"Every time we get a yard ahead, Ryan goes and moves the goal line to the other side of the field!"
—Atlas, Bioshock
"About the time we think we can make ends meet, somebody moves the ends."
"We can still win. It's what we Gamemakers like to call a 'wrinkle'."
—Plutarch Heavensbee, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
"Holy shit every time I read a Giants article there is a blurb in there somewhere on how one of our offensive lineman is still 'trying to get in shape'... and it is late August. "
Polly: Hey! That was a lucky guess, and according to Polly's book of rules, which was written by yours truly, lucky guesses don't count. So there. No, you'll have to work a lot harder than that to win.
Botley: That's not fair, Polly! If that's the right work of art, you can't just change the rules like that!
Polly: 'You can't change the rules like that!' Well, guess what, Blotley, this is my house, and my missions, and you play how I say. Now I say, solve this!
Botley: That's not fair, Polly! If that's the right work of art, you can't just change the rules like that!
Polly: 'You can't change the rules like that!' Well, guess what, Blotley, this is my house, and my missions, and you play how I say. Now I say, solve this!
"Never perfect. Perfection goal that changes. Never stops moving. Can chase, cannot catch."
— Abathur, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
"Every time we get a chance to get ahead, they move the finish line. Every time."
— Mary Jackson, Hidden Figures
Could a high-speed train run through a vertical loop, like a rollercoaster, with the passengers staying comfortable? —Gero Walter
No.
Since this is kind of a disappointing answer, I tried relaxing the requirements a little.
Could a high-speed train run through a vertical loop, like a rollercoaster, with the passengers surviving?
Still no.
Could a modified and reinforced high-speed train with a jet engine on top run through a vertical loop, like a rollercoaster, with the passengers surviving?
Maybe.
No.
Since this is kind of a disappointing answer, I tried relaxing the requirements a little.
Could a high-speed train run through a vertical loop, like a rollercoaster, with the passengers surviving?
Still no.
Could a modified and reinforced high-speed train with a jet engine on top run through a vertical loop, like a rollercoaster, with the passengers surviving?
Maybe.
— What If?, "Train Loop
"
"Dr. Banjo: If your elitist East Coast evolution is real, why has no one found the missing link between modern humans and ancient apes?
Professor Farnsworth: We did find it! It's called Homo erectus!
Dr. Banjo: Then you have proven my case, sir, for no one has found the link between apes and this Homo erectus!
Professor Farnsworth: Yes, they have! It's called Homo habilis!
Dr. Banjo: Aha! But no one has found the missing link between ape and this so-called Homo habilis!
Professor Farnsworth: Yes, they have! It's called Australopithecus africanus!
Dr. Banjo: Ho-ho, I've got you now!
(about fifteen minutes later, we see the Professor's list expanded to include fourteen more specimens)
Dr. Banjo: Fair enough. But where, then, is the missing link between apes and this Darwinius masillae? Answer me that, Professor!
Professor Farnsworth: Okay, granted, that one missing link is still missing...
Professor Farnsworth: We did find it! It's called Homo erectus!
Dr. Banjo: Then you have proven my case, sir, for no one has found the link between apes and this Homo erectus!
Professor Farnsworth: Yes, they have! It's called Homo habilis!
Dr. Banjo: Aha! But no one has found the missing link between ape and this so-called Homo habilis!
Professor Farnsworth: Yes, they have! It's called Australopithecus africanus!
Dr. Banjo: Ho-ho, I've got you now!
(about fifteen minutes later, we see the Professor's list expanded to include fourteen more specimens)
Dr. Banjo: Fair enough. But where, then, is the missing link between apes and this Darwinius masillae? Answer me that, Professor!
Professor Farnsworth: Okay, granted, that one missing link is still missing...
— Futurama humorously portraying the debate between Creationism and Evolutionism
General Setsubun: Back on the ground, Shuten-Douji explicitly told us to climb up this tower. Does that not mean we were, in fact, invited to these premises?
Caesar: I, of course, have heard nothing of this! It would be one thing if you had evidence to support your claim, such as an audio recording, but of course-
da Vinci: Um, I'm pretty sure I've got that audio archived right here...
Caesar: Hah! As everyone knows, audio recordings are only hearsay, and so are not admissible. Phew. Bullet dodged.
Caesar: I, of course, have heard nothing of this! It would be one thing if you had evidence to support your claim, such as an audio recording, but of course-
da Vinci: Um, I'm pretty sure I've got that audio archived right here...
Caesar: Hah! As everyone knows, audio recordings are only hearsay, and so are not admissible. Phew. Bullet dodged.
"Meet me in the middle", says the dishonest man.
You take a step forward, he takes a step back.
"Meet me in the middle", says the dishonest man.''
You take a step forward, he takes a step back.
"Meet me in the middle", says the dishonest man.''
— unknown
”Authoritarianism is always an ideology of inequality: I make the rules, you follow them, I change them at will and punish those who disobey, or, if I feel like it, those who do [obey] because I can.”
—Rebecca Solnit, “Call It What It Was: A Coup Attempt”, The Guardian
, The GuardianCetrion: I see the fire in your eyes, Mileena.
Mileena: Kronika altered our deal!
Cetrion: Pray she does not alter it further.
Mileena: Kronika altered our deal!
Cetrion: Pray she does not alter it further.
King Arthur: O Knights of Ni, we have brought you your shrubbery. May we go now?
Head knight: It is a good shrubbery. I like the laurels particularly. But there is one small problem.
Arthur: What is that?
Knight: We are now no longer the Knights Who Say Ni; We are now the Knights Who Say Ekky Ekky Ekky Ekky Pitang Zoom Boing Zou Zim. Therefore we must give you a test.
Arthur: What is this test, O Knights of...Knights who til recently said Ni?
Knight: Firstly, you must find... ANOTHER SHRUBBERY!
Head knight: It is a good shrubbery. I like the laurels particularly. But there is one small problem.
Arthur: What is that?
Knight: We are now no longer the Knights Who Say Ni; We are now the Knights Who Say Ekky Ekky Ekky Ekky Pitang Zoom Boing Zou Zim. Therefore we must give you a test.
Arthur: What is this test, O Knights of...Knights who til recently said Ni?
Knight: Firstly, you must find... ANOTHER SHRUBBERY!
Aikon: If you don't wanna be a basket case, Gine, then I'll let you train with us if you manage to hit me!
[Gine ducks under Aikon's punch and heatbutts him]
Gine: [excited] I did it! I'm not sure how, but I managed to hit you! Now you have to let me train with you!
Aikon: Not so fast! That doesn't count! I just slipped! And that hit was so weak, I can't even tell if it was a hit! You think you can get away with making fun of me?! Now you're gonna have to fight all three of us at the same time!
Gine: Wait... but that's not... That isn't fair...
[Gine ducks under Aikon's punch and heatbutts him]
Gine: [excited] I did it! I'm not sure how, but I managed to hit you! Now you have to let me train with you!
Aikon: Not so fast! That doesn't count! I just slipped! And that hit was so weak, I can't even tell if it was a hit! You think you can get away with making fun of me?! Now you're gonna have to fight all three of us at the same time!
Gine: Wait... but that's not... That isn't fair...
Speaker Haffley: We still haven't cut enough spending.
President Bartlet: I agree. I want you to cut agriculture subsidies, and you want me to cut Medicaid, again. You know I'll veto any Medicaid cuts, and I know you won't give me any agriculture cuts. So, here we are.
Haffley: Then we're back to a continuing resolution, sir, which I can probably pass with a two percent...
Bartlet: No. We were 100 billion apart, and I met you halfway, at 50 billion. Then we were 50 billion apart, and I suspect if I'd gone down to 25, we'd be 12 billion apart. [...] Well, I'm not going to negotiate with anyone who holds a gun to my head. We had a deal! I don't care if my approval ratings drop into single digits. I am the President of the United States and I will leave this government shut down until we reach an equitable agreement!
President Bartlet: I agree. I want you to cut agriculture subsidies, and you want me to cut Medicaid, again. You know I'll veto any Medicaid cuts, and I know you won't give me any agriculture cuts. So, here we are.
Haffley: Then we're back to a continuing resolution, sir, which I can probably pass with a two percent...
Bartlet: No. We were 100 billion apart, and I met you halfway, at 50 billion. Then we were 50 billion apart, and I suspect if I'd gone down to 25, we'd be 12 billion apart. [...] Well, I'm not going to negotiate with anyone who holds a gun to my head. We had a deal! I don't care if my approval ratings drop into single digits. I am the President of the United States and I will leave this government shut down until we reach an equitable agreement!
—The West Wing, "Shutdown"
"Nobody": [John]'s in Berlin, at the Ruska Roma. You can wire that finder's fee now.
The Marquis: No.
"Nobody": Excuse me?
The Marquis: Kill John Wick and you'll get your money.
"Nobody": That wasn't part of our deal.
The Marquis: The deal was for your service. And it's now a life for a life, Mr. Nobody. Yours or his. When it's done, you will have your prize. And your pension.
The Marquis: No.
"Nobody": Excuse me?
The Marquis: Kill John Wick and you'll get your money.
"Nobody": That wasn't part of our deal.
The Marquis: The deal was for your service. And it's now a life for a life, Mr. Nobody. Yours or his. When it's done, you will have your prize. And your pension.
Jesse: This is nothing but an ankle-grab. Like, I don't get you, man. A week ago you talked like you were all ready to hang it up.
Walter: We've nearly got forty pounds we need to sell.
Jesse: Yeah, what about after? Huh? After you gonna make up some new... magic number? Like, "I got bills, I got bills. I gotta make more".
Walter: We've nearly got forty pounds we need to sell.
Jesse: Yeah, what about after? Huh? After you gonna make up some new... magic number? Like, "I got bills, I got bills. I gotta make more".
—Breaking Bad, "Mandala"
Cuphead and Devil: One, two, three!
Devil: Ha!
Cuphead: Rock beats scissors.
Devil: (gasps)
Audience: (gasps)
Mugman and Ms. Chalice: (gasps, then hug each other)
Cuphead: Wow. Looks like I win.
Audience: (cheers)
Devil: Best two out of three!
Cuphead: Okay.
Mugman and Ms. Chalice: What?!
Audience: (gasps)
Cuphead: One, two, three! Paper covers rock, I win!
Mugman, Ms. Chalice and audience: (sighs in relief)
Devil: Shut up! Best three out of five!
Cuphead: One, two, three! Scissors cuts paper!
Devil: Best five out of seven!
Cuphead: One, two, three! Rock beats scissors!
Devil: Seven out of nine? Best nine of eleven!
Cuphead: (wins again) Ha-ha!
Devil: How do you keep winning?!
Cuphead: I don't know. I guess I don't overthink it.
Devil: Ha!
Cuphead: Rock beats scissors.
Devil: (gasps)
Audience: (gasps)
Mugman and Ms. Chalice: (gasps, then hug each other)
Cuphead: Wow. Looks like I win.
Audience: (cheers)
Devil: Best two out of three!
Cuphead: Okay.
Mugman and Ms. Chalice: What?!
Audience: (gasps)
Cuphead: One, two, three! Paper covers rock, I win!
Mugman, Ms. Chalice and audience: (sighs in relief)
Devil: Shut up! Best three out of five!
Cuphead: One, two, three! Scissors cuts paper!
Devil: Best five out of seven!
Cuphead: One, two, three! Rock beats scissors!
Devil: Seven out of nine? Best nine of eleven!
Cuphead: (wins again) Ha-ha!
Devil: How do you keep winning?!
Cuphead: I don't know. I guess I don't overthink it.
