Why the mainstream?

Many of us reading this right now are obsessive little fangirls (and some fanboys) - let's face it, we wouldn't belong to a POTC LiveJournal community if we weren't. We are probably the type who are or have been fans of "Star Trek" or "Star Wars" or various and sundry other sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal (Helllllllo, Mulder!) franchises over time. We're considered "fringe" and outside the mainstream.

Fair enough. I've been that way since 1992, LOL.

My discussion question today is this: What about those people who are NOT going to see POTC or its sequels in theaters 5 or 10 times for discussion and analysis and fanfic-writing points? "Dead Man's Chest" has raked in over $500 million worldwide in only 17 days; by comparison, "The Da Vinci Code" has only taken in about $525 million during its entire run so far - and THAT was a highly anticipated, controversial movie.

Why do you think "mainstream" people are seeing this movie? And do you think it's making its money mostly off of us "fringe" diehard fans, or are there more people just going to see this than normally go see movies, period? Is it because all ages (including little kids who probably shouldn't be in the theater) are going to it? Is "Pirates," in fact, the new "Star Wars?"

Or do people just really love Keith Richards THAT much? ;-)

Article on childfree-ness

Found this article courtesy of a childfree community to which I belong. The link for purists is at http://www.standard-freeholder.com/webapp/sitepages/search/results.asp?contentID=118779&catname=Go!&type=search&search1=child-free but I've also put it behind the cut:

( Childfree Women Stand Up )

Fortunately, I can't say I've ever gotten too much flak for my decision to not want children. My aunt bugged me about it when I was in college, with the old, tired "you're not a real woman if you don't reproduce," but I didn't feel particularly pressured - although I was kind of annoyed by her attitude (you'd have to know that my aunt isn't exactly the best mother in the world to know how little her opinion affected me *G*). On rare occasions I'll make the brief acquaintance of someone who goes on about "when you have your own" but I generally let it go through both ears - I much prefer being able to occasionally dote on someone else's kid and then send them home with their mother at the end of the day.

I do know women who've gotten some grief over this decision, but I figure that's from parents who are either miserable with their own decisions and want company, or from people who simply cannot imagine a world large enough to encompass doing more than one thing with one's life. Why else would it matter to a body what someone else is doing that doesn't directly impact the worrier? (Then again, I feel much the same way about people against gay marriage - how does two men marrying affect YOUR marriage? You afraid your hubby's going to up and leave you for his best friend Bob?) Again, fortunately, nearly all the mothers I know are good moms, enjoy their kids, and don't feel the need to justify their decisions by having others around them make the same one.

Hypothesis about Jack's fate - more fiction fun

There's no real way to bring up this discussion without a cut.

( Definite DMC/third movie spoilers and speculation )