Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Airspeed: The Guy in the Red Airplane

Inspiration comes in many forms....

Airspeed: The Guy in the Red Airplane

From a letter in the Fauquier Times-Democrat:

"This is to tell the man in the red plane that he has a fan.

I've been watching you from the ground. Well, from my farm pastures and yard actually. More often than you know. I am in awe of your skill and the performance you give is wonderful and joyous.

Who are you? Are you a man or a woman? A professional stunt pilot or a pleasure flyer of that pretty red plane? Do you perform for others besides me, or is what I'm seeing just an expression of your own preferences? . . ."

Airspeed: The Guy in the Red Airplane

Be a good example and inspire others.

No One Lives Forever - The Adventures of Cate Archer

Forgotten Games: No One Lives Forever

Cate Archer (a mix of Modesty Blaise and Emma Peel) is the heroine in the game No One Lives Forever



Quoting a YouTuber: "From the makers of F.E.A.R. No One Lives Forever may sound like a cheesy title but its not. Its a really, really ...really good game! You play Cate Archer, operative and super-spy who needs to stop the plans of H.A.R.M. of total world domination.

No One Lives Forever got really good scores and was hailed as: The best thing in gaming since Half-Life. Unfortunately, the game didn't sell okay. A sequel was made which was okay but the prequel, Contract Jack was horrible. After Contract Jack, publisher Sierra pulled the plug."


Thanks to my good friend Cornelius Fanshaw for sending the links ;)










Here's a playlist for No One Lives Forever 2 YouTube - NOLF 2 -01- Cate Archer Must Die - The Director

Monday, June 29, 2009

Space Nazis!





....and don't forget....

The Space Communists!

"A Kiss From Tokyo"

I found this today at The Mercury Men blog. Oh Wow! More great stuff here!

Seductive Espionage....

"A Kiss From Tokyo" Theatrical trailer from Stephane coedel on Vimeo.

Tinkeratrix :: Ilsa Munro

One of my favourite people in Second Life now has a blog....

May I introduce my Tinkeratrix friend Ilsa Munro. She's a duchess, she builds, and does so with style, humour, and in spite of what she'll tell you, great aplomb as well.

From Ilsa's first blog post....

"I've been repeatedly informed that having a blog is a necessary step on the whole "getting the word out there" part of running a SL (tm) business so here I am catching the tail end of this particular trend. My problem is that I'm truly awful at self-promotion. It took forever for me to work up the nerve to post in the various forums in which I occasionally participate.

Two things have prompted me into action - or a reduced level of inaction. First, a friend basically told me to "shut up and do something about it" and since this is free it's the obvious choice :)

Second I can comfort my sense of modesty with the almost certain knowledge that almost no one will read this and as such it hardly makes a difference how self-aggrandizing it seems to me as I write it.

That of course leaves me with the question of exactly what to write.

A few of you might know that I build aircraft, so naturally I've decided that I'll - ahem - blog about fashion.

What's that you say? SL Fashion is already covered at great and extensive length by everyone and thier cross eyed cat?

Oh... Well then aircraft it is I suppose."

Space:1999 New Episode - The Immortal Soul - Trailer 2

a YouTube video mashup of old clips and new material from provitamin

Space:1999 The Immortal Soul - Trailer 2

"This episode continues straight after the events told in the season one finale, The Testament of Arkadia and is an action packed, eerie and dark episode which see's the Alphan's facing certain destruction as the runaway moon drifts towards a huge asteroid belt.

This is the second trainer for the up and coming short film The Immortal Soul based on events and themes explored in space:1999's season one."




Here's the first one....

Saturday, June 27, 2009

The Mercury Men!

Thanks to Hotspur Otoole for posting this from blastoseries on YouTube....

The Mercury Men Trailer

http://www.mercuryseries.com
"A sci-fi thriller series. Edward Borman, a lowly government office drone, finds himself trapped, when the deadly Mercury Men seize his office building as a staging ground for their nefarious plot. Aided by a daring aerospace engineer from a mysterious organization known as The League, Edward must stop the invaders and their doomsday device, the Gravity Engine."




Facebook | The Mercury Men

The Mercury Men (themercurymen) on Twitter

Rise of Flight

new generation combat flight simulator



Yes it's true....I'm the Queen of NINGs!





I have another NINGnetwork to my NINGfleet....

WW2 in Second Life - World War Two combat roleplay in the virtual world of Second Life®

Allied and Axis World War Two combat roleplay in the virtual world of Second Life®


WW2 in Second Life - World War Two combat roleplay in the virtual world of Second Life®



Thursday, June 25, 2009

Tinies Dogfighting in Port Harbor - Steelhead

Tinies Dogfighting in Port Harbor - Steelhead

from Eladrienne Laval....

"In conjunction with the "Summer of Flight" aviation exhibit at the Steelhead Public Library, planes will be set out for display at the Ballroom and there will be a Tinies Dogfight in Steelhead Port Harbor on Wednesday, July 1!

The main dogfight will be at 7 pm SLT, but there will be an overseas-friendly one at 1pm SLT as well. Free aircraft will be provided and everyone is welcome. Just bring your bravery and your tiny self!..."

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead%20Port%20Harbor/213/145/26


Tinies Dogfighting in Port Harbor - Steelhead

Aces High 2 - Clear, blue sky

an Aces High 2 machinima from Niros1

Monday, June 22, 2009

Lockheed U-2 Flight - 70.000ft (2 Seat TU-2 Trainer)

"Surely the most amazing and humbling views to be seen by any human on a regular basis. The view from a U-2 cruising at 70,000ft as the sky above turns black and the curvature of the Earth is visible.

Despite first flying over 50 years ago, the U-2 continues to serve in the USAF, having outlasted its Mach 3 replacement, the SR-71 (also from Lockheed)."


Influences for the character of Zoe Connolly - the femme fatale

Want to be a femme fatale? Advice is just a click away....



How to Be a Femme Fatale: 12 steps - wikiHow

1. Speak in a low voice. Not creepy low, just attractive low. Practice some vocal exercises for a few weeks and it will become habit. Listen to Scarlett Johanssen speak for an example of this kind of voice.

2. Wear dark, sexy, retro clothes. Not too gothic-looking, though. Think Eva Green, Angelina Jolie in the mid-90's. Subtle, well-cut clothing that draws attention to you, but in a tasteful way. Stick to colors like black, maroon, and emerald green. Look for silk cocktail dresses, dark-wash, high-waisted jeans, expensive-looking, dramatic jewelery, and fishnet tights or better still seam and heel. A seductive fur is essential wardrobe.

3. Hang out in mysterious places. Not sketchy or scary. Just unusual. Remember that when in interesting places, one meets interesting people. Try out an obscure, artsy coffee shop, clandestine night club, or unique antique shop.

4. Be "one of the guys". This means holding your own with the guys in their poker/pool/video games and occasionally winning. You'll earn respect and allure as a result. But don't lose your feminine side trying to hang out with men.



5. Be mysterious. Don't let everybody know what you are feeling or what's going on. The very mystery proves to be the allure of the femme fatale.

6. Find something unique to your femme fatale and work it. Some unusual interest, skill, accessory: anything!. Individuality contributes to that mystical allure.



7. Wear a signature scent. But not wimpy little fruit-foodie sprays- something oriental or woody. It will set you apart; every time somebody smells it they will remember you and your aura. Better yet, go to the Body Shop and make your own blend. Sandalwood is a good start. Add something feminine, though, to balance it out. The last thing a femme fatale wants is to smell like a man.

8. Wear your hair in an extreme side part with Veronica Lake-esque waves. Wearing it in a dramatically short style is also a good choice. Stick to true, bold hair colors, like bright auburn, dark brown, or platinum blonde.

9. Wear pale foundation, 'cat's eye' eyeliner, and red or maroon lipstick. Avoid glitter and 'teenager' makeup at all costs.

10. Watch old movies. Mildred Pierce is a great starter. As far as music goes, Fiona Apple in "Criminal" is a good example. Let them inspire you. But don't let them take over--a femme fatale is individual.



11. Make guys wonder.

12. Be smart and have good manners. Being well-educated is something that will set you apart from the flock. Being beautiful with brains adds sex appeal.



Number Six (Battlestar Galactica) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Xenia Onatopp pictures - James Bond Wiki





Elektra King - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Nowhereville's Bridge to Nowhere

I had just lined up my stance, getting ready to throw a bomb into an Axis SS Bunker near a V2 Rocket base. I took a deep breath and....wait....this is definitely poor timing....

My implanted emergency alarm triggered. The alarm was a serious one, indicating an existential threat. I quickly noted my current spacetime coordinates and returned to the TARDIS.

The Emergency was NOT exactly an existential threat, but rather than scold my good friend Crap Mariner, I kept silent and went to his aid. After all, the robot DID pull me from a burning airplane a few years back. I suppose I owed him a few favours.



Arriving at the Nowhereville Bridge to Edloe, a chill went down my spine. Edloe was indeed missing! I turned to look at Mariner, who shrugged and tried to suppress tears and a quivering lip.

I turned back to the large body of water where once was Edloe. I wondered if this could be the diabolical work of my cousin, Dr. Zoetrope Dreamscape. I immediately went to work.



Luckily I was carrying my Crossbow outfitted with a spacetime computer and patented Red Rider compass in the stock.

After a few minutes of analysis it was clearly an anomaly, but a natural one in our peculiar universe. It was NOT a man-made disaster. I sighed in relief.

The land mass of Edloe was "thrown" into a future time where it basically "sits" in place. At some point in the near future, our timeline will catch up to "when" Edloe exists and spacetime will continue normally. I explained my findings to Mr. Mariner.

Unfortunately the poor android/gynoid was too confused to comprehend advanced science and jabbered on about some sortof "virtualized hosting" and "datacenter" non-sense. Poor fellow!

It was clear Mariner needed a distraction.



I stood up and gave the gender-confused robot the business card of a friend of mine.

"What's this?" Mariner asked.

I gave him a kiss on the cheek and replied, "I've not seen so much emotion from an automaton before. That's the casting director for All My Circuits."

I wished him luck and returned to the TARDIS.

Flickr: Second Life - Edloe Minus Edloe

Welcome Home, Home? (What Is This Crap?)

CONTEST: Edloe Minus Edloe (What Is This Crap?)

The Cursed Bridge (What Is This Crap?)

Glitches (What Is This Crap?)

((well it could've happened that way))

Friday, June 19, 2009

Pop Culture Influences on the Character of Zoe Connolly - Lara Croft

In previous posts I've mentioned fictional influences for the character of Zoe Connolly in Part 1, Part 2, and Pop Culture Influences like The Avengers.

In this post I feature another Pop Culture icon. The first major Virtual Girl with Guns Lara Croft, with bonus views of Angelina Jolie as Lara....

Lara may be a very attractive action heroine, but her most important quality to me is her personality. Here's a quote from Wikipedia on Lara Croft:
"....Lara is consistently depicted as a highly confident, independent, and headstrong person. She is also very brave, rarely showing any sign of fear in very dangerous or lethal situations...."
Her virtual action heroine lineage may be traced back to Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg from The Avengers.





Below is an interesting documentary from the Discovery Channel via Google Video about the origins, game design, obsessions, and world wide media phenomenon of Lara Croft. I noted many parallels between Lara Croft Game obsession and obsessive behavior over Second Life.

Question for Second Life residents: Is your time and energy in SL replacing what you could and should be doing in RL?







Disclaimer: Although I've enjoyed the Lara Croft movies I've never played nor do I have an interest in a Lara Croft game. Before Second Life, the most gaming I ever did involved The Sims and various versions of Monopoly and Poker. Although I continue to indulge in the virtual world of Second Life and have added a new habit with flight simulators, Lara Croft Games are not on my radar. But there's no denying the Lara influence on some of my thinking. For me, she is the modern-day Emma Peel.

What are your influences and how do they manifest in the virtual world of Second Life?

Look for more "State Your Influence" posts on Monday June 22nd.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

WW2 Sanctuary Combat Roleplay Sims in Danger.... Vickster Kuhn Comments



Vickster Kuhn commented on my post WW2 Sanctuary Combat Roleplay Sims in Danger.... PART 2

"Tough times I guess.

Anyone involved with our SL flying group, the RCAF, will know that we've been struggling to keep our own home base in Caledon going.

The Sanctuary sims are quite unique in SL, and they represent the fruition of many residents' work.

It's a showcase for SL aviation and the development of the the VICE combat system, and the playground of the most active and well known flying groups in Second Life.
A favorite of newbies and veterans alike, Sanctuary has been my home and home to several squadrons to which I belong.

I've been working as an admin there in exchange for a base for my own squadron, JG 132, the Richtofen squadron.

Things in SL happen pretty quickly, and just when you think you can count on something as a given you turn your head and it's gone.

Sanctuary will always be one of my most favorite places. I've been flying for most of my SL career, but Sanctuary is where I got to employ all I've learned from some of the best aviators in SL, including Niki Wilder and MeganAnn Mills, Zoe Connolly, Noel Oh, Cody007 Skytower, Bradyn Halcali and Whitewolf Mumfuzz.

It's heartbreaking to see something like this come to an end, and I'll always wonder what I could have done to help make it work.

It's my hope that there will be something in the future to fill the vacuum that will surely be created by the loss of Sanctuary.

There is still time to play there, and if you're into it you won't regret going. Search for Fallout, Bastogne, or Rangoon, which is the Legends of WW2 sim, and the only one of the three likely to be around next month.

Tell 'em Vickster sent you!"




[Aether Inglewood destroys a V2 Rocket. London is safe!]

Pop Culture Influences on the Character of Zoe Connolly - The Avengers Revisited

In previous posts I've mentioned fictional influences for the character of Zoe Connolly in Part 1 and Part 2, but I'll also touch on more general Pop Culture. Here is a BBC documentary about The Avengers found on YouTube. Unfortunately the audio track is rarely in sync with the video.







The Avengers is one of many Pop Culture Influences on Zoe Connolly. What are your influences and how do they manifest in the virtual world of Second Life?

Look for Part 4 tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

WW2 Sanctuary Combat Roleplay Sims in Danger.... PART 2



Today I'll feature 2 notices from WW2 Sanctuary admins Vickster Kuhn and Joe Sparrow who are doing their part to fight for the sims survival for all of us who enjoy WW2 Combat Roleplay.

From Vickster Kuhn: "Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone....

For months we've been playing and having a great time at Sanctuary, and all the while our good friend and benefactress Saffron Giano has been footing the bill, dealing with complaints, and struggling to make the sims self sufficient.

While vendors and rentals have defrayed the operating costs somewhat, she has forked over the lion's share of the tier fees month after month.

I want to take this opportunity to say, Thank you Saffy for all you gave us!

We love you! Good luck and God Bless you!"


From Joe Sparrow: "Regarding the sims....

....as it is we can't afford 200,000 L per month, so we have plans to move to a cheaper sim bought direct from LL. I know, less prims and all that, but with Saf gone there's not much else I can do.

I can keep the sims alive.... We just need about 150,000 more Lindens donated before the 24th.

I will have to build the sims from scratch but they will live, so if you know anyone who can donate or pledge please help us. I can't do it alone."




State Your Influence!

State Your Influence!

What influences your avatar, your character, or even your roleplay in Second Life?


The Fictional Influences for the character of Zoe Connolly (Part 1)

Eladrienne's Other Life!: Elle's Avatar Influences

The Journal of Dr. Darien Mason: Avatar Influences

Through the Filter of a Victorian Aesthetic: The Fictional Influences for the character of Edward Pearse

Influences for the character of Zoe Connolly (Part 2)

Pop Culture Influences on the Character of Zoe Connolly - The Avengers Revisited

Pop Culture Influences on the Character of Zoe Connolly - Lara Croft

Influences for the character of Zoe Connolly - the femme fatale

Influences for the character of Zoe Connolly (Part 2)

In my previous post The Fictional Influences for the character of Zoe Connolly (Part 1), I introduced Diana Rigg as one of many action heroine influences for my portrayal in Second Life.

In this post I feature the always beautiful Raquel Welch as skydiving super-spy Fathom and as Elle mentioned in her own post, Sophia Loren....

Sugar and Spice: Raquel Welch Is Fathom-tastic!







Raquel Welch and Sophia Loren are two more women with influence on my avatars appearance as Zoe Connolly. What are your influences and how do they manifest in the virtual world of Second Life?

Look for Part 3 tomorrow....

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Airspeed: Battle Creek Behind the Scenes - Airshow Director Barb Haluszka

One of the big summer events in Western Michigan is the Air Show in Battle Creek. Steve Tupper from Airspeed chatted with Barb Haluszka the executive director of the Battle Creek Field of Flight Airshow and Balloon Festival on his most recent podcast....

Airspeed: Battle Creek Behind the Scenes - Airshow Director Barb Haluszka

"The show is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1 through Sunday, July 5. Gates open at 5:00 Wednesday through Friday for the carnival, vendors, and amusement park. The flying gets going on Saturday and Sunday with the gates opening at 10:30 each day."


Airspeed: Battle Creek Behind the Scenes - Airshow Director Barb Haluszka

The Fictional Influences for the character of Zoe Connolly (Part 1)

Zoe Connolly is primarily an "immersive" character within Second Life with several Real Life and Fictional influences. Here are two fictional examples as portrayed by English actress Diana Rigg....

Diana Rigg as Miss Sonya Winter in The Assassination Bureau (1969). A movie full of zeppelins, bombs, bordellos, and burials.



The Assassination Bureau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia





Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in The Avengers.





These are just a few characters who have influenced the look and actions of Zoe Connolly. What are your influences and how do they manifest in the virtual world of Second Life?

Look for Part 2 tomorrow.

Monday, June 15, 2009

de Havilland Beaver Plane Crash at Lake Hood



Thanks to GoSpeed Racer for posting this on Plurk

News on Dogfights between now and July 5th - Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF)

News on Dogfights between now and July 5th - Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF)

Due to a few pressing matters in SL and RL, our regularly scheduled Sunday Dogfights in Liberty Lovelace are cancelled for the next two weeks. We will resume on Sunday July 5th at 9:30 AM SL time.

Impromptu dogfights between RCAF pilots are always encouraged. Please remember to follow the rules of any local sim where you fly and do battle.

News on Dogfights between now and July 5th - Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

WW2 Sims in Danger.... - Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF)

WW2 Sims in Danger.... - Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF)

Yesterday, I learned from an Admin at WW2 Sanctuary that 2 of the 3 sims (Bastogne and Fallout) are up for sale by Saffron Giano. The Seller and Admins are looking for a Buyer willing to preserve the status quo of the sims.

If you would be interested in such an undertaking, please contact Saffron Giano. The cost is approx. 300 USD per month for each sim.

Sadly, without a buyer, the 2 sims will be gone after June 30th. So if you enjoy those sims, play there while you can.

WW2 Sims in Danger.... - Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF)

Friday, June 12, 2009

Assignment Earth 1944

Our new assignment was long overdue. Although with so many members of the team recovering from our last mission, perhaps it was just right..

One of our best agents, Avery Robbiani, was still on medical leave and may not make this one. But that's why all of us train for any contingency. We need to step in when a team member falls.



For the time being I set aside thoughts of my crew and entered the planetary database room. From here I could select any known planet's historical database and identify problems in the timeline.



Now that I had my clue from the President of New Gallifrey, I selected Earth and determined the source of her concern.

July 1944...

The nation-state known as Nazi Germany. Trouble with a Capital T!



A renegade Time Lord was planning to interfere with Earth's history. Their intention is to give advanced weaponry to the National Socialist regime in Germany. Hitler would have V2 Rockets with Atomic Bombs!

Earth's timeline would be altered forever, giving a madman complete rule over the planet by a madwoman from another time and place.



It was now my assignment to gather my team, plan and execute our mission.

1) Remove or destroy all non-historical record artifacts from the spacetime disrupted area.

2) Remove or destroy the renegade Time Lord from Earth.

I returned to the Time Tunnel and made some notes....



....but what was most disturbing about the clue from the President, was the name of our TimeLord-of-Interest.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

The Aviators Promo

"The Aviators is a weekly TV series covering the stories in the world of aviation. Featuring the people, aircraft, and business behind commercial, corporate, and general aviation in Canada, the United States, and around the world. Shot in high definition with correspondents selected from the aviation community, The Aviators is the #1 resource for aviation today...."

Saturday, June 6, 2009

D-Day, June 6th 1944

I've been looking for a good YouTube video in honor of the D-Day anniversary. After a week of searching for just the right video, today I found this from jpkeenan24. It was made for an 8th Grade Project.

I think it deserves a look....



Here's another from the US ARMY YouTube Channel



Link to the YouTube Playlist for Saving Private Ryan

HBO Band of Brothers - Day of Days - Landing on Normandy



General Eisenhower's Message
Sent Just Prior to the Invasion

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower


The Royal Air Force operations in support of D-day

U.S., German vets pay respects to D-Day fallen - Air Force News - Air Force Times

In the Thunderbolt on D-Day - Air Force News - Air Force Times

United States European Command (USEUCOM) Commemorates D-Day 65th Anniversary

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Aviation and Space World Records | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale - FAI

Aviation and Space World Records | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale - FAI

Aviation and Space World Records

"Besides developing aeronautics, one of the activities of FAI is to certify and register records. Some of the first records in aviation were registered as far back as 1906 by FAI. Some of the greatest feats in aeronautics and astronautics have been put in the books of FAI. All disciplines are involved, from Spacecraft to Human-Powered flight...."

Aviation and Space World Records | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale - FAI

A remake of The Prisoner

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Air France 447 - AFR447 - A detailed meteorological analysis - Satellite and weather data

Air France 447 - AFR447 - A detailed meteorological analysis - Satellite and weather data

from the website:
"Air France flight 447 (AF447), an Airbus A330 widebody jet, was reported missing in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean in the early morning hours of June 1, 2009. The plane was enroute from Rio de Janeiro (SBGL) to Paris (LFPG). Speculation suggested that the plane may have flown into a thunderstorm. The objective of this study was to isolate the aircraft's location against high-resolution satellite images from GOES-10 to identify any association with thunderstorm activity. Breakup of a plane at higher altitudes in a thunderstorm is not unprecedented; Northwest Flight 705 in 1963 and more recently Pulkovo Aviation Flight 612 in 2006 are clear examples...."
Air France 447 - AFR447 - A detailed meteorological analysis - Satellite and weather data

TNG episode 20 - "goodnight, sweet BEEP"

http://www.youtube.com/user/gazorra