Life & People: 01/1973

Roy Batty (Blade Runner, 1982 film)

Roy Batty (Blade Runner, 1982 film)

Roy Batty is the leader of the renegade Nexus-6 replicants and the main antagonist of the film. He is highly intelligent, fast, and skilled at combat, and yet still learning how to deal with developing emotions. With an A Physical Level (superhuman strength & endurance) and an A Mental Level (genius-level intellect), he is probably the most dangerous of all the fugitive replicants. He is a combat model, used off-world for military service. He and five other replicants come to Earth hoping to find a way to lengthen their lifespan. He is able to use J.F. Sebastian to get a meeting with Tyrell, the head founder of the company and his creator. Tyrell refers to him as his "prodigal son", and tells him his life cannot be extended, but that he should revel in the life he has as he has done and seen things others could only dream of. Following this, he kills Tyrell and Sebastian.

Deckard retires the remaining replicants and is hunted by a dying Roy. Trying to escape, Deckard ends up dangling from a building and saved from the fall by Roy. As he dies, Roy tells Deckard about the things he saw in his life and how all those memories would be gone forever. He then smiles, saying, "Time... to die," and passes away.

In the original novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, his name was spelled "Roy Baty," and was the leader of the eight androids who killed their human owners so that they could escape their life of slavery on Mars. Roy was married to Irmgard Baty, another android. In the novel, Roy's relationship with Pris (who was his lover in the film) is only one of friendship.

In the novel Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human, Batty is one of a series of replicants based on a mercenary of the same name. The template for these replicants suffered from "neural malformation," which made them unable to experience fear. This, it is suggested, might be one of the reasons replicants of that particular series were so difficult to kill.
Played by Rutger Hauer.

Quotes·Quotations by Roy Batty from Roy Batty (1982)

Tears

¶ I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... [laughs] Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion, I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Blade_Runner_characters

Batman

Batman

Batman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics. Originally referred to as "The Bat-Man" and still referred to at times as "The Batman," he is additionally known as "The Caped Crusader,"[4] "The Dark Knight,"[4] and "The World's Greatest Detective,"[4] among other titles.

In the original version of the story and the vast majority of retellings, Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, an American millionaire (later billionaire) playboy, industrialist, and philanthropist. Having witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, he swore revenge on criminals, an oath tempered with the greater ideal of justice. Wayne trains himself both physically and intellectually and dons a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime.[5] Batman operates in the fictional American Gotham City, assisted by various supporting characters including his crime-fighting partner, Robin, his butler Alfred Pennyworth, the police commissioner Jim Gordon, and occasionally the heroine Batgirl. He fights an assortment of villains such as the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, Ra's al Ghul, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman, among others. Unlike most superheroes, he does not possess any superpowers; he makes use of intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, martial arts skills, an indomitable will, fear, and intimidation in his continuous war on crime.

Batman became a very popular character soon after his introduction and gained his own comic book title, Batman, in 1940. As the decades wore on, differing interpretations of the character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, with varying results. The comic books of this dark stage culminated in the acclaimed 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller, as well as Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, among others. The overall success of Warner Bros.' live-action Batman feature films have also helped maintain public interest in the character.[6]

A cultural icon, Batman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film, and appears on a variety of merchandise sold all over the world such as toys and video games. The character has also intrigued psychiatrists with many trying to understand the character's psyche and his true ego in society. In May 2011, Batman placed second on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time, after Superman. Empire magazine also listed him second in their 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time.[7]

Quotes·Quotations by Batman

Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman from The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

¶ Catwoman: You don't owe these people anymore! You've given them everything!
Batman: Not everything. Not yet.

Notes

[1]^ Goulart, Ron, Comic Book Encyclopedia (Harper Entertainment, New York, 2004) ISBN 0-06-053816-3
[2]^ Batman (vol. 1) #242 (June 1972)
[3]^ Detective Comics (vol. 1) #846 (September 2008)
[4]^ a b c Fleisher, Michael L. The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Volume 1 Batman Collier Books 1976 ISBN 0-02-080090-8 p. 31
[5]^ a b c Beatty, Scott (2008). "Batman". In Dougall, Alastair. The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 40–44. ISBN 0-7566-4119-5.
[6]^ "The Big Question: What is the history of Batman, and why does he still appeal?". The Independent (London). July 22, 2008.
[7]^ "Batman – Top 100 Comic Book Heroes". IGN Entertainment. Retrieved May 27, 2011.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman

Basque

Basque

Basque people

The Basques (Basque: euskaldunak, Spanish: vascos, French: basques) as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country (Basque: Euskal Herria), a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.

The Basques are known in the local languages as:
- Euskaldunak ("Basque speakers", also used loosely to describe all ethnic Basques), euskal herritarrak ("natives of the Basque Country") or euskotarrak ("natives of the Basque Country", an often mentioned but rarely used neologism) in Basque
- Vascos in Spanish
- Basques in French
- Bascos in Gascon

Basque language

Basque (endonym: Euskara, IPA: [eus̺ˈkaɾa]) is a language isolate ancestral to the Basque people, who are indigenous to and mainly inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 27% of Basques in all territories (714,136 out of 2,648,998). Of these, 663,035 are in the Spanish part of the Basque Country and the remaining 51,100 are in the French one.

Official language in	Basque Autonomous Community
	Navarre

Basque proverbs

The Basque language (called Euskara by the Basque language speakers or Basques themselves) is the oldest language in Europe, the only non Indo-European language that survived after the administration of the Roman Empire spread throughout our continent. It is spoken by about one million people in the seven provinces of the Euskal Herria, that is, in North East Spain and South West France. No relationship between Basque and any other language has been established with certainty. The alphabet used for Basque employs Roman letters. The first printed book in Basque appeared in the 16th century. Basque is both agglutinative and polysynthetic.

Basque Proverb

Listening

¶ Aditu nahi ez duenak, ez du esan behar.
Translation: He who doesn't want to hear, shouldn't say.

Name

¶ Aberats izatea baino, izen ona hobe.
Translation: It's better to have a good name than to be rich.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_language
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Basque_proverbs

Basil Rathbone (1892-1967)

Basil Rathbone (1892-1967)

Sir Philip St. John Basil Rathbone, MC, (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born British actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films. He frequently portrayed suave villains or morally ambiguous characters, such as Murdstone in David Copperfield (1935) and Sir Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). His most famous role, however, was heroic—that of Sherlock Holmes in fourteen Hollywood films made between 1939 and 1946 and in a radio series. His later career included Broadway and television work; he received a Tony Award in 1948 as Best Actor in a Play.

Quotes·Quotations by Basil Rathbone

Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)

¶ Elementary, my dear Watson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Rathbone

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677)

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677)

Baruch Spinoza (24 November 1632 – 21 February 1677) — later Benedict de Spinoza — was a Jewish-Dutch philosopher.[1] Demonstrating considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death. By laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment[2] and modern biblical criticism,[3] including modern conceptions of the self and, arguably, the universe,[4] he came to be considered one of the great rationalists[3] of 17th-century philosophy. His magnum opus, the posthumous Ethics, in which he opposed Descartes's mind–body dualism, has earned him recognition as one of Western philosophy's most important thinkers. In the Ethics, "Spinoza wrote the last indisputable Latin masterpiece, and one in which the refined conceptions of medieval philosophy are finally turned against themselves and destroyed entirely."[5] Philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel said of all contemporary philosophers, "You are either a Spinozist or not a philosopher at all."[6]

Spinoza's given name in different languages is Hebrew: ברוך שפינוזה‎ Baruch Spinoza, Portuguese: Benedito or Bento de Espinosa and Latin: Benedictus de Spinoza; in all these languages, the given name means "the Blessed". Spinoza was raised in the Portuguese Jewish community in Amsterdam. He developed highly controversial ideas regarding the authenticity of the Hebrew Bible and the nature of the Divine. The Jewish religious authorities issued a cherem (Hebrew: חרם, a kind of ban, shunning, ostracism, expulsion, or excommunication) against him, effectively excluding him from Jewish society at age 23. His books were also later put on the Catholic Church's Index of Forbidden Books.

Spinoza lived quietly as a lens grinder, turning down rewards and honors throughout his life, including prestigious teaching positions, and gave his family inheritance to his sister. Spinoza's philosophical accomplishments and moral character prompted 20th century philosopher Gilles Deleuze to name him "the 'prince' of philosophers" (meaning the "first" of "modern materialist" philosophers).[7]

Spinoza died at the age of 44 allegedly of a lung illness, perhaps tuberculosis or silicosis exacerbated by fine glass dust inhaled while grinding optical lenses. Spinoza is buried in the churchyard of the Christian Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague.[8]

Quotes·Quotations by Baruch Spinoza

Peace

@ Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice. [Theological-Political treatise (1670)]

Universe

¶ Nothing in the universe is contingent, but all things are conditioned to exist and operate in a particular manner by the necessity of the divine nature. [Ethics (1677), Pt. I, prop. 29]

References

[1]^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Anthony Gottlieb. "God Exists, Philosophically (review of "Spinoza: A Life" by Steven Nadler)". The New York Times, Books. 18 July 1999. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
[2]^ a b "The Spinoza Problem,’ by Irvin Yalom)". The Washington Post. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
[3]^ a b "Play shows the price of Spinoza's ideas -- (David Ives' play "New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation.")". The Boston Globe. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2009.[dead link]; Ives 2009.
[4]^ "Destroyer and Builder )". The New Republic. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
[5]^ a b c Scruton 1986 (2002 ed.), ch. 1, p.32.
[6]^ a b Hegel's History of Philosophy. Google Books. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
[7]^ quoted in the translator's preface of Deleuze Expressionism in Philosophy: Spinoza (1990).
[8]^ de Spinoza, Benedictus; Hessing, Siegfried (1977). Speculum Spinozanum, 1677-1977. Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 828., Snipped view of page 828

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_Spinoza

Bart Simpson (The Simpsons)

Bart Simpson (The Simpsons)

Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on Life in Hell but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word brat. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years old, Bart is the eldest child and only son of Homer and Marge, and the brother of Lisa and Maggie. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to The Simpsons, including video games, The Simpsons Movie, The Simpsons Ride, commercials, and comic books; he has also inspired an entire line of merchandise. In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while Yeardley Smith tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. Hallmarks of the character include his chalkboard gags in the opening sequence; his prank calls to Moe the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "¡Ay, caramba!", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of The Simpsons (1989–1991), Bart was the show's breakout character and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "Do the Bartman" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the third season, the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. Time named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century, and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by Entertainment Weekly. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a Primetime Emmy Award in 1992 and an Annie Award in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Quotes·Quotation

Appearance

¶ Why doesn't she like me? Is it my hair, my overbite, the fact that I've worn the same shirt and shorts for the last four years?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_Simpson

Barbarella (Barbarella, 1968)

Jane Fonda as Barbarella from Barbarella (1968)

Quotes·Quotations by Barbarella

Jane Fonda as Barbarella from Barbarella (1968)

¶ My name isn't pretty-pretty, it's Barbarella.

¶ Make love? But no one's done that for hundreds of centuries!

Barbra Streisand (1942- )

Barbra Streisand (1942- )

Barbra Joan Streisand (pronounced /ˈstraɪsænd/; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, writer, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.

She is one of the most commercially and critically successful entertainers in modern entertainment history, with more than 71.5 million albums shipped in the United States and 140 million albums sold worldwide. She is the best-selling female artist on the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) Top Selling Artists list, the only female recording artist in the top ten, and the only artist outside of the rock and roll genre. Along with Frank Sinatra, Cher, and Shirley Jones, she shares the distinction of being awarded an acting Oscar and also recording a number-one single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

According to the RIAA, Streisand holds the record for the most top-ten albums of any female recording artist – a total of 32 since 1963. Streisand has the widest span (48 years) between first and latest top-ten albums of any female recording artist. With her 2009 album, Love Is the Answer, she became one of the rare artists to achieve number-one albums in five consecutive decades. According to the RIAA, she has released 51 Gold albums, 30 Platinum albums, and 13 Multi-Platinum albums in the United States.

Quotes·Quotation by Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice from Funny Girl (1968)

¶ Hello, gorgeous.

Barbra Streisand as Katie Morosky Gardiner from The Way We Were (1973)

¶ Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were old? We'd have survived all this. Everything thing would be uncomplicated, the way it was when we were young?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbra_Streisand

BANG Minah (1993- )

Bang Minah (1993- )

Bang Minah (born May 13, 1993; Hangul: 방민아), better known by her stage name Minah (Hangul: 민아), is a South Korean idol singer. She is best known as a main vocalist of the girl group, Girl's Day under Dream Tea Entertainment.

Quotes·Quotations by BANG Minah

We

¶ We're together because our fans give us strength.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minah_(Bang_Minah)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl%27s_Day

Ban Gu (班固, 32-92)

Ban Gu (班固, 32-92)

Ban Gu (Chinese: 班固; Wade–Giles: Pan Ku; AD 32–92), courtesy name Mengjian (孟堅), was a 1st-century Chinese historian and poet best known for his part in compiling the Book of Han. He also wrote a number of fu, a major literary form, part prose and part poetry, which is particularly associated with the Han era. A number of Ban's fu are anthologized by Xiao Tong in the Wen Xuan.

Quotes·Quotations from Book of Han (漢書) by Ban Gu (班固)

Wine

¶ 酒百藥之長
The wine is the best of all medicines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Han
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ban_Gu

Philip James Bailey (1816-1902)

Philip James Bailey (1816-1902)

Philip James Bailey (22 April 1816 – 6 September 1902) was an English Spasmodic poet, the author of Festus,

Quotes·Quotations by Philip James Bailey

***

¶

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_James_Bailey

BAI Juyi (白居易, 772~846)

Bai Juyi (白居易, 772~846)

Bai Juyi (Chinese: 白居易; 772–846), or Bo Juyi (Wade–Giles: Po Chü-i) was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. Many of his poems concern his career or observations made as a government official, including as governor of three different provinces. Bai Juyi was also renowned in Japan. Burton Watson says of Bai Juyi: "he worked to develop a style that was simple and easy to understand, and posterity has requited his efforts by making him one of the most well-loved and widely read of all Chinese poets, both in his native land and in the other countries of the East that participate in the appreciation of Chinese culture. He is also, thanks to the translations and biographical studies by Arthur Waley, one of the most accessible to English readers".

백거이 (白居易, 772~846)

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