Is that even after you've spent weeks and even months into beating the game over and over again, getting many many hours of entertainment from a measly ~$40 initial investment, and no further monthly fees for playing on their busy servers, you still enjoy it and want to keep playing.
Fortunatly for Blizzard, their druglike secret formula is frequently strong enough to keep players splashing around in a shithole post-game indefinitly.
"Scheduled to ship in March, the DirecTV combination HD receiver and PVR will cost a staggering $1,000. Cable, again, is about to trump TiVo. Motorola and Scientific Atlanta are readying their own HD set-top boxes, which will again be free to use and will cost about $10 a month to rent."
plus Daily Show, South Park, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,... OK that's about it. But that's three examples of excellent original programming, which is three more than most channels. And the Conan replays are quite convenient.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about Cartoon Network though. Half of the space on my ReplayTV is Adult Swim shows (you left out Harvey Birdman and Futurama).
Erm, this is a primary vote. Registered Republicans get to choose between Republican party candidates, Democrats choose between the Democrat candidates, etc. etc. I don't think there are any offices where different parties are going head to head, unless at your local level.
I learned this the hard way--I forgot that I was still registered as a Green. Maybe five offices had candidates, three of those were unopposed, and most of the rest were write-ins. Sigh.
As for Replay... these companies have got to stop with the fucking bait-and-switch routine. This is the precise reason I'll never consider a subscription-based PVR. It was too easy to see it coming. It's also too easy to just buy the parts for the computer that I need to make it happen there. (Where it belongs, IMHO.)
How is it bait-and-switch? If I read things correctly, they are not going to nerf existing models, just not offer the feature(s) in the next one. If you want what they offer now, buy one. I got a 5000-series RTV over Christmas and use it all the time. I have some issues with the interface, but supposedly there us an upgrade coming that should copy a few more useful Tivo features.
Personally I'd love to see actual versions of the comics in the novel, "The Escapist" and "The Golem". Back when it won the Pulitzer, there were lots of discussions on comics adaptations, and IMO the best idea I read was Dave Sim doing "The Golem" after Cerebus ends.
As for LoEG, by all means read the graphic novel, it is beautiful, creative and entertaining. Based on the latest script I suspect the movie will be none of the three.
As for other graphic novels, you can't go wrong with anything written by Moore, Neil Gaiman, Brian Bendis, David Mack, Warren Ellis, Grant Morrison, Brian Azzarello, Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, Kazuo Koike, or Katsuhiro Otomo. And that's without lookign at my bookshelf.
Get rid of those Canadian's pesky social health care idea (even though in ever poll conducted, over 50% of questioned American's have expressed a want of government funded health care. Politicians still call such a proposition 'political suicide').
Well, in our current system, listening to voters instead of the {health care, energy, agriculture, etc.} industry is political suicide.
KALX, UC Berkeley's station, streams if you aren't within a mile or two of campus (90.7 FM for locals). It's easy to find some DJs/shows that focus on your preferred genres, although I look forward to new experiences. Good times.
Regarding memories, I don't remember what the authors said about any specific age, but they recommended a way to strengthen the neural "muscles" used in self-memory: Basically, make it a habit to ask the child every day to retrace where they've been and what they've done in some detail, it trains their senses of spatial and sequential relationships. This can be started before they can even talk...the authors suggest teaching simple pantomimes/sign language to allow toddlers to express themselves.
I worked on a (failed) campaign finance reform campaign for the California state elections in 1996, where we frequently argued both sides of these issues, and from that I believe there is a solution that avoids the "free speech" can of worms altogether.
If public television and radio stations like PBS and NPR (is CSPAN privately owned?) were to broadcast multiple open debates and position platforms, expensive advertising campaigns would be redundant and much less effective. Why impose constitutionally-iffy spending limits, when we can render campaign donations irrelevant? The main reason candidates need to waste so much time raising funds in the first place is the cost of television spots...if they were guaranteed several chances to make their case on public television, then anyone's message could be on equal footing with that of the millionaires. This would also redress current debate scandals, and force candidates to focus on actual issues instead of mudslinging.
I know this isn't a complete solution, but is there any reason not to implement it? I think the benefits are pretty evident.
I think the main reason Akira "blew away" people, especially in the U.S., is that it was their introduction to non-Saturday-morning anime. Of course there are superior films, but it was the first one to be widely distributed here, AFAIK. For some people, it's held in such high regard only because they haven't seen anything since then.
BTW I just finished the recently-released manga translation, and it is excellent...well worth the $100 or so for all 6 books.
The Akira animated film was an adaptation of the far-superior manga epic. (The film could only squeeze about 1/4 of the full story into the two-hour format).
Despite its divergence from the original format/story, the film still kicked ass. There's no reason that a further adaptation to a different format won't also be successful (Actually, based on what I've read about LoEG and my knowledge of Hollywood in general, there are several, but I'm willing to reserve my judgment until I see it).
Read the original Series! 6 hefty volumes of insanity, drugs, mass destruction, and clown gangs. If you are lucky, your local library might even have it (request it if they don't).
My netflix turnaround here in Berkeley, CA, is eerily fast. Several times in the last month I've dropped a DVD off right before the 5pm pickup in a mailbox across the street, and been emailed the next morning that it has been received.
The Virtually Indestructible Keyboard caught my eye last week. Basically its a sealed silicon mat with raised keys, you can fold it/roll it/douse it/etc. An interesting option for wearables.
It's nice and silent, but I've been using it for over a week and haven't been able to get up to speed. Main gripes: the keys require too much pressure, and they seem spaced too far apart.
Someone else may be interested, though.
Slashdot Mirror
wrecked its economy by going too far with some socialistic ideals!?!?!?
The California *I* live in was wrecked due to horrifically ill-advised energy deregulation.
Damn those "socialists" and their free market!
Is that even after you've spent weeks and even months into beating the game over and over again, getting many many hours of entertainment from a measly ~$40 initial investment, and no further monthly fees for playing on their busy servers, you still enjoy it and want to keep playing.
Fortunatly for Blizzard, their druglike secret formula is frequently strong enough to keep players splashing around in a shithole post-game indefinitly.
You understand what "post-game" means, right?
Just because there isn't (proof of) ballot-stuffing doesn't mean our election system isn't broken.
"Scheduled to ship in March, the DirecTV combination HD receiver and PVR will cost a staggering $1,000. Cable, again, is about to trump TiVo. Motorola and Scientific Atlanta are readying their own HD set-top boxes, which will again be free to use and will cost about $10 a month to rent."
plus Daily Show, South Park, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, ... OK that's about it. But that's three examples of excellent original programming, which is three more than most channels. And the Conan replays are quite convenient.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about Cartoon Network though. Half of the space on my ReplayTV is Adult Swim shows (you left out Harvey Birdman and Futurama).
Erm, this is a primary vote. Registered Republicans get to choose between Republican party candidates, Democrats choose between the Democrat candidates, etc. etc. I don't think there are any offices where different parties are going head to head, unless at your local level.
I learned this the hard way--I forgot that I was still registered as a Green. Maybe five offices had candidates, three of those were unopposed, and most of the rest were write-ins. Sigh.
As for Replay... these companies have got to stop with the fucking bait-and-switch routine. This is the precise reason I'll never consider a subscription-based PVR. It was too easy to see it coming. It's also too easy to just buy the parts for the computer that I need to make it happen there. (Where it belongs, IMHO.)
How is it bait-and-switch? If I read things correctly, they are not going to nerf existing models, just not offer the feature(s) in the next one. If you want what they offer now, buy one. I got a 5000-series RTV over Christmas and use it all the time. I have some issues with the interface, but supposedly there us an upgrade coming that should copy a few more useful Tivo features.
Respect.
err, actually, it's us in the US with the ridiculous gas prices, subsidized (see this also) to keep us happy.
Lucky you. I could wallpaper a small room with all the unsolicited return address labels I've received.
Damn you, veterans, damn you all to hell!
Personally I'd love to see actual versions of the comics in the novel, "The Escapist" and "The Golem". Back when it won the Pulitzer, there were lots of discussions on comics adaptations, and IMO the best idea I read was Dave Sim doing "The Golem" after Cerebus ends.
As for LoEG, by all means read the graphic novel, it is beautiful, creative and entertaining. Based on the latest script I suspect the movie will be none of the three.
As for other graphic novels, you can't go wrong with anything written by Moore, Neil Gaiman, Brian Bendis, David Mack, Warren Ellis, Grant Morrison, Brian Azzarello, Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, Kazuo Koike, or Katsuhiro Otomo. And that's without lookign at my bookshelf.
Well, in our current system, listening to voters instead of the {health care, energy, agriculture, etc.} industry is political suicide.
Off-topic and proud of it,
KALX, UC Berkeley's station, streams if you aren't within a mile or two of campus (90.7 FM for locals). It's easy to find some DJs/shows that focus on your preferred genres, although I look forward to new experiences. Good times.
It expires tomorrow (Dec 31), but right now with rebates you can get a ReplayTV 5040 (40 GB, ethernet) with lifetime subscription for $450.
That's reasonable enough for me to give it a shot...I hope my wife appreciates a surprise Kwanzaa present.
Baby Minds: Brain-building Games Your Baby Will Love is a fascinating read, and not just for those of us breeding armies of ubernerds.
Regarding memories, I don't remember what the authors said about any specific age, but they recommended a way to strengthen the neural "muscles" used in self-memory: Basically, make it a habit to ask the child every day to retrace where they've been and what they've done in some detail, it trains their senses of spatial and sequential relationships. This can be started before they can even talk...the authors suggest teaching simple pantomimes/sign language to allow toddlers to express themselves.
Heh. I'm December 76, and the one thing I remember is complaining to my mom that the music was too loud in one scene with Vader in Bespin.
www.bmwfilms.com, of course. My favorites are Guy Ritchie's and Ang Lee's under the "Season 1" link. Good times.
I worked on a (failed) campaign finance reform campaign for the California state elections in 1996, where we frequently argued both sides of these issues, and from that I believe there is a solution that avoids the "free speech" can of worms altogether.
If public television and radio stations like PBS and NPR (is CSPAN privately owned?) were to broadcast multiple open debates and position platforms, expensive advertising campaigns would be redundant and much less effective. Why impose constitutionally-iffy spending limits, when we can render campaign donations irrelevant? The main reason candidates need to waste so much time raising funds in the first place is the cost of television spots...if they were guaranteed several chances to make their case on public television, then anyone's message could be on equal footing with that of the millionaires. This would also redress current debate scandals, and force candidates to focus on actual issues instead of mudslinging.
I know this isn't a complete solution, but is there any reason not to implement it? I think the benefits are pretty evident.
I think the main reason Akira "blew away" people, especially in the U.S., is that it was their introduction to non-Saturday-morning anime. Of course there are superior films, but it was the first one to be widely distributed here, AFAIK. For some people, it's held in such high regard only because they haven't seen anything since then.
BTW I just finished the recently-released manga translation, and it is excellent...well worth the $100 or so for all 6 books.
My netflix turnaround here in Berkeley, CA, is eerily fast. Several times in the last month I've dropped a DVD off right before the 5pm pickup in a mailbox across the street, and been emailed the next morning that it has been received.
The Virtually Indestructible Keyboard caught my eye last week. Basically its a sealed silicon mat with raised keys, you can fold it/roll it/douse it/etc. An interesting option for wearables.
It's nice and silent, but I've been using it for over a week and haven't been able to get up to speed. Main gripes: the keys require too much pressure, and they seem spaced too far apart. Someone else may be interested, though.