Thread "2017 Rant/Share/General Discussion Thread" in forum "Comic Talk and General Discussion *"

Posted at 12:01PM, Jan. 27, 2017

lba wrote:
I also just recently had a mildly insane idea I got from PWOT ( the Cracked forums.).

The Duck needs money right? Supposing that if everyone who is a regular on the site chipped in a few bucks and set up a DD Kiva account? It takes quite literally $25 to help fund a single loan so it's not a high barrier to entry, and it helps other people throughout the world, all while earning a small revenue stream for the duck. You'd have to work out who is going to manage the account and pick which loans to give to, but for $500, which is nothing in terms of starting capital, a group effort could potentially pool a decent enough bit of earning capital.

Plus, I've come to learn over the last few years that putting out a bit of goodwill to others has a decidedly karmic effect.

Could you be thinking of a different site with a similar premise? I don't see how money could be earned through Kiva.

From their site:
"Do Kiva and/or Kiva lenders receive interest on Kiva loans?
Kiva never collects interest on loans and individual Kiva lenders do not receive interest from loans they support on Kiva."

Posted at 3:01AM, Jan. 28, 2017

The death of John Hurt does not come as a surprise, but his death was one that I was not anticipating. He was the voice actor for Hazel-rah in Watership Down and Aragorn in Bakshi's Lord of the Rings animated film, which were both staples of my childhood. He made a small cameo in Harry Potter as Olivander, the wand expert. I really became a fan of John Hurt as an actor when he played Winston Smith in 1984, which had one of the greatest film endings in my opinion.

He will always be on my short list of favourite actors and I will always respect his life's work. It is a sad day.

Posted at 5:01AM, Jan. 28, 2017

Fantastic in everything he did and one of the best voices ever. He could've recited this weeks winning lottery numbers and you'd swear it was Shakespeare.

Posted at 8:01AM, Jan. 28, 2017

I remember John Hurt going all the way back to his turn as Caligula in I, Claudius. That was part of my adolescence. I have an ancient Hammer film where he plays a shell-shocked WWI veteran and despite it being a rather lackluster film, his portrayal makes the film worth watching. In that film he played opposite Peter Cushing who was the first Winston Smith in a 1950s BBC-TV adaptation of 1984.

But his six decade career was great and very memorable. To have done that many films and always shine is something. Another tidbit, the reason he had cameos in Mel Brooks movies was that they were neighbors. His turn as Christ in History of the World Part I and the reprise of his Alien role in Spaceballs are one of the more memorable bits in both films.

It was always wonderful watching this otherwise run of the mill film and then you'd hear the gravelly voice and smile. "Cool, John Hurt is in this!"

Posted at 10:01PM, Jan. 28, 2017

The Storyteller was very influential to me as a child.

Posted at 1:01AM, Jan. 29, 2017

Alien and Spaceballs are where I remember him best. It was funny when I realized that it was him playing his Alien role in Spaceballs.

*after alien baby pops out of his chest* "Oh, no. Not again…" :)

Posted at 1:01AM, Jan. 29, 2017

2017 started out very hopeful for me. After my battles with anxiety and depression things were looking up. I had a new girlfriend and things were looking promising and I was starting a new job. Within two weeks the job and the relationship had failed. So I took a trip to Spain to get away from it for a couple of weeks and recharged my batteries. Now it's time to get back on track.

Posted at 6:01PM, Jan. 29, 2017

Genejoke wrote:
2017 started out very hopeful for me. After my battles with anxiety and depression things were looking up. I had a new girlfriend and things were looking promising and I was starting a new job. Within two weeks the job and the relationship had failed. So I took a trip to Spain to get away from it for a couple of weeks and recharged my batteries. Now it's time to get back on track.

Spain is magical!

Posted at 11:01PM, Jan. 29, 2017

I agree. Spain is a rather nice place :)
Reminded me of Australia, but European…

Posted at 12:01AM, Jan. 30, 2017

funny part was that I left england where it didn't snow and got to spain and the next day had 3 inches of the stuff. The most anyone remembers there being in that area. usually it's just the mountains that get it.

Posted at 1:01AM, Jan. 30, 2017

Genejoke wrote:
funny part was that I left england where it didn't snow and got to spain and the next day had 3 inches of the stuff. The most anyone remembers there being in that area. usually it's just the mountains that get it.

That is probably the least Spanish looking postcard from Spain I have ever seen!

Posted at 3:01AM, Jan. 30, 2017

Those of us who study military history know all about snowy weather in Spain. From the Peninsula War in 1808-9…

Posted at 4:01AM, Jan. 30, 2017

The hussars in both those paintings are riding along trying to look sorry for the poor plebs on the ground :D

Posted at 8:01PM, Jan. 30, 2017

I did not mean to spend over $770 USD on a beautiful antique sabre…
But I won the auction in spite of myself.
Never play Russian roulette and never enter an auction if you don't intend to buy.

I'm lucky in that I CAN afford this and it's worth well over 3 to 5 times what I won it for, but it will be painful because I really need that money for other things right now.

It's a beautiful sword, over 200 years old, very curved, blue grip, silver guard, brass scabbard, engraved, no rust. A custom made officer's sword. Fell in love with it at first sight.

Posted at 5:01AM, Jan. 31, 2017

ozoneocean wrote:
I did not mean to spend over $770 USD on a beautiful antique sabre…
But I won the auction in spite of myself.
Never play Russian roulette and never enter an auction if you don't intend to buy.

I'm lucky in that I CAN afford this and it's worth well over 3 to 5 times what I won it for, but it will be painful because I really need that money for other things right now.

It's a beautiful sword, over 200 years old, very curved, blue grip, silver guard, brass scabbard, engraved, no rust. A custom made officer's sword. Fell in love with it at first sight.

Sounds like, in a year or so, you'll be glad you got it!!

Posted at 10:02AM, Feb. 2, 2017

Just moved to Oslo, capital city of Norway, I got ADD and is currently off meds, so I keep getting on the wrong tram and undergrounds because I am unable to grasp how directions works. Nor do i manage to concentrate on my surroundings. I mean I'm basically new to the system. Got late 4 times for school due going on the SAME wrong tram every morning. How?!!!! JUST WHY!
Feeling like the worst hillbilly!

Posted at 11:02AM, Feb. 2, 2017

Am I the only 'elderly' person on here or does someone else remember the silver/golden age of comics? You actually went to a store and bought a comic book. Fantastic art and stories for 12 cents. I don't mean to shock you..yes..12 cents. Marvel comics were my favs but DC had great work as well. I still have a stack of ancient comics…sad that kids today haven't a clue…..

Posted at 11:02AM, Feb. 2, 2017

Zaptoid56 wrote:
Am I the only 'elderly' person on here or does someone else remember the silver/golden age of comics? You actually went to a store and bought a comic book. Fantastic art and stories for 12 cents. I don't mean to shock you..yes..12 cents. Marvel comics were my favs but DC had great work as well. I still have a stack of ancient comics…sad that kids today haven't a clue…..

I would say I remember the Bronze Age, but some of us don't like to talk about how old we are haha ;) Remember them on drug store racks - I never collected them but sneeked peeks here and there!!

Posted at 11:02AM, Feb. 2, 2017

Kim…lol..yes, no age mention here. But it was a great time. Also Mad magazine and National Lampoon….now it's all vampire love stories …but that's just old gramps talking….:D

Posted at 1:02PM, Feb. 2, 2017

I treasure the old MADS, I've got the first 51 issues of the magazine (Mad's #24-74), only 25 cents worth every penny of my allowance. My copies are all in good to excellent condition, kept under wraps, and probably worth a couple thousand bucks, but sorry, NOT FOR SALE!

Posted at 1:02PM, Feb. 2, 2017

You're not older than me Mo. How did you get these mags? Also..National lampoon…have you read any of them? Beyond their time.

Posted at 4:02AM, Feb. 5, 2017

I have a few old Mads. I don't know how many… They were very influential to my drawing style.
I remember I used to hate "the lighter side of" because it was SO anachronistic, but that's the feature I now remember most fondly.

Posted at 12:02PM, Feb. 6, 2017

I grew up during the golden age of underground comics, which was the early 70s. As a kid, I loved: zap, fever dreams, air pirates, fantagor, junkwaffel, bizarre sex, freak brothers, tales from the leather nun, checkered demon, etc.
No wonder I'm in therapy now!

Posted at 10:02PM, Feb. 6, 2017

fallopiancrusader wrote:
I grew up during the golden age of underground comics, which was the early 70s. As a kid, I loved: zap, fever dreams, air pirates, fantagor, junkwaffel, bizarre sex, freak brothers, tales from the leather nun, checkered demon, etc.
No wonder I'm in therapy now!

Sounds like you were a very lucky boy!

———

I posted something political on FB that caused… discussion.
But I don't want to really get into that right now so I'm avoiding FB. This is a great thing it turns out! Funny how this is, isn't it?
Something makes you feel mad, or argumentative or unpleasant or whatever, so you walk away and BINGO! You are 150% better off ^_^

Posted at 11:02PM, Feb. 6, 2017

When I was in the Army there was a guy who would purposely bring up a controversial topic, wait for the debate to get heated and then walk away usually saying "My work here is done." :-D