Got a minute?

The site says:

In the first 30 seconds any fluid on the surface of your body would begin to boil due to lack of ambient pressure, this includes the saliva on your tongue and the moisture in your eyes. Your eardrums would most likely burst due to the pressure in your body trying to equalize with the vacuum outside. Unlike what some science fiction films have suggested, your body would not explode.

After the first 15 seconds you would lose consciousness. If you held your breath you could potentially stay alive longer but you risk pulmonary trauma. If you didn't hold your breath you'd pass out sooner, but your lungs might have a better chance of avoiding permanent damage.

The pressure in your veins would rise until your heart no longer had the capacity to pump blood, at which point you'd die.

So I'd only be conscious during the first 15 seconds of my last 65 seconds of life. I think I'll stay on board the space ship, thank-you-very-much.


HT: Bad Astronomy Blog

Sir Penguin

HT: GreenDaily

Happy Birthday to Animation

/film reports that the first animated film was released 100 years ago today. Emile Cohl was the creator.

The photo above is from vidiot's Flickr page.

Fernand Leger

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1955 of artist and film maker Fernand Leger. MoMA had an exhibition of his work in 1998. AbstractModern.com has some information on him here.

Ballet Mechanique (1924) can be watched in one piece at ubuweb or in 2 parts at youtube.
part 1:

part 2:


FilmReference.com has a page on the film.

The picture at the top of the post is Leger's Railway Crossing (1919).

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 67

1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us;

2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.

5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.

7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

KJV

Bela Lugosi

Today is the anniversary of the death of Elvis, and Elvis always gets all the attention, but today is also the anniversary of the death in 1956 of Bela Lugosi. Bela Lugosi, like Elvis, has his own tag here at my blog. I've seen many of Lugosi's movies, and some of them are available online and are embedded in the posts I wrote when I watched them:

Dracula (1931)
White Zombie (1932)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Mark of the Vampire (1935)
The Phantom Ship (1935)
The Devil Bat (1940)
Invisible Ghost (1941)
Spooks Run Wild (1941)
The Wolf Man (1941)
The Corpse Vanishes (1942)
The Body Snatcher (1945)
Scared to Death (1947)
Bride of the Monster (1955)
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

There is an official Lugosi web site. FilmReference.com has a page devoted to him. There are several fan groups at Facebook.

Tuvalu in the Olympics

This is the first time Tuvalu has fielded athletes in the games.

Okilani Tinilau finished 8th in his heat in the men's 100 m at the Olympics.

Asenate Manoa ran the 100 m and finished 8th in her heat, setting a national record.

Logona Esau competed in the weightlifting and results of that competition are here.

TuvaluIslands.com has a report here:

The Tuvaluan's did not arrive at the Olympics with the expectation of winning medals. Their goal was to participate among the world's greatest athletes, learn the Olympic spirit, and show the world that the people of one of the world's smallest nations can show the dedication to compete at such a high level.

There's a Facebook group for Tuvalu here and a Facebook application to root for Tuvaluan Olympic athletes here.

Feast of the Assumption

Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of Your wisdom
she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory
to be with Him in heaven.
May we follow her example
in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless life and praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

(from ChurchYear.net)

More info:
saints.sqpn.com
wikipedia and a separate article here on the Dormition
Catholic Encyclopedia
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Orthodox Family Life

The picture at the top of the post is of Bartolomeo Vivarini's The Death of the Virgin, (Padua, 1484).

Spot the Penguin

Computers can identify individual penguins:


Learn why that's a good idea at the Penguin Recognition Project.

H.G. Wells

Here is an edited repost of last year's H.G. Wells post:

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1946 of H.G. Wells. He was a historian of sorts (his Short History of the World is available online) and an active socialist, but he is best remembered now for his science fiction writings. A short biography and links to works online are here. There is an H.G Wells Society "Dedicated to promoting and encouraging an active interest in and appreciation of the life, work and thought of H.G. Wells.".

Perhaps his most-read book is The Time Machine. This book, which can be read online here, was adapted for film in 1960. This movie was my first introduction to the story.

Another of Wells' better known works is The War of the Worlds, which can be read online here. A study guide is online here. The 1953 film version was my first exposure to the story.

Wells' story The Invisible Man always affected me more as horror than as strictly science fiction. I saw the 1933 Claude Rains film long before I read the book. The book can be read online here.

The Island of Dr. Moreau has also been made into movies, beginning with the 1932 movie starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi:

Burt Lancaster was in a 1977 adaptation. Pam Grier was in the 1996 version. The book is available here.

Things to Come (1936):

Stuart Blackton

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1941 of pioneer animator J. Stuart Blackton. He directed some early live action films, too, including Oliver Twist, Sherlock Holmes, adaptations of Victor Hugo novels and Shakespeare plays including the first American film version of Romeo and Juliet. The Library of Congress has an article on him. BFI's ScreenOnline has a short biography.

The Enchanted Drawing (1900):


Humorous Phases of Funny Faces (1906):


The Thieving Hand (1908) can be viewed here.

The Antelope Wife

I felt disoriented by Louise Erdrich's The Antelope Wife. There were points at which I felt a real connection to this book and points at which I just rolled my eyes.

It won the World Fantasy Award in 1999.

from the back of the book:

The Antelope Wife extends the branches of the families who populate Louise Erdrich's earlier novels, and once again, her unsentimental, unsparing writing captures the Native American sense of despair, magic, and humor. Rooted in myth and set in contemporary Minneapolis, this poetic and haunting story spans a century, at the center of which is a mysterious and graceful woman known as the Antelope Wife. Elusive, silent, and bearing a mystical link to nature, she embodies a complicated quest for love and survival that impacts lives in unpredictable ways. Her tale is an unpredictable ways. Her tale is an unforgettable tapestry of ancestry, fate, harrowing tragedy, and redemption, that seems at once modern and eternal.

I don't find her writing "unsentimental" at all, and I certainly wouldn't describe it as "unsparing". I think she loses clarity in the flourishes. I've read her Love Medicine and The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, and I like The Antelope Wife least of these 3.

There's a reading group guide here.

reviews:
Salon.com
The NY Times here and here

The Doctor Digs a Grave

The Doctor Digs a Grave by Robin Hathaway won the Agatha Award for best 1st novel in 1998 and the St. Martin's Press/Malice Domestic Competition for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel in 1997.

from the back of the book:

Available for house calls-- and homicide...

When cardiologist Dr. Andrew Fenimore isn't mending weak hearts, he's solving crimes in Philadelphia's wealthy Society Hill. But murder is the last thing the good doctor expects when he befriends a teenage boy trying to bury his dead cat. As the two dig a grave for the cat's final resting place in a vacant lot-which happens to be an ancient burial ground-they discover a fresh corpse, buried flexed, facing east, according to Lenape Indian tradition.

Fenimore's P.I. pastime starts to become a distinct health hazard as he and his young sidekick follow the trail of the deceased young woman straight to the son of a colleague, one of Philadelphia's most prominent surgeons. Surely the scion of a fine old Philadelphia family and his Indian fiancee ignited some powerful passions. But are they enough to risk trying for the perfect murder in a place where civility rules with an iron fist in a velvet glove?

It was a good, easy read with lots of information about heart conditions and Native American herbalism imparted without too heavy an info-dump feel. If I see more in the series I'll pick them up. I liked the characters, and I'd like to try another of the books.

Would Google Maps steer you wrong?

Click on image to enlarge.


from xkcd

Tourist Season

I started Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen while I was on our recent vacation, but my Arkansas trip bore no resemblance to murderous goings-on in the Florida Everglades.

from the back of the book:

The only trace of the first victim was his Shriner's fez washed up on the Miami beach. The second victim, the head of the city's chamber of commerce, was found dead with a toy rubber alligator lodged in his throat. And that was just the beginning... Now Brian Keyes, reporter turned private eye, must move from muckraking to rooting out murder... in a caper that will mix football players, politicians, and police with a group of fanatics and a very hungry crocodile.

This is the 2nd Hiaasen book I've read, and the styles are similar. The descriptions I've seen of his writing emphasize the crime and suspense, but what stands out to me are the humor and the satire. These are fun reads.

R.I.P. Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes has died. I saw the news on tv during a break in Olympics coverage.

obits/notices:
WMC TV
Memphis Commercial Appeal here, here, here, here, here
Mediaverse
CNN:

(CNN) -- Soul singer and arranger Isaac Hayes, who won Grammy awards and an Oscar for the theme from the 1971 action film "Shaft," has died, sheriff's officials in Memphis, Tennessee, reported Sunday. Relatives found Hayes, 65, unconscious in his home next to a still-running treadmill...

The Huffington Post
MSNBC:

In the early 1970s, Hayes laid the groundwork for disco, for what became known as urban-contemporary music and for romantic crooners like Barry White. And he was rapping before there was rap.

Thaddeus Matthews
Reuters
E!Online
BBC
EW.com
NYDailyNews
/film
Arbogast on Film
Cinematical
Pesky Fly
LeftWingCracker
Monkeyfister
Weeden Arts Watch
The Daily Docket
Newscoma
Joe Larkins
SFScope
GreenCineDaily
Religion News Blog reports on Hayes' involvement with Scientology and on his upcoming funeral.

Theme from Shaft:


Strangely, his Soul Men co-star Bernie Mac died yesterday.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 85

1 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin.

3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.

4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

KJV

Parkin Archaeological State Park

I have been meaning to take a day trip to Parkin Archaeological State Park in Parkin, Arkansas, for years and never have, so it was a delight to stop here on the way home. They have an orientation theater with a nice video and some displays. We were impressed with the chain mail, which was made by a local craftsman. There is a separate exhibit hall illustrating the history of the site. Artifacts from the site are displayed in glass cases. There is a photo tour here. There is a 3/4 mile circular path through the site, leading past remains of the moat and mound, St. Francis River overlook, an old cemetery from early 20th-century residents who built a town on the site, locations of previous excavations.... I was disappointed that no excavations are displayed and no layers of discovery can be seen. It's all mowed lawn and explanatory signs. But it was still well worth the price of admission and the time spent. There are a couple of similar sites not far from here, and seeing this one makes me think they might also be worth a trip.


The photo at the top of the post is from Heironymous Rowe at Wikipedia.

Daffy Jumps

but I'm no good at helping him hit the target. Poor Daffy. Click here to see if you can get Daffy down safely.

Ozark Folk Center

This morning we went to the Ozark Folk Center. Having planned to spend the whole day there we were done by lunch time. I was impressed by their herb gardens and am inspired to make a container herb garden on our patio next summer. The instrument maker, the herbalists, the broom maker and the spinners were particularly informative and were respectful of visitors, but some of the other crafters were not so much. We were running from a couple of them, tired of the bad jokes and condescension. They could learn a lot from the attitudes of the demonstration crafters at the local annual Pink Palace Crafts Fair. We had lunch in their Skillet Restaurant and headed back to Mountain View.

In Mountain View The Husband and I got something to drink and looked at the clock shop while The Younger Son showed The Daughter some of what we had done yesterday. We went back to the fudge shop, because who can resist more fudge?

We kicked back at the hotel later and watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, where Tuvalu is competing for the first time.

The photo at the top of the post is from JD Treat's Flickr page.

Online Tutorials

Want to learn how to do something? There's a list of links to 15 online tutorials here, some of which are videos and all but one of which are free.

Mountain View, Arkansas

It rained this morning and was overcast all day. While The Daughter was spelunking on the Blanchard Springs Caverns Wild Cave Tour (with a reporter) The Husband, The Younger Son and I decided to do Mountain View. We had fun wandering around checking out the shops, eating at a local cafe, and discovering the fudge shop. When we picked up The Daughter, who survived her death-defying adventure, we went to see the spring, a beautiful sight:

Later, we headed back down to the square for supper and folk and gospel music at the park:

Dear Mr. President

by Jen Cass

Blanchard Springs Caverns

We got checked into our hotel room in Mountain View yesterday and took it easy last night. This morning we went on the 1 1/2 hour Discovery Tour at Blanchard Springs Caverns. We watched an orientation video and went through the exhibit hall before it was time for our tour to start.

Our tour guide was almost single-mindedly focused on the stairs. Before we got on the elevator to go down to start the tour she gave us a lecture on the difficulty the stairs posed and encouraged anyone with doubts about their ability to complete the tour to get a refund now. Fair enough. When we got to the tour start she did it again. Sigh. We went down some stairs and heard the lecture yet again, with her explaining that we could still get a refund if we left at that point. Honestly, I could hear the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz movie reading that sign in the forest: "I'd turn back if I were you!" Sheesh. At the end of the tour was another set of stairs that she warned us would be difficult. She said it would be fine to stop and catch our breath if we needed to. I have to wonder what kinds of folks she's used to taking on these tours. Our group was fairly diverse in age and none of us seemed to be in great training, but not a one of us had any trouble at all with the Dreaded Stairs of Doom.

The tour itself was a nice walk through the cave. Although she said the other tour was where the "pretty" things were, there was plenty to get excited about here. This formation, for example:

This is a picture The Daughter took of one of the natural entrances up above us:

We saw a lot of bats but no other animals.

I found a slide show someone took of their trip here:

There are lots of wonderful pictures at Flickr that folks have taken of the place.

During the afternoon we swam in the creek with the tadpoles and fishes. That was wonderful. It was something I remember really enjoying a lot when my family went there when I was little.

There is more information and lots of great pictures here, here and here.

Fun and Games Time

Click here and make the most wonderful designs.

William J. Clinton Presidential Library

We woke up in Little Rock, had continental breakfast in the hotel lobby, checked out and went in search of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. It wasn't hard to find. There was an audio tour, so we each got one of those. There are photos of the inside of the building here.

The picture above is of the right side of the building. There is supposedly a putting green up on the roof where President Clinton hangs out some. On the way back from the gift shop, a man on our shuttle bus pointed out a man in a yellow shirt up there and claimed it was President Clinton. The rest of my skeptical family has chosen not to buy that story, but I'm embracing the idea that I've seen a president in person. Or at least his shirt. From a distance.

After you go through the security station and buy tickets there's a presidential limousine and an exhibit on the Secret Service. The escalator to the 2nd level takes you to a orientation film which gives a bit of a Clinton introduction. The displays outside the theater cover the elections. From there you can see a replica of the cabinet room and an extensive year-by-year overview of his 2 terms with time lines to put events in context. Alcoves along each side cover aspects of his presidency such as health care, education, foreign policy... There's some coverage of the impeachment.

Upstairs there are examples of gifts given by foreign heads of state, displays of holiday celebrations at the White House, information on how foreign dignitaries are entertained at the White House, some mementos of the Clintons' childhoods, a video the kids liked of roasts and comedy routines.... The model of the Oval Office, with its careful reproductions of the furnishings, is on this level. There is a changing exhibit space on that level, too. When we went the exhibit offered was Breaking the Veils: Women Artists from the Islamic World, which we didn't spend much time in.

I took longer than anybody else to take this tour, which was a bit frustrating for me. I missed a lot, I know, but I did get to see the correspondence with Mister Rogers. That was fun. My favorite part of the museum was the section on books from his personal library. I think the gift shop would have been much improved by a couple of books favored by Clinton and specifically mentioned in the tour -T.S. Eliot and Ralph Ellison, maybe. The gift shop seemed heavily aimed at school groups and we didn't end up buying anything, though we were tempted by the mugs that had all the presidential signatures on them.

The cafe prices were a bit steep for us, so we decided to eat on the road and, as luck would have it, found a Western Sizzlin' before we'd gotten too far.

What do you love?

We cannot help conforming ourselves to what we love.

- Francis de Sales

from God's Politics

The Dark Knight

We decided to go see The Dark Knight tonight, having arrived in Little Rock planning to go to the Clinton Library tomorrow but having no particular plans for tonight. The Younger Son had already seen it but The Daughter, The Husband and I had not. We all liked it.

The movie theater is the first one in years where we bought tickets from the outside window. The inside of the theater reminded us of the local Ridgeway 4, where we recently saw Mongol.

trailer:


reviews:
Roger Ebert
NewYorkTimes
Rolling Stone
Time
Variety
EW
CNN


GreenCineDaily has lots of links.
Strange Culture
Cinematical here, here, here and here
SFScope
Slant Magazine
The House Next Door
Positive Liberty
Ferdy on Films
Lou Anders
/film here and here
Only the Cinema here and here
Evolving Thoughts
Kaedrin Weblog
NPR
Tor
Ben Witherington
Culture Snob
FilmSquish
A Candid World
Cinepassion
Critical Culture
Claw of the Conciliator

Summer Puffins

This is a short video -about 8 1/2 minutes- from the BBC. Lotsa clear close-ups -swimming, flying, fishing... There is even video of baby puffins. It's no wonder we love 'em.

R.I.P. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn has died. I first saw the news at GreenCine Daily. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970. Time.com called him a hero.

Obits:
AFP
BBC
The Telegraph
Forbes
Reuters
MSNBC


The photo at the top of the post is from Wikipedia.

Last Bus to Woodstock

Last Bus to Woodstock is the first in Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse series, and I found myself making Morse and Lewis look like the actors in the PBS Mystery series. I liked this book and particularly enjoyed some of the conversational interchanges, which I read aloud to innocent family members. I went along quite easily until quite close to the end of the book, and then I just didn't get it. I didn't get the guilty party's whole persona. It seemed to me that all of a sudden a whole new person had been grafted onto the person that had been. I have another in the series, but I won't seek out the rest.

from the back of the book:

Beautiful Sylvia Kaye and another young woman had been seen hitching a ride not long before Sylvia's bludgeoned body is found outside a pub in Woodstock, near Oxford. Morse is sure the other hitchhiker can tell him much of what he needs to know. But his confidence is shaken by the cool inscrutability of the girl he's certain was Sylvia's companion on that ill-fated September evening. Shrewd as Morse is, he's also distracted by the complex scenarios that the murder set in motion among Sylvia's girlfriends and their Oxford playmates. To grasp the painful truth, and act upon it, requires from Morse the last atom of his professional discipline.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 145

A psalm of praise. Of David.

1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.

2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.

4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.

5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.

7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.

11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,

12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.

14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

KJV

Fritz Lang

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1976 of Expressionist film director Fritz Lang. I have seen Destiny; Metropolis, which has been in the news lately after lost footage was discovered; and M, after having tried to watch it for years before.

Senses of Cinema has an article. The British Film Institute has a short bit and links to other resources here. FilmReference.com closes its article by saying,

All through his life, Lang adjusted his talent to meet the changes in his environment, and in so doing produced a body of creative work of unquestionable importance in the development of the history of cinema.

Metropolis, M and Destiny are available for viewing online at those links.

Woman in the Moon (1929 silent):


Scarlet Street (1945):

Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha is a historically inaccurate and culturally controversial film, but pretty enough to watch. It felt to me like a group of Asian actors imposed on a Western fairy tale. I always felt outside the film, as if I were watching it from above and at a distance. It didn't engage me at all.

Roger Ebert has a review here. Variety's review is here. Slant Magazine closes its review by saying,

Given the film's thin social perspective and parade of cardboard villainy, after a while it all comes to strangely resemble a Walt Disney animation.

trailer:

Citizen Vince

Citizen Vince by Jess Walter won the Edgar Award in 2006. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Unlike anything I've read in a while, this book is politically aware and so personal about the main character that I felt I knew him. I mean I really want to know who he voted for.

from the back of the book:

Darkly hilarious and unexpectedly profound, Citizen Vince is an irresistible tale about the price of freedom and the mystery of salvation, by an emerging writer of boundless talent.

Eight days before the 1980 presidential election, Vince Camden wakes up at 1:59 A.M. in a quiet house in Spokane, Washington. Pocketing his stash of stolen credit cards, he drops by an all-night poker game before heading to his witness-protection job dusting crullers at Donut Make You Hungry. This is the sum of Vince's new life: donuts and forged credit cards—not to mention a neurotic hooker girlfriend.

But when a familiar face shows up in town, Vince realizes that his sordid past is still close behind him. During the next unforgettable week, on the run from Spokane to New York, Vince Camden will negotiate a maze of obsessive cops, eager politicians, and assorted mobsters, only to find that redemption might just exist—of all places—in the voting booth. Sharp and refreshing, Citizen Vince is the story of a charming crook chasing the biggest score of his life: a second chance.

There are discussions for reading groups here. The New York Times review calls it "refreshing". The International Herald Tribune says,

For readers who appreciate wry precision and expert timing, it may be enough to know that "Citizen Vince" arrives with sky-high praise from both Ken Bruen and Richard Russo, with whom Walters shares these qualities. For others, the book's fusion of humor, crime and politics may be recommendation enough.

Obama's Just Too Popular!

When I saw this McCain ad: my first thought was this: So I should not vote for Obama because he's too popular? What??? Since when is being popular considered a drawback in a presidential election?

And now I've seen this (at John Scalzi's blog via Egotistical Whining), which perfectly illustrates my initial reaction:



And now I'm not supposed to vote for Obama because he's Moses?

I'm laughing out loud at this ad. I can't believe McCain thinks this ad will convert anyone to his cause. It's fun to watch, though. BeliefNet is not amused, saying

And it is beyond offensive to suggest that Senator Obama is a false Messiah or the anti-Christ himself. How low can we go? It shows the McCain campaign is willing to make a mockery of our faith to feed people's fears. Christians need to reject this out of hand.

8/3/2008:
CBS News says McCain was the big celebrity before Obama was a politician:

He emerged as the most popular Republican in Hollywood following his 2000 presidential primary defeat, winning more screen time than the rest of Congress combined. McCain made cameos in “Wedding Crashers” and “24,” saw his memoir turned into a popular biopic on A&E, and appeared more than 30 times on late night comedy shows.

So this week, when McCain cast Obama’s celebrity as a disqualifier, it seemed like a curious turn.

Poul Anderson

Today is the anniversary of the death in 2001 of science fiction/fantasy author Poul Anderson. I currently have the following books by this prolific author on my shelf:

The Broken Sword
Ensign Flandry
The Guardians of Time
The High Crusade

The High Crusade is a special favorite of mine and great fun to read. There is a 1994 filmed version of this book starring John Rhys-Davies.

Locus has an interview from 1997. There is an overview of his career at The Templeton Gate.

As I have recently joined the Society for Creative Anachronism and have been tentatively attending some functions in the Barony of Grey Niche, it is of particular interest to me that Anderson was one of the founders of the SCA back in the 60's.


Literature Map suggests A.E. Van Vogt for those who like Poul Anderson.

10 Ways to Be a Better Film Critic

I'm not a film critic, but I do like to watch movies and read what the critics have to say. This 2-part article by Movie Zeal offers great suggestions on how to write about film. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. He takes the following basics, expands on them and gives illustrations from notable film critics.

His basic 10:

1. Expand Your Cinematic Vocabulary
2. Respect the Medium You Are Criticizing
3. Develop an Appreciation For All the Arts
4. Study Classic Film Criticism
5. Develop a Unique Voice
6. Don’t Be Dull
7. Invest Yourself in Other Pursuits
8. Become an Excellent Essayist
9. Avoid the Reviews of Others Before Writing…Study Them Afterwards
10. Develop a Philosophy of Trash

The article is exposing me to some critics I am not familiar with, and the comments lead to some bloggers that are new to me. I'd like to read some of the books he recommends. I think the suggestions are good for thinking critically about film for me and not just for critics who write "viewership".

I'm Roseanne Barr

Take the clutter test to find out who you are.

Vincent van Gogh

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1890 of Vincent van Gogh. I spent many of my young adult years fascinated by this artist, reading books about him and learning about his life and work. There is a Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam which has a virtual tour, videos at youtube and 2 groups at Flickr.

There are many websites that display his paintings and drawings, including the Van Gogh Gallery (which also includes biographical information, lesson plans and other resources), the WebMuseum, the Artcyclopedia, Olga's Gallery, Artchive, MetMuseum, . His letters are online here. The National Gallery of Art has a virtual tour of their 1998 exhibit.

If having a poster of your favorite of his paintings is not enough, you can buy your very own action figure of Van Gogh with 2 interchangeable heads -one with both ears and one with a bandage.

This Vincent Van Gogh Gallery is endorsed by the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, and says,

I'm proud to say that I have the privilege of displaying 100% of Vincent van Gogh's works and letters--a complete, online catalogue raisonné of Van Gogh's oeuvre. As you explore these pages, you'll see the culmination of thousands of hours of work. But that's just the beginning . . . .

On a regular basis I'll be adding more criticism and analysis, historical commentary as well as a vastly expanded web of cross-referential hyperlinks. This will allow the visitor an easy means of exploring the rich tapestry of Vincent van Gogh's life and art.

Don McClean's Vincent (1971):


The picture at the top of the post is of Van Gogh's View of Arles and is the picture on one of the post cards The Daughter brought back from her recent trip to Germany and Austria. She brought back one other Van Gogh post card: Vase with Sunflowers, pictured below:

Roger Tory Peterson

Today is the anniversary of the death of naturalist Roger Tory Peterson, who wrote Guide to the Birds and edited or wrote many of the Peterson Field Guides. He and James Fisher co-wrote Wild America, the description of their trip around America.

He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980. There is a short biography here. The National Wildlife Federation has a tribute article. The Harvard Museum of Natural History awards an annual medal named for him.

8/8/2008 is the centennial of Peterson's birth, and The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History is hosting a special exhibit and activities to celebrate. The Institute's mission

is to continue the legacy of Roger Tory Peterson by promoting the teaching and study of nature, and thereby to create knowledge of and appreciation and responsibility for the natural world.

Ed Emshwiller

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1990 of artist and film maker Ed Emshwiller. UBUWEB has a page on him.

His initial claim to fame was illustrating science fiction magazine covers. (The picture above, for example, is one of his and is copied from levar's Flickr page.) Those covers and book cover illustrations may be what he is best known for, but there were some films...

Thanatopsis (1962):


Sunstone (1979):

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 119

1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.

31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.

32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.

53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

55 I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.

56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.

58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

64 The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?

83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.

84 How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

85 The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.

86 All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.

88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

94 I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts.

95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.

96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.

97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.

108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

109 My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.

113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.

119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.

120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

121 I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.

122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.

123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.

124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.

125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.

127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.

130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.

132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.

135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

137 Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.

138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.

139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.

140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.

142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.

144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.

146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.

147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.

148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.

149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.

150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.

151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.

152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.

154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.

155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.

156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.

157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.

158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.

160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.

167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.

168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.

169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.

170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.

171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.

174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

KJV

Winsor McCay

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1934 of pioneer American animator Winsor McCay. I wrote a post on him back in 12/2007 in which I embedded several videos of his marvelous short films. There is a short illustrated biography here and another here. FilmReference.com has a page here. The blog Meeting McCay says it is meant to be a

one-stop-spot for anyone seeking information on McCay - his life, his art, and they many ways he's been honored over the years. And it's intended to be place (for anyone who is interested) to keep up-to-date on the progress we're making in Spring Lake MI to create a permanent, physical, tribute to the man and his legacy.

McCay Day is a new festival held in McCay's home town. There is an annual Winsor McCay Award, first awarded in 1972, which

stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry in recognition for career contributions to the art of animation.

The photo at the top of the post is from the Winsor McCay Wikipedia article.

11/2/2009: wishing I could go to part of this celebration.

12/30/2009: Little Nemo has been selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.

R.I.P. Nancy Wallace

Home Education Magazine reports the death in June of Nancy Wallace, whose 1983 book Better Than School: One Family’s Declaration of Independence is probably still around here somewhere. It was inspirational to me during my early exploration of homeschooling.

Puffin Populations Declining

Reports from the last surveys have revealed sharply decreasing numbers of this delightful bird. The Telegraph quotes Professor Mike Harris, Emeritus Research Fellow at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, which monitors sea bird populations:

The dramatic decline on the Farnes along with that found earlier this year on the Isle of May leaves no doubt that the North Sea has lost a substantial proportion of its puffins.

The Guardian's story says,

One of Britain's best-known and most vivid birds has suffered an abrupt and unexplained decline in numbers on its island strongholds in the North Sea.

After uninterrupted population increases for 40 years, puffin colonies on the Farne Islands off Northumberland and the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth have fallen by a third in five years.

The BBC (who also has a 90-second video at youtube), the Daily Mail, the Chronicle Live and Times Online also reported the story.

The photo of the flying puffin is from piglicker's Flickr page. The swimming puffin is from Keith Marshall's Flickr page.