Since, we have been angry druids lately well, not really angry, but, hotly debating..... haha, except Pan who was a rogue I think, and me I suppose who later went ranger..... berserker for camelot, undead for warcraft, then rogue for wow for a bit. I figured to lighten some things up, seen any good movies lately? Or at least enjoyable ones? Holding out for any new movies? Music? Games? Random hobbies you are enjoying, maybe new, or old hobbies?

Since, we have been angry druids lately well, not really angry, but, hotly debating..... haha, except Pan who was a rogue I think, and me I suppose who later went ranger..... berserker for camelot, undead for warcraft, then rogue for wow for a bit. I figured to lighten some things up, seen any good movies lately? Or at least enjoyable ones? Holding out for any new movies? Music? Games? Random hobbies you are enjoying, maybe new, or old hobbies?


- Le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain (Amelie for short)
Both the movie and the sound track. It really is hard to classify this story. I guess the closest would be: a fairy tale for adults.


- La belle Noiseuse (nsfw, long)
Lots of nudity and basically no sex in that, but an interesting study of the power struggle between artist and model.


- She
Registration of a musical by Caamora, based on the book of the same name by H.Rider Haggard


- Being a model for an artist friend (photography, painting, bodypaint)


- C.J.Cherryh
Pretty much anything written by her is worth reading and rereading (and re re reading), though some of the very long running series get a bit repetitive.


- DAZ Studio (go look it up, they have a website and it is for free (except for the models you will need for anything beyond the basic)).



Eri

Not a new movie but I finally saw Room with a View and I loved it. Chick flick, fer sure!

Other than that, I'm playing WoW now. My Main is a dps shamany, although I do have a retired resto druid, rogue and a few other mostly dormant characters.

I've gotten totally hooked on reading novels by Michael Connolly. They're mysteries usually centered around LA. Love him! I'm going to run out of his titles soon. Unfortunately he has totally spoiled me for the genre, I can't seem to read any other authors without going "eh, this book sucks".

It's definitely not a new movie but I saw the Blu-Ray version of "Blade Runner" a few days ago and it was incredible. The higher resolution does wonders for carrying the mood of the film. For a flick released in '82, it has held its own pretty well.

"My mother? Let me tell you about my mother..."

Next up, Blu-Ray "Alien."

- Being a model for an artist friend (photography, painting, bodypaint)
Is it too much to hope that you might follow-up with some pictures? :)

- Le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain (Amelie for short)
Both the movie and the sound track. It really is hard to classify this story. I guess the closest would be: a fairy tale for adults.
I saw this a few years back at the recommendation of some friends and I really enjoyed it. They couldn't possibly have cast the part of Amelie better -- Audrey Tautou was perfect.

Other than that, I'm playing WoW now. My Main is a dps shamany, although I do have a retired resto druid, rogue and a few other mostly dormant characters.
I started playing WoW again recently. I have a hunter and a deathknight that are both level 80. I've had a lot of fun going back to the level 68-72 instances and soloing them. My gear is mostly green/blue so the lower-level group content works out to be quite challenging. It took my hunter 5 tries before he was able to take down Murmur in Shadow Labyrinth. That's a fun fight. There are a couple of instances in Shadowmoon Valley that have bosses I still haven't been able to take down.

Is it too much to hope that you might follow-up with some pictures? :)


I saw this a few years back at the recommendation of some friends and I really enjoyed it. They couldn't possibly have cast the part of Amelie better -- Audrey Tautou was perfect.
What if Eri is a dude?

In either case, I'd like to see pictures too!

*** subject change ***

Ironically I'm in a raiding guild in WoW. But they're semi-casual friendly, they only raid 3 nights a week. However they're pretty serious about the raiding they do. But it seems like raiding in WoW is fairly casual friendly, at least sometimes. The hard modes are seriously hard. I like that they do that to keep the rabid raiders happy, but it frustrates the heck out of guilds like the one I'm in when we can't do it. (Frankly, I'd just as well leave them alone).

Is it too much to hope that you might follow-up with some pictures? :)


yes :)


I saw this a few years back at the recommendation of some friends and I really enjoyed it. They couldn't possibly have cast the part of Amelie better -- Audrey Tautou was perfect.

Just her mischievous expression on the cover alone was priceless :)



Eri

What if Eri is a dude?
I'm affraid that's not possible as it does not conform to with my mental image of her. Perhaps more importantly, I'm pretty sure in a debate a few years ago she said something that implied her gender -- perhaps in one of the public breastfeeding debates we had back when Aidon still graced us with his presence.

In either case, I'd like to see pictures too!
Aye, art is still art when the subject is a guy. :)

Ironically I'm in a raiding guild in WoW.
I used to do a lot of raiding back in the Molten Core and Zul'Gurub days but the guild I was part of was mostly Aussies and Kiwis so I ended up screwing up my sleep patterns pretty bad while trying to conform to their schedule. The guild I'm in now seems to have a lot of angry kids who thrive on drama. The only reason I've stayed with them is that some of the meltdowns that take place in guild-chat are pretty amusing.

Just her mischievous expression on the cover alone was priceless :)
Aye, she just exudes charm. I saw Dirty Pretty Things but her role in that wasn't as memorable.

It doesn't matter if Eri is a chick or dude, hah! here is what you do, make very nice with Eri, seems Eri does some work with models and artists. Then, you get an invite to Europe, go hang with Eri, then, since everyone likes a sob story. Tell the models about the oppressive nature of the US, and cry about how horrible it was for you. They comfort! Might even be true. LOL! I kid.

Audrey Taotuo is adorable. Alot of European actresses and musicians, their humor and sexiness just comes across very natural. Kinda like the Da Vinci code when she was trying to walk on water, then, says maybe I have better luck with the wine. Diane Kruger, love her, did some of the same stuff in National Treasure. Perhaps dig around like alot do for some Euro music with movies?

Tell the models about the oppressive nature of the US, and cry about how horrible it was for you. They comfort! Might even be true. LOL! I kid.

Pretty sure it's a dream of all lefties to hear from an European how much America sucks; add the European being a model on top of that and it might just be overload...

Hah ya!

Michael Connolly ehh? What kind of mysteries? Murder mysteries? unsolved mysteries?

What kind of genre does C.J. Cherryh do? fiction non fiction?

Been trying to read Karen Chance's Cassandra Palmer series. The first person narrative is a bit annoying, especially when it slows down which is often, it is hilarious though at the random things she writes in, like the Incubi sex bar in Vegas as well as the dimensional traveling tattoo parlor.

What kind of genre does C.J. Cherryh do? fiction non fiction?


Science fiction. She is quite adept at bringing across alien cultures and mindsets.

Some series:
Foreigner (stick to the early books, the later are a bit repetitive in theme)
Merchanters universe (Downbelow Station is her most famous book in this series)
Chanur (especially the first three stories. This is closest to space opera)
Faded Sun trilogy (probably a bit difficult read)

(semi) stand alone
Rider at the Gate, and sequel
Serpent's Reach (talk about a revenge scheme ...)


Eri

Michael Connolly ehh? What kind of mysteries? Murder mysteries? unsolved mysteries?
Fictional mysteries, general murderish. He has a few characters from the LAPD Homicide division he uses a lot, some from the FBI and even a lawyer. Most murder mysteries the author sets up the bad guy and there's absolutely no surprise because you really don't like the bad guy. But I have to say I'm usually surprised 90% of the time by Connolly's plot twists. They're fresh.

What kind of genre does C.J. Cherryh do? fiction non fiction?
I believe she's a sci-fi writer.

There's another mystery writer with a very interesting plot development. It crosses the lines between murder, horror and the supernatural. His name was similar to Michael Connolly, like John Connell, or John McConnel... oh here it is:
John Connolly http://www.johnconnollybooks.com/

Those were some of the creepiest stories I've ever read.

It doesn't matter if Eri is a chick or dude, hah! here is what you do, make very nice with Eri, seems Eri does some work with models and artists. Then, you get an invite to Europe, go hang with Eri, then, since everyone likes a sob story. Tell the models about the oppressive nature of the US, and cry about how horrible it was for you. They comfort! Might even be true. LOL! I kid.


Well ... it is not all that hard to get in contact with the kind of models and artists I know.

Just go to the local art school and sign up to model for their classes. They usually need models and -not- looking like a super model is actually a plus there.
It is what I did.


Eri

Speaking of models, there was a big flap over this fashion show that used some US size 12-14 models (closer to average size) versus the typical size 0. One stylist quit because she says she didn't like the way the larger models walked.

http://madhavgopalkrish.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/wow-size-12-14-models-used-in-designer-fashion-show/

I don't know about anyone else but I think the larger models actually look better in these clothes.

"In 2007, a Model Health Inquiry was launched in response to the death of several ’size zero’ models."

What two ’size zero’ models might look like before they died:
http://www.product-reviews.net/wp-content/userimages/2007/09/ana-carolina-reston-and-luisel-ramos.jpg

I don't know about anyone else but I think the larger models actually look better in these clothes.

Fashion models are not intended to look anything like real living humans. They are meant to be moving, breathing (barely) clothes hangers (*). Their complete lack of curves is so they do not 'ruin' the lines the designer has envisioned.

Of course any halfway decent designer two weeks in school can design clothes that fit well to a woman with more natural and healthy curves, but to make it look good they have to designed for a particular model. Since designers never know which model is going to show their designs things just get designed for an interchangeable flat clotheshanger instead.


Eri
(* This is a slight exaggeration of course, but it is the general principle involved for haute couture. Pret-a-porter and lingery models occasionally are allowed a more natural look)

Fashion models are not intended to look anything like real living humans. They are meant to be moving, breathing (barely) clothes hangers (*). Their complete lack of curves is so they do not 'ruin' the lines the designer has envisioned.
It is because of a practical matter.


A camera uses a curved lens to project light on a flat surface.

This creates a photographic distortion. It makes objects, in this case people, appear to be 'fatter', especially in the center of the field. Of course the term aberration is more correctly used for the distortion at the edges of the field.

Models are retained who are 'skinny' more because of that. if you were to meet a professional model who looks 'normal' or 'healthy' in weight in a photo, she or he will be very skinny in real life to you(visually speaking).

A human eye uses a curved lens to project light on a curved surface. The distortion from the curved lens is reversed by the curved retina.

It makes objects, in this case people, appear to be 'fatter', especially in the center of the field. Of course the term aberration is more correctly used for the distortion at the edges of the field.http://www.metacafe.com/watch/734962/adobe_photoshop_from_fat_woman_to_thin_woman/

And pro lenses do not have any noticeable distortion. I can take a photo of architectural details for you, using a good lens with a focal length that's close (relatively speaking) to your eye's focal length, and the lines on the resulting image will look exactly the same as the lines do with your eyes.

You can even compensate to some extent in Photoshop for the barrel/pincushion distortion your cheap consumer lenses have. There's an add-in that will do this automatically.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/734962/adobe_photoshop_from_fat_woman_to_thin_woman/
Any amateur Photoshopper here can do that.

I certainly can.

And pro lenses do not have any noticeable distortion. I can take a photo of architectural details for you, using a good lens with a focal length that's close (relatively speaking) to your eye's focal length, and the lines on the resulting image will look exactly the same as the lines do with your eyes.

With a view camera, pinhole(lens less) camera, PC lens, or postwork with PS.

The focal length of the eye is about 17mm. Most photographers, including architectural, would find that limitation too limiting.

You can even compensate to some extent in Photoshop for the barrel/pincushion distortion your cheap consumer lenses have. There's an add-in that will do this automatically.
Of course there is. Great filter. And its not automatic, it still takes art sense to use it properly.

Umm...back to the original OP's question...saw Zombieland last weekend!

Wasn't a groundbreaking movie or one that even challenges you intelectually but was funny as hell. And I don't even normally watch zombie movies unless its Resident Evil.

Ya, I heard it was interesting. I keep trying to rent Trick R Treat, I might just buy it instead. Seen Soriety Row about a month ago, it was fun. Not great by any means, but, Chuggs and her one liners were cracking me up.

It is because of a practical matter.


A camera uses a curved lens to project light on a flat surface.

This creates a photographic distortion. It makes objects, in this case people, appear to be 'fatter', especially in the center of the field. Of course the term aberration is more correctly used for the distortion at the edges of the field.


This is more a tv problem than a photography problem. Professional photographers can work around this problem easily enough, and at any rate it only is a small effect at its worst. No amount of lens effects can make the models shown by Klath appear as healthy human beings, and as the pictures show, it does not.

This whole size zero business is a combination of designers not wanting models with much in the way of curves so they do not have to cut their design to take them into account (or they would have to know months in advance which model was going to show their clothes), and an old-fashioned race to the bottom where the thinnest, flattest model gets the biggest contracts.

And no, it is not healthy. For what little good it will do, it is a good thing that at least one German magazine publicly stated it will only use (non-professional) more normal sized and un-photoshopped (or lightly photoshopped) models from now on.


Eri

No amount of lens effects can make the models shown by Klath appear as healthy human beings
Especially now. :(

And no, it is not healthy. For what little good it will do, it is a good thing that at least one German magazine publicly stated it will only use (non-professional) more normal sized and un-photoshopped (or lightly photoshopped) models from now on.
Good, 'cause sometimes you just have to wonder, WTF are they thinking?!?! (http://jezebel.com/5376418/ralph-laurens-ridiculous-photoshop-more-ridiculous-rage)

How did anyone convince any of you that this size zero model issue is of any consequence or importance?

What steps of persuasion took place before you believed this was an important issue?

How did anyone convince any of you that this size zero model issue is of any consequence or importance?

What steps of persuasion took place before you believed this was an important issue?

?

In the grand scheme of things it is not of the greatest importance. On the other hand it promotes a body image for women that is unhealthy at the very least, and more so because it is pretty much unattainable. Girls from a very young age are impressed with the importance of their appearance, and then are presented with an 'ideal' that is neither healthy nor attainable. It increases the occurance of low self esteem (and its associated problems), anorexia and other eating disorders, especially in young teenage girls who are already vulnerable and uncertain about their self image.
The whole relentless 'girls have to be pretty' messages they are bombarded with is already pretty bad, but confounding it with an impossible ideal is not helping things at all.


Eri

Those are all innate attractive qualities already in girls and women.

They are not put there by anybody(besides our ancestors). They are already in there, pre wired.
They are exploited, certainly, by those who make money off them. In this case other women.

And women have no interest, at all, in repressing their pre hard wiring.

What industry is bigger in your town. Shopping malls, or strip clubs.

Women get a pass on their base instincts.
Men don't.

And men don't find your size zero models attractive. Women do.

I can show you pictures of women that most men find attractive, they don't look like your freaks. Not including chubby chaser men, they are a bigger anomaly than your size zero freaks. With a great health and self esteem problem too.

Just imagine if all the repulsive women reproductive instincts had to be repressed as much as the male.

The designers of the Bratz dolls did not fabricate the attraction to them by girls.

Girls already had that in them.

They found that trait by testing.

They had a bunch of girls in a room. Behind mirrors and cameras. Product testing.

Most of the girls played with the Bratz dolls more than the other toys. It is a freakish exaggeration of innate desires. They liked the Bratz dolls more than other toys in the room.

Small body, Big head. Big eyes. Cute features.
What is that? That is a baby.

It is a reproductive attraction trait. Discovered and exploited by the makers of the Bratz dolls.

I can show you pictures of attractive mothers and their attractive daughters.

And no matter what culture you come from, I can assure you that the daughters will be more attractive to you.

Because those mothers picked males who had good genes that helped create more attractive females.

And no Rumer Willis don't count, and I have no explanation of why she got ****ed up genetically. She is still not ugly, not now anyway. But she is no Demi Moore. I would **** her, of course. But I would suck Ashton Kutcher's dick to **** Demi Moore.

And almost all of them. Proportionately speaking have larger heads, larger eyes, smaller lower face structures. Than their mothers. Almost all of them, their faces have noticeable infant-ism traits, in comparison to their mothers at the same age.

I think we're only a couple of posts away from Fyyr's favorite topics, menstruation and female orgasms.

You know you want to post it.

I can show you pictures of attractive mothers and their attractive daughters.

And no matter what culture you come from, I can assure you that the daughters will be more attractive to you.Sarah Palin's daughter is a lot less attractive than her mother, despite the age difference.

I can think of countless other examples, of people you wouldn't necessarily know.

But your bible is still entertaining, keep it coming.

I think we're only a couple of posts away from Fyyr's favorite topics, menstruation and female orgasms.


This is the fun thread. One out of two is not totally a write-off...


Eri

Sarah Palin's daughter is a lot less attractive than her mother, despite the age difference.

I can think of countless other examples, of people you wouldn't necessarily know.

But your bible is still entertaining, keep it coming.
Well, I'm not a homo, but I can tell that Todd Palin, on physical attraction alone, is completely out of the league of Sarah Palin.

She hooked up with him in high school because he was rich, one of the richest kids in town. He had two cars/pick ups.

Obviously if she would have waited until she became famous before starting to breed her prospective breeding pool would have been bigger, and with many superior specimens to chose from.

[Edit] Never mind, I see now you were talking about the husband, not the boyfriend. True, but now you've exposed a giant hole in your own mythology.

I can show you pictures of attractive mothers and their attractive daughters.
Prove it.

Prove it.

I am NOT going to volunteer for this!
(and neither is my mom)
(nor my daughter)


Eri

I am NOT going to volunteer for this!
(and neither is my mom)
(nor my daughter)
Come on, Eri, get your artist friend to take some pictures!

It's for science!

Come on, Eri, get your artist friend to take some pictures!

It's for science!

Strange. It is the first time I have heard that called science ...


Eri

She hooked up with him in high school because he was rich, one of the richest kids in town. He had two cars/pick ups.


*grins mischievously*

And that would have sounded soooo much more appropriate if you had typed: He could pay two camels ...


Eri

quote"Strange. It is the first time I have heard that called science "

I think he is trying for Einstein's theory of relativity as to how it relates to mass and gravity bending light. I find that one slightly flawed though, do to the refractions of light from the structure though.

I finally managed to see Trick R Treat the other day, after weeks long search. It was fun. Still trying to figure out why it didn't hit theatres.

quote"Strange. It is the first time I have heard that called science "

I think he is trying for Einstein's theory of relativity as to how it relates to mass and gravity bending light. I find that one slightly flawed though, do to the refractions of light from the structure though.

To be honest, what I was trying for is better approximated by this. (http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/node/6799)

You telling Eri she should charge y'all?

You telling Eri she should charge y'all?

Will she accept payment in fruit juice? :)

Ok here's something fun for this thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2s_D2N0OjU&NR=1 Atheist finds message in a watermelon.

Ok here's something fun for this thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2s_D2N0OjU&NR=1 Atheist finds message in a watermelon.

Fvcking brilliant!

Loosely related: Bad Vicar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGDndcxH-O4)

"Aren’t you all entitled to your half-arsed musings on the Divine? You’ve thought about eternity for 25 minutes, and think you’ve come to some interesting conclusions? Well let me tell you. I stand with 2000 years of darkness and bafflement and hunger behind me. My kind have harvested the souls of a million peasants. And I couldn't give a ha’penny jizz for your internet-assembled philosophy."

If you like That Mitchell and Webb Look you may also like The League Of Gentlemen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_League_of_Gentlemen).