Charon's Boat

Sirens

The only time I can remember enjoying something I was forced to read in high school was the Odyssey in the 9th grade. The Sirens had to have been a big part of that since I've been fascinated with the idea of what they are: irresistable women who promise to reveal all the secrets of the world.

I more or less finished this one a month ago, and I let it sit for a while. When I came back to tinker with it yesterday, I decided that it was, with a couple mods to the text, ready to go. I hope you like it.

By the way, the source picture is of the lovely Mila Kunis.

Fun Lesson in Mirroring

About a year late, I've discovered a new television show, Pushing Daisies. I've read that it's in some danger of being cancelled which doesn't surprise me given that it's different, interesting, blah, blah....

I will leave the description of the show's premise to the people who created it.

Even though, the show itself has nothing to do with Mind Control or things of that sort, there was a brief scene in a recent episode which looks as though it was lifted out of an NLP manual on mirroring.

Mirroring is an attempt to build rapport or 'break the ice' with another person. What you do is emulate, not mimic, the other person's body language, posture, tone of voice, and/or key phrases as you speak. The idea is that someone is more likely to open up to someone like themselves, and if you can look and sound like that person, they will open up to you and be more receptive to what you have to say.

This works both ways. For the person doing the mirroring, by simulating the other person's behaviours and listening to their words, the listener is more likely to get a sense of what their subject is trying to say, and both parties become more engaged in the conversation and can discover common ground they can both stand on.

Back to the show. Briefly, Charlotte (Chuck to her friends) wants to discover the whereabouts of the young girl's friend. This friend has run away from home. The young girl, as becomes clear, does not wish to divulge said information, but can't seem to help herself (watch the first minute please):

Neat.

Impressive.... Most Impressive.

I saw this a few days ago, but didn't really see it. Then, I saw it yesterday, and I've developed a small obsession.

Two things: As I get older, I find myself more taken by the rare, glittering gems. This commercial, the epic story it tells in one minute, and the two subjects (in the context of their football careers) sparkles. I will restrain myself from getting into the larger point of how depresssing it is that heroic characters are seen less and less in movies and that I feel alone sometimes in wanting to see more of them instead of the 'flawed' or 'tragic' or 'anti' heroes which are popular today. Instead, I will enjoy this little flash where the inspriring and heroic shine without unecessary tarnish.

Second, the particulars: If you're not into football, the two players portrayed here are LaDainian Tomlinson, running back for the San Diego Chargers, and Troy Polamalu, safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both are the best or one of the two or three best at their position.

The director of this ad is David Fincher who also directed Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac, and many, many music videos.

Finally, the music is a remix by Jay-Z of "Ecstasy of Gold" by Ennio Morricone. If you don't recognize it, you have to be joking?! What the hell is wrong with you? Get off my site and don't come back until you've *rewatched* The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, perhaps a reminder, gentle reader:

Perhaps, perhaps

HBO has launched a new series, True Blood, which airs Sundays at 9pm. The show's premise is that Vampires have ceased lurking in the shadows and look to become a part of society, especially since the invention of 'TruBlood' has made the necessity of drinking human blood a thing of the past. There is particular emphasis on necessity since TruBlood has been described as vampire SlimFast.

The acting is a bit ragged, with the notable exception of Stephen Moyer, who plays Bill, and the fate of Sookie's (Anna Paquin) brother is being telegraphed better than Western Union could ever manage.

However, there's potential. The main theme of repression in Sookie's squeamishness about sex, Bill's struggle with his own hunger, and the larger civil rights battle could lead to some great twists and turns. The hints at magic and magical creatures far beyond vampires could also create some great storylines. And, well, there is this (skip to 1:58 if you're impatient).

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps...

A New Soul

I've been a bit distracted the last couple months, but I'm hoping that I can get back to this fetish of mine. This one's from a favorite genre of mine. A lovely young woman gets a new soul. I've tinkered with the text a number of times, and I'm thinking it's close to what I want. I hope you like it.

Edit: Tinkered with things quite a bit. If she's becoming a demon, she should look like one. Am I right?

Edit2: More changes. Blurred the portal some to create a sense of depth. Image was too flat and the pretty girl was getting lost in the clutter. Also made some changes to the text. Way too much 'telling' instead of 'showing' before.

Edit #2:

Edited:

Original:

Learning a bit more about the bad guy

One of the most famous images from the James Bond movies shows a beautiful woman covered in gold paint. She had been murdered by Auric Goldfinger's manservant Odd Job. Goldfinger does this because Bond discovered a gambling scam Goldfinger was operating and in the process, seduced Goldfinger's assistant/girlfriend.

However, when I read the book, there's more to it. I'll let the woman's sister, Tilly Masterson, explain:

"He has a woman once a month. Jill told me when she took the job. He hypnotizes them. Then he - he paints them gold."

"Christ, Why?"

"I don't know. Jilly told me he's mad about gold. I suppose he sort of think he's - that he's sort of possessing gold. You know - marrying it. He gets some Korean servant to paint them. [...] Afterwards, they're washed down by the Korean with resin or something. Goldfinger gives them a thousand dollars and sends them away."

In the movie, Bond is knocked out and wakes up to discover the Jill Masterson's body. The book goes a bit differently, but knowing now what Goldfinger is into, I'm going to always wonder what happened between Goldfinger and Jill after Bond was knocked out.

No Words

Considering vampires are a thing of mine, I'm surprised it took me this long to get around to making a manip with one. I hope you like it.

You can see the rest of my manips here.

The List Grows Apace

One of the most infamous genres of EMC is the teenager who gets Uber-Mind-Control-Powers! This power-infused young man, it's almost always a young man, then proceeds to get revenge upon, enslave, and have sex with all the women in his life. It's become such a cliche that Billy Ray has written a fantastic parody of this genre which incorporates the situations, poor writing, and dizzying array of over-the-top euphemisms for the male and female sexual anatomy (my personal favorite is "thrill drill"). That story is titled "Dramatic Saga of Peter Q. Kleeshay".

The story I'm adding to the list is in this genre, but it has none of the cliches. Instead, this is more like The Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life", and it's a spooky, disturbing ride.

In this story, the narrator is writing a type of confession. He has the power to influence minds, but his knowledge of the real-world implications of his fantasies remainds vague. Instead, he sees a woman then spins a scenario in his head, and by implication, we discover that everything in his scenario comes true. But the narrator never meets nor has any kind of contact with his victims, except in his mind.

It's also clear that the the narrator is insane, and the one person who seems to have influence over him is his psychiatrist. Their relationship is never made plain since it's distorted through the narrator's eyes, but there are strong hints that she is terrified of him, and her eventual fate is not a good one.

The story is Character Flaw by Orestes.  Here's a sample:

Anyhow, I guess I must have been reading some stories on the internet. That's where I got some of my early ideas. That's where I became a little obsessed with bondage. Hell, it was like a smorgasbord for me back then, and bondage was just my favourite cuisine at the time. Chicken a la Parker !

My fantasies about Anne went that direction. Strangely enough, I think I had some intuition that these kinky fantasies weren't all fiction. I mean, Anne developed a taste for gothic attire soon afterwards, and began hanging out with friends who all seemed to be looking for the next big thrill.

When I was in my room jerking off at night, I knew that Anne was sneaking out her bedroom window. I could almost picture every moment of her evening as she joined up with her new friends, and began to experiment with tying each other up, and spanking each other, and forced sex acts.

It was all pretty coincidental, really. When I imagined that she was being anally raped by her new friends at night, I could see Anne having difficulty walking the next day. When I imagined that she spent the night being whipped until her back was raw, I could hear her cursing the sting of the water in the shower the next morning. It was a weird symmetry between my fantasies, and Anne's reality that made me feel almost guilty when I saw her suffering from a lack of sleep, and a battered body.

This spooky trip is a great addition.

An Exception

I didn't plan to link to a lolcat site, but this one met the standard which is laughter to the point of pain then becoming overcome with giggles every time I think of it for the two following days. With that said, here it is:

more cat pictures

Ancient Mind Control

Here are two women who are two have appeared in many guises, and they've consistently been given a bad rap. All the following quotes are from Book 12 of The Odyssey by Homer

Circe, the sorceress, tells Odysseus a story about his journey ahead:

'and now pay attention to what I am about to tell you- heaven itself, indeed, will recall it to your recollection. First you will come to the Sirens who enchant all who come near them. If any one unwarily draws in too close and hears the singing of the Sirens, his wife and children will never welcome him home again, for they sit in a green field and warble him to death with the sweetness of their song.

Then Odysseus tells his crew what he wants them to do:

I will therefore tell you about them, so that whether we live or die we may do so with our eyes open. First she said we were to keep clear of the Sirens, who sit and sing most beautifully in a field of flowers; but she said I might hear them myself so long as no one else did. Therefore, take me and bind me to the crosspiece half way up the mast; bind me as I stand upright, with a bond so fast that I cannot possibly break away, and lash the rope's ends to the mast itself. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still.

Of course, the crew is to stuff their ears with wax first. This is what happens when he reaches them:

"'Come here,' they sang, 'renowned Ulysses, honour to the Achaean name, and listen to our two voices. No one ever sailed past us without staying to hear the enchanting sweetness of our song- and he who listens will go on his way not only charmed, but wiser, for we know all the ills that the gods laid upon the Argives and Trojans before Troy, and can tell you everything that is going to happen over the whole world.'

"They sang these words most musically, and as I longed to hear them further I made by frowning to my men that they should set me free; but they quickened their stroke, and Eurylochus and Perimedes bound me with still stronger bonds till we had got out of hearing of the Sirens' voices.

Beautiful words, hints at delivering everything Odysseus might want. They sound like a pair of lovely, sweet young women.