My wife and I have been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, currently on Season 2, Disc 2. Especially taken as a whole, the series takes on a weight, filling its own history and backstory, providing stories that live beyond the confines of a mere pop-television show and add up to be something deeper and more meaningful. Who’s to discount this as a work of importance beyond entertainment? Or any television show with a complex plot and history for that matter?

Of course, as compared with the written word, this content of a much more commercial nature, but that’s in no way a platform on which to judge its content. After all, although early fables were formulated through an oral tradition as a teaching device, people like the Brothers Grimm were nothing more than creative types looking to sell and collect sets of stories [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brothers_Grimm].

There’s mutability to modern storytelling and mythology that goes beyond the static nature of the page and returns again to the oral storytelling tradition. Creators like Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly) and JJ Abrams (Alias, Lost) have expanded their mythology to include various mediums. Comics, web, movies, fan fiction. The mythology is no longer tied to the page, and now, even the screen, out of the hands of the creators and into the hands of the fans.

Star Trek, long the bastion of fan interaction, hasn’t held this crown for the last decade. Its advantage has been eroded by lack of leadership for the brand, a single visionary to guide the mythology through various permutations.

It’s ironic, and somehow fitting then, that JJ Abrams is one directing the new version of the Star Trek movie.

Maybe it’s he that can expand the mythology to the places where it best deserves to be.

Kids today. Glued to their cellphones, IM, MySpace. Watching YouTube while playing their Xbox 360′s, drinking Red Bull while working on their homework. Or at least that what my parents tell me. For kids, everything is available at any time. There’s little sense of exploration that doesn’t involve virtual worlds. And you will find no bigger proponent for the gaming and digital world than me (and Steven Johnson), but what about going out to play for hours on end? Leaving in the early morning and not returning home until dinner?Maybe it’s a false nostalgia for a past that no longer exists, but I think that it’s more the case that the helicopter, Boomer parents of our present have completely insulated children from personal harm to such a degree that they no longer know how to fully use their imagination to play without limits.

The minute that I saw the cover of the Igguldens’ The Dangerous Book for Boys, I had to buy it. With a hard leather cover, thick pages marbled page accents and a title reminiscent of so many books of yore, it’s just screaming out to be touched and held. I was taken aback for a minute, when I smelled the pages and didn’t get the musty smell of a 75 year old binding. But no matter: the retro design is extended into the book itself, with a copperplate type font and beautiful, pen and ink illustrations that are completely in line with the similar books from the past century.

The instructions inside aren’t really dangerous in the traditional sense, but they are dangerous for those (overly-concerned) parents that don’t want their kids to be anywhere near sharp things, hot things or objects that could give you a little shock: Making a bow and arrow, a treehouse, little electronic gizmos out of batteries and tape. Nothing that’ll kill ya.

What’s nice is the tone of the instructions, like something from a father or older brother. You can certainly tell that these writers, (and brothers) are steadfast in their assertion that you just try and not worry too much about the very unlikely event that you’ll get hurt. They give you a heads up on ways to do things but don’t flail their hands in the air about the danger. Go do it, the book says, and see what happens. After all, how bad could it be? You get a cut? I’m sure the first aid kit they have you make early in the book would be of assistance.

It’s not all carpentry and projects that encourage you to kill and field dress a rabbit though. There’s plenty of common sense practical advice: talking to girls, teaching dogs tricks, finding bugs – things that boys today probably don’t know but should.This, along with plenty of intellectual stimulus: history: battles, war, Shakespeare. Essential. Important. Man-facts.

The Dangerous Book for Boys is not only for boys, but man-boys as well. Highly recommended for bedside reading and for passing on to those worthy enough to learn some very important secrets.

Book Grade: A+

Buy The Dangerous Book for Boys and Support Lights Out Films

If you could write like one fiction author, who would it be?
Submitted by Marilyn.

I'm inclined to say Chuck Palahniuk, because I'm such a fan of everything that he does. Not only is he an Oregon native, bounding around some of the same places that I tread, but his stripped down minimalism brings such joy to readers used to overly ornate language that means nothing.

But I don't know that writing like him would be the best thing I could accomplish. There are already plenty of people trying to unsuccessfully ape his style. Nope, instead I wish that I had the emotional touch of Philip Pullman, who has such a richness to his writing that you're held spellbound by every turn of golden phrase. Honestly, when I read "The Golden Compass" I was astounded that Pullman, as highly praised as he is, hasn't been more celebrated on the level of Hemmingway and the like.

I hope that in retrospect he gains the respect that he so obviously has earned.

Originally posted on lightsoutfilms.vox.com

1. Boot Camp, Intel Macs
Rawk. Simply awesome. Now I know what my next computer is going to be. Now I only wish they did this a year ago when I bought my G5 iMac. The ability to play games is really a great tipping point for those that wanted macs, but were too into their games.

2. Stephen Berkman
I really love this type of photography, and Berkman’s work in particular. It’s moody, scary, and most notably, done on film. In this day and age of rapid shooting digital it’s nice to see someone willing to
do it the old way. Not saying that I’m going to do it the old way, but I’m glad someone is.
http://www.stephenberkman.com/ambrotypes/index.htm

3. McSweeny’s Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales
A great collection of pulp-tales with some fantastic authors. My favorite so far was Kelly Link’s Catskin. I hadn’t heard of her before this time, and this was a great introduction to her work. Strange, creepy, lyrical and off-kilter. The literary equivalent of the photographs above, in other words. An American Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/140003339X/lightsoutfilm-20

Like so many others, I’ve been fascinated by the case. Here are a few works of art that I think is worth looking at for anyone even remotely interested in the weird events.

“From Hell” by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (Artist)

Taking the title from one of the Ripper’s sign-offs, Alan Moore’s massive (thick as a phonebook), inspired graphic novel pushes forward the theory that it was Dr. William Gull that created the havoc in the Whitechapel area. This is not a comic book, but a deeply researched, well presented and historically accurate look at London in the late 1800′s. Perhaps more than any book, it shows truly what it’s like to have been a resident of the miserable streets. Dr. Gull’s dialogue serves as a tour to the times – he’s sickened by all that he sees, especially when filtered through the great history that so many of the locations hold. Although, to my mind, Moore’s hypothesis on the actual killer has been disproven, it’s still the best piece of media to digest given the history. Prepare to learn a lot.

Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper– Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell My girlfriend had this book on the shelf, and I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if it wasn’t non-fiction. But I’m sure glad I did. Criticisms first: given the amount of research that this book presents, it needed both inline citations and footnotes. They appear in the back of the book, but it’s difficult to discover which sources came from where. I’m sure this is a result of wanting to appeal to a mass market, but it would have been grand. Also the book is not organized chronologically, so it both jumps around and unnecessarily repeats information.

Yet, despite these flaws, it’s the best case for the true identity of Jack the Ripper that I have ever read. Gone is the random speculation of theories past. This is one backed by both psychology and science. The book also shatters the notion that many people wrote false letters to the authorities. In reality, Cornwell believes that the Ripper wrote most of, if not all of the letters. It’s not as crazy as it sounds.

It’s an eye opening expose of a semi-famous man who definitely had a severe, psychological issue with women. It’s made all the more exciting with the inclusion of analysis of the killer’s paintings and writings. There’s some pretty damning stuff here for poor Walter.

From Hell Dir. by Allen and Albert Hughes

The movie is a great distillation of Moore’s book. Of course, it takes things its own way, casting the outstanding detective Aberline (who may have been close to solving the case), as the hero. A nice, fun ride, but Whitechapel still isn’t presented as dirty and scummy as it actually was.

Faces of Madness: Jack the Ripper by McFarlane

So, it’s a little macabre. And maybe the sharpened teeth are a little overboard. Really though, it matches with Cornwell’s description of the killer: balding, wearing a black top hat and carrying a medical bag filled with knives.

Does it have some weird evangelical Christian message?

Enlighten me please.

Every time I see the man on TV, it looks like he’s going to keel over drunk and confused. Apparently, the book signing was no different:

http://www.defamer.com/topic/hunter-s-thompson

I want his autograph before he dies.

He’s the only person I’ve seen on Conan O’Brien that had people come and actually sit him down in a chair. In the mug? Not water, but some other oak fermented concoction I’m sure.

Read
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. This is an older one, but a goody. I’ve read this more times than I can remember, and it’s always fun. Tender Branson is on a hijacked jet plane and it’s going down. Here he is, recording into the cockpit voice recorder, telling his story. I know many people that hold this as their favorite Palahniuk book, and I can understand why. It’s a funny, very dark satire of American celebrity, religion and violence. Side note: this was on the fast track to be a movie (it would make a great, incredible movie), but after the 9/11 attacks, the studios ran away. For shame. It in no way glorifies terrorists… just your typical Hollywood overreaction I suppose.

Surf
Shameless Plug Alert! I start work on CollegeClub.com very soon. You’ll see me around there quite a bit, I suppose, on message boards and the like. It’s a great site, and hopefully with my graceful touch, it’ll be even better. The roommate stories and love and romance sections of the site are a kick, so check those out. And once I start, stop by the site every once in a while and say hello.

Listen
Foo Fighters – One by One. Definitely one of their best efforts, One by One returns to the rock roots the group was founded on. Every song here works, not a clunker in the bunch. Breakneck drums, hard hitting guitars and screeching vocals all mix together. Foo Fighters are the kind of band you can put on at a party and keep everyone happy. It’s great…go listen to the clips at Amazon if you want to hear for yourself.

Play
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
I don’t own a PS2, but I’m recommending this game anyway because it’s just so much goddamn fun. Improved graphics and tightened gameplay make it even better than the already excellent GTA:3. The voice acting is supreme, the best in any game ever. I don’t hesitate to say that. You got your Ray Liotta, Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds, LUIS-FUCKING-GUZMAN (See Punch-Drunk Love Review), William Fichtner, Fairuza Balk, David Paymer, Gary Busey, and Jenna Jameson. Plus, Miami Vice‘s Phillip Michael Thomas. You couldn’t ask for a better cast for voice acting. And the coup-de-grace, the soundtrack in incredible. You’ll sit around with your friends laughing as you jack a scooter while an Air Supply song plays. They must have licensed around a hundred songs for the game, all perfectly chosen to represent 80′s excess and cheese. REO Speedwagon, Wang Chung, Slayer, Ozzy, David Lee Roth, Thomas Dolby and wait for it….Flock of Seagulls! all make appearances. Certainly, some of the fun comes in just hopping in a car and listening to the music. One of the best games I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting my mitts on.