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PATRIOT II -- a huge law enforcement power grab

Hmm, "huge law enforcement power grab" sounds too negative. How about "temporary civil liberties adjustment"?

(With apologies to The Simpsons )

The best Krusty moment is from Bart the Fink".

Krusty's tombstone reads "See ya real soon kids."

Runner up: The episode where Bart shoots a bird and feels all bad about it, which is totally false to his character.

I have to say that this isn't really true...in the early years especially Bart was portrayed as a bad kid with a good heart...episodes Bart Gets and F and Bart vs. Thanksgiving are good examples of this.

Runner up: The episode where Bart shoots a bird and feels all bad about it, which is totally false to his character.

I have to say that this isn't really true...in the early years especially Bart was portrayed as a bad kid with a good heart...episodes Bart Gets and F and Bart vs. Thanksgiving are good examples of this.

Probably redundant, but that episode also harkened to Bush's fairly infamous statement "We're going to keep trying to strengthen the American family. To make them more like the Waltons and less like the Simpsons.

It's hard to choose a "best" episode, so I won't try. But if asked to name the episode which made me laugh the hardest, it would be episode 3G03, titled "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala-D'oh-cious" :)

This is the Shary Bobbins episode, which is a great parody of the Disney version of "Mary Poppins." Those who haven't seen the Disney movie probably won't appreciate just how funny this episode is. (Based on the comments at the snpp.com episode guide I'd say that a number of people didn't get it for that reason.) This episode certainly has some weak moments (which probably keep it off a lot of "best episodes" lists) but it also has some of the funniest moments.. it's probably my favorite episode for the 1997 season, and it's probably better than some entire seasons.

Shary: Hello, I'm Shary Bobbins.
Homer: Did you say Mary Po...
Shary: No, I definitely did not. I'm an original creation, like Rickey Rouse, or Monald Muck.

And then of course there was the song "Cut Every Corner" which almost killed me. o/~ It's the American Way

How can you guys not pick "Bart the Lover"? Or as I like to refer to it, the swear jar episode?
stolen from www.snpp.com

Maude: Todd, would you like some mixed vegetables?
Todd: Hell, no!
Ned+Maude+Rod: [gasp!]
Maude: What did you say?
Todd: I said I didn't want any damn vegetables.
Ned: All right, that's it, young man. No Bible stories for you tonight!
Todd: [leaves, crying]
Maude: [to Ned] Weren't you a little hard on him?
Ned: Well, you knew I had a temper when you married me.

a classic...

Tony: I am afraid the time has come for you to pay us.
Krusty: Look, I'm cleaned out. Just take the Clown College.
Tony: We have already taken it.
[at the college]
Man: Kids have a lot of money these days. So after you finish your performance, you might consider robbing them.
Krusty: Look, what did I tell you? You can't get blood from a turnip. You want to kill me? Go ahead and kill me. [someone starts firing at him] Oh! Hey! Hey, all right, OK, already! [firing stops] Look, we can talk this over.
Tony: No more talk. It is time for us to take you for a ride.
Krusty: Oh, no...mind if I go to the bathroom first?
Tony: I see no harm in that.
[Krusty runs off, slams the bathroom door]
[a window slides open; a car speeds away; a plane flies overhead]
Legs: When he's done in there, I gotta go.

Lyle Lanley: Well, sir, there's nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car
Monorail!
What'd I say?
Ned Flanders: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What's it called?
Patty+Selma: Monorail!


from the usual site for such things, click for the rest. The whole song is apparenly too lame for slashdot :-(

Which is referring to last week's episode when Marge pumped some iron.

I think the chili cookoff episode (El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer) is pretty darn good and was sadly overlooked for the list. Johnny Cash. Guatamalean Insanity Peppers. Space Coyote. Hot pants. Marge smokes. Homer dances and whines. Homer trips out. "I hope I didn't brain my damage"

Its Different. Cool. Funny. How could they overlook it?

-Sean

Deep Space Homer is, in my humble opinion, the best single Simpsons episode. From Barney's tumble across the hard roof of the Pillow Factory to Kent Brockman's welcoming of our new insect overlords, the jokes are unprecedented in their density and quality.

I can't believe this episode didn't even make their list...

Homer: I'm going to use all the power of my brain. ( image of donkey lying under a tree w/ flies )

Krusty: The dummy can't hurt you.. he's not even alive! He's dead! ( Kids screaming )

Krusty: All right, here's the deal. Every time you watch my show, I will send you... Fourty Dollars!!
Lawyer: Checks will not be honored.

Krusty: ( after watching Worker and Parasite ) What the hell was that?

Brockman: Gabbo's language has no place on or off television, and that's my two cents........ hehe, that ought to hold those SOBs. ( New caption: Brockman in Trouble ) What the?!?

Moe: And now back to the wall.

And of course:

• The Springfield Squares
  
• Worker and Parasite!!!
  
• The Prank Call
  
• Taco Falling In Frier
  
• Luke Perry's Stunt
  
• Dejected Taylor Peeking Inside Moe's
  

Lisa: Bye, Dad, don't eat any solids.

Homer: But I love solids.

Here is the Episode Capsule . And I guess I'll have to wait for the 4th season to come out, I mistakenly posted above that it was in the 3rd season. Wishful thinking on my part.

According to SNPP, the 300th episode, both airing and production, was last week's Strong Arms of the Ma, but Fox is claiming Barting Over as the 300th episode for some reason. I don't think I've seen WHY though.

My favorite episode is actually one from the newer seasons - The Great Money Caper. A snippet:

Lawyer: Will you tell the court your whereabouts at the time of the
carjacking?
Willie: I was alone in me Unabomber-style shack; I had nothing to do with
that carjacking.
Lawyer: Carjacking?! Who said anything about a carjacking?
[galley and jury murmurs]
Willie: But, didn't you just say--?
Lawyer: *I'll* ask the questions here, Carjacker Willie!
Lawyer 2: Objection!
Judge: I'm going to allow it -- it characterizes the defendant as a
carjacker.

Now the lawyer interrogates Homer.

Lawyer: Mr. Simpson, could you describe your assailant to the court?
Homer: I told you, my memory is fuzzy! Fuzzy!
Lawyer: Fuzzy like Willie's beard?!
[galley gasps]
Homer: Yes, exactly! No, no, I mean, the whole incident is hazy.
Lawyer: Hazy like the moors of Scotland?!
[galley gasps]
Homer: Yes, exactly! [groans and tries to chloroform himself again, but
only has Mountain Dew]

Skinner: Defying orders, eh? Well, I see you Scotsmen are thrifty with courage, too.
Willie: Okay, Skinner, that's the last time you'll slap your Willie around. I quit!

Skinner: You did it, Nibbles. Now, chew through my ball sack.

This one?. Me too, absolute classic.

My absolute favourite moment (possibly ever):

Homer borrows Ned's camcorder, and Ned invites Homer's family over for a barbecue tomorrow. Homer declines, then reconsiders...

Homer: I'll even bring the thickest juciest T-bones you've ever seen.
Ned: Mm mm. Sounds terrif!
Homer: Heh, the joke's on him! I'll be dead by then!

• New Kid on the Block (Season 4)
• Marge vs. the Monorail (Season 4)
• Homer Goes to College (Season 5)
• 'Wraparounds' from Treehouse of Horror IV (Season 5)

From SNPP.com:

"It should be noted that while Fox is promoting "Barting Over" as the official 300th episode, this is not exactly correct. In fact, the 300th episode to be aired will be "Strong Arms of the Ma," on February 2nd. "Barting Over" isn't the 300th produced episode either, as that title goes to "Strong Arms of the Ma" as well."

We passed the 300th episode Milestone last Sunday! Anyone else celebrate?

• Absolutely Classic Lines, like
  "He eats like a pig!"
  "Nah, pigs tend to chew their food. I'd say he eats more like a duck."
• Self-Referencing Humor, e.g. Homer's wall of photographs of previous accomplishments.
  "You were in space?"
  "What, you've never been?"
• Commentary on itself. Frank Grimes provides the perfect foil for Homer by being an actual human being. He acts not like a character on the Simpsons, but like a responsible adult. In the process, he demonstrates that people from 'our world' have absolutely no place in the Simpsons universe.
• Most importantly, it's Damn Funny too.

I'll leave you with more of the genius that was Homer's Enemy....

"Then, I added some fins to lower wind resistance. And this racing stripe here I feel is pretty sharp."

• Absolutely Classic Lines, like
  "He eats like a pig!"
  "Nah, pigs tend to chew their food. I'd say he eats more like a duck."
• Self-Referencing Humor, e.g. Homer's wall of photographs of previous accomplishments.
  "You were in space?"
  "What, you've never been?"
• Commentary on itself. Frank Grimes provides the perfect foil for Homer by being an actual human being. He acts not like a character on the Simpsons, but like a responsible adult. In the process, he demonstrates that people from 'our world' have absolutely no place in the Simpsons universe.
• Most importantly, it's Damn Funny too.

I'll leave you with more of the genius that was Homer's Enemy....

"Then, I added some fins to lower wind resistance. And this racing stripe here I feel is pretty sharp."

I heartily agree. I was pretty disappointed not to see Homer the Great on the list -- one of the best, IMHO. One of my other favorites: King-Size Homer.

Homer: [reading screen] "To Start Press Any Key". Where's the ANY key? I see Esk ["ESC"], Catarl ["CTRL"], and Pig-Up ["PGUP"]. There doesn't seem to be any ANY key. Woo! All this computer hacking is making me thirsty. I think I'll order a TAB. [presses TAB key] Oh...no time for that now, the computer's starting!

That was from Homer the Heretic where Homer skips church.

Ralph is my favorite character. His lines are classics:

Sleep! Oh boy, that's where I'm a Viking!

I ate all my caps. (POP) Ow.

I ate all my glue.

I glued my head to my sholder.

My cat's name is Mittens.

My cat's breath smells like catfood.

And, when the doctor said I didn't have worms any more, that was the happiest day of my life

Lisa: There's no food on this island except these purple berries, and I think they're poison.
Ralph: I eated the purple berries. Tastes like burning. ...
Oh, goddness, I just tried to look up some more and found this site w/ tons of quotes.

Dunno if I'm giving away a good secret here, but in my expeirence the most extensive clearing house of simpson's information is:
http://www.snpp.com

(Springfield Nuclear Power Plant)

M@

From List of Inquiries and Substantive Answers:

How much does Maggie cost in the opening titles?

Maggie is listed as costing $847.63, a figure once given as the amount of money required to raise a baby for one month in the US.

But the trivia question in The 138th Episode Spectacular said that the cash register read "NRA4EVER". What's going on here?

The trivia questions in The 138th Episode Spectacular are gags made to troll the audience, just like the images of Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon in the episode are not what those people really look like. The cash register question is a gag referring to the people who have labeled the show as "the most liberal on television" by portraying it as having an ultra-conservative slant.

No discussion about the simpsons is complete without mention of www.snpp.com (for springfield nuclear power plant), which is the largest database on the simpsons. It has descriptions of each episode, lists of errors, lists of references, essays, everything the simpsons related that anyone could ever want.

"Worst Episode Ever"

One of the funnier episodes for me was when Homer et al went to New York. However, the prominent presence of the World Trade Center may, I suspect, have consigned this one to syndication-hell. Have folk seen it aired in recent months?

Admittedly, there is plenty of room for everyone to have a favorite episode. But two that I feel should be mentioned are Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (the story of Santa's Little Helper) and Maggie Makes Three (the story of what happened just before Maggie was born). These two episodes epitomize the side of the Simpsons that celebrates the family, a quality that I feel is too often overlooked by critics.

Admittedly, there is plenty of room for everyone to have a favorite episode. But two that I feel should be mentioned are Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (the story of Santa's Little Helper) and Maggie Makes Three (the story of what happened just before Maggie was born). These two episodes epitomize the side of the Simpsons that celebrates the family, a quality that I feel is too often overlooked by critics.

Homer the Great

Homer: I've always wondered if there was a god. And now I know there is -- and it's me.
Marge: You're not a god, Homer.
Lisa: Remember Dad, "All glory is fleeting."
Homer: So?
Lisa: "Beware the Ides of March."
Homer: No!
Lisa: Dad, I know you think you're happy now, but it's not going to last forever.
Homer: Everything lasts forever.

Homer Goes to College

Marge: [hearing modem noises] Ooh, what's wrong with this phone? it's making crazy noises.
Nerd 2: [contemptuously] Those "crazy noises" are computer signals.
Nerd 3: Yeah. Some guys at MIT are sending us reasons why Captain Picard is better than Captain Kirk.
Nerd 1: Hah! They're outta their minds.

Homer the Great

Homer: I've always wondered if there was a god. And now I know there is -- and it's me.
Marge: You're not a god, Homer.
Lisa: Remember Dad, "All glory is fleeting."
Homer: So?
Lisa: "Beware the Ides of March."
Homer: No!
Lisa: Dad, I know you think you're happy now, but it's not going to last forever.
Homer: Everything lasts forever.

Homer Goes to College

Marge: [hearing modem noises] Ooh, what's wrong with this phone? it's making crazy noises.
Nerd 2: [contemptuously] Those "crazy noises" are computer signals.
Nerd 3: Yeah. Some guys at MIT are sending us reasons why Captain Picard is better than Captain Kirk.
Nerd 1: Hah! They're outta their minds.

From the List of Inquiries and Substantive Answers, aka the alt.tv.simpsons FAQ:

How much does Maggie cost in the opening titles?

Maggie is listed as costing $847.63, a figure once given as the amount of money required to raise a baby for one month in the US.

Every time one of these lists comes out, there are ommissions and arguments that the ranking are out of whack.

Nonetheless, why they failed to include the wonderfully poignant Lisa's Wedding is beyond me.

Other Classics:
Two Bad Neighbors (s7)
Bart vs. Australia (s6)
Deep Space Homer (s5)
Homers Enemy (s8)
2 dozen and 1 greyhounds -- best song ever (see my vest)
Brother From another Series -- "..those years at clown college" "I appreciate you not refer to Princeton that way"
$pringfield "I think we'll keep those jars of urine"
Colonel Homer "The don't call me Colonel Homer because I'm some dumbass army guy"

Anyway, I could do this all day but I think you get my point. (Quotes courtesy of The Simpsons Archive).

As for eps that shouldn't have been included in the top 25: THOH, Spin-Off Special & Homer's Phobia. But this is purely subjective, so no flames please.

I do agree with they're pick for worst ep though

By the same logic, the search for the new world should have taken place with ships populated by Moors

Completely bizarre! No comparison like that makes sense at all. (Ignoring, of course, the archaic idea that some races' lives are less valued, because that's not what you meant)

A more correct analogy should be this: "the search for the new world should have taken place with ships populated by tough, sailing men, because obviously it was too dangerous for civilized thinkers and women to roam the seas". And they were absolutely correct. That's why Columbus went, and not Queen Isabella. The best man for the job. Or best robot, as the case may be.

They knew they were pioneers, and that not all pioneers return home safe.
The first shuttle crew were pioneers. Maybe even the 12th crew. But there have been hundreds of flights since then. Those guys? Truckdrivers.

They are heroes not because they died
Heroes are defined subjectively. You're a hero if the public thinks you are. Only Ilan Ramon was popular enough to be called "heroic" until yesterday. The rest of them were anonymous to the public, until death cast a limelight on them.

sitting pretty on Earth waiting for robots to solve our problems* is not the solution
Not just sitting around! We've got to build and maintain those robots. Tinkering in a lab or pondering at a computer isn't as glamorous as blasting into orbit, but it's where the real results will come from. The benefit:cost ratio for advancements in robots and computation simply dwarfs anything astronauts can give us.

read Penrose's "the emperor's new mind"
That book includes much interesting discussion, but by no means proves its thesis without granting some unsupportable leaps. (At least you didn't invoke his like-minded colleague Searle, whose argument is simply laughable)

While at Wall E. Weasel in episode Radio Bart...

Sung by Wall E. the animatronic robot himself:
"You're the birthday, you're the birthday, you're the birthday boy .. or girl."
Episode

It's all over, people! We don't have a prayer, argh...

there's enough ingenuity in people that want to do wrong that they'll never be shut down completely.

Who said anything about "completely"? The point is that they tracked down someone who thought they were anonymous, and there's a message there for every other script kiddie (as a sidenote: I found this story overstated the capabilities of this worm which is something that security people usually do basically as a roundabout way of patting themselves on the back). Personally I think that the Internet should become a UN-style governed entity and any country that doesn't actively pursue computer criminals should be barred from the global internet.

So, it's like Itchy & Scratchy Money, but less fun?

Homer: One adult and four children.
Woman: Would you like to buy some Itchy and Scratchy Money?
Homer: What's that?
Woman: Well it's money that's made just for the park. It works just like regular money, but it's, er..."fun".
Bart: Do it, Dad.
Homer: Well, OK, if it's fun...let's see, uh...I'll take $1100 worth.
[he walks in, sees all the signs: "No I&S Money", "We Don't Take Itchy and Scratchy Money", etc.]
Aw!
-- So much for fun, "Itchy and Scratchy Land"
Courtesy of SNPP.com.

Kent Brockman: Ladies and gentlemen, er, we've just lost the picture, but, uh, what we've seen speaks for itself. The Corvair spacecraft has been taken over -- "conquered", if you will -- by a master race of giant space ants. It's difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain, there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.

Courtesy of The Simpsons Archive

Just by looking at the headline, I am reminded of the episode of the Simpsons, Deep Space Homer, where Homer went into space as an 'average-naut', and ultimately caused the mission to be a failure, including setting ruffled potato chips loose throughout the '0g' environment and setting free a colony of ants in an ant farm int he process eating the floating chips.

Maybe I just watch too much TV. Now where did I put that issue of Time with the inanimate carbon rod's picture on it?

For the sake of being pedantic, "It's funny 'cause I don't know him."

It seems that the Bolivian Tree Lizard loves eating fungi almost as much it loves pigeons, and once we're overrun by them we'll just release wave after wave of Chinese Needle Snake. The beautiful part is, however, the Gorillas we have lined up that thrive on snake meat, as once they've finished off the snakes they'll freeze to death during the wintertime!

Actually, Olde Springfield kept the 636 area code, and New Springfield got the 939 area code. Episode Details

You say this like you're the only one who's ever figured it out. Since there's already been a whole Simpsons episode devoted to it, you can safely assume everybody already knows about the problem. Here's a question from the current state of the conversation: Is the rise in American obesity some kind of "Barbie backlash"?

I've been frantically googling for the list of names that Homer requested before the judge gave him the only one he spelled correctly. It's episode AABF09 ("Homer to the Max") but none of the databases have the names.

snpp.com does...

Judge: What name would you prefer?
Homer: Any of these will be fine.
Judge: Hmm. "Hercules Rockefeller". "Rembrandt Q. Einstein". "Handsome B. Wonderful". Huh, I'm going to give you the only name you spelt correctly. From this day forward, your name shall be ...
[cut to a shot of Lisa, reading from a sheet of paper on the Simpsons' couch]
Lisa: "Max Power"?

Judge: Hmm. "Hercules Rockefeller". "Rembrandt Q. Einstein".
"Handsome B. Wonderful". Huh, I'm going to give you the only
name you spelt correctly. From this day forward, your name
shall be ...
[cut to a shot of Lisa, reading from a sheet of paper on the
Simpsons' couch]
Lisa: "Max Power"?

Source: http://www.snpp.com/episodes/AABF09. Hope that helped.