A new National album? That warms my medium-sized American heart.

Well, pretty possible anyway.

I like that the nurse and all the people in Scranton are so used to being filmed that they know to look into the camera and roll their eyes even if it's the first time we've seen them on tv.

I only watched a bit and fond it terrible. I will return to give Larry David a chance (when's that one on?).

The wedding episode was everything I don't want from a tv show: unoriginal, unfunny, sentimental bullshit. This episode was the exact opposite of that and the wrong-baby-breastfeeding bit was daring comedy that most tv shows wouldn't go anywhere near. A.

Thanks for responding El-P.

Gargamel: But Smurfs are blue which is derived from the old French word bleu and is also a type of cheese that derives its singular odor from the bacterium Brevibacterium linens which was named after Austrian microbiologist Brevard Gruber, and everyone knows that Austrians can't be trusted, so I clearly can't choose…

Yeah, I was disappointed that the high vs low was the way the word was interpreted on the avclub, where we discuss and appreciate "junk" culture daily and I would think it's a given that anyone here doesn't buy into that elitist nonsense (too much anyway). But it's entirely my fault because I wasn't clear. Alas.

Actually, I coined the phrase "hurt locker." I used it to describe an actual locker that I keep in my office In that locker I have placed several pieces of 8x11 college ruled notebook paper. On each piece of paper is written a different name, each one belonging to a person at my work who has made fun of my eleven…

If you're done with this, that's cool, so just ignore me and I'll see ya next time, FJ.

I don't think you really believe that books is books is books comment, do you? Why would you be interested in discussing books at all, if that were the case?

Crap
I should have written "great books" instead of "Literature" because you all focused on the connotations of that word. I could care less what term is used.

*than* you are suggesting

But now FJ, I see on the Jargon forum that there are fans of real war history and real sailors seeking out the O'Brian books. What am I supposed to make of them seeking out a romanticized version of sea life and history? What use would they have for escapism if they're into the real thing? I think there's more to…

A funny scene is where the poetic officer trainee is explaining all the parts of the ship to Maturin and the doctor is clearly overwhelmed and lost, but politely let's the explanation continue. That's pretty much the way I felt in the book—I didn't look it up, figured I'd pick it up as the book went on, which I…

Very well stated. Lots to think about. Thanks.

In case your library doesn't have it (mine doesn't), I picked up a copy from abebooks.com (thanks whoever mentioned the site on some previous WUIB) for six or seven bucks which included shipping and there were lots available.

Ellis was saved by the hanging and lived to die another day, right (but from the near drowning)? He eventually dies in the same battle as Dillon, doesn't he?

It's obviously intentional, but I don't get the sense at all that he was intentionally testing the patience of the reader. I think O'Brian is genuinely interested in the routines and rigs and was sharing his enthusiasm for it. And the low key scenes on shore were there for character development/to illustrate some of…

@Farmer John, doesn't it bother you a little that these are historical events and circumstances that are being romanticized? I hate that kind of glossing over of history, and the glossing over of war makes me sick to my stomach.