Domain: blockbuster.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to blockbuster.com.
Comments · 61
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Franchises
Their site lists many more franchises still: http://www.blockbuster.com/fra...
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Re:Ding dong the witch is dead!
Back when I still used them, Blockbuster definitely had a form of "all you can eat" for both movies and games. I don't remember the details though. Apparently they still had some plans up until the end: http://www.blockbuster.com/stores/membership
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Re:Can't Find Blockbusters Price!
Umm. Google "Blockbuster" and click the 2nd sponsored ad - here.
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Re:Hmmm
I don't know if it's a great alternative but Blockbuster is still alive and kicking: http://www.blockbuster.com/download Anyone have any experience with them?
My knee-jerk reaction is to just cancel my account and be pissed. Afterall - it's a pretty large increase percentage-wise. However, when I really think about it - they've just been too cheap for a while. As long as they don't start pulling a move like the cable companies did and slap advertising on top of a paid service I think I'm okay with this. Compared to the volume of movies I watch now vs. the cost of getting them from a brick and mortar rental place I'm saving hundreds a month.
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Sony's already there
Sony doesn't need to pay attention, the PS3 is already there.
- Local media: The PS3 can do local media (video/audio/pictures on the HD, or a USB drive).
- Remote Media: The PS3 can act as a DLNA client
- CD/DVD/Blu-Ray: The PS3 has it built in.
- Netflix: Since the last update, the Netflix client is now built into the console.
- Hulu+: The Hulu+ client is available as a free download from the PSN Store (you DO need to have a Hulu+ account with Hulu though). Also, Hulu is still working on expanding the content available on Hulu+ devices versus Hulu, so some things are still missing.
- Vudu: They just added a Vudu client for "Same day as DVD release" Video on Demand.
- Sports: both "MBA.tv" and "NHL Gamecenter LIVE" have Clients (great if you're a sports nut, or married to one)
- VoD: Sony has been working to build out their VoD service. rent/buy TV/Movies (including next day availability of Cable TV shows, and making shows available by Channel to make things easier to find including HBO, Showtime, SyFy, etc.)Coupled with the increased quality of Over The Air signals since the Digital Switchover, and the need for cable is less and less (depending on how you consume). In a busy city I get at least 10 stations (plus substations), with HD quality reception.
Personally I ditched cable and went with a PS3 and a TiVo.
The TiVo adds an easy to use DVR with a Dual Tuner (record up to two shows at once, while watching a third pre-recorded), includes a Netflix client, is supposed to get a Hulu+ client (according to both Hulu and TiVo), and also includes:
- YouTube client
- Blockbuster Video Client
- Amazon Video On Demand Client
- Pandora Radio Client
- and a few others (I'm getting too tired to list).=========
For me the cost breakdown was as follows:
Cost:
- Top of the line TiVo with a lifetime subscription runs $500 + $13/month recurring. (gives capacity for ~150 Hours of HD quality recording or >1000 of SD level quality)
- Low end PlayStation 3 runs $300.
- Hulu+ runs $8/month
- Netflix runs $8/month (for streaming only, +$2 to include DVD shipping also)Total cost:
Initial cost (minus tax, cables, antenna): $800
Recurring month cost: $30Cable used to run me $130/month (for Cable+Internet), I switched to DSL (~$30/month) and what I listed above, and it dropped my monthly bills by $100 a month (though it takes 8-9 months before the savings kicks in since you're purchasing your own equpiment).
That allows me to get the occasional VoD Movie from Amazon VoD, or purchase a season of a Cable only show or two, and still come out ahead overall (plus I can budget myself and decide if I have the money for it, instead of being hit the cost every month, like it or not, wether I use it or not).
=========As an added bonus, the PS3 also play games, and the TiVo records other shows constantly once it know what you like, so there is usually SOMETHING you might find interesting, even if it is a rerun of a different show.
You could also throw in a cheaper/cheap DVR if you don't care/want the dual tuners, or NO DVR if its just not feature you're interested in, which drops both the initial cost and the recurring cost quite a bit.
Cable's days (as we know it) are numbered, depending entirely on the Nets ability to absorb the extra use and the Cable Co's willingness to break Net Neutrality.
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Re:Crime Pays
BB (at least here) has a terrible selection of movies. Try asking for "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring [imdb.com]" or any movie that doesn't come from Hollywood's crap factories*.
I use Blockbuster Online (their answer to Netflix) and that film is available. I haven't set foot in a video store in years and aside from impulse rentals I can't imagine why they've even got a brick and mortar presence anymore.
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Re:Christ! Really? It's come to this?
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Re:Christ! Really? It's come to this?
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Re:Silly
And truthfully? I loved this feature. I would order out to restaurants and at the end it would be like "do you want to share this over Facebook" and I'd be like "Shit why not!" and I'd get a laugh out of my friends criticizing or commending me on my food choice.
Yeah, that's cool. But what about the person who rented the DVD AIDS and HIV Answers from Blockbuster and had that rental show up on their Facebook profile without their knowledge or permission?
As I understand it, you had to specifically approve each post. And if you didn't explicitly approve it, it would be ignored. At least, that's how I read FAQ #2. I never used it, never even ran into it, so I really can't say much about it beyond what I read on that site today. I agree the information sharing is annoying, but it doesn't sound like it posted info publicly automatically.
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Re:Silly
And truthfully? I loved this feature. I would order out to restaurants and at the end it would be like "do you want to share this over Facebook" and I'd be like "Shit why not!" and I'd get a laugh out of my friends criticizing or commending me on my food choice.
Yeah, that's cool. But what about the person who rented the DVD AIDS and HIV Answers from Blockbuster and had that rental show up on their Facebook profile without their knowledge or permission?
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Re:Fuck you and your blockbuster
Blockbuster doesn't have any instant watching service?
Actually, they do.
And it was because assholes like you who have been cheerleading them, giving them business while they have no interest in serving their customers. I will be really happy when they go down.
Hate all you want. If you don't like them, don't do business with them. I'm subscribed with Blockbuster because it works for me and I like the value. I tell you this much that's true: as soon as Blockbuster is gone and Netflix is the only game in town, prices will go up and service will drop into the toilet. Guaranteed.
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Re:...and TiVo HD
Wow, I tried to be nice, but now you have to resort to calling me an idiot? OK. Lets see about this. I'll use your estimate of 11 shipments per month. Prices taken from:
https://www.blockbuster.com/signup/rp/regPlanIf you are on the 1/month:
no exchanges = $9/11 = 81.8 cents per rental
limited exchange = $12/(11+2) = 92.3 cents per rental
unlimited exchange = $22/(11+11) = $1 per rentalIf you are on the 2/month:
no exchanges = $14/(11*2) = 63.6 cents per rental
limited exchange = $17/(11*2+3) = 68 cents per rental
unlimited exchange = $30/(11*2+11*2) = 68.1 cents per rentalIf you are on the 3/month:
no exchanges = $16/(11*3) = 48.4 cents per rental
limited exchange = $20/(11*3+5) = 52.6 cents per rental
unlimited exchange = $35/(11*3+11*3) = 53 cents per rentalSo, in every single case, adding the exchanges translates into a higher price per disc, and adding the unlimited excahanges is worse than the limited exchanges. But in every case, moving up to the next plan is cheaper.
So, if you have 1+no exchange, you get 11 discs/month. If you go to the unlimited exchange, you now get 22 discs for a higher cost per disc, where as going to the 2 disc no exchange gets you 22 discs for a lower cost per disc. Which one makes more sense from a purely economic standpoint?
Likewise, if you have 2+no exchange, you get 22 discs. Going to unlimited gets you 44 discs for a higher cost. Getting two separate 2+no exchange plans gets you 44 discs for the same cost per month, or getting a 3+none and 1+none gets you 44 for a lower (cost-averaged) cost per disc.
If you are on the 3+none, you get 33 discs. Going to unlimited exchanges gets you 66 for a higher per disc price. Going to two separate 3+none planes gets you the same 66 for the same cost per disc.
So please show me (based on current pricing) in what case the unlimited makes sense financially?
You might want to check to make sure your house isn't made of glass before tossing those idiot stones around
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Re:The difference between branches of piracy...
Generally people who pirate games can not afford more than 1 or 2 games a month. But if they pirate them they can try 10 a month.
If they can afford to buy one game a month, then they can get a membership at Gamefly or their local Blockbuster and play far more games for the same amount of dollars.
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Re:Blockbuster makes you waive thatParent is not correct, at least according to the website:
From the privacy policy
Legal Notices--Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988. Blockbuster supports the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 and will use reasonable commercial efforts to require employee and business partner compliance with the Act.
Now, that's pretty vague, but if you take it at face value (HAH!), it would imply that they don't have you waive your rights under this law.However, they do have some pretty crappy privacy when it comes to any comments you post to their website (ratings and such): From the TOS:
Content submitted to blockbuster.com (including your name) will not be confidential and may be published or disclosed in Blockbuster's sole discretion, without any compensation to you.
By submitting Content, you grant Blockbuster the right to use your submitted name in connection with your Content.
I may just be going back to Netflix... -
Re:Blockbuster makes you waive thatParent is not correct, at least according to the website:
From the privacy policy
Legal Notices--Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988. Blockbuster supports the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 and will use reasonable commercial efforts to require employee and business partner compliance with the Act.
Now, that's pretty vague, but if you take it at face value (HAH!), it would imply that they don't have you waive your rights under this law.However, they do have some pretty crappy privacy when it comes to any comments you post to their website (ratings and such): From the TOS:
Content submitted to blockbuster.com (including your name) will not be confidential and may be published or disclosed in Blockbuster's sole discretion, without any compensation to you.
By submitting Content, you grant Blockbuster the right to use your submitted name in connection with your Content.
I may just be going back to Netflix... -
From Blockbuster's TOSParent is not correct, at least according to the website:
From the privacy policy
Legal Notices Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988. Blockbuster supports the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 and will use reasonable commercial efforts to require employee and business partner compliance with the Act.
Now, that's pretty vague, but if you take it at face value (HAH!), it would imply that they don't have you waive your rights under this law.However, they do have some pretty crappy privacy when it comes to any comments you post to their website (ratings and such): From the TOS
:Content submitted to blockbuster.com (including your name) will not be confidential and may be published or disclosed in Blockbuster's sole discretion, without any compensation to you. Blockbuster may, but is not obligated to, respond to any Content.
By submitting Content, you grant Blockbuster the right to use your submitted name in connection with your Content.
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From Blockbuster's TOSParent is not correct, at least according to the website:
From the privacy policy
Legal Notices Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988. Blockbuster supports the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 and will use reasonable commercial efforts to require employee and business partner compliance with the Act.
Now, that's pretty vague, but if you take it at face value (HAH!), it would imply that they don't have you waive your rights under this law.However, they do have some pretty crappy privacy when it comes to any comments you post to their website (ratings and such): From the TOS
:Content submitted to blockbuster.com (including your name) will not be confidential and may be published or disclosed in Blockbuster's sole discretion, without any compensation to you. Blockbuster may, but is not obligated to, respond to any Content.
By submitting Content, you grant Blockbuster the right to use your submitted name in connection with your Content.
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Re:I knew it...
Uhhhhh. I guess Blockbuster hasn't updated their web site yet. http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/collections/hdDvdPackage
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Re:Yes, but...
I wrote BBOnline about this, and this was the reply they gave me:
Thanks for contacting Blockbuster Online Customer Care.
I'm very sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. When you log in to your BLOCKBUSTER Online account, the site uses "cookies" to determine if you have ever visited Facebook.com. (Cookies: a collection of information, usually including a username and the current date and time, stored on the local computer of a person using the Internet. It is used by websites to identify users who have previously registered or visited the site.)
If cookies detect that you have a Facebook account, regardless of whether or not you have installed the Movie Clique(TM) application, then activities on blockbuster.com such as rating movies or adding movies to your Queue will be sent as notifications to your mini-feed and friends' profiles. You will see a "toast" for each action resulting in a notification. If you want to permanently disable the Facebook integration on blockbuster.com, you can easily change these settings on Facebook by clicking on Privacy Settings for External Websites. Under "Allow these websites to send stories to my profile" for Blockbuster, click "Never" and Save.
You may see a pop-up on blockbuster.com which introduces Movie Clique(TM) encourages you to link your BLOCKBUSTER Online® account to your Facebook profile. If you don't want to see the screen pop anymore, click the "Do Not Show This Again" box and click Save. I hope this information helps, feel free to contact me anytime.
So basically, they snag your facebook cookie, then they add your rental info on your account without asking permission, forcing itself on your account, and announcing away. It's up to you to then uninstall that shit.
BBOnline: See you in court! -
Re:Yes, but...
I wrote BBOnline about this, and this was the reply they gave me:
Thanks for contacting Blockbuster Online Customer Care.
I'm very sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. When you log in to your BLOCKBUSTER Online account, the site uses "cookies" to determine if you have ever visited Facebook.com. (Cookies: a collection of information, usually including a username and the current date and time, stored on the local computer of a person using the Internet. It is used by websites to identify users who have previously registered or visited the site.)
If cookies detect that you have a Facebook account, regardless of whether or not you have installed the Movie Clique(TM) application, then activities on blockbuster.com such as rating movies or adding movies to your Queue will be sent as notifications to your mini-feed and friends' profiles. You will see a "toast" for each action resulting in a notification. If you want to permanently disable the Facebook integration on blockbuster.com, you can easily change these settings on Facebook by clicking on Privacy Settings for External Websites. Under "Allow these websites to send stories to my profile" for Blockbuster, click "Never" and Save.
You may see a pop-up on blockbuster.com which introduces Movie Clique(TM) encourages you to link your BLOCKBUSTER Online® account to your Facebook profile. If you don't want to see the screen pop anymore, click the "Do Not Show This Again" box and click Save. I hope this information helps, feel free to contact me anytime.
So basically, they snag your facebook cookie, then they add your rental info on your account without asking permission, forcing itself on your account, and announcing away. It's up to you to then uninstall that shit.
BBOnline: See you in court! -
Re:Yes, but...
I wrote BBOnline about this, and this was the reply they gave me:
Thanks for contacting Blockbuster Online Customer Care.
I'm very sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. When you log in to your BLOCKBUSTER Online account, the site uses "cookies" to determine if you have ever visited Facebook.com. (Cookies: a collection of information, usually including a username and the current date and time, stored on the local computer of a person using the Internet. It is used by websites to identify users who have previously registered or visited the site.)
If cookies detect that you have a Facebook account, regardless of whether or not you have installed the Movie Clique(TM) application, then activities on blockbuster.com such as rating movies or adding movies to your Queue will be sent as notifications to your mini-feed and friends' profiles. You will see a "toast" for each action resulting in a notification. If you want to permanently disable the Facebook integration on blockbuster.com, you can easily change these settings on Facebook by clicking on Privacy Settings for External Websites. Under "Allow these websites to send stories to my profile" for Blockbuster, click "Never" and Save.
You may see a pop-up on blockbuster.com which introduces Movie Clique(TM) encourages you to link your BLOCKBUSTER Online® account to your Facebook profile. If you don't want to see the screen pop anymore, click the "Do Not Show This Again" box and click Save. I hope this information helps, feel free to contact me anytime.
So basically, they snag your facebook cookie, then they add your rental info on your account without asking permission, forcing itself on your account, and announcing away. It's up to you to then uninstall that shit.
BBOnline: See you in court! -
It's a fair cop...If they'll grant me immunity from prosecution, I'll turn state's evidence on several organizations I know that make copyrighted works available:
These people have been supplying me with copyrighted VHS and DVD movies for years.
These bastards have been doing it with online ordering!
There's another nest of pirates, they call themselves, "a library". Nothing but copyrighted works, from books, to magazines, to DVDs, and more besides!
They just turn a blind eye to the possibilities of copying these works. This "library" even lets you photocopy books, right in front of building! -
blockbuster?
Perhaps if you organized a floor-wide or dorm-wide game swapping club, the liability would be higher.
But do you really think Sony could get a blockbuster settlement out of what amounts to a video game rental cooperative, even if it were campus-wide at one of those state schools?
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Re:It's to be expected really
Uh. The exact same. Try visiting Blockbuster.com once in awhile.
You're way out of date, buddy. Blockbuster has been matching Netflix's service for like a year and a half or more now. -
Day late, dollar short
Sorry Cringely, http://www.blockbuster.com/homepages/LoadBlockbus
t erHomepage.action
Blockbuster is already picking up the Netflix model and supplanting it with free in-store rentals. -
subject
I always wondered when they were going to start doing this. Luckily, they're not the only game in town. Though I would probably feel dirty renting movies through them.
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Re:Gee.. what a shock.
they don't carry unrated? Really?
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Blockbusters "No Late Fees" policy is a scam
so I'm just taking their "No Late Fees" policy to the extreme
Blockbuster is also taking the "No Late Fees" policy to the Extreme. Their "No Late Fees" policy is a scam. Read the Policy. After reading this, am I supposed to feel sorry for them when someone rips the DVD for personal use?
If you don't return the movie within 8 days, your "Rental" automatically becomes a "Purchase". You then have 30 days to return the movie and get a refund for the "Purchase", but you still pay a $1.25-or greater Stocking Fee. Remember -- it's not a "Late Fee", it's a "Stocking Fee".
And that "FUSF Recovery Charge" on your DSL bill is not a "Fee", it's a "Charge" and is governed by different regulation. -
Re:This is the next logic step
An AC calling me a liar and linking to a blank page. Try for yourself. See for yourself how many local Blockbusters carry it in my area.
Blockbuster is (usually) not the place to go if you want to find movies for more than Blockheads. (i.e. Recent releases.) -
Re:This is the next logic step
Somehow I consider that exchange highly unlikely. Especially with the 40th Anniversary Special Edition last year. Dr. Strangelove is not an obscure niche film.
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Re:Late fees indeedBlockbuster is only responding to the Netflix phenomenon. The "No late fees" program from Blockbuster is really not that different than Netflix' program.
It says right there in the billing agreement for Netflix "... we are permitted to bill you
... movies you fail to return ..."Now, a check of Blockbuster's own website gives you their terms.
The terms seem pretty clear to me. If I return a movie up to 7 days late, I will not be charged a late fee. If I return it 8 days late, I pay a $1.25 restock fee as if I returned a movie I didn't like.
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Re:Price PointBlockbuster does not actually censor the films themselves, but they are a powerful player and have exerted their influence in order to get directors to release "R" version of certain films rather than the "NC-17" unedited cut.
However, I think you are wrong about Rogers. The Rogers Video on Lonsdale in North Vancouver has an adult video room with full fledged porn
I also know a local Blockbuster franchise store that stocks the unrated version of Requiem for a Dream. Apparently, only the corporate owned/operated Blockbuster stores (about 82%) have the "no worse than R" policy.
I've never heard of Rogers Video, but I suspect they also have different policies for corporate stores and franchise stores.
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Mod me down!
Okay, it's late... I'm tired. When I went to Blockbuster's site, I saw they had their Netflix-clone deal which has no late fees. Anyway, you're correct... they also have regular rentals as well to which this "mostly no late fees" applies.
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Re:What they are afraid of... or even cheaper (and better service) if you use Blockbuster Online
:P -
There are soooo many to choose from
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Blockbuster takes on Netflix
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Re:Not a good deal at all
Personally I prefer the movie pass that blockbuster is finally offering. You can trade them in at any time, get new or old releases, and browse in person. I've tried most of them and it's simply the best.
Netflix is nice for getting things like Star Trek, but I can't ever seem to get anything from my queue that is newer than a few months old.
Walmart is a shaddy half-assed copy of Netflix not even worth 10 bucks a month. Walmart's library has a poor selection, and shipping times are awful. -
Market Push?
Why does a "market push" usually occur when your food is so bad you have to change your company name or you raise your fees becuase your stock tanked? I'd say that's what's happening here
too... -
Re:$2 at the video store? which oneNo to mention that Blockbuster shares your contact info and viewing preferences with others unless opted-out:
"With the exception of users exercising the opt out opportunity, Blockbuster, its affiliates and franchisees (if permitted by Blockbuster) on occasion may disclose to their business partners certain data such as names and addresses and the genre of products rented or purchased by a person, for the exclusive use of marketing goods and services directly to Users and Members. Under no circumstances will Blockbuster disclose title-specific information to anyone except as allowed by law."
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Re:DVD Newsgroup usage
Good god, man, it's called a membership.
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Re:False Information on these things.What we are surprised by is how many business that DIDNT have an incentive to look the other way obviously did so. Many of these lost money from their unconcern rather than made any.
You have to remember that the information was probably collected by a front line clerk who was working for minimum wage and planned to escape to college ASAP. Either...
the management was populated largely by psychotic trolls (an environment that doesn't breed staff loyalty--I worked in a 'mom & pop' grocery store where the owner was probably bipolar. The managers turned over almost as quickly as the frontline staff; I was the senior cashier there after less than two years; I had more experience than most of the management team);
the clerk was dumb as a rock (I visited a major chain video store--two different outlets of same, actually--and in both cases the clerk couldn't figure the change on a rental from a twenty-dollar bill. Are cash registers purely ornamental?)
or both.
I admit that out of sheer frustration I polluted the database with at least one fake individual--unless members of the Romanov dynasty actually did shop in our store...
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gifts for the non-geek
There are a couple of easy ones that I use and re-use every year always with good results:
In a hurry: Blockbuster Gift Card. Who doesn't go to Blockbuster? Geeks who use Netflix, right? Well stop trying to convert those poor ole simple folk and give them what they need-- a way to pay off that $15 3-day late fee. Another quick gift (if you are REALLY last minute) is an Instant Prepaid Phone Card. Some companies (NobelCom.com springs to mind) will even send out a gift e-mail along with the Access Number and PIN on whatever day the event is-- for instance, have it arrive on someone's birthday. This is a good gift for people who make a lot of International calls (think H1B workers and non-resident aliens), but other than that, you suck if you are so last minute that you have to buy an instant phone card as a gift.
Gourmet Food: Everyone likes to eat tastey things. Try iGourmet.com for a wide selection on everything from wine and cheese to curred ostrich, and try Dans.com for the best chocolates anywhere.
Flowers: Women love flowers. Gay men love flowers. Heck, little girls love flowers. I sent flowers to my 12-year-old niece for her birthday in October and she loved them! KaBloom.com consistantly has the best presentation when you open the box compared to 800flowers or FTD. Too bad their website is kinda hokey.
Designer Apparel: Nothing says "I know style" like a new pair of Gucci, Christian Dior, or Versace glasses. You can get these in stores everywhere (try Sunglass Hut and Solstice), or for the really good stuff, online at eyewearcentre.com. Beware discount vendors like 'EyeSave', and especially stay away from eBay. There are more fake designer glasses on eBay than there are fake Rolexes in a New York Street Vendor's cart-- and even though you probably can't tell, trust me, your mark can and will notice a fake. The most important things when picking designer apparel are: Get something from THIS SEASON'S COLLECTION. Getting last year's stuff on sale will NOT go over well. Make sure this is a color or style that looks ok on your mark. If you are clueless, look at that person's existing favorite clothes, glasses, etc. for reference. For glasses: make sure that you get the right shape for that person's face type. Again, if clueless, look at that person's existing stuff, or see this nice chart. -
Renting Office Space
I agree - Renting Office Space just to get out of the house is a great idea! Plus the cost should be minimal considering its a pretty old movie (it came out in 1999). According to this popular video store, you can even purchase office space on DVD for only $16.98. Im sure using Froogle, you can find it even cheaper. However, renting it will get you out of the house instead of waiting for the mail truck. Oh - you mean real physical office space. Doh!!
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Let's look at the consequences....
A blind belief in technology is just as bad as being a luddite.
Society needs *time* to absorb change. Give a bunch of cavemen an atomic bomb and all you'll get is a big bang, and if you're luck, some of the cavemen might survive and look forward to a life of 3rd degree burns and leukemia.
Right now, we're dealing with the assembly language of life without really knowing much about it. Sure it's fun semi-randomly poking at different memory locations and yes trial and error is how you find out how things work, but you can severely screw up your system if you do that (I'm assuming that life isn't conveniently kind enough to have memory protection). Anyone who has been through the DDT era knows how devastating "miracle cures" can be and how long it takes to recover.
Forget genetics, we're having trouble dealing with the macroscopic things that affect our body. For at least two generations, we've been telling women that they needed hormone replacement therapy. Now that there are a lot of women on HRT, we've finally discovered that HRT is evil and old remedies like a healthy diet, exercise, and suitable knowledge of what's going on is what we should have been doing all a long.
So suppose we develop a successful human clone or even reproduction of two people without the use of an ovary. What are the consequences? For one thing, the "biological clock" is most women wouldn't ring and they'd choose to have children when their in their 40s. This would be especially true if we could create an artificial womb (or find some way of getting cows to be surrogate mothers for humans -- no more morning sickness or lugging around a few kilograms of water in your womb).
If this were discovered today, chances are that 70% of the births would be from this new-birth technology within the next 20 years. (Call these new types of births the new-births, since cloning is just one of many posibilities)
All's well and good, but what if we discover that new-births are (for reasons we can't understand) are infertile, become infertile after catching a cold, or have unviable or deformed children. Or suppose that the new-births are extremely vulnerable to some common virus that is mostly harmless to the rest of us.
We're now faced with an even bigger problem. 70% of the population is either infertile or extremely vulnerable to a common disease.
The tempation is to say, "we'll just use more technology to fix the problem". Maybe it'll help. Maybe it'll make things worse. But if history is any guide, scientists will discover what went wrong and fix the new-birthing process so that the other 30% could have births without the problem. The remaining 70% of the population will be SOL, because cures for anything major tend to take at least a few generations to be developed.
Do you want to gamble with the lives of that many people?
I haven't even gotten to the Gattica-type future that insurance companies and law enforcement would *love* to push on us.
I'm not saying that we should stop genetic innovation. "It's a good thing"[TM]. But we have to realize that we're dealing with the fate of human beings, so we need to go slowly so that we can educate the population and understand the social and genetic implications of what we're doing.
China may be ahead in this race. Let them be. If they want to be the guinea pigs, I'm all for it. Let's watch them and copy *them* for a change once all the bugs have been worked out.
The Malconian Chancellor had the right idea in ST:NG's First Contact. We need to go forward, but with wisdom. Knowledge!=Wisdom. -
Re:Canceled my Interest
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The League of Gentlemen
When a I first read this I thought it was referring to the 1960 'Caper film', The League of Gentlemen directed by Basil Dearden.
Not to be confused with the later 'The League of Gentlemen' nor to be confused with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. No doubt the latter two are making reference to the *original* starring Jack Hawkins (Ben Hur, The Cruel Sea, a favourite - The Plantation owners wife - curiously renamed, 'Outpost in Malaya'.)
You can read the detailed description here. -
Re:Grow up. Seriously.
Wrong it was Titanic, Deep Throat doesn't even make the 20 list (nor does any pornographic movie) don't believe me? Blockbuster...
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Re:What the MPAA did RIGHT
Perhaps if EVERYONE went in and asked for "last temptation of christ" (banned cause it's not christian enough for the owners), we could start a movement.
Strange, because I found it here, which indicates that they both rent and sell "The Last Temptation of Christ". -
Aww Sheeit
Time for me to go psycho Timothy Bottoms style till these guys ease up.
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Re:What's the big deal?It isn't blockbuster, though it wouldn't be too suprising if they used their power to "encourage" movie studios to edit it themselves. From the Blockbuster FAQ:
Does BLOCKBUSTER edit the movies in the store?
No, Blockbuster does not edit the content of its films. We offer all movies for sale or rental in the exact condition we receive them from the movie studios.