A little while back, I got a new comment on my lists of best and not-best things. And since it seems at least some people are still interested in a post that went up last October, I figured I'd get the arguments started once again with a few new topics that might veer a bit from the subject of crime fiction writing in spots:
Again, these are in no particular order. #1 isn't necessarily better than #8 in any category.
Best Songs Built on a Guitar Run
- Day
Tripper
- Up Around the Bend
- I Feel Fine
- Satisfaction
- What Is Life?
- A Hazy Shade of Winter
- Born to Run (with obvious saxophone assist)
- Oh, Pretty Woman
- My Girl
- Layla
Best Actors To Watch in Anything
- Humphrey
Bogart
- Gene Wilder
- Bob Hoskins
- Cary Grant
- Harpo Marx
- James Stewart
- Sidney Poitier
- Peter O'Toole
- Alan Arkin
- Tom Hanks
Best Actors To Watch In Their Signature Roles
- Alan
Alda (Hawkeye Pierce)
- Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lecter)
- Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones)
- Groucho Marx (Groucho Marx)
- Alec Baldwin (Jack Donaghy)
- Marty Feldman (Eye-gore)
- Robert Vaughn (Napoleon Solo)
- Martin Sheen (Josiah Bartlet)
- Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates)
- Kevin Costner (Ray Kinsella or Crash Davis)
Best Actors Not To Watch in Anything
- Zeppo
Marx
- Stewart Granger
- George Lazenby
- Desi Arnaz
- Keanu Reeves
- Ben Affleck
- Chris Farley
- Leonardo di Caprio
- Keir Dullea
- Adam Sandler
Best Actresses To Watch in Anything
- Katharine
Hepburn
- Frances de la Tour
- Jean Arthur
- Julie Andrews
- Mary Louise Parker
- Barbara Hershey (except Beaches)
- Madeline Kahn
- Cloris Leachman
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Karen Allen
Best Yankees I Have Seen Play Live (Go ahead--argue with THIS one!)
- Mickey
Mantle
- Thurman Munson
- Derek Jeter
- Ron Guidry
- Mariano Rivera
- Reggie Jackson
- Willie Randolph
- Tino Martinez
- Graig Nettles
- Don Mattingly
English Phrases That Must Be Eliminated
- Man up
- But yet
- Awesome
- Instant classic
- Death benefit
- Hells yes
- Folks (this is aimed at politicians, especially when referring to terrorists)
- Hubby (Ask your spouse if he likes this one. But make it clear he can answer honestly.)
- All-Star Game
- Word (as if saying, "Yes, that is true. I agree.")
Movies That Could Be Watched Once A Week
- Horse
Feathers
- North By Northwest
- Galaxy Quest
- The Stunt Man
- Casablanca
- A Hard Day's Night
- Diner
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Young Frankenstein
- The Maltese Falcon
Brilliant Comedians
- Jon
Stewart
- Groucho Marx
- Bill Cosby
- Lewis Black
- Elayne Boosler
- Steve Martin
- Richard Jeni
- Robert Klein
- Bugs Bunny
- Mel Brooks









