During the holidays, I went with a girlfriend of mine to see Sherlock Holmes.
That was pretty much the first time I"d been to a movie theater to see a movie since Spiderman 1.
I just don't usually go to a theater for many of the reasons you mentione.
I also seem to have a MUCH better soundsystem than most theaters, I have good viewing equipment, can be alone or just have friends over...I have the kitchen near by, I can pause the movie whenever need be, and most importantly, I have a fully stocked BAR nearby too.
Frankly, I don't see much a reason to to out to a theater unless it is the rare movie that you really need to see larger than 100"...
"Never said that consumer HD camcorders do not exist- I'm just saying I am not willing to shell out 700$ for it, because anything less is sub-standard. A more realistic price is 400$. It's the future already!"
Different points of view of economics I guess.
I'd never think $400-$700 was too much for a quality video camera. I'm not what I'd consider an early adopter, but, seems most all of my video cameras over the years, especially the early ones..were in the $1K or so range.
So, I'd consider anything sub $1K to be a reasonable price for a quality HD camera, especially with HD still being relatively new still.
"Maybe it's about time that the standard consumer camcorder takes video in full HD for a decent price?"
I'm seeing HD camcorders for standard consumers all over the place? I'm looking at good Cannon ones (Vixia series), in the $499(refurb) to $699 price range. From what I can tell from the specs...they do take images in full HD???
I guess I'm missing you point....looks to me like there are several HD camcorders out there and decent prices...
"My job (and career) is a great deal more than "what i do to get money", It is (usually) my #1 priority, a large part of my identity..."
Hey, its a free country, and more power to you.
However, I do feel for people like you who feel that strongly about a job...that it is your identity thing.
I feel for you because I've seen people get absolutely devastated when they lose their job, getting laid off or fired. Getting fired REALLY has sent some people I know near the deep end because the identified their job and a part of 'them'.
I never understood why losing a job was so heartbreaking to some people, till I found out some people feel like you do, that the job was what was a 'part of their identity'.
Like I said, more power to you...but, I find I identify myself by....myself. Not by others, not by situations, not by jobs, nothing really external. I like my personality, I like living my lifestyle...I like life. My job, while I do enjoy it...is nothing more than a means to an end to me. I've lost jobs..sure it was a downer for a day or so, but, I didn't get REALLY depressed or even that upset, as that would have slowed me down finding the next great opportunity. I guess this is one of the reasons I like contracting. I like the jobs, they don't get boring...good money, and they don't last forever. I took 7 months off recently, and the time off was great.
I know from that long spell...that if I were to win the lottery tomorrow and never have to work again....
"One of my friends heard from his friend that his uncle's coworker heard that the Courier will be offered at a significantly marked-down price,,,"
My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass-out at 31 Flavors last night.
Ok, does anyone know why these idiot gang members always hold their pistols sideways?? I mean, no wonder they have to spray entire clips when they shoot since they can't possibly aim a damned gun...
That just always puzzled me. That and why the hell criminals like them, who often have a need to RUN from the law, wear baggy oversized pants that drop down to their knees when they try to run off, impeding their speed and agility (having to hold them up with one hand while running)??
I know that no one said criminals, especially gangbangers had to be especially bright, but, c'mon.
Nice rant of yours by the way...very funny and imaginative.
"In the UK at least, working at *most* 6 hours of an 8 hour day is a *legal requirement*.
All people using VDUs must take at least 1 hour for lunch, and at least 1 half hour break in any session longer than 2 hours IIRC. That leaves you with only 6 hours in an 8 hour day left."
You mean over there, these breaks "count" as work time???
That's interesting...to me, what you describe...would end up being a 10 hour day. 8 hours of work plus 2 hours for lunch and other breaks.
Glad i don't have those mandates. I generally eat my lunch I bring at my desk...so it is a 'working lunch'. That way, I feel ok in charging for time (like when you have a working meeting). If I leave for lunch off campus...then, I work an extra hour or whatever to make up for the time I'm away.
I believe in breaks, but I've never heard of them counted as 'work hours'.
"I've heard of the 5pm rule, where after 5 you stop work and just talk to people. "
????
I'm out the fscking door by 5pm...?
I'm not hanging around after work just to talk to co-workers. If they wanna meet me at the bar, ok, but, I'm not hanging around work any longer than I have to...certainly not for 'free' for any reason.
"Yes. And I bet you do to, but you just don't know it. If you have to badge-in to get in your office, you are clocking in. And don't kid yourself that HR doesn't check those records. We recently used them to let go of an individual who regularly couldn't be reached but claims he was coming to work."
Some jobs yes...some jobs no.
I know at some places, they do NOT want to know...as that often they might find people are working actually MORE hours than are being billed, and it is a big no-no to do free work for the govt...by govt law.
I also have worked with some people that worked that system up, and know for a fact this was the case.
I think it is mostly for security...never really had to do that much till post 9/11 with badging in/out of buildings. Unless you are really trying to defraud the company/govt...they aren't looking at that data.
"You're more productive when you're working on something you care about. Which is also a valuable lesson for companies: they need to make their employers care about the project they're working on. They need to feel involved, and not just cogs in a machine. Make their input count. That sort of stuff.
A co-worker at my previous job said his work there felt like free time. He happily worked nights and weekends..."
Well, this is good to a point.
Yes, they do say when you have a job you enjoy, you never work a day in your life, and I too adhere to that.
However, you gotta remember a job is a JOB, and nothing more. It enables you to have the means to have the life you wish OUTSIDE of work. Your time is valuable, that's why they pay you handsomely, but, make sure your #1 priority is YOUR private time to do what you wish (travel, chase women, have kids, spend quality time with friends and family). If all you have is work, that is kinda sad actually, and most people should take a serious look at this situation and try to reacess what is important in life.
Remember, life is short. I kinda doubt many people on their deathbed are complaining that they didn't get enough time in at the office...
"Good points, and I guess that is why other game vendors (Valve) offer dedicated servers for download. You can install those on some rented server at an ISP which has a much better internet connection than at your home. This way, the game vendor has to support only the matchmaking service which is presumably much cheaper to run - Valve still supports Half-Life 1 under Steam which is 10 years old. The obvious downside is that you pay for the game server. But I still like this model better than having my games killed after a year."
Can you set up your own server rather than at a rented server at an ISP?
I have a business connection at home, no caps, pretty good speed up and down...hell, maybe I could rent out server space on boxes I have cheaply to others. Hmm...
"While it's impossible for you to realize that the common factor is indeed you, it is. I've been there done that. Everyone around me was insisting that I was "selecting" them, and I was insistent otherwise. What brought it into perspective for me was a conversation with a roomate. He was raised in a family full of alcoholics. And he claimed that he could "sense" if someone was an alcoholic. He couldn't explain how, other than just to say that he could. He suggested that it was mostly speech patterns and body language, but also said it was just a "feeling" Having spent time with him I think he indeed could quickly pick up on this. I have since come to the conclusion that we all to some extent or another intuit or know things about others around us that we are not always consciously aware of. In fact some of us are *Oblivious* to it. It's possible for a guy to be attracted to alcoholics or Borderline personalities and not even know it. People don't generally have sex with those they don't find attractive. In fact it's pretty much impossible to line up sex partners without a whole host of selection biases showing up. I now have a firm handle on whatever I was finding "attractive" in my old partners, and i don't find them attractive any longer (for the most part) Instead sometime's I'll see a woman and I'll think "now that right there, that's one crazy ass bitch. Come at you with a steak knife crazy...." And you know what, I would place good money on me being right. There are plenty of crazies of all different sorts out there, it's not hard to find lots and lots of them."
Interesting thoughts, but not sure how it would go with women I meet...I'm not looking to get to know them or have a relationship, I date the pretty much ONLY by how they look, and how they are in bed.
It is only when I stay with one long enough to start to actually listen and get to know her, that I find out the 'crazy' parts...I drop them and go on after that.
""Well...date enough chicks over the years and I think you'll come to agree that most of them have some kind of a problem""
"hmmm... what is the one common factor in all your dates?"
Aside from them being female and single, not any one common factor I've seen really.
I am a bit older, and so are they...and you start to see more problems in single chicks that are older..it does seem to be more common.
But, even the divorced or out of relationship ones...the 'craziness' starts to shine through at some point, although maybe not quite as pronounced as in chicks that have never settled down (psychotic is often the reason I think they never got hitched or long term hooked up).
But I've dated all kinds...all hair colors, many different levels of life (wealth and education). I've never dated outside my race (Caucasian), but that's really all I've ever been attracted to. But, I've talked to friends of other races...and it seems they quite often coorobaorate my findings on all chicks having some type of problems/hangups.
Yeah, but on the other hand, you do have to have a bit of Caveat emptor. I mean, there is a sucker born every minute, and a fool and his money are soon parted.
I guess I'm saying...if you are too stupid to stop, research and think a little bit on purchase of things you don't know that much about (hell, even on stuff you DO know), then you deserve to get what you get.
If someone is an idiot, and is more than willing to give me lots of money, I'm not gonna stop him.
Err...who cares? As long as you get yours...right?
:)
Actually, I joke...it is fun to get chicks off too, just more of a challenge. Guys? We're easy...I wonder why women are so hard to get off though, in general? I know some chicks...will cum just with a good fucking, but, then lots of others, you need a couple hours and heavy machinery.
If I happen to stick with a single girl for awhile...I make a deal. That night sex, is for them. I'll do what I have to as long as they want to get them off...(I'll get off too). However, my time is morning time....morning sex. It is all about me on that one...I get up, get in and bang off once or twice...this works out especially well before work. But no having to bother with cuddling, hugging...again, that is for her time at night.
I figure it is fair, and I always wake up with a smile on my face. Good morning, >BANG, what's for breakfast?
"The problem most of us have with the American mindset is that they blindly run from government and straight into the arms of corporations..."
I don't think that is quite the status quo for US mindset.
I think most of us (prefer to) run blindly from the government AND the corporations...especially since it is becoming clearer that they are one is the same pretty much.
Trouble is...with that powerful of a combo, it is getting harder for the common citizen to stop the govt/corp machine from running roughshod over our rights and freedoms.
"and some sort of licensing structure to positively identify users. "
I hear ya.
I mean, I don't have to have a license to own a handgun, nor do I have to register one with my state or federal govt....why should I need a license to just access the internet?
"The only argument you make that still stands agains this is the maid, kid or other person with physical access to your card... But physical security (a.k.a. keep your ID on you at all times) will help against that. And if you really want to solve it add a PIN code (or passphrase) needed to 'decrypt' the private key inside the cards chip... I don't know how secure that will be unless you add real self-destruct capability to the chip when you fail too often."
My question is more basic than this.
WHY do I need to be identified like this in the first place? There are very few events I participate in life where I need to be positively identified, and most of the time, no one...especially the government...has a need to know basis of who I am or what my activities are. They do need to know me for tax purposes...and that's about it.
Otherwise, there is no need to have this type of identification...and the more you have it, the more they and everyone out there will find to 'require' you to provide it.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm confused...I thought Blockbuster went out of business?
Everyone I've seen in a few cities, have people on the streets in front of them with going out of business sales...?
That was pretty much the first time I"d been to a movie theater to see a movie since Spiderman 1.
I just don't usually go to a theater for many of the reasons you mentione.
I also seem to have a MUCH better soundsystem than most theaters, I have good viewing equipment, can be alone or just have friends over...I have the kitchen near by, I can pause the movie whenever need be, and most importantly, I have a fully stocked BAR nearby too.
Frankly, I don't see much a reason to to out to a theater unless it is the rare movie that you really need to see larger than 100"...
Different points of view of economics I guess.
I'd never think $400-$700 was too much for a quality video camera. I'm not what I'd consider an early adopter, but, seems most all of my video cameras over the years, especially the early ones..were in the $1K or so range.
So, I'd consider anything sub $1K to be a reasonable price for a quality HD camera, especially with HD still being relatively new still.
You can do the same at a bar.....and you don't get tired of having the same old chick every night.
That and when you get tired of her (or she gets fat), you can upgrade to a better model, and not risk losing half your shit you own.
But hey...to each his own!!
I'm seeing HD camcorders for standard consumers all over the place? I'm looking at good Cannon ones (Vixia series), in the $499(refurb) to $699 price range. From what I can tell from the specs...they do take images in full HD???
I guess I'm missing you point....looks to me like there are several HD camcorders out there and decent prices...
My first thought was how this would REALLY revolutionize the pr0n industry!!!
Hey, its a free country, and more power to you.
However, I do feel for people like you who feel that strongly about a job...that it is your identity thing.
I feel for you because I've seen people get absolutely devastated when they lose their job, getting laid off or fired. Getting fired REALLY has sent some people I know near the deep end because the identified their job and a part of 'them'.
I never understood why losing a job was so heartbreaking to some people, till I found out some people feel like you do, that the job was what was a 'part of their identity'.
Like I said, more power to you...but, I find I identify myself by....myself. Not by others, not by situations, not by jobs, nothing really external. I like my personality, I like living my lifestyle...I like life. My job, while I do enjoy it...is nothing more than a means to an end to me. I've lost jobs..sure it was a downer for a day or so, but, I didn't get REALLY depressed or even that upset, as that would have slowed me down finding the next great opportunity. I guess this is one of the reasons I like contracting. I like the jobs, they don't get boring...good money, and they don't last forever. I took 7 months off recently, and the time off was great.
I know from that long spell...that if I were to win the lottery tomorrow and never have to work again....
I'd never work again.
My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass-out at 31 Flavors last night.
I guess it's pretty serious.
Ok, does anyone know why these idiot gang members always hold their pistols sideways?? I mean, no wonder they have to spray entire clips when they shoot since they can't possibly aim a damned gun...
That just always puzzled me. That and why the hell criminals like them, who often have a need to RUN from the law, wear baggy oversized pants that drop down to their knees when they try to run off, impeding their speed and agility (having to hold them up with one hand while running)??
I know that no one said criminals, especially gangbangers had to be especially bright, but, c'mon.
Nice rant of yours by the way...very funny and imaginative.
At least for coding and database work...never really have had to use much math, at least not any higher math.
All people using VDUs must take at least 1 hour for lunch, and at least 1 half hour break in any session longer than 2 hours IIRC. That leaves you with only 6 hours in an 8 hour day left."
You mean over there, these breaks "count" as work time???
That's interesting...to me, what you describe...would end up being a 10 hour day. 8 hours of work plus 2 hours for lunch and other breaks.
Glad i don't have those mandates. I generally eat my lunch I bring at my desk...so it is a 'working lunch'. That way, I feel ok in charging for time (like when you have a working meeting). If I leave for lunch off campus...then, I work an extra hour or whatever to make up for the time I'm away.
I believe in breaks, but I've never heard of them counted as 'work hours'.
????
I'm out the fscking door by 5pm...?
I'm not hanging around after work just to talk to co-workers. If they wanna meet me at the bar, ok, but, I'm not hanging around work any longer than I have to...certainly not for 'free' for any reason.
Some jobs yes...some jobs no.
I know at some places, they do NOT want to know...as that often they might find people are working actually MORE hours than are being billed, and it is a big no-no to do free work for the govt...by govt law.
I also have worked with some people that worked that system up, and know for a fact this was the case.
I think it is mostly for security...never really had to do that much till post 9/11 with badging in/out of buildings. Unless you are really trying to defraud the company/govt...they aren't looking at that data.
A co-worker at my previous job said his work there felt like free time. He happily worked nights and weekends..."
Well, this is good to a point.
Yes, they do say when you have a job you enjoy, you never work a day in your life, and I too adhere to that.
However, you gotta remember a job is a JOB, and nothing more. It enables you to have the means to have the life you wish OUTSIDE of work. Your time is valuable, that's why they pay you handsomely, but, make sure your #1 priority is YOUR private time to do what you wish (travel, chase women, have kids, spend quality time with friends and family). If all you have is work, that is kinda sad actually, and most people should take a serious look at this situation and try to reacess what is important in life.
Remember, life is short. I kinda doubt many people on their deathbed are complaining that they didn't get enough time in at the office...
Wow, this struck me as strange...last time I actually 'punched a clock', it was working food service.
Seriously, does anyone in a professional job (I generally consider IT to be pro work, I get pro PAY for it) actually clock in and out??
I've worked W2 and 1099...and I've not had to deal with a time clock in decades.
Can you set up your own server rather than at a rented server at an ISP?
I have a business connection at home, no caps, pretty good speed up and down...hell, maybe I could rent out server space on boxes I have cheaply to others. Hmm...
My first thoughts were "We've offshored out SS to Antigua!?!??".
Interesting thoughts, but not sure how it would go with women I meet...I'm not looking to get to know them or have a relationship, I date the pretty much ONLY by how they look, and how they are in bed.
It is only when I stay with one long enough to start to actually listen and get to know her, that I find out the 'crazy' parts...I drop them and go on after that.
"hmmm ... what is the one common factor in all your dates?"
Aside from them being female and single, not any one common factor I've seen really.
I am a bit older, and so are they...and you start to see more problems in single chicks that are older..it does seem to be more common.
But, even the divorced or out of relationship ones...the 'craziness' starts to shine through at some point, although maybe not quite as pronounced as in chicks that have never settled down (psychotic is often the reason I think they never got hitched or long term hooked up).
But I've dated all kinds...all hair colors, many different levels of life (wealth and education). I've never dated outside my race (Caucasian), but that's really all I've ever been attracted to. But, I've talked to friends of other races...and it seems they quite often coorobaorate my findings on all chicks having some type of problems/hangups.
I guess I'm saying...if you are too stupid to stop, research and think a little bit on purchase of things you don't know that much about (hell, even on stuff you DO know), then you deserve to get what you get.
If someone is an idiot, and is more than willing to give me lots of money, I'm not gonna stop him.
Well...date enough chicks over the years and I think you'll come to agree that most of them have some kind of a problem.
Err...who cares? As long as you get yours...right?
Actually, I joke...it is fun to get chicks off too, just more of a challenge. Guys? We're easy...I wonder why women are so hard to get off though, in general? I know some chicks...will cum just with a good fucking, but, then lots of others, you need a couple hours and heavy machinery.
If I happen to stick with a single girl for awhile...I make a deal. That night sex, is for them. I'll do what I have to as long as they want to get them off...(I'll get off too). However, my time is morning time....morning sex. It is all about me on that one...I get up, get in and bang off once or twice...this works out especially well before work. But no having to bother with cuddling, hugging...again, that is for her time at night.
I figure it is fair, and I always wake up with a smile on my face. Good morning, >BANG, what's for breakfast?
I don't think that is quite the status quo for US mindset.
I think most of us (prefer to) run blindly from the government AND the corporations...especially since it is becoming clearer that they are one is the same pretty much.
Trouble is...with that powerful of a combo, it is getting harder for the common citizen to stop the govt/corp machine from running roughshod over our rights and freedoms.
I hear ya.
I mean, I don't have to have a license to own a handgun, nor do I have to register one with my state or federal govt....why should I need a license to just access the internet?
My question is more basic than this.
WHY do I need to be identified like this in the first place? There are very few events I participate in life where I need to be positively identified, and most of the time, no one...especially the government...has a need to know basis of who I am or what my activities are. They do need to know me for tax purposes...and that's about it.
Otherwise, there is no need to have this type of identification...and the more you have it, the more they and everyone out there will find to 'require' you to provide it.