The Five-Minute Forums

The Five-Minute Forums (http://www.fiveminute.net/forums/index.php)
-   Miscellaneous (http://www.fiveminute.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=10)
-   -   Persistent, Niggling Questions (http://www.fiveminute.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1410)

Nate the Great 01-16-2010 04:17 AM

Let me repeat. Posting in a forum, your own blog, or in a comment section is one thing. Posting on a "professional" reviewing site is quite another.

Nate the Great 01-17-2010 04:03 AM

PNQ: How do we feel about the iSlate, the touchscreen tablet rumored to be announced by Apple soon?

Nate the Great 01-20-2010 01:29 AM

PNQ: So Raimi couldn't promise to get Spider-Man 4 out in May 2011, so they decide to reboot the franchise with the new movie coming out in 2012? Huh? I mean, seriously, HUH? If 2012 is okay for the reboot to come out, why couldn't they have given Raimi and company another year and have SM4 come out in 2012?

(Note: Another rumored problem is the fact that they've already killed off the major villains, leaving only the obscure baddies as options. Well, I don't have a problem with second-string villains if they're done well, and I DO have a problem with killing off villains to prevent a Sinister Six movie!)

LtFielding 01-22-2010 05:24 AM

PNQ: Am I the only person under 25 who listens to Frank Sinatra?

Sa'ar Chasm 01-22-2010 05:31 AM

If you'd asked me that question five years ago, the answer would have been no.

In slightly related news, how's 30 treating you, Derek?

Nate the Great 01-27-2010 09:46 AM

PNQ: How are we feeling about the imminent announcement of the Apple Tablet?

Speaking for myself, I find the idea intriguing, but I won't be buying one. I can't be dropping $800-$1000 for a gadget that will have impossible to update hardware and a battery that I can't replace (at least for less than a sack of cash).

Nate the Great 01-28-2010 04:01 AM

PNQ: Is anyone else getting annoyed by gadgetmakers using the word "thin" as a dimension?


Example, the new iPad is advertised as "0.5 inches thin". "Thin" is not a valid property! An iPad is 0.5 inches thick, or X inches _thinner_ than a iPod!

NAHTMMM 02-02-2010 04:32 AM

Eh, I'd say that's like a 3.0 on the Richter scale of Mind-Numbingly Stupid Things Advertisers Say. But then I may not be exposed to those commercials as often as you are.

Nate the Great 02-03-2010 12:37 AM

Once more I see the "DC comics publishes something called Shazam, even though the real name of the hero is Captain Marvel" thing.

PNQ: Why why WHY can't DC just give Marvel umpteen billion dollars to buy back the rights to have a comic book called Captain Marvel?

I mean, I like the Marvel versions of Captain Marvel just fine, especially the brainwashed Skrull version. But even so, when most people think "Captain Marvel," they think The Big Red Cheese, they think half capes and lightning bolts, they think Billy Batson.

Nate the Great 02-04-2010 11:11 PM

So I see an ad for a stage show that I'd like to see, but tickets start at $38...

PNQ: Do they ever sell out performances at that price in this economy? Where are these people getting this much disposable income?

And I'd like to note that this is not a hoity-toity fine arts performance, either. You won't be seeing tuxedos and champagne here, just ordinary folks. How many ordinary folks can drop $80 for two tickets on a mere two hour show these days?

Nate the Great 02-08-2010 06:27 AM

So I attempt ("attempt" being a very key word) to follow the connection between CardCaptor Sakura, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, and xxxHolic.

PNQ: So Watanuki is the son of the Sakura and Syaoran from CCS? Yeah, um, what?

I mean, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the idea of the TRC Syaoran being a clone or whatever of the real one.

MaverickZer0 02-08-2010 07:23 AM

Oh dear lord, don't even try. Trying to make sense of CLAMP's plans with all the Sakuras and Syaorans causes insanity.

That being said I think that Watanuki is an alternate timeline version of real!Syaoran, who is Cardcaptor Sakura's Sakura and Syaoran's son. Or a twin. Or...something...

Zeke 02-09-2010 01:05 AM

I decided to check out Tsubasa recently so I could understand its frequent crossovers with XXXHolic, but I stopped at one volume. It's clearly a series for CLAMP aficionados; I liked it on its own terms, but I can tell how much I'm missing. ('Holic is the only CLAMP series I've read much of.) I'm not yet invested in the "real" Sakura, Syaoran, etc. What's more, there have been two "what the hell is going on" guides published for Tsubasa, so I get the feeling even faithful readers have trouble keeping up.

As for 'Holic, I checked that out on the strength of <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/kirei_dakara/14201.html#cutid1">this crossover</a>, which I found while looking for Hell Girl fic (there's not a lot around). As I implied in the latter show's fiver, Yuuko really does look like a grown-up Enma Ai -- albeit one who's gone from impassive to mischievous. The theme song shot of <a href="http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt243/CZeke/shot0070.png">Yuuko in a yukata</a> makes me double-take a lot.

I like 'Holic so far, but the art style is a major impediment. "Spindly" does not begin to describe people's limbs in this series. <a href="http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt243/CZeke/tinytinyhead.png">Watanuki gets the worst of it.</a>

Naki 02-09-2010 05:30 AM

Spindly nothing, that boy makes me look well filled out

LtFielding 02-15-2010 06:59 AM

How come the only time I have used my Boy Scout medical skills is when my friend Radmer cut himself on the carpet?
More importantly, How did my friend Radmer cut himself on the carpet?

Nate the Great 02-19-2010 02:03 AM

Yet again I see an ad for the new fancy iMac. My PNQ this time is "what's the big deal about wireless keyboards and mice?"

I mean, seriously, are these two wires just THAT annoying? Furthermore, rechargable batteries where they aren't necessary (and where a hardline would be perfectly acceptable) make me cheesed more than an exploding Velveeta box.

Nate the Great 03-11-2010 10:52 PM

It's National Debt Day! (again, I think)

http://www.cracked.com/funny-4136-national-debt/

Yes, I know, always take statistics derived from Cracked with a grain of salt, but let's take these figures of "13.7 trillion dollars" and "the debt will match our gross domestic product in 2019" at face value.

PNQ1: Is it even possible for the debt to be repaid, or is this a high-pressure hose with no off valve?
PNQ2: Foreign interests couldn't really repossess American property, right?
PNQ3: If the debt really is owed to other countries, why are we giving them foreign aid without taking a "debt writeoff"?
PNQ4: If the debt is owed to the taxpayers, why are we still paying taxes if the nation theoretically owes us?

Nate the Great 03-13-2010 01:40 AM

Since Smallville has been renewed for a tenth season, much is being made of the fact that they are tied with Stargate SG-1 for the longest-running consecutive (sorry, Doctor Who) scifi show.

PNQ1: Is Smallville really "scifi"? Isn't it more of a drama?
PNQ2: Does this really count as the same show anymore? A few commentators have noted that we really don't focus on Smallville itself anymore, plus the only original characters still around are Clark and Chloe, so would treating the last few seasons as a successor series make more sense?

Katy Jane 03-14-2010 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 77440)
PNQ1: Is Smallville really "scifi"? Isn't it more of a drama?

I don't think Drama is the right words, maybe fantasy would be better than scifi, but Clark Kent is an alien i suppose, that's scifiish i guess.
Quote:

PNQ2: Does this really count as the same show anymore? A few commentators have noted that we really don't focus on Smallville itself anymore, plus the only original characters still around are Clark and Chloe, so would treating the last few seasons as a successor series make more sense?
As long as the show has ran with out stopping and the name hasn't changed and the production numbers haven't reset or anything like that I don't see why it shouldn't be considered a consecutively running show. Look at ER, where there any original characters left when they wen't off the air?

my PNQ is wasn't the original Doctor who run longer, nay, much longer than 11 years? /:)

Chancellor Valium 03-14-2010 11:32 PM

Doctor Who was originally on-air between November 23rd 1963 and December 6th 1989, which makes 26 years for those of us who aren't maths whizzes. :p

A television movie was co-produced with Fox and Universal in 1996.

A range of novels covering continuing stories - the "New Adventures" was published by Virgin between 1991 (starting with Timewyrm: Genesis) and 1997 (last book published was So Vile A Sin, but, IIRC, the last in-sequence was The Dying Days).

A range of BBC tie-in novels covering continuing stories for the Eighth Doctor of the TV Movie, Paul McGann, was produced between 1997 (The Eight Doctors by Terrance Dicks) and 2005 (The Gallifrey Chronicles, by Lance Parkin).

Both book series were paired by a run of books chronicling stories for previous Doctors, often slotted in-between their on-screen serials. The New Adventures were paired with the Missing Adventures, and the Eighth Doctor Adventures with the Past Doctor Adventures.

Big Finish Productions have been producing past- and Eighth Doctor audio plays since The Sirens of Time which came out in about 1999.

There were also two stand alone Dalek films in the 1960s starring Peter Cushing as the human scientist, "Doctor Who". There was also a 1979 (?) TV spin-off pilot for a series called K9 and Company.

Oh, and Telos Publishing, which was set up in 2001, have published some DW novellas; I think the only other spin-off matter worth mentioning from before the revival is BBV.

So uh, does that answer your question? :p

Nate the Great 03-17-2010 02:14 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzDyh...eature=related

After watching sfdebris' review of "Tuvix" a number of times the following occurs to me...

PNQ: Was it necessary to present the story such that Janeway had to execute Tuvix? That's exactly what that was. Tuvix had committed no crime, and she executed him!

Being reminded that the alien symbiogenetic plant was still within Tuvix's body, I couldn't help but wonder why they couldn't have had the plant slowly kill him. After all, when the plant fuses other plants it never becomes part of the third species itself. And having a plant inside our bodies would sure cause trouble, right? If the plant was killing Tuvix anyway, the separation back into the component species would avoid the moral dilemma, right?

NAHTMMM 03-19-2010 04:19 PM

Well, but then people get annoyed that the writers went with the easy way out to avoid forcing their characters to come to a hard decision about the little dilemma that has been building through the episode. And given that there's already criticism that the show suffered from cop-outs in the form of endless shuttles and torpedoes and such, that would probably be a worse way to go.

Nate the Great 03-29-2010 03:13 AM

So I'm in a chat and we're talking about pizza toppings. One person says they like ranch dressing on their pizza.

PNQ: Is this a common choice? Or is this person a few shuttles short of an Intrepid-class starship?

Tate 03-29-2010 05:27 AM

Talking from experience in the pizza industry, I can say that the practice is not unheard of. In fact, some of my co-workers have been known to eat pizza dipped in ranch dressing. It sounds bizarre to me, though.

Nate the Great 03-31-2010 08:50 PM

So I'm at the Wikipedia List of Superheroes and Villains Without Superpowers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ut_superpowers

And a few of these entries don't really seem like "superheroes" per se. Just being a protagonist in a universe that defies the normal laws of physics doesn't seem like justification for the "superhero" moniker, if you ask me. Here is my list of those on that page that don't qualify for the title, in my opinion. Discuss. While we're at it...

PNQ: How do you define "superhero?"

James Bond. What, is he supposed to have superseduction powers or something?
Lara Croft. Seriously? Just being an "adventure archaeologist" (as TV Tropes calls them) doesn't mean you're a "superhero." Ditto for Indiana Jones.
Sherlock Holmes. Oh, come on. You could make arguments for Zorro (who is also on this list), but Sherlock Holmes?
MacGyver. Awesome human being, but not a superhero.
Kim Possible. Well, this is a sticky widget. Yes, she's basically James Bond crossed with Lara Croft, but she does have a bona fide "rogue's gallery" which is a necessary component for the title. In fact, if she had a "secret identity" I'd be a lot more in favor of granting her the title.

NAHTMMM 04-03-2010 03:48 AM

A superhero should have one or more super qualities and should succeed, with super-high stakes, at heroic tasks where it would be ridiculous to expect a normal human being to succeed.

Roughly speaking.


I wouldn't consider anyone on your list to be a superhero(ine), barring K. I. which I really don't know anything about.

Nate the Great 04-03-2010 04:54 AM

It's fairly easy to run into the "a superhero has superpowers" trap, but there are a number of dogooders that have no powers, but still get the title. Batman (and most of his associated characters), Hawkeye (and Green Arrow and associated archers), The Question, and so forth.

Here's a sample definition that I'm just now inventing off the top of my head:

"A superhero is a person who uses their talents and gifts (whether natural or artificial) to fight crime and injustice wherever it occurs, usually using an alias (a costumed persona) in order to protect those close to them."

By this definition James Bond is not a superhero. He's an agent of his government. He doesn't fight "injustice", he fights threats to his nation's security.

Along these lines, agents for hire are not "superheroes." Also note "fight crime and injustice," not "fight enemies to a particular government or organization."

Tate 04-03-2010 08:44 PM

First of all, I agree with you in disagreeing with that list. King Arthur's on there. While a great character, Arthur is decidedly not a 'superhero'. A better case could be made for Robin Hood, who is also on the list. He, after all, did fight injustice. And he had something of a secret identity (his real name was Robin of Locksley). But I would probably exclude him from the superhero list as well.

I think, however, that an exception could be added to your definition of superhero. I would say that agents for a specific government could be considered superheroes if they in fact have super powers. I would point to WWII era superheroes who, if I'm not mistaken, spent a lot of time fighting Nazis (e.g. the original 'Human' Torch http://www.fiveminute.net/comics/marvelcomics1.html). Also, I believe that Captain America was originally a super-soldier

Along the same lines, would the Scarlet Pimpernel be considered a superhero? The Scarlet Pimpernel was the secret identity of Baroness Orczy's character Percy Blakeney, who smuggle aristocrats out of revolutionary France. He was definitely fighting injustice and wasn't working on behalf of any official government organization. But his actions were directed primarily against France. I would be hard pressed to classify him as a superhero or not.

NAHTMMM 04-03-2010 09:10 PM

I did deliberately say "qualities" rather than "powers". ;)

Nate the Great 04-03-2010 09:53 PM

Well, I do have "injustice" in there. And fighting Nazis would certainly involve striking blows in the name of the universal concept of "justice." And I did have "usually using an alias", which allows for guys like Luke Cage, who uses the name "Power Man" less and less often these days.

It could be argued that WWII-era heroes may be using the resources of their governments to get around and fight bad guys without actually being a "soldier" of their government. And Captain America has said many times that he doesn't fight for the America of today (which is growing far more corrupt and/or indulgent in his opinion), but for the America he knows we could be. That's an ideal, not a government.

Consider the Great Ten of DC's China. They are "superfunctionaries" that have powers, aliases, and so forth but fight for China's interests. Furthermore, they go where China sends them, whether that involves fighting for or against Black Adam, for example. I don't necessarily call them "superheroes."

Sure, the Scarlet Pimpernel is a superhero. Good book.

Nate the Great 04-23-2010 03:49 AM

Once again I read about how "Big Ben" is the bell, not the clock or the tower it resides in.

PNQ: Why can't the owners just give in to public opinion and officially rename the entire thing "Big Ben?" What is this exercise in semantics achieving other than frustration?

Nate the Great 05-05-2010 11:48 AM

PNQ: How do you get a cat to ignore and stay away from you?

Sa'ar Chasm 05-05-2010 02:10 PM

Feed it.

Nate the Great 05-05-2010 08:55 PM

But she ain't my cat. I want to get it through her thick skull that I never want her around.

Sa'ar Chasm 05-05-2010 10:10 PM

Oh. In that case, stop feeding it.

Nate the Great 05-06-2010 07:29 AM

I don't feed that beast. I don't pet that beast. I carry it to the other side of a door that I can put between us and that's it.

NAHTMMM 05-08-2010 10:10 PM

Direct, sustained eye contact might work. (KJ says: "It could also get your face taken off.")

Other than that, maybe making freaky noises would weird the cat out enough. Especially if the cat connects the noises with you paying attention to it. Or maybe the cat would just be fascinated by you all the more, or would ignore the noises after a while. I dunno. As KJ says, you can't really make cats do what you want.

Nate the Great 05-14-2010 04:21 AM

Is there a limit to how many Facebook pages can exist? I stumbled upon TWO based on the same quote from Friends:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/It-tas...8119393?ref=mf

http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/It-t...t/299441159200

WHY do both of these pages have to exist?

Nate the Great 05-17-2010 10:13 PM

Okay, a little background. Dr. Ashens has created a minor Internet meme by making fun of the "whimsical marketing fiction" known as Chef Excellence, a character made to sell cheap products at dollar and pound stores. A guy chooses to name his Facebook and YouTube accounts Chef Excellence in homage. Cue an idiot on YouTube saying in a comment, "Chef Excellence has a facebook!!  search chef excellence on facebook on click... HE IS A REAL PERSON!!!"

PNQ1: How sad is it that some people take the most flimsy evidence and treat something as a fact?
PNQ2: Seriously, is proper capitalization and punctuation just plain impossible for some people online? If you're in a hurry on Twitter; that's one thing. But for proper posts you should take the extra time to make something that looks proper.

NAHTMMM 05-18-2010 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 77568)
PNQ2: Seriously, is proper capitalization and punctuation just plain impossible for some people online? If you're in a hurry on Twitter; that's one thing. But for proper posts you should take the extra time to make something that looks proper.

Entirely agreed.


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:55 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.