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see Gattaca again.

When I hear about people wanting to have a hand in Darwinism by selecting how children should be, I can not wonder what will happen to those who are born to specifications.

If you see how people name their children, I shrudder at the thought of suddenly have a babyboom of thousands of Britney Spears girls.

No matter what you think of her now. Now she is unique. If there are thousands, these kids and later people are not even average, they will be below average, because they are not unique.

It will happen as we want to be all alike.

You are clearly forgetting solution #4 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723/ and #5 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074812/

You are clearly forgetting solution #4 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723/ and #5 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074812/

This reminds me of the "escort" type of robots in the movie Artifical Intelligence: AI. When people refer to automation causing job loss they seem to refer to it in the sense of low level labor or manufacturing. I feel intimate robots who would be self-cleaning (safer health-wise), unable to be impregnated, and agreeable to any act imaginable would wipe out the high and middle prostitution market for "real" people. The low end would likely still see human demand as these robots may be priced out of the market of that segment for some time.

I wonder what impact robots will have on the current legality of prostitution and various taboos like animal/child sex. Will having relations with a cyborg child be illegal or still considered unethical? What about a robot dog?

There is also to ponder the case of the spouse who seeks what some call "strange"; the burning desire to sleep with a person apart from their current partner. Would an intimate session with a robot be an acceptable substitute to both parties? Would a person be justified in feeling cheated upon if their spouse slept with a collection of wires, gears, motors, and software?

you mean this.

No, it's the other Richard Hatch: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0368745/

The enemy soldiers in Iraq are not very good fighers. Our army would rather they attack head on, since all those encounters lead to tremendous losses for the insurgents.

The enemy soldiers in Iraq are not very good fighers. Our army would rather they attack head on, since all those encounters lead to tremendous losses for the insurgents.

"powering her Intel P4 3.73 EE, Asus P5AD2-E premium based test bench."

It will be so much fun to be all in this together now!

If people refuse to give information they will be probably taken to information retrieval.

It seems like Saddam has taken a consultant job for the Bush administration. Since we suck at fighting the revolution in the Middle East Saddam could be a great resource there also.

Eleven? Is that you Nigel?

However, he is now too old to play Indiana Jones. He'll be 65 when this film comes out. That is just to old to convincingly do things like drag under a truck by hanging on to a bullwhip, or to kick butt in hand-to-hand combat. (Yes, I'm aware stuntmen and not actors do these things, but the actor must look the part).

Ford should do the sort of role Sean Connery did in the earlier film, and pass the torch to a new Indy Jr.

But who should that new Indy Jr be?

The aircraft seen crashing in the opening sequence of The Six Million Dollar Man was an M2-F2, a "flying body configuration" built by Northrup. The audio sound effects are from a crash that occurred on May 10, 1967, at Edwards Air Force base in California (although the dialogue heard was recorded by Lee Majors). The test pilot, Bruce Peterson, hit the ground at 250 mph, tumbling six times. He lost use of his right eye and had to stop flying, ending his career. Understandably, Peterson has said that he hated reliving his accident, week after week, courtesy of Steve Austin.

The video game crash has already struck for me. I was born with an Atari 2600 joystick in my hands, but have been a die-hard Nintendo fan since 1985. Unfortunately, Nintendo has been relying on Super Mario, Metroid, and Legend of Zelda for far too long, and now they're in serious trouble. After disappointing droves of Metroid fans by not releasing a kill-the-face-sucking-freak game for the N64, then pissing them all off by making it a lame pseudo-FPS/platformer hybrid on the Gamecube, and making that ridiculous cartoony-looking Zelda game that didn't even feature Link, I don't see them recovering. Seriously, what are they going to do with Mario on their next gen system? Bring back Bob Hoskins? To be perfectly honest, I have a Gamecube only because my wife likes to play all the colorful multiplayer games (all featuring Mario), and the only reason I bought a PS2 is because a few years ago we had stacks and stacks of PS1 games and worn-out VHS tapes, and neither a Playstation nor a DVD player; I have all of 4 PS2 games and only one I ever play is Atari Anthology, and that's only because my Atari 2600 finally gave up the ghost a couple of years ago (rest in peace, old friend...). And you're never going to get a long-time Microsoft-hater like me to buy an XBOX, even if there were games I was remotely interested in. The only next-gen system I'm even thinking about right now is the PS3, and they'd better give me a damn good reason to buy one, or I'm not wasting my money. I hope it's at least a better CD and DVD player than the PS2.

"Leia, do you remember your mother? Your real mother?" (Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086190/quotes) Sorry, try again.

He died nearly 13 years ago.

It's in IMDB as "in production". Vaporous or not.

I suggest you watch the movie by Dino Risi La marcia su Roma, or "the march on Rome", about two blissfully ignorant chaps who, amidst the social turmoil of post-WW1 Italy, join the Fascist party.

They join it because their program was really cool. Serious! They promised the abolishment of monarchy, freedom of speech, abolishment of nobility titles, and the Greatest Promise of them All in Rural Italy, the redistribution of land to farmers. Pretty cool program.

After being busted at the elections with a zero point something percent, the Fascists decide that, if they don't win with democracy, they'll win marching on Rome.

During the March, all the promises gradually wither, and as Mussolini takes power the two, disillusioned and having already striked out all the promises of Fascism, leave. The king is reported saying at the same time: "Ok, let's try these fascists for a few months, shall we?".

Memorable quote from the movie:
(The fascist are attacking a section of the Communist Party. A painting of Karl Marx is being burnt)
Chap: Excuse me, but did not we had freedom of speech in the program?
Fascist squad leader: Of course! but it's this way: they are free to say what they want, but we are also free to beat them for that. If they don't want to say what they want because they are afraid we are going to beat them, their problem.

"Today films have ever more realistic special effects and are getting better at avoiding the pitfals of terminally stupid characters. (except lucas ;pasdlkfja)"

You didn't just say that.... No.... Have you seen Are We There Yet?!

And, are "terminally stupid" characters always bad? I hear the lines of Pvt. Hudson (Bill Paxton) from Aliens being quoted with fondness all the time, and his had to be the very definition of "terminally stupid"! I think you have to look deeper for your answers....

"The fad today seems to be 'Accessable language' no attempt is made at proper english (USAian or UKian). Instead, popular idioms are used who's meaning is obvious and far from deep [...] It only served to remind me how much better Lady Macbeth's dialog was in shakespeare's play."

Shakespear's plays were absolutely LOADED with popular idioms! What's more, if your only complaint about any given movie is that the dialog didn't live up to Shakespear, then I'd say it's probably a good movie.

"I definately agree that the "first three" serve to make the universe and events of the "original three" seem smaller and less significant."

I think time has already done that, and you're looking for a reason that the magic has gone. Long before the new movies came out, I heard people who loved the first three movies saying that they'd gone back to re-watch them, and while they were still fond of them, the flaws were MUCH more obvious. Luke's dialog is... well, it's Lucas dialog. Most of the great lines of the film seem a bit more silly today. The dramatic moments are a little forced. It's still a fun set of films, but it's full of the kind of dialog that makes you wonder how they became some of the most loved films of all time.

If you went into RoTS expecting BETTER, you were setting yourself up for a fall that was rather obvious. If you relaxed and enjoyed the movie and appreciated the very obviously Lucas-written dialog for its blunt charms, then it was actually a lot of fun.

He hasn't heard of a lot of things. Nobody ever has before

He hasn't heard of a lot of things. Nobody ever has before

Someone really needs to put up a web site shaming everyone who's used 9/11 to advance their own interests or to demonize the opposition as terrorists.

From The Demagogue Files...

"Interpol believes there is a significant link between counterfeiting and terrorism in locations where there are entrenched terrorist groups."
--Jack Valenti, MPAA Chief (Source: senate.gov)

"There are also indicators that some associates of terrorist groups may be involved in IPR [Intellectual Property Right] crime"
--Lieutenant John Stedman [View PDF], Sheriff's Department, County of Los Angeles (source: senate.gov)

"Anti-spammers are terrorists at heart and attack websites and email accounts of companies wishing to bring their products and services to the general public via email, an enviromentally sound, REMARKABLE medium!"
--StealthLaunch/PopLaunch, mass-marketing firm
(source: the Register)

The National Education Association is "a terrorist organization"
--Rod Paige, Education Secretary
(source: usatoday.com)

"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say "you helped this happen."
Rev. Pat Robertson, Religious Leader (source: commondreams.org)

[Discussing liberal Federal judges]
"Over 100 years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that's held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings"
[Followup question asks if liberal judges really are the worst threat America has faced in 400 years - worse than Nazi Germany, Japan and the Civil War...]
"Yes, I really believe that,"
Rev. Pat Robertson, Religious Leader (source: nydailynews.com)

[When asked about abortion in the US]
"I think after September 11th the American people are valuing life more and realizing that we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life. And President Bush has worked to say, let's be reasonable, let's work to value life, let's try to reduce the number of abortions, let's increase adoptions. The fundamental difference between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life. It's the founding conviction of our country, that we're endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, the right to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately our enemies in the terror network, as we're seeing repeatedly in the headlines these days, don't value any life, not even the innocent and not even their own," she added."
Karen Hughes, Bush Campaign advisor (source: cnn.com)

"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States"
--Dick Cheney, Vice President of the US (source: about.com)

"America's under attack and so are we."
--Kenneth Lay, CEO, Enron (source: Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room)

Anyone got

i think Christopher Lee will be surprised to learn that he's animated

Want something done in the current Bush administration? Just say the magic word, "Terrorists".

I don't want to come off as a troll but Michael Moore made a very good point when he showed how Americans were afraid of everyone (the cartoon bit) in Bowling for Columbine. Now, instead of african-americans it's the muslims. They are using these scare tactics to get away with all the things they want to do to control and (possibly) spy on everyone (a.k.a. the Patriot Act).

It's frightening.

"there is also an annoying difference between C3PO's voice in the new trilogy and the voice in the original trilogy. The 2 voices are very similar, but they are sufficiently different that I can notice the difference."

Hmm. You'd have to wonder about that, because C3PO is one of the few characters played by the same person (Anthony Daniels) across all six movies:

IV - A New Hope - imdb.com
III - Revenge of the Sith - imdb.com

Methinks perhaps you spotted differences that weren't there?

"there is also an annoying difference between C3PO's voice in the new trilogy and the voice in the original trilogy. The 2 voices are very similar, but they are sufficiently different that I can notice the difference."

Hmm. You'd have to wonder about that, because C3PO is one of the few characters played by the same person (Anthony Daniels) across all six movies:

IV - A New Hope - imdb.com
III - Revenge of the Sith - imdb.com

Methinks perhaps you spotted differences that weren't there?

while [Religion] explains, it cannot predict

This is why I said, for purposes of this discussion anyway, that science could be usefully viewed as a subset or religion, and not vice versa. Prediction is not a goal of all religions, only explaining is. Prediction is a goal of some religions. Moreover, each religion has the burden of at least explaining the effects of science, even as science evolves. But most religions don't stop there--most seek to explain other things, too.

In the context of this article, Science may explain that molten lava, or lichen, or mineral deposits made this glow on Titan (just to keep this on topic). But religion and philosophy are free to go farther, asking whether if there is lichen present, does that mean God had a backup plan in case earth failed, or does that mean there is no God. Either of these positions must be taken on faith since neither can be proven. You may appeal to Ocham's Razor in preferring the "no God" theory, but that is hardly proof.

I'm just saying that science and religion are about Man's basic desire to put the world into a frame of reference, and that some of the questions man asks are not answerable by science, so religion (and, incidentally, philosophy) exist as broader nets to discuss the unanswerable.

Incidentally, in terms of the basic questions Man asks, I always appeal to the set addressed by the Dewey Decimal System. It seems as an indexing system not to be as popular as when I grew up, but I still always liked the questions it asked. Even those who know it may nto know its basis, and may wish to follow that link to understand.

I think you're right that pretty much anything can be religious. If you look at the list of accepted religions in the world, many are pretty much equivalent to believing in the Easter Bunny. I have friends that make up very elaborated theories of a "next life" that don't come from any organized religion. Each person answers the basic questions in a form appropriate to them. The thing people in disparate religions seem to agree on more than the answers are the questions, hence my reference to Dewey above. The fact that there is no set answer is why some people might say the concept is useless. But there are many questions for which there is no set answer that are not useless. Most questions of ethics and morality fall into that category--and it's usually the asking of questions and the search for answers that is important, not the fact of a particular answer.

Required Viewing: Dark Star (particularly the discussions of Phenomenology).

As an aside, there is also an annoying difference between C3PO's voice in the new trilogy and the voice in the original trilogy.

I haven't gone back to listen to the movies to see if there is something odd about C-3PO's voice, but Anthony Daniels has always done his voice.

-prator

GNAA's wish at expressing its displeasure at the re-election of the American lap dog Tony Blair embarked on a plan to demonstrate its frustration to the world.

It was decided to strike at the heart of the American kennel in New York City, the UK consulate. After careful consideration and deliberation by our great executive leaders it was decide that Areems was expendable.

Timecop, blessings be upon him, approached our Latvian charter and recruited Areems for this glorious endeavour. Areems has a history of failure and extreme uselessness; this was his chance to show the GNAA and the world that he was capable of great things.

Unfortunately he could only find a fake hand grenade which was discarded in his bedroom after a webcam orgy session with fellow nigger bedpan.

It is with immense humility that we apologies to all our brothers across the world for the destruction of a flower pot. Areems will be summarily executed and Latvia flushed.

About GNAA:
GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the first organization which gathers GAY NIGGERS from all over America and abroad for one common goal - being GAY NIGGERS.

Are you GAY ?
Are you a NIGGER ?
Are you a GAY NIGGER ?

If you answered "Yes" to all of the above questions, then GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) might be exactly what you've been looking for!
Join GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) today, and enjoy all the benefits of being a full-time GNAA member.
GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the fastest-growing GAY NIGGER community with THOUSANDS of members all over United States of America and the World! You, too, can be a part of GNAA if you join today!

Why not? It's quick and easy - only 3 simple steps!

• First, you have to obtain a copy of GAYNIGGERS FROM OUTER SPACE THE MOVIE and watch it. You can download the movie (~130mb) using BitTorrent.
• Second, you need to succeed in posting a GNAA First Post on slashdot.org, a popular "news for trolls" website.
• Third, you need to join the official GNAA irc channel #GNAA on irc.gnaa.us, and apply for membership.

Talk to one of the ops or any of the other members in the channel to sign up today! Upon submitting your application, you will be required to submit links to your successful First Post, and you will be tested on your knowledge of GAYNIGGERS FROM OUTER SPACE.

If you are having trouble locating #GNAA, the official GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA irc channel, you might be on a wrong irc network. The correct network is NiggerNET, and you can connect to irc.gnaa.us as our official server. Follow this link if you are using an irc client such as mIRC.

If you have mod points and would like to support GNAA, please moderate this post up.

.________________________________________________.
| ______________________________________._a,____ | Press contact:
| _______a_._______a_______aj#0s_____aWY!400.___ | Gary Niger
| __ad#7!!*P____a.d#0a____#!-_#0i___.#!__W#0#___ | gary_niger@gnaa.us
| _j#'_.00#,___4#dP_"#,__j#,__0#Wi___*00P!_"#L,_ | GNAA Corporate Headquarters
| _"#ga#9!01__

Maybe you mean Commando Cody, a hero of Republic movie/tv serials. (Republic, get it?)

It comes from this 1984 movie and its 1984 sequel. As of a few weeks ago, all sequels now have the subtitle "Electric Boogaloo". Personally I'm waiting for "Browser Wars III: The Search For Spock".

It comes from this 1984 movie and its 1984 sequel. As of a few weeks ago, all sequels now have the subtitle "Electric Boogaloo". Personally I'm waiting for "Browser Wars III: The Search For Spock".

Australian actor, Wayne Pygram - who was in Farscape, amongst other things...

I believe he came up with the idea on the ABC comedy show Fridays (a sort of copycat SNL), then wrote a couple of books on the subject.

According to the back cover of the four nearly 20 year-old Sniglets books I have, it says they originated on HBO's "Not Necessarily the News."

Peter Cushing died in 1994. Wonder who they found as a semi-lookalike? The profile and hollow face are unmistakable but you get the feeling Lucas purposely had him walking away to the left so they could avoid having to actually give him dialog (so we wouldn't notice it wasn't Cushing). Or something like that.

Interesting. Never heard about that origin before. Way back in 1958, too.

The first time I noticed it start to turn up was when Speed hit the theaters (circa 1994). But either way, I can't say I've ever heard signs that it's become a commonplace term.

Which is exactly why one could make the case that Ringu should perhaps be considered for the list. It's still the top-grossing horror film in Japanese history (and as the only country to ever be nuked, they know their shit when it comes to horror.)

But The Ring!?!?!?

That would be like honoring Point of No Return over La Femme Nakita or calling the fucking color remake of Psycho a film classic.

Let's get serious here.

Which is exactly why one could make the case that Ringu should perhaps be considered for the list. It's still the top-grossing horror film in Japanese history (and as the only country to ever be nuked, they know their shit when it comes to horror.)

But The Ring!?!?!?

That would be like honoring Point of No Return over La Femme Nakita or calling the fucking color remake of Psycho a film classic.

Let's get serious here.

Fact is, by the time a production makes it to broadcast television, it's made all the money it's going to make.

Not so, There is this movie from this small studio called 'Snow white and the seven dwarves' you might have heard fo the studio, they go by the name of 'Disney'
Now, I know I've seen this movie on Broadcast television, and I don't have a dollar value off hand for what they've made off the VHS and DVD releases of this movie... but the point is, Even though many many people have seen this, even on broadcast TV, they still buy the movie on DVD.

A lot of movies that make it to broadcast are over and done with in terms of resale value, yes, but some companies have invented ways to milk a 'dead cow.' So you see the reason why the United states of Disney* doesn't want you to be able to record broadcast tv is simple, they want to put some movies on tv, while still milking the dvd sales ;)

*= the FCC

I feel stupider for having read that. And I wasn't expecting much, it is commentary on a religious war after all.

I couldn't agree more. In some ways, a showing of Kingdom of Heaven is more on target, entertaining and apropos to the the Windows vs. Mac debate and has representation for the Linux side, too.

"Boy, that escalated quickly... I mean, that really got out of hand fast!"

"...in a knife fight?"

Thwarting body-scanning technology would be simple, he argues. Because of concerns about radiation, body scanners are designed not to penetrate the skin. All that's needed is someone heavily overweight to go through the system, he said. I won't quote him directly on the details; suffice it to say he posits that a weapon or explosives pack could be tucked into flabby body folds that won't be penetrated by the scanner.

Looks like Michael Moore might have a future as a homicide bomber...oh wait, he already did that. :-)

In fact I've also found that I've discovered some amazing films I never would have rented, that I've recommended to friends. Now I know it's wrong to download a movie, but if I'd never pay to watch it, but watch it for free and enjoy and recommend it, how am I hurting anyone?

I mean, who the hell would see Station Agent on the shelf and think it's an IMDB top 250 movie??? I am glad I watched it, and I feel I'm a better person for having seen that movie.

Monsoon wedding (which is a great movie) is NOT a typical bollywood movie and, yes, typical bollywood movies suck - big time. Lagaan (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0282674/) is a pretty famous example of a bollywood movie. Very popular among Indians but a complete waste of 3.5 hours to anyone else.

See:

Initial Hiltzik column: 'Deep Throat' Numbers Just Don't Add Up
Bailey and Barbato (directors, writers, producers of Inside Deep Throat): More Numbers for 'Deep Throat'
a somewhat longer version of their response: 'Throat' Gets Cut, Directors Perform Surgery
Hiltzik then asked them to answer twelve questions which resulted in this column:
Hiltzik: Bad 'Deep Throat' Revenue Numbers Are Multiplying

Ebert also covered Inside Deep Throat in an earlier Movie Answer Man column:
February 20, 2005

GNAA's wish at expressing its displeasure at the re-election of the American lap dog Tony Blair embarked on a plan to demonstrate its frustration to the world.

It was decided to strike at the heart of the American kennel in New York City, the UK consulate. After careful consideration and deliberation by our great executive leaders it was decide that Areems was expendable.

Timecop, blessings be upon him, approached our Latvian charter and recruited Areems for this glorious endeavour. Areems has a history of failure and extreme uselessness; this was his chance to show the GNAA and the world that he was capable of great things.

Unfortunately he could only find a fake hand grenade which was discarded in his bedroom after a webcam orgy session with fellow nigger bedpan.

It is with immense humility that we apologies to all our brothers across the world for the destruction of a flower pot. Areems will be summarily executed and Latvia flushed.

About GNAA:
GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the first organization which gathers GAY NIGGERS from all over America and abroad for one common goal - being GAY NIGGERS.

Are you GAY ?
Are you a NIGGER ?
Are you a GAY NIGGER ?

If you answered "Yes" to all of the above questions, then GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) might be exactly what you've been looking for!
Join GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) today, and enjoy all the benefits of being a full-time GNAA member.
GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the fastest-growing GAY NIGGER community with THOUSANDS of members all over United States of America and the World! You, too, can be a part of GNAA if you join today!

Why not? It's quick and easy - only 3 simple steps!

• First, you have to obtain a copy of GAYNIGGERS FROM OUTER SPACE THE MOVIE and watch it. You can download the movie (~130mb) using BitTorrent.
• Second, you need to succeed in posting a GNAA First Post on slashdot.org, a popular "news for trolls" website.
• Third, you need to join the official GNAA irc channel #GNAA on irc.gnaa.us, and apply for membership.

Talk to one of the ops or any of the other members in the channel to sign up today! Upon submitting your application, you will be required to submit links to your successful First Post, and you will be tested on your knowledge of GAYNIGGERS FROM OUTER SPACE.

If you are having trouble locating #GNAA, the official GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA irc channel, you might be on a wrong irc network. The correct network is NiggerNET, and you can connect to irc.gnaa.us as our official server. Follow this link if you are using an irc client such as mIRC.

If you have mod points and would like to support GNAA, please moderate this post up.

.________________________________________________.
| ______________________________________._a,____ | Press contact:
| _______a_._______a_______aj#0s_____aWY!400.___ | Gary Niger
| __ad#7!!*P____a.d#0a____#!-_#0i___.#!__W#0#___ | gary_niger@gnaa.us
| _j#'_.00#,___4#dP_"#,__j#,__0#Wi___*00P!_"#L,_ | GNAA Corporate Headquarters
| _"#ga#9!01___"#01__40,_"4Lj#!_4#g_________"01_ | 143 Rolloff

This technology has been around since the early 80s.

You're batting 0.000 Howard the Duck wasn't directed by Lucas- although he was executive producer.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091225/fullcredits

In fact, every film George Lucas has ever directed has been a pile of festering crap. Two of his films, Howard the Duck and Ishtar, have become synonymous with bad films in pop culture.

Ishtar was directed by Elaine May. [1]

Star Wars (i.e. "A New Hope"), American Graffiti, and arguably THX-1138 were all good films Lucas directed.