furiousBlog

Every time I hear about the strike, the fact that it is an illegal strike is mentioned. My question is, how can that be? I know that there is a law in NYC that makes it illegal for public workers to strike, so I understand why it's illegal. But, how is that law legal? Isn't striking protected speech? How do 'they' justify disallowing only certain workers the right to strike?

These are questions that I've been thinking about, but haven't done any research on yet. So, if anyone has any insight, I'd appreciate it.

The Serenity DVD was released today. Obviously, I bought it. I'm not currently watching it because I'm saving myself for marriage. Well, I'm saving myself for the second my wife returns from the grocery store. Why she decided to go to the grocery store on Serenity Day is beyond me. Something about feeding the kids or something equally unimportant, considering. The kids are plump. They'll be ok.

Since I've already reviewed the movie and I can't yet comment on the extras (since it would be suicide to watch them sans-wife), and since I feel compelled to post about this momentous event, I'll comment on the only thing I can: the packaging.

The cover art (also the main graphics on the Serenity site, linked above) leaves a lot to be desired. It makes Serenity look like a pretty generic sci-fi flick. Also, there are two images on it that don't seem to be entirely based in the movie. First, in the upper-right there are a bunch of ships with lazer beams flying betwixt them. I don't remember there being lazers in that scene. Second, in the center of the bottom section, there appears to be an ocean of people. Call me crazy, but I also don't remember an ocean of people anywhere in the movie.

Now, a comment on something even less related to the actual movie, the physical box itself. It's one of those obnoxious DVD boxes that have the extra tabs ('cuz, ya know, just having it click together when you close the box wan't cutting it). At least it only had one big white sticker, as opposed to the second volume of the Clone Wars, which I also bought today and has three big white stickers holding it closed.

In a related note, Serenity is currently #1 on Amazon's top-selling DVD list. A couple days ago, it was #4 on the strength of pre-orders alone. Also, the Firefly DVDs which were at #11 a couple days ago, are now at #5. That's right, a TV show that was cancelled 3 years ago, and whose DVDs were released 2 years ago currently holds the #5 top-seller position. Incredible. Fox, you suck.

Well, Cyndi's home, so I'm going to go watch the movie. I'll update this post with the relevant links later.

Update 9:15: Ok, Cyndi wants to finish watching My Name is Earl, so I went ahead and added the links. Well, I added all the links except for the one to Fox. They suck, so no link. Yeah, that'll show 'em!

Update 11:45: So, we watched it. It was as good as ever. My heart was racing through the whole last section, even though I've seen it twice already. Also, I got all sad again.

About whether the pictures on the cover are actually from the movie: they're not. There is an EMP that resembles a lazer, but never do you see a bunch of ships facing off against each other with EMPs a-blazin. Also, I didn't see an ocean of people anywhere in the movie.

I had heard that there weren't going to be many, if any, changes from the version shown in theaters. I did notice a couple tiny little things that I don't remember. The only one I can remember is right before the sad sad scene. When the window blows, there's a completely unnatural blue flash. If you watch it, pay attention there, and let me know if you think it's new, too.

Note: RMS stands for Richard M. Stallman. He created the Free Software movement, and is generally an incredibly smart guy.

Slashdot linked to this interview with RMS:

Free Software as a Social Movement -- Richard Stallman interviewed by Justin Podur

Most of the article, as is to be expected, deals directly with Free/Open Source Software and the related politics and activism. But, it also gets into the subject of capitalism. The specific part that struck me, since it was a viewpoint I had never considered before, came from this particular Q&A:

JP: -- But "anti-capitalists' use a different definition. They see capitalism as markets, private property, and, fundamentally, class hierarchy and class division. Do you see class as fundamental to capitalism?

RMS: No. We have had a lot of social mobility, class mobility, in the United States. Fixed classes--which I do not like--are not a necessary aspect of capitalism.

However, I don't believe that you can use social mobility as an excuse for poverty. If someone who is very poor has a 5% chance of getting rich, that does not justify denying that person food, shelter, clothing, medical care, or education. I believe in the welfare state.

Often when I'm discussing/debating social assistance/welfare programs with people who are against them, their reason for being against them is that the poor have the same opportunity to improve their situation as anyone else. So, therefore there is no reason that middle and upper class people should be forced to support them. I usually end up arguing that they don't have the same opportunities, which is a somewhat murky argument. The idea expressed by RMS above completely bypasses that discussion.

What he says after that is interesting, too, so I'm including it below.

JP: But you are not for equality of outcomes?

RMS: No, I'm not for equality of outcomes. I want to prevent horrible outcomes. But aside from keeping people safe from excruciating outcomes, I believe some inequality is unavoidable.

JP: Inequality based on how much effort people put forth?

RMS: Yes, but also luck.

JP: You don't want society to reward luck, though.

RMS: Luck is just another word for chance. It is unavoidable that chance has an effect on your life. But poverty is avoidable. It is horrible for people to suffer hunger, death for lack of medical care, to work 12 hours a day just to survive. (Well, I work 12 hours a day, but that's unpaid activism, not a job -- so it's ok.)

Cyndi found this picture of some rainbow Jell-O, similar to the stuff I talked about in my Thanksgiving post:


(click it to see it a higher-res version)

Like I said, this rainbow jello is similar, but not the same as the stuff I had. The stuff I had was more consistent in layer thickness and had two purple layers.

I got this rather offensive suggestion from Amazon:



The nerve!

One day, I'll post my review of The Chase and explain why it is one of the best movies ever made. Obviously, someone at Amazon thinks highly of Elektra.