Books of the Month: March and April
Yes, I know that March is almost over, but the book of the month (if you were wondering) is The Taking by Dean Koontz. All I can tell you is that it involves: T.S. Eliot, the end of the world and an alien invasion. If this has peaked your interest, you will not be disappointed. This has been one of the best books by him that I have read.
For April, the book of the month is A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. I have yet to read this book, but the reviews have really peaked my curiosity. I have read On the Shoulders of Giants, which was a collection of five famous science papers done by five famous scientists (Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Kepler, and Einstein) which he did commentaries on and I found it fascinating. Anyway, enjoy, and I hope that these two will really make you really think about the stars above you.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006
You may delay, but time will not
- Benjamin Franklin
I have been thinking lately of the continuous march of time. Regardless of where you are or what you are doing, it is always in motion. It pushes us forward, whether we like it or not, whether or not we are prepared. Like the weather, it is unbiased in its motion. For time stops for no one. Money, fame, and power have no effect on the stopping of the eternal ticking. Regardless if you live in London or the Sudan, time moves equally.
Why then do we waste it? Why do some spend their ever vanishing days loafing about, waiting for their life to begin, instead of living the one they have? What purpose do they suppose they are succeeding at with this behavior? The pendulum stops for no man. We have no more control over it than we do the rain.
C. S. Lewis put it best when he said "The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is." With each sun rise brings about new possibilities. No matter what the day before contained, the new one brings about. As the sun arches across the sky and settles in beyond the western horizon, we have every opportunity to change the world, no matter how small the contribution may be. It matters not if you are a brick layer or a rocket scientist, you have every opportunity to make time as valuable as you wish. Embrace it while you still can.
In this day and age we only have the limits we put for ourselves. Technology has made it able for any man to become a millionaire, to give yourself your fifteen minutes of fame. There are those who do not realize this, but this does not mean that they are any less worthy than those who do. To those for whom their motto is carpe diem will always surpass those who's motto is "I'll seize the day... tomorrow".
Why, may you ask, is am I suddenly waxing philosophic? It strikes me that if we as a species lose the ability to do so, then we have truly failed. Man was meant to ponder about the things around him and those who do not have become blind to the world. For imagination and curiousity are the true fuels of the mind. There is no such thing as a scientist who does not ask "what if". There will never be a final frontier for the mind.
I hope you make the best out of the time you are allotted. May you have a good day and the ones that follow after.
- Benjamin Franklin
I have been thinking lately of the continuous march of time. Regardless of where you are or what you are doing, it is always in motion. It pushes us forward, whether we like it or not, whether or not we are prepared. Like the weather, it is unbiased in its motion. For time stops for no one. Money, fame, and power have no effect on the stopping of the eternal ticking. Regardless if you live in London or the Sudan, time moves equally.
Why then do we waste it? Why do some spend their ever vanishing days loafing about, waiting for their life to begin, instead of living the one they have? What purpose do they suppose they are succeeding at with this behavior? The pendulum stops for no man. We have no more control over it than we do the rain.
C. S. Lewis put it best when he said "The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is." With each sun rise brings about new possibilities. No matter what the day before contained, the new one brings about. As the sun arches across the sky and settles in beyond the western horizon, we have every opportunity to change the world, no matter how small the contribution may be. It matters not if you are a brick layer or a rocket scientist, you have every opportunity to make time as valuable as you wish. Embrace it while you still can.
In this day and age we only have the limits we put for ourselves. Technology has made it able for any man to become a millionaire, to give yourself your fifteen minutes of fame. There are those who do not realize this, but this does not mean that they are any less worthy than those who do. To those for whom their motto is carpe diem will always surpass those who's motto is "I'll seize the day... tomorrow".
Why, may you ask, is am I suddenly waxing philosophic? It strikes me that if we as a species lose the ability to do so, then we have truly failed. Man was meant to ponder about the things around him and those who do not have become blind to the world. For imagination and curiousity are the true fuels of the mind. There is no such thing as a scientist who does not ask "what if". There will never be a final frontier for the mind.
I hope you make the best out of the time you are allotted. May you have a good day and the ones that follow after.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Fangs for the memories.
First off, let's get one thing straight. It is practically a rule in Hollywood that the sequel of a movie is supposed to suck. No pun intended. Anyway, there are rare instances (Terminator 2) where the sequel far succeeds the original. This is one of those exceptions.
Underworld:Evolution takes off from the first movie and it is helpful (but not manditory) to have seen the first movie. There are flashback sequences (from the first film) interladen in the film that give you enough backstory to progress the movie along so you do not get lost. It's helpful for those such as myself whose memory is less than perfect. And they are placed where they should be, unlike other sequels where the flashbacks should not have been in the movie to begin with. Another thing is that this movie has more of a flow to it, which the first film was lacking in various places. This film never became stagnant, which in my book is a good thing. It kept progressing at the same speed (which the first one did not) and had a very satisfying ending.
The best way to describe it is that it is a very visual movie. Despite that it is dark (literally) throughout most of the movie, it is also very captivating. Yes there is plenty of violence, blood, and some nudity; but how should any of this be a surprise. Overall, I would give this film four out of five stars. Considering the fact that there are a lot of disappointing vampire films out there, this one is not one of them.
First off, let's get one thing straight. It is practically a rule in Hollywood that the sequel of a movie is supposed to suck. No pun intended. Anyway, there are rare instances (Terminator 2) where the sequel far succeeds the original. This is one of those exceptions.
Underworld:Evolution takes off from the first movie and it is helpful (but not manditory) to have seen the first movie. There are flashback sequences (from the first film) interladen in the film that give you enough backstory to progress the movie along so you do not get lost. It's helpful for those such as myself whose memory is less than perfect. And they are placed where they should be, unlike other sequels where the flashbacks should not have been in the movie to begin with. Another thing is that this movie has more of a flow to it, which the first film was lacking in various places. This film never became stagnant, which in my book is a good thing. It kept progressing at the same speed (which the first one did not) and had a very satisfying ending.
The best way to describe it is that it is a very visual movie. Despite that it is dark (literally) throughout most of the movie, it is also very captivating. Yes there is plenty of violence, blood, and some nudity; but how should any of this be a surprise. Overall, I would give this film four out of five stars. Considering the fact that there are a lot of disappointing vampire films out there, this one is not one of them.
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