Television, especially broadcast television is considered a public resource.
I think people forget this too much. The question isn't what right do we have to watch, it's what right do *they* have to broadcast! The answer?...only if it serves the public interest. *Not* solely for their private gain.
Ah...the Iron Giant. I love that movie. One of the greats of western animation, IMHO. Character, humour, a great visual style, a story that was "feel-good" yet bittersweet without being puerile at all...
Too bad it didn't do better. It deserves to be a classic.
You should read "Get a Life" by Shatner (and a trusty ghostwriter, of course). It's a little about the sketch, but mostly about how he eventually had a change of heart towards the fans and conventions. He wore a mask in order to be able to walk around the floor without being recognized in order to interview and chat with conventioneers.
If you listen to the so-called free-marketeers, anything that makes shitloads of money is, by definition, good -- or at least the only good that means anything.
Just a guess, but it might also reflect how much data is lost. I've accidentally deleted stuff too, but usually only file or two, or at worst a directory. If a HD fails, though, you're probably going to lose everything you have on it.
You're right, but keep in mind that simply because of their *huge* population even a small improvement in education/living standards can have a huge impact in absolute numbes. It's like what is going on in China right now; only a relatively small percentage of the population can consume on a level even approaching Western terms, but the collecive size of the market just grows at an insane rate because there's over a billion people! Don't get me wrong, it will definitely be quite a while yet before India can draw from a labour pool -- or China boast a consumer market -- comparable that of the US, but the day will come.
I think the point is that what you are describing is a result of *very* poor (or more likely, non-existent) urban planning. A real city should consist of medium- to high-density areas so that public transportation is cost-effective and people can afford to live relatively close to where they work and purchase services.
The price of this poor urban planning is sprawl, a completely unhealthy reliance on cars (unhealthy both environmentally, economically, and politically), and social decay.
Dude, if you've only read up till Melmoth, it gets *much* crazier. You ain't seen *nothing* yet. By the time he gets to Latter Days the series, IMHO, is almost unreadable -- which is a shame, because I'm a real fan of the series, despite Sim's nuttiness.
He contradicts a lot of his stuff. Jaka, for example, eventually turns into some mindless parody, completely destroying what she was up through Jaka's Story. I'm not trying to discourage you from reading the rest of the series -- I think it's worth seeing through to the end -- but realize that the last hundred or so issues is *very* different from what you've read so far.
HUH??? Oh, I keep on forgetting that the range of debate in mainstream American media is so small that they use "left" and "right" in a completely different sense than the rest of the world. Everything is shifted to the right. CNN is definitely right-wing, when compared to something that is *actually* leftist.
I've been to North America many times, as far west as San Fransico, as far east as New York, as far south as Cape Kennedy and as far north as Canada. I will not being going back though.
Just to be clear -- Canada *is* a different country, and we won't fingerprint you. So feel free to come on by sometime.:)
Whoops, yeah, Polar Express (obviously, I'm not very interested in the movie;)). But I don't care *how* they made Tom Hanks' character; the point is that it looks like a zombie (to me, anyways). Too real for my brain to characterize as straight up animation (like The Incredibles), but still way too fake to actually convince it that it's real. The result, for me at least, is some freaky undead effect.
The humans are just right -- not realistic-looking, but realistic enough.
I haven't seen The Incredibles yet, but I know what you mean. I saw a trailer for The Arctic Express the other day, and I really disliked the animation style it uses -- it's trying too hard, IMHO, to be realistic. The end result just looks creepy (especially the Tom Hanks lookalike train conductor ).
Hmm, I don't think it's quite a case of it's being solely the people's fault or the government's. Both are guilty. Yes, you're right about people wanting it (see constant comments about "pound-me-in-the-ass prison"), but the government and media definitely encourage these attitudes by constantly exploiting people's fears in order to get re-elected or sell papers.
Everytime I hear an American say something like "Send 'im to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison" I shudder. If extra-judicial and indiscriminate RAPE has become a socially tolerated and even *expected* method of punishment, something is really, really fucked up.
Your gerrymandering point is very good. I'm a Canadian, and what really surprises me about the American electoral system is that the elections aren't run by an independent arms-length organization. Here in Canada we have Elections Canada to make sure that the mechanism of voting is consistent across the country. They are also responsible for drawing the boundries of ridings (electoral districts). This helps to make sure partisan politicians don't have too much say in how an election is actually run. Everytime I hear about some lead-fundraiser or organizer for the Republicans or Democrats who is also in charge of designing the ballots, drawing district lines, etc, I just shake my head. That's asking for trouble.
I disagree; simplified, easily digestible sound-bites -- even if factually incorrect -- sell. People like them, because if all of their information is derived from them they just don't have to think. It's the basis of mainstream private media. No doubt about it, Ballmer got to be where he is because he understands that the system rewards bullshit.
You're absolutely right, but the incredible thing is that even if only a relatively small percentage of the population does have access to modern technology, it is still works out to a huge market. 1.2 billion is a *lot* of people.
...is that there is anyone who still takes Creationism seriously. Some of my American friends tell me it's still a big issue in education in some states, which I find mind-boggling...
The evidence for evolution is overwhelming. This doesn't mean you need to become an athiest, though -- although I am one, I don't see the difficulty in conceiving evolution as merely a tool of your creator. If (a) god(s) wanted to create a planet with life on it, why couldn't they work through natural processes that they themselves set in motion? How does that challenge anyone's faith?
Obviously this still is an issue, but it is making a lot of very rapid progress. I use Mandrake 10.0, and when I plug my Fuji digital camera in, it automatically mounts and a little icon appears on the desktop. Can't ask for anything easier than that.
The only device/hardware problems I have had with GNU/Linux are with lousy companies that actively resist the development of Free drivers and refuse to even release proprietary binaries. 3Com, I'm looking at you! Bastards!
Slashdot Mirror
I think people forget this too much. The question isn't what right do we have to watch, it's what right do *they* have to broadcast! The answer?...only if it serves the public interest. *Not* solely for their private gain.
So does Konqueror!
Too bad it didn't do better. It deserves to be a classic.
I'm deeply conserned by compyright!!!!!!1111
You should read "Get a Life" by Shatner (and a trusty ghostwriter, of course). It's a little about the sketch, but mostly about how he eventually had a change of heart towards the fans and conventions. He wore a mask in order to be able to walk around the floor without being recognized in order to interview and chat with conventioneers.
If you listen to the so-called free-marketeers, anything that makes shitloads of money is, by definition, good -- or at least the only good that means anything.
Just a guess, but it might also reflect how much data is lost. I've accidentally deleted stuff too, but usually only file or two, or at worst a directory. If a HD fails, though, you're probably going to lose everything you have on it.
It's a pretty bleak present, if you ask me.
You're right, but keep in mind that simply because of their *huge* population even a small improvement in education/living standards can have a huge impact in absolute numbes. It's like what is going on in China right now; only a relatively small percentage of the population can consume on a level even approaching Western terms, but the collecive size of the market just grows at an insane rate because there's over a billion people! Don't get me wrong, it will definitely be quite a while yet before India can draw from a labour pool -- or China boast a consumer market -- comparable that of the US, but the day will come.
The price of this poor urban planning is sprawl, a completely unhealthy reliance on cars (unhealthy both environmentally, economically, and politically), and social decay.
He contradicts a lot of his stuff. Jaka, for example, eventually turns into some mindless parody, completely destroying what she was up through Jaka's Story. I'm not trying to discourage you from reading the rest of the series -- I think it's worth seeing through to the end -- but realize that the last hundred or so issues is *very* different from what you've read so far.
HUH??? Oh, I keep on forgetting that the range of debate in mainstream American media is so small that they use "left" and "right" in a completely different sense than the rest of the world. Everything is shifted to the right. CNN is definitely right-wing, when compared to something that is *actually* leftist.
Good point -- it may, at least partly, be an "investment" in mindshare.
Just to be clear -- Canada *is* a different country, and we won't fingerprint you. So feel free to come on by sometime. :)
Whoops, yeah, Polar Express (obviously, I'm not very interested in the movie ;)). But I don't care *how* they made Tom Hanks' character; the point is that it looks like a zombie (to me, anyways). Too real for my brain to characterize as straight up animation (like The Incredibles), but still way too fake to actually convince it that it's real. The result, for me at least, is some freaky undead effect.
I haven't seen The Incredibles yet, but I know what you mean. I saw a trailer for The Arctic Express the other day, and I really disliked the animation style it uses -- it's trying too hard, IMHO, to be realistic. The end result just looks creepy (especially the Tom Hanks lookalike train conductor ).
Hmm, I don't think it's quite a case of it's being solely the people's fault or the government's. Both are guilty. Yes, you're right about people wanting it (see constant comments about "pound-me-in-the-ass prison"), but the government and media definitely encourage these attitudes by constantly exploiting people's fears in order to get re-elected or sell papers.
Everytime I hear an American say something like "Send 'im to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison" I shudder. If extra-judicial and indiscriminate RAPE has become a socially tolerated and even *expected* method of punishment, something is really, really fucked up.
Your gerrymandering point is very good. I'm a Canadian, and what really surprises me about the American electoral system is that the elections aren't run by an independent arms-length organization. Here in Canada we have Elections Canada to make sure that the mechanism of voting is consistent across the country. They are also responsible for drawing the boundries of ridings (electoral districts). This helps to make sure partisan politicians don't have too much say in how an election is actually run. Everytime I hear about some lead-fundraiser or organizer for the Republicans or Democrats who is also in charge of designing the ballots, drawing district lines, etc, I just shake my head. That's asking for trouble.
What about Dungeon Keeper?
I disagree; simplified, easily digestible sound-bites -- even if factually incorrect -- sell. People like them, because if all of their information is derived from them they just don't have to think. It's the basis of mainstream private media. No doubt about it, Ballmer got to be where he is because he understands that the system rewards bullshit.
You're absolutely right, but the incredible thing is that even if only a relatively small percentage of the population does have access to modern technology, it is still works out to a huge market. 1.2 billion is a *lot* of people.
The evidence for evolution is overwhelming. This doesn't mean you need to become an athiest, though -- although I am one, I don't see the difficulty in conceiving evolution as merely a tool of your creator. If (a) god(s) wanted to create a planet with life on it, why couldn't they work through natural processes that they themselves set in motion? How does that challenge anyone's faith?
The only device/hardware problems I have had with GNU/Linux are with lousy companies that actively resist the development of Free drivers and refuse to even release proprietary binaries. 3Com, I'm looking at you! Bastards!
Oh no...! Does this mean my browser would warn me every time I come to Slashdot?