The Beautiful Game
July 10th, 2006 | brainjuice
56 Responses to “The Beautiful Game”
- WHITECHAPEL Message Board
- FREAKANGELS Updated Fridays
- TWITTERNanojabber
- FILM/TV AGENTAngela Cheng Caplan
- LITERARY AGENTLydia Wills
- BUY THE BOOKCrooked Little Vein
WARREN ELLIS
Search
Archives
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
PauseTalk Tonight
Jean Snow - 05 Sep 10
Just your friendly neighborly reminder that this month’s PauseTalk (Vol. 44) happens tonight (September 6) at Cafe Pause, with the usual start time of 20:00 (and the cafe reserved from 19:30). As previously mentioned, I’ll bring out the magazines from last month’s SNOW Magazine Cafe, for anyone who didn’t get at chance to check out the event.
Wired Type Missteps
Jean Snow - 05 Sep 10
Just over a week ago the latest issue of Wired (September 2010) was released for iPad, and as I’ve done for all issues released for the device so far, I immediately bought it. Yes, despite the less-than-perfect way they’ve handled the digital conversion of the magazine, I’ve been enjoying the magazine, not only because of its nice price — for us Tokyo expats that is, although I still want an even cheaper subscription option — but also because I like the way it reads, and the way the material is presented (and those videos have been quite good too).
BUT, I was pretty surprised at some rather ridiculous flubs in the latest issue, both cases tied to the use of type. First example, pictured above, is an entire story — which also happens to be part of the issue’s cover story, “The Web is Dead,” which means it’s long — presented as white text on a red background. Really? Did anyone at Wired actually try reading the article after it was set in those colors? My eyes were practically in tears by the time I got to the end.
Next up was the use of type too tiny to read. The image above shows said article in landscape mode, and that “Buried” piece is where you encounter the problem — interestingly (if that’s the right word) enough, if you change it to portrait mode, it’s the page’s other article that becomes barely readable.
The big issue here is that these problems are tied to the fact that you can’t change type size in the magazine. So far it hasn’t been an issue for me because all previously issues were formatted in a way that made all text very readable on the iPad screen. I can appreciate that adjustable type size would ruin layouts, and I do like the layouts we’re offered in the magazine, but you can’t sacrifice readability just to make sure a column fits somewhere, or to attain a certain aesthetic (in the case of white type on red).
IT?S FUSTY IN HERE!
William Gibson - 05 Sep 10
As the London Times recently said of my living room, though you probably didn’t see that, as it’s behind their subscription wall. Had to check the definition. Hope they meant more “markedly old-fashioned” than “rotten”.
Starting tomorrow on the 36-day pre-Canadian leg of the Zero History tour. US and UK schedules are behind the button on this site’s front page. The subsequent Canadian dates (all in October, save for Nov 1 in Victoria BC) are behind the modest blue link on that schedule page.
Have not been blogging for quite a while, hence the fustiness, due mainly to the sublime ease of Twitter, whereon I am @GreatDismal and quite annoyingly posty.
Hope to get a bit of a breeze through here, with the constant traveling and all.
Sunday Supplemental: Aqua Team Hunger Fortress 2
Ectoplasmosis - 05 Sep 10
One of the more successful Team Fortress 2 video mini-memes is the Dr. Weird dub. With audio taken from animated shorts preceding episodes of the show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the new animations (done with TF2 character models in Source Filmmaker) are short, simple, and funny. I post this as an introductory demonstration of the versatility of the game assets, and the ingenuity of the fan community. Enjoy.
Previously:
Meet the Team
© ECTOPLASMOSIS!, 2010. | Permalink | No comments yet | Add to del.icio.us | digg it | reddit it
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Coilhouse - 04 Sep 10
An animated short of MAXIMUM MEMEWORTHY ADORABLENESS, directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp. (“I am a director and an editor. And I literally got a college degree in making movies! You believe that? A COLLEGE DEGREE. College for movies? Hah! Can you beat it? I don’t think so– movies are the best!”) He is made of awesome. Go check out his website RITE NAO.
Marcel the Shell is voiced (“untreated and unenhanced”) by Jenny Slate– yes, the very same Jenny who dropped an F-Bomb during the live taping of her SNL debut. Prepare to squee your pants.
Post tags: Animation, Memes, Silly-looking types
Katy Perry's Illuminati, MK-Ultra Commercial
jwz - 04 Sep 10
The Vigilant Citizen is one of the world's finest blogs.
This commercial intended for German television has it all: checkerboard patterns everywhere, transhumanism, deshumanization, mind control, alter-personalities, Marilyn Monroe (the original Monarch sex kitten), the colors white, black and red, etc.
"We love to entertain you". In other words, this is the kind the stuff that is supposed to entertain you.
Oh, it does. It does.
Prepare Thyself For? THE EXORSISTER!
Coilhouse - 04 Sep 10
Holy balls, kids. HOLY. BALLS.
These are stills from a clip of one seriously wackypants “Japanese punk rock Exorcist homage” called (appropriately enough) The Exorsister. It comes to us courtesy of the ever-terrifying and wondrous Weird Shit Magnet that is Dogmeat, who says “I’m laughing, because this is one clip where even I ask myself ‘Where do you get these?’ Stick around for the octopus attack… as if you would turn this off!”
Definitely not safe for work. Click the collection of stills above… IF YOUR DARE.
Post tags: Cyberpunk, Fetish, Grrrl, Horror, Japan, Madness, Punk, Sexuality, Silly-looking types
mixtape 093
jwz - 04 Sep 10
Some of these videos don't play, because all extant copies on Youtube are marked "embedding disabled". I even tried re-uploading them, and the fabulously evil content-ID system re-fucked the new copies too. So, the copyright holders would rather you not become familiar with the work of the artists whom they purportedly represent. Oh well.
god bless the stupid french
Can’t wait to hear what the Italian said. I think the all World Cup matches should now be decided by headbutts. 5 on 5. The team with the fewest falling win.
Yeah I just watched that too.
That dude was a fucking Dick.
French people make me mad.
@ Michael Climek
Fuck that, the Italians were a bunch of divers and each and everyone of ‘em should have got a good nutting. Give them something real to fall down about.
I think the Italian guy said “Can I see the top of your head up close, I think a bird shit on you”
Damn shame that Zidane went out like that.But at least unlike Francesco Totti,he didn’t spit
on anyone.
I like games where people hurt each other.
If soccer had more headbutts, I’d actually watch it.
Now this… THIS! is what football is all about.
I heard he’d been sent off and wondered why.
Off all the places I thought I’d see why, it wasn’t here.
Why aren’t they wearing pads?
That’ll teach him to comment on the origins of chicken carbonara!!
And stuff.
I hate most sports, but Zidane’s play and ultimately that moment brought me joy beyond words today. I am so happy I watched the final.
[...] Want a one word, two second summary of the last World Cup 2006 game? Ouch. [...]
Materazzi called Zidane’s sister a whore twice and then said Zidane was an old bastard motherfucker. But, you know, in italian.
That game would work so much better with helmets, pads, and you know.. scoring. Maybe they could throw the ball or pick it up and run with it. It just might work.
Right now Zidane is flying in his personal gulfstream V to some unknown tropical locale to raid their local livestock and deflower their females and is ready to enjoy his retirement like a good little hedonist
The real foul is that Zidane didn’t aim for the face.
Materazzi in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJPKM5aJGW8
I’m Zidane, bitch!
They aren’t wearing pads because pads are for pussies. Hence rugby.
Anyone who has watched both a game of North American/”sissy” football and restofthecivilizedword/”soccer” football, both played at the highest level, and can somehow maintain that the former is more exciting has probably sustained head injuries in the past.
Can I post a pic here?
http://content.ytmnd.com/content/1/2/5/125e067ac32841a86fc20e71015e584b.gif
Regardless of whether or not you like the Italian squad (which I do) you gotta admit it was a dumbass move on Zidane’s part. He wouldn’t have fucked up the PK like the one frenchman whose shot went off the cross bar so it’s quite possible he cost his team the cup. That and now a good number of people are just going to remember that he’s the jackass who got ejected from the World Cup final instead of the fact that he’s one of the best midfielders ever to play.
That said I do want to know what Materazzi said to get him to do that.
[...] via Warren Ellis [...]
Yeah…. I really do hate the Italian soccer team, its like watching pro basketball… people just whine and fall down alot. Perhaps its just me, but if I were Zidane, I’d have made it worth it…. I would have head butted him, punched someone else… piss on it, not like he’s ever going to play again, what are they going to do, kick him out of the world soccer scene?
Yeah, I grant it was not smart, but I think someone should have done it to the little panty waist Italians earlier in the tourney, maybe it would have made em’ knock their cry baby shit off?
This thread’s either going to degenerate into an American ball games vs British ball games slanging match OR a football trivia thread.
And to help it on its way:
In fairness, Italy did very little diving in the final – certainly not as much as the Portugese in the semi (rumour has it Christano Ronaldo’s leaving Man U. to sign up with the Bolshoi) or the fallen genius that is Thierry Henry. Canavarro was easily the best player on the pitch and the Italian defence was rock solid and professional.
The Italian player had just tweaked his nipple about ten seconds prior to this incident, which nobody seems to recall.
I mean, I’m all for men tweaking each other’s nipples, but it should consensual and not on the field of play.
[...] Alors, d’abord je voudrais remercier Zizou hein (I <3 Warren), parce que alors là , chapiteau bas, ça se fête avec de l’ow diou wobinay, et en l’air siouplait (mais sans moi les gars pour le coup). Ensuite je voudrais attirer quelques ovaires de plus dans le monde merveilleux de la littérature de scifi, because we want you et que vous le valez bien aussi. Enfin, comme d’habitude, il fait trop chaud pour bloguer intéressant, vous l’aurez noté. Mais comme ma copine Naque, je terminerai par un DIE LOL DIE !!! Filed under: Digressions | [...]
I’m with Laramie on this one. While it’s not unusual for players to try and rile the opposing star-players into getting themselves sent off, it would be nice to think that, having succeeded, the offending player would then be spending the rest of his week having expensive facial reconstruction surgery, and wondering if it was worth it.
Thank God for Zizou. Only a genius of his stature could have made that final interesting.
What a way to go.
Was it something Materazzi said or did? If so, Materazzi is a real dirt bag. And why a headbutt to the chest? I’d expect a punch to the face.
You too can chest-butt Italians to your heart’s content.
http://tonaz.altervista.org/zidane.html
And if you want to play the game, you can find it here…
http://widelec.org/zidane.html
You can find the game here…
http://widelec.org/zidane.html
What the italian actually said (according to lip readers) was something related to Zidane’s sister.
Did Anybody remember that Zidane was playing with a hurt arm and then when some jerk(italian) called him something stoopid (whore) it got to him. The last straw so to speak not that it was professional but anyway…
The other rumour is that Materazzi said ‘I hope Jean sufered’. Jean being Zidane’s stepfather, who died of cancer about three weeks ago. Nasty. Class headbutt though,and very considerate I thought not aiming for the face…
The other rumour is that Materazzi said ‘I hope Jean suffered’. Jean being Zidane’s stepfather, who died of cancer about three weeks ago. Nasty. Class headbutt though,and very considerate I thought not aiming for the face…
Zidane isn’t tall enough to hit a man of normal height in the face.
Kind of a shame to be honest. Apparently, he’s France’s best penalty kicker but because he’s arrogant and unprofessional to do something like that he probably blew the game for them.
hum… Zidane is 185 cm tall. sorry warren. chestbutt was probably well deserved, no matter what it cost les bleus.
I heard a on hungarian news that he (zidane) was roumored to have been called a terrorist by the italian .
I don´t know if it’s an addige to to the “whore bit”?
He will have press conference later in the week explaining himself.(…Or would it not be great to hear the italian his version?)
My Mother head butts harder than that
And lower
your mother is a Frenchman?
The only thing I know is that, when the game was over, thousands of Italians stormed the streets singing together “Zidane’s Mom Is A Bitch” from 11pm to 6am.
I’ll never forget the poetry of that night.
Why do I think I’m the only person in the world who can look at the small video on the top of this page for a whole day and laugh and laugh and laugh…?
And if I were him, I would have taken the Cup with him on the way out!
Note that he avoided extensive injury and extensive sueing…
Zidane is a hero, surely.
Reminds me of the time a kid went for my nuts in an 8th grade basketball game. Outraged, I ran down the court(on offense of course) and landed a pretty good body punch on him. Wonder what the priest referee thought; no whistle blew, but in retro all I can think is what a couple of morons.
Wow, that was great. I am not going to be one of the culture police and say the guy was wrong in what he did. I have seen lots of things on the tv that a lot of people wish they could take back. Chris Webber’s time out, Ron Artest’s run into the stands, etc. That was great to me.
As a Brazilian,I am happy to see Zidane closing his career with a key of shit(whatever is the translation of this proverb to the english).
In the same time,this fact will be remembered in the future more than Italy been the champion of this cup.
Wha?
He knocked him down to with a headbutt to the chest?
Man, I wish I was not so high. Like, really fuckin stoned. I thought he clipped his chin, maybe broke some teeth. It’s what it looked like to me.
But you guys are telling me this was a headbutt to the chest?
And he fell down?
Lol. The chest.
Im waiting for EA’s FIFA 2006 Head-Butting Special Edition ….
FYI, the Italian called his mum a terrorist whore several times and he also added some nice comments about his sister. Very classy! Zidane admitted it on French TV yesterday though it was not really reported anywhere else…
Totti called his sister a bitch.
That truely was Joga Bonito.