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Intel and Nokia spawn MeeGo mobile OS

Suomi mobile giant Nokia and American tech behemoth Intel have come up with a brilliant idea.  It has something to do with a bunch of gibberish about building a, "Linux-based software platform designed to work across a range of hardware architectures and devices including mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems" ...Blah blah blah.

But Xenu knows we don't care about any of that nonsense.

What tickles our starboard synapses, of course, is what these madmen have decided to call their little project: MeeGo.



Lest one think our nerdery has gone beyond the limits of salubrity in celebrating this unlikely nomenclatural coincidence, rest assured that we were not the first to take notice or rejoice in this obscure triumph for Lovecraft fans everywhere.


Just yesterday, Simon Bisson and Mary Branscombe wrote the following for ZDNET UK in their article entitled, "When product naming clashes with H.P. Lovecraft":

H.P Lovecraft's dark, weird fantastic fiction has become the first open source literature, where other writers have taken his mythos and his nihilistic view of human life in a dark and hostile universe and run with it.

Perhaps it is a vision of a dark and hostile mobile future, dominated by uncaring monstrosities that has driven Intel and Nokia to give their new mobile OS joint venture a name that comes straight from the pages of Lovecraft (or near enough for most purposes). It's just that the name they've chosen, MeeGo, is far too close to that of an animated, intelligent, malevolent fungus, the Mi-Go. It's not quite the image we'd associate with a powerful high-tech operating system, designed to power Moorestown devices.
The same day another techie blogger asked the one question we all knew was coming: "Could Mi-go be the the MeeGo mascot?!"

Our answer?  Only if they make it in plush, as the hideous likenesses of all good interplanetary space beings ought to be.

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Lovecraftian artist Paul Carrick offers unique fundraising event

One of the premier Weird artists of our time, Paul Carrick, has recently announced his desire to participate in a unique fund raising event. Using Ebay, he is offering a painting based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft up for bid--the proceeds of which will go to help the Global Giving Emergency Earthquake Relief for Haiti. The winner of the bid will get to design the image from scratch, which Mr. Carrick will then create as an original painting.

Surely helping Haitians has never been this Lovecraftian.

However, this does present a peculiar moral quandary, which we presented to Mr. Carrick:

LNN: What are the ethics of using the likeness of fictional apocalyptic monstrosities to raise funds to support recovery from a calamity which, according to some contemporary cultists, was the direct result of a "real" apocalyptic monstrosity?


Carrick:To answer your question, the connection between the fantasy and reality didn't escape me. These things cross my mind often when destructive things like this happen in the world. But, when I thought about what would give me the best chance for a fund raising contribution, doing what I do best simply made the most sense... it is what will ultimately be the most help for those in need. Do people read less Lovecraft during trying times? I wonder if it is quite the opposite, as there seems to be more disaster films recently, despite the wars in the Middle East and threats of global warming. I think, for some, it serves a purpose (a catharsis, perhaps?) as long as it is not making light of the misfortune. It will ultimately be up to the winning bidder... be it Azathoth or a fuzzy and less apocalyptic Zoog from the dreamlands.


About the artist: 

Paul Carrick has created imaginative illustrations for publishers since 1993, they have appeared in role playing games, collectible card games, children's books, t-shirts, tattoos, limited resin statues, CD and LP artwork, posters… you name it, even funerary items (yes, you read that correctly!). Paul earned his BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island. The universe of H.P. Lovecraft has continued to be a favorite and enormous source of inspiration as the years go by. In 2007, Paul's work was hung next to the work of H.R. Giger at the Maison D'Ailleurs in Yverdon-Les'Bains, Switzerland for a museum exhibition on Lovecraft inspired artwork. Online gallery/site: nightserpent.com Blog: blog.nightserpent.com, resume http://www.nightserpent.com/resume.html

Official Press Release:

I would like to help out the victims of the Haiti earthquake, as an artist this seemed to be my best option…

This auction is for a yet-to-be original painting, and the subject matter is your choice from Lovecraft's universe! You can pick a character, scene, monster, god or location from one of his stories, and I will create you a painting based on your preference. 100% of the highest bid will be donated to Globalgiving's Haiti earthquake relief fund: http://www.globalgiving.org/haiti-earthquake/ The image may later be used for an art print or poster, if it is, the winning bidder will also receive a signed & personalized copy.

Need suggestions? Cthulhu, Deep One, Elder Things, Ghouls, Great Race, Hastur, Mi-Go, Night-Gaunts, Nyarlathotep, Shoggoths, Shub Niggurath, Great race of Yith, Flying Polyp, Cthonian, Dholes, Gug, The Thing on the Doorstep… or a location in the Dreamlands? I'm happy to discuss the possibilities! I have seven pages of my gallery dedicated to Lovecraft, it might help spark your imagination:
http://www.nightserpent.com/lovecraft.html

The size of the painting will start at 8x10" and will be greyscale (black and white with shades of grey, much like many of my illustrations), it would include the subject and a background. The size and complexity of the image will be proportionate to the winning bid, in a similar fashion to a private or publisher's commission. As the price increases so will the level of detail, size, addition of color, more figures, etc. I don't want to limit your imagination with too many constraints, so if you wanted more size and less color, or less size and more detail, etc., I am happy to accommodate.



See the auction site here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190372901797

Learn more about Paul Carrick at his site here:
http://www.nightserpent.com/
http://blog.nightserpent.com/

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An illustrated study in Cthulhu Cakes: Images of the Week

For some odd reason, we have an endless--certainly unhealthy on many levels--fascination with one particularly obscure aspect of contemporary culture: Lovecraftian culinary arts. To the uninitiated, the idea seems so absurd and outlandish it is hard to fathom. However, below is proof positive that this dark and blasphemous art not only exists but is thriving among a growing community of deranged gastronomists.

In fact, the diabolical field of Lovecraftian culinary arts is so vast, we don't dare attempt to address it in its entirety in one article. Today we will hone our intellectual palette on only one facet of this onyx jewel in the vast diaspora of sinister mastication: Cthulhu Cakes

Take this masterpiece by Darcy LeClaire:


What does this say about contemporary culture? What would the ideal Cthulhu cake taste like? Are Jane Austen fans jealous they don't have an iconic figure of doom with which they can conjure forth in an act of confectionery heresy?

And most importantly, are these cakes a lie? Judging from this gallery, I think we can safely presume the situation is far more dire.

Here are a few more specimens we have located in the wild. Don't get any crazy ideas now.



by Mad City Cakes



by Melissa O



by ackblom12



by Mike Pictor



by Cryptonaut



Creator unknown

by Horror Clix

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The Cult of Cthulhu is now a 501(c)( 3): An Interview with Venger Satanis

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