Pokémon Go, Native Style.

Vincent Schilling at ICTMN would like to see eight native style characters in Pokémon Go.

Native Land Take Backer-FrumU.

Well, it is safe to say the 'Native Land Take Backer-FrumU' is my favorite character. I don't think an explanation is necessary. (iStock)

Well, it is safe to say the ‘Native Land Take Backer-FrumU’ is my favorite character. I don’t think an explanation is necessary. (iStock)

He may look like the original Pikachu, but don’t be fooled, this character has the power to reclaim any former Native land (essentially all land) and have it become Native land once again… bye-bye tall building behind him in that photo!

FryBread Thrower-Oopa.

Oh look, its a FryBread Thrower-Oopa. Watch out for the flying fry..OUCH..bread. (iStock)

Oh look, its a FryBread Thrower-Oopa. Watch out for the flying fry..OUCH..bread. (iStock)

Not to be confused with the ‘Hoopa” character, this is FryBread Thrower-Oopa – who can only be found on the Rez, hiding among Bluebird flour bags. He can take down an army of Pokémon Go turtles by flinging his frybread that was left out a little too long. Even a quick microwave doesn’t soften these circular discs of carnage. Although they can still be eaten with a bit of maple syrup.

You can see and read about the remaining Native style characters at ICTMN. Unlike the rest of the world, I haven’t played this, but these characters could change that.

Indigenous Events Calendar

Credit: Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort.

Credit: Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort.

July 25th – 13th Annual Ironworkers Festival.

The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort hosts the annual Ironworkers Festival to celebrate past and present ironworkers. For more than 130 years, the Mohawk have been known for their ability to work high steel, and for their enormous contribution to shaping New York City’s skyline.

Each year, Ironworkers travel from throughout the Northeast to compete for the top prize of “Ultimate Ironworker,” in the skills competition which awards $6,500 in cash prizes. The funds raised through registration fees and t-shirt sales are donated to the Local 440 Ironworker Benefit Fund, which provides emergency relief to Ironworkers. The event is family friendly, so bring your whole crew out for a great day! Hogansburg, NY. http://mohawkcasino.com/events/ironworkersfestival/

August 17th – 22nd – 98th Annual Crow Fair. Crow Fair 2016 Poster.

Crow Fair, called the “Tipi Capital of the World,” is an annual event held the third weekend in August on the Crow Reservation in Montana. It is one of the largest Native American events in North America and is run by a committee of the Crow tribe. Crow Fair combines a celebration of Crow culture, reunion of family groups, powwow, rodeo, horse racing, and commercial vendors. Native Americans of various tribes and many non-Indian people, including visitors from around the world, gather to celebrate and enjoy themselves. There may be 1,000 tipis, along with wall tents, pickup campers, trailers, and mobile homes. Each family has its own camp area, and people visit and eat under arbor shades and awnings.

[Read more…]

Cool Stuff Friday

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Are you on Instagram? Check out Nihongo Flashcards, and learn Japanese. Via Spoon & Tamago. Also, I just have to mention these fabulous Seppuku sweets, which you can only get if you’re in Japan, specifically, Tokyo.

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Visit the Kickstarter for a great project, Umi Hashi.

Need to feel a bit ethereal for a while? Check out these watercolour butterfly temporary tattoos:

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For Dinosaur Watchers, a beautiful poster of Birds of North America:

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Get Undressed and Work!

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Hat tip to rq for this one.

President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the latest ‘all-Belarusian peoples gathering’ in June: “You know what to do, how to do it, and what goals to achieve. Everything is simple. Innovations, IT technology, privatizations, etc. – it’s all clear, we’ve done it.

“But all our life is in simple things: we should get [undressed] and work”.

In all probability, the president meant “Develop and work,” as the words sound very similar, ‘razviVAtsa’ and ‘razDEvatsa’, but who cares now?

This somewhat confusing comment led to the Belorussian equivalent of the hashtag #getnakedandgotowork trending in the country, and people did just that.

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Most comments went along the lines: “The leader says, we should.” We must say the Belorussian people do look good!

Via Delfi and RT.

Cool Stuff Friday: Kid Stuff!

Sometimes, the very best stuff is kid stuff. Now, this first is something I would just love to do, but I don’t have the equipment, know-how, or understanding of how to do this, and do it safely, buuuut, if any of you enterprising science-y people can pull this off, please please take a photo and send it to me.

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Tasha Sturm, of Cabrillo College did this hand print on a large TSA plate from her 8 1/2 year old son after playing outside. Is that cool, or what? You can read more about that at Microbe World. I so wish I could do this.

Next up, a kickstarter for a book about a dog and her owner moving to a new place, because everyone knows that moving to a new place can be very unsettling, especially when you’re a child. There’s a bit of a twist…

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Vivian the Dog Moves to Brooklyn by Mitch Boyer + Vivian the Dog.

And yesterday, Siobhan blogged about a new children’s book, Introducing Teddy.

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Starting as a Kickstarter project, this picture book features Thomas the teddy and Errol who are best friends. They do everything together, riding bikes, playing in the garden, and eating in the tree house. But one day, Thomas doesn’t feel like playing. Even a visit to the park won’t cheer him up. When Errol asks what is wrong, Teddy says that he is worried that if he tells Errol that Errol won’t want to be his friend any more. After Errol reassures him, Teddy admits that he has always felt in his heart that he is a girl teddy, not a boy teddy. When the two meet Ava, she demonstrates that girls can be anything they want, including inventing robots and wearing their hair without a bow. It’s a gentle look at gender identity.

This is Walton’s first picture book and it is inspired by her father’s transition from male to female. In the picture book, she makes sure to keep everything at a level that small children can understand. It’s a book that speaks to gender and will also work for children who may not be transgender but feel that they don’t fit into the limits that society puts them into. It’s a book that celebrates being who you are and not being afraid to tell others what is in your heart.

You can read more about the book here.

Reimagining Robin Hood as a Badass Gay Outlaw.

Merry Men cover.

Merry Men cover.

Comic book publisher Oni Press recently released the first issue of a very queer new take on literary hero Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. Titled, simply enough, Merry Men, the comic book is written and created by out writer Robert Rodi, with art by Jackie Lewis, and features a bold new story that recasts the familiar medieval characters as gay men.

Merry Men might sound at first like a delightfully campy series, but it is quite the opposite. The comic is a grounded, realistic look into a world where Robin Hood, still the familiar rogueish leader living in the woods with his band of outlaws with a good cause, is now also a badass homosexual who rises up in the face of discrimination and oppression.

The Advocate chatted up Rodi about his new series, what inspired him to delve into the Robin Hood mythos, and how impactful this comic book is as an allegory for our modern cultural landscape. Also, an exclusive artwork for issue 2!

Read it all here.

Lego Nostalgia.

At least for us older people.

LEGO designers have developed a new flashback kit, an advanced model that replicates many of the iconic elements of a vintage 1960 Volkswagen Beetle. Built using 1,167 pieces, the bright blue replica has several operational features, including a pop-up hood and truck, flip-down seats, and a removable roof to peep the steering wheel and other accessories found inside.

Designers made sure not to leave out any detail, including a model of the original 4-cylinder air-cooled engine, fuel tank, rounded mudguards, interchangeable license plates, and tiny window decals. On the roof of the vehicle, LEGO also added a rack that fits a tiny surfboard and cooler containing ice and bottled drinks. In total, the new kit is 15 centimeters high, 29 centimeters long, and 12 centimeters wide. The kit becomes available to the public on July 17.

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I would have much preferred a shiny, bright red beetle, but you can’t everything. I’ll probably still have to indulge in this.

Via Colossal Art.

Lollipop Cool.

Vintage Confections has the coolest lollipops on the planet. They have planets you can eat.

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There’s much more in their space collection, too. They have nebulas, galaxies, phases of the moon, Lost in Space, and more. (I’m in love with the phases of the moon set, but I don’t know if I could bring myself to eat them.)

Vintage Confections has 2D lollis with a 3D effect, 3D lollis, flats, lollis without the stick, square and rectangle lollis, and shaped lollis. Marshmallows with images, too. :D You can even design your very own.

Serious temptations: Phases of the Moon, Creature Eyes, I love Geeks and Nerds, and Insects, Bugs, and Spiders. Oh, I have to stop.

Vintage Confections Online Catalogue.

Beautiful, Shiny…Dirt.

Bruce Gardner.

Bruce Gardner.

What’s not to love about playing with dirt, and even better, playing with mud? Most all of us have done that in our lives at some point, and had a great time, too. Those of us who still love to play in dirt often use gardening as an excuse. I had never heard of dorodango though, a common occupation of children in Japan. Then there’s hikaru dorodango, the art of making shiny mud balls! I know I’m going to do this, it’s just one of those things that you see, and right away, you’re running outside for dirt.

Hikaru dorodango experienced a resurgence and brand new popularity thanks to Professor Fumio Kayo of the Kyoto University of Education: SHINY MUD BALLS: Kyoto Professor Taps into the Essence of Play. I really need to come out from under my rock more often, I had no idea, and this just looks so amazingly cool and fun. Professor Kayo’s personal recipe is included in that article, along with his method:

How to Make Shiny Dorodango

1. Pack some mud into your hand, and squeeze out the water while forming a sphere.

2. Add some dry dirt to the outside and continue to gently shape the mud into a sphere.

3. When the mass dries, pack it solid with your hands, and rub the surface until a smooth film begins to appear.

4. Rub your hands against the ground, patting and rubbing the fine, powdery dirt onto the sphere. Continue this for two hours.

5. Seal the ball in a plastic bag for three or four hours. Upon removing the sphere, repeat step 4, and then once again seal the sphere in a plastic bag.

6. Remove the ball from the bag, and if it is no longer wet, polish it with a cloth until it shines.

Over at The Creators Project, you can read about Bruce Gardner’s dorodango, along with beautiful photos and a brief video.

Magie du Bouddha has a nice, humorous tutorial.

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Have fun playing with the dirt, I know I will!