Interesting Links for 24-09-2013

[andrewducker]

• Yes, it's misogynistic and violent, but I still admire Grand Theft Auto
  (tags: women gta )
• The state of computing education in India
  (tags: computers india education )
• There's been a dramatic drop in global HIV infections
  (tags: aids GoodNews )
• Finally, we won’t have to turn off gadgets during takeoff and landing
  (tags: technology airplanes

Comments

[bart_calendar]

I'd like an alternate star wars storyline where Obi-Wan isn't a lying bastard.

[andrewducker]

I really like that he is. Him and Yoda clearly manipulate Luke (and are scared of him), as per the best explanation ever:
http://northisup.com/blog/a-new-sith-or-revenge-of-the-hope-mirror/

[bart_calendar]

Wow. That's brilliant.

[andrewducker]

I'm not sure I buy all of it (the Chewie/Lando/Han stuff, for instance), but it's genius. Lucas wishes his plots were that good :->

[andrewducker]

I do wonder what movie funding will look like in few years. World cinema markets are larger, so blockbusters aren't going away, but I wonder if we're going to see more and more crowdsourcing, and how this will tie in with cinemas - do they have an interest in helping bring movies to fruition and funneling crowdsourcing to them, or is this so far outside of their competencies that they're going to just be baffled by it?

[danieldwilliam]

I think it will probably be a case of those cinemas who work out how to work with the new funding and business models surviving and those who don’t not. It’s probably something that suits smaller, boutique cinemas than big multiplexes

[apostle_of_eris]

Since China only permits a tiny handful of foreign movies, and only things they don't or can't produce, there will be monster Hollywood blow-em-ups until the policy changes . . .
. . . is one thing I've read.

[lizzie_and_ari]

"Gay Hotel Row Couple Have To Sell Up"

Agh DON'T READ THE COMMENTS DON'T READ THE COMMENTS DON'T READ THE COMMENTS DON'T READ THE COMMENTS. #uselessretrospectiveadvicetoself

I do kind of sorry for them, and it's not a time for gloating, but it seems that they need to sell up not to pay the damages award, but because
a) other potential customers disagree with their policy to the extent that they won't stay there. This means their business model is failing, so they have to sell up. Not the gay couple's fault, unless they have actively campaigned to stop other people from staying there.
b) they're spending all their money on appealing the Equality Act.

So my sympathy is limited. And I do feel sorry for them. But I don't think they would get any public sympathy if they'd not allowed black people, or French people, to stay.

They probably would have if they'd denied a Muslim, sadly. Where do these differences lie?

Pah.

[philmophlegm]

I come at this from a slightly different perspective. I actually think that all businesses should be allowed to decide who they want to sell to, just as all customers can decide who they buy from. However, the flip side of this is that if, as a business, you decide to restrict your market to a particular niche by turning away customers, then it's pretty much your fault if your turnover isn't what it needs to be.

Minecraft

[missedith01]

(ahem) That's my nephew, that is. :-)

Re: Minecraft

[andrewducker]

Awesomeness clearly runs in the family :->