The Original: We Don't Need No Badges

from Treasure of the Sierra Madre for those that are too young to recognize the "stinkin badges" reference on the previous post. Warning spoiler, from wikipedia

By the 1920s the violence of the Mexican Revolution had largely subsided, although scattered gangs of bandits continued to terrorize the countryside. The newly established post-revolution government relied on the effective but ruthless Federal Police, commonly known as the Federales, to patrol remote areas and dispose of the bandits. Foreigners, like the three American prospectors who are the protagonists in the story, were at very real risk of being killed by the bandits if their paths crossed. The bandits, likewise, were given little more than a "last cigarette" by the army units after capture, even having to dig their own graves first. This is the context in which the three gringos band together in a small Mexican town and set out to strike it rich in the remote Sierra Madre mountains. They ride a train into the hinterlands, surviving a bandit attack en route. Once out in the desert, Howard, the old-timer of the group, quickly proves to be by far the toughest and most knowledgeable; he is the one to discover the gold they are seeking. A mine is dug, and much gold is extracted, but greed soon sets in and Fred C. Dobbs begins to lose both his trust and his mind, lusting to possess the entire treasure. The bandits then reappear, pretending, very crudely, to be Federales, which leads to the now-iconic line about not needing to show any "stinking badges". After a gunfight, a real troop of Federales appear and drive the bandits away. But when Howard is called away to assist some local villagers, Dobbs and third partner Curtin have a final confrontation, which Dobbs wins, leaving Curtin lying shot and bleeding. However, as he staggers away through the desert, Dobbs is found and killed by some surviving bandits, who, in their ignorance, scatter the gold to the winds. Curtin is discovered and taken to Howard's village, where he recovers. He and Howard witness the bandits' execution by Federales, and learn that the gold is gone. They part ways, Howard returning to his village, and Curtin returning home to America.

Great Debaters Premiere

About Melvin Tolson from wikipedia

Melvin Beaunorus Tolson (February 6, 1898–August 29, 1966) was an American Modernist poet, educator, columnist, and politician. His work concentrated on the experience of African Americans and includes several poetic histories. He was a contemporary of the Harlem Renaissance and, although he was not a participant in it, his work reflects its influences. Liberia declared Tolson as its poet laureate in 1947.
Born in Moberly, Missouri, Tolson was the son of a Methodist minister and an Afro-Creek mother. His family moved between various churches in the Missouri and Iowa area until finally settling in the Kansas City area. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Kansas City in 1919 and enrolled in Fisk University. He transferred toLincoln University that year for financial reasons. Tolson graduated with honors in 1924, then moved to Marshall, Texas, to teach speech and English at Wiley College. While at Wiley, Tolson built up an award-winning debate team; during their tour in 1935, they competed against the Harvard College. Denzel Washington directed the film The Great Debaters, based on this event, released on 25 December 2007.
Tolson mentored students such as James L. Farmer, Jr. and Herman Sweatt at Wiley. He encouraged his students not only to be well-rounded people but also to stand up for their rights, a controversial position in the U.S. South of the early and mid-20th century.
He took a leave of absence to earn a Master's degree from Columbia University in 1930-31, but didn't complete it until 1940. Tolson began teaching at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, in 1947; that year, Liberia declared him its poet laureate. He also entered local politics and served four terms as mayor of Langston from 1954 to 1960. One of his students at Langston was Nathan Hare, the black studies pioneer, who later became the founding publisher of The Black Scholar.
Tolson was a man of impressive intellect who created poetry that was “funny, witty, humoristic, slapstick, rude, cruel, bitter, and hilarious,” as Karl Shapiro had said of the Harlem Gallery. He was a dramatist and director of the Dust Bowl Theater at Langston University. Langston Hughes described him as “no highbrow. Students revere him and love him. Kids from the cotton fields like him. Cow punchers understand him ... He’s a great talker.”
In 1965, Tolson was appointed to a two-year term at Tuskegee Institute, where he was Avalon Poet. He died in the middle of his appointment after cancer surgery in Dallas, Texas, on August 29, 1966. He is buried in Langston.
From 1930 on, Tolson began writing poetry, and in 1941, Dark Symphony, often considered his greatest work, was published in Atlantic Monthly. Dark Symphony compares and contrasts African-American and European-American history. In 1944 Tolson published his first poetry collection, Rendezvous with America, which includes Dark Symphony. The Washington Tribune hired Tolson to write a weekly column, Cabbage and Caviar, after he left his teaching position at Wiley in the late 1940s.
His Libretto for the Republic of Liberia (1953), another major work, is in the form of an epic poem.
In 1965, Tolson's final work to appear in his lifetime, the long poem Harlem Gallery, was published. The poem consists of several sections, each beginning with a letter of the Greek alphabet. The poem concentrates on African American life and is a drastic departure from his first works. The poems he wrote in New York were published posthumously in 1979 as A Gallery of Harlem Portraits. It is a mixture of various styles as well as free verse. The racially diverse and culturally rich community presented in A Gallery of Harlem Portraits may be based on or intended to be
Marshall, Texas.

Quotes of Tolson

"England and France and Italy now exploit 500,000,000 colored peoples. For what? For dollars. For profits in gold and oil and rubber and agricultural products. But at home the masses of the population in these countries tear out their lives against economic injustices. That's the cancer that will eat away these dishonorable governments."
May 28, 1938
In fact, the first slaves sold at Jamestown were not black men – but white women. They were sold for tobacco.
The Indians did not have jails. Justice among the Indians was impartial. Just the opposite was true among white men. The Indian was not treacherous and cruel in the beginning. He learned that from the white men. At Plymouth, in 1620, the Rev. Mr. Cushman pleaded with the white "Christians" to be as kind and sincere as the red men. Nov. 25, 1939
Life consists of caviar and cabbage. Plenty of cabbage. Somebody called Washington the City Beautiful. In spite of the Negro tenements where the rats jitterbug all day and all night, and the lice do the lindy hop!
Sept. 28, 1940
There can be no democracy without economic equality. Thomas Jefferson said that when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. There can be no brotherhood of man without a brotherhood of dollars. I have another theory. It is based on economic and racial brotherhood. I presume to call this the Merry-Go-Round of History. On the merry-go-round all the seats are on the same level. Nobody goes up; therefore, nobody has to come down. That is democracy, as I see it. In a brotherhood, all the members are equal.
Oct. 19, 1940
I once heard Dr. Aggrey, the black South African, call Africa the question mark of the centuries. This bloody question mark has faced every civilized nation. No white nation has been moral enough to answer the Africans with justice and democracy.
Nov. 21, 1942

This is a short excerpt from Melvin B. Tolson's epic poem, "Dark Symphony," published in Atlantic Monthly in 1940.

"Black slaves singing One More River to Cross
In the torture tombs of slave-ships,
Black slaves singing Steal Away to Jesus
In jungle swamps
Black slaves singing The Crucifixion
In slave-pens at midnight,
Black slaves singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
In cabins of death,
Black slaves singing Go Down, Moses
In the canebrakes of the Southern Pharaohs."

The Real Great Debaters

I was doing research on the history behind the great debaters and found that the Marshall News Messenger, (in Marshall, Texas, the home of Wiley College) supplies an audio transcript of many of their articles.
why can't the nytimes do that? why can't we do that for our school kids? what happened to using to technology to enhance education rather than in just measuring it?
I used the audio as a background for a slide show of images from the movie and their real life counterparts, Melvin Beaunorus Tolson (played by Denzel) and James Farmer and Hetman Sweatt (two of the student debaters)

the transcript By Phil Latham
Sunday, December 16, 2007
I cannot write an objective review of "The Great Debaters."
I had intended to do just that, but it did not take more than a few minutes into the movie Thursday night for me to figure out that simply was not going to happen.
Having been publisher and editor of The Marshall News Messenger for almost 11 years now, I have seen too much, know too much, talked to too many Wiley graduates, heard too many stories.
So it would be meaningless for me to, say, give it "two thumbs up!" or talk about how it moved me and all those around me, or how I got the chill bumps watching and listening to the debaters, though I knew exactly how the story was going to end.
First things first, calling this a movie "inspired" by a true story is the perfect word to use. Inspiring fits in every single sense of that word. The movie and the facts do differ a bit, though perhaps not all that much. Historically, it is significant that the team debated the University of Southern California and not Harvard, for instance. It is also important to note that USC is not the only top college debated — and beaten. Those include Texas Christian University and the University of California.
But in tone and spirit, this movie is 100 percent, dead-on, accurate. What's more, it does so without falling into cliches. People rise and people fall. The debate team may be successful, but that does not come without a real price and real pain.
I don't want to give away too much of the movie, but it is also clearly implied that the success is by no means complete. Well, no surprise there, really. After all, the debate team had to come back to the Jim Crow South.
It struck me somewhere in the movie that this was a perfect allegory for the entire history of Wiley College — though I confess I don't know it as thoroughly as I should.
Wiley College was founded in the beginning as nothing more than a dream. As a reality the dream faced real struggles for survival, it faced loss, disappointment, victory, then more struggle.
The cycle goes on today. In just the time I have been here I have seen all of that and sometimes it happens in rapid succession. Resources are tight for tax-supported institutions and the scramble for student tuitions is a battle even among colleges that are far more well-heeled.
I believe it is assumed that there is some sort of safety net for Wiley College, some magic that is going to keep the college afloat no matter what. Maybe some think just because Wiley has endured for 134 years it always will.
This kind of mindset might keep you from slipping $10 — or $10,000 if you have it — into an envelope and sending it to help Wiley meet the challenges of the next generation of "great debaters."
Indeed, maybe Wiley will always survive, but the question for Marshall — and I'm talking about all of Marshall here — is will it thrive? Merely having a set of buildings on University Avenue doesn't mean much.
We need to ensure that the educational spirit that flowered in the time of Melvin B. Tolson is continued or rekindled if need be.
"The Great Debaters" can and will be a huge boon for the city of Marshall. The movie could have made Marshall look terrible — it does show racism, but what you see is typical of what happened in Jim Crow days — but it passes on that and accentuates the positive in the story.
As a community, we owe Wiley College for the past, for the present and, perhaps most of all, for the future that is to come.
We've waited long enough to pay up. I suggest we get to it.

The Oldest Established Floating Crap Game In New York 2

Nathan, you must concentrate on the game. the town is up to here with high players. the Greek's in Town. Brandy Bottle Bates, Scranton Slim.
Nathan: I know, I know, I could make a fortune, but to make a fortune, I need a fortune. a thousand
Bucks, where do I get it?

The biltmore garage wants a grand, but we ain't got a grand on hand.
And they now got a lock on the door to the gym at public school 84.
There's a stock room behind mcklosky's bar, but mrs. mcklosky ain't a good scout.
And things being how they are, the back of the police station is out!
So the biltmore garage is the spot, but the one thousand bucks we ain't got.

Why, it's good old reliable nathan, nathan, nathan, nathan detroit,
If you're looking for action, he'll turn it to spot,
Even when the heat is on, it's never too hot.
But for the good old reliable nathan, oh it's only just a short walk,
To the oldest established permanent floating crap game in new yawk.
There are well-heeled shooters everywhere, everywhere,
There are well-heeled shooters everywhere,
And awful lot of lettuce for the fella who can get us to play.
If we only had a lousy little crap, we could be a millionaire.
Oh the good old reliable nathan, nathan, nathan, nathan detroit,
If the size of your bundle you want to increase,
I'll arrange that you go broke in quiet and peace,
In a hideout provided by nathan, where there are no neighbors to squawk,
It's the oldest established permanent floating crap game in new yawk.
Where's the action? where's the game?
Gotta have the game or we'll die from shame.
It's the oldest established permanent floating crap game in new york.

The Oldest Established Floating Crap Game In New York

Originally aired: September 16, 1965 on NBC
Director: Greg Garrison
Show Stars: Dean Martin (Himself (host)), Ken Lane (Regular Performer (1965-1974)), Les Brown (Regular Performer)
Recurring Role: Bob Newhart (Himself), Joey Heatherton (Herself)
Guest Stars: Frank Sinatra (Himself) , Diahann Carroll (Herself) , Danny Thomas (Cameo) , Steve Allen (Cameo) , Jan and Dean (Themselves)
Premiere Episode of The Dean Martin Show.
Music:
--Frank Sinatra sings "Is It Love" and "September Song"
--Dean Martin - "Houston"
--Jan & Dean - "Little Old Lady From Pasadena"
Also appearing:
--Bob Newhart
--Danny Thomas
--Diahann Carroll
--Steve Allen
--Frankie Avalon
--Joey Heatherton.
The Sid and Marty Krofft Puppets – "Everything's Coming Up Roses"
Diahann Carroll – "I'll Never Go There Again", "Blues In The Night (My Mama Done Told Me", "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home"
Joey Heatherton – "I've Got Your Number"
Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra – "(Oldest Established) Permanent Floating Crap Game In New York"
Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Diahann Carroll – "Witchcraft"

Come Back Shane

The Carnival of Joba has ended. Only a person of Shane's stature can follow him
Note: I added my own text track with quicktime pro

I came to get your offer, Ryker.
I'm not dealing with you. Where's Starrett?
- You're dealing with me, Ryker. - I got no quarrel with you, Shane.
You can walk out now and no hard feeling.
- What's your offer, Ryker? - To you, not a thing.
- That's too bad. - Too bad.
You've lived too long. Your kind of days are over.
- My days? And yours, gunfighter? - The difference is I know it.
So we'll turn in our six-guns to the bartender,
and we'll all start hoeing spuds, is that it?
Not quite yet.
We haven't heard from your friend here.
I wouldn't push too far if I were you.
Our fight ain't with you.
- It ain't with me, Wilson? - No, it ain't, Shane.
I wouldn't pull on Wilson, Shane.
Will, you're a witness to this.
So you're Jack Wilson.
What's that mean to you, Shane?
I've heard about you.
What have you heard, Shane?
I've heard that you're a low-down, Yankee liar.
Prove it!
Shane, look out!
Shane!
I knew you could, Shane. I knew it just as well as anything.
Was that him? Was that Wilson?
That was him. That was Wilson, all right.
He was fast, fast on the draw.
Joey, what are you doing here?
- I'm sorry, Shane. - You don't have to be.
- You'd better run back. - Can't I ride home behind you?
I'm afraid not, Joey.
Please! Why not?
I gotta be going on.
Why, Shane?
A man has to be what he is, Joey. Can't break the mould.
- I tried it and it didn't work for me. - We want you, Shane.
Joey, there's no living with a killing. There's no going back from one.
Right or wrong, it's a brand. A brand sticks.
There's no going back.
Now you run on home to your mother, and tell her...
...tell her everything's all right and there aren't any more guns in the valley.
Shane...
It's bloody! You're hurt!
I'm all right, Joey.
Go home to your mother and father and grow up to be strong and straight.
And, Joey...
Take care of them, both of them.
Yes, Shane.
He'd never have shot you if you'd seen him!
Bye, little Joe.
He'd never even have cleared the holster, would he, Shane?
Pa's got things for you to do! And Mother wants you!
I know she does!
Shane!
Shane!
Come back!