HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: daum@panther.adelphi.edu (DANIELLE DAUM)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
Subject: Re: boaf
Date: 31 Aug 92 13:47:58 GMT
Organization: Adelphi University - Node: Boole

In article <1992Aug31.122426.4454@prl.dec.com> amos@prl.dec.com (Homer) writes:

>Well, have you noticed in the episode where Homer is with Michael
>Jackson in an asile, the indian who doesn't talk ?
>He looks like the one that played in the movie 'Vol au dessus d'un
>nid de coucous' (in french, I've forgotten its english name..). 


One Flew Under the Cuckoo's Nest.  Excellent movie.
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons,alt.fan.dan-quayle,alt.politics.bush
From: sjsobol@wariat.org (Steven J. Sobol)
Subject: Re: Published Defense of the Simpsons
Organization: The Tiny Software Co., via APK Public Access Unix, Cleveland
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 04:08:39 GMT

jdahl@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Jared Dahl) writes:

>The Simpsons are a lot more like real people than the fabricated BS
>that you see on most other TV shows.  In fact, they are probably the
>most realistic people on TV (Repudlican's included).

Given a chance to see the Bushes or the Simpsons, who would you rather
see? You bet! 

-- 
***  **  ** | The Tiny Software Co.  23707 Glenhill  Cleveland OH 44122
 *  *   *   | Steve Sobol * President * sjsobol@tiny.com or tiny!sjsobol 
 *   *  *   | Alternate addresses: sjsobol@wariat.org or ag510@po.cwru.edu
 *    * *   | Disclaimer: I *AM* the Tiny Software Company. 
 *  **   ** | **Welcome to Ohio, the Land of the Orange Construction Barrel**
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: dave@admiral.uucp (Dave Litchman)
Subject: Re: Baby Translator, MG's address
Organization: The Admiral's Unix System & The Grid BBS
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1992 04:48:37 GMT

In article <!!fn80.purtell@netcom.com> purtell@netcom.com (Mike Purtell) writes:
>Baby translation is not possible with an oscilloscope alone.  The pitch
>of the voice would require a spectrum analyzer with a waterfall function
>to display frequency composition over time, or a digitizer with memory,
>DSP, and a processor. The display of the translator is only necessary
>for troubleshooting or demonstrating the operation of the unit; not for
>the basic operation.

You're not serious. Repeat after me: It's only a cartoon. An exceptionally
well done cartoon, but still. And don't go calling an RFD for 
'alt.tv.simpsons.tech' either. 

>Did anyone else wonder how Smither's sperm was on hand, to allow comparing
>normal sperm to tainted sperm (Homer's)?  Was Smithers also a subject of
>the employee testing, or did he mix up a quick batch to prove his assertion
>that Homer is sterile?

Maybe this is more evidence in the 'Are Burns and Smithers gay?' arguement.

>Does anyone still have the email address for Matt Groening?

Well, if all you're going to do is tell him that his 'Baby Translator' is
technically unfeasable, maybe we shouldn't give it to you.


-- 
"Dammit Jim, I'm a free man, not a number!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ray, when somebody asks you if you're a god, you say YES!" -- Winston Zeddmore
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: pi@wam.umd.edu (Raymond L. Gilbert)
Subject: Re: Misc DYN/FF #9
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 22:10:47 GMT

In article <Hu3eqB1w164w@sys6626.bison.mb.ca>, dave@sys6626.bison.mb.ca (Dave hall) writes:
>    Smoke was pouring out of the Cooling towers (seen when Mr. Burns
>    addresses Homer).
That isn't smoke; it is steam, and is perfectly normal (in fact necessary)
for proper operation of nuclear power plant.

>    The Newspaper that Herb picked up states: `LOCAL MAN, HOMER SIMPSON,
>     RECEIVES AWARD AND $2,000 CHECK.'
>      If Homer is a local man, how come Herb wanted to catch a train to
>      Springfield?  (Think about it.)
It is entirely possible that a Springfield newspaper could have ended up
in the trash and been carted away to some place else (like trash from NYC
ending up in KC).

Also, did anyone else notice that the guy at the baby fair with glasses
who let the kid fly out the window ("My wife is going to kill me....") is
the same guy who suggested they fill the well with liquid Nitrogen in
Radio Bart?  Has this character made other apperences, and if so, does he
have a name?
-- 
/----------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Raymond L. Gilbert       | "I *hate* Vulcans! I *hate* the logic. I *hate* |
| Internet: pi@wam.umd.edu |  the arrogance."                                |
|           pi@lpr.umd.edu |        - Sela on Spock, ST:TNG, Unification II  |
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons,alt.fan.dan-quayle,alt.politics.bush
From: jdahl@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Jared Dahl)
Subject: Re: Published Defense of the Simpsons
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 23:25:07 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

In article <1992Aug27.213338.12726@athena.cs.uga.edu>, stanton@athena.cs.uga.edu (Catherine Stanton) writes:
|> 
|> Found this in the newspaper today, thought you all might like a
|> quick read:
|> 
|> BUSH VS. SIMPSONS: DEFINING AMERICAN FAMILIES
|> 
|> By Frazier Moore
|> The Associated Press
|> 
|> NEW YORK - Tell Bill Clinton to get bent if you want to, Mr. President,
|> but it's  time to call a truce with the Simpsons.
|> It was you who renewed the battle last week at the Astrodome, when you 
|> repeated your call to arms that American families should be "a lot more  
|> like the Waltons and a lot less like" - well you remember.
|> Then, just as he did when you brought it up before, the Simpsons' lippy
|> first-born, Bart, shot back by saying "Hey we're just like the Waltons.
|> Both families spend a lot fo time praying for the end of the Depression."
|> [editors note: that is a misquote]
|> The Fox network airs a brand-new "Simpsons" episode tonight at 8 p.m.
|> Take a break from the campaign, Mr. President, and see for yourself how
|> the Simpsons, no less than the Waltons, are a family America can be proud
|> of.


The Simpsons are a lot more like real people than the fabricated BS
that you see on most other TV shows.  In fact, they are probably the
most realistic people on TV (Repudlican's included).

Jared "Waiting for the Depression to end" Dahl
-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
| Jared Dahl             | "My heart is human, my blood is boiling, | 
| Systems Programmer     |  my brain IBM"                           |
| IBM - Rochester, MN    |              -- STYX,  "Mr. Roboto"      |
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Opinions expressed are mine, not IBM's.
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: rcharbon@athena.mit.edu (Ray Charbonneau)
Subject: literary rock
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 15:21:12 GMT

from alt.fan.dave_barry:
|> 
|> Publisher's Weekly has announced (aug 24, 1992 p. 12) that the
|> CONCERT VIDEO of the Rock Bottom Remainders will be out in September.
|> RBR is the band that performed at the Amer. Booksellers Assn conference
|> in Anaheim this summer.  Band featured Dave Barry, Amy Tan, Stephen King,
|> Robert Fulghum, Barbara Kingsolver and Matt Groening.  
|> 
|> Price is $16.98.  Band royalties fo to Literacy Volunteers of A, Homeless
|> Coalition of LA, and the RIght to Rock Network.  COntact Jayne Wallace
|> at 212-371-0798 for more info.


-- 
Ray Charbonneau              | The fifth dentist makes all the money.
rcharbon@athena.mit.edu      |             -- me
MIT and the Library Systems Office are glad that I'm posting my opinions
here so that they don't have to listen to them anymore.
From: dkrause@miami.acs.uci.edu (Doug Krause)
Subject: Re: [8F23] Brother Can You Spare A Dime?
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 28 Aug 92 14:20:32 GMT

In article <94844@bu.edu> yantosca@buast7.bu.edu (Robert Yantosca) writes:
#In article <1992Aug28.071431.24791@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU> schwim@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Rosebud) writes:
#>
#>DYN:
#>Burn's Award for Excellence looks like an Emmy?  (well, actually, I'm assuming
#>	it looks like an emmy.  Were there any prominent faces in the crowd??)
#
#The Excellence award does indeed look like an Emmy (a winged person holding
#up a globe).  Only they substituted a model of an atom (with a couple of
#electrons to boot) for the globe.  Very timely, especially with the Emmy
#ceremony around the corner.

Wasn't the winged person Monty himself?

Douglas Krause                      One yuppie can ruin your whole day.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
University of California, Irvine    Internet: dkrause@orion.oac.uci.edu
Welcome to Irvine:  Yuppieland USA  BITNET: DJKrause@uci.edu
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: soley@trop32.enet.dec.com (Norm Soley)
Subject: Re: Brother, can you spare two dimes -- mixed thoughts
Organization: Digital Equipment of Canada
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 05:26:43 GMT

In article <1992Aug28.034920.8630@leland.Stanford.EDU> dhyatt@leland.Stanford.EDU (David Hyatt) writes:
>
>On the other hand, I loved it for a lot of small scenes -- the 2001:
>A S.O. reference, the Flanders' scene, the Raffi joke, the stupid
>award ceremony (with the obligatory "Websters defines..." introduction).

I loved it, period. Mainly because it had balls. Let's see, Disney, Coke, 
GM(Asuna), the Emmys. 

Rod (or was it Todd) was a riot. 

The Raffi reference was a little bit of a shock, my wife works with his
brother-in-law, I kinda though he wasn't very well known outside of
the frozen north. He's quit kids music for "serious" adult music and now
goes by his full name which is Raffi Armeinian  (this is probably
spelled wrong).


-- 
    Norman Soley, Specialist, Digital Integrations Services,  ITC District
    Digital Equipment of Canada                   soley@trooa.enet.dec.com
    Opinions expressed are mine alone  and do not reflect those of Digital 
    Equipment Corporation or my cat Marge.
From: rjc@onion.princeton.edu (Raymond Chen)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
Subject: Re: Misc DYN/FF #9
Date: 2 Sep 92 02:58:52 GMT
Organization: Abject Admirers of Lisa Simpson

In article <Hu3eqB1w164w@sys6626.bison.mb.ca>, dave@sys6626.bison.mb.ca (Dave hall) writes:
>    Smoke was pouring out of the Cooling towers (seen when Mr. Burns
>    addresses Homer).

As Mr. Gilbert points out, this is steam, and is perfectly normal for
a nuclear reactor.  At least to the extent that the word "normal" applies
to a nuclear facility.

My short DYN list:

	... the crack in the mock cooling towers for the award ceremony?
	    How's that for verisimilitude?
	... Monty's incredibly fake "surprise" when Smokin' Joe reads
	    the name of the winner?
	... the control knob for the Spinemaster was...

			LOW ............ OFF .. HI

	    How very peculiar.  This means that when you turn it on,
	    it's almost at the highest setting already!
	... the reflection of the psychedelic patterns off Homer's
	    helmet?  Errrr... face?  I was expecting the next scene to be
	    Homer curled up in a fetal position on the chair.  (Cf. the
	    Star-Child.)
	... the teapot and cups hanging in the china hutch behind Bart
	    during dinner look vaguely like the spaceship Discovery?
	    (Probably a self-induced subliminal 2001 reference.)

One would think that Homer would've noticed the "Happy 1985" lights
when he strung up the lights for 7g08.  But then again, WHO CARES!
IT'S A JOKE!

Animation goof:  The Monopoly board rotates 90 degrees during the
board game scene.  Note also that OFF were playing by the "Free parking
bonus" rule.  Observe the money in the middle of the board.

And as for the "Things couldn't possibly get any worse" gag, I figured
it for an obviously self-referential joke.  Whenever a TV character
says, "Things can't possible get any worse", something immediately
happens to make things get worse.

RLG writes:
>Also, did anyone else notice that the guy at the baby fair with glasses
>who let the kid fly out the window ("My wife is going to kill me....") is
>the same guy who suggested they fill the well with liquid Nitrogen in
>Radio Bart?  Has this character made other apperences, and if so, does he
>have a name?

This is Dr. John Fink.  He has made several appearances, always as the
wacky scientist.

	- He wanted Grampa to finance his Death Ray invention.
	- He was the technical consultant for TV coverage of
	  the near-meltdown at SNPP.
	- He tried to analyse the Flaming Moe for its ingredients.
	- He tried to pick the Cincinnati/Miami game.
	- He tried to preserve poor Timmy for future generations.
	- He is due to be killed by his wife.

Dr. John Fink is voiced by Hank Azaria.
--
Raymond ``They're just stupid drawings that give you a cheap laugh''[8f01] Chen
From: eck@panix.com (Mark Eckenwiler)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
Subject: Re: 8f23 Brother, can you spare two di?es?
Date: 28 Aug 92 14:10:37 GMT
Distribution: alt
Organization: Superseding Information, Inc.

In <1992Aug27.225510.26425@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>, flaps@dgp.toronto.edu sez:
>I loved Herb at the Flanders's.  The best parts were the competitiveness over
>who got to "annoint the sores on his feet" and the singing as Herb departed.

Astute viewers will have noted that the Flanders doorbell chimes ,,Ein
feste Burg ist unser Gott'' (A Mighty Fortress is Our God), a real
warhorse among hymns.  (Martin Luther himself wrote the words.)  I
suspect this was chosen in part because of the hymn's association with
that idiotic Christian values show from my childhood, "Davey and
Goliath".

[ObHarvardLampoonJoke:  Even if I'm right about the allusion, it's
not the first time that Poonies have satirized D&G.  A Lampoon parody
of TV Guide some years back gave the following capsule for one D&G
episode: "Davey realizes that he has a potential goldmine in his
talking dog, and sells Goliath to a scientist."]



>Herb, when Homer keeps talking about the chair could be kneading his
buttocks: 

Note that Homer sez "butt-ox", not "buttucks" like a normal person.
This weird pronunciation, used exclusively in some cheapo
NordicTrak-clone ad, never fails to bug me.  I'm quite sure the
writers were making a deliberate allusion here.


-- 
		   I am of course experienced in teaching
		  and have read the writings of Dana Plato.

	   Mark Eckenwiler    eck@panix.com     ...!cmcl2!panix!eck
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: irwin@galton.uchicago.edu (Mark Irwin)
Subject: Extra Episodes Before Emmys
Organization: Department of Statistics, University of Chicago
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 04:03:41 GMT

For those people who started taping the Simpsons late or haven't seen
the early episodes you have an opportunity on Sunday to get a couple 
of episodes from the first season.  Fox, aparently looking for a strong
opener for the Emmys is showing There's No Disgrace Like Home and Jacques 
to be Wild starting at 7pm eastern time.

Mark

Mark Irwin     Dept of Statistics, Univ of Chicago
irwin@galton.uchicago.edu
irw1@midway.uchicago.edu
mark@stat.ubc.ca
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: flaps@dgp.toronto.edu (Alan J Rosenthal)
Subject: analyqwertyifization (was Re: I said, "things couldn't get any worse.")
Date: 2 Sep 92 21:27:19 GMT

courtney@sequent.com (Courtney Powell) writes:
>Myself, I think this "show anaylazation" is going a bit to far.

Well, what do you think alt.tv.simpsons is for?  Do you think it's only for the
morons who occasionally post "I'm Bart Simpson, who the hell are you! ha ha ha"?

If details aren't your forte, go read rec.humor or something.
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: dave@admiral.uucp (Dave Litchman)
Subject: Pronunciation of 'Yeardley'? (was: Re: Lisa and Bart's age and grade?
Organization: The Admiral's Unix System & The Grid BBS
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 08:17:50 GMT

In article <1992Aug19.160138.5893@Princeton.EDU> rjc@onion.princeton.edu (Raymond Chen) writes:
>Yeardley ``No it doesn't rhyme with `weirdly' '' Smith 

How do you pronounce it? I've never had much call to speak her name out loud,
and I've always read it as rhyming with 'weirdly'...


-- 
"Dammit Jim, I'm a free man, not a number!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ray, when somebody asks you if you're a god, you say YES!" -- Winston Zeddmore
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: beuf@wpi.WPI.EDU (Richard J Fuller)
Subject: CORDIO get to work???
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 18:14:15 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: flaps@dgp.toronto.edu (Alan J Rosenthal)
Subject: Homer's buttocks (was Re: 8f23 Brother, can you spare two di?es?)
Date: 3 Sep 92 14:28:07 GMT

c8923075@mystra.newcastle.edu.au (Chris Baird) writes:
>Eh?  Could you pleeze run that by us again?

Certainly.

Us usenet folks, and literate folks in general, often know words from seeing
them in print rather than from hearing them.  We may not be sure exactly how
they're pronounced, but we usually guess correctly.

People like Homer probably don't know very many words from print rather than
from speech.  However, Homer may know the word "buttocks" from print, due to
its special status as a medically-sanctioned word replacing certain obscene
ones ("ass"/"arse").  Since this is unusual for him, he would lack the
experience of trying to pronounce words he has only read and not heard.
Thus he pronounces it in a strange sounding-it-out kind of way.
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: sro@media.mit.edu (Shawn O'Donnell)
Subject: lines from last year?
Organization: M.I.T. Media Laboratory
Distribution: alt.tv.simpsons
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 03:59:39 GMT

Is there a book with the scripts from the old shows, or are there
zealous fans who keep track of things like that?

I'm interested in that most post-modern of endings from last year
(from the episode in which Bart gave his blood to save Mr. Burns'
life.)  The Simpsons are sitting around at the end of the show trying
to figure out what their experience meant.

Marge says, "Well, I guess the moral is X..."
Lisa says,  "I think the moral is Y..."
Bart says,  "The moral is Z..."
And Homer says, "Naw, there was no moral.  It was just a bunch of stuff
             that happened.

I would be greatly indebted to anyone who could fill me in.  I'd like
to quote the Simpsons in my dissertation.  It would be a shame if I
couldn't...

Desperately, (and with gratitude,)

Shawn
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: flaps@dgp.toronto.edu (Alan J Rosenthal)
Subject: sperm (was Re: Baby Translator, MG's address)
Date: 29 Aug 92 20:26:31 GMT

purtell@netcom.com (Mike Purtell) writes:
>Was Smithers also a subject of the employee testing, or did he mix up a quick
>batch to prove his assertion that Homer is sterile?

Well, Smithers is just a normal employee who happens to win the Employee of the
Month award each month, according to Homer Defined.
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: bwatson@nyx.cs.du.edu (bruce watson)
Subject: Re: boaf
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 92 19:44:36 GMT

In article <daum.7@panther.adelphi.edu> daum@panther.adelphi.edu (DANIELLE DAUM) writes:
>In article <1992Aug31.122426.4454@prl.dec.com> amos@prl.dec.com (Homer) writes:
>
>>Well, have you noticed in the episode where Homer is with Michael
>>Jackson in an asile, the indian who doesn't talk ?
>>He looks like the one that played in the movie 'Vol au dessus d'un
>>nid de coucous' (in french, I've forgotten its english name..). 
>
>
>One Flew Under the Cuckoo's Nest.  Excellent movie.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Excellent movie.

--
Bruce Watson  wats@nyx.cs.du.edu  Toy Cows, Toy Cows in Africa, Toy Cows
From: stanton@athena.cs.uga.edu (Catherine Stanton)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons,alt.fan.dan-quayle,alt.politics.bush
Subject: Published Defense of the Simpsons
Date: 27 Aug 92 21:33:38 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens


Found this in the newspaper today, thought you all might like a
quick read:

BUSH VS. SIMPSONS: DEFINING AMERICAN FAMILIES

By Frazier Moore
The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Tell Bill Clinton to get bent if you want to, Mr. President,
but it's  time to call a truce with the Simpsons.
It was you who renewed the battle last week at the Astrodome, when you 
repeated your call to arms that American families should be "a lot more  
like the Waltons and a lot less like" - well you remember.
Then, just as he did when you brought it up before, the Simpsons' lippy
first-born, Bart, shot back by saying "Hey we're just like the Waltons.
Both families spend a lot fo time praying for the end of the Depression."
[editors note: that is a misquote]
The Fox network airs a brand-new "Simpsons" episode tonight at 8 p.m.
Take a break from the campaign, Mr. President, and see for yourself how
the Simpsons, no less than the Waltons, are a family America can be proud
of.
What will you see? First of all, that the Simpsons are a close family. You
can tell just how close when you see them all squeezed onto the same couch
in front  of the TV.
Not also that their devotion to TV - any and all TV - keeps them free from 
the clutches of the cultural elite.
You will learn that paterfamilias Homer has a steady job.  He works - albeit
as little as humany possible - as a safety inspector at the Springfield
nuclear power plant.
Besides being a productive member of society, is he ever a good consumer!
In fact, Homer's ample waistline and charged-to-the-max credit cards
reflect consumer confidence of heroic proportions. [editors note: who gave
Homer Simpson a credit line anyway?]
Admittedly, Homer once engaged in premarital sex, but when Marge found
herself in a family way, they wasted no time getting married.  Since then,
Marge has stayed at home to care for the brood.
Yes, Bart may be - well, cheeky.  But so what if he has a mischievous
streak? Someday it could serve him well in politics.
Meanwhile, Bart's sister Lisa is a second-grader with sky-high principles
and grades.  And please, Mr. President, don't hold the fact that she's
a saxophone prodigy against her.

[The article continues only to discuss some other FOX shows premiering
so I'll end it here.]
From: max@tantalus.uchicago.edu (Max Ziff)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
Subject: Re: brother can you etc. dyn
Date: 1 Sep 92 19:59:22 GMT
	<1992Sep1.172459.29194@gvl.unisys.com>
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Chicago

schrey@oak.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Timothy M. Schreyer) writes:
>In article <1992Aug31.170715.11474@trdlnk.uucp>, joe@trdlnk.uucp (Joe Panfil) writes:
>|> In reading all the dyn's I did not see a reference to one of the funniest 
>|> scenes. When Homer says things can't get any worse they all wait for the
>|> load speaker to announce "Simpsons report to Mr. Burns office." but, it was
>|> as if a cue was missed. So Homer repeats the "It can't get any worse" line.
>|> I found it pretty funny that they thought about having a miscue in a cartoon.
>|> As far as overall thoughts on the episode, I loved it. For those of you who
>|> thought it was flat go back and watch it again.
>
>   I only thought of this as a miscue after a couple rewatches with friends.
>   I took it as Homer groping for support from his co-employees, like
>   "I guess it can't get any worse" .. "You're right, Homer, don't worry
>    about it." .. "Yeah, it can only get better".
>

I interpreted it differently too...  I thought it was a joke on the
cliche tv situation where a character says something like "At least it
can't get any worse", and then immediately, it does.  Homer says "At
least it can't get any worse", and then he and his co-workers (and us
in the audience) of course _expect_ something worse to happen.  The
joke plays off that expectation by making us all wait, we begin to
think, perhaps nothing worse _will_ happen, Homer drums his fingers,
and then finally, the voice comes over the loudspeaker.  I thought it
was very funny.



--
Donald Ziff (Max)                                    ziff@cs.uchicago.edu

"Dad, do you know what _schadenfreude_ means?" -- Lisa
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons,alt.folklore.urban