Used to mean "vigorous", "hale and hearty".
Now it refers to a woman with a full figure, voluptuous curves and generously endowed in the bust and hips (as opposed to the bone-thin supermodels shown in the media).
Think of Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Sara Ramirez, Queen Latifah, Kate Winslet, Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, Mia Tyler, Chloe Agnew, America Ferrera, among others.
Now it refers to a woman with a full figure, voluptuous curves and generously endowed in the bust and hips (as opposed to the bone-thin supermodels shown in the media).
Think of Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Sara Ramirez, Queen Latifah, Kate Winslet, Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, Mia Tyler, Chloe Agnew, America Ferrera, among others.
Why the craze with these androgynous stick figures on the runway?! After thousands of years of worshipping buxom, full figured women with wide hips and lots of curves, we're down to admiring these starving waifs who can barely sustain themselves, much less a baby?
by Lorelili November 04, 2009
(April 14, 1842-September 30, 1888) The fourth recognized victim of Jack the Ripper. Called "Kate" by her friends.
Born in Wolverhampton, Kate was one of twelve children and was raised between there and London. Intelligent and bubbly throughout her life, Kate, who was five-foot-two with hazel eyes and auburn hair, took up with ex-soldier Thomas Conway at age 21 and had three children with him (Annie, born 1865; George, born 1868; and Thomas, born 1873). Kate and Conway's marriage was common law and unstable to its end in 1881, due to Conway's violence and Kate's drinking; Conway took the boys and Kate left with Annie.
Soon after leaving Conway, Kate moved to Whitechapel and met John Kelly, with whom she would live until her death. She and John were apparently quite happy together and went together from dosshouse to dosshouse, with Kate occasionally prostituting herself to bring money. Annie, meanwhile, married and regularly moved around to avoid her mother's scrounging. Although Kate had helped Annie through her first pregnancy, Annie could not stand more drunken begging from her mother.
Born in Wolverhampton, Kate was one of twelve children and was raised between there and London. Intelligent and bubbly throughout her life, Kate, who was five-foot-two with hazel eyes and auburn hair, took up with ex-soldier Thomas Conway at age 21 and had three children with him (Annie, born 1865; George, born 1868; and Thomas, born 1873). Kate and Conway's marriage was common law and unstable to its end in 1881, due to Conway's violence and Kate's drinking; Conway took the boys and Kate left with Annie.
Soon after leaving Conway, Kate moved to Whitechapel and met John Kelly, with whom she would live until her death. She and John were apparently quite happy together and went together from dosshouse to dosshouse, with Kate occasionally prostituting herself to bring money. Annie, meanwhile, married and regularly moved around to avoid her mother's scrounging. Although Kate had helped Annie through her first pregnancy, Annie could not stand more drunken begging from her mother.
Catherine Eddowes spent September 29 trying to secure money, in the morning pawning a pair of John's work boots for food money. That afternoon, she set off to ask her daughter for money (unaware that Annie and her husband had moved again), reassuring John that she wouldn't meet the Ripper.
Kate never reached Annie, but somehow found some money, enough to become roaring drunk; she was found at 8:30 PM surrounded by a crowd in the middle of Aldgate High Street, giving them a drunken impersonation of a fire engine, after which she curled up on the pavement to sleep.
The police took an unwilling Kate to Bishopsgate Station, where she was locked in a cell to sleep off her stupor. At 12:15, she was heard singing softly in the cell and was judged sober enough. After a scolding about her drinking, Kate left the station at about 1 AM. Meanwhile, the body of Elizabeth Stride had just been found in Berner Street, a mile away.
At 1:30 AM, a police officer saw Kate in Mitre Square (in the City of London itself) speaking with a man; when he returned fifteen minutes later, he found Kate's mutilated body.
Her throat was cut, "V" shapes cut into her cheeks and pointing to her eyes, her eyelids split vertically, the end of her nose cut off, her right cheek gashed. Her skirts were hiked up to her belly and she'd been disemboweled, with her uterus and one kidney taken away.
Kate never reached Annie, but somehow found some money, enough to become roaring drunk; she was found at 8:30 PM surrounded by a crowd in the middle of Aldgate High Street, giving them a drunken impersonation of a fire engine, after which she curled up on the pavement to sleep.
The police took an unwilling Kate to Bishopsgate Station, where she was locked in a cell to sleep off her stupor. At 12:15, she was heard singing softly in the cell and was judged sober enough. After a scolding about her drinking, Kate left the station at about 1 AM. Meanwhile, the body of Elizabeth Stride had just been found in Berner Street, a mile away.
At 1:30 AM, a police officer saw Kate in Mitre Square (in the City of London itself) speaking with a man; when he returned fifteen minutes later, he found Kate's mutilated body.
Her throat was cut, "V" shapes cut into her cheeks and pointing to her eyes, her eyelids split vertically, the end of her nose cut off, her right cheek gashed. Her skirts were hiked up to her belly and she'd been disemboweled, with her uterus and one kidney taken away.
by Lorelili October 09, 2012
The sole member of a type of prostitute. Known to be sleazy, intellectually challenged, and often biased (once said of the war Iraq: "I, like, think that we should trust our president"). Has a "singing" voice that sounds like a whining fly (which usually sings superficial, inane lyrics and is often drowned out by monotone, obnoxious "music"), puts on performances that come from strip clubs, wears as little as possible and gets away with it, constantly contradicts herself (first saying that she's not a role model, then saying that she wants to be a role model that everyone can relate to (and almost nobody can)).
Sadly, despite her smutty reputation and that she's clearly no role model, many little kids look up to her. Her "beauty" is the true reason for her fame, not her "music"... her flaunting of her body rides the fine line between pride and exploitation. Apparantly thinking that showing off her rather revolting body, flipping the bird to audiances, being disrespectful to her public, and being a total ditz will earn her the older, more mature audiance that she's wanting, she does just that... and has failed at earning an older following.
Sadly, despite her smutty reputation and that she's clearly no role model, many little kids look up to her. Her "beauty" is the true reason for her fame, not her "music"... her flaunting of her body rides the fine line between pride and exploitation. Apparantly thinking that showing off her rather revolting body, flipping the bird to audiances, being disrespectful to her public, and being a total ditz will earn her the older, more mature audiance that she's wanting, she does just that... and has failed at earning an older following.
Why? Why is this Britney Spears famous? Just for showing off her nude body, drinking underage, and being a total sleaze? If it (the music industry) was for the music and not for the glitz and glamour, then she'd be back in the brothels and strip clubs of Hickville Louisiana.
by Lorelili October 10, 2005
A style of theater/drama in which the characters sing all or most of their lines.
The story is usually simpler than that of movie plots, since it takes longer to sing than to speak. The stories, perhaps melodramatic to our modern eyes, are as varied as movies; from lighthearted, romantic prances ("The Marriage of Figaro", "The Elixer of Love"); heartbreaking romantic tragedies ("La Boheme". "Madame Butterfly", "Aïda"); and some almost x-rated shockers ("Elektra"(much like the Mendez brothers case), "Salome"). Operas are often quite true to life and often deal with some of the most difficult choices that a person can make; matters of life and death, in other words. ...Of course, the plot is much more dramatic than in reality.
Opera relies on voice types (unlike movies, which rely on appearance):
Soprano: highest female voice; plays the heroine, the sweetheart, the victim woman.
Mezzo-soprano: medium female voice; plays the villainess, seductresses.
Contralto: lowest female voice; very rare, usually limited to maids, mothers, grandmothers, and witches.
Tenor: highest male voice: plays the hero, the lover, the doomed hero. Usually romances the soprano.
Baritone: medium male voice; plays the villain, evil prison wardens, and other mean ones.
Bass: lowest male voice; plays priests, kings, fathers, and the Devil.
Opera houses are theaters designed especially for opera... and don't be surprised to find a (rather sexy) tuxedo-clad ghost wandering the dark recesses of the opera house, living his life away on a lake beneath the theater.
The story is usually simpler than that of movie plots, since it takes longer to sing than to speak. The stories, perhaps melodramatic to our modern eyes, are as varied as movies; from lighthearted, romantic prances ("The Marriage of Figaro", "The Elixer of Love"); heartbreaking romantic tragedies ("La Boheme". "Madame Butterfly", "Aïda"); and some almost x-rated shockers ("Elektra"(much like the Mendez brothers case), "Salome"). Operas are often quite true to life and often deal with some of the most difficult choices that a person can make; matters of life and death, in other words. ...Of course, the plot is much more dramatic than in reality.
Opera relies on voice types (unlike movies, which rely on appearance):
Soprano: highest female voice; plays the heroine, the sweetheart, the victim woman.
Mezzo-soprano: medium female voice; plays the villainess, seductresses.
Contralto: lowest female voice; very rare, usually limited to maids, mothers, grandmothers, and witches.
Tenor: highest male voice: plays the hero, the lover, the doomed hero. Usually romances the soprano.
Baritone: medium male voice; plays the villain, evil prison wardens, and other mean ones.
Bass: lowest male voice; plays priests, kings, fathers, and the Devil.
Opera houses are theaters designed especially for opera... and don't be surprised to find a (rather sexy) tuxedo-clad ghost wandering the dark recesses of the opera house, living his life away on a lake beneath the theater.
Opera is a grim world; there's competition all over for parts... and not to mention some rather unusual situations: tantrums and refusals to do something that the director wants to be staged.
What's the difference between a soprano and a terrorist?
-You can negotiate with a terrorist.;)
"He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
What's the difference between a soprano and a terrorist?
-You can negotiate with a terrorist.;)
"He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
by Lorelili June 04, 2005
A complicated plot or scheme, often secret, intended for a purpose by some form of deception; a conspiracy.
The intrigue was heavy in the court as the various politicians and aristocrats plotted to kill the king and his two sons, leaving the throne empty.
by Lorelili January 18, 2011
Very thin, bony human legs, so named for their resemblance to the thin, scrawny little legs of a chicken.
Chicken legs? Have you tried jogging?
Distraught Ex:(Pointing to legs) "You would give up these beauties for these matchsticks?!" (pointing to new flame's legs)
Distraught Ex:(Pointing to legs) "You would give up these beauties for these matchsticks?!" (pointing to new flame's legs)
by Lorelili March 13, 2006
From "bátor", meaning "valiant".
A long-gone but once powerful family of Hungary. The height of the Báthory clan was in the 1500s and 1600s. Thought to be closely inbred, as most royalty and nobility in those days, brighter family members like King Stephan Báthory of Poland were eclipsed by more brutal members. Devil worshippers, perverts, sadists, witches, and mentally unstable characters.
Countess Klara Báthory, aunt of Elizabeth Báthory, was bisexual and sadistic towards her female servants. An uncle of Elizabeth was a schizophrenic Devil worshipper.
Countess Elizabeth (Erzébet) Báthory (1560-1614) was the worst of the Báthory clan. Raven-haired, pale-skinned, voluptuous, she was concidered a beauty... but she bore the personality of a pit bull.
Mentally ill, promiscuous, vain, narcissistic and highly sadistic, Elizabeth was the inspiration behind Count Dracula. Vlad Dracul, a distant relative to her and inspiration for the Count, bears less resemblance to Dracula than Elizabeth, who was concidered a vampire in her own time.
Elizabeth enjoyed torturing servants, especially if they were young women and attractive. As she grew older, she feared losing her youth and her so-called "beauty"... according to folklore a servant girl accidently pulled her hair while styling it and Elizabeth struck the girl across the face so hard that she drew blood, which got onto her hands. When she'd washed the blood off, in her twisted mind, she thought that her skin had regained its freshness and youthful suppleness where the blood had splashed. And the rest is history.
Scores of peasant girls, and later, noble girls of lower rank than the countess, were mercilessly tortured, ranging from weeks to months, and killed in the most painful and frightening ways. Elizabeth never missed out on the torure and death of her victims, delighting in soaking up their blood. Killing girls of nobility began her downfall. She was never charged, sadly, and was walled up inside her small room in 1611, where she died in 1614. Sufficient punishment? I think not. Her accomplices, however, were punished as badly as the maidens that they tortured.
A long-gone but once powerful family of Hungary. The height of the Báthory clan was in the 1500s and 1600s. Thought to be closely inbred, as most royalty and nobility in those days, brighter family members like King Stephan Báthory of Poland were eclipsed by more brutal members. Devil worshippers, perverts, sadists, witches, and mentally unstable characters.
Countess Klara Báthory, aunt of Elizabeth Báthory, was bisexual and sadistic towards her female servants. An uncle of Elizabeth was a schizophrenic Devil worshipper.
Countess Elizabeth (Erzébet) Báthory (1560-1614) was the worst of the Báthory clan. Raven-haired, pale-skinned, voluptuous, she was concidered a beauty... but she bore the personality of a pit bull.
Mentally ill, promiscuous, vain, narcissistic and highly sadistic, Elizabeth was the inspiration behind Count Dracula. Vlad Dracul, a distant relative to her and inspiration for the Count, bears less resemblance to Dracula than Elizabeth, who was concidered a vampire in her own time.
Elizabeth enjoyed torturing servants, especially if they were young women and attractive. As she grew older, she feared losing her youth and her so-called "beauty"... according to folklore a servant girl accidently pulled her hair while styling it and Elizabeth struck the girl across the face so hard that she drew blood, which got onto her hands. When she'd washed the blood off, in her twisted mind, she thought that her skin had regained its freshness and youthful suppleness where the blood had splashed. And the rest is history.
Scores of peasant girls, and later, noble girls of lower rank than the countess, were mercilessly tortured, ranging from weeks to months, and killed in the most painful and frightening ways. Elizabeth never missed out on the torure and death of her victims, delighting in soaking up their blood. Killing girls of nobility began her downfall. She was never charged, sadly, and was walled up inside her small room in 1611, where she died in 1614. Sufficient punishment? I think not. Her accomplices, however, were punished as badly as the maidens that they tortured.
Somewhere between 50 and 650 young ladies were brutally tortured and killed to satisfy the mad countess's unsatiable thirst for blood. Sadly, they are forgotten.
"...a twelve year old girl named Pola somehow managed to escape from the castle. But Dorottya Szentes, aided by Helena Jó, caught the frightened girl by surprise and brought her forcibly back to Csejthe Castle. Clad only in a long white robe, Countess Erzsébet greeted the girl upon her return. The countess was in another of her rages. She advanced on the twelve-year-old child and forced her into a kind of cage. This particular cage was built like a huge ball, too narrow to sit in, too low to stand in. Once the girl was inside, the cage was suddenly hauled up by a pulley, and dozens of short spikes jutted into the cage. Pola tried to avoid being caught on the spikes, but Thorko maneuvered the ropes so that the cage shifted from side to side. Pola's flesh was torn to pieces..."
Grim!
"...a twelve year old girl named Pola somehow managed to escape from the castle. But Dorottya Szentes, aided by Helena Jó, caught the frightened girl by surprise and brought her forcibly back to Csejthe Castle. Clad only in a long white robe, Countess Erzsébet greeted the girl upon her return. The countess was in another of her rages. She advanced on the twelve-year-old child and forced her into a kind of cage. This particular cage was built like a huge ball, too narrow to sit in, too low to stand in. Once the girl was inside, the cage was suddenly hauled up by a pulley, and dozens of short spikes jutted into the cage. Pola tried to avoid being caught on the spikes, but Thorko maneuvered the ropes so that the cage shifted from side to side. Pola's flesh was torn to pieces..."
Grim!
by Lorelili March 11, 2005