Re:Some of the changes (possible spoilers)
on
Star Wars on DVD
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· Score: 1
I was under the impression that this wonderful new data format called "DVD" makes it possible to intersperse additional or modified scenes within the original picture (at the viewer's leisure). Perhaps if Lucas wasn't such an arrogant narcissist, he would try harder to appease fans of the original films rather than screwing needlessly with history.
I always thought the problem with this world is that there are simply too many damn people. Our problems with crime, pollution, famine could be largely solved by avoiding overpopulation. People are like a virus - we just keep spreading and consuming, with no regard for the future. That's why we're burying nuclear waste in the desert and poisoning our atmosphere. I'd like to say that I'll be dead before it matters (like everyone else), but that's not the case... our waste is killing us already.
Yeah, we are testing for natural genetic superiority. We have been for thousands of years... what else is there? If you are suggesting that we judge atheletic ability based on whatever 'enhancements' we are able to modify our bodies with, then again, I say what's the point? Human physical competition centers on the fact that no one is created equal, and that some people are more suited to one task over another. The point of any sporting event is to determine which person is more able than another. Natural genetic ability is and has been everything, and I don't think anything else has a place in atheletics.
I find it amazing that the impact points of cars, all the way around the vehicle, are not of standard height.
I completely agree. Just last week, I was backed into by a guy in a huge pickup truck, and rather than bouncing off of my front bumper, he folded the front of my hood up like a sardine can (Mitsu Mirage). The whole thing was quite disconcerting to say the least.
Why is someone who 'naturally' produces more testosterone more ethical than someone who injects it?
I'm sure that would be because if everyone could just "inject" atheletic ability, it would, for the most part, level the playing field - which is exactly the opposite of what this type of competition is all about. In addition, it would be disrespectful to the atheletes that actually have real talent.
So already certain people have a greater ability to compete in athletic events - there is no such thing as a truly level playing field!
And that's exactly the point... The goal of atheletic competition is to determine which person is more skilled at a given activity - not what you can do to "gain an edge" and win.
I really can't get my head around the reasoning involved in trying to gain an artificial edge over your competitors. Isn't the whole point of sports and competition in general to prove to yourself and others that *you* personally excel at something? I think if someone turns themself into anything but a hard-working plain vanilla athelete (ie: no drugs or gene therapy), then it is akin to cheating, and any of their "accomplishments" are worthless.
Now, if all atheletes had the same enhancements, competition might be fair, but where would the sense of pride be? When victory is based more on the effect of drugs rather than personal physical prowess, what's the point?
It looks like you may need to try Windows 2000 - I've never had a problem with it. Supposedly, it's not for widespread desktop use, but it has the stability of NT, the compatibility of 9x (not ME), and none of the bells and whistles of XP... perfect.
If you can prove that a) his variant was any more malicious than the original virus, or b) that he made any appreciable difference in the total number of infected machines, then I might say you have an argument. Otherwise, what he did could be likened to throwing a lit cigarette into a forest fire.
Well, I'm no physics major, but I believe it all has to do with the intensity of each color component. Lets assume that the color brown has an RGB ratio of 150:100:25. All you should need to do to produce "white" (more like grey) would be to balance the values. So the projector should be outputting something like RGB 0:50:125 to compensate for the color of the surface. Overall brightness would be increased by increasing the intensity of each color equally.
Perhaps he should've realized that 'spelling' is important on something like this.
Really? That's interesting, because if I was a serious collector with the kind of dough he's asking for, I think I might be willing to forgive his spelling. Obviously, I may also be obliged to cut him a break after realizing that he's selling from Hong Kong, and english is likely not his native language.
For a collection that large, I'd spend $100K any day.
If I had that kind of money, I'd surely pay it - right around the time I begin putting the finishing touches on that full-scale trebuchet I've always wanted.
Sweeping his house for evidence of bioterror is one thing, but it sounds to me like he's going straight to court despite the fact that they may not have found anything harmful (and that the death of his wife has not been attributed to him).
I say search his house for anything illegal (including said petri dishes and equipment), and if nothing is found, leave the poor man alone. Aside from suggesting intent IF something dangerous is found, I do not believe his views alone are enough to put him in front of a grand jury. A large part of freedom is being able to express your views without fear of reprisal from the government.
This same simple minded nonsense of blaming the victim again
Quite to the contrary. As I've said, I neither pirate movies, nor patronize them, simply because the value just isn't there. Nine dollars for one viewing of a movie, IMO, just ins't worth it. It may be to you, but that is why we have a forum such as this - to express differing opinions. If the movie industry wants my business, perhaps they should consider the following:
1) Lower ticket prices.
2) Better picture quality (read: Imax); framerate could use a boost as well.
3) More realistic previews... Instead of the hand-picked 'best parts' of the movies, why not something like a pay-per-view channel that only allows you to watch a random 5 minute window of the movie?
Maybe those are stupid ideas, but what would you suggest? Do you seriously think the movie industry is fair in all that they do?
Well, part of that is simply due to inflation and the increased proliferation of theaters, as well as the greater volume of movies released (let's be honest, the more movies you release, the greater the chance you have of hitting a blockbuster - the movie industry certainly doesn't rely on any other factor to ensure quality).
Rather than trying so hard to stop pirates, why don't they focus on giving people more incentive to go to the theaters? I don't download movies on the Internet, but at the same time, I refuse to see them at the theater. For one, the economy of the whole enterprise is entirely asinine - they expect me to pay close to $10 for 2 hours of (hopefully) entertainment, all the while pocketing 90% of it and forcing the theaters to make up the expenses by gouging us on concessions. And two, as inundated as we are with various forms of pleasure, I'm sure I can find something more valuable to do with my time than watch Brad Pitt kill a few people.
Exactly. Though the person who responded to your post posed an interesting point:
I don't want a camera phone with a bad camera interface, crappy resolution, limited features, tiny memory and nonexistant output choices.
Wouldn't the answer to that be modularity? It's a long shot, but why couldn't someone develop an inexpensive device with only core functionality similar to that of a computer motherboard - a device that would merely serve to connect expansion devices that could be easily removed and upgraded? In some small way, PDA's already support a similar idea with the ability to use the memory card slots as interfaces for more advanced functionality, such as WiFi, blluetooth, and USB. Imagine a replaceable screen, CPU, memory, and I/O interfaces. I think that would be the penultimate in integration.
As is already the case with a couple of the Ipaqs, I would imagine it would make more sense for PDA's (with all of their added functionality) to also act as phones. In fact, shouldn't we eventually have one single device that integrates the functions of all other devices we already carry with us (mp3 player, PDA, phone, etc.)?
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I was under the impression that this wonderful new data format called "DVD" makes it possible to intersperse additional or modified scenes within the original picture (at the viewer's leisure). Perhaps if Lucas wasn't such an arrogant narcissist, he would try harder to appease fans of the original films rather than screwing needlessly with history.
Perhaps some of you should read up on how much pollution is caused by electronics manufacturing. Fighting entropy is costly.
I always thought the problem with this world is that there are simply too many damn people. Our problems with crime, pollution, famine could be largely solved by avoiding overpopulation. People are like a virus - we just keep spreading and consuming, with no regard for the future. That's why we're burying nuclear waste in the desert and poisoning our atmosphere. I'd like to say that I'll be dead before it matters (like everyone else), but that's not the case... our waste is killing us already.
Yeah, we are testing for natural genetic superiority. We have been for thousands of years... what else is there? If you are suggesting that we judge atheletic ability based on whatever 'enhancements' we are able to modify our bodies with, then again, I say what's the point? Human physical competition centers on the fact that no one is created equal, and that some people are more suited to one task over another. The point of any sporting event is to determine which person is more able than another. Natural genetic ability is and has been everything, and I don't think anything else has a place in atheletics.
I find it amazing that the impact points of cars, all the way around the vehicle, are not of standard height.
I completely agree. Just last week, I was backed into by a guy in a huge pickup truck, and rather than bouncing off of my front bumper, he folded the front of my hood up like a sardine can (Mitsu Mirage). The whole thing was quite disconcerting to say the least.
That wouldn't be Duke Nukem?
Nah, I'm sure the licensee is Interplay... Redneck Rampage, anyone?
Why is someone who 'naturally' produces more testosterone more ethical than someone who injects it?
I'm sure that would be because if everyone could just "inject" atheletic ability, it would, for the most part, level the playing field - which is exactly the opposite of what this type of competition is all about. In addition, it would be disrespectful to the atheletes that actually have real talent.
So already certain people have a greater ability to compete in athletic events - there is no such thing as a truly level playing field!
And that's exactly the point... The goal of atheletic competition is to determine which person is more skilled at a given activity - not what you can do to "gain an edge" and win.
I really can't get my head around the reasoning involved in trying to gain an artificial edge over your competitors. Isn't the whole point of sports and competition in general to prove to yourself and others that *you* personally excel at something? I think if someone turns themself into anything but a hard-working plain vanilla athelete (ie: no drugs or gene therapy), then it is akin to cheating, and any of their "accomplishments" are worthless. Now, if all atheletes had the same enhancements, competition might be fair, but where would the sense of pride be? When victory is based more on the effect of drugs rather than personal physical prowess, what's the point?
Tolerate XP - stable.
It looks like you may need to try Windows 2000 - I've never had a problem with it. Supposedly, it's not for widespread desktop use, but it has the stability of NT, the compatibility of 9x (not ME), and none of the bells and whistles of XP... perfect.
Oh yeah, heil Linux.
Anything you hide in plain sight isn't necessarily private.... "Anything man can make, man can break."
If you can prove that a) his variant was any more malicious than the original virus, or b) that he made any appreciable difference in the total number of infected machines, then I might say you have an argument. Otherwise, what he did could be likened to throwing a lit cigarette into a forest fire.
Well, I'm no physics major, but I believe it all has to do with the intensity of each color component. Lets assume that the color brown has an RGB ratio of 150:100:25. All you should need to do to produce "white" (more like grey) would be to balance the values. So the projector should be outputting something like RGB 0:50:125 to compensate for the color of the surface. Overall brightness would be increased by increasing the intensity of each color equally.
It's only rape if you don't want it. ;)
"they have been hearing questions about how people can get the copy-blocked songs from the CD onto an iPod."
Simple. Purchase the downloadable version (now with extra DRM!) at a "reduced price".
Perhaps he should've realized that 'spelling' is important on something like this.
Really? That's interesting, because if I was a serious collector with the kind of dough he's asking for, I think I might be willing to forgive his spelling. Obviously, I may also be obliged to cut him a break after realizing that he's selling from Hong Kong, and english is likely not his native language.
For a collection that large, I'd spend $100K any day.
If I had that kind of money, I'd surely pay it - right around the time I begin putting the finishing touches on that full-scale trebuchet I've always wanted.
Sweeping his house for evidence of bioterror is one thing, but it sounds to me like he's going straight to court despite the fact that they may not have found anything harmful (and that the death of his wife has not been attributed to him).
I say search his house for anything illegal (including said petri dishes and equipment), and if nothing is found, leave the poor man alone. Aside from suggesting intent IF something dangerous is found, I do not believe his views alone are enough to put him in front of a grand jury. A large part of freedom is being able to express your views without fear of reprisal from the government.
Well, could the GM food industry possibly be a lobbiest for G.W.?
This same simple minded nonsense of blaming the victim again
Quite to the contrary. As I've said, I neither pirate movies, nor patronize them, simply because the value just isn't there. Nine dollars for one viewing of a movie, IMO, just ins't worth it. It may be to you, but that is why we have a forum such as this - to express differing opinions. If the movie industry wants my business, perhaps they should consider the following:
1) Lower ticket prices.
2) Better picture quality (read: Imax); framerate could use a boost as well.
3) More realistic previews... Instead of the hand-picked 'best parts' of the movies, why not something like a pay-per-view channel that only allows you to watch a random 5 minute window of the movie?
Maybe those are stupid ideas, but what would you suggest? Do you seriously think the movie industry is fair in all that they do?
Well, part of that is simply due to inflation and the increased proliferation of theaters, as well as the greater volume of movies released (let's be honest, the more movies you release, the greater the chance you have of hitting a blockbuster - the movie industry certainly doesn't rely on any other factor to ensure quality).
Rather than trying so hard to stop pirates, why don't they focus on giving people more incentive to go to the theaters? I don't download movies on the Internet, but at the same time, I refuse to see them at the theater. For one, the economy of the whole enterprise is entirely asinine - they expect me to pay close to $10 for 2 hours of (hopefully) entertainment, all the while pocketing 90% of it and forcing the theaters to make up the expenses by gouging us on concessions. And two, as inundated as we are with various forms of pleasure, I'm sure I can find something more valuable to do with my time than watch Brad Pitt kill a few people.
Exactly. Though the person who responded to your post posed an interesting point:
I don't want a camera phone with a bad camera interface, crappy resolution, limited features, tiny memory and nonexistant output choices.
Wouldn't the answer to that be modularity? It's a long shot, but why couldn't someone develop an inexpensive device with only core functionality similar to that of a computer motherboard - a device that would merely serve to connect expansion devices that could be easily removed and upgraded? In some small way, PDA's already support a similar idea with the ability to use the memory card slots as interfaces for more advanced functionality, such as WiFi, blluetooth, and USB. Imagine a replaceable screen, CPU, memory, and I/O interfaces. I think that would be the penultimate in integration.
As is already the case with a couple of the Ipaqs, I would imagine it would make more sense for PDA's (with all of their added functionality) to also act as phones. In fact, shouldn't we eventually have one single device that integrates the functions of all other devices we already carry with us (mp3 player, PDA, phone, etc.)?
So, they're going to lure us into buying more bad food, with bad music? Sounds like a plan...