X-Message-Number: 29692
From: "Chris Manning" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re: Acculturation
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:38:41 +1000

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "CryoNet" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:00 PM
Subject: CryoNet #29689 - #29691


> Message #29690
> References: <>
> From: Kennita Watson <>
> Subject: Re: Acculturation
> Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:39:25 -0700
>
>> From: "Chris Manning" <>
>>> From: Kennita Watson <>
>>>>
>>>> I do not have people on,
>>>
>>> ??
>>
>> I'm not sure what this means.
>
> It means that I can't even parse "I do not have people on,",
> much less know how to respond to it.

In an earlier email, you wrote:

"I find that hard to believe, and wonder if you're
putting me on, but I'll take you at your word."

I have only just realised that I substituted 'have' for 'put'. Sorry, I 
didn't even notice. I gather you can't 'have someone on' in American 
English, but it would be a reasonable guess that it means the same thing as 
'put someone on' (which is not Australian English).

>>
>>>> But to me, SF isn't about wars or empires or odd looking
>>>> creatures with gizmos hanging from the equivalent of their hips.
>>>> For me that seems to rule out most SF films.
>>>
>>> FTR, none of the works I recommended were about any
>>> of those things (I'm guessing you didn't like Star
>>> Wars)
>>
>> I didn't see it.
>
> <stunned>

People often ask me which AFL football team I follow. They are often stunned 
when I tell them that I do not follow an AFL football team.

> DVD players, like Edison's first phonograph, are significant
> waypoints on our technological journey.

That doesn't mean I have to have one. And in ten years' time, DVD players 
will have been superseded, DVDs will no longer be manufactured or sold, and 
someone will be telling me that I ought to purchase a (whatever it will be 
called). And ten years after that ... well, you get the idea.

I already have a considerable pile of electronic junk (full of poisonous 
heavy metals) accumulated over the years. Yes, I realise at least some of it 
is recyclable, and I try to get around to recycling it.

> The first user comment on IMDB says it better than I could:
>
> "Here begins the greatest cinematic epic of all time, and arguably
> one of the greatest stories ever told. Originally conceived as a
> serialized popcorn movie in the manner of the old action movies that
> Lucas grew up with, Star Wars surpassed even George's keen and
> bombastic imagination to become a central part of movie history.
>
> There are countless tales of the making of this movie; how Lucas
> never believed he would get the chance to complete the series, how it
> spawned an industry and made the name of nearly everyone who touched
> it a household word. But what that does not reveal, nor do the much
> diminished prequels, is the sheer joy and excitement these movies
> generated.
>
> It was a once in a lifetime experience. You could feel it from
> opening day, earlier if you paid attention to such things. We had
> never seen anything like it, and we are not likely to again."
>
> I find it astounding that any futurist has not seen this film.

As it happens, yesterday I visited my local video shop (for which I have a 
borrower's card, BTW) and asked to hire 'Star Wars'. I also asked for the 
first 'Harry Potter' film. I had walked some distance down the street when I 
realised that what the man had given me were DVDs, so I went back and 
explained that, not having a DVD player, I would need to hire videos. It 
transpired that he no longer had a video of 'Star Wars' (but did have a 
'Harry Potter' one which I duly borrowed). I will try to buy a DVD player. 

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