Search found 380 matches

by Windwalker
Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:32 pm
Forum: The Poetry and Prose of Science and Science Fiction
Topic: News from Saturn
Replies: 2
Views: 41665

Re: News from Saturn

caliban wrote:Fascinating stuff
I couldn't agree more. The more information that comes back from these expeditions, the more I squirm with impatience to know what may be below these surfaces. Europa, Titan, Enceladus... perhaps multiple geneses? At the very least, astonishing new worlds.
by Windwalker
Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:39 pm
Forum: Musings and Chats
Topic: Arthur C. Clarke, 1917 - 2008
Replies: 2
Views: 33559

Postscript

I think of Arthur C. Clarke as the last of the romantic optimists. I enjoyed his aphorisms and predictions more than his novels... and this still makes my throat tighten, both as a scientist and a human: "All these worlds are yours -- except Europa." Here is a collection of his quotes: Cla...
by Windwalker
Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:27 pm
Forum: The Poetry and Prose of Science and Science Fiction
Topic: Universals of language
Replies: 10
Views: 89318

Mirror neurons seem to be the latest candidates for a biological "theory of everything" -- that is, if the original conclusions stand up, they may be at the basis of empathy, language, learning by imitation in general and ability to create a theory of mind.
by Windwalker
Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:22 pm
Forum: Musings and Chats
Topic: Arthur C. Clarke, 1917 - 2008
Replies: 2
Views: 33559

Yes, the end of an era... the last of the Golden Age authors. Weak on characters, but rich in exciting ideas.
by Windwalker
Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:57 pm
Forum: Literature and Cinema
Topic: Fantasy universes and worlds
Replies: 40
Views: 256624

Re: The Master and Margarita

I finished watching The Master and Margarita , and am quite ambivalent -- I wanted to like it, but felt it was very uneven. I already commented on costumes and sets, and a bit on the acting. I think that by remaining slavishly faithful to the book, the director made a poor film -- static, with exces...
by Windwalker
Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:41 pm
Forum: Literature and Cinema
Topic: Fantasy universes and worlds
Replies: 40
Views: 256624

The Master and Margarita... and other unflinching visions

Calvin did unearth the Russian DVDs of The Master and Margarita , and was kind enough to send them to me. I'm through part of the first, and so far it's skin-tight in its following of the book. The subtitles, clearly from someone whose English was shaky, are hilarious! As is customary with Russian p...
by Windwalker
Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:00 pm
Forum: Literature and Cinema
Topic: Science fiction/fantasy film recommendations
Replies: 21
Views: 181051

In my peregrinations, I found an interesting essay on the influence of Norse mythology on Pullman's trilogy: His Norse Materials . The sections on Odin and Lucifer/Loki are particularly intriguing. Considering the detailed mappings of even secondary characters, I found one surprising omission -- the...
by Windwalker
Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:38 pm
Forum: Musings and Chats
Topic: Tell the Spartans...
Replies: 24
Views: 155724

Still here...

As you can tell from the relative silence, health issues are still plaguing me, to the point that I cannot get myself together to write a blog essay or even a brief forum post. A couple of things did happen to boost my mood a bit -- I was invited to join the scientific board of the Lifeboat Foundati...
by Windwalker
Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:26 am
Forum: Musings and Chats
Topic: Happy Birthday Athena!
Replies: 12
Views: 92122

Thank you for the wonderful wishes, dear Angel. I am still battling health issues... I'm trying to resolve them, so that I can get back to my friends and my life!
by Windwalker
Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:33 pm
Forum: The Poetry and Prose of Science and Science Fiction
Topic: Icarus Beach: a teaser
Replies: 16
Views: 136747

Sometimes the right guys get the recognition they deserve. You may end up leading the ideal life, doing both science and art. All I can say is, go for it!
by Windwalker
Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:39 pm
Forum: Literature and Cinema
Topic: Science fiction/fantasy film recommendations
Replies: 21
Views: 181051

The Tin Compass

I read Phillip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials and found it interesting, though uneven -- imaginative, subversive concepts mingled with pedestrian ones and the prose was at best serviceable. The ideas were provocative enough to irk Christian orthodox of both the Catholic and Protestant persuasi...
by Windwalker
Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:09 pm
Forum: The Poetry and Prose of Science and Science Fiction
Topic: Of the Sith: An Essay
Replies: 9
Views: 93828

The essay is terrific and the points you both raised are important and valid (the monism of the Celtic tradition, the vital role of the Irish church, the boredom of monochromatic evil). The gods and heroes of older religions invariably become demons in newer religions -- to give the newcomer a footh...
by Windwalker
Sun Jan 13, 2008 2:10 am
Forum: The Poetry and Prose of Science and Science Fiction
Topic: Icarus Beach: a teaser
Replies: 16
Views: 136747

Well deserved... you may become famous yet, you are young! *smiles*
by Windwalker
Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:00 am
Forum: Musings and Chats
Topic: Happy New Year
Replies: 2
Views: 34023

Happy new year, my dears. Please forgive the silence. Things are still not well in my life, but I hope to sort some issues out in the next few weeks... and if that happens I'll be able to rejoin the living, so to speak. A huge thanks to Calvin, who is minding the forum during my virtual absence.
by Windwalker
Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:18 am
Forum: The Poetry and Prose of Science and Science Fiction
Topic: Light Pollution
Replies: 7
Views: 70543

Dear Eloise,

you said it so eloquently that very little can be added. I myself had a similar experience with the stars, one night on Santorini (Thera) when the lights of the island failed. My father and I sat on the beach and looked up at the sea of stars... it felt like falling.