Rants like that work best with a smaller Slashdot UID number :)

Not always true.

A lot of people get headaches from the disconnect between the information their eyes are telling them and what their brain has learned to understand. The brain resolves stuff into 3D using a number of visual cues. These include stereoscopic imaging (different images to each eye) which we get in 3D movies but also include information to do with focal distance (i.e. the brain is confused because the image appears 3D but the eyes are focused on a flat plane - and if you try to focus on something outside of the plane, you can't resolve it unless the filmaker happens to have recorded it in focus) and parallax (i.e. when you move your head, the images shift according to distance away from you. Birds do this a lot). There are more cues but these are the biggest usually. In 3D movies, we only simulate one of these - the stereoscopic effect. As such, the brain is getting conflicting information about what is in front of us and it is this attempt to "fix" the issues that causes many people to get headaches and/or sick when watching 3D.

I find, for example, that the fact that I can't decide which part of the allegedly 3D scene in front of me is in focus gives me serious eye-ache (leading to a headache) as my brain tries to focus on the blurry object in the foreground of the scene that was never recorded in focus. Were it real 3D, I would be able to focus on it but that data is not in the 2D image in front of me. It's a bit like trying to read a book which is held much to close to your eyes for an couple of hours.

Avatar was better than most because they used smaller (virtual) apertures, thus creating a greater depth of field, meaning I could visually wander through the scene without too much trouble. The effect is at it's worst in 2D movies which have been 3D-ified and were recorded with the typical narrow depth of field used to draw people to a specific part of the scene.

Hmm, $150 = €110 (approx) at at today's rate.

But, we have to add some VAT. VAT in France is currently 19.6%

Which makes €131.5

So actually we are only being screwed to the tune of €17.5 :)

Oh and btw, in most states in the US they don't pay $150, they pay $150 plus tax, so in NC for example (7% VAT), you'd pay $160.5.

Personally, I use the LK speech/cut scene to /grab another beer/take a quick bio break/briefly stand up and juggle a bit for exercise/ before the main event starts and I have to concentrate. I rather like it. The Sauerfang one on the other hand annoys me something rotten as the fight is rather easy and doesn't require much concentration by anyone (it was only ever a gear check anyway). Even when we were training LK, I still didn't mind as it gave everyone a minute or two to make sure they had their game face on, or make silly comments in vent.

I think WoW mostly gets the cutscenes right - the only seriously annoying waste of time aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh one was at the Argent Tournament and they allow you to skip that one now anyway :)

Nope :)

I dunno, I've never seen the point in being impressed with a 5 digit ID.

Linux servers don't generally hang about in the average family home being badly managed by the average non-techy person like the average Windows box does :)

Linux servers are usually seen hanging out in specially constructed and managed server farms (a.k.a. dungeons), administrated by gangs of pale, bespectacled geeks and BOFHs and generally up to date with decent security.

to get slightly back on topic, the only pink cars I see in Holland tend to be bubblegum pink Nissan Micras, poverty-spec MINIs plastered with estate agency stickers and random old stuff that's been hand-painted by hippies. None of these would be particularly attractive targets even if they were black.

aaah, maybe you can tell me where Mankrik's wife is?

I tried asking Chuck Norris but he just killed me with a tray.

An essentially useless toy?

I beg to differ. It might not be an open, do what you like with me, free OS, linuxxxy hippiephone but that doesn't make it in any way useless or a toy.

The bombing of Dresden has never been legally classified as a war crime. There are plenty of people who believe it is, plenty of people who believe it isn't and even more people who have no opinion either way. Whether it would be classified as a war crime if it were "on trial" is a matter for discussion :)

The link to Wikipedia merely explains some of the discussions around whether is may or may not be a war crime, a disaster or merely a nasty thing (tm) but it is technically NOT a war crime as it has not been defined as such by the UN (for example). Furthermore, citing Wikipedia as a reference is fraught with uncertainty. It is not a legally relevant or correct document.

As to whether Dresden was a humanitarian disaster, was vastly excessive, badly thought out, "just plain wrong", justified, necessary, stupid, clever, a thoughtless act, pure revenge, intelligent counter-attack or mind instructions from the great spaghetti monster - these are all opinions people are free to hold and discuss. Personally, I can understand the reasons the bombings happens but with hindsight it is obvious that they should probably not have taken place as they were (I think) taken with poor thought and consideration of the consequences. Should they have taken place? IMHO, no they shouldn't. Given the situation at the time, were they a war crime? I don't think so. A humanitarian disaster, yes.

The idea of a public TV license isn't as unique to the UK as people seem to think. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence - It's a lot more normal than you might think and doesn't make the UK unique or special.

It's more the US that's "special" because they don't have one.

Surely Chuck Norris' password would simply be "Me"

Inconceivable.

I can still remember the first time I ran Unreal after installing it. I also just sat there for a while going "oooooooooooo". Probably my oooo-est moment in gaming.

From his UID, I'd say he was half as new as you :)