As we look at ways to attract audiences to the museum, there is always the question of how far we should go away from the traditional topics of anthropology and archaeology. This was brought up here as a question about whether we should make the museum like a "theme park" and include topics like "Burt [Bert] and Ernie" or "Batman." Since I'm usually the one who says we should address these popular figures from an anthropological perspective, I thought it would be useful to say why. To me, there is no subject that should be off-limits for anthropology and archaeology. But what we do in our research is hard for many "civilians" to understand. Our job, I believe, is to translate the big questions we always ask in our research—what does it mean to be human, how do people make their way in a fragile or dangerous world, how do people create meaningful lives—into formats that people without academic training can get. I also believe the way we do this is not to force them into our world but to build bridges to theirs,  to connect these questions to what people already know well. This summer, at least 100 million people worldwide shared a story called "The Dark Knight," a Batman myth. Why would we want to ignore that fact? Why wouldn't we want to point out that bat mythology is common throughout the world, that our bat artifacts cover many cultures and times, and that the premise of the entire movie,  how to keep your humanity when faced with chaos and violence, has resonated through human history? Theme park? Actually, yes, because themes are what tie past and present together, what show us that different cultures have something to say to each other. We all have our limits of what we find acceptable topics (I, for example, draw the line at that purple dino, Barney) but perhaps our best hope is to open up the traditions of anthropology and archaeology so they can talk with, rather than just at, today's world.

Dupa ce l-am vazut, nu pot sa il descriu decat ca pe un imn inchinat iubirii fata de aproape, fata de cel de langa tine care iti greseste, te raneste sau habar nu are ce faci pentru el. Nu este un imn in versuri sau strofe, este un imn modern, compus din imagini, replici si actiuni. The Dark Knight are un scenariu pur si simplu frumos, poate cel mai frumos de la Citizen Kane incoace. Nu sunt numai eu cel care a simtit astfel: de la compozitorul Hans Zimmer la Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine sau Christian Bale, toti cei implicati in realizare au dat ce au avut mai bun pentru ca acest film sa se ridice la nivelul pe care il merita.

Iubirea este atat de puternica in The Dark Knight, tocmai pentru ca are de infruntat raul absolut. Doar nu credeati ca l-am uitat pe Heath Ledger? Nici nu il voi putea uita vreodata, pentru ca personajul sau, The Joker, aduna atata inteligenta, ura si dementa la un loc, incat numai efortul ca un actor sa interpreteze asa ceva mi se pare infricosator. Heath Ledger a indraznit sa se ridice pe culmile genialitatii si a platit scump pentru asta.

Pentru mine, The Dark Knight este Divina Comedie a zilelor noastre:

Mai mult sa spun nu-s vrednic prin cuvinte

Caci vrerii Sale potrivind pe-a mele,

Asemeni rotii ma-mpingea-nainte

Iubirea ce roteste roti si stele.

Big big shout out to the Market 2 Market organization commitee, outstanding job overall was a great event and well thought out and put together. Thank you, and can't wait for next year.

Check out the article on www.journalstar.com

Enjoy the following photos of our experience and feel free to comment.

No Solomon Grundy. No Batzarro. No Doodlebug. Besides these major oversights, Lego Batman does have a comprehensive list of playable heroes and villains...and more goons than you can throw a Batarang at. Playing as the world's greatest detective (although if Hercule Poirot had access to a grapple gun and smoke bombs, it would be closer than you'd think...) and his trusty sidekick, Robin, expect to be heckled by such heinous heavyweights as: the Joker, Clayface, Riddler, Poison Ivy, Bane, Killer-Moth, Scarecrow and Penguin...to name a few.

This game is a lot less fun when you're playing with yourself (Ewww, gross. That's not what I meant). Co-op is definitely better. There is nothing quite like playing with somebody else while (I meant that one)...nevermind...moving on. The tethering can be a little tenuous, especially when platforming comes in to play and some of the puzzles are trickier than trimming Killer Croc's toenails, but it's fun enough. Most of the time you're collecting blocks and bonking bad guys, but vehicles are involved (although difficult to master), so that's a nice break from the constant fisticuffs.

Along the way, Batman and Robin will have access to different suits (Demolition, Magnetic, Glide...) to enhance their skill sets and help solve any puzzles you may happen upon. A good idea and another good way to help break up the incessant block bustin' (yeah, the game gets a little repetitive). Don't get me wrong, the game certainly has all the right building blocks (pun intended): two well loved franchises combined, the ability to play as heroes or villains, special power-ups and bonus levels, and two gameplay modes (story and freeplay), but ultimately the game gets stale.

THE GOOD:

Lots of action
Clever cutscenes
It's Batman!

THE BAD:

Grinding gets old
Tether troubles
Arkham's security

THE BOTTOM LINE:

If you're twelve years old - 10/10
If you're not twelve years old - 6.5/10

Non immaginavamo potessero leggerci anche dall'America o addirittura dalla Norvegia. All'inizio pensavo fosse un caso, ma guardando le statistiche, sembra proprio che certe visite siano più di una casualità.
GRAZIE, R&R.

7 visite da Los Angeles, California - USA

7 visite da Oslo - Norvegia

Seems incredible, but ours blog, been born from thus little time, receives already readers from every part of the world. We didn't imagine that you could read us also from America or quite from Norway. At the beginning I thought that was just a case, but watching statistics, seems just these visits are more of a chance.
THANKS! R&R.

7 hits from Los Angeles, California - USA

7 hits from Oslo - Norway

Just about the only thing that I've been able to add to my list of activities that doesn't involve school, eating, sleeping or work is the reading of some comics. I check them out from my local library and read them in short bursts about once every day or two. I thought that I'd add some of my thoughts about one Batman book that I've just finished.
Arkham: Serious House on Serious Earth is not exactly a super hero story in any traditional way. It is a disturbing story of a man who was (and will be again) a hero - but here is a man who is being broken and exposed. The Joker, that mythologicalvillain who surpasses all comic villains (and probably personalities) is the architect here, and he has sole control of the entire situation. He uses some of Batman's other enemies to take over Arkham Asylum. They take the doctors and nurses as their hostages. They damned that Batman comes to join them, in his rightful home. He is one of the mad men.
And this is the beginning. The art is brilliant, and batman's journey shows his weaknesses better than any other book I've read. The Joker exposes Batman's main fear - that of sexuality. This is not Bruce Wayne's fear, but Batman's - as Joker points out (When someone suggests that they see Batman's "real" face, The Joker points out that that is his real face). The joker, from the start, puts Batman at a point of vulnerability. The Joker grabs Batman's rear end. This seems silly enough, but it challenges every defense that Batman has, and aids his mental breakdown.
But more on Joker a little later.
As Batman journeys through the asylum, I kept thinking of Jesus' Harrowing of Hell, where he went to Hell to release some of the sinners there (Adam for one). Batman, at a particular weak point, stabs his hand through - a clear image of Jesus ("Jesus!" he screams as he stabs). At the end, he can leave but goes back with an axe. He breaks down the gates of theasylum and releases the souls residing within. Batman: You're free. Joker: Oh, we knew that already....
Some of his old enemies return and are fractions of his psyche. The Clayface, with his melting skin is Batman's image of sexuality - disgusting and disease ridden. There are others as well.
Batman is broken and rebuilt in this book, by the hands of The Joker. This is what he wants to do, Batman is his plaything. The Joker is such a strong personality here, as he is in any of his best appearances. He is a criminal who is not insane, but so in complete control of his sanity that nobody can understand. He has a greater understanding of the minds of others than even the best scientists could. He shows how weak our minds are and susceptible. This is what makes him so great a villain - his understanding. He is an agent of chaos, that is true, but an understatement. He is more in control than Batman, for all of his zen-like qualities, because Batman doesn't understand himself like The Joker understands him. Batman is interesting because he is broken and redeems himself. The Joker is interesting because he cannot be broken and needs no redemption.

Now that I have your attention...

People these days are so obvious. They are what they are. There are hardly any surprises.

I have an amazing ability to be able to determine everything about a person by first just looking at that person and then speaking a few words with them. This works about 95% of the time, where I can effectively formulate how a person’s personality is, there likes, and dislikes, clothing style and personal preferences. Some may call this judging a person before I get to know them – I call this social strategy. By accurately assessing a person, I am able to properly approach them in the most suitable manner. But there is another important benefit to this ability that is not so obvious and cannot be measured in quantitative terms.

By focusing on the known qualities of a person and then using this information to extrapolate their entire life, it does not leave a lot of room for surprises.

But then there is that small 5% that throw me off with something unexpected and I can tell you with all honesty, it is fucking sweet.

That 5% are the ones I strive to know. That 5% are the ones I admire and respect at the same time. To those who can keep me on my toes at all times and are spontaneous and exciting – those are the types of people I endeavor to surround myself with.

Why you ask? For the singular reason that monotony will ultimately be the death of us all; whether we like it or not.

Relatively, all of our lives play out exactly the same. We go to school, we finish school, we work every day, our daily work hardly ever changes, we retire and we then we die. This is just an outline of life as a whole, but few can argue that I am incorrect in this assessment. That is why I try to surround myself with those special individuals who refuse to conform and buck the normalcy of society in order to seek out something better and more invigorating than what is known. What is known is safe and boring. What is unknown and unexpected provides trepidation, fear, angst and numerous other feelings that all have a common base – they spark a cascading emotional response.

Still not getting it? Let me paint a picture for you in order to make my point a little more lucid.

Here are two divergent life paths of one man – you tell me which life is more appealing.

The man we shall analyze goes by his government name of Edward Bartleby. Sounds like a very unassuming person right? Sounds like a person who should be a stenographer or doing your taxes – well guess what, he does. Edward loves numbers for some reason and due to this unusual infatuation; he chose the dangerous career of being a tax accountant as his profession of choice. Edward likes to toe the line as you can tell. He has no other interests or hobbies other than a peculiar dedication to taking a part items and rebuilding them, whether it be working on an engine of a car or a model airplane. When it comes to his avocation, he is not the best at his job, but he is not the worst, he is what he is. He takes no incredibly joy from what he does, but he has no ill will towards it either – he is satisfied. He has a girlfriend by the name of Gertrude and he is inclined to marry her for the sole reason that it seems like the next logical step and doesn’t really see how things would change from what they currently are. Gertrude is as ordinary as one can possibly be. She is very quiet and passive and has no opinions of her own, yet is very loyal and dedicated to those around her and to what she does. She is saving herself for her marriage, most likely with her boyfriend Edward since it seems like the next logical step. She’s not sure if she loves Edward, she doesn’t really know what she’s supposed to feel at all, but she knows that his company is pleasant to her.

One day, as Edward makes his daily trip to Subway to order the Cold Cut Trio, just as he does every day, something happens that could potentially forever change his world. He orders his sandwich and proceeds to walk to his car when he notices that the car parked next to him is still running and is currently emitting some kind of gaseous substance from the engine. He looks around and see’s nobody around the car – who’s car could it be?

He’s not sure who the owner’s car is, but his innate desire to fix objects of a mechanical nature suddenly becomes intrigued and he proceeds to do what he can for the distressed car. He manages to assuage the amount of foreign emissions that are emanating from the car for a moment and then begins to discern what could be the source of the problem. Right when he is about to determine the problem at hand, he hears footsteps come from behind him and turns around only for his eyes to behold a beautiful sultry dark haired vixen with a mouth watering body. She begins to open her mouth and say something to him, but at that moment all of his senses congeal into something singular and incoherent, as he is completely mesmerized by her beauty – clearly she must be thanking him for his efforts.

He sees her lift up an object to his face and then a shrilly shriek pierces through his love induced haze.

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY CAR?!?!?”

Enter mace to Edward’s eyes. Exit loving gratitude stage right.

Clearly Edward had gotten his signals mixed up. But he had no time to think about how he had gotten to this point

A nearby passerby rushes to the scene and explains to the sultry dark haired vixen that Edward had only come to help out, like a good Samaritan, since he noticed the engine was smoking.

Enter emotional rush of embarrassment and awkwardness.

Fifteen minutes later…

The pain had somewhat subsided from Edward’s eyes at this point and the sultry dark haired vixen, who’s given name was Eden, asks Edward what she could do to make it up to him for not only attacking him but repaying him for his help with her car.

Enter figurative fork in the road.

Edward has two conflicting compulsions at this point. This woman is by far the most beautiful woman he has ever known personally in his entire existence on this planet and she obviously is not only indebted to him, but is also very taken by his good hearted nature to go out of his way to help a stranger in distress. His carnal desires and instincts instruct him to run with these feelings and see where the road shall lead with this woman forgetting his past life up to this point.

Edward’s side of reason on the other hand, parades in a faint memory that involves numbers and boring yet loyal girlfriend who may or may not transform into a soon to be wife.

What should he do? Both options have their pros and cons. Both have their long lasting effects – some good, some bad. One path will lead to security, assurance and certainty. The other is completely founded upon the here and now; a temporal base that is as chaotic as the emotions of its inhabitants.

Therein lies the answer. Everyone seeks out happiness in their life, but not at the expense of safety, security and certainty. Let’s be honest – Eden is nothing more than a potential fling. Gertrude is a for sure thing; the potential for a good wife and a decent mother. Why would one risk that for something that will most assuredly be a relationship with a ticking time bomb attached to it?

Because regret is spiteful bitch.

Passing up a for sure thing may be a huge gamble that could have short term and long term damning effects, but regret lasts a life time. Nobody ever wants to live their entire life thinking – what if?

Obviously you can tell that I would go with the carnal desires and run away with Eden. But that’s me. I enjoy spontaneity. I thrive on it. It’s definitely a fearful and scary entity, but sometimes we all need to get the shit scared out of us once in a while just to know that we are still alive.

What does Edward decide to do? That is a story for another day. On to the more pressing matters.

Some humorous images of the week...

"And walking down the runway is Estelle wearing the latest from the stylish mind of MC Hammer"

"Girls Night Out!"

"I'm really getting tired of being picked last"

"You're so hot right now Mikey. Can I call you Mikey?"

"I love me some baby!"

"Spider sense tingling! Bill's fondling a woman's breasts right now!"

"I'm...too sexy for my suit. Too sexy for my cape. Too sexy!"

-Roxbury

]]> http://doclehman.wordpress.com/?p=575 Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:17:39 +0000 doclehman http://doclehman.el.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/favorite-females-of-the-60s-pt-4/ [/caption]

I knew Julie Newmar was something special and it didn’t take the Batman television series to convince me. My first exposure to the classy Julie Newmar was on the old My Living Doll television show starring Bob Cummings that ran from September 27, 1964 to September 8, 1965. My Mom watched anything Bob Cummings was in so we watched My Living Doll and Ms. Newmar captured my imagination way back then. It’s one of the first times I remember looking at an actress on TV and thinking: ‘Wow, she’s absolutely beautiful!’

Ms. Newmar was born Julie Chalene Newmeyer in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Helen Jesmer, was a Ziegfeld Follies dancer and her father, Donald Newmeyer, was a former pro football tackle for the Los Angeles Buccaneers.

She has appeared in numerous films and on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for Marriage Go-Round.

Among her many TV appearances over the years include such shows as Star Trek, in the ‘Friday’s Child’ episode. Other appearances included It Takes A Thief, Get Smart, The Monkees, Beverly Hillbillies, F-Troop, Twilight Zone, Route 66, The Defenders, Person To Person, Phil Silvers, Bionic Woman, Bewitched, Love American Style, McMillan & Wife and dozens of others.

In My Living Doll she appeared as AF709, or, Rhoda The Robot. She was an android who was left in the care of one Dr. Bob McDonald, played by Cummings who was to complete her education and programming and, in a sense, instruct her to become the ‘perfect woman’.

Of course, she is probably best known to us Boomers as Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman on the 60’s Batman TV show. She appeared 13 times on the series. She opted out of the ‘66 Batman film to take another role being replaced by Lee Meriwether. In the Batman series Eartha Kitt portrayed Catwoman in the last season. Since that time Michelle Pfieffer and Halley Berry have played the character but no one will ever replace Ms. Newmar, not even Angelina Jolie, who Ms. Newmar has publicly suggested appear in the next Batman film as Catwoman.

"Batman:Gotham Knight" è una serie di sei cortometraggi in stile anime uscita esclusivamente in edizioni home video poco prima della release nei cinema di "The Dark Knight". Il progetto era stato annunciato nel suo complesso come una sorta di storia di collegamento tra "Batman Begins" e "The Dark Knight" ma, come avrete notato se lo avete visto, non c'è una vera e propria continuità degli eventi trattati nell'anime e nei due film ma solo alcuni riferimenti a cose e personaggi presenti negli stessi come, ad esempio, il russo (mafioso che nel film si porta dietro i mastini), il detective Ramirez, i due traghetti (che, tra l'altro, nell'anime pullulano di mafiosi mentre in "The Dark Knight" sono utilizzati per l'evacuazione di Gotham prima e per l'esperimento sociale di Joker poi).

Mi astengo da un giudizio mio personale per non influenzarvi, ovviamente mi esprimerò al momento opportuno nei commenti, ma voi cosa ne pensate? Qual'è il vostro episodio preferito (anche più di uno)?

EPISODI

-Have I Got a Story For You
-Crossfire
-Field Test
-In Darkness
-Working Through Pain
-Deadshot

- Alors vous devez vous mettre à la lecture dès aujourd'hui, je vous ferai un programme. Ainsi vous serez en mesure de comprendre la crise que traverse notre époque, énonça solennellement Ignatius. Vous commencerez par les derniers romains, au premier rang desquels Boèce, bien sûr. Puis vous vous plongerez dans l'étude relativement exhaustive des penseurs du début du Moyen-Age. Vous pouvez sauter sans mal la Renaissance et les Lumières. C'est surtout de la propagande dangereuse. Et, pendant que j'y suis, vous feriez mieux de sauter les Romantiques et les Victoriens. Pour l'époque contemporaine, un choix de bandes dessinées et d'illustrés.
- Vous êtes formidable.
- Je recommande tout particulièrement Batman, car il a tendance à transcender quelque peu l'abominable société dans laquelle il se trouve. Et sa morale est assez rigide. Je dois dire que j'éprouve un certain respect pour Batman.

John Kennedy Toole, La conjuration des imbéciles.

The SRP varies and I've seen some sites pre-ordering this item for as low as US$109.99

On a side note here's another Batan statue I would love to have...

I hope it is, it looks pretty sweet.

Found via toysrevil

11) Terra di Nessuno
12) La Rabbia di Due Facce
13) Il Marchio di Cain
14) Ritorno a Casa
15) Il Gioco degli Inganni
16) L'Ultima Partita
17) La Morte di Gordon
18) Relazioni Pericolose
19) Il Segreto di Bruce Wayne
20) Hush

[by Riccardo Galardini] [10-10-08]

The small but far from peaceful village of West Cornforth is being terrorised by the evil Pussywoman and her gang of naked, naughty knicker nicking, washing line thieves.

Unable to put out their washing, the villagers call on the help of that Fantastic Flasher, Batprick.

Pussywoman and her gang are finally cornered in Hardcock Avenue but does Batprick have the spunk to stop her?

Batprick doesn't hesitate and swiftly opens his cape to reveal the mighty Batknob!

With a terrific tug on his titanic todger, Batprick shoots his legendary load and Pussywoman is stopped in her tracks by a convincing cunshot to the face!

Once again, Batprick saves the day.

Grant Morrison y Dave McKean (dibujante de Sandman, entre otras cosas, era el único de los dos que me sonaba) crearon esta novela gráfica llena de oscuridad y locura/cordura. El argumento es tan sencillo como decir que los enfermos del Hospital Psiquiátrico Arkham se han amotinado con varios rehenes -personal del centro- y su única petición es que Batman vaya a vivir con ellos, al lugar que según sus resquebrajadas conciencias pertenece.

"Batman no tiene miedo de nada. Soy yo, yo estoy asustado. Tengo miedo de que el Joker esté e lo cierto sobre mi. A veces... pongo en duda lo racional de mis actos". Lo dice Batman en el cómic justo después de escuchar las peticiones alocadas de su alter ego, el Joker. El Caballero Oscuro debe enfrentarse a todos los malvados psicópatas que ha parido DC para él, a quien se le ocurriría la fantástica idea de meterlos a todos juntitos en un solo sitio. Con este planteamiento nada halagüeño para el Caballero Oscuro comienza la historia narrada en este "lugar sensato en un mundo sensato"

Una de las cosas que rompió moldes en su estreno (por los ochenta...) y marcó una nueva etapa en la narración gráfica fue la forma de estructurar las viñetas. Quizás se había visto ya antes (no sabría deciros, la verdad) pero nunca con el estilo gráfico que se puede ver en los trazos de McKean. Como veréis un poco más abajo, todo el ambiente y los mismos personajes son de un trazo borroso, que fuera de parecer flojo o carente de sentido, te envuelve de una manera extraña e impactante.

La trama en si, pues está bien, pero para mi no deja de ser simplemente resultona. Me pareció un tomo corto, extremadamente rápido para leer y con un final previsible que le quita la gracia a todo el asunto. Los cameos de los diversos malignos de Batman son una pasada, y los dialogos del Joker siempre son entretenidos -además podéis ver qué aspecto tan grotesco/enfermizo le ponen- aunque no le acabo de encontrar esa chispa o gracia que contienen otras obras del género (véase Watchmen como máximo exponente del mismo).

La historia del fundador del asilo Arkham es perturbadora a más no poder, pero a mi me ralentizaba un poco el ritmo... no se. Seguramente si esta obra hubiera llegado a mi hace solo un año, mi opinión habría sido bastante distinta, sin embargo ahora es lo que puedo ofrecer. Un concepto divertido y un argumento simplón con unos personajes impresionantes y un dibujo de lujo. ¿Qué nota le pondría? La verdad es que no tengo ni la menor idea, hay cosas que me gustan bastante, pero hay otras que no me acaban de convencer nada. Quizás un 7.5, esa nota intermedia y extraña que te deja un buen sabor de boca si eres conformista y un regustillo amargo si no lo eres.

Se de buena tinta que gente que pasa por el blog seguro se la ha leído, ¿opináis lo mismo que yo?

¡Un abrazo caminantes!

Is this Hot Toys' long awaited Harvey Dent figure? I think it is, if you look at the detail in the face there can be little doubt that anyone else could produce such a figure. But we'll just have to wait for official confirmation from Hot Toys themselves.

Click HERE to see a medicom Harvey Dent and see the huge gap in detail and quality Hot Toys has pulled out over its competitors.

found via toysrevil