Post by Akbar Le Grey on Jan 13, 2008 15:48:42 GMT -5
January 13th - January 20th.
Editor-in-Chief: Akbar Le Grey.
Contributors: Libitina, PJ, Cybermystery, Pandora.
Published by 667er Publications, ltd.
A subsidiary of the 667er Group.
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In the past few days, 667 has been plagued by a hacker of sorts - the notorious Willis. With well-known members being involved and two admins being IP banned with others, this event was more than simple mischief.
The start of this event occurred with a simple hacking of the forum. The banner and background along with a few people’s names and some boards were changed to support a theme of “This is an outrage!” This event was initially shrugged off as simply Fancy just having fun as she was just appointed co-admin. Later on, it was revealed that Fancy was not, in fact, behind any of it.
These events were seemingly the end of just a simple prank. Willis was revealed as the perpetrator and on Friday at 7:01, Swans banned Willis and all seemed well. But this was not so, because, out of the blue, on Friday night, Tragedy, Fancy, I, and a few other mods were IP banned from 667.
When I realized this happened, I knew something was wrong. I took it upon myself to find a way around the ban, and found I could use a website that hides your IP to get onto the site. I couldn’t log on, but I could read threads and the thread that I found was very interesting.
The thread’s name was Party and the main posters were Willis and unbelievably, Pandora. I couldn’t believe that she would be involved in such idiotic acts such as this. Willis was glad that all the “squares” were gone and so was Pandora. It now seemed that Pandora wasn’t as trustworthy as we thought.
But the light at the end of the tunnel came when Tragedy, in all his splendour, used common sense to use a different network to log onto 667 and stop all this madness.
Tragedy then moved onto demoting Pandora and banning Willis permanently. It was also revealed Swans’ account was used to do all of this. Hopefully, this will end all of the madness occurring on 667.
- Cybermystery.
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America’s Next Top Model: An Awesome Show That Teaches People About Awesomeness[/u]
I’ve been watching America’s Next Top Model just to write an excellent and possibly scathing review for The 667er. Talk about dedication. So all the seasons are great or whatever. But I’d like to talk specifically about my latest obsession, cycle six. Tip: When discussing ANTM it’s called a cycle, not a season. Second tip: It’s called ANTM.
When watching cycle six, the first thing I noticed was how much Jade sucked. And how much Nenna didn’t suck because she seemed really sweet and then she did suck because she kissed another boy behind her boyfriend’s back and then she was a magee to Brooke, even though she kind of told it like it was. But normally on ANTM people just tell it however they want except for the way it really is.
This cycle is the greatest because aside from the two sucky people no one else sucks. Most seasons, you get one or two great people you root for, and then they go home, and you magee about it and make fun of Tyra’s stupid hair, but this season almost everyone is at least alright. Which makes it a true gem. Plus all the cool kids share a t-shirt. It’s just cute, so I knew you’d be interested.
Thirdly or whatever number I’m on if I’m using numbers, Joanie is awesome. Like truly potato ing awesome. I wish we were friends. She’s pretty and she’s funny, and maybe a little stupid but also crazy and awesome. And she rode on an elephant and made it fabulous. Which is tricky or something because Sara had to copy off her. I think that no one else on the show really gets her sense of humour, especially stupid fat Tyra, but I love her.
Here is a list of all the people you need to know about or all the people I remember. Either one.
Furonda: Wears a tiara. It’s fuzzy. Furonda is also fun to say
Tyra: Idiot. Will eliminate anyone for any reason no matter how lame.
Sarah: cute hair cut. Jenn likes her because she’s taller than her. Jenn is my suitemate. I need to find her a birthday present.
Danielle: Cool. Because I’m oblivious I really didn’t notice the gap in her teeth but since they brought it up nine million times I did notice it.
Jade: Skank.
Twiggy: Is cool but I don’t think she understands anything the other judges say.
Nigel: At first, all my roommates said he was hot and I didn’t see it but now I kind of see it.
Tune in for the finale on Thursday at 7 to see who wins the season.
Note: Dani wins the season, it happened like three years ago.
- Pandora.
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Theories regarding this week’s mayhem.[/u]
1: Swans banned Willis, but Willis hacked Swans account and unbanned himself and caused havoc with the site.
2. Swans banned Willis, Pandora and Willis planned to hack swans account and start trouble.
or 3. What if swans didn't really ban Willis?
She posted the ban at 7:01, but at 8, Willis was posting in the Party thread. What if he overtook Swans account at 7 , banned everyone, pretended to ban himself, and posted in the party thread. I don't know when I was banned because I got on the computer at about 9:30.
- Cybermystery.
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FF BUZZING; CC AT A SNAIL’S PACE; AA IN A SPIRALLING VACUUM
It has been a very long while since we last had one of these general reviews, so I thought that perhaps now would be an interesting time to dip in and examine the new work that’s sprung up. What I found was a mixed picture; some pieces dazzle brilliantly, some are less deserving of attention than a slug climbing a mossy wall. It has fallen upon me, then, in undertaking this article, to make some sense of all of it, and discern the grain from the chaff for you, my dear readers.
I’ll start with a section which is still showing very encouraging signs of enthusiasm, if not standard excellence. Shelly’s latest endeavour, THroUgH thE lOOKing GlaSS (*shudder*), now updated to Chapter 16, is a fascinating yarn. All the rage in fanfic circles, Shelly gives us a whole new look on the same tired old themes of love, jealousy and revenge, that generally tint most aSoUE fanfics. Her candid, fresh style and cleverly-constructed characters, along with those dashes of wit and suspense she has come to use to such awesome effect, really make this worth a read. Another story that seems very popular is Emma Squalor’s massive The Return, now on its 92nd chapter. While this thread now simply seems to have degenerated to a conversation between Amy and the author, it is due to no fault of the story. Squalor writes very well, and her writing is very appealing. Her creative plotlines are very entertaining, and she displays great mastery in her usage of dialogue and character construction. Well worth a glance. Moving on from the well-established writers, one comes upon deusexmachina’s A Most Unfortunate Wedding Reception. Clever, descriptive and very compelling indeed, this fanfic gives one great hopes and expectations for new talent like dues. However, one can never generalize, and it becomes painfully obvious on reading 13 Years Later by Carmelita Squalor that we cannot hold such high hopes for all new fanfic writers. While she has man aged to weave an interesting story, her style and imagery leave much to be desired. Immature at times, her tale does not seem, so far, to have any substance of note. Pop references and slang-y dialogue can only take one so far, and Squalor’s attempt reached its saturation point of these timeless ingredients quite a while ago. I must admit, I have not forayed into this section for months now, but there is obviously so much going on, so I now intend to visit it and post there regularly, if I can get the time.
It pains me to look at AArt now. Only one thread has been posted in since December 15th – and that too, on the 3rd of January, 10 days ago. However, I shall put aside my sorrows to comment on some of the threads. I like May’s style, even though I’m not a huge fan of movie-related fanart. Her Sunny is fantastic, though, and I would recommend a visit just to see it. I also liked the banner she made for her nicely thought-out and admirably well-plotted fanfic, How I Escaped on a Heart-Shaped Balloon. Her TGG banners are gems too. This is a thread well-worth a visit to, and I hope to see more work by this new aspirant. Esme Squalor's work shows promise, but she should work on variety and getting out of the archetype she’s built herself into. While I look her drawing style, I think that with a bit of variety in subjects and some playing around with colours, it could really be stellar. Still, it’s visit-worthy as is.
Moving on to CC, I’m glad to see that it’s not as stagnant as it was some weeks ago. A variety of interesting ‘creativities’ have been posted, like Zaid’s stunning piano rendition of Titanic and Robert’s heart-wrenching ‘I miss you.’ banner. PJ’s An Interview With Death is yet another excellent piece from an old master –creative, enthralling and very powerful, it is one of his best. It’s eerie, true, but spectacular all the same. Very Pratchett-esque, yet with PJ’s own special spin. I love how he’s planned it – a surreal version of a typical method. Another gem is Part 1 of crise de minuit’s Make It Stop. Absolutely brilliant, this piece left me in awe of crise’s ability and craving more – I ned my fix. I agree with my dear comrade PJ that the rushed style does undermine the effect, but with just a little work on that and his/her grammar, crise has all the potential of becoming a maestro.
And so, it is done. I hope this piece has caused some of you to take a glance through sections normally left only to the diehard aSoUE-ers, and cross the divide that has grown between the 667er-reading, MM-posting crowd, and the serious Snicket fans. We are all, together, a community. A whole. Let’s keep the bonds strong. Until next time, my dear readers, adieu.
-Akbar Le Grey.
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Libitina: Hi, I'm Libby, and I dig rock'n'roll music.
Fantine: I'm Fantine, and I dig holes.
Libitina: Tip: Don't get blood blisters. They are ugly.
Fantine: In case you haven't noticed, this column is pretty much Libby warning you against doing the stupid things she has done. Thus, ha ha, ugly.
Libitina: Hey Fanny, that gray mush is pretty attractive. Another tip: learn CPR, because you never know when your dummy will go into cardiac arrest.
Fantine: We're going to call her Resusci-Annie just to make things awkward because she's bare-chested.
Libitina: Tip: Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica, came to France, become First Consul, became Emperor, lost to Russia and Spain, tried to destroy England's economy, got sent off to Elba, came back, and finally got sent off to St. Helena.
Fantine: Forever. But that's not even a tip.
Libitina: Yeah, that's what Julius Caesar said.
Fantine: What?
Libitina: If you have to ask, you can't afford it. Tip: If you're writing an essay, write it in the present tense.
Fantine: Yeah, we know you know, but apparently some people forget.
Libitina: Tip: You know that song by the Police, Every Breath You Take?
Fantine: I reckon they do.
Libitina: It's about stalking people, not loving them.
Fantine:...Woah. Unexpected. As Libby's brother says, an awkward wedding song for those who didn't know.
Libitina: Roxanne, you don't have to put on the red light.
Fantine: That's a tip, too, don't be fooled.
Libitina: Now, here's a really good tip: Don't put soap on your eyes, no matter how hard it is to take off your eyeliner.
Fantine: You're so dim-witted. And you didn't even put the eyeliner on right.
Libitina: If you are auditioning for a play and you can choose between ensemble and a main part, choose the main part auditions.
Fantine: Because you never know when they'll kick out the ensemble. >:-0 I'm talking about you, Libby's high school.
Libitina: I guess that about wraps it up. If I complain any more, I'll pop my blood blister.
Fantine: G'day, ladies and gentlemen.
Libitina: Until next week, farewell.
- Libitina.
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Movie of the Week: Darjeeling Limited.
Trailer / IMDb / Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68 %
So, Darjeeling Limited. I’m in a bit of a rush, so this review might come across as such. Oh well. Right into it.
Darjeeling Limited is a drama with comedic elements mixed in, by the great director Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic). It is about three adult brothers, Francis, Peter and Jack, who try and re-connect with one another and have a spiritual journey by going on a train through India, the Darjeeling Limited.
I’m not quite sure what to say next. The acting of the film was all right, not fantastic, but all right. The cinematography, also, was pretty good – some stellar moments – but also wasn’t too fantastic. There are, admittedly, a few iconic scenes. Wes Anderson’s trademark slow motion shots are used a few times, most memorably in a scene where the three brothers try and catch a train that has already started.
I guess this film’s saving grace is the actual story. Each of the three brothers has their own problem, a problem which has led to all of them being estranged from one another, which leads up to them trying to re-connect by having this trip. Oldest brother Francis (Owen Wilson) is fussy and bossy, and is occasionally mean without realizing it. He brings an assistant along to plan the trip with them, but Francis’ negative qualities eventually end up with this assistant quitting.
Middle brother Peter is somewhat neurotic and worried; his wife is having a baby, and he worries about what impact this will have on his life and his relationship. He is somewhat aloof, and is, arguably, the most normal of all the brothers.
The youngest, Jack, is going through a rough break-up with his girlfriend, who keeps coming back to him. He is the most impulsive and passionate of the brothers, and often acts out against them. His rebellious, impulsive nature contrasts Francis’ controlling one, and Peter’s laissez-faire one.
As the story folds out, we learn more about the characters, and why they are the way they are. There are fights, and bonding, and more is revealed about their past – the tragic death of their father in a motoring accident, and their inability to deal with it – or the indifferent nature of their mother, who left them and their father and now lives in an isolated monastery in India.
What I liked most about the film was the natural, realistic way the characters acted. There was no heady drama, no neat conclusion or cliff-hanger to every conversation. It was awkward, mismatched, embarrassing. There was blatant lying, being phoney, it was all extremely well portrayed. A good movie, overall. I enjoyed it, anyways.
To conclude, the music, acting and cinematography were all good, but the highlight of the movie was the plot, the story, the script, the way the characters worked and related. So I give this movie a solid Good (watch this movie if you’ve got the time and money). It was fun to watch. Though I must caution you, it’s for more mature audiences. While there’s not much swearing or violence, there is quite a bit of sex. Heck, Natalie Portman strips down entirely in the first part of the movie. You don’t see much, unfortunately.
By the way, the first part of the movie is about a 10 minute short film called Hotel Chevalier. It was released on the internet prior to the movie, and gives you more background information on Jack’s dodgy relationship with the Natalie Portman character. So don’t be surprised when they run the credits for the short film 10 minutes into the movie.
Next week, I’ll be doing The Golden Compass. I also saw I Am Legend (Good, but not overly, there just wasn’t much plot to it, though it was interesting to watch. Also, quite suspenseful and scary in parts. I won’t be reviewing this, since Sixteen already did).
-PJ
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The 667er's Caption Contest
Last week's image:
The winning caption was sent in by Freshie:
"It was then, Mr. Handler was no longer allergic to flowers, but to the woman holding them."
This week's image:
Send Sixteen (volunteer16) a PM by next Saturday with a caption that you think would fit this picture and it may be posted in next week's edition. Good luck!
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THE 667ER EXTENDS ITS CONGRATULATIONS TO 667'S NEW CO-ADMIN, FANCY, AND COMMENDS TRAGEDY'S CHOICE.
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Dear all,
It’s been quite an eventful and (I know, I know, this has been used to death) outrageous week, eh? Seriously though, that was pretty immature. And I especially didn’t like how it almost seemed like someone was trying to frame Fancy. Give her a chance, guys. She’s been excellent as a mod, I’m sure her capabilities aren’t limited. She’ll grown on us. Hopefully not in a fungussy way, though. Urgh. The Friday night fiasco was horrid too. Tragedy laid down the law pretty hard, yes, but it had to be done.
So yeah. PJ turned 18, woohoo! You rawk, PJ. XD Also, I quite like the new banner. (:
And dragongirl’s returned, to skip along doling out immature jokes and insults. Now that’s what I call an irritant particle. Hehehe. I can do journalism and biology at the same time! [This is what happens when you’re trying to do a magazine the night before your first actual week of school. We only had 4 days last week.]
Stay cool!
Peace out,
Akbar.
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