– Daniel Abraham (M.L.N. Hanover) • Killing Rites - un sfarsit propice seriei. Mult mai relaxat decat primele trei carti, volumul final a fost mai sentimental si filozofic, dar rezolvand micile mistere adunate de-a lungul anilor reuseste sa multumeasca [mai] pe toti.

– Rafael Alvarez • The Wire: Truth Be Told – pana nu am pipait-o n-am putut crede ca exista o carte pe masura seriei. Exista! Pe langa un ghid al episoadelor, contine esee si analize asupra seriei ca ansamblu, asupra personajelor si a unor probleme in mod deosebit, nu doar de la autor ci si de la David Simon, Laura Lippman, Michael A. Fletcher, Tom Waldron, Greg Garland, Deborah Rudacille si altii.

– Brian Selznick • The Invention of Hugo Cabret – un YA steampunk adorabil despre un pusti naiv in universul magic al lui George Melies. O achizitie de la targ pe care ma bucur ca Silviu si Liviu m-au convins s-o fac.

– Momentan rumeg:

• Scott Westerfeld • Leviathan
• David Chandler • Den of Thieves
• Guy Gavriel Kay • Under Heaven

– Bunatati (re)jucate:

• Mass Effect 1/2 – de data asta Paragon Vanguard in primul si apoi Biotic in al doilea, a fost ciudat sa salvez pe Rachni, Fist, Wrex, Saren, Consiliul, Reaperul si toti ceilalti. Desi au fost 25/31 ore extrem de placute, DLC-urile au facut toti banii, cel putin la ME2 mai toate au fost exceptionale. Ordinea best-mediocre: Lair of the Shadow Broker, Stolen Memory, Arrival, Price of Revenge, Bring Down the Sky, Firewalker, Normandy Crash, Overlord, Pinnacle Station. Armura Blood Dragon a fost de departe cel mai adorabil item.

• Arkham City – un sequel decent la Arkham Asylum, dar sub asteptari. Gameplayul a fost acelasi, au adaugat 3 gadgeturi noi si au impanzit intreg orasul cu puzzleuri de-ale lui Riddler. Povestea a fost insa o dezamagire enorma datorita mecanismului tipic avansarii pe nivele: salvez ostateci de la Joker, plec intr-o misiune secundara, trebuie sa recuperez aceeasi ostasteci, acum in posesia lui Riddler. Inving intr-un capitol pe Freeze ca mai tarziu sa ma ajute ca apoi sa ma tradeze ca apoi sa-l inving din nou. E imposibil sa-ti mentii calmul  datorita etosului cretin al lui Bruce. Pe cat mi-a placut Asylum, pe atat m-a dezamagit City.

• Dead Island – parte Fallout, parte Borderlands, parte Dead Rising. Mi-a placut la nebunie. Unghiul FPS se leaga foarte bine cu sistemul RPG de looting si upgrades, iar abundenta misiunilor secundare asigura 30 de ore de gameplay. Nu ca le-as fi terminat pe toate. Repetivitatea m-a ajuns din urma cand am atins achievementul pentru 75.

• Bullestorm – ridicol, stupid, excesiv. O placere de testat. Sistemul de killshoturi e absolut genial, fara sa vreau am atins achievementul de 75%, erau toate atat de delicios de incercat. Povestea e o satira fenomenal de fortata si imbecila, dialogul e cretin dincolo de umanitate, sfarsitul retardat te face sa-ti smulgi parul din cap, iar repetivitatea te omoara undeva intre jumatate si ultima treime. Nu-i greu de vazut de ce e un flop care nici macar bugetul nu si l-a recuperat din vanzari.

• Alan Wake – mi-a placut indeajuns de mult primul run incat sa-l reiau… insa am incercat si cele doua DLC – The Signal si The Writer, ceea ce s-a dovedit a fi o greseala fatala. Signal te arunca intr-o fuga dupa lumina fara munitie, fara spatiu de manevra, cu mai multi inamici decat poti invinge. Povestea fara sa apara candva. Am murit de mai multe ori in DLC-ul asta de o ora decat in intreg jocul pe hard. Writer incearca sa introduca o bucatica non-sensica de poveste combinand insa shooter, puzzler si platformer. Aceste dezamagiri au ruinat experienta. Luna urmatoare apare un sequel: Alan Wake’s American Nightmare care va taia elementele de survival horror din el, din traileruri vazandu-se o supradoza de arme si munitie, devenind doar un alt shooter.

• Dead Nation - un shoot’em’up genial in care level design, lighting effects si upgrade system formeaza un triunghi perfect. Poate cel mai placut joc de PS3 rulat vreodata (da, tocmai am dat de pamant cu repetivitatea, obsesia pentru cinematics si platforming a Uncharted-urilor).

• Renegade Ops – alt shoot’em’up, de data asta varianta mecanizata cu o poveste ce satireaza fara succes tiparul filmelor din anii ’80. Redundanta dialogului si imbecilitatea secventelor e salvata de un gameplay excelent si-un sistem de upgrade si looting foarte bine pus la punct.

• Limbo - poate cel mai inventiv puzzle facut vreodata. Primul joc la care a trebuit sa apelez la un walkthrough.

• Braid – Mario Bros pentru secolul 21, ilar si distractiv.

• Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix – dement. L-am rejucat cu aceeasi pasiune cu care bateam butoanele la arcade acum o duzina de ani. Idem pentru Streets of Rage.

]]> http://schizoid.us/2012/01/16/dailies-109/feed/ 6 http://schizoid.us/2011/12/12/season-greetings/ http://schizoid.us/2011/12/12/season-greetings/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:16:40 +0000 Cristi http://schizoid.us/2007/12/25/season-greetings/ Continue reading →]]> Conform biletelor, in momentul asta ar fi trebuit sa fiu in Londra pentru o saptamana, apoi in Edinburgh pentru alte doua saptamani… dar n-a fost sa fie. Ambele sederi au fost contramandate de prietenii persoanele carora obisnuiam sa le cunosc numele la care urma sa stau, dupa luni si luni de planuri. In lipsa a altceva de-a face, o sa ma bucur de prezenta adevaratilor prieteni: Bombay, Beefeater si Tanqueray, vizionand urmatoarele delicatese:

It’s a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, Scrooge, Holiday Inn, The Bishop’s Wife, White Christmas, The Nightmare Before Christmas, A Christmas Story, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Christmas Vacation, Scrooged.

Black Christmas, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Die Hard 2, Gremlins, Gremlins 2, The Ice Harvest, About a Boy, Love Actually, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Brazil, Life of Brian, Bad Santa.

Se ia o rata de ~2kg, se curata si spala bine, se inlatura pielea de pe ea si 80% din grasime, cat sa mai ramana o parte sa se topeasca si sa dea savoare.

Umplutura pentru rata se face in felul urmator: se dau 2 mere pe razatoare, se taie 2 portocale in cubulete, se adauga 3 linguri de miere, se amesteca bine si se umple pieptul ratei. Se leaga rata cu scobitori ca sa nu curga umplutura in tava.

Se unge rata cu margarina, sare, piper, boia picanta, cimbru si rozmarin. Garnitura de cartofi condimentati si morcovi taiati rondele orneaza restul tavii.

Se lasa 90 de minute la cuptor la foc mic-mediu dupa care se ridica capacul (eu am folosit oale de lut, dar presupun c-ar merge si intr-o punga pentru cuptor) cu atentie la aburii fierbinti, pericol de oparire. Se intoarce rata, apoi se mai adauga felii de rosii (puse acum si nu de la inceput pentru a nu se usca prea tare). Zeama care a ramas de la mere/portocale/miere se amesteca cu putina zeama de lamaie iar cu rezultatul se unge rata. Capacul nu se mai pune la loc si se mai lasa la cuptor pentru 30min.

Se serveste fierbinte, dulce si fraged de te lingi pe degete.

Sunt destul de multumit de ea, se comporta bine la de la 800×600 la 1900×1200, cat si pe toate browserele, desi in Opera se pare ca exista un glitch la scroll. Good times.

ps: va amintiti cand mi-am facut wishlistul pentru Artmania 2012, nu? Ei, bine, o trupa dorita de mine deja a fost confirmata – Trail of Tears. Pe langa ei au fost anuntati si Delain. Tre’ sa ma indrept spre Carturesti cat de curand!

Pot sa confirm ca fiecare carte are ~3-400 pagini si totusi se simte ca un epic fantasy veridic, actiunea se desfasoara intr-un ritm fenomenal acum ca povestea nu e ingreunata pana la situatia in care stam pe loc zeci sau sute de pagini pagini datorita descrierilor, gandurilor si planurilor cum se intampla la G.R.R.M. si David Anthony Durham.

Seria o pot descrie drept un amalgam genial intre Lord of the Rings, Lethal Weapon si Indiana Jones. Inchei postul cu citatul meu preferat din povestirea scurta:

Royce sighed. The sigh was new. “You don’t know this woman. This isn’t your problem.”

“I know that.”

“So why are you helping her?”

“Because that’s what people do. They help each other. If you saw a man lying in the road with an arrow in him, you’d stop, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course,” Royce replied, “anyone would. A wounded man is easy pickings, unless you could see from your saddle that someone else has already taken his purse.”

“What? No! No one would rob a wounded man and leave him to die.”

Royce nodded. “Well, no. You’re right. If he has a purse and you take it, it’s best to slit his throat afterward. Too many people live through arrow wounds, and you don’t want the bugger recovering and coming after you.”

Concurand pentru titlul cel mai bun dintre cele mai cretine avem doi candidati, unul din sfera de influenta SyFy si altul din After Dark:

• Ferocious Planet - fenomenal de prost, dar nesperat de distractiv. Joe Flanigan (Stargate Atlantis) si John Rhys-Davies (Sliders) distreaza la culme in acest rehash al tuturor celorlalte productii SyFy din ultimii cinci ani. Povestea idioata si repetitiva e pe masura CGI-ului oribil. Redefineste insasi conceptul de so bad it’s good.

• Scream of the Banshee - inuman de prost. Unul din cele mai tampite si sau distractive filme din festivalul After Dark, nu doar editia asta, ci si vreodata. Lance Henriksen si Lauren Holly aproape reusesc sa tina in picioare mizeria asta. Supremely unwatchable.

Foarte proaste, dar ilare: Piranha, High Plains Invaders, Wake Wood (Pet Sematary Redux, varianta Hammer).

Proaste: Husk, The Ward (primul film al lui Carpenter din ultima decada, o crunta dezamagire), The Task (ghouls that go bump in the night), Scream IV (Craven iara da cu bata-n balta), Fertile Ground (actori mediocri, title cards la fiecare sfert de ora, o poveste cretina, un soundtrack obositor, twist finale anticipat din primul sfert de ora), Prowl (vampires suck), Priest.

Alien Raiders - una din cele mai bune imitatii ieftine dupa The Thing, desi inca sub Splinter. CGI e adorabil de cretin, mult sub Slither, si povestea e doar un retread tipic al genre-ului, dar se salveaza cu o distributie geniala ce include favoriti precum Carlos “Tony Almeida” Bernard, Rockmond “C-Note” Dunbar, Mathew “Keith Charles” St. Patrick si Courtney “Christine Hill” Ford.

Tucker and Dale vs Evil - intoarce in cap toate cliseele genului adunate de la Deliverance incoace. Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Dollhouse), Tyler Labine (Invasion, Reaper) si Katrina Bowden (30 Rock) au prestatii de mana intai si reusesc sa joace niste idioti adorabili de-o incompetenta crasa. Am ras cu lacrimi.

Daca am vorbit de operele tipice lui Ed Wood si Uwe Boll, rehashuri si satire, a venit timpul sa onorez si singurul horror bun de anul asta: Rammbock: Berlin Undead, o bijuterie germnana ce cronica apocalipsa zombi. 

De cateva saptamani incoace tot vad tampenie dupa mizerie, iar daca atrocitatile de mai sus sunt cele superioare, care merita mentionate, va puteti da seama de starea groazei moderne.

Horror is D-E-A-D.

• salvarii personajelor de la moarte in ultima secunda prin deus ex machina;
• oprirea evolutiei povestii pentru prima oara in ani de zile fortand un schimb de focuri in momentul deciziei;
• avansarii povestii pe o traiectorie stupida ce forteaza personajele sa se miste complet impotriva caracterului lor, fie devenind Lex Luthor de rai, fie ajungand la nivelul Ned Stark de retardare, fie ignorand istoria lor si punandu-i sa tradeze tot ce-au iubit vreodata;

Daca le amesteci bine pe toate trei ajungi la episodul de astazi din Sons of Anarchy, 4×08 Family Recipe. M-am saturat de scenaristi cretini care forteaza nota pentru a duce povestea undeva, stergand cu buretele tot ce-a fost in urma.

Nu s-a adus niciodata subiectul rasismului in club, n-a aparut nicio relevanta in privinta asta cand s-a lucrat cu Grim Reapers anul trecut, nu exista nicio situatie in care n-ar fi fost status quo aflandu-se de originile sale genealogice. Ignorand tot ce s-a stiut vreodata, Juice tradeaza clubul in cateva secunde pentru o non-problema. Jax nu poate sa fie recalcitrant trei ani ca apoi sa sara in pat cu Clay. Piney nu poate sa bata cui dupa cui despre cat de rau e Clay ca apoi sa nu-i spuna adevarul lui Jax. Piney nu poate sa moara ca un caine, pardon, exact precum Ned Stark, stiind cate stie. S-a lovit la cap si-a devenit subit prost?

Am avut un an genial si doi buni cu serialul, dar nu mai pot. Renunt. Nu pot permite asa bataie de joc personajelor pe care obisnuiam sa le plac.

Two Cathedrals [2.22]

Bartlet: You’re a son-of-a-bitch, you know that? She bought her first new car and you hit her with a drunk driver. What, was that supposed to be funny? “You can’t conceive, nor can I, the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God,” says Graham Greene. I don’t know whose ass he was kissing there ’cause I think you’re just vindictive. What was Josh Lyman? A warning shot? That was my son. What did I ever do to yours except praise his glory and praise his name? There’s a tropical storm that gaining speed and power. They say we haven’t had a storm this bad since you took out that tender ship of mine in the north Atlantic last year, 68 crew. Do you know what a tender ship does? Fixes the other ships. Doesn’t even carry guns, just goes around, fixes the other ships and delivers the mail, that’s all it can do. Gratias tibi ago, domine. Yes, I lied. It was a sin. I’ve committed many sins. Have I displeased you, you feckless thug? 3.8 million new jobs, that wasn’t good? Bailed out Mexico, increased foreign trade, 30 million new acres of land for conservation, put Mendoza on the bench, we’re not fighting a war, I’ve raised three children… that’s not enough to buy me out of the doghouse? Haec credam a deo pio? A deo iusto? A deo scito? Cruciatus in crucem! Tuus in terra servus nuntius fui officium perfeci. Cruciatus in crucem. Eas in crucem!
[Translation from the Latin: I give thanks to you, O Lord. Am I to believe those were the acts of a loving God? A just God? A wise God? To hell with your punishments! I was your servant on Earth - I spread Your word and did Your work. To hell with your punishments. To hell with you.]

Manchester Part 1 (3.01)

Sandy: Can you tell us right now if you’ll be seeking a second term?
Bartlet: Yeah. And I’m gonna win.

In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part One (2.01)

Toby: Josh was hit.
Donna: Hit with what? I don’t understand.

What Kind of Day Has It Been [1.22]

Gina: Get down!

Six Meetings Before Lunch [1.18]

Sam: Believe me, if you haven’t seen C.J. do “The Jackal”, then you haven’t seen Shakespeare the way it’s meant to be done.

Noël [2.10]

Josh struggles with disguising his post traumatic stress.
Stanley: What happened three weeks ago?
Josh: I don’t know what you’re referring to.
Stanley: I don’t know what I’m referring to either, but some of the people you work with became concerned with your behavior three weeks ago.
Josh: Well, I’ve been concerned with their behavior since long before that.

Game On [4.06]

This was something of a return to form that became, for me, one of my favourite moments. Leading up to the live debates, panic ensues last minute. All highly charged and full of nervous apprehension they rush to the stage, for Bartlet to completely kick ass and blow everyone away with his awesomeness. Hehe.
Bartlet: “Unfunded mandate” is two words, not one big word.

The Women of Qumar [3.08]

CJ: How about instead of suggesting that we sell the guns to them, suggesting that we shoot the guns at them. And by the way, not to change the subject, but how are we supposed to have any moral credibility when we talk about gun control and making sure guns don’t get into the hands of the wrong people? God, Nancy, what the hell are we defining as the right people?

20 Hours in America, Part One [4.01]

Josh, Toby and Donna get accidentally left behind on the campaign.
Bartlet: (on Josh and Toby) Three hundred IQ points between them, they can’t find their way home. I swear to God, if Donna wasn’t there, they’d have to buy a house.

Manchester, Part One [3.01]

CJ messes things up in the briefing and considers resigning. Allison is awesome and the moment is painful.

17 People [2.18]

Josh: I’m just sayin’ – if you were in an accident, I wouldn’t stop for a beer.
Donna: If you were in an accident, I wouldn’t stop for red lights.

In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part Two [2.02]

Toby: CJ, you fell into the pool there.

Let Bartlet Be Bartlet [1.19]

I think Bartlet and Leo had the most beautiful relationship ever portrayed on television. And I loved the idea of two guys that truly believe speaking now should be more important than re-election.
Leo: If we’re going to walk into walls, I want us running into them at full speed. We’re going to lose some of these battles, and we may lose the White House, but we’re not going to be threatened by issues. We’re going to bring ‘em front and center. We’re going to raise the level of public debate in this country and let that be our legacy.

Twenty-Five [4.23]

Walken: Relax everybody. Breathe regular.

The Crackpots and These Women [1.05]

Toby: It’s not so much that you cheat sir, its how brazenly bad you are it.
Bartlet: Give me an example.
Toby: In Florida, playing mixed doubles with me and C.J., you tried to tell us your partner worked at the American Consulate in Wien.
Bartlet: She did.
Toby: It was Steffi Graf.
Bartlet: I’ll admit the woman bore a striking resemblance to her.
Toby: You crazy lunatic, you think I’m not going to recognize Steffi Graf when she’s serving a tennis ball at me?

Inauguration, Over There [4.15]

Shamed to attend the Inaugural ball after covering for her boyfriend’s slip-up Donna stays home, but on discovering her innocence Josh drags Danny, Toby, Will and Charlie into a limo to go throw snow at her window and bring her to the ball. She looks gorgeous and it is all fairytale perfect when he tells her she looks fantastic. She smiles and fan-girls the world over melt.
Danny: Where’s Donna?
Josh: She’s sitting in her apartment in a ball gown.
Danny: Waiting for a ball to come over?

The Midterms [2.03]

Bartlet: Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.
Bartlet: Yes it does. Leviticus.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: 18:22.
Bartlet: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I have you here. I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff Leo McGarry insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here’s one that’s really important because we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town: touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you? One last thing: while you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits.

The Cold [7.13]

Ultimately I think I had imagined it happening in a slightly more romantic way, but given their history it was always going to be accidental and awkward, which on reflection, I love even more than any way I could have imagined it.
Donna: [on who's been seeing who?] I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.
Will: Yours is Josh. You’re not cryptic.

Shibboleth [2.08]

So funny I almost cannot take it. Donna turns up with Turkeys and the guys direct her to put them in CJ’s office simultaneously and completely dead-pan.
CJ: Every time we come up on a holiday, you guys check out like seniors who are done with finals.
Toby: We are writing a very important Thanksgiving proclamation.
Sam: And possibly a new action-adventure series.

Institutional Memory [7.21]

Forgive me. But I cried.
Danny: I want us to talk like we’re gonna figure it out together. I want us to talk…because I like the sound of your voice.

Gaza [5.21]

Donna explodes. Dude. You just cannot. It’s Donna damn it.

In this White House [2.04]

Josh: Toby, come quick, Sam’s getting his ass kicked by a girl.
Toby: Ginger, get the popcorn.

18th and Potomac [2.21]

Mrs Landingham departs.

Impact Winter [6.09]

Crippled by an M.S. attack the President breaks down emotionally. How awesome is Martin Sheen? I mean, really, everyone says so…but so consistently and always and so SO much.
Bartlet: I can’t do the job Abbey.

17 People [2.18]

The President tells Toby about his MS. This was a completely awesome episode. Toby at his darkest and best.
Toby: The Vice President’s authority was murky at best. The National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State didn’t know who they were taking their orders from. I wasn’t in the situation room that night but I’ll bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets that it was Leo, who no one elected! For 90 minutes that night there was a coup d’etat in this country.

Commencement [4.22]

Leo: What happened?
Butterfield: Zoey Bartlet’s missing, and there’s a dead agent at the scene.

Process Stories [4.08]

Sam accidentally gets nominated for the candidacy in California.
Sam: It was an Aristotelian confluence of events that could only happen to me.

We Killed Yamamoto [3.20]

I believe a lot of people felt the CJ/Simon storyline was a little contrived, but call me whatever you like, I loved him and her and cried lots.
CJ: I like that you are tall.
Simon: You do?
CJ: It makes me feel more feminine.

2162 Votes [6.22]

Santos:We’re all broken — every single one of us — and yet we pretend that we’re not. We all live lives of imperfection and yet we cling to the fantasy that there’s a perfect life and that our leaders should embody it, but if we expect our leaders to live on some higher moral plane than the rest of us, well, we’re just asking to be deceived. Now, it’s been suggested to me this week that I should try to try to buy your support with jobs and the promise of access’ it has been suggested to me that party unity is more important than your democratic rights as delegates. That’s right, it’s not and you have a decision to make. Don’t vote for us because you think we’re perfect. Don’t vote for us because of what we might be able to do for you only. Vote for the person who shares your ideals, your hopes, your dreams. Vote for the person who most embodies what you believe we need to keep our nation strong and free. And when you have done that you can go back … with your head held high and say, ‘I am a member of the Democratic Party.’

Dead Irish Writers [3.15]

Abbey, CJ, Amy and Donna drink too much and say funny, dark, upsetting and profound things.
Abbey: Claudia Jean.
CJ: Yes, ma’am.
Abbey: Let’s get drunk.
CJ: Uh, okay.

And It’s Surely to Their Credit [2.05]

Ainsley’s surprise welcome party.
Ainsley: I just want to die.
Leo: It’s the White House. You’ll get used to that feeling.

The Short List [1.09]

CJ: What are you holding?
Danny: It’s a goldfish.
CJ: Why?
Danny: It’s for you.
CJ: Really?
Danny: Josh said you like goldfish.
CJ: The crackers, Danny. The cheese thing that you have at a party?
Danny: Oh. You know what, I’m not 100% sure I was supposed to know that.

Election Night [4.07]

Will: Now! (There is a flash of lightening and it starts to rain)
Elsie: Wow! What else can you do?
Will: I didn’t know I could do that.

Drought Conditions [6.16]

Will: Do you mind if I stand here and pretend like we’re talking?

Pilot [1.01]

Laurie: Tell your friend POTUS he’s got a funny name, and he should learn how to ride a bicycle.
Sam: I would, but he’s not my friend, he’s my boss. And it’s not his name, it’s his title.
Laurie: POTUS?
Sam: President of the United States.

In Excelsis Deo [1.10]

Donna: You see? You spend most of our time being, you know … you. Then you write something like this to me … thank you.
Josh: I meant it.
Donna: Skis would have killed you?

The White House Pro-Am [1.17]

Abbey: I concede I was wrong about the thing.
Bartlet: Good.
Abbey:However….
Bartlet: No, ‘however’, just be wrong. Just stand there in your wrongness and be wrong. And get used to it.

Take this Sabbath Day [1.14]

Joey: You idiot. I’m. Joey. Lucas.
Josh: Ah. Ah, okay. I’m Josh Lyman.

The Ticket [7.01]

Josh: I’ve got an airplane hanger out there filled with 500 strangers looking to me for direction. I’ve got a candidate who doesn’t trust any of them. And frankly neither do I. And if you don’t think I miss you every day…

Debate Camp [4.05]

Josh: Why don’t you just do your job as a man and get that nice girl pregnant?
Toby: I did.
Josh: Wait, what?
C.J.: What?
Toby: Andy’s pregnant.
Josh: Toby, Andy’s pregnant?
Toby: With twins.
Sam: This is incredible.
Josh: And they’re yours?
Toby: Yeah.
Josh: Both of them?

Arctic Radar [4.10]

Toby: All right. All right. Chances are you have certain qualities that are gonna annoy me. I don’t know what they are yet, but you have a certain quality about you.

Eppur Si Muove [5.16]

Charlie: I’m crazy for Muppets, I’m just trying to act cool.

Faith-Based Initiative [6.10]

Santos: Josh wants me to run for president.
Helen: Of the United States?

And just for kicks, because it really was a highlight of the series…
The West Wing Cast on Ellen:

Allison and Richard look at each other like they are about to cry. Martin and Dulé do their secret handshake. Everyone admits to loving Allison the most and she looks all awkward and flattered and cute. Brad and Janel are all goofy and sweet. Everyone gets stickers, looks like the best friends in the whole world, and then the cake fight commences. :)

Bless you Aaron Sorkin and The West Wing cast and crew. I shall enjoy you many times over on DVD for all eternity. It was so much fun and I loved you to pieces.

Horia Nicola Ursu, administratorul Millennium Books si editorul Galileo, s-a declarat “cîtuşi de puţin nemulţumit cu 2010″, lansand 11 titluri in 2010 si 12 titluri in 2011.

Galileo, numarul 3, ar fi trebuit sa apara in septembrie 2010. Abia pe 18 aprilie 2011 era descris drept “proaspăt venit de la tipar”, s-a vandut la Bookfest 2011 si cu alte ocazii, dar abonatii, printre macar ma numar si eu, inca nu le primisera nici pe 8 iunie 2011, dupa promisiuni exhaustive de expediere. In acel moment am renuntat la a mai spera ca voi mai primi vreodata cele doua numere lipsa.

Cu banii luati de mai bine de un an si jumatate insa produsul final e vaporware, un simplu mit. Actiunea penala, din pacate, nu e la indemana, dar macar asta sa fie invatatura de minte: ce-i in mana nu-i minciuna.

Trei episoade din sezonul trei si pe toate le-am detestat. In primele doua se repeta povesti de maturizare cu Jeff, Britta si Annie, inapoindu-le la inceputul seriei cu stereotipurile pe care le uram si pe care se presupunea ca ei le-au invins, dar nu. E al treilea an, poate ultimul, iar scenaristii merg tare in continuare aratandu-l pe Jeff drept incapabil de-a suporta a fi anything less than most popular. Poate ca ei au fost neplacuti in trecut, dar macar era amuzanti. Acum sunt doar jigodii narcisiste repetitive.

Worst season ever so far. Daca o sa continue astfel atunci sper sa-l anuleze sa nu ajunga ca celelalte gunoaie de la tv (Weeds, HIMYM, House, Big Bang Theory samd) continuand multi, multi, multi ani dupa si-a pierdut vigoarea. My precious is falling apart :<

Am rezistat cat am putut, dar mi-a venit fizic rau cand am vazut cat de imbecile pot fi scrise personajele de catre scenaristi, dupa ce la inceputul seriei nu le-ai fi luat drept oligofreni aberanti. Nu, pe bune, serialul avea atata potential furand de unde trebuie, dar m-am saturat sa vad cum in fiecare episod toata lumea e manipulata de acelasi psihopat arogant care se dovedise drept un mincinos patologic in episodul anterior. E pacat sa-ti bati joc de personaje si sa le faci inuman de proaste pentru ca tu nu gasesti o alta metoda prin care sa le duci unde vrei.

O dezamagire crunta, pacat de distributia grozava (Louis Ferreira, Michelle Forbes, Hugh Dillon, Laurence Leboeuf, Mike Dopud, Kathleen Munroe). Argh. Nervi. Tre’ sa pun de-un maraton Hammer Horror pentru a ma relaxa.

Desi surprizele materiale au fost delightful and delicious (Adam Baker • Outpost, Alan Moore • From Hell, H. P. Lovecraft • Necronomicon, Jack Vance • The Complete Lyonesse, Robert E. Howard • The Chronicles of Conan, Wilkie Collins • The Moonstone), fara a pune la socoteala mirificele escapade in Delta/Sibiu/Bucuresti/Bratislava/Vienna, totusi cele afective au fost cele care m-au dat peste cap, ultimele saptamani fiind un triumf epic, un eden mai presus de cuvinte. Intreaga luna a fost o odisee in hedonism, chiar nu-mi pot imagina cum vreo alta aniversare s-ar putea ridica la nivelul acesteia…

Multumesc.

– “Blasphemous” spelling mistake girl is expelled in Pakistan and her family is evicted

– Dave Mustaine Says Megadeth Will Tour With Motörhead, Volbeat, Lacuna Coil

– Scientists prove multi-tasking with two screens is impossible

– Coffee linked with lower depression risk in women

– Hubby claims wife raped by ‘invisible man’

– What’s worse for your health, bacon or cigarettes?

– Teachers give up $1,000 apiece for students’ books

– Chocolate as good for you as exercise, scientists find

– Nikita, bad. Wilfred, worse. The Defenders, the worst.

– Suits (S1) – yet another legal drama. Gabriel Macht si Patrick J. Adams fac o treaba exceptionala abuzand de lege si amuzandu-ne pe noi. Aproape decent,  nu se apropie nici de departe de Boston Legal, dar macar e peste Raising the Bar.

– TV, the vast wasteland. Cu regret pot spune c-am dus la capat mizeria numita Entourage, cat si bataia de joc numita sezonul patru din True Blood, nu m-am plictisit revazand Futurama (S1-6), Grand Designs (S8) si Oz (S1), dar am fost euforic urmarind urmatoarele… in compania potrivita: Gilmore Girls (S1-2), Scrubs (S3), The Wire (S1) si West Wing (S3). Totalul lunii a ajuns la 21 de sezoane, cat si maratoane horror, marx si stooges. OLE™.

S-a dus si Rescue Me. Au trecut sapte ani lungi, ceva mai lungi decat ar fi trebuit, ca si Nip/Tuck. La final de drum inca a distrat desi si-a pierdut de ceva vreme farmecul cu care m-a prins la inceput. Adieu, mon amour.

If you’re reading this, it probably means I’m dead. It might have come as a shock to you, but I’ll tell you now. My heart went bad a while back. I won’t bore you with the details. But at this stage of the game, I’ll be lucky if I finish this goddamn letter. If it wasn’t my ticker that did me in, please tell me I died after eating 15 pizzas, or during sex with either multiple women or one really big one.

Either way that works for me. But seriously, I hope I went on the job doing the work I was meant to do surrounded by you and the guys. Since it was mostly about food with me, I’m gonna leave you guys with a recipe.

Take one self-absorbed pretty-boy Puerto Rican. Add one ‘long on attitude, short on experience’ black guy. Then add two morons, one more stupid than the other. Mix together and let sit. Then finally, add one battle-scarred, haunted, formerly drunken Irish asshole, who screws up his life like other people breathe. Blend all ingredients together, turn on fire, and hope for the best.

Sounds like shit, doesn’t it? Well, brother, I’ve tasted it. I’ve eaten it up these last few years, and it’s delicious.