Glass work (Flash)inspired by that of ancient Rome is on display at the Getty. You can actually buy real Roman glass here. more inside

bsimple is the gallery of conceptual photographer Misha Gordin (some images NSFW). Gordin's work often makes abstractions out of the human form, sometimes photographing multiple models together to create intricate patterns. Some images hint at the darker side of life, such as conformity and isolation even within a crowd. more inside

Blackwater guards offered immunity. Special bonus, tonight only: a profile of and interview with the head of Blackwater. Fair and balanced: More on Blackwater and the military-contractor issue here and here and here.

Strong stomachs are a must in this profession. Whether it's scrubbing blood from the cement or picking skull fragments from out of the wall, these hardworking techs deal with the aftermath of violent crimes.

The Endicott Studio is dedicated to the support and creation of mythic arts. Their online journal explores myth, folklore, fairy tales, and their use in modern art. Their blog presents news, musings, and reviews on arts that have been inspired by mythic themes, and has recently been counting down to Halloween with tales, poems, art, and photography based on the mythos associated with the approaching day. more inside

The Chairman Smiles is a nice selection of Soviet, Chinese, and Cuban posters from the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam. If that merely whets your appetite there are many more from Cuba and elsewhere here, and by way of a bonus, Spanish Civil War posters here.

Delusions of Separation Very few people seem to have noticed that we are a species gone mad, which itself is an expression of the extent of the collective insanity we have fallen into. As more of us are able to illumine, recognize and articulate the nature and dynamics of the deeper psychological process that is creating our experience in the world, the more effectively we become able to deal with our world crisis. As more of us awaken to the deeper, underlying psychological process which animates events in our world, the more we will be able to consciously connect with each other in increasingly more creative ways so as to transform this process, both within ourselves, as well as in the outside world. more inside

La piedra de Anamara (The stone of Anamara) While running from the police, you find what seems to be a perfect hiding place. It's not long before you must deal with supernatural forces and mysteries hidden in the mental asylum for children. more inside

The DM of the Rings is an excellent webcomic. Though it's created entirely from movie stills, it hits comedic notes that anyone who's played D&D will recognize. Imagine a gaggle of modern hack-n-slash AD&D roleplayers who had somehow never been exposed to the original Tolkien mythos, and then imagine taking those players and trying to introduce them to Tolkien via a D&D campaign. The gamers are easily distracted, obsessed with loot, and have a tendency to quote Monty Python at the drop of a d8. The frustrated DM tries to keep the party on the rails, and the players fight against the railroading. All in all, I think I've gamed with all these people before. more inside

Cronyism American Style Can you believe it? Some third world country elected the wife of a former president as the new prez. What kind of banana republic sh*t is that?

Movember is about to begin! Officially the purpose of Movember is to raise awareness of prostate cancer, but for most participants it's a testosterone-fest to see which man can grow the most body hair in one month. Here are some manly men from last year's Movember: I am reasonably confident that the male monkeys can be (and probably are) hairier than that. I plan to grow a beautiful flowing handlebar mo myself.

Curious George damns the power company monopoly . $2.85 to pay the power bill via credit/debit on-line? WTF?? more inside

FEMA Fakes it Showing the level of competence has not changed substantially since Katrina, FEMA stages a fake news conference to make it look like they are getting things done.

How much do you love your bike?

Curious George goes down the pub again. A London meetup already discussed here and set for November 24th, but a) I'm sick of searching for the old thread and would much rather search for a new thread, and b) this is my none-too-subtle way of reminding you to keep your calendars clear. more inside

The Four Rooms of Kharon is another escaper game, though this time there are four rooms instead of one. The game has a dark, gritty atmosphere with high tech/genetic engineering themes. The game is meant to inform as well as entertain, and has lots of information packed into it for those interested in genetic concepts and famous geneticists. Some commenters on the game had problems with the camera angles. I did not, but thought it worth mentioning that some camera angles are not appropriate for all Monkeys. Player discretion is advised. Stuck? Frustrated? Want to give the poster a good kick for mentioning this thing in the first place? Don't worry! We has walkthrough. more inside

Worst mayor, EVAR!!!11ONE! Jackson, Mississippi's Frank Melton. via.

Who you gonna call? Canada's Most Haunted! more inside

Yummy delicious Tex-Mex. “Cal-Mex is long on burritos and sour cream....In New Mexico, it’s all about green chilies, and in Arizona they are proud to have invented chimichangas — deep-fried burritos. The embodiment of Tex-Mex is a cheese enchilada with gravy.”

The Nocturnes Gallery is a collection of the night photography work of a number of photographers who are serious about evoking images from the dark. Each photographer has a small gallery, each gallery has a link to the photographer's website. Their styles vary, from moody black and white to use of lighting effects, and much between the extremes. more inside