Quote of the Day (2008-03-31)

Bart: The Constitution? I'm pretty sure the Patriot Act killed it to ensure our freedoms.

Source: The Simpsons

Quote of the Day (2008-03-30)

Frasier: I remember the very first time I ever held him [Frederick] in my arms as a newborn. It was as if everything else in the universe simply melted away. There was just a father, a son, and the distant sound of Lilith saying, "If you ever come near me again, Frasier, I'll drop you with a deer rifle."

Source: Frasier

Quote of the Day (2008-03-29)

Tom Hanks: Hello, I'm Tom Hanks. The US Government has lost its credibility so it's borrowing some of mine.

Source: The Simpsons Movie

Quote of the Day (2008-03-22)

ARTHUR: Please, please good people. I am in haste. What knight lives in that castle?
OLD WOMAN: No one live there.
ARTHUR: Well, who is your lord?
OLD WOMAN: We don't have a lord.
ARTHUR: What?
DENNIS: I told you, We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune, we take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.
ARTHUR: Yes.
DENNIS: ... But all the decision of that officer ...
ARTHUR: Yes, I see.
DENNIS: ... must be approved at a bi-weekly meeting by a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs.
ARTHUR: Be quiet!
DENNIS: ... but a two-thirds majority ...
ARTHUR: Be quiet! I order you to shut up.
OLD WOMAN: Order, eh -- who does he think he is?
ARTHUR: I am your king!
OLD WOMAN: Well, I didn't vote for you.

Source: Holy Grail

Quote of the Day (2008-03-20)

Bernard Woolley: "May I just clarify this? You think the National Theatre thinks that you are bluffing and the National Theatre thinks that you think that they are bluffing, whereas your bluff is to make the National Theatre think that you are bluffing when you are not bluffing, or if you are bluffing, your bluff is to make them think you are not bluffing. And their bluff must be that they're bluffing, because if they're not bluffing they're not bluffing.

Source: Yes, Prime Minister

Quote of the Day (2008-03-19)

Inigo Montoya: That Vizzini, he can *fuss*.
Fezzik: Fuss, fuss... I think he like to scream at *us*.
Inigo Montoya: Probably he means no *harm*.
Fezzik: He's really very short on *charm*.
Inigo Montoya: You have a great gift for rhyme.
Fezzik: Yes, yes, some of the time.
Vizzini: Enough of that.
Inigo Montoya: Fezzik, are there rocks ahead?
Fezzik: If there are, we all be dead.
Vizzini: No more rhymes now, I mean it.
Fezzik: Anybody want a peanut?
Vizzini: DYEEAAHHHHHH.

Source: The Princess Bride

Quote of the Day (2008-03-18)

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 (2008-03-17)

Jim Hacker: "Bernard, how did Sir Humphrey know I was with Dr. Cartwright?"
Bernard Woolley: "God moves in a mysterious way."
Jim Hacker: "Let me make one thing perfectly clear: Humphrey is not God, okay."
Bernard Woolley: "Will you tell him or shall I?"
Jim Hacker: "Tell me how he knew where I was."
Bernard Woolley: "Well, confidentially Minister, everything you tell me is in complete confidence, so equally, and I am sure you appreciate this, and by appreciate I don't actually mean appreciate, I mean understand, that everything Sir Humphrey tells me is also in complete confidence, as indeed everything I tell you is in complete confidence, and for that matter everything I tell Sir Humphrey is in complete confidence."
Jim Hacker: "So?"
Bernard Woolley: "So in complete confidence, I am confident that you understand that for me to keep Sir Humphrey's confidence and your confidence, means that conversations between him and me must be completely confidential, as confidential in fact as conversations between you and me are completely confidential."

Source: Yes, Minister

Quote of the Day (2008-03-16)

LAUNCELOT Brave, brave Concorde! You shall not have died in vain!
CONCORDE: Uh, I'm-I'm not quite dead, sir.
LAUNCELOT: Well, you shall not have been mortally wounded in vain!
CONCORDE: Uh, I-I think uh, I could pull through, sir.
LAUNCELOT: Oh, I see.

Source: Holy Grail

Movie Review: Sleuth (2007)

Director Ken Branagh brings the 1972 classic film Sleuth into the 21st century with his remake, reimagining, whatever you want to call it. The original starred Laurence Olivier as Andrew Wyke and Michael Caine as Milo Tindle. They comprised two-thirds of the cast, with the one-film wonder Alec Cawthorne being the final third. (And there's a very good reason Cawthorne doesn't have any other screen credits.) The new version has Michael Caine moving to Olivier's role and Jude Law taking over for Caine. And still, that's it, the entire cast.

Wyke is a successful novelist, an older man married to an attractive younger woman Maggie, who is having an affair with unemployed actor Tindle. Tindle comes to Wyke to ask him to grant a divorce so they can be together and marry. Wyke agrees, but only if Tindle will cooperate on a charade. Tindle must pretend to steal some expensive jewels from Wyke's safe, and sell them in order to have the money to support Maggie in her accustomed style. Wyke will then file a claim on the insurance and get the money. Everyone gets what they want. But things don't go as expected.

I've been a fan of Branagh's films for a long time. I was one of the 5 people in the world who actually liked his Frankenstein movie. He's a gifted actor, and a strong director with a flair for atmosphere and tension. A story like this is perfect for him as a director (and as an actor but he's probably too young for Wyke and too old for Tindle, so Ken stays behind the camera). Branagh delivers with spades. He fills the screen with inventive and compelling images that give the film an edge without allowing his camera work to overwhelm his story. (This is one of many areas where he shows the Hitchcock influence. So many directors, most notably Oliver Stone, are as imaginative or more as Hitchcock, but their visual styles tend to become the focus of the film rather than being tools to support and build up the story, as Alfred did.) Branagh knows this an actor's film, and keeps the focus squarely on his two leads.

The acting is good, though Law is a little over the top at times. The original featured Caine and Olivier, with the two men performing at almost equally high levels. In this version, Caine is clearly the superior actor. Law is good, but not quite to Caine's level. But any deficiencies in the acting do not take away from the film.

Where the film is disappointing is in the screen play. The dialog is often quite witty between the two men. It's fun just to listen to the two of them duel. Harold Pinter does a great job of setting up the story and carrying it along, but the climax is weak.

The original film was a compelling three act story filled with themes of class tension and intellectual arrogance. Olivier's Wyke was a well-bred, educated English gentleman who was more offended by the idea of losing his wife to a poor commoner, than of simply losing his wife. His motivation was more about putting Tindle in his place, punishing him for daring to pursue a rich man's wife, than simply exacting revenge against the man who stole his wife. Tindle, on the other hand, is ultimately motivated by an obsession to humiliate and destroy Wyke at all costs. Their duel is a three set tennis match that ends with no winner and both men destroyed in one way or another. I suppose one could say Milo ultimately wins but pays such a high price that it would be odd to call him the winner.

The new film is a similar three act story with none of those themes. Both men are simply motivated by the desire to humiliate the other. Dropping the themes of class tension is a reflection of the times. It's something that would have resonated to some degree, particularly among British viewers, in 1972 but not today. Milo is motived in both films by the same desire, though the lengths to which each will go is a bit different. Milo and Andrew play the same three set match, but with a very different third act/set and with an outcome that shows Andrew as clearly the winner.

It's this third act that undermines the film. The writing is disappointing. The cleverness of the dialog that characterized the first two acts disappears. The quality of acting falls off a bit, particularly with Law. It's confusing because it's no longer clear why each man is doing what he does. We ultimately get to the same climactic action, but the new film's version lacks the Shakespearean tragedy of the original. The new film just kind of ends.

In the end, the Branagh version is interesting and entertaining and I can't not recommend it, for the quality of the acting and directing, but to really experience Sleuth, watch the original.

Quote of the Day (2008-03-15)

Bernard Woolley: "Now, may I just have your approval for this Local Government Allowances Amendment Number 2 for this year's regulations."
Jim Hacker: "What is it?"
Bernard Woolley: "It is a Statutory Instrument to be laid before the House. As Minister responsible for local government we need you to authorize that the revised Paragraph 5 of Number 2 Regulations 1971 shall come into operation on March the 18th next, revoking Regulation 7 of the Local Government Allowances Amendment Regulations 1954(b)."
Jim Hacker: "What the hell does all that mean?"
Bernard Woolley: "It is all right, there is an explanatory note, Minister. These Regulations are to make provisions for prescribing the amount of attendance and financial loss allowances payable to the members of local authorities. Explanatory note: Regulation 3 of the Local Government Allowances Amendment Regulation 1971 ("the 1971 regulations") substituted a new regulation for Regulation 3 of the 1954 Regulations. Regulation 3 of the Local Government Allowances Amendment Regulation 1972 ("the 1972 regulations") further made amends Regulation 3 of the 1954 Regulations by increasing the maximum rates of attendance and financial loss allowances. Regulation 7 of the 1972 Regulations revoked both regulation 3 and 5 of the 1971 Regulations, Regulation 5 being a regulation revoking earlier spent regulations with the effect from 1st April next. These regulations preserve Regulations 2 and 5 of the 1971 Regulations by revoking Regulation 7 of the 1972 Regulations.
Jim Hacker: "And that's an explanatory note???"

Source: Yes, Minister

Quote of the Day (2008-03-14)

As the horrendous Black Beast lunged forward, escape for Arthur and his knights seemed hopeless. When, suddenly, the animator suffered a fatal heart attack. [ulk] The cartoon peril was no more. The Quest for Holy Grail could continue.

Source: Holy Grail

Milwaukee Art Museum: Modernity in Central Europe

The Milwaukee Art Museum is hosting a exhibition focusing on photography in central Europe in the intra-war years. Being a photo buff, I took it in today over lunch, and was pretty disappointed. In reading about the exhibition, one is lead to believe it's an exhibition showing how European culture in this period was captured by photography.

Within this context, photography emerged as a consummate expression of central European cultural expectations in the early twentieth century. In the dominant central European view, culture should be instructive and critically engaged with the issues of its day. The photographic image, mechanically generated, reproducible, and reusable, served as the ideal vehicle to promote or question new standards of living, aesthetics, and consciousness. Themes and styles spread through photography became “lessons” in the value of modernity to a public unsure of what modernity might mean or what it held in store.

The first thing you see going into the exhibit is a map showing Europe before and after World War I. As the co-worker I went with noted, there was a lot of change. The 20's and 30's were a very turbulent period in European history, with empires falling, dictatorships rising, Communism taking hold among the workers, economic chaos, political chaos, social upheaval, and on and on. One would think photography would be a perfect medium to capture these times.

I'm sure photography did exactly that, but that's not shown in this exhibition. Instead, we're presented with an eclectic collection of photographs, ranging from abstract to portraiture to fashion, with no discernible theme to tie them together other than that they were shot by Central Europeans in the right time frame. To be sure, there are some very good photographs in there. But all in all, very disappointing.

When Did I Become Dilbert?

I think I need to start wearing a tie that curls up to work. I'm working on one project where we're essentially just renaming existing processing. Doing the same thing we do now. But we have to have discussions, meetings, and documentation to explain to certain managers why doing the same things means we'll do the same thing, why changing nothing will change nothing.

For another project, we have no changes to our user interface application. We have a specialist design team who designs all our user interfaces. So for this project we have to have discussions, meetings, and documentation to justify to our managers and users that we do not need user interface designers to design no changes to our user interface.

And both projects are under scrutiny, from many of the same people, for how much they cost.

My attitude toward work lately is summed up by this 80's classic. BANG YOUR HEAD!

Quote of the Day (2008-03-13)

Jim Hacker: "Now look, I realise that you have to have loyalty to your colleagues, but you also have a broader loyalty to Cabinet and its policies."
Sir Humphrey: "I agree."
Jim Hacker: "You agree??"
Sir Humphrey: "Yes."
Jim Hacker: "You agree ... with me??"
Sir Humphrey: "I agree with you."
Jim Hacker: "Who do you agree with?"
Sir Humphrey: "With you."
Jim Hacker: "Not with Sir Frank?"
Sir Humphrey: "No."
Jim Hacker: "You're not arguing with me?"
Sir Humphrey: "No... Perhaps I haven't made myself quite clear. I agree with you."

Source: Yes, Prime Minister

Quote of the Day (2008-03-12)

[while engaging in a "battle of wits"]
Westley: You've made your decision, then?
Vizzini: Not remotely! Because iocaine comes from Australia, as everyone knows. And Australia is entirely peopled with criminals. And criminals are used to having people not trust them as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.
Westley: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.
Vizzini: Wait till I get going!
[pause]
Vizzini: Where was I?

Source: The Princess Bride

Quote of the Day (2008-03-11)

Marge: [Marge has entered a demolition derby] Don't hit me! I'm not like you people, I'm loved!

Source: The Simpsons

Quote of the Day (2008-03-10)

Mr. Praline: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

(pause)

Owner: Well, I'd better replace it, then. (he takes a quick peek behind the counter) Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of parrots.
Mr. Praline: I see. I see, I get the picture.
Owner: I got a slug.

(pause)

Mr. Praline: Pray, does it talk?
Owner: Nnnnot really.
Mr. Praline: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?

Source: Monty Python's Flying Circus

Quote of the Day (2008-03-09)

Westley: There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours.

Source: The Princess Bride

Quote of the Day (2008-03-08)

Jim Hacker: "Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers:
- The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country;
- The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country;
- The Times is read by people who actually do run the country;
- The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country;
- The Financial Times is read by people who own the country;
- The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country;
- And the Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is."
Sir Humphrey: "Prime Minister, what about the people who read the Sun?"
Bernard Woolley: "Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits."

Source: Yes, Prime Minister

Reality Hits Home

Time moves on, obviously. The quarterback depth chart for the Packers has been updated. Sigh.

Quote of the Day (2008-03-07)

Carol: OK, we all have these terrible stories to get over, and you-...
Melvin Udall: It's not true. Some have great stories, pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that's their story. Good times, noodle salad. What makes it so hard is not that you had it bad, but that you're that pissed that so many others had it good.

Source: As Good As It Gets

Quote of the Day (2008-03-06)

Westley: [as he is unsuccessfully fighting Fezzik] Are you toying with me?
Fezzik: No! I want you to feel you're doing well. I hate for people to die unhappy.

Source: The Princess Bride

Quote of the Day (2008-03-05)

Listen, lad. I've built this kingdom up from nothing. When I started here, all there was was swamp. The king said I was daft to build a castle in a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show 'em. It sank into the swamp. So, I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third one. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. An' that's what your gonna get, lad -- the strongest castle in these islands.

Source: Holy Grail

Favre to Retire

It's finally happened. Brett Favre is hanging it up. I've posted many times over the years on this blog that it was time for Favre to go and for Rodgers to get his shot. Of course that was before last season when Favre again played like the great player he once was. On the one hand I'm a bit surprised he's retiring, with the Packers having come so close last year and looking to again be a contender next year. But on the other hand, what better way to go out than after one last bit of glory, taking his team to overtime in the NFC championship? A Super Bowl championship, a la Elway and Bettis, would certainly be better. But this is a close second.

The big question for the Packers, of course, is what now. Aaron Rodgers has been the heir apparent for a few years now. When he's had his chances to play, he's done well. He's also gotten hurt after each performance. Can he actually play back to back games without getting hurt? He's got a good unit around him, and no one else in the division looks ready to challenge the Packers. I'm not even sure there's another team in the division ready to content for 8-8. (Maybe the Lions, but they need to prove themselves first.) So as long as Rodgers can stay upright, the Packers should be OK. But it'll never be quite the same.

Quote of the Day (2008-03-04)

Rainer Wolfcastle: [singing] Mein bratwurst has a first name, it's F-R-I-T-Z / Mein bratwurst has a second name, it's S-C-H-N-A-C-K-E-N-P-F-E-F-F-E-R-H-A-U-S-E-N.

Source: The Simpsons

Quote of the Day (2008-03-03)

Becky: Verbal ability is a highly overrated thing in a guy, and it's our pathetic need for it that gets us into so much trouble.

Source: Sleepless in Seattle

Quote of the Day (2008-03-02)

What is your favorite color? Blue. No. AAAAHHHHH!

Source: Holy Grail

Quote of the Day (2008-03-01)

Brian: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand? Honestly!
Girl: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.
Brian: What? Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!
Followers: He is! He is the Messiah!
Brian: Now, f*** off!
[silence]
Arthur: How shall we f*** off, O Lord?

Source: Life of Brian

Hillary's Plagiarism

Yesterday, I described Hillary's campaign being only able to question Obama's experience (as compared to her vast experience) and ducking debates. Well, there's also the regular charge of plagiarism again Obama, that he cops lines in his speeches from other people. Well, folkbum posts this YouTube