Alternative and Geek Culture News, Latest Music News, Celebrity News, and Current Events | Suicide Girls http://suicidegirlsblog.com Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:29:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Rachel Federoff: Fighting To Stop The Choking Game http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/rachel-federoff-fighting-to-stop-the-choking-game/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/rachel-federoff-fighting-to-stop-the-choking-game/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:20:02 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17623 Millionaire Matchmaker, glam-goth reality TV star, mother, all round awesome person, and longtime friend of SG, Rachel Federoff recently became a spokesperson to raise awareness for the dangers of the choking game. It’s estimated that between 250 and 1,000 children die each year from the practice, however hard statistics are difficult to come by since many coroners record such deaths as suicide. This is one the reasons Federoff got involved and reached out to SG, since she’s currently championing a petition and letter writing campaign to persuade our government to devote resources to the issue so it can be properly investigated. Though numbers a hard to come by, the choking game seems to be especially prevalent in middle school aged children, with the median age of death from it being just thirteen. We checked in with Federoff to find out more. Question: What inspired you to get involved in raising awareness for the dangers of the choking game? Rachel Federoff: I met two ladies on Twitter who are uber fans of me, Barb Dibben and Neecy Jarman. Neecy lost her 13-year old son from this awful act and told me about it [see ABC News report]. Being a mom, I was, of course, devastated to hear about it, and knew exactly what he died from as I had a close childhood friend die from it in high school. I felt it was so important to help spread the word on this and, as of Monday, the ladies asked me to be the spokesperson for this. I was so honored and touched to help be a part of making the world aware and hopefully stop more children from dying. Q: Can you tell us more about the organization you'll be acting as spokesperson for? RF: I will be working with Neecy and Barb and other non profit organizations such as the DB Foundation (Dangerous Behaviors). Both ladies received grant money from Pepsi Co. and we are looking at having the first national conference. Q: It's shocking that kids are playing this "game" at such a young age. Why do you think that is? RF: It's so crazy to me that people are so unaware of this as it's been going on forever. I knew plenty of kids that did it growing up. I think kids are always looking at new ways to get "high." If it's not whip-its, it's pot or whatever. Now it's getting high by strangulation. They think it's harmless but it's not. They really do think it's just a game, and when you're young you have that "I’m going to live forever" mentality. Q: And I guess kids being kids, there's a lot of peer pressure involved... RF: Absolutely, especially at middle school age like Neecy's son. He was just thirteen. That's why it's so important that parents are aware of this behavior and have open relationships with their kids. Parents need to teach their kids that it's not a game and will not make them "cool" if they participate. When I saw friends doing it I thought it was stupid and dangerous so I stayed away from playing. Q: What resources are out there to give parents a better understanding of this issue? Are there any websites you could recommend? RF: Sadly there just isn't enough and that's why people have no idea this exists and what it is. But there are some: GaspInfo.com and ChokingGame.net. Q: What can people do to help? RF: We are currently asking everyone we can to sign a petition and send letters to congress to make them open their eyes that the choking game needs to be addressed seriously. The more signatures and letters we send the better. All you have to do is go here. Also we’re asking people to post the link on their Twitters and Facebooks and anywhere else. We have over 1000 letters already! I also created a cause page people can join for more info and support. Q: Finally, you know I have to ask; Millionaire Matchmaker is my guilty pleasure for many of us at SG. I'm totally addicted. What can we expect from the new season and when will it air? RF: LOL Well it looks like we are scheduled to start filming Season 6 in March or April. As for when it airs, I have no idea yet. So many people are having Millionaire Matchmaker withdrawal. We're coming back, so hang in there! Related Posts: SG Interview with Rachel Federoff - Millionaire Matchmaker SG Interview with Destin Pfaff: Millionaire Matchmaker ]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17623 0 SG Radio feat. How to Survive the Apocalypse: A Burning Opera http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/sg-radio-feat-how-to-survive-the-apocalypse-a-burning-opera/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/sg-radio-feat-how-to-survive-the-apocalypse-a-burning-opera/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:37:54 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17617 This Sunday (Feb 5) on SuicideGirls Radio we'll be learning How to Survive the Apocalypse with A Burning Opera, a musical extravaganza inspired by Burning Man, which is returning to Hollywood’s King King (Feb 21-23) after a successful run this past summer. SG Radio hosts Nicole Powers (SG's Managing Editor) and Lacey Conner (our resident recovering reality TV star from VH1's Rock of Love and Charm School) will be joined in-studio by Mark Nichols (The Burning Opera ’s composer), Daphne Vega (one of the LA producers), and a couple of the LA cast members. Tune in to the world's leading naked radio show for two hours of totally awesome tunes and extreme conversation – and don't let yo’ momma listen in! Listen to SG Radio live Sunday night from 10 PM til Midnight on Indie1031.com Got questions? Then dial our studio hotline digits this Sunday between 10 PM and midnight PST: 323-900-6012 And cyberstalk us anytime on Facebook and Twitter. About How to Survive the Apocalypse: A Burning Opera Following a successful run in Los Angeles in the summer of 2011, How to Survive the Apocalypse: A Burning Opera is returning to the metropolis for a three night extravaganza of evolution and transformation. Inspired by the origins and ongoing mutation of the notorious Burning Man festival, the show –– which LA Weekly called a “rousing, mythic rock pageant” –– follows two newbies at the desert festival. Their story unfolds through shadow-puppets, projections, dancers, and a live rock ensemble. The origins of How to Survive the Apocalypse lie in a Porta-Potty line at Burning Man in 2006. Ron Meiners made the comment to a friend that only opera could capture the multidimensional experience of the festival. Composer Mark Nichols, in line with his singer partner Julie Lewis, overheard the remark. As a stalwart figure in the Seattle music scene who had already written a number of demented pieces of musical theatre, Nichols loved the idea. Meiners brought in lyricist Erik Davis, a cult author and journalist who had been attending and writing about Burning Man since 1994. Davis in turn brought in director Christopher Fulling. With producer and creative advisor Dana Harrison in tow, the main team was assembled and creative obsession began. How to Survive the Apocalypse: A Burning Opera was scored by Mark Nichols, with libretto by noted counterculture writer Erik Davis. Inspired by “the Burn,” the show combines rock opera, an electronic dance party, and a pagan revival show. The workshop version premiered in early 2009 at Stage Werx in San Francisco, and the Original Cast version ran in October the same year, with nine sold-out performances at Teatro ZinZanni. San Francisco Bay Guardian theater critic Steve Jones wrote that the show is “both engrossing musical theater in its own right and a piece of art that truly captures the feel of the event and the Zeitgeist of its attendees.” Writing about the Ghostlight Gypsies’ successful production of the show in Los Angeles this past summer, co-directed by Nichols, Stephan Hues, and Julie Lewis, the LA Weekly’s Bill Raden raved about the show’s “anarchic spirit,” and described the show’s score as “a Hair-era musical vocabulary of R&B and acid rock by way of Kurt Weill.” Today the project continues to evolve through the vision of Ghostlight Gypsies. The latest incarnation of How To Survive the Apocalypse takes place on February 21-23, 2012 in Hollywood at King King (6555 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028). The event is 21 and over. For more info and tickets visit: www.ghostlightgypsies.com/ The Original Cast recording of How to Survive the Apocalypse: A Burning Opera is available in the form of an abridged one-disc version of the show. The album was recorded and produced shortly after the 2009 Original Cast run. For more on the Original Cast recording visit: www.burningopera.com/
***
About Lacey Conner Given Lacey's musical background, as well as her love for television entertainment, she has found a way to combine her two passions, by joining forces with Vh1. Lacey is best known for her villainous ways on Vh1's hit tv show Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, as well as her role on Vh1's highly rated show Charm School with Sharon Osbourne. However, Lacey has many sides to her career. She is also a singer, song-writer, and bass player, and has toured the U.S. multiple times as a singer with Lords of Acid, and with her rock band Nocturne. Lacey's is also a dedicated supporter of animal rights and has worked tirelessly in the field of animal rescue. In May of 2007, Lacey created Heroes K9 Rescue, an organization which rescues animals who are scheduled to be euthanized at Los Angeles' over-crowded city shelters. Lacey is also an advocate of human rights, as well as the environment, and strongly supports many organizations that are involved with these causes. Her new single, "The Stranger," which Lacey wrote and performed, was produced by Anthony Mysliwiec (aka "Tadpole") and recorded by David Rieley (godaveygo.com). The accompanying video, directed by Chad Michael Ward, features Aaron Rossi (of Ministry) on drums, Brent Ashely (of Wayne Static & Orgy) on bass, Meegs Rascon (of Coal Chamber & We Are The Riot) on guitar, and Trevor Friedrich (of Combichrist & Imperative Reaction) as the "lead Wolf." Check it out here. http://www.laceyconner.net/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lacey-Conner/139724706047060 http://twitter.com/laceyconner ]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17617 0 Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Eight, Part Two http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/fiction-friday-the-killswitch-review-%e2%80%93-chapter-eight-part-two/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/fiction-friday-the-killswitch-review-%e2%80%93-chapter-eight-part-two/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:02:52 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17613 Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Eight, Part Two
by Steven-Elliot Altman (SG Member: Steven_Altman) Our Fiction Friday serialized novel, The Killswitch Review, is a futuristic murder mystery with killer sociopolitical commentary (and some of the best sex scenes we’ve ever read!). Written by bestselling sci-fi author Steven-Elliot Altman (with Diane DeKelb-Rittenhouse), it offers a terrifying postmodern vision in the tradition of Blade Runner [...]]]> Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Eight, Part Two
by Steven-Elliot Altman (SG Member: Steven_Altman) Our Fiction Friday serialized novel, The Killswitch Review, is a futuristic murder mystery with killer sociopolitical commentary (and some of the best sex scenes we’ve ever read!). Written by bestselling sci-fi author Steven-Elliot Altman (with Diane DeKelb-Rittenhouse), it offers a terrifying postmodern vision in the tradition of Blade Runner and Brave New World... By the year 2156, stem cell therapy has triumphed over aging and disease, extending the human lifespan indefinitely. But only for those who have achieved Conscientious Citizen Status. To combat overpopulation, the U.S. has sealed its borders, instituted compulsory contraception and a strict one child per couple policy for those who are permitted to breed, and made technology-assisted suicide readily available. But in a world where the old can remain vital forever, America’s youth have little hope of prosperity. Jason Haggerty is an investigator for Black Buttons Inc, the government agency responsible for dispensing personal handheld Kevorkian devices, which afford the only legal form of suicide. An armed “Killswitch” monitors and records a citizen’s final moments — up to the point where they press a button and peacefully die. Post-press review agents — “button collectors” — are dispatched to review and judge these final recordings to rule out foul play. When three teens stage an illegal public suicide, Haggerty suspects their deaths may have been murders. Now his race is on to uncover proof and prevent a nationwide epidemic of copycat suicides. Trouble is, for the first time in history, an entire generation might just decide they’re better off dead. (Catch up with the previous installments of Killswitch – see links below – then continue reading after the jump…)
[THE KILLSWITCH REVIEW – CHAPTER EIGHT, PART TWO] [THE KILLSWITCH REVIEW]
[Previous Chapter]
Onstage, Zephyr strutted before the frenzied audience. The kids ran to his side and dosed. Tyler fell along with the others, his face ecstatic. The crowd screamed. This was the point where Corbin had halted their first review. Haggerty watched now as Tyler spasmed, moving in close and trying to read the boy’s mind through his eyes. The crowd kept screaming. Haggerty silently counted out the predictable physiological shutdown he’d witnessed in thousands of recorded deaths. Something was wrong. Did Tyler’s eyes register shock? The unit continued recording, going on and on for what seemed like eternity. At length the projection showed Elsa’s hand reaching for the unit on the stage. The transmission finally went black as the box entered the minthizine case. “It appears that Tyler Stelwyn was still alive when I retrieved his unit,” Elsa said. “There was no one at the press site to certify that vital signs had ceased before the bodies were removed,” Haggerty said, sitting back against his vault. “It troubled me at the time but I attributed it to crowd control and unusual circumstances.” “Tyler Stelwyn may not be dead,” Elsa suggested. Haggerty felt a surge of hope, immediately dashed. “His parents identified Tyler’s body at the morgue. Whoever staged this made sure the boy died.” Reluctantly, he retrieved the white box hidden beneath his sweatshirt and handed it to Elsa. “This is from the club. Analyze the contents, compare it to the drug you found at the scene, and return the unit to me.” Elsa dealt with the closures of a dress not designed for her unique needs and ported the unit. As Haggerty expected, the drugs matched. He clipped the unit to his waistband as Elsa rearranged her dress, then laid his head against the shelf and closed his eyes. “Now we know why those involved want the recordings erased, Elsa. We’re dealing with murder. Not merely of the son of the wealthiest man in NewVada but of Teardrop and Sunset, and accessory to murder of every copycat. The recordings prove it. But who can we show them to? We don’t know who to trust.” “Have you considered enlisting the aide of Detective Woyzeck?” “Woyzeck broke procedure at the triple press and had his gun ready to arrest me before the viewcast aired naming me as the chief suspect. Help me to figure this out, Elsa, if you can. Your logic boards may work better than my reasoning right now. Let’s go through what we know or have cause to believe.” Elsa nodded consent. “Max invented the drug, so he’s involved. Corbin’s arrival at the club proves she’s involved with Max. So was the lead singer of Clone Jesus, who came to the club and invited Traci to a party. Traci involved Teardrop and Regina’s brother, which seems to implicate Regina, although it’s clear from Sunset’s recording she had no idea he planned to press. And if I had any doubt about that, her reaction to the viewcast of the concert removes it completely. We’ve deduced that none of the kids knew that pressing at the concert would kill them, although we can’t be sure yet what Zephyr knew.” “We haven’t accounted for Tyler Stelwyn, Jason. Why was he there? Was someone as wealthy as he likely to be involved with Teardrop and Sunset?” “We don’t know that he was, Elsa. Neither of them was in his recording before the concert. He may have met them there for the first time. Probably he was involved with Clone Jesus for the high life — the drugs, the celebrity, the hotels, God knows what else. And we know from Regina’s pairplex that the other kids were fans of the group. Their manager, Shintag Lake, is probably involved. He told me he provides whatever the band members request, no questions asked. Woyzeck’s boss did his best to accommodate Lake’s demands when he had him in custody. He may also be involved. “But who is big enough — or stupid enough — to risk incurring the wrath of Tyler’s father?” Haggerty wondered aloud. “The Triads? We know that they protect Max’s club.” “The Triads have worked out their arrangements with law enforcement to everyone’s satisfaction. I can’t believe they’d risk bringing the entire establishment down on them. Who would profit from that? It’s likelier that Antonio Stelwyn is in league with the Triads, and if they were even distantly responsible for his only child’s death, he would stop at nothing to extinguish them. No, everyone in his right mind fears Antonio Stelwyn. The only person I can think of who might not is Consuela. She didn’t bat an eye at the pain the Stelwyns revealed in her presence.” “It was Consuela who told the media you killed Dr. Zabrowski.” “Correct. And it was Consuela who hired Corbin and according to Corbin sent her after us, supposedly to save us.” “Do you think Dr. Zabrowski’s death is connected to the triple press, Jason?” “We can’t rule it out. But if so, what was the link? He hadn’t seen the recordings. He’d had no direct contact with any of the witnesses or victims. But he told me he was going to ask the Surgeon General to control the media’s reporting in order to prevent an explosion of copycats. That was before Consuela sent me off to interview the band members.” “Who could possibly argue with his request for media restraint, Jason?” “Someone who wanted the media coverage to be as extensive as possible, Elsa. Someone with something to gain if Doug’s scenario of a contagion of suicides played out. Or something to lose if it didn’t!” Haggerty went pale. “It’s too absurd,” he said. “It’s grotesque.” “What, Jason?” “Think about it, Elsa. Doug would have required authorization from his direct superior to contact the Surgeon General. After Consuela sent me to the precinct, Doug would have told her about Cobain Syndrome and his intention to try to stop a wave of suicides. Was Doug killed to prevent him from going to the Surgeon General?” “Do you believe that Consuela engineered the triple press?” Elsa asked. “Can you think of another explanation for Doug’s death?” Elsa considered what had been said and answered no. “But why would Consuela want children to kill themselves, Jason?” “Maybe it wasn’t Consuela’s design,” Haggerty said. “What if she was carrying out orders? BBI is a subsidiary of the State Department of Public Health. Could the State itself want a rash of youth suicides as some bizarre means of population control?” “Then why send agent Keenan to investigate?” “It wouldn’t be the first time one branch of the government didn’t know what the other was doing.” “If we present him the information we have retrieved thus far, he could clear you.” “If Consuela and her superiors at BBI are involved, agent Keenan will be given false information against me. And whatever they come up with will be very convincing. This unit loaded with Happy Styx isn’t enough to prove my innocence. If anything, it could have the opposite effect.” “But coupled with Tyler Stelwyn’s review —” “You don’t understand the circumstantial evidence, Elsa. I had access to the units. They know I was with Regina and that she knew Teardrop. I stole a piece of evidence from the triple press site and withheld your copies of the recordings that suggest it was murder. We have to assume that those boxes have been erased. I’ve eluded the police and failed to turn myself in despite a Federal demand to do so. The fact the media was told I was responsible means someone in power wants to guarantee all this gets pinned on me. And the only way for them to ensure that is to have me dead. I’m even in possession of a dispenser of the same illegal drug that killed them.” “But if you are in the custody of the Federal Bureau —” “Then whoever is wielding this power can get to me and clean up their tracks after I’m out of the way. I can’t take that chance. There’s still something missing. We don’t know why Clone Jesus was involved or what Max has to gain. Let’s get out of here, Elsa. I’m not giving up until I’ve found out and exposed the monsters who think murdering children is sound social engineering.”
* * *
Excerpt from The Killswitch Review, published by Yard Dog Press. Copyright 2011 Steven-Elliot Altman. Steven-Elliot Altman is a bestselling author, screenwriter, and videogame developer. He won multiple awards for his online role playing game, 9Dragons. His novels include Captain America is Dead, Zen in the Art of Slaying Vampires, Batman: Fear Itself, Batman: Infinite Mirror, The Killswitch Review, The Irregulars, and Deprivers. His writing has been compared to that of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton and Philip K. Dick, and he has collaborated with world class writers such as Neil Gaiman, Michael Reaves, Harry Turtledove and Dr. Janet Asimov. He’s also the editor of the critically acclaimed anthology The Touch, and a contributor to Shadows Over Baker Street, a Hugo Award winning anthology of Sherlock Holmes meets H.P. Lovecraft stories. Steven also bares ink on his body, and is bi, as in bi-coastal, between NYC and LA. He’s currently hard at work writing and directing his latest videogame Cursed Love, an online free to play gothic horror RPG from Dark Hermit Studios, set in Victorian London. Think Sherlock Holmes, Jack The Ripper and Dorian Gray mercilessly exploit the cast of Twilight. Friend Cursed Love (Official Closed Beta) on facebook and you can have fun playing out this tawdry, tragic romance with Steven while the game is being beta tested! Diane DeKelb-Rittehouse spent several years in Manhattan as an actress before marrying her college sweetheart and returning to the Philadelphia area where she had been born. Diane first worked with Steven-Elliot Altman when they created the acclaimed, Publisher’s Weekly Starred-Review anthology The Touch: Epidemic of the Millennium, in which her story “Gifted” appeared. Diane has published a number of critically acclaimed short stories, most notably in the science fiction, murder, and horror genres. Her young adult fantasy novel, Fareie Rings: The Book of Forests, is now available in stores or online. Interested in buying a printed copy of The Killswitch Review? Well, Steve’s publisher Yard Dog Press was kind enough to put up a special page where SuicideGirls can get a special discount and watch a sexy trailer. Just follow this link to KillswitchReview.com and click on the SG logo.
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Related Posts: Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One, Part Two Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One, Part Three Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter One, Part Four Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Two, Part One Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Two, Part Two Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Two, Part Three Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Three, Part One Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Three, Part Two Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Three, Part Three Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Four, Part One Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Four, Part Two Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Four, Part Three Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Five, Part One Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Five, Part Two Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Five, Part Three Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Six, Part One Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Six, Part Two Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Six, Part Three Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part One Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Two Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Three Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Four Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Seven, Part Five Fiction Friday: The Killswitch Review – Chapter Eight, Part One]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17613 0 Tease of the Day http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/tease-of-the-day-398/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/tease-of-the-day-398/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:01:37 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17603 Tease of the Day
Iluvenis Suicide in Berries and Tea INTO: Science, cooking, photos, love. NOT INTO: Fake people. MAKES ME HAPPY: My friendships, my loves, chocolate, ice cream, sugar. MAKES ME SAD: Lies. HOBBIES: Reading, photography, cinema, dancing, sex. VICES: Chocolate, sex, internet. Get to know Iluvenis better over at SuicideGirls.com!]]> Tease of the Day
Iluvenis Suicide in Berries and Tea
  • INTO: Science, cooking, photos, love.
  • NOT INTO: Fake people.
  • MAKES ME HAPPY: My friendships, my loves, chocolate, ice cream, sugar.
  • MAKES ME SAD: Lies.
  • HOBBIES: Reading, photography, cinema, dancing, sex.
  • VICES: Chocolate, sex, internet.
Get to know Iluvenis better over at SuicideGirls.com! ]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17603 0 The TSA Is An Abomination: Let’s Scrap It http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/the-tsa-is-an-abomination-lets-scrap-it-comrades/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/the-tsa-is-an-abomination-lets-scrap-it-comrades/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:04:19 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17591 David Seaman Wil Wheaton wrote of his unpleasant TSA experience right on this very blog back in April, 2011:
"I believe that the choice we are currently given by the American government when we need to fly is morally wrong, unconstitutional, and does nothing to enhance passenger safety. I further believe that when I choose to fly, I should not be forced to choose between submitting myself to a virtually-nude scan (and exposing myself to uncertain health risks due to radiation exposure*), or enduring an aggressive, invasive patdown where a stranger puts his hands in my pants, and makes any contact at all with my genitals. When I left the security screening yesterday, I didn’t feel safe. I felt violated, humiliated, assaulted, and angry. I felt like I never wanted to fly again. I was so furious and upset, my hands shook for quite some time after the ordeal was over. I felt sick to my stomach for hours."
Why write something original when Wheaton's feelings mirror my own so precisely? On a January 31st flight to New York for business (the videocast), I turned down the backscatter x-ray machine. I did so because, as I've written about before, the safety of these new machines is entirely up for debate: they've been banned in the European Union, and there's some evidence the TSA and others have been lying (or simply don't know) the true level of radiation exposure one experiences when going through the zapper, or "rape-scan" machine, as it's affectionately known by frequent business travelers. As per TSA regulations, I was subjected to an "alternative" -- a full-body patdown, which fell somewhere on the scale from extremely thorough to molestation. Did a male stranger rub my groin? Yup. Then the TSA agent swabbed my clothes and fed it into some Idiocracy machine; the machine started buzzing and coughed up a print-out. My clothes had, according to the agent, come back positive for explosive chemicals. Umm, okay. I challenged this, and he shrugged, saying they don't know what I do in my spare time*. Zing! At this point, I was escorted (along with my belongings) to a dark, small TSA "screening" room for a second patdown: more invasive than the first one, firmer rubbing on my privates, and not by a Victoria's Secret angel or Suicide Girl, either. Thoroughly humiliated and de-humanized, I was given the all-clear. The agent noticed my MacBook and helpfully noted that there was free wi-fi in the airport. This needs to end. This is un-American. This is unconstitutional, on a variety of levels. This makes us look bad on the global stage. This doesn't make us safer. This makes me angry. This makes me feel powerless. This makes me want to travel less (after my New York visit ends, I don't plan to travel by air for the rest of the year -- voting with your wallet is one way to vote). And the only thing that makes me shake with anger and humiliation more than my private TSA screening room experience are the handful of Americans who believe TSA is a "necessary evil," or even a GOOD thing. Yesterday wasn't the first time I've been groped by TSA agents. But it was the last. I just can't stomach flying until this agency is de-funded, dismantled, and scrapped. We can do better as a nation**. I'll leave you with this oft-quoted Ben Franklin insight: "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." * [This happened to a friend whom I was traveling with, who was a singer with a well known band, and clearly not a terrorist. She had recently put on hand cream before going through enhanced “smart” security, and was flagged for further screening after the handle of her bag was swabbed and electronically sniffed. The TSA officer on hand, who was rather polite and helpful, apologetically explained that their chemical sniffer machines can’t tell the difference between glycerin (as used in common garden hand creams and soaps) and nitroglycerin (as used in common garden explosives), and thus she'd been picked out for additional screening because she was guilty of moisturizing. The moral of this story: moisturize (or wash for that matter) at your own risk before flying. – Ed!] ** Even the TSA’s founder, Rep. John Mica (R. -Fla.), has gone on record as saying “the whole thing is a complete fiasco” and should be scrapped (source).
***
David Seaman is an independent journalist. He has been a lively guest on CNN Headline News, FOX News, ABC News Digital, among others, and on his humble YouTube channel, DavidSeamanOnline. Some say he was recently censored by a certain large media corporation for posting a little too much truth... For more, find him on G+ and Twitter. Related Posts: Obama's YouTube/Google+ Hangout Not Only Kinda Sucked - It Was Positively Orwellian SG Political Contributor David Seaman Discusses Ron Paul/Mitt Romney Media Bias Interview: Gov. Buddy Roemer on Barack Obama, NDAA, SOPA, Corruption, Ron Paul, and More Is Obama Avoiding Awkward Questions About The NDAA? Senator Rand Paul Detained by TSA Agents - Plus NDAA & ACTA Updates SG Political Contributor David Seaman Discusses SOPA and NDAA NDAA And Occupy Congress: What If You Now Live In A Dictatorship, And No One Told You? NDAA 101: Fact Vs. Fiction]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17591 0 Tease of the Day http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/tease-of-the-day-397/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/tease-of-the-day-397/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:24:46 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17576 Tease of the Day
Jive Suicide in Royal Blue INTO: Singing, beauty, tattoos, photos, clothes, music history, video games, independence, art/posters in frames, blah blah blah. NOT INTO: Posters not in frames. MAKES ME HAPPY: Trees. MAKES ME SAD: All the fucked up shit on planet Earth. HOBBIES: Music stuff and documenting it and walking everywhere. 5 THINGS I [...]]]> Tease of the Day
Jive Suicide in Royal Blue
  • INTO: Singing, beauty, tattoos, photos, clothes, music history, video games, independence, art/posters in frames, blah blah blah.
  • NOT INTO: Posters not in frames.
  • MAKES ME HAPPY: Trees.
  • MAKES ME SAD: All the fucked up shit on planet Earth.
  • HOBBIES: Music stuff and documenting it and walking everywhere.
  • 5 THINGS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: Food, water, shelter, music, and double cheeseburgers from Smacky D's.
  • VICES: Pot. Mmmmmm.
  • I SPEND MOST OF MY FREE TIME: Sleeping or eating.
Get to know Jive better over at SuicideGirls.com! ]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17576 0 The Art of SuicideGirls feat. Dylan Borgman a.k.a. Seahorse http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/the-art-of-suicidegirls-feat-dylan-borgman-a-k-a-seahorse/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/the-art-of-suicidegirls-feat-dylan-borgman-a-k-a-seahorse/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:06:21 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17555 The Art of SuicideGirls feat. Dylan Borgman a.k.a. Seahorse
by Blogbot Artist / SG Member Name: Dylan Borgman / Seahorse Mission Statement: I decided on portraiture a long time ago at an art museum. I realized how every time I'd look at a painting the first thing I'd ask myself is who is this person and why did someone take the time to paint [...]]]> The Art of SuicideGirls feat. Dylan Borgman a.k.a. Seahorse
by Blogbot Artist / SG Member Name: Dylan Borgman / Seahorse Mission Statement: I decided on portraiture a long time ago at an art museum. I realized how every time I'd look at a painting the first thing I'd ask myself is who is this person and why did someone take the time to paint them? People are fascinated by each other. What are they doing? Why are they doing that? The answer to that can often be found in the person's face. That's how I fell down the rabbit hole. I started painting large oil paintings of people caught in the middle of awkward expressions. My paintings were imposing and bizarre, and while I liked the darkness and the strangeness I could convey with paint, it also dragged me down emotionally. Eventually, I decided that my scope was too narrow and that I wanted to try depicting other emotions you don't see every day like arousal. So my work suddenly took a turn into photographing Suicide Girls. It's not such a strange transition. I've always also been a professional photographer. I base my paintings on photography, and ever since I began painting, I’ve been working with real people in uncomfortable situations. What I like about working with Suicide Girls in comparison to most of the so-called "erotic" models is that most of them have no formal modeling training and unlike most gigs, SG lets the community voice their opinions before a model is accepted so you end up with a lot of very motivated, courageous, and unique individuals. A few months ago, an illustrator and friend of mine, Steve Curucu, who does a lot of nudes, even some with SG's, inspired me to try another stab at painting. So that's what I've been experimenting with the past few months with some very interesting results. Medium: I started in oils working on a large scale. Most of my paintings are six feet wide or larger. Then later I got used to a Wacom tablet. Now I use both. My digital artwork is a blend of photography, illustration, and painting, but I don't limit myself by medium either. I weld, I work with beads, wire, rope, origami, I sculpt in clay, I program, I sew, I develop, I write - the list goes on. And of course I'm a photographer, that's the other side of my creative life. Aesthetic: My painting aesthetics tend toward Joseph Turner, Vincent Van Gogh, Chuck Close, and Rembrandt. It's worth mentioning that they all share the virtue of being incredible color theorists, which is something I aspire to be. CF Payne was a local artist where I grew up and he was a big inspiration for me. His work is photographically based, and he works with multiple mediums layered one on top of another to create beautiful portraits. Illustrators also play a big part of my aesthetic. People like Bill Watterson, Ralph Steadman, and of course my father who is a cartoonist as well, all played a seminal role in getting me interested in art in the first place. Notable Achievements: My work has been shown at the Cincinnati Museum of Art and the Montgomery Art Center in Claremont, and I received the Golden Galaxy Award in 2001. Articles about me and my work have appeared in The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Cincinnati Post, Cincinnati Magazine, and Fixie Magazine. Why We Should Care: I think people intrinsically care about art. You don't have to tell someone to appreciate a beautiful painting; they do it on their own. I've come to the conclusion that for me, art is about communicating to others the emotional energy of a moment that I have experienced. That's why I use strong colors and iconic expressions. If I've done this successfully then others will care because it reminds them of their own feelings or experiences. It's also why I like SuicideGirls. It's a community of extremely creative people communicating with one another visually as I do. I Want Me Some: If you're interested in prints or originals contact dylan@dylanborgman.com or go to my web site DylanBorgman.com and click "contact."
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by Laurelin There are a lot of things I remember about certain people, and a lot of things I’m sure I forget. A lot of the things I remember I wish I didn’t, some things make me smile, things remind me that I’m human, that things change, people change. I remember tracing outlines, wanting my [...]]]> Life Beyond the Bar Scene: Fingertips and Memories
by Laurelin There are a lot of things I remember about certain people, and a lot of things I’m sure I forget. A lot of the things I remember I wish I didn’t, some things make me smile, things remind me that I’m human, that things change, people change. I remember tracing outlines, wanting my fingertips to remember every dimple, every muscle line, every tattoo. I remember smells, sounds, songs playing before I drift off to sleep, songs playing in clubs when our eyes meet across the dance floor and I can just breathe in a beat. But always with these memories, I remember that things change. I feel like I have already lived a lifetime of change when it comes to my friend Ben. I remember the first time I ever saw him, a fleeting moment of eye contact in a filthy frat house and I thought, “who is THAT…” and he was gone, and it didn’t matter because whoever he was, this was my boyfriend’s frat house. Ben and I wouldn’t talk much that summer, but I always remembered him. Fast-forward to a year later, long after my boyfriend and I had broken up, and I was turning 21. It was a Tuesday night, and as the lights flashed for last call at my first bar my best friend Lisa ran up to me. I was drunker than I’d ever been before, and she was smiling as she gestured towards the door. “I found him,” she said, “for your birthday. I found him, that guy from the frat house.” And there he was, she had found him somehow, and that was the beginning. It was a fairy tale in a sense, a sorority girl in a pink lettered sweatshirt and a smirking sarcastic guy with tattoos, something that didn’t make such sense but would be all and none of the sense I knew from then on. It seems so far off now, but all those year ago I did love him, or I thought I did. We dated, we were inseparable, we would hit a rough patch and take a break. We would fight, like really fight; screaming and crying, nights where I would just want to die if he wouldn’t speak to me again. I did things that I haven’t done since and will never do again, things I can’t even say out loud let alone type. I am the most ambitious person I know, but I remember I wrote him a letter, saying that I could lay with him forever and be happy with everything I never did. Time stood still and moved like liquid at the same time. It wasn’t right, perfect to no one else but me. Then one day, he was gone. When I say gone, I mean gone. Years together and then just gone, disappeared, fallen off the planet. It was one year almost to the day until I heard from him again. I can’t say what happened in that year; but finally, after indescribable hurt, I was eventually healing. Everything that’s happened to me since that moment has seemed like nothing I can’t conquer, every break up since then has been tough, but almost laughable. It was the longest year of my life, and then one day, it was over. 12 months later I looked down at the glow of my flip phone and recognized his number. I should have known better than to answer it I’m sure, but the apology on the other end of the phone was really a long time coming. Add a few more years, a lot of bad choices (meeting his father for the first time while I was drunk at work at a strip club in a naughty nurse uniform), and a few good choices (endless concerts, dancing all night, swimming at the beach by moonlight, traveling to Ireland together) and we somehow found ourselves over the worst, over the on and off dating and finally, just plain friends. I don’t know when I stopped loving him, but somewhere along the line I finally found ME, and I realized that while I had always thought there was no me without him, that wasn’t the case at all. Ten years later he would have the perfect description of what happened to us between now and then: “You moved to Boston, you found this life, this strong personality and you stopped being that small town girl from Rhode Island, that girl who just wanted someone to love her.” Our strong personalities clash, and one afternoon a few weeks ago I made a call, and he must have recognized my number. Ten years later, after yet another year of not speaking, I’m finally looking at him from across my bar. We’re both smirking with tattoos now, and I see our life together in a blur of colors, sounds, hurt feelings, songs and traced outlines. We order a round of shots and I rest my head on his shoulder, finally with my best friend again after all this time. “How do you guys know each other?” my friend asks, pulling up a bar stool. Ben and I look at each other. “It’s a long story,” I say, smiling.
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by A.J. Focht Many a rumor about the upcoming The Avengers film has been laid to rest. On January 31, the official Avengers Twitter had a chat with fans answering the most pressing questions. For a portion of the chat, Joss Whedon was on hand and the ‘For JW’ tag started trending. One of the [...]]]> Ur W33K 1N G33K (January 25 – February 1)
by A.J. Focht Many a rumor about the upcoming The Avengers film has been laid to rest. On January 31, the official Avengers Twitter had a chat with fans answering the most pressing questions. For a portion of the chat, Joss Whedon was on hand and the ‘For JW’ tag started trending. One of the rumors squashed was talk of an Amazing Spider-Man cameo. Whedon personally put this rumor down. More information has come out about Arrow, the Green Arrow pilot in production by the CW. Instead of tying the show back to Smallville and trying to capture that audience, they have really reworked the Green Arrow's story. Oliver Queen’s mother is still alive and he will have a little sister that seems to be a catalyst for most of the trouble he has to stop. Some DC characters will show up, such as Black Canary, but they will not play their superhero roles, at least not as of yet. The part of Oliver Queen aka the Green Arrow has been given to Stephen Amell. Marvel’s major comic event this year, Avengers VS. X-Men will be starting this March. Marvel has released a sneak preview of the Avengers VS. X-Men #0 where all the problems will start. This first issue sets up the crucial roles of Scarlet Witch and Hope Summers. The two most powerful ladies in the Marvel universe will be going head-to-head, each with a super powered team to back them. Speaking of new comics, IDW Publishing, will be starting a Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms comic series. D&D fans have a chance to have their characters featured in the comics. You can find all the rules for the character creation contest here. One of the biggest names in comics, Stan Lee, is launching his own website. You can sign up for updates from the site and a chance to win autographed merchandise right now, but the full site won’t launch till February 8. On top of contests and games, the sites main function will be behind-the-scenes looks into Stan’s new projects. Zoe Saldana talked Star Trek 2 in a recent interview. While she couldn’t say much, she all but told us that there is more to come between Spock and Uhura. Star Trek writer Robert Orci also came out with a few comments, these ones directed at fans. In a fan driven industry like Star Trek, the fans are the best and worst part of it, and Orci has had enough of them second guessing him. In short, Orci pointed out that they did well with the first remake and that success has earned them a lot of leeway with the studio. He doesn’t promise the movie will be good, but he does promise it will be exactly what they want it to be. On a final note, you can stop holding your breath waiting for Blizz Con 2012 to be announced, it’s not happening. Blizzard Entertainment would rather focus on releasing Diablo 3, Heart of the Swarm and Mists of Pandaria than wasting their time organizing another convention. This doesn’t mean they don’t love their fans and the convention will be back in 2013. As someone who has personally attended multiple Blizz Cons, they should take a break. Doing it yearly means they never have enough new news to justify bringing out thousands of fans from around the world. Hopefully, this way they will have something substantial to show us next time. ]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17544 0 Obama’s YouTube/Google+ Hangout Not Only Kinda Sucked – It Was Positively Orwellian http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/on-the-dl-obamas-youtubegoogle-hangout-kinda-sucked/ http://suicidegirlsblog.com/blog/on-the-dl-obamas-youtubegoogle-hangout-kinda-sucked/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:51:24 +0000 Nicole Powers http://suicidegirlsblog.com/?p=17538 David Seaman & Ashley Carey DavidSeamanOnline contributor Ashley Carey wasn't thrilled with President Obama's recent YouTube/Google+ hangout on January 30th. Neither was I! It was an epic fail, in my opinion. But hey, this isn't Google's fault. They gave the President an awesome global platform, and his administration chose to use it to peddle the same old cult of personality, instead of allowing him to engage citizens -- thousands asked about NDAA and marijuana policy, yet these two 600 gazillion ton elephants in the room were carefully sidestepped. Positively Orwellian, if you ask me. That's not what social media is supposed to be about.
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David Seaman is an independent journalist. He has been a lively guest on CNN Headline News, FOX News, ABC News Digital, among others, and on his humble YouTube channel, DavidSeamanOnline. Some say he was recently censored by a certain large media corporation for posting a little too much truth... For more, find him on G+ and Twitter. Related Posts: SG Political Contributor David Seaman Discusses Ron Paul/Mitt Romney Media Bias Interview: Gov. Buddy Roemer on Barack Obama, NDAA, SOPA, Corruption, Ron Paul, and More Is Obama Avoiding Awkward Questions About The NDAA? Senator Rand Paul Detained by TSA Agents - Plus NDAA & ACTA Updates SG Political Contributor David Seaman Discusses SOPA and NDAA NDAA And Occupy Congress: What If You Now Live In A Dictatorship, And No One Told You? NDAA 101: Fact Vs. Fiction]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/suicidegirlsblog.com/p=17538 1