Why We Love Lists

We cannot escape lists. 

On social media platforms we post lists such as 25 Random Things About Me, or My Top 10 Places To Live. We make lists about movies, books, games, music, pretty much anything and everything that we find interesting. 

Some of the most popular articles, podcasts, videos and blogs are a variation of someone sharing their personal top picks in a particular area. There are long lists and short lists, odd and even lists, top 10 and top 100 lists, in fact, there is no shortage to the format that we will pursue to share our personal passions with other humans.

But lists go beyond just sharing information. 

Lists also help us make decisions. For instance, when George W. Bush wanted to find a suitable vice-presidential candidate, he asked his chief-of-staff to draw up a short list, which ironically ended up with Dick Cheney, his chief-of-staff, at the top of that list.

"Enough organization, enough lists and we think we can control the uncontrollable," said a character on the TV show House, and that is another reason to the popularity of list making.

So what are Top 5 reasons we love lists? Let's count the ways:

Let Them Hear . . .

 

The Toughest Sport In The World Is . . .

[Reprinted from ESPN.com | Page 2 Article | "Sport Skills" |

We sized them up. We measured them, top to bottom. We've done our own Tale of the Tape, and we've come to a surprising conclusion. Pound for pound, the toughest sport in the world is . . .

Boxing. The Sweet Science.

That's the sport that demands the most from the athletes who compete in it. It's harder than football, harder than baseball, harder than basketball, harder than hockey or soccer or cycling or skiing or fishing or billiards or any other of the 60 sports we rated.

But don't take our word for it. Take the word of our panel of experts, a group made up of sports scientists from the United States Olympic Committee, of academicians who study the science of muscles and movement, of a star two-sport athlete, and of journalists who spend their professional lives watching athletes succeed and fail.

They're the ones who told us that boxing is the most demanding sport -- and that fishing is the least demanding sport.

The Promise in any Disappointment

 

The Future of Drone Delivery

 

The Perfect Game of Chess

According to the Oxford dictionary “Chess is a board game for two players, the object of which is to put the opponent’s king under a direct attack, leading to checkmate”.

In other words the goal of chess is total annihilation of your opponent, to eliminate all hope and potential from their side of the board. One of the things that makes chess so unique from other board games is the fact that there are almost infinite number of positions that can arise in the quest for victory.

Consider this, after each player makes just one move there are 400 different positions possible! After 2 moves – about 72,000 positions possible. After 3 moves – 9 million. After 4 moves – 288 billion (yes, billion with a “b”) positions can arise on a chess boards. And the average chess game is around 40 moves! That translates into 10^50 legal positions in chess that are possible after 40 moves! 

The Freedom of Information Day

On March 16, 1986, President Ronald Reagan designated that day as "Freedom of Information Day," because he believed greatly in that Constitutionally-given right. He believed that a government, shrouded in secrecy, was a clear and present danger to the republic and its citizens. Check out part of his proclamation that he issued on that day: 

"A fundamental principle of our government is that a well-informed citizenry can take part in the important decisions that set the present and future course of the nation. Our Founding Fathers provided in the Constitution and in the Bill of Rights freedoms for all Americans, many of which are promoted by open access to information . . . 

Numerous acts of Congress, including the Freedom of Information Act, are intended to further this principle. Most Americans, having never known any other way of life, take for granted open access to information about their Federal, State, and local governments. They also understand that some secrecy is necessary to protect both national security and the right to privacy."

296 Days Until Christmas!

Here is your daily reminder of how many days remain until Christmas 2023. 

There are many things to love about Christmas, and it’s hard to put them all into words. It’s a time of giving and sharing, spending time with family and loved ones, and reflecting on the past year. 

And while I may not be the wealthiest person on Earth, I do appreciate the smaller things that come with the Christmas season, like the beauty in snowflakes, great food, and being able to binge-watch holiday movies with loved ones. 

So, in anticipation of the holiday that is only 296 days away, I’m sharing 5 things I love about Christmas. 

1) Holiday Movies: For me, the holiday movies season officially begins in November. I am a sucker for Christmas and holiday-themed movies like The Grinch and The Christmas Story. 

2) Christmas Lights and Pretty Decorations: I always love the transformation of our normal surroundings after lights, candles, stockings, and favorite decorations complete their missions. You cannot help but smile, even on the gloomiest of days as you are surrounded by light and joy.

3) Christmas Music: I love Christmas Music, and I start my playlist as soon as Halloween is officially in the rear-view mirror.

4) Ugly Christmas Sweaters: Fun to wear - even more fun to observe.

5) Vacations: It’s the perfect season to visit loved ones - wherever they may live.