8/1/07

My seven Wonders, plus one


Tri-O's Oddities, observations, and opinions
By Herb Kandel

Will wonders never cease? The report tallied last month said that over 100 million votes were cast from over 200 countries to find the new Seven Wonders of the world. The winners are: Chichén Itzá, Mexico - Christ the Redeemer, Brazil - The Great Wall, China - Machu Picchu, Peru - Petra, Jordan -The Roman Colosseum, Italy - The Taj Mahal, India. Nobody asked me but here is my list of Wonder contenders and, lastly, my choices.
Wonder Woman: She is the crime fighting super heroine possessing beauty, strength, and intelligence. She of the star spangled hot shorts, golden bustier that pre-dated Madonna’s, bracelets that deflected bullets, a golden unbreakable lasso which compelled anyone encircled in it to tell the truth, and a boomerang tiara. And when Lynda Carter portrayed her on TV she could do no wrong.
Stevie Wonder: He started recording at age 11 and continues to this day. His album sales are over 100 million, has won 22 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award for Best Song, was inducted into the Rock and Roll and Songwriters halls of fame, he also plays a host of percussion and string instruments as well as the synthesizer and keyboard. Check this small sample of his work and see if you can resist humming: “My Cherie Amour”, “You Are the Sunshine of my Life”, “ For Once in my Life”, “I Just Called to Say I Love You”, "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday", "Isn't She Lovely".
Wonder Bread: Yes, the soft white bread with the colorful red, yellow, and blue balloons on the wrapper. Sure, the name is sometimes used as a pejorative term for having little pizzazz and nutrition but it has been baked for over 80 years and now comes in five varieties including three advertised with “whole grain”. They were among the first who introduced sliced bread in the 1930s and because of its squishiness is sometimes used as a remedy because it forms a soft lump around inedible objects that are swallowed by a child or dog allowing it to pass safely. That by itself is a wonder.
The Wonder Years: This delightful TV show ran for six seasons (1988 - 1993). It depicted the years 1968-1973 “each season took place exactly twenty years before the then current year”. Fred Savage played Kevin Arnold . We follow him through his teen years on his journey to adulthood. During this passage we relive the events of that time from his perspective. Many topics were explored including social issues, family dynamics, first kiss, first zit, family finances, and the fragility of friendship. The narrator is a mature, wiser Kevin who views the experiences not only with nostalgia but also the conviction of learning another life lesson.
It’s a Wonderful Life: The movie directed by Frank Capra was a flop when it was released in 1946. When its copyright protection ended on 1974 and fell into the public domain it got repeated airings at Christmas-time as it was free to the TV stations until 1993. Now only “NBC is currently licensed to show the film on U.S. Network television,” according to Wikipedia. It tells the story, in flashbacks, of the effect of one person touching the lives of those around him, both family and community. Despite all seeming obstacles and dilemmas he still has a wonderful life. All that was needed was the realization of the difference he made in those lives.
What a Wonderful World: This song was written for Louis Armstrong in 1967. Has there ever been more optimistic words and music expressing the joy of life? It was further enhanced by the linkage of that raspy voice which wrapped each image with delight. Armstrong took only $250 scale for his recording, for the song was intended to soothe the high emotions caused by the racial and political riots of that year.
And lastly - my Wonder winners: grandchildren James, Sydney, Jordan, Tori, Madeline, Courtney, and awaiting the seventh Wonder, a boy due sometime in September. Plus one, my BH (Better Half).
So in answer to the question asked initially: I hope not.
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http://www.baldwincountynow.com/articles/2007/08/02/columnists/doc46af8f06a9034014185318