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This List of the World's 100 Most Influential People is Bullshit

Time magazine has published its list of the world's 100 most influential people. It is bullshit.

It is absurdly weighted in favor of America, pop culture and liberalism.

Only 5 religiuous leaders made the list. Three are from the Central African Republic. The other two are the Pope and Barbara Brown Taylor. No Rick Warren. No Justin Welby. No Buddhists and just one Muslim. No sign of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. I would venture to say that the most influential people on the planet include a whole bunch of religious leaders. Time doesn't think so.

The list has 26 political leaders. That seems reasonable enough, but Kim Jong Un (North Korea) made the list, while Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (Indonesia) did not. Hillary Clinton made the list. Bill Clinton did not. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand made the list. Senator Harry Reid did not. Nor did Pranab Mukherjee or Manmohan Singh (India's president and prime minister).

In the business category, Megyn Kelly made the list. Rush Limbaugh, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Angela Ahrendts, Warren Buffett, Larry Page, Tim Cook did not. At least Jeff Bezos showed up. Curiously, the Koch Brothers made the list, but Thomas Steyer and George Soros did not.

Jason Collins made the list, presumably because he's openly gay and still barely hanging onto his NBA career. Other, more influential opening gay people did not make the list, e.g., Ellen DeGeneres, Andrew Sullivan and Rachel Maddow.

Richard Sherman made the list. Tim Tebow, who is the closest think the NFL has to a cult leader, did not.

In science, Kathryn Sullivan made the list. Gordon Moore, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Hawking, Tim Berners-Lee did not.

In pop culture, Cristiano Ronaldo, Beyoncé, Amy Adams, Robin Wright, Matthew McConoughey and Miley Cyrus made the list. Bono did not.

Favorite and Trivial Things

I remember reading this one a while back on somebody's blog. I think it might have been Don Nunn's. Anyhow, it made its way into my inbox today, so, bored, I decided to answer it.

What time did you get up this morning? 7:15
Diamonds, pearls or silver? Silver.
What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Revenge of the Sith
What is your favorite TV show? Survivor, except when The Soprano's is in first-run.
What did you have for breakfast? Lemon pepper eggs
What is your middle name? James.
What is your favorite cuisine? Japanese.
What foods do you dislike? Onions and olives. And cranberry anything.
What is your favorite chip/crisp flavor? Salt & vinegar
What is your favorite CD at the moment? Modest Mouse.
What kind of car do you drive? BMW 540i, but not for long.
Favorite sandwich? Italian.
What characteristics do you despise? Condescending ignorance.
Favorite item of clothing? My special lucky shirt.
If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Antarctica
What color is your bathroom? Blue and white upstairs. Earth tones downstairs.
Favorite brand of clothing? None.
Where would you retire to? Sanibel, Florida
Favorite time of day? early evening.
What was your most memorable birthday? 4th
Where were you born? SoCal.
Favorite sport to watch? College football.
Who do you least expect to send this back to you? Not applicable. I'm bloggin' it.
What fabric detergent do you use? I have no idea.
Coke or Pepsi? Coke. Diet.

100 Things About Me

I'm now 20 things into my 100 things about me list.

11. My middle name is James.
12. I loved "Rudy" even though I despise Notre Dame football.
13. My favorite film genre is American mobster.
14. I cannot stand the smell of a candle shop.
15. I like almost anything cooked in lemon pepper.
16. I can extend my middle toe as if I'm flipping you off.
17. I liked Clear Pepsi.
18. I would kill to get a part on the Sopranos.
19. I can do a great imitation of the singer in SchoolHouse Rock's "I'm Just a Bill."
20. I wish I was a talented painter, but I'm not.

100 Things About Me

I'm going to make one of those 100 things about me. But I don't have time to do 100 at once. I'll do it ten at a time. And if I get to 100 and I still have more to talk about, maybe I'll keep going. I'm going to stick with the frivolous stuff, mostly.

1. I am a very good water skier.
2. I've been pulled over more than 20 times, but my driving record is still ticketless.
3. I've owned five dogs. Each met a very different fate. One died, one was put down, one ran away, one moved away, one is still here.
4. I have coached high school basketball.
5. I never played high school basketball.
6. In a typical drive from LA to Vegas, I only get passed up 3 or 4 times.
7. I was at the World Series game in which Kirk Gibson hit that home run.
8. I collect walking sticks. My collection is about 15 strong.
9. I dislike emoticons.
10. Jerry West was my childhood idol.