Look, when I was a kid, a brand new hardcover cost $15. Then it went up to $20, $25, and now a lot of them are close to $30. The whole time the publishing companies cried cost of publishing increases and inflation.
Now that they are fighting with Amazon, some publishers claim that the printing cost of the book is only 8 - 10%. Wait, why did the cost of books skyrocket if the printing prices didn't really skyrocket? Oh, right, convenient excuse to raise prices and increase profits.
Look, I'm not ignorant. I know publishers pay to advertise (some books) and have other assorted costs. But, I also know how businesses operate. Any excuse to drive that bottom line as high as it can go. Macmillan is skirting the issue that for e-books, they are really just a middle man. So sorry that you can't grab fistfuls of cash for each book sold on Kindle, but you didn't really do much to earn it. Welcome to the future. You can now join the RIAA in trying to extort people since you can't sell them overpriced product like you used to.
And Amazon? They're not completely innocent. Obviously they are in it to make money as well. But, as a consumer, Amazon's $9.99 price point looks a LOT better for a few KB of information than almost the same price as a hardcover. Why would publishers think that you would spend $25 for a Kindle version of a book that costs $27 in a book store? Oh, wait. They don't. They want you to buy the real book, because they make more money from you that way. Sure, Amazon makes more money than the publisher from Kindle book sales. Duh. They marketed it, sold it, sent it to you on a cell signal they pay for, and let you read it on a device they paid to develop and market.
Pulling all Macmillan stock from sale was a pretty douchey move overall, but I get where Amazon is coming from. Hi. We're Amazon. We'd like it to go this way, and if it doesn't, well, we'll see how you like losing sales from the largest online market in the world for a few days. I'm sure that will press home the point. We'll see how it actually works out.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Why I liked Pandorum
I usually don't read reviews of movies before I watch them. I find that reviews tend to bias my watching of a film, and I'd rather make up my own mind. It's after I watch the film that I like to casually browse some reviews and just see what others think.
Avatar was interesting because it is so popular and so huge that there seems to be a big chunk of people out there that hate the film just because it is popular. (See my previous blog about the story originality complaints as well...) I had seen the previews, and since I try to keep abreast of upcoming movie news, I had known about Avatar for a while. But I didn't read any of the press before going to see the movie, because I only wanted my own prejudices to effect my viewing. Therefore, unsurprisingly, I loved Avatar. I figured that I would like it just because I like pretty much everything James Cameron has ever done. Reading the reviews after seeing it, I was shocked at the number of people that cannot seem to get past the "lack of originality" or who just seem to hate it because it is popular.
Pandorum was different because I have only seen previews of the movie. Sci-fi? Check. Looks interesting? Check. OK, I want to see this. I have never heard of the director. I like Dennis Quaid, but - let's face it - he's been in some pretty shitty movies in the past. I vaguely remembered seeing Ben Foster in something, but I couldn't recall what it was or if he was any good, so that added no baggage. I watched Pandorum with only the hope that it would be a decent sci-fi movie. I loved it. Reading the reviews after watching Pandorum, I had to laugh. Still a high percentage of people who think it is unoriginal - GASP! OH EMM GEE! The plot has been done before? No way! Surely not in our thousands of years of history! - but there were a lot of people who didn't like other things. Things - for the most part - that were reasons I loved the movie.
Thing number one: The movie doesn't explain everything!
You have no idea how much I like this. This is probably the one thing that absolutely sold me on this movie. I love when a film assumes that the audience is smart enough to make the connections on their own and doesn't need to be hand-held through long exposition scenes just to know what is going on. Pandorum gives you exactly as much information as you need to put together what is going on in the main plot, and leaves hints and clues all over for you to pick up on about why this is all happening and how. Why does the agricultural crew member not speak English? Where do the monsters come from, how does the Corporal figure out who was who at the end, and where did the crew go? The film never directly answers these questions, but they give you enough bits of information to figure out an explanation on your own.
Thing two: Originality.
I know, I discuss this ad-nauseum. Here's the thing with unoriginality: EVERYTHING is unoriginal if you want to look at it that way. Yes, everything is derivative. Somebody already used all the elements separately in something else. Great, have a field day hating anything and everything because it has all been done before.
To me, the B (and sometimes even A) movies that pretty much copy every element from another movie and think that you won't notice if they add a twist or two are unoriginal. Hey, let's make Aliens, but we'll make our beasts look different. And, instead of a reactor going critical, it'll be the planet is going to explode because the core is unstable! And they won't be space marines, they'll be, uh... space paratroopers! Yeah!
I liked the story behind Pandorum. I liked that although they may have borrowed elements from many different places - and everybody does this, so no complaints there - they put them together in a way that made sense and pushed the story along.
Thing three: The acting.
I'm going to keep this short. I thought the acting was good. Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster were totally believable as crew members who woke up to a nightmare and had to figure out a way to fix it. The rest of the cast was spot on as well.
Thing 4: The special and visual effects.
A lot of people complained about these, but I thought they were well done and not overused. Actually, if I had to use one word to describe them, it would be reserved. Enough to convey what needed to be conveyed, but not overblown and ridiculous. Nothing exploded for the sake of a cool explosion, nothing threw lens flare all over the screen in every other scene. In fact, I think the filmmakers should give Michael Bay some lessons.
So aside from being well done sci-fi (something that is rare enough to be a treat when it comes along), Pandorum was also just a good movie. I'm not sure how well it did in the theater, but hopefully - like Pitch Black - this will find a big audience now that it is out on DVD and BD. I know I would love to see more stories in this setting.
Avatar was interesting because it is so popular and so huge that there seems to be a big chunk of people out there that hate the film just because it is popular. (See my previous blog about the story originality complaints as well...) I had seen the previews, and since I try to keep abreast of upcoming movie news, I had known about Avatar for a while. But I didn't read any of the press before going to see the movie, because I only wanted my own prejudices to effect my viewing. Therefore, unsurprisingly, I loved Avatar. I figured that I would like it just because I like pretty much everything James Cameron has ever done. Reading the reviews after seeing it, I was shocked at the number of people that cannot seem to get past the "lack of originality" or who just seem to hate it because it is popular.
Pandorum was different because I have only seen previews of the movie. Sci-fi? Check. Looks interesting? Check. OK, I want to see this. I have never heard of the director. I like Dennis Quaid, but - let's face it - he's been in some pretty shitty movies in the past. I vaguely remembered seeing Ben Foster in something, but I couldn't recall what it was or if he was any good, so that added no baggage. I watched Pandorum with only the hope that it would be a decent sci-fi movie. I loved it. Reading the reviews after watching Pandorum, I had to laugh. Still a high percentage of people who think it is unoriginal - GASP! OH EMM GEE! The plot has been done before? No way! Surely not in our thousands of years of history! - but there were a lot of people who didn't like other things. Things - for the most part - that were reasons I loved the movie.
Thing number one: The movie doesn't explain everything!
You have no idea how much I like this. This is probably the one thing that absolutely sold me on this movie. I love when a film assumes that the audience is smart enough to make the connections on their own and doesn't need to be hand-held through long exposition scenes just to know what is going on. Pandorum gives you exactly as much information as you need to put together what is going on in the main plot, and leaves hints and clues all over for you to pick up on about why this is all happening and how. Why does the agricultural crew member not speak English? Where do the monsters come from, how does the Corporal figure out who was who at the end, and where did the crew go? The film never directly answers these questions, but they give you enough bits of information to figure out an explanation on your own.
Thing two: Originality.
I know, I discuss this ad-nauseum. Here's the thing with unoriginality: EVERYTHING is unoriginal if you want to look at it that way. Yes, everything is derivative. Somebody already used all the elements separately in something else. Great, have a field day hating anything and everything because it has all been done before.
To me, the B (and sometimes even A) movies that pretty much copy every element from another movie and think that you won't notice if they add a twist or two are unoriginal. Hey, let's make Aliens, but we'll make our beasts look different. And, instead of a reactor going critical, it'll be the planet is going to explode because the core is unstable! And they won't be space marines, they'll be, uh... space paratroopers! Yeah!
I liked the story behind Pandorum. I liked that although they may have borrowed elements from many different places - and everybody does this, so no complaints there - they put them together in a way that made sense and pushed the story along.
Thing three: The acting.
I'm going to keep this short. I thought the acting was good. Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster were totally believable as crew members who woke up to a nightmare and had to figure out a way to fix it. The rest of the cast was spot on as well.
Thing 4: The special and visual effects.
A lot of people complained about these, but I thought they were well done and not overused. Actually, if I had to use one word to describe them, it would be reserved. Enough to convey what needed to be conveyed, but not overblown and ridiculous. Nothing exploded for the sake of a cool explosion, nothing threw lens flare all over the screen in every other scene. In fact, I think the filmmakers should give Michael Bay some lessons.
So aside from being well done sci-fi (something that is rare enough to be a treat when it comes along), Pandorum was also just a good movie. I'm not sure how well it did in the theater, but hopefully - like Pitch Black - this will find a big audience now that it is out on DVD and BD. I know I would love to see more stories in this setting.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Story Originality
I saw Avatar for the first time last night. I went in expecting to enjoy it, and I did. I am a big James Cameron fan, so I pretty much knew I would like it, but I didn't know how much I would like it. I REALLY liked it.
So, after seeing the movie, I came home and looked up what critics were saying. For the most part, professional film critics like it. Film students and internet film buffs seem to despise it, wishing it to fail just because.
The biggest complaint I have read? The story is unoriginal. Newsflash for the uneducated, young, and ignorant people: NOTHING UNDER THE SUN IS NEW. Yes, Avatar has a plot that is similar to Dances With Wolves and at least a dozen other movies. There are no new plots out there, people. Read some books and you will find that everybody reuses the same plots. Why? Because there are only so many stories to tell.
Do yourself a favor and read a half dozen Shakespeare plays. Now you know the plots to 90% of movies ever made. The Taming Of The Shrew? Othello? Romeo and Juliet? Even movies that are not direct copies of the plot use large chunks of it. Why? Because Shakespeare himself didn't invent these issues and plots. They are stories from when men started to tell stories, passed on down the time line.
Common plot themes that tons of movies use:
Industrialized, "civilized" men attempt to bring "civilization" to the "backwards" indigenous people. They may be the good guys, but usually are portrayed as the aggressors who are exploiting the natives and destroying the environment. (Avatar, Dances With Wolves, Fern Gully)
Man and woman marry/fall in love/have a child/become friends... Man or woman is from a race/species/sex/family that others in society do not approve of. Strife follows. (Othello, Enemy Mine, Romeo and Juliet)
And the list goes on.
A plot cannot be original. The way you tell the story can, and I think Cameron did an excellent job with Avatar.
So, after seeing the movie, I came home and looked up what critics were saying. For the most part, professional film critics like it. Film students and internet film buffs seem to despise it, wishing it to fail just because.
The biggest complaint I have read? The story is unoriginal. Newsflash for the uneducated, young, and ignorant people: NOTHING UNDER THE SUN IS NEW. Yes, Avatar has a plot that is similar to Dances With Wolves and at least a dozen other movies. There are no new plots out there, people. Read some books and you will find that everybody reuses the same plots. Why? Because there are only so many stories to tell.
Do yourself a favor and read a half dozen Shakespeare plays. Now you know the plots to 90% of movies ever made. The Taming Of The Shrew? Othello? Romeo and Juliet? Even movies that are not direct copies of the plot use large chunks of it. Why? Because Shakespeare himself didn't invent these issues and plots. They are stories from when men started to tell stories, passed on down the time line.
Common plot themes that tons of movies use:
Industrialized, "civilized" men attempt to bring "civilization" to the "backwards" indigenous people. They may be the good guys, but usually are portrayed as the aggressors who are exploiting the natives and destroying the environment. (Avatar, Dances With Wolves, Fern Gully)
Man and woman marry/fall in love/have a child/become friends... Man or woman is from a race/species/sex/family that others in society do not approve of. Strife follows. (Othello, Enemy Mine, Romeo and Juliet)
And the list goes on.
A plot cannot be original. The way you tell the story can, and I think Cameron did an excellent job with Avatar.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Natalie Blanchard - Depressed or not?
STORY
Apparently this woman lost her insurance money for claiming to be depressed and then posting pictures on Facebook of vacations and parties.
Here's my take: Depressed or not, if you are capable of attending parties, going to the beach, and watching male strippers, then your lazy ass is capable of going to work and holding down a job. Period. Plenty of people suffer all sorts of ailments and still have to work. Suck it up and deal with it.
Apparently this woman lost her insurance money for claiming to be depressed and then posting pictures on Facebook of vacations and parties.
Here's my take: Depressed or not, if you are capable of attending parties, going to the beach, and watching male strippers, then your lazy ass is capable of going to work and holding down a job. Period. Plenty of people suffer all sorts of ailments and still have to work. Suck it up and deal with it.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Deck the Halls
I went with my wife and her family to the Deck The Halls wine tour on Seneca lake this weekend. We got to visit a bunch of wineries and taste their wares. A fun time was had by all.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Fantastic Day + Walther PPS
This has been one of the best days in recent memory. I got laid off today, which sounds horrible, but is actually awesome. 2 months of sitting on my ass, and then I am starting school again. I think I am working towards eventually opening my own firearms shop.
Then, right after I get the good news, the sheriff's office calls and tells me my coupon is in. I go pick up my new baby, and come home to find the two magazines I ordered for it in the mail! And as a bonus, the Dunkin' coffee and donuts tasted fabulous today!
Walther PPS .40 S&W with 6 round magazine.
Walther PPS with 7 round magazine.
I used to (until Friday) work with computers. But IT just isn't the way is used to be. Everyone is downsizing to increase their bottom line (read: screwing the employees so that the bosses/shareholders can buy another Mercedes), so IT folks need to wear 15 hats to keep their ever dwindling salaries. Now, if you can't program, create web pages, fix hardware, and learn every damn OS, program, DB, and network protocol on the planet, you can't find work. And employers want you to get certifications that cost big bucks, that they won't pay for.
So, I am done with that s**t. I am going back to school for business. If I can't work out my own business plan, at least I will have knowledge to get me a job outside of the IT sector. Plus, I love taking classes, it's just a few hours a day to be a "full time" student, and I can laze around for 18 months.
More time to shoot. 
Now, excuse me, I am going to request a reloading press for Christmas this year.
Then, right after I get the good news, the sheriff's office calls and tells me my coupon is in. I go pick up my new baby, and come home to find the two magazines I ordered for it in the mail! And as a bonus, the Dunkin' coffee and donuts tasted fabulous today!
Walther PPS .40 S&W with 6 round magazine.
Walther PPS with 7 round magazine.
I used to (until Friday) work with computers. But IT just isn't the way is used to be. Everyone is downsizing to increase their bottom line (read: screwing the employees so that the bosses/shareholders can buy another Mercedes), so IT folks need to wear 15 hats to keep their ever dwindling salaries. Now, if you can't program, create web pages, fix hardware, and learn every damn OS, program, DB, and network protocol on the planet, you can't find work. And employers want you to get certifications that cost big bucks, that they won't pay for.
So, I am done with that s**t. I am going back to school for business. If I can't work out my own business plan, at least I will have knowledge to get me a job outside of the IT sector. Plus, I love taking classes, it's just a few hours a day to be a "full time" student, and I can laze around for 18 months.
More time to shoot. Now, excuse me, I am going to request a reloading press for Christmas this year.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
SWG server closings.
I realized I write some of my best stuff in forums.
SOE announced that they would be closing down several Star Wars Galaxies servers in October. One of them is the server I played on, Lowca. Blues News has a nice discussion going on. I had to chime in. (The first part is another poster)
SOE announced that they would be closing down several Star Wars Galaxies servers in October. One of them is the server I played on, Lowca. Blues News has a nice discussion going on. I had to chime in. (The first part is another poster)
| |
It's like the prequels. We asked for more awesome Star Wars, and Lucas gave us Gungans instead. Then we asked for more awesome Star Wars, and Lucas killed off all the coolest character in the prequels, had Darth Vader build Threepio, and had Natalie Portman fall for a whiney bitch. Then we asked for more awesome Star Wars, and laughed at the end of Revenge when Vader tries his best Charlie Sheen imitation. | ||
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