Wow, that is some poor planning by the theater. Sorry about your trauma, @jammerjim:disqus.

That you know of.

You had it right the first time, @disqus_hbOv1r934s:disqus (though I myself prefer it hyphenated: deep-seated).

The book is definitely recommended, especially for fans of the movie. Hands down the scariest book I've ever read (not that I've read that many, I guess).

Because I gotta, @mike_vanderbilt:disqus: In paragraph three, it should be phenomenon, singular (not phenomena, plural).

I picked up the book at a garage sale right after we moved to the Twin Cities, which is itself weird, because I never shop at garage sales. In fact, I wanna say that was the only time I ever did, & I can't even remember why I stopped—or even why I was in the car & in tat particular neighborhood. I blame Pazuzu.

I usually just go with, "Hey".

I'm not as conversant with many you name here, but I don't thing Boudica belongs on this list. She wasn't "war-mongering"—she was reacting to being attacked (her chieftan husband was killed & she was raped). And I say this as a generally pro-Roman Latin teacher. I might quibble a bit with Cleopatra, too, though she…

And when they rap the hip-hops? Don't even get me started!

The most obvious thing is the zero fucks he gives. He just does whatever he wants. Has whatever bands on he wants, brings in any random non-performers to perform, calls celebrity guests on their bullshit, etc. The fact that he's also funny & brought a new & different comic sensibility to network TV, while also…

I AM SO SMART!
I AM SO SMART!
*sets diploma on fire*
S-M-R-T!
I mean, S-M-A-R-T

At least these are actual words, however eye-roll-worthy. The Scrabble Dictionary long ago lost credibility by allowing you to "spell" a letter & use that as a word (like E-S-S spells the letter S, etc.).

Sounds like something MY kid would say.

Haven't read that one. In fact, Blood's a Rover is still just sitting on my shelf. So many books, so little time!

Technically, yeah, but in practice the term "pyrrhic victory" can also mean a win that's compromised or that doesn't feel much like a win.

Yes, but the term comes from his battles with the Romans in southern Italy. His "victories" in fact led directly to the Romans taking southern Italy from the Greeks in the Tarentine Wars (280-272 BC).

I can see it.

Possibly the juxtaposition of the two is meant to be humorous/absurd?

+1 for using the term "pyrrhic victory"! I teach it in my Latin classes, & though it's a smarty-pants reference, I point out that you see it in lots of random places, like Internet comment boards. In fact, next time I'm teaching it, I just might use your specific example for Random Uses of Classical References in…

I do enjoy a good crime story, but I never read any Joseph Wambaugh before. Mrs. Neophyte got me Hollywood Station for my birthday (in March), & I just started it maybe 2 weeks ago. I don't get much recreational reading time during the school year, so it takes me a while to get through anything—might take all of May…