, wowing the listener from start to finish. George Harrison also emerges as a songwriting equal with Lennon and McCartney on this album with his hits- Something and Here Comes the Sun. The Beatles sure knew how to make an exit.

4. LED ZEPPELIN II- Led Zeppelin

Many point to Zoso as the band's best album, but Stairway to Heaven does not an album make. The group's second album is its best, being the most complete throughout. Led Zeppelin II is devoid of one truly great song, but is rife with very good ones. In fact, the album's most recognizable song, Whole Lotta Love, might be one of the weaker ones. I really like Living Loving Maid, Heartbreaker and Bring it on Home the best, but let's also not forget the fabulous instrumental Moby Dick. Don't feel the need to skip songs here- you'll miss something awesome if you do.

3. LET IT BLEED- The Rolling Stones

This 1969 effort from the Stones marked an era of change for the band, as they infused their music with a larger variety of styles. Let it Bleed was also the last album to feature founding member Brian Jones. It can be said that any of four albums from the late '60's and early '70's is the group's best, but this really captures a great mix of sounds, as well as some of the Stones' biggest hits. I think I like this album best also, because it signaled a shift in the mentality of society- away from the flower power sixties toward the darker, edgier seventies. The songs Midnight Rambler, Monkey Man and Gimme Shelter indicate this shift best.

2. PET SOUNDS- The Beach Boys

Just like Sgt. Pepper, Pet Sounds changed the game for rock and roll. The work that Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys put in on this album made not only Sgt. Pepper possible, but many other future works as well. Using new technology and sounds, Wilson tried to copy and one-up the famous wall of sound, created by Phil Spector. It was not common to use so many orchestral elements and multi-tracking on rock records until Pet Sounds came along, and it ushered in a new age where anything was possible in rock and roll. The best cuts are Sloop John B, Wouldn't it Be Nice and the classic ballad, God Only Knows. Listening to this album is like hearing history.

1. REVOLVER- The Beatles

Prior to Sgt. Pepper, but after the release of Pet Sounds, The Beatles came out with the best album on this list. Revolver is more innovative and experimental than anything the group ever did, and there is not a bad song on the album. Drug culture, social commentary, existential thought, Eastern philosophy and children's imagery are the basis for the tracks on Revolver, showing the world that there was more to rock than just songs about teenage love. This album marks a growth in sophistication for the medium of rock music, and it is beautiful to behold. John, Paul, George and Ringo's masterpiece together is Revolver. Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, Dr. Robert, Got to Get You Into My Life and Tomorrow Never Knows are highlights, but to be fair- every song is a highlight.

Top 10 Villains of All Time

The movie industry has given us some great villains over the years, and I feel compelled to recognize the ten that I think are the best. Here they are...

10. KHAN NOONIEN SINGH

Star Trek's best and most memorable villain gets us off to a great start. Khan is a genetically engineered genius who is hell-bent on revenge. It is Khan's determination that makes him a great villain, and his use of brain burrowing, mind controlling eels on his enemies doesn't hurt either. (Played by Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II)

9. HARRY LIME

Perhaps the most charming villain on this list, Harry Lime is a criminal mastermind. His plot leaves many people dead or terminally ill, and he feels no remorse. He is a product of World War II and its aftermath, but that is no excuse for his sadistic behavior. (Played by Orson Welles in The Third Man)

8. CAPTAIN BLIGH

This is the only villain on this list who actually existed in real life. Captain Bligh is a cruel disciplinarian that forces his crew into mutiny because of his evil and irrational treatment of his men on the H.M.S. Bounty. Bligh has been played by many men, but make sure to see the 1935 Oscar winning version of Mutiny on the Bounty for the best and most villainous Bligh. (Played by Charles Laughton)

7. BRICKTOP

You might look at this guy and think, "Who's this old dork?" But while you're thinking that, he'll be planning to kill you and feed you to his pigs. That's right, he's a mob boss who kills his enemies and those who displease him and feeds them to his pet pigs. Don't cross Bricktop, he's a tough customer. (Played by Alan Ford in Snatch)

6. HARRY POWELL

There's nothing more villainous than a bad man who pretends to be good. Harry Powell claims to be a minister, but he is really a thief and a murderer. Worse than that, his target is two children who know his true intentions. I'll never hear the hymn "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and not be creeped out. (Played by Robert Mitchum in The Night of the Hunter)

5. NURSE RATCHED

This woman makes mental hospitals less appealing than they already are. Her manipulative hold on her patients makes her a very evil villain, and responsible for more problems than she cures. She's also not willing to be challenged, and will use any means necessary to stay in control. (Played by Louise Fletcher in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)

4. ROSA KLEBB/RED GRANT

These are the two best villains that James Bond creator Ian Fleming ever gave us. They get paired together because one is the brains and one is the braun. He's the most dangerous assassin SPECTRE has, and she's the creepy mastermind with poison knives in her shoes. 007 has a hard time getting the better of the these two. (Played by Lotte Lenya and Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love)

3. THE JOKER

Completely unpredictable, ruthless and sadistic, The Joker is in a class of his own. The fact that he believes in anarchy might make him the most dangerous villain on this list, and his wicked sense of humor only adds to his menacing personality. Wanna know how he got his scars? (Played by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight)

2. DR. HANNIBAL LECTER

This guy is a genius psychiatrist who eats people. He eats people! What else do you need to know? Maybe that he's always two steps ahead, and that he's really charming and manipulative. The Silence of the Lambs is scary as shit, and 99% of that is because of Dr. Lecter. (Played by Sir Anthony Hopkins)

1. DARTH VADER

You cannot think villain without picturing Darth Vader. He is the epitome of evil, with his force chokes, his light saber skills, the black helmet and that deep voice. I don't know if any villain before or since has made as big an impact as the Dark Lord of the Sith. (Played by David Prowse and James Earl Jones in the Original Star Wars trilogy)