This Morning's Weather and more quotes

Hi all,

Woke up this morning to even more snow, maybe about an inch, but it was also sunny.  Not partially sunny but completely and totally, blue sky sunny.  'Course that also means it's cold - really cold.  Current temp from NOAA (www,noaa.gov - the US national weather service) is 24 F (-4 C).

Quotes for today are from The Piglet Files.  It's a British comedy that pokes fun at MI-5 (or more precisely the very popular spy genre TV shows and movies).  It's kinda' like a British Get Smart  and like that classic US show, it's very funny.  There were three series (or seasons) and it's available on DVD from Acorn Media (unfortunately - so no extra features and huge cases).

Note that in the pilot of The Piglet Files, Peter Chapman, newly hired by MI5, asks for a codename.  Andrew gives him the codename, "Piglet", much to Peter's embarrassment.  Peter is played by Nicholas Lyndhurst, Andrew by John Ringham, and Morris (Maurice?) Drummond by Clive Francis.

 

"How on earth are we supposed to carry out a proper recruitment program when proper information is omitted?" --Andrew Maxwell, Head of MI5
"Well, it's never stopped us in the past." --Morris Drummond
"And look who we got--Burgess, McLean, Blunt, Blake...not a decent spin bowler amongst them!" --Andrew Maxwell, "A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files  h)(Note:  spin bowling is a cricket pitch)

 

"Are you now or have you ever been a practising homosexual?" Andrew Maxwell, to Peter, during his job interview. A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files

 

"Finances a bit shaky, are you often short of money?" --Andrew Maxwell
"I'm a teacher." --Peter
"Yes, of course, silly question." -- Andrew Maxwell, to Peter, during his job interview. "A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files

 

"Any questions, your end?" --Morris
"I don't think so. Well, perhaps just one, there's no danger involved in any of this is there?" --Peter
"Danger?" --Morris
"I'm not likely to be shot by an enemy agent or anything?"--Peter
"Oh, good lord, no, no, no.  No, you're far more likely to be shot by one of us." --Morris, during his job interview. A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files

 

Peter to himself in mirror, holding a banana: "I'm sorry, Blowfield, but this time you've gone too far, your fiendish plot to irradiate Ketering Sewage Works has been thwarted by me, Chapman, Peter Chapman.  And now [clicks tongue and banana] it's time for you to die!" --Peter, A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files

 

"Well, Mr. Chapman, you've now become a small cog in the vast machine that is laughingly called British Intelligence." --Professor Shawcross, A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files

 

"I like it, a sense of humour.  Yes, you're going to need that when they come around with your pay packet." --Professor Shawcross, A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files

 

"It's ironic really, but you've inherited Shawcross' job. ...Congratulations, Piglet, on your promotion." Maxwell, A Question of Intelligence", The Piglet Files

 

"So, any questions?" --Peter
"Could you just go back over that last bit?" --Dexter
"Sure, from where?" --Peter
"From just after you said...[looking at notebook] --Good morning, everyone." --Dexter
"That was an hour and a half ago." --Peter, "A Room with a View", The Piglet Files

 

"Piglet, you are just panicking!" --Andrew Maxwell (head of MI5)
"Bloody right, I'm panicking!"  --Piglet
"The Ice-Man Cometh", The Piglet Files

 

"Good god, man, don't you realise what will happen if we combine MI5 and MI6?" --Morris
"We'd get MI-11, sir."  --Dexter, "A Private Member's Bill", The Piglet Files

 

"You haven't quite mastered this thinking business, have you Dexter?" --Morris
"Now You See It", The Piglet Files

 

"Apologies, for that, Piglet, you see Special Branch thought you were one of the activists." --Morris
"I was tied to a chair with a gag in my mouth!" --Piglet
"Yes, I would have thought that would have been a bit of a clue for them, but then again, we are talking about Special Branch." --Morris
"The Beagle Has Landed", The Piglet Files

 

"You see, I'm not like you, sir.  I find it very difficult being a bastard." --Piglet, "Piglet in a Trough", The Piglet Files

 

"You see, the post office caught us on the hop, we weren't properly prepared." --Morris
"Oh?" --Andrew
"Yes, well, they delivered the package the very next day-- and on time.  Well, I mean, you don't expect that sort of efficiency from the post office, do you?" --Morris
"The Wright Stuff", The Piglet Files

 

"This is just bloody embarrassing -- two blokes from MI5 can't find MI6?" --Lewis, "The Wrong Combination", The Piglet Files

 

"You want me to seduce her?" --Peter (Piglet)
"No, she'll do most of that.  All you have to do is lie back and think of England." --Morris, "Undercover Activity", The Piglet Files

 

"Now, just get in there and bonk for Britian!" --Morris, to Peter (Piglet), "Undercover Activity", The Piglet Files

 

Enjoy!

--Olivia

Weather, Work, and More Quotes: Max Headroom this time

Well, I did the weather report this morning, so I won't tonight.  I have decided that, at least during the winter season, I'm going to post a brief summary of the weather in my journal, and also try to update this journal frequently.  (We'll see, I've never been successful in keeping a diary.)

Oh, and about work.  Yes, I had class tonight.  Windows XP OS - lots of geeks in the class including TWO girl geeks!  In a class of 11, two is phenonmenal.  One wants to get her MSCE, which is like, incredibly ambitious, and also totally cool!

I did actually feel bad about class tonight tho' because I was DONE teaching at 9pm.  Like totally done, way done.  And I had to keep the students, in a lecture hall, without student computers for another hour and twenty minutes.   I reminded them about homework - which a lot of the students started on in class, which was kinda' ok and kinda not - since in turned into a group project which I did NOT want.  I also showed some of the actual applets for Windows XP and what the various options were - my recommendations, etc.  I mostly concentrated on the help and support applet and the security applet.

The thing is I seem to have the worst sense of timing on the planet when it comes to teaching my classes.  Monday I didn't get thru' everything - tonight I had a lot of extra time (and even worse I could have used more time in lab).
--Olivia
_________________________________________

Now on to fun Quotes

*Max Headroom:  20 Minutes into the Future* (1987) was a science-fiction action/drama that ran for two short seasons on ABC (US).  Season one had 9 eps, and I'm not sure of season 2.  The episode "Raking" (about violence on television) was, get this, ironically pulled from the repeats because it was quote "too violent" unquote.  This is of course, ironic, because the entire episode was about violence, and especially televised violence.  The entire first season (except "Raking") was re-run before season 2 started.
The show had a fantastic cast:  Matt Frewer as Network 23 news reporter (and TV-generated Max Headroom), Amanda Pays as Theora Jones - Edison's controller at Network 23, George Coe as Ben Cheviot head of Net 23, Jeffrey Tambor as Murray - Theora's direct boss at Net 23, Chris Young as Bryce - the resident computer geek but without a  conscience at first, William Morgan Sheppard (as Blank Reg) and Concetti Tomei (as Dominque, another Blank) and Charles Rockett as the head of Network 66.

*Max Headroom* was set in a dystopia future, where  television ruled all and huge television network/corporations ruled television.  Even elections were held by television, and ratings were taken every second.  Frewer, as Edison, is a decent reporter, trying to bring the truth to viewers - even if his bosses or the owners of other networks object.
Blanks are people who have "blanked" their names from all computerised systems and databases - so they have more freedom, but at the cost of not being able to work, receive government aid, etc.
Episodes tended to be about *something* (literacy, security companies vs. privacy, etc) which is good but the scripts also were witty, ironic, etc.  *Max Headroom* was cyberpunk before most people knew what cyber-anything meant.  (Most of the "computer" graphics were hand-drawn and animated, including Max himself).   Max was a computer-generated person based on Edison Carter.

Quotes from Max Headroom 20 Minutes into the Future

By episode

Episode 3: Body Bank

"We are the unlucky generation, we are the children who have to play in the poisonous back yard our parents decided not to tell us about." Edison Carter (o.s.- as part of his "I Want to Know" show)

"Losing a vidicam is a hanging offense at 23."
-- Carter

(Note: by my count, he loses four vidicams during the series 13-episode run. One, here in "Body Bank", which he gets back. One in "Security Systems"- he ditches it to avoid the Metrocops. One in "Blipverts". And he leaves one at the Zik Zak restaurant after using the "neurostim" device in "Neurostim".)

"If that’s simple, Bryce, complexity must be awesome." Ben Cheviot (Network 23 chairman)

"Welcome to Big Time television, all day, every day, making tomorrow seem like yesterday. And remember when we said there was no future? Well, this is it."
--Blank Reg

 

"You want me to choose between a girl’s life and a job? (long pause) You know my answer already. With respect, Mr. Cheviot, the priority is clear." Edison

"With respect, my priority is Max Headroom, and this network." Cheviot

 

"Asking is just polite demanding." Max Headroom (tho' he claims to be quoting "one of Edison's")

"Don’t be clever, Bryce." –Julia Fromby
"Sorry, I thought that was why I was here." –Bryce

"Sit down, we haven’t had a ratings battle for a couple of minutes.'
--Cheviot, last line of ep.

 

Episode 4: Security Systems (AKA. “A-7”)

 

“In today’s world your inalienable rights are: consumer credit, unlimited television, and personal security. In your home, in your place of work—you can count on Security Systems. Security Systems wherever you go, there we are.”
--Security Systems commercial on Network 23

 

“Security Systems is the largest and most powerful corporation of its kind in the world, it has access to more privileged information than any single government, and in the wrong hands it could be used to destroy businesses and lives.”- Edison

“Credit fraud? My God, that’s worse than murder.” Ben Cheviot

Episode 6: The Blanks (AKA “Simon Peller”)

 
"Smother technology and it rebels."—Max Headroom

“We’re going to go critical if we don’t act soon.”- Board member Julia Fromby
“We’re going to have riots out there, we should distribute emergency video players, immediately.” –Board member Mr. Edwards
--On the computer failures preventing Network 23 and others from broadcasting

 

“Simon, we all know the votes are computer-enhanced. My question is, whether your opponent isn’t sabotaging your victory.”—Mr. Cheviot
“Of course not, we negotiated election results weeks ago.”—Peller, in response.

 

“Without regular picture transmissions, thousands are swarming the streets desperately buying black market tapes from video vendors.”—Janie Crane (Network 23 reporter, introduced in “War”)

“Simon Peller’s ordered all the Blanks arrested. He says it’s untidy not having people on the computers-- makes them hard to catch.”—Metrocop, Blank Girl’s apt.

“Edison—an off switch.” Janie (pointing to the TV)
“She’ll get years for that, off switches are illegal.”—Metrocop

“Without televisions, this city would be ungovernable.”—Julia Fromby

“Reg, I believe in the principal, but the method stinks.”—Edison, to Blank Reg, on the program.

Episode 7: Academy

“Head sysop? Does it teach or devour maidens?”— Edison, to himself.

 

“Grey areas are quite useless to a computer specilist. We don’t deal in guilt, we deal in information. That is why the appropriate party will be with us shortly. You will see.”
--Headmaster, ACS (Head Sysop) to Edison

 

“What about right and wrong?”—Edison
“Non-empirical concepts.”—Bryce

 

“I’m used to logic, not opinion.”—Bryce

 

“Sometimes I think I could use some legs and you could use some conscience.”—Max Headroom (sounding very much like Edison)
“What file is it in?” –Bryce, in reply to Max

 

“The last resort of the innocent is always publicity.”—Edison

 

“You remind me of myself.”—Bryce
“Should I take that as a compliment?”—Nicholas (ACS student & hacker)
“No.”—Bryce

Episode 11: Whacketts (w/ guest star Bill Maher)

"There's a nice irony in that, in a crisis, they watch a game show, television before life." -Murray

"He had something to tell me about the extra-ordinary events of this morning's apartment collapse tragedy --where people ignored victims and watched television." --Edison

"Whacketts is a video narcotic!" --Edison

I need to go through all the episodes and finish the quote list, but the show is awesome.  It needs to be on DVD!

--Olivia