The Bone-Headed Media, Part 1

So I realized I've come pretty close to slipping away from this blog AGAIN. I decided the best way to keep my interest up until I get into the habit of writing so often is to discuss issues I have strong feelings about (That is, things that piss me off). One of these things is the Calcs and their portrayal by what we that live the Life like to call the "bone-headed" media. I have a whole notebook of this stuff, more than would make an entry, and my pals have got some of their own gripes that I'll write about if I ever feel low on creative juice. For now I'm going to focus on one thing per entry, so consider this part one of whatever.

I've talked about Hollywood and Calcs before, but only in passing. The most obvious and flagrant Calc-sympathizing, however, comes from a rather unfortunately and incomprehensibly POPULAR director, Tim Burton. Rather than spell everything out a second time, here's a copy of a letter I sent to him last week:

Tim Burton
c/o Mike Simpson, William Morris Agency
One William Morris Plaza
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

May 13, 2008

Dear Mr. Burton:

My name is Jonesy Sawbones. It has come to my attention as a lawful citizen of this country with the interests of future generations in mind that your films promote the most VILE possible variety of subversive behavior in today’s youth. I refer, of course, to your obvious sympathetic stance on the matter of Calcoids or, as I’m sure you prefer to refer to them, “Skele-Americans” or “the flesh impaired.”

I call them Calcs, Mr. Burton, because I like to call things what they ACTUALLY ARE. I am a professional, licensed Adventurer with an emphasis on Calcoid Studies (BA from Notre Dame, class of ’00). I know my area, Mr. Burton, and I know it damn well. I know that your portrayal of no-meats is erroneous and dangerous. I will admit that your films display a capacity of imagination that is admirable, but the ends to which you turn your imagination must have value as well. Children in particular are taken with your pictures, seeing as how you have a gift for fantastic worlds that would appeal to them. But you poison their minds, Mr. Burton, by telling an entire generation of children that boneys are not dangerous. They grow up thinking that Calcs are “cool” or “rad.” They buy clothes patterned with Calcoid faces from Hot Topic -- merchandise based EXPLICITLY on your films.

I know the truth. I know that a no-meat would just as soon congratulate them for wearing a “Corpse Bride” t-shirt than it would slaughter their family and ransack their gold reserves.

Your film The Nightmare Before Christmas is a pretty outrageous piece of calc propaganda. The HERO (if I can even call it that) is himself a hideous stickpile of a no-meat with designs to conquer the cherished holiday of Christmas. I will point out that this has never been attempted by any Calc in history, and probably wouldn’t be unless it is revealed that Santa Claus had a considerable cache of gold-pieces or, perhaps, a unique flail. I also take issue with your portrayal of a singing Calc. While not unheard of, this is fantastically rare (the last documented case of a so-called “musicalc” was the discovery of one in a Thule Society bunker by Allied Forces in Germany in 1946). Your films are merely a perpetuation of a particular stereotype of Calcs, one that portrays them as nonthreatening and entertaining. But what will you do, Mr. Burton, when the ascendant generation finds itself so integrated with boney “culture” that they do not even put up a fight when the rattling masses click and clack their way into our cities, absconding with our gold, women, and rare items?

When that happens, Mr. Burton, you’ll need people like me to set things straight.

Sincerely,

Jonesy Sawbones

Adventurer

I'll let him mull that over for a while, let him reflect a little. If I get a response I'll let you guys know.

News and a Hangover

So last night, after the crap haul, Matthews and me went out for some drinks to wind down. He tells me about this Anti-Calc Coalition that's been talking to Calc hunters in some sponsorship thing. What I want to know is when these people are gonna talk to me about it.

EVERYONE knows when you want some boneys cleared out and done right you call up ol' Jonesy. I suppose they're too busy issuing cease and desist edicts to Hollywood fatcats who like making picture shows that tell goddamn lies about the clinky fuckers. Well, fellas, when you get SERIOUS about getting rid of those Calcs, you just ring me up.

Till then, I've got to check my couch for change to try and get enough cash to buy some hair of the dog and a liter of juice for my dirtbike. Then I'm off to clean out some crappy hole in the ground.

Literally.

I got the mayor over in New Springburg calling me up every half hour complaining about all the rattling sounds coming out of his drain. I swear, I miss the days when these dicks were taking over towns in the Midwest, at least you didn't have to get waist deep in human sewage to crack some skulls.

But, well, my landlord has been yelling at me this week that he's not gonna take 20 dull, rusty knives for rent this month, so I gotta pony up some cash or I'll be living in my van for a while again.

Keep it fleshy.

Calc Hunting

I can't even begin to describe my day today, but I'll start nonetheless. The mansion, of course, was the perfect breeding ground for Calcs. I say "breeding ground" but we don't really know where they breed, or even IF (hoping on not), so let's just say that I see these assholes in places like this all the time. Clumsy and slow, (like always) and they seemed to be standing still staring at a wall when we entered the room, (again, as always). These guys were of the "fur boots and horned helmet" types, carrying what looked to be about-a-billion-year-old maces. It's like they're making fun of us when they try to wear human things; doubtless these artifacts were taken from the last poor souls these bloodless Calcs encountered.

Matthews prides himself on his proficiency with the rifle but the repeated ricochets off of the helmets just knocked these guys off balance. This gave them something to look at and soon enough, it was time to earn our money. We've found that simple blunt force works best against these guys, so most of us carried a favorite item from the tool shed; others, the sports department. I myself work with a treasured wooden baseball bat. Matthews claims that there is a certain spot on Calcs that, when hit with a bullet, will bring them down in one shot. We have yet to see that actually happen.

Afterwards, we hauled the maces and helmets back to the store, and I mean HAULED. Lord knows how those things could even move their heads anywhere except straight down, staring at their stupid boots. We left the boots. Tony is a good man and he generally gives us a good deal, but for some reason we never have been able to make a profit off of Calc loot. Ever. He actually laughed when he saw the helmets as we grunted them in. Appraising them, he hefted the mace to clang against the helmet, either because he could or because he wanted to prove a point.

"A buck a piece."

I was shocked. They were rusty, sure. They were heavy, DAMN sure. But they were also OLD. That had to be worth something. Tony countered with the argument that, on top of the extremely poor quality of the merchandise, nobody wanted to buy "Calc shit." So it was either argue all day or just take the ten bucks.

One day, a Calc is going to drop something that's actually worth something. And I'll be there.

The Bone Beast

I finally met the Bone Beast today. I'd heard about it from other Adventurers but I never really gave it a thought. The thing is enormous, about the size of a semi truck. It's just a mass of Calcoid parts, all jumbled together. When it needs legs, it forms legs; when it needs arms, it makes arms. It's hard to just watch the thing without going crazy.

Then I heard the music, if you can call it that. My ears have been numb to normal sound since my days as bass player for "Ample Supply of Rusted and Disappointing Loot." (We rocked but there wasn't really a market for a band that sang about being disappointed back then. Maybe we could start it up now). Matthews described it as "atonal, flute-like, unearthly music," before he ran off. All I know is what I saw terrified me.

People who were listening to the "song" were doing just like the other guys said, immediately turning into Calcs. The goddamned clanky sons of bitches were just leaping out of the skin of the these people. And they just started dancing to the "song," like they didn't have a care in the world. It creeped the hell out of me.

I, well, I ran too. Too many Clankers.

Not 'Blogging' for a awhile, guys

The dirtbike sped along the winding lane.
I saw the ledge and knew what must be done.
I took fierce flight but it was all in vain.
Jonesy Sawbones, zero. Gravity, one.

My leg was splintered right above the knee.
The bike burned bright, flames rising to the sky.
I was prepared to let my soul fly free
And go fight Calcs in the Great By-And-By.

But look! An ambulance! Oh, welcome sight!
I knew that I would die another day.
But doctors said I could not ride or fight
Or do anything awesome. What dismay!

Not being able to do what you love
is like a Calc hoarding a precious Glove.

-

Not gonna update because I think I'm accidentally writing poetry on account of the meds. I'll have to make sure later.

Hard Day

Hell.

I try to keep up with something -- this blog, for instance -- and I forget about it until something really shakes me up. Sometimes you just gotta say what's on your mind, you know?

So I was doing my thing in some filthy Calcoid dive, taking with me a fellow hunter who's been coming along more often lately.

While we were cleaning out a room, out of NOWHERE, this lone Calc jumped out and bit a huge chunk out of Donovan's arm. He screamed out, and I looked over, seeing a most terrible secret revealed.

Donovan's very flesh had been peeled back, and underneath, I could see the arm of a Calcoid!

He had been one of those filthy mongrels in disguise all this time!

He was probably trying to lull me into a false sense of security and planning to dispose of me once I trusted him enough to let my guard down.

The terror in that THING'S eyes as I smashed its head in with my trusty bat was almost believable.

I'll give it this, it was strong for a Calc. It took me a lot of swings to settle the matter with any real finality.

It makes me sick to think I called it friend.

I don't know how I'm going to break it to Mrs. Donovan that her husband was a Secret Calc Infiltrator.

Controversial Tactics

So I'm in the shop after a typically shitty haul, and some of the boys are having a rather loud argument.

I walk over to see what's going on, and I find out there is apparently some debate going on, about setting up "Trap Dungeons" for Calcs.

The process is pretty simple, actually: someone puts some rare items or gold in a dungeon filled with trap mechanisms, and sure enough, the Calcs rattle in like vultures to a corpse. Once the Calcs are caged, the owners of the dungeon sell the right to kill them to some sissies who are too afraid to hunt Calcs on their own.

I will be the first to say it's not sporting, but I also think its God-damned awesome.

Think about it: it's about time someone made some real money off of killing Calcs, and they don't deserve the respect we afford more noble creatures such as deer and boar.

I only wish I had the resources to start a dungeon myself.

I know who you are

That stupid son of a bitch went too far this time.

I was leaping down the stairs after I got a call from the DA who said he had Calcs in his closet, and the rest of his house.  I had The Bat strapped to my back, I hopped on my dirtbike and I was ready to go. Then I noticed my tires were flat.  Slashed, actually.  And the engine had a spray-painted Calc face on it.

Only one asshole would pull this kind of shit and it's not a fucking Calc.   Calaveras. That Calc-loving son of a bitch would do anything to slow me down.  He's all about getting the Calcs full rights and putting restrictions on killing those assholes.  Like we're gonna run out of Calcs. I swear that asshole is like one step ahead of me.  He's probably a Half-Calc, like that bitch from "Psycho."

And yeah, I just wheeled the bike to the service station, grinding the rims. It was too heavy to carry.

Hello

This is my blog, I imagine. It's been something I've been meaning to do, keep some notes about the Life because damn if the literature about Calc-hunting ain't got it all wrong.

It's been like that ever since that Michael Crichton novel where the rich industrialist manages to animate those huge prehistoric Calcs the paleontologists keep excavating. Most of us in this line of work don't even believe those Calcs are REAL. There's not any evidence at all that they hoarded gold, first of all, so you know the part in the movie where Sam Neill finds the Calc-raptor-thing's treasure vault is complete Hollywood bullshit.

I'm getting worked up. Going to go do some work, I've been meaning to scout Old Pirate's Cove for a month now. We'll see if I manage to keep up with a "blog."