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Siminart — 5-Space Math
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Published: 2006-12-08 18:40:15 +0000 UTC; Views: 299; Favourites: 2; Downloads: 7
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Gradient in ApoMap, Apophysis 2.05, PSP 9 for frame and font from [link] or [link]This image was going to be with Blue Geometry and Purple Geometry as a trio of images but I stopped liking this one so much and never posted it into the main gallery
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Comments: 27
Ha, ha, ha!! I looked at this image and the way it folded and it reminded me of a description of folding a spaceship through a wormhole!! I confess to really enjoying a space opera series by Lois McMaster Bujold, she writes her characters so well, they are luminous and real.
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Space operas!?!? I've never heard of that; what's it like? Situational melodramas on Saturn, etc.?
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It's the story of one mans life of high adventure in the distant future and starts with the meeting of his parents. It's all good, solid, story writing with great characterisation (my personal fictional hero is the Mother, Cordelia Naismith). The books are warm and humorous with moments of wisdom that make you stop and think. What more could you ask for? Lois McMaster Bujolld is an American writer and she's won Hugo and Nebula Awards for her work, yet hardly anyone seems to have heard of her. Look in 2nd hand book shops, the starter book is Shards of Honor, the second book is Barrayar. If you want to read a story that predates the Miles books, has an Engineer as its hero, covers human genetics issues and is a damn fine read then Falling Free is excellent
It's not classical literature but what defines a good story?
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I think Falling Free sounds like a choice for me! Thanks - found it!!! [link]
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That's the one!! It's set about 400 years before the space opera books start and is based in the same 'universe.' So although you don't get to meet these characters any more, their decendents turn up in later books 
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Those are my favorite types! I have never been into sci-fi though, but I have been meaning to try them as I have all the sudden been hooked on figuring out why Star Wars was so popular! Have you ever tried reading any Star Wars books, and if you haven't, do you think they'd be shit?
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I've never even thought of reading Star Wars as George Lucas never really wrote the saga as a book (though I know books have been made). Being of a certain age
I prefer 'science' science fiction over 'fantasy' science fiction, so tend to read Larry Niven (and the collaborative books with Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes, Footfall has great characterisation), Iain M Banks (also Iain Banks, his alter ego for plain old fiction books, I'd reallly recommend The Wasp Factory or The Crow Road). I started science fiction with Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov but my favourite book of all time is Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, obviously not science fiction
For pure escapism and a joyful read it's Terry Pratchett all the way, yup I'm a sad bunny
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Really!?!? To Kill A Mockingbird?
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Yup, really, I'm curious why you are surprised
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I like Pleasantville too, but the happiness at the end with Boo Radley and all... It's just not cool with that whole ending of 'ever after.' (I think I remember it being like that.)
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I never found the ending of "To Kill a Mockingbird" that happy. You get the impression that Boo is drawn to the children and wants to protect them, also that he has some sort of mental disorder. The sherif seems to say he got in with the wrong crowd, did something bad and his parents took care of his punishment rather than the county. Despite everything they never see him again.
I love Atticus though, that he pisses the town people off not because he defends Tom but because he aims to defend him, it's not a sham defence as the towns people want. All the horrible bigotry is shown, the fact that most people in town don't give two hoots for the "white trash." That despite all the evidence against Tom being so wrong (as Atticus proves) they still send him to prison (where no doubt he is horribly mistreated) and seem relieved when he is shot for allegedly running away. Yet all the confusion and terribleness is simplified because the whole thing is seen through the eyes of an 8 year old girl and shown directly for exactly what it is. That's what I remember of it as some nice person has stolen my book, grrrrrrrrrr!!
As a rule I hate happy Hollywood, sickly, sugar coated endings. So many good films have been utterly ruined by the last 10 minutes. There's a few that get away with it but they are the ones that do it when you feel the main character deserves it, like in The Shawshank Redemption, when Andy saves Red from the same fate as Brooks (the old librarian) by first saving himself.
I could go on and on and on and on . . . . . . so I'll spare you
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It's been so many years since I've read To Kill A Mockingbird. I really must say that those last few paragraphs you wrote wrere a great refreshment for me, and I agree. Perhaps Lee's ending is an unconventional way to conclude a children's book, and after all isn't so sappy. I agree also about your comment on Shawshank Redemption... I'm interested to know where you think The Green Mile would end up between these two sectors. Have you ever read it? One of my favorite King novels: it's a really sad ending, but a very optimistic one, too - sort of 'cyclically' holistic ending. I like that in a novel.
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Flippin' 'eck!! Now you've asked for it and will get a long reply as I write and remember the films in order to compare
The Green Mile, I've only seen the film but it leaves me in a sort of almost breathless state of wonderment. John seems to almost welcome the sentence that has been passed, his only fear is of the dark, a very childlike thing that endears him immediately with his vulnerability but at the same time he doesn't seem to fear death (which one would normally assume would be dark, so a conundrum). He doesn't seem able to control his power it seems to be something that comes from outside and just channels through him. Though I was really glad when that horrible prison guard got what he truly deserved along with the dude that really killed those little girls.
As far as the ending goes, sometimes something is different for one person that another due to personal experience and this is so for me. My Grandmother outlived all her siblings, her husband and her only daughter (my Mum who was 47 when she died). Towards the last years of her life she started saying that long life was a curse rather than a blessing and I completely understood where she was coming from.
Back to the film, when they electrocute John, it's so very sad but I feel sadness for the people who have come to consider him a friend and mis-tried man than I do for John, who welcomes the end the same way that my Grandmother did. No more watching those you love die.
At the end I really feel for Paul who is still feeding Mr Bo Jangles, lordy how old is that mouse!! But what of him? How long will he live? He's outlived the wife he loved, will he get to bury his children, what about his grandchildren? How long will he live? I kind of see the end of that film through my Grandmothers eyes. A long life that is almost a purgatory not the sort of delight that many might thnk.
As far as where it falls, it has the same feel as "To Kill a Mockingbird" with the obviously mis-tried man who happened upon the scene and tried to help the two little girls (raped and murdered by another), so he is killed by his compassion, the same as Tom Robinson. John is the childlike being but he certainly knows a bad man from a good man which is very like Scout.
It has the same flavour and pace as "The Shawshank Redemption" but in a very strange way. John gains the trust and respect of everyone the same as Andy does. Andy just does what he is told and is an intelligent and highly observant man. I love the way he exposes the corrupt govenor but John just seems to see through people to the dirty little pit of corruption within that needs purging, trouble is, some people are exactly what they seem, take that away and you are left with very little, as happens to Percy.
For me the huge difference is Shawshank leaves you feeling really up, both Andy and Red survive and lead 'normal' lives away from the depression but The Green Mile leaves me crying for Paul, a decent man with an ancient mouse (even he wonders how long it will live as it got more of a 'jolt' than he) who has to constantly move on, out living everyone he likes or loves as he goes. His future looks unpromising really.
Maybe I'm just a nasty old cynic
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You've really impressed me and made me think! I haven't paid attention to modern literature for some time now, but I can make all the connections! It's great to be able to talk about this!!! (And sorry that I've taken so long to write!) (This may be a vague answer.)
First, NO(!), I don't think you're an 'old cynic!' LOL! This was such a high-caliber and intricate response that I needed time to prepare myself for the 'book talk!' How to respond has been bugging me since, but I pretty much agree with all your reasoning and loved your jokes about the mouse especially! The difference lies definitely with the somber feel of death and reprise for the protagonist in Green Mile, strongly differing from The Shawshank Redemption's (TSR) end of escape and maybe even fortune. Both are good endings, but I think that an ending with death and (most importantly) a meaningful link to reality is the one I'll choose. That's what does it for me.
When the Cajun man gets electrocuted in Green Mile, it's an incredibly bad part, but it's great. I think it's an image that has stayed with me for a while. It shows a lot of things: the cruelty in 'humanity' for one. (That's the big one.) But I love tragedy in literature, and the way it was set up was just fantastic. We think of all the horrible things being done to the Cajun guy while he's on fire. A great death: one that won't be forgotten. (What an incredbly dark response! LOL - but it's true.)
I haven't thought about these books for a very long time, and even if novels aren't my greatest interest in literature, I must give it up to you and your knowledge and application! I love it! Do you read any other works besides novels? Any old stuff: Medieval, Renaissance works? I'd love to discuss some of the stuff I've been wasting my time for years with in school! LOL.
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I'm really happy that you liked my responses, I don't have many people to talk to about movies and books. The one person I do know who talks about them likes a genre that I hate, horror. I just get angry during horror films because people behave like idiots and then happy because the idiots are dying in the horrible ways they deserve to die!! Ooooo, I'm a bitch.
If I were to write just a few words, I think that TSR is about living through surviving purgatory and TGM is about living in purgatory (by not dying). If you on death row, the Mile run by Paul was a good place to be (until Percy joins) and you were fed and looked after until you died (not easy things to come by during the depression). If you went to Shawshank you had to endure a gauntlet of abuse and survive it in order to live. I love the part where Andy turns up the opera over the speakers and won't turn it down. It's a moment of elation.
I have real trouble reading 'old english' (I'm dyslexic and suspect I'm A.D.D. too) I find old written english difficult and can just about manage Victorian english by Arthur Conan Doyle!! I read all the Sherlock Holmes stories and loved them for the contrivedness (made up word, ha, ha) of them. It's like reading a dialogue by one person that's supposed to be between two, the person will always denigrate the other and make themselves look good, even in imaginary conversations., so Holmes is a hero, whilst Watson is a slug!!
I've tried to read Shakespeare but failed miserably, I just couldn't make the connection to read the language. I enjoyed seeing Romeo and Juliet at the theatre but don't remember much about it (shame really, this supposed bastion of English Literature and find it, well, boring because it's unreadable).
As far as modern literature goes, books that stay with you after you read them, Iain Banks, The Crow Road did for me but that could be because the story made a deep connection to my life and I had what can only be described as an Anti-Epiphany. A profound and unshakable feeling that there is absolutely nothing apart from being born and dying, and to fill the time between those events with as much as possible because there are no second chances, no heaven, no hell, it was a great comfort. I was very ill then, being sent for lots of tests as the doctors thought I had cancer. I don't have cancer, so a reprieve and a chance to get some living done, theonly second chances you get are in life
Another Iain Banks book that most people say they'll never forget is The Wasp Factory, it's very good.
Patrick Tilley, Fade Out. I've bought that book three times now due to having it pinched before!! That one stays with me after it finishes.
If you recommend a book I'll read it, though it may take some time if it's written in Shakespeares or Chaucers english but I'll persevere.
I'd classify myself as a film snob (oh yeah). I looked over on [link] at film reviews on my favourite films and they were all reviewd at 7 or above. If a film is rated below 6 I won't watch it, exception to this is The Last Action Hero, which I thought was an excellent film, poking (picking even) it's nose at Hollywood big budget and had Arnie making fun of himself and the actioners he's starred in. Could never understand why it was rated so low as it was a movie for people to think about as well as watch. Thinking persons Hollywood formula for the young at heart
I blather on. You name the book and I'll read it
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I don't have any book in mind right now, but we should definitely read something together and 'deviate' from the dA norm!!! Right now, I'm reading a sort of historical recount on Chaucer versus Bocaccio [link] , which is something I will definitely spare you of even going close to for many reasons. LOL. I tend to reside with more 'archaic' texts, criticism on those works, and really any literature that has shaped the English 'field' in some way before 1700: that's the best. One day, I aspire to become a technical editor and maybe even a journalist for a literary journal (or even more than one). I forgot to mention that I love Italian/Latin translations, too; that's really good stuff.
I'm totally into movies, and I always read reviews. I usually never see a movie if it got a horrible review or looks bad. Please give me your top ten films of 2006!
My list (lots of thought went into this! LOL.):
10. The Fountain
9. X3: The Last Stand
8. The Inside Man
7. Apocalypto
6. The Prestige
5. James Bond: Casino Royale
4. The Illusionist
3. The Blood Diamond
2. The Descent
1. The Queen
I know 'The Descent' came out in Europe during 2005, but in the US, we didn't see it until only this year! What a great movie... And what do you think of my list!?!?
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You sound like you know what you want to do and I really applaude that. When you have direction you know where you're going, you might not have a signposted road but you have landmarks to guide you, without it you're lost (I know I was).
I'm no good at other languages but I do have a Latin dictionary (my mother was excellent at languages and the book was hers) and also the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (in two volumes) that covers the history of words, where they originate from and in some cases when they fell out of usage. I love words but am mostly baffled by them. I have to limit my langauge because I can't spell a lot of words I use in my spoken vocabulary.
Now to films. Sometimes I like films to fit my mood/environment, even if the film isn't that good it's just the mood and feeling I want to recapture. I've spent the last 4 years in a room with no heating (the temp drops to 6 degrees C in the winter). I like to watch Apollo 13 or the end part of Titanic (just after they've hit the iceberg) as I can empathise so fully with the characters and their plight (I'm shivering along with them
Now I have to tell you that one of the symptoms of my illness is terrible short-term memory loss, so I most remember films I saw recently or films I re-watched recently (the upside, I only have vague memories of films so can watch again and thoroughly enjoy).
The best films I've watched this year, that weren't necessarily released this year would be (in no specific order other than memory):
Layer Cake
Casino Royale (becaue Bond is the same actor who starred in Layer Cake)
Memento
Edmond
The Family Stone
Click (yup, Adam Sandler but the film has a good message so I forgive it the schmaltzy ending)
Howl's Moving Castle (and Princess Mononoke purely because of Howl)
Batman Begins
The Hills Have Eyes (old school horror)
I can't remember any more but I know there are some.
Films on the 'to watch' list include:
Big Nothing
London To Brighton
Pan's Labyrinth (Spanish film)
Special
The Prestige
Starter For Ten
The Host (Korean film)
I'm going to add your films to the list and give them a try
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Hey again! I hope your holidays were great, and that the Die Hard marathon went as planned! I've been busy with work and the holidays and really have had such little time for messages that I want to devote special attention to, like this one. I know it's been a while, but I want to write you back ASAP - at least before New Years in Miami!
First I want to tell you what a pleasure it is to always read your insight between our messages! I was pleased to hear about your faith in what I plan to do with myself. Sometimes it seems as if no one believes that one can achieve a stable lifestyle through being an editor. I will work my hardest to be successful!
I like most of your movie selection there of what you've seen this year. I can tell you firsthand that the action films you like are awesome in my opinion! I also think that if you liked Layer Cake (awesome movie), Casino Royale, and Batman Begins, you'd really like The Blood Diamond with Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Connoly. I will take your advice about Howl's Moving Castle and Big Nothing!
I hope you're having a great New Year's!!! I wish you so much good fortune and recovery in this 2007!!!
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Happy New Year to you Spydy!! I wish you all the best and hope you realise your dreams (or the path to the start of the dreams). Have you ever seen an old black and white film called "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" It centres around The Daily Express in London and the real editor of the paper starred as the editor in the film. It gives you a feel for the time (early 60's) and the urgency of the press then. I'll have to look into starting an ftp for you
I really like Batman Begins but I didn't like the Superman film, found it over long and boring (mind you I might not have been in the right frame of mind for it). I'll certainly be trying out The Blood Diamond as I recently saw a film called The Departed, it had Leonardo DiCaprio and was a fine movie, great ending, not what I expected at all.
Howl's Moving Castle is an animation by Studio Ghibli (the Disney of the East). It's not anime (apart from the eyes) and you can see the love that's gone into the movie. I prefer the Japanese versions with subtitles as they are different to the dubbed English language versions which rob them of their humanity and the subtle joy of seeing stories told from another culture and perspective. The Princess Mononoke film has elements of folk lore and spirits, it's lovely to see and the quality of the animation is really outstanding. I like good animation. I have to say the most emotive animation I've ever seen is an episode from Futurama (which I love to bits). I can't watch Jurassic Bark unless I want to have a good cry
I'd love to have the patience to animate, I have some lovely ideas for moving image art but no patience to produce it. I once spent a week making an animation that lasted 4 seconds!!
I watched Lord of War recently, starring Nicolas Cage, what an excellent film that was, I highly recommend that one.
Ha, ha, ha!! Clive Owen, whenever I see him in a film I can't help but think of him in the pc game Privateer 2, he's come a long way since that game and he's a good actor. I'm looking for Inside Man now
I've lost track of what I was saying, ha, ha, ha!! It's nearly 4am so you'll have to forgive me.
Hope you're having a great time!! Happy New Year!!
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Hey! I haven't seen The Day the Earth Caught Fire, but I did see the new Superman, and I totally agree. It was one of my worst movie choices for this year. Wow - it was a really horrible film. Tasteless in a way. The only thing I appreciated was the similarity of the new Superman to Christoper Reeve. Man! They look so alike, it's scary! I also know of Studio Ghibli, too; I am always very impressed with their films! I found out about it while visited Japan in 2001 while Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi came out. Do you know that movie? I think it's very good! And the art is so freaking flawless - it's no surprise Disney immediately invested in the company. I remember that there was a press statement in Japan that Sen to Chihiro was an all-time grossing picture in Japan, making more money than Titanic! Forget it - those productions are incredible.
AND I watch some Futurama too! My favorite episode is when Bender gets transported to civil Egypt and treat him as pharoah. Ahahaha! And Clive Owen is awesome too: Gosfod Park is one of the best films ever. I had no idea he was in a video game - now I will tell my friends about that! They'll be shocked! I will search Privateer 2.
I had a great time last night and tonight! I hope you'll have a great and refreshing New Year's Day!
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Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi is Spirited Away and I only have the English language version of that film, it's enchanting and I really enjoy it. I never used to be into foreign language films but I've really grown to appreciate them and the perspective on the world they have. I've just realised that's not quite true, I really enjoyed a film called Night on Earth, it was my other half who hated reading subtitles, I don't mind them, the more I'm into the film the less I notice I'm reading the subs. They are always culturally different from Hollywood and the UK film industry (which apparently has come back to itself in London to Brighton) which for a while has been desperately emulating Hollywood. I saw a Korean film last year (I've forgotten the name but have the film on a disk somewhere) and a Russian film, made while is was still the USSR for about $100! Ha, ha, ha!! Kin Dza Dza was the name and it's an absolute classic.
My favourite Futurama episode in The Farnsworth Paradox, the one where the professor makes a parallel univere in a box and they all travel through it. Another favourite in A Big Load of Rubbish, the one that rips Armaggedon to bits, I hate that film, the science is just so bad!! The film isn't even good enough to get away with the fake science!! GAH!!!
Privateer 2 I still have, it had full motion video sequences in it and Clive Owen was the main character, a man who'd had his memory wiped so the quest of the game was to fly around space, trading commodities, shooting up pirates and stealing their cargo, following leads to find your identity to see what you were hiding from and generally having a whole lot of fun. I might play it again as I'm retro gaming at the moment and have nearly finished Doom 2, I'd forgotten how good it was, sigh. I've found lots of things to make old games run on modern systems but not for Privateer 2, that will have to be loaded onto the old win98.
I'm really glad you're having a great time, my son and I watched Flushed Away last night, he loves that film to bits and can't understand why it hasn't got a better rating. His Dad watched it over Christmas with us and sat stoney faced through the whole thing, I don't think he liked it one little bit, shame huh? Christmas is for the children and the adults who are still children . . . . . . . . just like me
I'm waiting for a phone call from my brother to tell me whether I'm an Aunty or Uncle, it's so cool!! Just at the point where Leon will be all grown and not so into Christmas, my niece/nephew will be. I told my brother that he'll have to host every Christmas and he said sure thing!! I can be the elderly drunken relative, woo hooo!!
Wishing you peace and happiness, take care and be well . .
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I will keep my eye out for that Privateer stuff, and I don't know Flushed Away. I will IMDB it later and check it out! What was the result? LOL - are you an auntie or an uncle? (Refer to P5 in the previous note.) Your gender depends on it! Ahahaha! So was the baby declared a he or a she?
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Flushed Away was made by Aardman, the same people who brought us Wallace and Gromit, only Flushed Away is CGI rather than claymation. Hugh Jackman voices the male lead and I didn't realise he could sing, he's endeared himself to me with the little ditty he sings in the film. It's rated 6.9 on imdb but makes my 14 year old laugh until he almost wets himself. I have to say it grows on me more and more with each viewing and I think it deserves a 7.4 at least. Kate Winslett is the female lead and she is really good as Rita. There is an all star cast, but above and beyond all of them, the slugs are the best thing!! I don't know if you'd want to go to the cinema to see it (it's a kids film and I love kids films) but it is certainly worth watching at home, having a 14 year old around would be very handy too
The baby is a boy so I am now an Uncle, I have reasons for wanting to be an Uncle rather than an Aunt. I'm hoping to be well enough in a few years time to be able to scare the living shit out of my brother by taking the lad for a short spin on my motorbike, perched on the gas tank. My brother used to do that with my son and they had several off road accidents too
I'm going to watch "Children of Men" tomorrow night, it looks like it could be a goody and it has the delectable Clive Owen starring, so what more could I possibly want?
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Hahahaha! I find it funny that you're determined to make your brother flip out with your new nephew on the bike! That's hilarious. I already saw Children of Men. I gave it an A! It was excellent, but I don't think it will top the production/acting in Notes on a Scandal with Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett. They do not play around!
Maybe I'll wait ofr Flushed Away on DVD. My real-life friend ~LadyKaeru absolutely loves those kinds of films, so I will suggest watching it to or with her! Congrats again the delivery of the baby!
Does he have a name?
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I'm so sorry I didn't reply to this sooner, it's been a long old while. If it's not one things it's another. I think I'm mildly allergic to the anti-biotics as I'm getting pretty itchy, even my eyelids are itching. It's interesting though, the last prolonged eye rub was making fractal like patterns
My nephew is named Jack. I suspect that Jack is a name on the up and up popularised by Cap'n Jack Sparrow
I saw some good films recently, The Kingdom of Heaven (the directors cut), Snow Cake (yup, I'm even slow catching up on films), Letters from Iwo Jima, The Pursuit of Happyness (I read about the guy on Wiki after watching, the film diverts from truth but doesn't detract from his achievement at all, admirable guy) and Volver.
Flushed Away still makes me laugh out loud, there are slightly tedious parts but some real comedy gems. "Ice cold Rita, never could you meet a, girl who was so cruel, I offered her a jewel . . " Hugh Jackman sounds so damn happy when he's singing that song!
I've also watched Heroes to date and Criminal Minds, I get so bored when I'm ill!!
Hope you are having a great weekend
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Hey, times are rough now since I quit my job, and I'm doing an intensive Summer A semester at the university, but I'm hanging in there just fine. I've also been trying to clean my computer up to free some memory, so there aren't many moments to lose like before with dA. It'll be over soon though.
I hope Jack and your family are well, and Happy Mother's Day (even if I'm late)!
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