Five Sci-Fi Heroines for Halloween Costume Awesomeness

By Julia Goldberg on October 27th, 2009

milla-jovovich-resident-evilThe annual dilemma when it comes to Halloween is whether one’s costume should be creative or slutty (it’s a specifically feminist dilemma, BTW; most of the guys I know have fairly firm opinions on the matter). Halloween, when you’re female, is one of the few nights you can dress like a sexy devil, naughty nurse stripper with a Get out of Cliché Jail Free/No Questions Asked About Daddy Issues card.
I have never dressed as a devil/nurse/stripper myself, although a combination of laziness and frugality did lead me to costume myself as a variety of “angels” several years in a row (Ice Angel, Sweet Angel, Girl Wearing Shirt That Said Angel On it Angel). But my two best Halloween costumes, IMO, were when I emulated my favorite sci-fi action heroines. One year I went as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, an empowering costume only slightly deflated by the endless “You should never be blond” comments I received throughout the night. Last year I went as Alice from Resident Evil, complete with my own Zombie, and it was the total shiznit, although I froze my ass off. (I also got props for the year I went as Amy Winehouse, possibly because I managed to stay in character for most of the night; method acting, works like a charm).
This year I’m back to a concept costume (stay tuned), but for those of you with more wherewithall, here are Five Sci-Fi Action Heroines worth dressing up as—with my two cents for how to pull it off right. Continue reading »

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Weird White Sands Weekend: Trinity Is A Tourist Trap?

By Corey on October 5th, 2009

The Trinity site, where the US set off the first man-made atomic explosion, is only open to the public twice a year. One of those times was last Saturday. I went with a couple of friends, expecting to find a couple dozen science geeks and amateur historians. I did not expect hundreds of camera-toting gawkers from all over the country who behaved as though they’d pulled over at the World’s Largest Ball Of Yarn!, rather than a great scar upon the earth inflicted by mankind and symbolic of his hubris and folly.

And yet…

Say cheese!

Look! This partially vaporized column must be important—it’s fenced off!

A replica of Fat Man, and…God Bless America.

The whole thing reminded me of those parades they have in Pakistan, where the military drags its nuclear-tipped missiles through the streets, met by cheering crowds. Hooray! We’re a nuclear power!

More from my field trip after the cut.

Continue reading »

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