ryyannon

Shocking. Simply......shocking.

How embarrassing! I can assure you, Vicky, that had I known it was you....

You're not the only one who has found that voice a bit disturbing, Vicky... As for the software, it was developed by a team of young Israelis - and apparently relegates some of the features of PhotoShop back to the Stone Age. Not knowing anything about these techniques, I couldn't say...but apparently the real significance of this technique is that it becomes extremely difficult to analyse whether an image has been modified or not if you don't have access to the original. Given the increasingly frequency of 'counterfeited' images turning up in the news media (just Google 'fauxtography' for an overview of recent examples) these techniques could represent another step in the direction of seamlessly 'managed' information, otherwise known as propaganda.

When what was seen is not always what you get:

I just woke up - somethng tells me I'd do better to go back to sleep....

He's a friend, Pug.... What's up? Is it that time of the month again?

edit: to hell with it. :cc_confused:

German (Prussian?) mother, father in the military, has a 'thing' for leather straps: oy vey!...

Old enough to know better and too embarrassed to say....

We would also need a code word for 'Homeland Security'....

We could also host it on Yahoo Groups - disguised as a pedophilia site to deflect suspicion....

The proverbial chip on the proverbial shoulder... It's also true that some people are a lot happier at RWI

Booze: 40% Babes: 50% Bribes: 08% Bandwidth: 02% All kidding (?) aside, I'm not sure that the Admin. really wants to explain in detail the rather complicated system of offshore servers that ensure the security of RWG...the system - of which I have only the sketchiest knowledge - is a money-eater in itself. For the rest, I'm not sure I really care: if the Boss is making beer-money on the good months, then personally, that's fine with me. Conversely, I don't think that anyone is getting rich off of RWG. And if it turns out that someone is, that's fine with me too: everytime you buy a newspaper, a magazine or turn on the television, you're also adding to the wealth of immeasurably richer individuals and organizations - none of whom have your well-being as a consumer - not to mention your very existence - at heart. A few dollars a month is absolutely nothing in exchange for what this forum offers: if others are doing it for free, then more power to them. Personally, I feel just fine being here, and paying a bit now and then for that privilege. We're literally talking about the equivalent cost of a few Starbucks frappashittos here! Why make a Federal Case out of something so simple?

You mean that there are still people who don't know about Admin's villa on the French Riviera? The Vegas holidays for the Mods? All the freebees from the dishonest dealers? Sheesh, open your eyes, people....

Because when you upgrade on RWG it's better than sex. But keep it to yourself...we don't want too many people in on the secret...

How about a raffle for 'A Dream Date With Miss Barrett'?

Canned goods and dairy products not too close to the expiration date will also do nicely....

Eight posts to his name, and the ninth is (correct me if I'm wrong) a big no-no? But let's not get critical...too many people's feelings have been hurt lately...perhaps Admin. should just award him a Worthless Wan.k.e.r. umm,...I mean a VIP upgrade to reward him for his efforts...I mean, we don't want anyone feeling unloved around here, do we?

I'd love to see Slay's or TTK's... Perhaps not so different from the rest....

I think we need a new tag to dispell the insinuations of elitism between VIP and 'ordinary members.' Just to level the playing-field, I suggest that 'VIP' be changed to Worthless Wan.k.e.r.. Who could possibly be offended by that?

Thanks for your kind words, lanikai, but true to my contrarian ways, I'll have to add that uncountable injustices have been foisted on the world by misguided individuals who "only had the good of" (fill in the blank) in mind - and who were convinced of the righteousness of their mission. People like that are often a real danger to others, not to mention what they're trying to 'protect.' In my case, I was trying to walk a fine line between speaking about what I saw as an injustice - or a lack of balance - and my own desire to poke some fun at it in the hope of bringing about a change of attitude. That several persons reacted somewhat defensively to my spoof is probably more a reflection of the indefensibility of their own attitudes than anything I actually said: perhaps I'm too partial to my own writing, but I don't see where I shamed, harrassed or attempted to pressure someone into doing something against his will. I also don't want to be seen as the 'champion' (in the old medaeval sense of the word) of any particular cause at RWG - unless it be that of fairness and common sense. I do insist on the freedom to initiate what I consider to be ethical action within the community of which I'm a member - just as any other member may do if they wish. In the past, exercising this right has also brought me a great deal of grief when it was seen as going against the general interest of the community - but that's another story.... Once again, I sincerely appreciate your loyalty, but it's getting light outside and I have a little errand to run which is of more importance than adding still more words to an issue which merited (and still merits) concrete action rather than endless speeches: nearly two thousand views of this thread and only a handful of membership upgrades and donations! So I'll end mine here with a heartfelt, ALOHA, lanikai!

Here's my guess: And now all the thermometers are going to start complaining that I'm persecuting them....

It's hard for me not to get a precursor-migrane whenever I see those drippy little Japanese anime figures...with one exception: Daft Punk's lovely 'One More Time':

You're a horse's a.s.s., giorgio. And I'm making an effort to be polite.