#farmer george x Venus | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rescue-ram · 2 years ago

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I posted 4,213 times in 2022

That's 1,569 more posts than 2021!

204 posts created (5%)

4,009 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@autumngracy

@optimisticfruitcup

@szczypawice

@bigbaywindow

@itwoodbeprefect

I tagged 1,765 of my posts in 2022

#x men - 185 posts

#goncharov - 135 posts

#scott summers - 128 posts

#star trek - 107 posts

#succession - 91 posts

#les mis - 76 posts

#mash - 69 posts

#star wars - 64 posts

#batman - 57 posts

#ds9 - 55 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#sorry for reblogging rather than replying but im still in tumblr timeout for sending too many dms last month and cant reply/send messages

My Top Posts in 2022:

Name Meanings in Severance

Some of these are obvious, but I love name meanings and similar so posting for posterity...

Kier means dark and Eagan means fire, so if you were unsure if he was literally Satan before, be certain.

On a similar note, Lumon means light, Helena means shining light, and Lucifer means 'lightbearer'. On a related but hopefully less Luciferian note, Eleanor, the name of Devon's baby, is a variant form of Helena. Helly's (fake?) last name of Riggs evokes a "rigged system" or game to me.

Mark is named more for the sense of being the "target" of a scam or con, and his last name Scout is obviously evocative of investigation. I think his sister Devon was named more for the unisex tomboyish vibes then any deep meaning. Same with Ricken- his name has that too special/slightly fake quality that suits his vibes, though Hale can mean both "healthy" or "hollow".

Dylan and Irving were probably named more for vibes than meaning as well- Dylan has a very youthful vibe, especially when contrasted with an old fashioned name like Irving. But they do have interesting contrasts in their name meanings- Dylan relates to the Welsh god of the sea (hunting eels anyone?) while Irving means fresh water. Their last names, George and Bailiff, don't seem to have any special significance, meaning farmer and, well, bailiff/officer/manager.

Burt is another light themed name, meaning bright. His last name, Goodman, has an obvious meaning.

Harmony has an obvious meaning, that in context evokes balancing the four humors in the Kier cult. Cobel, meaning rock or famous, sounds very similar to the mythical creature called a kobold or kobalos, which is a sort of hobgoblin or household spirit with an ambivalent nature. Her fake last name of Selvig means seal-cove and evokes selkies, shapeshifting seals who can remove their skin to appear as a woman and marry.

I think Milchick is another vibe name. It just sounds like a substitute teacher or something. It means milk. Same with Graner- the name just sounds kind of scary.

Peter means rock, and Kilmer was a potter's surname, relating to kilns, but while Petey might be meant to evoke a foundation for the start of Mark's journey to the truth, I think Kilmer relates more to Petey being killed then anything else.

There's a few interesting meanings in the Eagan CEO names: Ambrose means honey or sweet. Myrtle is a tree sacred to Venus, sometimes identified with Lucifer as the morning star. Baird means poet. Gerhardt means brave. Phillip means lover of horses, while Pip mean a small seed, and is the name of several variants of apples. Leonora is another variant of Helena/Eleanor, and Jame is an unusual version of James meaning usurper.

Gemma means gem, something precious, and Casey means watchful.

Finally, Angelo obviously means angel, and his wife Gabriela was named for the angel Gabriel, meaning strength of God.

EDIT TO ADD: The closest meaning I could find for Reghabi is open minded and generous!

24 notes - Posted May 13, 2022

Insane Thoughts About Les Mis Below

What I truly cannot get over is the absolute perfect blending of the universal and the specific. Like Hugo does this in a lot of his other works, notably Hunchback, but Les Mis is truly a masterpiece in that regard.

Because it is a profoundly universal story, whose theme resonate across time and culture! It's the story of souls seeking salvation, it's a question about what good and evil are, it's an exploration of morality and nurture vs. nature. You can retell it and readapt it easily because the core narrative around which everything hangs- a man is shown mercy upon his release from prison and tries to redeem himself for his past crimes but can never outrun them, and through his efforts causes a series of coincidences that deeply impact his life and the lives of those around him- that's a good story! If I fleshed out that one sentence summary with more plot points, you could still strip them down and reskin them while keeping the outline recognizable, you can shift the characters between context, because it's just a really strong narrative with compelling character conflicts! Further, it's rebuttal of the "great men of history" narrative is STILL one of the strongest- it so perfectly explores how characters are shaped by circumstance, rather than innate traits, and that circumstance likewise is not earned by goodness- but neither is it totally random- but is rather the sum total of many many decisions made by EVERYONE, and that even the smallest and most inconsequential lives can have huge impacts, and that you shouldn't judge others because you don't know their story.

But by that same token- it is SUCH a specific story!! There is a reason it was written at the time it was written and set in the decades of was set- the fact that Valjean went to prison during the reign of Louis XVI and came out AFTER the defeat of Napoleon- understanding just how much the world changed is critical to understanding his character! The unprecedented social mobility of the period is PLOT CRITICAL- multiple character make and lose fortunes multiple times in the span of two decades, the industrial revolution is both necessary for the plot and deeply symbolic (THE FUCKING JET MAKING PROCESS STILL MAKES ME INSANE), nevermind the climactic very specific political conflict at the end of the novel, nevermind the incredibly context specific jokes and references throughout the novel, nevermind the literal ESSAYS on Waterloo, convents, and sewers which are symbolic but also so so SO specific! Aah!! Screaming!!

Truly, you can adapt Les Mis endlessly, and I think it will be a story told for centuries- maybe even a millenia- because the characters and the core themes they are used to explore are so deeply resonant. But you can never completely "lift and shift" the story and characters to a new setting- you will ALWAYS lose nuance in the process- because they are so deeply entwined with the setting and it's history and with each other- and I think that's beautiful.

26 notes - Posted February 16, 2022

Long Post of Marius Being Awesome and Respected by Les Amis and Generally Well Liked by Enjolras Because the Jokes Are Truly Getting Old By Now

Enjolras trusted Marius with Revolutionary Matters:

"At the Barrière du Maine there are marble-workers, painters, and journeymen in the studios of sculptors. They are an enthusiastic family, but liable to cool off... There is urgent need that some one should go and talk with them a little, but with firmness. They meet at Richefeu’s. They are to be found there between twelve and one o’clock. Those ashes must be fanned into a glow. For that errand I had counted on that abstracted Marius, who is a good fellow on the whole, but he no longer comes to us. I need some one for the Barrière du Maine. I have no one.”

Marius saves Courfeyrac and Gavroche with good marksmanship:

Before the bayonet had touched Gavroche, the gun slipped from the soldier’s grasp, a bullet had struck the municipal guardsman in the centre of the forehead, and he fell over on his back. A second bullet struck the other guard, who had assaulted Courfeyrac in the breast, and laid him low on the pavement.

This was the work of Marius, who had just entered the barricade.

Marius, still concealed in the turn of the Rue Mondétour, had witnessed, shuddering and irresolute, the first phase of the combat. But he had not long been able to resist that mysterious and sovereign vertigo which may be designated as the call of the abyss. In the presence of the imminence of the peril, in the presence of the death of M. Mabeuf, that melancholy enigma, in the presence of Bahorel killed, and Courfeyrac shouting: “Follow me!” of that child threatened, of his friends to succor or to avenge, all hesitation had vanished, and he had flung himself into the conflict, his two pistols in hand. With his first shot he had saved Gavroche, and with the second delivered Courfeyrac.

Marius saves the Barricade:

Marius had entered the tap-room, and had seized the barrel of powder, then he had taken advantage of the smoke, and the sort of obscure mist which filled the entrenched enclosure, to glide along the barricade as far as that cage of paving-stones where the torch was fixed. To tear it from the torch, to replace it by the barrel of powder, to thrust the pile of stones under the barrel, which was instantly staved in, with a sort of horrible obedience,—all this had cost Marius but the time necessary to stoop and rise again; and now all, National Guards, Municipal Guards, officers, soldiers, huddled at the other extremity of the barricade, gazed stupidly at him, as he stood with his foot on the stones, his torch in his hand, his haughty face illuminated by a fatal resolution, drooping the flame of the torch towards that redoubtable pile where they could make out the broken barrel of powder, and giving vent to that startling cry:—

“Be off with you, or I’ll blow up the barricade!”

Marius on that barricade after the octogenarian was the vision of the young revolution after the apparition of the old.

“Blow up the barricade!” said a sergeant, “and yourself with it!”

Marius retorted: “And myself also.”

And he dropped the torch towards the barrel of powder.

But there was no longer any one on the barrier. The assailants, abandoning their dead and wounded, flowed back pell-mell and in disorder towards the extremity of the street, and there were again lost in the night. It was a headlong flight.

The barricade was free.

Everyone likes Marius, he's respected as a leader:

All flocked around Marius. Courfeyrac flung himself on his neck.

“Here you are!”

“What luck!” said Combeferre.

“You came in opportunely!” ejaculated Bossuet.

“If it had not been for you, I should have been dead!” began Courfeyrac again.

“If it had not been for you, I should have been gobbled up!” added Gavroche.

Marius asked:—

“Where is the chief?”

“You are he!” said Enjolras.

Marius is considered a leader:

Marius, fasting, fevered, having emerged in succession from all hope, and having been stranded in grief, the most sombre of shipwrecks, and saturated with violent emotions and conscious that the end was near, had plunged deeper and deeper into that visionary stupor which always precedes the fatal hour voluntarily accepted.

...He looked on at everything as from without; as we have said, things which passed before him seemed far away; he made out the whole, but did not perceive the details. He beheld men going and coming as through a flame. He heard voices speaking as at the bottom of an abyss.

But this moved him. There was in this scene a point which pierced and roused even him. He had but one idea now, to die; and he did not wish to be turned aside from it, but he reflected, in his gloomy somnambulism, that while destroying himself, he was not prohibited from saving some one else.

See the full post

33 notes - Posted February 17, 2022

God House and Wilson really were "It's rotten work" "Not to me. Not if it's you" AND "It's rotten work" "Especially for me. Especially if it's you" simultaneously.

56 notes - Posted September 5, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK??

Saw a post about "formative gay books from your youth" which set off my third fruitless quest for a YA novel I read once when I was like 12 and has lived rent free in my head ever since. Objectively, as an adult, when I reflect on the scenes it burned into my neurons, I acknowledge it was probably not that great. But it made 12 year old me have insanely complicated feelings and it's MADDENING I can find no trace of this novel.

I've searched several times over the years, and just tonight spent an hour going through Amazon, WorldCat, Google Books, Goodreads, and like three other book search databases to no avail. My last hope is that someone on Tumblr has also read this novel and recognizes it.

If any of the below ring a bell, PLEASE let me know!

Young adult novel published prior to 2008

Set in a Houston art school. I might be having false memories that it was specifically the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Centered around two boys- an extremely shy visual artist and a very confident but secretly depressed writer.

Very shy boy might've had selective mutism? Definitely had a strained relationship with his family

At the beginning of the novel, shy boy has to submit a portrait for admission to school. He initially draws a caricature of himself wearing art like armor, but his mom laughs at him and tells him he misunderstood the instructions and he was supposed to write a personal essay. Shy boy struggles with this.

There was a weirdly vivid metaphor about social anxiety being like being eaten by wolves? There was also a very vivid description of being a puppet or marionette.

There was a conflict over shy boy wanting to do cartooning but having to learn painting instead?

He was initially intimidated by confident boy, but confident boy sees his cartoons and really likes them

As they get closer confident boy opens up about feeling crushed by pressure and expectations of others, conflict with his family as well? He may have been self-harming?

They keep their friendship a secret and it's either extremely homoerotic or confident boy was explicitly gay. I do not remember clearly. It gets very intense and shy boy is conflicted and uncomfortable about the secrets he's keeping.

At the end of the book, confident boy kills himself in a way that looks like a tragic accident. He intentionally overdoses on medication that induces a heart attack, but injects into a healing injury on his arm so there's no puncture marks. He leaves a suicide note for shy boy, encouraging him to be himself and be a great artist, but to tell no one confident boy killed himself because he doesn't want his family to be upset?

Shy boy is traumatized and initially keeps the secret, but at the end of the book opens up to... Someone. One of the teachers? It ends on a bittersweet but hopeful note that now shy boy is opening up and is forming healthier relationships.

As an adult, this summary sounds rather maudlin, but I remember being really struck by the writing style as a kid, especially the imagery and descriptions. I just feel crazy that this book really affected middle school me and then seemingly disappeared into the ether. If you have any idea what I'm talking about, PLEASE let me know!

150 notes - Posted July 1, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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alystayr · 4 years ago

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Playlist musicale 2021 (1/2)

Liste des chansons (playlist 2021 - part. 1)

Mise à jour : 30 juin 2021

playlist 2020 (part.2), playlist 2020 (part. 1)

playlist 2019 (part.2), playlist 2019 (part. 1)

playlist 2018 (part. 2), playlist 2018 (part. 1)

playlist 2017 (part. 2), playlist 2017 (part. 1)

playlist 2016 (part. 2), playlist 2016 (part. 1)

playlist 2015

0-9 #

AC/DC - Demon Fire (2020)

Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69 (1985)

Alabama Shakes - Hold On (2012)

America - A horse with no name (1971)

Angèle - Balance Ton Quoi (2018)

Archive - Fool (2002)

Jean-Louis Aubert - Bien Sûr (2019)

Asaf Avidan - Different Pulses (2012)

George Baker - Little Green Bag (from Reservoir Dogs) (1969)

Band Of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You (2007)

The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever (1967)

Jeff Beck (feat. Imogen Heap) - Blanket (2007)

Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive (from Saturday Night Fever) (1977)

Chuck Berry - Darlin' (2017)

The Black Keys (cover John Lee Hooker) - Crawling Kingsnake (2021)

Black Pistol Fire - Morning Star (2016)

Black Pumas - Colors (2019)

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - What Ever Happened To My Rock And Roll (2001)

Black Sabbath - God Is Dead? (2013)

Blind Melon - No Rain (1992)

Blondie - Heart Of Glass (1978)

The Blue Stones - Black Holes (Solid Ground) (2015)

The Blues Mystery - Back to the Dirty Town (2013)

Blues Traveler - Run-Around (1995)

Blur (Feat. Phil Daniels) - Parklife (1994)

David Bowie - Survive (1999)

Jacques Brel - La chanson des vieux amants (1967)

Brigitte - Battez-Vous (2010)

Francis Cabrel - Peuple des fontaines (2020)

J.J. Cale - Durango (1997)

CAN - Vitamin C (1972)

Cats on trees - Sirens call (2013)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Distant Sky (2016)

Tracy Chapman - Give Me One Reason (1995)

Joe Cocker (cover Randy Newman) - You Can Leave Your Hat On (from 9½ Weeks) (1986/1972)

CocoRosie - Did Me Wrong (2020)

Cœur de pirate (feat. Loud) - Dans la nuit (2018)

Leonard Cohen - Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye (1967)

The Cranberries - Animal Instinct (1999)

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son (1969)

Sheryl Crow - If It Makes You Happy (1996)

Eddy de Pretto - Bateaux-Mouches (2020)

Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over The Country Club (2021)

Depeche Mode - Freelove (2001)

Détroit - Null And Void (2013)

Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene (1988)

Dire Straits - Expresso Love (1980)

Eels - Earth To Dora (2020)

Eminem (feat. Anderson .Paak) - Lock It Up (2020)

Endless Boogie - The Artemus Ward (2013)

Piers Faccini - Foghorn Calling (2021)

Mylène Farmer - Fuck them all (2005)

Léo Ferré – Les anarchistes (1969)

Feu! Chatterton - Monde Nouveau (2021)

Foo Fighters - Walk (2011)

Maxime Le Forestier - Saltimbanque (1975)

Foster The People - Sit Next to Me (2017)

Franz Ferdinand - Michael (2004)

Fugees - Ready or Not (1996)

Peter Gabriel - Mercy Street (1986)

Serge Gainsbourg - Requiem Pour Un Con (1968)

France Gall - Evidemment (1987)

Genesis - Invisible Touch (1986)

Girls in Hawaii - Found in the Ground (2002)

Goldfrapp - Ooh La La (2005)

Jean-Jacques Goldman - Comme toi (1982)

Grand Corps Malade & Louane - Derrière le brouillard (2020)

Juliette Greco - Le p'tit bal perdu (1961)

Greta Van Fleet - Age of Machine (2020)

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (1987)

Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around The Clock (1954)

PJ Harvey - Dress (1992)

Murray Head - Say It Ain't So Joe (1975)

Heartless Bastards - Revolution (2020)

Bernard Herrmann - Taxi Driver (theme) (1976)

The Hives - Hate to Say I Told You So (2000)

The Hollies - Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) (1971)

Hollywood Undead (feat. Hyro The Hero) - Comin' Thru The Stereo (2021)

Romain Humeau - Echos (2020)

IDLES - Mr. Motivator (2020)

Interpol - Stella Was A Diver (2002)

Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name (1982)

Michael Jackson - Black or White (1991)

The Jesus And Mary Chain (Feat. Hope Sandoval) - Sometimes Always (1994)

Quincy Jones - Soul Bossa Nova (1962)

Kaleo - Backbone (2020)

Kansas - Dust in the Wind (1977)

The Killers - Caution (2020)

The Kills - The Search For Cherry Red (2020)

Kings Of Leon - The Bandit (2021)

Kiss - Heaven's On Fire (1984)

Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993)

Kyo - Le Graal (2014)

Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You (1970)

Liars - Sekwar (2021)

Limp Bizkit (Feat. Lil Wayne) - Ready To Go (2013)

Louise Attaque - La plume (2000)

Mad Season - Wake Up (1995)

Manu Chao – Clandestino (1998)

Laura Marling - What He Wrote (2010)

Memphis Slim - Born With The Blues (1972)

Metronomy - Walking In The Dark (2019)

Mickey 3D - La mort du peuple (2005)

Steve Miller Band - Jet Airliner (1977)

The Mission - Wasteland (1986)

Moby - Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? (1999)

Mogwai - It's What I Want To Do, Mum (2021)

Moondog - New Amsterdam (1997)

Morcheeba - Sweet L.A. (2018)

Motörhead - Till The End (2015)

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours (2005)

Muse - Supermassive Black Hole (2006)

Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile (1999)

Nirvana - All Apologies (1993)

Noir Désir - Aux sombres héros de l'amer (1989)

Claude Nougaro (cover Chico Buarque) - Tu verras (1978)

Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean? (1997)

Of Montreal - The Past Is A Grotesque Animal (2007)

The Offspring - Why Don't You Get A Job? (1998)

Panaviscope – Sham (2020)

Pigalle - Dans La Salle Du Bar-Tabac De La Rue Des Martyrs (1990)

Pink Floyd - Us And Them (1973)

The Police - Synchronicity II (1983)

Pomme (cover Mylène Farmer) - Désenchantée (2020/1991)

Iggy Pop - Dirty Little Virus (2020)

Portishead - Chase The Tear (2009)

Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still (2017)

The Pretty Reckless - My Bones (2021)

Queen - The Miracle (1989)

Queens of the Stone Age - Go With The Flow (2002)

The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldier (2006)

Rammstein - Du Hast (1997)

Chris Rea - The Blue Cafe (1998)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Suck My Kiss (1992)

Lou Reed (cover The Drifters) - This Magic Moment (1995/1960)

R.E.M. - What's The Frequency, Kenneth? (1994)

Renaud - Mistral gagnant (1985)

Rival Sons - Too Bad (2019)

The Rolling Stones - Star Star (1973)

Royal Blood - Typhoons (2021)

David Lee Roth - Just Like Paradise (1987)

La Rue Ketanou - Le Capitaine de la Barrique (2014)

Olivia Ruiz - De Toi A Moi (2003)

Santana (cover Fleetwood Mac) - Black Magic Woman (1970)

Shocking Blue - Venus (1969)

Simple Minds - Mandela Day (1989)

The Sisters of Mercy - Emma (1987)

Slayer - Raining Blood (1986)

Sasha Sloan (feat. Sam Hunt) - when was it over? (2020)

The Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm (1993)

Patti Smith - Rock N Roll Nigger (1978)

The Smiths - Barbarism Begins at Home (1985)

Sonny & The Sunsets - Too Young to Burn (2009)

Regina Spektor - One Little Soldier (from Scandale) (2019)

Spoon - The Way We Get By (2002)

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Backstreets (1975)

St. Vincent - Los Ageless (2017)

Stereophonics - Bust This Town (2019)

Sub Urban - Cradles (2021)

Superbus - Mes Défauts (2010)

James Supercave - Better Strange (2016)

Taylor Swift (feat. Bon Iver) – Exile (2020)

System Of A Down - Spiders (1998)

Téléphone - Au coeur de la nuit (1980)

Têtes Raides - Tam Tam (2007)

Charles Trenet - Je chante (1937)

Tool - Schism (2001)

Tina Turner - The Best (1989)

U2 - Angel Of Harlem (1988)

Van Morrison - Country Fair (1974)

Laurent Voulzy - Rockollection (1977)

Tom Waits - Wrong Side Of The Road (1978)

Weezer - Beverly Hills (2005)

The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba (2001)

Amy Winehouse - Fuck Me Pumps (2003)

Woodkid - In Your Likeness (2020)

Wovenhand - Crook and Flail (2016)

Shannon Wright - Division (2017)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (2009)

Yes - Roundabout (1971)

#Musique #Listes #Playlist #2021 #Rock #Pop #Electro #Blues #Metal

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scifigeneration · 7 years ago

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Crop circles blur science, paranormal in X-Files culture

by Paul Kingsbury

Crop circles are some of the most beautiful, mysterious and controversial landscape phenomena in the contemporary world. They are found around the globe, appearing in countries with large areas of agricultural land. They are also central to a shift in culture with investigative approaches that mimic science and increasingly make the paranormal mainstream.

Unlike UFOs, ghosts and sasquatches, crop circles are tangible — people can touch and walk into them. At least 30 appeared in England last summer. In British Columbia, crop circle formations appeared in Vanderhoof, about 100 kilometres west of Prince George, in 1998 and 2001.

Crop circles and what people do with them represent one aspect of my ongoing four-year research project, which explores the recent growth of beliefs, practices and experiences related to the paranormal. My fieldwork studies investigative paranormal groups in the Vancouver area and paranormal conferences across North America and England.

Recent literature in the social sciences on paranormal cultures argues that despite the rise of a secular, post-religious society, paranormal discourses are becoming increasingly significant in people’s lives in the West.

Because the paranormal refers to “events or phenomena… that are beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding,” researchers have long acknowledged that the paranormal intersects with “normal” everyday life.

Recently, however, as a result of a paranormal influence in popular culture, the rise of new spiritualities and commodities associated with them — such as cauldrons, healing crystals and online psychic services — researchers have begun to question describing interest in the paranormal as subcultural or countercultural, rather than mainstream.

Paranormal goes mainstream and scientific

Investigative organizations and international conferences that mobilize paranormal feelings, knowledge and practices are central to the merger between the paranormal and the mainstream.

Drawing on the models and techniques that mimic conventional science, these conferences and organizations are open to the public and have led to the democratization of paranormal investigation and availability of paranormal experiences.

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The 1990s TV series, The X-Files, which followed FBI agents investigating strange phenomena, has regained popularity and returned to production amid rising interest in the paranormal.

Researchers — especially in the humanities — acknowledge the relevance of the paranormal. Yet enduring skepticism in the social sciences about the legitimacy of the claims about paranormal phenomena and experiences has resulted in a lack of critical studies on how people are actually engaging with the paranormal.

Academic research has already acknowledged the importance of local paranormal groups and international conferences that engage paranormal phenomena — in particular ghosts, UFOs and cryptids such as sasquatch. Yet we know very little about the relationships between these groups and conferences, as well as why and how they shape people’s everyday lives.

My study helps explain how paranormal organizations and conferences are contributing to these sociocultural changes.

Rationality conflicts with crop circles’ mystery

Crop circle research or “cereology” exemplifies the tension between the ordinary and extraordinary.

No matter what one understands to be the cause of crop circles, whether they are all human-made or involve aquifers, ley lines, divine feminine energy, ancient sacred sites, ball lightning or even UFOs, crop circles bring to the fore a mysterious disconnection between language and the visible, as described in Jean-François Lyotard’s book Discourse, Figure.

The French philosopher argues there is an unstable relationship between linguistic meaning and units of signification, that is, the visible patterns of words, dreams, symbols and visual art. Because there is no inherent meaning in any given signifier (meaning always relies on another word and a wider context), and art and symbols are conceptually opaque by default, they necessarily defy easy rational understanding.

A crop circle enthusiast from Dublin lies on the ground to connect with what he believes are sacred energies in a crop circle in Wiltshire, England, in July. (Paul Kingsbury), Author provided

Case in point: Events at the 2017 Summer Lectures Crop Circle Conference in Devizes, England, illustrated the difficulty of researching crop circles.

One day during the conference, I went to visit a crop circle with fellow researchers only to find a sign on a gate to the property: “Crop circle closed.” The person representing an organization that liaises between farmers and crop-circle researchers was not present. Because we could not proceed without trespassing, we got back into the car.

Back at the conference, an argument erupted over the behaviour of some researchers who had ignored the “Crop circle closed” sign, climbed over the fence and walked to the crop circle.

For one researcher, this transgression was troubling because it exhibited the crass consumption of what he believed was a sacred phenomenon. Another researcher, who had ignored the sign, replied that he respected this opinion, but felt the crop circle was “calling out” to him and that it would be more disrespectful to ignore the pull of the sacred.

The researchers had differing views on whether a “Crop circle closed” sign, which demarcated a boundary, should be obeyed or whether it was an inappropriate obstacle to the “call” of the crop circle.

The tension between the appearances and meanings of crop circles also informed the tricky patience demanded in a sacred geometry workshop. As participants drew lines with compasses and protractors, they struggled to accurately reproduce the complex patterns of crop circles, losing small pieces of pencil lead and struggling to keep their compasses from slipping on the paper. Conference organizer Karen Alexander said the exercise gave the participants a better appreciation and intimate understanding of crop circles.

Interpreting paranormal cultures

As a part of my work, I explore the tensions between the visual and language, focusing on the complexity of crop-circle landscapes where enthusiasts struggle to navigate toward, inside and away from crop circles.

Lyotard aligns these events with “figural space” — elusive elements that disrupt and exceed the capture of language. Crucial here is how crop circles — unlike ghosts, UFOs and sasquatches — are highly tangible signs. But what they mean and what they are remains a mystery.

Despite claims by “circle-makers” that they are human-made, the sheer size and complexity of the circles belies a 100 per cent human-made explanation.

According to researchers at the conference, hoaxers, when questioned about how they were able to make 80 or so perfectly round circles without breaking or snapping cereal stalks, are unable to reproduce the patterns and ignore the researchers’ questions.

Furthermore, finding and getting to the crop circles — navigating narrow and winding English countryside roads and locating their exact whereabouts in large fields of wheat or barley — is no small feat.

Like all the other paranormal investigation cultures I have studied so far, crop circle research blurs the distinction between the everyday and the extraordinary. Beyond this, one cannot discount the importance of geography in the micro-spaces of fields and conference venues. The regional nature and extent to which crop circles are landscape phenomena incites many people’s desire to shape their encounters with the sublime.

Paul Kingsbury is a Professor in the Department of Geography at Simon Fraser University. This article was originally published on The Conversation.

#UFO #Alien #Subculture #paranormal #extraterrestial life #science fiction

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thebestintoronto · 6 years ago

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THE ULTIMATE 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY

After so many years of travelling, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to put together a 48 hour Toronto itinerary. It’s where I was born and it’s where I live, work and play so you think it would be easy to put together a list where to go in Toronto, right? Well, it is and it isn’t. Toronto is a world-class city but for me when I return from a trip, I just want to relax and slowly try to get back into the groove of the daily grind. But as a travel blogger who creates short trips, mini-breaks, and weekend getaway itineraries, I’m sort of obligated to create an itinerary for Toronto.

I GOT HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE.

HERE’S MY 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY

All that said, I live in a very big city so I decided to stick with the downtown Toronto attractions instead of things to do near Toronto. Some are Toronto tourist spots while others are hidden gems that only a local like me would know about.

In addition, our national airline Air Canada is allowing you to hook up a stopover for up to 7 days in Toronto on your way to Europe or Asia. Sweet! You can bookmark this itinerary for when you get here. Hell, I’ll even welcome you at the airport with open arms.

WHERE TO STAY IN TORONTO

Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Fairmont’s historic ballroom is legendary and the hotel itself is a city icon. Its spacious rooms feature floral accents and include designer bath toiletries and robes. It has a skylit indoor pool, 5 on-site dining options, its across the street from Union Station with shuttle bus to both airports.

Thompson Toronto

The Hotel has a rooftop pool and bar with views of the city and CN Towers – I could pretty much stop there. But, it has designer linens and bath amenities. Fully stocked minibars, 24-hour concierge, on-site valet and a 10-minute walk from the bars and restaurants of King West.

Hyatt Regency Toronto

Located in the entertainment district in the centre of Toronto – trust me there is no better place to be. It’s a modern hotel with flat-screen TVs and Apple docking stations, on-site sauna, outdoor pool and it’s King Street Social Kitchen and Lounge serves regional cuisine

DAY 1

BALDWIN STEPS

The first stop is Casa Loma but in order to get up the hill, we need to use the Baldwin Steps, which are a public outdoor staircase that dates back to the 19th century. They are named after a former landowner of the area, the Baldwin family, which included Robert Baldwin, a former premier of Ontario.

CASA LOMA

This 98-room castle was commissioned by Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, a Canadian soldier, and investor who founded the Toronto Electric Light Company in 1883. Sir Henry Mill Pellatt ordered Toronto native and architect E. J. Lennox to design Casa Loma. The 3.5 million dollar castle began construction in 1911 and was finally completed by 1914. Today Casa Loma is used as a filming location, a museum, as a venue for weddings. It is also one of Toronto’s most popular landmarks.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM (R.O.M.)

The Royal Ontario Museum is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest museum in Canada. The ROM is highly regarded as a “preeminent field research institute and an international leader in new and original findings in biodiversity, paleontology, earth sciences, the visual arts, material culture, and archaeology”.

PHILOSOPHERS WALK (*HIDDEN GEM)

The Philosophers Walk is a scenic footpath located in the St George campus of the University of Toronto. It runs north-south along what was once a natural water called Taddle Creek, which was buried during the industrial age and now flows underwater.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO (CAMPUS)

The University of Toronto was originally founded in 1827 as King’s College and as the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada. The university is comprised of twelve colleges. The University of Toronto also has two satellite campuses located in Scarborough and Mississauga.

BALDWIN STREET, RESTAURANTS (*HIDDEN GEM)

Yes, you might have guessed it’s the same Baldwin family who owned the land that the steps used to get to Casa Loma are built on. This small Toronto enclave is located in Toronto’s Grange Park neighbourhood. Baldwin Village is famous for its small shops and restaurants like, Shawarma and Falafel Place, Chardise, Sid’s Deli, and many other favourited restaurants of Toronto.

KENSINGTON MARKET

Kensington Market is Toronto’s self-proclaimed “most vibrant and diverse neighbourhood”. This bustling Toronto neighbourhood serves as a fine indicator of Toronto’s multicultural diversity. No establishment in Kensington Market is the same. Vendors, shops, and restaurants of all sorts of ethnicities make up the melting pot that is Toronto’s “most vibrant and diverse neighbourhood”.

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO (AGO)

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is home to over 90,000 different artworks and is lauded as one of North America’s most distinguished art museums. This massive museum carried works of art that range from the Renaissance to contemporary pieces of art. Aside from being an astonishing physical museum, AGO also has launched its social media website called Collection X, which grants users access to a digital art forum that is opened to artists and art lovers.

GRANGE PARK

Right beside the AGO is OCAD U (The Ontario College of Art and Design University) and right behind that is Grange Park which happens to my local park.

Many-a-blog-post was conceived in this park!

There are two large sculptures by world-famous sculpture, Henry Moore and 14 nature related, inscribed granite paving stones from famous Canadian authors.

QUEEN STREET WEST

Named “the second coolest neighborhood in the world” by Vogue magazine, Queen Street West is downtown Toronto’s most celebrated (fashion) district. Queen Street West is a hip, urban strip that extends for two kilometres (1.25 miles) between Bathurst and Gladstone and is comprised of some of the city’s most trendy boutiques, art galleries, bars, and restaurants.

GRAFFITI ALLEY (*HIDDEN GEM)

Just south of Queen Street West is one of Toronto’s most surprisingly artistic accomplishments: Graffiti Alley. Graffiti Alley stretches for approximately one kilometre (.6 miles) and is teeming with urban art that is (legally) painted each summer by an artistic troupe called Style in Progress. If you’re looking to explore Toronto in hopes of finding a hidden gem that reflects the urban, artistic capabilities of the city, then Graffiti Alley is that and more. Read more about Graffiti Alley from my post: Toronto’s Graffiti And Street Art

KING STREET WEST | KING WEST VILLAGE

King West Village is one of Toronto’s fastest growing communities. With waves of young professionals moving into the neighbourhood, Kings West Village has experienced a boost in its economy and social scene. Aside from the rapidly changing demographic of the neighbourhood, King West Village is well-known for its landmarks, 19th-century buildings, and iconic brownstones.

ROGERS CENTRE (A.K.A. THE SKYDOME)

Opened in June 1989 and originally named the SkyDome, Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose indoor stadium that holds some of Toronto’s wonderfully exciting venues. Notably, the Rogers Centre is home to the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) and has served as the venue for an array of different events: sporting events, concerts, auto shows, circuses, Disney on Ice, and much more.

Architecturally, the stadium is well-known for being the first stadium to have a fully retractable motorized roof, having an annexed 348-room hotel attached, and is also the last dual sporting major-league stadiums in North American (MLB and NFL).

TORONTO RAILWAY MUSEUM

The Toronto Railway Museum, a mainstay attraction of downtown Toronto located in Roundhouse Park, is “dedicated to preserving the physical legacy, history, and experience of rail transportation in Toronto and Ontario.” The museum has lots to offer, such as a railway simulator, in-depth historical displays, and interactive displays. Be sure to check out the gift shop and go on a Miniature Train ride before you leave!

CN TOWER | 360 RESTAURANT

Often viewed as the pride and joy of Toronto, The CN Tower is a spectacular architectural and engineering feat that captures the livelihood of the city. This national icon and landmark are well-known for its (cost-efficient) state-of-the-art LED lighting system, as well as recently being on the cover of Drake’s critically-acclaimed album “Views”. Aside from its stature as a culture and urban icon, the CN Tower is home to the revolving 360 The Restaurant. This world-class restaurant is managed by Executive Chef John Morris and General Manager of Restaurants and Events Cameron Dryburgh, who helms the culinary team at the award-winning restaurant.

DAY 2

THE BEST 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY

DISTILLERY DISTRICT

Despite its name, Toronto’s Distillery District is known for being “Canada’s premier arts, culture and entertainment destination”. The district gets its name from the 47 buildings that were formally known as the Gooderham & Worts Distillery. Since 2003, the Distillery District has been offering locals and visitors a “hip, cool dynamic” that is comparable to New York City’s SoHo or Chelsea. Be sure to check out the Distillery District’s unique shops, galleries, studios, restaurants, cafes, theatres, and more!

ST. LAWRENCE MARKET

The St. Lawrence Market is an encompassing, nostalgic shopping destination in Toronto. The market is made up of three main buildings that each provides their own unique services and products: The South Market, the North Market and St. Lawrence Hall. The South Market is known for having vendors that sell fresh produce, meat, fish, grains, baked goods, dairy products, as well as non-food items. The second floor of the South Market, home to the Market Gallery, serves as an exhibition space for City of Toronto’s Cultural Services. The North Market is well-known for its Saturday Farmers’ Market, Sunday antique dealers, rental spaces. St. Lawrence Hall is comprised of various retailers on the ground floor, city offices on the second floor, and auxiliary rooms for special events on the third floor.

GOODERHAM BUILDING

Toronto’s Gooderham Building, also known as the Flatiron Building, is one of the city’s historical landmarks. Located in Toronto’s Financial District, the Gooderham Building was completed in 1892 as a premature model of its current architectural state. Now, the building serves as not only an office building but as a historical landmark that adds to Toronto’s pizzazz.

CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JAMES

Opened on June 19, 1853, the Cathedral Church of St. James stands as one of the largest Toronto-built buildings. The Cathedral was constructed with the intention of replicating Gothic Revival architecture. The cathedral is well-known for its 92.9 meters (305 foot) tower and pointed spire.

YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE

Yonge-Dundas Square is Toronto’s equivalent of New York City’s Times Square. This bustling, vibrant square experiences fluxes of tourists and locals who relish in the square’s open space and eccentric ambiance. Yonge-Dundas Square’s myriad of LCD displays brings a one-of-a-kind luminescence to Toronto and capture’s the city’s animated downtown vibe

EATON CENTRE

Located in downtown Toronto, the Eaton Centre is Toronto’s only mega shopping centre. This massive shopping centre is home to over 230 national and international retailers, as well as offering patrons tons of dining and entertainment options.

OLD CITY HALL

Old City Hall is just one of four city halls to be constructed in Toronto. The building boasts a Romanesque style of architecture, as well as a distinguishable clock tower. Since 1984, Old City Hall has been designated as a National Historic Site of Toronto.

TORONTO CITY HALL | TORONTO SIGN

Toronto City Hall, also known as New City Hall, serves as the home of Toronto’s municipal government. Despite its round base, Toronto City Hall is comprised of two towers that are curved in, and stand at varying heights. Toronto City Hall’s courtyard, Nathan Phillips Square, serves as the primary host of various festivals and events in Toronto.

YONGE ST.

Centered around Yonge-Dundas Square is Yonge Street. As is typical of the streets of downtown Toronto, Yonge Street is lined with heaps of restaurants, bars, and shops. Yonge Street is one of Toronto’s main streets, it is the longest street in the world and divides the city between East & West.

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

In the typical Canadian fashion, Toronto is home to the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHoF). The Hockey Hall of Fame building was established in 1943 and is located on Yonge Street. The HHoF houses 15 various exhibit areas that cover 60,000 square feet. Visitors of the HHoF can view trophy displays, memorabilia, and player equipment worn during special games. The Hockey Hall of Fame also has an interactive display called “Be a Player” that allows patrons to use shoot real pukes against a simulated legendary goaltender, Ed Belfour.

HARBOURFRONT | HARBOUR CENTRE

The Harbourfront Centre is nonprofit cultural organizations that put together events and activities to enrichen and enhance downtown Toronto. Located at 235 Queens Quay West, on Toronto’s waterfront, the Harbourfront Centre is a must visit destination for all those looking to enjoy the cultural diversity and creativity of Toronto, right on the water.

AMSTERDAM BREWHOUSE

Located in the Harbourfront, Amsterdam BrewHouse specializes in offering patrons craft beers and delicious eats. Amsterdam BrewHouse’s ideal location makes it the perfect place to enjoy local craft beers, delicious local foods, and a lakeside view of Lake Ontario.

Visit my post called The Best Harbourfront Restaurant in Toronto to find out more about this awesome place!

Also, while at the Amsterdam BrewHouse I got to hang out with a good friend of mine and fellow travel blogger Danielle from the Thought Card. She’s a pro at cost effective travel so if you’re curious about budgeting a trip to Toronto she wrote a great post called Toronto Budget: How Much Does A Trip To Toronto Cost?

The post “ THE ULTIMATE 48 HOUR TORONTO ITINERARY “ was first seen on Rudderless Travel by Christopher Rudder

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olwog · 8 years ago

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So… my ‘phone rang and I looked at the screen; ‘number withheld’, now this is not the best way to contact me. Unsolicited calls really have a tendency to make me cautious so my answer was guarded, “Hello…”, long pause, the voice on the other end said, “Mr. Layfield”. Well at least they know who I am. “Yes…”, I said, slowly, still defensive.

“It’s Amy Garcia, BBC Look North, can I talk to you about rambling and the daffodils in Farndale?”

Well she sounded genuine so I said, “Yes.”

That was last week and I knew the flowers were looking at their peak a couple of weeks ago so I voiced my concerns and offered to do a recce at the start of this week. As much as we’d like to be on tele, we really want the viewers to see the flowers in their full splendour. Farndale is beautiful at any time of year and I’ll come to that but Amy is currently interested in the daffodils so that’s the focus. My visit on Monday coupled with a mandatory bacon sandwich from the Daffy Cafe and a discussion with George confirmed my view that what was left would not be photogenic and a few texts later established a communications channel for future televised rambling when the season has progressed.

The team are still intent on a walk in this beautiful dale though and that’s why we’re here. What’s planned is a five miler with a couple of ‘ups’ whereas the most popular routes are between one and a half miles and four.

We’re at Low Mill car park and the North Yorkshire Moors National Parks Service are just opening their caravan stand at the start of the walk. There are leaflets and two extremely knowledgeable volunteers one of whom is lassoed to take our ‘full complement’ photograph, it’s rare that you see us all on one snap so I’m very grateful to John from the Parks service for his David Bailey quality snap of the team pre-trail.

If you park at Low Mill take time to look in to or at least look through the windows of the corrugated shed. This is an international venue and although only holding a hundred people it draws acts from all over the world especially in the Country, Folk and Americana genres, take a look at http://www.thebandroom.co.uk for more details of future acts. This dale has everything!

The track is well kept and the fields protected by simple fencing, it acts as a guide for older humans and a safety feature for smaller ones. Occasionally, there are sheep with new born lambs, it brings a wonderful spring feel to the day and if you have kids or grandkids I would urge you to come here and walk for free rather than pay to go into a commercial ‘petting farm’ although I appreciate that they do have their place.

We’re in full flow now in both physical rambling and vocal rambling. Dave has become a hedgehog rescue halfway house and this invites much ribbing about ‘prickly customers’. We continue to our first watering hole.

I’d urge you to call off at the Daffy Cafe where the scones are first rate and the bacon butties sublime.

We leave the Daffy Cafe and turn left into the field on the first corner. There are still a few daffodils but the majority are looking a bit tired; however, for whatever reason, the field over the other side of the Dove Beck is still in full bloom and the yellow glow reflects up into the branches of the trees and shrubs that line the banks.

Our aim is for the footbridge over the beck and then turn right followed by the first ascent. It’s steep enough to raise the heart rate and there’s a style part way up where a rest can be stolen on the pretext of waiting for people in front of you or, if you were first, the people behind. As we become quorate on the other side I note that no-one has made a break to jog up this field preferring to make use of the wait!

We can see the style at the top of this track and there is a sigh of relief when one of us tells the others that our target is the road not the top of the valley. As we approach the style we turn to see the astonishing beauty of this dale with the Dove Beck winding its way along the bottom and the steep fields enclosed in hedges and dry stone walls picked out in a dark relief due to the angle of the sun still making its ascent in the mid morning. There are cumulus breaking up the blue sky. They cast moving shadows on the fields that catch the eye and with a bit of imagination I can see huge silhouettes of dinosaurs and even trains tracking across the fields. Although the hedges are taking on their summer colours there’s still some way to go; however, their shadows define the fields in three ‘D’ relief and the whole picture reminds me of sitting with my kids thirty years ago watching Postman Pat. As I gaze at the wonderful vista the theme tune resonates in my head and it is doing so again as I write.

This is a beautiful dale and you don’t have to wait for daffodils to appreciate it.

We turn right along the road for a few hundred yards then right again to walk down to Church Houses. This little hamlet is home to some visitor cottages and the Faversham Arms along with a smattering of local houses. We pass through and turn into the St Mary’s Church which is delightful in itself but also has one of the best displays of daffodils when it is their season. We’ve walked this route more than once and always stop at this little church. You don’t have to believe in God to appreciate the quiet, gentle atmosphere and you can sit with nothing in your head or, like me, just remember loved and loving people that have affected my life.

Twenty minutes later and we’re heading across the cemetery to a footbridge (I’ve made a slight change to the planned route to avoid a particularly boggy area) where aconites and other wood loving plants are beginning to bloom. We cross a field to the main lane where we turn up hill and walk to the public footpath sign that takes us back into the fields on the right.

The track is well signposted and is easy to follow with step ladder type styles over drystone walls. The path is easy to follow due to the tell tale sign of wear produced by countless feet making their way around these routes.

We walk through a number of working farms that co-exist with us visitors and all choke as we pass some fermented silage that had been broken open to feed the animals.

The track back down to the Dove takes us adjacent to a field of sheep some of whom are lambing. We pass one newly born that really does look upsettingly weak and it’s mother is grazing with two lambs that, whilst unsteady, are actually feeding; clearly, what we are looking at is the runt and it is dying. I’m a country man but still find suffering an upsetting sight. As we move on I’m a little subdued but brighten up considerably as I learn that Chris has spoken to someone at the next farm who has promised to telephone the farmer and expect that the lamb will be hand reared. I know that this does happen and I remember my childhood when two of my friends kept pet lambs and reared them until they could eat for themselves. I like a happy result.

Farndale is rightly known for its daffodils but I would urge you to go at any time throughout the year. It’s great for a heavy duty walk if you take in the steep valley sides and the well marked tracks from Blakey but it is even better for short walks with the family. These are easily done from Low Mills or Church Houses and there are some nice places to grab a sandwich at the Daffy Cafe or Faversham Arms.

There are public toilets at Low Mills.

The short walks are safe but you are in the country and there is the odd opportunity for small humans to jump in the Dove so keep an eye on them.

Enjoy the snaps…G..x

Feel free to share.

Another Walk in Farndale So... my ‘phone rang and I looked at the screen; ‘number withheld’, now this is not the best way to contact me.

#Farndale #Landscapes #Photographs #Photos #Pictures #Walking #Walks #Yorkshire #Yorkshire Moors

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