TatteredCarcosa

TatteredCarcosa t1_j8qfuf8 wrote

Reply to comment by koiven in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

There's a reason this particular sentence has been remembered for its poor structure. I have read plenty of 19th century and earlier literature, being ponderous and long doesn't mean poorly structured or scattered.

7

TatteredCarcosa t1_j8pwoov wrote

Reply to comment by Extension-Ad-2760 in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

I mean, it's just all over the place. It has a fucking parenthetical for no reason.

17

TatteredCarcosa t1_j6p1z68 wrote

Reply to Cunk On Earth: dry British documentary parody co-written by Charlie Brooker by tlvrtm

Cunk is an amazing character. I hate the interview segments though, so much sympathetic embarrassment for me. Her performance is hilarious and the voice over bits and documentary parody are dead on, but goddamn I cringe into a ball watching her talk to actual experts. I know they are aware it's a joke and no one is being mocked or actually embarrassed, but it just makes me so tense to see.

Edit: Even through the immense discomfort "So King Arthur came a lot, didn't he?," absolutely floored me laughing.

73

TatteredCarcosa t1_iydnt8r wrote

Reply to Newly discovered “social fluid” unites ants across developmental stages into one, colony-wide superorganism. The study, published in Nature, describes how larvae rely on the fluid to grow and how, if they fail to drink it, intermediate-stage pupae die before reaching adulthood. by brokeglass

I've always thought ant hives seemed more like the "unit" of ants than individuals did. The way they perform complex behavior via the interaction of very simple elements is broadly similar to how simple neurons can network and perform complex calculations.

27

TatteredCarcosa t1_iybs097 wrote

Reply to comment by Grinderiny in TIL for the Untouchables Brian De Palma casted Bob Hoskins in case De Niro could not appear. De Palma mailed Hoskins a check for his contracted fee of $200,000 with a "Thank You" note, which prompted Hoskins to call up De Palma and ask him if there were any more films he didn't want him to be in. by KongoOtto

Also Southland Tales where all the characters were consciously cast against type. The Rock plays a cowardly, anxious actor. It's a terrible movie, but the casting and performances are interesting. Also notable is Jon Lovitz plays a scary, casually violent corrupt cop.

2

TatteredCarcosa t1_ixgamlr wrote

Reply to comment by jollyreaper2112 in Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United with immediate effect by judgyjudgersen

Christiano could. Well, not really, but no team sport really allows for a one man team. But he was good enough to basically make a team competitive with just him plus average joes (average for top level pro players, not average for global population). He was very very good. But no athlete can avoid losing something with age. He's still good, but he's no longer "put the team on his back and make them a contender" good. He could still be an absolute threat that any team would love to have but he's used to being a God and he still wants to be treated like one.

6