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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on Mar 2, 2022 21:46:04 GMT
no offense
A phrase used to make insults seem socially acceptable.
"No offense, John, but your mom is a fucking whore." "You've got huge bitch tits, Patrick... no offense."
by bryan September 11, 2004
special military operation
An Invasion. Especially one conducted by an authoritarian regime.
"This isn’t an Invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine. It is a Special Military Operation."
by Everyman you know February 26, 2022
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Post by Cryogenic on Mar 11, 2022 5:27:25 GMT
no offense
A phrase used to make insults seem socially acceptable. "No offense, John, but your mom is a fucking whore." "You've got huge bitch tits, Patrick... no offense." by bryan September 11, 2004 special military operation
An Invasion. Especially one conducted by an authoritarian regime. "This isn’t an Invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine. It is a Special Military Operation." by Everyman you know February 26, 2022 Fascists always try to control language. On TFN, in the Kremlin -- wherever. |
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Post by Cryogenic on Mar 22, 2022 20:38:31 GMT
I posted this in the Obi-Wan miniseries thread, but I think it's justified to do a re-post here. Ewan was live on the telly on BBC's One's "The One Show" about an hour ago and he was looking good. Here's a picture from my phone:  The new Obi-Wan series got mentioned at the end of his appearance, for all of thirty seconds. Ewan instead spent the time talking about his work with UNICEF and the situation in Ukraine. Although I may be a bit grumpy about the way Ewan has spoken about the prequels, he's a good guy, and his work with UNICEF reminds you of what's really important in life. There is real evil and suffering in the world, and lots of people in need. A page about Ewan's work with UNICEF: www.unicef.org.uk/celebrity-supporters/ewan-mcgregor/If you would like to help, you can make a donation at the following address: www.unicef.org.uk/donate/donate-now-to-protect-children-in-ukraine/ |
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on Mar 31, 2022 13:32:08 GMT
Where is the button to give Cryo's post 1,000 thumbs up? It really deserves it.
I recall Ewan talking a lot and indeed showing us his work with UNICEF during his 2000s travel series, Long Way Round and Long Way Down (primarily in Africa). He may have his faults (relating to his family, anything related to the PT is frivolous by comparison), but he sure is using his public standing to the good here.
In other news, I've been getting worried about potential spoilers on Naboo News and indeed our own Kenobi thread, so unfortunately I won't be posting there. I don't think we should be discussing leaks. I'm trying to learn my lessons from getting burned by TROS.
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Post by nickromancer on May 1, 2022 23:42:00 GMT
Hello. I have been reading some of the posts here and thought I should register for if I ever had anything to post.
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Post by eljedicolombiano on May 2, 2022 1:52:20 GMT
Welcome nickromancer! we don't bite around here
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Post by Subtext Mining on May 2, 2022 11:13:56 GMT
Welcome, I believe we already know you as Watcherwithin, correct?
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on May 4, 2022 16:10:40 GMT
That awkward moment when you log-in to Naberrie Fields for the first time in ages, and discover you've a tonne to catch up on 
I admire all you guys who keep going, year after year, with no end to your contributions - and big ones at that. Probably still too reliant on Cryogenic, if we're being honest, so it's always welcome to see a new member join. We hope you enjoy your stay nickromancer
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Post by Cryogenic on May 5, 2022 0:03:06 GMT
That awkward moment when you log-in to Naberrie Fields for the first time in ages... And discover yourself making an unexpected backhanded compliment?  Ay? Yes, that's me. Wait, what? Too reliant? On moi?For a time, this website was the "Subtext and Tony" show, then it became the "Arch Duke and Cryo" show, then it kinda morphed into, ah... "Cryo and Friends"? I'm not sure what it is right now, but I like it. Speak up and start posting, you little bastards, one and all! Pyrogenic knows that I sometimes comically call this website "Naberrie Flannelheads" and other non-flattering epithets, if only because it's often so quiet around here, and people seem reluctant to get into things -- and by things, I mean, well, anything! I even include myself in that. There are times I don't post because I think "fuck it!" (mostly due to the inactivity). Or I'm too reluctant to keep speaking; because, yes, I've come to dominate this website in a way that is both satisfying and saddening. Burned out on it, in other words. What I've always welcomed is what I've more than once called a lively dialectic. You know: people arguing, chewing the cud, throwing out different opinions, refining their arguments through repetition, going on tangents, etc. Unfortunately, when you have a website that is half-dead, or permanently in a kind of sleep mode, it's difficult for any kind of discourse -- least of all a contentious, lively one -- to get going. Every time it appears to be sparking up, activity suddenly grinds to a halt again. I guess my ego likes having a big post count (and some hefty posts in general to go with it). But I hope it's only in service of the greater aim, or greater satisfaction, of trying to create some momentum. I'm sure, at times, it's had the opposite effect. "Oh, there that nerfherder Cryo goes again. Screw this." But really, if the site grew its member count and posting activity in the future to something approximating a busy, active community, I'd certainly like to think I played a part in getting it there. And that, yes, I had the privilege of gaining some readers along the way. Anyway, that probably sounds more defensive than intended. I also noted this complimentary (and, indeed, complementary) part: Well, that's the thing with discussing The Wars -- there's really no limit in sight. People have been predicting the death of the franchise, in one form or another, for decades. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but it certainly hasn't happened yet. Yep! Welcome, nickromancer ! Help yourself to a jug of Jawa Juice and hop right in. |
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on May 5, 2022 3:05:23 GMT
That awkward moment when you log-in to Naberrie Fields for the first time in ages... And discover yourself making an unexpected backhanded compliment?
I guess. There's several important threads where I am now chronically behind, and I do have some things to say. In the meantime, Seeker has certainly stepped in as a sparring partner, and Subtext activity seems to keep going up and up (he's retaken 2nd place from me).
Perhaps with the Kenobi show launching this month, I can find an excuse to start rewatching the films and engross myself in the debate here.
The upcoming Celebration, not to mention the 20th anniversary of Episode II, indeed make this a very special month. Whilst ROTS has clearly been embraced now by the fanbase, and TPM largely so, it is still a fact - and a poignant one - that Attack of Clones has yet to be fully loved.
Is there anything truly more core to the DNA of this forum than AOTC? I think I'll have to set up a special thread, "20 years of Attack of The Clones" I might call it. We can discuss there how much, or how little, the reception of Lucas' second prequel has changed, so it'll be more meta fanbase and press talk than in-universe.
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Post by Cryogenic on May 5, 2022 3:43:54 GMT
And discover yourself making an unexpected backhanded compliment? I guess. There's several important threads where I am now chronically behind, and I do have some things to say. In the meantime, Seeker has certainly stepped in as a sparring partner, and Subtext activity seems to keep going up and up (he's retaken 2nd place from me). Yup. I think Seeker is now the closest partner I have to the old exchanges between you and I on Naboo News. And certainly the one on here I have the most back-and-forth with since you were posting regularly. Just the way it goes. Subtext seems to have stepped up his activity a little bit, too. Although, in his case, the parable of "The Tortoise and the Hare" somewhat comes to mind.
You should! You started that very thread, after all. And you're quite the Obi-Wan fan, are you not? Or Obi-Wan vs. Anakin re-match fan? We're probably seeing a sudden uptick in activity largely thanks to that new trailer. As skimpy as it is, it has gotten people talking. Disney sure know how to do marketing.
That's right. There are even old threads on TFN in the PT section where it was asked and pondered, more than once, "Why is TPM more popular than AOTC?" Or: "Interesting trend: Fan are warming up to TPM and distancing themselves from AOTC."
My own little theory on that, and I concede it's only a partial explanation (if the trend is real in the first place), is that AOTC is wedged between extremes: the bold, spectacular start of the story in Episode I, and its dramatic, heart-wrenching conclusion in Episode III. It gets a little lost between two giants, despite it having a lot of important story and character detail, and the vibrant splendour of its final act, which is stashed full of intense battle action.
Then there's the love story, which many fans have expressed a problem with. In TPM and ROTS, you can treat the romance as a fait accompli (with a tragic outcome), or as something that hasn't yet happened and is just innocent friendship. In AOTC, you're made to sit through an extended courtship, done in a melodramatic way, even for Star Wars -- it's the real litmus test of whether you really "get" the prequels or not, in my opinion.
A more esoteric difference that gives AOTC a different dynamic is its attitude toward mentorship. In TPM and ROTS, Anakin has strong mentors in the form of Qui-Gon and Palpatine, working in similar ways, albeit at opposite ends of the good-evil axis. With commanding performances from Liam Neeson and Ian McDiarmid. In AOTC, however, something deliberately feels "off" between Anakin and Obi-Wan. They're very close in age and there's a lot of tension and a degree of misanthropy and nihilism absent in the other mentorship paradigms.
Then, last but not least, AOTC is clearly a bit more digital, off-kilter, and spacy than the other movies. All the other movies. The opening pan-up is very aptly reserved for AOTC -- a unique choice in the Lucas sextet. All the other movies, for want of a better expression, feel more normal. More grounded. Paradoxically, it's actually more true of AOTC in a way; it's just the vibe is different. Next time you watch, look for all the bedrooms, penthouses, palatial courtyards, meadows, villas, observation boxes, etc. AOTC arguably has more mundane "day in the life" slices and architecture that reflects day-to-day going-ons than any other entry in the series. Almost like it's deliberately bland. Yet it's so melodramatic and fantastic at the same time. All these factors combine to give the movie a very different tone and feel to the rest. AOTC, it seems, was designed to be misunderstood and at more of a remove than the other Star Wars films. "It ought to be here, but it isn't."
I think the Naboo aesthetic this site is based upon, or has melded into its own, is probably most traceable to AOTC, yes. That said: Naboo actually features more in TPM than it does in AOTC and ROTS combined. However, it kinda reaches a peak of lushness when Anakin and Padme carry out their private romance there. I suppose this intimate difference is conveyed pretty well by the present forum banner being a blend of TPM concept art for Naboo, while The Lucas Era board (and de facto place to discuss the prequels directly) uses a still frame of Anakin and Padme basking in the meadow in AOTC.
And yeah, fantastic idea for a thread. We must ensure we have such a thread!
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on May 5, 2022 4:47:32 GMT
There are even old threads on TFN in the PT section where it was asked and pondered, more than once, "Why is TPM more popular than AOTC?" Or: "Interesting trend: Fan are warming up to TPM and distancing themselves from AOTC."
Interesting. To that I would add, if Christensen's performance has been mostly been re-embraced by the fanbase - remember, it's why he's been cast in this series to begin with - then Portman barely has. Evidently, enjoying AOTC and Portman's portrayal of Padmé are niches.
The fanboys shouting the loudest has plenty to do with Episode II not getting the online affection it deserves too. Boys will be boys, as they say.
Going back to the subject of this thread, I do think the old-fashionedness of this forum puts a limit on the number of members we can attract, and keep. The post-2010 internet is not quite the one you knew from the 2000s. The web has become increasingly concentrated on a ever smaller number of key websites. People have all these expectations now of bells and whistles, of everything being so integrated and convenient for them, which actually introduces security issues, though that's a can of worms for another day.
How has TFN coped in this new web era? I can imagine the Star Wars Reddit forums having more traffic since TFA came out. Reddit has really taken off since 2016, i's become mainstream or "social media" to use an apt synonym.
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Post by Cryogenic on May 5, 2022 22:58:32 GMT
There are even old threads on TFN in the PT section where it was asked and pondered, more than once, "Why is TPM more popular than AOTC?" Or: "Interesting trend: Fan are warming up to TPM and distancing themselves from AOTC." Interesting. Yep. And just to show that I wasn't lying, here's one of those threads I mentioned: boards.theforce.net/threads/interesting-trend-fans-are-warming-up-to-tpm-and-distancing-themselves-from-aotc.21151421/If you're planning to read it at all, note that it goes back to 2005. That means some post content is missing. TFN changed software in early 2012, which caused a lot of older posts to be truncated. The mods promised everyone they were working on a fix. Of course, the fix never materialised. Fanboys will be fanboys, you mean?  I don't necessarily think enjoying AOTC and Natalie Portman's portrayal of Padme are niches. There are plenty of fans who think of much of AOTC as they do TPM or ROTS. I just believe, if we're talking about the PT overall, a lot of people made up their minds when the second film came out. If TPM discombobulated them, AOTC outright annoyed or upset them, and they decided to become jaded forevermore about the prequels after that. Of course, reassessments are possible -- maybe after people have had their fill of Disney, and they start to realise it wasn't so bad under Uncle George, after all.
Good points. Maybe I'm locked into a recent past that already doesn't exist anymore. I certainly have a bias toward the message board environment. Joined my first one over 20 years ago. I believe TPM had been out one year. But it was a Star Trek board! Things move rapidly in cyberspace. I have to agree that this software isn't great (but far from the pits, either), and it might be hindering us a bit. Then there's the more mundane but inescapable fact that this website is pretty discreet and out-of-the-way. We were even thinking of calling it The Lake Country. In order to sign up, people have to know that you exist. That's why Hollywood spends billions on marketing. Outreach is important. But none of us really tries very much. But yeah, you're probably onto something that message boards are a little bit out-of-fashion, and people now go elsewhere for their kicks. Convenience is massive with humans for sure. And so much is jostling for people's attention these days.
I don't really understand the secret to TFN's success, other than it has been around a long time. Longevity probably counts for something, especially when you get in quick. TFN was launched all the way back in 1996. How many of us had Internet access back then? We'd just gotten our first family PC that year. We acquired an Internet connection the following year. Out of everyone I knew at school, I was the first to have one. Of course, it was only a short time before many people followed. And, of course, early dial-up Internet was slowwwwwwwww. And it tied up your phone line (before mobile phones had become practical and affordable). And you had to pay by the minute. Even YouTube -- which, of course, ran slowly at first, and hardly had any content -- didn't start until 2005. The prequels were basically crossing the finish line then. And yet TFN was already a lively place. And it has comfortably outlasted the official Star Wars forums, which were shuttered in 2011: starwars.fandom.com/wiki/StarWars.com_Message_Boardsweb.archive.org/web/20110517215506/http://forums.starwars.com/ann.jspa?annID=3From the Wiki link: So... ten years. The official forums started after TFN got going, roughly mid-way through production of the prequels, and closed around the time Lucas first met with Bob Iger to discuss his "retirement" plans. In that way, they were scooped by TFN, and they are now outlived by TFN. I have no idea about how the official forums got going or what led to them suddenly closing. It certainly is interesting, however, that Lucas and the prequels were being hammered a year earlier by RedLetterMedia's YouTube reviews and the release of the documentary-comedy film "The People vs. George Lucas" in 2010. A year later, Lucas is thinking of selling and the official boards are shut down. Not saying there's a direct link, but the timing is very peculiar. Anyway, TFN is a survivor through all the madness. As ridiculous as that site is for the corrupt way the boards are run and the egregious behaviour of the moderators, there's something to be said for standing your ground and soldiering on. I've never really liked Reddit as a place to have lengthy, serious discussion on. There are certainly some interesting groups on there and plenty of engaging material to sift through. It's the sifting part that's the chore. I'm happy that such an ecosystem exists. I just don't like the format very much. |
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on May 9, 2022 1:18:28 GMT
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Post by Cryogenic on May 9, 2022 1:25:30 GMT
Where does Arch Duke find those wonderful toys?
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on May 9, 2022 1:47:14 GMT
Where does Arch Duke find those wonderful toys?
I steal from the best  |
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on May 9, 2022 6:12:15 GMT
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Post by smittysgelato on May 9, 2022 20:01:44 GMT
To this day I still don't know how anyone never managed to catch them on camera hahahaha.
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Post by ArchdukeOfNaboo on May 9, 2022 21:58:12 GMT
I'm thinking of starting a new thread for in-universe fan OC. I love that New York Post style front page oh so, so much
Would people here be interested in creating such content? It is a change from making your millionth prequel fan trailer.
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Post by Cryogenic on May 9, 2022 21:59:13 GMT
To this day I still don't know how anyone never managed to catch them on camera hahahaha. George Lucas did.  |
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I don't necessarily think enjoying AOTC and Natalie Portman's portrayal of Padme are niches. There are plenty of fans who think of much of AOTC as they do TPM or ROTS. I just believe, if we're talking about the PT overall, a lot of people made up their minds when the second film came out. If TPM discombobulated them, AOTC outright annoyed or upset them, and they decided to become jaded forevermore about the prequels after that. Of course, reassessments are possible -- maybe after people have had their fill of Disney, and they start to realise it wasn't so bad under Uncle George, after all. 
