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What Have We Lost?
Posted by Chic Aeon in comment on Saturday, October 31, 2009
This is a lengthy non-fashion related post. Philosophical and dealing with the current and future atmosphere of Phil's Place, it may or may not be of interest. Treat it accordingly :D.
Three holidays coincide tonight. Energies are strong and if you are one of the people who feel those energies, you already know that. Like most holidays, I celebrate this time of year in my own way. I turn out the lights, not willing to feed candy to already undernourished kids. I light some candles in remembrance and take a long bath. Other activities come into play and after a few hours I return to the the normalcy of life, see what's awaiting me at Hulu and continue with the familiarity of the typical.
This years "other" activity is a reflection of where we are in our virtual lives as citizens of our world. I'm almost two years old now. Not ancient by any means, but I have several RL friends who are over three. They arrived before that the moon sailed across the sky with that one million written across its face, when English was pretty much the only language spoken and when the grid evidently went down weekly for an update.
Some of you may be even older than that, and some of you may be very new. The time we were born -- both in RL and VL terms -- has much to do with how we see the world. I've been listening to people of late, most of them older than I. They aren't complaining about the state of things. In many ways SL(R) is working much better than it ever has. But there is an ennui that permeates their days. Something is missing. Something is lost.
It can't be the quality of goods. We have more exceptional and actively creating retailers than ever before. It can't be our interface. We have choices of viewers now with promises of even greater abilities in the future. What it seems to be, after long conversations and several glasses of wine, is our sense of community. It has pretty much left the building for many of us, and the people entering are having a difficult time finding it at all.
This is what my friends tell me. Feel free to comment about your perceptions of these earlier times.
In the "olden" days, there were no lucky boards, groups weren't all that active and quality give-away freebies didn't appear in at least a dozen stores each day. What there was, were freebie boxes filled with all sorts of (mostly old) full-perm items which the new kids on the block happy sorted through picking out the best of what was available. There were a couple of free shops like the Nubie Store and Free Dove, but picks camping, product camping, hunts and group gifts were not the big ticket give-aways they are now. There were stores to shop at certainly, but so many less than what we have now, no one was willing to estimate the percentage. A low number was the best answer they could give me.
Life was simpler then. With few skins to choose from (even purchased) people looked more alike than we do now. There were more furries and odd little cartoon avatars. I remember reading that on a blog lately, and my friends agree although they hadn't thought about it much. Men's appendages were huge, bright pink, long and curved (OK, I admit we had had quite a bit of wine at this point).
So what were the good things from that time that are gone?
There was free land (I think it cost $512 for a 512 piece -- the only size you could buy under that program). New folks with premium membership could buy plots of land. A sim or part of one would be opened and people flocked in and purchased. Everyone was relatively new. No one really knew how to build all that well and prefabs weren't what they are now so, yes, my friends admitted it was pretty ugly. BUT, they were all in it together. They lived in close quarters; they battled the lag and the downtime and sometimes nasty neighbors that threw fire balls from a neighboring sim. They made alliances. They made friends.
There was a lot of free education then. The Lab paid people to teach, schools had free land and classes abounded. The new folk met other new folk in classes. They learned to salsa together; they learned to build together. They helped each other after class and sometimes became friends. Later (I'm not sure of the timeline here) LL decided it wasn't their responsibility to educate the masses and took away teacher payment. Later they took away the free land for the schools. Now we have only a handful of education establishment and many have agendas attached.
I took a few classes when I was new. It was a time when there still were quite a few to choose from. The teachers worked for free with tips. I enjoyed those times; I'm guessing I would have enjoyed the earlier times even more.
I saw a notice the other day that The Lab was hiring folks to update and enlarge their "what to do" area of the website. The people would get a list of sims to visit, take a photo and write up 200 words about ths spot. This sounded like a great job to me, until I read the fine print about how many you needed to complete in an hour (for the hour of pay anyway). It worked out to 20 minutes a spot with photos and proofreading. HMMM. Not my thing. BUT, it does show that LL understands, like many of us, that something is amiss.
New folks have no clue what to do, where to go, how to learn. The world was much smaller when I joined and possibly much, much smaller when you joined. There were only so many places to go, EVENTS actually had events listed instead of the same ads day after day. Search might have worked better then -- or maybe it has never worked well *wink*.
There is a lot of talk and action (Nov 5th's shut down) about content theft lately. I listened to the podcast on Emerald (3rd party viewers) and content theft. I yawned a bit, but I listened to it all. I would never ever knowingly buy stolen goods, but I'm having a difficult time believing that theft is the biggest problem we face.
We can only buy (win, hunt or camp for) so many clothes. We only need one house at a time, one set of furniture. We need activities. We need communication. We need a sense of community. Maybe this is merely a sign of a greatly enlarged world, a mirror of how many real lives work, but I can't see us moving to a new level without regaining some of what we seemingly have lost.
Dias de los Muertos
We have set your table -- favorite foods, bright colors
Candles burn, awaiting your arrival.
We will dance; we will pray.
We will remember.
Visit the Day of the Dead celebration in Terres de Mortes - all day November 1 >>
Download my Windlight settings for this locale HERE.
Style Notes:
Hair: Exile Cloe scarlet
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Hope (goth) 03 PU
Clothing: Sparkle Skye Dias de los Muertos (new release - review copy - on sale this weekend)
Accessories: included with outfit
Sparkle Skye has released two new outfits, both with intricate wings. The Dias de los Muertos features skulls, blood or bloodless shirt layer, spiders and webs.
Lovers of satin and lace will enjoy the mix of patterns over patterns. The veil with headdress is simply amazing.
I chose a Gothic skin from Tuli to accent the bold nature of this dress. Blood red hair blends with black roses, skulls and diamonds so easily, it is difficult to tell where one leaves off and the other begins.
Red, black, gray and ivory -- a wonderful accented neutral palette by day or by moonlight.
You can read more about the Day of the Dead, its origins and celebrations throughout the world at Wikipedia.
I've spent many winters in Mexico; not of late, but when a bottle of soda was a dime and only came with sugar :D. I spent much of my time in mountain towns such as Pátzcuaro and Querétaro
as well as a few towns where you could go a week and not see another gringa. I took part in several celebrations, but not a Day of the Dead.
I was pleased to find that Phil's Place will have an all day event at Terrez del Mortes. It is definitely an interesting place, so stop by if you have a chance.
The poem on the postcard is a Day of the Dead calaveras (short poem) from the web; author unknown.
Trick or Treating
H and S Village is having a trick or treat event. I think it is through Halloween. A couple of pumpkin groups weren't active yet, so the designers may be on European time OR it starts officially at midnight . Wander through the shops and pick up some very nice gifts from various stores. You are looking for a three pumpkin set and they are obvious; no hunting necessary.
Shown above are some accessory boxes as well as a cute chest from Second Spaces. There are four unisex (all short and one color each) hairs from Bryce, some fun poses from Pulling Strings and various eyes from Eponym.
My outfit is very similar to this mornings. I went back and purchased a couple more colors of tops from LARK. I wanted you to see that the tops tuck into LOW (in this case Sn@tch Backstage) pants and work well under the Miseria sweaters. So lots of mix and matching in my future. Fun.
That's it kiddies. Enjoy your trick or treating! Here's your magic pumpkin chariot.
I had lots more to share with you about my morning adventures at Annamaria Bushido, so here it is along with the backstory to the backstory *wink*. The newish (guessing here) sim is composed of three stores including Agent Orange, LARK and Industrius. There are a couple of empty shacks (the building is in rustic mode from Alir Flow of 6pi) so perhaps there will be some others joining in soon. It is a homestead sim which I rather like. Less prims usually translates into more open spaces and / or water -- both which work for me. In this case there are four general areas. Flying around a bit will let you discover all the great spots.
I started my early morning with some new hunts which unfortunately didn't hold my interest long. Ya never know. Then I remembered that Agent Orange, a very creative and fun shop, had something going on soon. I couldn't remember just what that was, so I decided that heading to the shop might give me a clue. My old TP point left me falling from high in the air; I'm sure we've all been there, so some searching was in order. A few clicks and I was at Annamaria Bushido.
The event in question turned out to be the 80s hunt which starts on November 1st. I am really looking forward to that one; many of my favorite designers are taking part and that is usually a good sign. Anyway, the sim was so cute I did a bit of flying and exploring and found a grand opening gift at each of the shops. The red dress in this post was the gift from LARK, a very cute shop with some creative touches. Items come in the branch that you see in my photo. Complete with egg and feathers, it would be a cute addition to a garden should you have an extra 13 prims to spare.
This is a REALLY cute dollarbie sweater I found as you enter the shop. It is in a vendor on a wall and while there is a small (very small) artistic tag that says "dollarbie", it is difficult to buy. So zoom in and be persistent. While the vendor signs are very original and cute, I'm wondering how well the system will work. Only time will tell. I was wearing a sweater from Miseria at the time and I liked the layering effect, so I added just the glove layer and prim cuffs from their Ash Cardigan in cornflower, my shiny leggings from MALT and my Decoy Jully Boots in seabreeze (a few thousand of you must have those :D). Voila -- a simple and cute outfit suitable even for high traffic locations.
EDIT: A friend just went over to get the sweater and informed me that there are FOUR colors to choose from. Click on the color feather that you want to purchase. Hence my difficulty in buying :D.
Cam in close and click. I think I'll be going back for a least one more!
They are TRANSFER, so you could buy a few for friends while you are there. Happy Halloween and Samhain!
Agent Orange is giving away a dear avatar letter complete with broken glass and lots of prose :D. You can add your own photo to the frame and pine away, sobbing over lost love.
A rustic, industrial, steampunk-esce candle and holder is the gift from Industrius. When I take down my Halloween decorations, I'll have enough prims to use one or two in my shop. I'm looking forward to that.
So do a bit of exploring, take some spooky photos and have a great time at Annamaria Bushido.
The Comfort of Forgetfulness
Golden grasses sway in the foggy waters --
Alone with my thoughts and the forgotten gravestones
I remember those that came before me.
Whose lives gave mine meaning.
They have left, but I remain --
And I remember.
Visit the Haunted Graveyard at Annamaria Bushido >>
Style Notes:
Hair: = Hal*Hina = Hair -sasha- [cassis brown]
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Hope (sunkissed/br) avenue
Clothing: #1 My Precious by Agnes Finney* Fairy Princess Black (new release - review copy)
#2 {Lark} Bustier Dress (opening gift free here)
Shoes: BAX Prestige Boots Black Leather
Accessories: #1 Alienbear Design (Sirvart Dark Set (black) (new release - review copy)
#2 **DM Designs** Isabeau set (white) (new release - review copy)
Download my Windlight settings for this locale HERE.
There is so much of a backstory on this post, that I'll be doing another just on the Anamaria Bushido sim.
As promised though, I am adding studio shots of the clothes. Arty is fun, but I know you want to see the way outfits look in the sunlight too *wink*.
Another new addition to the blog will be notes on review copies. This comes from a post at Gogo's about readers wanting to know. I have made it clear many times that I don't buy things very often so if an item isn't free, you can assume it was either a gift or a review copy. Still, it's a simple enough addition and if it helps some of you, I am happy to do that.
Alienbear Designs and My Precious released their items together. The jewelry as well as the dress come in a variety of coordinating colors. Being a neutral gal, I chose black. The dress is saucy and has a bit of a cabaret feel to me. Hence the BAX boots choice. You could easily wear heals if you want a more ladylike look, or add fishnets if you are really in that black widow mood.
The necklace comes in two parts. The spider piece is separate from the actual necklace, so you have three looks. I am guessing that wearing the spider alone was not the designer's plan, but the fragility of those spider webs that seemed to grow out of my shoulders sucked me in and I found I liked that piece the best.
I also like the attention the spiderweb gives to the back. It glows in the dark -- seductively. Be sure and click on the thumbnails for larger pictures so that you can see the details. You can of course wear the necklace without the accompany spiderweb.
My second set of jewelry hales from DM Designs. Also a new release, the pearl set comes in a variety of colors. Again, basic little me chose white :D. The set includes earrings, bracelet and ring as well as the long pearl necklace.
Extremely adaptable, they can go dressy or casual, and if you keep your outfit simple as I did in the photo above, you can wear them all together without overdoing. Yeah!
The cat suit shown in the photo essay is part of a set from LARK who I will tell you more about in my next post. The outfit comes with optional leggings (just past the knee) so there are a variety of ways to wear this. An opening gift, find it in -- a gift box *wink* in the small store.
Even though the swampy graveyard was meant to be spooky, I found it quite comforting. More on that part of the story soon.
Out of the mist -- in the dark of night
I come.
I do not bring death -- only its message of arrival.
I am the banshee.
Visit the graveyard at Duskwood >>
Style Notes:
Hair: Alli&Ali Designs Crazy Magician Hair Red (new release)
Skin: *Illuminati* Female - China - Mashup (free Nightmare Eden)
Clothing: hO wEAr :: Lady (hO) Gaga (new release), E! Eclectic Apparel Fishnet Leggings (Black)
Shoes: BAX Prestige Boots Black
Accessories: Grim Bros red fog module (group Halloween gift)
Some items may be gifts, prizes or simply no longer available. If you are having trouble locating a particular item, feel free to send me a message in world or add comment here on the blog and I will do my best to answer your questions.
Download my Windlight settings for this locale HERE.
This dramatic skin is part of a gift from the [Gauze] Gift bag! at Nightmare Eden. Find it at the beginning of the adventure when you come out of the cryo-chambers.
I went back with my gal friend yesterday and we redid the hunt -- this time solving ALL the puzzles with logic and aplomb *wink*. The ending was the same, but I am happy we did it again. So if you are stuck somewhere, send me an IM or notecard in world and I'll do my best to come up with a hint or two.
I was very taken with this skin. Actually I wouldn't exactly call it a "skin" as it is fairly unfinished in many ways. It is more like a skin colored bodysuit. I do, however love the face; my favorite October themed skin of this season. There is a guy version too with the same face. I am guessing that the torso is a bit different :D.
Find the skins along with some nice striped leggings right out in the open. These were obviously added after the premier, so if you went in the first few days, you missed them.
What do you wear with such unusual "make up" ? Why unusual hair of course. When I first opened this relatively new release from Alli&Ali I went " WOAH!". I mean this is big hair; not something I would wear often methinks. But it is perfect for this skin. Surprises abound.
My skimpy attire is part of yesterday's hO wEAr gift. A free new release every weekday, this business model seems to be working. The sim is packed most of the day and group chat has people mentioning what they just bought. So it is a win-win.
My red fog cloud was part of an outrageous Halloween group gift pack from Grim Bros. You just never know when you might need a red fog. I attached it to my foot since I couldn't rez at the sim. Thanks Greenlife coders for giving users that extra attachment point -- even if Emerald users are the only ones that see things correctly.
You can read up on banshees here at Wikipedia.
New Bangles
Posted by Chic Aeon in shopping on Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Every once and awhile I get the urge to be creative and build something. The spirit hit me and I just put up a new set of bangle bracelets at Xstreet. There are two of the larger bangle sets and one of the smaller (left arm only). Each of the separate bangles is color change with 17 color options. The metal trim also has choices. So thousands of possibilities here :D.
They are $15 for all three bangle sets.
My poses are from the Jazz Hands collection from [LAP]. So much fun! I hope you made it by during the sale. Gloves from SPORK and cami from .: WEiRD.DESiGNS : .
Homemaker Halloween Freebies
A quick post here before the bewitching hour gets me.
You've probably heard that there is a trick or treat event going on at the MALT and Juicy sims. Quite a few designers have joined in with some fun prizes that won't hurt your pocketbook. Pay $1 to click on the very pretty harvest basket and get a prize.
I did a little perusing of some of the offerings and decided to try my luck at Mudhoney. Not only do I love Mudhoney's designs, I need housewares more than clothes these days. The joke was a tad bit on me, but I have no complaints. I was busily clicking the trick or treat basket thinking that one of the prizes was the chair I am sitting in above. Ten tries or so and seven prizes later, I figured out that the chair wasn't in the basket.
Now I had seen a box for sale for $1 that said it was a garden set, but the contents said it was "just" the table. So, logically (or not) I assumed that was something you could purchase to go with the chairs you won. Well, DUH!
I did buy the table for a linden only to find that when it appeared in my inventory it was an aggregated item. And it turned out to be the set I wanted all along. So #1 this is a wonderful set with some great poses and animations (one where you almost fall asleep and wake yourself up) and #2 you can get the whole set for a buck -- VERY hard to beat that -- in that pink box in the top photo. There are five poses in the chairs and they are adjustable for body placement. I think the chairs are 12 prims a piece.
The Mudhoney prizes include a really cute building block Happy Halloween set, some nice luminarias in various patterns, and two very nice styles of pillow -- both going well with my easy chairs. So, I am a very happy gal.
I should mention that like this basket, many are not all that clear just what you are trick or treating for. There are no bad prizes as far as I know, no wormy apples and the like. So it is a little like a grab bag.
Another great Halloween gift, albeit in a different mode, is the Vampire Cuddle tub from Parajen Homes . They are the makers of the stone house I've lived in since July. This is a superb SOM to join if you have a house or need a house. The tub arrived a couple of days ago and I am guessing it is still in the archives. It has a poseball rez set for cuddling and biting, and it comes with a separate blood splattered floor piece. You could use your own poseballs of course if you are single.
If you TP over to Parajen, you also have a chance to win some great prizes. There are five pumpkins at the TP point. You can pick one and get a prize. One per avatar. I won the grand prize last night, but TPed a bunch of friends in to find out what was in ALL the pumpkins. (Oh-I-am-such-a-good-blogger.)
The biggest prize is this Gothic castle. Three floors and somewhere around 87 prims if I remember correctly. It is BIG.
Other prizes include a fireplace, a bed just like mine (built in poses in foot and poseball system in bed) but with different textures, and an chest with books. There is also a side table not shown. So if any of these would work in your home, come take a chance. If you join the Subscribo, you have the opportunity to vote for next month's prize which is a skybox. When I was there last night, the special feature that was winning the vote was a secret room, and the style most favored was Steam. Works for me.
Whew! That's my news. Have fun out there. Make your homes beautiful.
Moving Appendages
So ---- :D
There have been more Emerald updates lately and I downloaded twice a few days ago. My timing was definitely bad and I downloaded about five minutes before a LL update caused yet another update in Emerald. There are some new issues, or at least "I" have some new issues which I'll mention further down as they are important to retailers, but I just had to show you this shot of the forum posts.
A lot of folks seem to have some inventory issues. I may have lost some inventory but all steps to regain in either viewer have proved fruitless. Note, however, the post with the BIGGEST number of views and replies. Gals joke about guys and there need for "parts" in SL®, but look at those numbers on bouncy boobs! How funny.
I haven't tried, I haven't cared; my breasts are tiny and most likely don't move anyway, but I thought it very indicative of how our RL obsessions move into our virtual worlds with us. Just wanted to share.
Edited: Problem solved and text deleted so no to confuse further. No worries. It was me, alas. And I learned a new trick. This is good. Thanks to Toy on the Emerald Forums.
Sleeping City
Posted by Chic Aeon in places, shopping, sneak peak on Monday, October 26, 2009
Quiet city. Sleeping. Put to bed with sodium vapor as its night light.
Stardom is fine in small doses. Loneliness attaches to the fame.
Without an audience, I am free to be me.
The shadows are my best -- and sometimes only -- true friends.
Visit Eugene >>
Style Notes:
Hair: Maitreya Piper II - Copper
Skin:[] ::Tuli::[] Hope (ivory) 03 (PU), *AnnaH* - Nailpolish (gloves) *black nightmare*
Clothing: [LeLutka] - Penelope a Part Time Pirate dress Dusk (recent group gift), G.L.A.M Tintable Metallic Lycra Tights
Shoes: ABOMB Lei v2 Ankleboot (new release)
Accessories: [} Jasha {] Acaex Bracelet (pre-release)
Some items may be gifts, prizes or simply no longer available. If you are having trouble locating a particular item, feel free to send me a message in world or add comment here on the blog and I will do my best to answer your questions.
Download my Windlight settings for this locale HERE.
This post highlights some not quite out yet bracelets from Jasha. I'm wearing a prototype here. The bracelets on my left arm are actually in two parts, so you could opt for just the dainty set or just the matching -- or both. I can't guarantee that the final version will be exactly like this, but I can say they are VERY pretty. Click for a larger photo. Well, I bet you knew that!
PACADI Jasha is the result of the style collaboration between Lotta Shelman and Julia Tower. Lotta worked under the MAEVA brand when she met Julia in February 3rd of this year. Together they decided to focus on the development of their new brand PACADI Jasha and the lifestyle-oriented enterprise was born.
Enjoy PACADI Jasha Style Book online : http://issuu.com/glanceinternationalagency/docs/pacadi_jashafall09collection
Also new, boots galore from A-Bomb. The ones shown here are my favorites of the new releases. Like most of the A-Bomb shoes they are color change and resize. Some good news -- albeit a little confusing if you are used to the older A-Bomb system -- the color change now is in just ONE shoe and works for both. Much easier once you figure that out. Reading the note card is always a good thing *wink*.
Tipping My Hat
Have you noticed?
After a period of yawningly boring fashion shots, the feeds are blooming with new creativity. They are once again a pleasure to peruse. Whether it's news kids on the block or oldsters working a little harder, I for one am thrilled.
Just tipping my hat to those that are raising the bar!
Said hat is another great gift from Vanilla C. Designs at the Sn@tch Nightmare Eden Hunt. This is the larger hat of two. I'll be heading back over Wednesday to see if I can't REALLY solve that puzzle. Pose from the Jazz Hands group by LAP.
Darkness lies behind the facade.
It is a town known for its propriety.
Well dressed ladies dance gaily at balls, attend lectures -- and sometimes venture too close to the insane asylum on the hill.
I heard that Brigette was one of those proper ladies, until one foggy night when she lost her way.
What happened to her? No one really knows. But she lives alone now -- with her rats and her razor. Afraid of the bumps in the night; afraid of places she dare not return.
Visit the rats in Arkham >>
Style Notes:
Hair: top: Maitreya Piper II - Autumn, bottom Alli&Ali Designs "Rock Out" Hair Auburn
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Hope (ivory) 03 (PU)
Clothing: Brigette (new release - two styles - Dainty & Disturbed) by ~L&S~ Medieval Gowns & Swords
Shoes: ::Duh:: Women's Rust Cowboy Boot (new release - this color in the Lucky Chair)
Accessories: "Wild spirit" authentic INCA TEMPLE necklace, .:* LOULOU&CO *:. - A Small Cutting ? legband, Silent Sparrow sweeney straight razor, BLOODY MESS + Fallen Gods Inc. + blood splatters (pants layer)
Some items may be gifts, prizes or simply no longer available. If you are having trouble locating a particular item, feel free to send me a message in world or add comment here on the blog and I will do my best to answer your questions.
Download my Windlight settings for this locale HERE.
This was a fun shoot with little traveling as it was my backyard. Just as in my story, there seem to be two sides to the Miskatonic Valley, one calm and collected with lovely Victorian houses, and the other -- much darker *wink*. I am sure there are plenty of life parallels in that statement.
The lovely dress -- and not so lovely but very cre-a-tive dress, are two sides of the same design. The Disturbed version includes a large bloody flesh slash in the back. It also includes a worn and disheveled skirt. The is no blood on the pantaloons, but there is plenty on the skirt. While I will be adding the Dainty version to my Arkham outfit folder, I'll probably not be wearing the blood stained one too often. At least I hope not; you never know in my neighborhood.
The boots are the newest release from DUH and come in tons of colors including a free light gray pair in the SOM. Fat packs, as always, are a great value. These include resize scripts and optional shoe for AO and walk sounds.
The leg band is filled with all sorts of little vials, scissors and an assortment of straight razors. I am guessing this was a hunt prize from last year so most likely not available, but if you need something like this, check with lolly Carlberg, the designer. The blood splatters that I wore over my long undies were indeed a hunt prize from long ago :D. I KNEW they would come in handy eventually.


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Web Series
I made this page to collect all my posts about web series in a central location. I tried to organize them for better browsing, and at the bottom I posted, in full, my introductory post on what a web series is, and how it's distributed and seen by viewers.
The Web Series Market: Research, Stage One
Fine Brothers on Where and How to Publish Your Videos
Fine Brothers: Making and Marketing Hit Videos
Branded Entertainment and the story of MTV's Valemont
Web Series Research (first introduction)
Babelgum Aims to Bend Genres, Rule Phones This Halloween
Web Series Remix "Sex and the City"
Finding a Comedy Audience in a Crowded Web Series Market
Lost Alum Finds His Way on the Web with Valemont
The Old Internet Is New Again: If I Can Dream and Chatroulette
Black Hulu: Creating a Home for Independent Online Video
Black Web Series and New Black TV (with list)
Buppies, Tatyana Ali, and the Value of Making a Web Series
Chick Gives Women (and Women of Color) a Story of Freedom, Empowerment
Black Television on the Web Gets More Coverage
Beyond "Black Hulu:" Rowdy Orbit's Ambitious Bid to Build a Web Series Market
Orlando's Joint: Young, Urban, Stoned and Running a Business
Super-Indie Web Series Semi-Dead Advances Horror-Comedy Trend
YouTube's Black Stars: A Look Back (and Ahead)
An Actor Turns Entrepreneur: Al Thompson Sells His Web Series to Atom
List of Gay/Lesbian Web Series
Introduction to Gay/Lesbian Web Series List
"Anyone But Me" Creators On Web Series, Coming Out and Being The "Un-Gossip Girl"
"Drama Queenz" Returns With A Fierceness (And A Few Guest Stars!)
Making Web Shows: "Real Girls" Are More Diverse, Less Frivolous
What is a Web Series: A Guide and Introduction (below)
Original Primer (not recommended): Part 1, Part 2
What is a web series? To anyone in the industry right now, this post will be elementary. Apologies in advance. But I think for academics and maybe aspiring producers, this might be useful. I've had a bunch of hits on my old primer, but it's rough at best. I'm also posting this so if you're doing something with web series I don't mention you can let me know — I want to have the most complete picture possible of this medium.
When I talk about researching web series to friends and colleagues, I often hear: "what do you mean by that?" There are hundreds (thousands, likely) of web series. Here's my attempt to give people some basic information, based on ongoing interviews with producers, marketers, distributors and others.
Please, if I'm missing something or made an error, comment or contact! I'll update with new information; I want this to be a resource.
People call web series (singular and plural) different things.
Web series appears to be the dominant term at this point. I've read web serials used, particularly by the Times' Virginia Heffernan, and while I quite like this term, and I think I'm losing on that. Webisodes is often used. I believe this term started early because the videos were not really conceived as part of overarching narratives (especially if you think of transmedia extensions). I'm not sure if this term will persist. I also like web shows, which seems perfectly logical. Variations on several words have been used: online, content, programs, original, scripted, video, web, webisodic (online scripted content, original web programs, webisode series, etc.)
Content can be categorized most generally as fiction (scripted or original) or reality.
Under "reality," I would put talk shows (Anytime with Bob Kushell), how-to shows (Get Cookin' with Paula Deen), news and information (Primetime Recap), vlogs (The Philip DeFranco Show; That Makes Me Think Of with Ze Frank), documentary/docu-series (Hungry Nation), "reality" (like docu, except closer reality TV codes, Freshman Year, The HotBoyz Show). I would even add reality sketch/satire as a genre to include shows like Barely Political and Newsweek's The District that riff of current events for comedy. Of course the line between "reality" television and "fiction" is consistently blurry, and even these categories are not discreet. A show like Rocketboom crosses a few of them.
Under scripted content, the divisions are only slightly more clear. Most television genres apply: sci-fi/fantasy (After Judgement; Valemont), comedy (The Guild), sketch (Comedy Gumbo), and drama (Quarterlife) appear to be the main categories. Whether something like ARG (alternative reality) is a genre or a strategy is I think up for debate. Of course, once again, there is genre-blending. The Crew is a sci-fi comedy; Legend of Neil a fantasy comedy; Fred is a comedy vlog (comedy crosses a lot of genres). There are probably several genres and sub-genres we don't even have names for.
In general, web series have been treasure troves for narrative and genre experimentation, challenging conceptions of a lot of TV categories. The Fine Brothers' ambitious experimentation with this model in MyProfileStory is just one example (shame it hasn't been completed).
Under scripted content, I would again divide it into original and transmedia/derivative. This isn't so much a distinction in story/narrative, so much as business model (next), but it's an important one. I do think there's a difference between content that extends a mainstream brand, i.e. transmedia extensions (the countless network-produced shows to build on TV properties like Heroes, Gossip Girl, 30 Rock, The Office, Ugly Betty, Psych and on and on) and most of the shows listed above, which start with little name recognition and have to build brands, franchises, narratives and characters from scratch. Of course, not all transmedia properties are derivate, and not all mainstream. One only needs to look at Sally Potter's recent film Rage, made a mini-series on Babelgum (online and mobile), to see how serialized digital content are crossing media in very interesting ways.
In general I do think it's important for researchers looking to study web series to take these distinctions into account. It makes little sense comparing the Heroes offshoot Slow Burn with The Guild, Fred, or Hungry Nation. People watch different types of shows for different reasons and with vastly different expectations.
Business Models (Production, Distribution, Exhibition):
Ah, the business of the web series. Online, as with television, business is as important as story. We are, as cliche as it sounds, in the age of niches, narrowcasting, micro-casting, targeting and all that, so the question of who you want to reach and how you reach them is integral to understanding what web shows are.
This is question zero. How do I get money to make my show? It seems creators take a number of routes:
Solo/Independent: Also known as the "debt" or "bagels" approach. Rack up credit card bills, get friends to come on as crew members, don't pay anyone (except Guild-style, "with bagels") and hope to have enough footage for at least six 5-7 minute episodes. An awful lot of web series are made like this to this day, and some even go more than one season on this model. Classic shows like The Guild and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog were famously produced on a dime, but only temporarily. Joss Whedon eventually paid for Dr. Horrible with distribution deals and DVD sales; The Guild funded part of its second season through PayPal before its Microsoft/Sprint deal. With rare exception, an independent producer can keep the series by creating its own revenue source. The most popular YouTubers (Michael Buckley, Lucas "Fred" Cruikshank) can accomplish this through the site's partner program; relying on viewer support is not necessarily the best option (okay, it's barely an option at all).
Many content creators self-produce the first season to pique interest from marketers, potential sponsors, distribution/network sites or TV networks themselves. Others simply use it as a portfolio item to get work in Hollywood. There's at least one success story for each of those strategies (I've spoken to people saying this or that works, and stories are reported all the time) but my sense is success is rare. After all, with the wealth of shows being made, competition is fierce and quality has to be high.
I suspect we are in a special time when this model will still fly. I imagine, if the industry grows, that shows on such limited budgets won't be able to compete if more money pores into the market. We might talk about this time of 100% independent production with nostalgia: "I can't believe that actually worked!" we'll say.
Sponsored: Having a sponsor pay for production is one of the ideal ways of getting a show made and distributed. How does one get a sponsor? There are many ways. Some websites that publish web shows will work with creators to find a sponsor that fits the show. In other cases, there are firms whose mission it is to marry concepts/scripts/series with brands (Gennefer Snowfield's firm Space Truffles is the only example I know of at the moment). Brands also have their own divisions within companies that are tasked with cultivating sponsorship opportunities.
There are numerous stories of how brand/series partnerships happen. Sometimes it happens contemporaneously: a website decides to distribute a show and sponsor comes on (BET.com and CoverGirl for Buppies; MTV and Verizon for Valemont; and I'm sure this is how it works for network shows like Sprint, NBC and Heroes or Mastercard, USA and Psych). Other times, the series and sponsor find each other without too many middle men (as I imagined happened with Ashton Kutcher's KatalystHQ and Nestlé/Frito-Lay; or Candace Bushnell and Maybelline for The Broadroom). Shows like Fox and Altoids' Brainstorm and Ikea's Easy to Assemble are quite intimately connected with the brand.
Sponsorship deals come in a diverse array of packages. Some include brand integration (product placement, primarily). Others have their brand featured prominently near the show on its website. Pre-roll and post-roll ads are still being used, but I'm finding a lot people saying those words under their breath; pre/post isn't much loved. Sites like Koldcast are experimenting with creative forms of brand integration (their show-shops, which would allow brands a space to provide more information/sales ops for their products in and around shows). Sponsorships sometimes come, as well, with interesting distribution opportunities (below).
Networked: "Networked" isn't an official term. What I mean by this are the handful of sites that will pay for the production of your web show in order to place it on their site. Sony's Crackle.com is a prime example; Koldcast, Babelgum, and MyDamnChannel are others. Getting on one of these sites involves pitching your show, either a script, concept or pilot.
Vertically-integrated: This is the WatchMojo option. Although WatchMojo isn't really focused on web series per se, they do create videos around themes and topics and distribute them widely. Most importantly, the produce their own videos, with their own production teams and videographers.
Other Production Issues:
Length: It seems the growing consensus is longer is better. That being said, the vast majority of web shows still have episodes well under 10 minutes, largely, I imagine, for financial reasons. There is the notion that users won't sit still for longer than 10 minutes, but with more people watching TV and movies online, this is increasingly untrue. It remains to be seen whether 22 minutes+ will be de rigeur for web series. What matters most right now are compelling characters and narratives.
Quality: Higher production value is better; pretty simple. Some shows get away with less (Fred) but for most, if it looks good, it'll do better. I don't have time to write down Film Production 101, but obviously I'm talking about lighting, sound, editing, etc.
Where to place videos online is really at the heart of where the web series market will go. Unlike in television, online distribution has lower economies of scale, meaning no three sites have dominated distribution like NBC, ABC and CBS did in the early days of television. What this means is that there are many central destinations online, organized by niches and programming types, much like TV today (lots of channels, no one dominates).
Mass – Large video aggregators take video uploads (without too much) discrimination or (much) curating. YouTube is the main portal, but MySpace and Facebook are equally powerful (increasingly Facebook). Blip.tv, Break, FunnyOrDie, Dailymotion, Veoh, Vimeo are just a few of a large slate of sites that allow users to upload videos. It all depends on the producer's needs. Beginners should spend some time on each site getting to know the culture and the flows. A series that works on YouTube might not work on FunnyOrDie, or vice versa. Sometimes these sites change layouts and structure, so what would have worked no longer does or what couldn't have worked may now have a shot (I've heard this particularly about Facebook, and it seems inevitable with YouTube). In general these sites have lots of competition and loads of professional content, so shows need to work hard to market and build communities. Some of these sites, like Blip.tv and Revver, have revenue-sharing deals and/or more involved distribution opportunities.
Network – If you haven't noticed already, I use the term network in different contexts and not always in the traditional way. Here I mean network like we think of ABC or Bravo: sites that only publish certain shows based on quality and the site's overall brand identity. Sites like Koldcast, NextNewNetworks, MyDamnChannel, Crackle, CollegeHumor, Babelgum, Strike.tv, Revision3, VisioWeb, RowdyOrbit, BBTV and Hulu all edit what they show on their sites to various degrees. Typically a show has to be pitched or picked up from being popular elsewhere to get on these sites. What they offer producers is a built-in fanbase, access to advertisers/sponsors (sometimes), and funding in various forms.
Brand – Brands and advertisers have been known to make their own sites to publish web shows. Hot Pockets' Eatfreely.org for KatalystHQ and Post Shredded Wheat's ThePalaceofLight.com are recent examples. These sites take on various forms, depending on what the brand wants.
Independent – New shows will often just create a website on their own, sometimes with/sometimes without advertising. Few saavy producers rely solely on their site however, and often use another site's video player (YouTube, Veoh, what have you) as a way to keep a foothold in another space. This is a more advanced but favorable option than just publishing solely on a large site like YouTube. It gives the producer more freedom to craft the brand and set the tone for the show.
Fan Participation – For me, the main issue in exhibition (not already explained above in distribution) concerns audience engagement: how will people interact with and enjoy a show.
This is all site-specific. Different sites offer varied levels of interactivity — commenting, forums, character pages, etc. Nearly all sites allow comments, but certain sites are more known for comments than others. YouTube more than Hulu, for a general example.
Other sites provide rich worlds with tons of ancillary and narrative content. The shows from Electric Farm Entertainment (Brent Friedman, see the more recent Valemont) have been particularly adept at engaging audiences with complex web sites and narratives that include extra content (text/blogs, videos, mobile integration).
For those series publishing on more than one site, the consumer experience changes depending on the setting. YouTube, it seems to me, is particularly "view"-focused (having the burden of hosting most viral videos) while simultaneously being prone to active comment practices. Other sites like Crackle are cleaner and more professional-looking, perhaps increasing the distance between audience and show a bit more, but that's just my opinion.
The sites of web shows are so diverse I'll have to save the issue for another blog post. A few paragraphs cannot come close to describing the variety of ways users interact with shows and how those shows decide to interact with audiences.
My Web Series Biases
I should say that, in terms of what I like to write about and research, I have a bias toward original, scripted content. This pretty much follows my interests in television and film as well (I don't watch much reality television, even though it's fascinating, and not too many feature-length documentaries either). So when I talk about web shows, I probably mean more The Guild than Barely Political. It's really just a preference. I don't think any type of show is more or less valuable than any other. Personally I find it more interesting when an individual or a group of individuals has to create something culturally relevant and resonant from their imaginations or by remixing the events around them into something fresh.
For More Information:
There are a lot of websites that do this better than me, and the best way to learn is to read, read, read. Here are few sites I've found are really good to get you started:
Tubefilter – Marc Hustvedt, who also founded the Streamys, stays on top of the space, keeping readers updated on new and existing shows. (Tubefilter recently acquired Tilzy.TV).
NewTeeVee – Really the clearinghouse for all things online video, they have great writers who are brimming with knowledge and think both practically and intelligently about where online video is headed.
Space Truffles – Run by the very knowledgeable Gennefer Snowfield (it's her firm), this site has a slew of information on marketing web series, new series to look out for, and notes on the general industry, with a focus on branded entertainment.
Blip TV – Great advice, helpful information and a bit of random stuff thrown in from one of the largest video distributors on the web.
Beet.TV – Very business-oriented with lots of video, great if you really want to know what the big players are doing and what they're talking about (not solely focused on web series, though).
Daisy Whitney – Short, easy to understand advice and news on the business of online video.
Web Series Magazine – Also business-focused, very practical and clear.
Gennefer Snowfield's web series list.
Marc Hustvedt's web series list.
Chris Williams' web series list.
ModelMotion's web series list.
Thanks for reading!
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subset: commoncrawl


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The CEUFO (Center for Studies UFO) of Argentina received an email from a photographer (Fabián Romano) that claimed to have captured a strange being on his camera while taking some shots around the Macachín airport.
The image submitted to CEUFO is said to have been taken in midday with a Minolta digital camera. Using a lens of 135 mm and a manual speed of 1/1000.
The CEUFO analyzed the image and declared it to be that of a flying "entity". They also said that the image was of a "high strangeness". The CEUFO came to this conclusion after submitting the photograph to rigorous testing.
CEUFO also submitted the image to various centers around the globe for further examination. The curator for the Provincial Museum (Gustavo Siegentale) said that the image was "very strange" indeed. Gustavo Siegentale went on to even claim that this could be a "mammal, carnivore and with wings" obviously "an unknown species".
According to The CEUFO, the image was then submitted to the Special Criminal Division (police) of La Pampa. The division, using hi-tech equipment that is usually used for criminal cases, said that the in the photograph, one can see eye sockets, a beak and the object could be 80 cm tall (32 inches). Taking in reference the airplane's propellor in the background.
The CEUFO also said that this was not the only reported sighting of the creature. There has been other situations were people have seen strange creatures in or around the airport area. Further investigations are pending.
Source: http://naturalplane.blogspot.com


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I've been seeing more and more stories popping up all over various news outlets about high gas prices lately. Most have been about how the issue will effect the November presidential election, but it's only a matter of time before the conversation moves to real estate again.
Rather than re-writing all of my thoughts on this issue, I thought I'd get out in front of it this time with a wrap-up of the posts I wrote the last time this topic spiked in the collective consciousness back in mid-2008 (whoa, has it really been that long?).
Let's say you've got a 30-mile commute from Sultan to Redmond (one of my former coworkers did that—yuk), and that your car gets a decent but not great 25 miles to the gallon. At $2.50 per gallon, you were spending $30 a week (~$120 a month) on gas for the commute. At today's $4.00 per gallon, that is up to $48 a week (~$192 a month), a difference of $72 per month, or $900 more per year.
So lets say you decide to move in closer, to Kirkland or Woodinville. Now your commute is just 6 miles, and a week's worth of commuting costs you just $10, saving you a grand total of $1,900 per year.
From Will High Gas Prices Save Close-in Neighborhoods?
Pretty much any way you slice it, the higher cost of housing close-in far outweighs any financial benefits you get by cutting your commute. Run the numbers for any pair of far-flung vs. close-in cities around Seattle and you'll find the same thing.
What I'm trying to get at here is that the "high cost of gas" argument for why close-in neighborhoods will somehow retain their value just doesn't wash.
There is value in living close to your job, but with the current dynamics of home prices and gas prices, that value is simply not financial.
That post also included this handy reference chart:
Finally, from Beating a Dead Horse: Gas Prices
I'm not saying that there aren't a lot of convincing reasons to want to live "close-in." I'm also not making some sort of general statement about the overall economics of living further out. Articles such as these are making the claim that gas prices alone will drive people into more expensive in-city real estate. I'm simply saying "prove it."
True, homes are considerably cheaper today than they were four years ago when we had this discussion last time, but unless you're commuting daily between Bellingham and Tacoma, the cost of gas (however high it is) is still likely to be dwarfed by the housing costs of moving to a closer-in neighborhood.


text:
Obama Complains That TPP Critics Are 'Conspiracy Theorists' Who 'Lack Knowledge' About Negotiations
from the well,-that-would-appear-to-be-your-own-fault deptIt's become fairly clear that the TPP agreement is in trouble these days (for a variety of reasons). And it appears that President Obama is losing his cool concerning the agreement and its critics. In a press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, President Obama lashed out at TPP critics, calling them "conspiracy theorists" whose criticism "reflects lack of knowledge of what is going on in the negotiations." Oh really?
If you take an issue like drugs, for example, the United States does extraordinary work in research and development, and providing medical breakthroughs that save a lot of lives around the world. Those companies that make those investments in that research oftentimes want a return, and so there are all kinds of issues around intellectual property and patents, and so forth.Um. You know why those complaining may "lack knowledge of what is going on in the negotiations"? Perhaps it's because the USTR -- a part of the Obama White House -- has insisted that the entire negotiations take place in complete secrecy with no transparency at all. If President Obama doesn't want conspiracy theories about the agreement, and wishes that its critics were more informed about the negotiations, he can change that today by instructing the USTR to release its negotiating positions and promise to make all future negotiating positions public.
At the same time, I think we would all agree that if there's a medicine that can save a lot of lives, then we've got to find a way to make sure that it's available to folks who simply can't afford it as part of our common humanity. And both those values are reflected in the conversations and negotiations that are taking place around TPP. So the assumption somehow that right off the bat that's not something we're paying attention to, that reflects lack of knowledge of what is going on in the negotiations.
But my point is you shouldn't be surprised if there are going to be objections, protests, rumors, conspiracy theories, political aggravation around a trade deal. You've been around long enough, Chuck — that's true in Malaysia; it's true in Tokyo; it's true in Seoul; it's true in the United States of America — and it's true in the Democratic Party.
But he won't do that. Why? Because the USTR has admitted that if the public knew what was going on with the TPP, it wouldn't support the agreement. And so the negotiations continue in secret. And the President Obama gets frustrated about a lack of knowledge and conspiracy theories? Really?
Filed Under: barack obama, conspiracy, criticism, secrecy, tpp, transparency, ustr


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The latest crash test results released by Latin Ncap this week reveal that the safety levels of some popular cars sold across Latin America are still 20 years behind the industrialised countries and below global standards.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (Ancap) noted the increase in safety over the range of vehicles tested by collegiate programme Latin Ncap, but expressed alarm about extremely poor ratings for two vehicles and concern about another that also achieved a poor rating.
The Renault Sandero and Chinese-made JAC J3 were the worst performers of the eight cars tested in Phase III of Latin Ncap crash testing - both with a one-star safety rating.
The Volkswagen Clasico (Bora) also scored poorly with a three-star safety rating. Progress has been made, however, with several Latin American-sold models achieving four-star safety ratings. These include the Volkswagen Polo, Renault Fluence, Honda City, Toyota Etios and Ford Fiesta.
"In Latin American countries there is no government regulation of vehicle standards and manufacturers are taking advantage of this, selling cars with minimal, if not any, safety features whatsoever," said Ancap chairman Lauchlan McIntosh.
Several vehicles tested by Latin Ncap have demonstrated major structural differences when compared to the same model produced for a different market.
McIntosh added: "The majority of the results released by Latin Ncap to date are of great concern. Almost 40 per cent of the cars they've tested have scored a safety rating of one star or even poorer. This is sure to raise a red flag with consumers and should serve as a warning to all manufacturers that substandard levels of construction and lack of vital safety features will not be accepted by new-car buyers.
"In Australia, the Renault Laguna was the first car to achieve the maximum five-star Ancap safety rating back in 2001, so this one-star result for the Renault Sandero sold to markets such as Latin America is difficult to accept. Manufacturers talk often of a 'world car' without guaranteeing world-class safety."
The influence of Latin Ncap, a non-regulatory, consumer-driven programme established in 2010, is beginning to take effect with Ford and Volkswagen confirming airbags for the driver and front passenger will now be a standard fitment in the Fiesta and Clasico (Bora) models for all Latin NCAP markets.
"We are only now starting to see the fitment of airbags in models sold to the Latin American and Caribbean market - over 20 years after they were introduced in Australia. This is a step in the right direction but I want to emphasise that the fitting of airbags in cars which lack structural integrity is not an effective safety measure," said McIntosh.
Latin America is a rapidly growing vehicle market and source of production. It also has the world's highest per capita fatality rate from road crashes - 26 per 100,000 people, likely to rise further to over 30 per 100,000 by 2020.
In Australia the number of road crash deaths per 100,000 population reached such a peak of 30 in 1970 and has decreased to 5.9 today. Research has shown that safer cars have made a major contribution to this reduction.


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FORT SMITH — Arkansas wine producers soon can resume shipping their bottles directly to individual customers who have visited their winery.
Act 483 of 2013, which goes into effect Friday, also allows Arkansans who visit wineries in other states to have wine shipped directly to them. Both types of sales were prohibited as part of the Small Farm Winery Law of 2007.
"It's a step in the right direction for the Arkansas wine industry. It's not perfect, but it's good for us and consumers," said Michael Post, CEO of Mount Bethel Winery in Altus and president of the Arkansas Wine Producers Association. "It's not a huge marketing avenue for us, but every little bit is critical, especially for smaller wineries. We get a lot of requests to ship our specialty wines that you can't get in stores."
Mount Bethel's elderberry wine and blueberry wine, for example, can only be bought from the winery. The wine is produced in such small quantity that distributors do not pick it up.
Under the new law, Arkansas wine consumers can only have one case of wine per calendar quarter shipped to them. An added restriction is that the purchaser must have "physically visited the winery and made a purchase," so online sales are not possible.
Michael Lueken, an attorney with the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, further interpreted the law to include someone ordering by phone after they got home from their visit to the winery.
"I suppose if they wanted, they could buy four cases at the winery and have the winery mail them one each quarter," Lueken said.
The new wine law is something of an amendment to previous ones, like the Small Farm Winery Law, which allowed wineries to apply for a permit to sell their products in grocery and convenience stores. However, the law also went back to banning direct shipments from in-state and out-of-state wineries to accommodate a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
In 2001, Arkansas wineries were allowed to sell their products in grocery and convenience stores. A 2005 law allowed Arkansans to receive direct shipments from Arkansas winemakers, but not from wineries in other states. It created conflict, and the issue, also faced by Michigan and New York, went to the U.S. Supreme Court.
On May 16, 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Michigan and New York could not ban interstate direct shipments of wine while allowing in-state wineries to ship to residents. The justices determined that while states have the right to regulate alcohol sales, it is unconstitutional to discriminate against out-of-state wineries in favor of local businesses. The state had apparently gotten away with interstate commerce violation since 2001, when the law prohibited out-of-state wines from being sold anywhere except licensed liquor stores.
"It's changed a lot, but there's more we can do," Al Wiederkehr, CEO of Wiederkehr Wine Cellars in Altus, said of the new wine law. "I don't want to rock the boat too much just yet, but we'll work on it."
Wiederkehr, who has been at the forefront of Arkansas liquor laws since the early 1960s, recalled an old case out of Clarksville that stretched the interpretation of a law. Only one case per person of legal age was allowed, but it did not limit the number of people in a vehicle who could transport a case.
A judge ruled against the act of carpooling to pick up cases of beer in a wet county. Some took it further. Bootleggers picked up migrant workers in the area for harvest season in trucks to legally transport a case of beer each back with them to a dry county
"You have to write the laws so that it 'puts the blinders on the judge,' as the old saying goes," Wiederkehr said. "If you don't spell it out, the judge will."
Although Act 483 only states "Arkansas consumer" and "a residence in Arkansas" as the legal receivers, ABC Director Michael W. Langley said it does not mean that Arkansas wineries cannot ship to consumers in other states.
"They can ship out of state, but it depends on where they are shipping it to. Some states still do not allow shipments," Langley said.
The ABC director also said that if "any consumer," instead of just "Arkansas consumer," was used in the wording of the law it would violate interstate commerce laws because the law is concerned with Arkansas tax collection only. Businesses in other states who make shipments to Arkansas will collect their own taxes.
The winery must collect state and local sales taxes on the shipments, the law says, and the ABC must issue a permit for the winery to make the individual shipments.
State Rep. Mary Broadaway, D-Paragould, sponsored Act 483 as House Bill 1749 in March.
According the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, more than 150 bonded wineries have existed in Arkansas in the state's history. At least 11 Arkansas wineries are currently in operation.
John Lovett writes for the Times Record in Fort Smith


text:
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text:
Leg(redirected from found legs)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia.
A prolonged trend in stock market prices, such as a multiple-period bull market; or, an option that is one side of a spread transaction. See: Lifting a leg.
In a swap, the individual future cash flows that are swapped. The legs are calculated over a notional principal amount, which is not exchanged between the counterparties. Thus, in a swap, the only things traded are the two legs, which each party pays the other at set intervals over the life of the contract. For example, in an interest rate swap, one party may agree to pay the other a fixed interest rate over a notional value while the second party may agree to pay a variable interest rate over the same notional value. In this case, the fixed interest rate and the variable interest rate are the swap's two legs.
One side of a combination option. See also leg lifting, leg on, long leg, short leg.


text:
Up Close With Rebecca Minkoff — Designer, Mom and Breastfeeding Advocate!
Oct 2012
Guest post by Melissa Chapman
I always marvel at women who seem to be able to bring home the bacon, fry it in a pan and then effortlessly serve it up — all while maintaining supermodelesque style. And fashion icon Rebecca Minkoff is one of them. So of course, it was a privilege for me to sit down and chat up the amazing Ms. Minkoff at a recent launch for her Bravado Designs nursing tanks, which are not only super comfy, but also feature one of the season's hottest trends — color blocking. (And the styles are named after Minkoff's son Luca and her nephew Indy — cute!)
But lest you think fashion icon Rebecca Minkoff and Bravado Designs, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, are just collaborating to create stylish nursing tanks (which, by the way, are totally wearable whether or not you breastfeed) think again! These two powerhouses also are joining forces to give back to the community in a really big way! 20 percent of each purchase of the Limited Edition Bravado Designs Nursing Tanks designed by Rebecca Minkoffwill go to the nonprofit organization Baby Buggy. And if you purchase the nursing tank at Diapers.com, a nursing tank or nursing bra will be donated to a mother in need.
I had a few minutes to catch up with Rebecca and find out more about this collaboration and, of course, to try and glean some of her secrets to having it all!
Melissa Chapman: That dirty word: balance — how do you achieve it?
Rebecca Minkoff: Finding balance is something I struggle with it every day. For instance, as I was leaving this morning, of course, my son wanted mommy to play with him. But I also know this — I would not be happy being a full time mom or being a full time designer. I love working and I love being a mom. I know I need to have both in my life to feel good, and so I try my best to find that balance.
MC: How did you get involved with Baby Buggy and Bravado?
RM: I got involved with Baby Buggy simply because I believe in the organization and its mission. And when my son was born and my boobs got engorged, Bravado was kind enough to send me a bunch of their breastfeeding bras, and I was so grateful. And to be honest, as a breastfeeding mom, they are the only bras I use!
MC: You just came off a whirlwind fashion week — how did you juggle that?
RM: Honestly, I had my son in my Ergo, on my back and with me as much as I could. I always want to make sure he doesn't feel like I'm abandoning him.
MC: What's the best piece of advice you ever got about motherhood?
RM: The best piece of advice I've ever gotten was from my mom, who says the best thing I can do as a parent is to be relaxed. I know with your first kid, that's when moms are most nervous, but I'm really trying to take her advice to heart and not be uptight and worried about everything. I'm really trying to enjoy this time with him.
MC: What's the best advice you would give to a mom-to-be?
RM: Give birth naturally. I believe, if you skip the drugs, you'll heal so much faster. Any woman can get through contractions naturally. Visualize each contraction as taking just one minute, and focus on getting through a set of eight minutes at a time. It will help you deal with the pain.
MC: What are your mom must-haves?
RM: My Ergo carrier with insert, Bravado breastfeeding bras and Dr. Harvey Karp's _The Happiest Baby on the Block, _which has made our lives so much easier!
MC: What's your fashion advice for new moms who are not quite ready to strut the catwalk but don't want to succumb to mom jeans?
RM: Breastfeed and pump — I think it helped me lose the baby weight! I also try to find loose shirts that look great and are easy to pull up (for breastfeeding) and fitted jeans and heels — I say, accentuate the areas you feel are your best. If you carry your weight in your middle, accent your legs by wearing fitted jeans and heels with looser tops. Oh, and invest in some great jewelry! Our jewelry line hits stores and will be in Bloomingdale's in two weeks!
Who's your favorite celebrity mom? What is your favorite breastfeeding gear item?


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Tara and Lisa have these in stock at Dog Training Ireland so I picked up two.
More info and explanation: http://www.premier.com/pages.cfm?ID=75
While both Jaspar and Leo are generally OK walking on their own, when walked together they tend to pull and can pull very hard when they really want to get somewhere. Adding Lily to the walking mix has made this all more complicated, though she is very polite on the lead and doesn't pull at all.
I was out at Dog Training Ireland today and these Easy-walk Harnesses had just come in so I bought two -- I've seen them used before so had been considering them.
Well -- they are magic. They simply can't pull in these harnesses as all that happens is they turn themselves around. As soon as they start to pull they are turned to one side. All of this is gentle and not painful or pinching or anything like that. Walking the two boys was so easy -- they trotted right alongside when I got them home and took them for a test drive. They didn't even pull as we approached the doorway into a little park they love -- normally they start heaving like sled dogs about 50 feet before we get there. What a great product; highly recommended. They are widely available in the US and Tara and Lisa have them in Ireland.


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Georgia natives Luke Bryan, Phillip Phillips, Cole Swindell, The Peach Pickers (Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip) and DJ Rock will host a benefit show—dubbed The Heart of South Georgia—in their home state on Oct. 3 at the Exchange Club of Albany in Albany, Ga.
Proceeds raised from the concert will be donated to The Heart of South Georgia Fund of The Community Foundation of South Georgia to support the ongoing natural disaster relief efforts as well as other needs within the community.
"My hometown is more than a place for me—it is a way of life," says Luke. "Growing up in South Georgia has had such an impact on me in so many ways and I'm so glad that this group of amazing artists and writers are able to come back home and help those who have been hit by such devastation over the past couple of years."
"When I was asked to be a part of this event I didn't hesitate," said Cole. "Even though I get to travel the country doing what I love day after day there is nothing that gives me a sense of recharging than coming back home to South Georgia and being around the people who helped get me here. Being able to give back in some small way means the world to me."
photo by Jason Simanek


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"There is no danger that Titanic will sink. The boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers."
Phillip Franklin, White Star Line vice-president, 1912
Words that have gone down in history, for all the wrong reasons. At latitude 41° 43' 32" north, longitude 49° 56' 49" west, 370 miles (595 kilometres) southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2.5 miles (4 km) down lays the wreck of the RMS Titanic. The rust-coloured remains rest in two parts, the stern around 2,000 feet (600 metres) from the bow and facing in opposite directions.
The belated iceberg spot, a failed swerve, the lack of lifeboats and the loss of over 1,500 lives – roughly 70% of the ship's passengers and crew – the sinking of the largest and most luxurious ship built at the time has become immortalized in popular history, inspiring documentaries, television dramas and Hollywood blockbusters.
It also has become immortalized in shipping history. The ship's maiden voyage that ended in tragedy on 14 April 1912 forced a huge rethink over design and features in a number of ways, many of which still exist today. As a result, ships are built better and safer than ever before – while the world commercial shipping fleet has trebled to over 100,000 vessels, shipping losses have decreased significantly from one ship in 100 per year in Titanic's time to one ship in 670 per year, according to a report published last month by specialist marine insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty.
But as the recent Costa Concordia incident showed, we are still a long way from fulfilling Franklin's infamous boast. "The bottom line is no ship is unsinkable," says Tony Selman, vice chairman of the Radio Officers' Association. "No matter how safe a ship is, if you drive it full speed into a rock it is likely to sink."
That said, Selman admits the chances of not getting into such a perilous scenario are "infinitesimally better than they were 100 years ago". BBC Future outlines how these odds are being shifted continually in our favour, how designers, engineers and operators are working to safeguard against such a disaster happening again, and the barriers that still stand in their way.
Design flaws
Many of the structural changes made in response to the Titanic's demise are still with us today. The ship sank within three hours because of the height of its bulkheads, the upright partitions positioned within the hull to stop any breaches from flooding the rest of the ship. Like ships before it, the Titanic's bulkheads did not reach the deck above, extending only 10 ft (3m) above the waterline. When it struck the iceberg, five of Titanic's 16 compartments breached, causing the bow to dip, which in turn forced water into the remaining compartments.
As a result, the Titanic's builders Harland and Wolff extended the height of the bulkheads of the sister ships, HMHS Britannic and RMS Olympic, made them fireproof, and also fitted a second internal hull to make both more impact resistant. Ships' bulkheads also became watertight on all sides by stretching from deck plate to deckhead (floor to ceiling).
Material impact
Unlike today's sturdier ships, which are made by welding together prefabricated sections, ship hulls like the Titanic were constructed by reinforced steel plates held together like glue by millions of rivets. The reinforced steel used for the Titanic's hull may have been the most advanced of its age, but metallurgical and mechanical tests showed that it was brittle at ice-water temperatures, and cast doubts about the quality of the rivets.
Modern forms of steel are more "impact-resistant", and are around 10 times less brittle, as they contain higher levels of manganese, and lower levels of sulphur, oxygen and phosphorus. And alternatives to steel might one day be on the horizon. There is "a considerable volume of research at national and EU level" into other impact-resistant materials, according to Dracos Vassalos, professor of Maritime Safety at the University of Strathclyde.
Vassalos thinks that the long-term future of impact-resistant materials will most likely rely on engineering new compounds and structures at the atomic or molecular level – or "nanomaterials" as they are known – that possess special properties like high strength and low mass. In 2010, the US molecular engineering firm Xyvex Technologies unveiled the largest boat built from nano-enhanced materials – the Piranha USV, a 54 ft (16.4 m) vessel constructed from the first commercialised carbon fibre containing carbon nanotubes (Arovex). The company claims that the lightweight hull reduces fuel consumption (and therefore the amount of flammable fuel needed to be carried on a ship) by 75 %.
Technology upgrade
But how can you help ships steer clear of icebergs in the first place? The year after the Titanic's disaster, the International Ice Patrol (IIP) was set up to monitor the stretch of the Atlantic Ocean around Newfoundland – Iceberg Alley as it is known. The IIP still sends out a daily "iceberg watch" bulletin, originally from a host of reconnaissance ships, but now from aerial patrols and radar.
Ship crews from 100 years ago would struggle to recognise modern-day bridges, with the wealth of hi-tech equipment on display to help pinpoint locations and increase safety. The old compasses that found "magnetic north" have now been replaced by gyrocompasses that find "true north", which has allowed autopilot to be introduced on ships. Radar and depth finders that use echo sounding are vital for anticipating and spotting hazards.
But arguably the most important navigational innovation has been Global Positioning System, or GPS. Satellite-positioning technology provides the fastest and most accurate method for navigating and pinpointing location, and is not weather dependent, unlike the old calculations based on Sextant measurements of planets and stars. The newest piece of kit found on the bridge is the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) – a naval form of Google Maps that incorporates GPS, radar and an automatic tracking system for ships called the Automatic Identification System (AIS). A mandate from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will come into effect this year, requiring many international commercial ships to use ECDIS.
As important, if not more so, have been improvements in communication. The Titanic carried radio equipment with a range of 200 miles, but the strength of its transmitter drowned out signals sent and received by vessels in close proximity. Nowadays, very high frequency radio allows ships to communicate with port authorities as well as other vessels nearby, and to broadcast safety information and distress calls.
Even with all these modern technologies, mishaps still occur. Between 1980 and 2005, there were 57 incidents involving icebergs in northern hemisphere waters. "The risks really are as great now as they ever were," says Peter Wadhams, professor of Ocean Physics at the University of Cambridge. Wadhams argues iceberg numbers are increasing and so are the number of ships, many of which lack state-of-the art technologies for economic reasons. "In Canada a lot of research has been done on radically improving ship's radar to improve ice detection, but they cost a lot and no-one is going to put them into service because you wouldn't need that complexity of radar for 99% of operations," he claims.
Wadhams, whose grandfather was chief engineer on the SS Mesaba, which sent ice reports to the Titanic, believes greater regulation is vital to future safety. Currently no laws prevent ships from ignoring the IIP and sailing through iceberg-infested waters. "There are discussions going on for an international polar code that would set actual regulations for ships operating in waters where ice is possible," he says. "This would dictate where they go, what they do and what safety equipment they have to carry, but that's still being discussed."
Safety first
The most chilling memory of the Titanic's demise was its lack of lifeboats. The Board of Trade regulations required British vessels over 10,000 tons to carry 16 lifeboats with capacity for 50% of passengers and crew, and in fact the Titanic exceeded requirements by stocking 20 lifeboats, enough for 52% of the people on board.
This mistake was never repeated. Lifeboats must be provided for everyone (today's ships also carry liferafts for a further 25% of people), regular lifeboat drills and inspections must be carried out and all passengers must have the evacuation procedure explained.
No maritime regulation has saved more lives. As a number of Titanic passengers in lifeboats died from hypothermia, lifeboats must now be fully or partially enclosed to better protect against the elements, and emergency immersion suits are now available for passengers.
However, lifeboats still have their shortcomings, says Markku Kajosaari, manager of concept development at the Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. "Think notably of the disaster of MS Estonia [in 1994], where lifeboats were almost no use [due to bad weather], or even the case of Costa Concordia, where they had remarkable difficulty launching the boats," he says. "There remains clear demand for real innovation."
Some kind of back-up, or means to evacuate the vessel has to be provided. "The solution may be a further developed lifeboat with some kind of launching arrangement, an inflatable device or semi-inflatable," says Kajosaari. "There have also been several proposals for various types of capsules or floating ship sections, but the real step forward is still to come."
Virtual approach
Over the last five decades, computer modelling and analysis has increasingly replaced the type of lengthy, laborious calculations used to design ships around the time of the Titanic. But the Concordia has highlighted a re-examination in the use of computer-aided design, the maritime trade union Nautilus International told New Scientist magazine. In an eerie echo of the Titanic, the ship shouldn't have capsized as it did, listing at an angle too steep for lifeboats to be lowered from its port side, leading Nautilus to call for regulators to scrutinize current cruise ship design.
Vassalos says a huge challenge is to get countries around the world to adopt a common set of standards. "By law, no [computer simulations] are required!" he explains. "There is only one exception referred to as Stockholm Agreement, which applies only to Ro-Ro [cargo] passenger ships in the EU."
It is not an issue that looks like it will be solved anytime soon. Since the 1950s, many ship-owners have turned to open registries, called "Flags of Convenience", which allow them to register their ship in a different sovereign state to their own. The benefits of doing so include tax incentives, the ability to hire non-national crews and the often more relaxed laws of the registered state. Today more than 40% of merchant ships worldwide are registered under Panamanian, Liberian and Marshallese flags, with Liberia overtaking the UK as the world's largest shipping registrar in 1968.
Human factor
As the Costa Concordia also showed, all the design, safety and regulation changes in the world are useless when confronted with basic human error. Concordia deviated from its regularly navigated route for the thrill of passing the Italian island Isola del Giglio at close proximity. Like the Titanic, where Captain Edward Smith was encouraged to arrive in New York at day ahead of schedule, despite six ice warnings, the Concordia incident involved ignoring warning signs provided by the technology of its day.
"The Costa Concordia committed the most egregious of maritime sins by steaming into shoal water with seemingly little or no concern for the risks involved," argues retired US Navy Captain John Kunert. "Why? The answer, I submit, lies deep within the human conditions of hubris, ego and arrogance. Each of these elements, when taken individually, are fatal flaws unto themselves."
These are far from being isolated incidents. The greatest loss of life at sea during peacetime came from a collision between the MV Dona Paz and the oil tanker Vector in 1987, which killed 4,341. Only one apprentice crew member was monitoring the bridge, other officers were allegedly drinking beer and watching television, while the captain was watching a movie. The cruise ship MTS Oceanos sunk in storms off South Africa in 1991 after setting sail with a 10cm hole in a watertight bulkhead, loose hull plates and check valves stripped for repair. Then there is the Exxon Valdez which hit the Prince William Sound's reef with the captain accused of drinking and the tanker's radar reported broken for over a year.
"The human element is known to cause in excess of 80% of ship casualties," says Captain Peter Holloway, managing director of London Offshore Consultants Ltd. And yet crew undergo far less assessment in areas like psychological tests then an airline pilot would. "The main bulk of training is on-the-job and a number of tests and exams leading to the master's certificate," says Vassalos. "Operational monitoring and decision support is only embryonic in ships whilst a crucial part in aviation."
This may change in light of the recent events surrounding the Costa Concordia. The International Maritime Organization has said it will consider tightening the rules for overriding of onboard safety warning systems and examine power within the chain of command. It has yet to announce its findings.
According to the official transcripts of the US Senate investigation into the Titanic, 1,517 lives perished in a wholly avoidable collision. The good news is that the disaster revolutionised shipping safety, the bad news is that there still is a long way to go. We might have seen a host of increasingly sophisticated innovations and safety features over the past one hundred years, but one thing is certain: no-one would dare repeat Franklin's foolhardy boast.
If you would like to comment on this video or anything else you have seen on Future, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.


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You Make Us Great
The Immigration History Research Center is a world-renowned interdisciplinary research center of migration, with a focus on immigration to the United States. Throughout the year the IHRC sponsors various events with university researchers and their international peers highlighting contemporary and past immigration issues.
Your generous support for the IHRC is more critical than ever. It helps us keep, attract and retain the very best scholars and students even as state funding declines. Your tax-deductible gift helps us preserve our nation's rich immigration history, lead path-breaking research, connect with communities, engage in public dialogue, and work with teachers and students.
Choose a Fund
There are a number of ways your gift can help support our work:
- Rudolph J. Vecoli Endowed Chair in Immigration History
The Vecoli Chair, held by the director of the IHRC, is named for long-time IHRC Director Rudolph J. Vecoli, and provides for research, curriculum support, and director-led special initiatives. Recent projects supported by the endowed chair include:
- Immigrant Stories Digital Archive
- The Making of Asian America: A History (Simon & Schuster, 2015)
- Grants-in-Aid to support visiting students and scholars using the IHRC Archives
- IHRC Discovery Fund
This fund supports research, programming, and community engagement projects at the Immigration History Research Center, an interdisciplinary center within the College of Liberal Arts on the U of M Twin Cities campus.
- Recent projects supported by the general fund include:
- Global Race, Ethnicity, and Migration Monthly Seminar
- Immigrant America Conference: New Immigration Histories from 1965 to the Present (October 2015)
- Louis P. and Mary Ann Novak Scholarship
This fund supports tuition for incoming freshmen, particularly students studying Croatian, Hungarian or Central European studies. As part of the IHRC's endowment campaign, this scholarship is invested and administered by the University of Minnesota Foundation and aided by generous matching opportunities. The University of Minnesota President's Scholarship Fund will match interest generated by this fund.
The IHRC is critical to the University, our local community, and the world. Your gift can help support the next generation of leaders and thinkers.


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Every actor to play secret agent James Bond has brought their own individual style to the role, but no one gave 007 more charming cheek than Sir Roger Moore.
Moore was the third performer to assume 007's license to kill – following in the footsteps of originator Sean Connery and one-shot star George Lazenby – and also the one who served the longest in the role, appearing in seven official films over the course of a dozen years between 1973 and 1985. And while Connery is generally viewed as the definitive Bond, Moore amassed his own legions of fans by playing Bond with a more debonair detachment, all the while delivering gallows-humor quips and double entendre dialogue. "He's lovely," says the current James Bond, Daniel Craig. "I'm a huge fan of his."
"[Roger] brought enormous charisma and charm and the self‑deprecatory humor, says Barbara Broccoli, the daughter of original Bond producer Cubby Broccoli and one of the current caretakers of the franchise. "It's so much a signature of who he is. I think he's very underrated as an actor. He was always great in Bond, but he's a little bit too self-deprecatory about himself and his abilities because he has such a style. I know he's not very comfortable with that idea, that he's good, but he really is very special. And certainly, his Bond was very much of his time and very enduring. We meet so many people who just love the panache and the style and the ease with which he played the character – but it was difficult. It's not easy to pull off, and I think he was a fabulous Bond."
A vivid and witty raconteur, Moore has assembled some of his favorite memories, anecdotes and observations about his place in the pantheon of the Bond phenomenon for the lavishly illustrated memoir "Bond On Bond: Reflections On 50 Years of James Bond Movies," and after being tracked down staying under a very Bondian secret alias in posh New York hotel room, the 85-year-old actor looked back on his place in the elite fraternity of actors who've assumed the mantle of novelist Ian Fleming's super spy.
Are you enjoying the 50-year celebration?
Well, it's been very interesting, of course, since we tied in with bringing out the new book. The book just happily coincides with the fiftieth anniversary. Which is what the publishers thought would be auspicious timing. Not planned at all. [Chuckles] And the fact is that there is a lot of interest in Bond, and continues to be. And the new film, I think, guarantees another 50 years of Bond and the Bond franchise. It's quite an extraordinary piece of work, beautifully directed by Sam Mendes.
What do you think has kept Bond, unlike any other film franchise, still vital and still vibrant for audiences?
I think because it's become an old friend with audiences. You know, we're going back to the beginning of the '60s, so grandfathers take their grandsons to see it. Originally it was fathers went to see it, then they took their sons. And now those fathers take their sons. And it sticks to the formula, basically: that good will beat evil eventually. It's White Knight galloping against the forces of evil. There are always beautiful Bond ladies, interesting gadgets, cars and all that sort of thing that men like. And that women have grown to like them, too, I think – they may be going just to please their husbands, but I think now that they can see Daniel Craig in his brief, brief shorts so it's even more attractive to them.
What did you enjoy about playing James Bond?
The fun of it was that I was working with friends. All the crews were virtually the same crews most of the time, and working with the same crews, you didn't have to go through that awkward thing of finding sort of things in common, to do, to talk about. I had the same makeup people, the same hair people, the same costumers. It was like an old family. And working with Cubby [Broccoli] was a joy and a delight, and rather because he was a caring producer. He would do almost anything for the crews – even cooking! He took great care of them when they were on foreign locations.
If, for example, there were casinos, as there are in quite a number of places around the world, he would not let the crews take their full salaries, just to guarantee that when they got home they would have something left. And then I watched him go around in the casinos where we'd be on location and he takes...He used to take a pile of chips around with him and he would put them down in front of the crew to enjoy. And we also had a running backgammon game that went on through every film. It was just fun to do with fun directors and a generally wonderful, friendly atmosphere.
From reading both of your books, it seems like you took that very high level of fame and recognition factor in stride. Was it that easy to be that famous in the heyday of your stint as Bond?
I sort of never had one of those moments in my career where 'This is make or break.' I just happily went on and went from one thing to the other. Gradually became more and more famous or whatever you like to call it. And since I had 21 years working with UNICEF, that celebrity, whatever it is that you get, that's proved useful in opening doors around the world when you want to get to see people of some importance. It helps a great deal. I think because, first of all, they're curious as to why some cockamamie actor thinks he can talk on the subject of children's problems.
Did you ever have an opportunity to chat with the other actors who've played Bond?
Is there sort of like a James Bond club? Do we all get together? No. [Laughs] I used to see quite a bit of Sean when he was in Europe and in California. But now he's in the Bahamas full time so I don't get to see him. Timothy Dalton, I saw on and off from time to time when we happened to be in the same town. No, we don't sit and discuss our experiences. [Laughs] Although I must say, when Sean was making the Bond film which actually was not a Bond – because 'Never Say Never Again' wasn't a Broccoli/Saltzman film, it was a rehash of 'Thunderball' – we'd catch one another at dinner sometimes and discuss how they were trying to kill us that day. We'd always say that the producers were out to kill you. To get the insurance money, you see.
You played Bond with a light touch. Are you kind of pleased that that's your particular stamp on the character?
U.S. & World
Well, it was deliberate. Maybe it's because I do most things in the same way. I found it very hard to believe that I would be accepted as a secret agent in the real world because every barman that seemed to know the particular the drink Martini shaken, not stirred – so I don't think that's a genuine spy.
What is your actual drink of choice?
Anything I can get my lips around! No, I'm mainly a wine drinker. White wines because my wife gets migraines if she has red wine, so I have to sacrifice my desire for some reds. But I'm drinking invariably Sancerre or a Pinot Grigio. If you're sending me a bottle, I love Jack Daniels.
You admired "Skyfall." What do you like about what Daniel Craig's done with his stint as Bond?
Oh, I think that he has brought a complete reality to this character who's a killer and also vulnerable. I think he's the greatest asset that the Bond franchise has ever had and I think it's guaranteed another 50 years of the franchise going on.
In a near-Bond experience, did you have as much fun playing a delusional man who believes he's Roger Moore in 'The Cannonball Run' as it looked like you were having?
Oh it was great fun! When they asked me if I would do it, I said, 'Well, I can't take the piss out of Bond.' I don't do that. But I'll take the piss out of Roger Moore. And so I thought the idea would be to send myself up. The name was Goldfarb, Seymour Goldfarb. And I also asked for Molly Picon – I said she should be my mother, and they went out and did it. They got her.
Given that you are indelibly associated with the character, what's it like for you when you see how people react to encountering Roger Moore/James Bond?
I don't think I think about it, but for example, when my older son was at the age when they think their father's the biggest, strongest man in the world, I took him to lunch at a restaurant in West End of London and he said, 'Dad, could you beat up anybody in this room?' I looked around the room and they were all fairly old and I said 'Yes, I suppose I could.' He said, 'What about if James Bond came in?' I said, 'But Geoffrey, you know, I'm going to be James Bond.' He says, 'Yeah, but I mean the REAL one – Sean Connery.' So it's that sort of family. It keeps your feet on the ground.