Year in Review

It is that time of year, when various critics, pundits, and innocent civilians create their "best of" lists for the past year. So, being a rather intelligent, observant, and modest individual I am, here are my list of the best of 2005:

Best Movie: Magnificent Seven, I've watched this numerous times and continue to be amazed of the transformation of Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece to the Old West can be as effective. The casting is perfect from Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Yul Brenner, and Eli Wallach (who looked Mexican!)
Best Record: Richard Cheese and Lounge Aganist the Machine APERITIF FOR DESTRUCTION, timeless, every song he does is immediately Richard's forever. His searing duet with Steven Hawking makes me cry everytime.
Best Book: The Art of War by Sun Tzu, I use this everyday in the classroom, very effective in education and influencing children.
Best Media Moment: after Katrina watching Lisa Daniels of MSNBC scream like a drunken harpy, "Who do we blame? Who do we blame?" Yes ladies and gentlemen, the next Katie Couric
Best Sports Moment: Charles Harris of the Chicago Bears intercepting Favra last Sunday for he Bears to win and clinch the Norse
Best Real Life Moment: any time with my wife, sappy but true
Best Reality TV Moment: hard to say, not my genre, but it would have to be Willy has been melting down on Celebrity Biggest Loser.
Best Moment to Witness in History: the evolution of Democracy in the Middle East. Years from now people will look back at this year ranking near 1989 as the year of impact. We will look at the spouting democracies in Egypt and Saudi Arabia (still a looong way to go), the Cedar Revolution of Lebanon, and the strides in Iraq. People will look back and vilify GW, curse the democrats who attacked him at every step(except the nutjobs on the left) and most of all, we will remember the exceptionally brave men and women who fought and died for our country.

You may have read at my blog and held your nose in disgust for my thoughts like smelling the diaper blowout my daughter had yesterday, both were rather epic. But the soldiers and their families mentioned above are part of a long line of courageous souls who make sure people like me don't get arrested, tortured, and butchered, that goes for all of us Americans. By the way, it also goes for a hell of a lot of people in the world.