#cosmos 2019

[dragons-in-spaceee]

One thing about me is that I will never be normal about the thought of first contact with aliens. The longing to meet or at least find an extraterrestrial species is so real. I just know if we find evidence of even past life out there I will break down in tears and need 3 months to recover. Now can we watch Contact (1997) and Cosmos (2019)

[fountainpenguin]

Found a council meeting WIP I started April 2018 that still makes me laugh.

[cinema-tv-etc]

COSMOS – How I Made a No-Budget Sci-Fi Movie November 13, 2018 By John P. Hess

If you’re a filmmaker like me, you’ve always dreamed of directing your own full length feature – finally writing that burning story and taking it from script to screen. But for independent filmmakers like us, that feature debut is the greatest creative challenge we’ll ever face… I know this, because I’ve just done it.

My name is Elliot Weaver, and alongside my brother, Zander Weaver, I’ve just finished producing and directing my first feature film – a sci-fi mystery called COSMOS. It’s taken 5 years from concept to completion, we made the film with limited gear, three actors and took on every key crew role during pre-production, the shoot and post. We had no budget set aside and spent the least amount of money we could (out of our own pockets) on only the most essential of purchases.

In this article I want to share with you some of the creative processes we went through and answer the most common questions we’re asked about how we made a no-budget movie. I want you to be inspired and realize that your feature debut may be closer than you think.

But before we get into all that… let’s get some context. We’ve recently produced and released a 12-minute “Making-Of” COSMOS featurette that gives a glimpse into the whole journey that was making a no-budget movie.

COSMOS is a low-budget sci-fi feature film directed and self-produced by brothers Elliot Weaver & Zander Weaver, taking on all key crew roles throughout production, with the exception of writing the score.

Gravitas Ventures and Elliander Pictures present COSMOS, a contemporary sci-fi movie inspired by 80s and 90s era adventure - COSMOS explores the first hours of first contact with an extraterrestrial race after three amateur astronomers uncover a faint, coded message in the airways — what they believe is an alien signal.

[vulpiximisa]

Took a break from it but I finally finished the SasuNaru Naruto puzzle! It was a bit easier than the Haikyuu one as it’s basically 4 smaller 250 puzzles

[webweabings]

TO RETURN TO MY TREES

“The Overstory” (2019), by Richard Powers; // “Wild Fruits: Thoreau's Rediscovered Last Manuscript” (2001), by Henry David Thoreau; // Kim Novak; // Chinese Proverb; // “To the lighthouse” (1927), by Virginia Woolf; // Santosh Kalwar; // Albert Szent-Gyorgyi; // “Cosmos” (1980), by Carl Sagan; // “Timeline” (1999), by Michael Crichton

[rabbitcruiser]

National Cosmopolitan Day

Mix together vodka, Cointreau orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and lime juice, shake in a cocktail shaker, and enjoy one of the most popular drinks, the Cosmo.

Cosmopolitans are probably one of the most famous cocktails out there, where people can go out at night and enjoy a bit of fun at night while dancing, laughing, and singing in clubs. For those delightful people who enjoy drinking a cosmo either on a regular basis or just every once in a while, this day is definitely worth celebrating!

It’s time to check out National Cosmopolitan Day!

History of National Cosmopolitan Day

This drink has been making the rounds for a while, and it highlights the 90’s as one of the best drinks of its time. Although the day itself was coined by freelancer writer, Jace Shoemaker-Galloway, who writes about non-traditional holidays, the history of the Cosmo itself is very murky.

It seems that some researchers think that the first tracked origins of the Cosmopolitan drink go back to the late nineteenth century, where a cocktail known as the Daisy emerged as a drink with a recipe that called for spirit, sweetener and citrus. Although this isn’t exactly a Cosmo, it is easy to see how Daisy might be a distant ancestor.

A more direct line for the origins of this drink hails back to the year 1968, when Ocean Spray, one of the main cranberry companies in the United States, wanted to advertise cranberry juice to adults. At the time they named the drink “The Harpoon” and it called for an ounce of vodka, an ounce of cranberry juice, and a squeeze of lime. While this was certainly closer to the Cosmo recipe, it was still missing the Cointreau and/or Triple Sec.

Although legends differ that the Cosmopolitan may have spawned from the gay subculture of Miami Beach, Florida and Provincetown, Massachusetts (where cranberries actually grow!), those can be difficult to prove. Another story credits the invention of the drink to a bartender named Toby Cecchini, who made the drink while working at the famous and trendy Odeon bar in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood in 1987. But, honestly, it’s really hard to tell who truly made it because the drink seems to have evolved over time.

The Cosmopolitan’s popularity spread into celebrity culture, and it eventually ended up in The Rainbow Room, where Madonna is pictured drinking it at an after-party for the Grammy Awards. Even after that it was still a bit obscure until it was brought into mainstream culture by the famous television show Sex and the City, where it appeared multiple times throughout the series, creating a cultural impact on viewers in the United States and, eventually, all over the world.

Cosmos can be as strong or tame as is personally preferred, but because it has vodka in it, it isn’t exactly the most innocent drink out there as far as cocktails go. In any case, it’s time to celebrate!

How to Celebrate National Cosmopolitan Day

Get started with the National Cosmopolitan Day celebrations with these ideas:

Make a Cosmopolitan at Home

Of course, the most obvious way to celebrate this day is by indulging in a Cosmopolitan, which sounds more difficult to make than it is. Don’t be afraid to try out this amazing recipe that can easily be made at home:

In a cocktail shaker, mix 1 1/2 ounces vodka (or citrus vodka), 1 ounce Cointreau orange liqueur, 1/2 ounce lime juice (fresh), and 1/4 ounce cranberry juice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass dipped in sugar, then garnish with an orange peel and enjoy this delicious treat!

Celebrate with Pink

For many people, one of their favorite things about Cosmo is its color. The cranberry juice in the drink makes it a perfect hue of bright pink. And a proper celebration of this day would certainly include dressing from head to toe in Cosmo Pink! Dig into that closet and choose a hot pink pantsuit, a Fuschia blouse or a pink scarf that gives a nod to the day’s vibe. Other fun ways to get into the Cosmo Day vibe can be by decorating the house, car or office cubicle with all sorts of different things in pink.

Get Creative with Cosmopolitans

Just because this drink has a basic recipe doesn’t mean that it always has to be the same! Take it to the next level by including unique and different ingredients that allow the Cosmo to absolutely shine! Try these ideas out for a unique take on this classic pink drink:

White Cosmopolitan. Uncomfortable drinking something that is so…pink? Well this version might just suit! Simply use a white cranberry juice instead of the pink version and, just for fun, add in a little bit of flavor by using a citrus vodka. City Flowers Cosmopolitan. Instead of cranberry, go for a flowery flavor by including elderflower liqueur with lemon and grapefruit juices.

Kiwi Green Cosmopolitan. Mindoro Melon Liqueur, lemon juice, white grape juice and delightful chunks of kiwi fruit make this drink into something super special.

French Cosmopolitan. Making things a bit more sophisticated, this drink substitutes the Cointreau and uses Grand Marinier as the orange liqueur. Then garnish with the peel from an orange, lemon or lime.

Share Cosmo Day with Friends

It seems that in order to make National Cosmopolitan Day a proper celebration, it needs to be shared! Get some coworkers to go out for drinks after clocking out, or grab some friends and invite them out for a round of Cosmopolitans after dinner. Let everyone know that it’s Cosmo Day, and don’t forget to share pictures on social media of drinking those fancy cocktails with friends!

Source

[slimeysodaa]

stay with me on this, STAY WITH ME

i remembered I made a swap au of FOP back in 2019 and wanted to revamp it mainly because I still think the idea is cute, its silly so heres that. Basically; Vicky is Timmy, Crocker is Cosmo and Norm is Wanda, although they are still their own characters.

Crocker and Norm flip flop betweening being able to tolerate the other to actively trying to fight each other. They give off the vibes of bitter exes around the other, but with Vicky, they're very attentive and care about her more and more as the series goes on.

Vicky is ten years old, a very firey gal with some anger issues, but she does work on those as the show would go on. She doesn't want to be lonely, she wants to make friends but its very hard for her to do because she gets scared that she'll frighten them away.

but yeah heres that, look at them all. i have a whole story for cosmo and wanda in this au as well but thats for later. i especially love how i draw crocker, he's just a silly old guy, love that for him

[redgreenbluez]

[literaryvein-reblogs]

hello! could I ask for a list of cat breeds(not all, but generic and well-known breeds)? along with their personalities and health issues linked with each breed.

Writing Notes: Cats & their Personalities

Some cat breeds are closely associated with specific behaviors.

Ragdolls - often viewed as relaxed, friendly and affectionate.

Russian Blues - considered more intelligent and reserved.

But a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports is the first academic paper to investigate whether felines actually show breed differences in behavior and how, or even if, these traits are passed down from one generation to the next.

As Nick Carne writes for Cosmos, researchers from the University of Helsinki drew on data detailing around 5,726 cats’ behavior to identify patterns among breeds and gauge heritability.

Overall, the team found that different breeds do in fact behave in different ways; of these behaviors—including:

activity level,

shyness,

aggression and

sociability with humans—around half are inherited.

The starkest differences among breeds emerged in the category of activity.

The smallest differences, meanwhile, centered on stereotypical behavior.

Prolonged or repetitive behaviors, like pacing or paw chewing, with no discernible purpose are called stereotypies.

In some cases, these abnormal behaviors are actually self-destructive.

“Since the age of about two weeks, activity is a reasonably permanent trait, whereas stereotypical behaviour is affected by many environmental factors early on in the cat’s life as well as later,” Hannes Lohi, study co-author and lead researcher of the University of Helsinki’s feline genetic research group, says in a statement. “This may explain the differences observed.”

To estimate behavioral traits’ heritability, lead author Milla Salonen, Lohi and their colleagues focused on 3 distinct breeds:

Maine Coon

Ragdoll

Turkish Van

The scientists’ full research pool included feline behavior questionnaire responses regarding almost 6,000 cats that accounted for 40 different breeds.

As Lohi explains in the statement, the team had ample data on members of the three breeds, as well as the chosen cats’ parents.

Additionally, Lohi says, the trio is “genetically diverse.”

The Maine Coon is related to Nordic cat breeds and landrace cats—domesticated, locally adapted varieties—

while the Ragdoll is related to Western European and American cat breeds.

The Turkish Van and the similarly named Turkish Angora appear to have separated from other breeds at some point in the distant past.

Salonen et al. (2019) surveyed Finnish cat owners on their cats’ behaviors, which included:

"tendency to seek human contact,"

"aggressiveness towards human family members, strangers, or other cats," and

"shyness towards strangers or novel stimuli."

In total, 5,726 cats were studied. The researchers then separated these cats into 19 breeds.

The researchers controlled for environmental factors including “weaning age, access to outdoors, presence of other cats,” and general characteristics (sex, age of cat) in their analyses.

They identified the breeds corresponding with the 10 following behavioral traits:

Aggression Toward (Human) Family Members

Most aggressive toward family members: Turkish Van and Angora (1st); Korat (2nd); Bengal, House cats (i.e., cats that are not selectively bred), Devon Rex (3rd)

Least aggressive toward family members: British Shorthair

Aggression Toward Strangers

Most aggressive toward strangers: Turkish Van and Angora (1st); Korat, Devon Rex, Russian Blue (2nd); Burmese and Burmilla, House cats, and Ragdolls (3rd)

Least aggressive toward strangers: British Shorthair, Persian Cats, Cornish Rex

Aggression Toward Other Cats

Most aggressive toward other cats: Turkish Van and Angora (1st); Korat (2nd); Bengal, House cats (3rd)

Least aggressive toward other cats: Persian (1st); Devon Rex, Maine Coon, Siberian and Neva Masquerade, Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest Cat (2nd)

Shyness Toward Strangers

Most shy toward strangers: Russian Blue (1st); House cat, Bengal (2nd)

Least shy toward strangers: Burmese and Burmilla (1st); Cornish Rex (2nd); Persian, Abyssinian, Norwegian Forest Cat, Korat, Saint Birman (3rd)

Shyness Toward Novel Objects

Most shy towards novel objects: Russian Blue (1st); House cat, Turkish Van and Angora, Bengal, European Shorthair, Siberian and Neva Masquerade (2nd)

Least shy towards novel objects: Persian, Cornish Rex (1st)

Likeliness of Seeking Human Contact

Most likely to seek human contact: Korat, Devon Rex (1st); Oriental breeds (Balinese, Oriental Longhair, Oriental Shorthair, Seychellois Longhair, Seychellois Shorthair, and Siamese), Abyssinian, Russian Blue, Maine Coone, Cornish Rex (2nd)

Least likely to seek human contact: British Shorthair (1st); St Birman, European Shorthair, Persian (2nd); Siberian and Neva Masquerade, Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest Cat (3rd)

Activity Level

Most active: Cornish Rex, Korat, Bengal (1st); Abyssinian (2nd); Devon Rex, Oriental breeds, Burmese and Burmilla (3rd)

Least active: British Shorthair (1st); Ragdoll, Saint Birman (2nd); Siberian and Neva Masquerade, Persian, Norwegian Forest Cat, European Shorthair (3rd)

Wool-Sucking Propensity

Most likely to suck wool: House cat, Norwegian Forest Cat, Turkish Van and Angora, Maine Coon

Least likely to suck wool: Russian Blue (1st); Persian (2nd); Ragdoll, Cornish Rex, British Shorthair (3rd)

Excessive Grooming

Most likely to groom excessively: Burmese and Burmilla, Oriental breeds

Least likely to groom excessively: Persian, British Shorthair (1st); Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian and Neva Masquerade (2nd)

Behavioral Problems

Most likely to have a behavioral problem, according to owners: Oriental breeds, Persian

Least likely to have a behavioral problem, according to owners: British Shorthair, European Shorthair

Interestingly, house cats (i.e., cats that were not selectively bred) were more aggressive and shyer than purebred cats.

The researchers note that such a finding may not be due to genetic differences. Although house cats and purebred cats in the study were similar in their current environment, they could have differed in their early life. Cat breeders may be especially inclined to carefully socialize kittens as they prepare them for sale or for show.

The researchers also found that the heritability of the studied behaviors was moderate, ranging from .40 to .53, which is similar to the previously estimated heritability of behaviors among dogs. This number indicates that approximately half of the variance in cats' behaviors can be attributed to genetic variations in the population. Therefore, nature appears to play a non-trivial role in cats’ personality.

Finally, the researchers identified correlations among both physical and behavioral traits in cats.

For example, more sedentary and longer-haired cats were less inclined to seek human contact. The researchers suggest that Ragdoll breeders, for instance, may have chosen to breed calm cats that would be fine with being handled and brushed by humans. Calm cats are also less active and thus may be less inclined to seek human interaction.

Although nature matters, nurture cannot be dismissed. Certainly, the human role in a domestic cats’ disposition is significant in multiple ways, shaping both their genes and environments.

Some Common Health Issues

Least aggressive: Ragdoll - Regular vet checkups are crucial for a Ragdoll’s health, as they might be prone to certain genetic issues including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart muscle), environmental and food allergies, and bladder stones.

Most cuddly: Maine Coon - It is a native breed that developed naturally over time. Despite this, there are still some genetic health issues to watch out for such as: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Hip Dysplasia, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Most active: Devon Rex - Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Polycystic Kidney Disease, Hip Dysplasia, Luxating Patella

Least active: Exotic Shorthair - Health problems that their brachycephalic features can cause include: Jaw deformities, Breathing issues, and Eye problems; and Persian - Well-bred Persian cats can be healthy and robust. But there are still some Persian cat health issues you should be aware of: Polycystic kidney disease, Brachycephalic syndrome, Progressive retinal atrophy

Bravest: Abyssinian - They are commonly prone to: Gingivitis, Patellar luxation, Hyperesthesia, Renal amyloidosis, Pyruvate kinase deficiency

And some fun infographics I found for you:

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Hope this helps with your writing!

[kuwdora]

Saturday Morning Vid Recs - Space and Robots

@tafkarfanfic asked me for vid recs that are similar to the following vids:

Data’s Dream by GayleF (Gayle) and TasheryS which premiered at Escapade in 1994 - made on a VCR!! - and was remastered by morgandawn in 2004. Definitely check out the Fanlore page about Data’s Dream. Star Trek + multi-source.

Starships by bironic. Multi-source. The history of Starships on Fanlore.

These two vids are iconic. Please check them out and learn about their history from the Fanlore page, it's a great look at some vidding history and culture. Amazing vids, do love. As for some recs. I love this kind of prompt. More vids like [this vid] is so much fun. I dug deep into my vid rec archives and brain and bookmarks. I’ve also crowdsourced some recs from the vidding discord. Thank you to @rukbat3, @sandalwoodbox, @fairestcat, @monkeyswithjetpacks, @grammarwoman for the reccing help! And everyone else I might have forgotten.

From Land to Sky - and kicking ass while you're there!

Landsailor by @singlecrow/raven. Multi-source. Swades (We, The People); Master and Commander; 3 Idiots; The Dish; The West Wing; Parks and Recreation; Flight of the Phoenix; NASA archive footage; Apollo 13. ❤️ We're gonna need a bigger boat. Come O’ Eclipse by melodytree. Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer. Calendar-making! Math puzzles! Astronomy! Politics! Eclipses! Oh my! Galaxyrise by starlady. Multi-source. Apollo 13 (1995), Interstellar (2014), Gravity (2013), Europa Report (2013), Contact (1997), The Martian (2015). This vid is full of so much wonder! The sky calls to us/If we do not destroy ourselves/We will one day venture to the stars. Going through space with the world by bironic. Space Exploration RPF. ❤️❤️❤️ From "day in the life of an astronaut" videos to international stardom; or, Chris Hadfield and his adorable mustache. Monsters of the Cosmos by CherryIce. Thor/MCU. Jane Foster/Science.Cherry’s editing is goddamn incredible. In the last century, black holes have gone from being mathematical curiosities to real objects in the cosmos. This is a vid about Jane Foster and her one true love, Science. Also, Thor is there. Toxic by JinkyO. The Planets (TV - 2019). Humanity/The Solar System. This vid is so fucking brilliant and makes me cackle in love and awe so much. It's dangerous, I'm loving it. Sci-Fi Friday in a Blender by Luminosity. Multi-source. Farscape, Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who. So much happening in this vid. This is among one of the earliest vids I remember watching and became obsessed with back in the day. Supernova Girl by @usuallyhats. Multifandom. Doctor Who, Star Wars, Babylon 5, Steven Universe, Andromeda, Farscape, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Mass Effect, Stargate. So many wonderful brilliant amazing EXCELLENT supernova women and girls. Zoom, zoom, zoom. Space Girl by @aurumcalendula. Multi-source scifi. Inspired by Charmax’s Space Girl vid and Bironic’s The Greatest. This vid has a great selection of newer tv shows and films and it’s fun to play spot that character. But also this vid will grab you by the heart, too. Utterly brilliant, perfection. A must watch!! 'I've been as far in hyperspace as anybody can.' One Girl Revolution by bessyboo. Star Wars, original and prequel. Padme and Leia!! Seeing these two focused on in one Star Wars vid is an adventurous kickass ride. I'll be everything that I want to be. Space Girl by charmax. Multi-source scifi. One of the most beautiful epic space vids out there! I know I’ve recced this before and I’ll rec it again and again and again. My momma told me I should never watch Sci-fi but I did, I did, I did.

Robots! More than wires.

If a Machine by caramarie, Multi-source. Robot narrative focusing on machine origin, intelligence, and interaction with humanity. And Human fallibility. An incredibly rewarding watch and rewatch. This is the story of cables and copper wirings. Electric Avenue by @monkeyswithjetpacks. Multi-source robots! Nate’s multi-vids are always so fun, especially when it’s showcasing classic cinema and all these excellent serials. Electric Avenue has source from 1919 to 2015. His editing is always on fucking point. Don’t miss this vid. We’re gonna rock down to electric avenue. Everybody by @kuwdora. Star Trek, the Borg. This vid was actually inspired by the Backstreet Boys original music video. I still have the vivid memory of watching or rewatching the original music video in @ars-amatoria ’s kitchen. And then at some point realizing it is perfect for the Borg. Am I original, am I the only one? Fembots by Grammarwoman. Multi-source. Sexy sharp editing and fun use of all the sources. The intersection of women and technology: a spectrum of clones, AIs, gynoids, cyborgs, and other artificial creations. On by @rhoboat77. Star Trek: Picard. A Soji fanvid. Rho has the sharpest editing skills this side of the Internet and this Soji vid is so fucking badass and worth 100 rewatches. Can’t hold me down cuz you know I’m a fighter. Que Sera Sera by @ohvienna. Star Trek Voyager and Picard. Seven of Nine.Nobody vids their Seven of Nine love like @ohvienna. You gotta watch this if you love Seven. Whatever will be, will be…"

Journey through Space.

To Touch the Face of God by destina. Multi-source. The Right Stuff (1983, )The Dream Is Alive, From the Earth to the Moon (TV).This is one of the most beautiful moving vids you will EVER, and I mean EVER see. From Chuck Yeager, to the Mercury 7, and on to Apollo and the Space Shuttle Program (STS) - a very human history of the triumphs, joys, and tragedies of the USA's journey into space. Doctor Who on Holiday by sisabet. Farscape, Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who. A mashup vid of Luminosity’s Sci-Fi Friday in a Blender. This vid inspired me so much. And I have 10 very intense ideas about how I would do my own remix of this vid if I were to make it right now. Fly Me To the Moon by thirdblindmouse. Multi-source. This vid has everything! Alien sex! Xenophilia! Zero-gravity sex! Mpreg!!! Because everyone knows this song is about space sex. Game Night in Space by garrideb. Multi-source. This vid!!!!! IS! SO! MUCH! FUN!! Game on! How are you going to spend those long nights on your starship? Play games, of course! Space poker, space chess, space Monopoly… this is a fanvid celebrating game night in space, set to Don't Stop Me Now by Queen. Starships (Monochromatic Remix) by @monkeyswithjetpacks. Multi-source. See the Fanlore page on the history of Starships (Monochromatic Remix). ALSO check out jetpack-monkey’s extensive notes and side-by-side comparison vid of the original vid and his vid!! He matched Starships shot-for-shot! Most brilliant work ever. The vid notes aren’t on the ao3 page so I HIGHLY recommend checking out the notes on his dreamwidth page! This vid is 10 million kinds of brilliant and technical prowess and perfection.

Vidshow Rec

Alien Invasion! - 30 vids curated and organized into a show by @tafadhali for VidUKon 2024. Featuring films and tv shows: Nope, Attack the Block, Pacific Rim, Venom, Doctor Who, Stargate Atlantis, Star Trek, Prey, Smallville, Rowswell, Supergirl, Arrival, Starship Troopers and more.

Follow these tags to keep up with vid recs this summer:

#saturday morning vid recs

#kuwdora recs

A helpful guide I wrote:

How to Leave Feedback on Fanvids

[spoiledmiyilk]

So like- I've got this AU that I created in like 2019 or something, which basically consists of a fop future AU,idk,maybe 10.000 years in the future or more. Where Cosmo and Wanda also had more kiddos. (kinda generic,but I like it.)

(This is a quite "old" art of mine,love this artstyle, thinking about using it more.)

[book--brackets]

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler (2005)

This is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly unhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: She is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted-and still wants-to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself.

Weaveworld by Clive Barker (1987)

The Fugue, a magical land inhabited by descendants of supernatural beings who once shared the earth with humans. The Fugue has been woven into a carpet for protection against those who would destroy it; the death of its guardian occasions a battle between good and particularly repulsive evil forces for control of the Fugue.

Fractured Fables by Alix E. Harrow (2021-2022)

It's Zinnia Gray's twenty-first birthday, which is extra-special because it's the last birthday she'll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no-one has lived past twenty-one.

Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia's last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate.

Midnighters by Scott Westerfeld (2004-2006)

A few nights after Jessica Day arrives in Bixby, Oklahoma, she wakes up at midnight to find the entire world frozen. For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. And only a small group of people--Jessica included--is free to move about then. They are The Midnighters.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (2019)

There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their life. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother’s paintings and a drop of Jam’s blood, she must reconsider what she’s been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster—and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption’s house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also uncover the truth, and the answer to the question—How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe (1980-1987)

It is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession - showing mercy toward his victim - and follows his subsequent journey out of his home city of Nessus.

The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer (2004)

In the future, in a place called Satelite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill enters the world, unwanted by his parents. He's sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, Freight class. At Clarissa Frayne, the boys are put to work by the state, testing highly dangerous products. At the end of most days, they are covered with burns, bruises, and sores. Cosmo realizes that if he doesn't escape, he will die at this so-called orphanage. When the moment finally comes, Cosmo seizes his chance and breaks out with the help of the Supernaturalists, a motley crew of kids who all have the same special ability as Cosmo-they can see supernatural Parasites, creatures that feed on the life force of humans. The Supernaturalists patrol the city at night, hunting the Parasites in hopes of saving what's left of humanity in Satellite City. Or so they think. The Supernaturalist soon find themselves caught in a web far more complicated than they'd imagined, when they discover a horrifying secret that will force them to question everything they believe in.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (2006-2009)

Poor Creel. She can't believe her aunt wants to sacrifice her to the local dragon. It's a ploy to lure a heroic knight so that he will fight the dragon, marry Creel out of chivalrous obligation, and lift the entire family out of poverty. Creel isn't worried. After all, nobody has seen a dragon in centuries.

But when the beast actually appears, Creel not only bargains with him for her life, she also ends up with a rare bit of treasure from his hoard, not gold or jewels, but a pair of simple blue slippers-or so she thinks. It's not until later that Creel learns a shocking truth: She possesses not just any pair of shoes, but ones that could be used to save her kingdom, which is on the verge of war, or destroy it.

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry (2017)

There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan's first--and favorite--lost boy to his greatest enemy. 

Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate's sword. Because it's never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock--the kinds of playthings that bite. 

Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever. Peter lies.

The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock (1965-1977)

It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair that flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody... He is Elric, Emperor of Melnibone, cursed with a keen and cynical intelligence, schooled in the art of sorcery and the hero of Michael Moorcock's remarkable epic of conflict and adventure at the dawn of human history. 

[the-star-rigel]

the sea & the stars

as both an escape from and a return to oneself (home lies infinity infinities away from here)

vocabulary.com, definition of astronaut / ? / Altered Carbon, S1 E3: In a Lonely Place / Swirling Magnetic Field around Our Galaxy’s Central Black Hole, EHT Collaboration + Scylla & Charybdis, ? / Rocket Man, Elton John + Ad Astra (2019) / Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me), Train + Life of Pi (2012) / How Far I’ll Go, Auli’i Cravalho/ The Farthest Shore, Ursula K. Le Guin + Odyssey over Martian Sunrise, 3-D (Artist Concept), NASA + The Odyssey, Homer / Pluto, Sleeping at Last / @theedorksinlove + Artist’s Rendition of NASA’s Cassini before it entered Saturn’s atmosphere / Cosmos, Carl Sagan / Olympics.com + Solar Sail, Bert Willemsen / The Farthest Shore, Ursula K. Le Guin / Star Trek (original series) narrative introduction / Where no man has gone before, Wikipedia / Space Oddity, David Bowie + Interstellar (2014) + Seascape Great Ofean Waves Rock Before Storm, ? / The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry / Story People, Brian Andreas + One Piece (anime) / ? / @ghostwriterofthemachine / Chinese Satellite, Phoebe Bridgers / We’re Finally Landing, Home / Ad Astra (2019) / John F. Kennedy / @heypvrker / Astronomical Tidbits: A Layperson’s Guide to Astronomy, Gerald D. Waxman + Made of Star Stuff, Samrae Duke

[cinema-tv-etc]

Cosmos (2019) Official Trailer

Three astronomers accidentally intercept what they believe to be a signal from a distant alien civilisation, but the truth is even more incredible than any of them could have imagined. 2h 8min | Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi | 8 November 2019 (USA)

Directors - Writers: Elliot Weaver, Zander Weaver

Stars: #JoshuaFord, #ArjunSinghPanam, #TomEngland

Comments:

People this film is extraordinary! Read the background!.. it was made with just 4 actors and 3 crew with a ZERO budget as a labour of love and to prove themselves! Considering this it’s quite brilliant! If you want to pick holes it’s a trifle drawn out and the score is a bit OTT at times. It doffs it’s cap to Close Encounters and Contact but there are genuine spine tingling moments and edge of the seat excitement. As a bit of a star gazing nerd with no great technical knowledge I loved it! Well done to all involved. Remarkable

NOW AVAILABLE: Amazon Prime https://amzn.to/3yswrMi iTunes: https://apple.co/2polA7Q Vimeo (Worldwide): https://vimeo.com/ondemand/cosmosfilm https://www.cosmosmovieofficial.com/

Gravitas Ventures and Elliander Pictures present COSMOS, a contemporary sci-fi movie inspired by 80s and 90s era adventure.

Three amateur astronomers accidentally intercept what they believe is a signal from an alien civilization. Realising they may have just stumbled across Mankind's greatest discovery, they must race to document their finding, prove its authenticity and share it with the world before it is lost forever. But the truth they uncover is even more incredible than any of them could have imagined.

Set over one night and against the backdrop of a World changing discovery, COSMOS offers spectacle and thrills but reminds us success is nothing without people to share it with.

Directing brothers, Elliot Weaver & Zander Weaver, self produced the project, taking on all major crew roles throughout production, with the exception of writing the score. For more information on the making of the film, visit ellianderpictures.co.uk/films/cosmos

Behind-the-Scenes COSMOS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosmos_movie

[keepxsolxinxsolxinvictus]

Malec (aka Matthew Daddario and Harry Shum Jr.) Say Goodbye to 'Shadowhunters'...for Now

On that epic finale, fandom, and weddings...onscreen and off.

By Emily Tannenbaum

Published: May 07, 2019

[Bringing back an oldie from Cosmopolitan]

As I corral Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario around the Cosmo offices, Matt bounces on his heels, pointing to random objects—like a fancy golden coffee table and fuzzy pillows—asking me if he can bring them home with him (the answer is always "no"). Harry is much more calm, back straight and confident, happy to just laugh at his co-star.

It's jarring how their roles are almost the reverse of their characters: For the last three years on Freeform's hit series Shadowhunters (based on The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare). Matt played Alec Lightwood, the stoic half-angel leader with a heart of gold, while Harry embodied the eccentric Warlock Magnus Bane, always moving, portaling somewhere or changing his look...not to mention throwing shit around his beautiful New York apartment.

As they say, opposites attract, and Matt and Harry captured the hearts of the entire Shadowhunters fandom as a certified power couple. Malec has certainly had their share of rom-com moments (they share their first kiss when the warlock crashed Alec's first wedding) and dramatic breakups (don't remind me about 2X18). But last night, Shadowhunters gave Malec the happy ending they deserve, complete with gorgeous wedding and happily ever after as the Inquisitor of the Clave and High Warlock of Alicante.

A wedding finale is hardly unheard of in the TV world, bordering on cliché, but for Shadowhunters there was truly no other option. The union of a strong gay man and proud bisexual has been the cornerstone of this fandom throughout its run, inspiring countless LGBTQ+ fans and landing a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Drama (not to mention sweeping the 2018 People's Choice Awards the same year as its premature cancellation). How else do you celebrate their legacy, if not by throwing a giant party and giving our boys one more showstopping kiss?

Of course, as surreal as it is to discuss the end of Shadowhunters with the ship to end all ships, it's even tougher for them to say goodbye. Here, Matt and Harry talk about the Malec wedding, balancing fandom with real life, and why Alec had to stay mortal.

The Malec Wedding

Tell me about the wedding. You’ve built this relationship for three years now, and you’ve seen how massively people have reacted—what did it feel like to give them that milestone?

Harry Shum Jr.: It had to happen. It was a great moment to bring everyone in and say, "Look at this joyous moment."

It was nice to have everybody back on-set. It really felt both, for the show itself and for us as a whole, that this was a great ending. Because it was the last thing we filmed. I'm happy that we got these two episodes so that we could do it because it would have been really unfortunate if the fans hadn't gotten that wedding. And then fans can play in their heads now, Magnus and Alec are married and doing whatever.

Matthew Daddario: You know, it's like the end of a chapter.

Harry: We're safe now.

So correct me if I'm wrong, but Alec is just a Shadowhunter still? He's not immortal.

Matt: Just a Shadowhunter? [Laughs] Yes, I am.

Some fans were really rooting for Immortal Husbands...like, intensely. How do you feel about this?

Matt: This is the thing I always have trouble understanding is that people want the immortality. And this is a topic that's been written about and discussed for thousands of years, and everyone comes to the same conclusion: the curse of immortality. It is not always the best thing in the world to live forever. In fact, that's close to this kind of a godliness that is considered almost like a living hell.

For Magnus, he's living and living in this endless loop without the repercussion of the totality of life. And if Magnus was instead mortal, would we not celebrate their wonderful life? But it's because he's immortal, we worry about what happens after the fact.

Matt: Right. You can get killed. They're immortal, and then they get the shot off the top of the castle walls, and you're like, "Whoa, that's screwed up." But at the same time, every mortal has to deal with that. [Turns to Harry] So it's not your mortality that you're upset about when you first lost your powers. You're not upset about the mortality, you're upset about the loss of your identity.

Harry: But here’s the difference: It’s not the immortality that you get shot and you can’t die.

Some fans just want Malec on an even playing field. But I find it really sad that Alec would have to live and lose like Jace and Izzy—

Matt: Right. Magnus lost people constantly, and he was kind of a shell of a person at one time. Up until meeting Alec, he's filling his life with debauchery, anything to heighten the senses. And, you know, trying to find places where he can take care of people. And he does get involved with helping vampires because they're immortal as well. There is a kind of emptiness to him in the first season.

Harry: No, for sure. And I think then there is the big switch.

Did you get emotional reading the final episode?

Harry: Everyone did at the table read. One of our producers reading off the narration, he couldn't even get through and actually walked out and someone had to take over. And then there was this silence in the end when the last words were spoken. I think that silence spoke volumes.

Has the end of Shadowhunters hit home for you yet?

Matt: I think it will hit me when I don't think about it for a week. If one week passes without me thinking about Shadowhunters, I will say, "Shit."

We think about it every day. This is a huge part of our lives. This is three years of this. And this show, it's a hit. People are talking about it, people from around the world. It's hard to deny that.

Will you still engage with Shadowhunters stans, or are you emotionally ready to move on to another world?

Matt: Look, we're done filming Shadowhunters, but the fans of the show are always welcome to ask questions and all that kind of stuff. But eventually, we're going to run out of new answers.

I'm always happy to talk to a Shadowhunters fan because they are enthusiastic, they care about what they're talking about, and many of them have built friendships off of it, so it matters to them, and therefore it matters to me.

Harry: Because you gave a part of your life.

Matt: Your job is to have an effect on people, and therefore you have a certain responsibility to engage with the people who are affected by this. You can choose not to, you could choose to go completely incognito or to ignore it, but to dismiss it is, frankly, insulting and kind of silly and maybe slightly narcissistic.

But I think that you do need to have an understanding that you're not any different or special because of this involvement with culture. And why would you want to be miserable about it? Why wouldn't you embrace it?

Matt, you kept your own wedding a secret until your one-year anniversary. Was it harder to keep the details of the finale secret or your wedding?

Matt: [Laughs] It was definitely easier to keep the wedding secret. I just told everyone no one's allowed to take photos. And people did a pretty good job with that.

Harry: Yeah, sometimes I think it's a nice...regardless of what your profession is, but particularly ours, to have something just for yourself.

Matt: Not to say that people don't deserve to know, but I think that anybody would feel like, hey, I would like this moment just to be mine for a little bit.

People can be a little bit demanding. One time this girl is walking down the street, I'm walking down the street, she's on the phone, it's the middle of the day, she's FaceTiming somebody.

She sees me, she stops me by the touching me on the shoulder and says, "Oh, whoa, wait, look! Look who's here!" and hold the phone up like this and goes, "Crazy!" and then keeps walking. And I'm like, fuck you. Like, what the fuck?! [Laughing] You don't do that to someone.

It just felt so invasive. It just feels a little bit like, you're not a human. You're the thing I see on TV. But I guess it's just excitement, whatever.

You obviously know about the #SaveShadowhunters campaign. What would you say if suddenly, some other network wanted to pick up the show?

Harry: I think it's a conversation. You know, we love playing these characters. But as time passes, things change. Like introducing a baby into your life, or whatever the next phase is.

But it's also a wonderful group of people. So, of course, instead of saying, "Absolutely not," it's definitely open for conversation for me.

Matt: Honestly, the ending is successful. And, you know, there's a danger now. What if you screw it up? [Laughs]

[webweabings]

GOD SAID, LET NEWTON BE! AND ALL WAS LIGHT

"Paul Davies; // Guy Kawasaki; // "Flammarion engraving", Unknown (1888); // "Portrait of Jean Mielot", by Jean Le Tavernier (1456); // "The New science: 3 complete works: Where is science Going?, The Universe in the Light of Modern Physics, The Philosophy of Physics", by Max Planck; // "Science, Philosophy, and Religion", by Albert Einstein; // Allan Sandage in "Sizing up the Cosmos: An Astronomer's Quest", interviewed by John Noble Wilford; // Louis Pasteur; // AWAKE experiment, CERN (2019); // Eckhart Tolle; // Voltaire; // "A Brief History of Time. ch 11", by Stephen Hawking; // St. John Cristal Casket; // Ralph Waldo Emerson; // Robert Winston; // "George Baker", Unknown artist (17th century); // "Cours de philosophie à Paris. Grandes chroniques de France", Unknown artist (14th century)