Quote of the Day (2007-12-20)

Niles: That bit of inspired lunacy you heard before the commercial was just a little docudrama Frasier and I put together on the dangers of over-medication. Bravo, Frasier, for so brilliantly demonstrating why they call it "dope."

Source: Frasier

Quote of the Day (2007-12-19)

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

Source: Monty Python's Flying Circus

Quote of the Day (2007-12-18)

Edmund Edwards: She's been through hell, and we're her family. So in this crisis, we have to support her.
Rose Schwartz: Yeah.
Edmund Edwards: We have to love her.
Rose Schwartz: Mmm.
Edmund Edwards: We have to care about her.
Rose Schwartz: Mmm.
Edmund Edwards: And we have to milk it for every drop of publicity we can get.

Source: Soapdish

Quote of the Day (2007-12-17)

Politicians' Logic: Something must be done, this is something, therefore it must be done.

Source: Yes, Prime Minister

Quote of the Day (2007-12-16)

[after Milhouse moves out of town, Skinner and Willie are shocked to learn that Bart and Lisa have become best friends]
Groundskeeper Willie: It won't last. Brothers and sisters are natural enemies. Like Englishmen and Scots! Or Welshmen and Scots! Or Japanese and Scots! Or Scots and other Scots! Damn Scots! They ruined Scotland!
Principal Skinner: You Scots sure are a contentious people.
Groundskeeper Willie: You just made an enemy for life!

Source: The Simpsons

Quote of the Day (2007-12-15)

Homer: It's true, I'm a rageoholic! I just can't get enough RAGEOHOL!
[cries]

Source: The Simpsons

Quote of the Day (2007-12-14)

Mr. Praline: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.

Source: Monty Python's Flying Circus

Quote of the Day (2007-12-13)

Margaret Lord: Are you one of the musicians?
Macaulay Connor: No!
Margaret Lord: Oh of course, you're Junius's friend. Only you're not. Do you have any violin strings?
Macaulay Connor: [digs in his pocket] I have an aspirin. Will that work?
Margaret Lord: I don't think so! It's for a violin. Oh well, no matter!

Source: The Philadelphia Story

Zeppelin fans vs. Warner Bros.

I noticed this yesterday. Warner Bros. is jumping all over individuals posting home video recordings of the Zeppelin reunion show from Monday, demanding that they be taken down. Warner is claiming copyright infringement. What? How can Warner claim copyright on someone's personal home video?

Update: I guess it's the band, not Warner, causing the problems.

Although Warner Music Group does have a licensing deal in place with YouTube that would allow fans to post WMG-copyrighted material, sources close to the situation say that Led Zeppelin owns the rights to the concert, and that the band's management requested the removal of any clips of the event.

Ridiculous. I love the band, but this is just stupid. What better way to build hype for a DVD release next year than to have crap quality video on the web showing the songs that make us fans more and more eager for a high quality version?

Quote of the Day (2007-12-12)

"We're friends. If I'm going to be uncomfortable, you gotta be uncomfortable too!"

Source: Seinfeld

Led Zeppelin O2

Videos from the big gig (sound quality not great, but what do you expect?):















They seemed to have a lot of problems with feedback. Kashmir was a bit slow. But who cares?

Quote of the Day (2007-12-11)

Sir Humphrey: "Bernard, what is the purpose of our defence policy?"
Bernard Woolley: "To defend Britain."
Sir Humphrey: "No, Bernard. It is to make people believe Britain is defended."
Bernard Woolley: "The Russians?"
Sir Humphrey: "Not the Russians, the British! The Russians know it is not."

Source: Yes, Prime Minister

Game Review: Half Life 2

As I've said before, I'm usually very much behind the times when it comes to gaming. I recently completed playing Half Life 2, one of the most anticipated games of 2005. I got started in video games as an adult in shooter games, particularly games like Medal of Honor. But I've become more a fan of RPG's. Shooters are fine, but how many different ways are there to shoot a machine gun? But I wanted something different and this game seemed just the ticket.

Every time this game, or its predecessor, is reviewed, they talk, no rave, about the strong story telling. I played part of Half Life, and all of Half Life 2. What story? The game starts with Gordon Freeman waking up on a train in City 17. Why you are there is never really explained. Just go with it, you're there. You start roaming around, eventually get a crowbar and the game is on. For the next many hours, you run through an elaborate maze picking up various weapons along the way and killing a whole bunch of people, zombies, and aliens who are trying to kill you. Why you are doing this is not explained. Why the bad guys want to kill you is not explained, though I guess once you start killing them it's pretty obvious why they want to return the favor. Just go with it, you're a one-man army. And then, it's .... over. You've achieved ... something. But there is "immersive story telling."

Don't get me wrong, it's a fun game. The graphics and sound are really good. There is variety in the game. You aren't just shooting all the time. There are levels where you pilot a boat and where you drive a buggy. Sometimes you get to control alien entities and let them to the hard work of clearing out rooms. It takes up a lot of time and is definitely enjoyable.

There is one section that was just plain aggravating. You have to cross through this sandy region where if you touch the sand, antlions will rise up continuously until you are dead. So you have to pick up debris that just happens to be lying around and step from box to box to get to the other end. Slowly. Tediously. Whoever thought of that should get slapped.

The ending pretty much stinks. You lose all but one weapon, which mysteriously gets upgraded by the enemy. It becomes a cool little gun and gives you new ways of eliminating your enemies. But isn't the point of a shooter game to have multiple weapons you can choose from? Beyond that, it ends pretty much out of the blue.

Anyway, as a shooter game, it's fun. Just don't talk to me about story.

Random Thoughts on NFL 2007 Week 14

Miami's Run at Perfect Imperfection
I was listening to a conversation on the radio this morning about the Dolphins and the future of first year coach Cam Cameron. The gist was that if the Dolphins achieve perfect imperfection (the dreaded 0-16), there's no way Cameron can come back because there's no way anyone on that roster could ever buy into Cameron as a coach. That does make some sense. But I was thinking of another team and another year. The Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969. In Chuck Noll's first year, his team went 1-13 including a 13 game losing streak to match Miami's current streak. Yes, there is a gulf between no wins and one or two. But still, had today's punditry existed back in 1969--with 24 hour sports radio and TV, bloggers, columnists, and so on commenting round the clock--Noll would have been in the same spot Cameron is now. The Rooney family would have been under great pressure to let him go and get someone else. But was Noll a bad coach? Let the Hall of Fame answer that.

I don't know if Cameron's any good as a coach. But I think he inherited a mess of a team, resulting from poor drafts and poor personnel management (both for coaches and players). Isn't it only fair to give the man some chance to make something happen, to bring in some decent players at key position and develop them a bit? Huizinga obviously believed in Cameron less than a year ago, enough to hire him. Letting him go just means someone else has to do the job of rebuilding that team from scratch.

Guarantees
I think the attention given young Anthony Smith last week over his guarantee (how, exactly, were you misquoted Anthony?) of a win over New England was pretty silly. The Patriots are a team on a quest for a perfect season, and were coming off a two week stretch where they looked very much human and vulnerable. If they needed some stupid remark from a second year player to get them going for the game, something is very wrong in Foxboro. New England was going to bring it's A++ game whether young master Smith had mouthed off or not.

That said, the whole affair just proves that guys should really learn to shut up. The only real outcome of Smith's remarks was that he looks pretty stupid right now, and ought to bury his head somewhere. Don't mouth off on something you can't back up. If Ike Taylor or Troy Polamalu (were he playing) had said something like that, at least they could back up their mouth on the field and wouldn't embarrass themselves or their team. Some kid in his second year, well he's just bound to make a fool of himself. And he did. Next time, shut up.

Great Block by Stallworth
Speaking of young man Smith and his performance, one of the great plays in the Steeler-Patriot game was the nearly botched double lateral. What seems to have gone unnoticed in that play was a fantastic block from Donte Stallworth. After Moss dropped the ball, a Steeler defender was closing on him fast, and then Stallworth flew in from the corner of the screen and leveled him, allowing Moss to pick up the ball and complete the play. Without that block, Moss would have been dropped for a loss, or worse. So while all the attention will go to Moss, Brady, and Gaffney, Stallworth should not be overlooked.

Kyle Orton
It's pretty clear that Rex Grossman's time in Chicago is about up. Apart from his inconsistent play on the field, the Bears have to look at his injury history and on that alone his departure would be all but guaranteed. Brian Griese is not their long-term solution at the position, so the Bears need to look for some new, young talent to fill the spot. Why aren't they playing Kyle Orton, the third stringer who was a starter for the Bears for a number of games in 2005? I don't know that he would show much, but shouldn't the team find out what they have on the roster already before looking elsewhere in March (McNabb) or April (the draft)? He did help win some games in 2005. What's the worst that can happen? They lose? The Bears will do a good enough job of that with Griese as well.

Quote of the Day (2007-12-10)

GALAHAD: Now look, I can handle this lot single-handed!
DINGO: Yes! Let him handle us single-handed!

Source: Holy Grail

Quote of the Day (2007-12-09)

I soiled my armor I was so scared!

Source: Holy Grail

Led Zep Live

For all of us not fortunate enough to see The Show in a couple of days....

I Am The Walrus

I came across this pretty trippy video with Styx's surprisingly good cover of the Beatles' I Am the Walrus.

Quote of the Day (2007-12-08)

George: "You have no idea of the magnitude of this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world then George Costanza as you know him ceases to exist. You see, right now I have Relationship George. But there is also Independent George. That's the George you know, the George you grew up with... Movie George, Coffee Shop George, Liar George, Bawdy George."
Jerry: "I love that George."
George: "Me too, and he's dying. If Relationship George walks through this door, he will kill Independent George. A George divided against itself cannot stand!"

Source: Seinfeld

Quote of the Day (2007-12-07)

Victor Melling: Why is New Jersey called "The Garden State"?
Gracie Hart: Because "Oil and Petrochemical Refinery State" wouldn't fit on a license plate?

Source: Miss Congeniality

Quote of the Day (2007-12-06)

Who is the bigger fool? The fool, or the fool who follows him?

Source: Star Wars: A New Hope

Quote of the Day (2007-12-05)

Homer: "To start, press any key." Where's the "Any" key?

Source: The Simpsons

Quote of the Day (2007-12-04)

Peter Joshua: Is there a Mr. Lampert?
Reggie Lampert: Yes.
Peter Joshua: Good for you.
Reggie Lampert: No it isn't, I'm getting a divorce.
Peter Joshua: Please! Not on my account.

Source: Charade

Quote of the Day (2007-12-03)

Philip: Oh, I tell you. Women are not the sensitive sex. That's one of the grand delusions of literature. Men are the true romanticists.

Source: Indiscreet

Quote of the Day (2007-12-02)

[Bart is faking illness to get out of a test he hasn't prepared for]
Bart: Ohhhh, my ovaries.

Source: The Simpsons

Quote of the Day (2007-12-01)

Ambassador Londo Mollari: Fools to the left of me, feeders to the right... I need to find a real job.

Source: Babylon 5