Anthony Lane says that Bruno is puerile. Though I laughed when he quoted Bruno's best national gag—that all he craves is to live “ze Austrian dream: ‘get a job, find a dungeon, raise ein family in it’ ."
100 Basic Skills for a Geek. Highlights:
46. Build amazing structures with LEGO and invent a compelling back story for the creation.
47. Understand that it is LEGO, not Lego, Legos, or Lego’s.
90. Be able to explain why it’s important that Han shot first.
91. Know why it is just wrong for Luke and Leia to kiss.
92. Stop talking Star Wars long enough to get laid.
More later. Big blond boy came off the camp bus with a sprained ankle. Oh the drama! [insert joke about men not being able to handle pain.]
Surely puerile is a feature not a bug when it comes to Brüno? Lane didn't think all that much of Borat either.
Knowing the names of the Dwarves in The Hobbit is just excessive (who cares whether it was Blowin and Glowin, or Funken and Gruven who got put in the barrels first?); knowing the verse about the rings of power is essential, with bonus geek points for being able to quote any of it in the language of Mordor.
Wired's right about Han, though.
Posted by: Doug | July 14, 2009 at 03:20 AM
For LoR geekery, I think the key line of demarkation is the Silmarillion and having the gist of that.
Posted by: MH | July 14, 2009 at 08:43 AM
Silmarillion has a gist?
Posted by: Doug | July 14, 2009 at 09:56 AM
Ductigami is not origami. Any good geek would know that. Duct tape is cool, and crafting with it super geekery (I think one should get bonus points for having been duct taped to a wall), but it's not origami.
Posted by: bj | July 14, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Doug, I guess I meant the basic outline of the history of the 1st, 2nd and early 3rd ages. Because if you ask me, the Noldor seem just a bit too proud of themselves.
Posted by: MH | July 14, 2009 at 10:19 AM
I would view extreme LoR geekery as getting through all of the poetry instead of skimming until somebody draws a sword.
Posted by: MH | July 14, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Ok, LotR geek but not extreme. I also skip the Tom Bombadil bits and go straight to the Barrow-Downs.
Posted by: Doug | July 15, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Hop along! fal lal the willow! Tom can't keep his lady Goldberry waiting.
Posted by: MH | July 15, 2009 at 10:05 AM
There's a beautiful audio version (Rob Inglis's) that takes a lot of the pain out of the verse in LOTR. Tom Bombadil's songs are especially nice. Give it a listen! It's 52 hours long, and as soon as I escape Bleak House, I'm hoping to lose 15 pounds while listening to LOTR on the treadmill (I did it last spring with the Jane Austen canon).
Posted by: Amy P | July 15, 2009 at 11:04 AM
MH:
"Tim! Tim! Benzedrine!
Hash! Boo! Valvoline!
Clean! Clean! Clean for Gene!
First, second, neutral, park
Hie thee hence, you leafy narc!"
Amy, that's a lot of listening! It'll go on the Christmas wish list, I think...
Posted by: Doug | July 15, 2009 at 02:04 PM
Ayeee! The Ballhog.
Posted by: MH | July 15, 2009 at 02:13 PM
I keep seeing the 'Evony' ad in the sidebar. Which is clearly an attempt to hit the same demographic as the preface to "Bored".
Posted by: MH | July 15, 2009 at 02:20 PM