The title is misleading... I have been avoiding this vid because I am not interested in 150 seconds of a cat sitting.

But a mellow cat being poked and prodded by humans and the cat just sits there looking back with Buddhist calm? Now THAT is interesting!

Digital finger painting is strangely both more liberating and more restrictive. I'm still messing about with about 5 different apps trying to find one I could call 'user friendly'. On my home computer I have a lovely Cintiq -- you can see the image and draw on it with a stylus. I quite dig that. On my phone and my Ipad I can draw with my finger or a stylus. The finger painting is more awkward in some ways but to get the ipad/pod to pick up the motions of the stylus you have to press really hard! It's a bit weird. There's no real touch-sensitivity like on the Cintiq -- various apps try to simulate the look of it with tapering and speed = line width contols. So far not so good for me. But OTHER people are painting the freaking Sistine Chapel on their phones.. so the problem is probably not the tools but the user, ahem - me!
Still, I persevere! I swear, had I never seen the beautiful artwork people make on their phones, I never would have considered it possible. But I am intrigued.. and it IS fast! I can then upload those sketches to polish in a proper graphic program or just enjoy their speed-painting loosensess.
Are you a doodler?

In reply to this comment by oritteropo:
Well that sounds like fun Speculating wildly, since I totally lack the experience for an informed comment, I would expect that the ipad might be a little like water colour painting, in that a looser approach and taking what you get might work well but if you try to get every pixel exactly right you would be better off with another medium... and also that a few stray splotches or rough edges might not hurt the final product. Do you use a big touch pad on your main computer?

As for what they were smoking in the 70s, well in my parts it was only a few extremely mellow hippies in the hills, smoking so much weed that they hadn't realised the 60s were over In terms of animation though, I wonder if the 70s were the result of digesting the trippy LSD inspired experiments of the 60s and reacting to them, without perhaps actually being chemically enhanced. I wasn't yet 10 when the 70s ended though, so it's yet more wild speculation on my part.

Well that sounds like fun Speculating wildly, since I totally lack the experience for an informed comment, I would expect that the ipad might be a little like water colour painting, in that a looser approach and taking what you get might work well but if you try to get every pixel exactly right you would be better off with another medium... and also that a few stray splotches or rough edges might not hurt the final product. Do you use a big touch pad on your main computer?

As for what they were smoking in the 70s, well in my parts it was only a few extremely mellow hippies in the hills, smoking so much weed that they hadn't realised the 60s were over In terms of animation though, I wonder if the 70s were the result of digesting the trippy LSD inspired experiments of the 60s and reacting to them, without perhaps actually being chemically enhanced. I wasn't yet 10 when the 70s ended though, so it's yet more wild speculation on my part.
In reply to this comment by taranimator:
Hey thanks! What a blast from the past (what were they smoking in the 70's?!) This reminds me of another whacky animator chick, Janet Perlman. Fun stuff.

I've been away from my computer way more than usual -- still checking in to watch sone of the new stuff now & then. I got an IPad 2, which I've been trying to learn digital painting on... It's fun but a little tricky so far.

seems like a mellow, likeable bloke...

I think Noam does a good job here. He stays calm and explains everything he wants to say in detail. He also makes sure to point out that WE ARE at fault in a lot of areas. He also explains why and when we should get involved and reasons why we should not.

The interviewer is a putz ("Why haven't you mellowed out?" WTF is he even asking that?). However, on the Pakistan/Afghanistan issues... I don't think Noam is very useful here. He says we're doing the wrong thing and possibly promoting the disturbance in Pakistan; which is true in many ways. But, I have to point out has been there a long time and the biggest spark came from the initial time we went into Afghanistan and we were linked with their president by having their government work with us (this was A spark, but the "instability" was already there). Just look at Pakistan with India.

I know exactly what he is talking about in Afghanistan, as I see it happening as well. However, pulling out won't change it (maybe lightening the situation for a decade or so--with a large human death toll) and may eventually make it worse. Pulling those troops into northern Iraq makes slightly more sense, while leaving "hit crews" in Afghanistan just to throttle down any power that will form in the vacuum.

Or we just saturate the hell out of it (like we should have done in Iraq; that, or never have gone there--I'll change my mind on this if the region, from Egypt to Iraq forms fairly stable democracies). But, that won't happen until a second term, as usual...

>> ^ghark:

>> ^kceaton1:
>> ^ghark:
man that description is a bunch of nonsense, they are still the same band they just softened up their music and used heaps of slo-mo in the video.

Haters got to hate.
This is also the most mellow song on the album. I can agree with a lot of what you said. In fact I initially a few songs of LPs when they came out. Then I hated them by their second album and I still can only listen to remixes of a few songs; the rest feel like I'm getting an ear infection drilled into place. The albums to me are far "pop" aimed and were a complete teenage angst phase type music, in my music listening experience (it also explains their initial fan base. But, they're getting older and their tastes as well as their music will change). They were very young when they started. I know that from when I was twenty to know that my music (hell, everything) dramatically shifted.
I used to be an old school rap enthusiast and now I'm more of a Tool--metal/rock/progressive rock fan (like The Mars Volta, Lacuna Coil, Boston, The Beatles, Dream Theater, Soilwork, and Opeth--and on occasion I listen to Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, The College Boyz, Cypress Hill, Icecube, and Eminem--who happens to be the only current rapper I musically like, Kanye West is O.K., but his personality tries my ability to like those songs, harshly.
Look at the video below that comes up at the bottom of this video(Linkin Park: Waiting For The End). See if that has any different value to you. Hopefully, it's listed below or you'll have to find it (I doubt you will look for it though, as it sounds like you hated them the day they came out and never gave them a second chance, especially since you took time out of your day to post your hate; I rarely do the same either, as bands do accrue a "reputation", like Nickelback--who I hate fiercely). It has much more impressive visuals than this slow-motion video, but shows "a bit" of their differences on the album. That's as far as I go in defending their NEW album; but you're free to go ahead and hate.
I doubt you've heard the album at all (the full thing not just the radio elements). As I'd guess you'd have slightly more meat to your hate, or a full opinion. In other words, you hate them for a lot of the reasons I hated them; also due to the fact that it was popular to do so.
This album is episodic; each part starting from the last, which just from that perspective, is a more traditional album and not like LP in the past. That is their main evolution. I should have been more specific that they seem to be -slowly- taking a more rock'n'roll/progressive approach to newer stuff. That's the biggest change. There sound has matured slightly. Mostly the hip-hop/rap styles/styling and the biggest change is in their synthetic/midi board use. Anyway, don't think I'm giving them the easy way out and complete, unflinching support, that has yet to be earned. Maybe in two more albums--if they continue in the same direction...
small edit- I hope I don't sound to harsh talking about you opinion, as I only wanted to make my viewpoint clear. I also changed various areas in my description that I think created your hate to "overflow". I meant evolution in only the most modest of terms, they are still very much a band that needs to change. But, they are taking some of those steps and I commend them for it. Most bands stagnate and rely only on what they know. Again, if you don't think they've evolved their sound I don't think you've given them a fair chance (not that you have to; just don't post your opinion and expect it to be left alone).

I'm not hating on the music, I really like Linkin Park, I'm just stating that I think your description of the music is taking things too far, adding lots of slow motion shots and screaming less is not growing up. Their new music is a bit knee jerk imo, they copped a lot of criticism and they are trying to overcompensate to please people, instead they should follow their own path, and personally I do not believe that they are doing this. So I guess that is where our opinions differ.


Alright, I see where you're coming from. We can agree to disagree; I think your point is very valid, as their music could have gone in a thousand different directions. I happen to like this direction and you don't; I can deal with that. It was more the attack on the description that irked me. But, I don't blame you as after re-reading it, it comes off as a "you-should-have-this-point-of-view". I appreciate your feedback. I hope you do as well. I like what they've become (I haven't paid much attention to them in the past to be honest, so if their hand "musically" was a forced issue--I'd be on your side most likely).

I'm an artist, drawing wise, and if someone was hating on my artistry I wouldn't change it for them no matter what. As I do it for myself and to express myself how I want. If you sell that out, I'd have to say that you've lost any credibility you had (and if LP did that; it makes me think less of them now). But, more importantly you lose your "heart", which you need badly in any art. You lose that aspect and you'll grow to hate yourself (the downward spiral so to speak).

>> ^kceaton1:

>> ^ghark:
man that description is a bunch of nonsense, they are still the same band they just softened up their music and used heaps of slo-mo in the video.

Haters got to hate.
This is also the most mellow song on the album. I can agree with a lot of what you said. In fact I initially a few songs of LPs when they came out. Then I hated them by their second album and I still can only listen to remixes of a few songs; the rest feel like I'm getting an ear infection drilled into place. The albums to me are far "pop" aimed and were a complete teenage angst phase type music, in my music listening experience (it also explains their initial fan base. But, they're getting older and their tastes as well as their music will change). They were very young when they started. I know that from when I was twenty to know that my music (hell, everything) dramatically shifted.
I used to be an old school rap enthusiast and now I'm more of a Tool--metal/rock/progressive rock fan (like The Mars Volta, Lacuna Coil, Boston, The Beatles, Dream Theater, Soilwork, and Opeth--and on occasion I listen to Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, The College Boyz, Cypress Hill, Icecube, and Eminem--who happens to be the only current rapper I musically like, Kanye West is O.K., but his personality tries my ability to like those songs, harshly.
Look at the video below that comes up at the bottom of this video(Linkin Park: Waiting For The End). See if that has any different value to you. Hopefully, it's listed below or you'll have to find it (I doubt you will look for it though, as it sounds like you hated them the day they came out and never gave them a second chance, especially since you took time out of your day to post your hate; I rarely do the same either, as bands do accrue a "reputation", like Nickelback--who I hate fiercely). It has much more impressive visuals than this slow-motion video, but shows "a bit" of their differences on the album. That's as far as I go in defending their NEW album; but you're free to go ahead and hate.
I doubt you've heard the album at all (the full thing not just the radio elements). As I'd guess you'd have slightly more meat to your hate, or a full opinion. In other words, you hate them for a lot of the reasons I hated them; also due to the fact that it was popular to do so.
This album is episodic; each part starting from the last, which just from that perspective, is a more traditional album and not like LP in the past. That is their main evolution. I should have been more specific that they seem to be -slowly- taking a more rock'n'roll/progressive approach to newer stuff. That's the biggest change. There sound has matured slightly. Mostly the hip-hop/rap styles/styling and the biggest change is in their synthetic/midi board use. Anyway, don't think I'm giving them the easy way out and complete, unflinching support, that has yet to be earned. Maybe in two more albums--if they continue in the same direction...
small edit- I hope I don't sound to harsh talking about you opinion, as I only wanted to make my viewpoint clear. I also changed various areas in my description that I think created your hate to "overflow". I meant evolution in only the most modest of terms, they are still very much a band that needs to change. But, they are taking some of those steps and I commend them for it. Most bands stagnate and rely only on what they know. Again, if you don't think they've evolved their sound I don't think you've given them a fair chance (not that you have to; just don't post your opinion and expect it to be left alone).


I'm not hating on the music, I really like Linkin Park, I'm just stating that I think your description of the music is taking things too far, adding lots of slow motion shots and screaming less is not growing up. Their new music is a bit knee jerk imo, they copped a lot of criticism and they are trying to overcompensate to please people, instead they should follow their own path, and personally I do not believe that they are doing this. So I guess that is where our opinions differ.

>> ^legacy0100:

'Waiting till the end' is pretty mellow as well, no?


Yeah it is, but slightly more "quick paced". I know, it's not huge.

This is a fairly mellow album, especially compared to rock or rap (I don't think they've really ever been "in your face" musically, like "Soilwork" would be, for an example--great music to play with "Bulletstorm" ).

'Waiting till the end' is pretty mellow as well, no?

>> ^ghark:

man that description is a bunch of nonsense, they are still the same band they just softened up their music and used heaps of slo-mo in the video.

Haters got to hate.


This is also the most mellow song on the album. I can agree with a lot of what you said. In fact I initially a few songs of LPs when they came out. Then I hated them by their second album and I still can only listen to remixes of a few songs; the rest feel like I'm getting an ear infection drilled into place. The albums to me are far "pop" aimed and were a complete teenage angst phase type music, in my music listening experience (it also explains their initial fan base. But, they're getting older and their tastes as well as their music will change). They were very young when they started. I know that from when I was twenty to know that my music (hell, everything) dramatically shifted.

I used to be an old school rap enthusiast and now I'm more of a Tool--metal/rock/progressive rock fan (like The Mars Volta, Lacuna Coil, Boston, The Beatles, Dream Theater, Soilwork, and Opeth--and on occasion I listen to Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, The College Boyz, Cypress Hill, Icecube, and Eminem--who happens to be the only current rapper I musically like, Kanye West is O.K., but his personality tries my ability to like those songs, harshly.

Look at the video below that comes up at the bottom of this video(Linkin Park: Waiting For The End). See if that has any different value to you. Hopefully, it's listed below or you'll have to find it (I doubt you will look for it though, as it sounds like you hated them the day they came out and never gave them a second chance, especially since you took time out of your day to post your hate; I rarely do the same either, as bands do accrue a "reputation", like Nickelback--who I hate fiercely). It has much more impressive visuals than this slow-motion video, but shows "a bit" of their differences on the album. That's as far as I go in defending their NEW album; but you're free to go ahead and hate.

I doubt you've heard the album at all (the full thing not just the radio elements). As I'd guess you'd have slightly more meat to your hate, or a full opinion. In other words, you hate them for a lot of the reasons I hated them; also due to the fact that it was popular to do so.

This album is episodic; each part starting from the last, which just from that perspective, is a more traditional album and not like LP in the past. That is their main evolution. I should have been more specific that they seem to be -slowly- taking a more rock'n'roll/progressive approach to newer stuff. That's the biggest change. There sound has matured slightly. Mostly the hip-hop/rap styles/styling and the biggest change is in their synthetic/midi board use. Anyway, don't think I'm giving them the easy way out and complete, unflinching support, that has yet to be earned. Maybe in two more albums--if they continue in the same direction...

small edit- I hope I don't sound to harsh talking about you opinion, as I only wanted to make my viewpoint clear. I also changed various areas in my description that I think created your hate to "overflow". I meant evolution in only the most modest of terms, they are still very much a band that needs to change. But, they are taking some of those steps and I commend them for it. Most bands stagnate and rely only on what they know. Again, if you don't think they've evolved their sound I don't think you've given them a fair chance (not that you have to; just don't post your opinion and expect it to be left alone).

If you would be so kind, Mr. Siftbot, please cart this video down to *beggar's canyon for some exposure? Hardly anyone has checked out the laid back and mellow sound, or the cello, or the Sacred Heart Basilica in the background. Maybe they were put off by the dodgy thumbnail image?

I almost posted this one last night, but wasn't quite sure whether it was really good, or if I'd been listening to so many horrible tracks that it was just good in comparison! On a second listen though, it's exactly the sort of mellow performance to listen to after work over a cup of tea.

Your wish is my command! Done, and thank you, because mellow's exactly the tag I was looking for on some of my other ones.

In reply to this comment by taranimator:
this is sweet! 'mellow' 'downbeat' tag?

this is sweet! 'mellow' 'downbeat' tag?

I'll have to remember to try Macallan the next time I buy a bottle of hooch. For the money I don't think you can beat regular old Bushmill's. Last I saw, a fifth was priced around $22.00 American, and yet it tastes better than most whiskeys twice the price. Maybe you wouldn't care for Irish whiskey because they almost never use peat.

Back to the smoky variety, the best in that category IMHO is still Jack Daniel's. The difference between it an bourbon is that JD is charcoal filtered before it's casked. That mellows it some, yet still leaves distinctive character. All Tennessee whiskey is charcoal filtered, but Jack Daniel's is the best. It's a very popular brand for a reason.
In reply to this comment by Fusionaut:
Ahhh, I love the smokiness of scotch, but there are some scotches that have more sherry-like flavours than the peaty flavours. Aberlour's Abunudh is a nice one that only has a hint of peat. If you can get your hands on a MaCallan that's a really nice whiskey with no smoke at all.

Anyways, I'll see if I can taste some of that Gibson's or Wiser's soon. We can compare notes
In reply to this comment by kronosposeidon:
Really? I kid about Canadian whiskey - Crown Royal, Pendleton, and Tangle Ridge are all great tasting, and even regular old Canadian Club and VO are pleasing to my palate. I know there are a few people out there who dismiss Canadian whiskey because they claim it's too 'light' in flavor, and for the cheap shit that's true. But a glass of good Canadian hooch, especially the higher end stuff like Gibson's and Wiser's, can stand toe to toe with whiskey made anywhere else on Earth, IMHO.

Scotch and bourbon both taste too smoky to me, but they'll do if there's nothing else around.
In reply to this comment by Fusionaut:
Lol, I've only had bourbon once and it didn't really impress me. I still haven't had any Canadian whiskey. Weird, eh?