Article about the new batmobile (2/2)

[HaraKiriBlade]

Continuing from where I left off...

Again, if you're not sure about what I'm asking about, the whole article is here:
http://www.torontosun.com/News/Toron...80264-sun.html

The Caped Schizophrenic's latest chariot, in Batman Begins, which opens next week.

d1. I'm guessing the writer is referring / referring to Batman to / as the Caped Schizophrenic. Am I right on that, and if so, why?

d2. I'm not too sure how to use the word 'refer'. Can you correct the question d1 so that I may have some idea?

Never rub another man's rhubarb.

e1. What's this expression? What does it mean?

e2. I did some search on rhubarb in Google, and it does look familiar. I may have seen it at different grocery stores. If the expression is either North American or British, this rhubarb must be their regular eatery. (See how fragile my logic works?) What do you think? do you come across with this plant in a regular basis? in what way? as a eatery? or as something to grow? hmm...

Thank you very much again!

[HaraKiriBlade]

bump

[Mister Micawber]

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d1. He is schizo because he has two personalities, Bruce Wayne and Batman.

d2. I'm guessing the writer is referring to Batman as the Caped Schizophrenic.

e1. This is a coined expression, a jocular proverb. I would have to see it in context, but generally it just says, alliteratively, 'mind your own business'.

e2. Rhubarb is easy to grow, at least in the US Midwest, and is (or was) cheap in the supermarkets. It maked a delicious, tart pie.

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[HaraKiriBlade]

Thank you very much Mister Micawber for your reply.

I have just found one phrase I don't know in your response - what is 'coined expression'?

[HaraKiriBlade]

And why 'never RUB another man's rhubarb'?

I mean, any expression that doesn't mean what it literally states should have some literal side to it... otherwise there would be no 'expression' at all. You know what I mean? Why would anyone 'rub' rhubarb? what's he going to do with it?

[Mister Micawber]

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As I said, I'd have to see the context, but I think 'rub' only because it is alliterative, and rubbing is an invasive action. These factors make this 'proverb' somewhat humorous in and of themselves. There is good potential for this being an obscene remark, but I wouldn't be able to judge until I saw it in context.

A 'coined' expression is an expression created by the speaker. I suspect that this one was coined by the scriptwriter.

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[vegidolphin]

And why 'never RUB another man's rhubarb'?
I mean, any expression that doesn't mean what it literally states should have some literal side to it... otherwise there would be no 'expression' at all. You know what I mean? Why would anyone 'rub' rhubarb? what's he going to do with it?

Rhubarb is an obscure 1951 movie about a cat who inherits a very bad baseball team. The team starts to turn their luck around when one batter pets (rubs) Rhubarb before a game. It really is a great family movie, but not many people at all have seem this movie and few understand what the Joker is refering to!

[Ouisch]

In baseball, "rhubarb" is a slang word meaning a ruckus, an argument or a heated disagreement. That's why the cat in the film was named "Rhubarb." (I saw that movie looong time ago, Vegio. I'm surprised someone else remembers it!)