Any Synthetiks-related news, Davecat? (Oct 2007)
typed for your pleasure on 21 October 2007, at 10.43 pmSdtrk: ‘Think about life’ by Paul cries
Despite the fact that you can’t turn in any direction without seeing something about ‘Lars and the Real Girl’ these days, at first I was kinda despairing for something else to write about. Suddenly! Alert reader Zach sent me this encouraging article. Danke sehr, Zach!
Robots soon will become more human-like in appearance, researcher says
By Charles Q. Choi
Updated: 6:05 p.m. ET Oct 12, 2007 | msnbc.comHumans could marry robots within the century. And consummate those vows.
“My forecast is that around 2050, the state of Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize marriages with robots,” artificial intelligence researcher David Levy at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands told LiveScience. Levy recently completed his Ph.D. work on the subject of human-robot relationships, covering many of the privileges and practices that generally come with marriage as well as outside of it.
At first, sex with robots might be considered geeky, “but once you have a story like ‘I had sex with a robot, and it was great!’ appear someplace like Cosmo magazine, I’d expect many people to jump on the bandwagon,” Levy said.
[…] Levy argues that psychologists have identified roughly a dozen basic reasons why people fall in love, “and almost all of them could apply to human-robot relationships. For instance, one thing that prompts people to fall in love are similarities in personality and knowledge, and all of this is programmable. Another reason people are more likely to fall in love is if they know the other person likes them, and that’s programmable too.”
the rest of the article is here
2050, eh? I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL TWENTYFECKINGFIFTY! YOU PEOPLE NEED TO STEP YOUR SHIT UP!! Sorry.
As much as I love RealDolls and the like, their only flaw is that they can’t move or speak of their own volition — they’re passive. For some of us, having an advanced version of Actroid — one that wasn’t rooted to a single spot, among other things — would be the perfect partner. It’s a matter of waiting, as the technology is advancing rapidly towards that point, but I hate waiting…
Also, that loverly Violet Blue of tiny nibbles wrote some very nice things about me and other iDollators in a recent article for the San Francisco Gate, but have you seen the story for the Associated Press?
‘Lars’ movie shines light on RealDolls
By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer | Wed Oct 17, 3:48 PM ETA dozen headless female bodies hang from industrial metal hooks in the center of the room. To the left are a table of plastic faces, awaiting makeup. To the right, a stack of silicone molds ready for the next order of life-sized love toys.
Normally reserved for private play, these high-end, anatomically correct dolls are getting big-screen exposure with the recent release of “Lars and the Real Girl,” an offbeat, surprisingly chaste comedy about a lonely introvert (Ryan Gosling) and Bianca, the silicone object of his affection.
Bianca, a freckle-nosed brunette, was born just east of San Diego at Abyss Creations. The 11-year-old company that makes RealDolls will ship 400 dolls to the U.S. and abroad this year — at upward of $6,500 each.
RealDolls can be actresses, lovers, photo subjects or companions. Customers can choose from 10 body types, 16 faces and 17 hairstyles to create their dream girl. They specify skin tone, hair and eye color, makeup palette and nail-polish shade. The dolls have interchangeable faces ($500 each), so with the pull of some Velcro and the flip of a wig, she’s like a whole new gal.
[…] For many doll owners, and for Gosling’s character in the film, the dolls are more like companions, each with her own personality and presence.”She looks like a person,” says Rob McKay, 55, a writer who owns two dolls, Lily and Eden. “Even though she’s not a breathing person, psychologically you feel like someone is with you. They’re like a balm for loneliness or aloneness.”
the rest of the article is here
Personally, I missed the deadline to be in on this by about an hour, but all of the participants interviewed were more than capable of answering the questions. Moreso, even. And it’s always nice to read a mainstream article that doesn’t paint a negative picture of iDollators…
So will I see ‘Lars etc etc’? Yes, yes. If there’s a Doll in it, it kinda goes without saying. In reading one of the fleet of stories concerning the fillum, I found it rather interesting (again, an adjective I use to denote ‘possibly good, possibly bad’) that Bianca is supposed to be half-Danish, half-Brazilian. Now, people who know of my Synthetik wife’s extensive backstory know she’s half-English, half-Japanese, and since ‘Kitten with a Whip!’ is still trapped in amber, newcomers will undoubtedly accuse me of ripping off ‘Lars etc etc’. But the savvier readers amongst you will you know the truth, right?
In another story about the film, Ryan Gosling, who plays Lars, is quoted as saying,
[Bianca] relaxed me — she was a support system… People hear the idea for this film, and they think, ‘Oh, how kitschy or funny,’ but there’s a whole culture of guys out there who have these dolls, and they have very intimate relationships with them. Part of it is sexual, but a lot of it is emotional… I think it’s a romantic idea the way that Nancy approached the script, that love’s not a transaction. It’s something you have to give, and you give it freely to whoever and whatever you want.
I’ve never known who Ryan was prior to this release, but now I know he’s a thinking individual, cos quite obviously, he gets it. Kudos, sir!
Also, this past Saturday eve I attended the 2nd Michigan Doll Congress, which is much less official than it sounds. Mahtek, Euchre, littluvr from Minnesota, CJD from Canada, Amber Hawk Swanson and myself converged at one of the fine Antonio’s locations, and talked shop for several hours. Mahtek even passed round his cellphone at one point, so we could all speak to fellow Doll owner campdaan over in California. Round 9pm, we left; Amber, who drove from Chicago with her friends, made her leave, and the rest of us went back to Mahtek’s place, and picked up where we left off. Needless to say, a good time was had by all! We intend on making this a semi-regular thing; we’re thinking the next one will be when Stacy Leigh brings some of her excellent photos to an upcoming art show somewhere in the tri-county area. You can’t see me from here, but I’m rubbing my hands together in anticipation. Well, I will be, as soon as I stop typing this sentence.
Ah, there we go.
Left, Organik Amber; right, your humble narrator
Finally, I think we can all agree that Charlie Sheen needs to be thrown headfirst through a plate-glass window. What a fucking idiot. I don’t care if you love Dolls, or if you think they’re ‘creepy’, what he did is pretty much the equivalent of taking $7000 and setting it ablaze. Just goes to show you that money can’t buy common sense
Technorati tags: robots, Androids, Gynoids, David Levy, Violet Blue, RealDolls, iDollators, Amber Hawk Swanson, Lars and the Real Girl, Ryan Gosling
Random similar posts, for more timewasting:
Stars in their Eyes, Part I on August 3rd, 2005
A clang, followed by another clang on August 31st, 2007
October 21st, 2007 at 11.20 pm
That sounds like a very good time indeed! It is always nice to meet birds of a feather.
As for the Sheen story, no way! Is this true?
Sad for the Denise Richards doll, but the money thing probably doesn’t mean much for a fellow of his liquidity. Still, a terrible waste. Stupid rich people tricks.
October 22nd, 2007 at 12.19 am
It was a VERY good time. Very therapeutic in how being able to talk openly with fellow doll owners is!
BTW the plate glass window is too good for Sheen… make him watch both his Hot Shots! movies for a week nonstop then afterwards tell him he has to film a 3rd for a trilogy (wait, did I just punish him or the audience?LOL)
October 22nd, 2007 at 5.14 am
Hey, what excellent reportage!
2050, huh? Hm, enticing. I’ll only be… *98!!!*
Whenever I see stories about people marrying robots I think “Nahh…” and then I remember the anime “Chobits” and the middle-story about the Baker and his sweetie (spoiler snipped), one of the most poignant and loving stories I’ve seen.
So who knows? Love is Love. Simple and end of story (one would think).
Can’t wait to see Lars but I’ll buy it on DVD just on principle LOL. Ryan sounds like an intelligent, understanding, and free-thinking individual. The dolls can do that to you up close and personal. You HAVE to acknowledge them and if you have any issues must resolve them right away LOL
I can tell when this happens upon strangers seeing Lily for the first time. That’s when they get you, when you can’t deny or run away from the fact that they are, in fact, (mostly) harmless and quite provocative, connective, and beautiful. I hope the doll didn’t factor into his breakup with current g/f but that delves too deeply into the realm of gossip for my tastes.
Sounds like you all had a fun “Do” (whatever that is)! Wish I was there, but I’m here. *sigh* Oh well, things ta do! My regards to all the TDFers 🙂
AND to you and the Missus, natch!
PBS, Lily, Eden, & Pennie (& SOONY!!!!
October 22nd, 2007 at 12.42 pm
has it occured to anyone that lars etc etc is attaly a rip off of every main stream idolator out there? Sounds to me that the writer just read a load of real doll articals on the web and stuck them together with prit-stick. Just a thought. Oh and chobits is my favorite anime/manga 🙂
October 22nd, 2007 at 9.30 pm
Yes, that was a good time! Too bad Mrs CJD couldn’t attend. Who’d of thought a bunch of Idollators would look so normal. 😉
Yes, in February, well past the chaos of the holidays would be a good time for another meeting. Or before, who can tell?
October 24th, 2007 at 4.52 pm
Hey, maybe we can somehow arrange (In The Future) a teleconference-thingy, where the doll owners who can’t attend can hook up a cheap li’l PC-cam, sit with their dolls, and carry on a chaotic converstation with the main conflag!! Dunno how practical that would be for the main peeps though, depending on where they are having the get-together.
I’m thinking a Denny’s would be a “no” LOLOL
YAY Chobits! My five incomparables/unratables/unrankables: Elfen Lied, Rozen Maiden, Chobits, Kanon, and Air 🙂
Several weeks ago I copped a Chobits rarity to use for a photoshoot, but probably won’t put it up until next week. No biggie, but it’s cute 😉
October 29th, 2007 at 2.32 am
SafeT –
It was a fine evening, so it was! And it’s apparently true about Sheen’s Doll. Idiocy, pure and simple.
It’s an inverse ratio between the amount of money a person has, and the amount of intelligence they have, it seems. Someone who saved up for a year and a half to buy their Doll, for instance, would treat her with ten times more respect than someone who can whip out a wad of notes and buy one like the rest of us buy a gallon of milk. It’s disgusting, and Sheen’s behaviour shows no respect for the artisans and labourers at Abyss. In short, he deserves a cock-punching.
Euchre –
Meeting up just confirms that we have to do this more often. It starts with an Italian restaurant, but it might grow to an entire banquet hall. That’d be most impressive. 🙂
I actually saw the first ‘Hot Shots’. In the theatre. I feel dirty now.
Give Samantha a kiss for us!
Mahtek –
Who knows, maybe CJD’s missus will put in an appearance? Or Mrs Euchre? Or Mari-chan? Maybe we’ll have another get-together before the year is out? The possibilities are endless! Well, not really. 🙂
Give Phoebe and Penelope a kiss for us!
Miss Hyde –
O, I’m sure Nancy Oliver based ‘Lars etc etc’ on a handful of iDollators — she said as much. She should’ve requisitioned some of the genuine articles, perhaps, but I would say that…
PBS and everyone else (and Soony?? Are you hinting there’s another lass on the way??) –
Dolls are catalysts; they force people to either think one way or another. They’re not reactive in and of themselves, but they cause reactions, and they bring out peoples’ emotions, whether positive or negative. And they say Dolls can’t do anything. 🙂
Love is love, really. Maybe anti-iDollators are possibly jealous that we’re giving that love to a receptive artificial human, and not to an Organik one that can reject us? The choice seems rather clear to me…
And a teleconference… that idea’s got legs, as they say in Hollowood. Maybe we can set up the camera in that banquet hall that we’ll be getting for our Doll Congress in the (not-so) near future! 🙂
Give Lily and Eden a kiss for us!
November 1st, 2007 at 11.58 pm
QUICK! Grab it before it scrolls off the page!!!
I just saw your reply to this and will answer now before it all slips away into the ether (or the archives):
Well, you know I can’t afford anything on the scope of a new RD (and Lily and Eden would both likely retaliate as certain dolls are wont to do LOL), but I saw a photo of a Luts-Delf Ball-Jointed Doll; the model’s name is “Soony”. Totally fell in love with her! She came a few weeks ago; I thought I’d mentioned it to you but I guess the Big Brouhaha probably distracted me.
If you saw my Blog, she was front and center for awhile before I took it down, and dressed as an angel. The dark Goth Loli outfits I wanted her in were all sold out. The one on her Luts page is gorgeous, and what I wanted, but too bad, so sad, all gone:
http://eluts.com/frontstore/Item/item_zoom.asp?item_num=587&catalog_num=121&mart_id=lutsdoll&level=&mother_catalog_num=121
If that doesn’t work, you can still see her photos in the Coppermine album at my website though, off the Portal page 🙂
She’s a lot easier to pose than Lily is, and once I get some blue-er eyes for her can stand in for her in some photoshoots. Plus, Lily gets to play with her when I’m occupied 😀
Actually, this is the kind of doll that the Rozen Maidens are; they’re really striking, as you can see! I’ll need a bigger house before I get another life sized one though. I saw a Saber from Fate/Stay Night that was awesome…
Oh well, dreamin’ on!
Warmest regards to you and Sidore-chan!
November 2nd, 2007 at 5.59 am
PBShelley- that black dress the doll is wearing. I think i own it…. Or something similer. Weird-oh
November 3rd, 2007 at 4.46 am
Greetings Miss Hyde,
But I’ll bet that Soony’s dress is quite a bit smaller! Unless you’re *very* tiny 😉
Oddly enough their clothes cost as much as life-sized people’s do (isn’t that an oxymoron?). Her Dorothy shoes cost around $50 and the angel outfit ~$60!!
I think she’ll be wearing these for awhile 😛
But that black goth dress was gorgeous; someday…
Nice taste!
Regards,
PBS et al
November 3rd, 2007 at 3.43 pm
MY GOD! My black dress cost about £40 which is about $80 I guess being smaller more work goes into the dresses? I dunno but its mad! Hyde x