Blogcritics

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Top 5: Classic On-Screen Beauties

Tan The Man — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 19:20:44 EDT

What has become of the Hollywood beauty? Before, these beauties lit up the screen as if they were born to be on it. Nowadays, film is littered with a different kind of beauty - the one cast just because of how she looks. No offense to Jessica Alba or Jessica Biel, but they don't emit the same screen presence that classic Hollywood regularly gave birth to. Yes, Angelina Jolie looks very good with Brad Pitt, but Jolie's voluptuousness doesn't come close to matching Monroe's radiance.I might be bias, but when watching these classic on-screen beauties I have never been distracted by their beauty. These women showcased their persona - a mix of beauty, personality and talent. Not that I mind watching Alba dance with a lasso in Sin City or Biel showering in Blade: Trinity, but these scenes distract from the film by enhancing the actresses' sex appeal while downplaying any acting ability. These five on-screen beauties, however, had it all.1. Ingrid Bergman - There hasn't been any actress quite like Ingrid Bergman. It can't be a coincidence that she starred in so many great movies like Casablanca, Notorious, Spellbound and Murder On The Orient Express. She was the biggest actress in the 1940s, enchanting the world with her beauty and talent (she won three Academy Awards). Although her infidelity resulted in her fall from grace, she still continued to act with charm and dignity. 2. Eva Marie Saint - Eva also has her share of starring roles in many great movies (On The Waterfront, 36 Hours, North By Northwest and Grand Prix). When the roles she was offered weren't satisfactory, in the 70s Eva turned to the small screen and to the stage with much success - winning an Emmy in 1990 for the mini-series People Like Us. She is currently filming Superman Returns. 3. Veronica Lake - One of the most beautiful women in Hollywood at the time, she invented the "peek-a-boo" look with her long hair curled to block one of her eyes. This look was so popular that during World War II, the United States government asked Lake to stop using the look because so many of the women would copy her and get their hair trapped in machines while working in the factories. Her best role is in Preston Sturges' slapstick comedy masterpiece Sullivan's Travels. 4. Marilyn Monroe - One of the most mythic icons in screen history, Marilyn Monroe personified stardom. High profile marriages to Arthur Miller and Joe DiMaggio as well as rumored affairs with John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy heightened the mystery surrounding her persona. Her sex appeal might have overshadowed her acting talents, but she never shied away from the spotlight. Elizabeth Hurley once said that "I've always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I'd kill myself if I was that fat." I'm sorry, but Monroe will always be more beautiful than Hurley and the highest point of Hurley's career is still a hundred miles below the lowest point of Monroe's career. Film highlights include Some Like It Hot, The Seven Year Itch and The Asphalt Jungle. 5. Ava Gardner - She was one of the most recognized sex symbols in Hollywood, starring in films like Show Boat, The Killers and The Hucksters. She began her career as a model, later turning to film. She was married three times to Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra and Artie Shaw. Honorable mention: Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Bibi AnderssonInspired by Jones Violet's "Of Hunks and Babes" article, here.

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Top 5: Things To Think About After Katrina

Tan The Man — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 03:19:48 EDT

Most people probably still don't care (physically, emotionally and politically) about the disaster that is now New Orleans and Louisiana (or have probably tried to move on as best one can), and if so, those same people probably haven't even heard of the recent place crash in Indonesia that killed 148 people. Let's face it, as horrible as events like these are, these events must happen if there is any hope of uniting the world. Common political events like both World Wars and more realistic events like natural disasters ooze with the potential to bring all nationalities, races and sexes together and try to form a more peaceful world a la Star Trek. Small steps won't go noticed in the grand scheme of Capitalism (which is why no one ever no-tices anything done by the United Nations), so big steps are needed to help wake the world up to the reality that the human race will only survive if we work together.I wanted to come up with a list of the ideas that I think come out of Katrina - possible blame, possible personality traits that contribute to bad things happening. Many of these don't include having Bush or a Republican as president; it's a little more complex than that.1. Ignorance - Most of you have probably noticed that many natural disasters have oc-curred relatively recently. Some may claim that global warming is the chief culprit, and to a point it is a very logical assessment. However, as unpredictable as nature seems to be, we have come a long way to being able to see nature's pattern and routine. Statisti-cally, we can look at the frequency at which natural events occur, and to some degree of success predict when the next one will occur.Events like earthquakes and hurricanes do happen, but can we prevent them? No, and we probably never will. The only way to protect our selves from natural disasters is preparation, not prevention. If we know that disasters like tsunamis and hurricanes will occur, being prepared for them is the best way to handle them. There is only so much you can blame the government for what has happened in Louisiana. The fact of the mat-ter is that many people had no idea how dangerous hurricanes could be to that region (not to mention the real risk of having most of the region below sea level). That's really no one's fault but their own. It's like living in California and not knowing the risk of earth-quakes or living in New York and not knowing the risk of muggings.2. Selfishness - The truth is that most people, if not all, are selfish. That belief is reason enough to think that there will not be a happy ending. You can't expect people to do the right thing when the only worry they have is for them.3. Greed, Telethons and crap like Live 8 - I might too pessimistic in believing that most people care very little about their fellow man. But when I hear stories that up to 90% of the money that was raised for the Tsunami fund never reached most of the peo-ple that needed it, it kills me.I have to admit that some people do generally care, and sometimes the only realistic way to help is to donate money. The Red Cross is a very decent organization whose sole purpose is to help those less fortunate. With the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left, many countries have offered to help. The problem with this is that, for political reasons, most of the money and aid will only (if we're lucky) help those affected by Katrina. These events are still rare, and a one-time gift of money to victims of Katrina isn't going to help the millions of starving people in Africa or the billions of people living in poverty around the world. People look at donating ten dollars to the Red Cross during a telethon and give themselves a pat on the back. Sure, every dollar helps, but these events ignore the constant year-round need for aid to the hundreds of homeless shelters in the country, the thousands of dis-placed people that lose their homes to fires or to small welfare programs like Meals On Wheels.4. Time - It's probably our time to go, and there might not be any way to stop the inevi-table. Humans have always tried to beat the clock and look for that miracle drug to stop aging. Who doesn't want to live forever? Immortality is mighty tempting. But when you look at the alarming statistic that the Earth is overdue for a doomsday asteroid to hit, we might just be living on borrowed time. My only suggestion is to research the various ideas and beliefs in the afterlife. 5. God - God is angry and there's no stopping Him.Anything else come to mind after Katrina, and now Rita?

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Top 5: Garth Brooks Songs

Tan The Man — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 04:07:16 EDT

In the realm of music, I think Garth Brooks is one of the most underrated artists in history. The biggest strike against him is that he's a country singer. How many people listen to country? Not many. But what you should know is that Garth Brooks is the first solo artist in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America and Soundscan to sell a hundred million albums. To Brooks' credit, he always confessed that Elvis should have had that distinction since Elvis lived in a time of fuzzy record keeping.Garth reinvigorated country music - although, maybe not for the best. Garth brought new life into a genre that most people stereotyped as being hick music. He brought a rock edge and a new cool to the genre. If it weren't for Brooks' hybridization of country music, the genre may never have enjoyed the 90s resurgence that it did; artists like Faith Hill, Shania Twain and Kenny Chesney might never have become stars if it wasn't for Brooks. He is currently in his self-imposed semi-retirement, but he still finds time to do many charity concerts and events. Here is my Top 5 Garth Brooks songs list, in tribute to my favorite singer.1. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Garth Brooks) - Brooks wrote this song in honor of his then-wife Sandy for being there for him during the good times and the bad. It is his breakthrough hit, and helped catapult him into the mainstream. 2. "Baby Jesus Is Born" (Garth Brooks & The Magic Of Christmas) - On Garth's second Christmas album, he sings an incredibly original tune in the spirit of both the Gospel and gospel music. 3. "You Move Me" (Sevens) - He is at his element in this simple, yet powerful tune about love, with great background vocals with Trisha Yearwood. 4. "The Thunder Rolls" (No Fences) - Garth's most popular song deals with infidelity. The video for this song was groundbreaking and the song is still as powerful as it was over ten years ago.5. "Alabama Clay" (Garth Brooks) - One of his most heartfelt songs, Garth sings about a man's duty: to live, to dream, to provide and to love. Sometimes in life, one must make a choice to sacrifice one of his duties in order to do the right thing. Man, this sounds like Spider-man.Honorable mention: The rest of the catalog. Everything is gold.I love Garth Brooks, but he gets strike two for playing favorites with the devil (not Bill Gates, but Wal-Mart - Al Barger's "Garth Brooks now a Wal-Mart only artist" article here).

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Top 5: Tom Cruise Films

Tan The Man — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 15:20:29 EDT

With so much bad criticism hitting Tom Cruise these days, I thought it'd be best to remember the reasons why Tom Cruise is so famous. He's acted in successful movies - maybe because of his acting or maybe not; but, his films are enjoyable, and his films have earned buttloads of money.1. Magnolia (1999) - Paul Thomas Anderson directs this epic movie about life and relationships. Magnolia's many characters interweave throughout the movie's many subplots to create cohesion where once incohesion existed. Tom Cruise plays Frank T.J. Mackey, a male sex guru, who is crude, fake and frank. This is his best performance as an actor because his character might just be the most "real" person that he's ever played.2. A Few Good Men (1992) - Rob Reiner's best film (other than Stand By Me) tells the tale of two marine cadets charged for the murder of a fellow marine. Tom Cruise is a hot-shot attorney assigned to defend the marine cadets. This movie is good, but is probably more well-known for Jack Nicholson's protrayal of Col. Nathan R. Jessep.3. Collateral (2004) - Michael Mann's ode to Los Angeles was one of the best films of 2004. Tom Cruise plays a hitman, Vincent, who uses a cab driver (Jamie Foxx) to drive him to his killing destinations. Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx have tremendous chemistry, and it shows with their conversations on life and work.4. Top Gun (1986) - The action scenes in this movie are terrific. I'm not praising Cruise's acting in this movie, but I'm praising the movie's entertainment value. The dialogue is cheesy, but fun. It helps create the standard for a guy film.5. Minority Report (2002) - Tom Cruise's first duet with Steven Spielberg is one of the best science-fiction films of the new millenium. Top-notch special effects and probably Spielberg's best recent directing effort make for one entertaining and intellectual film.Honorable mention: Born On The Fourth Of July (1989), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Interview With The Vampire (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996), Rain Man (1988)When Tom Cruise was sprayed in the face during the London premiere of War Of The Worlds (2005), he said that he was upset because he doesn't deserve being ridiculed when he "works so hard to make people feel good." His statement was correct. Entertainers work hard to entertain us. Cruise works hard to make people feel good, and at the very least, we should cut him some slack.I always quote from Top Gun because I'm always looking for a new wingman.

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Weekly Top 5: Talented People Whose Gifts Were Wasted

Tan The Man — Thu, 21 Jul 2005 11:53:43 EDT

The world has been full of talented people. There is talent in everyone, but the simple fact is that most people never realize their talents, and those talents go to waste. These are people who knew what their talents were, but for one reason or another, their talents were wasted or their lives cut short before fully utilizing their potential.1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - He is perhaps the most brilliant human to have ever lived. He played the piano at age one, composed music at age five and wrote full symphonies at age seven. His premature death at age 35 deprived the world of countless more symphonies. Although he wasn't as appreciated during his life as he was after his death, no one doubted that he was talented. 2. James Dean - Considered by some to be the best actor of his generation, but because of his untimely death at 22, he never fulfilled his potential. He starred in three films - Giant, East Of Eden and Rebel Without A Cause - with only East Of Eden being released during his life. 3. Mike Tyson - Being the youngest world heavyweight boxing champion ever, many believed Tyson was bound for great things. But his anger and personality clashed (maybe combined) to created many problems. A troubled marriage and a rape conviction halted Tyson's rise to boxing greatness. Although many say his performances in the ring were tainted by the fact that he faced inferior opponents, the fact that he had so many hiatuses from the ring really hurt any real or accurate evaluation of his true skill. But that is Tyson's fault. He not only deprived us of great fights, but he deprived himself of possible greatness.4. Albert Einstein - Try me on this one. As the most popular scientist to have ever lived, this man might have achieved more and discovered more had he not had to fear for his life during the onset of World War II. As a Jew, he had to worry about being captured by the Nazis and being sent to concentration camps like the millions of other Jews in Europe at the time. Seeking refuge, Einstein fled to the United States along with a few other Jewish scientists, and were sought by the U.S. government to create the atomic bomb. Although the bomb itself helped usher in a new age of technological discovery, Einstein himself regretted his involvement in the Manhattan Project. Had Einstein not had to redirect his life toward these endeavors, he might have discovered fusion (I think) or some other great discovery. Who knows?5. Anna Kournikova - This lovable loser has never won a Grand Slam singles title - or a singles title in general - despite the overwhelming popularity she received from both the media and the fans. Although no one mentions the fact that Anna has two Grand Slam doubles titles with former No. 1 Martina Hingis, Anna was still a great doubles player. To her credit, Anna still plays tennis, and she does constant charity events. Could she have won a title if she didn't have all of the media attention and dozens of cameras flashing at her? I sure like to think so.Honorable mention: Jennifer Capriati, Ted Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bobby Fischer, River Phoenix, Dwight "Doc" Gooden, anyone lost in war...

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Weekly Top 5: Things I Used To Do As A Child, But No More

Tan The Man — Thu, 14 Jul 2005 06:05:49 EDT

Are we all, as adults, just extensions of our childhood? We can remember our childhood - the lucky ones can remember a lot - for specific details and events that shape who we are today. We might remember a song we loved as kids, and if we heard it so many years later would remember every word. Do we actually ever grow up?I guess it depends on how you look at it. With this list, I hope to share reasons that might prove I grown up. I no longer adhere to the lessons my parents set forth or the ideas that conformed my adolescence to a "right" way of living. 1. Wash fruits and vegetables before I eat them - People do it all the time, sneaking quick bites of grapes before they are charged by the pound at the checkout counter (I once saw someone take a few bites out of apples before buying them). My dad used to scold me for not washing my favorite strawberries or green apples. He used to say that you would instantly die from poison if you didn't wash them. Maybe it was adolescent spite that made me refuse to wash them. Maybe it was forgetfulness. Maybe I wanted to die.2. Fear God - How can one fear God if one does not believe that God exists?3. Feel ashamed during masturbation - In religion classes, masturbation was taught to me as something sinful. Only married people can have sex and masturbation was like having sex outside of marriage. It was something God did not like. Well dammit, I like it!4. Abuse my sister - I once slammed my sister's head into the wall when she blamed me for leaving the toilet seat up in the house. I swear it wasn't me. 5. Fear death - The fact that I don't wash fruits and vegetables before I eat them tells you that I don't fear the possible effects that fertilizers and pesticides have on me. The fact that I don't fear God tells you that I am dead inside to the idea that my spiritual Father will always have love in His heart for me. The fact that I don't feel ashamed while masturbating tells you that I am one care-free dude who could be on the verge of spiritual awakenings brought on by alcohol bingeing and drug overdosing. The fact that I abused my sister as we grew up tells you that I am an angry individual with so much pent-up rage that an outburst is simmering on the surface and waiting to be unleashed.Some of these things deal directly or indirectly to religious teachings. I went to to a parochial school for both grade school and high school. Somewhere in high school, I gave up on those many years of Christian teachings and abandoned my devotion to God. This rejection, though I will say it is more directed toward organized religion than God, has given me great relief during my pubescent years. I had freedom to explore myself in many ways.Maybe we are born into this world as a specific person with a set group of unchangeable ideas and talents. As children, we learn a different set. As adults, we learn another. In total, we have three sets, part of us always wanting to be a kid and another part of us always wanting to grow up. Honorable mentions: love my dad, think optimistically, respect the president, think I had superpowers, believe that the Earth was flat...Edited: LH

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Top 5 Pixar Animated Films

Tan The Man — Thu, 7 Jul 2005 12:31:33 EDT

I compare Pixar to what Miramax used to be when it first started. When Miramax started, it was a revolution to film. It created trends and romanticized independent film. Pixar has romanticized animation. Not just because they used computer animation, but because what they did with it. Anyone can make decent animation (Sony made great animation for Final Fantasy), but not many can tell good stories. Pixar manages to combine the two in order to fulfill the stories' promise and potential. Could Toy Story have worked using classic hand-drawn animation? Possibly, but only because the story is that good enough. But it wouldn't have been so admired. Pixar works at telling good stories first. This should be the basis of all films. The animation comes second and only works with a good story. In homage to Pixar, I have come up with my list of the top 5 Pixar movies of all time. 1. Toy Story 2: Not many sequels can ever come close to their original counterparts. But Toy Story 2 manages not only to continue Toy Story's original flavor, but somehow manages to surpass it. The friendship of Woody and Buzz are tested when Woody is kidnapped by a toy collector and it is up to Buzz and company to save Woody before Woody is sold to a museum in Japan. Wood's perspective on life is shifted a bit when he meets Jessie and how she was dumped by her owner, but Woody's faith never changes because he knows that one of the meanings of life is to enjoy it.2. Monster's Inc.: Talk about imagination. Pixar beat Disney at its own game of using children's stories and fairy tales to inspire ideas for films. Monster's Inc uses the story of monsters in the closet to conjure up an original story about a possible reason as to why monsters come out of our closets to scare us. The bond that Scully develops with Boo is very touching. 3. The Incredibles: This was the first Pixar movie that I actually saw in the theaters before seeing it on DVD. Every other movie I saw on DVD first. Truthfully, I was disappointed after seeing it in the theater. I reluctantly bought it on DVD when it first came out, and my entire mind changed watching The Incredibles on the smaller screen versus the big one. The relationship between Mr. Incredible and Mrs. Incredible are much more deeper and the concern that they have for their children is very real and heartfelt. Apparently the end scene was so good and close to what the upcoming The Fantastic Four had that its producers had to almost completely redo its major battle scene. Incredible.4. Toy Story: It was the first full computer generated feature film, which at the time seemed like the only thing to see it for because all of us wanted to be a part of what the future of film was. And in the realm of film history, Toy Story will always be on the same plane as Snow White And The Seven Dwarves. But it was much more. Woody helps to save Buzz from the cluthes of an evil neighbor while also teaching Buzz that there is much more to being a toy.5. Finding Nemo: I might be one of the few people to have not loved this movie. I liked it, but I couldn't find myself worried about Nemo whom so many others have been. Maybe I couldn't appreciate the father/son relationship or the friendship between Dory and Nemo's father. Who knows. Still enjoyable.Honorable mention: 1. A Bug's Life. Although it is unfair to make A Bug's Life an honorable mention when Pixar has only made 6 full feature films. I could have easily made it a Top 6 list, but that wouldn't be fair to the other lists. This isn't a bad thing. It's a good film, but it's just not good enough to crack the top 5. 2. Cars. The next Pixar movie, which was slated to premiere this year was moved to 2006. Too bad. It doesn't sound the most interesting, and seems to be a little late on that Nascar craze a few years ago. But I was wrong about Finding Nemo. My prediction is Cars will be my fifth favorite Pixar movie. Sorry Finding Nemo.

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Top 5 Greatest Non-Sports Rivalries

Tan The Man — Thu, 30 Jun 2005 01:07:09 EDT

Rivalries are a mainstay in sports. It's the nature of the sports and how games are played. One team/player has to win, and so there also must be a loser. There have been many great sports rivalries: Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, Boston Red Sex and New York Yankees, Adolf Hitler and Jesse Owens (I'm stretching this a bit), Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, and the list goes on.What I wanted to do was make a list on the rivalries that are non-sports related. If sports can transcend into life, than surely its nature can affect us and how we live. While there isn't a winner or loser per se, in reality there is such a thing as a good or an evil. 1. God vs. Satan - The rivalry to end all rivalries. Right now, God is winning, and His victory has brought humans and aliens continued life in the universe. In this epic and ongoing struggle, God and Satan are vying for control of existence. If God loses, then life as we know will end. Darkness and chaos will consume anything and everything. Sin will be enjoyable. Wow, that actually doesn't sound too bad.2. Jews vs. The World - Depending on how you view the world and maybe on how racist you are, this seems like an obvious rivalry. Anti-semitism has been prevalent throughout the times, maybe even the age of the dinosaurs? You have the Egyptians versus the Hebrews, more of that (I don't know the specifics, help a brother out), Hitler and the Nazis versus the Jews, and most recently Mel Gibson versus the Jews. It's everywhere, and if people can't see it, then the media isn't do their jobs. 3. The Bush Family vs. "Evil" - You could see this coming. The first Bush dynasty bean in 1989 and Bush Sr. was riding the success of Ronald Reagan and started but never finished the "Iraq Situation." The second Bush dynasty began in 2000 and will last until 2008. George W. has almost 3 years left to give history more information and reasons to extent that Bush aura for the next century. Jeb Bush has denied rumors of his running for the presidency, but imagine if he did win. Three President Bushes in 20 years. Whoa. 4. Pepsi vs. Coke - Talk about rivalries. They do nothing but compete with each, and copy each other. The most recent soda spin-off is Coke with Lime, which Pepsi came right back with Pepsi Lime. Although I'm sure there is more to it, as a consumer you just know who came first and who followed. Coke does lead in worldwide sales, but it is always easier to catch the leader than it is to maintain a lead. Pepsi's coming!5. Wal-Mart vs. Democracy - As a corporation, Wal-Mart destroys its competition with cutthroat pricing and authoritative dictatorship over its many employees. Democracy is about choice, but there usually isn't a choice when it has the cheaper price for most products. You can't blame Wal-Mart's success, but you can blame its route to become the #1 retailer. Honorable mentions: Apple vs. Microsoft, Intel vs. AMD, dogs vs. cats, humans vs. aliens.

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Top 5 Oddest, But Still Brilliant Inventions

Tan The Man — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 14:10:19 EDT

I read over at MSN recently of Tamim Ansary's (a columnist) list of the 10 greatest inventions. His number one is the mechanical clock. And kudos for that. Not many people realize how important and ingenious time is to both nature and civilization as we know it. I don't think that we'll ever find out that single man or woman who invented the concept of time, probably some form of the sundial, but I know that all of us are in a debt of gratitude to that prehistoric genius.You'll find his list includes, and in order: toiler/modern plumbing, printing press, immunization/antibiotics, telephone, electrical grid, automobile, television, computer and "something new" (internet, birth control, genetic engineering or virtual reality - you can read his column here).In homage to his list, I thought that I should come up with a list of some of the more odd inventions, but nonetheless crafty and brilliant. 1. The Staple and the Stapler - Who would have thought that a small piece of sheet metal could be used to bind several pieces of paper together. In that same regard, the stapler itself is a very complex machine that takes several attached staples and individually staples the sheet metal into the paper. How the staple bends as it hits that metal plate is magnificent. 2. Antiperspirant & Deodorant - Anyone, like me, with a smelly roommate can attest to the joys of such a blessing. Long and hot summer nights can turn into blistering endurance trials, and sometimes the only comfort can be found in preventing and lessing your sweat or at least its smell. Body odor is natural, but not necessarily good. 3. The Contour Design - Current bottles have shown this new trend. Straight edges are yesterday's news, and curves and contours are in. Who doesn't want to drink out of something that can fit smoothly and snug in one's hand? I once read a story about how much money the beverage industry spent researching the effects of contour designs on the people. What I remember was that the $50 million dollar study found out that people were willing to pay more money for bottled drinks as long as they were sold in contour designed bottles. Wow.4. Jesus Christ - How many people can say that they are devoted to and worshipped by a billion people? Not many. While I don't doubt that a "Jesus" ever existed, I doubt that He might be as mystical and divine as the Bible claims Jesus is. Jesus Christ, as He is now, is an amazing invention who has inspired thousands of people to crusade against the heathens, millions of people to love Him, and billions of people to know His name. If that isn't successful marketing, then I don't know what is.5. The Widescreen - This is a very under-appreciated viewing ratio in almost all feature films and some television shows. The use of widescreen was started after cinema attendance plummeted following the invention of the television. Movie executives were startled and found new ways to differentiate the film from the TV show. What came out of it was CinemaScope - the first widescreen film camera process. The first widescreen movie was The Robe (1953) starring Richard Burton and Jean Simmons. Imagine watching Lawrence Of Arabia or Ben-Hur in full screen. It makes me shutter.Honorable mentions: the iPod, thongs and crotch-less panties, the Lord Of The Rings (books, not the movies), the syringe, the yin/yang symbol (it doesn't show up if I save it), the Segway, the "STOP" sign, self-adhesive stamps, and language. What are some other ones that change our lives, but still lack enough popularity to make it into the mainstream?

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.

Top 5 On-Screen Hunks

Tan The Man — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 19:52:27 EDT

I didn't want to seem sexist, so I wanted to also mention my top 5 on-screen hunks. These men make my blood boil and my heart beat fast. I must admit that I have man-crushes and if I was gay, then I would definitely want these men.This list includes more classic hunks for the simple fact that there really aren't that many hunks in our current generation of leading men.1. James Dean - This man achieved icon status after only appearing in three films, only one opened before he died in a tragic car crash. His movies include the great Rebel Without A Cause, East Of Eden, and Giant. Often referred to as the greatest actor of his generation, it is hard to distinguish as "the" greatest since he only appeared in three films, but he is among the greats of that generation, which included Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift.2. Montgomery Clift - That last line brings a nice segway into No. 2. This man was really handsome. His career is more defined than Dean, but his life was also derailed by a car accident. His great movies were From Here To Eternity, Alfred Hitchock's I Confess, and Judgment At Nuremberg.3. Rock Hudson - He made a name for himself by appearing in many Douglas Sirk melodramas like Magnificent Obsession and, All That Heaven Allows. He also created a nice on-screen couple with Doris Day in Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back and Send Me No Flowers. Rock Hudson defined what a manly man is. And he was gay, so it'd be alright for me to have a crush on him. Well, that applies to Montgomery Clift as well.4. Paul Newman - He was really good looking as a young man. Even when he got older in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid and The Sting, Paul was very rugged. Call me old-fashioned but I'd take Butch any day.5. Brad Pitt - Have you seen his body? Man, he has abs of steel. I must admit that Brad Pitt is pretty hot, and I would not be afraid to say that in public. In fact, I have.Honorable Mentions: Elvis, Humphrey Bogart, Jude Law (although he's more sexy than hunky), Clive Owen, Frank Sinatra, Robert Redford.Who are your man-crushes?

I'm a proud Dork And Loser.