Lateral Thinking Questions

===============
ANSWER: L.T.Q. #39

Date: Mon, 22 Apr 1996 12:12:00

This week is the last in the Lateral Thinking Exercise.

Here is this week's question:

You are shipwrecked on a dessert island with your three best friends. There is an abundant supply of food, fresh water, and an Entertainment Centre, so you will be able to survive until you can be rescued. Unfortunately, when the ship went down, you were only able to salvage three videos and three CDs from the collection. What are they, and why did you choose them?

RESPONSES:

Me: This was a toughie to pick only three, because my collection is so large.
Videos: Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles (named my second budgie after him!), considered by many to be the greatest and most influential movie ever made; Someone to Watch Over Me, directed by Ridley Scott (named my first budgie after him!), which introduced me to both the director's work and opera; Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Stephen Spielberg, because it's a roller-coaster ride of fun.
CDs: Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells II; Peter Gabriel's Secret World Live, both of which are now the cornerstones to my meditation exercises, and good to listen to as well; Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill, because it's poppy, lively, strikes an existential chord for me and gets those creative juices going, and has the F-word in it.

Ann was confused and asked: "Dessert ??? island.......... is that as in banana split, double hot fudge yogurt sundae or something else equally sugar filled..??"

Tom: CD's: Tragically Hip, Alannis Morrisette, and Alannah Myles
Movies: I don't know...But three Canadian ones.
Why these? Well they are all Canadian and therefore anyone rescuing us would realize the island is distinctly Canadian soil and it would be officially claimed as Canadian soil, after which Canadians would have some place to vacation where their dollar is actually worth a quarter spit in the bucket. Heck if they waited long enough to rescue us, I'm sure that with all that Canadian music and culture there would be mountains growing on the west side of the island, the north would turn into snowy tundra. There would be people coming from the south to ski in July, plenty of fantastic beer would be manufactured there, and a certain portion of the island would be busy trying to detach it self and float away. As a matter of fact there would be no contest in making this island Canadian, for only a Canadian could appreciate it.

John C. also seemed confused, and replied "Being a dessert island the only food available wouldn't be very nutritious even though it is my favourite course in a meal. Also, where would the electricity to power the entertainment centre come from: hydro power, solar power, diesel generator?? If the latter, where would the fuel come from??"

John L.: Movies: Planes, Trains & Automobiles — It'll make ya laugh and it'll tug at your heart strings — for the humour; Waterworld — Better than the reviewers said — I would have this just for the irony it would create; Speed — action, action, action — it would keep me at the edge of my seat... if I had a seat... so I guess it would keep me at the edge of my island??!!
CDs: Monty Python's Greatest Hits — It has some music on it... honest. The master's of comedy on CD??? Even better than on TV or on film. I would have this to bust a gut with; Memory of Trees — Enya — To relax to. If you can't relax to this... you are too tense (which is actually 1/5th hehehe); Weezer (self-titled) — Sheer pop — Great to sun yourself to.

You may now retire your ThinkingCaps™.

Return to Questions.

This web page is maintained by Mike Jourard using HTML Notepad from cranial software.
Last modified on September 8, 1996. Converted to dot-com web site on May 22, 2000. Copyright © 1996,2000 by Badinage Publications. All rights reserved.