#trinity lambert: about.

[thewholecrew]

@headstrongblake asked: FOR THE KIDS: Do they drunk text or call? Do they show up at other peoples houses after drinking or would they isolate themselves? How honest are they when intoxicated? Who prefers shots, hard liquor drinks, fun drink ect? Who’s most likely to do something they wouldn’t regularly while intoxicated?

Do they drunk text or call?

if grant ever get's drunk enough i could definitely see him drunk calling, he wont drunk text unless he's drunk and someone texts him first. kassy definitely drunk texts but sorry, don't expect any confessions, when she's drunk she's usually fairly silly. i don't think nate would do either unless he is in love with someone, but i could definitely see him accidentally butt dialing someone and thinking they called him. it's unsurprising that alec will definitely drunk call and text, though his texts are completely illegible. it is also not a surprise that trinity will ABSOLUTELY drunk call and text, especially when shes sad drunk, which usually turns into angry drunk that leads to a lot of screaming on the phone -- i'd probably warn against hanging up though, then she'll spam the shit outta you with drunk texts.

Do they show up at other peoples houses after drinking or would they isolate themselves?

grant will probably be more likely to show up drunk than sober, but it's in his nature to almost always try and isolate. with kassy it depends on why she's drinking, if she's happy she'll for sure try to drag friends out or want a booty call, but if its drinking to forget something, she probably won't isolate but party with randoms instead. for nate i'm not sure, i don't think he drinks to get drunk, i think he will drink the most when he's already with friends and when he's alone he'll probably have a couple beers max so, neither? alec would definitely end up at someone's house and for trinity i think it truly depends. i could probably see both depending on her mood and why she's drunk as well. if things are going well, definitely show up at the person she really like's place, if she hates them it's a toss up lol.

How honest are they when intoxicated?

grant is probably as honest as he can be, but he still tries not to share all his secrets. kassy tries to always be honest but i think when she's drunk she's a little more blunt on whether or not she wants to answer questions or share her opinion. nate is about the same drunk or sober, just also a little more loose lipped. alec is maybe a little too honest and trin can definitely let some of her feelings and confessions slip through.

Who prefers shots, hard liquor drinks, fun drink ect?

grant prefers hard liquor drinks, something he can either take his time with or shoot back as if it's a shot. kassy looooves to take shots with people, but she also is a fan of fun, fruit drinks, but in general she's not too picky and will drink just about anything. nate likes the comradery of taking shots together, he's not too picky with his drinks either and has a soft spot for those fancy fun drinks. alec looooooves fruity drinks, anything colourful and sweet where you can't taste the alcohol. trinity might seem like a fun drink kinda gal but if she wants to get drunk it's shots and hard liquor for her. she drinks to get drunk, not to enjoy the taste of alcohol.

Who’s most likely to do something they wouldn’t regularly while intoxicated?

i'd like to saaaaay grant and trinity are tied as most likely to do things they wouldn't otherwise do sober.

[jasper-tarot-reader]

Neopets/Skyrim Tarot: XVI. The Tower

The Tower is the last of my favorite cards (and rounds off the Fuck You Trinity with Death and the Devil) in the Major Arcana. This is a card of catastrophic, cataclysmic change, whether you want it or not (usually not).

The War for the Obelisk is the last Event across the Neopets site that I was playing regularly for. It was a predominantly battling-based event, although there was a small digging element at the very beginning. And now it's more of a cyclical, ongoing battle thing. An earthquake rocked the outskirts of Tyrannia and revealed the tip of the obelisk, so Neopians were invited to help with the digging until the obelisk was fully revealed.

That's when the factions got involved.

A member of the Thieves Guild reported to Kanrik on Terror Mountain; that member was then captured by the Duchess and the obelisk was brought to the attention of the Sway (which is the faction I ended up joining back in the day). The Order of the Red Erisim (man, they keep showing up in this deck) found out via scrying, and Rasala the Bright decided that they needed to get involved. Since the obelisk was quickly becoming common knowledge, Commander Flint of the Brute Squad found out about it; believing that evil was best defeated by pre-emptive strikes, they came to get involved. The Seekers, led by Professor Lambert, found out next and came to study the place. And a pair of undead twins named Lanie and Lillie were watching all of this fighting and mistook it as a grand party that they hadn't been invited to, so they brought their army of undead called the Awakened to come party.

I'm just gonna quote this next chunk directly from the JellyNeo article:

The six factions battled on for weeks, until the faction leaders themselves were forced to enter battle. The battle appeared to be drawing to a close, when something quite unexpected happened - the Obelisk called forth forces of it's own. These spirits set about attacking the already weakened factions, one spirit per faction. They appeared to be manifestations of the fears of the faction leaders themselves. Apathy appeared for the Seekers, tempting them to give up their knowledge seeking ways and become complacent. Death appeared for the Awakened, representing their fears for an end to their immortality and their party. Envy appeared for the Order, representing Rasala's fear that her desire to have as much magical power as others may turn her into someone like Xandra. Greed appeared for the Thieves Guild, representing Kanrik's fear that the Guild may return to the excesses and immorality of Galem Darkhand's day. Pride appeared for the Sway, representing the Duchess's fears that too much pride in her actions could lead her to forget the reason for them - the greater good of Neopia. Finally, Wrath appeared to face the Brute Squad, representing Flint's fears that they become a destructive influence in Neopia - the very thing they were formed to stop.

Finally, after a long and grueling battle to defeat the spirits, the surviving members of the six factions pulled themselves up and finally cracked open the obelisk - the Sway as the strongest, so they earned the right to pop it open. Inside, they discovered the Oracle, who had summoned the fears to test everyone (because it was bored or something? I don't know). The Oracle claimed to know much of Neopia's coming future, but refused to divulge it, opting instead to reward the Sway with 'boons'.

After that, the factions set a tentative alliance that quickly devolved into random skirmishes, hence why this is now a regular battle event rather than a huge one.

Honestly, no better choice for the Tower than this event besides maybe the fall of Faerieland. But this one was likely chosen because the obelisk stands in quite well for the classic representation of the tower.

Sheogorath, Ruler of the Shivering Isles, Fourth Corner of the House of Troubles, the Skooma Cat, is the Daedric Prince of Madness. Because of this, he's often associated with mental illness, both in-game and out of it. On a personal note, playing the Shivering Isles expansion as a youngin actually helped me better understand my own blender of issues. Before the end of the Third Era, Sheogorath was the cursed form of Jyggalag, the Daedric Prince of Order. Even when the Hero of Kvatch/Champion of Cyrodiil mantled the title of Sheogorath to free Jyggalag thanks to the most unhinged scheme ever (and I mean that affectionately) which actually worked, memories of being Jyggalag still remain ingrained in Sheogorath.

Also 10/10, a perfect choice for the Tower card. Sheogorath is present in the Blue Palace in Solitude, which was the current seat of the High King (and still is unless you go Stormcloak route) and has a history of batshit insane rulers. Potema, Pelagius...shit is certainly fucked in Solitude. Add in the Creation Club content from Saints & Seducers (it's in the game and on the UESP so we must unfortunately consider it to be canon) that drags you to Solitude's sewers and then under the arch, and you've got the perfect little mixing pot of chaos.

Funny how the author managed to actually understand the brief for the Tower card but not some of the previous ones...eh, we'll see what else this deck throws at us later.

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

When talking about The Matrix Reloaded, we need to remember a few things. Firstly, this is very much a “Part 1”. At the time, we knew a sequel was coming (there’s a trailer for The Matrix Revolutions at the end of the credits) and now you’ll have no trouble watching the films back-to-back so the inconclusive ending isn't an issue. Secondly, we should consider the entertainment factor. This movie has a lot of ideas that may or may not completely come together in the end. It definitely feels more than a little self-important at times. Does that matter when it also features what might be the most exciting, action-packed chase scene of all time, dazzling special effects and the kind of fight choreography most action films could only dream of? Maybe, but only so much.

Neo (Keanu Reeves) has done it. He got the girl (Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity), defeated the villain (Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith) and now navigates the Matrix like it’s his personal playground. Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne) believes it’s only a matter of time before the prophecy is fulfilled and all of humanity is freed from the clutches of the artificial world. When the city of Zion learns a mechanical army will arrive to destroy it within 72 hours, those who’ve escaped the Matrix are divided by what they should do next.

Looking back, The Matrix is a hard science fiction film with elements that would fit more comfortably in a fantasy. I don’t mean the power fantasy that it is. All of the talks about prophecies and “the one”, the Oracle (Gloria Foster), the use of mythological and biblical names like Trinity, Morpheus, Zion, and Nebuchadnezzar make you wonder if the mechanical menaces are stand-ins for demons or Greek monsters. Some of it you assumed was just “sounds cool hacker lingo” but The Matrix Reloaded doubles down on the mysticism. Many of the programs we meet allegedly serve a function within the Matrix but you’re unsure how that could work. “People” like the Merovingian (Lambert Wilson) and his wife, Persephone (Monica Bellucci) seem more concerned with their strained marriage and petty squabbles than maintaining a sense of order within the Matrix. At least programs like the Keymaker (Randall Duk Kim) can be traced to useful functions but others leave you scratching your head. I can’t say if it’s intentional or not that the digital entities we meet are virtually indistinguishable from the real humans living outside. Either it says something about the way the machines - once eager to prove their superiority to humans because of what made them different from their fleshy creators (as shown in “The Animatrix”) have “devolved” into beings concerned with petty subjects like who’s sleeping with who, childish grudges and amassing more power in a virtual world, or this series doesn’t really have a concrete direction and is just a neat concept that conveniently allows the Wachowskis (who once again write and direct) to bring their childhood fantasies to life for all to see.

The questions surrounding the film’s ultimate goal and the authorial intent can pull you out of it for a moment but you’ll be sucked back in by the incredible action scenes. It’s a shocker to see Agent Smith back (once again hinting at some confused objectives behind the scenes) but his first confrontation with Neo is the stuff of legends. Long, well-choreographed, consistently exciting and memorable, the scene makes you wonder “How did they do that”? over and over. Some have accused the special effects of being dated (wouldn’t be a surprise considering the film is now 18 years old) but that’s only the case if you watch the clip in isolation. As part of a continuous flow within the film, you don’t see the seams.

As impressive as the “Burly Brawl” may be, it’s nothing compared to the “Highway Chase”. The latter begins with our heroes pitted against the kind of opponents that could only come from the artificial world. As Neo desperately races to save his friends, Morpheus, Trinity and the Keymaker are pursued by “The Twins” (Neil and Adrian Rayment). They're programs from an older iteration of the Matrix that used ghosts, vampires, werewolves, etc. to maintain order rather than Agents. Our leather-clad, sunglasses-wearing superhero protagonists have to go up against phantasms who can become intangible at will. How do you defeat one of those? You can’t. All you can do is run. Racing down the highway at blinding speeds would be enough of a challenge. With these two on their tails AND Agents who are drawn to the flagrant rule-breaking? It seems impossible, which is why the sequence is so exciting. You’ve got no idea how this will end. To get out alive, our heroes will have to invent all sorts of new tricks, guaranteeing that you’ll be talking about this movie with your friends for weeks.

Those are only two scenes. We also have elaborate heists, sabotage that threatens everything, shocking revelations about the world inside and outside the Matrix, fascinating concepts introduced and loads of memorable characters. Some of The Matrix Reloaded doesn’t come together the way it should (or maybe it will in the next movie, don’t be too quick to judge) but this is the kind of picture that makes you go “WOW!” frequently - even if you don’t understand it all. (On Blu-ray, January 1, 2022)

[kuwdoravids]

Year End Vid Review: 2022

Year-end round-up/meme: 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022

March Memory Leak (tumblr) (The Matrix Resurrections, Neo, Neo/Trinity)

June Come Back For You (tumblr) (The Witcher, Istredd) Wild Green Yonder (tumblr) (Shrek/Witcher, Shrek/Fiona/Donkey, Geralt/Yen/Jaskier)

August Control (tumblr) (The Witcher, Ciri)

November Brother (tumblr) (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Geralt, Eskel, Lambert, Vesemir)

Read the meme questions beneath the cut!

Random process notes:

I actually made 4 vids this year. "Brother" I made in 2021 and just didn’t post until 2022. But I gotta have Brother show up somewhere in one of my vid review lists so here it is.

4 vids in one year is the fewest vid I made since 2022 and 2018 but that’s mostly because I’ve had like, four mental breakdowns and have been hyper fixating on writing Witcher fic so I did not finish as many vids as I usually do. I didn’t even start that many new vids either.

Overall thoughts:

All of the vids except one are Witcher related. The non-witcher vid is Matrix Resurrections which was more of a soul statement vid that I got to make about the themes of the movie and mental illness.

My Witcher hyperfixation remains strong. I’m very pleased with all the vids I finished and started this year. They’re all quite different, musically and different characters, too. It was a good vidding year even if I didn’t finish a few other projects before December closed out.

Favorite Vid:

Come Back For You. I fucking adore Istredd and Royce Pierreson’s face is so lovely. This vid is all about the vibes for me, but I really enjoyed playing with the visual cues in this—Istredd sitting/transitioned into the monolith, the shadow puppets/Yen and Istredd, so on and so forth. It was a delight to cram all my Yen/Istredd and Geralt/Istredd feelings in here while also managing to touch upon the scholarly aspect of his character since we got a few great scenes with him in season 2.

Hardest to make:

Memory Leak. I had the bulk of this made in about a week in January but I got stalled out in the last 25% of the vid because I couldn’t figure out the flow. But I took some time away from the vid and was able to come back with fresh eyes and manage to finish it in time for VidUKon.

Most successful:

Memory Leak. I was able to accomplish everything I wanted to do with this vid- touch upon the visual narrative of the past/present/reality, showcase Neo’s yearning for love and surviving through the psychological torture he’s been under for decades. And I was able to do that with a very specific song choice—Albert Salt’s cover of Blink182’s “Adam Song” remains one of my most favorite covers I’ve worked with. It does wonders for this vid. I’m so proud of it. And I had a blast watching folks lose their minds while watching the vid at the convention, too! So much joy.

My best vid:

Wild Green Yonder. Aka the Shrek/Witcher crossover that people have gif’ed but I watched all 4 Shrek films and was delighted to discover even more parallels. Everything about this vid is everything I wanted—the joy, the squee, the parallels. The surprises. It really is my best this year.

Most fun vid:

Wild Green Yonder. Not only is using Joey Batey’s music from The Amazing Devil great but the very specific fantasy tropes that happen in both Shrek and Witcher is just so goddamn fun to play with. Especially when it came to Geralt fishing the djinn out of the water for his wish and Shrek trying to also get his wish for everything to go back to normal. I adored playing with the internal motion and eyeline of the characters so that it appeared Shrek was looking at Jaskier and Fiona was smiling at Geralt in bed.

I just wanted to escalate my squee because I really enjoy this trio dynamic a lot and it is my happy place. And I am sure that anyone who watches this can feel the fun!

Also it’s my hope that everyone who watches comes away shipping Fiona/Donkey because the Yen/Jaskier parallels were SO FUN.

Things I learned in 2022:

The more that I write, the less that I spend time vidding. Simple as that. I had a few other vids I wanted to finish in 2022 but my brain meltdowns and anxiety made it hard to follow through.

That being said, I also learned that it is a lot of fun to keep chasing my Witcher joy.

In 2023:

I want to finish my Moonhaven vid and probably start my season 2 Witcher vid and probably a Witcher Blood Origin thing that all of 13 people will watch but it’s what I want to make so that’s how it’ll be. I have a few ideas here and there that I might tackle but it really is a matter of how much anxiety brain I can stifle to focus long enough for clipping again.

I also keep meaning to archive the rest of my catalog on AO3 and Tumblr, so that’s something I am going to attempt to do over the coming year. Over 200 vids to go…

[userkhael]

Hello beauty!!!! I really love your gifs you know it! But I’ve one question, how do you put one gif in top of another? Like you do on your gifs? I don’t know if i’m explaining very well, hope you can help me, thanks❤️

hi my love!!! well, thank you so much. i really love making them. and blending scenes can be very exciting to make :)

not really good at making tuts because I am so used at reading and following them lol

but i will be giving you creators I love (with my whole body and soul) and their links to tutorials which I always go back to when it comes to making GIFs, blending, coloring and such. although you can always visit very helpful blogs like completeresources, clubgif, etc. they're very helpful when you're new at making GIFs and you will learn a lot. (although I would say it would be a rabbit hole, for me, at least. lmao)

go to ava's account (@anya-chalotra) and you can find every bit of tut you would need with blending, amazing fonts, making high quality GIFs. you can go here for her tutorials.

i know i've already rambled so much when you're only asking about blending (ugh i hate myself). but here we are...

you can also check this amazing tutorial by becca (@yenvengerberg) who is also an amazing human being and you can ask her anytime about sets she makes.

and another would be avia (@lamberts) who is also an aaaahmazing content creator and check her tut here.

pretty much those three are the holy trinity i always go back to or take insp from and learned so much from so i hope you learn from them as well. you can always ask me for a specific set but they're better at tuts than me. ;)

p.s. i have an extensive list of links of tuts so holler if you need to know or want to know about something i might have a link for it lol

[advena87]

Kaer Morhen shenanigans (but mostly Lambert’s) part 3

.

Here is: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10 and Daily Lambert

also Keira & Lambert’s love story, Aiden & Lambert’s love story and… this.

.

[ Also here it is nice to remind you that Berengar, like Lambert, was dissatisfied with being a witcher and didn’t have a good opinion about Vesemir. This influenced his decision to reveal Kaer Morhen's location to Salamandra and cooperate with them. If you don't know who Berengar is, I highly recommend playing the Witcher 1. ]

.

Vesemir: *points to Eskel* Dis a son.

Vesemir: *points to Geralt* Dis a son.

Vesemir: *points to Lambert* Dis a pointment.

Berengar: xD

Lambert: Fuck you.

Vesemir: *points to Berengar* Dis a ster.

Lambert: xD

Berengar: ...

***

Lambert: Am I a good son?

Berengar: No.

Lambert: Good.

Both: [evil laugh]

***

Vesemir: Berengar, I've been looking for you everywhere!

Berengar: What a coincidence, old man! I've been avoiding you everywhere!

***

*Young witchers on the path*

Lambert: I think I accidentally got your lunch.

Lambert: *holds up note* I am very proud of you, love Dad.

Eskel: Oh yeah, I didn’t think this was for me.

Eskel: *holds up note* Please be good. For the love of GOD, please be good!

***

Vesemir: We have lost touch as a family and it’s time we get reacquainted. Let’s start with an ice breaker game called, two truths and a lie!

Lambert: Oh, I’ll go! My eyes are blue, I’m basically sample size and one time...I escaped from a fisstech dealer dungeon by bribing them with sex.

Vesemir: [eye roll] Right idea, but it’s gotta be more challenging-

Eskel: His eyes are amber.

Vesemir: ...

Lambert: ...

Vesemir: You did WHAT?!

***

Lambert: I can make my own decisions I’m an adult!

Vesemir: Adults don’t start a bar fight because they forgot to bring their wallet and can’t pay the tab!

Lambert: I never said I can make good decisions.

Vesemir: Why are you doing this to me?

Lambert: Because I’m bored, it’s funny, and I hate you. There you are. The holy trinity of why.

***

Eskel: What's the worst decision you've ever made while drunk?

Lambert: Don't mean to brag, but I don't need alcohol to make bad decisions.

***

Eskel: The moon is so huge and pretty tonight!

Geralt: Yeah it is!

Berengar, quietly to Lambert: Should we tell them it’s just a tortilla you threw at the window?

Lambert: Please don’t.

***

Geralt: My worst trauma is when Lambert tried to murder me.

Lambert: I didn't try to murder you. I just didn't try to save you.

***

Lambert: I swing both ways.

Lambert: Violently. With a sword.

Lambert: Also, I’m bisexual.

Lambert: ... promise you won’t tell anyone?

Berengar: Your secret is safe with me. I wasn’t even listening.

*later*

Eskel: The printer messed up the invitations. it was supposed to say "Lambert’ birthday".

Geralt: What does it say instead?

Eskel: "Lambert’ bi"

Berengar: Well that could still work.

***

Geralt: I think we should do it.

Eskel: But that stuffs illegal!

Geralt: ...

Eskel: ...

Eskel: Ok, I’m in.

Lambert: *walking in the room*

Lambert: I heard illegal, I’m in.

***

Eskel: *angry* ARE YOU-

Lambert: Fucking.

Eskel: -KIDDING ME?!

Berengar: What was that?

Lambert: Eskel legally cannot say fuck, so I’ve volunteered to say it for him.

Geralt: I think you just like saying, fuck.

Lambert: That doesn’t make my job less important.

***

Lambert: Pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is easy and fun as hell. Looking back, I have no regrets.

Geralt: You should.

Lambert: Probably.

***

Guard: Put your weapons on the ground!

Lambert: How exactly do I put sarcasm, a scathing wit, and sex appeal on the ground?

***

Eskel: I sleep with a knife under my pillow.

Geralt: Weak. I sleep with a sword under mine.

Lambert: You're both pathetic.

Berengar: What killer weapon do you sleep with then, Mr. Badass?

Lambert, proud and confident: Aiden.

***

Berengar: What up? I’m back bitches.

Geralt: I literally saw you die. You died. You were dead.

Berengar: Death is a social construct.

***

Lambert, drunk at 1AM: *in pajamas and blasting ABBA in his room* Gimmie gimmie gimmie my man after midnight! Won’t somebody help me-

Geralt in the other room: Aiden is dead. Get over it and go to bed! There’s your help.

Lambert: [drunken sobs]

.

[radiojamming]

Hello, I recently watched the Terror and have become utterly fascinated with the history of the Franklin expedition. You seem highly knowledgeable and I was wondering if you had any recommendations for books about the expedition.

!!! Absolutely! :D

WE’RE READY (featuring itty bitty John Hartnell)

So by no means is this list exhaustive. I’ve narrowed it down to the books and publications that I feel are the most helpful in getting to appreciate the full scope of the Expedition, what led up to it, and the results of it (the aftermath is just as interesting as the Expedition itself, which we really only know bits and pieces about). This is also a fabulous list of sources that you should definitely check out! I have it bookmarked on Chrome because I’ve referred back to it so often. :’D

Erebus by Michael Palin - Yeah, that Michael Palin of Monty Python fame. This is Palin’s passion project and one that ended up being a really fun read. It goes through the history of the HMS Erebus from her creation, her voyages, and her tragic end. It’s detailed where it needs to be and lighthearted when appropriate. I feel like it’s a very good introduction into the world of the Royal Navy at the era and a good starting point for any Franklin Expedition research if you’re unfamiliar with it.

James Fitzjames: The Mystery Man of the Franklin Expedition by William Battersby - I think it’s helpful to get to know some of the officers of the Expedition to really appreciate the scope of the people who joined on. James Fitzjames is an incredible figure and Battersby (who passed away a few years ago and is very missed) did a beautiful job of forming his biography. A surprising amount of text is lifted and used in the TV show, sometimes word-for-word (the Chinese sniper story and the cairn walk especially). If you like the show and like Fitzjames’ character, this is vital reading.

Franklin: Tragic Hero of Polar Navigation by Andrew Lambert - Of course, it wouldn’t be the Franklin Expedition without the man himself. This one is a heavier read than the Fitzjames biography, but it’s well worth the time. It covers all of Sir John Franklin’s life, the history of attempts on the Northwest Passage, and his legacy after his death. It’s interesting to read about his public perception, ranging from tragic to a walking joke. If you have the time, this one is worth it.

Captain Francis Crozier: Last Man Standing? by Michael Smith - Good for rounding out the trinity of authority with a fairly cheap Kindle book! I’m actually not finished with reading this one, but so far, I’m impressed. Crozier has always been an interesting figure in the Franklin Expedition, enough that he’s front and center in the TV show. I’m giving it a recommendation mostly because it’s the most thorough biography of him.

Finding Franklin: The Untold Story of a 165-Year Search by Russell A. Potter - If you get into the Expedition proper, you’re going to run into Russell Potter sooner or later, through his blog or otherwise. There are very few books that run through what actually happened once Franklin reached the Arctic (I’m gettin’ there!), but Potter does a darn good job of telling the what-happened-after. This is pretty vital reading, especially for phrases like “human debris”. He’s also one of the few people who has written things about the Peglar Papers!

Unravelling the Franklin Mystery: Inuit Testimony by David Woodman - Oh, this is the heavy hitter. This is the reason why a lot of us are here, whether we know it or not. Woodman is another person you’ll run into eventually in Expedition circles, and he’s highly-respected. This book provides an incredible play-by-play of the steady uncovering of the whereabouts of the Erebus and Terror using local Inuit testimony. The results are magnificent, and I cherish my copy of this book with my whole heart. 

Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition by Owen Beattie and John Geiger - As several people at the Mystic Symposium said, this book is the gateway drug for a lot of people - myself included. Several copies have a mummified face staring out from the cover, either belonging to John Torrington or John Hartnell. So much of The Terror is based on this book in its entirety - three dead sailors who died before disaster truly struck, lead poisoning through canned food (now mostly disproved, but it was a great explanation for the time!), and the slow, painful fate of those on the Death Hike. Dr. Beattie ran an anthropological study into the remains of the three crew members interred on Beechey Island, finding some of the best mummified human remains ever discovered. Photographs included, it’s a compelling and sometimes chilling (hah!) read that I can’t recommend enough. My poor copy has been stained and dog-eared to death, if it tells you anything.

Fatal Passage: The Story of John Rae, the Arctic Hero Time Forgot by Ken McGoogan - Definitely a good read for those interested in the aftermath and search for the Expedition. John Rae is another amazing figure in the story and is well worth learning about. Both this and Dead Reckoning are great books by McGoogan that I can’t recommend enough. 

Hopefully this helps to get you on your way into the Franklin Expedition wormhole! If anyone else has book recommendations, feel free to add them! These were just the ones I had on hand that I feel were good baseline reading (of course, the library of Franklin stuff goes on foreveeerrrrrr).

[enouementiisms-a]

✰ it’s time to wake up, BURTON ‘GUS’ GUSTER II, you’ve been in cryosleep for too long and the people of PSYCH miss you. when you went into slumber you were FORTY-TWO years old, your pronouns are HE/HIM, and you WERE VOLUNTEERED for the expanse program. now that you’ve awoken, your position as a TEACHER is waiting for you. remember, the expanse thanks you!

THE BASICS;

NAME: Burton ‘Gus’ Guster II

ALIAS(ES): Super Smeller, Super Sniffer, Peter Panic, Gus ‘Sillypants’ Jackson, François, Magic Head, Chocolate Columbo,  Doctor Mc … Took, The Jackal, Earnest Lambert Watkins, Mr Vocabulary, Felicia Fancybottom,  Bud, D'Andre, Gus T. T. Showbiz, Ovaltine Jenkins, Burton ‘Oil Can’ Guster, the G, Big Head Burton, Burton the Billowy Bear, Magic Head, Tabrickisha Schillington, Cowboy Lendo, Shmuel Cohen, Galileo Humpkins, Schoonie ‘U-Turn’ Singleton, Nick-Nack, Lavender Gooms, Doctor Guster, Tan, Bruton ‘Gasty’ Gaster, Patty Simcox, Fearless Guster,  Lemongrass Gogulope, Die Harder, Squirts MacIntosh, Ernesto Agapito Garcés con ya de Abelar, Big Baby Burton, Black Star, Homeskillet, Methuselah Honeysuckle, Chesterfield McMillan and wife, Longbranch Pennywhistle, Scrooge Jones, Gussie, Hummingbird Saltalamacchia, Step Anthony Wally Ali (Cat Stuck in a Tree), Resourceful Gus, Taye Diggs, Dequan ‘Smallpox’ Randolph, Hollabackatcha, Slicks, Sterling Cooper, Trapezious Milkington, Jazz Hands, Shawn, Detective Miles, Gus Brown John Slade, Ron Davis, Rich Fingerland aka Bob Adams, Black Magic, Harry Munroe, Cheswicke, Doughnut Holschtein, Ghee Buttersnaps AKA The Heater, The Vault of Secrets, Clementine Woollysocks, Guts, Ol’ Ironside, Old Iron Stomach, Tin Tummy, Gustice, Jonathan Jacob Jingly Smith, Santonio Holmes, Deon Richmond, Gurton Buster, Chaz Bono, Chocolate Einstein, MC Clap Yo Handz, Road Rash, Mellowrush, Miss Whittlebury, Crankshaft, G-Force, Sher-Black-Lock, Imhotep or He Cometh in Peace, Control Alt Delete, Yasmine Bleeth, Lodge Blackman, Mission Figgs, RadioStar, Gusjay Gupta, Original G-String AKA Crowd Pleasah, Tap-Man, Watson Williams, Benedict Arnold Jackson, Suggs, Ingle Woods, Brutal Hustler, Fellatio Del Toro, Eddie Adams from Torrance, Larenz Tate, Sh'Dynasty, Candyman, Gurn Blandsten, Immaculate Conception, Pootie Tang, Domo Arigato, Jonas Gustavsson, Blue Ivy Carter, Bill Ofrights, Vijay Armitraj, Django Unchained, A Playa Named Gus, Darryl, Flapjack Palmdale, Burton Trout (no relation), Bad News Marvin Barnes, Lil’ Wayne, King Mongkut, Gigi Van Tran, Trending Ontwitter, Robert ‘Booooooooooob’ Jones, My Black Cameron, Dr. Alan Champion, Angela Bennett, Jack Devlin, Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer, Tony Stark, Billy Elliott, Ferris Bueller, Edward Scissorhands, Hans Solo, Hans Landa, Han-Na Montana, Mr. Popper, Mr. Bee, Mr. Ripley, Mr. Deeds, Mr. Pink, Mr. White, Mr. Brown, Mr. Blonde, Mr. T, Dr. T, Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Phibes, Dr. Evil, Dr. Horrible, Dr. Dolittle, Frodo, Gandalf, Bilbo, Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, Simba, Zazu, Ross, Chandler, Joey, Jerry, George, Elaine, Kramer, Kirk, Spock, Picard, Data, Denzel Diggs Underwood Morris Chestnut Washington, Burton Guster Black Spencer.

AGE: 42

BIRTHDAY & ZODIAC: December 1977, Sagittarius

PREFERRED PRONOUNS: He/Him/His

FACECLAIM: Dulé Hill

PERSONALITY: ISFJ-A

A DEEPER LOOK;

BACKGROUND: Status: Alive. For Gus, this has been a very important thing his entire life. That is not an exaggeration. With a best friend like Shawn Spencer, it’s surprisingly easy to be at risk, sometimes multiple times in one day. When Gus was younger, he nearly got away from Shawn thanks to schooling and his parents interference, but when Shawn helped the Guster family, Gus’ parents backed down. Years, and a sham marriage passed, Gus was living his best life as a pharmaceutical sales rep, making 48k a year. He was where he belonged. With a best friend like Shawn Spencer, it’s surprisingly easy to have one’s life plans go awry. Gus still worked as a pharm. sales rep, but too often, he ended up being the getaway driver in the police cases Shawn managed to worm them both into. As the years passed, Gus still complained about it but when the chance came to go back to his comfortable career and say goodbye to his best friend, Gus chose to say goodbye to the comfortable life, knowing it wouldn’t be the same if he was on his own.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS: Bill and Winnie Guster (parents), Joy Guster (older sister), Shawn Spencer (best friend), Burton Guster I (uncle, namesake), Mira Gaffney (ex-wife), Rachael (ex-girlfriend) and her son Maximus.

WEAPONS: The Blueberry.

POWERS/ABILITIES/SKILLS: Tap dancing, expert safe cracker, vocal manipulation, bomb defusal, incredible sense of smell.

GREATEST STRENGTH: His friendship with Shawn.

GREATEST WEAKNESS/FLAW: His friendship with Shawn.

OUTFIT THEY WOKE UP IN: Pinstripe button down shirt, tan slacks, dress shoes.

FAVORITE FOOD: A poached egg with hollandaise sauce on an English muffin.

ONE FEAR: The “head peel.” (It’s his fourth greatest fear.)

ONE HOPE: To survive the strangest case he’s ever been on and to really let Shawn have a piece of Gus’ mind if they ever see each other again.

ONE HEADCANON: Gus won’t go anywhere without The Blueberry to the point of clinging onto it with all his might until he at least gets to have his trusty car with him.

THE QUESTIONNAIRE;

How does your character feel about being dropped into the expanse program? Are they excited? Suspicious? Confused? -- Suspicious as heck. He’s still convinced this entire thing is an elaborate escape room Shawn’s cooked up for him.

What does your character hope to see the most during the expanse 009’s journey? -- Home.

If your character could bring one thing from home, what would it be? --  While it’s not exactly how he remembers it, he has his Blueberry so he doesn’t need anything else.

[pooraurora]

☕️ country music

i love it. i love that it’s easy to sing along to and predictable!! I LOVE THE STORY TELLING COMPONENT THAT PEOPLE GET ALL ANNOYED ABOUT! COUNTRY SONGS ARE THE BEST KARAOKE SONGS CAUSE YOU CAN SING THEM WHILE DRUNK AND STILL KILL! i subscribe wholly to emmylou harris, loretta lynn and dolly parton being the holy trinity. most stuff pre-2001 is game as far as i’m concerned, like just JAMS. i love that it can make you cry, and really feel, and it’s like CHurch and also IT’S FUCKIN’ STUPID SOMETIMES! AND YOU JUST WANNA DRINK A BEER! and some of the best singers out there are country singers!!! IT’S JUST A FACT!!!!!

emmylou harris’ album evangeline (1981) is a whole ass mood. (i feel like emmylou came for stevie nicks don’t @ me just listen to hot burrito #2). the traditions and roots of “country music” and it’s spin offs is really diverse and exciting historically and one of those Quintessentially CONTRADICTORY American things that just makes me excited to learn about. it is a tradition in the south, and the rural places, and so it is just as valid as any other genre to those who are marginalized as much as those who aren’t. they have their heroes and anthems - it isn’t just straight white rednecks you know, but it’s easy to write it off that way. 

long black veil is my favorite johnny cash song and it makes me cry. old town road is probably the best song ever made.miranda lambert has written no less than 3 albums ABOUT MY LIFE and countless songs that are just Entirely too relateable. 

if you don’t like country you’re not listening to the right country music, frankly. it’s like anything else tho - you gotta buy in at some point or not. and if you don’t you’re not going to enjoy it as much. but it’s FUCKIN’ GREAT AND I LOVE IT.

if you wanna hear some good modern country check out sturgill stimpson,  margo price,  the cactus blossoms and of course kacey musgraves & lil nas & BLANCO BROWN (GIT DOWN)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! here’s my big spotify playlist of (mostly) country too . i’m glad as we move in time more and more people are muscling their way into the mainstream and i think that’s fucking FANTASTIC. cause it is rife with bullshit but also. i love it. *SIGHS*. 

[thewholecrew]

does my muse(s) get jealous?

grant - yes, grant is a very jealous person when it comes to someone he loves romantically. he often tries not to show how jealous he is and will try to deny it but it's quite obvious. not only will he be jealous usually if he sees someone flirting, talking, dancing with the person he is interested in, he can also grow quite jealous of their close friends as well. he's not above intervening and it can range between him attempting to be subtle, protective or if it's clear the person he likes is very uncomfortable with said attention, he can even get physical. one of the reasons he tries to hide his jealousy is because more times than not he puts said person at a distance therefore has no right or real reason to be jealous even though he is.

kassy - no, kassy does not get jealous. though she's usually not one for titles when it comes to dating, i'd say she views herself as polyamorous. she can definitely be quite possessive but that is more for the enjoyment of the power dynamic rather than needing others to keep their hands to themselves (unless that touch is unwanted of course). she has no problem sharing her friends, subs, situationships (to those she deems worthy of her people*) if that is something they'd like too since to kassy, the more the merrier. she also knows that she cannot provide her partners with the kind of relationships and future some may want therefore she will often encourage them to seek other connections. plus, she's very confident about herself and in what she can offer to people.

trinity - yes, and while usually she can contain herself, once she gets a little bit of alcohol in her system trinity can want to fight someone if they look at her partner the wrong way let alone come up to them to flirt or touch them. she can become extremely jealous and possessive of her partner if she feels threatened and go between cursing someone out and trying to fight them, and trying to make said person hitting on her partner jealous by being extremely possessive (kissing them, having their partners hands very obviously on her and vice versa, essentially claiming them as hers and her as theirs). so though trin might come off as shy and quiet most of the time, she can absolutely lash out against someone if they try to get between her and her partner, she's a little crazy.

alec - yes and no, alec is polyamorous and simply loves love too much to be jealous a lot of the time. i'd say he's more likely to be envious of what others have rather than jealous if someone he likes is with another person or flirts, etc. he also doesn't feel as though he is allowed to be jealous because he has issues himself with being completely committed to one person and is very overly friendly. he's aware that he can make any of his potential partners jealous so he tries to be sensitive to that. but i'd say 99% of the time he does not feel that same jealousy others would feel.

rev - yes, they are extremely jealous and possessive. they can become very aggressive towards just about anyone they think is looking at their partner or talking to them too much, let alone if they were to touch them even if it was friendly and not flirty. most of the time they're able to scare people away but a part of them knows it's not necessarily healthy to be so possessive and i think if they were to have a steady partner that they would try their best to work on that but they very much want to protect their partner and not let anyone think they can take advantage of their partners kindness. also they want their partner to choose them and want to be with them as much as rev does their partner.

nate - not really. i'd say nate is also a pretty confident guy and that while he can be protective, i wouldn't say he often gets jealous. not unless specific situations where there is a girl he really likes/loves that he cannot be with and has to watch be with someone else. but with his partner by his side nothing can upset him because she has chosen him and no matter what chatting or flirting goes on he knows that she wants to be with him. i mean i can see him getting jealous if it gets to be too much to the point it feels disrespectful but overall he will let his woman do what she likes and only step in if to protect her or make other people jealous, because they would be since his partner is a complete knock out and he's madly in love with her.

[aion-rsa]

The Matrix Resurrections Finally Unveils the New Niobe

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The Matrix Resurrections revives Neo and Trinity from one more adventure inside the simulation. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprise the roles that made them sci-fi legends at the turn of the century, and they’re bringing a few other franchise veterans with them. Among the other returners are Daniel Bernhardt as Agent Johnson, Lambert Wilson as an older and disheveled Merovingian, and Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe.

We’ve already seen our first glimpse at the Merovingian, who’s clearly fallen on hard times since he last tormented our heroes during a deadly bondage rave inside the Matrix, and now a new trailer finally shows Smith back as Niobe. It’s not in the way you think, though.

“It’s so easy to forget how much noise the Matrix pumps into your head. Something else makes the same kind of noise: war,” a much older Niobe tells a reawakened Neo in the video. Then the bullets start flying.

This first look at Niobe is surprising, to say the least, and does have major implications for when this sequel takes place. While some fans have long theorized that this movie would be some kind of prequel or take place in a different version of the Matrix altogether, it’s clear that this a direct follow-up to the same timeline, but where many more decades have passed on Zion since Neo saved humanity in Revolutions. If 50 years have passed since the end of the trilogy, then this grayer Niobe would certainly look her age. But why haven’t the rest of the characters aged at the same pace?

Not only is their a much younger Morpheus running around, but Neo and Trinity have aged at a slower pace than Niobe’s decades too — we see that real-world Neo is the same age as his residual self image in the simulation. Trinity too looks the same in the pod as she does in the Matrix. Is this a result of the Machine experiments that have brought their real-world bodies back to life? Either the Machines kept these two on ice until the time was right to plug them back in, they somehow de-aged them after bringing them back to life, or genetically engineered clone bodies that look only slightly older than their predecessors. Whatever the case, Resurrections seems to be playing fast and loose with the passage of time.

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Besides her age, the new trailer doesn’t reveal much about Niobe’s role in the movie. Is she still a ship captain adventuring with Ghost (Anthony Wong) and Sparks (Lachy Hulme) on a rebuilt Logos? Or has she retired. It almost looks like she’s wearing the cozy attire of a Zion councillor, one of the elders that make up the governing body of the last human city.

We’ll find out just what’s going on with Niobe, and how deep the rabbit hole really goes, when The Matrix Resurrections hits theaters and HBO Max on Dec. 22.

The post The Matrix Resurrections Finally Unveils the New Niobe appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[lipsyncforyourlife]

LOGO TV PARTNERS WITH LAS VEGAS FOR OFFICIAL “RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE” FINALE VIEWING PARTY AND CROWNING OF “AMERICA’S NEXT DRAG SUPERSTAR” AT THE NEW TROPICANA LAS VEGAS ON MONDAY, MAY 19

Live Event Timed to 90-Minute “RuPersized” Season Finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Premiering Monday, May 19 at 10 PM ET/PT on Logo TV

NEW YORK, NY – April 28, 2014 – Logo TV, Viacom’s television, digital and social brand inspired by the LGBT community, announced today that for the first time, it will bring all the glitz and glamour of the megahit “RuPaul’s Drag Race” official finale viewing party to Las Vegas in an exclusive partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and The New Tropicana resort in Las Vegas. Timed to the on-air, 90-minute, “RuPersized” season finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on May 19, the free event in the opulent Havana Room of The New Tropicana Las Vegas will feature a live screening of the finale episode, the crowning of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and a night of show-stopping performances by this season’s star dragtestants.

“What better place to bring the finale of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ than Las Vegas?” asked Amy Wigler, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Logo and MTV.  “Aside from being an LGBT visitor’s dream destination, it’s a city driven by big dreams, bigger hair and sequins…lots and lots of sequins.  Our queens will fit right in.”

“Partnering with ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ provides a unique opportunity to showcase the welcoming atmosphere and excitement of the destination,” said Cathy Tull, Senior Vice President of Marketing for the LVCVA. “Once ‘America’s Next Drag Queen Superstar’ is crowned, Las Vegas will provide the perfect atmosphere for fun and celebration.”

“We are excited to partner with Logo TV and the LVCVA to host the ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ finale viewing party at The New Tropicana Las Vegas,” said Fred Harmon, Chief Marketing Officer of The New Tropicana Las Vegas. “We are a strong advocate for the LGBT community through a variety of efforts including our recently launched Saturday LGBTQ beach party Xposed!, so this event aligns perfectly with our property’s commitment to the LGBT community.”

The event is free to fans over 21 years of age, but registration is required at: www.DragRaceTickets.com.  Registration is limited to venue capacity.

After 12 weeks of grueling challenges that pitted drag elites Adore Delano, April Carrión, BenDeLaCréme, Bianca Del Rio, Courtney Act, Darienne Lake, Gia Gunn, Joslyn Fox, Kelly Mantle, Laganja Estranja, Magnolia Crawford, Milk, Trinity K. Bonet and Vivacious in a wig-to-wig battle, RuPaul is about to declare her ultimate queen.  The winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will walk away with a $100,000 cash prize and the coveted title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.”

This season featured some of the hottest celebrities in pop culture today who judged every second of the face primping, wig snatching and tuck tightening action.  Celebrity judges included: Neil Patrick Harris, Adam Lambert, Khloe Kardashian, Lena Headey, Linda Blair, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Heather McDonald, Eve, Trina, Leah Remini, Jaime Pressly, Paula Abdul, Mike Ruiz, David Burtka and Bob Mackie alongside show regulars Michelle Visage and Santino Rice.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is produced by World of Wonder Productions with Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Mandy Salangsang, Steven Corfe and RuPaul Charles serving as Executive Producers.  Pamela Post serves as Executive Producer for Logo.

For more information on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and sneak preview clips, go to LogoTV.com.  For up-to-date “RuPaul’s Drag Race” news and exclusives, join the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Facebook page or follow the series on Twitter at @RuPaulsDragRace and #DragRace. Follow along with the live gifs from the show on Tumblr and see photos on the show’s Instagram page.

[thewholecrew]

@headstrongblake said: favourite colour? if they could decide to do anything with their day, what would they want to do? / all the kids who want!

grant - pastel yellow & honestly grant would probably love nothing more than to spend a day going for a hike in the forest just to relax, reading, whether alone or with those closest to him to just finally feel like theres a weight lifted off his shoulders.

kassy - gold, red, lavender & she would love to have the most luxury experience of being at a resort to lay on the beach, have a professional massage, a spa, facial, go for drinks, dancing, being surrounded by those closest to her, be able to lazily fool around and just enjoy herself to the fullest.

trinity - sage green & she would love a chance to try something new. whether it calls for adventure, is a new game, a new hobby, a new food. though her family was wealthy they were very strict and controlling so to be able to experience new things with someone(s) who won't judge/are encouraging, that would be what she'd want.

nate - blue & nate honestly doesn't really care what he's doing as long as he's with his person/people. he can have a fun time wherever he is so as long as there are people for him to experience it with he's good. if he had to choose, he'd love to ride his motorbike really fast or do something thrill seeking for the hell of it.

alec - pink rev - teal hunter - charcoal blue chase - black rykard - lime green bellamy - maroon red

[aion-rsa]

The Matrix Resurrections Finally Reveals the New Merovingian

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The Matrix Resurrections has revealed most of its returning cast in the lead up to the film’s long-awaited release later this month. We’ve seen Keanu Reeves back as a more grungy Neo, Carrie-Anne Moss as a leather jacket-wearing grease monkey version of Trinity, and even Daniel Bernhardt has suited up once again as Agent Johnson. But there are still a few other returners we haven’t seen, such as Jada Pinkett Smith’s Niobe, the ship captain who played a vital role in the two Matrix sequels.

Then there’s Lambert Wilson’s elusive Merovingian, the grimy information broker and crime boss who was obsessed with cause and effect in The Matrix Reloaded and threw a hell of a bondage party in Revolutions. Warner Bros. has kept the villain’s return very close to the chest, but a new teaser announcing the advance ticket sales date finally lifts the curtain on a Merovingian who’s 20 years older and has clearly seen better days.

Check out the video below:

ẅ̷̩̞̥̯͈́͊͛̋̍͑̊̕ä̷̼̗̫̲̯̥̪̠̱̀̇̍͂̀͆̚ͅk̷̢̛̻̙͎̟͚͓͖̆͂̈́̿͒̕è��͖̙̑̊̾̉ ̴̧̠̘̖̳͓͈̽̿̆̔̒̂̂̄̒͘u̵̻͇̹͇̝̮̟̎͒͋̂͗͒̇ṕ̷̻̤̐͐͒̅̽̏ The Matrix Resurrections tickets on sale 12.06.21 @ 9AM PT #MatrixMonday #TheMatrix pic.twitter.com/l94gQtfzGd

— The Matrix Resurrections (@TheMatrixMovie) December 1, 2021

It’s a blink and you’ll miss it moment, one of the many deja vus teased in the promo, but it’s enough to know that we’re not going to get the Merovingian we expect in Resurrections. In the screenshot below, you can see a much more disheveled, bearded version of the Frenchman whose days eating at the fanciest restaurants in Mega City are definitely far behind him. (He kind of looks like the Trainman played by Bruce Spence in Revolutions, doesn’t he?) Gone too is the usual smugness on his face, replaced by despair or fear. His reunion with Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus should be very interesting.

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While we know virtually nothing about the Merovingian’s role in the movie, we did recently learn that Priyanka Chopra is indeed playing an adult Sati, which should be a chance to explore another Matrix sequel character whose story didn’t have much time to develop before the end of the trilogy.

As far as new cast members go, it’s impossible to miss Jessica Henwick’s acrobatic Bugs and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s younger Morpheus in all of the marketing. Henwick told Den of Geek in a recent interview that her character is “a captain, and a leader, and a true believer in the legend of Neo.”

In the trailers released thus far, we see Bugs getting into quite a few scrapes alongside Morpheus, while also guiding Neo through the mysteries of the Matrix. Henwick said of working with Reeves, “Keanu really is everything you’ve heard. I mean, it’s not news for me to say he’s the nicest actor in Hollywood. Everyone knows that. Very kind. Very generous. Very, very shy. Very intelligent. There was no small talk with Keanu. It was always just like, ‘What do you think is at the bottom of the ocean?’ We would have these really esoteric discussions between takes. It was a highlight of my day, honestly.”

We likely won’t learn what’s at the bottom of the ocean in The Matrix Resurrections, but we may see just how deep the rabbit hole goes for these characters when the movie opens on Dec. 22 in theaters and on HBO Max.

The post The Matrix Resurrections Finally Reveals the New Merovingian appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[sfdfmoviereviews]

The Wachowskis Reviewed #2: The Matrix (1999), The Animatrix (2003), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

The Wachowskis give us Neo (Keanu Reeves), a hacked seeking an answer to a question: what is the Matrix? When Neo attracts the attention of uber-hackers Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Lawrence Fishbourne), he has to choose whether to remain in the world he knows or discover the truth about the Matrix. Revelation, bullet time, and deep philosophy ensue.

Here in the year 2017, there is only one question to ask regarding 1999's The Matrix: does it hold up? With that in mind, I'm going to cover the sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revelations as well as The Animatrix, as for me at least these works inform how I see the original at this point in time.

From that energetic and wonderful opening scene of Trinity Kung Fu-ing Agents and disappearing into a telephone, The Matrix is again drenched in noir. But here are also the trappings of dystopia; grey cubicles and sinister men in suits and black sedans and all of it forged into a coherent whole. In other words, The Matrix is Cyberpunk. It is the best Cyberpunk movie since Blade Runner, and a darn sight more accessible at that.

And yet it is more than simply that, as the Wachowskis thoroughly invoke notions of destiny and fate and providence and heroism. Here is where The Matrix stands unique, as it seeks to find the value in these concepts in an ostensibly deterministic universe. You'll find reams and reams of discourse on the philosophical underpinnings of the Matrix, but as with most philosophy the question at the heart of it is simple: How do I find a way to live when the events of the universe appear to be laid out regardless?

And while it inevitable reaches some conclusion on this matter, the continual ethos of The Matrix is one of self-agency: You have to see it for yourself, you have to decide for yourself.

And then they made two more. The fascinating thing about the Matrix sequels (and the aspect that I suspect most alienated audiences upon their release) is their attempt to humanise the machines. There's an interesting parallel to Star Wars here, as the second instalment contains a revelation that upends the established order of things, and the third is concerned with finding a new path towards resolution- towards peace rather than victory. It is this aspect- that machines might have worth as well- that lends a humanist resonance to the musings on determinism and choice.

It's worth noting that the beautifully horrific Animatrix segment The Second Resistance foreshadows this with the story of the rise of the machines. It's a mesmerising story and although directed by Mahiro Maeda it is indicative of the increasingly esoteric storytelling technique we will see from the Wachwskis. The other segments of The Animatrix written by the Wachowskis- The Kid and The Final Flight of the Osiris- serve as prologues for the two sequel films. Notably, The Final Flight of the Osiris- which for the most part looks like a first draft of the race to the dock gate in The Matrix Revolutions- is very definitely filmed by a male gaze, and thus serves as a useful measure for how much the Wachowskis do the same.

As a movie, The Matrix holds up incredibly well. The pacing is great, the cast are on point (Reeves' famed neutrality works perfectly here), the action sequences are beautiful, and the design is incredibly effective. The use of such accessible conventions to pose deep questions and the skill with which they are advanced means Matrix is the first full expression of the Wachowskis ethos.

For the most part. Neo's powerups have him in god mode by the end of the first film, and so many of the action sequences of the second and third are tedious. It's possible to see the scene in which he fights a thousand Agent Smiths (Hugo Weaving) as deliberately absurd, but in practice it simply drags. Indeed, for much of the second film we sit waiting for fateful conversations while some people get beat up and stuff gets exploded.

At the climax, the Christ imagery is very much on the nose, and much of the celebration- with supporting characters looking to the heavens and thanking Neo- is saccharine.

There's also a question of how well the portrayal of The Matrix truly unnerves the audience. For all the discussion of the taste of chicken and deja vu, the city and surrounds are deliberately generic (well, unless you can spot all the Sydney landmarks), and so we are never properly convinced that the Matrix might actually be the world we live in.

That 'rave' (it's clear now that it's an orgy) in The Matrix Reloaded that generated so much complaint works now. It is so rare that what our noble resistance is fighting for is more than telegraphed, and here we get a sequence of loving and dancing and fucking as inherently defiant.

Unlike so many mentor characters, Morpheus is refreshingly earnest. There is no manipulation or strategy here, simply a fervent belief in Neo as The One and a disciplined advocacy that he think for himself.

Again, we get a female character given agency out of proportion with convention. Persephone (Monica Belucci) defies the Merovingian (Lambert Wilson) and allows our heroes access to the keymaker, without which they would fail. It's not as significant as Violet's role in Bound nor as profound as what we'll see later, but it's there.

Look out for: Gina Torres, Genevieve O'Reilly, Rupert Reid (that one guy from Blue Healers), Joe Pantaliano, Essie Davis, Matt Doran (the Deathsticks guy from Episode II), Christine Anu, Harold Perrineau, Bruce Spence, Nathaniel Lees, and David Roberts.

So that's The Matrix. It's still good, it's still worthy, and those sequels you've heard derided are worth another look.

Tim

[injectionmoldchina]

New Post has been published on http://www.injectionmouldchina.com/image-from-page-128-of-transactions-of-the-bristol-and-gloucestershire-archaeological-society-1912/

Image from page 128 of "Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society" (1912)

Some cool pipe mould maker images:

Image from page 128 of “Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society” (1912)

Image by Internet Archive Book Images Identifier: transactionsofbr35bris Title: Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Year: 1912 (1910s) Authors: Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society. cn Subjects: Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Publisher: Bristol, Eng. : The Society Contributing Library: Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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Text Appearing Before Image: bird in raised ornamentation,the sides of the neck of the vessel being decorated with shortraised loops, and the body covered with a conventionaldesign in low relief. In size the perfect pitcher must havestood at least 14 to 16 in. in height (see illustrations). The Norman potters were certainly very original in theirwork, and the fragments, which are pieced together as far aspossible, show much quaintness in design. I do not remembera vessel in any of the London or provincial museums at allsimilar. Many other fragments were found of early mediaevalpottery, including a darkgreen glazed head forming the mask lip of yet anotherpitcher. It is a curiously boldpiece of moulding and veryecclesiastical in character, forthe head is depicted wearinga tonsure (see illustration). We naturally wonder if theartist – potter modelled thesevessels to order, or if theywere the working of his ownfertile brain ; and also inwhat houses in this Norman town they were in use beforegetting so badly smashed.

Text Appearing After Image: too < Transactions for the Year 1912. A fragment of a fourteenth or a fifteenth-century inlaidpavement tile, doubtless thrown out from one of the old city•churches, and the following various items, all came to handfrom another rubbish pit:— A seventeenth-century iron stirrup. An iron bullet, ^-in. diameter. Two clay tobacco pipes bearing the initials N.M.on the heels, which is a makers mark not previouslyrecorded. A Gloucester Traders Token, bearing on the obverse : LVKE . NOVRSE . MAIOR . 1657 1 = C. G. (City of Gloucester). A small R the initial of Thomas -Rawlins the engraver, beneath the letters. On the reverse : for . necessary . CHANGE=Armsof the City of Gloucester ; three chevrons betweenten torteaux. The issuer of this token was Mayor of the City in 1644,the same year in which Toby Jordan (one of the messengerswho carried the answer of the citizens to King Charles Iin Tredworth Field, when he summoned the city tosurrender) was Sheriff. Luke Nourse was elected Mayoragain

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Bristol trade directory 1871 – Dress makers & Milliners

Image by brizzle born and bred Millinery and dressmaking constituted the higher end of female employment with the needle; they were "respectable" occupations for young women from middle-class or lower middle-class families. The number of women involved in dressmaking alone in the early 1840s was estimated to be 15,000.

Bristol Dress Makers

Allen Mrs. 55 St. Michael’s hill Baker M. 54 Bellevue crescent Ball Miss, Regent street Beard L. E. 25 Thrissell street Beer Harriet, 53 Mead street Bethell Mrs. Redcliff hill Bruton H. 39 Triangle Butcher C. 1 Redcross street Butcher H. and A. 16 Orchard street Canning Miss M. 35 College street Cantle Mrs. 2 Lansdown terrace Carpenter A. 13 College street Cawless Miss, 28 Trinity street Chedzoy and Allen, 7 Picton street Cole Ann, 3 Upper Wells street Cole Mrs. 10 Alfred place Coombs Mrs. 39 Park street Cottle Miss C. 5 Eldon place Davey M. K. 5 Low. St. Michael’s hill Davis Mrs. Wells street, Culver street Davis Mrs. 6 Ellenborough place Downs Miss C. 45 Woolcott buildings Ellis Miss. 10 Regent street, Clifton Ellison Mrs. 6 St. James’s square Fairbrother Mrs. Tankard’s close Farrow Miss H. 1 Cotham side Felton Ann, Lower Castle street Ferguson M. 4 Alfred place, Kingsdown Ford Miss, Portland Place Gallo M. 9 Grove p ace, Redland Gast 21 South place, New river Gillard E. 18 Denbigh street Gitson Mrs. 5 Castle green Griffin Mrs. 15 Dove street Gummer Mrs L. 7 Cheltenham bldgs Hanson Mrs. Kinburn cottage, Belgrave rd Harper E. Queen’s road Harrison H. M. 33 Upper Arcade Harvey Miss, 4 Lower Westfield place Hay E. Terrell street Healls Miss, 12 Horfield road Hillier Elizabeth, Lodge street Holesgrove Misses, 38 College green House Mrs. Portwall lane Howell Miss, Regent street Hurd Miss C. 1 Waterloo street Hyatt Mrs R. P. Upper Victoria place Jolly and Son, 43 College green Keel Miss, Gloster street, Clifton Kellaway Mrs G. 12 Oakfield place, Clifton Kernick Mrs. 27 Triangle King Mrs J. 30 Clarence place Lambert Mrs. Elton place Lang Miss L. H. Portland place Lawless Miss Harriet, Hampton place Lewis Miss, 9 Dover place Lewis Miss, 24 Clifton wood crescent Michell Sarah, 3 St Andrew’s bldgs Moody Mrs. 5 York buildings Moore Miss, 49 Thrissell street Morgan Miss, 47 Park street Morgan Miss, St Michael’s hill Moulding Miss, 12 Stokes croft Mountsteven A. 22 The Triangle Newman J. 24 Ninetree hill Newman Miss, 9 Stanley terrace Owen and Hathaway, 4 College green Pain Miss, 24 Paul street, Kingsdown Parsons J. 50 Bellevue crescent Penny Miss ll Wellington terrace, Clifton Phillips Mary Ann, 40 Milk street Pile Mrs. 19 Osborne terrace, Totterdown Roberts Miss, 12 Highland place Rogers Miss, Egerton road Sellick Miss, 3 Old park hill Smith the Misses, 7 North street Sollis E. and A. Lower College green Sully F. J. Somerset street, Cathay Spark and Tait, 32 College green Thomas E. 21 Lower Arcade Thomas Mary, Whitson street Thresher Miss, 16 College green Treadwell Mrs. 50 St. Michael’s hill Waite Mary Ann, 5 Devonshire terrace Ward S. and C. 3 Ruysdael place White Paulina, 5 Somerset crescent Whitmarsh Mrs. W. 13 Kingsdown parade Williams Louisa, East Redcliff crescent Windsor Mrs. 8 Sunderland terrace Wren Misses, Totterdown

Dressmakers’ Pattern Maker

Williams David, 8 Brunswick place, Hotwells

Milliners

A milliner is a hat maker. This was a very important trade in Victorian times. If you look at Victorian photographs you will find that you rarely see anyone outside without a hat.

In Victorian times ordinary working people got all their clothes locally (or made their own). The dressmakers listed here would have been kept busy.

Adams Louisa, 26 Park street Adams Mrs. 6 Cumberland street Allen Misses, 1 Bedford view Avins Mrs. Oxford street, Totterdown Bailey Mrs. 3 Ninetree hill Baker Mrs. 34 The Triangle Barnes Miss, 20 Thomas street Bartlett R. C. 58 Redcliff street Bartley Mrs. 33 Paul street Bendall Mrs E. George st. Bedminster Bolwell T. 21 Redcliff street Bolwell Thomas, 4 Peter street Bond Mrs. 9 Hampton terrace, Totterdown Bond Mrs. Lower Clifton hill Bound E. 1 Union street Carter Elizabeth, 11 East Redcliff crescent Choffin Mrs. 35 Upper Arcade Clarke Alfred, 4 Old King street Coombs & Morgan, 17 Harford street Coombs Mrs, 39 Park street Cooper Elizabeth, 29 Lower Arcade Davis Mrs, 28 St Michael’s hill Dimond M. 15 Bedminster causeway Dowell J. H. 67 West street Drinkwater and Son, 6 High street Duck Mrs, 124 Thomas street Dunn Mrs. Pipe lane, St Augustine’s Edmonds Mrs. 12 Alfred place Floyd Mrs. 1 Lower Arcade Gibbs Mrs. 5 Elton place Gibson Hannah, 11 Rosemont terrace Gravell E. 2 Clarence road Gray and Co. 28 Wine street Harris Mrs Charles, Denmark house, Wells road Harvey Miss, 4 Lower Westfield place Harvey Mrs. 25 Elton place Hatherley E. & M. 23 Cumberland st Heall G. 1 John street, Easton Heard William, 3 Upper Arcade Hill Miss, 6 Upper Maudlin street Holesgrove the Misses, 38 College green Hooper M. A../19 Broadmead Hooper Miss, Wellillgton place Houston and Burgess, 28 The Triangle Howell Mrs R. 9 Spring st. Bedminster Humphries Miss M. King square avenue Hutton Mrs. 8 Dover place Iles Mrs. Egerton road Jennings Miss, 6 Stoke’s croft Jolly and Son, 43 College green Jones A. and M. 3 Claremont buildings Jones Misses, 25 The Triangle Kernick Miss, 24 The Triangle Kittyle Misses, 5 St Michael’s park Lapworth Miss, Shortgrove, Durdham down Lasbury S. 3 Orchard st. St. Philip’s Lee Mrs. Paul street Lee Mrs. Abbotsham place Levy Miss, 3 Bridge street Lilly S. & M. 3 Osborne terrace, Totterdown Light L. 18 Upper Arcade Linklater T. 129 Whiteladies road Lodge J. and Co. .49 Wine street Loosemoore Misses, 7 Unity street Lucas Miss, Mansion house avenue Maggs Mrs. F. 39 Castle street Maishman A. T. 11 and 12 Wine street Marshall Mrs. 10 Norfolk street Martin Miss, Royal Prom. Queen’s rd. May Miss R. Shortgrove, Durdham down Meek Mrs. The Triangle, West Mitchener Mrs. 8 Gloster street Morgan Miss, 1 St. Michael’s hill Naish Jane, 1 St. James’s parade Newman Miss Julia Ann, Ninetree hill Oxley Mrs. 4 Granby place Pope Mrs. St Augustine’s place Prestidge Miss, 30 Montague hill Richards Mrs. 12 Mall place Roberts Mrs. 12 Highland place Rogers Mary, 5 Raglan place Saunders John Edwin, 17 Castle street Simpson Miss, 55 Park street Skewes Mary Ann, 9 Devonshire terrace Slade Eliza and Ann, Surrey street Slade Misses, 59 Park st Smith Mesdames, 7 North street Smith Misses, 33 Park street Sowden Miss, 7 Wellington place Stone Miss E. L. 9 Prince st, St Paul’s Sullivan Mrs. Anjer’s rd, Totterdown Sully Miss, 3 Hanmer’s buildings Summers Mrs M. 83 Redcliff street Sydenham Mrs J. 112 Wellesley place Symes Miss, 3 Manor buildings Tarver Miss, Garibaldi bldgs, Knowle Taylor J. F. 34 College green Tennell A. A. Portland street Tovey M. and F. Stapleton road Tripp Miss Sarah, 45 Whiteladies road Turner H. 22 Lower Arcade Voisey and Healls, 3 Dover place Wainwright Miss, 10 Orchard street Wall M. A. 9 St. James’s churchyard Watson Mrs. 19 Meridian place Wayland Miss, 19 Lower Arcade Webb and Thomas, 10 Redcliff hill Wellington E. 77 Stoke’s croft Weston Stephen, 34 Wine street Westbury Mrs. 16 Southampton par. Willey and Davis, 2 Clifton place, Clifton Williams Mrs M. 18 Camden terrace Windsor Mrs. 8 Sunderland terrace Wyatt Mrs. 16 Paul street, Portland sq York Mrs. Ann, 12 St. Michael’s hill