I love it when you call in. The static is awesome.
Soccer? Is that what you call it in New Jersey? Over here in Europe we call it Football 
The double mastectomy and massive doses of testosterone help too.
…another freaky fact…
Check this out…a passport is usually good for 10 years…so then, that means this character’s passport was issued on Sept. 11, 1991. And that date is when George Bush Sr. delivered the “New World Order” speech to Congress.
Things that make you go…“hmmm…”
Nope, I think that’s the middle of the second season. Don’t watch too much unless you’re cool with spoilers. :eek:
Do they sell them in packs or by the carton?
You’re not. I loves me some Dark City. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but the creepy Gentlemen from Buffy always reminded me so much of the Strangers. Definitely a great flick that got swept under the rug by the juggernaut of the Matrix.
That is truly freaky. An interesting topic of conversation too:
Could the Matrix have been as successful after 9/11?
Thanks Poof. Oh, bloody hell, yet another thing I’m gonna have to Netflix. When, oh when will find time to watch all this stuff?
That all depends on when it would have come out in relation to 9/11, with the basic theme of the matrix being a question of what defines us as human I do not really see that being changed by the events of 9/11.
The heroes are essentially terrorists. In fact, they are (quite literally) freedom fighters, aiming to free a population who isn’t even aware that they’re enslaved. Their penchant for shooting police and “federal” agents, not to mention crashing a helicopter into the side of a building, would certainly have made most Americans squeamish if it had come out just a few years later…
That is a valid point, post 9/11 this movie would have definitely played to the Black Helicopter crowd of conspiracy theorist, who believe the current US government is not very much unlike the the agents in the Matrix.
And not only that, Sept 11, 1991 is also the day I turned 20…
I’m not one to worry much about aging and laughed at people who act like the world is going to end when the turn 30, but in my case it almost did…
so, a few weeks ago at a wedding, i told my cousin (who got me into BSG) about GWC, and soon afterward he started listening to the 'cast and informed me that he had become a fan. well today at work i was listening to #113, and Chuck said there was one more call to play, and I hear “This is Dylan from New Jersey…” i dropped the doohickey i was working on, which promptly fell apart. it was my cousin! so yeah, i got a kick out of that, hearing my cousin on the podcast that i got him into. ::sniff:: they grow up so fast! and Audra, you’re right. he should oughta be on the forums.
was thinking the same thing…
The philosophical differences between the themes of “The Matrix” and “The Terminator”
anyone?..anyone?
i take you up on that…
I think the main difference is in the mythos of the two.
Terminator is “War-Gameish” defense computer gone mad, or thinking this is the best for humanity or earth or whatever.
Matrix is along the theme of “The oppressed is now the oppressor”…
Besides the mytho difference, the Matrix challenge you to examine your sense of reality. I think that is the greatest difference about Matrix and all other scifi. Beyond that, the whole fate thing is actually a good plot device since Greek theater.
Terminator really doesn’t allow you to think that much. Besides how gross it would be to send your father back in time to do it with you mom.
Guys, Gals, GalaxyRanger,
Those looking for the Teacher discussion can find it here in the teacher thread.
You are making thread drift really difficult. 
Okay, first let me say that I’ve been on record as not showing any favoritism for any one of the four GWC crew.
Exhibit A–>http://forum.galacticwatercooler.com/showthread.php?p=39544#post39544
That said, I leave it to you to compare the following and decide for yourselves
“…I feel like, as a teacher, what makes me matter is if I can make a difference to one person even. If someone says “Wow, that really helped me out…”…Or you can see someone coming from difficult situation and opening up, it’s such a great feeling. And I feel like that’s a sense of purpose. It’s like your own way of bending the Matrix. You’re actually doing something beyond just yourself.” – Audra, Podcast #113, 1:00:14
“My thing is always like: I am. I know that I’m around and Ima do what I wanna do to the best of my abilities while I’m here. And everything else can just bite me.” – Sean, Podcast #113, 58:30
“I’m telling ya, if you told me I had to eat runny snot for 15 years or throw you guys under the bus…well, sorry guys.” – Chuck, Podcast #113, 52:01
“<silence>” – Baltar, Podcast #113, 0:00 through 2:01:19
The Terminator reminds me of the Forbin Project. Computers know best. The Matrix is more of a reality and the power of individual thought to me.
Interesting topic. I wonder where the Cylons would fall in this AI theme continuum. The Cylons definitely have tried “the oppressed is now the oppressor” approach, but the Cylon religion also has shades of the “AI know best” aspect, too, especially on New Caprica.
The general “be careful with technology, because it may become smarter than you are and not like you all that much” seems to be a common theme running through BSG, the Matrix, and a lot of scifi that deal with AI, but I’ve never found the fear of technology to be the most compelling theme concerning AI. I’ve never actually seen a whole Terminator movie (please don’t revoke my geek card! I’m young–there’s still time for me to rent them!:o), so I can’t speak to them. But as you and Leah have both said, The Matrix is set apart from a lot of scifi because of its take on the nature of reality and of the influence sentient entities can have on shaping their realities; I’d say that’s pretty much the main theme of at least the first movie. If I had to sum up the most salient theme of BSG in one word, though (which is probably not possible), I’d have to say it was identity. How should we define others and ourselves: by how we were created, our past experiences, what we believe, how we serve (or do disservice) to others, whom we choose to love, how we treat our enemies? And what happens when two or more of those ways of defining ourselves paint conflicting images of who we are or who we want to be?
It’s interesting that though these two sagas focus on different themes, they share a lot of similarities in terms of their broad premise (human-created AI rebel and beat the craaap out of humanity, then humanity fights back, then humanity tries to find a way to coexist with the AI) and their overall structure of allusions to previous cycles of history (“this has all happened before…”) imparting a sense of fate over the characters’ actions ("…this will all happen again."). It’ll be fun to compare the Matrix and BSG’s takes on fate and choice when we see how the final season of BSG plays out.
Hobbits are a virus.