Quotulatiousness

October 1, 2010

Freakonomics trailer

Filed under: Economics, Humour, Media — Tags: , , — Nicholas @ 16:23

Since reading the book(s), I often find myself in discussions using the term “incentives” (especially in the sense of perverse incentives: those which produce the opposite of the desired effect). I think there’s much value in this approach to problem solving, and I’m looking forward to seeing the movie.

Update: I guess I’ve gotten out of the habit of seeing movies at all. Freakonomics is in the theatres now, but I seem to have uninstalled the movie theatre information app on my iPhone . . . it figures: it doesn’t appear to be playing anywhere near here.

September 28, 2010

The Guild, Season 4 Episode 11

Filed under: Gaming, Humour — Tags: , , — Nicholas @ 07:46

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&#038;from=video_hub_the-guild&#038;fg=video_hub_the-guild&#038;vid=bc83c4e0-f9e4-49ca-a66e-6c3ce4c5753f" target="_new" title="Season 4 - Episode 11 - Hostile Takeovers">Video: Season 4 &#8211; Episode 11 &#8211; Hostile Takeovers</a>

September 27, 2010

QotD: Explorers and translation

Filed under: Humour, Quotations, Randomness — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 16:55

When the first explorers from the warm lands around the Circle Sea travelled into the chilly hinterland they filled in the blank spaces on their maps by grabbing the nearest native, pointing at some distant landmark, speaking very clearly in a loud voice, and writing down whatever the bemused man told them. Thus were immortalised in generations of atlases such geographical oddities as Just A Mountain, I Don’t Know, What? and, of course, Your Finger You Fool.

Terry Pratchett, The Light Fantastic, 1986

Europe according to . . .

Filed under: Europe, France, Humour — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 14:09

Amusing infographic source including “Europe according to France”:

H/T to Cory Doctorow for the link.

September 25, 2010

Colbert performance mocks the legislators who invited him

Filed under: Humour, Media, Politics, USA — Tags: , , , , — Nicholas @ 12:17

Mary Katharine Ham observes how this will play out during the remainder of the American election this year:

One wonders exactly what Democrats thought would come of this. A Roll Call story Thursday showed at least a few members of Congress were concerned that the event would become a side show (implying, rather frighteningly, that some thought it wouldn’t).

Now, they’ve managed to portray themselves, not just as fat and happy incumbents willing to irresponsibly throw our money at problems, but as fat and happy incumbents who hire a court jester with our money to entertain them while they irresponsibly throw our money at problems. That ought to be great for the party’s message this fall.

[. . .]

And, as Jim Geraghty notes, this allows every single Republican challenger to ask the incumbent Democrat he’s running against, “Can you justify this embarrassing use of our tax dollars, and the literal mockery that the Democratic Congress has become?”

[. . .]

The problem is not that a comedian made jokes in front of a Congressional committee. Colbert’s hilarious. The problem is that his appearance laid bare what voters suspect about Congress — that it’s just one really expensive joke.

September 23, 2010

Not that they’re getting too confident, or anything

Filed under: History, Humour, Politics, USA — Tags: — Nicholas @ 16:11

Tweet of the day, from Jim Geraghty:

xkcd on a useful, but unlikely, public service agency

Filed under: Humour, Randomness — Tags: , , , — Nicholas @ 12:16

Bad Ex

September 22, 2010

Boom de yada, boom de yada

Filed under: Humour, Media, Technology — Tags: , , — Nicholas @ 07:29

H/T to Maggie Koerth-Baker for the link.

September 21, 2010

The Guild, Season 4 Episode 10

Filed under: Gaming, Humour — Tags: , , , — Nicholas @ 07:40

<br /><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/season-4-episode-10-festival-of-the-sea/y04jsylz?fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Season 4 - Episode 10 - Festival of the Sea">Video: Season 4 &#8211; Episode 10 &#8211; Festival of the Sea</a>

September 20, 2010

The first debate in the Delaware Senate race

Filed under: Humour, Politics, USA — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 09:08

I haven’t been following the Christine O’Donnell campaign, but this is quite funny:

[George Stephanopoulos] Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the first official debate of this election cycle. I’m George Stephanopoulos, and with me tonight are two candidates for the United States Senate, Delaware Democrat Chris Coons, and Republican Christine O’Donnell.

[Chris Coons] Hello George, it’s a pleasure to be here.

[Christine O’Donnell] YOUR VOICE IS THE PITIFUL WHINE OF GNATS, AND YOU REEK WITH THE STINK OF FEAR.

[George Stephanopoulos] Outstanding. The format tonight will be as follows: I’ll ask each of you a question, and you will have two minutes to respond. Your opponent will then have one minute in which to offer a rebuttal. Christine O’Donnell, the first question goes to you: The economic stimulus bill passed last year has been the topic of much discussion. Some argue that it gave the American economy a much-needed shot in the arm, while others claim that it’s effects have been marginal or even harmful. What is your opinion on this, and what, if anything, should we have done differently?

[Christine O’Donnell] JUST AS THE GODDESS CIRCE DID DECEIVE THE COMPANIONS OF ODYSSEUS INTO DRINKING OF THE ENCHANTED WINE, SO DID PRESIDENT OBAMA THROUGH HIS CUNNING DECEIVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. HE HAS BOUND OUR ECONOMY TO THE YOKE OF PUBLIC SPENDING, MUCH AS THE TRICKSTER GOD LOKI WAS BOUND BY ODIN TO THE ENTRAILS OF HIS SON, NARI, WHOSE SCREAMS WERE AS THE CRIES OF A THOUSAND DYING EAGLES.

It gets better from there. As they say, read the whole thing. H/T to Ace.

September 19, 2010

Here’s something for the font geek in your life

Filed under: Humour, Media, Randomness — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 10:43


Click the image to embiggenate.

H/T to Inspiration Lab.

September 18, 2010

“Taste my Pirate Patty”

Filed under: Gaming, Humour — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 13:02

<br /><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/season-4-bonus-clip-taste-my-pirate-patty/y0djzw3w?fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Season 4 - Bonus Clip - Taste My Pirate Patty">Video: Season 4 &#8211; Bonus Clip &#8211; Taste My Pirate Patty</a>

September 15, 2010

Will Old Spice parodies be the Downfall of 2010?

Filed under: Humour, Media — Tags: , , — Nicholas @ 12:59

H/T to Rob Beschizza for the link.

September 14, 2010

The Guild, Season 4 Episode 9

Filed under: Gaming, Humour — Tags: , , — Nicholas @ 07:32

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&#038;from=video_hub_the-guild&#038;fg=video_hub_the-guild&#038;vid=8cd490ba-c57d-4e57-a552-f8f6624f58b2" target="_new" title="Season 4 - Episode 9 - Pirate Paddy">Video: Season 4 &#8211; Episode 9 &#8211; Pirate Paddy</a>

September 13, 2010

Sir Humphrey Appleby on Brussels

Filed under: Britain, Bureaucracy, Europe, Government, Humour, Politics — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 09:41

As long as they’re allowed, http://sirhumphreyappleby2010.blogspot.com/ will be posting some fascinating memos from Sir Humphrey Appleby KCB CVO on various topics of interest. If-and-when the Official Secrets Act is invoked, of course, we will be deprived of this wonderful insight into the real workings of modern parliamentary government.

For example, here is Sir Humphrey on the manifold advantages of Brussels:

Any attempt by this new government to weaken our ties with the European Union must be firmly resisted. Our membership has been a godsend. Since no cabinet minister is really au fait with all the provisions of the treaty of Rome, we can guide them towards our desired decisions by telling them there are obligations under the treaty, and deflect them from unwelcome actions by saying that the treaty prohibits them. In addition we can cite some of the myriad directives, which can be creatively adapted to our purposes by skilful translation from the original French. Since few of them have progressed beyond O level in any modern language, our version is unlikely to be challenged. And of course when we want to get rid of a minister for a few days we can always arrange an emergency meeting in Brussels, Strasburg or Luxembourg to give us a few days breathing space.

Brussels provides a model for modern government. Legislation can be brought forward only by officials, not by elected members. All important posts are filled by appointment, not election. Political ‘leadership’ is rotated every six months, to ensure that no one ever gets a real grip on the job. The proliferation of nations and languages gives officials endless scope for fomenting distrust, confusion and conflict between members. And there is no nonsense about financial constraints: the auditors have refused to approve the EU accounts for the past fourteen years, but they go on spending happily regardless.

Ministers in previous governments have occasionally expressed concern about this in their early months, but we have always found that after a few visits to Brussels and contingent exposure to the legendary Belgian hospitality, their opposition has cooled remarkably, and indeed they express enthusiasm for further visits, which of course we are more than happy to arrange.

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