Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 14, Ed. 1 Sunday, November 30, 2003 Page: 4 of 12
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4over' ber 30
PAGE 4, Seminole (Texas) Sentinel, Sun
Sunday’s
fEcCitoriaCs, CoCumns Letters
TO 'Drawer 1200
40b S. jviuiii
* Dmail: sentme f@crosswuu1.net
Thane' (412) 758-1667
Plugged In...Tour computer
IM Stands for Instant
Messaging... Internet Tips
By Eric Spellman
eric@ericspellmann.com
I remember when the Internet existed
only for e-mail Communication was
limited to sending text messages from
computer to computer. While fash r than
the US Postal Service, ii was hardly "real
time communication These days,
sophisticated software has taken real time
communication to the next level Instant
Messengers.
An instant messenger is a progian i that,
runs on your system all of the time Vv hen
you are online, it notifies you when vour
friends go online
Of course, your friends,- aRo using the
instant messenger, are notified that you an-
online. But that's not all. 1 he programs
allow you and youi friends to coinmunk ate
directly, either through text, voice, or video
Basically, six major instant me-set igers-
exist today: America Online Instant
Messenger (AIM). Microsoft Insiaut
Messenger, ICO. .labbet. ' Hicns. hire I
1 rillian Bn ■ All of tin nr are free, but offer
different featuies
AIM (lit-» vvww.aim.com)
By far t Hied popular instant
ifiess.enger-I .IM I lowever. before you
immediately <- -'-out there and download
it, understand "liy they\.ear that title By
default, all 2< i rtnllif >n \Ol. user • have built-
in instant messaging (whethei they use it
or. not) I lieref' re. ,-V )I can Cairn the
largest User base. Most people end up
getting AIM. though, because of one little;
important fact: Most instant messengers do
Nf> I -intemperate'.with instant messengers
made by other c'onijranies In VC er words,
if ycM.ri friend is'on ICQ and you are on
VIM, v'-vii - uiU"i rfrat One exception
exists lo'this >1 lie, ()di.qo. but I II get to that
MSN IM
messenger .insn.com)
W:itii'"-the advent
' iu tvis. M. v -dang ox
(http:
Windows XI1
time t< i bee our
the dominant instant messenger. If you
have a copy of XP on your system, you
will immediately notice that MSN IM is
automatically loaded
However, using it requires that you
have a Microsoft Passport.
Basically, this Passport is a secure way
of verifying your identity to your friends
and online retailers. Some are concerned
about the "privacy " issue on this one,
though. Exactly Wl 1AT is Microsoft doing
with all of that personal information?
ICQ (http://icq.com)
One of the best known instant
messengers is ICQ (http://www.icq.com).
The name is actually a play on words.
"ICQ sounds like "I Seek You."
ICQ was originally developed by an
Israeli company named. Mirabalis, which
was then bought by AOL. So, yes, that
means AOL owns AIM and ICQ.
1 keep expecting them to-merge the
two. but it hasn't happened yet.
Jabber (http://jabber.com)
More and more companies are setting
up their own internal instant messaging
solutions. Only Jabber has taken
advantage of this trend by offering a free
100-user server. The Jabber client
(program individuals use) is nothing to
write home about, though.
Odigo (http://odigo.com)
Interoperability has been the instant
messenger mantra for many months.
Allowing one instant messenger to
work with any other has been the goal of
every company except America Online. In
fact, America Online has taken steps to
prevent other companies from using their
system. Only Odigo and Trillian seem to
have slipped through the cracks. Using this
impressive little program, you can chat and
share files with anyone despite their instant
messenger choice.
Trillian Basic (http://www.trillian.ee)
Of all the Instant Messengers 1 have
come in contact with, the one 1 use the
most (and exclusively) is Trillian Basic. As
with Odigo, it is completely interoperable
with all of the other Instant Messengers.
However, Trillian’s interface is much
easier to use (and look at).
As an aside, remember that in order
to use the voice or video communication
features of these programs, both computers
must have a webcam, sound card,
microphone, and speakers. Fast Internet
access is also advised, but not critical.
Today’s compression techniques allow
even slow Internet connections to have
good audio/video quality.
Regardless of which instant messenger
you choose, you’ll open a brand new world
of communication options. If you use them
enough, the savings, in long distance
charges alone, will pay for your Internet
Access.
See you in Cyberspace!
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Making a Difference
The Best Gifts Parents Can
Give Their Children
by Gina Caswell Kelly
As we approach the season of giving, I was giving some thought to
the best gifts parents can give their children. When my kids were younger,
Kristy would go through every single catalog that came with a marker
and circle in bright red all the items that she wanted. I always said 1
could take Kristy to Jack Hamilton’s Tire Store and she would find
something she wanted. Kyle, on the other hand has always been harder
to shop for. I don’t know if that is just the difference between boys and
girls or just the difference in my kids. But, if you watch TV or look through
magazines these days there is no end to the wonderful gifts offered to
you for your children. But what are the best gifts?
Are you giving your children the gift of knowing that Jesus deserves
a place in their lives? Can you see them offering Him a spot in their daily
lives? Are you giving them the gift of knowing that the Bible is their best
guide for daily living? Do they get to see you spending time in God’s
word each day?
Are you giving them the gift of prayer? This means prayer for them
each day and prayer in front of them each day. Not only in times of
crisis but also in times of joy. This is a great gift! Are they receiving the
gift of being motivated to do their very best in all that they do? Are they
enjoying the gift of knowing that we live each day with tomorrow on our
minds? Knowing that the decisions we make today may show their
consequences tomorrow.
Are you giving them the gift of a church family? Of knowing that
their place on the Lord’s Day is in the Lord’s house? Are they receiving
the gift of recognizing the value of Godly relationships? And lastly, are
they getting the gift from you of knowing that your final home is in
heaven and theirs can be too, if they trust Jesus?
These are the best gifts and they cost you nothing in the way of
money. They cost much in the way of commitment and dedication.
But, the cost is more than returned to you in blessings that cannot be
measured. As you think about gifts for your children this holiday season
take time to ask God to show you how to give the best gifts and then
commit yourself to doing this for your children. It will make the greatest
difference.
•^T'f
Matrix M uddled and Confusing
Third Matrix d...-. t 1
prayer o. making sense
Harper 1 re looks sw n■:<.•)
every dav.She wrote •. < > < >
greatest books of all time, lo Kill
a Mockingbird (w.hi< h was turned
into one of the ureatesl movies).
Then, she never wrote again
She knew. Pulitzer Bri/c* in.hand
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I heir ' ini'ii ia n < ; >i ■ opt Hen- s.
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o 11«' -' 11 r i' i ■ i * hind * >( I, in
I'rrtl., nut' : - I still. I he■LeH
cteej x. r.i. -Cmu web due sot md
nnded.ii]! >n X I ik’S ten Mon, J >ts:
«if unri ' d jilovtliii.es)
. I ; ; t’iqjit. o(. their 1 on/ * | r's
ivh h t.<. Inmiankiru 1
Smith and f ishhurtie (..and
'•dims) survive their journey
(* min.lv i arid'help fortify Zion
against the ternj.ioiarily stalled
i pa I in\es.
Meanwhile, Moss is f,lying
K'-'i.’ves to Mai tune City, f lowever
a visit from the dreaded Agent
' 11 • 111 h dingo Weaving j t Makes
things trip oh tougher. I hey make
it. but Moss pays a big tir-ne price.
Beeves must.convince the ruler of
the oily to .let him take care of the
destroy pavement and buildings
and eventually end up flying round
and round, constantly duking it out.
The concept was to be very
comic book like and it succeeds.
When the foes battle, many of their
scenes are frozen and exactly
r esemble comic panels. Stopped in
Hight are pavement pieces, chunks
' >1 Inilldnigs, and the constant roin
Revolutions a PG-13, but then it
wouldn’t be true to the “artists’
vision.”
There’s also plenty of gore and
violence but not R-rated stuff.
Summing up
Revolutions is a classic case of
moviemakers taking themselves too
seriously. A potentially fun series
imploded. The Movie Man is
prepared to receive missives from
fans claiming that he “just doesn’t
get it.” (He hears that from Star
Trek nerds all the time.) Bring it on.
The Wachowski Bros,
should’ve taken a page from Ms
Lee’s book and stopped while they
were ahead.
when to stoj >
Too bad -the Wachowski Bros
didn't. (A brief aside: Ac tually,‘Lee
assisted another prominent author
with a famous work In her eaiiv
childhood. Lee lived next clopi tc >
of all people. Truman Capote She
helped Capote research In < old
Blood and the hook is Hpdi- m -1
to her. Who else but the* t-fpyr H o
will tell you this:’),
About the film
The original Matrix was a c< >1
movie. (It got a 7 from flip Mr. ;<
Man.)
The second one Reloaded
came out earliet this year and the
rumblings began: I his eagerly
awaited No. 2 of three films wasti t
too hot. Needlessly confusing.
Still, it became the biggest
money-making R rated movie ever
made (knocking Beuer/y Hills i. op
from its long-held pedestal |since.
1984]).
Reloaded raked in $281.5
million (Cop took in $234 7
million), but, after a phenomenal
start, it dropped quicker than
expected.
That's probably what's going
to happen to The Matrix:
Revolutions. It had a colossal first
week ($85 million): however, fans
who are going to see it might not
attend time and again, which
boosted the first two movies
Probably because it's reallv a
letdown.
The pseudo religious imagery
and mythic storyline get so
convoluted that it goes past being
“cool” to being “a waste of 'ime
U looks like the Wachowski Bios.
hi.>qq; ,em * ii r-Vv I i •" id I III* M.'tl IX
uni'. ■ •" collapsed-Upon itself Its.
■Mu (
there will be• jik ’i,it v of :th
>f i is
m the middle of the chaos with
fists cocked are the adversaries.
Then, the action resumes again. The
ploy is effective and juices the
ll'/',! 'OH t
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'virus” that will eventually oveifake
humans and machines it lie rloesn t
Hn something about it Reeves is
qrant'M passage and engages the
-v it us rw *evinq) in one final battk
movie.
What doesn’t work
Obviously, the dialogue is
supposed to be cryptic and
mysterious. Repeated viewings
hokum in
M '-'•i'. ' ' 1 , '
- r'MT-
will certainly reveal what the
pliilo.SOp!’
i- ' *PH -in <t> !’ /
What works
purists” already know.
I’-nsUm
Revolutions is loaded with
For the normal human,
1 |w* pi
f >1
onipiitet oeneiated (CG) eiferls.
however, the dialogue is howlingly
■NMutMly. ilm plot Iwhflt tla'iM
And almost all of them are good
bad. “Cookies need love” you're
Letters to the Editor,
The Seminole Sentinel
P.O. Box 1200
Seminole, Texas 79360
Sign the letter and include a
phone number for further
clarification.... e-mail:
sentinel @ crosswind, net
is| is dense It also assumes von ve
seen Hip other e vo movies I Why
else 'would you be liieteVfi Neo
(Keanu Reeves) is trapped in
between the machine and human
world, in a sterile trai i station
Id frea Inin, Moi 'pheus
(Laurence I ishburne), Irinity
(’Cattle Ann Moss), and Ghost
(Anthony Wong) follow 1 he advice
of the Oracle (Maty Alice): I hey
have to go. visit the evil Merovingian
(I arnbert Wilson) at the f lei Club.
There, they formulate an
assault and strike a deal that results
in Reeves getting a train back to
what is considered civilization. That
world has a serious problem -
death dealing machines are bearing
down on them
The gang gathers again and
hook up some jumper cables to
Niobe’s (Jada Pinkett) ship.
Reeves gets a revelation that
says he must fly to the heart of the
machine world, Machine City.
Smith gives her ship to him and
Moss, who head one way while the
rest of the group takes a risky flight
While the movie is filled with
the boldest dialogue this side of
\itack of the Clones (man, that s
an insult!), Weaving pulls some of
it off.
’’ here are plenty of eye-candy
scones that look great on the big.
semen. And, while theie are no new
slo mo kung fu moves to rave
about (like we saw in the first
Matrix). there are enough new
ideas (especially in the rain
drenched finale)' to keep things
interesting.
The entire series obviously
owes a major debt design-wise to
the Alien movies. The Wachowski
Bros, do a good job of creating an
oppressive and seemingly-hopeless
world. It looks like it should look.
Best scene
T he finale goes on and on, but
it's watchable thanks to some
groovy effects.
The billions and billions of
Agent Smiths watch from sidewalks
and buildings as the main Weaving
and Reeves square off.
It’s quite a battle as they
told (really!). Banal platitudes
issued are so Philosophy 101 that
any educated moviegoer will
certainly wince.
The acting also stinks. They are
all bad. A worse crime is that
Monica Bellucci (Woo! Talk about
a Future Mrs. Movie Man!) has
absolutely nothing to do. Her part
must be lying on some cutting room
floor.
And you might never hear a
more bombastic, flat-out bad
soundtrack.
The story gets so twisted upon
itself that trying to solve it is simply
a waste of time. It’s a nerd’s delight,
of course, and thousands of cups
of Starbuck s coffee will be sold as
twentysomethings delve into the
pseudo-babble that is Revolutions.
The rating
This could be the mildest R in
movie history. It earned the rating
for one simple scene: The camera
follows a group through the Hel
Club and there is some funky stuff
going on there. A simple snip of a
few seconds could’ve gotten
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Published each Wednesday and Sunday at The Seminole Sentinel Building, 406 S.
Main, under the act of March 3, 1879.
Entered as Second Class Matter at the Seminole, Texas, Post Office, Seminole, Texas
79360.
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columns will be gladly and promptly corrected upon being brought to the attention of the
management.
Letters policy: Letters to the Editor are welcomed. All letters should be kept as brief as
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verification arises (address and phone number will not be printed). The Sentinel reserves
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beliefs of this newspaper. No letters about candidates seeking election or "Thank You”
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•est mmuble ccpv
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Fisher, David. Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 14, Ed. 1 Sunday, November 30, 2003, newspaper, November 30, 2003; Seminole, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth804439/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gaines County Library.