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August 11

Charlie Brown / Snoopy / Peanuts

I always wondered about this ... and I would like to hear the thoughts / views / input of others. On those old Charlie Brown / Peanuts animated TV specials ... whenever an adult character was supposed to be "speaking", they would always use some incoherent and incomprehensible muffled noise. Does any one remember what I am talking about? So, (1) what was the artistic reason / philosophy behind that technique? And (2) why is it that they would never actually show adult characters on screen? Does anyone know why Charles Schultz (or the producers or whoever) did these things? Or can anyone offer their theories? Thanks. (Joseph A. Spadaro 04:26, 11 August 2007 (UTC))[reply]

Just an observation, but I find it very much like Bob Newhart's telephone comedy routines, where you can only hear his side of the conversation. You don't really need the other side; your imagination fills it in. Clarityfiend 05:55, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Mainly because Newhart usually repeats everything the "other" party says. Gets old in a hurry, in my opinion. (That's not true of his telephone bit in Hell is for Heroes – in which he talks into a dead field-phone, intending to be heard by enemy eavesdroppers!) —Tamfang 05:26, 2 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, the strange, deep monotone "wor-wor-wor" sound! Brilliant! I have fond memories of that. As per Peanuts#Television and film productions, "...[Bill] Melendez famously used the sound of a trombone with a plunger mute opening and closing on the bell to simulate adult 'voices'." (Although not that famously, as I didn't know until about 6 months ago when I read the article!) To cover both points, I suppose Schulz intended the Peanuts universe to be child*-centric and child-based, reflecting typical childhood concerns, misconceptions, logic etc. (* And beagles and small birds. Ahem.) Hassocks5489 13:02, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I always thought it was a kid's world ... in which (ideally) no adults exist ... and, when they do exist, they represent some minor inconsequential brief inconvenience or annoyance. Reminds me of an old comic I once saw. In the first frame, you have a dog and his owner. The speaking bubble above the man says: "Now, Fido, stop running around the house, stop going to the bathroom on the rug, don't bite the little children, etc. etc. etc." And underneath the picture, the caption reads: "What you say to a dog". In the second frame, you have the same exact picture. Underneath, the caption reads: "What the dog actually hears". And in the speaking bubble above the man, it says: "blah blah blah blah blah" or some such. So, with the Peanuts gang of kids ... I guess they just tune out the adult-speak (which they find irrelevent and unimportant and not worthy of listening to) ... but they placate the adults by feigning interest in and comprehension of what the adult is saying. Whatever adults say, it's always the same broken record ... that is, muffled garbage / nonsense. (Joseph A. Spadaro 17:33, 11 August 2007 (UTC))[reply]

Ginger

I can't believe that you found the Far Side comic I was referring to (the above "Ginger" link). Too funny. Thanks. (Joseph A. Spadaro 00:25, 12 August 2007 (UTC))[reply]

Here the tables are turned: Professor Schwartzman 77.56.108.140 03:11, 12 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I can't agree that Schulz meant for adults to be "an inconvenience or annoyance." There are many many strips where Charlie Brown talks about what his father or grandfather has said. There is also the ongoing saga of Linus and Miss Othmar. And of course Rerun would have gotten nowhere without being in the seat on the back of his mother's bicycle. I think the trombone sound has to be there so that there is an audible cue that something has been said (such a cue can be skipped in a comic strip), but the actual exposition can still be handled by the child character. The Peanuts gang, AFAIK, was never disrepectful to adults in any way, so they would not "feign interest" or consider what was being said "irrelevant [etc.]"

I received a book of previously unpublished Peanuts strips on the most recent Free Comic Book Day; I think there was one that showed an adult more directly than we are used to seeing (which is, of course, why Schulz preferred that it remain unpublished); I'll have to check when I get home though. --LarryMac | Talk 15:20, 13 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I do see your points. But, certainly, they could have had an adult voice actor state the lines (for example, adult teacher says, "OK, class, hand in your homework now please") ... why deliberately (and painstakingly) leave it out? (Joseph A. Spadaro 05:33, 14 August 2007 (UTC))[reply]

Creative license, playful art of omission, a reference to Schultz's own artful omission? Were scenes including the adult teachers' dialogue frequent? I recall one strip where Linus impresses Lucy with his "gift of prophecy", and we see off-speech bubbles giving the parents' answers as predicted by him. But I think this was a rare exception, as one of the Peanuts' distinct characteristics was having kids speak like adults. Including too much adult dialogue might have disturbed this world. I agree with LarryMac, they do think about and look up to adults, and adults are present as the force they represent in the world of real life children (adoration and annoyance, the promise of reward and the threat of getting caught or being tattled on, and so forth. ---Sluzzelin talk 06:14, 14 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Remember that Shulz never showed adults nor gave them any dialogue in his drawings, so the cartoons attempted to carry on with that theme with the trombone sound. Corvus cornix 19:48, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

True. I must admit, he handled it quite cleverly and creatively. (Joseph A. Spadaro 05:02, 12 August 2007 (UTC))[reply]

CLIMPING BEACH RAVE

WHAT DATES IN AUGUST 2007 IS CLIMPING BEACH RAVE SUSSEX

We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you. Otherwise you'll tell someone else, who will tell someone else.... and before you can say "These Yellow Bentines are triple-jacking my Shatner's Basson" someone will have informed our friends in Blue and it will be like the May rave all over again. No, siree. Rockpocket 06:47, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

ESPN National Hockey Night (PS2)

How do you watch the game involving your team during the season (wihtout playing as a player) but still make line and strategy changes? can this happen?

(this is for the 2000-2001 game but its probably the same for others)

Girl from IGN?

I saw this clip called "Tenasious D vs. Guitar hero 2" (http://media.movies.ign.com/media/150/150410/vids_2.html) from IGN, where Tenacious D is playing Guitar Hero 2 with a woman. Is she an actor and/or what is her name?

Most IGN on camera work is done by Jessica Chobot. [1] --24.249.108.133 03:01, 12 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Aliens (film)

There are many quotes in the movie I don't understand, even with dictionary help. I'm grateful for each point explained (italic letters, specificely).

You drifted right through the core systems. What does Burke mean?

The main, inhabited star systems. Clarityfiend 22:39, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Versus the suburbs, where inhabited stars are few and far between. --Mdwyer 23:23, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I hear the commute is murder. Clarityfiend 02:32, 12 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

override destruct order (referring to Ripley's destruction of the Nostromo)
- To override an order is to supercede it. For example, if your big brother says, "Sure, go ahead and jump of the top of the house", your Mom might override the instruction with "Don't be an idiot." --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:05, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Shake 'N' bake colony - what does this express?

My interpretation: a colony built quickly and easily (ala Shake 'N' Bake chicken), presumably from standard components. Clarityfiend 22:39, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

grid reference in the middle of nowhere

Likey a reference to latitude and longitude or some other cartesian coordinate system, where you define a location based on offsets from a known location. --Mdwyer 23:23, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I'll tan your hides.
- Literally, of course, to make leather; generally used to mean at the very least "I'll spank you" and more commonly "I'll beat you up". Mostly jocular. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:05, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]
(They're paying) not enough to have to wake up to your face

"You're ugly, and I should be paid more to have to wake up and look at you." --Mdwyer 23:23, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

To me, quotes like this signifies more than the first thing they see when they get up. It's more like, they need to pay me more to be with you this much, or basically saying he/she can't stand the person. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:07, 13 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

One of those things managed to wipe out my crew... if the colonists have found that ship then there's no telling how many have been exposed.

Exposed as in exposed to an infectious substance. The step before infected. You are exposed to cold viruses when someone coughs on you, but you might not become infected with the cold viruses. --Mdwyer 23:23, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit? - You secure that shit, Hudson.

"stupid group". Whereas 'secure' is comparable to 'stow'. For example, when landing an airplane, you secure your tray tables. You put them awy. In this case, "secure that shit" is "we don't need your complaints right now. Please put them away." --Mdwyer 23:23, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Assholes and elbows.
- Frenetic activity. Working as fast as you can. "Get to work. All I want to see is assholes and elbows." Imagine seeing a bunch of people on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor. 152.16.188.107 04:11, 12 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Coming around for a seven-zero-niner.
- From MST3K:
  CROW: Mike I haven't understood one word of what she's said.
  
  MIKE: It's pilot talk...I think it means their in for a tough landing.
  
  TOM: No I think it means she peed in her pants.
  
  MIKE: Really?
- jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:05, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Stay on station (Gorman to Ferro when the APC has been dropped off).

A preassigned position.

seismic survey charges

From Seismology, "Seismic waves produced by explosions or vibrating controlled sources are the primary method of underground exploration." They used explosive charges. Clarityfiend 22:39, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Pendejo jerkoff. (Vasquez to Hudson about Gorman enterning the station. I know both words, but what does it mean in this context?).

(Correction: Its a insult, pendejo its spanish for asshole or jerkoff. Also depends on what country, like pendejo In my country Puerto Rico is an insult, and it other countries it might mean a different thing.)

- Just what it sounds like. Nasty + nasty = nastynasty. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:05, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]
If they're within 20 clicks...

Klick = kilometre in military slang. Clarityfiend 22:39, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen!
- That one sounds like a cleaned up version of the better-known "Drop your cocks and grab your socks" -- quit messing around and get to work, essentially. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:05, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]
incinerator = flamethrower in this context?
- Sure. Something that burns other things. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:05, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Hicks, when they plan to build up their fortress: Now all we need is a deck of cards.

After you build a fortress, you have to wait around inside it until the enemy comes to you. Playing cards is a way of killing time until the enemy shows up. --Mdwyer 23:23, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Could it mean "this so-called fortress is a house of cards but without the cards"? —Tamfang 05:44, 2 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Sneak (Ripley to Newt)

Literally, "You are someone who is sneaky. Although this is normally seen as a bad thing, I admire your sneakeyness (?) in this case." --Mdwyer 23:25, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I cross my heart and hope to die.

This one's a childhood ritual -- essentially, "I swear I'm telling the truth". --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:05, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

"...and may God strike me down if I'm lying." —Tamfang 05:44, 2 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

And finally: Is there any current reason for the combat troop to consist of nine persons? Or might this just be a future concept? --Thick Peter 19:50, 11 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

According to Squad, the US Army's version is composed of two four-man fireteams. Throw in an NCO to lead them and you have nine. Clarityfiend 02:50, 12 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Thx to you all (you won't believe the harsh mistakes in translations). --Thick Peter 12:24, 12 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Tell us! And translate the results back to English! --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 16:05, 13 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]