Every so often, I revisit old stories that seemingly have faded away to nothing, because it is interesting to see if they really did. An old story that I recently decided to 'track back' was the assertion that Richard C. Hoagland made some years ago to the effect that the Old Navy franchise had conspiratorial connections to secret societies with secret agendas. While rummaging around looking for the remnants of both the story itself and the reaction to it, I wound up finding the following bizarre bit of info at the Old Navy website:
Old Navy apparently markets a little long-sleeved t-shirt intended for baby boys (in particular, I might add-- the shirt was nowhere to be seen in the 'clothes for baby girls' section of the site) that goes by the name 'Old Navy Secret Society shirt'. It is currently offered as a sale item (marked down from $10.50 to $6.00), and with the assumption that it will probably not be on offer much longer, I grabbed the pic above and the following info regarding the shirt--
Secret Society Graphic Tees for Baby
Bring baby into the inner circle with our long-sleeve graphic tees. It's always best to be in the know.
#600536
While I have no opinion one way or another about Old Navy, I do find their sale of this shirt in the aftermath of Mr. Hoagland's assertions the weensiest bit odd. I'm sure that most folks will see it as a joke-cum-marketing-ploy designed to take advantage of the Hoagland claim, but I find it interesting that the shirt is being sold as a boys' clothing item in particular. That there is an overly strong sexist (and fetishist) vibe in American fashion retailing is a given, but it seems like weird overkill to extend the 'boys in the know, girls just for show' crap into the infant clothing market.
But then again, the upper echelons and inner circles of most secret organizations are not noted for an egalitarian attitude towards any human being packing a vagina.
At any rate, it was definitely interesting to find Old Navy marketing this little tidbit in the wake of Hoagland's comments, so I thought I'd post it. To quote the shirt, 'You can't dream if you don't sleep'-- I'm assuming that (the secret cabal) 'they' look at (Zeta) Z's as a good thing, meaning that folks ought to be sleeping like fashed toddlers and treating anything said about clandestine groups and their hidden agendas as a simplistic 'fashionista-giggle'. Oh, and of course, they also want you to be sure and buy the shirt for your favorite boy-type rug-rat...
Peace,
T'Zairis
8 comments:
I wonder what they have
for kitty cats? :-)
:-)
Hathor -- In the boys clothing section at Old Navy
;-)
I don't think they'll have much, if they really are hooked up with elitists...
Personally, I think that those of us who follow TEM, DM and anomaly/conspiracy stuff ought to come up with our very own 'secret society'. We could call ourselves something along the lines of the 'Feles Cydoniae' (Cats of Cydonia), and I'm sure we could come up with much better secret handshakes, degrees (as in 33.333333rd degree, the Keeper of the Hyperdimensional Cat-Flap), and cooler outfits than either the Masons or the Thelemists. Heck, we could even do an amusing t-shirt or two.
In a parody of the Masonic membership slogan, '2 B 1 ask 1', ours could be '2 B 1 ask 19.5', and instead of a Masonic apron, we could each wear a wide, bejewelled animal-print belt with a stuffed cloth tail attached to the rear of it, representing the breed of big cat that each member chooses as their 'Cydonian Avatar' when they join up.
Of course, every member would be free to make up their own rank and/or title, while headgear, meetings and by-laws would be optional.
My feeling is, why should we let a bunch of rich, stuck-up pr*cks have all the exclusivist fun? I have a friend who I am going to 'tap' for erstwhile membership-- or perhaps 'claw' would be a better term. I think she will find the idea of her very own secret society doubly amusing, as her brother has relatively recently become a Mason, and she is not exactly happy about that.
At any rate, this could be rather entertaining...
Peace,
T'Zairis
I like the tail idea!
Hmmm...I think I'll be a lion.
Doesn't it figure!
:-)
Hathor -- A founding member of this new secret sect
;-)
My feline friend (an old college chum) with the Masonic brother thought that our own weird secret society was an absolutely wonderful idea. We spent the early part of last week coming up with amusing Degrees and pondering silly names for ourselves. She is also still trying to decide which large cat breed she wants to be. I am in the process of collecting all the stuff from our emails and organizing it, and then I will post it to the blog, just for grins.
I've decided my 'Name of Sublime Felinity' is Queen Valis Nais-Ki-Ti, Martian Tigress and Demi-Goddess of the Crinoid Throne. ('Valis' in honor of Philip K. Dick, of course!) I am lobbying for the moniker 'Mittens Heinlein-Kirk' (Empress of Andromeda and Chief Abbess of the Federation Zen Kitty-Litter Garden and Vulcan Massage Parlor on Rigel 6) for my friend, who is a big Robert Heinlein/William Shatner fan and long-time cat owner, but she's still dithering...
At any rate, you're in, so now there are three of us Feles Cydoniae, which is pretty darned exclusive and cool, if you ask me. If you come up with a suitable Name of Sublime Felinity, let me know!
Peace,
T'Z (a.k.a. Queen Val N-K-T, M.T., D.G.C.T.)
Ah! I believe that my
"Name of Sublime Felinity"
shall be---
"Lion Prince Claudius Ki - Ti, Royal Regent
of Cydonia and Keeper of the Hidden Voice,"
(in honor of Eric Frank Russell's timeless
work, "Somewhere A Voice").
And I am accompanied by my lovely adopted
daughter, Claudette Ki - Ti, a true pussycat!
Hail, Secret Sisters! (insert secret signs
and secret handshake here)
:-)
Hathor -- In Full Ceremonial Garb With Apron
;-)
Great Name of Sublime Felinity! My college friend has opted for the more Vulcan-sounding 'T'Pounce Heinlein-Kirk' (with aforementioned titles). We may also be joined by a couple of my library coworkers, who are both cat-owners and sci-fi/anomaly mavins.
I am archiving both you and the lovely Claudette as full Felidae In Good Standing, and you and she now hold a valid, above-top-secret 'Cosmic Lion Clearance' in Feles Cydoniae, Mars Stargate Lodge.
As soon as I come up with a good logo for us, I will assemble and post all Degrees, titles and what-have-you to the blog. In the meantime, your Secret Sisters return your True Martian Lion Grip, and welcome you to the Sacred Scratching Posts of Candor Chasma.
Peace,
T'Z (Queen Val)
Great Thanks, O Queen,
and Felidae Greetings,
Secret Sisters!
Lion Prince Claudius Ki - Ti,
R.R.O.C., K.O.T.H.V.
&
Claudette Ki - Ti,
A.T.P.
:-)
Hathor -- In Full Felidae Splendor
;-)
T'Zairis,
I wouldn't at all be surprised about Old Navy. I saw them use their outdoor Neon Letters in a certain way that seemed to signal something. Another one was the DRESS BARN,who had their letters DRE turned off for awhile before the holidays leaving only the SS BARN lit up at night! Cute!
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