Our Review of Avatar

Watching Avatar in 3D was an incredible experience. Avatar seems 10 years ahead of its time in terms of technology and effects. In terms of story, it was refreshing to see a major film so blatantly subversive towards the status quo of military imperialism and corporate environmental destruction. James Cameron has demonstrated that the traditional theatre must adapt and push the envelope of what is possible to stay relevant. Audiences will pay.

Alex Jones Reviews Avatar

Alex Jones is a man with a perspective worth understanding. His review of Avatar succinctly expresses many of his fears about the direction society is heading. In his mind, Elites, Corporations, and Environmentalists are collaborating to depopulate the planet and subjugate those remaining. His vision may not be too far from the mark. Humanity needs to properly understand and address the forces at work which could bring about the next depopulation event, be it from nature or human design.

Media Centres

Tonight we were introduced to LinuxMCE, a slick Computer Media Interface. We will update this post with further details, but what was really novel was to see a WiiMote configured to control LinuxMCE. WiiMotes cost about $30 USD versus $100 USD for an equivalent Bluetooth Remote Product.

Another good programme to consider is XBMC.

Lastly, the very impressive PS3 seems to do everything under the sun in Media Centre Entertainment, including the most powerful gaming console around, for $300 USD.

The Wire

Available on any major torrent tracker, the HBO's 5-season television series The Wire is one of the best shows ever made. The Wire focuses on organized crime, drug abuse, poverty, social services, law enforcement, and politics in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore inner city, like so many inner cities in America, has gone from a once developing industrialised center to a third world backwards wasteland of despair and violence. The fuel for this downward spiral is not surprisingly the war on drugs and its selective or sporadic enforcement and large profit potentials for dealers and suppliers. In contrast to "the game" of drug dealing and related crime, there exist precious few realistically attainable economic alternatives than a life of crime and violence for those born into it. The series addresses all of these issues directly, deeply, and poignantly. The show proves its social value by making it clear that the most effective way to address the disastrous economic situation of the inner-city is to decriminalise all forms of drug sale and use whilst allowing a protected environment for various charitable and social services to administer care to those in need unhindered. Besides its value for the exploration of American inner city life, corruption, and social ills, The Wire entertains and captivates with well-developed, interesting characters at all levels of position and power. Watch consecutively and in order.

9.7 IMDB rating.

The creators of the Wire have a new mini-series, Generation Kill, on HBO.

WTF CNN?

Following up my rant about television news, I find CNN a worthless platform for infotainment. With so much trouble in the World they will not report, I find their assertion of being a news organisation offensive. It is not even funny, typically relying upon shock, fear, and anger as its hook to sell adverts. I question Google's default link to CNN on their personalised page. If infotainment is what you seek, at least watch Colbert or read the Onion before you turn on CNN. WTF CNN seems like a great blog elucidating the absurdity of CNN and is at least distilled comedic infotainment. Video of Jon Stewart's legendary appearance on CNN's Crossfire.

Thanks to Meredith for the link.

And Now for Something Completely Different

Monty Python lost German episodes.

Thanks to Tyler Cowen

Never Slap the Gift Donkey

A good friend of mine has a new blog, 'Never Slap the Gift Donkey.' (feed) It promises to be completely random, and always entertaining.

Quote of the Day: 2007-03-29

"Patriotism is often an arbitrary veneration of real estate above principles."

- George Jean Nathan

The End of Stargate

Stargate SG-1 was one of the funniest and consistently well made science fiction shows ever made. Indeed, 10 years also makes it one of the longest running. It started to decline in the 8th season with the gradual exit of Richard Dean Anderson (aka MacGuyver) from the show yet still held up reasonably well with the other core characters and the absorption of the actors from the failed Farscape series. I recently finished watching the final episode of this enjoyable show. A collection of all the episodes is available here in high quality formats.

Apple Plays a Different iTune

Given the recent drama in Norige, Steve Jobs has started playing a different tune on DRM. Now he has joined me in calling for open standards for iTMS, but is blaming record labels for Apple's inability to do so. Whether or not this is just a well calculated move to ingratiate himself with disgusted customers while seeking greater control for Apple in the music sales business, it is nonetheless a positive development and hopefully will gain momentum. After all, whatever system allows for the continued creation of high quality media at the lowest cost to the consumer is the socially optimal one. Apple's motives are irrelevant. And what of the incentives for artists to create media in a DRM free, copy friendly world? As the boys of South Park conclude in the episode 7 x 9, 'Christian Rock Hard:'

Kyle: ...[A]ll this time we've been so caught up with how to protect our music that we forgot to just play.

Lars: But why play if we're not gonna make millions of dollars?

Kyle: Because that's what real artists do. People are always gonna find a way to copy our music and swap it for free. If we're real musicians, then we should just play and be stoked that so many people are listening.

Stan: Besides, maybe our songs would have gotten downloaded for free, but if they were good songs then people still would have bought tickets to see our band in concert.

It is that simple.

Children of Men

I recommend watching the skillfully made, high budget film, 'Children of Men.' (torrent) A science fiction story, it takes place in near-future Great Britain with important parallels to our own time.

Johnny Hallyday

French music legend, Johnny Hallyday, has decided to leave his Fatherland to live in Switzerland. Hallyday's sole reason: he is fed up with the cut-throat tax structure in France. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "The power to tax is the power to destroy." The general socialist attitude particularly pronounced among the French is one of contempt for people of wealth. In addition to taxes on income, citoyens are taxed again on aggregate wealth. I am reminded of Ayn Rand's endless ranting novel 'Atlas Shrugged' in which the wealthy and productive captains of industry, disillusioned with the contempt the socialist society has for them and unwilling to watch all of their fortunes nationalised, bankrupt their industries which underpin the economy and escape to a mountain fortress to live in libertarian peace. Charles Bremner's say.

See also the classic Tom Baker 'Doctor Who' episode 'The Sun Makers.'

More on Robot Games

Previously, I posted on Robo-Basho.

A recent post in Robots-Dreams features an interview with Robotic Amusements founder Joseph Johnson. His goal: inspiring youth to pursue careers in science and engineering.