Whitechapel - ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th

Whitechapel - ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) Wed, 22 May 2013 04:53:52 -0700 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.1.4 & Feed Publisher ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320887#Comment_320887 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320887#Comment_320887 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:22:34 -0800 Horrible Warning Si y’know the one, it’s on the tip of your tongue, what the fuck is that word, oh god oh god.
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Horror, horror, only horror, pure horror, unmitigated horror, constant and endless horror, for those who Fail To Follow Instructions. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320891#Comment_320891 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320891#Comment_320891 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:45:29 -0800 Osmosis

"#tablet

All "tablets" at the 150 or below range are cheap shit. The Nook Color is an okay color eReader that does some tablet-like things, but it is in no way even close to an actual tablet computer. The only way to make it even get near that is to root it and run a more standard version of the android os and really, does your wife want to fiddle with buggy custom android builds or does she want to use a tablet? I have no direct experience with the Kindle Fire, but I suspect it is much the same, without the android.

You cannot buy a real, functional, tablet for less than $500. You don't want to buy anything that calls itself a tablet that costs less than that. It will not do what you want it to do, and you'll then have wasted the money you spent on it.

Honestly, and this is coming from a lifetime Windows user who hates the apple ecosystem and is not a fan of deranged apple fandom, if you want a tablet, save up and get an ipad. The ipad works wonderfully, and is still the format defining machine. If you can't buy an ipad right now, just don't buy a tablet. Wait. Either you'll be able to afford one later, or someone will come out with a decent non-ipad tablet (this second thing hasn't happened yet)."

Sadly I have come to the same conclusion. I have been looking at tablets for some time, as I want something to do lightweight mobile computing as well as be able to comfortably read PDFs from Dropbox on the move. I haven't seen anything that looks credible that doesn't cost iPad money, and, if you're going to pay iPad money, nothing matches iPad quality. So, as far as I can see, the options are: 1) Don't buy a tablet 2) Buy an iPad. My phone is Android, so I really would prefer to be able to use similar apps across both, but I've come to the same conclusion as Oddbill. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320903#Comment_320903 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320903#Comment_320903 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:07:42 -0800 Beamish ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320919#Comment_320919 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320919#Comment_320919 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:13:34 -0800 DavidLejeune
I think the question is: what exactly does she want a tablet for? Because the stock Nook is more than capable of doing web-browsing (with flash), e-mail, movies, reading, and some light weight touchscreen gaming. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320926#Comment_320926 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320926#Comment_320926 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:12:18 -0800 Beamish ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320974#Comment_320974 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320974#Comment_320974 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:11:46 -0800 Jason A. Quest
I'd try to find a used iPad1 from someone who's upgraded to the iPad2. Or if you can wait a bit, the iPad3 is probably coming in a couple months, which will further drive down prices on the iPad1... probably not all the way down to $150 (the base model is selling for about $300 these days), but at that point the bang-for-the-buck will be pretty darn good. They have almost no moving parts, so short of scratches on the screen, a used one is about as good as it was when new. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320984#Comment_320984 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320984#Comment_320984 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:21:59 -0800 Littlepurplegoth
Its only with needin to get my arse in gear workwise (and a present) that I have gone back to having a laptop for general use, and even then its a diddy.

If you want a larger screen, I'd second the find an ipad1 suggestion. Ipad3 is still a while off though, whatever the rumours sites are starting to say its likely a phone reboot is going to come along before that, and there are updates to laptop models due along as well. (I don't *know* any of this for sure, but do have good reasons for my conjecture, rofl). ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320994#Comment_320994 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=320994#Comment_320994 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:42:48 -0800 Jason A. Quest ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321153#Comment_321153 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321153#Comment_321153 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:52:24 -0800 Flabyo
Thinking about finally getting myself a smartphone, and partly because of where I work I'm thinking a Windows one.

Anyone got any thoughts on the Nokia Lumia? Or am I being silly and should just suck it up and get an iPhone? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321210#Comment_321210 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321210#Comment_321210 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:05:59 -0800 DavidLejeune
Windows phones are terrible. They're as locked in to the Zune ecosystem as iPhones are to iTunes, which makes updating/syncing/etc. a spectacular pain in the ass, and the Metro UI is hideous and not at all conducive to easy navigation of applications and such. We've recently started working with them at my office, and while it took me all of 20 minutes to root and install a custom ROM on my G2 (literally done during my morning break on the day I got it), it's taken upwards of an hour or two to install retail updates on the retail WP7 phones. (And that's not even touching on setting the damn things up for development...)

Get an Android phone or an iPhone. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321263#Comment_321263 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321263#Comment_321263 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:42:18 -0800 Alan Tyson
Does anyone know a good way to compress a 5-page PDF to less than 2MB without it looking like complete dogshit? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321270#Comment_321270 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321270#Comment_321270 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:25:35 -0800 Littlepurplegoth ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321276#Comment_321276 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321276#Comment_321276 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:23:23 -0800 Jason A. Quest
It depends on what the content of the PDF is. If it's all plain text, no problem. If it's bitmapped full-color images that you want to be printable at 600dpi... problem. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321280#Comment_321280 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321280#Comment_321280 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:42:11 -0800 Alan Tyson
I've managed to get it down to about 3.3MB by running it through about five different compression methods, but I'm still getting feedback people who are apparently using connections so slow that downloading anything about the kilobyte level makes their computer wet the bed. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321294#Comment_321294 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321294#Comment_321294 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:12:35 -0800 taphead
If you're doing it on Illustrator or somesuch, flattening the layers and removing the editability options helps quite a bit. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321312#Comment_321312 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321312#Comment_321312 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:33:46 -0800 JP Carpenter
if you're using Acrobat writer, have you tried saving as a Postscript file and then running through Adobe Distiller on the 'screen' setting? That's my method of last resort. Alternatively, you could try generating a new pdf by selecting 'pdf' as the printer and saving the file with lower resolution settings, which often works. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321314#Comment_321314 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321314#Comment_321314 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:28:13 -0800 oddbill
If you are dealing with 5 pages of comics or illustration that are basically just full page jpegs inside a PDF shell... why bother with the PDF? Why not just pass along 5 jpegs at 72dpi? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321332#Comment_321332 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321332#Comment_321332 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:35:38 -0800 TF
I have a query surrounding #Hiring a Freelance animator

Is it possible to hire (and not embarrassing to query) a flash animator to create a 2-3min narrative cartoon based on a script and rough storyboard I would provide for a price ceiling of around thousand dollars?

My hope would be to get something in the style/quality of Skunk Fu:-

Is this possible? Am I mad for even considering such a thing?

Any other thoughts relating to the creation of an indi-short animation would be welcome - even ball park costs of Korean/ Indian studios.

Thanks. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321339#Comment_321339 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321339#Comment_321339 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:56:13 -0800 glukkake
The Animation World Network forums are a great place to start checking around to learn about pricing. Check out their business section: http://forums.awn.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4. You'll be most likely to find someone who can give you a proper quote than what I'm about to tell you. This book also came up with discussions about Flash production: http://books.google.com/books?id=q3o-6SQVNykC&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&dq=animate+flash+per+week&source=bl&ots=hlUWg3y-7a&sig=cN5Ouh3CILG4CyoEVAvycBF_l-A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=i20QT6GEAoHn0QGA0J2sAw&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=animate%20flash%20per%20week&f=false

The thing to understand when hiring a freelancer is just exactly how much time an animation can cost. Something slick, you might find can only be animated at a rate of 30-35 seconds a week - remember, there are backgrounds to build, characters to move gracefully, lip & action syncs to sound and more that goes on in every single frame. So bear this in mind when thinking about how often your show is going to be released - something like that for Cartoon Network is made by a studio of artists, so a single freelancer is not going to do that in the same time frame. Industry standards tend to be $10,000/minute for a TV-quality 2-D show, from what I've heard - and that's generally covering a small studio of folks. Obv, you can hire individuals for less & who can do a leaner job in less time, so it's the old cheap/fast/well scenario. Outsourcing to India/Korea has its own rates of course - there are lots of foreign studios posting/spamming on the AWN so you can dig through there to find something legit. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321392#Comment_321392 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321392#Comment_321392 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:09:53 -0800 Greasemonkey
Okay, a two-parter.

I've decided I need some formal art training. I've been drawing and painting for a little over thirty years, teaching myself by trial and error, and I've reached that point where my paintings are starting to suck whenever I try to push in a new direction. Clearly I've reached the limit of what I can learn on my own. So, my questions are as follows:

1) Is art school worth it, in terms of developing style and technique, or does it just push students toward conformity and conventionality?

2) Can you recommend a good art school in Toronto? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321400#Comment_321400 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321400#Comment_321400 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:40:36 -0800 Fishelle
1) Depends on the school, but generally, from what I've seen it's the former. Try for grants/scholarships and stay as much out of debt as you can, and it will definitely be worth it.

2) Being in the western U.S. and all, I have no specific school suggestions. But I do suggest you meet the faculty and see what their work is like. See what students are producing (which is often in the hallways for display if you go looking mid semester) and compare the two. Don't push a school away because it has a smaller program, or the facilities aren't the greatest. That means it's cheaper, has smaller class sizes, and teachers that are generally more likely to care a lot about their work. Sometimes. At least, that's how it was for the tiny two year school I went to to start. I'm now in the place with amazing facilities and astoundingly large tuition, but it's okay because what I started with got me scholarships that have allowed me to get my BFA debt free. I just lucked out being a printmaker, because I would not want to be a painting and drawing major at this school.
Basically, just talk to people. Talk to the staff, talk to the students when staff aren't around. Take a glance at RateMyProfessors and see if there's someone teaching there that is just wonderful, or if all the art teachers are less than great. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321403#Comment_321403 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321403#Comment_321403 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:35:42 -0800 Greasemonkey ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321422#Comment_321422 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321422#Comment_321422 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:34:28 -0800 Jason A. Quest
Some schools (and instructors in particular) suck at encouraging creativity, others don't. At the art school I went to, I had to take a class that was entirely about tediously photorealistic painting, and a comics class (their first) in which the instructor tried to teach us to draw like Jim Lee, instead of developing our own style (or using the one we had). But I had other classes that pushed me creatively, and I wish to hell I could have finished the program. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321435#Comment_321435 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321435#Comment_321435 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:40:04 -0800 TF ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321441#Comment_321441 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321441#Comment_321441 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:20:07 -0800 Darkest
I connected my new phone up to my home internet/ wireless router and now it's not working out and about.

being a tech noob I throw myself on more savvy minds. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321445#Comment_321445 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321445#Comment_321445 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:20:01 -0800 Beamish
What kind of phone? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321446#Comment_321446 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321446#Comment_321446 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:40:59 -0800 allana Dumb n00b question: did you set it up to use a static IP or specific DNS settings? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321447#Comment_321447 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321447#Comment_321447 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:43:44 -0800 allana
Don't get stuck in a degree program. Find singular night courses, from schools or offered independently, that seem good -- and don't be afraid to drop it immediately if the teacher rubs you the wrong way. Like Jason said, it's instructors and their ideas of decent programming that make or break. I'll query some of my vis-arts friends and get back to you, but most of them are in illustration or animation. Did you have a specific skill in mind? You should start by browsing course outlines at OCAD or the other colleges to get some ideas. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321454#Comment_321454 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321454#Comment_321454 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:20:48 -0800 Greasemonkey
@Allana: thanks, that'd be terrific. And yes, I'm interested in single courses. I like the look of the ARA's workshops, but they're pricey. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321467#Comment_321467 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321467#Comment_321467 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:55:08 -0800 Darkest
Nexus S

I'd have to check DNS settings. But what I do know is that i's a basic wireless router.

I am bad with tech. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321468#Comment_321468 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321468#Comment_321468 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:04:29 -0800 oddbill
Do you actually have a data plan with your wireless provider?

Linking via wifi to a router is one thing, connecting to the internet via a 3G or 4G wireless connection is another.

To link to wifi - you will have to find and connect to other wifi routers out in the world. It will not happen automatically.

But generally, when you get a smartphone, you've signed a contract with a wireless provider to give you 3G or 4G wireless service, which is a data connection via the phone network, NOT a wifi spot. That should work anywhere your phone has coverage, regardless of whether or not you have an active wifi connection.

Do you have a data plan, where you pay for data over your phone? If so, are you in an area that your service provider covers? You shouldn't need a wifi connection if those are the case. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321470#Comment_321470 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321470#Comment_321470 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:14:20 -0800 Darkest
Yeah I upgraded my contract the day after I set it up so have internet. It's just a bit disconcerting searching and getting an error page on browser. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321475#Comment_321475 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321475#Comment_321475 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:38:45 -0800 Beamish
These directions may be a little different if you are using Android 4, I don't have experience with that version.

Go into settings -> Battery & data manager -> Data deliver and make sure that Data is enabled, (many apps will require background data as well and data roaming, well that is up to you). You can also check the Wireless & network settings to setting you how you connect to the net. Also, you can see if you are in airplane mode. That has messed with me before. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321481#Comment_321481 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321481#Comment_321481 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:03:28 -0800 DavidLejeune
The wi-fi settings shouldn't be effecting your ability to connect to mobile data networks, since the protocols and even the physical antenna are all different. Obvious question is obvious: have you tried turning the wi-fi off in settings and rebooting the phone? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321519#Comment_321519 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321519#Comment_321519 Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:59:14 -0800 NeilFord
I've always wanted to be able to smash the fuck out of inanimate objects with my bare hands, anyone know how to train for this without crippling myself or others? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321640#Comment_321640 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321640#Comment_321640 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:41:18 -0800 Gordon
Hi. I'm self-publishing a comic and looking for advice on which art package I should use for creating an inside cover with creative team credits, copyright warning etc? I don't have much experience in this area and to date haven't used anything more complicated than Publisher. Can someone please recommend a relatively easy-to-use package that will also give me a clean, professional look? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321644#Comment_321644 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321644#Comment_321644 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:02:42 -0800 Soviet Rocket No. 9
Have you heard of the North Korean Storm Corps?

And here too. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321656#Comment_321656 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321656#Comment_321656 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:46:15 -0800 Jason A. Quest
No particular reason you couldn't use Publisher for this, though it may not give you many options for exporting it in a format that a printing service can use. Photoshop or Illustrator will work fine if you have one of them. If you want a proper document-layout program that's less hand-hold-y than Publisher, take a look at Scribus, which is an open-source DTP app for Windows, OS X, Linux, etc. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321768#Comment_321768 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321768#Comment_321768 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:18:20 -0800 curb
I've been gifted a region one DVD collection that I'd like to watch on my PC, but Windows tells me that I can only change the region of my DVD player three times before it's locked to that region forever. Can anyone recommend a good piece of software to get round this? Thankew. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321771#Comment_321771 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321771#Comment_321771 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:26:24 -0800 Greasemonkey
VLC PLayer is region free, as far as I know. You can download it for free.

If that doesn't work, there's a good commercial player called DVD X which is reasonably priced, very stable and will play anything. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321773#Comment_321773 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321773#Comment_321773 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:28:02 -0800 oldhat
Yeah, look for single courses offered by OCAD. You don't want to get stuck in a full-time thing where you're taking classes for crap you aren't even interested in. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321775#Comment_321775 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321775#Comment_321775 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:39:55 -0800 Greasemonkey
- and I don't want to pay for extra crap either. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321797#Comment_321797 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321797#Comment_321797 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:05:46 -0800 Kosmopolit
For the past several days I've been getting intense itching sensations on various parts of my body: arms, legs, back, stomach.

There's no sign of insect bites or of hives.

The itching is driving me crazy and, of course, scratching just makes it worse.

Any diea what coudl be causing it? Any suggestiosn for treating it? Sorbolene cream seems to have no effect. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321799#Comment_321799 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321799#Comment_321799 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:11:34 -0800 rough night
Your skin might be severely dehydrated, in which case moisturizer would help, while itch cream wouldn't. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321804#Comment_321804 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321804#Comment_321804 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:43:38 -0800 Argos
I once had scabies, and since they're microscopic mites, it looks like your skin is perfectly fine but itches like all hell. I'd recommend water and lotion for a week to see if it is just dehydration, and then if it doesn't get better, have a dermatologist check it out. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321836#Comment_321836 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321836#Comment_321836 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:54:34 -0800 JP Carpenter
If there are any red marks see a doctor... I used to have a really nasty fungal dermatitis (probably brought on by stress) which used to break out all over me, and cause really bad itching leaving tidemarks and once, a Ziggy Stardust streak right across my face. Antifungals got rid of it, steroid cream exacerbated it.

Would see a doctor anyway... ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321840#Comment_321840 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321840#Comment_321840 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:04:25 -0800 Horrible Warning Si #websitemalwarefuckeryRoundII

So my website, www.simonspurrier.co.uk, recently got buggered-with by sneaky Vodka-guzzling spam-Ivans. People started getting warnings/blocked-access things when visiting. I've just ripped out its guts and Cleansed The Impurity, and now I'm getting a clean bill of health from the Google WebMaster Review thingy.

Buuuut many people are still getting a warning from bit.ly when they visit the site via a shortened URL. So I'm trying to find out how I appeal to bit.ly to re-review the sit and remove the warning. But their advice on the subject is hilariously roundabout:

"My site keeps getting flagged as spam - but it's not! What's going on?

We have a huge stream of people and companies that report offending sites or sites that appear as spam. We respond aggressively to these reports, to avoid the spread of viruses and spam - but we are rarely the ones to flag your content as questionable. bitly strictly shortens URLs and points to sites in a 301 redirect - we host no actual content. If you end up on the bad side of company that funnels data to us (reporting your site as spam/rogue content), you may consistently get flagged. Please investigate who objects to your content, so you can request that they stop flagging you."

IT'S YOU, YOU MAD BASTARDS. *YOU* OBJECT TO IT. Aaargh.

Any ideas on how to fix these fuckers? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321842#Comment_321842 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321842#Comment_321842 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:13:56 -0800 Horrible Warning Si
Here's the warning people are getting, by the way: http://p.twimg.com/Ajb7RgjCQAEZ4Op.jpg:large ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321854#Comment_321854 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321854#Comment_321854 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:58:27 -0800 mojokingbee Hi...I have a comic project coming up and I have to draw a double page spread. Any tips and traps to avoid? I'll be drawing it digitally and was wondering about what happens the margins/bleed/trim bits where the 2 pages meet up. Am I over thinking it and it's just a matter of having a page with twice the width of a normal page? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321858#Comment_321858 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321858#Comment_321858 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:07:18 -0800 Warped Savant any chance that you may be able to get it printed in the future be sure to avoid speech bubbles close to the middle.
It's weird who often I see that happen when something gets collected as a trade. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321863#Comment_321863 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321863#Comment_321863 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:35:35 -0800 Jason A. Quest
Unless you know for sure that it'll be a centerfold spread (i.e. not printed in different sheets of paper) and will never be published in paperback (where the binding will swallow the gutter), don't put anything important in the 1-inch strip down the middle. Use the same placement guides you'd use for keeping art and speech balloons out of the bleed on individual pages. Compositionally, I'd avoid strong horizontal lines that cross the gutter (like a horizon line), because these might not line up when printed and bound, drawing attention to the mismatch. Likewise, I'd avoid drawing any figures that cross the gutter, for the same reason. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321869#Comment_321869 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321869#Comment_321869 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:00:41 -0800 Peter Kelly
I know quiet a few people with a Fine Arts background, so I posted your request on my facebook status....One person suggested checking out Central Tech @ 725 Bathhurst. They have evening classes that are affordable and mostly adults. My friend took a print making class and loved it (she actually referred to the teachers as "top notch")

Will let you know if anyone else adds anything useful. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321870#Comment_321870 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321870#Comment_321870 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:06:06 -0800 Rachæl Tyrell
I've got a bagless vacuum (Eureka Whirlwind), I've taken in apart, cleaned the filters, removed a small dog's worth of hair from the tube, but still, the suction is terrible and it spits dirt at my feet. Ideas? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321877#Comment_321877 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321877#Comment_321877 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:46:11 -0800 JP Carpenter
Do you mean the suction is terrible, or just that it's poor at picking up stuff? Does it have any sort of drive band which might need replacing? If that's not the issue, check that all the parts are together the right way and the filters are the right way round - had a similar problem with a Dyson a few years back that turned out to be a bit that I hadn't clipped back on right. Also check for perforations in the hose.

Also - I love how fucking eclectic this thread is... ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321883#Comment_321883 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321883#Comment_321883 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:39:26 -0800 Greasemonkey
Awesome. Thanks Pete.

Are you coming out drinking at the end of the month BTW? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321898#Comment_321898 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321898#Comment_321898 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:39:23 -0800 Kay Orchison
I had the same thing on the Mac Mini I use as the home DVD/music player. I fixed it by flashing the drive's firmware to be region-free.

All the sites on region-free firmware hacks basically seem to be saying it's heaps easier to make your drive region free using Windows, so you'll probably find it easier than I did. Even a lot of the Mac folk were doing the firmware flashing in Bootcamp. Try here first. They have a checklist for flashing procedure. Other than that, try googling the model number of your drive with the term RPC-1, which designates a region-free drive. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321903#Comment_321903 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321903#Comment_321903 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:35:46 -0800 Finagle
https://bitly.com/pages/help#i_5_2

Based on that, I'd say best bet is to email support@bit.ly - they use too many different tracking blacklists to try to remove your site from all of them. They will likely be helpful. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321904#Comment_321904 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321904#Comment_321904 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:40:10 -0800 oddbill
I second the recommendation that you just google the name of your dvd playing software. For example, when I stick a dvd into my windows pc, the software that launches to play it is called Cyberlink Power DVD 8.3.1.6107.

By googling "Cyberlink Power DVD 8" with the words "region code", I get some results which describe how to reset the region code counter. You're not going to want to bother reading anything from the actual manufacturer's website, as they don't want you to exceed your region code change limits. But you will find posts further down the results describing the various things you need to do depending on your operating system and the version of the dvd player software you have installed that will tell you what files you need to delete or what registry settings you need to adjust to change or reset your player's region code setting change limits. It is going to be a hack, but a very simple one. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321921#Comment_321921 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321921#Comment_321921 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:36:47 -0800 Gordon ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321928#Comment_321928 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321928#Comment_321928 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:02:40 -0800 odarable
When I was a kid, I adored collections of weird and scary stories, getting through a whole lot of everything from old folk's tales to Roald Dahl short stories before I was as old a ten. (No wonder I'm still afraid of the dark...) I often borrowed the same books several times, and lots of them I can't remember where I found, it makes no sense for them to have been in the school library and I never found them in the public library again (this is, i.e., the case with a whole lot of Lovecraft books that I read before I even finished elementary school.)

But there are two short stories I was never able to find again, but have always remembered. Not necessarily because of their high quality, but because they were so special.

One was about a hunted typewriter. Yes, you heard me. The person in the story finally won over it by, like, drowning it in Blanco!

The other one had something to do with a boy who lived in a house where there was also creepy guests. The lady of the house is stuffing a turkey or something. And the boy has lots of different shaped and coloured pieces of glass, which he use to look at things (everything from the other people in the house to the landlady stuffing the turkey), but they appear horribly different though the different glass pieces.

I know my descriptions suck... Help?

(I came to think about this again because I'm updating my Goodreads page with some works I adored in my preadolescence. Please add me there, I'm odaelisabeth there aswell I think. http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4575782-oda-elisabeth) ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321937#Comment_321937 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321937#Comment_321937 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:27:46 -0800 oldhat
Hey-o. So I'd like to try my hand at making some of that thar digital music. Can anyone suggest a good (preferably free) program I can use with tutorials? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321939#Comment_321939 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321939#Comment_321939 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:32:03 -0800 rough night
I'm relearning to draw (I was pretty good at it in college, so can surely get back to that level of skill, but I'm distressingly rusty), and have reason to teach myself to draw sci-fi scenes - outside and inside of spaceships, wondrous future tools, ~~high tech hot pants~~ space suits, that sort of thing. It's a completely new area for me; any advice on how to go forward? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321942#Comment_321942 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321942#Comment_321942 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:15:54 -0800 lampcommander
Hey all, I'm doing some research for a writing project that involves the prison system and I need to know how it works, essentially. A couple quick questions about the prison system, please!

1) Thanks to Wikipedia, I have a bottom-rung understanding of the different levels of prison (as opposed to jail) and their intended purpose; but are the levels (min, med, max, etc) about the gravity of the crime, or the poor behavior of the inmate, or both? For example, could someone convicted of manslaughter brought on by drunk driving be sent to a medium versus another level of prison? Is that state or federal?

2) Movies can portray prisons in a variety of ways (most of them with little truth, I'm sure) and containing a lot of different types of crime. How true is that, especially in the notorious ones like Sing-Sing and Lompoc? What is Huntsville State like, and its level of security etc?

I'm expecting governmentspy to answer most of these, of course, but anyone with knowledge of the prison system please chime in. I'm struggling to find enough information to hit a deadline. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321948#Comment_321948 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321948#Comment_321948 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:46:02 -0800 government spy
As expected, here I am...

1) Sadly, most of my experience is on the Federal level, with some in the private prison state-contracted facilities. Murders, manslaughter included are all state level crimes. It includes vehicular manslaughter, typically DUI level stuff, but basically manslaughter means murder you wouldn't commit if you were of your normal state of mind (i.e. sober, not under the influence, not possessed by rage from walking in on their spouse cheating, etc). Also, a man beating his wife, but not with the intent to kill, but accidentally kills her has been classified as "involuntary" manslaughter.

How it pertains to sentencing depends on many factors, as each manslaughter is different (because they usually weren't trying to kill someone, but it happened anyway), depending on severity, judges impart greater sentencing per each case.

In Texas, manslaughter sentencing can be anywhere from 2 to 20 years, including fines up to $10,000, compared to murder, which can be anywhere from 5 to 99 years, to life, and fines up to that magic $10,000 again.

Violent crime in general will usually send you to medium to maximum facilities, and the level of the facility determines the type of security. A low minimum security facility might not even have a fence. A maximum facility will have a couple of perimeter fences, including razor wire, possibly electric, guard towers with armed guards, armed patrol vehicles, and possibly canine patrols as well. Low and Medium fall in the middle.

As far as how different prisons are run, I've only worked at three different facilities, 2 Federal high rises, and one state contracted private compound. High rises usually have low levels of what we call Hard Contraband (drugs, cell phones, etc) and a lot of nuisance (stuff they can make inside like tattoo guns and hooch).

Big compound facilities have greater risk to hard contraband because 1) they're so much bigger, with huge outdoor areas; 2) much more staff, some employed by government contract, and state employees are paid a lot less than Feds, and contract staff much less than State. The lower your salary, the higher probability you'll risk it all for the black market payoff; 3) much higher inmate population, mixed from several different gangs, all vying to run a drug trade on the inside so there's a huge profit to be made.

2)I've never been to Huntsville or Lompoc, but I knew guys who did time at Sing Sing, Leavenworth (the oldest Federal Prison still in existence) and San Quentin. I might have to do a little research to comment on them, but in general prisons are not like the movies, and the general reasons why are:

A)inmates want to do their time in peace. If given the chance, they'd rather not fight. Usually they separate themselves by gang and race (a lot of times that's the same thing) and if one inmate offends another, their group makes the other group handle it, so the gangs themselves don't have to fight.

B)snitches don't get stitches. Because the Feds (and so many other agencies) have gotten so much sneakier, almost everyone is a snitch in one way or another. If every snitch got shanked, there'd be a lot smaller prison population.

C)they're not raping everybody up in here. The only one's being somebody's bitch are usually there by choice. Homophobia is pretty rampant, and inmates don't put up with seeing young boys get victimized by old men. Child molesters are not hunted down like dogs, but they're also not accepted. If you're a white guy, and somewhat older, they're going to assume you're a molester, unless you have court documents proving you're in for fraud or embezzlement. Black child molesters exist, but somehow get overlooked.

That's the main stuff, but my shift is almost up and I gotta run. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321950#Comment_321950 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321950#Comment_321950 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:09:46 -0800 JP Carpenter
'spose it depends on what sort of music you're trying to make to some degree (ie are you planning to record, or purely make electronica?) but I know Computer Music magazine gives away a free suite of software on their cover discs - not sure if it's available in Canada.

There's also Reaper, which a lot of people swear by and has a very reasonable licensing model - $40 if you're not a professional musician, I believe it functions as a VST host so can accommodate synth plugins. There's a fair few free VST synths around, some of which are pretty good.

There are light versions of the major packages, usually have some sort of track limitation - usually if you buy a bit of hardware, you get one of these bundled, so if you pick up a keyboard or some such you'll get something. Might be good as a starting point.

Sure others will have more suggestions - I started with Reason, which is pricey, but fun and intuitive, again there's a cut down version that's cheaper.

There's always cracks, but given that I'm still smarting from someone killing my entire website probably down to a virus in a cracked VST, I'd stay well clear... ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321957#Comment_321957 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321957#Comment_321957 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:50:57 -0800 razrangel
I'm dyin here. I'm doing dramaturgy for Jean Genet's play The Screens. What that means is I'm researching every possible conceivable detail and angle to help understand the play and support a production of it. This shit is deep, yo. While I've a handle on the theatre crit and my local libraries have a fair number of books on the Algerian war for independence, I'm coming up completely short on crucial information related to the native Arab culture of Algeria.

In the play everyone calls them Arabs, including the locals themselves. But Genet is all about gumming things up and dirtying them and taking the romance and dignity out of everything (and this is from the late 50s, early 60s so it's before self-actualization and determination), so it's hard to get a bead on what, in the contemporary age, we would call the tribes or ethnic groups. They're just Arabs, as distinguished from Europeans or colonists and from the soldiers. (My research indicates Berbers, Turks and possibly some Taureg; however, they are definitely of the city - nary a camel or tent in sight.)

It doesn't even give particular mention of the Arabs being Moslem. They certainly were, but they most likely would have had their own flavor to such a degree that just assuming they would have the same customs and practices as Sunnis or Shiites seems foolhardy.

Genet knew a lot about their customs (but didn't annotate, the bastard) and, as an absurdist and cornerstone in Theatre of Cruelty, didn't tell a story of faithful Islamists, but of whoring, cursing, backstabbing, superstitious folks. In my liberal American every-belief-has-value, don't-denigrate-the-natives hippy dippy culture, it's nigh insulting. However, that doesn't get me out of having to look up what that culture was really like. And that's where my library & Teh Internet is failing me.

My question(s), O Whitechapel, relate to death and the afterlife. How did these people bury their dead? How did they mourn them? What was their attitude on the afterlife? Did they hold any kind of view that the dead might linger and be aware of what the living did for a little while, and if so what did that look like? Did these Arabs have an idea of time particular to them (say as opposed to the Western view of time moving like an arrow until you study physics)? Did they view time as moving differently for the dead?

Any info related to their culture is good, but I *especially* need to know about the rites and customs related to burial, any insights into contacting the dead (there's a scene where a living man becomes a "mouth" for someone who has passed on - almost like in voodoo, but for a dead person instead of a loa), and particularly any ideas on what the dead do right after or as they die. HALP! (Sources are good. Gooooood.) ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321966#Comment_321966 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321966#Comment_321966 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:28:11 -0800 taphead
Take the time to go through the tutorials, though. It's worth it. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321972#Comment_321972 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321972#Comment_321972 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:35:08 -0800 Greasemonkey
"I Love You Phillip Morris" had a scene that I found a bit odd. There's a character called the Screecher, who spends the entire night going "Eeeeeeeeh! Eeeeeeeeh!" every thirty seconds and keeping everyone in his cell block awake, until Jim Carey pays someone to beat the shit out of the Screecher to convince him to shut up. I get the impression that the authorities wouldn't permit anyone to cause this kind of disruption in an actual prison, and if they did, the other prisoners would be administering their own justice without needing to be paid. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321993#Comment_321993 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321993#Comment_321993 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:29:43 -0800 Steerpike
The ending's somewhat different from what you describe, but might the haunted typewriter one be "QWERTYUIOP" by Vivien Alcock? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321998#Comment_321998 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=321998#Comment_321998 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:13:19 -0800 Kosmopolit
It doesn't have anythign on funeral rights but not only is it a great documentary movie it also explores a lot of the different gradiations of Arab/Algerian acculturization to the French colonial presence. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322006#Comment_322006 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322006#Comment_322006 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:34:42 -0800 razrangel
But still desperately need death/afterlife stuff. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322027#Comment_322027 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322027#Comment_322027 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:38:33 -0800 government spy
@greasemonkey You got it in one. Prison is a very communal environment. People don't quite share their personal property, but they sure as Hell share the same interests. One bad apple will screw things up for the rest of them, so one way or another, they will find a way to end that problem. Personally, unless I was working a unit with a high number of psychology case studies, and competency hearing inmates, I haven't encountered people causing that type of problem. Usually, they'll try to solve it using staff as a resource, because, well, it's our job, and also, they know if they handle it with violence, they'll end up paying for it. So if they can make the guards do their jobs, and not have to suffer negative consequences, that's the best first option. After that, they'll try to make that specific guy's gang or race handle it. If still no result, they'll smash him. No payment required.

Oh, and back to different types of prisons, this is how I see it:

County Jails are the worst thing ever. Unless you find one run by a private prison. Staff are paid the cheapest, trained the least. Private prisons in general are staffed by folks that generally couldn't get hired as cops, or as guards at government run facilities. A lot are either washouts, or were fired (or left under generally unpleasant circumstances but were allowed to quit before firing or prosecution). County jails have every type of inmate, from a murderer who just got picked up, loads of gang members, illegal aliens, guys in the drunk tank, you name it.

Right next to counties on the low end of the spectrum are ICE facilities. To the best of my knowledge, every singe ICE facility is run by a private corp. like CCA and GEO. This is one of the biggest growing problems in the industry today, because GEO and CCA directly make campaign contributions to state and federal officials in order to influence immigration policy, with the goal of a higher immigration arrest & conviction rate, which increases a need for more ICE facilities. ICE doesn't have their own detention staff, so they always will contract out. (Sorry about the rant). Point is, you have a growing number of these immigration detention facilities, run by mercenaries, holding women & children and creating a concentration camp system.

State prisons have the real convicts. These guys generally are sentenced, and for the most part don't give a fuck. If I were looking at serious state time, I'd hurry up and commit some federal crime to avoid the state. This is usually what you see in TV & movies, and what I have the least experience in. Because I'm smart & don't like being stabbed a lot. They are the facilities getting contracted out more & more these days.

Feds are typically more laid back, and if you can end up at a camp, you can sneak out on a fairly regular basis, meet your significant other in the woods behind the jail and get laid, smoke and drink a little. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322032#Comment_322032 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322032#Comment_322032 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:15:24 -0800 government spy
Does anyone have any recommendations on which Spanish language learning software is best? All I ever hear is Rosetta Stone, and man is the price steep. Unless I get a deal through the job, I need a cheaper alternative that still works. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322033#Comment_322033 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322033#Comment_322033 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:29:01 -0800 lampcommander ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322034#Comment_322034 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322034#Comment_322034 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:34:06 -0800 government spy Billions Behind Bars the other night, which reiterated so much of what I had been seeing.

One thing that's interesting to look at is the development of prison labor as a competition against companies that send jobs overseas for smaller salaries. On one hand, it's keeping jobs in America, which is good, and of course I support the rehabilitation of criminals through learning a valuable trade, but on the other hand it's promoting a system where the average American still cannot compete against cheap labor. The concept that some prisons use is that they cannot produce a product that is marketed locally (i.e. within the same state), and if it's a product that is shipped out of state, then they are forced to pay their labor at least minimum wage. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322056#Comment_322056 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322056#Comment_322056 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:48:24 -0800 roadscum
Audacity is open source and free and it handles those VST plugin thingies. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322065#Comment_322065 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322065#Comment_322065 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:40:34 -0800 razrangel ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322066#Comment_322066 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322066#Comment_322066 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:47:01 -0800 Purple Wyrm
Mildly interesting factoid that may or may not be relevant to your project - a number of countries (including Australia) specifically forbid the importation of goods produced by inmates in prisons. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322067#Comment_322067 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322067#Comment_322067 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:46:37 -0800 Warped Savant ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322105#Comment_322105 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322105#Comment_322105 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:30:54 -0800 Greasemonkey
I know most creative people have slow periods occasionally, but my artistic ability seems to have deserted me completely. Everything I paint looks like shit, to the point where I'm considering chucking it in. Is it possible to lose the ability to create art? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322111#Comment_322111 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322111#Comment_322111 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:57:48 -0800 Jason A. Quest
A stroke could do that, but the left-side paralysis would probably get your attention first. :)

If your painting is broken, try some other medium for a while.... charcoal or clay or digital or another kind of paint. If it's one you don't often work in it'll look like shit too, but you'll have an excuse for that, while you exercise those different muscles. After you've gotten into the groove with this medium – or gotten sick of it – you can get back to the paint. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322125#Comment_322125 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322125#Comment_322125 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:57:08 -0800 Warped Savant
I've had the same problem. I use to do pencil drawings for a few years, then they started getting bad. It wasn't that I was getting pickier, I just couldn't seem to do it anymore. Then I started painting, same thing happened, writing stories... Perhaps with the drawing and painting I just got bored of it without really realizing it, and I figure for the writing I had just kind of ran out of things to say. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322134#Comment_322134 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322134#Comment_322134 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:15:05 -0800 Greasemonkey
Well, I'm not bored and I haven't had a stroke, so maybe the new medium is the way to go. These days I work almost exclusively in acrylics and digital, with the occasional foray into oils for the insanely detailed pieces. Maybe it's time to do some collage or sculpture. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322140#Comment_322140 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322140#Comment_322140 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:00:51 -0800 Peter Kelly I've never seen anyone lose their talent (though obviously injury/illness can rob ability)
Is it a challenge issue? Might be you've simply pushed yourself as far as you can go in this one area and it's not a challenge anymore. (which is pretty much what Warped and Jason just said above)

Sounds like a pretty good topic to discuss next weekend at our Toronto meet up (side note, I am 90% sure I am going, so if you don't bring it up, I will!) ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322154#Comment_322154 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322154#Comment_322154 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:41:47 -0800 Greasemonkey
Is it a challenge issue? Might be you've simply pushed yourself as far as you can go in this one area and it's not a challenge anymore. (which is pretty much what Warped and Jason just said above)

No, it's that I can't paint anything that doesn't look like shit, where it used to be easy to turn out saleable work. Maybe I just need a rest. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322155#Comment_322155 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322155#Comment_322155 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:12:09 -0800 Kay Orchison
This happens to me episodically. It's often linked to depressive episodes although which is cause and which is effect I don't know. I tend to get around it by spending a little while not working, but checking out inspirational things, and then kick off again by trying a new medium or instrument. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322156#Comment_322156 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322156#Comment_322156 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:16:43 -0800 Kay Orchison
Can anyone recommend a good overview of psychogeography? Merlin Coverley's book is marketed as such but gets slammed as fatuous in reviews... any other ideas? I'm really just looking for a jumping-off point. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322168#Comment_322168 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322168#Comment_322168 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:37:09 -0800 Kosmopolit
This may just be a matter of perspective: do you have a friend whose judgment and honesty you rely on who's familiar with your older work?

Show them your new work, explain the situation and ask if THEY think you've gotten worse. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322175#Comment_322175 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322175#Comment_322175 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:21:57 -0800 Greasemonkey
This happens to me episodically. It's often linked to depressive episodes although which is cause and which is effect I don't know. I tend to get around it by spending a little while not working, but checking out inspirational things, and then kick off again by trying a new medium or instrument.

It's midwinter in Toronto right now, so there may be something to the depressive thing.

This may just be a matter of perspective

Possibly. Although I've usually been able to tell when my stuff is substandard.

Show them your new work, explain the situation and ask if THEY think you've gotten worse.

I have a few artist friends I can sound out. Will give it a try. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322214#Comment_322214 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322214#Comment_322214 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:41:36 -0800 curb
VLC Player has come up with the goods! Cheers @Greasemonkey, and thanks also to Kay and Oddbill! ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322246#Comment_322246 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322246#Comment_322246 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:23:20 -0800 Kay Orchison
Does anyone here have experience with doing close-up work on the Canon EOS series? I've got a 30D and I've been using an adapter ring for my old Pentacon lenses and extenders but I'm finding focusing a terrible challenge. I'd love to be able to shoot little things (bugs, electronic components, small flowers) but use autofocus. Has anyone here achieved this, how well did it go, and what lens/filter/adapter combo did you use? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322256#Comment_322256 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322256#Comment_322256 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:32:23 -0800 Slick
Auto Focus doesn't really work on macro subjects because of the limited depth of field. For best results you need to use manual focus or to increase DOF use focus stacking software. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322266#Comment_322266 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322266#Comment_322266 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:53:30 -0800 badbear
Auto focus can be a bit limited in macro although I've found that mine works okay so long as I tell it where I want it to focus (I have a 500D, kenko extension tubes and a 60mm macro lens). I only ever use it in a studio setting though, and I can see that you would be better off using manual focus if you're photographing bugs and don't have the time to really set up your shot.

You're going to have a very, very limited depth of field with extenders and unfortunately there's bugger all you can do about it. Much better to use a proper macro lens (which is still limited but less so) if you can but even then, half the time it is better to manually focus the camera and even physically move it backwards and forwards to get the focus you need. I thought I was being mental doing this but have subsequently read the same advice from professional sources so I don't feel so bad about it now.

Depth of field is always a massive issue in macro photography so sometimes I have taken several shots with the focus point in different places and pasted them together in photoshop. This is not ideal as it can take a bloody long time to do but sometimes it's a bit unavoidable if you're photographing something teeny weeny. Again, this doesn't seem to be an unusual tactic. Really though, the best thing you can do is play around with the aperture settings and get it as small as possible. This will give you a bigger depth of field but it will also drastically limit the amount of light that is getting into the camera. Which means that really, you need a tripod (essential) and good lighting (if at all possible) and a good slow shutter speed. Play around as much as possible and you'll find what works and what doesn't.

I also have mirror lock-up enabled on mine (in the camera settings) so that I minimise camera shake buuuut I'm not sure how much it's actually made a difference. Might be worth a go though.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes! ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322348#Comment_322348 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322348#Comment_322348 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:18:47 -0800 Kay Orchison
Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. I've got the camera set up on a copy stand in my studio with a lightbox underneath the objects and two side lamps for modelling. Part of the problem is the incredibly short depth of field but the greater issue is just trying to focus the damn thing at all with the aperture stopped down as far as it needs to be.

The other issue is that at a really slow shutter speed something weird seems to be happening with the lights - I get a strong yellow cast every third or fourth exposure. I'm guessing it's down to something like the shutter getting out of phase with the refresh rate of the compact fluorescent daylight-balanced lamps.

So, badbear - the Kenko tubes support AF, yeah? I'm using old Asahi Pentax extensions and a 1970s Pentacon lens with an adapter ring at the moment. Thinking of looking at some extenders for the Canon lenses. How has that worked out for you?

Again thanks for the input, I'll post some results here when I have some that I'm happy with. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322367#Comment_322367 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322367#Comment_322367 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:09:39 -0800 badbear
Your set up sounds almost exactly like mine. Are you using strobe lighting or continuous?

I'm not sure I'd recommend the Kenko tubes exactly. I bought them because I couldn't afford anything else and as extension tubes go they work pretty well. I used them with the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera. I quickly outgrew them though for the DOF problems and the fact that you get distortion around the outside edge. If that's not a problem for you then I recommend them. Otherwise I would say that getting an actual macro lens turned out to be a good investment for me. I rented a couple for a week so I could play with them and see which one suited me best which resulted in me buying a cheaper lens than I initially thought I needed. They are expensive though.

Are you getting parts of the picture in focus or is it all out of focus? I feel like I've had this exact problem and it turned out to be exposure related - if the ISO is too high (over 1600 or so depending on your camera) then you get a lot of noise and the image will be really grainy as a result.

Otherwise, I'm stumped. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322374#Comment_322374 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322374#Comment_322374 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:42:27 -0800 Flabyo
Looking at a credit report I've just had done and while there's nothing dodgy on it, I'm worried about things that aren't on it that I would expect to be. Like my credit card.

Is it possible for the big three credit agencies to have different records, or is it all a single shared thing? I don't fancy having to apply for multiple forms from different places unless I have to. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322375#Comment_322375 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322375#Comment_322375 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:43:30 -0800 DC I stepped out of an organization that's doing a comics event, due to a stupid disagreement which can be found on the Open Mic thread. Today they sent a press release where they use photos I took of the venue. I needed those photos for some sponsorship I was trying to get and sent them to the others members who didn't knew the venue. When I sent them I never said in which circumstances they could be used. I couldn't care less for the photos but I can't get past the fact they're using my work without my knowledge, permission and without giving credit for it. I thought the fact I'm no longer in the organization was enough for them not to use the work I did.
Unfortunately I didn't upload them on my Flickr account or anything like that. The only way to prove they're mine would be by comparing the photos details with my camera or something like that.
I don't want to deal with this personally (ie,sending emails demanding they can't use the photos) and I'd rather use some nonpersonal/legal way to spook them. Anything the hive mind can think of? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322380#Comment_322380 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322380#Comment_322380 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:37:22 -0800 Jason A. Quest
I don't know about the UK, but in the US the credit-report spies each collect their own data, which is why you need to check them all for problems. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322381#Comment_322381 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322381#Comment_322381 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:43:21 -0800 Jason A. Quest
Let it go. If it were creative work it'd be worth fighting over, but if it's just documentary images of a location... it's not. Move on. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322397#Comment_322397 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322397#Comment_322397 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:47:55 -0800 Flabyo
Thought as much. Managed to get one of the other two to quickly accept my details and mail me out the activation codes so I can check them too.

The third though? They don't think my address actually exists, and I have to wait a week while they poke around and try and find out why. Looking at the addresses it was trying to autocomplete to, I think I see the issue. My phone company has never got my address right for here despite me correcting it loads of times. I suspect if I manage to correct *them* it'll magically snap into life. (the comedy being that my address is *correct* in the sodding PHONE BOOK. That THEY MAKE.) ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322401#Comment_322401 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322401#Comment_322401 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:39:42 -0800 Osmosis
I've never actually checked my credit rating. I imagine this might be a good thing to do. (Pretty sure it was on the Adulting blog a little while ago, which is a good enough yardstick for me.) How do you go about doing that? Does it cost? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322404#Comment_322404 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322404#Comment_322404 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:47:09 -0800 oldhat
If you just don't want to deal with these people again and the photos aren't particularly special to you, I'd walk away and save your money. Unless a contract was involved saying that they could not use your photos without permission you may be stuck anyways. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322405#Comment_322405 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322405#Comment_322405 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:02:00 -0800 Flabyo
Each of the three main UK agencies will send you what they have on you for £2. They're only obliged to do that once a year under the data protection act, more frequently and you'll have to pay more.

I'm trying (and mostly failing) to sign up to subscriptions that alert me when things go onto it because I want to keep a closer eye than normal at the moment.

The three companies in the UK are:

Experian, Equifax and CallCredit. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322409#Comment_322409 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322409#Comment_322409 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:02:51 -0800 evelet
For anything to do with money I check here first - money saving expert

can be a faff at times, but there is usually a way of getting a good deal / money off / cash-back or something ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322416#Comment_322416 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322416#Comment_322416 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:45:01 -0800 razrangel
This is a wild hair and I'm chasing it where I can. Does anyone have any familiarity with the Arabic language and or culture? I'm investigating the possibility that there's a chance that time is conceived differently from how it is in the West. It's hard to explain, it's something that's alluded to in the play I'm working on - Jean Genet's THE SCREENS - in scenes where many of the characters have died and are assembled in some kind of afterlife/limbo.

I've heard something like cultures where the writing goes from right to left have different relationships to concepts like symbol and meaning as well as time. Can anyone elucidate? I can spew my thoughts more if anyone needs any more clarity on what I'm driving at but since I'm looking for hard infos my speculation may just muddy things even more. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322422#Comment_322422 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322422#Comment_322422 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:43:36 -0800 Finagle
I ran this by my wife, who lived in Cairo extensively and was married to an Egyptian guy for a while, and she had to stifle a snort. "Arab time" is a bit of a trope...among Arabs. It isn't something you'll want to just casually toss out there as a Westerner, but...the Arab conception of time is somewhat flexible in practice. One could say that human relationships are valued above a strict conception of time, duration and appointments.

The wife said that Bill Clinton makes a good Western example. His meeting were notorious for running long, because he was just so into the people he was meeting with, and building those relationships...much more so than the abstract rules about meetings and appointments. "Arab time" is ...something like that. I hate to say more lest I run into blatant stereotyping, but there's something there for sure.

The wife just popped back in to add a concrete example: In Cairo culture at least, "half an hour" can mean effectively any amount of time. If you're at a party and have to leave to go see someone, you'll say "I'll be back in half an hour," which means...I'll be back sometime. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322434#Comment_322434 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322434#Comment_322434 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:11:55 -0800 Finagle
After watching hours and hours of /Leverage/ and greatly enjoying /The Grifters/ and assorted other works of fiction about confidence men, I'd like to read a serious reference work about con men, grifters, scams and the like. Preferably something encyclopedic that categorizes the various sorts of cons, profiles classic examples such as the original Ponzi scheme in depth, and the like. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322437#Comment_322437 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322437#Comment_322437 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:44:51 -0800 Warped Savant ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322446#Comment_322446 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322446#Comment_322446 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:05:15 -0800 razrangel
@Finagle - I'm thinking you might be thinking I have a different idea in my head than what I was driving at. I don't mean "Arabic time" like I've heard of "Mexican time" where getting told I should be somewhere at 2pm means I'll be there somewhere between 230 and 315... I mean, the concept of how time flows, the actual nature of time and specifically how it may change upon death/entering the afterlife. Though I guess it's good to know keeping to the clock comes second to engendering and supporting relationships. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322449#Comment_322449 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322449#Comment_322449 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:52:18 -0800 RenThing
Look up How to Cheat at Everything: A Con Man Reveals the Secrets of the Esoteric Trade of Cheating, Scams, and Hustles ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322455#Comment_322455 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322455#Comment_322455 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:11:20 -0800 Steerpike
It's more for pre-WWII cons, but David Maurer's The Big Con is always worth checking out. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322472#Comment_322472 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322472#Comment_322472 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:49:57 -0800 Kosmopolit
It's a work of speculative fiction (and an excellent one) but you might want to pick up Kim Stanley Robinson's Years of Rice and Salt.

The two main characters are repeatedly incarnated and their souls meet in a sort of timeless overworld after each incarnation. (There is a specific Arab connection to this since the novel occurs in an alternate world where the entire population of Europe died in the Black Death and was repopulated by muslims. Several of the incarnations of the characters are arabs/Muslims.)

Then again much of what we think of as the modern western view of time derives from Arab mathematicians and historians. (Medieval Christians mostly saw the world as statix with no real change or progress until the eventual return of Christ. The idea of societies changing and evolving was an Arab creation.) ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322475#Comment_322475 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322475#Comment_322475 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:56:53 -0800 sneak046
5 years ago I used to work in consumer finance (for shame, for shame) underwriting personal loans for asset purchases (similar to hire purchase). What you see in those reports that you can get from the agencies mentioned above is merely the raw data they hold, e.g what loan/credit accounts you have had in the past 6 yrs, payment histories (if you've missed any monthly repayments), addresses that are linked to you (previous/addresses etc) and the names and addresses of people that you have made shared applications or hold joint acccounts with.

What you do not get is the really important stufff, their score-card info (as it's commercially sensitive). This is an algorithm based on factors like length in employment, whether you are a homeowner, time at current address and the payment history. To be honest, lenders don't really care if you are occasionally one month behind, but anything over 3 months is a big no no. Also (and this is probably most important bit) you won't see if there are any fraud warnings on your house/name or other names at your house (typically fraud warnings are for things like multiple applications in different names, that kind of thing). This is how they get around not being able to 'blacklist' specific homes, essentially whole post-code areas may throw up fraud warnings due to the high(er than average) instances of fraudulent activity from that area.

Having a good score-card result, and zero fraud indicators means that you'd basically be automagically approved for pretty much anything you applied for -at least prior to the banking crisis.

The best thing about doing that job though was being that it is the ultimate form of people watching. It's amazing the types of thing you can pick up through inference from people's financial dealings - anything from secret mistresses to gender re-assignment. It's not pretty but it's the world of connected data we live in. What I will say though is that due to Data Protection Law, anything you did six years ago is totally excluded and hidden from lenders/other oprganisation using the credit reporting system. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322641#Comment_322641 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322641#Comment_322641 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:15:25 -0800 odarable
Hi! I've got a cousin who has made a website where she offers to help people with their spanish. But there's one problem. Her current webpage looks like this: http://www.speak-easy-spanish.com/! I can help her with the "what goes where" part, but does anyone know of a good webpage generator where a person with good taste (that would be me, not her) can make a simple, professional-looking webpage?

Also I would love an url to a site where you can make some better banners than that one, and maybe one to some sort of bank of "public photographs" that can be used in a main banner/background.

Help? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322644#Comment_322644 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322644#Comment_322644 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:53:17 -0800 glukkake Is she using a CMS like wordpress or have any interest in it? Templates for that tend to be well designed & relatively inexpensive (compared to hiring a designer). I'm using a WP template as I revamp my current site & nabbed it for $50. It was worth the investment to not have to worry about the small things & to just focus on making new images to personalize it. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322655#Comment_322655 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322655#Comment_322655 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:52:47 -0800 Greasemonkey
Well, I asked a few friends to look at my stuff as per Kosmopolit's suggestion. I received a couple of replies from old friends who're established professional artists, and they both said the same thing; that I just need to be patient and do the spadework to iron the kinks out of my style as it develops. Apparently it's not uncommon to turn out some crappy work while trying to do things in new ways.

Heading back to the canvas to put in some hard yards :-/

[edit - I AM FUCKING KICKING THE ARSE OF THIS PAINTING NOW!] ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322666#Comment_322666 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322666#Comment_322666 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:18:50 -0800 Kosmopolit
You mean my advice may actually have been of use?

I don't think that's ever happened before. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322693#Comment_322693 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322693#Comment_322693 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:58:22 -0800 Greasemonkey ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322778#Comment_322778 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322778#Comment_322778 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:47:02 -0800 Osmosis It's amazing the types of thing you can pick up through inference from people's financial dealings - anything from secret mistresses to gender re-assignment. It's not pretty but it's the world of connected data we live in. @ Sneak - you are Colin Laney, and I claim my five pounds. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322822#Comment_322822 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=322822#Comment_322822 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:58:02 -0800 Kay Orchison ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323065#Comment_323065 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323065#Comment_323065 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:36:10 -0800 Alan Tyson
#vinylcare

on the board. What do you guys suggest for cleaning, storing, caring, and basically keeping up a collection of LPs, and the needles that love them? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323068#Comment_323068 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323068#Comment_323068 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:34:10 -0800 Greasemonkey
1) A major problem with vinyl is that it builds up a static charge that attracts all manner of dust and small grit. Decent record stores will sell you a soft camel hair brush for wiping all the accumulated fluff off your records (don't even think about using a rag to clean them). You should wipe each disk down before returning it to its sleeve, so it's not grating around inside with crap all over it. My old record player had a little brush that rode on the playing head and cleaned the record ahead of the needle, but you'd be lucky to find one of those now.

2) Store your records as perfectly vertical as you can manage, with bookends to keep them upright if necessary.

3) Your storage space should be away from sources of heat, including sunlight coming through the windows. A nice even temperature of about 20C is perfect, and you want a humidity level of around 40%. It's large fluctuations in these conditions which cause vinyl to break down.

4) Some collectors use mylar sleeves for their records (ie the same as comic book sleeves) because the manufacturer's original plastic sleeving can shrink over time and warp the records.

5) A blunt needle will fuck up your records faster than almost any other lack of maintenance. A new diamond needle will reasonably last you a thousand hours of play, but some people change needles after 500 hours or less.

6) The rest is common sense. Avoid rough handling, don't let people eat, drink or smoke around your vinyl collection, and don't bump the floor or the stereo while there's a record playing.

7) There are loads of vinyl collector's message boards online where you can find information about finding stuff that's rare. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323071#Comment_323071 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323071#Comment_323071 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:02:30 -0800 Kay Orchison
Greasemonkey's right about all that as usual, but I'd add one thing - if you buy a record second hand, if it's really dusty/mouldy either don't buy it (if you could possibly get the same thing in better shape elsewhere) or research proper cleaning procedures and clean it before playing. Playing dirty records knocks hundreds of hours of use off your needle. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323073#Comment_323073 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323073#Comment_323073 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:32:21 -0800 flecky
Don't do what i did which was to borrow some LP's from a girlfriend and accidentally leave them standing near a radiator.Some LP's used to be so flimsy-warp city.

I used to buy loads of secondhand 12 inch white-labels from filthy bargain basements.Dance music,mostly.Some of these where so dirty i had to end up actually cleaning them in the bath with luke-warm water and washing-up liquid.The vinyl was so thick and tough it didn't do more damage than what had been already done to them.I think some had beer spilt on them.

I reckon Greasemonkey's and Kay's advice is a lot more safer than mine. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323076#Comment_323076 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323076#Comment_323076 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:05:31 -0800 Greasemonkey
Yeah, I should've listed the bit about not buying records in shitty condition. Hold them using the fingers of both hands on the very edges, and look at them in the light. You're looking for dirt, dust, scratches and scuffs, discoloured areas, stains, bumps or excessively warped spots in the vinyl.

Where it gets really fun is when you get to researching rare collectibles with coloured vinyl or extra posters, inserts and gimmicks inside, or big double albums with stunning cover art. Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here', for example, came with a couple of photo postcards inside (and I think there was a poster as well), and almost nobody kept them. Originals of the album in good condition sell for a couple of hundred bucks now, if the extras are intact. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323077#Comment_323077 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323077#Comment_323077 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:50:57 -0800 flecky
@Greasemonkey:Damn.I used to have Wish You Were Here with the postcards and it had a sticker(maybe more than one) too.

Dark Side Of The Moon-I think that had a nice blue photo poster of pyramids.Or that could also have been Wish You Were Here.

Things like these and the covers made collecting vinyl fun. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323078#Comment_323078 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323078#Comment_323078 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:53:08 -0800 Kay Orchison ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323093#Comment_323093 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323093#Comment_323093 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:44:10 -0800 RobSpalding
#swampormarsh ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323103#Comment_323103 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323103#Comment_323103 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:46:47 -0800 rough night
I'm not a biologist, but I did grow up on a marsh, not far from a swamp, and there's no problem with the two environments being near each other, so you'd probably get both in the lowlands, with the high ground turning into islands. In fact, I believe Maine already has some of each. So the vegetation of the current marshes and swamps would simply spread as the plants that required dry ground to survive died off. Also, forested areas would probably be more likely to become swamps, while grasslands would more readily become marshes. But again, not a biologist. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323106#Comment_323106 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323106#Comment_323106 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:17:21 -0800 Greasemonkey ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323107#Comment_323107 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323107#Comment_323107 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:17:55 -0800 JP Carpenter
Don't vomit on them.

I learned the hard way. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323112#Comment_323112 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323112#Comment_323112 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:48:26 -0800 flecky
I too lost vinyl,along with some rare comics,in a fire.Years after that i had hundreds of early 2000AD trashed in a flood.Next i lost a great comic collection when i was made homeless.I was so traumatised by it i couldn't look at a comic for 3 years.Seriously.

I eventually got over it when a friend put it into perspective.No matter how many books,comics you got you can only read one at a given time(well,you can read a few but i knew what he meant)

I've seen people get so wrapped up and obsessed with possessions that they end up owning the possessor.It's happened to me. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323126#Comment_323126 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323126#Comment_323126 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:27:26 -0800 Greasemonkey Piper At The Gates Of Dawn-signed!Damn...

Yeah, was given it by my uncle on my 21st birthday. He'd won it in a radio contest back in the late sixties. I had a load of ELO singles as well, on their original Jet label, and a Supertramp novelty disk on yellow vinyl.

I too lost vinyl,along with some rare comics,in a fire.Years after that i had hundreds of early 2000AD trashed in a flood.Next i lost a great comic collection when i was made homeless.I was so traumatised by it i couldn't look at a comic for 3 years.Seriously.
I eventually got over it when a friend put it into perspective.No matter how many books,comics you got you can only read one at a given time(well,you can read a few but i knew what he meant)
I've seen people get so wrapped up and obsessed with possessions that they end up owning the possessor.It's happened to me.

The worst loss for me was 20 years worth of paintings and drawings, stuff I'd been collecting since I was in the first grade. My whole portfolio burned. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323141#Comment_323141 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323141#Comment_323141 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:07:54 -0800 Beamish
Find an early copy of Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool, whatever problems you have will be fixed. A good backup plan is a pressing of Porgy and Bess by Satch Summertime is also a fixer. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323295#Comment_323295 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323295#Comment_323295 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:49:01 -0800 JP Carpenter
#FAKEGEETARGADGET

Any guitarists out there recommend the Line 6 Pod HD desktop bean thing? I want to buy something better than the horrible (and now pretty old - 2004) Behringer V-Amp that I've never really liked very much for practicing in the house, and probably recording. I am quite luddite when it comes to amp modelling and generally want things I record to have had real air moved at some point in them, but needs must and my amp isn't convenient to use during the week, and I'm willing to believe that things have moved on in the last eight years. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323299#Comment_323299 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323299#Comment_323299 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:21:21 -0800 Greasemonkey
Charles Mingus. Play him at dinner and you WILL get laid after.

]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323319#Comment_323319 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323319#Comment_323319 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:14:22 -0800 shannon.gilly.3
it's been a minute or two since I seriously played around with gear, but so long as you're trying to stay within fairly established bounds, you're not going to go wrong with anything line6 makes. they're not the same as grabbing, say, a tiny terror and cranking the shit out of it, but if you're looking for something that hits all the big sonic points without murdering your bank account, you're going to be hard pressed to find something at the same price. it'll blow your V-amp out the water at a minimum. hell, whastshisname... billy corgan? duder from smashing pumpkins? first album he put together after "re-forming" the pumpkins with the original drummer and nobody else, most of the guitar parts went through a POD, so it's not a bad thing, to an extent. then again, I'm very much of the camp that says buy a tube amp and maaaybe an Ibanez ts808 or three and let things happen how they happen, so I might not be the best person to voice an opinion here...

all things said, unless they've done something exceptionally stupid in the past three years (which I doubt, they know where their money comes from), the line6 gizmo is pretty much guaranteed to be at least three or four steps up from your behringer V-amp. they make legitimately studio quality stuff. I wouldn't murder for one of their multi reverbs, but i might hide a body. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323325#Comment_323325 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323325#Comment_323325 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:45:30 -0800 JP Carpenter
@Shannon.gilly.3 - thanks - I've got a nice Vox Cambridge tube amp in my study, but that's at the bottom of the garden and is too cold to exist in at this time of year, and I can't get down there during the week when I've just got about half an hour in the evening to play. I want something to work with in the house (I've got a guitar in the bedroom) that I can perhaps record with as well, and the behringer - well, it's just uninspiring and I really don't like the sound of it at all, everything's got this nasty honk to it.

Balls, might have to just go for it. Hell, my credit is good so far... ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323336#Comment_323336 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323336#Comment_323336 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:15:24 -0800 roadscum
I like to keep my photographic exploits as simple and snap happy as i can, spending ages on post processing requires more time and effort than i'd like and feels intrinsically wrong somehow, as if i'm cheating in some way. Still, i'm faced with the fact that i've seen pictures produced from RAW files that have a clarity and depth that surpasses the corresponding camera JPEGs. I'd sometimes like to be able to achieve that with my pictures and have tried using Silkyypix, which came with the camera, and Lightroom3, which, thanks to a well timed special offer, also came with the camera. Of the two, i find silkypix easier to understand and Lightroom easier to get spectacular instant results with. Unfortunately while my Raw processing efforts may sometimes surpass the camera JPEGs in some ways, overall the camera JPEGs usually come out on top, even after ages spent fiddling with RAW files.

What i'm after is a good beginners guide to RAW processing using either Lightroom3 or Silkypix, either in print or on the web or even from someone here with the patience to go over it all bit by bit with my grumpy, semi-senile self.

Any suggestions? ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323340#Comment_323340 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323340#Comment_323340 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:14:51 -0800 Slick
I have about 1GB of video tutorials that I used to learn adobe camera raw, I could stick them on a dvd and send them to you if it helps. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323342#Comment_323342 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323342#Comment_323342 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:16:55 -0800 oldhat ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323344#Comment_323344 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323344#Comment_323344 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:23:19 -0800 Greasemonkey ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323394#Comment_323394 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323394#Comment_323394 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:57:54 -0800 taphead
Line6 makes some lovely gear, it's true. That said, I'll also throw in a recommendation for an ART Tube MP preamp. Ridiculously good bang for a small amount of dollar, and slapping that in front of the Pod will go a long way in getting a beefier sound. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323396#Comment_323396 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323396#Comment_323396 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:34:35 -0800 JP Carpenter
Do not tempt me with more beautiful things!!!! It does look good though, and not that expensive.

I bought the POD and it's a thing of wonder. I've actually got a UAD LA610 in the study, which I can try throwing the guitars through as well - I'm really, really tempted to blow my credit card balance out of the water with the new Johnny Marr signature Jaguar when it comes out over here and sell one of the others... I made a new years resolution to take guitar playing seriously again and it's doing me a world of good so far.

@Oldhat, Greasemonkey - have you got that 'Mingus plays piano' LP? Seriously mellow record. ]]> ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323414#Comment_323414 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323414#Comment_323414 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:18:55 -0800 Greasemonkey ASK WHITECHAPEL - the You Can Haz Help Now thread (Jan 9th - Feb 5th) http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323420#Comment_323420 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10439&Focus=323420#Comment_323420 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:41:56 -0800 roadscum
@Slick: Ta very much, most kind of you! That sounds like it might be rather useful. I'll e-mail you when i'm more awake to sort out the wheres and hows. ]]>