The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer (chair) of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the powers to discipline members who break the procedures of the house. The speaker often also represents the body in person, as the voice of the body in ceremonial and some other situations. The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerford in the Parliament of England. By convention, Speakers are normally addressed in Parliament as Mister Speaker, if a man, or Madam Speaker, if a woman. In most other cultures other styles are used, mainly language equivalents of English "chairman" or "president". In Canadian French, the Speaker of the House of Commons or of a legislature is referred to as Président.
Many bodies also have a speaker pro tempore or deputy speaker, designated to fill in when the speaker is not available.
Plot
Like many who grew up in the 1980s, John Tavish enjoyed the music of rock legend Roxy La Che. After years transforming the face of music, Roxy was caught up in the lethal potassium drug craze that swept the nation for many years. Despite twice being admitted to rehab, Roxy never fully recovered and disappeared in 1994 without a trace. Now 15 years after his disappearance, John Tavish tries to solve the mystery of what happened to Roxy La Che.
Keywords: fake-documentary, glasgow-scotland, independent-film, margaret-thatcher, mockumentary, rock-'n'-roll, scotland, spoof, spoof-documentary, urban-legend
Plot
In 1930s Saskatchewan, a small town parish has a new young new pastor, Tommy Douglas. However, for all his regular duties, which include boxing lessons, Tommy sees the poverty and injustice around him which seem beyond his power to address with the pulpit. With that in mind, Douglas enters politics with the socialist Canadian Commonwealth Federation and starts a career where his steadfast idealism runs headlong into the powerful opposition of the rich and the powerful. Despite the long odds, Douglas' new calling would soon make him a leader that would transform Canada and have him hailed as the greatest Canadian of all.
Keywords: 1930s, boxing, canada, church, compassion, debate, election, great-depression, ottawa-ontario-canada, parliament
Tommy Douglas: My friends, watch out for the little fellow with an idea.
Plot
After the abduction by the US military of an Islamic religious leader, New York City becomes the target of escalating terrorist attacks. Anthony Hubbard, the head of the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Task Force in New York, teams up with CIA operative Elise Kraft to hunt down the terrorist cells responsible for the attacks. As the bombings continue, the US government responds by declaring martial law, sending US troops, led by Gen. Devereaux, into the streets of New York City.
Keywords: abduction, african-american, arab, arab-american, army, arrest, backfire, bill-clinton, blood, blood-spatter
On November 6th our freedom is history
An enemy they can't see. A nation under siege. A crisis they can't control
General William Devereaux: This is the land of opportunity, gentlemen. The opportunity to turn yourselves in.
General William Devereaux: The CIA didn't know the Berlin Wall was coming down until bricks started hitting them in the head.
[Elise and Samir are having sex as Frank and Hub watch through a thermal imager]::Agent Frank Haddad: Beats the shit out of cable.
Sharon Bridger: We're the CIA, something always goes wrong.
Elise Kraft: [to Hubbard] I tend to be suspicious of all true believers. Present company included.
Soldier: Get out of my face Hubbard, or I might just decide you're an Ethiopian!::Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard: You know, you are stupid enough to think that that's an insult.
Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard: "London. Paris. Athens. Rome. Belfast. Beruit. We're not the first city to have to deal with terrorism. Tel Aviv. The day after they bombed the market in Tel Aviv the market was open and it was full. This is New York City. We can take it."
Elise Kraft: In this game, the most committed wins.
General William Deveroux: This is a new kind of war.
Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard: [upon informing Devereaux that he is being arrested] William Devereaux, you are under arrest for the torture and murder of Tariq Husseini, an American citizen.::General William Devereaux: Is this some kind of a joke?::Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard: You see me laughing, general?
Plot
At a time of international incident, the body of a young female staffer is found in a White House wash room. Homicide detective Harlan Regis is called in to investigate the murder only to discover the secret service had taken hold of all the evidence for their own investigation. A frustrated Regis becomes suspicious of a cover-up and convinces secret service agent Nina Chance to aid him. The remainder of the plot is spent following Regis and Chance as they uncover the answers as to who is behind the conspiracy and why.
Keywords: action-hero, apartment, assassin, bar, blood, blood-spatter, brawl, chase, cnn-reporter, conspiracy
He's a D.C. cop on the outside. She's a Secret Service agent on the inside. Tracking a White House homicide to the First Family's front door.
This address changes all the rules.
Alvin Jordan: A study at Harvard determined a person's longevity by the first thing they read in the paper.::Detective Harlan Regis: I'm an obituary man.::Alvin Jordan: Start with the comics, you'll live longer.
Detective Steve Stengel: This looks...um...handled.
Nina Chance: You expect me to violate everything I was ever taught? I have duties.::Detective Harlan Regis: Yeah, and your duties can send an innocent man to jail for the rest of his life. You wanna live with that.::Nina Chance: Yeah, and I think you better leave.
Detective Harlan Regis: This is Carla's tape from her answering machine::Nina Chance: Yeah.::Detective Harlan Regis: Well, how'd you get it?::Nina Chance: I stole it.
Detective Harlan Regis: I think the president's gonna become an international suspect.
President Neil: Jesus, Alvin. You really had her killed, didn't you? She was 25. She was a child!::Alvin Jordan: She was a casualty of war!
Alvin Jordan: I think President Teddy Roosevelt said it best: "If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness."
Agent Nick Spikings: You were born to become a chalk outline.
[after a White House camera picture ends up on a tabloid front page]::Agent Nick Spikings: [to his staff] Whoever leaked this, I'm going to *bottle his last breath*!
Plot
It is a normal day for everyone, until the President of the United States announces Martians have been spotted circling Earth. The Martians land and a meeting is arranged, but not everything goes to plan, and the Martians seem to have other plans for Earth. Are they just misunderstood beings or do they really want to destroy all of humanity?
Keywords: actor-playing-himself, actor-playing-multiple-roles, alcoholics-anonymous, alien, alien-contact, alien-invasion, alien-space-craft, alien-technology, ambassador, aquarium
Nice planet. We'll take it!
YIKES! They've Landed!
Grandma Florence Norris: [as Taffy is giving her the Medal of Honor] Thank you, honey. But don't you dare let anything like this happen again.
Billy Glenn Norris: [about to get on the bus to leave for the Army, to his brother] So long, retard.
President Dale: Why can't we work out our differences? Why can't we work things out? Little people, why can't we all just get along?
Richie Norris: I want to thank my Grandma for always being so good to me, and, and for helping save the world and everything.
[Watching an alien on TV]::First Lady: [after seeing the Martians for the first time] I'm not allowing that thing in my house.::President Dale: Sweetie, we may have to. The people expect me to meet with them.::First Lady: Well they're not going to eat off the Van Buren china.
Art Land: I'm not a crook, I'm ambitious. There's a difference.
Richie Norris: Wow, he just made the international sign of the doughnut.
Art Land: [Repeatedly] Wow!
Barbara Land: Hello, my name is Barbara,::AA Meeting: Hello Barbara,::Barbara Land: I am an alcoholic, but I haven't had a drink in three months!
Byron Williams: Barbara, you alright?::Barbara Land: Huh? I need a drink...::Rude Gambler: You and me both baby!
Plot
A flood has wiped out the ranchers. Congressman Fuller was against the Flood Control bill so Gene runs against him in the next election and wins. Gene goes to Washington but has no success in passing the bill as Holloway is using his influence to block it. Then just as Gene returns home another disastrous flood hits.
Keywords: ambassador, apostrophe-in-title, arson, automobile-accident, chase, congressman, conspiracy, corrupt-politician, cowboy, election
Opening title cards: Water - man's greatest friend but unleashed - man's greatest foe.
[first lines]::[leading the ranchers as they try battle mounting floodwaters]::Gene Autry: Watch out for a break on the left, men. Hey! Pile them four deep over there!
Mary Ford: This is Mary Ford, your KYX news commentator spot broadcasting from the edge of the raging Green Valley flood waters. Hundreds of men are fighting desperately to hold the river in its course. Their own houses are underwater, but they're fighting to save the rest of the valley. If you'll stand by for just a minute, I'll try to get one of the workers to say a few words. Pardon me, won't you say a few words to the radio audience?::Gene Autry: No! Pile 'em high over there, boys! Hey, wait a minute - yes, I will. I just want to tell you people we wouldn't have suffered this loss of life and property if that cheap politician, Congressman Fuller, had put through that flood control bill.::Mary Ford: Hey! You want me to lose my job?::Gene Autry: What did you expect me to say? Having a wonderful time - wish you were here!
Congressman Fuller: Did you hear what they said about me in that radio broadcast last night?::Stephen Holloway: Yes, I heard.::Congressman Fuller: That's liable to hurt my political career. I'll sue that station!::Stephen Holloway: You can sue anybody for telling the truth.::Congressman Fuller: But...::Stephen Holloway: Oh, button your mouth.::Congressman Fuller: But, he called me a cheap politician!::Stephen Holloway: What would you call yourself?
Mr. Craig, Mary's Boss: They liked him? They're daffy about him! Who is he? Where is he?::Mary Ford: I don't know - just a cowboy they called "Gene."::Mr. Craig, Mary's Boss: He'd be worth a fortune to us. Find him before somebody else hogties him.::Mary Ford: Find him? But you said I could have a vacation!::Mr. Craig, Mary's Boss: I said find him or you'll have a vacation -without pay.
Man in store: Say, maybe you're lookin' for Gene Autry. He's a right good singer. Got a ranch up the valley a-piece.::Storekeeper: It's down the valley.::Man in store: It's up.::Storekeeper: Tain't neither. It was up, but since the flood, it's down!
[to his recalcitrant horse]::Satchel: Come on, Seabiscuit, back to the stable. This jockey's going to hitchhike home.
Mary Ford: Congressman Fuller isn't going to run for re-election.::Gene Autry: Well, that won't break my heart.::Frog Millhouse: Who's going to run in his place?::Mary Ford: Gene!::Gene Autry: Say, did you land on your head?::Mary Ford: The evidence points to the other extremity.
Gene Autry: I'm no politician.::Mary Ford: You were no radio singer, either, until I shoved a microphone in front of you.
Hutton: I'm working for the boys who know how to take care of me.::Gene Autry: Well, here's my way of taking care of boys like you.::[Gene slugs him]
Plot
Button Gwinett Brown is a freshman congressman on a mission to rid Washington of corruption. He quickly runs afoul of the powerful Senator Norton, while falling for the granddaughter of the kindly senator Wylie. He then teams up with some members of the Bonus Army to foil the villains' plans.
Keywords: bribery, declaration-of-independence, depression-of-1929, eviction, funeral, granddaughter, letter, library-of-congress, lincoln-memorial, marriage-proposal
Rips The Lid Off!
Button Gwinett Brown: Let me tell you this: This nation is in trouble, great trouble, plagued with a thousand problems. This isn't just a depression; this is a crisis! You've got a Senate and a House of Representatives, filled mostly with honest, patriotic men. . . . And they're all striving to bring this nation back to its place in the sun. But they're handicapped--hamstrung by a hidden government--an evil, marauding crew that has turned the Constitution of the United States into a bill of sale.
Button Gwinett Brown: [making his maiden speech in Congress] . . .The Digger bill is a barefaced attempt to loot the Treasury to the tune of two million dollars of the people's money. I'm only a greenhorn; I don't know what it's all about [raucous applause] . . . . Maybe two million dollars isn't important in a four billion dollar budget. But this is important, gentlemen: A lot of you are going to vote for the Digger bill, which you haven't even read, so that others will vote for *your* bill, which *they* haven't read. These chiseling little camphor-ball measures are just chips in the big poker game, played with the people's money.
Button Gwinett Brown: . . .I don't mind telling you that the biggest crook in Washington is your friend Norton.::Alice Wylie: Why, he could buy and sell people like you by the gross.::Button Gwinett Brown: Sure, that's his specialty, buying and selling people. What's *your* price?::Alice Wylie: How dare you talk to me like that?::Button Gwinett Brown: You think you know your Washington. Your Washington is just a Vassar daisy chain. To you, it's all a merry-go-round: embassies, parties, teas, dances. Why, if you got into a covered wagon, you'd ask for a chauffeur. You're like all the rest of the people around here: soft and dizzy and useless. [she slaps him, and runs out.]
You know the house down the street
Where the kids are
and every day
They seem to have a new scar
Something strange is going on
and everybody knows
Doors always shut
and windows always closed
The little girl had a burn
The boy was black and blue
They said it came from play
You know that shit ain't true
The boy's arm's broke
girl is scared to speak
Their parents drink all day
Couple of dead beats
Some days they go to school,
and other days they might
It's hard to stay awake
after you cry all night
You see 'em every day
Tear tracks on their cheeks
But they will never tell
It goes on weeks and weeks
(But what can they do?
They're only children man!)
You ain't no fuckin' kid
Acting like you give a damn!
Won't someone save these kids
Do something, call a cop
I'm riding through the night, a friend has called me
I see the moonless sky, the stars shine bright
The house before me, fog hangs over
I'm standing there alone in the dark
I ring the bell
He opens the door
He looks like death
No shadow on the floor
It seems life's gone out of his body
And madness now has taken control
Pale and grey
A weird mind
His sister is dead
And I'm so blind
Deep in the house
She's lying there
This bird of happiness
With long black hair
[Chorus:]
Silent screams out of the distance
It seems the walls would talk to me
Whispering voices out of the grave
It seems the house can't set me free
Horror running through my veins
As I see my friend going insane
Pale and grey
He's standing there
Scratching and moaning,
Disturbing the air
He knows that he buried his sister alive
But as he sees her he knows that he'll die
[Chorus:]
Silent screams out of the distance
It seems the walls would talk to me
Whispering voices out of the grave
It seems the house can't set me free
Naked I came with nothing to show
You gave me everything that I call my own
I have nothing to give that wasn’t given me
You’re able to see so much more than I can find in me
You brought me from the womb
You made me trust in You (Psalm 22:9)
You, O God
I need You
When I was in chains, I thought that I was free
But ages before I was even born, you called to me
To turn me loose from all the fear and all the doubt
My heart’s not big enough to hold all of this love,
but you keep pouring out
You brought me from the womb
You made me trust in You
You, O God
I need You
Irresistible, You’re irresistible
Yours are the only hands that can heal me
You brought me from the womb
You made me trust in You
You, O God
I need You
I don't think that I can stay
In the old house anymore
There's to many memories
Things live there no eyes can see
In the garden there's
No flowers ever grow there
The house is where I live
A place to take but not to give
Close the door
Did you not see the colours
Climbing up the window
Nor hitch a ride with Lucy
To see marshmallow skies
It starts to rain
But i can't find the rainbow
I leave the house
But there's nowhere to go
No one ever seems to call
The house must be too far away
I wish for yesterday
And all the things I had to say
I pack a suitcase and
Lock the door behind me
The house is better left
Without its heart it stands bereft
This is, the house of Doom,
Your death, will be coming soon,
That thought dead, Comes out to play,
A grave (very grave) holiday
Come with me, and then you will see,
The price of, immortality
This is, the mansion of death
The boulevard, of all regret
A timeless coughing of zeitgeist,
Where the spirit of an age, lies
Who's that who creeps up the stairway behind you?
Is it the ghost of love affairs lost?
A grey evil Eros with bow love barbed arrows
Claiming revenge for hopes you have crushed?
All hail the master geometric eccentric
Carving the paths that we ghosts must walk
And easing the intersex in concrete genitalia
To house fluids in marble and spirit in dust
This is, the house of doom - The only ghosts (really)
Are the one who came with you
So name your evils, pantheonize
Your gods, your martyrs graceless - Fallen, despised.
When you despair of the toads that salute you
And abhorrently drink of their bile and their greed
Decide in your wisdom that hopping is more fun
Do walk like a man is a sign of disease.
Time to update thee with spiritual software
And destroy the virus that plagues for your side
Enter the house son whose walls are of fire
whose hellish foundations are burned in your mind.
My mind is a creaky corridor
Wherein a single monstrous draught
invades the gloom
Its rancid air stained with ash
And its heart beat a blackened lung
Whose ripped fissures impede the transivity
of all weary travellers
Cancerous shapes malign the air
And dirty molecules gather dust like onerous dogs
Who sate their lust to feed for war
Whilst the doors are barbed,
with hastily spun webs of...
Something obsidian...
Something crystal...
A jewelled combination of dirt and dust and deprivation
Beautifully deathly whispers dwell in far off chambers
Floating above like ships of gossamer on a rancid sea
Gently, angelic sprites mock those
Who is in that house?
I opened the door to see
Who is up the stairs?
I’m walking up foolishly
And at the end of the hall was a door
And I got pulled in by a sound
But I wish I’d never found
In the privacy of your own room
Where flowers in the wallpaper bloom
Where I just don’t understand
In the privacy of your room
Look away now, look away now
At the moon
Is somebody watching me?
You really shouldn’t see
Why did you climb that last stair
You found me unaware
What I’m doing now it’s my own
And I don’t want it to be known
And it has to just remain
In the privacy of my own room
Where flowers in the wallpaper bloom
Where you just don’t understand
In the privacy of my room
Look away now, look away now
At the moon
Puzzle me now with mystery clothes
These apples I love, these apples I loath
And always forgive the future to come
I need a roof to support a fiddler
The songs I'd hear if he were here
The sun turned red and burned the house down
Burn it down sun until it disappears
I need a drink to sink my teeth in
The stories I'd tell if I could yell
At the moon who came down to sweep up the ashes
Sweep them up moon put them on your mantle
You say you need someone to hold on to your dreams
Well I'm afraid I'll have to refer you to my
chambermaid
She changes pillowcases in the hotel of disgrace
It's enough to make a sinner sad the way these dreams
all go unhad
I need a song to serenade the darkness
And a silver throat to bring her to her knees
I've partaken of all of the pomegranate
And I'm ready to watch the whole earth freeze
I need a lover to feed me poison
The pain I caused would be redeemed
And the devil could hover over my casket
And curls his mustache for eternity
You say you need someone to hold on to your dreams
Well I'm afraid I'll have to refer you to my
chambermaid
She changes pillowcases in the hotel of disgrace
It's enough to make a sinner sad the way these dreams
Candles in the window,
shadows painting the ceiling,
gazing at the fire glow,
feeling that gingerbread feeling.
Precious moments,
special people,
happy faces,
I can see.
Somewhere in my mem'ry,
Christmas joys all around me,
living in my mem'ry,
all of the music,
all of the magic,
(Hofstede/Kloet/Stips - Hofstede)
I spent some time alone
In an old country home
Where the wallpaper looked like a landscape
In a foreign land
I took some walks alone
Around this old country home
And the landscape looked like the wallpaper
Time's slipping away
Time's slipping away
Time's slipping away
In the rooms of this home
I saw the pictures of the family still young