....whatever

Glenn Lord, R.I.P.

2012-01-04T10:43:00.001+08:00

I just learned that Glenn Lord, champion ofRobert E. Howard’s writings, passed away on New Year’s Eve 2011. If not for the efforts of Lord then your favorite fictional barbarian may not even be known to you, if, of course, your favorite fictional barbarian is Conan the Cimmerian.

After Howard died, Lord compiled the pulp writer’s stories, which were primarily published in Weird Tales magazine and other periodicals during Howard’s lifetime and championed their publication into collections. He published a fanzine by the name of The Howard Collector during the 1960s-70s, and a final volume in 2011. Lord’s dedication to collecting Howard’s work and providing an outlet for Howard studies and discussion can only be measured through the growing interest in all of Howard’s work, whether it be poetry, letters, or fictional characters such as the swashbuckling PuritanSolomon Kane, King Kull of Atlantis, Celtic adventure stories of Turlogh Dubh O’Brien, the comedic boxing stories of sailor Steve Costigan, the tall tales of mountain manBreckenridge Elkins, the Oriental adventures of El Borak, and, of course, sword and sorcery tales of Conan.

Thank you, Lord, for all you did to preserve the work of one of the world’s greatest writers.

Originally published at:

http://www.walterhisownself.com/walterhisownself/Weblog/Weblog.html

Caffeinated Screenwriting

2011-03-28T06:22:00.003+08:00

Fans of script consultant Pilar Alessandra’s On The Page podcast will already be familiar with her new book, The Coffee Break Screenwriter, but those who don’t listen to this excellent podcast may not know about this great screenwriting resource and book.

The Coffee Break Screenwriter contains numerous short chapters that contain focused exercises to get your story ideas on the page. The exercises can be completed in consecutive progression, or the writer can skip around and do only the exercises that will be most helpful in your writing journey from ideation to final draft. The objective of all of the exercises is to get your thoughts out of the jungle of your mind and “on the page.”

The book starts with initial things that every screenwriter should lay down prior to writing a single word for a first draft, such as Main Character (MC) motivation, the premise of the story, the film’s logline, etc.

The book then proceeds to a brief chapter on Structure with three exercises to assist with structuring your story into a traditional film story structure. The worksheet for these exercises is good at assisting with breaking down the story into the framework of a 4-Act structure. Alessandra does not dwell on theory drama or screenwriting, and that’s a good thing. There are numerous other books, by McKee, Truby, Vogler, et. al. that are specifically focused on screenwriting theory, and go deeply into the theory of screenwriting. Coffee Break Screenwriter is not a screenwriting theory text.

Alessandra’s book continues with many chapters on various aspects of screenwriting. A couple chapters I particularly enjoyed were on Dialogue and Rewriting. They contain exercises and tools ,such as templates, to assist with organizing thoughts so that the screenwriter can march toward the ultimate goal of producing a final draft.

It’s a good, practical book that makes the screenwriter apply themselves to focused exercises that are meant to last no longer than 10 minutes, hence the title “Coffee Break Screenwriter.” I like the focused technique that the Alessandra espouses since a mere 10 minutes is the most that the majority of us can permit ourselves the luxury of creation in the busy, industrial world. The Coffee Break Screenwriter focused method is similar to the Pomodoro Technique of “getting stuff done.” It’s a method that, regardless of a fancy name, was used by writers of the pulps, whose primary motivation to write fast was the constant calls or knock on the door from a bill collector. It’s a technique that is used every November by thousands of aspiring writers participating in NANOWRIMO. But, it’s also more than writing at a fevered pace. It’s a series of structured mental calisthenics to allow the screenwriter to flex their storytelling talents into short, focused repetitions that build from ill-formed ideas into sharp dialogue partnered with a polished story arc in the form of a final draft. And I highly recommend it.

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This post originally appeared on http://walterhisownself.com

Banksy Simpsons

2010-10-11T21:06:00.000+08:00

Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha Screenwriting

2010-08-02T04:39:00.001+08:00

The thirty-seventh annual Faulkner & Yoknapatawpha Convention recently concluded at the University of Mississippi. This year’s theme was “Faulkner and Film.” I'm excited that there is interest and a concerted focus on the film writings of this American writer. Perhaps it will assist in ushering a renewed interest in the films produced in the past based on scripts by Faulkner.

Faulkner spent many years working in and with Hollywood during the age of the studio system. He was beginning to be recognized as literary master and decided to write scripts for Hollywood due income needed to support his family.

He created scripts for director Howard Hawks, and for Warner Brothers and other studios. Faulkner began working in Hollywood in 1932 and finished his last film script in the 1950s. He also wrote for the emerging television industry.

The screenplays that Faulkner penned for Hawks were: Today We Live (1933), The Road to Glory (1936), Slave Ship (1937), To Have and Have Not (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Land of the Pharaohs (1955). He helped write other scripts, but received no official credit. Additionally, Hollywood has produced numerous film and television adaptations of his original work.

I have hoped for many years for a published collection of Faulkner's screenplays. Here's my ultimate dream: a complete collection of William Faulkner's screenplays published by the prestigious Library of America to accompany the five volumes of Faulkner's novels which they currently maintain in print. It would be a great way to (nearly) complete Faulkner’s oeuvre in a beautiful Library of America volume. I say nearly because the LOA does not have a collection of all of Faulkner's short stories in print. (hint)

Sam Thomas, in the introduction to volume one in his three volume collection of “Best American Screenplays” stated that he believes the screenplay is just as important as a novel, short story or a poem. He sees the day when literature classes will study scripts as an art form on equal grounds with the recognized works of in the Canon of world literature. I completely agree.

A screenplay is just as important as the blueprints and architectural models created by an architect. The public is interested in exhibitions that display architectural drawings, concepts and models just as much as we are in the final structures themselves.

One of my favorite books on Frank Lloyd Wright is only about his drawings. A similar book I enjoy in the same vein is "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters" by Robert Hale. In these two books the reader is presented with the sketches, notes, and unfinished drafts of master artists, architects, and designers. To me, the insight gained by looking at "blueprints" is, in a sense, more important than the final work. We are able to see the modifications, the erasing, the considerations and mistakes that the artist made while working out the details of the final product. It’s a rare glimpse into the thought process going through the artist’s mind as they worked out the final work of art (or building, in the case of architects). It’s simply fascinating stuff to behold.

A few years ago the High Museum of Art hosted an exhibition of the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. Already enthralled by the art and engineering creations of da Vinci, I was thrilled to see actual drawings by the master. It was a chance to peer into the mind of the Renaissance genius, and to say I was enthusiastic was to say the least. I was mesmerized and ultimately enriched by the original drafts, sketches and blueprints on display. It was an enlightening experience and granted me newfound appreciation for his work.

I hold the same stance about screenplays. A screenplay allows us an opportunity to peer into the mind of the screenwriter that grants newfound appreciation for the final product, the film. It’s an opportunity that no writer should turn down, whether you are writing for film, television, theater, novels, or poetry.

Perhaps the Faulkner and Film theme of the annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha conference will encourage scholars, publishers or other interested parties to publish a collection of the Nobel Laureate’s screenplays for us to examine, consume and study. We'll all be richer because of it.

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This post originally appeared at Walterhisownself.com

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Boxing Tribute - Muhammad Ali Highlights Video

2010-02-17T06:46:00.002+08:00

This is a good video of fight scenes from "The Greatest"

Oscar Nominations for 82nd Annual Academy Awards are Announced

2010-02-02T22:03:00.002+08:00

In your opinion, which film will win best picture?

Best Picture Nominees

"Avatar"
"The Blind Side"
"District 9"
"An Education"
"Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Precious"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"
"Up in the Air"

http://is.gd/7xZo7

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“We’re off to see The Wizard!”

2010-01-24T21:57:00.001+08:00

It frightened me as a child. I saw it on broadcast television nearly every year. It contained fantastical images of Winged Monkeys and the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West. The shriveling legs of her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East, as the black-and-white stockings curled beneath Dorothy’s house, was a particularly scary scene. As I grew older I became less and less frightened of the images from the “The Wizard of Oz.” In fact, to this day, it’s one of my all time favorite films. I especially like the scene where Dorothy and her companions discover the “man behind the curtain” is really the Wizard. And, I’m now particularly fond of the Flying Monkeys. There’s something sinister behind their goofy guise that I like.

So it was with baited excitement and honor to have my family join me and hundreds of other Wizard cinephiles at the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta for a special showing of “The Wizard of Oz.” The film was accompanied by numerous events that were headlined by a special ninety-one year old guest.

Karl Slover was the guest of honor at the Plaza Theatre’s 70th Anniversary Celebration. You know Karl as one of the Munchkins in the “The Wizard of Oz.” He was 1st Trumpeter, and also one of the flower petal babies.

He lead the audience in a sing-along of “We’re off to see The Wizard” He introduced the film and it was an honor to meet him.

“We're off to see the Wizard, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

You'll find he is a whiz of a Wiz! If ever a Wiz! there was.

If ever oh ever a Wiz! there was The Wizard of Oz is one because,

Because, because, because, because, because.

Because of the wonderful things he does.

We're off to see the Wizard. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”

The audience applauded when he appeared during the Munchkin Villages scenes. He was in his early twenties in 1939 when the film debuted. Karl also spoke about Margaret Hamilton and a conversation he remembered between he and film director, Victor Fleming, about her reluctance to have her young son see the film and his mother portraying the Wicked Witch of the West. She feared he would run away from home.

The film has a special place in my heart as something that once scared me and caused fitful sleep, but has grown to be a film I truly cherish and recognize as one of the greatest that Hollywood has ever produced.

“

Aunt Em, Hate you, Hate Kansas, Took the dog. - Dorothy”

“Things haven’t been the same since that house killed my sister.”

A couple of bumper stickers on a car.

This post originally published at: walterhisownself.com on January 23, 2010.

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Thinking about Steampunk

2009-10-30T21:35:00.001+08:00

Years ago I read William Gibson & Bruce Sterling's The Difference Engine and immediately loved the steampunk milieu. It's a work that divides fandom into those who feel that The Difference Engine is a fractured novel, and the others, like myself, who enjoyed the narrative even toward the gimmicky end. It is worth a read, twenty years later, if you've never experienced it. Since then, there have been numerous other authors who have grown the subgenre. I'm not saying that Gibson and Sterling where the first, that honor should probably go to James Blaylock, but The Difference Engine was the first steampunk novel I had ever read. And since it was written by two well-know authors at the time, it could very well be the initiator of the steampunk zeitgeist we are experiencing today.

This month, near its end, marked science fiction & fantasy publisher TOR's "Steampunk Month." They have a few titles available for sale at a discount and I'd like to offer my brief thoughts on the ones that I have read:

Freak Angels by Warren Ellis & Paul Duffield: They're a loose band of superheroes, or something akin to being more than mere mortals, and they live in an England after the world ended. It's been a free web comic for quite a while, and has recently be collected into two volumes. Well worth a read. Try out the web comic if you're hesitant or not deep into steampunk.

Girl Genius by Kaja and Phil Foglio: A fun-filled comic filled with mad scientists, steam mecha and a heroine not to be missed. This is a great comic. Don't miss it now that it's being collected into omnibus editions.

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville: A rich, atmospheric novel where the mere setting breathes with life grander and more haunting then the residents. I recommend this and all of Mieville's work.

The Adventures of Luther Arkwright by Bryan Talbot: Experience Victorian sensibilities in the hands of comics artist and writer Bryan Talbot and the hero Luther Arkwright in a multiverse of secret agents and villians. I love it.

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers: Powers is one of my favorite authors and I don't miss any of his writings, and neither should you. Start with this one, you won't be disappointed.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore: Moore's work is simply profound. You shouldn't pass this one up. It includes a group of fictional characters who band together to fight forces of evil and fully captures Victorian attitudes while telling a great yarn.

The Steampunk Trilogy by Paul Di Filippo: After I devoured The Difference Engine during my college's exam week (it was a great stress reliever), I immediately went on a search for more steampunk. The Steampunk Trilogy was what I encountered next. It's collection of three novellas and blurs the lines between fantasy and steampunk scifi. I was hooked and didn't look back.

Then there's also the others, the early stuff, that could be called the early-works, though great works none-the-less, like H.G. Wells' The Time Machine, and Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea ("20,000 leaguessss! That's pretty deep, Captain!"). These books are to modern era steampunk as the New York Dolls and The Velvet Underground are to late 70s punk rock: they set the stage for the punkers like The Clash and Sex Pistols, Stiff Little Fingers and The Buzzcocks.

Well, enough brief reviews for now. Next time, Steampunk Games.

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Are you a "pragmatic" author? Are you up for the Prag Pro Wri Mo challenge?

2009-10-29T03:14:00.001+08:00

It seems that NaNoWriMo has inspired those with a technical, and pragmatic, bent to declare November "Prag Pro Wri Mo."

Are you a technical writer, software developer, project manager or just a "git r done" practitioner with several ounces of hacker spirit? If so, then "Prag Pro Wri Mo" just may be the writing challenge for you.

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Anyone participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) during November?

2009-10-28T00:19:00.001+08:00

It's a rapid fire, fun-filled challenge to produce a 175-page (50,000 word) novel in the spirit of the "24-hour comic," or the "48-hour film project."

Are you up to the challenge?

Participation details are here.

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With Story, We Face the Infinite

2009-10-20T09:15:00.002+08:00

In the realm of mathematics Georg Cantor and Kurt Gödel faced it. But what of creative types? What of writers? Is infinity part of the storyteller's world too?

I claim, with boldness, that it is.

The action of translating fleeting, ephemeral thoughts into the corporeal words of story is an act of godlike agency. For when the writer is faced with the expanse of infinite possibilities of potential stories, it's then that the creative forces imbued in the Vulcan furnaces of the storyteller's mind dance in a revelry of celebration.

Story creation permits the writer a glimpse at the expanse of infinity. It represents possibilities, and we are a band of thieves on a quest lead by Prometheus to bring the jewels of great story to the written page, the spoken word, the cinema's screen.

The infinite ravelment is woven into the stories we create. Give two storytellers the same ingredients and out will come two very different stories. The infinite is universal, the stories we create are how we instantiate it. Alone against the infinite expanse, we choose the possibilities and share it with the world in the form of story.

Face infinity and create story!

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Why I Write

2009-10-09T09:47:00.003+08:00

Why I write.

The short answer is quite simple:

I have no choice.

But that's not the answer you're looking for. The long answer, since you asked, is complex, but not complicated.

I write because writing allows me to make sense of the world, of this existence. Writing is the one act that permits me the freedom to tell you my thoughts about the human condition, but more importantly, it allows me to tell "me" my thoughts about the human condition. I, like the rest of us, have a curious mind. I wonder why it is we are here. What is our purpose? What is the extent of our existence? And how best can we learn to live together with each other and with the other elements of the natural world.

If there's one thing we can count on, it's that life is full of constant change. I'm fine with the fact that everything is in constant flux. Growing up, I had the opportunity to call numerous places home. I had to learn to make new friends and understand the process of friendship. I don't claim to be an expert at it, hell, to this day I consider myself a novice with regard to relationships.

This world, the only one we have, has existed long before us. And it will probably exist long after we are gone. Even with all our technological wonder, all our advances in medicine, all our knowledge of natural phenomena, we still continue to marvel at the mystery that the world presents to us. There's so much we don't know, and it's out there for us to discover. We all wish to understand this world. To make sense of the joy and wickedness we experience, to live out our lives to their fullest.

Since the dawn of our existence, storytellers have been among us. Our stories once existed in the oracular tradition, and yet, today with multimedia stories, we still seek the same answers to our questions. The fundamental questions. The questions that get us closer to the answers we all seek.

I'm no different than you and seek the answers you want too. I want to make sense of the world, of our existence. For me, the way to do it is through expressing myself freely. Free expression is an inherent characteristic of humanity. We are all born with sucking, grasping and a desire to express our individuality. Our will. How we choose to do it is up to us. But the desire serves that same purpose. It's a mechanism for us to make sense of the world.

I choose to do it in writing. Whether I had an audience or not, I'd still write. I've also painted before, and I still take pictures. But primarily I write. It is my personal mechanism for gathering the troops and taking on the mysteries of existence. Why do we love? What are the many facets of love? Why do we hate? Why envy? I'm interested in these questions, and numerous more. I'm interested in the infinite ways that we respond to these questions. Why one individual's answers are distinct, and diametrically opposed to another individual's answers. Even maternal twins, individuals with exact copies of one another's DNA, are different. Encountering different viewpoints, encountering answers that surprise us, that scare us, and are different from our answers can help us figure out our individual answers. For, we may not agree, but through my interaction with you, I may strengthen my answers, or I may be convinced that my answer was wrong and see some truth in your answer.

We've all hear that writers have a "god complex." It's true. Storytellers enjoy creating lives that they can play with like Olympian deities. Characters let us present different viewpoints to the answers we seek. Their interactions in an imaginary milieu allow the storyteller to get those answers he seeks. Or if not the answers, then to get closer to the answers.

I want to be close to the answers. In fact, I need to make sense of the world. At times I feel that I'd probably loose my mind if I did attempt to make sense of it. And I'm not proud to claim that my answers are the truth or even remotely resemble the truth. But they are answers none the less. The adventure to find those answers is not an easy one. I've never expected the journey to be easy, or expect that it will ever get easy. Part of what we storytellers do is research. It's a requirement of the job. I'm not speaking of research like browsing the Web. Research can easily take that form, and it's often the starting point for us all here in the 21st century. I'm not even speaking about simply reading some non-fiction books on a subject or question we have which continues to nag us. Though research of this form is certainly enriching. I'm talking about the deep exploration that we storytellers must do by examining our own lives, our individual experiences, our tragedies, our hopes, our desires, and discovering the answers within our beings. The ugly, naked truths that are beneath years of calluses we've erected due to disappointments, heartbreak, or foolishness. We've all done stupid things in our lives; actions or decisions we're not proud of. It's typically not until many years later that we figure out why we actually did what we did in that situation. For writers, the act of writing is how we get those answers.

The challenge is that many things cannot be accurately represented in words. Feelings. So there's the challenge. We use words as a primary form of communication, yet it's difficult to express what we mean with words. I know there are other forms of expression that serve the same purpose of granting us the channel to express the answers we seek: dance, music, art. But, words, written and verbal, remain our primary form of expression. It's the duty of writers to take these syntactic constructs and conjure works of art to marvel and amaze, to entertain and fundamentally provide us with the answers we seek.

This is what I aim to do. And this is why I write.

Hey, you asked for the long answer!

Now go seek out your answers.

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Storytelling is Eternal, Great Stories are Timeless

2009-09-27T23:25:00.001+08:00

Storytelling is one of the oldest art forms. We can surmise that storytelling was an integral part of our standard repertoire when our primitive ancestors sketched their hunting exploits on the walls of caves.

The storyteller, and storytelling, is a uniquely human affair. No other species on earth engages in this act. Tools don’t separate us from other species, for chimpanzees and crows are known to use them. Language is not unique to humanity either, for other primates are able to communicate with us through sign language. And, emotions are neither the signifying factor that makes us unique, for we can observe emotions in other animals. I’m not afraid to make the claim, with a hint of boldness, that storytelling is what makes us ‘human.’

Why Storytelling?

Storytelling and the storyteller are on a journey together. The journey is a simple one. At the outset, it will be difficult, and it has the opportunity to become easier over time, but that certainly I doubt. The obstacles encountered along the way are designated by the purpose of the journey. The storyteller is shackled with the singular burden of sharing the meaning of life with the populace. Why we are here? What is our purpose? Ultimately, these are the reasons we are drawn to stories. It’s a perpetual quest for all of humanity, and that is why storytelling is an will be a function of humanity for all eternity. Or at least as long as humans will exist in the Universe.

The Storyteller’s Obligation

The obligation that we, storytellers, face is not merely to tell stories, but to tell great stories. It’s our duty to the rest of the humanity that we attempt to interpret the world, the universe, the multiverse through tales that will transcend the limits of time. We house the exploits of heroes, heroines and their great deeds in our imaginations. It is our obligation to transfer these stories into storytelling mediums: comics, dance, screenplays, madrigals, theater, slam poetry, and other forms of story.

Write, write, write, but write well. Never be satisfied with your work, always strive to improve your writing by engaging your subconscious on a daily basis. Harass it, stimulate it, but don’t let it weigh you down, for it is at that point we encounter expectations and self-consciousness, which then lead to writer’s block.

Commit to writing as if your life depended on it. For what our audience desires is quite simple: great stories.

Now, follow your muse and fulfill your obligation.

Go write!

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Why I Like Screenwriting

2009-09-19T22:32:00.001+08:00

Many screenwriters have written about why they are attracted to the story form of the screenplay.

Now, it is my treat to bring you my thoughts on why I am attracted to this form of storytelling.

It’s the Architecture for a Film

It’s a blueprint. It’s the “architecture” for a film. Essentially, the screenplay is the framework that will support the creation of the film. Without the story, in the structure of a screenplay, there’d be no film. This is counter to the auteur theory, but it’s a simple fact. The screenwriter creates the foundation that a film is built upon; the screenplay, or to bring it to its essential form, the “story.”

It’s Collaborative

I previously noted that the screenplay is a blueprint. It’s not the final product that will be created. I’m used to working in a collaborative environment. My experience as a project manager in the IT world has granted me multiple opportunities to work in a collaborative environment with individuals and groups with varying backgrounds, stances and personalities. I’m comfortable with working in this milieu where concessions and negotiations are often required. It’s not easy to do, and I recognize that aspect of collaboration, but that is fine if the group is working toward the same goal.

It is Structure-focused

Architect Christopher Alexander created the idea of design patterns for building architects and designers in “A Pattern Language.” It’s a seminal book in architecture, and in film we have a similar structure to work with that starts with Aristotle and continues through the Monomyth of Joseph Campbell.

A well-known and proven “pattern” is established for screenplays. This is not to say that the pattern cannot be modified, it’s infinitely flexible. But it starts with a basic form that the writer must work within. And working within known constraints does not stifle creativity. On the contrary, constraints can be used by the screenwriter to stretch their creative muscle by forcing one to squeeze water from a rock. I see the constraints as a mechanism to focus creativity through a tightly-focused lens. Thereby allowing the screenwriter to get to the fundamental elements of the beat, scene, sequence, act, and finally the feature film.

It’s Succinct

I come from a journalism background. I was a member of my high school newspaper and went to a community college on a journalism scholarship. I primarily performed duties as a graphic designer, comics artist and photographer, but I my duties also required me to write news and feature stories.

From journalist training I learned to write concise stories that effectively covered the five “W’s” and “H” at the heart of a story. I like concise writing. There’s a true mastery of the craft of writing when a writer is able to convey feelings, exposition and character development as succinctly as possible.

Don’t get me wrong. I do like sweeping prose and can appreciate novelistic forms that allow the writer to be unfettered with the strictures of grammar and style. William Faulkner comes to mind as an example of a great writer that was extremely capable of generating evocative prose within the constraints of English grammar rules.

It’s the Kernel of a Film

Being a lover of film, no, an obsessed maniac for film, and also a creative personality, it goes without saying that I’d be attracted to the screenplay form.

I’m a visual thinker, extremely adept at visual communication in it’s many forms, especially, photography and visual arts.

Film is the unification of the visual arts with the element of time. It’s visual, yet has as many similarities with works of art that are influenced by time: dance, music.

Essentially, the screenplay is the “kernel” of the film. And, the screenplay is a series of descriptions that will be instantiated in a visual medium; a medium that also integrates the element of time.

Final Thoughts

These are the reasons I am attracted to the screenplay form. I also write in other forms, and they each have their purposes, but I like the challenge of working within the strictures of the screenplay. It’s a form of writing that gets little or not respect from the writing community. The virtues of screenplay writing have never been recognized, and that’s a simple fact.

Beyond all of the challenges that screenwriting entails, I’m still attracted to the form, the method, the structure and thoroughly excited by the film that is finally produced.

There’s my answer. It probably wasn’t what you were expecting, or maybe I’m too self-centered, as most writers are, and it was exactly what you expected. Regardless of your reaction, it’s my answer and it matters to me.

Postscript

I’m particularly interested in reading Faulkner’s screenplays to compare their style with his novels and stories. Wouldn’t it be great if the Library of America published a volume of Faulkner’s complete screenplays as a sixth volume in their collection of Faulkner’s writings?

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I'm an Alumnus of Robert McKee's Story Seminar

2009-09-14T08:51:00.001+08:00

On July 19, 2009 I had the honor of becoming a graduate of Robert McKee's Story Seminiar. After three grueling days I am well-versed in the fundamental principles of story according to McKee. I'm fortunate to be able to attend the seminar; it helped that I have family that resides in San Francisco, the location of McKee's Seminar. My family made turned it into a vacation while I was locked into the Holiday Inn conference room with a sold out class of 200 students that spanned various creative careers and professions: screenwriters, playwrights, directors, producers, editors.

The experience was one I will not forget for McKee is truly remarkable. He's nearly 70 years old and has the stamina of Hercules. His days filled to the brim with his monologue. Don't pity us poor students, for we don't have to pace the stage, speaking brilliantly about the essential form of story for 11-hours each day. The agenda for the last day included a 6-hour screening and analysis of Casablanca, so he did have a downhill run toward the end since he was able to sit some of the time.

I prepared for the seminar by reading McKee's book and by reading the screenplay for Casablanca in preparation for the six-hour "autopsy." The seminar followed Story and so was familiar to me as I listened to McKee's lecture.

This was the last seminar in the 3-day format. His upcoming sessions spread the material across four days and increased the cost to US$645-745.

The best part was networking with fellow alumni. We had a late dinner at the conclusion of the event at Modern Thai; the food wasn't spectacular, but the conversation and camaraderie of fellow filmmakers was exciting and inspiring. Among our group are people from Japan, Australia and Canada, in addition to various cities across the United States. We’ve committed to stay in touch with one another, provide feedback on writing and share experiences.

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Film Review of "Times and Winds"

2009-09-14T07:24:00.001+08:00

It doesn't matter what culture or society a person is reared in, childhood can be a brutal and horrifying experience for nearly all who mature to adulthood. Oftentimes, a child is faced with feelings of despair, cruelty and isolation under the authority of adults; a world filled with expectations and etiquette that children don't understand, try as they must in order to survive, in their attempts to understand the larger world in the process of "growing up."

The film "Times and Winds," by Turkish writer-director Reha Erdem, exquisitely captures the feelings of children in the vulnerable pre-teen years. The theme is universal. The tortured inner world of the child is faced with external forces from parents, teachers and the vast world of grown-ups. It's a beautiful story told with tenderness, woe and deep humanity. And it's not to be missed.

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My Battle with the Oxford English Dictionary

2009-09-13T03:19:00.001+08:00

For nearly twenty years I’ve desired my own copy of the Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition. I finally bought a copy of it, on CD-ROM. I excitedly ordered version 4.0, the latest version, from an online retailer, and my excitement grew as I was notified that the order had shipped earlier this week. The twin entities of anticipation and excitement grew even greater when I arrived home from my day job yesterday and found the delivery had arrived.

I couldn’t wait to install it, but was patient and waited until this morning when, refreshed, I was ready to begin the installation procedure on my Windows laptop.

I read the installation guide to confirm that my system met all the requirements as documented. I checked before placing the order, but this was an integrity check to verify that nothing had changed from the online requirements to the printed list in the manual.

The documented install process is as typical as any installation procedure: Put the CD-ROM media in the DVD/CD drive, let it autorun and click through the defaults. Only, for this CD-ROM, it was taking a long time to read the media. The drive was spinning and I could hear moments when the optical lens was reading the disc, but the only thing that was happening was the wait. I waited and waited. And then I continued to wait. We had a conversation. “Hi, Wait,” I said. “Why ‘hello’ Walter,” Wait replied and added with a sneer, “You’re going to have to wait.” I attempted to start up the Windows Task Manager with the three-finger salute, “Control-Alt-Delete,” but to no avail, the Task Manager was taking its merry time to appear on the screen. Wait had me in his grip as he snickered and winked with a sarcastic glance.

I told myself I can beat him at his game and waited patiently. There’s no need to get upset with technology, we’re practically married to it these days and though our modern tools can be frustrating at times when they don’t do what we expect of them, I reminded myself that the program and computer was simply doing what we have told it, or in this case “programmed” it, to do. It’s a dumb machine. The genius is in the programming that was executed by us, humans.

I was slightly agitated, but nearly twenty years of excitement still kept me cheerful, and besides, I wasn’t going to give up.

I performed four attempts to bring up a Windows Task Manager and they all merely resulted in four separate instances of the Windows Task Manager appearing in the Taskbar Tray to the lower right of the desktop. I couldn’t bring any of them up to allow me to view the processes and programs that were running. I felt I was being mocked. “This was ridiculous,” I thought, that the installation program could hose up the whole operating system. I restarted the computer with a hard reset by holding down the power button for a few seconds.

Back to square one.

The CD-ROM was inserted again, and anticipation was hard to contain as I continued to think back on nearly two decades of waiting for this moment. I once considered buying the Compact OED, the one with the magnifying glass, but knew it would keep me wanting with the manner of manual search required in that media. I desired the software version, but over the years had read that the GUI was clunky, and the primary strike against it was that it did not run on Mac, until this latest version. My twin companions, anticipation and excitement, were quickly dashed once again when I was faced with a repeat of the initial installation process I just fought with for the last 15 minutes!

Reboot. Don’t pass “Go,” don’t collect $213. (The price I paid for the application)

Third attempt.

Before inserting the CD-ROM in the drive, I brought up the Windows Task Manager and killed a bunch of iTunes processes, like iTunes Helper and iPod Service, that I never use and knew would not harm the system if they were no longer running around. And, who knows, perhaps they were causing some problems with the installation. You know, with the on-going strained relationship between Apple and Microsoft that’s existed since the two companies began competing during the prehistoric age of personal computing. Also known as the late 70s and early 80s.

I then re-inserted the CD-ROM and once again it took a long time to read the media, but alas, this time it did begin the installation.

Hurray! My excitement was back in the game and was now standing on the bleachers cheering the team’s first home run of the season.

The install program did its thing and politely asked for the second disc, the “Data Disc,” that contains the remaining part of half a million English words, meticulously researched and cross-referenced in a history that began with the Philological Society of London and James A.H. Murray of Oxford University Press in 1857. I confess that my affection for the contents of the OED began around 1988 when I browsed through a twenty-volume print edition at the West Campus library of Pensacola Junior College while researching a paper on Martin Luther King Jr. and his adoption of Gandhi’s philosophy of αγάπη (agape).

No, I stated that incorrectly. It’s not been merely an affection, but more of a decades-long driving desire for the coveted material, akin to the maniacal pursuit of fuel in George Miller’s Mad Max film franchise.

Eventually, the contents of the “Data Disc” installed, and I was prompted to reboot Windows, to which I obliged.

The next step in the process, as stated in the manual, was to start the successfully installed OED application from the Start Menu. It clearly states that upon first running the application, it requires that the “Install Disc” be in the CD-ROM drive so that the installation program can perform the final step in the process, “Secure ROM” authentication. Fine by me, just let me get to the ultimate writer’s reference.

Windows restarted and I logged on. I was happy to see that an icon had installed itself on my desktop as a shortcut to start the OED application. Before clicking on this I inserted the first CD-ROM, the “Install Disc,” into the drive as instructed by the manual. I then checked the Start Menu in Windows Explorer to see if the program was put into the menu for “All Users.” This is important to me since I share my laptop with my spouse and we, of course, have separate accounts. Our accounts are “limited,” in terms of access rights and installation of software applications, and that’s the way I like it. A typical practice for me is to create an “Administrator” account on my computer systems that is used for system and application backups, adding users, and installing new software. Therefore, I was installing the OED with the “Administrator” account. I was surprised and disappointed that the OED program was no where to be found in the Start Menu for “All Users.” I scrolled up in the Windows Explorer window and found it under the Start Menu for “Administrator.” This means that only the “Adminstrator” account would be allowed to use the OED. Another strike, Oxford. Disappointment is building.

The problem, you see, is with licensing. Even though companies state that you are allowed to install the software on a single system, it’s not always completely true when you get down to brass tacks. As I mentioned, on my system I have three accounts: an Administrator with administrator privileges to install applications and perform essential system maintenance, and two user accounts with limited access privileges and no rights to install applications. That’s how I like to configure my computers. It goes back to the days I was a Unix Systems Administrator. You don’t use “root” as a standard user account. The user accounts, one for me and the other for my spouse, should be able to run any programs that the Administrator has installed on the system. At least in theory. Unfortunately, that ideal doesn’t always translate well into the real world where the rubber meets the road, or in this case where the bits and bytes meet the hard disk. The problem is that installing the OED with the Administrator account only allows the Administrator to access the program. This was apparent to me when I noticed in Windows Explorer that the OED was only available in the “Start Menu” for the “Administrator “account, and not in the “Start Menu” for “All Users.” I know this situation well and have encountered this beast and its spawn numerous times. Once with Movie Magic Screenwriter, and another time with DramaticaPro. To conquer the beast I have to log in as “Administrator” and under the User Accounts section of the Control Panel grant “administrator” privileges to my personal user account. I then log in with my personal account and install the software. Finally, I log in as “Administrator” and reset my personal account to be “limited” once again to ensure some security with the account accidentally performing an action that is harmful to the system and other accounts. Unfortunately, with this installation limitation the only account that is able to use the application is my personal user account. For the screenwriting applications, it’s not a big deal, as I’m the only one that uses them. But for something like the OED, it’s agonizing that only one account is able to access and use this wonderful resource. I’ll have to log in with “Walter, His Own Self” if my spouse wants to browse the OED. Why must it be this way?

Now, I’ve logged in as “Administrator” and granted administration rights to my “Walter, His Own Self” account, logged out and logged in with my newly entitled personal user account.

I’m going through the installation procedure again with my personal account and it’s the same story. Same rules. Same game. Disappointment, disappointment. Did I mention that disappointment arrived to kick anticipation and excitement’s asses?

At this point absurdity took over. I kept reminding myself, “it’s not the computer, it’s not the media, it’s not even Oxford University Press.” My next thought was, “It’s me!” Anticipation has left the bleachers and is on its way home in a rusted out 1970s Cadillac Coupe de Ville spewing clouds of carbon monoxide. And what of excitement? He’s been hit with a fistful of mud because it was two outs, two strikes and all the bases were loaded. We could have taken home the victory pennant with a home run hit into the stands, but our hopes were quickly dashed as the opposing team drove our boys into the ground with a stunning 9th inning upset.

This ordeal was suddenly turning into the quest for the Holy Grail of the English language, only I was not allowed to play the role of one of King Arthur Pendragon’s Knights of the Round Table. Hell, I’m not even permitted the honor of a 2nd-rate page who was allowed to sit at the Servants’ Termite-Eaten Oblong Bench. I’m the traveling bard who, through circumstances beyond my control, arrived at the banquet late, and during my performance I realized that the King’s audience wasn’t laughing at my act, but was laughing at me.

Where’s that Fisher King? I want to strangle his ass about now!

Reading reviews of the product, I’ve discovered that Mac users have not encountered absurd difficulties with the installation. I’m (primarily) a Mac, but do use a Windows laptop for writing so that I can take my writing desk anywhere. It’s also there for the 10% of the time when I must run some application that’s not available (yet) on the Mac.

So I’m installing the OED on our iMac. I’m sure I won’t have issues with the installation, or with multiple users accessing the application. It will be in the “Applications” folder and all any users must do is drag the application icon over to the Dock. Simplicity. Beauty. That’s what our tools should be like. There’s a reason the hammer has remained in the form it has for thousands of years. A hammer is a hammer, and it will always be a hammer.

Subsequently, it’s not me. These tools are simply behaving in the manner we had decided they behave in. It really shouldn’t surprise us when it appears they are doing otherwise.

Let’s see now, it’s time to read the OED’s installation requirements for a Mac.

512MB of RAM.

Check!

1Gb free hard disk space.

Check!

Minimum monitor capability: 1024 x 768.

Check!

Local CD-ROM/DVD drive.

Check!

Intel Core Duo™ 2.13GHz or faster processor.

Check!

Mac OS X v10.4x or 10.5.

Check!

Oh wait, what did I just see?

I just upgraded to Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Snow Leopard is... Mac OS X Ten Dot Six.

Did I see that listed in the requirements?

No.

By now my twins, anticipation and excitement, are no longer in the stands. They’ve been dragged beneath the bleachers by disappointment and he and a fan of the opposing team have beaten them to a pulp.

Well, I feel as if it’s always crap shoot with software installation.

By the gods! I’m still the buffoon in the center of the King’s stage, taking a beating from technology!

Freelance writers have so few companions to support them!

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Google Chrome OS and Writing and Me

2009-07-08T23:14:00.001+08:00

Like most netizens, I primarily use my computer for three primary purposes:

Browsing the web to watch online videos, read news/feature articles, learn something new.
Communicating via email, Twitter, and chat (rarely).
Storage and organization of digital media: music and photos.

Other activities that we all use our desktops/laptops/netbooks for to a lesser extent are:

Word processing
Personal finance accounting
Watching movies

So with the announcement of the forthcoming Google Chrome OS (Operating System), I wonder if it will be an option that can fit into my digital lifestyle. I'm fine with the whole "cloud computing" aspect of Google Chrome OS. Cloud computing is essentially a 21st century dumb terminal. I'm fairly comfortable with storing my data in the cloud, to a certain extent. I have lots of reservations about the use, intentional or unintentional, of my personal data that is stored in the cloud. But I also am skeptical that Google Chrome OS will offer alternatives to current programs that I use heavily. Mainly, screenwriting applications that I rely on:

Dramatica Pro (Mac OS X & Windows)
Movie Magic Screenwriter (Mac OS X & Windows)
StoryView (Windows only)

There's no current option to use either of these programs other than on Windows or MacOS X, so while I find Google Chrome OS very interesting. I'll probably not be using it. Watch me eat my words when it is released a year from now. A reason that doesn't compel me to use Google Chrome OS is the targeted platform: Netbooks. I've tried a friend's netbook, and the keyboard is simply too small for me. Even though the price of netbooks is attractive, I can use an older laptop with Ubuntu installed and get everything done that I can on a netbook. So for now, I'll pass on Google Chrome OS because I do lots of writing with tools that are not optimized for netbooks, nor are they able to run on Google Chrome OS.

I do wonder though about Google Chrome OS and integration with Google Android integration...

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Check out this blog comment I received

2009-07-04T18:56:00.001+08:00

Here's a comment that I received on multiple blog postings:

"さあ、今夏も新たな出会いを経験してみませんか？当サイトは円助交際の逆、つまり女性が男性を円助する『逆円助交際』を提供します。逆円交際を未経験の方でも気軽に遊べる大人のマッチングシステムです。年齢上限・容姿・経験一切問いません。男性の方は無料で登録して頂けます。貴方も新たな出会いを経験してみませんか "

I don't read Japanese, so translated using "Yahoo! Babelfish" it says:

"The [a], this summer it doesn't try experiencing the new encounter? This site opposite of circular help association, in other words the woman 'offers opposite circular help it does the man circular help association'. Opposite circular association it is the matching system of the adult who can play with ease even with method of not yet experiencing. Age upper limit figure experience you do not question altogether. Being free, you can register the man. Don't you try experiencing the new encounter?"

The results that one gets via "Babelfish" are just as funny as when it was Altavista's (Digital Equipment Corporation's) property. Anyone remember that? You've been around the Internet for a while if you recall the time with Altavista was king of the search engines and they had this quirky translation utility named after a tool in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy milieu.

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Legowood Pictures

2009-06-29T07:26:00.001+08:00

Here's some pictures from our trip to Legoland, San Diego earlier this year.

The Legowood Bowl.

Another of the Legowood Bowl

Opening night at Grauman's Chinese Theater with Legowood Sign in the background

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3-D Street Paintings

2009-06-23T08:03:00.001+08:00

先用粉筆打底稿

測量一下比例是否正確

給路人講解

立體畫草稿

開始繪畫

用手涂抹

初見雛形

調顏色他作畫的工具都很簡單的

刷涂大面積的顏色

畫的是felix貓

畫面的另一半

細節需要精心刻畫

主要形象已經完成，看出來是什麼了麼？

開始完善畫面

累了，坐下來畫

中國舞獅和felix貓，呼之欲出　　

換個角

即將完成

大功告成　　

圍觀的人群

成品

與作品合影這個作者令人欽佩

其他作品

記本電腦

真假難辨呀你能看出哪個是真人嗎

這張畫是倒立看的真是厲害呀　　

被殺蟲劑殺死的蒼蠅太逼真了　　

蜘蛛俠

街頭陷阱

被撬開的地板看上去和真的一樣路過的人不由自主的要避開

發現金礦開始挖掘呵呵是不是和真的一樣

繼續探測發現大金礦了

挖出大金礦了

發達了
　　作者已經和他的作品融為一體了真是厲害

一盒畫筆

看起來真以為他在高樓上呢

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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New Story on Tor.com: The City Quiet as Death by Steven Utley and Michael Bishop

2009-06-12T08:16:00.002+08:00

A new Michael Bishop short story! Michael is a native Georgian who I met nearly ten years ago. He signed a couple books, one of which was the excellent novel "Philip K. Dick Is Dead, Alas."

I'm glad he is still writing as he is an immense talent with the written word.

New Story: "The City Quiet as Death" by Steven Utley and Michael Bishop

This week Tor.com is proud to present "The City Quiet as Death," a short story by American science fiction authors Steven Utley and Michael Bishop.

In the 1970s, Steven Utley was part of the Turkey City Writers' Workshop, a group of writers in and near Austin, Texas that also included Howard Waldrop, Bruce Sterling, and Lisa Tuttle. Among Utley's best-known works from this period was a collaboration with Waldrop, "Custer's Last Jump." His "Silurian Tales" sequence of time-travel stories began to appear in 1993.

Michael Bishop has published sixteen novels and several story collections, producing one of the most distinguished bodies of work in modern SF.

His work has won the Nebula Award twice, for "The Quickening" in 1981 and for the novel No Enemy But Time in 1982; he has also received the Locus Award four times and has been a frequent finalist for the Hugo. His fantasy novel Unicorn Mountain (1988) won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Among his most acclaimed works are the novels Transfigurations (1979), Ancient of Days (1985), Philip K. Dick Is Dead, Alas (1987, originally published as The Secret Ascension), and 1994's Brittle Innings.

"The City Quiet as Death" is stunningly illustrated by Jon Foster. Jon began his career working for TSR, Wizards of the Coast, DC Comics and Dark Horse. His work can be seen in multiple magazines, including the National Geographic Magazine, on covers for every major book publisher, and in the Society of Illustrators and Spectrum annuals. Jon's skills as a painter and his broad range of conceptual ideas have garnered multiple Spectrum awards and the Greenwich Workshop award.

New Comic: "The Dreaded Question"

A simple question, innocent enough: "Where do you get your ideas?" Kurt Huggins and Zelda Devon create a haunting, twisted answer in "The Dreaded Question." Don't forget to take notes...

Free Wallpapers from Hugo-nominated Artists!

Tor.com is delighted to be able to present free downloadable wallpapers in a whole host of formats for your viewing pleasure. Each day features one of the artists up for this year's best artist Hugo Award: Monday's wallpaper, from Donato; Tuesday's, from Dan Dos Santos; Wednesday's, from John Picacio; and today's from Shaun Tan. The final wallpaper will appear tomorrow featuring Bob Eggleton.

As always, these freebies are only available to our registered users, and you'll have to be logged in to be able to download them.

The Zen of Professor Nimbus: The Ubiquity of Chinese Takeout

Our weekly Professor Nimbus offerings continue, this time with a meditation on our most beloved takeout cuisine. Don't forget to check out any previous installments you've missed at the Professor Nimbus collection page!

Interviews galore: China Miéville, Kevin J. Anderson, and Paul S. Kemp

China Miéville, author of Perdido Street Station, Un Lun Dun, and The Scar, discusses politics, gaming, and his most recent work, The City & The City; Kevin J. Anderson, author of Nebula-award nominated Assemblers of Infinity, discusses his work on the Dune sequels as well as his new epic fantasy series Terra Incognita; and Paul S. Kemp, the creator of the Erevis Cale and Twilight War trilogies, discusses his third trio of books featuring the Erevis Cale character and his upcoming Star Wars novel.

Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time Re-reads continue!

Kate Nepveu's Lord of the Rings re-read just concluded The Fellowship of the Ring. She re-watched the film in light of the re-read and offers her thoughts on the changes made. Leigh Butler's Wheel of Time re-read just got through chapters 14-15 of The Fires of Heaven. Catch up on any installments you missed at the Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time index pages.

Sponsor Links: Voyager Books

It's your last chance to win hundreds of science fiction, fantasy, and horror titles from one of our sponsors, Voyager Books. Visit the site, take the quiz to test your knowledge of classic sci-fi and fantasy, and you're automatically entered to win a copy of every book on the site. The site is based in the U.K., but anyone from any country can enter. And while you're on the site, check out the limited edition of Cory Doctorow's Little Brother. Only 500 copies are available and it comes with original illustrations and endpapers by Richard Wilkinson.

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Total Eclipse of the Heart Deconstructed

2009-06-04T23:51:00.001+08:00

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The Creature From the Black Lagoon in 3D! Tomorrow! @ The Plaza Theatre ATL

2009-05-23T00:53:00.001+08:00

This Week at the Plaza Theatre	22 May 2009

Upcoming Events

Fri May 22nd
THE SOLOIST & LYMELIFE

Sat May 23rd - Silver Scream Spook Show

presents
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON IN 3D

Tue May 26th - Tommy Wiseau Films
presents
THE ROOM

Thu May 28th - Sun May 31st
OUT ON FILM FESTIVAL

June 2nd & June 5th
MIL MASCARAS VS THE AZTEC MUMMY

Tue June 9th - Splatter Cinema presents
CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST

Happy Friday Friends of the Plaza!

We have so many great events lined up for you this month!

CLICK HERE FOR SHOWTIMES THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY!

We've got two great movies right now: STATE OF PLAY and SUNSHINE CLEANING ! Starting Friday is THE SOLOIST and LYMELIFE. Take the time to see one of these great films this weekend!

Tomorrow don't miss: Sat May 23rd, THE SILVER SCREAM SPOOK SHOW is pleased to present our favorite, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON IN 3D. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT BROWN PAPER TICKETS.COM Don't miss it! TICKETS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE BOX OFFICE!

Coming Soon:

Tue May 26th, THE ROOM returns! You have to see this movie! Dressing as the characters is highly encouraged.
Thu May 28th through Sun May 31st, OUT ON FILM FESTIVAL! See the entire schedule here!
Tue June 2nd & Fri June 5th, MIL MASCARAS VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY with special appearance by Amy Dumas, formerly Lita of the WWE.
Tue June 9th, Splatter Cinema presents CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.

We sure hope to see you at the theatre very soon!

SILVER SCREAM SPOOK SHOW presents
Saturday May 23rd 1:00 kids matinee 10:00 night show
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON IN 3D!

Audiences of all ages are getting the "yell" scared out of them at Professor Morte's SILVER SCREAM SPOOK SHOW, a unique brand of eerie entertainment.

With a cast of creepy, colorful characters, the SILVER SCREAM SPOOK SHOW mixes classic spook show scares, comedy and horrifically hip hijinks. Morte --the ghost host with the most-- presides over this twisted variety show featuring magic tricks, dance numbers and fun-filled frights! Think "Pee-wee's Playhouse" meets "The Munsters."

Watch the episode of PBS' THIS IS ATLANTA featuring the Spook Show!

A classic horror film follows each show. From "Frankenstein" to "The Creature From the Black Lagoon," the SILVER SCREAM SPOOKSHOW shares its love of scary cinema with a new generation. And this monstrous double bill and interactive movie-going experience gives guests more boo for the buck!

Watch the original CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON trailer on You Tube!

Creature from the Black Lagoon is a 1954 monster film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, and Whit Bissell. The eponymous creature was played by Ben Chapman on land and Ricou Browning in underwater scenes. A scientific expedition searching for fossils along the Amazon River discover a prehistoric Gill-Man in the legendary Black Lagoon. The explorers capture the mysterious creature, but it breaks free. The Gill-Man returns to kidnap the lovely Kay, fiancée of one of the expedition, with whom it has fallen in love.

There are many strange legends in the Amazon. Even I, Lucas, have heard the legend of a man-fish.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT BROWN PAPER TICKETS - CLICK HERE!
A limited number of tickets are also available at the box office! This will sell out! BUY YOURS TODAY!

Thursday May 28th - Sunday May 31st
OUT ON FILM FESTIVAL
Tickets for the weekend pass are just $30!

Fagbug with special guest Erin Davies - Thu at 7:30pm.
On the 11th annual National Day of Silence (April 18, 2007), Erin Davies was victim to a hate crime in Albany, NY. Because of sporting a rainbow sticker on her VW Beetle, Erin's car was vandalized, left with the words "fAg" and "u r gay" placed on the hood and driver side of her car. Despite initial shock and embarrassment, Erin decided to embrace what happened and film a documentary about her 58-day cross country tour around the US and Canada in her car known worldwide as the fagbug.

Watch the trailer on YOU TUBE!

Thu - 7:30 FAGBUG with special guest, Erin Davies

Fri - 7:30 A NEW WORLD, 9:30 FINDING ME

Sat - 3:30 THE UNIVERSE OF KEITH HARING, 5:30 TRAINING RULES, 7:30 MULLIGANS with special guest, Charlie David

Sun - 3:30 A collection of shorts, 5:30 SHE'S A BOY I KNEW, 7:30 STANDUP 360: INSIDE OUT

Go to OUT ON FILM's website to see the entire schedule, trailers for many of the films and to buy tickets!

Official website of OUT ON FILM

Tues June 2nd & Fri June 5th at 9:30 pm
MIL MASCARAS VS THE AZTEC MUMMY

After 15 years, Mexican wrestler superstar Mil Mascaras returns to the big screen, reestablishing the real legacy of the Luchador, in MIL MASCARAS VS THE AZTEC MUMMY and the Plaza is bringing it to Atlanta! The JUNE 2ND screening will be hosted by Amy Dumas, formerly known as LITA of the WWE. Four time women's champion and arguably the most famous female wrestler in the company's history, Lita's wrestling style was very influenced by the Luchadors and much of her training took place in Mexico.

Mil Mascaras is a renaissance man of international repute. He is a connoisseur of the arts, a scholar of science and humanity, and a masked wrestler. Like his fellow luchadores, El Santo and Blue Demon, Mil Mascaras is often called upon to assist the authorities in combating threats to mankind, whether they are seductive vampire women, lycanthropic madmen, or invaders from other worlds. However, no threat has ever been greater than that posed by the Aztec mummy. In this story, the Aztec mummy is resurrected by the power of the gem of Tonauac. Using its power, the Aztec mummy is able to control the minds of men, even those of strong pedigree and erudition. Determined to lead the ascendancy of the Aztec nation over the descendants of its past conquerors, the Aztec mummy conspires to manipulate men of power for his own ends. Whether Mil Mascaras can be corrupted by the influence of his undead adversary is not clear, but the answer hinges upon the secret of his mask -- a mask which has been passed down to him from his ancestors since time in memoriam.

WHO IS MIL MASCARAS? FIND OUT ON YOU TUBE NOW!

Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy (aka Mil Mascaras: Resurrection) is the most spectacular and colorful lucha film ever made, with appearances by El Hijo del Santo, Blue Demon Jr, Huracan Ramirez Jr, Neutron, Dos Caras, Argozan, La Torcha, and even the legendary American wrestler, Harley Race. It is the first genuine lucha film to be originally produced in English, and it is the first to include major Hollywood co-stars since John Carradine starred with Mil Mascaras in the classic 1970 film Las Vampiras.

VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE!

Starting Friday May 22, 2009 - Thursday May 28, 2009
Click on the links below to visit the official website for each film! PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A DAILY SCHEDULE.

SUNSHINE CLEANING
FRI-SAT, MON-WED 7:30
SUN (3:15) 7:30

THE SOLOIST
FRI, SUN-MON, WED (5:15) 9:45
SAT & TUE (5:15)
THU 9:45

STATE OF PLAY
FRI-THU 9:30

LYMELIFE
FRI, MON-THU (5:30) 7:45
SAT-SUN (3:30, 5:30) 7:45

THE ROOM
TUE 9:30

THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON
SAT (1:00) 10:00

OUT ON FILM FESTIVAL
MAY 28TH - MAY 31ST

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
Fri 12:00

Admission:
(Shows before 6:00 pm) - Only $6.50
Shows 6:00 pm and after- $8.00
Seniors - $6.50
Students - $6.50 with valid ID Mon-Thu only
SPECIAL EVENTS ARE PRICED INDIVIDUALLY

Our box office opens 15 minutes before the first film of the day.
Call 404-876-8048 with any questions.

Thanks so much for visiting the Plaza Theatre! We are the oldest theater in Atlanta and the only independently owned non-profit movie theatre in Atlanta! As one of the little guys, we truly appreciate your support! We understand times are tough, so we also have the lowest priced tickets and concessions in town! Come see us at 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave at the corner of N. Highland Ave!

Please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested!

Jonathan and Gayle (photo by Frank Mullen)
Plaza Theatre
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Plaza Theatre | 404-873-1939 | 1049 Ponce de Leon Avenue | Atlanta | GA | 30306

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I Found My Birthdate In Pi

2009-05-18T21:20:00.001+08:00

I was entering some calculations and other things in Wolfram|Alpha such as:

E G# Bb (which is the first three notes in an E Raga Nigamagamini scale in Indian music)
Taylor series e^y y=1
(pi)^2

when I came across the link for more information. I clicked it following the pi calculation and was presented with a list of links to resources on the Web for pi.

Here's an interesting site that determines if your birthdate in the form mmddyy occurs in the first 1254543 digits of pi.

Am I in Pi?

It determined at which location in pi my birthdate begins.

Cool!

Postscript: I also found this site that searches for numeric strings in pi too:

The Pi-Search Page

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Don't Waste Your Time With Unwanted Screenplay Elements

2009-05-13T09:43:00.002+08:00

I just read a great blog post by producer Gary W Goldstein where he mentions his 10 Basic Rules of Successful Screenwriting.

All of the points are excellent. Read them and apply them.

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Writer's Block Is A Myth

2009-05-09T20:24:00.003+08:00

There's no such thing as writer's block.

It's all a myth. I very often read on blogs and discussed on occasion the idea of writer's block, and to me, it's not even a reality, not worth my consideration or attention. I've got a finite time on this earth and I've made a commitment that I will do what I can to get the swirling myriad of ideas trapped in my head onto paper. Here's a summary of what I usually hear:

"I don't know what to write."
"I'm not inspired."
"I have a lot of ideas but don't know how to get them on paper."

These or similar statements have come from well-know authors, celebrities and your average Joe/Jane. If I've heard it from various types of folks, then it must be pervasive, right? Wrong! I say.

It really didn't take me long to realize that the whole condition of writer's block is a myth. Why do I say that?

Well, if one enjoys writing, simply for the sake of writing, for the enjoyment of getting abstract ideas out of the cauldron of our minds, then it should be quite simple to write. So what if what you write is not great. All writers create stuff that is not good. Hell, 90% of what I write goes into the scrap heap, or actually the recycle bin. Perhaps is expectations or ambition that get in the way of effective writing. And if that's that case, then let go of those expectations, let go of the presumptions you have about writing. Whatever you do, just get pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, voice to voice recognition software. It doesn't matter how you write, just write.

Now, the next question is more than likely, "what do I write?"

I know you have aspirations to create the next great American novel, poetry to surpass Frost, a killer screenplay, a fabulous memoir. You wouldn't be writing if you didn't have goals of recognition in some form or fashion. I have those same aspirations, but the fact is that sometimes I can't tune into the muse. We're just not on the same frequency. But I don't let that prevent me from writing. I just start writing, and I suggest the same of you.

Write about anything.
Write about not being inspired.
Write about not having anything to write about.
Write about a blog post by an idiot who is telling you that writer's block is a myth!

The point is, writing is as much a process as it is inspiration. Make a commitment to write a everyday. I'm serious. It could be 30 minutes, one hour, two hours, whatever. If you are serious about writing, then making a commitment to yourself, to you the writer, is quite simple. It worked for Asimov and his prolific work covers science fiction, mystery fiction, critical studies of Shakespeare, and also commentary on the books of the Bible.

Now get writing!

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Geek Stuff: Music and Programming

2009-05-08T09:59:00.002+08:00

I've often thought about the relationship between music and programming. It's an interesting relationship that deserves further exploration than a simple blog post. Here I would like to present the culmination of years of casual wondering about this topic. I'm not a cognitive scientist and therefore not qualified to investigate the association between music and programming at any level of expertise, but it's still something that I'm greatly interested in learning more about.

Anyway, let me start at the beginning of my inquiries.

When I first started programming over 13 years ago I learned the standard data structures that all computer science students are taught at the university level. Computer scientists are familiar with the data structures class that all neophytes are required to matriculate. It doesn't matter what language the class is taught in; it could be Java, or Lisp, or C. For me it was Pascal, but that's besides the point.

It was curious to me as I met my fellow students and professors that many of them, like myself, were musicians. I often wondered about what the connection between music and programming may reveal about the human brain and psychology.

Opening Notes

In the curriculum, students learn data structures that allow the creation of programs that can manipulate data with efficient mechanisms. Lists and queues, sorting and searching algorithms like binary tree search, hashing algorithms are examples. This is all well and good. But fundamentally, there are three "molecules" if you will that are even more essential to computer programming than the data structures I just mentioned. These "molecules" are:

Iteration
Sequence
Selection

I use the term "molecule" in an analogous manner, of course. Everyone knows that computer programs are not chemical in nature. Though, if you peel away all the layers of abstraction, all programs can be reduced to electrically charged ions stored in registers in RAM memory or on storage media like Flash drives or hard disks. Let's not go down that slope. I'm not an electrical engineer and I'm merely attempting to draw an analogy. So if we accept the analogy that these three fundamental structures are "molecules" then what are the "atoms." The "atoms" are the reserved words and declared variables that are used in programs. Reserved words are signified such as "int" for integer or "float" for floating point number that are used in the syntax of the programming language and cannot be used as variables. Typically, a programmer will assign a value to a variable such as:

int a = 3;

Where "a" is a declared variable of type integer and "3" is the value that is stored or assigned for the variable "a."

Simple enough.

Well, bear with me, there's a reason why I'm explaining what may appear as a tangent. It will all make sense by the end of this article.

Three Fundamental Structures - A Concerto!

Let's go back to the three structures I mentioned at the beginning:

Iteration
Sequence
Selection

What do they mean for music and programming?

We'll take them one at a time.

Iteration - the repeating of a loop of programming code, or the repeating of a series of notes in a piece of music.

An example in programming would be to iterate over a counter as the program is searching through a database for specific keywords. The counter is used to simply keep track of the steps in the search. (I know that this is pretty basic for you computer scientists out there and I'm abstracting it quite a bit in my example for the benefit of those who are not fluent in programming)

An example in music would be a melody that is performed over and over throughout a song. The phrase:

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream..."

is continually iterated over and over throughout the song "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

Sequence - an arbitrary grouping of steps that occur in a specific order.

An example in programming would be to repeat an iteration until the keyword that is searched for is found.

An example for music are the specific notes that are played in a melody.

Selection - creates variation in a sequence or iteration. A program must select certain things based on the logic inherent in it by design. This creates variety in the program.

An example: input is received from a gamer while he is playing an adventure game. His character selects one door versus another door. There is a different outcome in the program based on the selection that the player chose.

In music we can demonstrate selection in the way a melody ends and another begins, as during a chorus (or coda). After the chorus' melody ends, the piece of music goes back to the first melody. This is selection. There may be restrictions on the available selections and this would be the key that the piece of music is written in. In programming, the programmer has limited the number of choices that are available and the number of outcomes available for a player in a game.

Selection creates variation.

And Coming Full Circle

Now, to circle back to the idea of "atoms" and "molecules," we should look at their analogies in music. The "atoms" of music are the notes or tones that musicians are familiar with and that are abstracted into dots on a sheet of paper. Molecules are then like "chords." Chords (molecules) are fundamental musical structures that are built on notes (atoms).

A Coda

A computer programmer takes these fundamental constructs -- iteration, sequence, and selection -- and purposefully arranges them in a manner to instantiate programs that are compiled into applications. Several programs typically make up an application and in a sense, it's like various performers playing their parts in a piece of music; harmony.

In music, the musician uses fundamental constructs of iteration, sequence and selection and arranges them in manner that is instantiated as a piece of beautiful music presented in the aural realm.

The connections between music and programming are simply fascinating. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Are you a programmer and also musician? Share your thoughts.

Are there other areas that might offer a similar analogy? I've recently learned about chess and fencing. Let's hear more about these other realms.

An Encore, of Sorts

One of the pieces of music that intrigues me is J.S. Bach's "Musical Offering." In mathematical terms (and in programming too) it has a recursive structure. This single piece of music is fascinating in it's own right, but with the added knowledge that it follows a construct familiar to computer scientists, it's even more remarkable. A complete dissertation on the relationship between recursion and Bach's "Musical Offering" can be found in Douglas Hofstadter's Gödel Escher Bach.

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Hearin': Kaminari One

2009-05-08T09:47:00.001+08:00

Guitar Wolf is an excellent punk trio from Japan. They have carried the torch of raw, dirty, garage rock and roll since the late 80s.

"Kaminari One" by Guitar Wolf

I highly recommend you get yourself some Guitar Wolf.

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Purkinje Patterns: Key to Hallucinations Found

2009-05-04T23:28:00.001+08:00

I saved this article about hallucinations to my delicious late last year and finally got around to reading it. It's a good article on the discovery of the origin of some hallucinations.

I wonder what Terrance McKenna would have thought about this. Does anyone know if he ever studied or wrote about Purkinje patterns or phenomena?

Postscript: I'm not a big fan of McKenna or his supernatural beliefs, but I did enjoy the afterword he penned for In Pursuit of Valis: Selections from the Exegesis, edited by Lawrence Sutin.

Post-Postscript: Lawrence Sutin's PKD biography Divine Invasions: A Life of Philip K. Dick is excellent and highly recommended whether you are a Dick-head or simply a casual scifi reader.

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Geek Humor: TCP/IP Upgrade

2009-05-04T22:38:00.001+08:00

The next version of TCP/IP should replace SYN/ACK with ORLY/YARLY.

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Keeping the Swine Flue in (a Skeptical) Perspective

2009-05-04T21:35:00.001+08:00

This is a good read:

http://skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/

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Dinosaur Jr. - New Album, Free Download and Tour Dates

2009-05-02T08:55:00.001+08:00

I'm excited about the new Dinosaur Jr. album. I saw them during the reunion tour in 2006 and they were still one of the loudest bands I've ever seen. The Unsane may have topped them with decibels since I had exit the building and stand outside to ensure that my ears would stop bleeding. Anyway, I'm looking forward to this new album by the original members, from the days when they were simply called "Dinosaur," and before the (in)famous onstage fight during a live show. It was the American Independent Underground Music Scene of the 80s and early 90s. Hundreds of memories, dozens of free t-shirts and years later I ended up with tinnitus. But, I wouldn't have it any other way.

New Album From Dinosaur Jr.

Farm, the fifth full length record by original Dinosaur Jr. line-up J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph, will be released on PIAS in the UK & Europe on June 22nd & Jagjaguwar in the US & Canada on June 23rd. The band has uploaded two tracks for your listening pleasure on their myspace page. Visit www.myspace.com/dinosaurjr to listen to "I Want You To Know" and "Over It."

  Free Download - "I Want You To Know"

Download "I Want You to Know," the first mp3 from Dinosaur Jr.'s new full length "Farm," due out on June 23 in the US and Canada via Jagjaguwar, and June 22 in the UK and EU via PIAS.
In the US & Canada, CLICK HERE to download
In the UK & Europe, CLICK HERE to download

Summer Tour Dates Announced

Dinosaur Jr. has announed a few US dates in June. More dates to be announced. Visit dinosaurjr.com for show details.
6/21/09                     San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
6/22/09                     Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour
6/23/09                     Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour
6/25/09                     Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - SOLD OUT

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Yo! It's Time For Free Comic Book Day 2009! (2 May 2009)

2009-05-02T08:06:00.002+08:00

May 2, 2009
FCBD e-Newsletter

Free Comic Book Day 2009: It's Finally Here!

Gas? Check. Positive Attitude? Check. Eternal Gratitude for FREE comics? Check!

FCBD09 is finally here! Go check out the official site to find the latest info and your closest participating shop!

The official FCBD Shop Locator: Find a participating shop near you!

Free Comic Book Day '09 Has Media and Fans Abuzz

In case you had any doubts about how big Free Comic Book Day has grown in the seven years since its inception, you need only look at the volume and scope of the media coverage surrounding the event. From newspapers to television & radio to Internet news sites and blogs, FCBD is all the buzz, generating a documented tidal wave of enthusiasm for the media. USA TODAY has joined the numerous outlets reporting on the biggest day of the year for comics lovers in writer David Colton's "A comic free-for-all on Free Comic Book Day.

In addition to exposure on USATODAY.com, FCBD09 has been showcased in such diverse publications as Family Circle, Maxim, FEARnet.com, Mania.com, Parenting.com, TV Guide, The New York Daily News, The New York Post and The New York Times. National coverage includes:

Business Wire
Family Circle(page 56 of May's issue)
FEARnet.com
Mania.com
Maxim
NBC Washington
New York Daily News
New York Times
New York Post
Parenting
SF Universe
TV Guide
United Press International
Yahoo Finance

Post FCBD09: Come Back For Photos, Stories and More

The fun is ended, the Kentucky Derby is over (our pick is Papa Clem) and Free Comic Book Day 2009 is but a distant memory! If you're looking to relive the event, make sure you come back to freecomicbookday.com to see photos from events held at comic shops all across North America and read stories on how others spent their FCBD09!

This issue courtesy of:

FCBD09 1st Look:
William Shatner Presents #1

Bluewater Productions and iconic actor/novelist William Shatner provide a free 12-page original story prologue of the upcoming adaption of William Shatner's best-selling book series, TekWar, for FCBD09!

The book also features a preview of the other Shatner-based comic series - Quest for Tomorrow and Man O'War! Go... Get it... Now!

See a preview here!

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Cha Cha Cha Films

2009-05-02T01:36:00.002+08:00

Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Guillermo del Toro have created the production company Cha Cha Cha Films. I'm happy for their successes and how it allowed them to start their own film production company. I'm inspired and this prompts me to continue my market research so that I create a solid business plan for the production company that I am working on creating. The thing that gets in my way is time, of course, and the need (and desire) to write creatively. I'm not opposed to business writing, it's just that creating stories is so much more fun and fulfilling.

Stay tuned for a forthcoming announcement from me.

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Interesting Article about BOA-Merrill Lynch Merger

2009-05-01T23:34:00.002+08:00

We certainly live in interesting times.

This article, from the Atlanta Business Chronicle, presents a letter from New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to the federal regulators and oversight committee regarding the merger of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch that occurred last fall. The letter brings new light into the background surrounding the merger, especially considering what we know now and also concerning the current state of Bank of America.

Here's the article: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/04/20/daily75.html?s=du&ed=2009-04-23&ana=e_du_pap&page=1

Cheers!

Walter His Own Self

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Interesting Google Results for "~/home"

2009-04-22T00:48:00.002+08:00

Typing "~/home" in a Google search results in The Home Depot homepage as the top result.

It's interesting how Google interprets "~/".

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Research: Broken Windows Theory

2009-04-21T23:23:00.004+08:00

My day job allows me to encourage and foster continuous process improvements throughout the organization. In my day-to-day interactions never a week goes by when I am not reminded of the "Broken Window Theory of Crime." For those not familiar with it, it goes like this:

"A window is broken in a neighborhood. For some reason or other, the owner of the property decides not to fix it. Citizens pass by and see the broken window, which represents that the owner, and community as a whole, does not care about their home and community. This then breeds a tendency to break societal norms and before the community knows it, vandalism and other crime is rampant."

Yes, it's a simple theory with big consequences in the real world.

Here are some recent proponents of the theory:

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani wrote about it in his biography Leaderhsip.
Pragmatic programmer Andy Hunt applies it to software engineering in his Pragmatic Programmer book.

And now here's an article from The Economist that was published last year about how the theory has been proven.

If you're not familiar with it, then I highly recommend you look into the Broken Window Theory and apply it to your daily life.

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Gaming: Dave Arneson Dies

2009-04-10T20:17:00.004+08:00

I just learned that Dave Arneson, co-creator of the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game with Gary Gygax, died on April 7, 2009. Here's a tribute.

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Science, Belief, Knowledge and Sorting Out Language

2009-03-31T08:18:00.002+08:00

Here are some quotes from a position (and plea) presented presented by Dr. Helen Quinn that summarize my thoughts on faith, belief and knowledge (science).

"When a person hears 'scientists believe,' he or she may hear it as a statement of faith or a suggestion of uncertainty. Neither is what we intend.

"What do we mean by 'scientists believe that . . .'? Typically it is something like 'Most scientists agree that the preponderance of the evidence favors the interpretation that . . ., and furthermore, there is no evidence that directly contradicts that interpretation.' Clumsy language perhaps, but it would behoove us to say something like it more often. If we need a shorthand version, we can replace it by 'Scientific evidence supports the conclusion that . . ..' Sometimes we should just say 'We know that . . ..' In other words, we need to articulate more precisely the state of our knowledge—its authority or uncertainty. ...

"We could, and I think should, excise the word "believe" from our vocabulary when talking about science."

-- Helen Quinn: a theoretical particle physicist at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and a former president of the American Physical Society

Original article here.

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Writing Research: The Classical World

2009-03-31T02:42:00.002+08:00

I've been researching the history of the classical world (i.e. Greek, Roman) for a screenplay. In addition to the history I've been reading, I've spent some time with the few remaining Greek dramas that are available. Here's some of the historical figures I've been investigating:

Caesarion
Cleopatra Selene
Alexander Helios
Ptolemy Philadelphus

Does anyone have any recommended books on these figures?

Or other resources that I may not have visited on the Internet. I've read the Wikipedia pages and all the internal/external links.

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Mark Your Calendars, ATL, "The Room" Is Here!

2009-03-17T03:04:00.002+08:00

Atlanta's Plaza Theatre will screen Tommy Wiseau's film, The Room, at 9:30 PM Tuesday March 17, 2009. Mark your calendars for this unique and rare event to view this cult film on the silver screen. I'll be there, and if you would like to hang, let me know.

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Celebrate Square Root Day!

2009-03-04T00:36:00.002+08:00

Today, March 3, 2009 is Square Root Day.

3/3/09

Either way you format the date

"Month, Day, Year"

"Day, Month, Year"

it's still a square root.

Have fun and enjoy today. The next one won't arrive for seven years:

April 4, 2016 (4/4/16)

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Philip José Farmer Travels To The Riverworld

2009-02-26T21:56:00.002+08:00

I just learned that science fiction author Philip José Farmer died yesterday, February 25, 2009. He's best known for the Riverworld series.

When I read his Hugo award-winning novella "Riders of the Purple Wage," I was reminded of Joe R. Lansdale's "Writer of the Purple Rage." Yes, I know the obvious connection is to Zane Grey's western novel "Riders of the Purple Sage," which I have not read. Grey's stories and novels are good, and I love westerns, but I'm a bigger fan of Lansdale's "Mojo" fiction.

Wasn't there a cable television film adaptation of "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" made in the 90s? I recall that it wasn't bad, but left too many story threads unresolved. It begged for a sequel or sequels. Too bad no studio has taken the baton for this one. It could be done line the Dune films or even The Chronicles of Narnia.

Anyway, Farmer will be missed.

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Geek Trivia

2009-02-03T10:51:00.002+08:00

See if you can answer these trivia questions without resorting to your favorite search engine:

What operating system uses rc as its primary shell environment?

What processor architecture was originally used in unreleased versions of the BeBox?

In which operating system was VSAM first introduced?

What utility program on the IBM mainframe is used to manipulate character set definitions (load modules) for the IBM 3800 printing subsystem?

I'll post answers tomorrow.

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Of Mice and Men, and Truth and Honor. And Vegetable Golems.

2009-02-03T10:00:00.002+08:00

Our hero is an unlikely sort. He's from a timid culture. A society that not only encourages timidity and fearfulness from birth, but also indoctrinates its youth through an institutional pogram designed to rat out any visage of individuality, free-thought and fearlessness. Into this world is born our hero. He's small, much smaller than others of his species, but his heart is full of large promise. From birth, he doesn't comprehend the authoritarian methods enacted by the elders. He is exiled as a heretic and sent into the dungeons, where the rats live in vile darkness. A darkness that engulfs their world, as well as their hearts. It is expected that he will not survive.

Out of the black our hero develops his courage and destiny and brings back the light of tolerance, honesty, truth and openness. It is the tale of Despereux, a film based on a best-selling book. And it is charming and rewarding for both young and old.

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Celebratin': Happy Newtonmas!

2008-12-25T22:30:00.002+08:00

Happy Newtonmas to everyone! Decorate the apple tree, exchange gifts of knowledge, and celebrate the faculty and fount of human endeavors.

Hackin': The Coming Era of Functional Programming Languages

2008-12-16T10:31:00.002+08:00

There's a cover article in the current issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal about functional programming languages entitled "Functional Programming: Has It's Ship Come In?"

I'm happy to see that functional programming languages such as Erlang, Haskell and OCaml are starting to get the attention they deserve. I'm a big fan of Lisp and functional programming, and believe that there is incredible value that hackers can get from learnin' a functional programming language. As for which one to learn, read the article. Author Michael Swaine presents some options for hackers from various perspectives. Coming from a deep imperitive, object-oriented Java background? Try Scala. Been workin' in .Net and C# for the past few years? Start with Microsoft's F# functional programmning language. Both of these languages should be able to ease the hacker into the thinking that is necessary in order to be successful with a functional programming language.

Swaine also presents more purely functional programming languages like Erlang and Haskell. There's a side article in the print edition that speaks to the ease with which hackers can execute functional programming in Mathematica. I find that exciting. Mathematica is a very versitile system that allows math hackers to do lots of wonderful programming, even in a functional paradigm. I've only used the student version of Mathematica 3.1 and loved it. I didn't get into it enough to try functional programming to any depth, but I did play around with recursion.

Common Lisp is still my favorite language, though it is not purely functional. I have only experimented with it and Prolog, the programming language in the logic/declarative sub-branch of functional programming languages. My experience with both of these paradigms is not from the real world perspective, but simply as a hobbist and hacker, since I have never worked for or with a company that is developing with a functional programming language. Another functional programming language that I have used and enjoyed is CLIPS. I recommend it highly for folks that want to get a feel for how to implement expert systems. It integrates well with C and follows a syntax that is very Lisp-like.

So, I'm lookin' forward to diving into some Erlang or Haskell to further strenghten my lambda calculus chops. The real challenge for hacker is not learnin' the new syntax, but the fun one will have when one's mind grapples around with thinkin' in functions. It can take a while before the hacker gets it, but it's well worth the journey. Thinkin' functionally is an expansion of our cognitive abilities. Constructing monads and recursive functions will only make us stronger as programmers. If it's a journey you've never undertaken, then what are you waitin' for? It doesn't matter which functional programming language you choose to pursue. Just do it. You won't regret the mind-expanding fun you will have!

Hearin': Dinah

2008-12-16T10:30:00.001+08:00

"Dinah" by Django Reinhardt

My absolute favorite piece of music by Django Reinhardt. Phenomenal guitar and fiddle interplay!

Santa Claus and The Skeptic Parent

2008-12-15T10:37:00.000+08:00

I'm a skeptic.

I'm also a parent.

So, the logical question will arise when the holiday season approaches:

"What should a skeptical parent do with the myth of Santa Claus?"

I participate in it. Childhood is a time when we experience the most extreme sense of wonder at the world. There exists a very thin veil between fantasy and reality. Long before we grow up and approach the jaded shores of the "real world" our lives are filled with magic and mystery. For most children, the fading occurs as they enter the preteen age. This is one of the reasons that Harry Potter is popular. On one level the Harry Potter journey is a transition of the child to the adult world of responsibilities and the resulting fading of the magical land of imagination and wonder.

I believe that the cultivation and nurturing of the childhood sense of wonder is important for the development of the young child. One aspect of that nurturing can occur every year with the myth of Santa Claus. I see that there is no harm in perpetuating the Santa Claus myth for my young children. Personally, I don't celebrate X-mas from a Christian perspective. There's no proof that Christ was born on December 25th. To me, December 25th is simply an incorporation of the early pagan traditions of the Winter's Solstice into Christian rituals. It's also the birthday of Isaac Newton. But, enough about that.

Eventually, there will be a time when I, as a parent, must "face the music" when my children realize, through their own suspicion or through interactions with friends, that Santa Claus is not real. The best approach is for me, as a skeptic parent, to address the situation from a skeptic's point of view: I will ask my children about why they think there is a Santa Claus myth and allow their naturally curious minds explore the logical reasons for the myth. Probing questions are a natural extension of they childhood sense of wonder as a person matures. And the cultivation of curiosity and a reasoned perspective is important in a world filled with woo-woo. Am I cruel in subjecting my children to this myth and then later busting the bubble with a sense of reason? I think not. I know it is one of the most important lessons I can provide to them.

Hearin': The Once Over Twice

2008-12-15T09:14:00.003+08:00

I've been listenin' to lots of X lately. It's nice when my kids enjoy a group whose music is an important part of my life. This brings back memories of my junior high and high school years.

"The Once Over Twice" by X

"I just heard the sad song by another band

Sung by another man he gave me the once over twice

I said when he said okay so long he hung me with the endless rope."

Chinese Pin-ups

2008-12-15T02:42:00.004+08:00

Poker cards and pin-ups. In China.

Check out this deck:

老月份牌

I especially enjoy the product's description:

"《老月份牌》
20 、 30 年代的旗袍时装美女，开创了月份牌画的鼎盛时代，因而月份牌又俗称 “ 美女月份牌 ” 。隔着数十年的时光，回望上世纪三四十年代的上海，月份牌终究留下了一道深刻的印记，见证出近代上海市民生活逐步城市化、世界化的进程。想象当的时身处这个城市中的女性，在虚空中渐渐浮现出的是一丝身着旗袍的影像，如同一种精致的仿古信笺，空白的纸面上印染着淡淡浅紫柔粉的底子，纵然极淡，也还是千娇百媚，蕴含无限风情。
目前，我国专门收藏月份牌的人也不在少数，月份牌成了一种极为抢手和难觅的收藏种类，且价值不菲。

The Chinglish translation is especially hysterical!

Old Yuefenpai (Calendar) of Shanghai:

The beauties dressing in Chinese styled long gown and fashionable clothes in 20s and 30s made the popular time of calendar pictures, so calendar was usually called beauties' calendar.
Though many years, calendar leaves the deepest impression for people to recall Shanghai where was in 30s and 40s of last century and as the witness that the gradual urbanization and globalization of Shanghai citizens' life in recent years. Imaging the females living in this city at that time, the slim figure dressing in styled long gown gently and slowly occurs in your mind, as if a delicate archaized letter with thin lilac background printed in the white paper which is a kind of maidenlike color and covers many flavors.
At present, since people in our country who specially collect calendar are many, it has become a popular, costly museum piece and uneasy to search."

I'm not surprised that most of the images were used for cigarette ads. The one that surprised me was one for insurance.

There's one thing I wonder:

Were there regular artists that did many of these paintings? Such as Elvgren, Vargas and Ward in the West.

Laughin': Richard Simmons Crank Call

2008-12-07T09:26:00.001+08:00

Bein' half Chinese, I find this totally hilarious!

Laughin': Richard Simmons Prank Call

2008-12-07T09:22:00.002+08:00

Bein' half redneck I find this completely hilarious!

2008 - The Era of Extravagance and Its Shackles

2008-12-06T21:22:00.007+08:00

Check out this graffiti in Germany.

Calculatin': I'm Hardwired In RPN

2008-12-04T08:00:00.004+08:00

I've written before about my love of vintage, well, older, Hewlett Packard calculators. I am so accustomed to workin' with 'em that whenever I have to use a calculator that requires Algebraic data entry, such as a Texas Instruments, I must "unthink" my Reverse Polish Notation method of data entry for equations and it takes me much longer to calculate in the Algebraic method.

I will say that there is one HP calculator I own that does not have RPN capability, and that is the HP10B. I bought this handy little financial calculator for my spouse to use. I've only touched it twice while we were discussin' some financial matters that required simple arithmatic on large numbers. I had to put the thing down and grab my HP32Sii the first time since it was readily available and grabbed my HP19Bii the second time because I carry the HP32Sii in my work bag.

I guess I'm hardwired to RPN. It's natural for me to calculate in the stack fashion.

Conversatin': Respondin' to Discussion Posts

2008-12-03T10:46:00.004+08:00

I've been respondin' to discussion threads on some of the social networkin' sites I frequent. I find that I am doin' this a lot lately.

Is it because I have something of value to say?

I would like to think so.

Is it to increase my presence in the virtual world?

Of course!

We are all stories in the end. Once we're gone, all that is left of us are the stories that will be told.

Hearin': Stumble

2008-12-03T10:37:00.003+08:00

Hearin' early R.E.M. brings back many memories of a time when I was very creative every single day of my life. I played guitar regularly, wrote for a student newspaper and was published every week, and was happy.

This is not to say that I'm unhappy now. Things are different now and different things make me happy. I have other commitments that distract me from these creative pursuits. Not that that is a bad thing since I get lots of enjoyment out of these distractions: a fulfilling job, a loving and supportive spouse, and my wonderful children.

Here's to memories:

"Stumble" by R.E.M.

"Imagine going for a walk.
Things get around to taking place. It's not a waste of time."

The Skeptic In You, Everyday

2008-12-02T09:55:00.002+08:00

Hey, skeptical readers of this blog!*

Check out the EverydaySkeptics site where you can relate your skeptical personal stories. Talk about a friend who thinks she's "psychic" or a family member who once believed the Sherlock Holmes was a real person, and how you lead a discussion based on reason and evidence that had a positive outcome that promoted the scientific method.

EverydaySkeptics.com

*All two of you - and that's 50% of the total readership

Hearin': WKRP in Cincinnati (is Back)

2008-12-01T19:07:00.004+08:00

And I don't mean syndicated re-runs.

It's a real station this time. Here's the news story.

I enjoyed the television show and had lots of laughs during its time on the air.

Hearin': Podcasts I Listen To

2008-12-01T11:10:00.004+08:00

For those who are interested, here's a list of the current podcasts that I listen to:

I'm lookin' for a good podcast on film makin', screen writin', or some other such similar subjects. Lemme know if you know of any good ones that I should listen to.

Hoaxin': Stop Sylvia Browne

2008-12-01T10:43:00.002+08:00

Help the Google Page Rank for the relaunched Robert S. Lancaster site "Stop Sylvia," and promote science, reason and healthy skepticism. Tim is the author and skeptical activist for the SkepTools blog. Lancaster's efforts in the Stop Sylvia Browne activism can be read here at Tim Farley's SkepTools blog.

As of just 30 seconds ago, a search for "Sylvia Browne" resulted in a third page rank for the http://stopsylvia.com site on my Ubuntu machine.

Do the research and determine for yourself whether Sylvia Browne is authentic. I wonder, "Why doesn't Sylvia Browne allow her methods to be tested by the scientific method?" Seems suspicious to me...

The story of the Sylvia Browne site is also featured on the latest Skepticality podcast.

Celebratin': Honoring Turkeys

2008-11-27T06:18:00.004+08:00

Blog postings may potentially be infrequent for the next few days. I'm in route to Florida and plan to get some writin' done on my screenplay. But, you know about best laid plans....

I had a great idea for a film last night and need to jot down some notes. Let me just say that it will be a Star Wars fan flick a la Pink Five, but based on earth and about two GenY Star Wars geeks on a cross-country road trip.

Writin': Re-Writes

2008-11-26T10:48:00.004+08:00

I'm readin' through a story I began writin' last Friday on the bus to work. I wrote it out long-hand in my Moleskine. I enjoy writin' long-hand on occasion since it forces you to really think about what you want to say. We have become accustomed to writing with word processors, where we can edit on the fly, that in some cases it can deter us from creating clear, flowing prose.

It's a story about Angels, both kinds, and their eternal war, and the forbidden acts that Angels can commit.

Stay tuned.

Hearin': The Positive Aspect of Negative Thinking

2008-11-26T10:43:00.002+08:00

"The Positive Aspect Of Negative Thinking" by Bad Religion

"Let's gather 'round the carcass of the old deflated beast,
We have seen it through the accolades and rested in its lea,
Syntactic is our elegance, incisive our disease,
The swath endogenous of ourselves will be our quandary"

Watchin': The Mentalist

2008-11-26T10:33:00.004+08:00

I've caught on to this program in the last month.

The Mentalist

It's well-written, and I like the main character. He's a former "medium" (a la Jon Edward), who gave up his deceitful ways and now works for the California Bureau of Investigation as an investigator. He merely uses his mundane powers of keen observation to assist in solving cases.

I like that it is a demonstration of the benefits of a healthy skeptical attitude in a mystery format.

Writin': Discusson Threads and Quotations

2008-11-26T10:26:00.005+08:00

I responded to a discussion thread this week and the originator contacted me to ask permission to quote my response in a blog. It's funny that this was the second time I received a similar request in about two weeks for my response to another discussion thread.

Re: this previous post.

I gave the discussion thread originator permission, of course.

Hearin': ScriptForSale Interview With Molly Newman

2008-11-26T10:12:00.004+08:00

I listened to this great interview with Molly Newman, Executive Producer, ABC's Brothers & Sisters, last weekend. There is lots of great information contained in the three parts for every screen writer.

Check it out at:

ScriptForSale Molly Newman Interview

The interview is conducted by Hal Croasmun, Producer at Class 3 Entertainment and Owner of ScriptForSale.com. He also tweets!

I enjoyed the experiences that Molly relates to Hal about her climb to the top, the fast-paced television scriptwriting work ethic, and the importance of the writer over the director in television serials.

Laughin': You Might Be A Geek If...

2008-11-20T07:54:00.000+08:00

You may be challenged when it comes to planning meatspace events, but anyone can finger your extensive scrolling .plan.

You just might be a geek.

Calculatin': Math Puzzles (a la Euler)

2008-11-20T07:48:00.003+08:00

Do you like math puzzles? Check out the ones at Project Euler. These puzzles, of course, are in honor of Euler.

Some are easy, some are hard. Some you can do via a brute force method by calculating every prime for instance via a C program, but you may run into the NP-completeness problem and Big O. With other puzzles the length of the variables may exceed the limits of the long int data type in C and therefore you must define new data types; which would then necessitate that you define new functions (addition, multiplication, etc.) for the new data types.

Oh, What fun!

Hearin': Take A Shit On Me

2008-11-20T07:40:00.002+08:00

In honor of the WTO's World Toilet Day, it's appropriate that we listen to John Trubee.

"Take A Shit On Me" by John Trubee & the Ugly Janitors of America

"All the tyrants of the world
Always kill us every day
We gotta rise on up and blast them down
And feed their bloody corpses to our starving dogs"

Celebratin': WTO Celebrates Your Turd

2008-11-20T07:34:00.002+08:00

Did ya know that the WTO is celebratin' World Toilet Day today?

Celebrate by makin' a healthy deposit today!

Geek: Winders Problems

2008-11-16T08:45:00.006+08:00

I rarely use Winders in my personal life. I primarily use a Mac and also have a laptop with Ubuntu running on it for those occasions when I want to stroke my geek side and play around with Ruby or study for the LPIC.

The single Winders XP machine I keep around for those occasions when I must open a file that I cannot access via the applications on my Mac or GNU/Linux machines started makin' that "clicking" sound and running very slow. The hard disk had crashed or was about to. I had a replacement hard disk from an old GNU/Linux machine and decided to replace the bad one in the Winders box with this one. I put it in and attempted to boot off of the Winders XP CD-ROM. The screen went black and the CD-ROM stopped spinning.

After troubleshooting the CD-ROM and other things about the computer I quickly came to the conclusion that the file system format on the (new) hard disk was confusing Winders XP. It did not know what to do with a logically partitioned drive that had the ext3 file system and partitions such as:

/boot
/
/home
/usr
/usr/local
/local
/var
/swap

I had to then boot off a Knoppix Live CD-ROM and run the GNU Parted partitioner and repartition the entire disk as FAT32. Once that was done, the Winders XP CD-ROM was able to boot up and recognize the computer's hardware. I was then able to use the Winders partition tool and reformat the entire disk with the NTFS file system and that allowed Winders XP to be installed.

Why must this be? Come on Microsoft!

Workin': The Bus Ride As Public Forum

2008-11-14T10:53:00.004+08:00

I recently switched employers and now have the opportunity of ridin' the bus. I'm happy about being able to commute in this manner. At my last job, which was shorter in distance from where I live, I was not able to use public transportation. Buses simply did not run in that direction. It's funny also that even though it was a shorter distance than the commute distance I have for my current job it took me longer to get to work at the old job. Traffic in that direction was just that bad.

So now I'm ridin' the bus and it's a great way to commute to work. Even with gas prices very low, there are still multiple advantages.

I can relax and not be concerned with the stress of driving my vehicle to work. This is a big advantage since commuter stress is very to us all.

While on the bus I can read. Heck I've had so much time to catch up on my readin' backlog that I've devoured the the following books in the past two months: The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (10th Anniversary Edition) by John C. Maxwell, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely by Rayond Chandler, and now The High Window by Raymond Chandler. Notice a theme? I'm workin' my way through all of Chandler's work published by LOA.

Now back to the fuel issue and the current cost; about US$1.93 in my locale. Even though the cost of regular gasoline has significantly decreased in the past few weeks, I will continue to ride the bus. It's not just about an individual's pocketbook and the price of gas. Ridin' public transportation will consume less gas and be a mechanism for us to decrease demand for this limited resource. Put the pressure on the auto manufacturers. The everyday is political. OK, I'll step off of my soapbox.

I don't have to put more wear and tar on my vehicle. I drive one mile (literally) to the bus station and park my car. At the end of the day I exit the bus and drive one mile home. It's a wonderful arrangement and I only fill up my gas tank every few weeks.

Another advantage to ridin' the bus is that I've been able to meet some wonderful people. I've met two collegues from work who also enjoy public transporation, a colleague at from a former company and also other commuters that are a pleasure to speak to. It is enjoyable to get to know fellows and neighbors and talk about their lives, family, politics and what's important to them. The bus is a great public space like a town square. A "forum," if you will, a la the Romans.

I'm a big fan of public spaces. What they mean to a community, the role of the public space for a community, and expecially as a mechanism for public forums. I'm fortunate that I live in a town that has a town square. The town square is a great gathering place where citizens may carry out discussions of issues. How often do we get the chance to participate in this type of activity with our neighbors? This essential component of a participatory democracy. The bus, and all public transportation for that matter, allows us to participate in discussions about current topics. Because with honest and respectful discussion comes understanding. We may disagree on solutions, or action plans in the political realm, but at least we can walk away from discussions with a greater understanding of the other person's position. And perhaps we can be convinced that there is better way than position that we initially held. And that makes us all stronger as a society and culture.

If you've stuck with me for this long before I finally got to my point, then I thank you for your time.

Let's discuss this further! Leave a comment.

Readin': Science Quote

2008-11-14T10:50:00.003+08:00

"All our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike - and yet it is the most precious thing we have."

- Albert Einstein

Workin': How Can A Project Manager Stay Competitive?

2008-11-13T09:28:00.005+08:00

Here's a question that a former colleague sent to me today about project management practitioners and the current business environment. I have also posted my response, which I wrote off the cuff.

"How can a PM stay competitive in this business environment?

Hello,

So the other day I had to interview an older gentlmen for a Project Manager position. This guy probably had months to go until retirement and instead found himself on the job market. He worked for a financial company. My heart went out to him. The interesting thing is that while he had been functioning in the role of a Project Manager for many years, he never obtained a PMP certification. So I had to look internally and ask myself, how can I remain competitive in this market and/or for the long-term? Often PMs are under Operational (read: expense) organizations.

So what have you done to remain competitive? In providing your answer, please include your age. I plan to incorporate this into a blog or article. If you do not want me to state your name (or age), please let me know. Thanks."

Here's my response:

"For PMs to remain competitive in the global milieu it is imperative that they provide the organization with the necessary capability to not only execute projects/programs well also demonstrate a legacy of leadership throughout projects and organizations. Additionally, I would add that PMs (and anyone for that matter) should extend their horizons beyond their comfort zone. So you have been involved with Operational projects in the past, proven yourself and have a demonstrated ability to get things done for the organization. But, extending into other functional areas (research and development, Capital growth projects) a PM can be challenged again and continue the process of growing one's career while remaining competitive. Heck, look outside the industry that you work in even. If you are an IT PM then look at the pharmacutical industry, construction industry or film and entertainment industry. A film director is nothing more than a project manager with an artistic bent for storytelling in the film medium.

As for certifications, they indicate a level of competency, but in truth, there are PMPs that are not good project managers. Experience is more important in my not so humble opinion. Let's go back to the IT PM example. There's always a business side to every company whether it is a retail, manufacturing or technology company, and a PM that is able to strike a fine balance between business and IT agility is very valuable. The business side of any company is not going away, and IT PMs that can straddle the divide and introduce, foster adoption of change management via projects is extremely valuable. Because all projects are merely a vehicle for change when you get down to their essence.

I could go on and on with more thoughts and details and would be glad to talk to you about this via phone some time.

I hope you are doing well.

Best,
walterhisownself"

Watchin': A Song of Ice and Fire

2008-11-12T18:44:00.004+08:00

HBO is producing a movie series of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire popular fantasy series.

Here's the article.

Now I need to go read the books. Oh! I don't have cable/satellite TV. Oh well, maybe I'll watch it on Hulu someday...

Discoverin': Evolution Proteins

2008-11-12T18:39:00.005+08:00

Scientists discover proteins that control evolution, and it's not what we expected.

Read about it here.

Rebelin': 121st Haymarket Anniversary

2008-11-12T08:14:00.004+08:00

Haymarket Martyrs

Today, November 11th, marks the 121st anniversary of the execution of August Spies, Albert Parsons (spouse to Lucy Parsons, Adolph Fischer and George Engel, anarchists and labor organizers who took part in the struggle for the 8 hour work day and the May Day uprising in Chicago in 1886.

Let us remember the movement for a more humane workplace and not forget their efforts and sacrifice.

Bloggin': Been a while

2008-11-12T05:18:00.004+08:00

It's been a while. I've been a job transition for a couple months now and it's taken up lots of time to ramp up with the new company.

I did received a comment to a post I published on Mainframe code over a year ago.

Here's the original blog post:

Hackin': Beautiful Mainframe Code

It's nice to see that folks actually read these ramblings from time to time.

Hearin': Another Goddamned Podcast

2008-10-12T21:40:00.001+08:00

I listened to the latest episode of Another Goddamned Podcast.

Watchin' & Wonderin': George Miller's Love of Swine

2008-10-12T21:23:00.003+08:00

What is it with George Miller and swine?

He seems to have a distinct love for the animals.

Look at The Road Warrior (aka Mad Max 2), one of his early films: There are a few scenes where pigs are domesticated animals in the refinery community.

Then, there's Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome: The feces of pigs is used to power the engines of industry in Bartertown, a frontier town ruled by Aunty Entity and practicing a form of justice much akin to current day reality TV programming.

Finally, there's the two Babe films: Babe and Babe: Pig in the City.

Clearly there's a theme through his œuvre and an apparent affection for Sus scrofa domesticus.

Dairy Queen 'Dobule Ch'

2008-08-05T20:53:00.002+08:00

Dairy Queen 'Dobule Ch', originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Marietta chickens

2008-07-25T22:00:00.003+08:00

Marietta chickens, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

These are not the "Big Chicken"

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Marietta chickens

2008-07-25T22:00:00.001+08:00

Marietta chickens, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

These are not the "Big Chicken"

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Chicken Little

2008-07-25T21:31:00.003+08:00

Chicken Little, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

More chicken littles in Marietta Square.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Chicken Little

2008-07-25T21:31:00.001+08:00

Chicken Little, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

More chicken littles in Marietta Square.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Chinglish

2008-07-13T02:08:00.003+08:00

Chinglish, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Chinglish

2008-07-13T02:08:00.001+08:00

Chinglish, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Chicken World

2008-07-13T00:38:00.002+08:00

Chicken World, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

This is truely a postmodern fusion: serves Chinese and Mexican cuisine, is also a bar and billiards hall.

Doraville, GA

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Hearin': A Strange Thought Entered My Head

2008-07-12T01:26:00.002+08:00

Listenin' to The Microscopic Septet on Pandora.

----------------
Now playing: The Microscopic Septet - A Strange Thought Entered My Head
via FoxyTunes

Readin': Caledon and Steampunk

2008-07-12T01:06:00.001+08:00

Readin' 'bout Caledon.

Researchin': Flatfish contradicts I.D. argument

2008-07-12T00:57:00.002+08:00

Following my recent post on I.D. being taught in Louisiana public schools, here's a National Geographic article that points out a flaw in the I.D. argument.

I won't acknowledge I.D. as a theory because it's not. It's merely an argument, and an illogical one at that.

Hearin': Welcome to All the Pleasures

2008-07-11T08:50:00.003+08:00

"Welcome to All the Pleasures" by Henry Purcell

"Hail to this happy place, this musical assembly

That seems to be the arc of universal harmony."

Watchin': Conway, Sanborn and The Residents

2008-07-11T07:35:00.001+08:00

Talk about bizarre events on a stage

Hollerin': What Happened to Reason?

2008-07-11T07:19:00.002+08:00

Why must an obviously non-scientific teaching be brought into the public school system? Yes, I'm talkin' bout I.D.

It's now bein' taught in Louisiana according to this story at New Scientist magazine. I'm okay with teachin' it, just don't masquerade it as "science." Teach it as mythology, folklore.

On that point - when I look at mythology books. One's that are surveys of the world mythologies, that is. I always ask myself, "Why is it that "mythology" seems to encompass all the non-Judeo-Christian-Islamic religions like Hinduism, Norse, Greek, Egypt, but not include things like Christianity?" In my mind, it's all the same. Christianity = mythology, just like all the rest.

Dyin': Thomas M. Disch

2008-07-07T08:56:00.001+08:00

Returned from vacation today and I'm catchin' up on Tweets and email. Just read Tim O'Reilly's twitter that Thomas M. Disch committed suicide on July 4, 2008.

Sad.

He was such a great writer.

Power out - back to basics

2008-07-06T08:03:00.002+08:00

Power out - back to basics, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

Thunderstorm has disabled the electrical power. Back to basics. Havin' supper by candle light.

Enjoyed the beach (Barrancas) for a couple hours before the storm came in. The water was under attack by sea jellies so swimmin' was at one's own discression. I waded with the ebbin' waves along the shore and was still attacked by stray transluscent strands of jellies. Not as bad as fire ants, but annoyin' none the less.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Pickin' Blueberries

2008-07-05T23:41:00.001+08:00

Pickin' Blueberries, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

With nature's soundtrack: a few "Bob White" birds singin' their only song.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)

Pickin' Blueberries

2008-07-05T23:31:00.001+08:00

Pickin' Blueberries, originally uploaded by walterhisownself.

Sent from my GoodLink synchronized handheld (www.good.com)