Appreciating all that makes America special

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Nothing unites Americans in quite the same way as standing around the water cooler, saying, “Did you see Lost last night? That was so cool.” Or debating whether Adam Sandler can actually, you know, act. (Our conclusion: not much.)


Actor: Al Pacino

Posted by on Jan 4, 2011 in Actor | 2 comments

  Some actors get better with age. Witness a couple of men on this list, Tom Selleck (January 7, 2010) and Paul Newman (May 17, 2009)....

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TV Show: New Year’s Rockin’ Eve

Posted by on Dec 31, 2010 in TV Show | 3 comments

  If you’re old enough to remember New Year’s celebrations prior to 1972, then you remember the hideous music of Guy...

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Film: It’s a Wonderful Life

Posted by on Dec 25, 2010 in Film | Comments Off on Film: It’s a Wonderful Life

  (Originally posted December 1, 2009) This movie is shown on TV at Christmas, but it’s not really a Christmas movie. It just...

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Film: Miracle on 34th Street

Posted by on Dec 24, 2010 in Film | Comments Off on Film: Miracle on 34th Street

  Does Santa Claus really exist? Edmund Gwenn has made believers out of generations of movie lovers thanks to his performance as Kris...

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Film: Gone with the Wind

Posted by on Dec 18, 2010 in Film | Comments Off on Film: Gone with the Wind

  (Originally posted April 29, 2009) Did you know that Gary Cooper turned down the role of Rhett Butler? Oh, yeah. He even said,...

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Actress: Jean Arthur

Posted by on Dec 17, 2010 in Actor | Comments Off on Actress: Jean Arthur

  I’ll readily admit that Jean Arthur isn’t as well known today as some of her contemporaries. But during the 1930s and...

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Holiday TV Show: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Posted by on Dec 12, 2010 in Holiday, TV Show | Comments Off on Holiday TV Show: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

  Rudolph started life in a poem, written in 1939 by Robert L. May. His brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, liked the poem and turned it...

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Holiday: Andy Griffith Show Christmas Episode

Posted by on Dec 6, 2010 in Holiday, TV Show | 1 comment

This is the first time a single episode of a TV show has been featured on this list, but this one is a logical choice. The Andy Griffith...

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Film: The Movies of 1979

Posted by on Dec 5, 2010 in Film | 1 comment

  What makes some movie years better than others? Perhaps it’s better studio executives making good decisions about which movies...

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Directors: The Coen Brothers

Posted by on Dec 3, 2010 in Actor | Comments Off on Directors: The Coen Brothers

I have both brothers down as Directors, because they’ve shared those duties, though until recently only Joel Coen received directing...

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