If you know someone with steampunky inclinations and are stumped about what to get them for the holidays, why not consider a 45-button set of conceptual flying machines circa 1885? (How's that for specific?)

Steampunk Magazine has started an online forum, named the Gaslamp Bazaar, for like-minded individuals. Wow, there are multiple forums and magazines out now concerning steampunk, and there's even a convention in the works. It's almost disconcerting. Speaking of, is the Victorian Adventure Enthusiast ever going to spring into being? I've been checking the site since August!

The Smithsonian has a lovely exhibit titled "Doodles, Drafts and Designs," which features a wealth of industrial drawings, blueprints, and posters. Very cool, inspiring stuff. In more modern exhibitions, artist Brad Hwang's "Time May Change Me, I Can't Change Time" is an interactive sort of creation that looks like a rowing machine encountered a Wimhurst Machine. I'd love to see it firsthand!