Yep, that's Blockbuster for you. We had a great independent video store in our neighborhood. Blockbuster bought them out and the selction, particularly of controversial films has significantly diminished. The day they closed the deal, and before they had even changed the name on the front, they nailed a sheet of plywood over the door going to the X rated section. They also 'cleanse' some of their videos to remove content which they dislike.
Just joined NetFlix. I'm hoping for a much better selection. I'm not interested in Blockbuster censoring the films I see.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Wow Kerry, thanks for the tip. I'd never heard of NetFlix (http://www.netflix.com/Default) and it looks like a great deal. I'll probably sign-up, too.

Anybody else have experience with them?

Botnst

My mom raves about NetFlix, and she watches more videos than anyone I know... The wife and I just pick our movies up at the local library fer free.

Its the pursuit of the vast money to be had from appealing to the largest number of people. If everybody suddenly wanted porno, there'd be a big interest in providing it. Same with foreign and indy films. The world wants brainless action fantasies, that's where the money will be made. Who goes in business to make less money?

Similarly with publishing. Big houses buy-up small houses to acquire a couple of potential accounts and strip away all the financial losers. Bye-bye poetry and avante garde prose. Hello bodice rippers.

Reminds me of the Gulf Coast beaches from Florida to Mississippi. In the sixties and seventies there was the strangest, most eclectic, gawdawful architectural and business wonders along hwy 90. In forty years it has homogenized into the plasticrete mediocrity recognizable world-wide as American commerical archicture.

Botnst

Yes, I think you're correct. When all decisions are reduced to making more money, many of life's most important qualities are lost. Very few, if any, people would resort to such idiocy in their personal lives. It seems nuts to institutionalize such decisionmaking processes and socialize vast numbers of the managerial class to make decisions solely on the basis of what increases this quarter's profit.
The owner's of the independent video store in our neighborhood had some notion of quality that was able to balance their concern for profitability. But perhaps ultimately, they gave in to $$$ because they sold out to Blockbuster. Blockbuster bought them because their store just 3 blocks away was unable to turn a profit due to the appeal of the independent. They offered a huge sum to be able to monopolize the videomarket in central Denver.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Anybody know when it will be at local theaters?

__________________
Jim

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/passion.asp

I happen to be reading through snopes and it turns out the article wasn't written by Paul Harvey....

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I'd rather argue against a hundred idiots, than have one agree with me. — Winston Churchill

This "Village Voice" analysis is an interesting perspective, or several perspectives entwined within the article, I guess. http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0408/goldstein.php

I heard or read that the movie is like watching the torture scene in "Braveheart" for a couple of hours. I'm not up for that. That scene in "Braveheart" bothered me for several evenings.

Ordinarily, I don't much care for a film that is emotionally and intellectually deeply disturbing. Films like "Sophie's Choice", "Schindler's List", "Braveheart", parts of "Saving Private Ryan" and apparently this movie. Though I am glad they were made. There's an honesty in that portrayal of violence and depravity that is useful in telling the story. I just can't watch it.

If you see it, I'd like to know of your impressions and what impact in will have, if any.

Botnst

...I feel the same way about the movie Finding Nemo. What the hell happened to Marlin's wife and all those little eggs anyway?...shudddddderrrrrrr! My daughter tortures me by incessently watching that damn DVD--makes me a wreck.

I've been tempted to hide it, Z. How much time in Purgatory do you get for that kind of sin?

B

...hiding Nemo? That's flagrant disney-cide, the Church expressly forbids such transgressions. Once you cross that line, your fate is sealed...don't go there.

A friend of mine just called me. She saw an advance showing of The Passion tonight.

She said the movie is very moving and well done. The musical score is outstanding. As far as any anti-semitism, she didn't see any. She also said there was hardly a dry eye in the theater. I'm planning to take my mom and her husband on Friday.

__________________

Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

The cynic in me sees a double bump in profits. The first due to the hyper-hype crescendo on Ash Wednesday and the second during Holy Week. That's forty days of Christian ecstasy in contrition through a movie, profiting a prophet.

Am I wrong?

Botnst

...a Christian profiting from his devout faith? Perish the thought...how dare you?

How dare I?

A couple of really dry gin martinis after a long Mardi Gras.

B