*Enders Game* gets started...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/us/05army.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
(this is just a snippet of the article)

Urban Tool in Recruiting by the Army: An Arcade

By JOHN LELAND

Published: January 4, 2009

PHILADELPHIA — Amid the last-minute shopping bustle, the voice in the Black Hawk helicopter simulator shouted with an urgency that exceeded even the holiday mall frenzy.

The $13 million center, opened in August, replaced five smaller recruitment stations.

About 35 visitors have enlisted.

Triggers squeezed. Pixels exploded. Shopping waited.

At the Franklin Mills mall here, past the Gap Outlet and the China Buddha Express, is a $13 million video arcade that the Army hopes will become a model for recruitment in urban areas, where the armed services typically have a hard time attracting recruits.

The Army Experience Center is a fitting counterpart to the retail experience: 14,500 square feet of mostly shoot-’em-up video games and three full-scale simulators, including an AH-64 Apache Longbow helicopter, an armed Humvee and a Black Hawk copter with M4 carbine assault rifles. For those who want to take the experience deeper, the center has 22 recruiters. Or for more immediate full-contact mayhem, there are the outlet stores.

(.... and lots more from there)

gothy goodness

http://hautemacabre.wordpress.com/

New to me. It looks all women's stuff, but they also have cool gents blog bytes, diy, home decor. Inspirational. :)