*Warning Spoilers*
Well I ran off to see The Men Who Stare at Goats and I'm really not sure what to make of it - as did most of the audience. First all it's only inspired by the book of the same name and a lot of names are changed - For instance the 'First Earth Battalion' becomes the 'New Earth Battalion' - and the story is set during the Iraq war. It's very Pro-First Earth Battalion.
The story follows a journalist named Bob Wilton whose marriage has resolved and goes to Iraq where he stumbles upon Lyn Cassady - a Jedi warrior (taken from Project Jedi - a project incorporating Zen training techniques for special forces troops to improve their powers of observation, mental acuteness, and reactions). Who tells him the story of the 'New Earth Battalion' (A lot of groups like Project Jedi, Project Grill Flame, Project Star Gate are conflated since the real First Earth Battalion was not an actual unit but more a movement inspiring the formation of units) from it's innocence stage to it's turn to the 'Darkside' (such as use of torture on prisoners) as the US Military tries to weaponize the paranormal. Although the antics and eccentricity are amusing the movie shows the magic they use as having real effects and working (Most of the Time anyways) - as in the case of some of the real projects - the Remote Viewing projects (under various names over several decades) were canceled (until it was apparently revived following 9/11) after the cold war because while they did get some good hits it was too unreliable (owing to the vagaries of the astral world).
Anyways as Cassady demonstrates his magical techniques and martial arts skill such as the use of the Predator a real device as Bob slowly becomes a believer and is finally initiated and trained as a Jedi near the end of the film. Cassady follows his intuition, instructions from a vision, and Remove viewing to reach a base where prisoners are being tortured and the army is conducting Psychological & Psychic Operations. With the help of Bill Django (the old leader of the New Earth Battalion and based on the real life Lieutenant Colonel Jim Channon) who summoned Cassady they drug the base with LSD to make the soldiers ineffective (ala this British Test) and free the detainees being used as guinea pigs for new torture techniques along with the goats being used for training purposes. Django and Cassady steal a helicopter fly off and disappear (assumed by the military to be dead) while Bob goes home to share the story and like Ronson is frustrated when the tales of torture become a humor story since the Barney The Dinosaur 'I love you' song was one of the songs used during the sleep deprivation/sensory overload tortures. The film ends whit Bob making peace with his life and resolving to fight on for truth, justice, and peaces while talking about how the world needed more Jedis. He then runs at a wall and passes though it (as most the the already confused audience got even more confused).
An Interesting twist since Ronson despite some unexplained items was a skeptic and considered it all to be madness expressed by a Post-Vietnam shell shocked US Military.
I really don't know what to make of this film - It's kind of entertaining but very loosely based on the actual groups involved so if your interested in the real groups I'd recommend Jon Ronson's Book The Men who Stare at Goats, its excellent companion 3-part documentary Crazy Rulers of the World, and Donald Tyson's Soul Flight which has a section devoted to Grill Flame/Stargate/Et Cetera.
The movie seems have been designed to be a massive Glamourbomb and I'm kind of interested to see the reactions to it. Though the pro-very white light and bunnies new agers elements left me cringing at bits.
One finial note at one point a soldier from the unit goes crazy and marches out into the base's yard naked and starts shooting as the training soldiers in the yard who scramble for cover. He later turns the gun on himself - considering the Shooting at Ft. Hood yesterday I'm surprised they didn't postpone the movie's opening.
- Location:34 W. Weber
- Mood:
amused - Music:Ancient Rites - Thermopylae
http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com/
Whoo-hoo! And still climbing.
Equality Now $104,764.02
And Other charities
1,500lbs in food for Greater Boston Food Bank
Al Wooten Jr Heritage Center = $378
BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre Foundation = $727.95
Donors Choose = $874.66
House of the Good Shepherd = $1,160.00
Humane Society = $395
Kids Need to Read = $7006.49
MADCAP Cinema = $269.00
Nashville Cares = $200.11
PDX Browncoats = $500.00
Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona = $660.95
[ edited by Anonymous1 on 2009-11-07 07:56 ]
- Mood:ready
- Music:Pixies - Wave Of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Click the link to gifts on the main page and you will find all manner of Victorian paraphernalia. Ladies, you will find a compass pendant and a magnifying glass pendant, amongst other wonders.
Gentlemen, you will at last find a source of Edwin Jagger Old Fashioned Shaving Accoutrements. Don't blanch at the $399.99 for the straight razor because you'll also need a $159.00 strop to go with it (so ~that's~ what that's called!).
But, most steamy of all, you may purchase a replica of the weather-glass that was on the HMS Beagle!!!
"This mysterious weather predictor has been used since 1750. Famous sailor and meteorologist Admiral Robert Fitzroy used the Storm Glass aboard the HMS Beagle during his historic voyage with Darwin. After 250 years, how the Storm Glass works is still a mystery, but it is believed that it has to do with the electromagnetic changes caused by the weather. If the liquid is clear, the weather will be fair and dry; if the liquid is cloudy, the weather will be overcast and possibly rainy. The sealed glass chamber is encapsulated in a beautifully crafted brass cylinder and measures 1.65" diameter x 5.75" high. The decorative base may be secured to a horizontal surface and converts to a wall mounting system. Mounting brackets are included."
P.S. You can also find a replica of the door knocker from 10 Downing Street. No, I'm not kidding...
They offered a choice of color or sepia tone, but didn't have the capability of showing you what the image would look like in sepia. I opted for the color version and decided I'd play with it myself later.
( Here's what I did )
But that wasn't what I really wanted. I wanted what looked like an old daguerrotype. Luckily I have a friend with mad Photoshop skills. I forwarded her the image, and this is what she came up with:
( Read more... )
She's got examples of the kinds of work she can do posted to her journal here.
Hello all fine steampunkers of the world wide web,
hope everyone is doing wonderfully well
So my first Boston Convention is coming up, and it just so happens to be a sci-fi / anime con, with some steampunk panels, and what a better reason then to dress up all nice and steamy!?
so i have been mentally designing an outfit for it, thats my design process xD in my head, to paper, to REALITY :0
xD so here is one of my sketchs,
( Pics! :3 )
- Location:Boston
amusedthanks
http://blog.buzzymultimedia.com/julie-be
Buzzy Multimedia spoke with her about her various roles and the common thread they seem to have. "Julie Benz is one of the sweetest-looking people on Planet Earth, and yet somehow she winds up in a lot of films and TV shows dealing with violence."
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0493161/
She was in it for only a couple seconds of the last minute of the eighth episode.
Apologies as this must have been posted before but just in case.
http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/the-buzz-on-mor
The web is abuzz about the 'new' face we already knew. The main Yahoo! page asks 'who is this mysterious face?'
- Mood:trivial
- Music:Freezepop - Manipulate
http://files.harpercollins.com/Mktg/Harp
Hi Mr. Gaiman,
I was disappointed today to read you won't be part of the judging for The Graveyard Book contests. My not-wealthy, middle-of-nowhere bookstore just sent in its entry, and something we're concerned about is the fairness of judging.
For example, independent bookstores like Powell's (I'm sure you know) easily have enough money and are in a convenient enough location to ask you to come at one time or another. Against stores like that, who were able to put more money into their parties, we stand little chance.
I don't think that it's a lost cause for us; we were very creative. I'm just nervous to know you won't be judging. Can you tell me whether you think the judges will take things like size and location of bookstores into account? It would make me sleep a little easier until the results are announced.
Tusen takk,
Allison
Well, per the rules, the judging is based on:
(i) Overall creativity of the Party, as demonstrated by the invitations, signage, decorations, activities, entertainment, and refreshments.
(ii) Customer attendance and response (i.e., enthusiasm, costumes, participation).
(iii) Ability to capture and represent the spirit of The Graveyard Book.
...specifically to reward creativity, and not the ability to outspend other shops. (That was also why the party had to actually be at the bookshop, and not at another location.)
I asked my editor, Elise Howard, and she said,
Gosh, yes. Here's what we think is happening. We are looking at all the entries. On Monday, we'll send you the best 11, from which you will choose the Grand Prize Winner. The rest will get the first-prize package. So the short answer is that you ARE helping to choose.
The longer answer is that we will be very fair and will consider creativity, which includes work done with available resources, along with pure execution. (Don't you think? We haven't done anything yet; still waiting for more entries to come in.)
...which means that
a) I was wrong and will be the ultimate judge, from the shortlist. (Damn.)
and
b) everyone's on a level playing field.
Does that help reassure you?
PS -- Widgett's Graveyard Book Dessert competition winners have been announced over at http://www.needcoffee.com/2009/11/06/gra
This one had NOTHING to do with me at all. But lor' the winning desserts look tasty...
- 18:50 Everyone has to see this. Shatner reading Levi Johnston's tweets. is.gd/4OkgD #
- 18:57 Thanks, DAD! Malia Obama discovers the joys of being a First Kid... having her grades mentioned at press events. is.gd/4Okxx #
- 19:01 HOLY AWESOME. The place we snagged our rings has found a way to mokume gane titanium. is.gd/4OkId #
- 22:04 holyfuckingWANT!!!! Onion, again you break my heart with wonderful ideas... Alan Moore as official White House Biographer is.gd/4OrgP #
- 14:28 Reasons I love xkcd: some days
it's funny as hell, some days it's wonderfully thought-provoking and deep. is.gd/4P3qQ # - 15:56 Awesome Space Invader shirt. Very creative. :) is.gd/4P6zx #
I told you. I told you all. The Dog is the Enemy of the Human. But you wouldn’t believe me. Now look.
…dogs have a greater eco-footprint than gas-guzzling SUVs.
See? SEE?
(Automatically crossposted from warrenellis.com. Feel free to comment here or at my internet church at Whitechapel. If anything in this post looks weird, it's because LJ is run on steampipes and rubber bands -- please click through to the main site.)http://tvguidemagazine.com/feature/sweep
Chance to win $1,000. You can vote for Dollhouse for November (LOL Cry) sweeps, HIMYM, Bones, V everything but Castle. TVguide (Nov. 9-15) magazine has an interview with Nathan Fillion with full page pic.
Also there is a pic of Barney Stinson for the Nov 9th episode under the caption "BARNEY BLOWS UP!".
Seems you can vote as many times as you like but your email only counts 1 time for chance to win.
I really enjoyed marking a lot of shows do not watch and marking Dollhouse and several other shows live.
Direct link to survey
I interviewed someone a few years ago and I came away just feeling they were very stiff and formal. When I commented on this to the other 3 interviewers, the ones after me said she was much better with them, and the person who met her at the elevator said she was a couple of minutes late due to car trouble and had to take a cab and was very stressed over it.
Ah, it'd have been good to know that instead of thinking this was her normal demeanor.
Rule: If you're going to put on an act, you better be good at it.
I knew someone who had done some unusual things to her hair. She complained to me that people were not giving her a chance. I told her that I think I'd react the way they did to her hair -- being mesmerized by it and not seeing the person underneath -- and I suggested a scarf. Give them time to get to know you and listen to you sell yourself before you toss them anything that might be a distraction.
Rule: If you're good, don't distract from it if you can help it.
I will always remember the resume, for a librarian position, that began with something like, "Longtime member of the NRA," and "Qualified with small arms." It certainly is an accomplishment but it was a bad way to lead off.
Start with your education or start with your most recent job. If you have to start with your hobby, it kind of mitigates against your education or your skills being all that important.
Rule: Resumes are to show off what you'll do for the employer. It shouldn't matter if you have skills totally outside of the job requirements, so why make a point of it?
Anyone have anything they'd like to add?
- Mood:
creative
This movie has layers, complexity, and symbolism. Yes, it does manage to reach out to the adults in the audience, and bring them to a place of introspection... the inner child certainly is reflected onscreen. & There are some concepts that will go way over a child's head, but not anything inappropriate for a child to see.
Further, even though those are present, a child can still relate to the characters, playfulness and emotions represented. It's not at all unlike what a child's imagination might conjure.
The main character, a boy named Max, does have some strong emotions and is exploring how to express those emotions. Is this what has everyone's panties in a bunch? Did I miss the memo where parenting forbids emotional discourse?
Every child has experienced the basic emotions represented in this movie- anger, sadness, joy. I mean, a full range of emotion is kind of ideal for a little human. Just because they're not all happy emotions, doesn't make it child-inappropriate. In fact, I think it makes it more appropriate. Dim-witted comedy/action does not have to be the only genre for children. Give your child some credit, and go see this movie with them.
- Oldest American artefact unearthed : Nature News
"The tool shows that people were living in North America well before the widespread Clovis culture of 12,900 to 12,400 years ago"
(tags:history ) - Brazil crime wars: Spiderman’s story of drugs and Jesus in Rio’s slums | World news | The Guardian
""If you add them all up I control 15 communities," boasted Spiderman as his shiny 4×4 hurtled through the narrow backstreets of western Rio de Janeiro. Behind the wheel was Juarez Mendes da Silva, 28, one of the Brazilian capital's most wanted drug lords, better known by the nickname Spiderman. The words "Jesus" and "Christ" were tattooed on to his forearms in black. In the boot his pet dog, Bloodsucker, shared space with an M-16 assault rifle."
(tags:crime drugs pol ) - Detroit: Urban Laboratory and the New American Frontier | Newgeography.com
Not a lot new for Detroit watchers, but I love the phrase therein: "urban prairie"
(tags:cities ) - New podcast: Shift Run Stop ? Roo Reynolds
Roo says: "I?ve been working with Leila Johnston on a new thing. It?s a fortnightly podcast called Shift Run Stop and as she explains it?s ?an ambient soundscape sort of production, an undulation of chatter and noise, ideas, games and food?."
(tags:podcasts ) - re-inhabited circle-k?s - mammoth // building nothing out of something
"photographer Paho Mann documents the diverse array of stores that re-inhabit the empty shells abandoned by the national corporation Circle-K; the current lives of Circle-K's include "a dry cleaners, a couple of florist shops, a tattoo parlor, a tuxedo rental place, several mini-marts and dollar stores, and Bridgett?s Last Laugh Karaoke and Fish Fry." "
(tags:architecture culture ) - The Psychedelic Review Archives 1963-1971
"MAPS has posted PDF scans of The Psychedelic Review Archives 1963-1971."
(tags:magazine history drugs )
We need more steampunk aficionados in NOLA. If you're here, speak up!
(x-posted to
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
steampunk_plus)http://www.geeksix.com/2009/11/science-f
Twitterfied list includes the Big Damn Movie among notable others.
Poll #1481744 Seasonal
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6
As europasings, I would benefit most from employment at
a fabric store like Hancock Fabrics.
1 (16.7%)
a fabric store like G Street Fabrics. 3 (50.0%)
a craft store like A.C. Moore or Michael's. 1 (16.7%)
an art supply store like Pearl's. 4 (66.7%)
a women's clothing store like Catherine's. 1 (16.7%)
the Container Store. 0 (0.0%)
a box office of some sort. Gotta love ticket holders. 0 (0.0%)
a mall store of some sort. "This way to Santa. That way to get me the hell out of here!" 1 (16.7%)
Target. Or Kmart. Or any big box store full of cranky kids and even crankier parents. 1 (16.7%)
another store like...well, see comments. 0 (0.0%)
- Mood:
grumpy
http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?articl
Our Mrs Reynolds talks about her role on Mad Men including what she is learning about the era; ‘Huh, I didn’t realize that they had that kind of stapler then,’ or, ‘I didn’t realize that White-Out was invented by then.’
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
icewolf010 since it included the William the Conqueror reference. (Although I did like the "watery tart/scimitar" one and I know what the green door referred to and it made me smirk a bit.)
October and Halloween might be done with, but that doesn't mean the LOLZ are. :-)
aramintamd!There are lots of news stories covering the data. Here it is from the BLS website direct:
The report's Table of Contents
Summary
Some snippets:
The unemployment rate rose from 9.8 to 10.2 percent in October, and nonfarm
payroll employment continued to decline (-190,000), the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported today. The largest job losses over the month were in con-
struction, manufacturing, and retail trade.
In October, the number of unemployed persons increased by 558,000 to 15.7
million. The unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage point to 10.2 percent,
the highest rate since April 1983. Since the start of the recession in
December 2007, the number of unemployed persons has risen by 8.2 million,
and the unemployment rate has grown by 5.3 percentage points.
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over) was
little changed over the month at 5.6 million. In October, 35.6 percent of
unemployed persons were jobless for 27 weeks or more.
According to the BLS Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary for September 2009, the local unemployment rates then were:
D.C. 11.4%
Maryland 7.2%
Virginia 6.7%
Best off is North Dakota at 4.2%
Worst off is Michigan at 15.3%
http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/seekers-sex
Check out our Miss Chase in all her medieval glory, courtesy of Sci Fi Wire.
* 'Lower fertility is changing the world for the better.'
* Seriously? The Iraqi military turns to... dowsing.
* I'm all for watchdogging conservatives, but I'd like to see one set up for liberal groups as well.
* The Republicans unveil their health care bill.
* Just, wow. Dana Milbank on Michele Bachmann's protest.
* More freaky pics from Mars.
* They've decoded the horse genome.
* "Scientists have developed an 'atlas' of the bacteria that live in different regions of the human body."
* Micronauts considered a 'toyetic' movie property. In other news, I hate the word 'toyetic.'
* Remembering anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss.
If you haven't checked Miss Whiskey's tonight is a great time to drop by as I'm spinning Alter Ego with Franke Death. Hey, and if you're hungry Horace & Dickie’s Seafood Carryout - as featured on Man Vs. Food - is right down the block.
- Music:Eyeball in My Martini - The Cramps
Thus I present you my long-awaited Steampunk Daily Basis Outfit!
( Click for pics! )
Cirque Mechanics is coming to Northern New England!
Capital Center for the Performing Arts, Concord, NH
Think circus acrobatics set into a mechanical factory. Era for costumes is "1940s", but much of the factory worker outfits are time-neutral!
Thursday, Nov 12 @ 7:30.
Tickets start at $12.50 and go up to $75.00 each.
http://ccanh.com/ShowDetails/31/426
The Julian - Midsize Tophat With Working Clock
( Other Items On Sale )
So many more items on sale in our Etsy Shop!
.
The amazing milliner Kim of TOPSY TURVY DESIGN just released images of a new hat she designed for the Dances of Vice Festival silent auction, and it's just so sublime I wanted to share this incredible piece with you! It is Topsy Turvy Design's Leather Seafaring Tricorn with Steampunk Details. The festival silent auction also features a number of other steampunk pieces from our sponsors ARANWEN'S JEWELRY, ELECTRA DESIGNS, HEY SAILOR! HATS and many more.
The third annual Dances of Vice Festival is coming up in just two weeks in New York City! This year the festival is being held in a nautical seafaring theme, featuring all manner of chimerical amusements, from a luxury cruise to historical fencing demonstrations, Baroque opera and ballroom dancing. The theme is perfect for the adventurous steampunk, and I hope some of you will be able to join us! This year's headlining band is The Hellblinki Sextet, performing with Ragwater Revue (featuring guest musicians Brian Viglione and Ben Ickies).
For more info about the festival, visit www.dancesofvice.com.
( DOVF III Flyer )
- Music:The Phantom Limbs
Profile
- american_arcane
- Kier, the Searcher
- Dragon-Pen.com
Page Summary
- ns_kumiho : Men who stare at.... [+0]
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif)
whedonesque : CSTS Global Charity Donation Tally has just hit a new record $116,936.18. [+0] - clintjcl : time for Jackass:The Lost... [+0]
- steamfashion :: weelisa : And a colonial leads the way... [+0]
- steamfashion :: mahariel : My own personal daguerrotype [+3]
- steamfashion :: keebler_keebler : A Steamy Question & Outfit Design Review! [+0]
- alchemy_dc :: primofex : Washington Psychotronic Film Society [+0]
- jastengel : another video wrongness... work safe... [+0]
- washingtondc :: emmala : flags at half staff [+2]
- whedonesque : Julie Benz is just busy. [+0]
- whedonesque : Bianca Lawson joins The Vampire Diaries. [+0]
- alchemy_dc :: jadedat25 : ELEKTOSCHOCK [+0]
- whedonesque : The Buzz on 'V's' Morena Baccarin [+0]
- clintjcl : I have seen the... [+0]
- officialgaiman : Final Reminder for Bookshops [+0]
- lizreay : TweetStuff [+0]
- warren_ellis : Dogs Are Destroying The Planet And Killing Us All [+9]
- cellimachine : SLOTD #426 [+1]
- whedonesque : Vote for Dollhouse + other shows in TVGuide November Sweeps Survey. [+0]
- grail76 : Work related things to do ... [+1]
- washingtondc :: pierogis : (no subject) [+0]
- maroonmd : Where the WIld Things Are [+1]
- warren_ellis : Links for 2009-11-05 [+0]
- steamfashion :: sevenlies : New Orleans steampunk Halloween. [+16]
- whedonesque : Serenity nabs place in top SciFi tear jerkers. [+0]
- europasings : (no subject) [+5]
- whedonesque : "Mad" about Christina Hendricks. [+0]
- chickenhat : LOL Zombie - 1066, Medieval un-Dead! [+4]
- cchan8 : I get to use the birthday icon twice today [+0]
- washingtondc :: kiparui : We've passed 10% unemployment according to BLS [+5]
- whedonesque : Charisma Carpenter in "Legend of the Seeker" Season 2. [+0]
- lamia_prime : (no subject) [+0]
- washingtondc :: zaza613 : (no subject) [+10]
- cheetahmaster : A bacteria atlas, dowsing, and the Micronauts [+4]
- alchemy_dc :: shadow27 : COOL! [+0]
- whedonesque : Dr. Horrible listed on io9's Top 10 Dumbest Evil Geniuses of All Time. [+0]
- steamfashion :: fowo : (no subject) [+7]
- steamfashion :: ladyskada : Gears + Circus? [+4]
- steamfashion :: archers_elegant : Fall Cleaning Sale [+0]
- steamfashion :: rattengift : New steampunk tricorn design from Topsy Turvy Design for Dances of Vice [+1]
chasethestars