a few words on libraries, from Mr. Lane

I love the British comic mystery series New Tricks, about retired cops trying to solve cold cases.  The episode I saw this week struck close to home in a lot of ways.  University library budget cuts, book theft, etc.  This video shows the opening with ex-copper (and obsessive/compulsive) Brian "Memory" Lane and his wife visiting their local library.  The first minute is too good to miss.

Three Men in a Boat

Three Men in a Boat
Originally uploaded by think_ram

Ever read Jerome K. Jerome's masterpiece THREE MEN IN A BOAT? An utterly trivial comic novel about three young Englishmen traveling up the Thames. You have certainly heard one line from it: "Work fascinates me. I can sit and watch it for hours."

Back in 1975 it was made into a tv movie in Britain, starring Michael Pailn and Tim Curry, with a very faithful script by Tom Stoppard. As far as I know the thing has never been available on video or DVD in the US.

However, someone has just put chunks of it up on Youtube starting here. Unfortunately it won't let me embed it on my page so you will have to go there to see it.