I love Monty Python. I find them hilarious. And while the Life of Brian isn't as out-loud laughably funny as their Quest for the Holy Grail, it has some very funny scenes and the best ending of a Monty Python feature! Hell, most any movie.
Life of Brian almost stands as one continuous story, it's less sketchy than their other films (and their show, of course) and the 'sketches' more like actual 'scenes'. This is unique for Monty Python and I like it. But the troupe is obviously not very used to the idea. It's a great movie, with wonderful quotable moments, but less of them than the Holy Grail.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
At Work
Today at work, we had a problem.
I work at a nursing home serving people food. We try to keep track of how much everyone eats ('try' being used about as loosely as possible. We actually just inconvenience ourselves with utterly useless data collection. The only thing it really tells us is if someone was in the dining room that day.) using a little hand-held touch screen device.
That runs Windows.
Consequently, it doesn't hardly work most of the time. While all you put in is: 'they ate 100% of their meal', one choice out of about ten, it takes a surprisingly long time from pushing a virtual button on the screen and any effect taking place. Anywhere from 2 to 10 seconds. Which may not seem like much, but imagine if it took ten seconds from when you struck the "q" key and a q actually appearing on the screen. The amount of data is incredibly small, but for some reason, this little "shit pad" (as it is affectionately known among the staff) can't quite handle it. It takes several minutes for this tiny file of around 40 residents to actually transfer to the computer. Sometimes, it doesn't.
I would wonder why it has so much trouble if it weren't for that multi-colored window logo. But as that graces the front of the device, that question is answered. A question that has not be sufficiently answered is why Windows hasn't been fired. If my performance were so dismal, they wouldn't keep me on, I am sure of it. You can only show up to work late so often, especially if you live there.
Another topic with computers:
I attend Western State College of Colorado. But I need a new computer password.
I looked, but I couldn't find the page that allows one to change this basic thing. Most commercial web-sites have it fairly close to the front where it is easy to find.
But I couldn't find it. I decided to try the web-sites search feature, even though those rarely work.
This is what I was given:
I have to ask myself, since there isn't anyone else near, what the hell is GUAPSWDLKLEK? Looks like a bunch of pointless letters to me. It doesn't mean anything. At all.
Why oh why are so many people obsessed with acronyms! They only de-stable communication! WTF!
I still cannot find where to change my bloody password.... I see nothing labled as a "General Menu". "General Financial Aid", but not "General Menu" and I doubt it is under the "Financial Aid" tab.
...Unless they're a little more crazy than I thought...
Nor do I see "My Links". Anywhere. If you search for that phrase, the only thing that comes up that has to do with the web-site is a page called: "How do I change my Banner password?"
But we've already seen how useless that page is. These pages apparently don't exist.
Perhaps I can't change my password. It will forever be something like: Lkailn(0879eokNOJ,ljd092wnjolkdn. Which I can't remember.
Oh well. I guess I'll just cary a piece of paper around with me. Because that's really secure.
I work at a nursing home serving people food. We try to keep track of how much everyone eats ('try' being used about as loosely as possible. We actually just inconvenience ourselves with utterly useless data collection. The only thing it really tells us is if someone was in the dining room that day.) using a little hand-held touch screen device.
That runs Windows.
Consequently, it doesn't hardly work most of the time. While all you put in is: 'they ate 100% of their meal', one choice out of about ten, it takes a surprisingly long time from pushing a virtual button on the screen and any effect taking place. Anywhere from 2 to 10 seconds. Which may not seem like much, but imagine if it took ten seconds from when you struck the "q" key and a q actually appearing on the screen. The amount of data is incredibly small, but for some reason, this little "shit pad" (as it is affectionately known among the staff) can't quite handle it. It takes several minutes for this tiny file of around 40 residents to actually transfer to the computer. Sometimes, it doesn't.
I would wonder why it has so much trouble if it weren't for that multi-colored window logo. But as that graces the front of the device, that question is answered. A question that has not be sufficiently answered is why Windows hasn't been fired. If my performance were so dismal, they wouldn't keep me on, I am sure of it. You can only show up to work late so often, especially if you live there.
Another topic with computers:
I attend Western State College of Colorado. But I need a new computer password.
I looked, but I couldn't find the page that allows one to change this basic thing. Most commercial web-sites have it fairly close to the front where it is easy to find.
But I couldn't find it. I decided to try the web-sites search feature, even though those rarely work.
This is what I was given:
How do I change my Banner password?
You can change your BANNER password from the My Links section of General Menu. You can also change it by using the BANNER form GUAPSWD. Type your current BANNER password (leave the database box blank), then type a new password, and verify your new password.
I have to ask myself, since there isn't anyone else near, what the hell is GUAPSWDLKLEK? Looks like a bunch of pointless letters to me. It doesn't mean anything. At all.
Why oh why are so many people obsessed with acronyms! They only de-stable communication! WTF!
I still cannot find where to change my bloody password.... I see nothing labled as a "General Menu". "General Financial Aid", but not "General Menu" and I doubt it is under the "Financial Aid" tab.
...Unless they're a little more crazy than I thought...
Nor do I see "My Links". Anywhere. If you search for that phrase, the only thing that comes up that has to do with the web-site is a page called: "How do I change my Banner password?"
But we've already seen how useless that page is. These pages apparently don't exist.
Perhaps I can't change my password. It will forever be something like: Lkailn(0879eokNOJ,ljd092wnjolkdn. Which I can't remember.
Oh well. I guess I'll just cary a piece of paper around with me. Because that's really secure.
Monday, November 15, 2010
X-Men Evolution, season 3 (TV series, remote background knowledge)
X-Men Evolution is a return to the days of the X-Men when they were still young. In high school, actually. So it is a re-telling and re-envisioning. Some of the characters have change a little in their, um, character; but are still recognizable for who they are. The show is far deeper than the early comics were, are more in line with the later comics, but are a little less action oriented, which I appreciate. Though there are still scenes with Wolverine just going berserk and random, apparently pointless, fights with devastating effects on the local cityscape.
There are some characters who are new as well. Spyke is a new character in this universe and Season 3 is the first appearance of a character known as X-23 who has since spread to other X-Men universes and was even included in the recent movies.
The show is "Fun" and I'd like to see a little more of it. And compare and contrast it to the other long-running, critically acclaimed animated Superhero shows like Batman, Superman, and Marvel's own, Spiderman. And, of course, the canon X-Men: The Animated Series. Perhaps that's too geeky for a rating of 'fun'...
The series opens with the conclusion to some great conflict from the previous season, and ends with a similar (but of course greater) cliff-hanger. All very important for anything to do with action super-heroes. Or anything on television, actually. But the best episodes are more intimate and more quietly enjoyable.
There are some characters who are new as well. Spyke is a new character in this universe and Season 3 is the first appearance of a character known as X-23 who has since spread to other X-Men universes and was even included in the recent movies.
The show is "Fun" and I'd like to see a little more of it. And compare and contrast it to the other long-running, critically acclaimed animated Superhero shows like Batman, Superman, and Marvel's own, Spiderman. And, of course, the canon X-Men: The Animated Series. Perhaps that's too geeky for a rating of 'fun'...
The series opens with the conclusion to some great conflict from the previous season, and ends with a similar (but of course greater) cliff-hanger. All very important for anything to do with action super-heroes. Or anything on television, actually. But the best episodes are more intimate and more quietly enjoyable.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Where the Wild Things Are (2009 movie)
I really expected something else from this movie. Perhaps that's the reason I didn't like it, or at least part of the reason, but Where the Wild Things Are is a bit too much of a roller-coaster for me. It reminded me (just a little, mind) of Wild Animus which annoyed me so much I didn't finish it. I try not to be judgmental, but that book isn't worth the paper it's printed on. A good summary of what I read: Oh, life sucks... Im gonna go walk in the snow; oh! life is grand! Oh, we love each other more than anyone could ever love anyone else-- Oh.. it probably wont work... But Oh! We love each other so much... Let's break up. Oh life sucks but is so awesome!
Where the Wild Things Are isn't half so annoying, but it does boil down to being dramatic for drama's sake. I like comedy for the sake of comedy, but drama is a little different. Drama isn't enjoyable without due cause and while there is some point in this film, it isn't accessible enough for my taste. This movie feels a little hashed together. A little looser than it could have been. A little more tiresome than I'd like. All of the characters are like 7 year olds having tantrums. While all the characters look cool, and are reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's drawings, they don't actually have enough character of their own. They are all just sides of the main character, Max.
The movie is too long for telling too short of an actual story. I think the best rating for it is to say that it "Doesn't Have Enough Character". Surficially, there is a lot of character, but deeper, its vapid and obnoxious.
I was disappointed.
Where the Wild Things Are isn't half so annoying, but it does boil down to being dramatic for drama's sake. I like comedy for the sake of comedy, but drama is a little different. Drama isn't enjoyable without due cause and while there is some point in this film, it isn't accessible enough for my taste. This movie feels a little hashed together. A little looser than it could have been. A little more tiresome than I'd like. All of the characters are like 7 year olds having tantrums. While all the characters look cool, and are reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's drawings, they don't actually have enough character of their own. They are all just sides of the main character, Max.
The movie is too long for telling too short of an actual story. I think the best rating for it is to say that it "Doesn't Have Enough Character". Surficially, there is a lot of character, but deeper, its vapid and obnoxious.
I was disappointed.
Resilience (WSC original play, Friday, Nov 5, 2010)
The first play I saw performed at Western State College was an attempt at Amadeus. It was... pretty... bad. Not that the attempt wasn't a little admirable, but the department wasn't quite capable of pulling it off. Trying to do a play about Mozart when you don't have a good enough relationship with your own music department to have a Real soprano instead of a recording that cuts in a second after the actress begins singing isn't the greatest idea.
Western probably still isn't capable of doing Amadeus. Especially with their main stages all broken apart for remodel. But the department is getting better and better. I especially like it when they try something original. Their latest play, entitled Resilience and written by professor Paul A. Edwards (and his ensemble) at making their own stuff. Resilience, written by professor Paul A. Edwards, was impressive. It was humorful, it was artistic, it was entertaining. All the while having philosophical and political implications. "Enjoyable and Thought-Provoking". What else is there to put into a play?
Acting. Good acting. 'Tis the weakness at Western State College. The students aren't bad actors, though some of them border it from time to time, but they aren't as impressive as the writers in the Gunnison valley. Which, apparently, are them.
As this play probably will not be seen in its entierty again for a while, if ever, by anyone who wasn't involved in its production and has a DVD, I don't feel bad about Analysing the work for a bigger portion of this review:
First, Resilience is a story about a small town TV station, its employees, and their little domestic lives in a slow-moving mountain town. With characters who are, by and large, not very slow moving. Going with this theme, there were old '50s commercials shown between each scene which turn out to be the plays best joke and compositional element. The audience laughed harder at that then at anything in the play. And harder at that than I have heard most audiences laugh at anything. The advertising techniques they used back then are pretty silly.
The other simple and running gag in the play was a hyper-actively tweaked producer who doesn't have any idea how bloody crazy she is. She gets a little tiresome by the end, but is an important key in the play.
The second big plot element in the play is the romantic story between an over-worked employee of the TV station who is slowly turning into her crazy boss and a local and green t-shirt maker who's running apprehensively for County Commissioner.
Underneath all of it is a theme of "Sustainability" because Edwards wanted to write a play that has to do with WSC's "Year of Sustainability". It is faithful in its depictions of reality. I especially like the scene where some peace-loving 'hippies' (for lack of a better word) throw their recyclable cups away right after the restaurateur told them of her new recycling system! The play was full of little points like that, including the final climatic crux: for the station's "Be Local" campaign, they ordered t-shirts off line.
...Even though her beau is a t-shirt maker....
Ooops.
Despite how trite that sounds, the play is well woven and reminds me a little of plays by Arthur Miller. I quite enjoyed it and hope that other little theaters in little towns play it someday.
Western probably still isn't capable of doing Amadeus. Especially with their main stages all broken apart for remodel. But the department is getting better and better. I especially like it when they try something original. Their latest play, entitled Resilience and written by professor Paul A. Edwards (and his ensemble) at making their own stuff. Resilience, written by professor Paul A. Edwards, was impressive. It was humorful, it was artistic, it was entertaining. All the while having philosophical and political implications. "Enjoyable and Thought-Provoking". What else is there to put into a play?
Acting. Good acting. 'Tis the weakness at Western State College. The students aren't bad actors, though some of them border it from time to time, but they aren't as impressive as the writers in the Gunnison valley. Which, apparently, are them.
As this play probably will not be seen in its entierty again for a while, if ever, by anyone who wasn't involved in its production and has a DVD, I don't feel bad about Analysing the work for a bigger portion of this review:
First, Resilience is a story about a small town TV station, its employees, and their little domestic lives in a slow-moving mountain town. With characters who are, by and large, not very slow moving. Going with this theme, there were old '50s commercials shown between each scene which turn out to be the plays best joke and compositional element. The audience laughed harder at that then at anything in the play. And harder at that than I have heard most audiences laugh at anything. The advertising techniques they used back then are pretty silly.
The other simple and running gag in the play was a hyper-actively tweaked producer who doesn't have any idea how bloody crazy she is. She gets a little tiresome by the end, but is an important key in the play.
The second big plot element in the play is the romantic story between an over-worked employee of the TV station who is slowly turning into her crazy boss and a local and green t-shirt maker who's running apprehensively for County Commissioner.
Underneath all of it is a theme of "Sustainability" because Edwards wanted to write a play that has to do with WSC's "Year of Sustainability". It is faithful in its depictions of reality. I especially like the scene where some peace-loving 'hippies' (for lack of a better word) throw their recyclable cups away right after the restaurateur told them of her new recycling system! The play was full of little points like that, including the final climatic crux: for the station's "Be Local" campaign, they ordered t-shirts off line.
...Even though her beau is a t-shirt maker....
Ooops.
Despite how trite that sounds, the play is well woven and reminds me a little of plays by Arthur Miller. I quite enjoyed it and hope that other little theaters in little towns play it someday.
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