Several of the posts in this thread sound like envious middle-aged women, whose real source of angst, I suspect, is that men are attracted to younger women.
And you know what? I can relate. The whole “cougar” cultural phenomenon sort of squicks me out. But when I stop and analyze why, it’s really just a vague sort of envy that women my age are attracted to men younger than I.
In both cases, I suspect Darwinian imperatives are at work. We are naturally drawn to sexual partners most likely to produce healthy offspring, including (gasp) teenage women. In the case of porn, it’s just harmless fantasy. IMO.
As for this whole faked death being a clever marketing scheme, that makes sense to me. And it is a scheme in which the SDMB is now passively complicit. I doubt many 'Dopers had heard of Tawnee Stone before this thread.
Man, you nailed it. Why, just the other day I picked up a cowboy on a Manhattan streetcorner, took him home and gave him the time of his life, and he had the NERVE to ask ME for money! Can you IMAGINE?
It looks like she used to. Here’s an article about her on ebay that appears to have been copied from a previous Wiki entry on her that no longer exists.
Then you’re merely boggling yourself. I very clearly illustrated upthread how a relatively small number of new subscribers can translate into considerable profit. I don’t know why you seem to have such a burr under your blanket about this issue, but you’re coming up with your own ridiculous meme and then acting like people are being ridiculous for believing it.
Tawnee Stone is apparently very well known (and lusted after) in porn circles and I don’t find it the least bit incredible that a rumor of her death would spread like wildfire within that community, with considerable bleed-over into other areas of the population where she isn’t known - such as here for example, where this thread alone, with it’s 6,000+ page views, has resulted in hundreds if not thousands of people (after accounting for repeat views) who know about her now but didn’t before. Multiply that by thousands of message boards and Google/Bing searches, and a very profitable amount of new or revived interest in her is easy to see.
Perhaps it has it escaped your attention that no one has asked you to. You can believe what you want.
I knew that you were going to return to this thread, Starving Artist. You know how I knew? Because you said you were bowing out. There is no more infallible predictor of someone’s return to a thread than their declaration they that are leaving it.
I don’t know why this is. I know I don’t behave this way, but I seem to be the only one.
But peoples’ behaviors on the internet are weirdly predictable. For example, take this extremely common sequence. Something happens. Someone ascribes a reason for that happening. There will be no proof, no evidence, no backup, no follow-up. But it instantly becomes “truth.”
And the one thing those people hate more than anything in the world? That someone else comes along and points out that there is no proof, no evidence, no backup, and no follow-up.
Why should that be? I don’t know. But it’s infallible. It’s the basis for urban legends, for word origin stories, for conspiracy theories, for all the junk and glurge on the internet.
And now I’m a part of that. Thank you for giving me this piece of internet immortality.
Hijack ahead (Don’t know a better way to go about this)
Starving Artist, I want to tell you that I am being sincere in asking this question, and mean NO offense or snark towards you.
I think that you often get a bad wrap here at SDMB, mostly for your oft-stated contention that American society as a whole has gone downhill a lot in the past 3 or 4 decades, at least in part due to the overall coarseness of modern day film, music, TV, and entertainment in general. As someone who taught in a public high school for several years, and who is not too far removed from being a high school student myself, I tend to think that you have a valid point. (for example, I am FAR from a prude but it’s hard for me to believe the things that I can see on primetime network TV, and I have a tough time believing that at least some of the negative media influences that we are bombarded with do not effect the behavior of some of those who view it.)
That said, you clearly know plenty about hard-core pornography, and from what you have written in this thread, you don’t seem to have a problem with it.
I guess that I thought that you would be a full on “Porno is poison for the soul” kind of guy, but apparently you don’t feel that way.
Do I have your position on the decay of American society being largely tied to vulgar, obscene and/or violent TV, movies and music all wrong?
It seems to be a bit of a disconnect to decry rap music (which I can’t personally stand myself) but be OK with hardcore porn (which I have no problem with) and I wonder if you wouldn’t mind explaining how you actually feel. (maybe for you it’s all a matter of who it is marketed towards/targeted at, which would make sense)
Sorry for any hijack and if Starving Artist wants to answer my question in private by PM, (if at all) that would be just fine.
Well, at the point where I said I was bowing out, it was with the idea in mind that to post more on the subject of Tawnee Stone’s age vs. the legitimacy of her sex appeal might give some people the wrong idea. You had not yet come in and basically essentially called my assessment of Steve Jones’ motives and goals idiotic.
Plus you were wrong about nobody having said anything about closing down her cite, and, well, this place is at least tangentially dedicated to fighting ignorance, so I felt compelled to show you where you were wrong.
As to your analysis of what other people can be counted on to do on the internet you are certainly free to decide whatever you like.
I have looked at a number of the LIQ’s* photos. She is made up to look like the girl next door (assuming you have excellent taste in neighbors). this is a fairly popular genre of porn.
Her apparent age in photos? To me in a few as young as say 16-17, in most 18-22, in a few 23-24.
If I were a bartender would I card her before selling her a drink? Yes. Would I be shocked or suspect a fake ID if it showed her legal? No. some people look younger than their age.
True story, for my second wedding anniversary some friends took us out to dinner. We ordered drinks. The waitress turned to my wife and asked for her ID. The funny part was my wife was 27 and the oldest person at the table that day (12 total) so you can’t go by looks alone.
Now I had a thought about this. What if “Tawnee” wanted that part of her life over, and struck a deal with the owner of Lightspeed U to spread a rumor that she was an ex porn star, pining for the fjords and all that. Or maybe LU’s license is expiring and she is not in the mood to re sign for a new term.
In either case a Tawnee is dead rumor builds traffic and gets LU a nice nest egg to start the year with.
Just a thought.
First of all, I disagree that I’ve said anything in this thread that would indicate that I “know plenty” about hardcore pornography. Everything I’ve said here could be discovered with a little curiosity and thirty or forty-five minutes of surfing with Google. (That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. :))
With regard to my assessment of the entertainment media and it’s effect upon society, I think it’s both a symptom of the problem and a part of the problem. It’s a symptom because the wheels that were set in motion by the counter-culture revolution have led inexorably toward its becoming what it is, and it’s a part of the problem because it promotes and creates more of the negative influences upon society that led to its existence in the first place.
And with regard to pornography and vulgar language, basically my position is that if people (including me) want to indulge the baser elements of their nature behind closed doors, I have no problem with it. But I don’t think they should feel free or be free to impose those indulgences upon everyone else.
P.S. - I hope that answers your question. I’m having a fairly busy night and may not have gone into enough detail. If not, let me know and I’ll answer accordingly.
And thanks for your support regarding my comments on society. It’s nice to know I’m not a lone voice crying out into the wilderness after all.
Sorry, I don’t think I answered this, or at least not specifically, but yeah, you pretty much nailed it. The difference to me is that rap is marketed to (and inescapable by) society at large, whereas hardcore porn has to be sought out by people who are interested in it and watched in private.
Oh, good. Now I know we’re in a Conspiracy Theory thread.
Here’s the claim that I’ve been responding to:
And:
What is the evidence for any of this?
Is the death phony? What evidence do we have that it is not? Yes, there is a twitter page with one post. What evidence do we have that Tawnee Stone put up that page? Actually, the page is from “Tammy Sarris”. That is what some anonymous posters have said is her real name. What evidence do we have for that? What is the evidence that Tawnee Stone under any name is alive today or died in a car crash or, for that matter, died a year ago?
What is the evidence that this is a “marketing hoax”? What is the evidence that the site would be taken down soon? The actual quote is “I will make a decision about what to do with her site in the very near future.” Taking it down is one possibility. So is leaving it up. So is doubling it in size. So is adding many additional sites. Why is one of these possibilities being singled out? What is the evidence that backs up that choice over the rest?
As in all Conspiracy Threads, the onus is on those making the conspiracy claims to provide evidence. Since I’m “dead wrong” it should be very easy for you to do so. Just like all the birthers and truthers and moon hoaxers have no difficulty providing tons of evidence for their sides, which convince so many people here.
Thank you, and I do want you to know that I was sincere—I have no problem with porn (as the consumer almost always has to search it out on their own) but I agree that a lot of mainstream entertainment (that 6 year-olds can easily stumble upon by accident) is at the root of some of societies most serious problems.
I am still blown away with the language and dialogue that is broadcast nightly on network television.
Look at the Alexa stats someone posted upthread. After that single post from the Lightspeed site owner, the traffic for TawneeStone.com went through the roof. Who knows whether she’s actually dead or not, but the traffic spike that “news” of her death would produce is very real and very obvious to a long-time site runner like Lightspeed.
-No news articles of her death (ok, internet porn star, but lesser “celebs” have gotten death notices)
-People on other websites have searched for auto fatalities around here on the day she was supposed to have died, and found none that could have been her.
-Steve Lightspeed is apparently well-known for these kinds of antics
-Her web traffic has increased (shown by a link in this thread) (evidence of the conspiracy, not that her heart is beating)
I actually agree that the Twitter page smells fake as hell, however.
Well … she is on Facebook with a current pic. Her hair is longer, she’s (fully) dressed in casual attire, and overall looks age appropriate (early to mid 20’s). Since all her ASU friends are not weeping over her death, I vote for alive and kicking.
