2 vs. 15
2. Gutenberg over 15. Locke
2. St Paul over 15. Dante
15. Hammurabi upset 2. Buddha
15. Sun Tsu over 2. T’Sai Lun
3 vs. 14
14. Elizabeth I over Columbus
3. Aristotle over Plato
3. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab over 14. Darius the Great (Khattab 3-0)
3. Shih Huang Ti Chinese Emperor- over - 14. Liu Pang (Han Kao Tsu)
4 vs. 13
4. Albert Einstein physicist over 13. Thomas Edison
4. Augustus Caesar ruler; founder of Roman Empire over 13. Justinian I
13. Aesop upsets 4. Asoka
4. Genghis Khan Mongol conqueror over 13. Kublai Khan
Saturday, May 9, 2009
#54 Billy Joel
The Piano Man is the sixth best selling artists of all time and a prolific songwriter. He had Top 10 Hits in three decades before retiring from pop music in the early 90s. Joel continues to tour (currently with Elton John).
Joel struggled in his early years before releasing “Piano Man.” Eventually, he became a monster in the late 70s with hit after hit after hit. Joel is one of those artists everyone seems to like or has gotten drunk to. It is probably his every guy New York persona combined with the songs that appeals to fans.
Rock n Roll Moment: Billy Joel married Christie Brinkley. Then, he divorced her because he felt he could do better(!?).
Essential Billy Joel:
Piano Man (1973)
The Stranger (1977)
52nd Street (1978)
Glass Houses (1980)
The Nylon Curtain (1982)
Greatest Hits (1985)
Billy Joel’s Top 10:
Piano Man
Captain Jack
New York State of Mind
Movin’ Out
The Stranger
My Life
Only the Good Die Young
Big Shot
You May Be Right
It’s Still Rock n Roll To Me
Joel struggled in his early years before releasing “Piano Man.” Eventually, he became a monster in the late 70s with hit after hit after hit. Joel is one of those artists everyone seems to like or has gotten drunk to. It is probably his every guy New York persona combined with the songs that appeals to fans.
Rock n Roll Moment: Billy Joel married Christie Brinkley. Then, he divorced her because he felt he could do better(!?).
Essential Billy Joel:
Piano Man (1973)
The Stranger (1977)
52nd Street (1978)
Glass Houses (1980)
The Nylon Curtain (1982)
Greatest Hits (1985)
Billy Joel’s Top 10:
Piano Man
Captain Jack
New York State of Mind
Movin’ Out
The Stranger
My Life
Only the Good Die Young
Big Shot
You May Be Right
It’s Still Rock n Roll To Me
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Trojan War (1200 BC)
Did the Trojan War occur? If so, did it happen in the way Homer describes? What is the evidence?
The places Homer names all exist and they are located as he describes. Next, during the period in question, the dominant Greek cultures engaged in raids. So, it is possible Homer's account is a glorified instance of Mycenaean Greeks plundering Troy.
Next, Troy was found over a century ago. At one level, there is evidence of a catastrophe which dates to the alleged war's era. So, there was a conflict at Troy at about the right time. However, there is no evidence that the people portrayed in the war exist. Considering the time elapsed since the Sack of Troy, it is logical to assume that evidence may no longer exist or has not been discovered yet. Also, the characters may have been a literary invention.
The most famous character was a woman. Helen supposedly launched a thousand ships. However, women were little better than property at this point in Greek history. It is unlikely Greeks would war over a woman UNLESS it was an excuse to plunder.
So, did the Trojan War occur? Probably. Was it as Homer describes? Probably not. What probably happened? Mainland Greeks used Helen's kidnapping as an excuse to raid and plunder Ilium (Troy). They burnt the city to the ground and killed all the inhabitants. The glory of the Trojan War comes from Homer and those that passed the stories down to us as opposed to the actual historical events.
The places Homer names all exist and they are located as he describes. Next, during the period in question, the dominant Greek cultures engaged in raids. So, it is possible Homer's account is a glorified instance of Mycenaean Greeks plundering Troy.
Next, Troy was found over a century ago. At one level, there is evidence of a catastrophe which dates to the alleged war's era. So, there was a conflict at Troy at about the right time. However, there is no evidence that the people portrayed in the war exist. Considering the time elapsed since the Sack of Troy, it is logical to assume that evidence may no longer exist or has not been discovered yet. Also, the characters may have been a literary invention.
The most famous character was a woman. Helen supposedly launched a thousand ships. However, women were little better than property at this point in Greek history. It is unlikely Greeks would war over a woman UNLESS it was an excuse to plunder.
So, did the Trojan War occur? Probably. Was it as Homer describes? Probably not. What probably happened? Mainland Greeks used Helen's kidnapping as an excuse to raid and plunder Ilium (Troy). They burnt the city to the ground and killed all the inhabitants. The glory of the Trojan War comes from Homer and those that passed the stories down to us as opposed to the actual historical events.
Greatest Person ever Tournament
This one may take awhile to do...64 people....4 brackets...names came from a list of the 1000 greatest people in history. I placed this on multiple message boards and tallied the votes.
Here are the 1 vs. 16 winners.
The Western Bracket: Newton defeats Cortes
The Ancient Bracket: Jesus over Leif Ericson
Middle East, Africa: Muhammad over Mehmet the Conqueror
The Far East and Russia: Confucius over Sun Yat-Sen
Here are the 1 vs. 16 winners.
The Western Bracket: Newton defeats Cortes
The Ancient Bracket: Jesus over Leif Ericson
Middle East, Africa: Muhammad over Mehmet the Conqueror
The Far East and Russia: Confucius over Sun Yat-Sen
#55 Paul McCartney
Yeah, he was in the Beatles, but Paul McCartney also had a very successful solo career. He broke the Beatles up and promptly released his first solo album. As the 70s wore on, McCartney mostly followed the trends and remained popular. In August 1971, he formed Wings (which led to a now very dated joke).
In the mid-70s, Saturday Night Live offered the Beatles some cash to appear on the show. Paul was watching at the time with John Lennon. The two briefly considered wandering over to the studio, but decided against it. (George showed up the next week as a gag). Rumors began to swirl and then John was gone.
Paul’s solo career remained strong until the mid-80s. In 1989, he started touring once again and is still a major draw. That year, he released “Flowers In The Dirt.” The album was edgier than a lot of Paul’s stuff as a result of a collaboration with Elvis Costello.
McCartney continues to record and even scored a major smash with “Memory Almost Full.” He released the album through Starbucks in 2007 and quickly went Platinum. Even his videos appeared on the TV again. (Amazing what advertising and promotion can do!).
Rock n Roll Moment: Paul got busted in Japan with pot. At the time (1980), it was a big scandal.
Essential Paul:
Band on the Run (1973)
Tug of War (1981)
Pipes of Peace (1983)
Flowers in the Dirt (1989)
Flaming Pie (1997)
Memory Almost Full (2007)
Macca’s Top 10:
Maybe I’m Amazed
Band on the Run
Jet
Live and Let Die
Give Ireland Back to the Irish
Get it (with Carl Perkins)
No More Lonely Nights
Spies Like Us
Put It There
Ever Present Past
In the mid-70s, Saturday Night Live offered the Beatles some cash to appear on the show. Paul was watching at the time with John Lennon. The two briefly considered wandering over to the studio, but decided against it. (George showed up the next week as a gag). Rumors began to swirl and then John was gone.
Paul’s solo career remained strong until the mid-80s. In 1989, he started touring once again and is still a major draw. That year, he released “Flowers In The Dirt.” The album was edgier than a lot of Paul’s stuff as a result of a collaboration with Elvis Costello.
McCartney continues to record and even scored a major smash with “Memory Almost Full.” He released the album through Starbucks in 2007 and quickly went Platinum. Even his videos appeared on the TV again. (Amazing what advertising and promotion can do!).
Rock n Roll Moment: Paul got busted in Japan with pot. At the time (1980), it was a big scandal.
Essential Paul:
Band on the Run (1973)
Tug of War (1981)
Pipes of Peace (1983)
Flowers in the Dirt (1989)
Flaming Pie (1997)
Memory Almost Full (2007)
Macca’s Top 10:
Maybe I’m Amazed
Band on the Run
Jet
Live and Let Die
Give Ireland Back to the Irish
Get it (with Carl Perkins)
No More Lonely Nights
Spies Like Us
Put It There
Ever Present Past
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Spanish Flu 1918-1920
The world experienced a major pandemic that killed between 20-100 million people from 1918-1920. The Spanish Flu struck even the most remote areas including the arctic. The outbreak may have begun in Kansas. Some soldiers incinerated horse manure. The burning poop let off a bizarre yellow tinge. People soon got sick. Seemingly healthy soldiers shipped to Europe and the trenches. The unsanitary conditions in the trenches created the perfect conditions for the flu to spread.
The Spanish Influenza was especially virulent and contagious. People walking the streets of Boston fell over dead. 5000 Philadelphians died in one week. People in out of the way places caught it and died. Mt. Pleasant, Michigan was hit hard despite being in the middle of nowhere. It even spread to the Pacific Isles and the Arctic. Some areas of Africa saw 20% of the population die.
The dead tended to be younger, stronger, and healthier. People in their 20s and 30s were especially susceptible. The older generation had some sort of immunity as a result of another epidemic from the 1890s. Also, young children seemed to be able to fight off the flu.
How does this apply to today's flu panic? First, the virus today is the same as 1918. Second, the virus operates the same way. Third, the first wave has been mild and there are fears a second wave could devastate come the fall.
How is it different? First, soldiers are not fighting in trenches. Second, modern health practices are superior to 1918. Third, the media reaches almost everywhere as opposed to 1918. Also, governments issued media blackouts during 1918. It is called the Spanish Flu because the Spanish media did not have such restrictions and reported events.
The Spanish Flu is largely forgotten except to historians and health professionals. People have short memories. Perhaps the hysteria over the current flu epidemic is less the fault of the media and more the fault of the population which chooses to forget or refuses to learn.
The Spanish Influenza was especially virulent and contagious. People walking the streets of Boston fell over dead. 5000 Philadelphians died in one week. People in out of the way places caught it and died. Mt. Pleasant, Michigan was hit hard despite being in the middle of nowhere. It even spread to the Pacific Isles and the Arctic. Some areas of Africa saw 20% of the population die.
The dead tended to be younger, stronger, and healthier. People in their 20s and 30s were especially susceptible. The older generation had some sort of immunity as a result of another epidemic from the 1890s. Also, young children seemed to be able to fight off the flu.
How does this apply to today's flu panic? First, the virus today is the same as 1918. Second, the virus operates the same way. Third, the first wave has been mild and there are fears a second wave could devastate come the fall.
How is it different? First, soldiers are not fighting in trenches. Second, modern health practices are superior to 1918. Third, the media reaches almost everywhere as opposed to 1918. Also, governments issued media blackouts during 1918. It is called the Spanish Flu because the Spanish media did not have such restrictions and reported events.
The Spanish Flu is largely forgotten except to historians and health professionals. People have short memories. Perhaps the hysteria over the current flu epidemic is less the fault of the media and more the fault of the population which chooses to forget or refuses to learn.
#56 Paul Simon
Paul Simon is of the 100 people that have shaped our world. (At least according to Time Magazine). What do you do when you’re the talented half of the greatest duo in music history? Go solo! Simon was wildly successful through the 1970s with songs such as “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” which struck a chord in a era with skyrocketing divorce rates. His popularity continued into the 1980s most notably with “You Can Call Me Al” featuring a video dominated by Chevy Chase. He also experimented with African music in his much acclaimed "Graceland" album. In the 1990s, he wrote a Broadway Musical. Today, he continues to write and record. His latest, “Surprise” is highly acclaimed.
Rock n Roll Moment: He married Princess Leia and then hippie Edie Brickel.
Essential Simon:
The Paul Simon Songbook (1965-UK, 2004-US)
Paul Simon (1972)
There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973)
Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)
Graceland (1986)
The Rhythm of the Saints (1990)
Surprise (2006)
Paul Simon’s Top 10:
You Can Call Me Al
Graceland
Slip Slidin’ Away
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
I am a Rock
Kodachrome
Late in the Evening
Still Crazy After All These Years
Loves Me Like A Rock
Rock n Roll Moment: He married Princess Leia and then hippie Edie Brickel.
Essential Simon:
The Paul Simon Songbook (1965-UK, 2004-US)
Paul Simon (1972)
There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973)
Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)
Graceland (1986)
The Rhythm of the Saints (1990)
Surprise (2006)
Paul Simon’s Top 10:
You Can Call Me Al
Graceland
Slip Slidin’ Away
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
I am a Rock
Kodachrome
Late in the Evening
Still Crazy After All These Years
Loves Me Like A Rock
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