Forever A Fangirl

Lake Stuff, Computer Stuff, Weather, and a Shred Of Sanity

Still here at Maple Lake. Spouse and son went into Haliburton today in search of a replacement optical mouse that got damaged in the transport between home and here. To clarify we have a notebook, a media laptop and just the one desktop--a gaming computer which son partially purchased himself. There really is no one here son's age to hang out with so he helps with the slew of upkeep and does gaming, swimming, and reading. Anyway I find using laptop to be hard on my shoulders toI am glad to use his desktop when he's not to get the essentials done--though I must admit, I'm really not in the mood to blog. As timing would have it Google chose to raise my PageRank from a ZERO to a 4* which directly translates into more work and better pay and it's really tough to let it slip by. The weather has been not great at all but when it does turn nice, I'm taking a few days off from paid blogging. I just have to for the thin shred on sanity that remains.. Oh, one really good computer-related thing is that we are able to get lots of television shows so we --or I more accurately, caught up with the second to last episode of Dr. Who last night. Even though the guys had seen it they obliged me by watching it with me. The final episode has aired in the UK so is available too. I'm sure we'll hit that before the weekend. And this is without downloading anything. Younger son is very squeaky clean about such things--so the Feds arresting teenage girls for downloading Emo music must have made an impression. :p

A collage piece from The Art Hive on the other side of the lake.

Still much fixing up to do here in the cottage. My cousin is kind of a germaphobe and she won't even come in past the porch--which really is extreme--but I understand because I'm a clutterphobe. I need things organized to further reinforce my "control freak" label. I must say it's getting there-- indoors anyway. ;) * not this blog which had it's PageRank reduced from "4" to ZERO last November then raised to a "2" a few months ago.

Battlestar Galactica: Jamie Bamber Speaks--Is Apollo Going To Die?

Here's a few minutes of video of Jamie Bamber most recently "Apollo"/"Lee Adama" of Battlestar Galactica talking to teevee gossip reporter Kristen at the TV critics press tour. Bamber does make some observations about the final half season of BSG, but understandably, seemed much more enthused about his brand new project: Law & Order: London in which he'll play "a cop."

Bamber described the writing of the last of the Battlestar Galactica series in superlatives, however. He disclosed that the last scenes he filmed were with the second camera unit, sans other BSG actors, using extras. He describes the scenes as "running around shooting things."

When asked if he'd return for a Battlestar Galactica mini-series, he emphatically shook his head, "no," going on to explain that he feels that the story of his character has finished being told. Kristen picked up on this and asked if his BSG character is killed off but he would not confirm or deny.

Though Katee Sackoff has often been the brunt of criticism for her portrayal of  Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, I've always enjoyed the way she can realistically plumb the depths of emotion as an actress as well as her character's fearlessness and selflessness towards her crewmates.

Bamber's Apollo, OTOH, has often been whiny and sullen--two traits that I have trouble enjoying play out onscreen. Part of the problem surely, was how his character was written: resentful son who was never "good enough," with the shadow of his father, Admiral Adama looming large over him. Again, being brutally honest my opinion of Bamber is that he never really "wore" the character well. He seemed uncomfortable in the role. Hardest for me in re: this actor was his generic American accent. I understand that it must be quite difficult to drop his European accent--plus he has his mixed bag of dialect influences: His father--an American attorney out of Detroit, his mother, an Irish actress, his first seven years of life growing up in France, and the UK as his home (more or less) since. But Bamber's accent was dry of any regional inflection at all and it always distracted me when he'd hit a particular word or phrase that sounded forced and very unnatural with the result that it took me as the viewer out of the scene. As a classically trained actor, one would think this would be the very last impression Bamber would want to give. But there you are.

 I doubt that Jamie Bamber would agree with this but I think the pinnacle of his television career has been reached. I mean, he's very enthused about yet another spin-off of: Law & Order: London???

I sincerely do wish him well but I think he hasn't yet gotten the perspective that Battlestar Galactica was the best television he'll ever do--even though Lee "Apollo" Adama wasn't the best rendered character on the series.

Four Days

 

Above: the artist's community here in Haliburton County, Ontario is really blossoming. This is a lovely wood piece at The Art Hive, an Artist's Collective on the other side of Maple Lake from me. She is life-size! The lady who was working today is one of the artists and she couldn't have been nicer and more down to earth.They have a coffee bar there so I have an excuse to wander in whenever. Lovely stop.

Previous post on my Maple Lake Ontario blog with much more info about The Artist's Collective.

Well,it's five days actually that I've been here at the cottage but I slept the entire first day so that doesn't really count.
It was so quiet here all week--peaceful.
However that has changed as of this a.m. when my perpetually in motion weekend neighbour mowed his grass and woke me up. Bless him , he never starts really early but I'd stayed up late watching a terrible online copy of "Hancock" though it was good enough that I'd like to see it in our local (20 miles away) multiplex after the guys get here..

Just spoke with them and it looks like I'll have another two days on my own. Son has his monthly blood test in the morning tomorrow and spouse has shopping and bills to pay so no getaway until Sunday a.m. I think it's better to tie up all loose ends than rush out of there especially since it's a 3-week trip, It'll be different but nicer once my guys get here though.

Here I Am!

Proof below that I got in at 5 a.m. yesterday morning: But first may I note that I'm trying to navigate with a notebook computer which has NO photo editing software on it so I tried Windows whatever they call it and it's just dumb as a rock so I bought an upgrade to a popular shareware 'cos I do not like Photoshop's layout but the new one turned out to be from a different provider  as I unthinkingly used google.ca (Canada) to search ---not that there's anything wrong with that as long as I'm paying attention to photo-file endings I've never seen before. Bah! I had to go back and DL another photo program, meanwhile I figured the first one out which is good because i paid $10 for "freeware.' :p 

So did I mention that at this time last night/morning I was still driving in ...hence the pics are from the first morning Maple Lake light taken by an exhausted me..so that, and no real editing software. Um. enjoy?

Maple Lake, Ontario
July 21,2008  5 a.m. (Eastern time)

In front of St. Peter's Church
4:30 a.m. July 21, 2008

Overlooking lake in front of cottage. (steep hill next to steps down)
5 a.m.

Sign Up to Be A Team Captain: Help Fight The Good Fight

Did you know that Alzheimer's Disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States?
Until today, I did not. I simply assumed that like President Reagan, people with the disease live to a normal length old age before the end of their lives.

Alzheimer's Disease is a heartbreaking condition in which a person gradually loses his or her mental faculties. What makes it all the more heart-rending is that usually physically the ravages of the disease are not readily apparent. Not until something quite blatant happens like the afflicted person attempting to drive home from work and not remembering the way--having no clue--are there usually signs that a serious condition is present.

In the best of worlds there would be a cure for this condition which is not as is often believed, an "old person's disease" as adults in their prime, ages 40-something can be stricken too.

The Alzheimer's Association needs team captains for the annual Alzheimer's Memory Walk, the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. Volunteers of any and all ages and walks of life are needed to support the fight against Alzheimer's disease. It does not have to be a huge commitment. In fact the average Memory Walk is about 2-3 miles and takes place on a weekend morning in the fall. Please consider joining the fight against Alzheimer's.

Showtime TV Critics Press Tour: Weeds Renewed Times 2, Dexter Breaks The Code!

Even though the star of "Weeds," Mary-Louise Parker, speaks of the show in the past-tense, Showtime the premium cable network, has announced that Weeds has just received the green light for two more seasons of 13 shows!

The show, which is currently in it's fourth season has wrapped filming, so looking ahead to Season Five ...

Mary Louise Parker~

Nancy can't go home again~

Source~ Kristen

"She's definitely going bigger picture. She's off the sales floor, as they say,"creator Jenji Kohan says.

Nancy is about to get deeply involved with drug kingpin "Esteban" (Demian Bichir). 

 "He is a formidable match for her...I think this is someone possibly she could imagine a real relationship with, which is something she hasn't contemplated since Judah."

Despite the welcome introduction of Albert Brooks' as Lenny Botwin, Judah and Andy's dad, Kohan said in reply to whether he'd return again this year,"Not this season. He's done." 

Damn, Albert Brooks was brilliant in the inaugural episodes of Season Four. He really elevated what could have been a rather grim period for Nancy and Co. to erm, less grim.

Does Andy have eyes for Nancy? It's been looking that way of late. Creator Kohan acknowledges that Andy (Justin Kirk) does have some blossoming feelings for Nancy, but that for now those feelings are a one-way street. About Andy's crush on Nancy, Kohan says,

"I think he would be self-protective, because I don't think his feelings would be reciprocated in that way, [even though] they've entered into this partnership...Although, biblically speaking, you are supposed to take on your dead brother's wife."... "Ultimately I don't think it's going to play out this season, because she has other fish to fry."

Looking into her crystal ball, Kohan had several more comments about the future "Weeds."

"There was a lot of interest in [the writers' room about] the sister she referenced when she thought Peter was going to kill her. And there's a father floating around; not sure about a mother."

So we may get more insight into Nancy's family and background in the newly ordered season five and six. Finally, Mary-Louise Parker had this to say about the "new direction" her series has headed in:

 "I think this season was the best season, season four. I think it was a brilliant and really brave idea. I love it."

So what about Dexter? (SPOILERS)

Michael C. Hall does not seem at all squeamish about dropping spoilers and this is what he had to say about the much anticipated return of Dexter this fall on Showtime:

 “Dexter has turned his back on his father but is still using the code,” ...and yet, there still remains an unconscious desire for connection. And certain circumstances lead him into a relationship with Jimmy Smits’ character which satisfy that urge in him.”

Executive producer Clyde Phillips teases that Smits plays a an assistant DA with “great political ambition” and he becomes Dexter’s “first adult friend.”

Spoilers: When asked if Dexter might break the code and kill someone innocent,

Producer Clyde Phillips Phillips spoiled, “Yes, he will. And without giving too much away, I will say we can consider it dropping a pebble on a mountainside filled with snow, and it will cause an avalanche.”

Both Dexter the show, and Michael C. Hall as Dexter have been nominated for Emmy awards for the first time. Let's hope they actually watch a few of the shows before judging--and give them both much- deserved awards.

Must keep the unibrow at bay!

Today I drove top down through the countryside in the sweltering sauna that was this part of the world purely for vanity --to get my roots touched up before taking off to go up north. I only see the folks  that I do once a year--so yeah, don't want them counting back and remembering how old I am even though they know exactly how old I am. Vanity...a very stubborn trait for me. I don't even quit with the eyebrow plucking up there. Really silly standing around tweezing when the outdoors is calling but must keep the unibrow at bay!

Originally posted on theloveumake.vox.com

Strange day.

I was working here at the computer when I looked up and out the window, which I admit I do more than I  probably should.

A silver glint caught my eye. A split second later it was no longer a glint but a street light post toppling over. At the same time a car was driving by and in that second, the street light post and the car made a connection at the point where the back bumper was attached to the car. The car continued on but not far, dozens of feet maybe, lurching over onto the grass, nearly hitting a medium-size tree, and finally with the bumper torn completely off, to a stop on the sidewalk.

No one got hurt thankfully, but it was the first time that I've witnessed a car accident from start to finish.

Continuing with the strange theme, spouse is worried that his new baby "purple" tree will be mistaken by the landscaping guys as a bush so before he left for work today he did this:

Dirty Sexy Money~ Back In Production with New Executive Producer

Though filming for the ABC TV nighttime soap Dirty Sexy Money has been "on hold" since mid-June, word from Kristin today is that the show is moving in a "new direction " and will resume production by the end of this month.

Season Two of DSM premieres on October 1,2008 with a new executive producer on board, Jon Feldman, whose teevee resume goes all the way back to The Wonder Years.

Creator Craig Wright says about Dirty Sexy Money's new direction,"This season it will become more evident then ever that in order to be a part of this family, it's going to cost you. The season premiere promises to bring an arresting development, a revelation that makes you wonder how well you know your spouse and a buried secret that resides just below the surface."

Sounds intriguing. I hope if the "buried secret just below the surface" is Nick's (Peter Krause) dead dad that we don't have to see him.

Also, judging from the studio publicity shot (above) Blair Underwood is taking on a featured role and they've glammed up Nick's wife.

Yes! My camera housing came!

 

Maple Lake: What lies beneath?

So excited.

I took the leap and instead of getting a ziplock cheapie "waterproofing" bag for my Powershot camera, after researching and finding again and again how the bags don't work I scoured the Internet for the underwater housing for my camera  and it arrived today.

To back track a tad, the dozen or so reviews of a bag enclosure for the Powershot didn't complain about leakage--which is great. What they were very disappointed in was the quality of the photos--there wasn't any. Obviously, this defeats the entire purpose of using an underwater housing in the first place.

So though I have no big plans to scuba on the Great Barrier Reef, I will be at the lake for a month and who knows what may lie beneath? Additionally, we now have a canoe which I'm excited about using along with the camera but was terribly paranoid about shifting around in to take a shot and plunging camera and all into the lake. No more. I'll put the camera in the housing when I'm on or in the lake!

$25 Shell Gas Card When You Sign Up For $14.99 Monthly High Speed Internet

Charter internet is currently offering new customers high speed internet with speeds as fast as up to 5Mbps for only 14.99/month. Also, following a very popular new trend Charter is giving away a $25 Shell Gasoline gift card when an order is purchased through using the above link. With a
30-day window for cancellation you risk nothing except maybe better service than what your current provider is offering you. If you been contemplating changing internet providers don't wait too long to look into this one as it is a limited offer that expires on July 31. For more information please click the above link.

The Internet is Stressing Me Out

I am having some major issues just trying to get a post up both here and through another host. That's five blogs that are not cooperating. Slow page-loading or no page-loading makes for very little posting. The page hangs and hangs and then...nothing. Really bad luck this week. Monday started with my 'net services down for the count for three hours and it turns out that based on Tuesday's almost repeat performance, it may not have been Comcast's fault this time. The city/township/county is tearing up and widening roads that surround us. On Monday they were futzing around with the big electrical thingamagig-box so they may have caused a little "blip" on/in the Internet connection and offline we go.
So on Tuesday, I get my coffee and get set to work and there's nothing. again. I immediately did the unplug the modem and router/turn off the computer, wait 60 seconds or more, re-plug in the exact opposite order that I unplugged and rebooted the computer. Thankfully, it was a go.
Now I dunno, other than everything is taking me forever to do and I'm tired.

Is there a link between Aluminium and Parabens in Antiperspirants and Deodorants?

I was asked to provide my honest opinion about the questions revolving around if there is a correlation between cancer and using parabens and aluminum in cosmetics, antiperspirants and deodorants.

Firstly it goes without saying that we all have an expiration date. The question we are asking is will using "X" cause your expiration date to come sooner than it would have had you not used "X."

To that I have no answer. Certainly on the surface it doesn't sound like a good thing to plug your sweat glands with aluminum compounds, which when activated by your sweat break up into ions to form a plug in the duct of the sweat gland.

However if you have a job in a setting that is corporate casual and above I can guarantee you that massive sweat stains on your clothes are not going to help your career and hence your ability to make a living and support yourself. If you are not able to work because people in this Western culture are offended by armpit hair on women you won't really fret about the ingredients in your pit stick.You'll be worrying about how you'll keep a roof over your head. 

If it were socially acceptable to leave your armpit hair in place the need for antiperspirants would be eliminated all together and the argument could be put to rest.

My opinion is let people have freedom of choice to use potential cancer-causing agents be they cigarettes, bacon, or anti-perspirants and meanwhile get creative with solutions. If tomorrow it became socially accepted for my pits to do what they should naturally, as soon as my hair grew out, I'd toss the antiperspirant.

In re: paraben. I would encourage people to read the labels on their cosmetics. If you are not comfortable using a product that uses it, stop using it. But again it is not socially acceptable in most work environments for  women to appear at work with a bare face, especially older women. 

The use of aluminum and paraben in cosmetics is a societal issue that is very much worth discussion but  for now it remains a matter of personal choice about how far one is willing to buck what society dictates.

Join the Breast Cancer Link Debate

Aren't you glad it's only virtual trash?

Ah, long weekends. People seem to yearn for them but come time to go back to work lament that they have so much work that they are behind on, often phrased as number of "emails to catch up on."
It's like email has a life of it's own. You've got to catch up on it because it's waiting for you. :)
As for me, I never catch up. I'm happy to get the number of unread emails down to 25 or so. Baby steps are what it's all about. Hitting the delete button is a good option as well as screening your emails so no "Fwd's" make it through.
I figure if I'm not special enough to receive email addressed specifically to me then it's not really important that I take time to read it. And if it was important that I read the email they'll contact me again--maybe personally this time. If anyone gets her nose bent out of shape, I can explain that I use the "forward" filter and it must have gone straight to the trash.
On that note--a reminder. Sometimes your filters are too stringent and email that is not trash gets sent there so it's good to periodically go through your trash just to make sure.
Aren't you glad it's only virtual trash?

Played some mini golf over the weekend:
Mini golf place is bordered by a golf course and a forest preserve. (That is unnaturally blue water.)  

Daylilys at mini golf

Fourth Of July Fireworks, Hoffman Estates, IL~2008

Spouse took this approx. 2-minute video of the 2008 Hoffman Estates Fireworks show on July 4. We go to see them every year, spreading  out a blanket on the grass on a sort-of hill,  but our dog Raven had been stressed out for days by our densely-populated area's residents celebrating pre-Fourth of July. So I stayed home with her as I wasn't feeling tip-top, either. As it turned out Raven was even spooked going for her nightly walk on July 5 'cos well, you never can get enough fireworks, right?
The truth is that I love a live fireworks show, emphasis on "a". Once a year. On the Fourth.

The returns diminish as everyone seems to have illegally brought fireworks back from our neighbour to the north, Wisconsin. I'm not singling the States out as in Ontario too for their July 1 Canada Day, the fireworks are blasting away on many days not Canada Day. I would very much appreciate it if everyone would grow up now 'cos I know it isn't ten-year-old's hauling the big bangin' stuff back here. The video was shot with our Canon Powershot, which isn't fancy but is functional enough for our needs.

Here's Raven when she's in a happier place--Maple Lake:

NICOLE KIDMAN Gives Birth to Baby Girl, Sunday Rose (Updated March 2012)

From Keith Urban's publicist:

"Nicole and Keith Urban are delighted to announce that Nicole Kidman gave birth to a baby girl on Monday morning, July 7, 2008, in the United States. Sunday Rose Kidman Urban weighed 6 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces. Husband Keith was by Nicole's side and mother and baby are very well."

 

Urban's post to his web site upon the baby's birth:

“Earlier this morning Nic gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban.

“We want to thank everybody that has kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We feel very blessed and grateful that we can share this joy with all of you today.”

The Australian actress has spoken publicly of her desire for biological children since she divorced Tom Cruise. Kidman recently told Vanity Fair that she had a miscarriage early on in her relationship with Cruise, leading them to adopt. It has also been reported that Kidman suffered an ectopic pregnancy while married to Cruise.

After marrying native New Zealander Urban in 2006, Kidman stated: "I think I would be very sad if I wasn't able to have a baby. Keith knows I want one, and he has been getting there slowly."

The baby is the first for Kidman and Urban, who married in June 2006. She has two children, Isabella, 15, and Connor, 13, with Cruise.

Cruise filed for divorce in February 2001 after 10 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized later that year.

 Kidman, 41, won an Oscar for her role in the 2002 film "The Hours."

During a concert Saturday in Nashville, Urban said, "I'm going to dedicate a song to my very, very, very, very, very pregnant wife" before singing his hit, "Better Half."

Urban, 40, won a Grammy in 2006 for best male country vocal.

"The unknown excites me a lot," Urban told reporters in May. "What kind of feelings will fatherhood bring? I'm sure I can't even imagine, but I am really looking forward to finding out

The couple, who were both raised in Australia, have a home in Nashville.

UPDATE March 12, 2012:

This photo of Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and their daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, at the Sydney airport on Wednesday was posted on the entertainment website, Popsugar.

 

Nicole Kidman and daughter Sunday Rose

Image Source Page:

UPDATE-- Official announcement from Nicole's publicist:

Nicole Kidman has delivered her first child, a baby girl, her agent, Wendy Day, said.

Sunday Rose Kidman Urban was born in the American country music capital of Nashville just before midnight on Monday Eastern Australian standard time, weighing 6 pounds 7.5 ounces (2.93 kilograms).

Her husband, Australian country singer Keith Urban, was by her side for the birth and mother and baby are very well, Ms Day said.

The couple had just celebrated their second wedding anniversary in Nashville where they have been living in a gated community. They were married in Manly on June 25, 2006.

The Academy Award-winning actress has two adopted children - 15-year-old Isabella Jane Kidman-Cruise and 13-year-old Connor Anthony Kidman-Cruise - with her previous husband, Tom Cruise.

Nicole Kidman and daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret:
Image Source Page

 

From the UK Times Online: 50 craziest celebrity baby names (in alphabetical order)

 

Battlestar Galactica S4: My Favourite Death Scenes~E6 "Faith" Basestar Six vs. Jean Barolay,

My guess is that if you are as much of a Battlestar Galactica fan as I am you are starting to miss the series pretty badly by now and "early 2009" doesn't in any way sound soon enough to resume watching the final episodes of the much-lauded Sci-Fi network series a/k/a the best science fiction television show evar.

I've been a big fan of Six--especially Caprica Six since the miniseries where she duped Gaius Baltar and gave the Cylon race ALL of the Colonies's military secrets and codes, enabling the Cylons to wipe out virtually the entire human race.

Tricia Helfer who has played Six sublimely too many times to count, first impressed me with the way she expressed herself as an alien "skinjob" who had lived on Caprica with the humans for two years. Just prior to the Cylon attack, Caprica Six had a meeting (we still don't know who with--herself?!) and on the way back she strolled an open marketplace, stopping to admire a newborn baby in it's stroller and making small-talk with the mother. The mother was a little taken aback at Caprica's remark about how such a tiny neck could bear the weight of holding up the baby's large cranium. Just after saying this, the baby's father beckoned the mother who turned her attention away from the infant briefly. In those few seconds, Caprica Six, aware that the human race including this baby was about to be exterminated, snapped the infant's neck, then quickly walked away into the crowd. That scene still resonates with me.

I've not read an official description of what was "supposed" to have been conveyed by the small but deadly gesture that Caprica Six made. Was she simply curious to see how easily a human infant's neck would snap? Was she showing a bit of mercy on the child whom she's believed would shortly be nuked? I still don't know. Perhaps both.

One of the reasons that I am revisiting death scenes is that rarely is one done on BSG just for the sake of it. There is always at least a second level of meaning--perhaps a third or more.  Death, espcially when it comes to a character that may have been on the series for years--like Jean Barolay (Alisen Down , recurring character)  has more impact. The death of a Six always resonate as the model has been part of the series and the actor one of the first to distinguish herself on the show in her portrayal of "Six."

Unsurprisingly my favourite death scenes, which are not in chronological order start with a couple of Sixs-- who got killed a couple times-on camera in the first half of Season Four, the final of the series.

To start, as quoted from Battlestar Wiki: "A basestar

Six sees Jean Barolay and recognizes her as the human who killed her on New Caprica. When Barolay doesn't show any remorse and says she would do the same again, the Six attacks her and smashes her head into the Raptor's hull, which kills Barolay. Anders pounces on the Six and is ready to kill the Cylon when Thrace manages to talk him down. The Six that killed Barolay speaks to Natalie, obviously dealing with psychological trauma from the death on New Caprica that she had not been able to shake. After kissing the distraught Six, Natalie grabs Anders's hand and pulls the trigger on his gun, killing the Six permanently as there is no Resurrection Ship nearby, carrying out a form of justice for the Colonials, who are shocked."

Thanks for capping, creative muse!

Here it is in scene by scene order. Note: I took out many of Sam Ander's reaction shots to the basestar Six's killing of Jean Barolay. I just thought that whole scene was cringe-inducing in how over-the-top actor Michael Trucco played Sam. I understand that Sam has only known for months that he's Cylon and that he kept his shite together until he shot Felix Gaeta in the leg in a gesture of mutiny and shortly thereafter flipped out on the Cylon rebel basestar where immediately after the shooting he chose to accompany Kara Thrace in her attempt to get information from the basestar's Hybrid (brains of the ship). Trucco could take a page from either Tricia Helfer's or Katee Sackoff's book in how to play this scene as really upset, perhaps on the verge of strung out--but pull back a bit so you don't just seem completely insane. If I showed you the stills you'd see exactly what I mean.

P.S. Please do a search in the right column for "Battlestar Galcatica" for all the posts on BSG I've written thus far. Or, search through the cloud tags, located in the rgt. column further down the page for the same.

Welcome To The Leviathan Chronicles...How Do You Feel About NYC?

The Leviathan Chronicles is a science fiction action adventure story that is presented in episodic podcast segments which are perfect to listen to and still be able to concentrate on another task--like work!

When I first heard of The Leviathan Chronicles I thought of the only Leviathan I've encountered in science fiction and that was on the television program "Farscape." In that series, the Leviathan was a living, sentient spaceship.
 
It seems that sentience is a commonality in Leviathans from Biblical times through present-day writing.

After listening to chapter one of The Leviathan Chronicles it seems pretty likely that this Leviathan, the Hei Tan Shi, also has unique qualities, more of which should uncoil as the story progresses.

The Chinese submarine's mission is to deliver the Star Stone to
Leviathan City but by the end of chapter one it was looking pretty doubtful that things would stay on course for the mission to be successful.

It’s worth noting that the Hei Tan Shi Leviathan can reach unheard of depths passing 15,000 feet.

In chapter one, besides meeting the Leviathan we meet Jason Sterling, a main character who works for the Blackdoor Group. Most notably, he is said to be ambitious and ruthless in achieving what he sets out to do.

The other character that was most prominent in chapter one was Whitt Roberts, an operative, also for the Clandestine Blackdoor Group. After working for multiple degrees in college he graduated to immediate employment by the CIA and most recently has been recruited by Jason Sterling to work within the Blackdoor group.

Halfway Through Driver's Education And Still Alive To Tell Of It

This is one of the videos the kids watched today in summer school elective driver's education class. 

The kids are about halfway through the course, after which here in Illinois there is another 6-7 months before they/my son can be licensed with the heaviest restrictions in the country for new driver's. Go Illinois. It's funny, because if I may get tangential a bit, some surrounding states have some of the loosest laws on the books for various people-controlling situations. Some state laws have left me slack-jawed with how little they seem to worry about kids driving a lethal weapon with a truncated amount of driver's training. It's a situation by situation call but sheesh, the Chicago area is strict!  I'm completely happy however, to have non-farm living kids defer driving as long as they need to. A couple years driving experience is what is required here in Illinois before a kid under the age of 18 can drive on an unrestricted license. Age 18 is when they have full freedom behind the wheel. In fact, at age 18 one needs no driver's training whatsoever to obtain an Illinois driver's license--just take the easy written and basic driving test test and voilà! no matter how bad of a driver you are--you too can get around on four fast wheels!

I'm glad my kid is low-key by nature because he's very serious about driving--but doesn't seem nervous at all--just very focused. Being so new at this, he's slipping up here and there, making too abrupt a lane change, sometimes forgetting his signal that he is changing lanes but I must admit it's kind of fun to be side by side when he drives at night for the very first time as we did coming home from Wall-E Sunday night. Overall, I know he's doing tonnes better than his unfortunate driver's ed. partner, a young lady who has a strong chance of not passing the course (though it makes no difference to the state if she passes or fails--she proceeds the same way my son will).

Son says the scariest thing his driving partner does is make turns into oncoming traffic (!) The driving instructor has grabbed the wheel a couple of times due to that. Son also reports that the young lady doesn't seem to be a good judge of knowing when to stop in time before hitting the car in front of her so the instructor has used his passenger -side brake numerous times. My son says hs "can always tell when he's using his brake because his leg jumps and it (the stopping) feels different." I just  am a bit flabbergasted that my son has gone for multiple drives with this girl and had to sit in the back seat with no power what.so .ever. to correct what must be a pretty intense situation. :/

One last thing. The video above is graphic by US standards. In fact, outside of driver's training class I've never seen such a public advertisement. My feeling is that the United States government is too cozy with the American automakers to put out something so blatantly a warning about how dangerous operating a passenger vehicle is. Service to the public interest?  That's to be chuckled at. The video is not, however-- you've been warned.

Wall-E ~ "First and foremost, a love story..."

Disney/Pixar

Reviewers are tripping all over their tongues with abundant praise for Wall-E.

• While the film's social message comes through loud and clear, it never detracts from the heart of the picture--the unlikely romance between Wall*E and EVE

• It is a story about love and loneliness, perseverance and triumph, the possibilities and pitfalls of human existence. That this story is told by way of the exploits of a tiny, faceless robot only makes it more extraordinary

• Wall-E may be the first truly dystopian animated movie for kids.

Disney/Pixar

Note: This is my third attempt at posting this. The browser I was using turns out to not be playing well with the "Share-This" widget. Did a new install as per TypePad directive in the "file a ticket for help" section.. Fingers crossed. I can't write this a fourth time!

Synopsis of Wall-E: After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, WALL•E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet’s future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most exciting and imaginative comedy adventures ever brought to the big screen.

"Wall-E" is written and directed by Andrew Stanton, (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, others, not my favourites)  who says this about his film,

“I wanted this movie, about Earth’s last robot, to transport you to another world, give you that sense of awe that’s hard to come by today.”

I totally did get it everything he was going for. I loved it to pieces and had a goofy smile on my face as the credits rolled, continuing the story in a sketch sequence added to the credits throughout.

It's apparent--in a good way that Andrew Stanton paid homage to a number of film classics especially in the Science Fiction genre. Some that were more obvious were Close Encounters of The Third Kind, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Blade Runner. Sigourney Weaver plays the voice of the Axiom, the massive spaceship that contains the last of "humanity." Can't help but think Alien or in my case Galaxy Quest as she did lots of announcing in that. Love her.

And if you don't remember the movie Silent Running with Bruce Dern, the photo below may help.

He was a sort of space hippie on a doomed save the Earth mission. It way pretty darn dystopian even if he had Huey, Dewey and Louie for buddies!

"It’s a little more obscure, but it’s Bruce Dern, out in space, and he’s out there with three little robots - Huey, Dewey and Louie - trying to save the last plant life on Earth. As you’ll see, this one was particularly influential.” comments yet another enthusiastic reviewer of Wall-E.

Disney/Pixar