Praising the Good (An Occasional Series).

1. Dr. Shelly Kagan. Yale philosophy Professor Shelley Kagan's lectures for his course on death are, astoundingly, available for free on the AcademicEarth.org website. Sittiing on a desk, often cross-legged, and speaking without notes, Dr. Kagan shows how to lecture.

2. Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben's the NFL's best closer. Watching him lead late drives is close to a religious experience. Loved his line this season as he took the field in OT just before engineering a game-ending drive: "Get me my hat." Reminds one of Babe Ruth's calling his home-run shot.

3. Jon Krakauer. There are about three nonfiction writers whose books I will read regardless of topic. Mr. Krakauer's one. (James Stewart and Jeffrey Toobin are the others.) I've read every book Jon has authored. Just finished his work of art, Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman (2009). Staggering; it affects one's equilibrium.