I agree 100%. A person who comes to his/her own conclusions and thinks outside of the social garbage that is forced down our throats daily will act noticeably different. Many times, a high-IQ individual just won't care about the social conventions around them, and that is a result of their ability to focus on what is really important.
As for sex and getting along with the fellow man, why should they need either? The right hand is always there for you (left if you're divergent)to satisfy pointless physical drives. Regarding arrogance, I'd say that if somebody came up with an invention or concept fundamentally important to man's increased understanding of the universe around him or increased effectiveness in life, then that person has reason to think him/herself better than those around him. I can't think of a higher purpose. Pride is their right./Salute inventors/scientists.
I am an SBC customer, and I am not at all happy about this. Here is the mail I just sent them.
"This is in reference to the article at
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles /2005/12/13/telecoms_want_their_products_to_travel _on_a_faster_internet/. I sent you an
email previously on this topic, with tracking number 4388420. While I
think that telecoms such as yourself should have the right to run
their business as they please, I think it is very unfortunate that you
think so little of your customers. As I stated in a previous email, I
own my leased bandwidth at the price of $40.00 per month, and I expect
to be able to access any services I please without you charging the
service provider. It's my bandwidth, not yours. I am looking forward
to terminating my business with you when my contract expires in nine
months. Charter cable will be a welcome change."
(End of Email)
I believe Telecoms should have the freedom to make this happen. It is their company and their phone lines, after all. However, SBC customers, as members of a free market, should recognize that this decision by SBC is a slap in the face. I wonder how long SBC would run their 2-tier network if every content provider on the internet refused to serve SBC customers? SBC would reverse their decision so fast, it would make your head spin. Too bad I'm stuck on my contract for a while.
I saw the film last night. I went to the theater with very low expectations, having been extremely disappointed with "Fellowship of the Ring", so much so that I haven't seen and will not see "The Two Towers", or "Return of the King".
That being said, I was astounded by "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". As somebody already said, the beginning of the movie was added (tastefully), and some dialogue was added, but I felt it was the truest movie rendition of a novel that I have yet seen. And, I thought Tilda Swinton was magnificent as Jadis, the White Witch (She was also excellent as Gabriel in Constantine). I felt that the fight between Peter and Jadis was a bit tacky (I'm often wary of such things as a sign of pop culture leaking into movies based on my favorite books), seeing as how Peter only had a few days of combat training, but remembering back to the book, it seems like the children picked up some of those traits just from being in Narnia. I'm surprised that some people were disappointed by the special effects. I don't remember seeing any special effect that occurred to me as anything but natural. I felt the mood of the movie matched the mood of the book to a large degree - Somewhat somber and more serious than the Harry Potter series. As a comparison, I consider Peter Jackson to be a big sell-out, altering his movies to reach a wider audience for the purpose of money and fame. I didn't get that feeling at all when watching this film. It felt like a tribute to the book, instead of some big-headed director trying to alter what is already great. It seemed like they got a lot of the details correct (though it's been about ten years since I read the book). For instance, the appearance and size of Jadis (Who was over 7 feet tall in the books, I believe), the Giant-turned-stone in the White witches castle, the turkish delight given to Edmund, the sardines offered to Lucy by Mister Tumness, etc. Though dialogue was added, much of it was also original.
To summarize, I couldn't have been much happier with this adaption. I just about cried watching it in the theater, such was my joy in not experiencing another FOTR disappointment.
Slashdot Mirror
I agree 100%. A person who comes to his/her own conclusions and thinks outside of the social garbage that is forced down our throats daily will act noticeably different. Many times, a high-IQ individual just won't care about the social conventions around them, and that is a result of their ability to focus on what is really important. As for sex and getting along with the fellow man, why should they need either? The right hand is always there for you (left if you're divergent)to satisfy pointless physical drives. Regarding arrogance, I'd say that if somebody came up with an invention or concept fundamentally important to man's increased understanding of the universe around him or increased effectiveness in life, then that person has reason to think him/herself better than those around him. I can't think of a higher purpose. Pride is their right. /Salute inventors/scientists.
Seriously, does the author of the submission even know what deus ex machina means (not the literal Latin meaning, I mean how it's used)?
"This is in reference to the article at http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles /2005/12/13/telecoms_want_their_products_to_travel _on_a_faster_internet/. I sent you an
email previously on this topic, with tracking number 4388420. While I
think that telecoms such as yourself should have the right to run
their business as they please, I think it is very unfortunate that you
think so little of your customers. As I stated in a previous email, I
own my leased bandwidth at the price of $40.00 per month, and I expect
to be able to access any services I please without you charging the
service provider. It's my bandwidth, not yours. I am looking forward
to terminating my business with you when my contract expires in nine
months. Charter cable will be a welcome change."
(End of Email)
I believe Telecoms should have the freedom to make this happen. It is their company and their phone lines, after all. However, SBC customers, as members of a free market, should recognize that this decision by SBC is a slap in the face. I wonder how long SBC would run their 2-tier network if every content provider on the internet refused to serve SBC customers? SBC would reverse their decision so fast, it would make your head spin. Too bad I'm stuck on my contract for a while.
I saw the film last night. I went to the theater with very low expectations, having been extremely disappointed with "Fellowship of the Ring", so much so that I haven't seen and will not see "The Two Towers", or "Return of the King". That being said, I was astounded by "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". As somebody already said, the beginning of the movie was added (tastefully), and some dialogue was added, but I felt it was the truest movie rendition of a novel that I have yet seen. And, I thought Tilda Swinton was magnificent as Jadis, the White Witch (She was also excellent as Gabriel in Constantine). I felt that the fight between Peter and Jadis was a bit tacky (I'm often wary of such things as a sign of pop culture leaking into movies based on my favorite books), seeing as how Peter only had a few days of combat training, but remembering back to the book, it seems like the children picked up some of those traits just from being in Narnia. I'm surprised that some people were disappointed by the special effects. I don't remember seeing any special effect that occurred to me as anything but natural. I felt the mood of the movie matched the mood of the book to a large degree - Somewhat somber and more serious than the Harry Potter series. As a comparison, I consider Peter Jackson to be a big sell-out, altering his movies to reach a wider audience for the purpose of money and fame. I didn't get that feeling at all when watching this film. It felt like a tribute to the book, instead of some big-headed director trying to alter what is already great. It seemed like they got a lot of the details correct (though it's been about ten years since I read the book). For instance, the appearance and size of Jadis (Who was over 7 feet tall in the books, I believe), the Giant-turned-stone in the White witches castle, the turkish delight given to Edmund, the sardines offered to Lucy by Mister Tumness, etc. Though dialogue was added, much of it was also original. To summarize, I couldn't have been much happier with this adaption. I just about cried watching it in the theater, such was my joy in not experiencing another FOTR disappointment.