Wapsi Square Forum

Another Fairportfan wrote:Blessing of the animals, Spain, St Anton's Day. (17 January) The range of reactions is wonderful.

That was wonderful, thanks for posting that AFF.

Last night I learned about something known as Star Wars Despecialized Edition. I've only watched a few minutes of the first movie and it is only 720p but it is GLORIOUS. If independent hobbyists can make something this professional looking it is proof that there is no valid excuse to not have proper official high definition releases of the original theatrical versions of IV, V, and VI. I have the limited edition 2006 DVDs with the laser disk versions on the bonus disks and they are utter garbage by comparison.

edit: I finished watching Star Wars (since this is the original it doesn't have A New Hope in the title) (v2.5) earlier. It wasn't 100% perfect but I probably wouldn't have noticed the flaws if I hadn't read about many of the specific edits. Still, it was an amazing restoration job. For those of you who were old enough to see it in theaters when it first came out, it will probably hit you with a nostalgia sledgehammer. And there are "despecialized" versions of Empire Strikes Back (v2.0) and Return of the Jedi (v1.0) available as well.

Also, don't be shocked with the inside of the Death Star being slightly green, that's the way it's supposed to be. It's the official versions which actually did a poor job of color correction turning it grey.

thx for pointing out the Despecialized versions, Shadow.

I have the Laserdisk versions and two players archived but I was going to wait until Summer to drag the bigscreen, the surround sound, and the classic film examples outside to watch 'theatre-under-the-stars' (or some such pompous title...)

So, I have time to allow the trickle that is my broad(less)band experience...

TazManiac wrote:I was going to wait until Summer to drag the bigscreen, the surround sound, and the classic film examples outside to watch 'theatre-under-the-stars' (or some such pompous title...)

Send me an invite and I'll bring the popcorn.

shadowinthelight wrote:I have the limited edition 2006 DVDs with the laser disk versions on the bonus disks and they are utter garbage by comparison.

I have...well, not sure exactly which edition of the Trilogy, but the box claims that on Disc 2 for each movie is the "Original Theatrical Release" version. I haven't checked these out yet, but I will on my days off; maybe I'll be lucky & they'll be similar to the "Despecialized" versions instead of the laser disc version.

MerchManDan wrote:I have...well, not sure exactly which edition of the Trilogy, but the box claims that on Disc 2 for each movie is the "Original Theatrical Release" version. I haven't checked these out yet, but I will on my days off; maybe I'll be lucky & they'll be similar to the "Despecialized" versions instead of the laser disc version.

That is the same version I mentioned. Instead of going back to the real source material all they did was use the laser disc masters and transferred them to DVD. The result was a disappointing blurry letterboxed mess by modern standards.

Aww, boo for me. Well, that's alright; I'll just do some digging for the Despecialized versions instead.

Whelp, there was just a fire in the next apartment building over. It doesn't look like anybody was injured. My clothes smell like a bad barbecue from standing outside to watch.

What's the cuisine at a "bad barbecue"? Spicy-hot buzzard wings? Slow-cooked pulled skunk? Fried pogie? They use ailanthus wood in the smoker instead of hickory?

Dave wrote:They use ailanthus wood in the smoker instead of hickory?

Dogwood maybe. The smoke has an odor associated with dogs, but not with wood - and if your dog leaves some of it on the sidewalk, you should clean it up.

[quote="shadowinthelight"]Whelp, there was just a fire in the next apartment building over. It doesn't look like anybody was injured. My clothes smell like a bad barbecue from standing outside to watch.

I had a unit on the other side and one below of mine burn up. THAT was an exciting night. Bought renter's insurance the next day.

Thinking back, why? I had a bed, a TV (Sony $$ at the time), a card table for dining, and a beat-up fold out couch. But then I had my "Heavy Metal" mag collection to protect. That I lost in a flood years later. Bummer.

One time there was a small kitchen fire in the apartment next to ours. Late at night, but I was still up. The first I knew of it was watching firemen walk past my window. I opened the window and asked a fireman if we needed to get out, and he said no - but I had my wife get out of bed & dressed anyway.

Hansontoons wrote: ... But then I had my "Heavy Metal" mag collection to protect. That I lost in a flood years later. Bummer.

Out West we have two basic seasons; Wet & Dry.

There are great swings in the amount Wet delivers; once upon a time we had too much and they called it 'El Nino'.
(There is also mention made each year of the Hawaiian sub-tropical moisture adding to the Arctic air flow and dubbed the 'Pineapple Express'... but I digress...).

While living in Oakland, Ca, in a little part called Adams Point, we were halfway up a hill, well maybe a third the way up a pretty steep hill, across from the back of the Cadillac dealership.

One year it rained and rained and rained and we found the half-developed basement storage under the four-plex we we in had flooded. Not, mind you, from downward flowing hillside runoff like you might think but from upwelling ground water as the water table rose some tens of feet above normal and, and, soaked my beloved Comic Book collection.

Pause for the irony; they were over 90% mylar bagged "for their protection"...

It is indeed a tale of woe, of loss, and the cruel nature of Fate. Let alone the cruel fate of Nature.

I can't help but imagine Pablo with a Wapsi skull gear version of this on his arm.

As much as I don't normally care about tattoos, I have to admit that this one is very impressive! You have to take a second look, just to see if that thing isn't really carved into the arm... Whoever did this is very talented.

Agreed. It's certainly the most three-dimensional-looking tat I have ever seen. The deep blacks used for the shadow-shading are very convincing.

That is exactly what DC called it. It's obviously based on an Adam Hughes design, BTW - all it needs is the "AH!" signature....

A couple of Hughes' convention sketches:

How'd'ya like to see this coming up in your rear-view on an Interstate?



It's a 1939 GM "Futurliner", that just sold for four million frogskins at auction.  One of only twelve built, of which nine survive and three - including this one - are running.
 
The article at Yahoo is a little muddled as to what the bus has sold for in the past, and there may be more info available somewhere else (i'll keep an eye out).

Ahhhh... Hem....



I thought that looked familiar... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Race ... ammoth_Car

Reminds me more than a bit of the current spot-of-trouble in Girl Genius.

Are we entirely sure that one of the Heterodynes wasn't working for GM at the time?