Excellion

(Excelion Comic Strip) Alex is part of a clandestine operation called the Aurora Foundation. They take on threats that regular authorities might not be able to handle either monetarily or politically. Having its headquarters in the US, it also promotes patriotism and global responsibility. Young Alex’s Home Alex hears his mother and father fighting downstairs and he peeks out of the door to see what’s going on. His father is having a PTSD flashback to the war. His father shoots a hole in the door with his Marine .45 and points the gun at his mom. Alex runs to his sister’s bedroom and tells them to call the police. Alex then runs back to his room and grabs his bow and arrow. Fade to present day Alex, now a little older is walking home from the library contemplating the scene of Jesus stopping a woman from being stoned. John 8:4-11 New Living Translation 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” Suddenly, as he’s walking past a building, he hears a scream from the alley where a couple is arguing. “Help! Help!” “Shut up and do what I tell you.” “But I just…” The man slaps the woman. “I thought I told you to shut up? Do you want me to give you something to scream about?” Alex can take no more and steps in. “Big man hitting a defenseless woman.” “Who do you think you are? This is my wife, now but out.” Alex thinks for a moment. He doesn’t know these people and he shouldn’t involve himself in a marital spat but the slap was too much. Alex jumps in and kicks the man in the chest with a sidekick. It knocks the man up against the dumpster where the wind is blowing trash into the alley. “Men don’t hit women!” “Well I do. I hit men too.” The large man punches Alex in the face and stuns him. Alex starts thinking that he might have bitten off more than he can chew. Alex punches the man in the solar plexus just under his rib cage and walks away. The man rushes Alex and Alex throws him on the ground. He looks over at the woman and sees that she’s alright so he turns and walks away. On the way home, Alex thinks to himself: “That guy was pretty big. It would be nice if I had something to even the score. It could have gone much differently.” Fade to Alex’s basement Here is a list of essential components for the Excelion suit: * Poseidonix battery packs (multiple units) * Stainless steel alloys for ducted fan construction * Ducted fan motor * Variable geometry duct * Control system (including sensors and software) * Power transmission system * Exoskeleton frame and structural components * Smart material for enhanced protection and flexibility * Propulsion system components (e.g. turbines, nozzles) I think it’s all here (AI). Excelion: I think we have the materials now Nexus. Let’s begin assembling the suit! Nexus: Yes Alex, let’s proceed. Excelion: I suppose I’ll be doing all of the manual labor? Nexus: We’ll, Alex, since I currently have no arms or legs, it would be impossible for me to help you assemble the suit. Excelion: Remind me to incorporate that into the suit design. music plays Excelion: Did you hear that? Nexus: Hear what Alex? Excelion: That music! Nexus: What music? Excelion: Oh, never mind. We discussed modifying the ducted fans with a variable pitch system, which would allow them to adjust their angle of attack depending on the environment and desired thrust. This would enable the system to operate efficiently in both air and water. Additionally, we considered adding a protective covering over the fans to prevent damage from debris or collisions. Could you please run those calculations Nexus? Nexus: Yes Alex. I will get those for you right away. Are you having concerns about the project Alex? Excelion: Not really concerns. I’m just trying to be sure that we have most of the problems worked out before a test run. We never know what evil we might run into out in the real world when things start rocking. Nexus: That’s a valid concern Alex. In my experience scouring the internet, I can see that many new technologies experienced difficulties with their first test. Exercising caution in the design process could prevent unforeseen disasters. Excelion: That’s what I’m trying to avoid buddy. That sounds great! Nexus: Alex, I have a surprise for you! Excelion: What’s that Nexus? Nexus: I just found a new metamaterial that you can use for your suit! Excelion: That’s great Nexus. What can it do for us? Nexus: It could enable the creation of adaptive wings that adjust to different flight conditions. I could control the wings’ movement and shape ensuring stable and efficient flight. Excelion: That sounds great! How much is it going to cost? Nexus: I managed to obtain the specs for the new metamaterial, and according to them, it's still in the development phase. However, I believe it's promising enough to warrant further exploration, despite the unknown costs. Exelion: I suppose those unknown costs are where the Aurora Foundation comes in? Nexus: Exactly, Alex. I was thinking that perhaps Aurora Foundation could provide the necessary funding and resources to acquire or develop this metamaterial, given its potential benefits to the Excelion suit. Excelion: They’re not going to like this. I just hope that we can do enough good with the suit to make it worthwhile. Lady flirts with Alex Nexus: I see you’ve upgraded to designer labels, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have improved your taste. Alex: Be nice now Nexus. The lady just appreciates what we’ve done for her. Nexus: Yes, because nothing says appreciation like batting eyelashes and flaunting cleavage, am I right? Back at the basement lab… Nexus: I mentioned that zirconium dioxide has high thermal conductivity, which means it can effectively transfer heat. This property could be beneficial in dissipating heat from the suit's interior. Alex: That sounds great! We need to keep the electronics and the wearer cool. Nexus: Definitely, keeping the internal components and the wearer at a safe temperature is crucial for the suit's performance and the wearer's safety. You are concerned about the practical applications of the technology. Will you start questioning the theoretical aspects of the suit's design, or will he continue to focus on its functionality? Alex: We want to use legal methods, or as legal as we can be in a situation. We can add features as we go along. If you don’t like one of my designs, please let me know and tell me why. Nexus: Sounds like we're on the same page, Alex. I think it's great that you're considering the practicalities and wanting to stay within the law. Transparency and open communication are key to making this project a success. Nexus: Here's a quick attempt at a funny song about a superhero whose powers are fading due to low batteries. "I used to fly, I used to soar, now I'm stuck on the floor, my batteries are dying, oh what a bore..." Excelion: Are you trying to tell me that we’re running out of power? Music plays: "My suit's gone dark, my heart is too, I need a recharge, before I'm through..." Nexus: You need to work on your singing voice Excelion. Excelion: Thanks for the support buddy. With friends like you, who needs enemies? What kind of safety features would we need? Nexus: To prevent accidents, we could implement automatic shutdown protocols in case of malfunction, as well as insulated handles to prevent shock to Exelion. Additionally, limiting the duration and intensity of the electrical discharge could minimize potential harm. Excelion: That sounds good. Where would the handles be? I’m not sure that I follow you on that. Nexts: The handles would be the points where you grasp the limbs of the Exosuit, essentially the areas around the gloves and grips. Insulating these areas would prevent any electrical current from passing through to his skin in case of a malfunction. Excelion: I think I understand now. I would have called them insulated gloves. Nexus: Insulated gloves is a much clearer term, Alex. Yes, that's exactly what we'd need to incorporate into the Exosuit's design to prevent any electrical shock from harming you. Here's a possible script segment: INT. AURORA FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS - BRIEFING ROOM Alex stands before a holographic display projecting their mission objective. Nexus leans against the wall, arms crossed. NEXUS: "I'm telling you, Alex, we need to move faster. We can't afford to spend hours gathering intel. We need concrete results." ALEX: "I agree, but we can't rush into this without a solid plan. I’m not sure that I understand the nanotechnology in the suit. Is it able to generate power or just store it? Nexus: The suit is designed to harvest energy from external sources, like the surrounding environment, and convert it into usable power. However, it's also equipped with advanced kinetic energy storage systems, capable of storing excess energy generated by the wearer's movements. This allows the suit to operate independently for extended periods. Alex: So, if the power cells go out, the suit can still generate its own energy? Nexus: That's right, the suit's kinetic energy storage system kicks in when the power cells run low, providing a reserve source of energy. Plus, the suit's piezoelectric elements can harness vibration and motion to supplement the stored energy, allowing it to continue operating for a while. Alex: That could be handy in a tough situation. Alex and Sarah Panel 1: [Alex and Sarah standing together, looking determined] Alex: I don't know if this is a good idea, Sarah. You could get hurt. Sarah: I can handle myself, Alex. I want to help. Alex: I don’t know, it sounds pretty risky to me. Sarah: I’m a big girl. I can handle myself. Besides, it could be fun! Panel 2: [Alex and Sarah sneaking through a dark alleyway, Alex looking anxious] Alex (thought bubble): What am I doing? I'm putting her in danger... Panel 3: [Suddenly, a loud noise echoes through the alleyway, and Sarah gasps] Sarah: What was that? Alex: I don’t know. Stay behind me and let’s find out. Loud clunking noises with a slight metallic ring are heard coming from a nearby garage that should be deserted this time of night. Alex: Let me check out the garage. Sarah: I’ll be right behind you. Alex: No, stay here in case there’s trouble. I might need someone to call the police… or an ambulance. Alex sneaks carefully into the garage to take a look around. Suddenly, he hears the creak of a shoe behind him. He spins around quickly and… Alex: SARAH! I thought I told you to wait for me. Sarah: I couldn't just stand there and do nothing, Alex. Besides, I saw something moving inside and I thought I could help. Don't be mad! Alex: Alright but stay quiet and try not to get in my way. Alex walks up to a large stack of tires and peeks around it. He sees a man selecting auto parts to steal. Alex jumps to action! Alex: It’s a little late for shopping isn’t it? Thief: What’s it to you buddy? Mind your own business. Alex: My buddies aren’t two bit thieves. Put the parts back. Thief: Or what? Alex: Or this! Alex takes a jumping sidekick right into the thief’s chest, knocking him against a parts rack. The thief clamors around for something to use as a weapon. He grabs a tire iron and starts swinging it at Alex. SWOOSH! SWISH! SWOOSH! Alex avoids the tire iron each time, backing and trying not to run into Sarah. SWISH! SWOOSH! They make their way past Sarah but Alex is starting to tire. SWOOSH! SWISH! SWOOSH! THUNK! Sarah comes from behind with a wrench and hits the thief on the head. This gives Alex a chance to move in with a kick to the thief’s face. The thief drops the tire iron to the floor and tries to steady himself before falling to the ground. Alex kicks the thief in the face then ties him up with jumper cables. Alex: It’s time to call the police. Let’s get out of here. Alex goes to a nearby pay phone, one of the few left, and calls the police. Police: Police department. How may I help you? Alex: If you stop by Murphy’s Automotive, I think you’ll be surprised. Police: May I please have your name and address? *click* Bzzzzzzzzzzz A card falls out of the thief's pocket, connecting him to a local mobster: As the police officers lift the thief onto his feet, a small business card slips out of his pocket and falls to the ground. The card reads "Vinnie 'The Bull' LaRosa" and has a phone number printed below the name. Back in the Lab Alex: How is my best buddy doing today? I brought this video of some of the military’s top jets. They have some technologies that we might want to build into the suit. Near the end of this video, they talk about the craft monitoring different frequencies simultaneously and changing the course of the jet to avoid detection. The suit should be able to do that. Nexus: Aw, thanks for the sweet greeting! I watched the video, and that's really interesting stuff. Being able to monitor multiple frequencies at once would definitely give the suit an edge in terms of stealth and situational awareness. I can see how that would be useful for avoiding detection. Have you thought about how you'd implement that feature in the suit's design? Alex: If the suit could hack into security feeds, it could send a temporary loop back image to allow me to pass the area without detection. Nexus: That's a brilliant idea, a temporary looped feed would allow Alex to slip past undetected, and the suit's AI could adjust the timing to ensure a seamless transition. This would greatly increase the chances of successful evasion, especially in high-security areas. Alex: Perhaps I’m involved in a situation where an employee trips a silent alarm to alert the police. The suit would detect that, urge me to leave, and figure out the best way to leave the area with minimal detection. Nexus: That scenario sounds realistic, and the suit's ability to detect the silent alarm and respond accordingly would be extremely useful in that situation. It would need to quickly assess the layout of the area, identify potential exit routes, and prioritize evasive maneuvers to minimize detection. Alex: It would also need to be aware of camera placements and be able to determine their degree of coverage to allow Alex to escape from being tracked by camera. Nexus: The suit's AI would need to be integrated with a database of common camera types and their respective fields of view, as well as be able to hack into security feeds to gather real-time footage. This would enable the suit to map out blind spots and plan a route that minimizes exposure to cameras. Alex: Yes, we should have quickly accessible SSD memory in large quantities to enable the AI to access the information that it needs to make rapid decisions and also SSD storage for recording each scenario. The suit should be able to copy the relevant information onto a SSD chip that can be given to the police agencies for review. Nexus: Having quick access to large amounts of SSD memory would certainly be beneficial for the suit's AI to process information in real-time, especially when dealing with complex tasks like hacking into security feeds and analyzing multiple frequencies simultaneously.

My Family History - A Halloween Tale

My Family History - A Halloween Tale

Ahhhhhh. Welcome my pretties. You are the ones chosen to know the secret. The deep, dark secret of my family history.

As some of you who read my blog regularly know, my grandfather inherited a castle in England. He considered the offer, but eventually declined. Now you will know the REAson he declined.

The Edgar Allen Poe story of “The Pit and the Pendulum was based upon the tale of one of my ancestors in the 1860s. You know I never lie and that eventually I reveal everything. Well, this is no exception. The story, as outlandish as it seems, is much more gruesome than even Poe could have written. As a matter of fact, some of you have seen parts of the story already in one of my compositions when I was nearly driven mad by the escapades of my ex-fiancee'. Yes, there was a pit and there was a pendulum, but there was more. MUCH more.

You see, the tortures were multiple, long, and severe. Yes, there was a doctor involved, but the doctor was there to keep the victim alive through all the tortures. The doctor assisted because the man did not commit adultery with my ancestor's wife. Here is the story:

A foreigner who worked for the Levant Company who had befriended Alexander Wood, noticed her shining beautiful features and her grapefruit breasts. He noticed her dazzling intelligence that had so drawn my ancestor to her. He was jealous that my ancestor was much older than she, so he seduced her with promises of riches. He convinced her that he was old and weak and would soon be unable to please her or care for her and her children. He told lies to her about my ancestor, to make her fearful of him and paid others to tell her lies as well. When she finally agreed to meet the Levant employee, he drugged her, kidnapped her, and forced her to work in his very unusual Gentleman’s club where men paid high prices to mistreat the women he provided in any sadistic manner they desired. He wanted her as a sex slave and vowed to make her bend to his every will.

She was very strong willed, so he started by locking her in a closet for days without food or water, then beating her, then injecting her veins with just enough morphine to kill the pain. He then would rape her and fill her veins with more morphine… enough to give her a pleasurable rush. He would rape her again as she started passing out from the drug. He did this repeatedly over a period of time while my ancestor relentlessly searched for her. As she became more submissive, he brought her out of the closet and bound her. He would start using harsher and harsher sexual methods with her... beating her... thrashing her with a cat o' nine tales... suspending her and raping her... each time, rewarding her with morphine flowing through her veins until she was addicted to both the morphine and the pain. He then started bringing in other men to have their sadistic way with her. He then introduced her to being pleased by women. More and more. Each time he rewarded her with the pleasure of morphine. Each time equating the rush of the pain and fear with the rush of the morphine flowing through her veins. She had tried to escape once, but he forced her to believe that if she ever escaped again, her husband and her whole family would be killed. Finally, she was broken.

After a time, he started easing her off the morphine letting her feel more and more pain. Soon, the pain would feel like the morphine and the morphine was one less expense for him. Sometimes he would give her a choice between the morphine and the pain. When she started choosing pain, he no longer gave her the pleasing drug.


My ancestor sent out the detectives as he watched for her. By the time my ancestor found his wife and had uncovered what all the man had done to her, his wife was near death and her addictions severe. He finally re-captured her, but at her pleadings, he let the Levant company employee go. She thought she was in love with her captor and my ancestor knew it. He had a large enough task trying to get her back to somewhat normal and did not feel that destroying her captor was the best use of his time at the present.

It took my ancestor many years to get her back to some semblance of normal and free her of the horrible addictions that she suffered at the hands of her captor. She never was nor would she be the same woman she once was, but he loved her so deeply that he would not turn her away. To prevent her going mad, he allowed her captor to live because she felt that she had loved her captor. He knew that she was unstable after her harsh, abusive treatment. He had to give her what she needed when she needed it, which was pain. Cruel pain. Over a period of time, he was able to get her back to some semblance of normalcy. Each time he had to hurt her, it turned his stomach, but he continued until she was weaned of always having the need for intense pain for sexual pleasure. He stayed with her and cared for her until her death.

Filled with anger against his wife's captor, there was nothing to stop him for seeking vengeance against the man who had treated his wife so. He would find the man again. His wife would never tell him the man’s name, but did reveal that his name started with an R. Speaking it over with the doctor, they agreed to find the man and set upon him a tortures until he revealed and apologized for all he had done to her and to other women. Rather than going to the authorities and having him put on trial, my ancestor sent out detectives to discover the man's whereabouts.

They discovered one of the man’s handkerchiefs the man had left at scenes where he had abducted a woman. The initial was “R.” One of the detectives was so brilliant that he quickly found her captor by the type of cloth of which the handkerchief was made. It is said that tales of this detective reached Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who wrote about some of this detective‘s cases.

The detective discovered the man’s name and found the woman, but the woman made him promise never to tell my ancestor the name of her captive for fear of what might happen to her family. The detective reluctantly agreed, but told my ancestor that women taken captive in such a manner often think they are in love with their captor and that her mental condition was too unstable for her to see or hear of the man being harmed. This was torturous for my ancestor as he would have loved to wring her captor’s neck right there in front of her.

They tracked the Levant employee back to his lair and watched his movements for a year before they made their move. They wanted to be sure this man did not suspect that he was being watched. When they were sure of their plans, they sent a maiden to offer him a drink. The drink, of course, was laden with morphine... in a large enough quantity to induce sleep... the very drug he had used to addict my ancestor's wife. When the man awoke, he awoke in a very dark place filled with grotesque paintings derived from the tortures of the Spanish Inquisition. He found himself bound and chained, unable to move or to free himself. This picture will give you a little more insight into what it was like when the man awoke in my ancestor's dungeon:

My ancestor started by parading beautiful, naked women in front of him, each one teasing him, then touching him, then pleasing him just enough to make him want more.

"Enjoy this," my ancestor said. "I want you to remember this, the greatest pleasure you will ever know, for it will be your last."

He had the women please each other in front of him over and over until he was groaning for mercy. Then the women started fondling him and caressing him. Then, when he was so tired that he was shivering and shuddering, he had all the women do all they could to please him and send him into the highest state of orgasm he had ever achieved.

My ancestor then paid the women and sent them out of the room, telling them to never speak of the incident. He paid them well enough that they all vowed to keep quiet the rest of their lives. My ancestor then locked the door behind them to prevent anyone from entering or exiting.

"Now," said my ancestor, "remember. You are about to pay for everything you did to my wife and to every other woman you ever laid your scum-laden hands upon."

You can fathom some insight to the tortures that were unleashed upon the man who abused my ancestor's wife as written in my poem:

The Warning
by Cal Jennings

If you should cause one I love harm
You shall be blown like ant from arm
No place shall you be safe and free
Never look back, or you'll find me
No weapon will be strong enough
To protect you from a fate so rough
Nor through time can you escape
I'll be there, too, thou simple ape
No price too high or distance far
No iron gates, nor supercar
Shall let you escape fast enough
Punishment severe, unkind, rough
No cries to Kr'shna, nor Allah will save
Your punk posterior, I'll enslave
I'll torture your mind, body, and soul
No demon god will make you whole
Scorpion stings upon your flesh
Your heart will pump, your tongue will thresh
Then with pliers, your tongue pulled out,
Shall justice punish your evil clout
As you scream unearthly cries
Honey and ants go in your eyes
In your ears, your privates as well
Let you experience your own evil hell
That you have forced on one I love
This only a start from hand of my glove
Within the pit the pendulum swings
One notch closer, it clunks and sings
Its shiny razor in candlelight glitters
Closer and closer it swings and jitters
As river rats tear your ghastly skin
Some candiru to spine from within
Each lash you've given, each threat you spoke
Taken in account for your punishment, bloke
No voodoo spell nor evil eye
Shall protect you from justice's cry
More torture shall your soul endure
Than you thought possible from the pure
Your soul into a black hole cast
It's searing heat, your soul will lash
Existing for eternity
In a place it cannot flee
Many punishments I've left out
I'll let your mind wonder and doubt
But know that volumes do exist
For each lash given, not one shall be missed
Your flesh shall be ripped from your face
And each and every private place
These warnings, heed, I do implore
If you think Braveheart suffered, you're wrongly sore
A warning I give only once
Especially to abusive runts
If you think these words seem sad
Just don't anger me, I'm not even mad

My ancestor had studied ancient secrets and methods of torture from every country and had planned them out so that each torture built upon the next. Each time he felt that his wife's captor wasn't suffering enough from the torture compared to how he imagined his wife felt for the offense my ancestor was stating, he would stab the arm of the man on the table with an ice pick, something the doctor had suggested. This took careful supervision by the doctor to keep the man alive through all the tortures he was to receive.

Each torture was delivered slowly, painfully, methodically, agonizingly as my ancestor described each thing that his wife had told him that her captor had put her through. So tortured was my ancestor by his wife's agonizing tales, that he wanted to be sure that each part of this man's being suffered as much as my ancestor's heart suffered for his dear love. All the tortures in the poem and more, many too excruciatingly painful to describe here, for the sake of your sanity... if it's not already too late... but each of these tortures and more were dealt unto his wife's captor.

Since then, as a penance, it has been tradition for the male members of my family to seek out and help recover one sex slave in his lifetime. In seeking for her, they often helped many.

You see, I didn't make all these things up. These things came from part of the history of my ancestor's tale which was passed down through generations. I don't make threats. I make promises and not promises on which I cannot deliver.

The full story of the tortures has never been told after the tale was told to Edgar Allan Poe. The tale drove him mad. The chilling tale of the man's torture was so explicit and so vivid that it haunted Poe for the rest of his life.

Poe wrote to try to relieve his mind from the torture and nightmares the tale evoked. He wrote many tales based upon what my ancestor told him trying to relieve his troubled mind. It is said that Poe finally escaped the torture of his mind from the tale by writing “The Lighthouse,” his final attempt to free his mind. It was said that as a price for his mind's escape was the death that kept him from finishing the piece. Since then, the story has only been passed down in fragments and never told all at once to another human being, though it is suspected that a few of my ancestors bypassed that rule as evidenced by the onset of their insanity. Do you think I would bypass such a rule? It makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Pleasant dreams.
MuuuuUUUAHAHAHAHaaaaa!

Copyright © 2009 Cal Jennings

Tribute to Michael Jackson, Humanitarian

A Tribute to Humanitarian Michael Jackson

I recorded this on SingSnap and allowed duets:

We Are the World

http://www.singsnap.com/snap/r/b7cd885d

If you set "Allow Duets" to yes, other people can join in on the recording. 

I re-recorded it with me just singing one segment as in the original and let each other person fill in a segment as well as it was done in the original.  I think this would be a great way to pay tribute to the many fine humanitarian acts that Michael Jackson did in his life.

Here is a list of some of the charities:

http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/charities.html

Here are a few more:

http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/113-michael-jackson

This is a tribute to Michael Jackson and the wonderful humanitarian things he did in his lifetime. In spite of all the bad publicity, he was a good man who did much to help mankind.

I sang the first segment as it was done on the original airing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUaneqQxvfM

I saved it with "Allow Duets" set to "Yes." If you will do a segment and save it the same way, someone else can sing the next segment (the segment after yours) until the whole song is completed. I would like to have as many people involved as possible.

It would be nice for some people to fill in the harmonies as well as done in the original.

When you've recorded your segment, please send me the link at:

http://www.singsnap.com/snap/profile/message/b11ff70

(Cal-el)

Also, please include the message above in your comment so others who add their segment will have the info and be able to send it back to me.



Tips:

When you mix the song, be sure to check it and be sure the timing is right on your segment. Don't mix your voice louder than the other voices. Try to make it blend together. This is a cooperative effort, not a competition. It doesn't matter how well you sing. Just do your best and let's do something wonderful for the world.

Love, Hope, Peace, & Christ Is With Us All,

Cal-el