Some quick trivia

While giving the links on the side a cursory edit, I was reminded of a phrase that most Americans are familiar with, although few actually know where it comes from. It goes something like this:

"<object>?! <object>?! We don't need no stinking <object>!"

Where the object substituted in is usually something humorous, such as penguins or door knobs. This is actually a misquotation of an old black and white film, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, which tells the story of a group of men who find the mother of all gold strikes in the Sierra Madre mountains, but who are all eventually consumed by their own greed before they can ever spend the money. The original quotation goes:

"Badges!? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!!"
(more info at Wikipedia)

The movie stars Humphrey Bogart, who we are all used to seeing play essentially the same character in classics like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. While these are both wonderful movies, Madre is interesting in that it's one of his few films where he doesn't strut around in his normal cloud of brooding noire swagger. Instead, he's a poor scruffy lowlife who not only looks like he's permanently functioning in a state of the morning after, but also manages to become one of the creepier villains to come out of that period of film making.

The movie is strange and refreshing, although will probably seem a little slow to modern audienes.

First Recommendations

I know no one is listening yet, and I have a strict policy against talking to the wall, but I'd just like to say that there are two things everyone needs to watch. No exception. I'm looking at you, Lincoln.

First, go see An Inconvenient Truth. For the sake of your children and your moral integrity. No buts.

Second, go to the PBS website and watch this episode of FRONTLINE.

Okay Internet, be ye fairly warned.