I would like to cordially invite each and every one of you to our upcoming lunar-themed Observatory anniversary/fundraiser party! A few things you should know: The charming Lord Whimsy will be on hand to MC! Giveaways will be provided by Kikkerland! Libations served up compliments of La Fée Absinthe! Viewings of The Midnight Archive! And music, too.

Full details follow. Hope to see you there!

Observatory’s Lunar-Themed 3rd Anniversary Fundraiser Party, Sponsored by Le Fée Absinthe!
Date: Saturday, February 18th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $20

Yes, friends, we're over the moon about our 3rd Anniversary! Come celebrate with us, and help support your favorite interdisciplinarian art, science, & occult event space.

Check out our art show, Lunation: Art on the Moon, and then trip out to a Moon Phantasmagoria show by VJ Fuzzy Bastard. We'll also be screening episodes from the Midnight Archive, a show featuring your favorite Observatory masterminds.

Libations will be provided courtesy of La Fée Absinthe.

There will also be:

The luminous MC Lord Whimsy!

Stellar giveaways courtesy of Kikkerland!

Out-of-this-world raffle prizes, including:

Gift certificates from the scrumptious SweetWolf's and the delectable Palo Santo!

Moonrise Perfume from Herbal Alchemy!

Audiobooks from Hachette!

Occult Book Set including an autographed copy of Mitch Horowitz's Occult America (Bantam), and Manly P. Hall's The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Tarcher/Penguin)!

Abraxas International Journal of Esoteric Studies with accompanying occult music CD!

Lunavision Ritual Tea Set from Rebis Remedies!

And so! much! more! We look forward to seeing you there.

More info can be found here.

Source:
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Coming up tomorrow night as part of Morbid Anatomy Presents at Observatory, we have the illustrated story of Justin Nobel's journey in search of the truth behind the Japanese concept of obasute-yama or Granny Dump Mountain. Coming up next week, we have the eagerly anticipated "Buried Alive," a miniature matchbox theatre performance (pictured above) which describes itself as a "frightfully funny exploration of our fear of being buried alive and of the curious phenomenon of 19th Century 'waiting mortuaries.'"

Full details follow for both events. Hope to see you at one of both!

The Search for Granny-Dump Mountain
Illustrated lecture by Journalist Justin Nobel
Date: Thursday, January 26th
Time: 8:00
Admission: $5
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

When elders in rural Japan reached age 70--or so an ancient legend would have it--their sons would carry them to the top of a holy mountain and leave them to die of exposure and starvation. Granny-dump mountain, or obasute-yama, was seen as a way to trim the population and make way for the next generation in cold mountain villages where food was short and winter was long. It is referenced by the obscure eleventh century diarist Lady Sarashina, master haiku poet Matsuo Basho and a 1983 Palme d’Or winning film, yet most anthropologists doubt the practice ever actually existed.

Intrigued by this story, journalist Justin Nobel took to the road to see if he could get to the bottom of this enigmatic legend. His travels ultimately led him to a tiny town in northern Japan haunted by cannibalistic mountain men and shape shifting sprites. After scouring the countryside for clues he came to a shocking conclusion: the legend was very much alive, right in the heart of Tokyo.

Tonight join Morbid Anatomy and Justin Nobel to hear the story of his search for the elusive Granny-Dump Mountain.

Justin Nobel is a freelance journalist. His writing has appeared in TIME, Popular Mechanics, Audubon, Guernica and Meatpaper. His essay, The Last Inuit of Quebec, was recently included in Best American Travel Writing 2011 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). He pens a blog called Digital Dying for the funeral information website funeralwise.com and another called the Absurd Adventurer where he sits for hours in one New York City spot. He lives in Blissville.

Image: A plaque commemorating Granny-dump Mountain in the northern Japan town of Tono. (Photo by Justin Nobel)

PERFORMANCE: Buried Alive! A Matchbox Theatre
A matchbox theatre performance by Deborah Kaufmann
Dates: Thursday, February 2nd AND Friday February 3rd
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: $12
Presented by Morbid Anatomy
*** Audience limited to 25 people per show; first come, first served

“The way each box reveals its tiny inhabitants is entrancing and Deborah Kaufmann… is sweetly enchanting.” – The Village Voice

“Depicted with comic deadpan perversity… a wink and raised eyebrow of an entertainment.” – http://www.womanaroundtown.com

Buried Alive! a matchbox theatre, is a frightfully funny exploration of our fear of being buried alive and of the curious phenomenon of 19th Century “waiting mortuaries.” Based on historical and medical facts. Tiny, intimate and interactive, full of dreadful discoveries for an adult audience.

BURIED ALIVE! is performed on a tabletop and is constructed entirely in and of matchboxes. It takes advantage of the unique qualities of these tiny stages. Images and characters slide out, slide through, pop up, and drop out of the matchboxes. A merry eccentric matron is your guide. The Nineteenth Century is evoked, but BURIED ALIVE! is creatively anachronistic and plays with scale.

Buried Alive! was inspired by an article entitled, “Pediatric Brain Death,” found in a hospital resident on-call room, and by research into the myths, truths, history and ethics surrounding the true moment of biological death.

Conceived, constructed and performed by Deborah Kaufmann. Kaufmann has delighted audiences in Europe, Australia and across North America with original physical comedy. This year she celebrates 25 years with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care program, where she brings the joy of circus to hospitalized children, their families and caregivers. She has been called, “by no means merely cute ... a performer to be trusted, enjoyed and seen” ---nytheatre.com

To be alerted to future events, "like" Morbid Anatomy on Facebook by clicking here or sign up for the Observatory mailer by clicking here. You can find directions to Observatory here and more on all events here. You can find out more about these events by clicking here.

Image: Photo by Jim Moore, 2011

Source:
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Our buddy Jere Ryder of the Guinness Collection of automata at the Morris Museum just forwarded me a CBS video that features his automata collection, a truly enchanting automaton at the Franklin Institute in Philly (which, we are informed, inspired the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret), and provides a very engaging history of the craft to boot. Highly recommended! To view, simply press the play button above.

Also, for the automaton lovers among you who happen to be passing through the San Francisco International Airport international terminal before June 2012, you can go check out some automatons on display between flights! Click here for more on that. More on the Morris Museum collection can be found here.

Thanks very much to Jere Ryder for sending these links along.

Source:
http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

Grey's Anatomy's alt-reality episode truly is a love letter to the fans.

In this new reality, Ellis Grey was never diagnosed with Alzheimer's, which leads to a very different upbringing for Meredith, the least of which: Her last name is now Webber. That is just one of the nice surprises in the alt-reality. Let's check out the rest:

Music nostalgia: The episode opens on Rilo Kiley's "Portions for Foxes," which was the first song played in the Grey's pilot. Throughout the episode, we also heard songs featured in the first season, including Róisín Murphy's "Ruby Blue" and Inara George's "Fools in Love."

Meredith Webber: Meredith still lives in her mother's house, but so does her mother, Ellis, and her husband Richard! Ellis is now the Chief at Seattle Grace, and is being awarded her third Harper Avery award. Meredith is desperate to please her mother, and while she says she doesn't want special treatment, she isn't afraid to use her status to get in on Yang's surgery. Meredith later realizes her mom makes everyone feel ordinary so she can feel extraordinary. A nice nod to the two-part episode where Ellis died.

Poor Derek: Not only is Addison still married to Derek, but she's pregnant, too. However, their marriage leads to a miserable existence for both of them. They live in the trailer since Derek never built the McMansion, and he doesn't even seem to want the baby that's on the way. "It's a beautiful day to save lives," Addison throws in Derek's face at one point, the line he used to say before each surgery. Derek is also not the hot shot doc anymore, and when a fight between Addison and Derek seems to indicate she'll leave Seattle Grace, Ellis threatens that she'll fire Derek over Addison quitting. (One good thing: It's nice to see Callie and Addison reunited. I always loved their banter.)

Callie's conflicting feelings: Though Callie has kids with Owen, it's clear that it's not a happy marriage. When Arizona excitedly hugs Callie, the look on Callie's face spells a sudden attraction to her co-worker. Plus: Owen still has PTSD, and it seems that unfortunately Callie was the one whom he once choked in reaction to a PTSD flashback. That's OK, he's getting help from his war buddy Teddy, whom Callie thinks is a man. Of course, it's not much help since he later punches through a glass window. Cristina helps him clean up his hand, and it's clear there's an attraction there as well.

The real Nazi: It's not Bailey, that's for sure. She's back to being the timid doctor once called Mandy, one of the few characters that we've already seen before. She's extremely nervous around Ellis and can't stand up for herself, which eventually leads to Ellis firing her. (The elevator scene with Alex at the end did show a stronger Mandy, who may be turning into Bailey.)

A scary Yang: Cristina is a heartless, hard-core cardio doc who has absolutely no bedside manner. She's not even Meredith's person anymore, April is. It turns out, Yang has no friends because she was ostracized for sleeping with an attending, Dr. Burke.

Fallen comrades: Izzie actually got kicked out of Seattle Grace — and possibly shot up the place? — after Meredith ratted her out for sleeping with a patient (Denny) and stealing a heart for him. George, on the other hand, failed his intern exams, like he did in the regular universe. However, he just never showed his face again.

Meredith's new beau: Meredith is actually engaged to dorky Alex, and they're quite the perfect couple... sort of. He's actually hooking up with April on the side, which Yang discovers and reveals to Meredith in front of everyone. Upon learning this, Dr. Percy ironically says, "Just shoot me now."

Lexie the cokehead: Though she still has photographic memory, Lexie is not the smart doc we know and love. Instead, she's a strung-out addict who overdoses and is brought to Seattle Grace. Both her parents have died — her mother of stomach issues, and her father killed himself — but she knows about her half sister at the hospital (aka Meredith). While Jackson suggests her ODing is a sign to turn things around, Lexie secretly steals his keycard so she can raid the drug cabinet. She's later brought back into Seattle Grace by... Mark!

Mark's baby: After Mark brings Lexie in to Seattle Grace, he seeks out the mother of his unborn child... Addison. That's right, Addison's baby is not Derek's.

Cristina and Meredith, the couple that was always meant to be: Though Yang undermines Mer in surgery, the two team up to save Lexie's life. They end up going tequila shots at the bar, bringing things full circle to Season 1. (Nearly their whole bar conversation is exact dialogue previously used in the pilot.)

MerDer: After Cristina leaves the bar, Derek begins chatting with Meredith, asking what people around the hospital call him. It's McDreary. But he's not McDreary tonight. He's just a guy in a bar, and Mer's just a girl in a bar. (Another nod to the pilot, as well as Lexie's first appearance on Grey's.)

What did you think of Grey's Anatomy's alt-reality episode? What surprised you most? Hit the comments with your thoughts.

show less

Grey's Anatomy's alt-reality episode truly is a love letter to the fans.

In this new reality, Ellis Grey was never diagnosed with Alzheimer's, which leads to a very different upbringing for Meredith, the least of which: Her last name is now Webber. That is just one of the nice surprises in the alt-reality. Let's check out the rest: read more

Read this article:
Grey's Anatomy Recap: "If/Then"

By Brent Lang, TheWrap.com

Ben Gazzara died Friday of pancreatic cancer, The New York Times reported. 

The star of award films and plays such as "Anatomy of a Murder" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" was 81 years old.

Gazzara employed his distinctive, guttural voice and powerful stare most memorably in a series of film collaborations with the director John Cassavetes. For the maverick director, Gazzara played a collection of bitter spouses and down-on-their heels gamblers and directors in films such as "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" and "Opening Night." 

For the maverick director, Gazzara played a collection of bitter spouses and down-on-their heels gamblers and theater directors in films such as "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" and "Opening Night." 

More from TheWrap: Super Bowl pregame: Feds seize, arrest online sporting-event pirates

Like Peter Falk, his co-star in Cassavetes' "Husbands," Gazzara was perfectly suited to the director's signature examinations of bruised men who struggle to articulate and come to grips with their emotions, fears and hopes in a rapidly changing world. 

Fittingly, he died the same day that Cassavetes did more than twenty years ago. 

Among his other notable film roles were an accused rapist in "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959), the smooth-talking pornographer Jackie Treehorn in the Coen Brothers' "The Big Lebowski" (1998), and a grandfather separating from his wife of 40 years in Todd Solondz's "Happiness"(1998). 

More from TheWrap: Tony Oller offered starring role in 'Vigilandia'

Less successful was his starring role opposite his then-lover Audrey Hepburn in Peter Bogdanovich's "They All Laughed" (1981). The romantic comedy was a box office and critical disaster.

As for "Roadhouse" (1989), the critics hated the Patrick Swayze action movie too, but thanks to frequent television play, Gazarra's role as villainous businessman became a cult favorite. 

On stage, Gazzara originated the role of the alcoholic, sexually confused Brick in Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." It helped make his name, but he saw the role go to Paul Newman in the 1958 film adaptation.

Even after Hollywood beckoned, Gazzara was comfortable migrating from stage to screen, making frequent appearances on Broadway. He was nominated for three Tony awards for playing a drug addict in "A Hatful of Rain," for doing double duty in two short plays Eugene O’Neill’s “Hughie” and David Scott Milton’s “Duet," and for playing the alcoholic George in a revival of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf."

More from TheWrap: 'Glee' sidelined for two months

His last Broadway role came in 2006's acclaimed revival of the social protest drama "Awake and Sing!"

Gazzara's performance in HBO's "Hysterical Blindness" earned him his first Emmy award in 2006. He also  earned plaudits for his starring role in the TV movie, "An Early Frost" (1985), one of the first nationally broadcast works to deal with the AIDS crisis. 

Gazzara was married three times to Louise Erickson (1951–1957), actress Janice Rule (1961–1979), and German model Elke Stuckmann.

He his survived by Stuckmann, their daughter, and an adopted daughter. Gazarra's brother, Anthony, also survives him. 

More in TODAY entertainment:

Continue reading here:
'Anatomy of a Murder' star Gazzara dies

ABC/VIVIAN ZINK

"Grey's Anatomy's" Kate Walsh and Patrick Dempsey

"It's a great fantasy and device for the writers to turn characters on their head and for fans to be amused," guest star Kate Walsh says of Thursday's big "alternate universe" episode of Grey's Anatomy. In the hour, Meredith ponders what life could have been like had she grown up with a normal mother and made a series of different choices.

"As things start to unfold, we in the writers' room kept coming up with more and more things if Meredith had been a shiny, happy person," Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes tells The Hollywood Reporter, noting that Derek would have remained unhappily married to Addison (Kate Walsh).

Here's a character-by-character breakdown of who's up to what in the bizarro world.

Ellis (Kate Burton): She's happy, Alzheimer's free and chief at Seattle Grace and married -- to Richard! -- and runs a very tight ship while still being in control of Meredith, who still lives at home. "She's pushing her daughter to be better, to be more," Sara Ramirez tells THR. Talk about too much family time.

Richard (James Pickens Jr.): He's the nice guy to Ellis' fierce hand at the helm of the hospital, often the quiet confidant to others at the hospital, including Bailey. He also seems quiet content to be the family man and let Ellis take center stage at the hospital, despite not always agreeing with her choices.

STORY: 'Grey's Anatomy': Watch the First 10 Minutes of the Alt Universe Episode, 'If/Then' (Video)

Meredith (Ellen Pompeo): She's happy, peppy, perky and clad in pink. Plus engaged to Alex, who after some initial grousing has Ellis' blessing. Oh, and she's no longer Dr. Grey, instead going by Dr. Webber. "To me a happy Meredith, a chirpy girl who wears pink is a horror story to me. That girl is sort of horrifying," Rhimes says.

Derek (Patrick Dempsey): Kate Walsh tells THR that Derek "isn't at his best" in this world and isn't the top doc at Seattle Grace, with Ellis often picking on him. "I call him McDreary but he's not the happiest on the planet," the Private Practice star says with a laugh. And there's clearly no Mer-Der. Says Rhimes: "[In this world, Meredith] never would have been a girl in a bar, meeting a boy in a bar and that never would have happened. So if she'd never been in the bar, she never would have ended up with him. Which means when Addison showed up to get her husband back, she would have just gotten him back."

Addison (Kate Walsh): Walsh says Addison is pregnant with her and husband Derek's first child and that on the surface they seem to be the hospital's power couple. "Addison is pretty established in her career at this point and she's seven months pregnant and probably thinking more about family and her personal life more at this point," she says. In addition, she's very tight with Ellis and is sort of like a "class pet" for her. "It's great thing for fans who have fantasized about Addison and Derek staying together and what would have happened. It's a great fantasy and device for the writers to turn characters on their head and for fans to be amused."

STORY: 'Grey's Anatomy's' Shonda Rhimes and Sara Ramirez Ponder Destiny in 'If/Then'

Alex (Justin Chambers): Rhimes says Alex is "both horrifying and hilarious" in the alternate universe -- have you seen those glasses and that happy-go-lucky attitude? Understatement! Despite slipping a ring on Meredith's finger, the couple keeps their relationship private at the hospital even though Ellis has signed off on the union.

Callie (Sara Ramirez): Married. Three kids. Owen. And have you seen her kiss him? Ramirez says there are no matter what page you turn to, "at some point in your life, your destiny catches up with you and finds you no matter what." Without having ever met Erica Hahn, Rhimes says Callie never discovered she might have feelings for a woman. "She's pining for a woman and doesn't know why and she's sort of wistful but she's trapped," the showrunner says. "It's this really lovely moment. The part of the episode that I think is really magical is, can they all find their way back to who they should really be. That's sort of what you're watching. I think it's really delightful." Beyond her marriage and motherhood, Ramirez says Ellis has taken a particular interest the cardio surgeon and serves as a mentor to her.

Arizona (Jessica Capshaw): Capshaw tells THR that Arizona's sexuality "is not discussed" in the hour and that her relationship with Callie starts off on the wrong foot and progresses from there. "There is a growth -- there's the beginning where they lock heads over a medical situation and then there's the growth to an understanding and an affinity," she says. "But I don't think it's clear that there's something between them that's outside of that." Beyond Callie, Capshaw says viewers will see a different, "sexier, more sophisticated" Arizona in this world, who doesn't have a partner and is really just on her own.

STORY: 'Grey's Anatomy': Who's Kissing Whom in the Alt Universe? (Exclusive Video)

Owen (Kevin McKidd): He finally has the family that he's always wanted -- Ramirez says Owen is a "great dad" -- but he's still not happy. "[Callie and Owen] have no business being together: he's pining for somebody else, she's having all these unexplained feelings for Arizona," Rhimes says.

Teddy (Kim Raver): With Owen still suffering from PTSD, still Skypes with his "buddies" in Iraq -- including, as Callie believes, a guy named Teddy.

Bailey (Chandra Wilson): "Without Richard to spend the time mentoring her, Mandy Bailey might have stayed Mandy Bailey and never gotten to be the Nazi," Rhimes says. Indeed: She's incredibly timid and allows Ellis to snake a high-profile surgery right out from under her.

Cristina (Sandra Oh): In this world, Cristina is completely ostracized, with Callie never really getting her. "You're going to see Cristina struggle with a few things," Ramirez warns. "She's smart through and through but maybe her personality has been a little bit affected by making different choices."

April (Sarah Drew): Still single and, apparently accepting that her "person" -- Meredith -- is now engaged to her former crush, Alex, April now carries a torch for Charles (Robert Baker) who is still alive since the hospital shooting that claimed his life in the typical Grey's world never happened.

Jackson (Jesse Williams): So far, little has been revealed about Jackson's alternate universe persona, other than that he winds up treating a very different Lexie.

Lexie (Chyler Leigh): Little Grey, it turns out, appears to be the dark and twisty one, having come into Seattle Grace covered in tattoos and piercings as a patient suffering from an overdose of cocaine.            

Mark (Eric Dane): Mark never winds up coming to Seattle Grace, Rhimes says.

Izzie (Katherine Heigl) and George (T.R. Knight): Ramirez says the duo are mentioned briefly, while Rhimes teases that viewers will "understand where they went in this new world." Don't bet on seeing either.

Hit the comments wi
th whose story line are you most excited to see in the alternate universe. Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

More here:
'Grey's Anatomy' Preview: Who's Doing What in the Alternate Universe?

iPad version 1.0.1 (updated October 7, 2011)
By Frank Netter
$89.99
Philadelphia, PA, Elsevier, 2012
Available through iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/netters-anatomy-atlas/id461841381?mt=8

Roger P. Smith, MD Author Affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis (rogpsmith@iupui.edu).

Few authors achieve “superstar” status in medicine, and even fewer do so as medical illustrators. The work of Frank Netter (1906-1991) resonates with all students of medicine, from those considering the field to those old enough to remember eagerly anticipating the next publication of a work by Netter. As iconic as the Netter illustrations are, that level of recognition and quality is not sufficient to guarantee the value of a book or iPad application, and those attributes set a high bar of expectation for any product. In this case, the application seems to live up to those expectations.

Left, The home screen for Netter's Anatomy Atlas for iPad provides multiple ways of locating anatomical information fast: users can search, browse by region or system, or proceed directly to Netter plates tagged with personal bookmarks or notes. Right, Label quizzes test users' memory of anatomical terminology. Reprinted with permission from Elsevier. …

Original post:
Netter's Anatomy Atlas for iPad [Book and Media Reviews]

Kinect hacks have been used for many a grand feat, from a tool that helps the blind navigate more easily to hands-free questing in World of Warcraft and virtual cat brushing.

The Mirracle system projects a CT image onto the user's reflection to give the illusion of seeing inside one's own body.

(Credit: Screenshot by Elizabeth Armstrong Moore/CNET)

So why not integrate the powers of Microsoft Kinect with a mirror to teach such subjects as basic anatomy?

For the past year, a team out of the Technical University of Munich in Germany has been working on just that. The researchers use Kinect to estimate the position of a person in front of an augmented-reality mirror in order to create the illusion that the user can see inside her own body.

Researchers Tobias Blum and Nassir Navab say the tool, which they call Mirracle--for "mirror miracle," I suppose--is largely educational, and report that they installed a prototype of their Mirracle system in the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam in September 2011.

The Kinect provides tracking, while software from OpenNI and PrimeSense NITE project the skeleton of a person onto the subject in front of the mirror. The Kinect is positioned next to the screen, so that the person standing in front of the Mirracle system can interact with the screen, using touch-screen gestures without having to actually touch anything.

While the end result is a little crude--for instance, it uses someone else's CT image instead of the subject's own--the Mirracle system certainly enables more user interaction and visualization. Those are two big perks for studying anatomy.

Go here to read the rest:
'Mirracle' Kinect hack used to teach anatomy

Kinect hacks have been used for many a grand feat, from a tool that helps the blind navigate more easily to hands-free questing in World of Warcraft and virtual cat brushing.

The Mirracle system projects a CT image onto the user's reflection to give the illusion of seeing inside one's own body.

(Credit: Screenshot by Elizabeth Armstrong Moore/CNET)

So why not integrate the powers of Microsoft Kinect with a mirror to teach such subjects as basic anatomy?

For the past year, a team out of the Technical University of Munich in Germany has been working on just that. The researchers use Kinect to estimate the position of a person in front of an augmented-reality mirror in order to create the illusion that the user can see inside her own body.

Researchers Tobias Blum and Nassir Navab say the tool, which they call Mirracle--for "mirror miracle," I suppose--is largely educational, and report that they installed a prototype of their Mirracle system in the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam in September 2011.

The Kinect provides tracking, while software from OpenNI and PrimeSense NITE project the skeleton of a person onto the subject in front of the mirror. The Kinect is positioned next to the screen, so that the person standing in front of the Mirracle system can interact with the screen, using touch-screen gestures without having to actually touch anything.

While the end result is a little crude--for instance, it uses someone else's CT image instead of the subject's own--the Mirracle system certainly enables more user interaction and visualization. Those are two big perks for studying anatomy.

Read more:
Use Kinect to teach anatomy? It's a 'Mirracle'!

Over the past year, I have tracked for my readers a series of headaches suffered by legendary silver producer Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL  ) , culminating in Hecla's Hangover: the temporary closure of the Lucky Friday mine in Idaho to allow removal of accumulated debris from its primary silver shaft.

As I headed to Vancouver, British Columbia, last week to attend the Cambridge House World Resource Investment Conference, I was eager to sit down with Hecla CEO Phillips Baker Jr.; not to rehash the events that have precipitated a painful decline in the shares, but rather to refocus investor attention upon the unaltered long-term investment outlook for this 120-year-old icon of the silver industry.

In the forthcoming series of articles, featuring memorable excerpts from my conversation with Mr. Baker, I will present the anatomy of a silver company that I consider just as poised to profitably mine silver for the next 120 years as it has been to date. To catch each of these installments and a wealth of exclusive coverage from the recent conference in Vancouver, please follow me on Twitter or bookmark my article list here.

Greens Creek: Hecla's powerful and reliable cash-flow engine
Christopher Barker: Just as it takes a long-term view to comprehend Hecla's lengthy history, I am far more interested in focusing upon the long-term future of this company than the roughly one-year stoppage at Lucky Friday. Let's begin by discussing the strategic importance of Hecla's Greens Creek mine in Alaska, and how fortunate the company is to be able to target 7 million ounces of silver production from this one mine alone in 2012.

Phillips Baker Jr.: And it's very low-cost silver production. We're not yet releasing our cost estimate for 2012, but clearly over the last 20 years Greens Creek has been one of the lowest-cost silver mines in the world ... consistently. And it will continue to be that. So our margins on those silver ounces are not too far from whatever the price of silver might be.

Barker: Where does Greens Creek fit within the pantheon of the world's great silver mines?

Baker: In the world, Greens Creek is among the 10 largest silver mines, and in the United States it is certainly the largest silver mine. And it's a mine that has consistently replaced reserves. Usually it's every two or three years, you'll see a little decline in the reserves, and then you'll see it gap-up as exploration develops. The mine was put into production in 1989 with a seven-year mine life, so it's remarkable the success we've had with exploration. We currently have about eight or nine years ahead of us in mine life. I would expect that over the next three or four years -- as I look at the reserve / resource base that we have, and where we're going -- that in that period of time we'll have another eight or nine years in front of us.

So it is the underlying cash-flow engine of the company that drives the business. It was an asset that we acquired -- the 70% that we didn't already own -- in 2008. Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO  ) had been the operator of the mine for almost 20 years before that. When we acquired it, we were convinced of a few of things. One is that it was a high-quality asset that would continue to operate consistent with what it had done in the past. Second, that there was lots of exploration potential. And third, that we wanted to have exposure to the metal price. When you put those things together, you have an asset that really drives the total valuation of the company.

Understanding the long-term productive potential of the Greens Creek district
The ultimate scale of the world's greatest precious-metal deposits is seldom understood in advance of production. The fact that Greens Creek commenced in 1989 with a seven-year mine life offers a fantastic case in point, since the current projected mine life some 22 years later remains a bit longer still. Goldcorp's (NYSE: GG  ) world-class Penasquito gold and silver mine offers another poignant example, where silver reserves have swelled by a remarkable 92% during the five-year period since Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) inked its game-changing silver stream agreement for 25% of the Penasquito's life-of-mine production. At full production, it's worth noting, Silver Wheaton's annual take from that watershed silver stream will reach the same 7-million-ounce mark that Hecla is targeting from Greens Creek in 2012. And with a trailing cost of silver production of negative $2.04 (net of by-product credits) through the first nine months of 2011, Hecla's cash margins are even fatter than those resulting from Silver Wheaton's famously profitable cost structure.

Simply stated, the opportunities for organic resource expansion at Hecla's Greens Creek must be understood on two separate axes. On the one hand, the orebody that hosts the current mining operation continues to exhibit strong potential to expand (as Baker discussed above) and periodically extend the mine life. Entirely separate from those on-site exploration efforts, however, Hecla sees potential for the expansive Greens Creek district to host multiple orebodies like the one in production today. It is precisely this sort of potential for discovery of entirely new and legendary orebodies from within the company's delicious portfolio of landholdings that I believe the market has most egregiously overlooked in assigning only about a $1.25 billion enterprise value to the shares. The stock is dirt cheap in relation to its existing portfolio of reserves and resources, with a per-ounce multiple (using silver-only proven and probable reserves plus measured and indicated resources) that is 63% lower than the corresponding resource valuation for rival First Majestic Silver (NYSE: AG  ) ! We'll revisit this point when we dive into the valuation case for Hecla's shares in a forthcoming discussion. For now, I'll let CEO Phillips Baker draw your attention to the potential for brand-new discoveries at Greens Creek, which offers a further bonus beyond the bargain valuation of existing silver reserves and resources.

Baker: Greens Creek has grown into a 27-square-mile land package. The largest piece was subject to a dispute with the federal government that started in the mid-1970s and did not get resolved until 1998 by an act of Congress. And so throughout that time, there was no meaningful exploration work conducted other than within the patented mining claims that were not subject to this dispute. So there is a good example of where we didn't focus on it, and Rio didn't focus on it, because it didn't make any sense until the early 2000s.

Geologically, Greens Creek was formed through what is called a "black smoker." Think of it like a little volcano -- not unlike the Hawaiian Islands -- where you have that hotspot and the Earth's crust moves over it over time. Well in this case, the hotspot is frequently spewing out sulphides, so that's what we're looking for. These types of orebodies typically come in a cluster. So that's what we're looking for.

Barker: And the deposit that you're mining right now, that's conceivably just one of those? One of those mineralizing events, basically?

Baker: Right. Correct. And to put that into context, that mine has produced 200 million ounces of silver over the last 22 years, and produced more than 1.2 million ounces of gold,
and I couldn't tell you how much lead and zinc. So that's what we're looking for is another one of those with this surface exploration program that we have ongoing.

Now, understand, this is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. And you're limited to exploring only in the summers. It is very rugged country. And so to get a half-dozen or a dozen holes in during a summer, that's about all you are able to do. But when you have success, you'll go in to follow up, and you'll hit it pretty hard.

So when I look at Greens Creek, this is an example of a district that -- despite how prolific it's been since being discovered by Noranda in 1973 (and subject to the dispute until 1998), and given the poor prices until 2004 -- it's only been in the last seven years that meaningful work has been done, and only then during the summers. So we're in the early stages of this thing despite the 22 years that it's been in production.

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Anatomy of a Silver Legend: Hecla's Greens Creek Mine

Mr Hester succeeded Sir Fred Goodwin (known as Fred the Shred because of his cost-cutting reputation) in November 2008.

At the time, RBS was in turmoil, having to be bailed out by the taxpayer to the tune of £45bn. For a short time, the bank had even been the biggest bank in the world. This £45bn "investment" is worth just £25bn today and the bank's share price has tumbled from 180p, before Mr Hester was appointed, to 27p today.

This is not good news for shareholders, especially the taxpayer, who owns 82 per cent of the company.

In the dark days of 2008, RBS made a staggering £24bn loss, the biggest in British corporate history. Since then, losses have been stemmed (to £1.1bn in 2010 and £3.6bn in 2009) and in the first nine months of 2011, the bank made a modest £1.2bn profit.

Mr Hester's priority has been to shrink RBS, which had become so swollen before the bailout that it was deemed "too big to fail". He has succeeded in doing this, reducing the firm's balance sheet (made up of assets and liabilities) from £2.2tr to £1.6tr, a reduction of £600bn.

But RBS is still a huge business - bigger than the £1.4tr size of the British economy. This is despite the loss of 33,000 staff, who have been axed since he took over.

Mr Hester is paid £1.2m a year, and was entitled to a short-term bonus of £963,000. At RBS, there is a cap on short-term bonuses of 200 per cent of salary - £2.4m in Mr Hester's case. He is also in line for long-term bonuses of as much as £8m.

RBS argues that he is worth it because he has made the company safer and turned it into a profit-making business.

Bonus busted: RBS chief Stephen Hester waives bonus

Excerpt from:
Anatomy of a state-owned bank

As Meredith puts Zola to bed and falls asleep, she begins to
wonder -- what if her mother had never had Alzheimer's and
she'd had loving, supportive parents? The reverberations of a
happy Meredith Grey change the world of Seattle Grace as we
know it. What if she had never met Derek in that bar and he had
never separated from Addison? What if Callie and Owen had
become a couple long before she met Arizona? And what if Bailey
never evolved from the meek intern she once was? "Grey's
Anatomy" airs THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the
ABC Television Network.

As Meredith puts Zola to bed and falls asleep, she begins to
wonder -- what if her mother had never had Alzheimer's and she'd
had loving, supportive parents? The reverberations of a happy
Meredith Grey change the world of Seattle Grace as we know it.
What if she had never met Derek in that bar and he had never
separated from Addison? What if Callie and Owen had become a
couple long before she met Arizona? And what if Bailey never
evolved from the meek intern she once was? "Grey's Anatomy" airs
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 (9:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television
Network.

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'Grey's Anatomy': 'If/Then' Alternate Reality Sneak Preview (VIDEO)

Morbid Anatomy Presents at Observatory is coming to The Big City (New York City, that is), with 3 lectures to be hosted by the Cornelia Street Cafe?, care of our good buddies (and co-Observatarians) The Hollow Earth Society. The theme of the lecture grouping is "Body as Funhouse Mirror," and features past favorite Observatory speakers Amy Herzog, Mark Dery and Sharon Shattuck.

Full details on the series can be found below; hope to see you at one or all three of these great encore lectures!

All shows are Sunday at 6 PM, tickets are $10. Please RSVP to 212.989.9319. For more, click here.

Image: from the website for Cornelia Street Café.

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A new episode of The Midnight Archive--the web-based documentary series centered around Observatory--has just been uploaded and can be viewed above. In this episode--entitled "Wax"--we learn about the uncanny waxworks of artist Sigrid Sarda, visit her amazing home studio/private museum, and watch as she launches into a new piece using Midnight Archive director Ronni Thomas as model/subject; fascinating discussions touching on the history of wax, death, magic and The Uncanny ensue. This is one of my favorite Midnight Archives thus far; not to be missed!

The creator of The Midnight Archive--Film-maker and many-time Observatory lecturer Ronni Thomas--says about this episode:

EPISODE 09 - WAX - A long standing obsession of mine has always been wax... I am honored to have someone I genuinely consider a true artist as part of our series - Ms. Sigrid Sarda. From our first meeting I knew we'd have a ton of things to talk about. The charmingly perverse Sarda has taught herself the ancient art of sculpting in wax, and it is every bit as creepy and interesting as you might expect. Her home (where we shot the episode) - is LITTERED with her creations. Its a scene out of one of my all time favorite films "Tourist Trap" minus a creepy cross-dressing Chuck Connors. Take a look at the art behind the wax. Its truly a fascinating medium. And Sig is truly a fascinating artist. Stay tuned, as she is working on a maze called Welcome To Hegemony which is sort of a super speed 'haunted' maze which will feature many of her wax friends - HOPEFULLY including the wax figure she is making of yours truly! Enjoy!

For more on the series, to see former episodes, or to sign up for the mailing list and thus be alerted to future uploads, visit The Midnight Archive website by clicking here. You can also "like" it on Facebook--and be alerted in this way--by clicking here. You can find out more about the amazing work of Sigrid Sarda by clicking here.

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Some of you might remember some not so distant blog posts about the amazing Museum of Everything exhibition in London last year. Well, for those of you who missed that mind-bending spectacle, I have some great news: The Museum of Everything is coming to town, to join in on the festivities of The Outsider Art Fair.

Full details--taken from their newsletter--follow; hope very much to see you at one of these great events!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THE SHOP OF EVERYTHING
AT THE OUTSIDER ART FAIR
26TH – 29TH JANUARY 2012
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Touching down at the Outsider Art Fair is The Shop of Everything, a glamorous boutique selling limited edition books, prints & merchandise created by The Museum of Everything & its artists.

The Shop of Everything will be open for business from the 26th to 29th January, with lithograph prints by George Widener, William Scott & Sir Peter Blake, designer dresses by Clements Ribeiro in collaboration with Atelier der Villa & Creative Growth, four hand-crafted volumes from the museum's European shows, not to mention travel-bags, homeware, casual attire, creative stationary, all discounted for this first foray into the Americas.

Please do not miss this spectacular opportunity to buy a few bits & bobs, shake a few hands & see a few wonderful things. Remember, what we got at The Shop of Everything ain’t available anywhere else ... & here’s another good reason why you should come:

The Outsider Art Fair is where many first discovered the great non-traditional artists of the 20th Century. Yet can this essential creativity still be dismissed as outsider art? These artists are part of our legacy, the form the aesthetic fabric of our universe, they must be celebrated & included, not denigrated & denied. Death to outsider art! Long live the outsiders!

The Museum of Everything
January 2012

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SCREENING: IS IT ART?
2PM ON FRIDAY 27TH JAN
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In September & October 2011, The Museum of Everything opened Exhibition #4 at Selfridges of London - the first major survey of work from studios for self-taught artists with learning & other disabilities, & a retrospective of American artist, Judith Scott.

Over 100,000 visitors attended the show & its artists were featured throughout the media. During the Frieze Art Fair 2011, Intelligence Squared hosted a debate at The Museum of Everything with some of the leading artists, thinkers & curators in Britain: Chris Dercon, director of Tate Modern; Ralph Rugoff, director of the Hayward Gallery; artists Antony Gormley & Alice Anderson; Tom di Maria, director of Creative Growth; Roger Cardinal, art historian & creator of the term "outsider art" & Jon Snow, Britain's leading television interviewer & host of Channel 4 News.

The question presented to the panel was: if someone creates work which we call a work of art, yet that same person cannot conceive of it as a work of art, then what is it - art or something else? Find out what they said in the premiere of the film Is It Art?, screening exclusively at the Outsider Art Fair.

Intelligence Squared presents Is It Art?
(60 mins) 2011

2:00pm on Friday 27th January 2012
Outsider Art Fair

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THE FILMS OF EVERYTHING
5:30PM ON FRIDAY 27TH JAN
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Narrated live by James Brett, founder of The Museum of Everything, The Films of Everything present an illustrated history of the museum, from its critically heralded opening at the Frieze Art Fair 2009, right up to its most recent installation at Selfridges of London.

Included in the talk will be films recording the museum’s projects at Tate Modern and with Sir Peter Blake, as well as those featured in Exhibition #4, revealing self-taught artists in studios across Europe, plus the BBC2 segment on celebrated American artist Judith Scott.

The films & talk will be followed by a Q+A discussion on the museum's growing visibility on the international stage, as well as projects in African, Russian and Middle Eastern pipelines.

The Films of Everything
(90 mins) 2009-11
Premiere Screening & Talk

5:30pm on Friday 27th January 2012
Outsider Art Fair

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
COLLECTING OBSESSION
6PM ON SATURDAY 28TH JAN
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Find out what it takes to be an accumulator of accumulations, as leading European collectors Bruno Decharme of abcd Paris & James Brett of The Museum of Everything share war stories with American collector Lawrence Benenson & describe the ins & outs of amassing work by some of the overlooked creators in the history of modern art.

Moderated by art historian & curator Valérie Rousseau, the talk will take the form of a discussion panel & might degenerate into a wrestling match.

Collecting Obsession
Discussion Panel

6:00pm on Saturday 28th January 2012
Outsider Art Fair

More can be found here and here.

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21-08-2009 09:32 If you're watching videos with your preschooler and would like to do so in a safe, child-friendly environment, please join us at http://www.sesamestreet.org Dr. Grover helps fix a letter 'A'

Follow this link:
Sesame Street: A's Anatomy - Video