Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Off Topic Discussions and General Rantage for everything that doesn't fit into another forum. No flaming please.
Locked
fellranger
Senior Technical Supervisor
Senior Technical Supervisor
Posts: 764
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2003 5:12 pm
Location: Between the road and the water's edge.
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by fellranger » Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:58 pm

In this particular scenario I don't think it would be too difficult because it could be very specifically worded. I agree that it's often difficult to prosecute senior executives in cases of corporate liability, but the laws involved are complex and there's plenty of wriggle room for those who can afford a smart lawyer (or have the right connections). In our hypothetical scenario, it could be made a lot more clear cut - as the head of your organisation, if anyone in that organisation uses the powers in question, you will be the one who goes to jail. You couldn't discount the possibility of unauthorised use, but if the legislation made it clear that this would not be a defence, you would see some very robust mechanisms implemented to ensure this didn't happen...
There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning....
And that, I think, was the handle - that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn't need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting - on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave....
So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark - that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back.

Hunter S. Thompson Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
archonix
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer
Posts: 7540
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2001 12:45 pm
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by archonix » Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:35 pm

This is why I spent all that time roleplaying NationStates back when.
Our choicest plans have fallen through, our airiest castles tumbled over, because of lines we neatly drew and later neatly stumbled over.
— Piet Hein - Grooks
User avatar
AssistantCrone
Sub-sector Control Officer
Sub-sector Control Officer
Posts: 1839
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2001 5:08 pm

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by AssistantCrone » Thu Apr 05, 2012 12:16 am

Image

I'd love to see this happen (what Alex said and/or NationStates with a bag of flour), but it'd have to be very specific wording and a general agreement not to be a dick about it. I have plans to go back in time and give them a strongly-worded constitution (which I will write), but a pedal fell off the TARDIS and I've lost my glue.
"Now, I know art is all about expressing ourselves, but today we're going to express ourselves by getting it right." --DB
archonix
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer
Posts: 7540
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2001 12:45 pm
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by archonix » Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:52 am

I was dreaming in code last night. I remember snippets and it was, as far as I can tell, valid, but I can't remember very much of it or what it was for, except that it was amazing. Now I'm pissed.
Our choicest plans have fallen through, our airiest castles tumbled over, because of lines we neatly drew and later neatly stumbled over.
— Piet Hein - Grooks
D.B.
Sub Lt
Sub Lt
Posts: 2898
Joined: Thu May 02, 2002 9:22 pm
Location: Jordan College

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by D.B. » Fri Apr 06, 2012 11:10 am

Aww, I hate that. I keep telling myself to write it down as soon as I wake up, but then half-asleep me decides "Naa, you'll remember this just fine," and... yeah.
"The way to succeed is to get born at the right time and in the right place. If you can do that then you are bound to succeed. You have to be receptive and have some talent as well."
- Sydney Brenner
User avatar
Gulliver63
Sub-sector Control Officer's Assistant
Sub-sector Control Officer's Assistant
Posts: 1360
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 10:21 pm
Location: Indianapolis
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by Gulliver63 » Fri Apr 06, 2012 12:29 pm

I've been so deep into this Futurama thing that I've dreamed of story ideas...kind of frightening.
"We are today's creatures, locked in tomorrow's double feature..."
David Bowie
User avatar
AssistantCrone
Sub-sector Control Officer
Sub-sector Control Officer
Posts: 1839
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2001 5:08 pm

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by AssistantCrone » Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:23 pm

For the blissfully ignorant: Fifty Shades of Grey is a Twilight fanfic with changed names and spanking, for the wilfully ignorant. It is currently making a lot of money.

Fortunately, there's a way to learn all about the book without having to read everything yourself. Spiffingly-named author Jennifer Armintrout has spent a long, painful time recapping each chapter. I just spent a long, painful time copypasting the links because the recapping is very good. It covers a) everything wrong with the book and b) everything wrong with the book's presentation.

Recaps linked here because the blog tags were dodgy:

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

... and watch that space. She may be recapping the sequels. (There are sequels).
"Now, I know art is all about expressing ourselves, but today we're going to express ourselves by getting it right." --DB
User avatar
c_nordlander
Insane Underling
Insane Underling
Posts: 12824
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2001 2:00 pm
Custom Title: We have space marines at home
Location: not a place of honour

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by c_nordlander » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:03 am

Thanks for taking the effort to link every instalment.

Nothing short of monetary compensation could make me read that recap, though.
Pretty little baby
Pretty little monster
Went to the good school
Left with honours
Brand new tycoon
Sitting with a harpoon


-- Mother Mother, "Business Man"

Now offering writing commissions! Fanfiction or original, PM me for more information.
archonix
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer
Posts: 7540
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2001 12:45 pm
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by archonix » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:40 pm

This recap writer must surely have gone completely nuts subjecting herself to this. It seems cringeworthy at best.
Our choicest plans have fallen through, our airiest castles tumbled over, because of lines we neatly drew and later neatly stumbled over.
— Piet Hein - Grooks
User avatar
SirMustapha
Junior Secretariat
Junior Secretariat
Posts: 4428
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2001 8:20 pm
Location: South of South America
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by SirMustapha » Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:44 pm

Okay, to hell with common sense, I'm reading those recaps. They're hilarious, and they make me feel more confident about my own writing. ;)
"I know that the bourgeoisie stinks, but it has money to buy perfume."
-- Falcão
User avatar
SirMustapha
Junior Secretariat
Junior Secretariat
Posts: 4428
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2001 8:20 pm
Location: South of South America
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by SirMustapha » Fri Jun 29, 2012 2:58 pm

I think I've reached a point where I can say, with confidence, that there are two things in the world that I simply can't take seriously: horror films and heavy metal music.

Horror films are, by their own nature, inherently ridiculous. In my opinion, the quality and competence of a horror film lays not in how it tries to avoid the ridiculousness, but how it embraces it, and this holds true for essentially every film I've watched. The Exorcist, for example, is one of my favourite films of all time because it is a drama film. The horror elements are there solely for the purpose of drama, and not the other way around; the "ridiculousness" of the situation is actually acknowledged by the characters. On the other hand, every films that actually tries to scare the audience falls flat on the ground. EVERY ONE OF THEM, PERIOD. It is stupid to be actually scared by fiction. To be involved with the characters, to relate to them, to care what happens to them; those are all complex and interesting relationships between the real world and the imaginary worlds. But fear? Controlled fear? Manipulated fear? Who the hell really wants to feel that? Why should that make a positive experience? Well, I have no idea why, but I have been unable to feel any connection to ANY film that relies on "scariness"; in particular those who tell us, in advance, when to get scared, with the use of loud orchestral music with screeching violins. To hell with all that.

And metal? I swear that no drinking game can be more dangerous and coma-inducing than reading a metal review and taking a shot every time you read the word "brutal". Oh, so your music is "brutal"? Just because you put a lot of distortion in your guitars, play really fast and only in minor thirds and tritones? Guess what, moron? People have been doing stuff far more "brutal" than yours decades before you were even born! And guess what? There is electronic music today that is so much bolder and heavier than yours that they make you sound like the Monkees in comparison. Oh, and those lyrics you copied straight from "Philosophy for Dummies"? You'd better not listen to Frank Zappa unless you want to curl into a ball and be sad. I'm saying that while being completely aware that there is a lot of really great metal bands out there who are actually trying to make music, instead of artificially cranking up their recordings on Pro Tools as a means to compensate for the insecurity about their masculinity. Avantgarde, free jazz, 20th century classical, electronic music -- there is enough "brutality" in those realms to make most metalheads go screaming for mommy. But you see, the music itself isn't the biggest problem: for some reason, many metal fans think their opinion is a token of God's mind, and when they say that Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini is awesome, then necessarily "OMG IT MUST BE REALLY REALLY AWESOME, BECAUSE A METALHEAD SAID SO!". Metal is an easy way for people to feel more intelligent than they actually are. Oh, yes, many music genres are also known for causing similar phenomena, but when it comes to a genre that still aims for "brutality" after THIS and THIS have been made? Really?

In case you're wondering why I posted this in this specific thread: "Ackpth" is an appropriate onomatopoeia to represent this rant hitting your eyes.
"I know that the bourgeoisie stinks, but it has money to buy perfume."
-- Falcão
User avatar
c_nordlander
Insane Underling
Insane Underling
Posts: 12824
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2001 2:00 pm
Custom Title: We have space marines at home
Location: not a place of honour

Brütal Movie

Post by c_nordlander » Fri Jun 29, 2012 3:34 pm

No, it was an interesting rant!

I'm a fan of the horror genre, though I must admit that I've yet to see a good horror film (I just don't watch a lot of films in general).

In all fairness: people ride rollercoasters. Wanting to be scared by fiction isn't all that different.

Metal can be enjoyable, but I don't take it particularly seriously. I don't think I *could* take it seriously.
Pretty little baby
Pretty little monster
Went to the good school
Left with honours
Brand new tycoon
Sitting with a harpoon


-- Mother Mother, "Business Man"

Now offering writing commissions! Fanfiction or original, PM me for more information.
User avatar
SirMustapha
Junior Secretariat
Junior Secretariat
Posts: 4428
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2001 8:20 pm
Location: South of South America
Contact:

Re: Brütal Movie

Post by SirMustapha » Fri Jun 29, 2012 5:25 pm

c_nordlander wrote: In all fairness: people ride rollercoasters. Wanting to be scared by fiction isn't all that different.
Your point is fair, but to me, it seems pretty different. Nobody rides a rollercoaster to get scared that the train will derail and everyone will die. I think rollercoasters, and other similar amusements, are all about the physical thrill, which is really intense. The "fear" in that case is a gut response to something that's actually happening, and yes, it's also controlled fear, but it's only a portion of the whole thrill.
"I know that the bourgeoisie stinks, but it has money to buy perfume."
-- Falcão
User avatar
SirMustapha
Junior Secretariat
Junior Secretariat
Posts: 4428
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2001 8:20 pm
Location: South of South America
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by SirMustapha » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:40 pm

By the way, I'm sorry for the double-post, but I thought I'd add that the title of Most Annoying Word in the English Language has officially been given to "awesome". I can deal with "epic". I can deal with "fail". I can even deal with "win". But "awesome" causes deep, terrible torment to my soul. It's suddenly like all the other words in the English languages that mean anything better than "great" have ceased to exist. It's like "excellent", "brilliant", "incredible", "amazing", "wonderful", "spectacular", "fabulous", "fantastic", etc., have been sucked into the black hole of the completely lack of attention span, and "awesome" has taken up the whole empty space like a fat, greasy slob. The word "awesome" immediately brings to my mind the image of a shallow, easily impressed kid with a Prozac-smile reacting exactly the same way to Inception and to a silly "Rage guy" comic.

In short, "awesome" is only really used by people who have no idea of what awe feels like.
"I know that the bourgeoisie stinks, but it has money to buy perfume."
-- Falcão
User avatar
Gulliver63
Sub-sector Control Officer's Assistant
Sub-sector Control Officer's Assistant
Posts: 1360
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 10:21 pm
Location: Indianapolis
Contact:

Re: Ackpth! and other onomatopoeias

Post by Gulliver63 » Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:54 pm

Can I play here? I about lost my mind trying to figure out what "zeitgeist" meant. Having taken two years of German, I couldn't figure out for the life of me why people were talking about "time-ghosts." I have since geeked it up online, and am part of the people in the know. I doubt I'll ever use the darn word, though.
"We are today's creatures, locked in tomorrow's double feature..."
David Bowie
Locked