Random linkspam

[matgb]

OK, for all the LARPers on my f-list (and there are far too many of oyu these days), davidnm linked to Ruthless Reviews. I think I agree with the writer on #10, and cannot fault his choice of winner. Question though; what is it with USian LARPers and those bloody stupid big swords? At least UK LARPers use swords that look vaguely realistic and have had some effort into realism (if not scale) put into them. I've alsmot bought a latex larp sword once, just because it was cool. Ah well.

burkesworks points to this set of style guidelines for referring to the North of England. I mean, I've been up north a few times in my life, just a small number of visits gives me a better idea than any amount of mainstream media coverage. Ah well. It's not like the Westcountry gets much better.

While trawling around looking for some stuff, I found the site of artist rkpost. He did some very good DT art, and some stuff for a few other games. I may work on a Sheriff Syn icon at some point, she always did look cool. shakalooloo? The thumbnails are already cropped to size, and some are very well done.

Lastly? james_nicoll linked to Teddy Babes (probably not safe for work. Or, indeed, sanity, but mine left years ago). Can we here an eww? Yup, thought so. Especially impressive scary is Sonya, Vampire Mistress of the Night. OMFG.

Anyway, am possibly going to write something about how cool the idea of OpenID is generally, and ClaimID as a specific, but in the meantime, an example: ext_15386 and ext_15389 are both me. The latter is the one I'm likely to actually use on occasions, the basic idea is very sound. Very scary? OpenID accounts logged into LJ can upload Userpics. Um, why?

Comments

[faeriecween.livejournal.com]

Yes you really do hear "ewww!!"

Though they are kinda cool in a freaky way, who would spend that much!!??




On second thoughts I don't want to know the sort of person who would spend that much.

[matgb]

I thought you'd react similar to that.

Incidentally, I love that icon; I just finished Hat Full of Sky this morning, and started Wintersmith, so very cool.

[faeriecween.livejournal.com]

isn;t it though?! I had to make it a couple of months ago after re-reading HFoS and finding myself saying Crivens a lot.

I loved Wintersmith :o)

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

That much on what? Just so I know if I've avoided "Ewww" status...

[matgb]

The above link that, um, isn't good for sanity?

For your sanity, actually, click the one about the vampire girl, but don't explore the rest of the site. That one's bad enough.

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry, thought you were still talking about LARP.

I've kinda avoided that link based on the title and surrounding comments...

I clicked on the Sonya link, because I figured it was a pretentious idiots journal.

Damn you.

Damn you to whichever hell is appropriate. I need to scrub out my eyes now...

[matgb]

Apparently, some US LJ users are working on a new type of brainbleach.

Given one of the fanfics I followed a link to earlier, I still need it. And trust me, you DO NOT want me to share that link.

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

After the links you have shared, I'm figuring I really don't want to know about the ones even you wouldn't share...

[matgb]

Is the right answer. Trust me on this. I'll show it to Christy at some point.

I think, if she hasn't already seen it, it'll freak her out. And you know what it takes to phase her, right?

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

Dear Eris!

[faeriecween.livejournal.com]

Will it? link me!!!! Me wanna know now!!!

Which fandom? Ship?

[rho]

Next time someone gawps at me in shock when I point out that I'll describe myself as British or Lacastrian, but very seldom as English, I think I will have to point them at that.

And for the Teddy Babes, the main thing I'm thinking (beyond wtf) is that with breasts that large relative to the size of her frame and tiny waist, that poor doll is going to have some nasty back problems.

[matgb]

Well, yes, I guess. If she randomly started walking around. I've never really liked overidealised body types, but the whole thing was so silly.

I'm Devonshire, Westcountry, English and British. I tend to dothe westcountry thing more than most, I have too many relatives in Cornwall. London remains the problem, it's the whole country's problem, we're too centralised. Ah well.

[silentgreeneyes.livejournal.com]

I am a midlander and.. indifferent about it. Most of my family hail from here so.. meh.

[matgb]

That's cos the midlands are pointless. Now, if they'd kep the old name (Mercia), then people would identify with something rather than "the middle bit".

But then, for some of my family, Exeter is up north, so...

[mooism.livejournal.com]

London is not the problem. Certain industries being centralised in London is the problem.

Cockneys and South Londoners get patronised by the national media too, we don't get treated with kid gloves.

I think London would benefit if national government and parts of the national media moved somewhere else.

[matgb]

Not sure I'd move national Govt. English Govt, if there were to be an EP (not keen, but momentum is there). Nut beyond that, yes, decentralising and moving various institutions around would be good.

But yeah, while the media is patronising to all, it's more palpable the further away you get. Knowledge of bits of London is higher than knowledge of, say, Leeds. Not that it really actually matters much.

[silentgreeneyes.livejournal.com]

On Larp:
Ye gods american larpers are indeed lame. Their swords look bloody stupid as you said. 'Boffers' indeed.. someone was having a rather amsuing joke when telling the americans they're called that. Thankfully UK larp has a lot better weapons. I own two rather long swords. True, those really are rather bad pictures.. especially the worrying 'furry' costumes towards the end. Thankfully the costuming at the one I do is somewhat better :)

The style guide:
Amusing :) I liked the description of Birmingham

On the artist:
amazing work there.. will trawl the galleries later.

Teddy Babes:
DEAR GODS why did I click that link? Those are scary.. and the 'Halloween Special'? It defies words..

I have to ask though.. why the move from 'Not Little England@?

[silentgreeneyes.livejournal.com]

Ignore last comment, finally read the relevant part of the post :)

[matgb]

But I just loaded the page to answer!

Basically, I own the domain, I control it, I can do what I like with it. Plus, of course, Wordpress rules. Big time.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

Lastly? [info]james_nicoll linked to Teddy Babes (probably not safe for work. Or, indeed, sanity, but mine left years ago).

In the context of this:

http://www.kultureshock.co.uk/v3/cart.php?target=product&product_id=18198

[matgb]

Yeah, but that was just a puppet thing. People do weird collectables. People designing them to have sex with?

That's a little more weird.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

The variety of objects that people are willing to at least attempt to have sex with is very, very large. This is why when I worked at KW Hospital, we once had a guy come in with a 2 liter coke bottle sticking out of the front of his pants.

[matgb]

Wow. That's impressive. Stupid, but impressive.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

He couldn't pull off trying not to look too bothered about his situation.

[nadriel.livejournal.com]

In the interests of fairness, I should point out that I'm given to understand that the American Larpers use crappy, poorly balanced, shitty-looking, pointless larp weapons due to haelth and safety regulations. Which I suppose I could understand, were it not for, well, the gun laws in the same country...

[matgb]

haelth and safety regulations

Trans: fear of getting sued.

All they really need is a watertight disclaimer, but that would be too much like thinking. But yeah, silly regulations. At some point, I'll buy that Masamune Katana in latex. It's so cool...

[shakalooloo.livejournal.com]

RK Post - one of several artists (among them Anthony Grabski, Brian Snoddy and Todd Lockwood) whose work goes uncredited in Deadlands: Reloaded.

Useless trivia of the day.

[matgb]

Shame, was the lack of credit a mistake on their part?

I do know there were a number of issues with the artist record when Wizards transferred all their records to AEG, it caused a bit of havoc.

Shows a little how my taste in art has changed. When DT first came out, I was most pleased to see stuff by Paolo 'posse' Parente, but now I tend to look at his stuff as comical, and prefer Post and beet. Ah well.

[shakalooloo.livejournal.com]

Mister Parente's busy off doing spindly burly art for Rackham; they who've snatched Adrian Smith and Karl Kopinski away from GW to do art for AT43.

[missedith01.livejournal.com]

Teddy Babes: Good Lord. Although in a plus for public health, I'm releived to know from the FAQ that some bits are, er, washable.

[matgb]

I think it was that bit that tipped me over into the eww side. Very very wrong. I guess that's why they cost so much, so few people'll buy them that the price might as well be high.

[mapp.livejournal.com]

Regarding "Teddy Babes", I managed to go from shock, through to confusion, through to laughing out loud in the space of about ten seconds.

Regarding the artist website thingy, I didn't realise he was the guy that did the card art for Tzipporah Whateley. Very nifty.

Mumph.

[matgb]

Yes indeed. Very fine artist, it was her pic elsewhere that prompted me to follow the link to his site. It was on Frothers Unite, I think. The things you find when vanity googling...