The Next Rotation - The Universe of Fenris Fox
31 December 2006
Miniature Short Story: "Repossession: A Ghostbusters Parody"
Just a random idea I got - more stuff along the line of "no good deed goes unpunished." If you've ever wished you could take back something good you did for somebody because they didn't pay (or - if you did it for free - they rubbed your nose in the dung), this story is for you. =xoD
***
DISCLAIMER: This work is a parody of another work of fiction, as has been deemed protected by the Supreme Court of the United States. The ideas therein are not representative of the creators, writers, animators, directors, producers, and/or copyright holders of the Ghostbusters movies, series, or characters.
Do not bend, fold, crush, or incinerate. Keep out of the reach of children. Contents are hot. Do not use while sleeping. This tag not to be removed under penalty of law, except by consumer. This data may cause your computer to create a monumental belch from the subwoofer. Paper and ink may pose a choking hazard for children under 5 seconds old. May contain content unsuitable for adults. Your mileage may vary. Electrons may cause trees to plummet. Use at your own risk. Sold as-is. Void where prohibited by law. Not to be eaten with Ramen by the Postmaster General unless watching anime with girls in sailor outfits.
***
CHAPTER I
One day, Peter and Ray were in the firehouse, eating pizza.. or at least trying.
"Slimer!" Peter exclaimed, "That's the second piece of pizza you've ruined for me today!"
The comical ghost replied with his usual babble of incomprehensible sounds.
"What do you mean, 'I didn't do anything?' You swiped the first slice right out of my hand, and I don't think any of us *humans* here would eat that other slice," Peter said whilst pointing at the nasty remains of said slice in a nearby trashcan.
"You know, with all this waste, we're going to have to get some of the bills paid up," Ray said.
"Yeah.. the dead beats ain't helpin' any. We need to find a way to convince some of 'em."
At that moment, Egon came up from the basement, a small toolkit in hand - most likely after maintenance to the ghost containment unit. "What's all the commotion about up here?"
"Dead beats," Ray replied.
"Slimed-up pizza," Peter added.
"What a shame," Egon said.. while looking in Peter's direction.
"Hey, I've got an idea," Peter said.
"Oh Lord," Egon said. "Let's hear it."
"Well, why don't we be like any other company - when you don't pay, they repossess."
"Umm," Egon said while scratching his head, "I don't know how we can repossess a service."
"It has to do with our type of service."
"Oh boy.. I'm afraid to think of what you may have come up with," Ray said with a sigh.
"Why don't we unleash their nightmare back upon them?"
Ray nearly spit soda halfway across the room; Egon almost had to run for the john due to an accident.
"Are you kidding me, Peter! We'd just have to break our butts rounding them up again. We'd be lucky if we don't end up in the slammer for some stupid crime!" Ray said, shocked halfway to Japan.
"Not to mention," Egon added with his knowledge, "The ghosts are already in the containment unit. You know how hard it was just to get *my* soul out of there that one time..."
"Well, of course we can't go that far back," Peter replied, "but we keep some of the weaker ones in the traps for a while. And if I remember right..."
"A few of them are in the basement," Ray contributed.
"And those aren't too dangerous, or too strong. But they would scare the bejesus out of a deadbeat."
"I don't know if I like this," Egon said, "but I've heard - and done - worse."
"Grab the traps, fellas," Ray exclaimed. "We're paying a visit to 36th Street."
***
CHAPTER II
Loaded with proton weaponry, ghost traps, and EMI meters, the trio stepped out of the car at the flat of a former customer. They marched up the stairs, and buzzed the doorbell.
"Who is it?" a rough-voiced man answered.
"Your friendly neighborhood ghost collectors," Peter said sarcastically.
"What the hell do you want? Your job's done."
"We ain't a charity, buster. We want our dough."
"Heh. Make me."
"If you insist..."
Ray chuckled, as Egon sprung open a trap containing a small spectre captured from the man's apartment a couple days ago. The little ghost almost seemed to know what was going on.. he giggled as he flew up into the air, and through the wall. A blood-curdling scream was audible - without the aid of the intercom.
"What the f*** are you doing?! Get this thing out of here!" the deadbeat screams.
"No, we won't, until you pay. And as far as what we're doing.. it's called, 'repossession.'"
All the Ghostbusters - and even the little ghost - laughed heartily, as the ruckus continued upstairs.
"I think we've got ourselves a winning technique, Peter," said Ray.
"Yup. Pay up, or pray up."
THE END.
*** ¶ 12/31/2006 05:05:00 PM 1 comments
Just a random idea I got - more stuff along the line of "no good deed goes unpunished." If you've ever wished you could take back something good you did for somebody because they didn't pay (or - if you did it for free - they rubbed your nose in the dung), this story is for you. =xoD
***
REPOSSESSION:
A Ghostbusters Parody
By Fenny F.
Written 12/31/2006; Original Web Release, First Edition, 12/31/2006
A Ghostbusters Parody
By Fenny F.
Written 12/31/2006; Original Web Release, First Edition, 12/31/2006
DISCLAIMER: This work is a parody of another work of fiction, as has been deemed protected by the Supreme Court of the United States. The ideas therein are not representative of the creators, writers, animators, directors, producers, and/or copyright holders of the Ghostbusters movies, series, or characters.
Do not bend, fold, crush, or incinerate. Keep out of the reach of children. Contents are hot. Do not use while sleeping. This tag not to be removed under penalty of law, except by consumer. This data may cause your computer to create a monumental belch from the subwoofer. Paper and ink may pose a choking hazard for children under 5 seconds old. May contain content unsuitable for adults. Your mileage may vary. Electrons may cause trees to plummet. Use at your own risk. Sold as-is. Void where prohibited by law. Not to be eaten with Ramen by the Postmaster General unless watching anime with girls in sailor outfits.
***
CHAPTER I
One day, Peter and Ray were in the firehouse, eating pizza.. or at least trying.
"Slimer!" Peter exclaimed, "That's the second piece of pizza you've ruined for me today!"
The comical ghost replied with his usual babble of incomprehensible sounds.
"What do you mean, 'I didn't do anything?' You swiped the first slice right out of my hand, and I don't think any of us *humans* here would eat that other slice," Peter said whilst pointing at the nasty remains of said slice in a nearby trashcan.
"You know, with all this waste, we're going to have to get some of the bills paid up," Ray said.
"Yeah.. the dead beats ain't helpin' any. We need to find a way to convince some of 'em."
At that moment, Egon came up from the basement, a small toolkit in hand - most likely after maintenance to the ghost containment unit. "What's all the commotion about up here?"
"Dead beats," Ray replied.
"Slimed-up pizza," Peter added.
"What a shame," Egon said.. while looking in Peter's direction.
"Hey, I've got an idea," Peter said.
"Oh Lord," Egon said. "Let's hear it."
"Well, why don't we be like any other company - when you don't pay, they repossess."
"Umm," Egon said while scratching his head, "I don't know how we can repossess a service."
"It has to do with our type of service."
"Oh boy.. I'm afraid to think of what you may have come up with," Ray said with a sigh.
"Why don't we unleash their nightmare back upon them?"
Ray nearly spit soda halfway across the room; Egon almost had to run for the john due to an accident.
"Are you kidding me, Peter! We'd just have to break our butts rounding them up again. We'd be lucky if we don't end up in the slammer for some stupid crime!" Ray said, shocked halfway to Japan.
"Not to mention," Egon added with his knowledge, "The ghosts are already in the containment unit. You know how hard it was just to get *my* soul out of there that one time..."
"Well, of course we can't go that far back," Peter replied, "but we keep some of the weaker ones in the traps for a while. And if I remember right..."
"A few of them are in the basement," Ray contributed.
"And those aren't too dangerous, or too strong. But they would scare the bejesus out of a deadbeat."
"I don't know if I like this," Egon said, "but I've heard - and done - worse."
"Grab the traps, fellas," Ray exclaimed. "We're paying a visit to 36th Street."
***
CHAPTER II
Loaded with proton weaponry, ghost traps, and EMI meters, the trio stepped out of the car at the flat of a former customer. They marched up the stairs, and buzzed the doorbell.
"Who is it?" a rough-voiced man answered.
"Your friendly neighborhood ghost collectors," Peter said sarcastically.
"What the hell do you want? Your job's done."
"We ain't a charity, buster. We want our dough."
"Heh. Make me."
"If you insist..."
Ray chuckled, as Egon sprung open a trap containing a small spectre captured from the man's apartment a couple days ago. The little ghost almost seemed to know what was going on.. he giggled as he flew up into the air, and through the wall. A blood-curdling scream was audible - without the aid of the intercom.
"What the f*** are you doing?! Get this thing out of here!" the deadbeat screams.
"No, we won't, until you pay. And as far as what we're doing.. it's called, 'repossession.'"
All the Ghostbusters - and even the little ghost - laughed heartily, as the ruckus continued upstairs.
"I think we've got ourselves a winning technique, Peter," said Ray.
"Yup. Pay up, or pray up."
THE END.
*** ¶ 12/31/2006 05:05:00 PM 1 comments
Poem: "Windrider"
My recent involvement in a sail & steam (17th-18th century Earth equivalent technology level)/pirate-themed online RP community has led me to create a new morph, more appropriate to the theme and tech/magic level.
Thinking about that community and theme, and listening to fantasy-inspired music at the same time, led me to write the following poem. I shocked the heck out of myself with it - even in poetry, I rarely put this level of emotion out.
More commentary on the poem's namesake afterward.
***
My recent involvement in a sail & steam (17th-18th century Earth equivalent technology level)/pirate-themed online RP community has led me to create a new morph, more appropriate to the theme and tech/magic level.
Thinking about that community and theme, and listening to fantasy-inspired music at the same time, led me to write the following poem. I shocked the heck out of myself with it - even in poetry, I rarely put this level of emotion out.
More commentary on the poem's namesake afterward.
***
Windrider
By Fenny F. (Jeff R.)
Written 12/31/2006; Original Web Release, First Edition, 12/31/2006
[ Special note: Happy Old Year! =;o) ]
"Wind and sail.. now that's the proper way to move a ship." --Geordi LaForge; Star Trek: The Next Generation
¶ 12/31/2006 02:24:00 PM 0 comments
By Fenny F. (Jeff R.)
Written 12/31/2006; Original Web Release, First Edition, 12/31/2006
[ Special note: Happy Old Year! =;o) ]
"Wind and sail.. now that's the proper way to move a ship." --Geordi LaForge; Star Trek: The Next Generation
Breathe the free air again, Windrider,
Feel the Sun's warmth once more...
Time may have eclipsed you,
But you never turned stern on me -
Through peace and war,
Many were the furs you bore
With naught a piston -
Only cannon was your roar.
Breathe the free air again, Windrider,
Feel the Sun's warmth once more...
Flesh, fur, wood & spirit -
Even the very Sea itself
Ride a greater device;
And it seems that time has come full circle -
Fate bestows its light upon your deck once more...
Come forth, Windrider,
From your long slumber;
Come forth and be reborn...
For the dreams of men are what I seek to be;
And now I voyage back...
Back once again,
To the Sail & the Steam.
Breathe the free air again, Windrider,
Feel the Sun's warmth once more...
***
I envisioned the Windrider as a sailing ship - no steam engine. Since the era allows steam tech.. I may put the Windrider into port, and see about having her overhauled with an engine. I'll keep the rigging, though.. I think the engine may serve as a surprise for some. =;o)
"When we get the call on the radio, one of our own - 'Officer down' - you know how it is. We haul ass." --Officer Bates, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Feel the Sun's warmth once more...
Time may have eclipsed you,
But you never turned stern on me -
Through peace and war,
Many were the furs you bore
With naught a piston -
Only cannon was your roar.
Breathe the free air again, Windrider,
Feel the Sun's warmth once more...
Flesh, fur, wood & spirit -
Even the very Sea itself
Ride a greater device;
And it seems that time has come full circle -
Fate bestows its light upon your deck once more...
Come forth, Windrider,
From your long slumber;
Come forth and be reborn...
For the dreams of men are what I seek to be;
And now I voyage back...
Back once again,
To the Sail & the Steam.
Breathe the free air again, Windrider,
Feel the Sun's warmth once more...
***
I envisioned the Windrider as a sailing ship - no steam engine. Since the era allows steam tech.. I may put the Windrider into port, and see about having her overhauled with an engine. I'll keep the rigging, though.. I think the engine may serve as a surprise for some. =;o)
"When we get the call on the radio, one of our own - 'Officer down' - you know how it is. We haul ass." --Officer Bates, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Color Ballpoint Drawing: "In Memoriam: Gerald R. Ford"
Click the above image for the full-sized piece (1755x1275, 955KB JPEG).
(Spawns new window.)
Gratis image hosting provided by Photobucket
It was a nightmare to get this piece into the computer - and onto the Web, in a small enough filesize for Photobucket - without completely destroying the penstrokes of the original. It's been said that scanners never do justice to hand-drawn art; while very true, a careful attention to the digital side of things does help.
The headline isn't 100% accurate - I used a highlighter in addition to color and black ballpoints.
Also - like it or not - the piece went through pretty heavy digital editing. Contrast and saturation were tweaked to attempt to restore the appearance of the original. There were some parts in the blue patch I attempted to white-out and color over in the original - the ink wouldn't stick to it, and they looked white. It was an eyesore - and I've edited those out here. Considerable manual attention to the JPEG compressor settings was given - if I didn't have the level of control The GIMP allows, the piece would have been completely destroyed.
Supplies used:
Traditional:
*Framework:
Pentel EnerGel 0.5mm Needle Tip rollerball pen (liquid/gel hybrid ink)
*Fill:
Pentel Extra Fine Precise V5 rollerball pens (liquid ink);
Hi-liter (I forgot the brand - but it's spelled that way. Chisel-tip.)
Digital:
The GIMP 2.x (on Linux).
¶ 12/31/2006 09:44:00 AM 0 comments
Click the above image for the full-sized piece (1755x1275, 955KB JPEG).
(Spawns new window.)
Gratis image hosting provided by Photobucket
It was a nightmare to get this piece into the computer - and onto the Web, in a small enough filesize for Photobucket - without completely destroying the penstrokes of the original. It's been said that scanners never do justice to hand-drawn art; while very true, a careful attention to the digital side of things does help.
The headline isn't 100% accurate - I used a highlighter in addition to color and black ballpoints.
Also - like it or not - the piece went through pretty heavy digital editing. Contrast and saturation were tweaked to attempt to restore the appearance of the original. There were some parts in the blue patch I attempted to white-out and color over in the original - the ink wouldn't stick to it, and they looked white. It was an eyesore - and I've edited those out here. Considerable manual attention to the JPEG compressor settings was given - if I didn't have the level of control The GIMP allows, the piece would have been completely destroyed.
Supplies used:
Traditional:
*Framework:
Pentel EnerGel 0.5mm Needle Tip rollerball pen (liquid/gel hybrid ink)
*Fill:
Pentel Extra Fine Precise V5 rollerball pens (liquid ink);
Hi-liter (I forgot the brand - but it's spelled that way. Chisel-tip.)
Digital:
The GIMP 2.x (on Linux).
¶ 12/31/2006 09:44:00 AM 0 comments
Subminiature Short Story: "I Can't Win!"
Just an idea I had, playing one of a friend's characters off against the other.
Due to comments I had on this story prior to posting, I want to say to anyone who knows these characters or their player, that nothing here relates to them in the larger scope of things. If their actions reflect on anyone, it's Fenny's player and his family - which is where I got the idea. It seems this happens a lot.. perhaps too much.
***
Justin couldn't sleep one night. Becoming hungry, he went to the kitchen.
He had some Cup Ramen, then for some strange reason, decided to clean up extra carefully - even more so than usual.
He had just finished when RC - Justin's raccoon uncle - walked in. He said to Justin, "What are you doing up at this hour?" He then noticed a couple of his own beer bottles in the trash - but forgot he had them a couple days ago. "Justin, have you been drinkin' on the quiet?"
"Uncle, I'm 12. I only ever even sniffed a beer once."
"Well, what were you doing then?"
"I had some Ramen."
"Umm.. There's no way you had Ramen. You always make a mess when you make anything!"
Justin facepawed, crying inside his head, "Unngh.. I can never win!"
THE END.
*** ¶ 12/31/2006 09:19:00 AM 0 comments
Just an idea I had, playing one of a friend's characters off against the other.
Due to comments I had on this story prior to posting, I want to say to anyone who knows these characters or their player, that nothing here relates to them in the larger scope of things. If their actions reflect on anyone, it's Fenny's player and his family - which is where I got the idea. It seems this happens a lot.. perhaps too much.
***
Justin couldn't sleep one night. Becoming hungry, he went to the kitchen.
He had some Cup Ramen, then for some strange reason, decided to clean up extra carefully - even more so than usual.
He had just finished when RC - Justin's raccoon uncle - walked in. He said to Justin, "What are you doing up at this hour?" He then noticed a couple of his own beer bottles in the trash - but forgot he had them a couple days ago. "Justin, have you been drinkin' on the quiet?"
"Uncle, I'm 12. I only ever even sniffed a beer once."
"Well, what were you doing then?"
"I had some Ramen."
"Umm.. There's no way you had Ramen. You always make a mess when you make anything!"
Justin facepawed, crying inside his head, "Unngh.. I can never win!"
THE END.
*** ¶ 12/31/2006 09:19:00 AM 0 comments
25 December 2006
Random: Merry Christmas to One and All; Thoughts of Song.
My Christmas gift from my folks this year was an awesome one - the Bose TriPort IE headphones. I am definitely thankful.
There really is no better gift to give me than audio equipment - particularly the immersive kind, like headphones. I consider Music to literally be my Muse. I do my best work while listening to music - not just background music, but something that touches the soul.
Just some random stuff from my mix of music:
Dan Fogelberg, "Times Like These:"
¶ 12/25/2006 01:41:00 PM 0 comments
My Christmas gift from my folks this year was an awesome one - the Bose TriPort IE headphones. I am definitely thankful.
There really is no better gift to give me than audio equipment - particularly the immersive kind, like headphones. I consider Music to literally be my Muse. I do my best work while listening to music - not just background music, but something that touches the soul.
Just some random stuff from my mix of music:
Dan Fogelberg, "Times Like These:"
Over a battle,Ozzy Ozbourne, "Dreamer:"
Under a spell;
Money's the demon that drives you.
I'm just a dreamer,Kenny Rogers, "She Believes In Me:"
I dream my life away...
...I told her one daySimon & Garfunkel, "The Boxer:"
If she was my girl,
I could change the world
With my little song...
I was wrong.
I am just a poor boyWhen you get enough of this stuff spinning around in your head, something new's bound to come out of it, with naught but the smallest spark of ingenuity.
And my story's seldom told...
...Still a man hears what he wants to hear,
And disregards the rest...
...Laying low,
Seeking out the poorer quarters where the ragged people go,
Looking for the places only they would know.
¶ 12/25/2006 01:41:00 PM 0 comments
22 December 2006
Ink Drawing: "Never Forget the True Meaning of Christmas"
I don't know exactly why I was inspired to draw this - my guess is, it may have something to do with a Fox News slogan: "The War on Christmas."
Just as important as the meaning - if not more so - is the Spirit of Christmas. The world needs goodwill; we may not be able to fix everything, but we can try to help those around us.
Click the photo for the full-sized version (1275 x 1755, 451KB JPEG).
Gratis image hosting provided by Photobucket. ¶ 12/22/2006 06:14:00 PM 0 comments
I don't know exactly why I was inspired to draw this - my guess is, it may have something to do with a Fox News slogan: "The War on Christmas."
Just as important as the meaning - if not more so - is the Spirit of Christmas. The world needs goodwill; we may not be able to fix everything, but we can try to help those around us.
Click the photo for the full-sized version (1275 x 1755, 451KB JPEG).
Gratis image hosting provided by Photobucket. ¶ 12/22/2006 06:14:00 PM 0 comments
12 December 2006
From My Inbox: "Chain Letters" Without the Curses
We all get them if we're using the Internet long enough - those forwarded emails with various messages. They range from inspirational and well-written, to frivolous and gaudy - sometimes they're even plain fraud, like the postal chain letters of old.
The really idiotic thing, though, are that many of these forwarded messages tend to have unenforceable curses in them, as "punishment" for not sending them to enough other people. This is one of the reasons these messages tend to have a bad reputation.
I got a couple of them, however, which I feel are worth sharing in a larger manner. They consisted almost entirely of pictures - one is a political joke, and the other consists of cute animal photos.
***
Original Message Subject: "Life Is Too Short, and Friends Too Few"
[The original did not have commentary, and thus I'm adding some, in square brackets. Also, the original had more photos - a few have been removed for brevity.]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[Well, what can I say? I'm jealous! =;o) ]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[A friend & a warm, furry comforter. What else could a cute black cat need? =:o) ]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[This goldie would get fired if he were human - but he's just too cute as a woofy. =:o) ]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[If this machine works after the feline-tech is finished, I'd better start training for a new career!
He can probably do a better job than one furson I know, though... =xoD ]
***
Original Message Subject: "The Power of Makeup"
[Impressive transformation! =:oD Perhaps she could teach Fenny a few things? =xoD ]
¶ 12/12/2006 02:14:00 PM 0 comments
We all get them if we're using the Internet long enough - those forwarded emails with various messages. They range from inspirational and well-written, to frivolous and gaudy - sometimes they're even plain fraud, like the postal chain letters of old.
The really idiotic thing, though, are that many of these forwarded messages tend to have unenforceable curses in them, as "punishment" for not sending them to enough other people. This is one of the reasons these messages tend to have a bad reputation.
I got a couple of them, however, which I feel are worth sharing in a larger manner. They consisted almost entirely of pictures - one is a political joke, and the other consists of cute animal photos.
***
Original Message Subject: "Life Is Too Short, and Friends Too Few"
[The original did not have commentary, and thus I'm adding some, in square brackets. Also, the original had more photos - a few have been removed for brevity.]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[Well, what can I say? I'm jealous! =;o) ]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[A friend & a warm, furry comforter. What else could a cute black cat need? =:o) ]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[This goldie would get fired if he were human - but he's just too cute as a woofy. =:o) ]
(Photo is shown full-size.)
[If this machine works after the feline-tech is finished, I'd better start training for a new career!
He can probably do a better job than one furson I know, though... =xoD ]
***
Original Message Subject: "The Power of Makeup"
[Impressive transformation! =:oD Perhaps she could teach Fenny a few things? =xoD ]
¶ 12/12/2006 02:14:00 PM 0 comments
11 December 2006
Commentary: My Position Has Not Changed
Someone seems to be dragging up the spectre of the death of Princess Diana up again.. saying something like, "they're going to prove her death to be an accident, once and for all."
Now, some of the hypotheses are pretty far out there - the British intelligence services ordering her assassination, the CIA "keeping tabs," blah blah.
My $0.02?
Her death was no assassination - but neither was it a simple accident.
Ever since her death - in my life, that's a long time, folks! - I've maintained that the paparazzi chasing her shared in culpability for her demise.
It's simple logic - yes, Di's chauffer was drunk, and shares in this too. However - booze or not - I refuse to believe that he would have taken a 120 MPH joyride down the street for no reason. Such reckless speeds would not have been achieved, had the paparazzi not sped up each time Di's party tried to evade.
Now I have little knowledge of the laws of England - however, if this happened in many places in America, I strongly suspect that what the paparazzi did would have been a serious crime. I doubt that it would hold up as a murder charge - but I'm sure that it would hold water on either a manslaughter charge, or criminally negligent homicide.
In my humble opinion, if it were to happen here, it would be a gross miscarriage of justice for these people to get off scot-free. They certainly are in the legal system of Britain - but luckily, in the court of public opinion, we can be the judges.
DISCLAIMER: Don't do anything stupid! Words are legal, violence is not. I am not to be held responsible if you do anything illegal - I said "judges," not "executioners." If I sound paranoid writing this disclaimer, watch some more cable news and Law & Order. ¶ 12/11/2006 04:59:00 PM 1 comments
Someone seems to be dragging up the spectre of the death of Princess Diana up again.. saying something like, "they're going to prove her death to be an accident, once and for all."
Now, some of the hypotheses are pretty far out there - the British intelligence services ordering her assassination, the CIA "keeping tabs," blah blah.
My $0.02?
Her death was no assassination - but neither was it a simple accident.
Ever since her death - in my life, that's a long time, folks! - I've maintained that the paparazzi chasing her shared in culpability for her demise.
It's simple logic - yes, Di's chauffer was drunk, and shares in this too. However - booze or not - I refuse to believe that he would have taken a 120 MPH joyride down the street for no reason. Such reckless speeds would not have been achieved, had the paparazzi not sped up each time Di's party tried to evade.
Now I have little knowledge of the laws of England - however, if this happened in many places in America, I strongly suspect that what the paparazzi did would have been a serious crime. I doubt that it would hold up as a murder charge - but I'm sure that it would hold water on either a manslaughter charge, or criminally negligent homicide.
In my humble opinion, if it were to happen here, it would be a gross miscarriage of justice for these people to get off scot-free. They certainly are in the legal system of Britain - but luckily, in the court of public opinion, we can be the judges.
DISCLAIMER: Don't do anything stupid! Words are legal, violence is not. I am not to be held responsible if you do anything illegal - I said "judges," not "executioners." If I sound paranoid writing this disclaimer, watch some more cable news and Law & Order. ¶ 12/11/2006 04:59:00 PM 1 comments
05 December 2006
Photographs: The Second Ticker
Pocket watch #2, as promised.
Does anyone notice the odd thing about the dial of the watch (shown in the first photo)?
If you don't see it.. look at the Roman numeral for 4 o'clock - it's shown as "IIII," rather than "IV," which I would normally expect. I don't know if this is an error, or if there actually was another historical/stylistic way of writing the Roman numeral IV.
[Before posting this, I did some checking with the Closest-to-Omniscient-Force We Have On the Physical Plane - better known as Google (the only True Omniscient Force wasn't available to answer my questions in English =xoD ). Apparently, my young age/inexperience with antiquities shows through in the comment above - but, with this being a stream-of-thought blog, I will leave it.
In any case, this page talks about "IIII" and "IV" on clocks and watches. Apparently, both are acceptable - it depends on if the clock is truly classical in design, or if it makes some allowances for modernization. Basically, the IV is modern - the Romans didn't use it.]
These photos really don't do justice to it - it has a sense of depth which a 2D photo cannot capture. This is especially the case when the watch is closed, since its case is windowed.
Obverse [front], cover opened; leather holster in picture.
Click photo for full-sized version (936x772, 52KB JPEG)
Gratis image hosting provided by Photobucket.
[The watch was wound, running, set properly, and keeping good time when the first photo was taken. I'll give you that it was PM, and that this is the Pacific Time Zone. See if you figure out when that was... =;o) =xoD
Nothing emphasizes the freezing of time photography does, than taking a photo of a clock or watch face.]
Obverse, cover closed.
Click photo for full-sized version (872x1152, 56KB JPEG)
Gratis image hosting by Photobucket.
[If you look closely at the second photo, you can see that the first one was actually taken after this - it was an afterthought, since this one was taken sometime between 9:05 and 9:10.]
Reverse.
Click photo for full-sized version (1152x872, 70KB JPEG)
Gratis image hosting by Photobucket. ¶ 12/05/2006 12:33:00 AM 0 comments
Pocket watch #2, as promised.
Does anyone notice the odd thing about the dial of the watch (shown in the first photo)?
If you don't see it.. look at the Roman numeral for 4 o'clock - it's shown as "IIII," rather than "IV," which I would normally expect. I don't know if this is an error, or if there actually was another historical/stylistic way of writing the Roman numeral IV.
[Before posting this, I did some checking with the Closest-to-Omniscient-Force We Have On the Physical Plane - better known as Google (the only True Omniscient Force wasn't available to answer my questions in English =xoD ). Apparently, my young age/inexperience with antiquities shows through in the comment above - but, with this being a stream-of-thought blog, I will leave it.
In any case, this page talks about "IIII" and "IV" on clocks and watches. Apparently, both are acceptable - it depends on if the clock is truly classical in design, or if it makes some allowances for modernization. Basically, the IV is modern - the Romans didn't use it.]
These photos really don't do justice to it - it has a sense of depth which a 2D photo cannot capture. This is especially the case when the watch is closed, since its case is windowed.
Obverse [front], cover opened; leather holster in picture.
Click photo for full-sized version (936x772, 52KB JPEG)
Gratis image hosting provided by Photobucket.
[The watch was wound, running, set properly, and keeping good time when the first photo was taken. I'll give you that it was PM, and that this is the Pacific Time Zone. See if you figure out when that was... =;o) =xoD
Nothing emphasizes the freezing of time photography does, than taking a photo of a clock or watch face.]
Obverse, cover closed.
Click photo for full-sized version (872x1152, 56KB JPEG)
Gratis image hosting by Photobucket.
[If you look closely at the second photo, you can see that the first one was actually taken after this - it was an afterthought, since this one was taken sometime between 9:05 and 9:10.]
Reverse.
Click photo for full-sized version (1152x872, 70KB JPEG)
Gratis image hosting by Photobucket. ¶ 12/05/2006 12:33:00 AM 0 comments
01 December 2006
Second Chance for the Ticker
Some people might degrade Wal-Mart for being anti-social (or whatever the argument is - I'm too tired to debate right now) - however, I can't fault their return policy. Several times, I've returned items that other stores might question; items - like my first pocket watch - that could just as easily fail from accidents or abuse as they could from material/workmanship defects.
I returned the first watch today - they refunded the money without question (I had saved the box, instructions, warranty, and receipt - don't throw out anything!). I decided, as mentioned before, to give the manufacturer the benefit of the doubt - and I bought a similar watch, of the same make, but a different model and style.
The new one is a gold-plated (or possibly brass - I didn't really care, as long as it looked good. I'm not a wealth nut) hunter cover (the formal name for the kind where you press on the crown to open the watch), with the stem at the 12:00 position (supposedly, the traditional place for pocket watch stems [particularly open-faced, if I remember correctly] was the 6:00 position, but in modern times, this isn't as strict).
Like the first watch, it is a skeleton-style (visible clockwork) manual-wind mechanical movement pocket watch. It has a garment-clip chain, rather than the spring-loaded chain of the last watch.
It didn't come with a holster - and since I normally don't wear a suit (which has a traditional pocket), and not all my pants have a watch pocket (yes, that's what the little one - normally on your right side - is for, not for losing change in!), I bought a separate one.
I couldn't find a standalone holster made specifically for a watch, so I bought a leather (sorry PETA and animal-lover nuts - I love animals, but I also eat beef.. why let the hides go to waste?) holster made for a small folding cell phone. It turns out to be pretty good - it swivels, isn't too big, but yet is big enough to hold the entire watch - and also give the stem some support.
Something important, IMO, is that it isn't too tight. The holster that came with the first watch, seemed that way - and with a plated watch, that's bad. The plating normally will wear off a bit after a few years (I can live with that, with a $30 watch), but a tight case will rub away some of that plating each time the watch is extracted. Since I carry the watch, and use it to time buses and so on, I draw the watch several times a day.. yeah.
The other holster provided very little padding or protection to the timepiece - this one, made for electronics, is quite a bit more protective of its contents.
In any case, we'll see how it goes. I read the directions carefully this time - and there's a few "Cardinal Sins" I may have committed with the last watch, that lead to its death:
1.) I may have overwound it. To put it simply, I was reckless and wound it too fast - and I may have stretched the mainspring pretty badly.
2.) I may have damaged the movement by means of the crown and stem. Being on my belt - in a holster that had zero support for the crown and stem - this critical part of the timepiece may have taken a lot of stress. The new holster, and the shorter stem on the new watch, may help.
3.) I may have damaged the castle wheel/clutch/ratchet/whatever: I read on a Mechanical Watch FAQ that a watch can be wound by turning to and fro; however, it warned that it could wear the castle wheel - which acts like a ratchet to prevent movement damage on backturns - by doing so. Also, the watch instructions - while not explicitly forbidding counter-clockwise movement - explicitly instruct clockwise winding. Perhaps their omission was not an endorsement.
Between me trying to treat the timepiece better, and having a new timepiece, we'll see how it goes.
I'll post a picture soon.
¶ 12/01/2006 11:36:00 AM 0 comments
Some people might degrade Wal-Mart for being anti-social (or whatever the argument is - I'm too tired to debate right now) - however, I can't fault their return policy. Several times, I've returned items that other stores might question; items - like my first pocket watch - that could just as easily fail from accidents or abuse as they could from material/workmanship defects.
I returned the first watch today - they refunded the money without question (I had saved the box, instructions, warranty, and receipt - don't throw out anything!). I decided, as mentioned before, to give the manufacturer the benefit of the doubt - and I bought a similar watch, of the same make, but a different model and style.
The new one is a gold-plated (or possibly brass - I didn't really care, as long as it looked good. I'm not a wealth nut) hunter cover (the formal name for the kind where you press on the crown to open the watch), with the stem at the 12:00 position (supposedly, the traditional place for pocket watch stems [particularly open-faced, if I remember correctly] was the 6:00 position, but in modern times, this isn't as strict).
Like the first watch, it is a skeleton-style (visible clockwork) manual-wind mechanical movement pocket watch. It has a garment-clip chain, rather than the spring-loaded chain of the last watch.
It didn't come with a holster - and since I normally don't wear a suit (which has a traditional pocket), and not all my pants have a watch pocket (yes, that's what the little one - normally on your right side - is for, not for losing change in!), I bought a separate one.
I couldn't find a standalone holster made specifically for a watch, so I bought a leather (sorry PETA and animal-lover nuts - I love animals, but I also eat beef.. why let the hides go to waste?) holster made for a small folding cell phone. It turns out to be pretty good - it swivels, isn't too big, but yet is big enough to hold the entire watch - and also give the stem some support.
Something important, IMO, is that it isn't too tight. The holster that came with the first watch, seemed that way - and with a plated watch, that's bad. The plating normally will wear off a bit after a few years (I can live with that, with a $30 watch), but a tight case will rub away some of that plating each time the watch is extracted. Since I carry the watch, and use it to time buses and so on, I draw the watch several times a day.. yeah.
The other holster provided very little padding or protection to the timepiece - this one, made for electronics, is quite a bit more protective of its contents.
In any case, we'll see how it goes. I read the directions carefully this time - and there's a few "Cardinal Sins" I may have committed with the last watch, that lead to its death:
1.) I may have overwound it. To put it simply, I was reckless and wound it too fast - and I may have stretched the mainspring pretty badly.
2.) I may have damaged the movement by means of the crown and stem. Being on my belt - in a holster that had zero support for the crown and stem - this critical part of the timepiece may have taken a lot of stress. The new holster, and the shorter stem on the new watch, may help.
3.) I may have damaged the castle wheel/clutch/ratchet/whatever: I read on a Mechanical Watch FAQ that a watch can be wound by turning to and fro; however, it warned that it could wear the castle wheel - which acts like a ratchet to prevent movement damage on backturns - by doing so. Also, the watch instructions - while not explicitly forbidding counter-clockwise movement - explicitly instruct clockwise winding. Perhaps their omission was not an endorsement.
Between me trying to treat the timepiece better, and having a new timepiece, we'll see how it goes.
I'll post a picture soon.
¶ 12/01/2006 11:36:00 AM 0 comments
