Re: [scifinoir2] Geeks cool off at box office

[Keith Johnson]

I think the confusion here is an example of how the suits and prognosticators 
just don't get it. Anyone who expected "Scott Pilgrim" to do really big numbers 
needed to do more research. It's based on work that not a lot of people have 
read, its skews a bit younger in some cases, and the very ads for the movie 
feature mostly young teens. Frankly, I think a ten million or so box office is 
pretty decent and in line with what I expected. There is also the fact that a 
lot of school systems are starting back up again, so some of the target 
audience was out shopping for clothes and supplies and may have delayed going 
for a week or two. 
Either way, they need to do a better job in H'Wood of managing expectations and 
understanding that some pictures should only be expected to do decent money, 
and not all can or should be mega-blockbusters. 

- Original Message - 
From: "brent wodehouse"  
To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 9:27:24 PM 
Subject: [scifinoir2] Geeks cool off at box office 






http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/2010/08/17/15051616.html 

Geeks cool off at box office 

By CARL DiORIO, Hollywood Reporter 

LOS ANGELES - Geeks might be less dependable than gals but not necessarily 
less desirable. 

That’s the industry consensus after the simultaneous misfire of a fanboy 
movie and impressive launch of what only can be described as a chick flick 
last weekend. 

“Eat Pray Love” enjoyed a box office feast served up by overwhelmingly 
older-female audiences during the weekend, and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the 
World” fought a losing battle to put geek butts in theater seats. 

Lionsgate’s older-males magnet “The Expendables” topped domestic rankings 
with a $34.8 million opening, but Sony’s book-based “Love” debuted 
impressively in second place with $23.1 million. The big love for “Love” 
followed lucrative outings by 2008’s “Sex and the City” and “Mamma Mia!” - 
which fetched $153 million and $144 million in their respective campaigns 
- and last year’s “Julie & Julia,” a $94 million domestic grosser. 

The trifecta success of such female-targeting films makes it plain there 
is box office gold in the gender genre. (Opening audiences for “Love” were 
72% female, with 60% of patrons 25 or older.) 

So niche pics can be lucrative. But what’s up with the penny-pinching geek 
squad? 

Universal’s “Pilgrim” traveled to just $10.6 million in a fifth-place 
launch. The studio puts the pic’s negative cost at $60 million after 
accounting for $25 million in tax credits. 

“If that film had been made for $15 milion-$20 million, nobody would be 
crying,” an executive at a rival studio said Monday. “But you have an 
offbeat movie with an offbeat title starring somebody who is sort of a 
niche-targeted guy to begin with.” 

Michael Cera’s topline turn in the comics-spawned “Pilgrim“ followed his 
roles in indie fare including this year’s “Youth in Revolt,” a $15.3 
million domestic performer for Dimension, and “Paper Heart,” which took in 
less than $2 million for Overture after unspooling in August 2009. 

Even Cera’s pairing with Jack Black in Sony’s $43 million grosser “Year 
One” last summer represents mere chump change compared with his $144 
million and $122 million outings among the ensemble casts of Fox 
Searchlight’s “Juno” and Sony’s “Superbad,” respectively, in 2007. By 
contrast, “Love” boasts the marquee magic of Julia Roberts and is based on 
a best-seller. 

But the question remains: If all creative and marketing considerations are 
equal, is the audience for a geek-seeking pic as big as that for a chick 
flick? 

“’Watchmen’ opened to $55 million, so I think the answer is yes,” a 
distribution executive mused. “Geeks can still rule, no question about 
it.” 

With a production budget estimated at $130 million, Warner Bros.’ 
comics-based “Watchmen” was considered a disappointment in fetching less 
than $108 million last year during its domestic run. But its big opening 
hinted at the enormous potential of fanboy movies that can tap into 
broader groups of moviegoers via positive word-of-mouth and mount leggy 
theatrical runs. 

Warners’ “The Matrix” did just that. The 1999 Keanu Reeves starrer rang up 
$171 million domestically and spawned two sequels. 

“You can get lucky and hit like a ‘Matrix’ or a ‘Watchmen,’ or you can get 
unlucky and have a ‘Scott Pilgrim,”’ one industryite said with a shrug. 

The latter pic is expected to struggle to get past even $30 million 
domestically after opening so poorly. Its lack of commercial appeal might 
be conceptual in part. Directed by Edgar Wright (“Hot Fuzz“), “Pilgrim” 
displays a quirky campiness that played well with critics but calls to 
mind the critically lauded but commercially limited “Kick-Ass,” the 
Nicolas Cage starrer that Lionsgate unspooled in April and fetched $48 
million in total U.S. and Canadian coin. That put the modestly budgeted 
actioner into profitability but lagged prerelease expectations for the 
fanb

Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Keith Johnson]

Funny! 

- Original Message - 
From: "Martin Baxter"  
To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 9:05:16 AM 
Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas 






Keith, I would've loved to have seen Kurtz's proposed ending made real. I've 
also read that the late SF author Leigh Brackett, who's listed as a co-writer 
on "Empire", originally had Luke and Leia as NOT being brother and sister, and 
that Luke had a twin sister somewhere out there, whom Han was supposed to hook 
up with, allowing Luke and Leia to go off into the sunset together. Lucas 
himself kiboshed that, but left in the kissing scenes. Draw your own 
conclusions there... 


On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM, Keith Johnson < keithbjohn...@comcast.net > 
wrote: 









Right. The online world used to be called Expanded Universe, but I can't find 
that particular site anymore. Now it's unto Databank or something. But yeah, 
all the aftermath stories show just how difficult it was to change the course 
of the Empire. There were battles a-plenty left. Indeed, often there can be 
more and more painful fighting after the evil leaders are gone. And the 
relatively small number of Jedi would be hard tasked to restore a moral center 
to the galaxy entire as they struggled to rebuild their Order and make sure 
their own don't give in to temptation again. For example, I do recall reading 
that the Emperor lived on in that shade form that Yodi and Obi-Wan used, and 
continued to wreak his evil influence on people. I know Luke is forced in a way 
to give in to the Dark Side, and I believe either his son or his nephew also 
fell to the Darkness for a while. 
Realistically, the ending Kurtz mentions, with Leia overwhelmed by the work to 
be done, and Luke walking away to contemplate a difficult future, would have 
been better. I'm surprised someone hasn't created a fan film where, right in 
the middle of the Ewok Lua, a force of ships loyal to the Empire didn't show up 
and bomb the place. 



- Original Message - 
From: "Martin Baxter" < martinbaxt...@gmail.com > 

To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:28:56 AM 
Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas 






Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that came out a 
few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what happens after 
the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up aspects yet to be 
done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see the strengthening 
foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in particular regards the 
Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not to be Stormtroopers, 
packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their own unique culture, and 
even a language unlike any in the remnants of the Empire. 


On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson < keithbjohn...@comcast.net > 
wrote: 









The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i always had 
with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that just because the 
second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor dead, that only 
meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge interstellar 
apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the Empire's 
depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems, a corrupt 
Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that gave them money 
and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth of Jedi to enforce 
the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work was indeed just 
beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wide makeover of a totalitarian 
state into a democratic one again would be a monumental task. Look at how the 
former Soviet Union is already struggling mightily with autocratic elements 
fighting with its democratic aspirations. They have a Prime Minister who was an 
autocratic president who's basically their strong man. 
So the "Ewok lua" as he put it, was indeed premature. I think that if you read 
some of the books, and study the Expanded Universe online, you see more mature, 
thoughtful, and in-depth treatments that handle that world a lot better than 
the kid- and crowd-pleasing movies. 


- Original Message - 
From: "Martin Baxter" < martinbaxt...@gmail.com > 



To: "SciFiNoir2" < scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > 
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 5:01:40 PM 
Subject: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas 






George Lucas, Mercenary Bastich First Class? You betcha, according to Kurtz... 

http://www.collider.com/2010/08/13/star-wars-and-empire-strikes-back-producer-gary-kurtz-speaks-bluntly-about-george-lucas-return-of-the-jedi-and-more/
 

-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell 
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik 





-- 
"If all the world's a stag

[scifinoir2] Geeks cool off at box office

[brent wodehouse]

http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/2010/08/17/15051616.html

Geeks cool off at box office

By CARL DiORIO, Hollywood Reporter


LOS ANGELES - Geeks might be less dependable than gals but not necessarily
less desirable. 

That’s the industry consensus after the simultaneous misfire of a fanboy
movie and impressive launch of what only can be described as a chick flick
last weekend. 

“Eat Pray Love” enjoyed a box office feast served up by overwhelmingly
older-female audiences during the weekend, and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the
World” fought a losing battle to put geek butts in theater seats. 

Lionsgate’s older-males magnet “The Expendables” topped domestic rankings
with a $34.8 million opening, but Sony’s book-based “Love” debuted
impressively in second place with $23.1 million. The big love for “Love”
followed lucrative outings by 2008’s “Sex and the City” and “Mamma Mia!” -
which fetched $153 million and $144 million in their respective campaigns
- and last year’s “Julie & Julia,” a $94 million domestic grosser. 

The trifecta success of such female-targeting films makes it plain there
is box office gold in the gender genre. (Opening audiences for “Love” were
72% female, with 60% of patrons 25 or older.) 

So niche pics can be lucrative. But what’s up with the penny-pinching geek
squad?

Universal’s “Pilgrim” traveled to just $10.6 million in a fifth-place
launch. The studio puts the pic’s negative cost at $60 million after
accounting for $25 million in tax credits. 

“If that film had been made for $15 milion-$20 million, nobody would be
crying,” an executive at a rival studio said Monday. “But you have an
offbeat movie with an offbeat title starring somebody who is sort of a
niche-targeted guy to begin with.” 

Michael Cera’s topline turn in the comics-spawned “Pilgrim“ followed his
roles in indie fare including this year’s “Youth in Revolt,” a $15.3
million domestic performer for Dimension, and “Paper Heart,” which took in
less than $2 million for Overture after unspooling in August 2009. 

Even Cera’s pairing with Jack Black in Sony’s $43 million grosser “Year
One” last summer represents mere chump change compared with his $144
million and $122 million outings among the ensemble casts of Fox
Searchlight’s “Juno” and Sony’s “Superbad,” respectively, in 2007. By
contrast, “Love” boasts the marquee magic of Julia Roberts and is based on
a best-seller. 

But the question remains: If all creative and marketing considerations are
equal, is the audience for a geek-seeking pic as big as that for a chick
flick? 

“’Watchmen’ opened to $55 million, so I think the answer is yes,” a
distribution executive mused. “Geeks can still rule, no question about
it.” 

With a production budget estimated at $130 million, Warner Bros.’
comics-based “Watchmen” was considered a disappointment in fetching less
than $108 million last year during its domestic run. But its big opening
hinted at the enormous potential of fanboy movies that can tap into
broader groups of moviegoers via positive word-of-mouth and mount leggy
theatrical runs. 

Warners’ “The Matrix” did just that. The 1999 Keanu Reeves starrer rang up
$171 million domestically and spawned two sequels. 

“You can get lucky and hit like a ‘Matrix’ or a ‘Watchmen,’ or you can get
unlucky and have a ‘Scott Pilgrim,”’ one industryite said with a shrug. 

The latter pic is expected to struggle to get past even $30 million
domestically after opening so poorly. Its lack of commercial appeal might
be conceptual in part. Directed by Edgar Wright (“Hot Fuzz“), “Pilgrim”
displays a quirky campiness that played well with critics but calls to
mind the critically lauded but commercially limited “Kick-Ass,” the
Nicolas Cage starrer that Lionsgate unspooled in April and fetched $48
million in total U.S. and Canadian coin. That put the modestly budgeted
actioner into profitability but lagged prerelease expectations for the
fanboy romp. 

“Pilgrim” is about a teen who must battle his girlfriend’s seven evil exes
to win her heart. The film co-stars include Mary Elizabeth Winstead,
Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans and Jason Schwartzman. 

One film producer suggested the pic would have been better served offering
more of a date-movie vibe and leaning less on “geeky, kung fu movie”
elements. 

Still, not even the core audience is guaranteed to show up if geek-seeking
pics fail to heed fanboy sensitivities in transferring characters and
story lines from the comic book page to the silver screen. To wit:
Warners’ Josh Brolin starrer “Jonah Hex” took in less than $11 million
overall domestically after triggering fanboy ire this summer. 

Promoted heavily at Comic-Con, “Pilgrim” played well with its core
audience but drew few outside the fan base. Opening audiences skewed 64%
male, with 58% of patrons under 25. 

“They made a movie that was too niche, too geeky and too hipstery,” an
exec at a rival studio said. “You can’t count on the comic to draw the
audience.” 

(please visit our entertainment blog via www.reut

Re: [scifinoir2] 'Star Wars' Speed Dating: Romance at the Speed of Light Would-Be Lukes a

[Mr. Worf]

There's danger in that too. One day 2000 years from now there will be a war
between the Elvisites, The StarWarians, and the Trekians.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 3:22 AM, Martin Baxter wrote:

>
>
> May the Force of Love be with them.
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 2:17 AM, Mr. Worf  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> 'Star Wars' Speed Dating: Romance at the Speed of Light
>>
>> http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/star-wars-speed-dating-romance-speed-light/story?id=11406677
>>
>> --
>> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
>> Mahogany at:
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>
>
> 




-- 
Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/

Re: [scifinoir2] The versatile VQ3000 portable satellite dish

[Mr. Worf]

Its so you can go camping and have the setup like Fargo. It will probably
endup being another suv toy.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 3:31 AM, Martin Baxter wrote:

>
>
> Mr Worf, they're trying extra hard to make us all couch potatoes, aren't
> they? [?]
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:52 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> The versatile VQ3000 portable satellite dish
>>
>> By Bridget Borgobello 
>>
>> *05:48 August 16, 2010*
>>[image: VuQube VQ3000 portable satellite 
>> system]
>>
>> VuQube VQ3000 portable satellite system
>>  Comcast® - Official 
>> Site-
>> www.Comcast.com
>> Sign Up For XFINITY TV Find Offers In Your Area
>> DISH TV $24.99/mo DISH 
>> TV-
>> www-DishPromotions.com/DishNetwork
>> Free Install, HBO, Showtime & DVR —120+ Digital Channels & Free HD—
>> DIRECTV Official 
>> Offer-
>> www.directstartv.com/SuperDeal

Re: [scifinoir2] Super Nova – world’s first carb on neutral megayacht

[Mr. Worf]

Arr matey!

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 3:38 AM, Martin Baxter wrote:

>
>
> As a pirate at heart, I'd board and commandeer that any day. [?][?][?][?][?]
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:53 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Super Nova – world’s first carbon neutral megayacht
>>
>> By Darren Quick 
>>
>> *21:30 August 15, 2010*
>>
>> 3 
>> Pictures
>>   [image: The Super Nova 60 features adjustable camber fully rotational
>> wingsails]
>>
>> The Super Nova 60 features adjustable camber fully rotational wingsails
>> *Image 
>> Gallery(3
>>  images)
>> *
>>  Yacht 
>> Cruises-
>> Seabourn.com/PlanACruise
>> The Yachts of Seabourn offer luxury cruises to worldwide destinations.
>> Spin Your Meter 
>> Backward-
>> www.SolarCity.com/FreeSolarQuote
>> Power Your Home with the Sun $0 Down. Affordable Monthly Payment
>> California Solar 
>> Power-
>> www.Solarpower.org

Re: [scifinoir2] Net Neutrality Protesters Call for Google to Stand Tall

[Mr. Worf]

Yea the interesting thing is that a lot of people still never put 2 and 2
together even after it was on Dateline and Frontline.

 I would say that most of the voters in this state are apathetic. We have
watched the republicants turn California from a profitable and functioning
state into dysfuctional, in debt mess. The California assembly can barely
function. because of their heavy influence. Its one of the reasons why we
never seem to have a budget on time here. Meanwhile Ahhnald is out making
movies again.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 3:40 AM, Martin Baxter wrote:

>
>
> Funny... that bit of intel is virtually unknown to the masses. If Gray
> Davis had mentioned that during the debacle that ran him out of office, I
> daresay that there'd be no "Governator".
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:38 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I forgot to mention that after Enron we haven't had a brownout since.
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 2:33 PM, Martin Baxter 
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ah... the Magic Evil Word. E___n... [?]
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 4:52 PM, Mr. Worf wrote:
>>>


 The blackouts and brownouts had more to do with Enron's game playing
 than anything else. There wasn't a problem with power in this state until
 Enron's game playing started. Sure, the state was behind on building
 powerplants but not at the point where it would happen everyday during the
 summer for 2 years!?!

 On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 9:06 AM, Martin Baxter >>> > wrote:

>
>
> This is Cali, right? A state famed for its rolling brown- and
> blackouts, passing on a chance at free energy... welcome to the Twilight
> Zone.
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:30 AM, Mr. Worf wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> They were trying to build a wind farm in the central valley and they
>> were going to pay for everything. The cities around the farm would get a
>> discount on power, but the state has been blocking the project for about 
>> 4
>> years now.
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 2:55 AM, Martin Baxter <
>> martinbaxt...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Mr Worf, I sincerely hope that you're right, and that Google has the
>>> cojones to keep up the fight once they're "inside".
>>>
>>> On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 9:52 PM, Mr. Worf 
>>> wrote:
>>>


 I think that Google is using the approach of "changing the system
 from the inside." Google has their hands in so many pies that it will 
 soon
 make M$ look like wannbes.

 On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 12:52 PM, Martin Baxter <
 martinbaxt...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> I personally expect results roughly after Jesus makes it back this
> way...
>
>
> http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/08/net-neutrality-google-protest/
>
> --
> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the
> bloody hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>
>
>


 --
 Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
 Mahogany at:
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/

>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody
>>> hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>>>
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
>> Mahogany at:
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody
> hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>
>
>


 --
 Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
 Mahogany at:
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/

>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody
>>> hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>>>
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
>> Mahogany at:
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>
>
> 
>



-- 
Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
<<1B2.png>>

Re: [scifinoir2] American Psychological Association: Modern Superhero Is Bad

[Mr. Worf]

Hehehe...

I wonder who would be the closest to their ideal superhero?

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 1:19 PM, Adrianne Brennan <
adrianne.bren...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> No, the modern superhero is human and suffers from human flaws. Like many
> humans.
>
> Honestly, I think that certain professionals need to remove the pointy,
> splintery stick from their respective rectums.
>
> You heard it from me...just my $0.02 worth...
>
>
> ~ "Where love and magic meet" ~
> http://www.adriannebrennan.com
> Experience the magic of the Dark Moon series:
> http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#darkmoon
> Dare to take The Oath in this erotic fantasy series:
> http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#the_oath
> The future of psychic sex - Dawn of the Seraphs (m/m):
> http://www.adriannebrennan.com/dawnoftheseraphs.html
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 3:34 PM, Martin Baxter wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> No wonder Martin is so frelled up, growing up wanting to be a cross
>> between the evil Captain America and the degenerate Mr Fantastic...
>>
>>
>> http://www.newsoxy.com/health/american-psychological-association-14260.html
>>
>> --
>> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
>> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> 




-- 
Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/

Re: [scifinoir2] 24M Could Reduce Cost of Batteries for Electric Cars by 85% by 2015

[Mr. Worf]

I'm counting the days. They are too.

If it isn't what 24m does there is another tech in the pipe that increases
the recharge speed and capacity 10fold.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 1:33 PM, Martin Baxter wrote:

>
>
> If they can keep the power curve consistent, Mr Worf, Big Oil has something
> to fear.
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 4:27 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> *24M Could Reduce Cost of Batteries for Electric Cars by 85% by 
>> 2015
>> *
>>
>> *Ad Support* : *Nano 
>> Technology*
>>*Netbook*
>> 
>> *Technology News 
>> *
>>*Computer 
>> Software*
>>
>> 
>>
>> A company called 24M (24 Molar), has been spun out of the advanced battery
>> company A123 
>> Systems.It
>>  will develop a novel type of battery based on research conducted by
>> Yet-Ming Chiang, a professor of materials science at MIT and founder of A123
>> Systems. He says the battery design has the potential to cut those battery
>> costs by 85 percent.
>>
>>  The battery pack alone in many electric cars can cost well over $10,000.
>> Cutting this figure could make electric vehicles competitive with
>> gasoline-fueled cars.
>>
>> The new company has raised $10 million in venture-capital funding, and
>> about $6 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E),
>> which will fund collaboration between the company and MIT and Rutgers
>> University.
>>
>>
>>
>> 24M uses a "semisolid" energy storage material (rather than the solid
>> electrode material used in most batteries today), and that it combines the
>> best attributes of conventional batteries, fuel cells, and flow 
>> batterieswhile
>>  avoiding some of the disadvantages of these technologies.
>>
>> The problem with a fuel cell is that it can't be recharged by applying
>> electrical current--you need to refill the fuel tank. That's fine if the
>> fuel is widely available, but right now hydrogen can be hard to come by.
>> Flow batteries require vast amounts of electrolyte because their energy
>> density is low. "It's like managing a large swimming pool full of corrosive
>> liquid," Chiang says. As a result, flow batteries are not practical for
>> cars. As with fuel cells, the new battery can store large amounts of energy
>> without also needing large amounts of supporting materials to extract.
>>
>> They have developed a proof-of-concept device--which was needed to get the
>> Arpa-e grant. They have a goal of five years to get the first systems out in
>> the field.
>>
>> The zinc-bromine flow battery design promises energy storage for less than
>> $500 per 
>> kilowatt-hour.That’s
>>  about a third the cost of storage using lithium-ion batteries and
>> even somewhat less than the cost of using sodium-sulfur batteries. MIT
>> received $5 million of Recovery Act money to further develop a semi-solid
>> (perhaps a gel) electrolyte flow battery which has the potential of being
>> about an eighth the cost of today’s electric vehicle batteries.
>>
>> A flow battery is a form of rechargeable battery in which electrolyte
>> containing one or more dissolved electroactive species flows through an
>> electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy directly to electricity.
>> Additional electrolyte is stored externally, generally in tanks, and is
>> usually pumped through the cell (or cells) of the reactor, although gravity
>> feed systems are also known. Flow batteries can be rapidly "recharged" by
>> replacing the electrolyte liquid (in a similar way to refilling fuel tanks
>> for internal combustion engines) while simultaneously recovering the spent
>> material for re-energization.
>>
>> Various classes of flow batteries exist including the redox
>> (reduction-oxidation) flow battery, in which all electroactive components
>> are dissolved in the electrolyte. If one or more electroactive compo

[scifinoir2] Sign language communication over low bandwidth mobile phone networks

[Mr. Worf]

Sign language communication over low bandwidth mobile phone networks

By Darren Quick 

*01:57 August 17, 2010*

2 Pictures 
  [image: Josiah Cheslik, a UW junior and volunteer in the MobileASL field
study, demonstrates
using...]

Josiah Cheslik, a UW junior and volunteer in the MobileASL field study,
demonstrates using the phone to sign with Pete Michor, seen in the
background, another participant in the study (Image: Mary Levin, UW)
*Image Gallery(2
images)
*
  BlackBerry® Bold™
9700-
BlackBerry.com/Bold9700
Sleek, Refined & Impressive. Get The New BlackBerry Bold.
Mobile 
Streaming-
onstreammedia.com/mobilestreaming
Stream Rich Media Content to Mobile Phones...
Cellular 
Consumer-
www.ConsumerCellular.com
Free phone, no contracts, flexible plans. 100% satisfaction guarantee.
FTTH Feasibility
Studies

Re: [scifinoir2] 24M Could Reduce Cost of Batteries for Electric Cars by 85% by 2015

[Martin Baxter]

If they can keep the power curve consistent, Mr Worf, Big Oil has something
to fear.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 4:27 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:

>
>
> *24M Could Reduce Cost of Batteries for Electric Cars by 85% by 
> 2015
> *
>
> *Ad Support* : *Nano 
> Technology*
>*Netbook*
> 
> *Technology News 
> *
>*Computer 
> Software*
>
> 
>
> A company called 24M (24 Molar), has been spun out of the advanced battery
> company A123 
> Systems.It
>  will develop a novel type of battery based on research conducted by
> Yet-Ming Chiang, a professor of materials science at MIT and founder of A123
> Systems. He says the battery design has the potential to cut those battery
> costs by 85 percent.
>
>  The battery pack alone in many electric cars can cost well over $10,000.
> Cutting this figure could make electric vehicles competitive with
> gasoline-fueled cars.
>
> The new company has raised $10 million in venture-capital funding, and
> about $6 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E),
> which will fund collaboration between the company and MIT and Rutgers
> University.
>
>
>
> 24M uses a "semisolid" energy storage material (rather than the solid
> electrode material used in most batteries today), and that it combines the
> best attributes of conventional batteries, fuel cells, and flow 
> batterieswhile
>  avoiding some of the disadvantages of these technologies.
>
> The problem with a fuel cell is that it can't be recharged by applying
> electrical current--you need to refill the fuel tank. That's fine if the
> fuel is widely available, but right now hydrogen can be hard to come by.
> Flow batteries require vast amounts of electrolyte because their energy
> density is low. "It's like managing a large swimming pool full of corrosive
> liquid," Chiang says. As a result, flow batteries are not practical for
> cars. As with fuel cells, the new battery can store large amounts of energy
> without also needing large amounts of supporting materials to extract.
>
> They have developed a proof-of-concept device--which was needed to get the
> Arpa-e grant. They have a goal of five years to get the first systems out in
> the field.
>
> The zinc-bromine flow battery design promises energy storage for less than
> $500 per 
> kilowatt-hour.That’s
>  about a third the cost of storage using lithium-ion batteries and
> even somewhat less than the cost of using sodium-sulfur batteries. MIT
> received $5 million of Recovery Act money to further develop a semi-solid
> (perhaps a gel) electrolyte flow battery which has the potential of being
> about an eighth the cost of today’s electric vehicle batteries.
>
> A flow battery is a form of rechargeable battery in which electrolyte
> containing one or more dissolved electroactive species flows through an
> electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy directly to electricity.
> Additional electrolyte is stored externally, generally in tanks, and is
> usually pumped through the cell (or cells) of the reactor, although gravity
> feed systems are also known. Flow batteries can be rapidly "recharged" by
> replacing the electrolyte liquid (in a similar way to refilling fuel tanks
> for internal combustion engines) while simultaneously recovering the spent
> material for re-energization.
>
> Various classes of flow batteries exist including the redox
> (reduction-oxidation) flow battery, in which all electroactive components
> are dissolved in the electrolyte. If one or more electroactive component is
> deposited as a solid layer the system is known as a hybrid flow battery. The
> main difference between these two types of flow battery is that the energy
> of the redox flow battery can be determined fully independently of the
> battery power, because the energy is related to the electroly

Re: [scifinoir2] American Psychological Association: Modern Superhero Is Bad

[Adrianne Brennan]

No, the modern superhero is human and suffers from human flaws. Like many
humans.

Honestly, I think that certain professionals need to remove the pointy,
splintery stick from their respective rectums.

You heard it from me...just my $0.02 worth...


~ "Where love and magic meet" ~
http://www.adriannebrennan.com
Experience the magic of the Dark Moon series:
http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#darkmoon
Dare to take The Oath in this erotic fantasy series:
http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#the_oath
The future of psychic sex - Dawn of the Seraphs (m/m):
http://www.adriannebrennan.com/dawnoftheseraphs.html


On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 3:34 PM, Martin Baxter wrote:

>
>
> No wonder Martin is so frelled up, growing up wanting to be a cross between
> the evil Captain America and the degenerate Mr Fantastic...
>
> http://www.newsoxy.com/health/american-psychological-association-14260.html
>
> --
> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>
>
> 

Re: [scifinoir2] Re: Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Martin Baxter]

No, rave. Worse, easily. I suppose this is sour grapes on the parts of the
fans, who feel justifiably let down by Lucas' art falling so far short of
its potential, even before the money angle comes into play.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 3:38 PM, Kelwyn  wrote:

>
>
> I am not a fan of anything Star Wars that comes after the Empire Strikes
> Back. Still, it was the merchandising that gave Lucas the power and autonomy
> to make both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies. I am all for total
> artist control even if total artist control does not always lead to great
> art. Would things have been better if the suits at Columbia controlled the
> franchise?
>
> ~rave?
>
> --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , Bosco
> Bosco  wrote:
> >
> > I dont even know where to begin. At least I know I'm right. Everything
> post Empire has been designed to maximize merch sales rather than make great
> movies.
> >
> > B
> >
> > --- On Tue, 8/17/10, Martin Baxter  wrote:
> >
> > From: Martin Baxter 
>
> > Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
> > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com 
> > Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 8:05 AM
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Â
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Keith, I would've loved to have seen Kurtz's proposed ending made real.
> I've also read that the late SF author Leigh Brackett, who's listed as a
> co-writer on "Empire", originally had Luke and Leia as NOT being brother and
> sister, and that Luke had a twin sister somewhere out there, whom Han was
> supposed to hook up with, allowing Luke and Leia to go off into the sunset
> together. Lucas himself kiboshed that, but left in the kissing scenes. Draw
> your own conclusions there...
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM, Keith Johnson 
> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Â
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Right. The online world used to be called Expanded Universe, but I can't
> find that particular site anymore. Now it's unto Databank or something. But
> yeah, all the aftermath stories show just how difficult it was to change the
> course of the Empire. There were battles a-plenty left. Indeed, often there
> can be more and more painful fighting after the evil leaders are gone. And
> the relatively small number of Jedi would be hard tasked to restore a moral
> center to the galaxy entire as they struggled to rebuild their Order and
> make sure their own don't give in to temptation again. For example, I do
> recall reading that the Emperor lived on in that shade form that Yodi and
> Obi-Wan used, and continued to wreak his evil influence on people. I know
> Luke is forced in a way to give in to the Dark Side, and I believe either
> his son or his nephew also fell to the Darkness for a while.Â
> >
> > Realistically, the ending Kurtz mentions, with Leia overwhelmed by the
> work to be done, and Luke walking away to contemplate a difficult future,
> would have been better. I'm surprised someone hasn't created a fan film
> where, right in the middle of the Ewok Lua, a force of ships loyal to the
> Empire didn't show up and bomb the place.
> >
> >
> >
> > - Original Message -
> > From: "Martin Baxter" 
> > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com 
> >
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:28:56 AM
> > Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Â
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that came
> out a few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what happens
> after the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up aspects yet
> to be done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see the
> strengthening foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in
> particular regards the Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not
> to be Stormtroopers, packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their
> own unique culture, and even a language unlike any in the remnants of the
> Empire.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson 
> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Â
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i
> always had with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that
> just because the second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor
> dead, that only meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge
> interstellar apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the
> Empire's depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems,
> a corrupt Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that
> gave them money and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth
> of Jedi to enforce the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work
> was indeed just beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wi

[scifinoir2] 24M Could Reduce Cost of Batteries for Electric Cars by 85% by 2015

[Mr. Worf]

*24M Could Reduce Cost of Batteries for Electric Cars by 85% by
2015
*

*Ad Support* : *Nano
Technology*
   *Netbook*

*Technology News
*
   *Computer 
Software*



A company called 24M (24 Molar), has been spun out of the advanced battery
company A123 
Systems.It
will develop a novel type of battery based on research conducted by
Yet-Ming Chiang, a professor of materials science at MIT and founder of A123
Systems. He says the battery design has the potential to cut those battery
costs by 85 percent.

 The battery pack alone in many electric cars can cost well over $10,000.
Cutting this figure could make electric vehicles competitive with
gasoline-fueled cars.

The new company has raised $10 million in venture-capital funding, and about
$6 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which
will fund collaboration between the company and MIT and Rutgers University.



24M uses a "semisolid" energy storage material (rather than the solid
electrode material used in most batteries today), and that it combines the
best attributes of conventional batteries, fuel cells, and flow
batterieswhile
avoiding some of the disadvantages of these technologies.

The problem with a fuel cell is that it can't be recharged by applying
electrical current--you need to refill the fuel tank. That's fine if the
fuel is widely available, but right now hydrogen can be hard to come by.
Flow batteries require vast amounts of electrolyte because their energy
density is low. "It's like managing a large swimming pool full of corrosive
liquid," Chiang says. As a result, flow batteries are not practical for
cars. As with fuel cells, the new battery can store large amounts of energy
without also needing large amounts of supporting materials to extract.

They have developed a proof-of-concept device--which was needed to get the
Arpa-e grant. They have a goal of five years to get the first systems out in
the field.

The zinc-bromine flow battery design promises energy storage for less than
$500 per 
kilowatt-hour.That’s
about a third the cost of storage using lithium-ion batteries and
even somewhat less than the cost of using sodium-sulfur batteries. MIT
received $5 million of Recovery Act money to further develop a semi-solid
(perhaps a gel) electrolyte flow battery which has the potential of being
about an eighth the cost of today’s electric vehicle batteries.

A flow battery is a form of rechargeable battery in which electrolyte
containing one or more dissolved electroactive species flows through an
electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy directly to electricity.
Additional electrolyte is stored externally, generally in tanks, and is
usually pumped through the cell (or cells) of the reactor, although gravity
feed systems are also known. Flow batteries can be rapidly "recharged" by
replacing the electrolyte liquid (in a similar way to refilling fuel tanks
for internal combustion engines) while simultaneously recovering the spent
material for re-energization.

Various classes of flow batteries exist including the redox
(reduction-oxidation) flow battery, in which all electroactive components
are dissolved in the electrolyte. If one or more electroactive component is
deposited as a solid layer the system is known as a hybrid flow battery. The
main difference between these two types of flow battery is that the energy
of the redox flow battery can be determined fully independently of the
battery power, because the energy is related to the electrolyte volume (tank
size) and the power to the reactor size. The hybrid flow battery, similar to
a conventional battery, is limited in energy to the amount of solid material
that can be accommodated within the reactor. In practical terms this means
that the discharge time of a redox flow battery at f

[scifinoir2] Net Neutrality Pact: 5 Red Flags

[Martin Baxter]

While we're on the subject...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/202970/googleverizon_net_neutrality_pact_5_red_flags.html?tk=nl_wbx_h_crawl1

-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik

[scifinoir2] American Psychological Association: Modern Superhero Is Bad

[Martin Baxter]

No wonder Martin is so frelled up, growing up wanting to be a cross between
the evil Captain America and the degenerate Mr Fantastic...

http://www.newsoxy.com/health/american-psychological-association-14260.html

-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik

[scifinoir2] Re: Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Kelwyn]

I am not a fan of anything Star Wars that comes after the Empire Strikes Back.  
Still, it was the merchandising that gave Lucas the power and autonomy to make 
both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies.  I am all for total artist control 
even if total artist control does not always lead to great art.  Would things 
have been better if the suits at Columbia controlled the franchise? 

~rave? 

--- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Bosco Bosco  wrote:
>
> I dont even know where to begin. At least I know I'm right. Everything post 
> Empire has been designed to maximize merch sales rather than make great 
> movies. 
> 
> B
> 
> --- On Tue, 8/17/10, Martin Baxter  wrote:
> 
> From: Martin Baxter 
> Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 8:05 AM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> 
>   
>   
>   Keith, I would've loved to have seen Kurtz's proposed ending made real. 
> I've also read that the late SF author Leigh Brackett, who's listed as a 
> co-writer on "Empire", originally had Luke and Leia as NOT being brother and 
> sister, and that Luke had a twin sister somewhere out there, whom Han was 
> supposed to hook up with, allowing Luke and Leia to go off into the sunset 
> together. Lucas himself kiboshed that, but left in the kissing scenes. Draw 
> your own conclusions there...
> 
> 
> On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM, Keith Johnson  wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> 
>   
>   
>   Right. The online world used to be called Expanded Universe, but I 
> can't find that particular site anymore. Now it's unto Databank or something. 
> But yeah, all the aftermath stories show just how difficult it was to change 
> the course of the Empire. There were battles a-plenty left. Indeed, often 
> there can be more and more painful fighting after the evil leaders are gone. 
> And the relatively small number of Jedi would be hard tasked to restore a 
> moral center to the galaxy entire as they struggled to rebuild their Order 
> and make sure their own don't give in to temptation again. For example, I do 
> recall reading that the Emperor lived on in that shade form that Yodi and 
> Obi-Wan used, and continued to wreak his evil influence on people. I know 
> Luke is forced in a way to give in to the Dark Side, and I believe either his 
> son or his nephew also fell to the Darkness for a while.  
> 
> Realistically, the ending Kurtz mentions, with Leia overwhelmed by the work 
> to be done, and Luke walking away to contemplate a difficult future, would 
> have been better. I'm surprised someone hasn't created a fan film where, 
> right in the middle of the Ewok Lua, a force of ships loyal to the Empire 
> didn't show up and bomb the place.
> 
> 
> 
> - Original Message -
> From: "Martin Baxter" 
> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
> 
> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:28:56 AM
> Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
>   
> 
>   
>   
>   Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that 
> came out a few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what 
> happens after the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up 
> aspects yet to be done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see 
> the strengthening foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in 
> particular regards the Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not 
> to be Stormtroopers, packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their 
> own unique culture, and even a language unlike any in the remnants of the 
> Empire.
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson  wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> 
>   
>   
>   The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i 
> always had with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that 
> just because the second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor 
> dead, that only meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge 
> interstellar apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the 
> Empire's depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems, 
> a corrupt Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that gave 
> them money and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth of 
> Jedi to enforce the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work was 
> indeed just beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wide makeover of a 
> totalitarian state into a democratic one again would be a monumental task. 
> Look at how the former Soviet Union is already struggling mightily with 
> autocratic elements fighting with its democratic aspirations. They
>  have a Prime Minister who was an autocratic presi

Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Martin Baxter]

Bosco, you begin by keeping your dollars as far away from Lucas-related
material as possible. That's my tack on the matter.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 12:51 PM, Bosco Bosco  wrote:

>
>
> I dont even know where to begin. At least I know I'm right. Everything post
> Empire has been designed to maximize merch sales rather than make great
> movies.
>
> B
>
>
> --- On *Tue, 8/17/10, Martin Baxter * wrote:
>
>
> From: Martin Baxter 
> Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 8:05 AM
>
>
>
>
> Keith, I would've loved to have seen Kurtz's proposed ending made real.
> I've also read that the late SF author Leigh Brackett, who's listed as a
> co-writer on "Empire", originally had Luke and Leia as NOT being brother and
> sister, and that Luke had a twin sister somewhere out there, whom Han was
> supposed to hook up with, allowing Luke and Leia to go off into the sunset
> together. Lucas himself kiboshed that, but left in the kissing scenes. Draw
> your own conclusions there...
>
> On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM, Keith Johnson 
> http://mc/compose?to=keithbjohn...@comcast.net>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> Right. The online world used to be called Expanded Universe, but I can't
> find that particular site anymore. Now it's unto Databank or something. But
> yeah, all the aftermath stories show just how difficult it was to change the
> course of the Empire. There were battles a-plenty left. Indeed, often there
> can be more and more painful fighting after the evil leaders are gone. And
> the relatively small number of Jedi would be hard tasked to restore a moral
> center to the galaxy entire as they struggled to rebuild their Order and
> make sure their own don't give in to temptation again. For example, I do
> recall reading that the Emperor lived on in that shade form that Yodi and
> Obi-Wan used, and continued to wreak his evil influence on people. I know
> Luke is forced in a way to give in to the Dark Side, and I believe either
> his son or his nephew also fell to the Darkness for a while.
> Realistically, the ending Kurtz mentions, with Leia overwhelmed by the work
> to be done, and Luke walking away to contemplate a difficult future, would
> have been better. I'm surprised someone hasn't created a fan film where,
> right in the middle of the Ewok Lua, a force of ships loyal to the Empire
> didn't show up and bomb the place.
>
>
>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Martin Baxter" 
> http://mc/compose?to=martinbaxt...@gmail.com>
> >
> To: 
> scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:28:56 AM
> Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
>
>
>
> Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that came
> out a few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what happens
> after the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up aspects yet
> to be done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see the
> strengthening foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in
> particular regards the Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not
> to be Stormtroopers, packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their
> own unique culture, and even a language unlike any in the remnants of the
> Empire.
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson 
> http://mc/compose?to=keithbjohn...@comcast.net>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i always
> had with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that just
> because the second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor dead,
> that only meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge
> interstellar apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the
> Empire's depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems,
> a corrupt Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that
> gave them money and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth
> of Jedi to enforce the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work
> was indeed just beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wide makeover
> of a totalitarian state into a democratic one again would be a monumental
> task. Look at how the former Soviet Union is already struggling mightily
> with autocratic elements fighting with its democratic aspirations. They have
> a Prime Minister who was an autocratic president who's basically their
> strong man.
> So the "Ewok lua" as he put it, was indeed premature. I think that if you
> read some of the books, and study the Expanded Universe online, you see more
> mature, thoughtful, and in-depth treatments that handle that world a lot
> better than the kid- and crowd-pleasing movies.
>
>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Martin Baxter" 
> http://mc/compose?to=martinbaxt...@gmail.com>
> >
> To: "SciFiNoir2" 
> 

[scifinoir2] "Inception" #3 user favorite movie of all time

[Martin Baxter]

Check it out for yourselves...

http://www.imdb.com/chart/top

Thanks to my friend Ando for handing me this in another group.

-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik

Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Bosco Bosco]

I dont even know where to begin. At least I know I'm right. Everything post 
Empire has been designed to maximize merch sales rather than make great movies. 

B

--- On Tue, 8/17/10, Martin Baxter  wrote:

From: Martin Baxter 
Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 8:05 AM







 



  



  
  
  Keith, I would've loved to have seen Kurtz's proposed ending made real. 
I've also read that the late SF author Leigh Brackett, who's listed as a 
co-writer on "Empire", originally had Luke and Leia as NOT being brother and 
sister, and that Luke had a twin sister somewhere out there, whom Han was 
supposed to hook up with, allowing Luke and Leia to go off into the sunset 
together. Lucas himself kiboshed that, but left in the kissing scenes. Draw 
your own conclusions there...


On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM, Keith Johnson  
wrote:
















 



  



  
  
  Right. The online world used to be called Expanded Universe, but I can't 
find that particular site anymore. Now it's unto Databank or something. But 
yeah, all the aftermath stories show just how difficult it was to change the 
course of the Empire. There were battles a-plenty left. Indeed, often there can 
be more and more painful fighting after the evil leaders are gone. And the 
relatively small number of Jedi would be hard tasked to restore a moral center 
to the galaxy entire as they struggled to rebuild their Order and make sure 
their own don't give in to temptation again. For example, I do recall reading 
that the Emperor lived on in that shade form that Yodi and Obi-Wan used, and 
continued to wreak his evil influence on people. I know Luke is forced in a way 
to give in to the Dark Side, and I believe either his son or his nephew also 
fell to the Darkness for a while.  

Realistically, the ending Kurtz mentions, with Leia overwhelmed by the work to 
be done, and Luke walking away to contemplate a difficult future, would have 
been better. I'm surprised someone hasn't created a fan film where, right in 
the middle of the Ewok Lua, a force of ships loyal to the Empire didn't show up 
and bomb the place.



- Original Message -
From: "Martin Baxter" 
To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:28:56 AM
Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas








 


  

  
  
  Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that came 
out a few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what happens 
after the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up aspects yet to 
be done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see the strengthening 
foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in particular regards the 
Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not to be Stormtroopers, 
packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their own unique culture, and 
even a language unlike any in the remnants of the Empire.



On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson  
wrote:

















 



  



  
  
  The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i 
always had with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that just 
because the second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor dead, 
that only meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge 
interstellar apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the 
Empire's depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems, a 
corrupt Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that gave 
them money and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth of Jedi 
to enforce the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work was indeed 
just beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wide makeover of a 
totalitarian state into a democratic one again would be a monumental task. Look 
at how the former Soviet Union is already struggling mightily with autocratic 
elements fighting with its democratic aspirations. They
 have a Prime Minister who was an autocratic president who's basically their 
strong man. 


So the "Ewok lua" as he put it, was indeed premature. I think that if you read 
some of the books, and study the Expanded Universe online, you see more mature, 
thoughtful, and in-depth treatments that handle that world a lot better than 
the kid- and crowd-pleasing movies.



- Original Message -
From: "Martin Baxter" 
To: "SciFiNoir2" 


Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 5:01:40 PM
Subject: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas








 


  

  
  
  George Lucas, Mercenary Bastich First Class? You betcha, according to 
Kurtz...

http://www.collider.com/2010/08/13/star-wars-and-empire-strikes-back-producer-gary-kurtz-speaks-bluntly-about-george-lucas-return-of-the-jedi-and-more/




-- 
"If al

Re: [scifinoir2] Free software can help with studies

[Martin Baxter]

"And AVG bogs the system done with updates, whereas AVG at least does
updates on login/reboot that can be gotten out of the way quickly. "

That's another huge reason I cut ties with AVG, Keith. My mother's system
needs updating every day through AVG. Gets annoying.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 9:00 AM, Keith Johnson wrote:

>
>
> I did a lot of research on AVG vs. Avast recently in the course of working
> on a friend's PC that was infected to the gills. AVG, to its credit, caught
> a rootkit infection hidden in a .sys file that controls the PC's ability to
> use TCP/IP--and hence, to network. Several other highly recommended programs
> like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Super AntiSpyware missed it. But that
> being said, I went with Avast as well for a more robust and configurable
> system, and general acknowledgment by the experts that it's a better
> anti-malware program. AVG is more popular, but Avast is better, from what
> I've read. And AVG bogs the system done with updates, whereas AVG at least
> does updates on login/reboot that can be gotten out of the way quickly.
>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Martin Baxter" 
> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:36:54 AM
> Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Free software can help with studies
>
>
>
> I'm tooting the horn for OpenOffice and avast! yet again, and advising one
> and all to run from GoogleDocs as though it were plague-soaked. I tried it
> once, and ended up with something so jumbled that it didn't resemble the
> English language. And duck and run from AVG as well, unless you want
> something that'll shred your computer. My mother had it on hers, and the
> thing's toast now. An AVG run on her system takes close to forty minutes,
> while avast! is less than five on mine, and my HD is twice hers.
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:55 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> This article should be called "Alternatives to Microsoft software."
>> Back to school: Free software can help with studies By RENÉ GUZMAN STAFF
>> WRITER Aug. 15, 2010, 5:30PM
>> *Share*
>>  [image: 
>> icon]Del.icio.us
>> [image: 
>> icon]Digg
>> [image: 
>> icon]Twitter
>>  Yahoo! 
>> Buzz
>> [image: 
>> icon]Facebook
>> [image: 
>> icon]StumbleUpon
>>  Email 
>> Close [X] 
>>
>> Back to school means more than just hitting the books. It also means
>> hitting the computer to bang out a term paper, create a PowerPoint-type
>> presentation or simply go online to find out next week's assignments.
>>
>> Good thing the Web has plenty of free software to handle your course load.
>>
>> From word processing to image editing, you'll find a wealth of aptly named
>> freeware that meets or even exceeds its commercial rivals when it comes to
>> features and operability. And whether you download these freebies or just
>> play with them online, they're sure to save you hundreds in software costs.
>> (Trust us, we have the prices for some of the more popular software to prove
>> it.)
>>
>> Here are a few must-have free programs to tackle your class work, whether
>> you use a Mac or a PC. Freely.
>>
>> *Word processor office suite*
>>
>> *Instead of**: Microsoft Office**Home* and *Student 2010* ($149.99,
>> Windows) and *Office 2008 for Mac Home* and *Student Edition* ($149.99)
>>
>> *Use: **AbiWord *(*abiword.com* ), *OpenOffice.org
>> *(*openoffice.org* ), *Google Docs *(*
>> docs.google.com* ), *Zoho Writer *(*
>> writer.zoho.com* ),* 

Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Martin Baxter]

Keith, I would've loved to have seen Kurtz's proposed ending made real. I've
also read that the late SF author Leigh Brackett, who's listed as a
co-writer on "Empire", originally had Luke and Leia as NOT being brother and
sister, and that Luke had a twin sister somewhere out there, whom Han was
supposed to hook up with, allowing Luke and Leia to go off into the sunset
together. Lucas himself kiboshed that, but left in the kissing scenes. Draw
your own conclusions there...

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM, Keith Johnson wrote:

>
>
> Right. The online world used to be called Expanded Universe, but I can't
> find that particular site anymore. Now it's unto Databank or something. But
> yeah, all the aftermath stories show just how difficult it was to change the
> course of the Empire. There were battles a-plenty left. Indeed, often there
> can be more and more painful fighting after the evil leaders are gone. And
> the relatively small number of Jedi would be hard tasked to restore a moral
> center to the galaxy entire as they struggled to rebuild their Order and
> make sure their own don't give in to temptation again. For example, I do
> recall reading that the Emperor lived on in that shade form that Yodi and
> Obi-Wan used, and continued to wreak his evil influence on people. I know
> Luke is forced in a way to give in to the Dark Side, and I believe either
> his son or his nephew also fell to the Darkness for a while.
> Realistically, the ending Kurtz mentions, with Leia overwhelmed by the work
> to be done, and Luke walking away to contemplate a difficult future, would
> have been better. I'm surprised someone hasn't created a fan film where,
> right in the middle of the Ewok Lua, a force of ships loyal to the Empire
> didn't show up and bomb the place.
>
>
>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Martin Baxter" 
> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:28:56 AM
> Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
>
>
>
> Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that came
> out a few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what happens
> after the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up aspects yet
> to be done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see the
> strengthening foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in
> particular regards the Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not
> to be Stormtroopers, packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their
> own unique culture, and even a language unlike any in the remnants of the
> Empire.
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson  > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i
>> always had with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that
>> just because the second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor
>> dead, that only meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge
>> interstellar apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the
>> Empire's depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems,
>> a corrupt Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that
>> gave them money and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth
>> of Jedi to enforce the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work
>> was indeed just beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wide makeover
>> of a totalitarian state into a democratic one again would be a monumental
>> task. Look at how the former Soviet Union is already struggling mightily
>> with autocratic elements fighting with its democratic aspirations. They have
>> a Prime Minister who was an autocratic president who's basically their
>> strong man.
>> So the "Ewok lua" as he put it, was indeed premature. I think that if you
>> read some of the books, and study the Expanded Universe online, you see more
>> mature, thoughtful, and in-depth treatments that handle that world a lot
>> better than the kid- and crowd-pleasing movies.
>>
>>
>> - Original Message -
>> From: "Martin Baxter" 
>> To: "SciFiNoir2" 
>> Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 5:01:40 PM
>> Subject: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
>>
>>
>>
>> George Lucas, Mercenary Bastich First Class? You betcha, according to
>> Kurtz...
>>
>>
>> http://www.collider.com/2010/08/13/star-wars-and-empire-strikes-back-producer-gary-kurtz-speaks-bluntly-about-george-lucas-return-of-the-jedi-and-more/
>>
>> --
>> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
>> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>
>   
>



-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
wrote the script?" -- Charle

Re: [scifinoir2] Free software can help with studies

[Keith Johnson]

I did a lot of research on AVG vs. Avast recently in the course of working on a 
friend's PC that was infected to the gills. AVG, to its credit, caught a 
rootkit infection hidden in a .sys file that controls the PC's ability to use 
TCP/IP--and hence, to network. Several other highly recommended programs like 
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Super AntiSpyware missed it. But that being said, 
I went with Avast as well for a more robust and configurable system, and 
general acknowledgment by the experts that it's a better anti-malware program. 
AVG is more popular, but Avast is better, from what I've read. And AVG bogs the 
system done with updates, whereas AVG at least does updates on login/reboot 
that can be gotten out of the way quickly. 

- Original Message - 
From: "Martin Baxter"  
To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:36:54 AM 
Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Free software can help with studies 






I'm tooting the horn for OpenOffice and avast! yet again, and advising one and 
all to run from GoogleDocs as though it were plague-soaked. I tried it once, 
and ended up with something so jumbled that it didn't resemble the English 
language. And duck and run from AVG as well, unless you want something that'll 
shred your computer. My mother had it on hers, and the thing's toast now. An 
AVG run on her system takes close to forty minutes, while avast! is less than 
five on mine, and my HD is twice hers. 


On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:55 PM, Mr. Worf < hellomahog...@gmail.com > wrote: 








This article should be called "Alternatives to Microsoft software." 

Back to school: Free software can help with studies 
By RENÉ GUZMAN STAFF WRITER 
Aug. 15, 2010, 5:30PM 






Share 


iconDel.icio.us 
iconDigg 
iconTwitter 
Yahoo! Buzz 
iconFacebook 
iconStumbleUpon 
Email 

Close [X] 



B ack to school means more than just hitting the books. It also means hitting 
the computer to bang out a term paper, create a PowerPoint-type presentation or 
simply go online to find out next week's assignments. 

Good thing the Web has plenty of free software to handle your course load. 

>From word processing to image editing, you'll find a wealth of aptly named 
>freeware that meets or even exceeds its commercial rivals when it comes to 
>features and operability. And whether you download these freebies or just play 
>with them online, they're sure to save you hundreds in software costs. (Trust 
>us, we have the prices for some of the more popular software to prove it.) 

Here are a few must-have free programs to tackle your class work, whether you 
use a Mac or a PC. Freely. 

Word processor office suite 

Instead of : Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 ($149.99, Windows) and 
Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition ($149.99) 

Use: AbiWord ( abiword.com ), OpenOffice.org ( openoffice.org ), Google Docs ( 
docs.google.com ), Zoho Writer ( writer.zoho.com ), Zoho Sheet ( sheet.zoho.com 
), Zoho Show ( show.zoho.com ) 

"For a basic word processor — something you can write complex and multipage 
reports with - AbiWord is a fairly strong option," says Seth Rosenblatt, senior 
associate editor for the tech-resource site CNET. This downloadable program is 
super simple to use and saves documents in myriad formats, including Microsoft 
Word (.doc) and Office Open XML (.docx). 

If you'd rather keep your essays in the cloud, you can't beat the online word 
processors Google Docs and Zoho Writer . Both let you access documents anywhere 
you have a Web connection (computer or smartphone), import and export 
documents, and share documents online with real-time collaboration just like a 
study group within a screen. 

Need more than word processing? Rosenblatt recommends you download the 
productivity suite openoffice.org . "We're talking about something that is 
designed to completely replicate or replicate as closely as possible, the 
toolset that comes in Microsoft Office," he says, "but you don't have to pay 
for it." 

OpenOffice.org lets you write with Writer , design spreadsheets with Calc , 
craft presentations with Impress , play with graphics with Draw and make a 
database with Base . OpenOffice.org reads and writes most file formats, 
including those common to Microsoft Office. For similar office elements online, 
try Google Docs and Zoho productivity apps Zoho Sheet for spreadsheets and Zoho 
Show for presentations. 

Image editing 

Instead of: Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 ($99.99) or Adobe Photoshop CS5 12 
($699.99) 

Use: Photoscape ( photoscape.org ), Windows), Paint.NET ( getpaint.net ), 
Windows), Phoenix ( aviary.com , choose Image Editor), Picnik ( picnik.com ), 
GIMP ( gimp.org ) 

Whether you need to add visual aids to your book report or just zap the red eye 
from your study-buddy snapshots, you can't beat the image editor Paint.NET . 
The Web info blog MakeUsOf.com highlights this free Windows-only download, and 
it's easy to see why. Paint.NET sports a very intuitive use

Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Keith Johnson]

Right. The online world used to be called Expanded Universe, but I can't find 
that particular site anymore. Now it's unto Databank or something. But yeah, 
all the aftermath stories show just how difficult it was to change the course 
of the Empire. There were battles a-plenty left. Indeed, often there can be 
more and more painful fighting after the evil leaders are gone. And the 
relatively small number of Jedi would be hard tasked to restore a moral center 
to the galaxy entire as they struggled to rebuild their Order and make sure 
their own don't give in to temptation again. For example, I do recall reading 
that the Emperor lived on in that shade form that Yodi and Obi-Wan used, and 
continued to wreak his evil influence on people. I know Luke is forced in a way 
to give in to the Dark Side, and I believe either his son or his nephew also 
fell to the Darkness for a while. 
Realistically, the ending Kurtz mentions, with Leia overwhelmed by the work to 
be done, and Luke walking away to contemplate a difficult future, would have 
been better. I'm surprised someone hasn't created a fan film where, right in 
the middle of the Ewok Lua, a force of ships loyal to the Empire didn't show up 
and bomb the place. 


- Original Message - 
From: "Martin Baxter"  
To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:28:56 AM 
Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas 






Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that came out a 
few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what happens after 
the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up aspects yet to be 
done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see the strengthening 
foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in particular regards the 
Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not to be Stormtroopers, 
packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their own unique culture, and 
even a language unlike any in the remnants of the Empire. 


On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson < keithbjohn...@comcast.net > 
wrote: 









The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i always had 
with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that just because the 
second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor dead, that only 
meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge interstellar 
apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the Empire's 
depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems, a corrupt 
Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that gave them money 
and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth of Jedi to enforce 
the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work was indeed just 
beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wide makeover of a totalitarian 
state into a democratic one again would be a monumental task. Look at how the 
former Soviet Union is already struggling mightily with autocratic elements 
fighting with its democratic aspirations. They have a Prime Minister who was an 
autocratic president who's basically their strong man. 
So the "Ewok lua" as he put it, was indeed premature. I think that if you read 
some of the books, and study the Expanded Universe online, you see more mature, 
thoughtful, and in-depth treatments that handle that world a lot better than 
the kid- and crowd-pleasing movies. 


- Original Message - 
From: "Martin Baxter" < martinbaxt...@gmail.com > 



To: "SciFiNoir2" < scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > 
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 5:01:40 PM 
Subject: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas 






George Lucas, Mercenary Bastich First Class? You betcha, according to Kurtz... 

http://www.collider.com/2010/08/13/star-wars-and-empire-strikes-back-producer-gary-kurtz-speaks-bluntly-about-george-lucas-return-of-the-jedi-and-more/
 

-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell 
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik 





-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell 
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik 

Re: [scifinoir2] Net Neutrality Protesters Call for Google to Stand Tall

[Martin Baxter]

Funny... that bit of intel is virtually unknown to the masses. If Gray Davis
had mentioned that during the debacle that ran him out of office, I daresay
that there'd be no "Governator".

On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:38 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:

>
>
> I forgot to mention that after Enron we haven't had a brownout since.
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 2:33 PM, Martin Baxter wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Ah... the Magic Evil Word. E___n... [?]
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 4:52 PM, Mr. Worf wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The blackouts and brownouts had more to do with Enron's game playing than
>>> anything else. There wasn't a problem with power in this state until Enron's
>>> game playing started. Sure, the state was behind on building powerplants but
>>> not at the point where it would happen everyday during the summer for 2
>>> years!?!
>>>
>>> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 9:06 AM, Martin Baxter 
>>> wrote:
>>>


 This is Cali, right? A state famed for its rolling brown- and blackouts,
 passing on a chance at free energy... welcome to the Twilight Zone.


 On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:30 AM, Mr. Worf wrote:

>
>
> They were trying to build a wind farm in the central valley and they
> were going to pay for everything. The cities around the farm would get a
> discount on power, but the state has been blocking the project for about 4
> years now.
>
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 2:55 AM, Martin Baxter <
> martinbaxt...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Mr Worf, I sincerely hope that you're right, and that Google has the
>> cojones to keep up the fight once they're "inside".
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 9:52 PM, Mr. Worf wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I think that Google is using the approach of "changing the system
>>> from the inside." Google has their hands in so many pies that it will 
>>> soon
>>> make M$ look like wannbes.
>>>
>>> On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 12:52 PM, Martin Baxter <
>>> martinbaxt...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>


 I personally expect results roughly after Jesus makes it back this
 way...


 http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/08/net-neutrality-google-protest/

 --
 "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the
 bloody hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik



>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
>>> Mahogany at:
>>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody
>> hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
> Mahogany at:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>



 --
 "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody
 hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik



>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
>>> Mahogany at:
>>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
>> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
> Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>  
>



-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
<<1B2.png>>

Re: [scifinoir2] Super Nova – world’s first carb on neutral megayacht

[Martin Baxter]

As a pirate at heart, I'd board and commandeer that any day. [?][?][?][?][?]

On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:53 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:

>
>
> Super Nova – world’s first carbon neutral megayacht
>
> By Darren Quick 
>
> *21:30 August 15, 2010*
>
> 3 
> Pictures
>   [image: The Super Nova 60 features adjustable camber fully rotational
> wingsails]
>
> The Super Nova 60 features adjustable camber fully rotational wingsails
> *Image 
> Gallery(3
>  images)
> *
>  Yacht 
> Cruises-
> Seabourn.com/PlanACruise
> The Yachts of Seabourn offer luxury cruises to worldwide destinations.
> Spin Your Meter 
> Backward-
> www.SolarCity.com/FreeSolarQuote
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Re: [scifinoir2] Free software can help with studies

[Martin Baxter]

I'm tooting the horn for OpenOffice and avast! yet again, and advising one
and all to run from GoogleDocs as though it were plague-soaked. I tried it
once, and ended up with something so jumbled that it didn't resemble the
English language. And duck and run from AVG as well, unless you want
something that'll shred your computer. My mother had it on hers, and the
thing's toast now. An AVG run on her system takes close to forty minutes,
while avast! is less than five on mine, and my HD is twice hers.

On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:55 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:

>
>
> This article should be called "Alternatives to Microsoft software."
> Back to school: Free software can help with studies By RENÉ GUZMAN STAFF
> WRITER Aug. 15, 2010, 5:30PM
> *Share*
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>  Email 
> Close [X] 
>
> Back to school means more than just hitting the books. It also means
> hitting the computer to bang out a term paper, create a PowerPoint-type
> presentation or simply go online to find out next week's assignments.
>
> Good thing the Web has plenty of free software to handle your course load.
>
> From word processing to image editing, you'll find a wealth of aptly named
> freeware that meets or even exceeds its commercial rivals when it comes to
> features and operability. And whether you download these freebies or just
> play with them online, they're sure to save you hundreds in software costs.
> (Trust us, we have the prices for some of the more popular software to prove
> it.)
>
> Here are a few must-have free programs to tackle your class work, whether
> you use a Mac or a PC. Freely.
>
> *Word processor office suite*
>
> *Instead of**: Microsoft Office**Home* and *Student 2010* ($149.99,
> Windows) and *Office 2008 for Mac Home* and *Student Edition* ($149.99)
>
> *Use: **AbiWord *(*abiword.com* ), *OpenOffice.org
> *(*openoffice.org* ), *Google Docs *(*
> docs.google.com* ), *Zoho Writer *(*
> writer.zoho.com* ),* Zoho Sheet* (*
> sheet.zoho.com* ), *Zoho Show* (*show.zoho.com
> * )
>
> "For a basic word processor — something you can write complex and multipage
> reports with - *AbiWord* is a fairly strong option," says Seth Rosenblatt,
> senior associate editor for the tech-resource site CNET. This downloadable
> program is super simple to use and saves documents in myriad formats,
> including Microsoft Word (.doc) and Office Open XML (.docx).
>
> If you'd rather keep your essays in the cloud, you can't beat the online
> word processors *Google Docs* and *Zoho Writer*. Both let you access
> documents anywhere you have a Web connection (computer or smartphone),
> import and export documents, and share documents online with real-time
> collaboration just like a study group within a screen.
>
> Need more than word processing? Rosenblatt recommends you download the
> productivity suite *openoffice.org *. "We're
> talking about something that is designed to completely replicate or
> replicate as closely as possible, the toolset that comes in Microsoft
> Office," he says, "but you don't have to pay for it."
>
> OpenOffice.org lets you write with *Writer*, design spreadsheets with *
> Calc*, craft presentations with* Impress*, play with graphics with *Draw*and 
> make 

Re: [scifinoir2] The versatile VQ3000 portable satellite dish

[Martin Baxter]

Mr Worf, they're trying extra hard to make us all couch potatoes, aren't
they? [?]

On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:52 PM, Mr. Worf  wrote:

>
>
> The versatile VQ3000 portable satellite dish
>
> By Bridget Borgobello 
>
> *05:48 August 16, 2010*
>[image: VuQube VQ3000 portable satellite 
> system]
>
> VuQube VQ3000 portable satellite system
>  Comcast® - Official 
> Site-
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> S

Re: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas

[Martin Baxter]

Another spot-on analysis, Keith. Reminds me of a fantasy novel that came out
a few years ago (the name of which escapes me), considering what happens
after the happy ending, that there's the management and clean-up aspects yet
to be done. And I've read a few of the SW novels, enough to see the
strengthening foundation that been laid for the SWverse. One batch in
particular regards the Mandalorians (the clones of Jango Fett that chose not
to be Stormtroopers, packed up and left for Mandalor). They developed their
own unique culture, and even a language unlike any in the remnants of the
Empire.

On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Keith Johnson
wrote:

>
>
> The below from the interview really resonates with me. One problem i always
> had with "Return of the Jedi" was the ending. I kept thinking that just
> because the second Death Star was destroyed, and Vader and the Emperor dead,
> that only meant the work was beginning. After all, there was a huge
> interstellar apparatus in place that had aided and been complicit with the
> Empire's depredations. This system included the rule of whole solar systems,
> a corrupt Senate, leaders on hundreds of worlds loyal to the Empire that
> gave them money and power, a military dedicated to the Empire, and a dearth
> of Jedi to enforce the principles of the Old Republic. In short, the work
> was indeed just beginning, and tackling the task of a galaxy-wide makeover
> of a totalitarian state into a democratic one again would be a monumental
> task. Look at how the former Soviet Union is already struggling mightily
> with autocratic elements fighting with its democratic aspirations. They have
> a Prime Minister who was an autocratic president who's basically their
> strong man.
> So the "Ewok lua" as he put it, was indeed premature. I think that if you
> read some of the books, and study the Expanded Universe online, you see more
> mature, thoughtful, and in-depth treatments that handle that world a lot
> better than the kid- and crowd-pleasing movies.
>
>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Martin Baxter" 
> To: "SciFiNoir2" 
> Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 5:01:40 PM
> Subject: [scifinoir2] Gary Kurtz Speaks Bluntly About George Lucas
>
>
>
> George Lucas, Mercenary Bastich First Class? You betcha, according to
> Kurtz...
>
>
> http://www.collider.com/2010/08/13/star-wars-and-empire-strikes-back-producer-gary-kurtz-speaks-bluntly-about-george-lucas-return-of-the-jedi-and-more/
>
> --
> "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
> wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
>
>



-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik

Re: [scifinoir2] 'Star Wars' Speed Dating: Romance at the Speed of Light Would-Be Lukes a

[Martin Baxter]

May the Force of Love be with them.

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 2:17 AM, Mr. Worf  wrote:

>
>
> 'Star Wars' Speed Dating: Romance at the Speed of Light
>
> http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/star-wars-speed-dating-romance-speed-light/story?id=11406677
>
> --
> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
> Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
>  
>



-- 
"If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell
wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik