Gas has been over US$3 for a while, and the demand has not subsided. Even if they can produce this product significantly cheaper, they might sell it only at a slight discount to the current offerings.
I thought the dialog was generally was pretty good. If you didn't like the dialog, you probably didn't like the movie, but that could probably be said for most movies (save pr0n?). The dialog was defnintely less melodramatic than in Reloaded (i.e. anything Morpheus said).
The love stuff mostly was a part of lesser theme of the machines not understanding (or starting to understand) human emotions. Love might have been a little over-emphasized, but that's arguably the most important/emphasized emotion in movies and life. For what it's worth, the love theme is present in all 3 chapters...
As far as the scene where Trin croaked, I'll agree that it was excessive and drawn-out, but all in all not a movie breaker by any means. If they'd trimmed out a couple of minutes there it'd been fine.
IF you're reading this thread you're not concerned with SPOILERS. See the damn movie.
This movie was a great conclusion to what reloaded started. It answered everything important, the war ended (not by defeat of the machines as one might have thought though), and Zion can live happily ever after.
My real reason for posting is that no one seems to mention (at least in the +3+ comments) that Neo is (symbolically at least) reinserted into the Matrix. Once that happens, the Matrix is able to restart which is main part of what the Architect blabbered about in Reloaded.
Since I'm here anyway, I really don't think Neo's "connection" with the machines that allowed him to destroy sentinals and "see" any program's physical being/"neurological" pathways needs any further explanation. (Please forget the Matrix in a Matrix theory, Reloaded left that as one possible explanation, but it clearly is not viable now.) Neo has a type of ESP/Telepathy with the machines/Matrix. He's always slightly jacked in.
The other thing I must chime on is Smith's taking over people/programs. He hijacks/"reprograms" people and programs when he sticks his hand in them and turns them black and gooey. I presume he can do this to programs and jacked-in humans. Bane was hacked-in, Smith reprogrammed/overwrote him completely before he "got out", thus taking over. If he could do this to hard-wired people (which he presumable could considering the thousands of him that were there at the end) he could do it to folks hacked-in, too.
Final comment on Smith... since Smith was Neo's antithesis (in a matter-antimatter sense), their union is what destroyed Smith (and probably Neo), not Smith's inability to fully control Neo. Smith couldn't fully control the Oracle though, and her influence encouraged Neo to do what he did to end them by allowing Smith to do his trick to him. If Neo hadn't balanced out the equation, Smith destroys the Matrix, and possibly the Machines (the Machines seemed to think this was possible).
Also, the Zion battle scene.... (I'm unstoppable), the area where most of the fighting took place was at the initial entrance to Zion. The only people there were to kill were those present fighting. The drill machine only towards the end of the hostilities broke through to the next layer.
The Merovingian seemed a little extraneous, but he actually was a vehicle for several things: * Further explanation/insight of/into the Matrix and its programs/programming (unnecessary but interesting). * The meeting of Neo and the Architect. * Recovering otherwise dead Neo from his first use of Machine control/ESP/whatever is power is outside the Matrix in the REAL WORLD (Merv didn't have to be involved, but it was a way to handle it with a known player). * General challenge / adversary for protagonists * Humor / amusing character * Further insight on the philosophical issues at hand (again unnecessary, but enlightening and interesting)
Conclusion: Great sequel to the cliffhanger Reloaded. Better movie then Reloaded with respect to flow/timing and keeping interested. Neither Reloaded nor Revolutions was the movie everyone wanted. For those who liked the fantasy world of Zion and the mysticism surrounding the Matrix and the battle against the Machines with a some light philosophy to boot, this movie (2+3) ruled. For people who wanted the over the top action of 1, 2 was OK and 3 stunk. For those who wanted the simplicity and mystery of 1, 2 & 3 stunk royally.
I really don't think that any important question was left unanswered, as this seems to be the main complaint. What expectations weren't met for those who were disappointed?
I appreciate your long and well-written response. You make very interesting points, but honestly, I'm really missing your main point. I do understand (and of course was fully aware of) all the examples you give for why you say, "America is Fantasyland". (We can stick to arguing about America specifically if you wish.) Yes, our electoral process and the representatives themselves have problems. Yes, people are in more debt than ever. Yes, we are influenced by more sources than people were 100 years ago. However, please pardon my (admitted) lack of powers of observation and tell me why these examples you give constitute fantasyland. If anything, to me they represent a drab reality. But are you suggesting that these realities slip by the average person unnoticed like some grand wool over society's eyes? If so, I don't think you are giving the "average person" very much credit.
As far as your (quoting directly) "personal theory, which you are welcome to rip apart, is that this unprecedented exposure to fictional people creates a false sense of what is normal." I agree with you that fictional people can have some influence on consumers of said fiction, but I disagree with you as to degree of the influence. I believe most (not all) people do separate fiction from reality very well. I also believe that people are most influenced by their parents in childhood and peers in adolescence as has been the case for however many centuries.
My personal theory of what is normal for a person is that other people provide checks (a la checks and balances) to guide you or me as to what is normal. Naturally, what is normal to you might not be normal to me since we are presumably surrounded by different people in our lives. A person who either is never around people or completely ignores other people is more likely to go "off the deep end" (so to speak) due to a lack of checks of what is normal.
Are you just venting in a cynical manner, or do you really believe what you've just said? If so, I'd like to hear a logical argument for your "America is Fantasyland" theory as opposed to this nonsense. Also, I'd appreciate examples of "first world" countries which you do not consider a fantasyland and specific reasons why they are not.
In my opinion, the only Fantasyland I know of in America is in the higher education system. I greatly enjoyed my 5 years in Fantasyland, and I now continue to exist happily in the world of the real.
It seems to me that your gripe might be with something more specific like our economic system or quality of life. Do yourself a favor and try to get to the bottom of what it is that really bothers you and why.
There is an anime store in Atlanta (Duluth) on Pleasant Hill Rd east of 85 (based on the incorrect assumption that I-85 runs North/South). I think the cross street is Club Drive.
Re: discussion that the users who use most bring the most "value" would have a higher (optional) fee. But the cost isn't the value (the comments/community), but rather the operational costs (bandwith, machines, salaries, organizational overhead, etc). The value justifies the cost, and the cost enables the value.
The point of this message: Whatever money they charge is for these costs. The users who bring the most value also consume the most resources. They also probably receive the most value due to their high-level of participation. Considering these users potentially have the most to lose should something happen to slashdot, they naturally have the most to gain (or rather maintain since they already have it) buy sustaining the cost of that value.
They pay you for time and effort you most likely wouldn't give otherwise. Your number 1 goal financially and at work should be retirement, my friend. Or you will just have to keep selling that booty....
Quoth the poster: "What's the point of high speed broadband access if you can't use it to full potential without having to start selling organs to pay the bills?"
The provider might ask the same question. At what point does the cost of offering the service cover the price charged to the customer? In other words, the provider doesn't want to lose his shirt just so Joe Consumer can have service.
I have to agree with you though, $80 is getting a bit expensive for the average home user. The company will also have to temper their need to charge more with what people are really willing to pay!
Cable companies currently cannot charge per TV. How could charging per IP be any different? Also, should I have to pay for my iron's IP address if it never browses the web? Heck, why do they need to know ANYTHING about my home's network.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All worl^Hk and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work ad no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play M^Hmakes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jock a dull boy.
OK.... predicted is stretching it a tad... But in the movie Creepshow, a meteorite hits earth and a strange mold/fungus/something takes over his house (King was the actor in this segment). Creepy....
This could be some really widespread publicity for Slashdot, which in the long run would increase readership. One big article at ZD or CNN + some light follow-up would be much bigger than some small/medium mentions in random articles...
Slashdot Mirror
A war would suit the Pentagon, but it's a difficult sell back home. They tried to sell it last year.
http://www.salon.com/2012/02/14/us_media_takes_the_lead_on_iran/
money is politics (and vice versa)
Gas has been over US$3 for a while, and the demand has not subsided. Even if they can produce this product significantly cheaper, they might sell it only at a slight discount to the current offerings.
I thought the dialog was generally was pretty good. If you didn't like the dialog, you probably didn't like the movie, but that could probably be said for most movies (save pr0n?). The dialog was defnintely less melodramatic than in Reloaded (i.e. anything Morpheus said).
The love stuff mostly was a part of lesser theme of the machines not understanding (or starting to understand) human emotions. Love might have been a little over-emphasized, but that's arguably the most important/emphasized emotion in movies and life. For what it's worth, the love theme is present in all 3 chapters...
As far as the scene where Trin croaked, I'll agree that it was excessive and drawn-out, but all in all not a movie breaker by any means. If they'd trimmed out a couple of minutes there it'd been fine.
IF you're reading this thread you're not concerned with SPOILERS. See the damn movie.
This movie was a great conclusion to what reloaded started. It answered everything important, the war ended (not by defeat of the machines as one might have thought though), and Zion can live happily ever after.
My real reason for posting is that no one seems to mention (at least in the +3+ comments) that Neo is (symbolically at least) reinserted into the Matrix. Once that happens, the Matrix is able to restart which is main part of what the Architect blabbered about in Reloaded.
Since I'm here anyway, I really don't think Neo's "connection" with the machines that allowed him to destroy sentinals and "see" any program's physical being/"neurological" pathways needs any further explanation. (Please forget the Matrix in a Matrix theory, Reloaded left that as one possible explanation, but it clearly is not viable now.) Neo has a type of ESP/Telepathy with the machines/Matrix. He's always slightly jacked in.
The other thing I must chime on is Smith's taking over people/programs. He hijacks/"reprograms" people and programs when he sticks his hand in them and turns them black and gooey. I presume he can do this to programs and jacked-in humans. Bane was hacked-in, Smith reprogrammed/overwrote him completely before he "got out", thus taking over. If he could do this to hard-wired people (which he presumable could considering the thousands of him that were there at the end) he could do it to folks hacked-in, too.
Final comment on Smith... since Smith was Neo's antithesis (in a matter-antimatter sense), their union is what destroyed Smith (and probably Neo), not Smith's inability to fully control Neo. Smith couldn't fully control the Oracle though, and her influence encouraged Neo to do what he did to end them by allowing Smith to do his trick to him. If Neo hadn't balanced out the equation, Smith destroys the Matrix, and possibly the Machines (the Machines seemed to think this was possible).
Also, the Zion battle scene.... (I'm unstoppable), the area where most of the fighting took place was at the initial entrance to Zion. The only people there were to kill were those present fighting. The drill machine only towards the end of the hostilities broke through to the next layer.
The Merovingian seemed a little extraneous, but he actually was a vehicle for several things:
* Further explanation/insight of/into the Matrix and its programs/programming (unnecessary but interesting).
* The meeting of Neo and the Architect.
* Recovering otherwise dead Neo from his first use of Machine control/ESP/whatever is power is outside the Matrix in the REAL WORLD (Merv didn't have to be involved, but it was a way to handle it with a known player).
* General challenge / adversary for protagonists
* Humor / amusing character
* Further insight on the philosophical issues at hand (again unnecessary, but enlightening and interesting)
Conclusion: Great sequel to the cliffhanger Reloaded. Better movie then Reloaded with respect to flow/timing and keeping interested. Neither Reloaded nor Revolutions was the movie everyone wanted. For those who liked the fantasy world of Zion and the mysticism surrounding the Matrix and the battle against the Machines with a some light philosophy to boot, this movie (2+3) ruled. For people who wanted the over the top action of 1, 2 was OK and 3 stunk. For those who wanted the simplicity and mystery of 1, 2 & 3 stunk royally.
I really don't think that any important question was left unanswered, as this seems to be the main complaint. What expectations weren't met for those who were disappointed?
A modern day Al Capone could be brought down for "file sharing", or whatever you want to call it.
I appreciate your long and well-written response. You make very interesting points, but honestly, I'm really missing your main point. I do understand (and of course was fully aware of) all the examples you give for why you say, "America is Fantasyland". (We can stick to arguing about America specifically if you wish.) Yes, our electoral process and the representatives themselves have problems. Yes, people are in more debt than ever. Yes, we are influenced by more sources than people were 100 years ago. However, please pardon my (admitted) lack of powers of observation and tell me why these examples you give constitute fantasyland. If anything, to me they represent a drab reality. But are you suggesting that these realities slip by the average person unnoticed like some grand wool over society's eyes? If so, I don't think you are giving the "average person" very much credit.
As far as your (quoting directly) "personal theory, which you are welcome to rip apart, is that this unprecedented exposure to fictional people creates a false sense of what is normal." I agree with you that fictional people can have some influence on consumers of said fiction, but I disagree with you as to degree of the influence. I believe most (not all) people do separate fiction from reality very well. I also believe that people are most influenced by their parents in childhood and peers in adolescence as has been the case for however many centuries.
My personal theory of what is normal for a person is that other people provide checks (a la checks and balances) to guide you or me as to what is normal. Naturally, what is normal to you might not be normal to me since we are presumably surrounded by different people in our lives. A person who either is never around people or completely ignores other people is more likely to go "off the deep end" (so to speak) due to a lack of checks of what is normal.
In my opinion, the only Fantasyland I know of in America is in the higher education system. I greatly enjoyed my 5 years in Fantasyland, and I now continue to exist happily in the world of the real.
It seems to me that your gripe might be with something more specific like our economic system or quality of life. Do yourself a favor and try to get to the bottom of what it is that really bothers you and why.
If/when you put a song on P2P, put a bunch of commonly searched bands after the song name.
I.e. My Band - My Song (Like Tool, Metallica, Beenie Man, Hank Williams, Shakira, Cheb Khaled).mp3
Give people a chance of finding it.
There is an anime store in Atlanta (Duluth) on Pleasant Hill Rd east of 85 (based on the incorrect assumption that I-85 runs North/South). I think the cross street is Club Drive.
> How many of Microsoft's first products have been losers?
What about Bob?
The point of this message: Whatever money they charge is for these costs. The users who bring the most value also consume the most resources. They also probably receive the most value due to their high-level of participation. Considering these users potentially have the most to lose should something happen to slashdot, they naturally have the most to gain (or rather maintain since they already have it) buy sustaining the cost of that value.
They pay you for time and effort you most likely wouldn't give otherwise. Your number 1 goal financially and at work should be retirement, my friend. Or you will just have to keep selling that booty....
The provider might ask the same question. At what point does the cost of offering the service cover the price charged to the customer? In other words, the provider doesn't want to lose his shirt just so Joe Consumer can have service.
I have to agree with you though, $80 is getting a bit expensive for the average home user. The company will also have to temper their need to charge more with what people are really willing to pay!
A real use for two button pointing devices: binary typewriters!!!!
Cable companies currently cannot charge per TV. How could charging per IP be any different? Also, should I have to pay for my iron's IP address if it never browses the web? Heck, why do they need to know ANYTHING about my home's network.
Sigs are for naught.
Why can't strategies like this be targetted at spammers? That would REALLY make the world a better place...
X-X-Box
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All worl^Hk and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work ad no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play M^Hmakes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jock a dull boy.
OK.... predicted is stretching it a tad... But in the movie Creepshow, a meteorite hits earth and a strange mold/fungus/something takes over his house (King was the actor in this segment). Creepy....
This could be some really widespread publicity for Slashdot, which in the long run would increase readership. One big article at ZD or CNN + some light follow-up would be much bigger than some small/medium mentions in random articles...