Apparently the main topic of conversation this morning is the Colorado cinema shootings. I actually know about that, since it was on the front page of Wikipedia and thus unavoidable, but in my own house the topic of conversation this morning is about how I still can't say the phrase 'Jon Lord was' without tearing up ( Read more... )

I was rising twelve when the Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night was originally released. Already loving their music, I was interested in the movie, so I took myself off to the cinema. And hated every minute of it. Oh, not the film itself - which, as I realised many years later on actually being able to hear the sound that went with the visuals, was a ( Read more... )

Went to see Classical Mystery Tour (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) at Hamer Hall two nights ago. I'd wanted to post immediately after we got home on the night, but as other friends were going to the second show (last night) I decided to wait so as to avoid literal spoilage.

A few observations, quoted:

"Some day, when this country grows up ( Read more... )

Forgot to mention - suffered through Terminator Salvation last week. What an utter pig of a movie. It's so piss-poor that I can't even be arsed to review it, apart from:

\When it comes to sci-fi movies, there is no such thing as Alien 3, there is no such thing as Star Trek: Nemesis, and now there is no such thing as Terminator Salvation. Nuff said ( Read more... )

Beautiful sky tonight, slaty blue-black around a gibbous moon and scattered about with numerous kinds of clouds: lacy streamers, herringbones, elongated clumps with the sinuousness of living smoke, veiling and unveiling stars as they drift gently in the almost-still air. It's early winter here, although 'winter' means 'going outside in bare feet ( Read more... )

Near sunset: sense of deep autumn approaching, smells of fires being lit and suppers being cooked early as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, air crisp with that invigorating yet lonely sharpness of a settling damp chill. The fire-smells are faint in this modern suburb, faint and only of woodsmoke. I miss the autumn evening smells of home, ( Read more... )

This is a public service announcement. A justifiably loud public service announcement.

READ LITTLE BROTHER BY CORY DOCTOROW. READ LITTLE BROTHER BY CORY DOCTOROW. READ LITTLE BROTHER BY CORY DOCTOROW.

JUST DO IT. BUY IT, BORROW IT, SNAFFLE IT, BUT PLEASE, PLEASE, JUST READ IT. SERIOUSLY. PLEASE....really. Not only is it fantastically well written ( Read more... )

Those of you who know me know I have almost zero interest in politics - my interests lie more in general sociopolitics rather than in any particular government or set of politicians - and that I haven't particularly followed current American (USA) politics, and also that I wasn't particularly supportive of Obama's campaign (not that I was pro ( Read more... )

Well over 18 months ago, I said to several of my nearest and dearest (who took note of it at the time) that there was only one right way for the series to conclude, whether the Team Galactica writers got it right or not.

It appears that Team Galactica have got it right.

I wins the internets. And a cookie.

kthxbyeagainfornow

What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals - and yet...

-- W. Shak(e)spear(e), Hamlet.

What a piece of work is man! How noble... oh, fuck it, let's have a ( Read more... )