Wednesday, April 26, 2006
How to understand cities
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Three Lee Marvin films
In Seven Men, a western, he is a villain, but his role is initially ambiguous. His granite face doesn't move much but his eyes make up for everything, expressing everything about his character. By the end I was rooting for him to survive, but instead he goes up against the sheriff one on one with inevitable consequences. This is a great movie, a gem of simplicity and style.
In Point Blank Lee Marvin is the protagonist in a John Boorman neo-noir thriller. The scenes at Alcatraz are great, and Angie Dickinson takes her clothes off (briefly). Even an amateur like me can see that this film was influential on a lot of 70's thrillers. One thing I liked is how people feel pain: a guy who Lee Marvin punches in the balls is rolling round in agony for ages. The Big Red One is a director's movie. Sam Fuller made a 270 minute version that was mercilessly cut, and it took 25 years for an unbutchered version to be released. It shows the war as a horror, and as a joke at the same time. I had always thought of Lee Marvin as a bit of a joke, but now I see he was a stylish actor. But you wouldn't want to mess with him.How to win the World Cup, part 1
When I was preparing for the World Cup, Alf Ramsey came over to me and asked if I had a dog. I had, and he asked if I threw it a ball or a stick. I knew he was trying to get something out of me so I said 'a ball'. And then he said does he bring it back to you? 'Yes, and sometimes he brings it right to my feet.'
'That's what I want you to do for Bobby Charlton,' Alf said. 'I want you and Nobby Stiles to bring the ball to his feet.' He wanted the pair of us to sacrifice ourselves for the team. We did and we won and now others will have to do that for Rooney.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Cross breeding literary genres
OMG underground submarine base!
Extra! more photos of the underground base
Extra! Russian Thieves Break Into Soviet-Era Missile Silo to Find it Filled With Money Bills
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Alan Shearer was a cheat
Alan Shearer is a man of talent and determination. Unfortunately he chose the dark side and used his talent to cheat. And somehow the print and TV journalists in the
Are you calling me a hippy?
Alignment: True Neutral characters are very rare. They believe that balance is the most important thing, and will not side with any other force. They will do whatever is necessary to preserve that balance, even if it means switching allegiances suddenly.
Race: Gnomes are also short, like dwarves, but much skinnier. They have no beards, and are very inclined towards technology, although they have been known to dabble in magic, too. They tend to be fun-loving and fond of jokes and humor. Some gnomes live underground, and some live in cities and villages. They are very tolerant of other races, and are generally well-liked, though occasionally considered frivolous.
Primary Class: Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.
Secondary Class: Druids are a special variety of Cleric who serves the Earth, and can call upon the power in the earth to accomplish their goals. They tend to be somewhat fanatical about defending natural settings.
Deity: Silvanus is the True Neutral god of nature. He is also known as the Patron of Druids. His followers believe in the perfect balance of nature, and believe that nature's bounty is preferable to any other 'civilizing' method. They wear leather or metallic scale mail, constructed of leaf-shaped scales. Silvanus's symbol is an oak leaf.
Find out What D&D Character Are You?
