Classic Scifi Movie: Colossus: The Forbin Project

Charles  Forbin  is the  designer of a secret government computer.  Colossus is a gigantic  supercomputer that controls all of the United States nuclear missile systems. Colossus like todays internet is designed to be impervious to attack.  Like the WOPR from Wargames it is  encased within a mountain (Norad) and powered by its own nuclear power plant.

Colossus' first announcement is that the Russians have their own super computer called  "Guardian", that controls Soviet nuclear weapons.

The computers order that Forbin provide a link between the two computers.  When the link is established the two computers begin developing a common language allowing them to communicate.   When national leaders get upset by the joint communication between the computers and disconnect them Colossus gives a warning the if the connection is not reestablished they will take action on their creators.  Colossus Fires a Missile at a Russian oil field forcing the reconnection of the two computers who rename themselves Unity.

Unity then begins to cosolidate its world power and create a world of peace and love.The humans try fighting back and fail.  In the end Unity promises that people will grow to love its new computerized leader and forbin replys "Never!".

I first saw this film in 1984 or 85 in a little room on the back of my parent house on my VCR and a black and white tv.   When the movie went off I went and disconnected my commador Vic 20 and slid it under my bed.  It stayed there until I wanted to play space invaders again.  This time I am watching it on my laptop setting next to my 5 desktops and I again have the feeling I should take my computers lose and hide them under my bed. I won't of course or Id never get this post written.

Colossus is one of those movies you watch and a week lader your passing by a computer with a camera and you wonder if its realy watching you, if it has a neipherous plan, and if you might not be better moving in with the Amish.

The acting is slightly wooden and you can sometimes tell the writter, actors, and directors don't have a clue about the technology they are "using" in the movie.   This movie is really the Grandfather of WOPR from WarGames, and many of the same themes are in both movies.  While both movies are a cautionary tale about the use of Artificial intelligence in the military, the main difference is that WarGames ends with the humans averting war and recovering control to the computer.  In Colossus Unity ends with all the pieces on his board and doesn't want to play a nice game of chess.





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The Old Comics Project. DP7

Starting this week and for as long as I can afford to pay for my Marvel Subscription or find other comics online I will be looking at old series or singles and talking about them here.  Its a way to look into the past at comics I loved as a child and remember foldly as an adult.

This is week I'm looking at DP7 as part of Marvel's New Universe from 1986 I remember this book very well.  It was Marvels attempt at Xmen in its Other univers.

The Idea for  New Universe was  "What would happen if normal people became superhuman overnight?" It all started White Event a strange white Light kind of  astronomical event that  on July 22, 1986.  in the seconds that it lasted it  bathed the earth in a bright white light and mutated 1/500,000 of the earths populace.  Millions of people started developing powers.

I have read the first year of the book at this point and I must say I was really happy with the series.  I found the characters a bit 80's ish but then it was a 80's book.  I also couldn't help the feeling it was anti xmen title.  Instead of the Professor bringing everyone together to protect the people here the doctor brings them together or recruit them for evil, and he won't take no for an answer.  The time in the books are supposed to be running in real time with each book lasting for a month, but I felt the time was a little compressed for all the action in the book to have happened in a year.  There really wasn't enough action to fill a year.  Most of the action seems to have taken place in maybe a couple of months but even that time would be streaching it a bit.

The art is very classic.  It is a looks like a 80's book.  Some of the panels are very bland and boring but don't distract from the story or try to overshadow the story  like many of today's artists do.

I found the books a bit slow to read in compairison to tittle like Runaways and Xmen but very good and well worth my time in reading them.  If you can find them be sure and pick up this missed 80's Marvel marvel.

Number of Books:32
Year: 1986-1989

Characters:

Randy O'Brien
David Landers
Jeff Walters
Charlotte "Charly" Beck
Dennis "Scuzz" Cuzinski
Stephanie Harrington
Lenore Fenzl
Stephanie Harrington

Marvel VS DC the Mouse is in charge

EPB VS Comcast Part Two

Today I am going to look at prices for internet between EPB and Comcat.

EPB's cheapest price is for 15 megs which Comcast says they will be providing in the near future.  Comcasts website is already saying you can get 15/3 but my test make it more like 4/.128 in the Brainerd area.

EPB  charges $57.99 for it's cheapest.  While Comcast's cheapest is only 24.95 for a snail like 1meg down andto 384 Kbps for up stream.  EPB's is 15 megs bi directional.  Comcast's 15m/3m plan costs $42.95 or $15 dollars less then Epb's 15 meg line.

Comcasts 20meg down/4meg up goes for 52.95.  Epb's goes  for 69.99 for a bidirectional 20 meg line.   If your playing along at home you see a 17 dollar difference again in Comcast's favor.

Now in round three EPB offers 50 megs for a ridicules $174.99.  Comcast just looks on and weeps.

Now for some comparisons AT&T, you know those guys trying to squeeze every penny out of those old copper lines,  is offering internet at $7.158 a meg for 6 megs or DSL Xtreme 6.0 for $42.95 a month.

At that price mark comcast and EPB should be selling it's 15 meg per lines for $107.38.  But as I said earlier i'm only getting about 4 megs a second so it should really cost me $28.63.

The real question is does EPB mean to really bring some price compatition to the market place, or are they just trying to get a little of Comcasts pie.  When I lobbied for EPB to be allowed in our market I thought it would bring some real compatition to the area.  Looking at what we are seeing its seem we are really just getting higher prices and no real compatition.

If EBP wanted to compete it would offer some 6, 8 or 10 meg lines for 29, 35, and 45 dollar price points. This would put it in real compatition with Comcast, At&t and give people a real choice in the market place.   I can't afford to spend 100 dollars for Internet and Cable TV and not many other people can either.

Price per meg

Comcast (15 meg) $2.86
AT&T (6 meg)  $7.15
EPB (15 meg) $4

Comcast  (50 meg) $2
EPB (50 meg) 3.48

Ebp VS Comcast Part One

A comparison of Epb and Comcast Prices are close to being equal but the real difference is that Comcast offers the better channel line up IMO.  Though EPB has a better children's lineup.  I think they are nearly equal in the lower price teir but the higher priced selection is heavely waited in Comcasts favour.   I think EPB is airing a lot of garbage channels to fill out it's lineup.   I had hoped that EPB would be a  cheaper.  EPB offering an ala carte lineup would have also been good.

76		79	Number of Channels	136		137
Epb Basic		Comcast Digital Starter		Comcast Digital Classic		EBP Fi TV Essential
54.99		54.95	$ of service	71.9		65.99
0.72		0.70	$ per channel	0.53		0.48
A&E		A & E		3ABN		3ABN Latino
ABC Family		ABC Family		A & E		A&E
AMC		AMC		ABC Family		ABC Family
Animal Planet		Animal Planet		AMC		AMC
BET		BET		Animal Planet		Animal Planet
		Bloomberg TV		BBC America		BBC America
Bravo		Bravo				BBC World News
C-SPAN		C-SPAN		BET		BET
C-SPAN 2		C-SPAN 2		The Biography Channel		Bio.
		C-SPAN 3		Bloomberg TV		Bloomberg
Cartoon Network		Cartoon Network				Boomerang
CMT		CMT		Bravo		Bravo
CNBC		CNBC		C-SPAN		C-SPAN
CNN		CNN		C-SPAN 2		C-SPAN 2
CNN Headline News		CNN Headline News		C-SPAN 3		C-SPAN 3
Comcast Sports Southeast		Comcast Sports Southeast		Cartoon Network		Cartoon Network
Comedy Central		Comedy Central				Catholic TV
		Daystar				Chiller
Discovery Channel		Discovery Channel		CMT		CMT
		Discovery Health		CMT Pure Country		CMT Pure Country
Disney Channel		Disney Channel		CNBC		CNBC
Disney XD						CNBC World
E!		E! Entertainment		CNN		CNN
EPG Education/Government		Education & Government		CNN Headline News		CNN Headline News
ESPN		ESPN		Comcast Sports Southeast		Comcast Sports Southeast
ESPN Classic		ESPN 2		Comedy Central		Comedy Central
ESPN University						Crime & Investigation
ESPN2				Current TV		Current TV
ESPNews				Daystar
Food Network		Food Network		Discovery Channel		Discovery Channel
Fox News		Fox News		Discovery Health		Discovery Health
FSN South		FS South		Discovery Kids		Discovery Kids
FX		FX		Disney Channel		Disney Channel
		G4		Disney XD		Disney XD
		Game Show Network		DIY		diy network
Hallmark		Hallmark Channel		E! Entertainment		E!
		Hallmark Movie Channel		Education & Government		EPG Education/Government
History		History Channel		Encore Action East
HGTV		Home & Garden TV		Encore Drama
Home Shopping Network		Home Shopping Network		Encore East
		Inspirational Network		Encore Love East
ION Television		ION		Encore Mystery East
Local/Leased Access		Leased Access		Encore WAM
Lifetime		Lifetime		Encore Westerns East
Lifetime Movie Network		Lifetime Movie Network		ESPN		ESPN
MSNBC		MSNBC		ESPN 2		ESPN 2
MTV		MTV				ESPN Classic
WDSI (MyTV) Chatt		MY NET				ESPN Deportes
MTV2						ESPN University
National Geographic				ESPNews		ESPNews
Nickelodeon		Nickelodeon				ETBN Enlace USA
Noggin						FamilyNet
		PBS Kids Sprout		EWTN		Fine Living Network
Oxygen				Exercise TV		Fit TV
QVC		QVC		Fine Living
		Retro TV		Flix East		Flix
Science Channel				Food Network		Food Network
ShopNBC				Fox Business Channel		Fox Business Network
Soapnet				Fox News		Fox News
Speed Channel		Speed Channel		Fox Reality		Fox Reality
Spike TV		Spike TV				Fox Soccer Channel
SportSouth		Sport South		FS South		FSN South
		Style		Fuse
SyFy		Syfy		FX		FX
TBS		TBS Superstation		G4		G4
Teleguide TV		TV Guide Channel		Game Show Network		GSN
The Golf Channel		The Golf Channel				Gospel Broadcasting Network
The Inspiration Network				Gospel Music Channel		Gospel Music Channel
The Learning Channel		The Learning Channel		Great American Country		Great American Country
		THIS TV		Hallmark Channel		Hallmark
				Hallmark Movie Channel		Hallmark Movie Channel
Travel Channel		Travel Channel		History Channel		History
truTV		truTV		History Channel International		History International
Turner Classic Movies		Turner Classic Movies		Home & Garden TV		HGTV
Turner Network TV		Turner Network TV		Home Shopping Network		HSN
TV Land		TV Land		Indieplex
		TV One		Inspirational Network		The Inspiration Network
USA Network		USA		Investigation Discovery		Investigation Discovery
Versus		Versus		ION		ION Television
VH1		VH-1		Ion Life
WDEF (CBS) Chatt 12		WDEF (CBS) Chatt 12				JCTV
WDSI (FOX) Chatt 61		WDSI (FOX) Chatt 61		Jewelry TV		Jewelry TV
Weather Channel		Weather Channel		Leased Access		Local/Leased Access
Weather Radar				Lifetime		Lifetime
WELF (TBN) Dalton		WELF (Ind) Dalton		Lifetime Movie Network		Lifetime Movie Network
WFLI (CW) Cleveland 53		WFLI (CW) Cleveland				Lifetime Real Women
WGN America		WGN Chicago		LOGO		LOGO
WNGH (PBS) Chatsworth 18		WNGH- PBS Kids		Military Channel		Military Channel
		WNGH-PBS Knowledge				Military History Channel
		WNGH-PBS SD		MLB
WRCB (NBC) Chatt 3		WRCB (NBC) Chattanooga		MOVIEplex
WTCI (PBS) 45		WTCI (PBS) Chattanooga		MSNBC		MSNBC
		WTCID Create		MTV		MTV
WTVC (ABC) Chatt 9		WTVC (ABC) Chattanooga		MTV 2		MTV Hits
				MTV Hits		MTV Jams
				MTV Jams		MTV Tr3s
				MTV tr3s		MTV2
				MY NET		WDSI (MyTV) Chatt
						Mun2
						NASA
				National Geographic		National Geographic
						The N
				Nick GAS
				Nick Too		Nick 2
				Nickelodeon		Nickelodeon
				Nicktoons Network!		Nick Toons
				Noggin		Noggin
						Ovation TV
				Oxygen		Oxygen
				PBS Kids Sprout		PBS Kids Sprout
				Planet Green		Planet Green
				Qubo
				QVC		QVC
				Reelz
						RTN
				Retirement Living
				Retro TV		ShopNBC
				Retroplex		Sleuth
						Smile of a Child
				Soap Net		Soapnet
				Speed Channel		Speed Channel
				Spike TV		Spike TV
				Sport South		SportSouth
				Style		Style
				Sundance East
				Syfy		SyFy
				TBS Superstation		TBS
				TV Guide Channel		Teleguide TV
						Telemundo
				The Golf Channel		The Golf Channel
				The Learning Channel		The Learning Channel
				The Science Channel		The Science Channel
				The Weather Channel		The Weather Channel
				THIS TV		This TV
				TNT		TNT
				Travel Channel		Travel Channel
						Trinity Broadcasting Network
				truTV		truTV
				Turner Classic Movies		Turner Classic Movies
				TV Land		TV Land
				TV One		TV One
				USA		USA Network
				Versus		Versus
				VH-1		VH1
				VH1 Classic		VH1 Classic
				VH1 Soul		VH1 Soul
				WDEF (CBS) Chattanooga		WDEF (CBS) Chatt 12
				WDSI (FOX) Chattanooga		WDSI (FOX) Chatt 61
				We TV		WEtv
				Weatherscan		Weather Radar
				WELF (Ind) Dalton		WELF (TBN) Dalton
				WFLI (CW) Cleveland		WFLI (CW) Cleveland 53
				WGN Chicago		WGN America
				WNGH- PBS Kids		WNGH (PBS) Chatsworth 18
				WNGH-PBS Knowledge
				WNGH-PBS SD
				WRCB (NBC) Chattanooga		WRCB (NBC) Chatt 3
				WTCI (PBS) Chattanooga		WTCI (PBS) 45
				WTCID Create
				WTVC (ABC) Chattanooga		WTVC (ABC) Chatt 9

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