Off to Canada!
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Rails to Plainville!
For years -- decades -- I've contemplated construction of a model railroad. Now, at last, with right of way and financing arranged, construction has begun on the Plainville Branch of the Ozark Lines Railway.
In the picture to the right, taken from a point somewhere above the future engine servicing area, we see light Mikado #4001 leaving town with a short wayfreight. As you can see, this small town in the great state of Homasota is not much on scenery. Yet.
This photo, taken from the future location of the Plainville depot, gives an HO scale perspective.
The double-door Frisco boxcar is sitting on the team track, or public freight unloading track. This type of boxcar was frequently used to haul new automobiles. The contents are probably destined for the inventory of the local CHevy dealer.
The grain elevator will be built immediately to the left. The grungy brown Rock Island boxcar is spotted at the future site of the feed warehouse. Beyond it will be a lumber shed, a coal shed, and maybe a set of tanks for an oil and gas distributor.
The stock car in the middle distance is at the future location of the stock loading pens. Beyond it, the mainline to Springfield curves away to the left, disappearing beyond a fencerow of trees that haven't grown yet. The diverging tracks to the right will lead to a turntable, roundhouse, and fuel and water facilities for the locomotives that work the branch.
Further construction updates will be posted as tracklaying and world-building continues.
For years -- decades -- I've contemplated construction of a model railroad. Now, at last, with right of way and financing arranged, construction has begun on the Plainville Branch of the Ozark Lines Railway.In the picture to the right, taken from a point somewhere above the future engine servicing area, we see light Mikado #4001 leaving town with a short wayfreight. As you can see, this small town in the great state of Homasota is not much on scenery. Yet.
This photo, taken from the future location of the Plainville depot, gives an HO scale perspective.
The double-door Frisco boxcar is sitting on the team track, or public freight unloading track. This type of boxcar was frequently used to haul new automobiles. The contents are probably destined for the inventory of the local CHevy dealer.
The grain elevator will be built immediately to the left. The grungy brown Rock Island boxcar is spotted at the future site of the feed warehouse. Beyond it will be a lumber shed, a coal shed, and maybe a set of tanks for an oil and gas distributor.
The stock car in the middle distance is at the future location of the stock loading pens. Beyond it, the mainline to Springfield curves away to the left, disappearing beyond a fencerow of trees that haven't grown yet. The diverging tracks to the right will lead to a turntable, roundhouse, and fuel and water facilities for the locomotives that work the branch.
Further construction updates will be posted as tracklaying and world-building continues.
It's picture time!
It's time to clean out the memory card of the digital camera, so here are a few random shots from the last six months worth of travel and trouble.
From Penguicon: Proof that geeks do, in fact, have more fun. Especially when playing with the Chaos Machine, a collection giant-sized structural pieces with tracks and chutes for marbles. Plus gates, switches, conveyors, bells that go *ding*, and all kinds of twiddly bits.
Deep in the belly of the beast, surrounded by the constant, comforting whir and clatter of hundreds of cheerful bright yellow marbles pursuing their individual destinies through the myriad branching paths. Click. Whirrrr. *Bounce!* Ding ding ding. Whirr click. Click.
Yes, I said *bounce*.
Rubber trampolines add interest. They also add some additional chaos to the contraption from time to time. The authoritative *PLONK!* of marbles landing in the plastic bucket at the bottom of the picture added a nice, if irregular, bass beat to the music of the Machine.
It is rumored that some people vanished into the depths of the Machine and were never seen again. I narrowly escaped this fate, but kept being drawn back to it like the proverbial moth to a flame.
My most notable contribution to The Machine, a three-level switchback descending one of the towers by means of hinged, weight-activated drop gates, is pictured below.
On a recent trip to Canada, I spotted the Canadian Leader emerging mysteriously from a fogbank as I crossed the Blue Water Bridge. Traffic on the bridge was slow enough that taking a picture was not a danger. In fact, the massive oreboat churned its way under the bridge, close enough that I could read its nameplate, before I made it across.
Sadly, the vessel to which I referred in an earlier post seems not to be as seaworthy as it first seemed.
Although it's scarcely visible in the picture, that white blob is some kind of giant crane or heron that has taken up residence near Swampview Manor.
Next photoexpedition: Rails to Plainville!
It's time to clean out the memory card of the digital camera, so here are a few random shots from the last six months worth of travel and trouble.
From Penguicon: Proof that geeks do, in fact, have more fun. Especially when playing with the Chaos Machine, a collection giant-sized structural pieces with tracks and chutes for marbles. Plus gates, switches, conveyors, bells that go *ding*, and all kinds of twiddly bits. 
Deep in the belly of the beast, surrounded by the constant, comforting whir and clatter of hundreds of cheerful bright yellow marbles pursuing their individual destinies through the myriad branching paths. Click. Whirrrr. *Bounce!* Ding ding ding. Whirr click. Click.
Yes, I said *bounce*.
Rubber trampolines add interest. They also add some additional chaos to the contraption from time to time. The authoritative *PLONK!* of marbles landing in the plastic bucket at the bottom of the picture added a nice, if irregular, bass beat to the music of the Machine.
It is rumored that some people vanished into the depths of the Machine and were never seen again. I narrowly escaped this fate, but kept being drawn back to it like the proverbial moth to a flame.
My most notable contribution to The Machine, a three-level switchback descending one of the towers by means of hinged, weight-activated drop gates, is pictured below.
On a recent trip to Canada, I spotted the Canadian Leader emerging mysteriously from a fogbank as I crossed the Blue Water Bridge. Traffic on the bridge was slow enough that taking a picture was not a danger. In fact, the massive oreboat churned its way under the bridge, close enough that I could read its nameplate, before I made it across.
Sadly, the vessel to which I referred in an earlier post seems not to be as seaworthy as it first seemed.
Although it's scarcely visible in the picture, that white blob is some kind of giant crane or heron that has taken up residence near Swampview Manor.
Next photoexpedition: Rails to Plainville!
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Taking the train to Springfield?
The former Frisco mainline from St. Louis to Springfield hasn't seen a scheduled passenger train since 1967, but Amtrak and the Missouri Department of Transportation have proposed to correct that by initiating Amtrak service between those two points, according to the Springfield News-Leader. The article states that the location of a passenger facility in Springfield is undecided, but another article indicates that much of the former Frisco (and former KCFS&M) trackage in the downtown area, where the old passenger terminal was located, is to be removed in the near future, leaving the Commercial Street area, where the BNSF has its main freight yard, as the only feasible location for a passenger stop. Perhaps they could use the former Frisco traffic-control building recently used by the Frisco Museum?
Their demand projections are no doubt aided by the fact that there is apparently no direct air service between those two points, according to the same article. (Sounds incredible, but the newspaper's statement is backed up by a quick search for direct flights between those points on Orbitz.)
If this service becomes a reality, I'll have to make a point of using it. It should be a beautiful ride, as well as a more civilized alternative to the bus.
The former Frisco mainline from St. Louis to Springfield hasn't seen a scheduled passenger train since 1967, but Amtrak and the Missouri Department of Transportation have proposed to correct that by initiating Amtrak service between those two points, according to the Springfield News-Leader. The article states that the location of a passenger facility in Springfield is undecided, but another article indicates that much of the former Frisco (and former KCFS&M) trackage in the downtown area, where the old passenger terminal was located, is to be removed in the near future, leaving the Commercial Street area, where the BNSF has its main freight yard, as the only feasible location for a passenger stop. Perhaps they could use the former Frisco traffic-control building recently used by the Frisco Museum?
Their demand projections are no doubt aided by the fact that there is apparently no direct air service between those two points, according to the same article. (Sounds incredible, but the newspaper's statement is backed up by a quick search for direct flights between those points on Orbitz.)
If this service becomes a reality, I'll have to make a point of using it. It should be a beautiful ride, as well as a more civilized alternative to the bus.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Recent reads (in brief)
If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him, The Ballad of Frankie Silver, and The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, by Sharyn McCrumb.
An enjoyable trio of mysteries set in the rural, isolated Appalachians. I find myself more interested in the setting than in the characters or plots in these books. The isolated rural hill country of Appalachia is similar enough to the Ozarks that I can mentally conflate the two and feel some kind of personal connection. The snippets of old ballads and so forth that McCrumb includes also help.
On Beauty, by Zadie Smith.
This book was recommended to me by a family member. I enjoyed it, but I don't think it's likely to stick in my mind the way that some other books do. Is the reader actually supposed to like Howard Belsey? As nearly as I could tell he's simply an obnoxious, self-centered academic bore -- the kind of person I hope that I am not. His wife and children, and the rival academic with whom he squabbles throughout the course of the novel are moderately interesting, but still not people that I would have any particular desire to meet or know. What stick in my mind are a few minor, enjoyable vignettes, such as the younger son's comically useless effort to start a labor movement at his part-time retail job, and the poetry slam that the daughter's writing class attends.
If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him, The Ballad of Frankie Silver, and The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, by Sharyn McCrumb.
An enjoyable trio of mysteries set in the rural, isolated Appalachians. I find myself more interested in the setting than in the characters or plots in these books. The isolated rural hill country of Appalachia is similar enough to the Ozarks that I can mentally conflate the two and feel some kind of personal connection. The snippets of old ballads and so forth that McCrumb includes also help.
On Beauty, by Zadie Smith.
This book was recommended to me by a family member. I enjoyed it, but I don't think it's likely to stick in my mind the way that some other books do. Is the reader actually supposed to like Howard Belsey? As nearly as I could tell he's simply an obnoxious, self-centered academic bore -- the kind of person I hope that I am not. His wife and children, and the rival academic with whom he squabbles throughout the course of the novel are moderately interesting, but still not people that I would have any particular desire to meet or know. What stick in my mind are a few minor, enjoyable vignettes, such as the younger son's comically useless effort to start a labor movement at his part-time retail job, and the poetry slam that the daughter's writing class attends.
Recent viewings:
The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (1998; Salzburg Festival)
This show features some great songs, including most notably the "Alabama Song" ("Show me the way to the next Whisky Bar....") and a very lyrical piece from the character Jenny that I cannot recall the title of. I like the way that Brecht & Weill turn their mythic, abstract reimagining of the American frontier into a parable of corruption and predatory consumerism. This production's portrayal of the the excesses that result from the latter are quite shocking and effective. Still, the third act seems to go on far too long after the death scene of a main character and devolves into rather simplistic socialist agitprop.
Worth seeing for the songs, the cynical humor, and the bitter criticism of the excesses of American consumerism, but don't expect the end of the third act to keep you awake if you watch it late at night.
The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (1998; Salzburg Festival)
This show features some great songs, including most notably the "Alabama Song" ("Show me the way to the next Whisky Bar....") and a very lyrical piece from the character Jenny that I cannot recall the title of. I like the way that Brecht & Weill turn their mythic, abstract reimagining of the American frontier into a parable of corruption and predatory consumerism. This production's portrayal of the the excesses that result from the latter are quite shocking and effective. Still, the third act seems to go on far too long after the death scene of a main character and devolves into rather simplistic socialist agitprop.
Worth seeing for the songs, the cynical humor, and the bitter criticism of the excesses of American consumerism, but don't expect the end of the third act to keep you awake if you watch it late at night.
Recent viewings
The House That Dripped Blood (1970).
Four short horror vignettes that all take place in the same old house, connected by a framing story involving a detective who's investigating a missing person case. The cast sounds promising (Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Jon Pertwee, Ingrid Pitt), but at least two of the stories fall flat, and the reason why the house (which never actually drips blood, by the way) is connected to all these gruesome tales is never very well explained. The first tale, involving a horror writer and his lovely wife who move in to the house, is not particularly convincing, although the psychological premise could have had some promise in a better production. The second, featuring Peter Cushing as a solitary retiree who becomes strangely drawn to a figure of "Salome" in a nearby waxworks museum, is almost comically silly. The wax museum looks like a rather shabby warehouse of props from B-grade horror movies (hmmmm....), except when it shows up in a dream-sequence with lots of colored lights, bright gauzy curtains, and an obviously plastic skull.
Still, the third sequence, featuring tall-&-gaunt Christopher Lee as the very strict father of a cute little blonde daughter, has a certain creepy frisson. The tutor he hires after moving to The House objects to his draconian restrictions (no toys! no candles! no school!). Creepy complications ensue. The fourth vignette features Jon Pertwee, latterly of Doctor Who fame, as an imperious, swaggering horror-movie actor whose quest for authenticity becomes a bit more cinema verite than he intended. Pertwee is in fine form stalking about the set of a low-budget production, punching his swagger-stick through the cheap scenery, chewing out the director and denouncing the low production standards. (Was the production company commenting on itself here, I wonder? Or perhaps its more famous competitor, Hammer?) When he gets his hands on an "authentic vampire's cape", strange things start to happen. It's rather silly, but it's fun to watch him go from aristocratic arrogance to rubber-faced and googly-eyed terror.
The ending is silly, of course. How could it be otherwise?
A mixed bag.
The House That Dripped Blood (1970).
Four short horror vignettes that all take place in the same old house, connected by a framing story involving a detective who's investigating a missing person case. The cast sounds promising (Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Jon Pertwee, Ingrid Pitt), but at least two of the stories fall flat, and the reason why the house (which never actually drips blood, by the way) is connected to all these gruesome tales is never very well explained. The first tale, involving a horror writer and his lovely wife who move in to the house, is not particularly convincing, although the psychological premise could have had some promise in a better production. The second, featuring Peter Cushing as a solitary retiree who becomes strangely drawn to a figure of "Salome" in a nearby waxworks museum, is almost comically silly. The wax museum looks like a rather shabby warehouse of props from B-grade horror movies (hmmmm....), except when it shows up in a dream-sequence with lots of colored lights, bright gauzy curtains, and an obviously plastic skull.
Still, the third sequence, featuring tall-&-gaunt Christopher Lee as the very strict father of a cute little blonde daughter, has a certain creepy frisson. The tutor he hires after moving to The House objects to his draconian restrictions (no toys! no candles! no school!). Creepy complications ensue. The fourth vignette features Jon Pertwee, latterly of Doctor Who fame, as an imperious, swaggering horror-movie actor whose quest for authenticity becomes a bit more cinema verite than he intended. Pertwee is in fine form stalking about the set of a low-budget production, punching his swagger-stick through the cheap scenery, chewing out the director and denouncing the low production standards. (Was the production company commenting on itself here, I wonder? Or perhaps its more famous competitor, Hammer?) When he gets his hands on an "authentic vampire's cape", strange things start to happen. It's rather silly, but it's fun to watch him go from aristocratic arrogance to rubber-faced and googly-eyed terror.
The ending is silly, of course. How could it be otherwise?
A mixed bag.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
All your records are belong to us
AT&T has reportedly announced a unilateral change in its privacy policy, stating that it owns all customer records and can do whatever it wants with them.
Do you dream of being a reality-show contestant? This might be your chance! Just have some juicy telephone conversations that other people, or political operatives, or advertisers, or voyeurs, might like to hear. Who knows, you might end up getting your voice heard in Washington DC! Or by a legion of adoring fans who pay AT&T for the privilege of listening to your late-night conversations with your girlfriend!
Sweet dreams!
AT&T has reportedly announced a unilateral change in its privacy policy, stating that it owns all customer records and can do whatever it wants with them.
Do you dream of being a reality-show contestant? This might be your chance! Just have some juicy telephone conversations that other people, or political operatives, or advertisers, or voyeurs, might like to hear. Who knows, you might end up getting your voice heard in Washington DC! Or by a legion of adoring fans who pay AT&T for the privilege of listening to your late-night conversations with your girlfriend!
Sweet dreams!
"If the government has avowed pacifists under surveillance, then no one is safe."
The AFSC Sues the U.S. Defense Department for Unlawful Surveillance (from CommonDreams). Thanks to Pablo for the link.
The AFSC Sues the U.S. Defense Department for Unlawful Surveillance (from CommonDreams). Thanks to Pablo for the link.
An imagined conversation with Ann Coulter
Derived from this excerpt from her latest book, which is reportedly selling in large numbers. Fortunately, she seems to have found some way to overcome that bad 'ol Liberal Media conspiracy that totally suppressed such works of conservative genius as John O'Neill's Unfit for Command.
Liberals love to boast that they are not “religious,” which is what one would expect to hear from the state-sanctioned religion.
Oh. Is it? Really? Are you sure?
Of course liberalism is a religion.
Well. I guess that settles that.
It has its own cosmology, its own miracles, its own beliefs in the supernatural, its own churches, its own high priests, its own saints, its own total worldview, and its own explanation of the existence of the universe. In other words, liberalism contains all the attributes of what is generally known as “religion.”
Heavens! How uniquely perfidious! I'm sure glad that no other political groups do anything like that!
Under the guise of not favoring religion, liberals favor one cosmology over another and demand total indoctrination into theirs.
Dang. I guess I missed out on the total-indoctrination camp. I guess it was held in secret underground caverns or something. Probably with neat lava lamps and black lights and a sex orgy or something. Dammit. I always miss out on the fun stuff.
The state religion of liberalism demands obeisance (to the National Organization for Women),...
Whereas you demand only obeisance to your black-clad, imperious self. Ooh, kinky! Do you make that bad boy beg for his falafels?
... tithing (to teachers’ unions),...
Oops. There's another bill I forgot to pay.
... reverence (for abortion),...
I guess I'm not a very good liberal. But I'm sure that's an isolated aberration.
... and formulaic imprecations (“Bush lied, kids died!” “Keep your laws off my body!” “Arms for hostages!”).
I really admire today's entry on your website: "In response to the arguments of my opponents, I say: Waaaaaaaaaah! Boo hoo hoo!.... Wait 'til you get a load of what I say about liberals in the rest of the book! You haven't seen the half of it. For snarling victims, my book is Christmas in July."
See? Clear and cogent refutation, not just formulaic imprecations. Not a single cliche or epithet to be found there, or in anyone except liberals. That's the way to go!
Everyone is taxed to support indoctrination into the state religion through the public schools, where innocent children are taught a specific belief system, rather than, say, math.
Oh, those perfidious liberals! Clearly we need a tax-funded faith-based-initiative to stop their evil plans to establish, uh, tax-funded... er, um....
Hey Ann, I gotta get back to work, but it's been fun. Catch ya later!
Derived from this excerpt from her latest book, which is reportedly selling in large numbers. Fortunately, she seems to have found some way to overcome that bad 'ol Liberal Media conspiracy that totally suppressed such works of conservative genius as John O'Neill's Unfit for Command.
Liberals love to boast that they are not “religious,” which is what one would expect to hear from the state-sanctioned religion.
Oh. Is it? Really? Are you sure?
Of course liberalism is a religion.
Well. I guess that settles that.
It has its own cosmology, its own miracles, its own beliefs in the supernatural, its own churches, its own high priests, its own saints, its own total worldview, and its own explanation of the existence of the universe. In other words, liberalism contains all the attributes of what is generally known as “religion.”
Heavens! How uniquely perfidious! I'm sure glad that no other political groups do anything like that!
Under the guise of not favoring religion, liberals favor one cosmology over another and demand total indoctrination into theirs.
Dang. I guess I missed out on the total-indoctrination camp. I guess it was held in secret underground caverns or something. Probably with neat lava lamps and black lights and a sex orgy or something. Dammit. I always miss out on the fun stuff.
The state religion of liberalism demands obeisance (to the National Organization for Women),...
Whereas you demand only obeisance to your black-clad, imperious self. Ooh, kinky! Do you make that bad boy beg for his falafels?
... tithing (to teachers’ unions),...
Oops. There's another bill I forgot to pay.
... reverence (for abortion),...
I guess I'm not a very good liberal. But I'm sure that's an isolated aberration.
... and formulaic imprecations (“Bush lied, kids died!” “Keep your laws off my body!” “Arms for hostages!”).
I really admire today's entry on your website: "In response to the arguments of my opponents, I say: Waaaaaaaaaah! Boo hoo hoo!.... Wait 'til you get a load of what I say about liberals in the rest of the book! You haven't seen the half of it. For snarling victims, my book is Christmas in July."
See? Clear and cogent refutation, not just formulaic imprecations. Not a single cliche or epithet to be found there, or in anyone except liberals. That's the way to go!
Everyone is taxed to support indoctrination into the state religion through the public schools, where innocent children are taught a specific belief system, rather than, say, math.
Oh, those perfidious liberals! Clearly we need a tax-funded faith-based-initiative to stop their evil plans to establish, uh, tax-funded... er, um....
Hey Ann, I gotta get back to work, but it's been fun. Catch ya later!
"The Dark Side of Chuck Berry"
When I was younger -- much younger -- I liked to listen to Chuck Berry's old recordings. I never got to hear him play live. That's probably a good thing, judging by this story (from CNN).
When I was younger -- much younger -- I liked to listen to Chuck Berry's old recordings. I never got to hear him play live. That's probably a good thing, judging by this story (from CNN).
Recent (partial) reads
Astra and Flondrix, by Seamus Cullen
I heard about this book when the author's recent (apparent) death was reported on a fiction listserv and in the June Ansible.
Despite the old adage against speaking ill of the dead, I have to say that I found it totally unreadable. I struggled through about fifty pages before giving up. It seems like a misbegotten attempt to blend Dunsanian fantasy with hardcore pornography. The author appears to be obsessed with providing non-stop detailed descriptions of scatology, bestiality, and improbable nonhuman sexual acts. All this is to the exclusion of anything resembling an interesting character or plot.
"Bizarrely erotic", says Dave Langford of Ansible. He's half right. It's bizarre, all right.
Not recommended.
Astra and Flondrix, by Seamus Cullen
I heard about this book when the author's recent (apparent) death was reported on a fiction listserv and in the June Ansible.
Despite the old adage against speaking ill of the dead, I have to say that I found it totally unreadable. I struggled through about fifty pages before giving up. It seems like a misbegotten attempt to blend Dunsanian fantasy with hardcore pornography. The author appears to be obsessed with providing non-stop detailed descriptions of scatology, bestiality, and improbable nonhuman sexual acts. All this is to the exclusion of anything resembling an interesting character or plot.
"Bizarrely erotic", says Dave Langford of Ansible. He's half right. It's bizarre, all right.
Not recommended.
Blogs noted and added to sidebar:
University of Nebraska Press Blog. This seems to be connected to their ongoing and much-welcomed effort to reprint classic SF titles, such as Philip Wylie's The Disappearance.
Whatever. The tauntings and mutterings of John Scalzi, SF author and recent guest-of-honor at a couple of Michigan SF conventions.
University of Nebraska Press Blog. This seems to be connected to their ongoing and much-welcomed effort to reprint classic SF titles, such as Philip Wylie's The Disappearance.
Whatever. The tauntings and mutterings of John Scalzi, SF author and recent guest-of-honor at a couple of Michigan SF conventions.
The Hollywood Librarian
I'll grant that librarians' constant obsession over their public image can be a bit tiresome. Even so, this documentary-in-progress sounds like it could be interesting. A "sneak peek" will reportedly be shown at the upcoming ALA conference in New Orleans. Shooting is said to be finished, but post-production editing and processing will cost a substantial amount, which the producer(s) hope to raise partially from donations.
I'll grant that librarians' constant obsession over their public image can be a bit tiresome. Even so, this documentary-in-progress sounds like it could be interesting. A "sneak peek" will reportedly be shown at the upcoming ALA conference in New Orleans. Shooting is said to be finished, but post-production editing and processing will cost a substantial amount, which the producer(s) hope to raise partially from donations.
The story bomb
Author Charles Finlay, in response to complaints that The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction doesn't publish enough female authors, proposes that female authors bombard the magazine's editors with at least 100 story submissions on August 18th of this year.
"Bring it on," says one of the magazine's assistant editors. Others -- to play devils's advocate for a moment -- may consider it a dubious experiment and wonder whether it's a good idea to make the editorial staff, consciously or unconsciously, add awareness of this kind of concerted effort to their selection process.
It'll be interesting to see what happens.
Note: more discussion here, here, here, here.
Author Charles Finlay, in response to complaints that The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction doesn't publish enough female authors, proposes that female authors bombard the magazine's editors with at least 100 story submissions on August 18th of this year.
"Bring it on," says one of the magazine's assistant editors. Others -- to play devils's advocate for a moment -- may consider it a dubious experiment and wonder whether it's a good idea to make the editorial staff, consciously or unconsciously, add awareness of this kind of concerted effort to their selection process.
It'll be interesting to see what happens.
Note: more discussion here, here, here, here.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Recent viewings
The Virgin Spring (1959). An atmospheric black-and-white tale of tragedy, revenge, and redemption, directed by Ingmar Bergman. The medieval Scandinavian setting is believably portrayed. This isn't the fantasy-world of cardboard castles and glittering polyester costumes portrayed by many "medieval" Hollywood movies. It's a harsh world of isolated, fortified log-cabin farmsteads surrounded by untrodden mountains and forests, a world where going to the nearest village, or to church, involves a day-long trek along muddy paths and unbridged streams. It's a world where the harsh pagan religion of Odin vies with the new religion of Christ. A world where strangers with suspicious pasts can make a new life for themselves if they resettle themselves far enough away from the scene of their crimes (but woe betide if they confide in the wrong person!) A world where strangers met in a forest might be intriguing sources of trade, entertainment and news, or murderous brigands. And it's a world where petty family disputes turn all the more bitter because of people's constant close contact with each other.
Where an aggrieved, scorned girl's plea for her god to smite her sister may have unforeseen consequences; and a family's vengeance can be terrible both to its targets and its enactor.
An excellent film. The production values may be a bit clunky next to modern productions, but the great acting, the beautiful visuals, and the palpable atmosphere carry the story.
The Virgin Spring (1959). An atmospheric black-and-white tale of tragedy, revenge, and redemption, directed by Ingmar Bergman. The medieval Scandinavian setting is believably portrayed. This isn't the fantasy-world of cardboard castles and glittering polyester costumes portrayed by many "medieval" Hollywood movies. It's a harsh world of isolated, fortified log-cabin farmsteads surrounded by untrodden mountains and forests, a world where going to the nearest village, or to church, involves a day-long trek along muddy paths and unbridged streams. It's a world where the harsh pagan religion of Odin vies with the new religion of Christ. A world where strangers with suspicious pasts can make a new life for themselves if they resettle themselves far enough away from the scene of their crimes (but woe betide if they confide in the wrong person!) A world where strangers met in a forest might be intriguing sources of trade, entertainment and news, or murderous brigands. And it's a world where petty family disputes turn all the more bitter because of people's constant close contact with each other.
Where an aggrieved, scorned girl's plea for her god to smite her sister may have unforeseen consequences; and a family's vengeance can be terrible both to its targets and its enactor.
An excellent film. The production values may be a bit clunky next to modern productions, but the great acting, the beautiful visuals, and the palpable atmosphere carry the story.
Shadows of a possible future
Liberal blogger blocked from Kentucky state-owned computers (from DailyKos)
If net-neutrality is eradicated, as the telecom lobby wishes, should we expect that internet service providers will act likewise to block websites that are contrary to their political agenda or "corporate message", or that offer competition to their high priced monopolies?
Liberal blogger blocked from Kentucky state-owned computers (from DailyKos)
If net-neutrality is eradicated, as the telecom lobby wishes, should we expect that internet service providers will act likewise to block websites that are contrary to their political agenda or "corporate message", or that offer competition to their high priced monopolies?
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Tim Hildebrandt
The co-creator of many iconic popular images of fantasy and science ficton has reportedly died.
The co-creator of many iconic popular images of fantasy and science ficton has reportedly died.
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