TABLE OF CONTENTS RKYV # 13 {June 2008} RKYV ONLINE LOGO - David Marshall { current } - Roy G James { original } - Randy Pare { original online adaptation} Virtual Cover # 12 - art by Tariq Rafiq Featured Artist Review - by R. J. Pare’ - layouts by David Marshall Editorial Column Poetry - L. E. Cable, R. J. Pare’ “Pass The Stuffing” - Randy Pare Short Fiction - “Wired Instinct” by Larissa Gula Health Column - Christina Marchetti Non-Fiction - “Futurism in the Funnies” World View “A Canadian Living in the USA” - by Roy G. James - by Tom Rossini Family Life - “Cook Book for Working Interior Artists Families” & “My Journal” - by Amanda Fortin Josh Bowe, Jonathan Biermann, Santiago London, Bob Labute, Leyla Sabah, Mark Pop Culture Laliberte, R. J. Pare’, Roy Piper, Tariq Rafiq “Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons” - by Pauline Pare
Untitled - by Josh Bowe
Tinman - Erotica - by Mark Laliberte
Pass the Stuffing Letters from the Editor - by R. J. Pare’ Well you walk into a restaurant, strung out from the road, You can feel the eyes upon you as your shaking off the cold You pretend it doesn’t bother you, but you just want to explode... * The act of creation. The act of bringing forth something new into the world. This is often taken for granted. When we set out to create, we should keep in mind that we are the torch bearers of a long and wide spread tradition. The artists, writers and bards of mankind’s colourful [an often tragic] history gaze down on us from heights. In order to do them any semblance of honour we must recognize our connection to them and our responsibility to those who will one day follow us. Creation is not a fancy... it is not a hobby... it is not a childish thing to be put away when we are no longer children ourselves but rather have children of our own. Creation is the god within us all. It is the spark of the divine. I am not saying a specific faith or deity has a part... I am saying that the essential element present in each an every human being, that sets us apart from the beasts, is expressed when we create. We owe that spark a duty of care. When we step onto stages in spotlights [both virtual and actual] we are sharing that spark of ours with the world. Our creations shout out. They reveal the hidden mysteries of our own identities through symbols and imagery. Magick Girl - by Roy Piper
This is a powerful realization for many artists. Some embrace the perceptions of audience and relish the opportunity to share their work [and thus, themselves]. The possibility of rejection for our creations is the possibility of rejection of [a part at least] ourselves. Some creators, insecure, never send creations out into the world.. Imagine that. A cave drawing never found. An epic romance never read. A beauty never celebrated. A tragedy never performed. Cloistered, these unknown works do not add to the grande tapestry of human expression; their threads never added to the loom. To the contributors of RKYV ONLINE magazine, I applaud you. You have shrugged off your insecurities and Untitled - by Santiago London shared some small part of your spirit with us in each and every word and brush stroke. As we look upon the threads you add we cannot help but be inspired to add more of our own. Say, here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage. Here I go, playing star again. There I go, turn the page... * * Bob Seger, 1973
Untitled - by Leyla Sabah
Health Murdoch’s Medical Missives - by Christina Marchetti [Editor’s Note: Christina is preparing an extensive article on diabetes for next month’s issue; however she did take the time this month to pass along some useful summer-time advice] Simple advice for handling the heat !
The best thing for dehydration in hot weather is a bag of potato chips and a bottle of water.
!
Forget the gator aid, it is for super athletes, not the general public.
!
And please, don't feed bottles of it to your kids. it was m eant for adults.
Thanks. Chris
World view A Canadian Living in the USA - by Tom Rossini Rising Gas Prices Leave Many in a Sticky Situation
Here in the United States , and more precisely Ann Arbor , Michigan , gas is currently at $4.00 a gallon. The Summer is a time when Michigan residents traditionally load up trucks, trailers, RVs and boats for a trip up north. But some residents may consider spending the long weekend closer to home this year - although it's hard to say yet what impact the high prices will have on travel.
• • • •
AAA Michigan spokeswoman Nancy Cain said a survey of Michigan drivers estimates 1.3 million state residents will travel this weekend. But Cain said most report they won't go as far, stay as long, or spend as much money this year. Cain said the projected number of travelers is down by only about 2 percent. But since a trip by the AAA is defined is anything 50 miles from home or farther, Cain said relatively close campgrounds or hotels can still qualify. She said it's clear that business owners up north are making efforts to bring travelers back this year because they fear gas prices will keep people closer to home. In Traverse City and South Haven, hotels are offering $25 gas cards for people who stay one or more nights, Cain said.
(http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/05/gas_prices_to_curb_memorial_da.html )
Personally, I think that this is a bunch of hog wash. The way I see it is like this… most vacation homes, weekend trips are a one tank trip there and back. So if the average tank is 20 gallons at 4 dollars that’s a gallon or $80. Now 2 – 3 years ago we were still lucky to pay around 2 bucks a gallon so we are now paying approximately 40 dollars more for the ride alone. Now don’t confuse the issue – I am not talking about how gas affects us on a daily basis with our commute to work etc but rather just to the cottage on the weekend. I understand how the gas prices affect someone that drives a truck for a living, or how it affects the aviation world, but a weekend trip to the cottage or out on the lake doing a few laps with a wave runner or skiboat….
It baffles my mind how people can honestly say that those extra $40 bucks is killing them financially – but yet they have that cottage, or the boat, or the RV. You have already spent the money on those items and whether the gas is $1 a gallon for 10$ a gallon the only effect on the pocket book will be using the items. The cottage, boat and RV all have operating costs – insurance, storage fees, maintenance etc and the only real cost that is fluctuating is the fuel. So if I own a nice cottage on a lake 200 miles away and it costs me $80 bucks to go there, that’s my only real expense. And personally if your seriously having trouble getting that money together for a weekend trip…. Maybe you need to sell / rent the cottage, boat and or RV and stay home and go to a local park / beach. So, unless your name is Boss Hogg and you have a wallet that’s tighter then a ticks ass… quit the bitching and have some fun ? The views expressed within this article do not represent the views of the editor but rather the author… but he wishes that Randy quits his bitching about filling his car for $90 bucks a week…
Halo - by Mark Laliberte
Featured Artist Review By R. J. Pare’ Background: I was born in Kabul Afghanistan, but after the 1979 communist takeover, I was forced to flee my country and move to the United States with my family. Currently I live in the Washington D.C. area with my wife. My mother was a gifted artist and my father is a talented photographer. As long as I can remember, I have been interested in creating art. I am always drawing pen and ink sketches from my imagination.
Tariq Rafiq
If I have a pen and paper in my hand, I can't stop myself from sketching something. I attended a couple of art classes in high school, but I am primarily self-taught. I attempt to create art that challenges the eye and mind with exciting, unique and vibrant abstracted forms and figures. During my art career, I have always taken chances and created imaginative art work in a variety of styles including modern, abstract and surreal. I believe that taking chances in art increases your abilities and broadens your scope as a fine artist. My art work spans two decades and over the years, I have mastered a wide range of art techniques including pen and ink, pastels, watercolors, acrylic and oil. Most Afghan artists paint in the traditional style, but my style is Contemporary Modern. My work has been described as a cross between Picasso and Dali. My current style might be compared to Dali but I have an incredible imagination and I have 100's of sketches that I still need to bring to life on canvas. My art fans have also called my work as "Very Original and Imaginative." 1. Have you always known that you wanted to be or, rather, were an artist? As long as I can remember, I have been interested in being an artist. From an early age, when I got a pen and paper in my hand, I couldn’t stop myself from sketching from my imagination. Today as an adult, my habit of continuously sketching has continued. I have created sketches on paper, napkins, paper cups and plates, whatever is available to me at the particular moment when I am feeling creative. 2. Did you study or major in art while in school? No I have not gone to school. I took a couple of art classes in high school but I am primarily selftaught.
Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Optical Transformation" Date Created: March 2006 Media: Mixed Size: 13 x 19 in We may not know for certain how the human brain stores information. Most likely it is not in an orderly computerized fashion. Tariq’s surreal collection of images in this piece is one possible insight into man’s subconscious and demonstrates why free association works.
3. Who was you biggest influence or source of encouragement, as a child, in pursuing art? My biggest influences as a child were both of my parents, who were both very artistic. My mother was a very gifted artist. My father is also a very talented photographer. But they both had traditional careers and they created art / photography on the side. As far as encouragement is concerned, they encouraged me to follow a more traditional career such as being a doctor, lawyer, engineer, businessman etc. But art was in my genes, my soul, my blood so I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life. 4. What is your favorite media to work with? I have to say that oil is my favorite media to work with. In my opinion, the shading that I can accomplish with oil can’t be achieved with any other media. While oil is my favorite media, I also work with acrylic, watercolor, oil pastels and scratch-board. Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Time for Decision" Date Created: June 2001 Media: Mixed Size: 13 x 19 in
An interesting piece, I particularly like the shading. The mixture of anatomy and geometry; vibrant colours next to areas of black and white; the blurred genders of the central figure... all these fulfill a theme that goes beyond androgyny and explores the dichotomy of person and object. 5. Do you use any special tools and techniques to create your art? Yes I use a lot of different tools and techniques to create my art. I use different kind of paint brushes, knifes, fine needles, magnifying glass for fine detailed work and other tools. 6. What inspires you to create art? A lot of things inspire my art. I can’t just name one. I am inspired by the work of great artists, my responses to everyday experiences in life and the people in my life. In addition, I get inspired by the visuals around me, my travels and last but not least my music. God have given me a gift and painting comes to me naturally. Over the years, I have drawn so much that my brain is consumed with ideas. When I start a sketch or painting, I start off with an idea and then the painting takes me somewhere else. After a while the painting seems be controlling my thinking process and my hand. My art is an expression of my subconscious mind. 7. How would you categorize your artistic style? Currently my style is between Contemporary and Modern. I am constantly going back and forth between creating abstract and surrealistic paintings.
Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Pyramid Ship" Date Created: March 2008 Media: Acrylic / Oil Size: 24 x 24 in
Fantastic piece! The abstract disassembled rendition of the pyramid takes on an almost futurist identity as a vehicle for traversing the desert-like dreamscape. Ancient man and our future descendants meet across the surreal void.
Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: “The Eclipse” Media: Mixed Date Created: February 2006 Size: 13 x 19 in This piece has a very classic surrealist feeling to it. The colour and shading are beautiful. Tariq’s fluid juxtaposition of the organic with solid objects earns his work the apt description of being Dali-esque. Yet in the serene lionized central figure I detect a hint of romanticism... which makes the work all the more interesting and unique. 8. Would you say that there is a "message" or "unifying theme" in your work? With all my paintings, I am attempting to manipulate colors and complicated designs, in a manner that will challenge the eye and mind of my audiences. Creating stories through my paintings are one of my goals, without the obvious and clear meaning. I hope that the final story is created in the viewer's own mind. 9. Which famous artists or styles have influenced you? During my career as an artist, I have been influenced by many artists including masters such as Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Jonathan Borofsky, Joan Miro, Max Ernst, Archile Gorky and Yves Tanguy.
Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: “Broken Chair Inside the Alternate Dimension” Date Created: March 2008 Media: Mixed Size: 13 x 19 in
A glance, perhaps, into how the mind of a surrealist works. Ideas are not just born... they interact and change each other with their interactions. If C. S. Lewis would have expressed his creations in paint, rather than word, this is how they might have looked. The dramatic colouring and dark shading create the feeling that these are dreams that have been returned to often... that with each visit more layers were added... time and perspective adding texture to the wistful musings. 10. If you could meet any living or dead artist, who would it be? I would love to meet Archie Gorky. 11. What is the one question that you would ask him/her? How did you create the structure around your art? Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Lady and the Mask" Date Created: March 2008 Media: Mixed Size: 13 x 19 in Womanhood and fertility are linked in the collective imagination with thoughts of nature and spring-time. This piece beautifully explores this relationship with delicate fluid lines and effective yellows and greens.
12. What do you think of the term "starving artist"? That’s a hard question to answer. I guess the term “starving artist” applies to an artist who lives on the bare minimum in order to create their art. They don’t have a regular 9 to 5 job to support themselves and they survive by having temporary jobs while they are trying to make it or break into their chosen field. In addition to the visual art field there are many other industries that also have “starving artists. Such as the music industry, film and performing arts as well as the fashion industry. I also think that in addition to the lack of sales, recognition and steady employment there are many other reasons why there are so many starving artists today. Some artists might be very talented but they don’t have the business know how or they would rather create than promote themselves. Some others might live in a market where there is so much competition that getting a break is really hard like New York for artists and
Los Angeles for members of the film industry. Last but not least some artists might not be as talented as they think they are. I really like this question and I hadn’t given it much thought. I would to hear other artists view on this, so after sending this interview back to you, I think I will post this question on my group! Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Looking at Life From all Prospective" Date Created: March 2008 Media: Water Color / Pen and Ink Size: 5 x 7 in Very creative and fanciful piece. The design leads your eye to initially view it as a collection of unrelated mini-pieces... but as you continue to look at it you see that they combine in interesting ways to create larger pictures. 13. Do you feel a sense of competition amongst other artists? Yes I do sense a lot of competition between artists. A lot of the reasons are listed in question 12 about starving artists. There are so many artists compared to available gallery spaces and shows, so many artists are competing for the same spaces, shows, roles etc. But I think that every artist has their own unique style. So for example if a gallery or client likes Artist A’s work, they will display the work or purchase the piece and there isn’t a thing that artist B can do about it. So instead of competing with each other, why don’t we work together to find new venues to show our work, help each other with promoting our work, bounce ideas off each other etc. The idea is to create work and get it out there for the public to see and appreciate. So if the there isn’t too many available venues, why not be creative and find alternative ways, spaces to market ourselves and get our work out there. Working as a group, pooling our resources together, is much more economical to share the cost of a space, advertising, opening reception etc. One sure way not to make it as an artist is to create work and leave it in your studio, apartment, basement or attic. How can you have the slightest chance of making it in the art field, if no one sees your work? 14. How do you market yourself? Over the years I have not been very good at marketing myself like I should have. Some artists are very good at marketing themselves, constantly approaching galleries, entering competitions and promoting themselves. I haven’t had the time to do all that over the years, because I have been
too busy creating new work. But since joining Facebook in Dec 2007 and creating my group “Art From Edge of the Mind” the worldwide response to my art has been incredible. I have been very fortunate to have had the chance to meet 100’s of artists and art lovers from all over the world. I seriously need to devote more time and energy into promoting myself, my work and finding new venues to show my work. Practice what I am preaching in the answers to the questions above! Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Composer who never showed up to the Opera" Media: Watercolor Date Created: February 2008 Size: 13 x 19 in I really like this brightly coloured piece. It combines the ‘animation’ style of thick black outlines in the illustrated figures with a segmenting of the whole piece that is reminiscent of stained glass.
Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: “The Queen and her Sad Brother” Date Created: December 2003 Media: Mixed Another fine example of romantic imagery setting Tariq’s work apart from other surrealists. In the faces we see an echo of the illustrated manuscripts of the middle ages. The lines of these images flowing down the piece to merge with modern abstract sensibilities.
15. Do you find it difficult to stay motivated / inspired? No I usually don’t find it hard to stay motivated and inspired when I am working on a piece. If I am working on a piece that I am having difficulty with, I put it aside and start working on a new piece.
16. Do you create your art full time or part time? I have been doing my work full time for the past several years. But with today’s really tough economy, I will probably have to get a job in addition to creating my art. Most people today are struggling with the housing market, high gas and food prices, not to mention losing their jobs and homes. When money is tight, the first thing people cut out is going out to eat, buying new household items and traveling. So unfortunately lots of people can’t buy art today, no matter how much they like the piece and how much they want it. Today people are more occupied with fufilling their daily needs opposed to their daily wants. That’s one of the main reasons that I recently made high quality Limited Edition Giclee prints of 80 of my most popular images. An art lover today might not be able to afford an “Original Painting” but they will be much more likely to afford a “High Quality print”. Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Invitation to an Awkward Gathering" Date Created: February 2008 Media: Mixed Size: 13 x 19 in Surrealism meets illustrated structure. We are presented a view of a non-corporeal audience and the fantastical performers that entertain it. The brilliant colours and bold shading Tariq is known for are combined with a focussed composition. I would enjoy seeing an experimental graphic novel done in such a manner. 17. What other interests do you have, besides art? I enjoy visiting art galleries, art show openings, museums, traveling, going to see a good movie or show. In addition, I enjoy getting together with my friends and family, going out to eat and finally listening to my music.
Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: "Fear of Ultra Madness" Date Created: October 2004 Media: Oil Size: 12 x 16 in A very dark interpretive piece. The main figure [an everyman?] is represented as smaller than his surroundings... his subconscious issues. It is significant that he is painted without a head as all of his torments represented are the product of his psyche.
18. What advice would you have for a young artist starting out today? First of all you must love the process of creating art. So many artists around the world create such wonderful work, but unfortunately they will never get to show the world their wonderful work or get the recognition that they deserve during their lifetime. I would advise young artists to follow their passions and create art as much as possible, which will result in them developing their skills and techniques. But supporting yourself as an artist is very hard in today’s world. I would encourage artists to go to school and learn a trade so they can support themselves financially while creating their art. While in school, I would encourage artists to also take some art classes to learn the fundamentals of art. I didn’t receive any formal art training so it took me a long time to learn the fundamentals of art. A true artist has a passion burning inside of them to create art and they will create art just for the sake of creating, not for the sake of financial rewards. Of course if down the road if you get financial rewards and recognition that will be an added bonus. Above all believe in yourself and in your art. 19. Do you have any big plans or shows coming up in 2008? I just finished a 5 week show in Washington DC. It was an incredible opportunity. I had the chance to curate my own show and design my own space. The show created many opportunities including a radio interview, a TV interview with Voice of America, as well as chances for participating in upcoming gallery shows. I have several group shows coming up in 2008. I am also busy working on plans for some solo shows in the future.
Artist: Tariq Rafiq Title: Samurai Warrior Date Created: November 2007 Media: Acrylic/Oil Size: 16 x 20 in This piece has very dark shading to contrast the rich colours. The central figures are represented in a blurred sketchy type manner rather than the fluid romanticism of Tariq’s other works. The warrior is representative of the inner violent masculinity that modern man [even artists, lol] still possesses in his psyche no matter how much we might think we have risen above it. 20. How would you like your art, and by extension yourself, to be remembered? I would like to be remembered as the artist that always took chances with his work and the artist who always tried to reinvent himself and his art. I believe in always taking chances, because by taking chances you can grow as an artist. I would also like to remembered as the artist that helped other artists get ahead in their careers and the artist that made a difference in this world by giving back to his community to the best of his ability. Artist: Tariq Rafiq Name: Island Party Date Created: November 2007 Media: Acrylic/Oil Size: 16 x 20 in This last piece is a study in contrasts / contradictions. There is liberal use of black and red, yet the piece is not dark in mood as the central figures drawn with smiling, happy faces. The figures are painted in abstract coloured shapes yet layered upon that are finer line sketches of them. Instead of a multitude of flowing images we have a simple trinity, yet in the background we see the earth and thus, us all...
Untitled - by Leyla Sabah
Poetry A GEISHA CRIES IN THE GARDEN - by L. E. Cable
Dawn burns over hydrangea. Butterflies charge my rush of white silk, beating against the dampened hem. Frogs quake along the ponds edge, serenading my return with a thousand once agains; emerald watch dogs disguised as was my lost lovely prince. Again, there will be no sweet end for this search on into night. Tomorrow I will return in purple, a last bitter orange in my palm, and beg behind his gifted golden fan to searing dragonflies, finches. “Shall I join him now? Will there be fireflies?�
Untitled - by Leyla Sabah
Pare’s Poetic Perspectives - by R.J. Pare
Old One Eye The desert sun beats down with its punishing heat. The land's parched; cracks spread all over past glory. The tumble-weed rolls by... dried skeleton brittle. The rusted heaps, requiem, the lost kings of the road. A vulture sits, starving with no prey, upon One Eye.
Vulture Sketch - by R. J. Pare’
Radiation fixed 'em all even the cockroaches. Guessed wrong, these fools even carrion starve in such a sterile land. This last buzzard falls to One Eye’s base - buried in cement. Old One Eye stands, testament to, the hustle of the world that was. His face covered in dust; his flag still reads EXPIRED.
Untitled - by Bob Labute
Expired - by R. J. Pare’
Meaningless Jibber Jabber - by Mandie Fortin The luring scent of roses, the enticing flavour of chocolate. The candles flames teasing your eye, bringing life to dark shadows. Soft delicate sheets, pink petals scattered. A glass of white wine, a kiss of red lipstick. The evening is perfect, at least it was. Woken by an explosion, smoke filled sky lit up. Fear returning, readiness to die. Screams and orders, coming from all around. Why should they be there? When they should be home with their wives. Men, women and children, fighting for what they think is right. What has existence come to? What is the meaning of life? Extinction!
Monument - by Tariq Rafiq
Short Fiction Wired Instinct - by Larissa Gula With a curse on her lips, Amy stared at the entrance to the old Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. Somehow, the newcomer to Pittsburgh had managed to find the only down-trod section of the area. The city that had managed to economically flourish for the first time in over a century could be seen from the curves of hills surrounding the parking lots and exit of the zoo. The sun had decided today would be worthy of postcard images. Its rays slipped over Pittsburgh and created a blue sheen over its three muddy rivers, illuminating the edges of tree leaves and flowers that had started to bloom in the multiple parks. The glimmering buildings of downtown looked brand new, despite the fact that had been replaced in recent decades. Even the run-down neighborhoods peeking out from behind the tallest trees had lost their gloomy appearance during the day. Amy sighed at the glorious sight below. It was a relief to realize she was no longer back at her old home in Idaho. Nothing had been wrong when she was young. Unfortunately, a bad college relationship had left the young woman bruised and battered beyond her physical limits. Driven by the need to escape the setting of her abuse, she had gathered her Untitled - by Larissa Gula savings and moved out to Pittsburgh. Here, she was sure she could rediscover herself spiritually; and here she could begin to work again without the distractions of the past. Tearing her gaze away from her new home below, Amy observed the setting her apparent wrong turn had led her. The zoo had been included in recently published information and history books; she remembered reading about it when she decided to move to Pittsburgh just a few months ago. Its beauty was long gone. Its multiple hills of various heights were plain and empty, aside from the occasional tree stump infiltrating the bareness; both the concrete and asphalt of the parking lot and sidewalk were cracked to the foundations. The distant ticket booths Amy
could just make out from the road were missing their roofs completely, allowing the inside of the cubicles to deteriorate as the ever-changing weather of the city pounded down day after day. Amy sighed as she surveyed the lot. The old zoo was shut down for repairs, and had been for the past five years. Orange cones and yellow tapes blocked her car from entering the lot; another set of the colorful markers was laid out before the crumbling ticket booths. Still, she flipped her key to the left and let the engine of her car sleep. She needed to enter that zoo and find help. The small businesses around the zoo had all closed, leaving their tiny buildings as empty and useless decoration. The G.P.S. in her car was malfunctioning, leaving her without assistance. Since all cars carried G.P.S. systems, very few places sold maps. Even if she knew which direction to try heading to next, it would take far too much time. However, the construction workers would surely know their way around the city; even if they didn’t carry old maps to hand out to confused drivers, they could give reliable directions. As she stepped out of her car and touched her flats to the concrete, Amy felt the air press down onto her back through her white blouse. The gloom seemed to rush forward, and as it did so, it overcast the sun directly overhead and swallowed the gleam of her car into its belly. With a slight shudder, Amy clicked on her key ring. The car behind her beeped as it locked; she hesitantly began the trek towards the entrance, each of her jeans’ legs swishing against the other to fill the silent void. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------After a careful ten-minute walk over the pieces of sidewalk and up a towering escalator, Amy could see inside the actual zoo. On the left side of the continuing sidewalk, two separate gift shops sat on either side of a small plaza. The signs in front of all three had faded away, leaving them nameless. Each sign still wore part of a name of a food or toy they once had sold. As she strolled past the third of the buildings, she spotted the Merry-Go-Round, a relic of the past. Dust covered the horses, elephants, giraffes, and lions that lived on its wheels. The paint on all had worn away, and parts of legs and backs had been chipped away to reveal rotting wood. A pile of metal across the sidewalk from it represented what was left of a brief train ride. Amy looked up the separate branch of the cracking path to a large, long building that clearly had been a center of organization for the zoo workers. It sat unlit; its doors were locked, the windows covered with a layer of filth. It didn’t appear worth the effort to walk up the hill to it. She walked forward instead, down another slope. As she walked down the hill underneath a bridge, she shivered yet again. The entire zoo had a feeling about it that she didn’t quite understand, or like. As she crept through the darkness, a car rumbled overhead, making the unstable ground tremble. Back out in the faded sunlight that reluctantly glanced over the branches of dead trees, she walked past the first exhibit. Behind grimy glass slept a mechanical cat, curled into a ball with
its head upon its impressively large front paws. The patches of white fur that had not rotted away from its metal structure were littered with black rings. Beside the exhibit, a faded green sign had white letters slapped across it: SN W L PA D Amy eyed the sleeping machine meant to represent a snow leopard. The so-called construction of the zoo clearly had not reached a point of recognition. The animals were not activated. The grounds were cracked as the lot, and the land as dead as the hills outside the zoo gates. She had to wonder what any workers inside of the zoo were laboring on. She strolled past the snow leopard, not realizing it had opened blue eyes. She continued on towards a large enclosure that contained a gap between its fence and its land. The sign for this section had fallen to the ground, and was covered in a dry but thick layer of mud. Stepping onto one of the wooden steps beside the fence, she peered down the gap, and gasped as she saw the metal paw of a striped cat poking the ground deep within the man-made ravine. What had once been a pond for the machines was nothing but rock for them to walk and pace over. The enclosure inhabitants, several tigers with visible metal legs and orange and black fur backs, were analyzing it and growling in loud rumbles. A bold machine reached his claws up onto the rock and tried to grab hold, hoping to scale up the cliff. Startled, Amy backed away. This zoo was supposed to be shut down for construction and maintenance! How could its animals be walking? With a quickening heart rate, she ran. She ran away from the tigers, back towards the dark tunnel beneath the bridge. As she did so, a loud roar deep within the zoo rushed over her ears. Then there was a loud crash of metal upon concrete; though further away than the tigers, it was an impressive sound. In fact, the tigers could be heard clattering out of their ravine towards the back of their exhibit, trying to hide from the cause of the crash. Amy screamed, confused, frightened, and unable to stop her expression of the emotions. Past the snow leopard exhibit she ran. She didn’t look inside and therefore didn’t notice the ripped hole in the weakened chicken wire around the enclosure. As Amy ran under the bridge, what she saw as the first sight of life within the zoo appeared. A blonde man in a forest green suit was standing on the path above the pile of train track. At the sight of her, he yelled, gesturing for her to run closer. Amy was confused; she wanted to run for the exit, to leave the zoo; the directions she needed were forgotten in her panic and desperate desire to leave the place far behind. She then slammed to an abrupt and painful stop as she saw the reason he wanted her to come to him; exploring the wooden animals on Merry-Go-Round was the mechanical snow leopard. In its sleepy state, however, it didn’t seem to notice her. Instead, it crouched and slid underneath the silent, wooden animals towards the dust and rotten trees and bushes, looking for small animals. Its multiple joints clicked against each other rather loudly.
Amy looked at the man again, still breathing hard and praying the snow leopard would not notice the jerky noises. He gestured slowly at the building she had written off earlier; despite the lethargic movements meant to clear the snow leopard’s attention, the man’s arm trembled in nervous desperation. Amy took in a breath and began to run. A piece of wood snapped behind her as the machine turned to her. The man grabbed her hand, and the rough material of his glove hit her skin. Ignoring her gasps, he pulled her along to the top of the hill, where he pushed her into the long building and slammed the door. He looked down the hill; the snow leopard was still standing on the Merry-Go-Round. Without a care for the humans, it continued its search for weaker game. As he locked the doors behind him, the man looked back at Amy. “What are you doing in the zoo?” he demanded, clenching his gloved fists. There was an element of fear behind his concerned, deep voice. Amy stuttered as she leaned against the chipped and faded white wall of an education center lobby, recovering from the shock the machines had delivered. “Looking…for…directions…” She took a breath and tried to continue. Her voice slowly stabilized. “My G.P.S. system isn’t working, and I took a wrong turn…I had hoped I could find help here.” She realized her hair was loose from its ponytail, but refused to adjust it in front of the man. She felt as though she had to prove she could handle whatever was unfolding within the zoo, without a sign of what he would view as feminine weakness. After a brief moment, the man responded. “This part of the city was abandoned for a reason.” “Construction, I thought,” Amy said, convinced she was heading for the correct answer. “Ha!” The man laughed, his head tossed backwards to expose his Adam’s apple in his throat. “Construction – what a joke! More like malfunctions!” “Huh?” What a ridiculous and dumb response, Amy realized. But it was all she could muster at the moment. She felt more lost than she had back on the streets in her car. The man crossed his arms and drew in a deep breath, looking at Amy directly. “The zoo you’re standing in lost funding when a machine malfunctioned eight years ago. They had to close the place down three years later after that, since the population of visitors dwindled. People were too afraid of the machines.” He laughed again. “Too afraid of the creations that came about when they asked for the removal of real animals in the zoo. They just didn’t think it was worth seeing live animals anymore. Stuffed ones in museums began to suffice. In a museum, there’s no risk to loss of life and limb in freak accidents. You’re only viewing the dead within a cold hallway to match the creature. There’s no organic or synthetic wiring running the beast and waiting to malfunction one way or another.
“So the place shut down. The owners decided to say the entire place was under construction. Really, though, they’re just waiting for the fear to die down. They’re saving their money until the reopening, too, so they can get extra funding to replace everything with better technology.” The smile of humor and hope disappeared. “But here’s my problem. Do you know how this place knows when to run and activate its animals?” He didn’t wait for Amy to shake her head no; of course she didn’t. “Heat sensors. Once someone walks past the front doors, the park stays active until they walk out. It counts how many people come in, too, and waits until the last one leaves. I…have my own way of avoiding being counted by the sensor. You, though…” He glared down. “You walked in and activated a zoo of machines that have had no maintenance in years. Even better: the machines were built to be animals, down to their last bloody instinct. They’ll be feral mechanical animals by now, there’s no doubt in my mind---” A crash against the door brought a scream from Amy’s throat. The man yelled as well. Outside, two lionesses struck at the door with metal claws far stronger than those of a real lion. Their legs were patched with yellow fur, while their metal and wired backs were almost completely exposed. “What do we do?” Amy asked. Her voice trembled more than her knees. “Hell if I know. No one’s been stupid enough to walk in here before!” the man responded in frustration and worry. A gaping hole appeared in the door as one of the metal paws slashed straight through the softer metal. Amy screamed again at the sight of the large paw pulling away for another swing. She stood against the wall, unable to stop herself from trembling. Then the clawing stopped. There was a screech outside. The man peered between the grime covering the door window. Outside, a smaller piece of machinery ran from the two lions to another old sign that once welcomed visitors. The small machine jumped onto the large wooden sign, screeching as a child would. Once still, the shape of the petite machine could be made out. It was catlike and dotted with patches of white and gray fur. Its impressive, long, black-andwhite ringed tail was dabbed with white fur. “The lemur’s escaped,” the man stated calmly; his voice was steady, which reinstalled some of Amy’s confidence in him. “I’ll have to round them up now. Still, the little escapee helped us out.” He looked back at Amy. “You need to get out of this park. We’ll both be safe once you escape!” Amy stared. He expected her to run out the door, past the mechanical lions? They had already sliced through the posts that held the structure up. As the sign collapsed, the lemur ran back
under the bridge, screeching; the lionesses followed, their exposed paw structures clicking against the ground. As they disappeared, the man unlocked the doors. “C’mon, now’s the time!” He entwined his hand with Amy’s again, and yanked her out behind him. Amy tried to resist for a single moment; then she accepted she had no chance fighting him and truly did need to escape. The man was slow and intently observing and listening the park around him. Amy merely followed his lead, trusting his experience with the land to keep them both out of harm’s way. They had not managed to cover half of the hill when the man halted. There was a chorus of yips and howls from the path the lions had just galloped up. Three African wild dogs jogged along the concrete. They weighed considerably lighter than the lions had, and so the clicking of their legs against the ground was not as intense. The fur along their frame was more complete than the other animals had been. The splotches of white, black, and tan mingled with wire rather elegantly. “Relax,” the man told Amy as her breathing began to roughen. “I’m not worried about them nearly as much as I was about the lions. Be still, and they might very well turn around and ignore you.” He smiled at the sight. “They’re rather beautiful.” One of the dogs yelped loudly as he looked over his shoulder. Then the three began to draw into the bare wood in the same direction of the snow leopard, tails between their legs. The yips diminished to faint whines. The man frowned. “Not good. Run!” Amy forced herself to run at the same speed of the taller man. The two worked in sync, the sight of the other runner beside them urging them to continue at a fierce pace. They dashed down to the intersection of the paths and towards the gift shops and exit. As they passed the plaza between the gift shops there was a snarl behind them that Amy desperately ignored. Paws hit the ground with loud clangs as Amy and the man rushed past the first of the gift shop. The man beside her let go of her hand and shoved her forward, past more tree stumps, and into the escalator shaft. As she stumbled against the glass walls, the snarls stopped. She turned and yelped despite herself. A tiger was frozen in place just behind her savior, a paw extended towards him. “Good running there,” he told her, eyeing the claws that had almost hit his back. He hardly seemed phased. Then he blinked as he remembered what she had said inside the building. “Now, then…how about we fix that G.P.S., so you can get out of here?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------After Amy had unlocked her car back on the road, the man opened the driver’s door and sat for a moment. Amy watched, startled, as a fingertip clicked off to reveal wiring beneath. While the fingertip hung at a deep angle, the wiring inside of it connected to one of the G.P.S. outlets. A few sparks flew back against the man’s skin. Well, she shouldn’t have been surprised, she realized. Who better to care for the mechanical zoo than a machine? Clearly, if the man were mechanical, he wouldn’t give off a clear heat signal. That explained why the zoo remained comatose. As he worked on her G.P.S., Amy eyed the green suit that remained completely zipped to the neckline and dropped down to his ankles and tan work boots. She hypothesized that it allowed the man to keep his power source on while the rest of the zoo waited in their Sleep setting. The man slid out before she could ponder further. “There. It needs a full recharging when you get the chance, that’s all.” He smiled at Amy, completely calm and friendly now that the woman was safe, as he extended his arm to indicate she was welcome to enter her car. Carefully, she sat down and turned her key. The car rose from its nap, the G.P.S. on and ready. When Amy looked up to say thank you, the mechanical man was already walking back towards his zoo, hands deep in his pockets. Then again, a machine only did as it was meant to. If he were following the Laws of Robotics, as all other robots did throughout the world, she had no reason to say thank you. Still…it felt…rude. The need to leave the zoo behind won out over her guilt. With etiquette on her mind, she slammed the car door shut, turned back onto the road, and slowly began lowering her foot onto the gas pedal, resolving to not speak about the zoo again. Programmed or not, the robot didn’t need to feel worry for invaders again. Best to keep rumors from urging pranksters and teens into the zoos confines, until it was safe to enter again. ----------------------------------------------------------------Year: 3017 “Mommy, look!” Amy smiled as her pale five-year-old daughter ran away from the sleeping tigers within their exhibit. The ravine below was filled with water, and leaves sprinkled its surface and floated with the wind. The sight no longer interested either mother or daughter. Far up the path, both could see the top of the lion enclosure. Inside its confines, the two massive queens slept, stretched out over the freshly mown grass and allowing their complete
golden fur coats to absorb warmth from the sun. Amy followed her daughter, and remained close enough to be able to watch her without having to approach the animals she feared the most in the zoo. She stood by an exhibit to the right of the lions. There, an enormous white rhino grazed. Amy observed his gray skin, wrinkled and lifelike. His large lips delicately plucked at grass and flowers, though it was impossible to tell if he actually swallowed it. “Enjoying the zoo, ma’am?” Amy turned to see who had spoken. In the khakis and green shirt of a zoo worker stood a blonde man she recognized from sixteen years prior. His skin seemed cleaner, fresher, since when she had last seen him. He had probably undergone maintenance along with his charges. “Yes.” She chuckled slightly. “Your animals seem better mannered than my last visit.” “A little reprogramming goes a long way,” the man admitted. “And with care their instincts can be suppressed and managed. I don’t know if they should be, but hey, what do I know?” He frowned slightly at one of the waking lions. “Still, it takes far too much work to manage these things…I think there’s more chance of them hurting a human than there was the originals. There’ll be an accident one day, I sadly guarantee it. I just hope it will be when the visitors are all almost out the door.” Amy’s daughter ran to her side and clutched her hand before she could even feel terror at the impact of his response. “Mommy, let’s go see the monkey house!” The zoo worker smiled at the sight of the girl who had been born since Amy’s escape from the zoo. “Be sure to see the lemurs,” the man told mother and daughter. “One of them is a good friend of mine.” He looked at Amy meaningfully. “I’ll be sure to see him. Perhaps if he sits in the window I can even say thank you,” Amy told him. The man smiled. “We all do as we are programmed, be it to run the zoo or run from hungry renegade lions. There’s no need to thank me or yourself for instinct, ma’am.” “Mommy, enough! Let’s go!” The impatient daughter, too young and ignorant of the past to understand, tugged forcefully at Amy’s hand. “But thank you anyway!” Amy insistently called over her shoulder as her daughter began dragging her away from the lions and rhino. The man chuckled as he crossed his arms. “Like I said: I’m just doin’ my job.”
Superman Tribute - by Jonathan Biermann
Non - Fiction Futurism in the Funnies - by Roy G. James Figure 12 - The Flash # 242, National Periodical Publications, Inc., 1976 “The Charge of the Electric Gang” Character: Barry Allen (The Flash) Compressed Clothing Luggage will become a thing of the past as the demand for better use of space will put storage at a premium. The idea expressed in Figure 12 becomes a distinct possibility with new knowledge of polymers and compression. Witness the innovations today of small miniature alarm clocks, bad weather footwear, etc. so that the businessman can travel light. He may be able to carry a tuxedo and black tie in his cuff links one day. Air travel with its increased population may demand it. Figure 13 - Kobra # 3, National Periodical Publications, Inc., 1976 “Vengeance in Ultraviolet” Character: Kobra Individual Transit The automobile industry has rendered mass transit as too costly or too impractical because road systems will become useless. However, the individual transit method of figure 13 or an individual strap-on jet pack with great maneuverability is not out of the question. The sky over a city for the first kilometer altitude could very well be darkened by parents on their way to work and students on their way to be educated. At least anti-gravity beams would by anti-polluting.
Cryogenics The knowledge of Captain Cold is not being used for beneficial purposes, but cryogenics are being used to slow down or suspend the metabolism of the human body for whatever reason is desirable: preservation; cure of disease at a later date when medical knowledge is advanced etc. Children would appreciate instant ice rinks.
Figure 14 - The Flash # 244, National Periodical Publications, Inc., 1976 “The Last Day of June is the Last Day of Central City� Character: Captain Cold
Family Life ~Cook Book For Working Families~ - by Amanda Fortin Honestly, the credit for this one goes to Randy. He made this wonderful casserole that I really enjoyed so he'll have to make some changes to it to make it right!
~ BBQ turkey (cut it up in chunks after) ~ Add the turkey to cooked vegetables (fresh or frozen) ~ Cook some pasta & add some sauce ~ Mix BBQ-ed turkey and vegetables with pasta and sauce in a casserole dish ~ Grate cheeses of your choice on top (we had a 3 cheese. Mmmmm) [layer of 3 cheese on bottom of casserole dish - then add ½ of the pasta mix - then add another layer of 3 cheese - then the rest of the pasta mix - then final layer of 3 cheese on the top – Randy] ~ Put in oven till cheese is nicely melted [Broil for a few mins to get the top nicely browned and slightly crispy – Randy] ~ Serve as a side dish or on it's own Great for picnics too. After cooking, place in sealable containers (individually) and bring along a desert. Mmmmmmmmmmmm Yummy!
Owen Wilson - by Jonathan Biermann
Pop Culture Raised on Saturday Morning Cartoons - by Pauline Harren Pare As I mentioned last issue, summer is a washout for TV viewing. In my last article, I listed several ways to survive a summer without television…that was before a week long rainstorm kept me indoors. Now, my new opinion is that it is impossible to survive without the boob tube. There are some great movies released this summer so go ahead and splurge for a night out. You may even consider catching up on a series you always wanted to see. As strange as it sounds, TV isn’t just for television anymore. Episodes can be downloaded from the internet or entire seasons can be enjoyed on DVD. Is everyone you know discussing “The Office”? Do you feel nostalgia for “Quantum Leap”? You can watch an entire series on DVD with no commercials and many extra features. I recently caught the first episode of “Eli Stone” on ABC and I was disgusted… with myself for not giving it a chance when it originally aired. I will be renting “Eli Stone” in the near future and I will be ready for the 2nd season when it premieres again in the fall. (It has been picked up for 13 more episodes) Eli Stone is a corporate lawyer who seems to have it all; a job in a huge firm, an engagement to the boss’ beautiful daughter… but then he begins to experience visions. He now believes himself to be a prophet with a mission to do good for the ‘little guy’. I have seen this plot before(“Joan of Arcadia”, “Wonderfalls”) but “Eli” puts a fresh twist on an old idea and that is what I loved about the first episode (that and George Michael). So... ~ Choose your own ‘always wanted to see’ series ~ Dust off your video rental card And enjoy the summer, whether you are outside or on the couch.