I have recently started playing around with bit torrents from Pirate Bay. I know there are some legal issues, but I am only downloading them for personal use and not selling them.
There are several shows that I enjoyed, would like to watch again, and are no longer available anywhere else. If they were released via legitimate, and “legal” means, I would be very happy to purchase them.
Beauty and the Geek is not available from Amazon (season 1 is available) or iTunes. So, I am doing my best to download the files, and convert them for iTunes. Unfortunately this process is laborious. I have to download the torrent, which then becomes an avi file, then I have to convert it into mp4 file for iTunes. Time Warner limits torrent download speeds, so the downloading of even a 300+ megabit file takes forever. Then sometimes the file seems to be unacceptable to Handbrake for conversion. I guess when you are doing something somewhat illegal, you take your risks.
I Love Money Season 4 is another show I would like to see again. VH1 did it’s best to bury this show in it’s lineup after the whole Ryan Jenkins issue. Mr. Jenkins did not have any immediate effect on season 4, though guys from Megan Wants A Millionaire were a part of the cast. But, VH1 shifted the focus of their whole programming, and now suck, because of the murder. The company that owns the rights, and VH1, seem reluctant to release this season on iTunes or any other legal means. So I have to go to bit torrent to download this, and then convert.
There are plenty of people willing, and who wish to re-watch various shows over again. Why not release all catalogs to the public? Because companies are unwilling or do not want to release curtain shows via legal means, people resort to questionable means.
My experiment with bit torrents is on going, and does require some time. I may rethink my service provider once my price lock contract expires, because they limit torrent downloads.
I am watching the History Channel or should I say, they hysteria or hilarious channel.
The History Channel is apparently running a marathon of the television show “Ancient Aliens”, due to the New Years weekend. I find this show fascinatingly appalling, and hysterical at the same time. Though interesting it really misses a lot of points, and defies any cognitive thinking.
The premise of the series is that the ancient structures, and stories of peoples from the stone age, bronze age, and any age before the Renaissance were about ancient aliens who came to Earth. Even modern religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, are products of ancient aliens. It assumes, “humans stupid”, and is engrained with anti-human concept.
So called “experts”, “scientists”, and “theorists” cherry pick commonalities in ancient texts, concepts, and stories to prove their point. But, they run the whole disclaimer that the theories proposed are only just theories. Yet, they work hard to prove that this is real.
Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age humans could not have been as advanced or achieve monumental things because they did not have computers, lasers or even basic writing. The only way they could have built massive structures, like the pyramid, was with help from ancient alien beings. Wildly fantastic stories about gods battling in the sky, and mythological beasts cannot be a product of imagination, but representations of ancient aliens.
The so called smart people, whom claim to be intellectual thinkers, take a short cut in explaining things. They are so married to their doctrine, and concept of “ancient aliens”, that even when contradictions or proof of ancient people maybe having technology that was very advanced, they loop back to their ancient alien explanation. Ancient aliens gave the Egyptians the math, technology, and tools to build the pyramids, then, after they were built, packed everything up, and took off. WTF???
They view the ancient world through biased eyes, and assume that humans back then, with the same level of intellect, cognitive powers of observation, and ability to create as we have now, could not have done magnificent things with out an alien posing as a divine being holding their hands. Ancient humans did not have Einsteins, Teslas, Newtons, DaVincis, Roddenburys, Clarks, Picassos, Mozarts or any other types of geniuses that we had or have. Those ancient cultures could not have them because they did not have written language, and were barely out of caves. They may have even lived in caves still. The arrogance of the “Ancient Alien” experts discredit their own species.
Just the simple fact that ancient humans had the exact same brain as us, disproves the whole ancient alien concept.
With the internet, and even before the internet, humanity knew that it was possible for two people from opposite sides of the planet could have the same exact idea or even reach the same exact conclusion. From this simple fact, it is not a great leap of logic to understand that the Norse, Greek, and East Indian people could have similarities in their mythology. Mayans, Incans, and Egyptians could have similarities in their buildings.
People also acknowledge that technology, tools, and concepts evolve over time, and replace something that could be inferior. Technology and concepts could also be totally lost if not used or taught. This even has greater possibilities when there is no written language, and the culture is primarily an oral culture. Given that simple fact, it is not unreasonable that some ancient advanced technology was simply lost.
When you take the three simple points made above, ancient humans had the same brain as us, two humans can have the same exact idea, and technology can be lost, “Ancient Alien” explanations start to fall flat. “Ancient Alien” theory is just a lazy mans way of explaining away possible gaps in technology or concepts that may have been prevalent in ancient times.
Tis’ the season to be jolly. Thus, like every year around this time, I watch one of the greatest Christmas Movies ever. Christmas Vacation!
I still laugh, even though I have seen the movie dozens of times. I probably have the movie memorized.
Unfortunately, there are a few minor plot issues or problems with the story that I notice, and it bothers me. Both of my issues involve the bunk bed in Rusty’s room.
First, why are the grandparents using the bed? Rusty and Audrey could have used the bunks in Rusty’s room instead of sharing Audrey’s bed. That would have solved Audrey’s creepy problem.
Second, after Clark breaks through the ceiling, and ends up standing on the bunk, he could have simply sat down, climbed off the top bunk, and not remained trapped in the attic. The damage was already done, so even if Clark had made the hole somewhat larger, it would have required a sheet of drywall to repair.
That actually brings up a third problem. They show the ceiling fully repaired in one scene after it had been damaged. Did they just tape the poster back over it?
Of course, these are just minor gripes, and do not detract from my overall enjoyment of the movie. They were just observations I made after having seen the movie several times. But, I guess for the sake of comedy, they can be overlooked.