one of the key aspects is that we come down with convenient amnesia on a regular basis.

Somehow that never stretches to the not-rich, though ... isn't it all about if all the hideously rich and/or famous can have access to the same perks? Even if I could rub shoulders with Astors and Afflecks if I made a million -- I'm pretty much in the no-money class for the rest of my life.

I've seen that a few times, and I always wonder about it. It seems to me like the video would be too distracting to the driver. (I know the driver can't see it, but somehow I feel like movie sound is more likely to cause driving into a ditch than radio or CD sound.) Perhaps I am just being a luddite, with a side helping of, "Bah, when I was a kid we didn't have DVD in the car! We just had to sit there and fight over who was on whose side of the back seat!"

That's how I grew up. Having seen how well children zone out on long car rides to a well paced kids' flick, combined with a four hour drive to my parents' house makes me yearn for the new technology.

Aha, I had it backwards. Thanks for the correction. (I knew one of them as a fur-trader!)

Jessica, both delivery methods are digital. One is slower than the other, and has a physical piece. The economic difference is $0.17 for the disc, and postage.

The licence fee is similar or identical, in both cases.

The licence fee is similar or identical, in both cases.

But you're talking about this creator that's getting shafted. If we're concerned about them, we should only buy. PPV doesn't help them any more than Netflix.

Even if I could rub shoulders with Astors and Afflecks if I made a million -- I'm pretty much in the no-money class for the rest of my life.

Today, it's the connections that determine which social circle a person will be able to move in, not how much money. If one can cultivate friendships (more accurately, symbiotic relationships) with the right people, the lack of money is no longer a barrier. Money will eventually fall into said person's lap, whether through an advantageous marriage or other means, because of the people surrounding him/her.

OMG! KAT! We agree! That is so odd!

WEll, yeah, it's odd. Normally you're on the craxy crack.

Oh wait, did I say that aloud?

isn't it all about if all the hideously rich and/or famous can have access to the same perks? Even if I could rub shoulders with Astors and Afflecks if I made a million -- I'm pretty much in the no-money class for the rest of my life.

Well, yes, except in rare cases. There was a really interesting Sunday Times Magazine article some 5 years ago (I clipped it) about an investor math whiz who lied his way into society and embezzled from his clients. He got caught, but the article ended up being about all those different people who have bamboozled their way into the company they can't enter legitimately -- from that kid who pretended he was Sidney Poitier's son to Jay Gatsby. Sometimes, it was about lying that you have money; sometimes it was about lying about where the money came from.

Maria has a good point about connections, too. Being the classmate of so-and-so from The Right School can get a foot in the door for, e.g., fast-track executive jobs. And while many people at The Right School know each other (or their parents know each other) before they arrive, that's not consistently so (witness yours truly).

Money will eventually fall into said person's lap, whether through an advantageous marriage or other means, because of the people surrounding him/her.

I don't know. I brushed shoulders with millionaires for years, and none of it rubbed off. No one married me, no one bought me more than dinner (admittedly lovely dinner), I didn't reap anything other than the occasional nice vacation, being able to drive lovely cars every now and again, and a fair amount of disdain or inconvenience because I wasn't able to even remotely pay my own way.

So I must disagree.