Happy Halloween : FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!

Well sure. Spare time + basic engineering skills = CANON!!

The cannon is mostly used on weekends to attract people to Gill’s Farm Market on Route 209 in Hurley, but sometimes the guys get together at the 1,500-acre farm and blast it when nobody’s around. Just for fun.

They’ve shot pumpkins, scuba tanks and a basketball filled with corn and foam insulation. They once scattered some geese by accidentally shooting into the flock. Then there’s the time they shot a bowling ball more than a mile.

“The first time we shot a bowling ball, that’s was probably the worst thing we ever did,” Arold says. “It kept going and going and going.” -- via Neatorama

How did I not know that the World Championship Punkin Chunkin is right in my back yard? I am so going to Delaware next weekend ... Wait! What am I saying? I'm going to Hawaii next weekend! Good thing I remembered.

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

via Nerd Boyfriend

#Supernatural 5.07: The Curious Case of Dean Winchester

Sam and Dean discover a witch is running a high-stakes poker game where the currency is life years vs. money.

Robert Singer directed the episode with teleplay by Sera Gamble and story by Sera Gamble and Jenny Klein.

Show got some love this week from the Examiner, who included Supernatural in their list of Top 5 Underdog Shows:

The Little Engine that Could:

Simply put, this show just rocks. It only averages between 2 and 3 million viewers each week, but it always manages to squeeze by. Now in its fifth season, this is the ultimate underdog show which has found a way to survive and keep going, despite the odds of changing networks, lack of press and mediocre numbers. If you can say one thing about this series, the fans are rabid, loyal and willing to put up a fight, and it has paid off. The show can go from frighteningly scary one minute and uproariously funny the next. Supernatural might just be the best show on television, and chances are you've never seen an episode.

And Misha sits down with Zap2It for a drink and a chat. He brings up his parents' po4n collection and slash fic. That crazy kid is made of the win.



Now, on to the clips!

Drag Racing, DC Style

Wheel! of! Lunch!

This site will change your life. Plug in your zip, spin the wheel, and Yahtze!

Sadly, if you land on 'SKIP LUNCH' you're right out of luck.

Wheel of Lunch

YOU OWE ME RESTITUTION!!

It's that time of year again. Hie yourselves to the pumpkin patch to await the rising! 8:00 pm Eastern on ABC



Tip o'the hat to Tubular!

No, we can't let it go. We're browncoats.

Well played, Castle. Mission accomplished. I might just have to start watching you.

I'm not going to lie. There may have been some squeeing during the first 30 seconds. The man is strapping on the holsters. I'm not made of stone.

UPDATE! According to the Captain himself, there's another piece of meta hiding in this scene:

@NathanFillion Look closely, when Mal comes out the door- under the gun, under the boat, just to the right. It's a nothin' part, till ya need one.



And for those of you in the not-Hulu enabled world. No one should be deprived of Nathan Fillion getting his Mal Reynolds on.



SWEET MOTHER OF GOD HE'S WEARING A LEATHER KILT!!!

Toon Tuesday: Boyhood Daze

#musicmonday: Jill Scott

Your Monday morning moment of avec fromage

via Eat Me Daily

And just because it's my favorite part of the movie

Worst comic book characters of all time

Coming from the author of Sandman, you can take his word for it.

Happy Halloween ... ASTRONAUT!!

credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oskay/ / CC BY 2.0

The best holiday on the calendar is fast at hand. Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has a veritable cornucopia of projects to keep you busy this weekend, and make sure you're well prepared for the coming candypocalypse. They've got it all - costumes, pumpkin hacks, decor, and food.

If your tastes run more to the lo-tech side, Pink Raygun has you covered with their pop culture jack o'lantern templates. I'm totes making a Metallicar this year. If you really want to make the children cry, check out their Pan's Labyrinth "Monster with Eyes in his Hands". *shudder*.

Yeah! The rock music plays!

Sam and Dean

Okay, seriously, what is going on here? Dean looks like himself, but why is the mom from Home Improvement riding shotgun? You Samgirls might be happier with the solo Sam template.

Sam Winchester (solo)

Hurley Pumpkins, dude. Pumpkins.

10 and the Tardis

Halloween Projects from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Templates - Pink Raygun.com

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

via Nerd Boyfriend

That's not a moon ...

Make ready, my friends, for BEHOLD! It's Air and Scare time again at the Smithsonian's Akbar and Jeff Udvar-Hazy Center.

There's something for everyone, with member of both
the 501st and the Rebel Legion in attendance.

The fun is this Saturday, October 24 from 2 - 8 pm. Admission is free, but parking is $15. To the mini-van, away!

We have to hang this on the WAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLt!!!!

ABC has commissioned 16 artists to create limited edition screen print posters immortalizing key moments in Lost history. Only 200 are made available at a rather (okay, mostly) reasonable $50 a pop. A new poster is offered each week, with 8 of the 16 already revealed. Get em while they're hot. These two are - shocker - already sold out.

Viral Posters Commemorate Lost's Greatest Moments - io9

Toon Tuesday: Solid Serenade

The song that Tom sings to his sweetheart is Louis Jordan's 1944 hit "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby." The version used here is an up-tempo version, with bass accompaniment and big band orchestra in the background. It is believed by many fans that the song was sung by producer Fred Quimby. (Thanks Wikipedia!)

#musicmonday: Tom Waits

Your Monday morning moment of Shining

The Colouring from Dan Britt on Vimeo.

via Houston Time Suck | 29-95.com

It's time to put on make up, It's time to dress up right!

You know, here's what wrong with kids these days. Not nearly enough surreal, acid trippy muppet sketch comedy in their entertainment diet. Miley Cyrus? The Jonas Brothers? Would have been eaten alive when I was a kid. Don't believe me? Check out any one of these moments from the Muppet Show. And then GET OFF MY LAWN!!

The Muppet Show’s 10 Weirdest Moments – Neatorama



These clips aren't on the list, but they should be ...

I'll stick with my Chucks for now, thanks.

I think these might have been what Steve Martin had in mind when he spoke of ... The Cruel Shoes.

The screams were incredible ...

Painfully High Fashion: 6 Insane Women’s Boots & Shoes | Dornob

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

YAY! Neil Gaiman has a new book out!

And if you haven't read The Graveyard Book yet, you should. It's gorgeous and haunting and lovely.

Um, yeah Neil. I totally cried at the end.

And I just never get tired of listening to this ...

Searching for a distant star, heading off to Iscandar

Yes! New Star Blazers movie!! I hope this actually opens in the US, because I'm standing in line as we speak.

Translation courtesy of io9 commenter CantankerousDave:

trailer 1
text: Three months to the destruction of Earth
Kodai: Gentlemen! I am Susumu Koda, captain of the Yamato!
Narrator: A mysterious alien fleet! The Yamato rises up once again to confront the threat of Earth's destruction!
Miyuki: Father, plase save the Earth.
Narrator: Space Battleship Yamato, the Rebirth!
Kodai: Wave Motion Cannon, fire!
text: A six-shooter wave motion cannon is fired! Reborn on December 12th.

trailer 2
text: AD 2020. A black hole approaches... The greatest threat that Earth has ever faced looms ever closer! Three months to the destruction of Earth! Yamato, the Rebirth
Kodai: Gentlemen! I am Susumu Koda, captain of the Yamato!
Narrator: A cosmic demon that devours everything in its path!
text: A massive colony fleet of 600 million protected by the Yamato
Narrator: A mysterious alien fleet attacks humanity, which is fleeing Earth!
alien: The Alliance will never prosper unless the Earth is destroyed!
Narrator: The countdown to Earth's destruction begins right now! Will the Yamato be able to keep her safe?
text: The Yamato, Humanity's Last Hope
Miyuki: Dr. Sado! Hurry! Get aboard the colony ship!
Sado: I'm not going.
Analyzer: I'm staying, too.
Sado: Miyuki, Kodai fought because he had someone he loved waiting for him.
Miyuki: Father, plase save the Earth.
Narrator: A unimaginable threat bears down on the Earth! An giant mobile fortress 3km long takes aim on the Yamato, which is ready to fight to the death!
Kodai: Will we lose the Earth now, after keeping her safe so many times?
Narrator: They do it all for the ones they love! Space Battleship Yamato, the Rebirth!
Kodai: Wave Motion Cannon, fire!
text: A six-shooter wave motion cannon is fired! Reborn on December 12th.
Sado: Buy a ticket in advance, and get a special gift!
Analyzer: I'm gonna buy one, too!

via star blazers - io9

Previously on wax|wendy

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

via Nerd Boyfriend

Closet Confidential - Daddy Likey!!

Yay! The fabulous and amazing Winona of Daddy Likey has a new book out - Closet Confidential: Style Secrets Learned the Hard Way.

I've got my copy, and I can guarantee that she will have you laughing out loud and looking better than you ever though possible. Winona shares tips, hints, and hard won fashion lessons in her inimitable easy breezy style.

And! AND! Page 101? The Chicago story? That's ME!! We were having drinks at Bar Pilar with dear Miss B. at the time. Trust me, she did not embellish my tale in any way for the book. I am honored that she chose to include it. Made the slog to the bus stop worth it.

ModCloth also has an interview with Winona for behind the scenes details on writing the book.

So what are you waiting for? Check out Closet Confidential! Scoot on over to Amazon or your nearest purveyor of the printed word and show Miss Winona some love.

ModLife Blog Archive: Meet Winona Dimeo-Ediger

#Supernatural 5.06: I make too much money to smoke crack

"I Believe the Children Are Our Future"

Sam and Dean investigate a series of odd murders that strangely resemble fairytales and urban legends.

Charles Beeson directed the episode written by Andrew Dabb & Daniel Loflin.

Seriously? Isn't that like every episode ever? Dabb and Loflin wrote "Yellow Fever", "Afterschool Special", and "Jump the Shark" so expect lots of darkness and intense brother moments.

Oh, I see. School yard urban legends. Nice.

And an extra vid this week for all you lovers of gun pron.



via Neatorama:

This 10-minute video shows the impact of bullets on various targets at 1 million frames per second. It was made by Werner Mehl, an engineer noted for his development of high-speed photography.

Maybe not so much the techno music, but otherwise I think Dean would approve.

WaPo Twits: DO DA DOO!

Who knew that a venerable old war horse like The Washington Post had both a sense of humor and their finger on the pulse on the zeitgeist?

Tip o'the hat to @BobbyHank







Washington Post Launches Comedy Web Series Based on Celebrity Tweets

Monty Python's Flying Circus turns 40. Would you like a mint?

October 5 marked the 40th anniversary of Monty Python's inaugural broadcast. This and Toon Tuesday will pretty much tell you all you need to know about my sense of humor.

The Mirror UK compiled a list of their top 10 sketches, with The Upperclass Twit of the Year coming out on top. But wait? No Spanish Inquisition? I did not expect that. Check out EW for their list of the 10 ways Monty Python changed comedy.

... and Marx is claiming it was off sides.

Monty Python's Flying Circus turns 40: Mirror.co.uk’s top ten sketches

Monty Python: 10 Ways They Changed Comedy | EW.com

Toon Tuesday: From A to Z-z-z-z

Happy Birthday Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! DON'T PANIC!

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of the classic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Grab your towel and a pan galactic gargle blaster, and pour one out for Douglas Adams.

io9 has several excerpts from the revised and expanded edition of his biography written by Neil Gaiman.

Fascinating fact: Neil Gaiman wrote a fan companion book called Don't Panic: The Officie Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Companion (1988), and also coined the H2G2 abbreviation. As though I couldn't possibly love the man more.

This, the theme from Doctor Who, and the Star Wars fanfare theme are three pieces of music that make me happy on a primal reptile brain level.

And don't hate, but I love the movie too.

The Stage Play That Almost Made Douglas Adams Panic - douglas adams - io9

Does the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy still answer the ultimate question? | Books | The Guardian

#musicmonday: Under the Milky Way

I saw this commercial over the weekend and immediately went in search of the song, a cover of The Church's classic "Under the Milky Way". According to the interwebs, the singer is SIA. Let's get some download action happening. Chop chop!

Your Monday morning moment of food po4n

Alinea/Crucial Detail - Tokyo Taste Intro from 2061wc on Vimeo.

via Eat Me Daily

I review it : Zombieland

Saw it last weekend and LOVED this movie! It's a sneaky little film. It's really a very sweet coming of age tale disguised as a zombie flick. And I don't mean that in a bad way. It's also very funny and suspensful and surprising. Woody Harrelson is hilarious and I totally want to have a sleep over with Abigail Breslin and braid her hair.

According to io9, since Zombieland started out as a treatment for a TV series, we have at least 12 sequels to look forward to. Bring it!

I mean, I have to love any movie that takes such pains to reinforce one of my rules. Always put 2 in the head. Always.

Only way to be sure.

I give it 4 sawed offs.

Funny, Michael Cera finally signs on to the Arrested Development movie just as Jesse Eisenberg's star is ascending. Because you know that kid was totally waiting for the call, ready to take his place as his generation's Dick Sargent.

This is what being free feels like

BOOMBOX from Ely Kim on Vimeo.

100 days, 100 songs, 100 locations, 100 dances.

1 Giant helping of awesometoast with fabulous jam.

001. Heart of Glass / Blondie
002. Jimmy / M.I.A.
003. Deceptacon / Le Tigre
004. Im on Fire / 5000 Volts
005. Je Veux Te Voir / YELLE
006. The Way I Are / Timbaland
007. Too Young / Phoenix
008. Over And Over / Hot Chip
009. Stick It To The Pimp / Peaches
010. Say My Name / Destiny's Child
011. Pin / Yeah Yeah Yeahs
012. Geremia / Bonde Do Role
013. Let Me Clear My Throat / DJ Kool
014. Point Of No Return / Expose
015. Bubble Sex / The Seebach Band
016. Pump Up the Jam / Technotronic
017. Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above / CSS
018. Hella Nervous / Gravy Train
019. Me Plus One / Annie
020. Don't Go / Yaz
021. Bootylicious / Destiny's Child
022. Electric Feel / MGMT
023. Boys Don't Cry / The Cure
024. Lose Control / Missy Elliott
025. Ride The Lightning / Evans And Eagles
026. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough / Michael Jackson
027. Hearts On Fire / Cut Copy
028. Tainted Love / Soft Cell
029. Between Us & Them / Moving Units
030. It Feels Good / Tony Toni Tone
031. Polaris (Club Mix) / Cyber People
032. You Never Can Tell / Chuck Berry
033. Huddle Formation / The Go! Team
034. Pump That / FannyPack
035. My Love / Justin Timberlake
036. Hung Up / Madonna
037. Justice - D.A.N.C.E (MSTRKRFT Remix) / Justice
038. Cybernetic Love / Casco
039. Creep / TLC
040. When I Hear Music / Debbie Deb
041. B.O.B. / Outkast
042. Bubble Pop Electric / Gwen Stefani
043. Miss You Much / Janet Jackson
044. You Spin Me Round / Dead Or Alive
045. Slide In / Goldfrapp
046. Kelly / Van She
047. Mine Fore Life / The Sounds
048. Disco Heat / Calvin Harris
049. Nighttiming / Coconut Records
050. Club Action / Yo Majesty
051. Pogo / Digitalism
052. Lip Gloss / Lil Mama
053. Heartbeats / The Knife
054. Enola Gay / OMD
055. Goodbye Girls / Broadcast
056. Kids In America / Kim Wilde
057. Kiss / Prince
058. Tenderness / General Public
059. Push It / Salt N Pepa
060. Circle, Square, Triangle / Test Icicles
061. Day 'N' Nite (Crookers Remix) / Kid Cudi
062. Shadows / Midnight Juggernauts
063. Paris (Aeroplane Remix) / Friendly Fires
064. Out At The Pictures / Hot Chip
065. Me Myself and I / De La Soul
066. AudioTrack 10 / Diplo
067. Girls & Boys / Blur
068. Heater / Samim
069. I Wanna Dance With Somebody / Whitney Houston
070. Hands In The Air / Girl Talk
071. Limited Edition OJ Slammer / Cadence Weapon
072. Meeting In The Ladys Room / Mary Jane Girls
073. NY Lipps / Soulwax
074. Lex / Ratatat
075. Gravity's Rainbow (Soulwax Remix) / Steve Aoki
076. Once In A Lifetime / Talking Heads
077. Leave It Alone / Operator Please
078. Half Mast / Empire Of The Sun
079. Hardcore Girls / Count and Sinden feat. Rye Rye
080. Dance, Dance, Dance / Lykke Li
081. Never Gonna Get It / En Vogue
082. Blue Monday / New Order
083. Crazy In Love (Featuring Jay-Z) / Beyoncé
084. 10 Dollar / M.I.A.
085. Love To Love You Baby / Donna Summer
086. Steppin' Out / Lo-Fi-Fnk
087. Karle Pyar Karle / Asha Bhosle
088. Love Will Tear Us Apart / Joy Division
089. Straight Up / Paula Abdul
090. My Drive Thru / Santogold, Casablancas, NERD
091. Like A Prayer / Madonna
092. Freedom 90 / George Michael
093. Black & Gold / Sam Sparro
094. B-O-O-T-A-Y / Spank Rock and Benny Blanco
095. Great Dj / The Ting Tings
096. In A Dream / Rockell
097. Don't Stop the Music / Rihanna
098. Hong Kong Garden / Siouxsie & The Banshees
099. It's Tricky / D.M.C.
100. Bizarre Love Triangle / New Order

A Stitch in Time - Toujours Couture

Balenciaga’s black tissue-paper taffeta dress, ballooning sash, and velvet coat

from Vogue, October 1, 1951.

by Horst/courtesy of Condé Nast Archives

Paris fashion week just closed, which seems a fine time to give another look at this recent Vanity Fair article. I've always thought of haute couture as fantastic, costume-y extravaganzas that aren't meant to be worn off the run way. But as Amy Fine Collins writes, by law:

... an haute couturier is a designer who presides over the creation of hand-finished made-to-order clothing, in a “laboratory” that employs at least 20 workers in Paris. The haute couturier must present a minimum of 25 ensembles twice a year, in January and July, and construct a garment over the course of several fittings, directly on a client’s body or on a dress form replicating her physique.

When time travel is perfected, I'm making a beeline for Givenchy, circa 1957.

It's an entertaining piece that traces the history and changing face of the Paris houses from Worth to Gaultier, Lacroix, and the Kaiser today.

Christian Lacroix for Jean Patou

hand-painted toile de jouy cocktail dress, 1987

By Francois Hallard/courtesy of Condé Nast Archives

Amy Fine Collins on Haute Couture | vanityfair.com

It's British Friday! It's British Friday!

via Nerd Boyfriend

#Supernatural 5.05: The one with her in it

"Fallen Idol"

Sam and Dean start hunting together again and their first case leads them to a small town whose inhabitants are being killed by famous dead icons like Abraham Lincoln and James Dean's car. However, after two teenage girls come forward and claim their friend was kidnapped by Paris Hilton, the brothers aren't sure what they are hunting anymore.

I know, baby. I feel the same way. But Kripke seems to know what he's doing so ...

Jim Conway directed the episode written by Julie Siege

Before we get to the clips, EW named Supernatural #11 in their top 25 list of Greatest Cult TV Shows.

Why It's Cult: Because some members of the show's small but passionate fanbase have taken to writing fan fiction. And any show that inspires people to want to continue the heroes' adventures on their own time qualifies as cult. (We'll not mention that some of that fan fiction has the Winchester brothers doing things that brothers shouldn't be doing. It's called ''Wincest.'' Nuff said, ja?) —Marc Bernardin

Oh Kripke. What hath you wrought, making Wincest canon?

This will totally be worth the price of admission just to see Sam get schooled by Gandhi.

My recap for last week's episode "The End" is up over at Tubular.

Supernatural airs Thursday at 9:00 pm EDT on the CW.

Toon Tuesday: Homesteader Droopy

#musicmonday: PS22 Chorus "Pictures of You"

You Monday morning moment of visual effects

100 Years of Special Effects - Neatorama

U2 at FedEx Field - September 29, 2009

This was my first time seeing U2, and they did not disappoint. If I'd known they were that good live, I would have paid the big bucks to see them years ago!

They're traveling with this redonk 164-foot stage setup that apparently takes three days to break down and set up.  It's called "The Claw".

And here's what The Claw looks like when it's awake.

The video screen was expandable, which created a cool effect ... too bad that when fully extended it obscured what little view we had of the band ...

Since we were sitting way the hell up at the top of the stadium.  

But who cares?  Our tickets were FREE!  It was a beautiful night shared with a dear friend ...

Isn't she photogenic?  She would also like to know if you've seen this boy ...

I'm going to make a bold statement, and say they may be the greatest rock band performing on the planet today.  I reserve the right to amend my opinion after I see Springsteen in November.

SET LIST:

Breathe

Magnificent

Get On Your Boots

Mysterious Ways

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Stand By Me (snippet)

Elevation

Your Blue Room

Beautiful Day / Blackbird (snippet)

New Year's Day

Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of

The Unforgettable Fire

Mofo (snippet) / City Of Blinding Lights

Vertigo

I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight / Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (snippet)

Sunday Bloody Sunday

MLK

Walk On

ENCORE: 

One / Amazing Grace (snippet)

Where The Streets Have No Name

Ultra Violet (Light My Way)

With Or Without You

Moment of Surrender

The stand out moments for me were:

Still Haven't Found, when Bono suddenly let the crowd take over the first stanza, with 80,000+ singing their hearts out ... at least until we got to the second stanza and nobody could remember the kissing of honey lips.  Our bad.

Sunday Bloody Sunday, which was recast here as an anthem for the Iranian democracy protestors.  At one point Bono pulled some dude up on stage and wrapped him up in an American flag.  The guy did what any of us would have, and jumped around gleefully, not believing his good luck.  Dance on, good sir.

One / Amazing Grace / Streets, just because. 

I was a little disappointed there was no Pride (In the Name of Love).  And even though I didn't think they would play it, I was still hoping for an I Will Follow.  All in all, a good mix of the old and new.

All of my snaps were taken from my phone.  I took FedEx at their word, and didn't want to risk trying to take my camera in.  -1 to me for being such a baby, although it wouldn't really have mattered, given where our seats were.  Once the show started, I was a little glad of not having the camera.  Sometimes I feel like I'm experiencing life through a digital filter.  I have to remind myself to actually enjoy the moment, rather than get so involved in trying to document it.

Fortunately, lots of other people did bring cameras into the show.  For photos from the show that are far better than mine, check out spiggycat , alykat, and Brandon Wu's photostreams on Flickr.