Date: 04/27/2003 12:57 PM
From: DW Joyes ([email protected])
Subject: Pale Riders Who Wear Black Hats
Follow any special-interest whiners around for a few days and see what they laugh at, what they react to and how ("Pale Riders Who Wear Black Hats," April 25, 2003). Nobody is picking on you!
These are movies, not reality. They are stories, with characters and events. Characters have -- well -- character, shaped by what they are genetically. Nature. And nurture. But it starts with nature.
There is no story without character, whatever the medium. It's the story, stupid.
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Date: 04/26/2003 02:19 PM
From: Tim ([email protected])
Subject: Online Cigarette Sales Heat Up
Like with porn websites, the adulthood proof is in the card: You have got a credit card, you qualify ("Online Cigarette Sales Heat Up," April 25, 2003). All online cigarettes must be paid for using a card.
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Date: 04/26/2003 09:22 AM
From: Bill Brandt ([email protected])
Subject: Big Win for File-Swap Services
Let's see: If something can be used for illegal purposes, it should be banned ("Big Win for File-Swap Services," April 25, 2003). Autos are used to carry drugs, illegal cigarettes and illegal firearms -- ban autos. Highways are used to evade the police -- ban highways. Guns are used by crooks -- ban guns. The Internet is used to send porn -- ban the Internet. The U.S. mail is used to send threats, etc. -- ban the U.S. mail. Copying machines are used to bust copyrights -- ban the machines. Does this make a point about file-sharing programs?
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Date: 04/26/2003 08:00 AM
From: Adam Bell ([email protected]>
Subject: Online Anonymity Comes Under Fire
Big Brother inches ever closer ("Online Anonymity Comes Under Fire," April 26, 2003). In Canada, there's a surcharge on blank recording media that theoretically goes to the music and video industries. The government, of course, probably spends most of it to collect it. Another example of how the innocent majority is penalized for the venal minority. Copyrights cover a very broad spectrum, and a ruling like this opens the door to software providers, the music industry, film and television to violate our privacy. That I might copy a CD and mail it to you doesn't give the post office the right to open it and see, or even the right to give out my address as the mailer. How is this different?
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Date: 04/25/2003 04:53 PM
From: bclydeb ([email protected])
Subject: ISPs Up the Ante in Spam Fight
Yippee! There are ISPs out there who don't like cooperating with spammers! I thought that the ISPs were just fronts for spammers until I read your article ("ISPs Up the Ante in Spam Fight," April 25, 2003).
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From: Darin ([email protected]>
Date: 04/25/2003 05:27 PM
Subject: Big Win for File-Swapping Sites
Finally ... a sane judgment ("Big Win for File-Swap Services," April 25, 2003). Funny how corporate monsters like Sony were on the other side of the fence when they wanted to sell VCRs to everyone on the planet. Now they want to play both sides -- selling hardware they know you are going to use to copy their content while they have their lap dogs, the RIAA and the MPAA, do their dirty work.
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Date: 04/25/2003 01:19 PM
From: Randy Antler ([email protected])
__Subject: Albinos getting a bum rap in the movies? __
I don't see what all the fuss is about ("Pale Riders Who Wear Black Hats," April 25, 2003). No matter what mold movie studios use to cast the villain(s), some group of people somewhere will feel they have been slighted in some way. Gimme a break! This is fantasy, people, not real life!
Are we supposed to believe that people actually set their personal biases based on examples given in Hollywood movies? Pick any movie that has a villain in the story -- you will find the villain (unless they are green-skinned BEMs) can be associated with some group of people that will take umbrage at the association.
Since I am a white male, should I feel personally offended every time I watch a movie that has a white male villain in it? Of course not!
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