King Arthur Movie Tristan

Blogging will be light the next few days until I figure out why my internet is going so sloooowwww. That's why I have been silent about the Conservatives acting conservative, even though I have bitched mightily when they haven't.

For a quick summary, let it be said I am in Camp Nicholls', and while I wouldn't call myself satisfied, I am pleased by Jim Flaherty's tax cuts. Perhaps now that they have seen/proven that there numbers will not increase while they act all Liberal-like, maybe Stephen Harper can get back to being all scary the way I like him.

MISERY is manifold. The wretchedness of earth is multiform. Overreaching the wide horizon as the rainbow, its hues are as various as the hues of that arch - as distinct too, yet as intimately blended. Overreaching the wide horizon as the rainbow! How is it that from beauty I have derived a type of unloveliness? - from the covenant of peace, a simile of sorrow? But as, in ethics, evil is a consequence of good, so, in fact, out of joy is sorrow born. Either the memory of past bliss is the anguish of to-day, or the agonies which are, have their origin in the ecstasies which might have been.

-E.A.P.






As part of the R.I.P.
Challenge, I've been doing the 'Short Story Sunday Peril' and reading from 'The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe'.

It's a bit hard to review these stories, I don't really know why. Maybe because they are so short, but I will quotes the parts I liked best.





This weekend I read 'The Oblong Box', 'A Predicament' and 'Berenice'


I enjoyed these 3 short stories, and the setting was perfect, I woke up to a cold, rainy day and curled up with my book and a cup of tea.

I liked 'Berenice' most:


Berenice and I were cousins, and we grew up together in my paternal halls. Yet differently we grew - I, ill of health, and buried in gloom - she, agile, graceful, and overflowing with energy; hers, the ramble on the hill-side - mine the studies of the cloister; I, living within my own heart, and addicted, body and soul, to the most intense and painful meditation - she, roaming carelessly through life, with no thought of the shadows in her path, or the silent flight of the raven-winged hours. Berenice! -I call upon her name - Berenice! - and from the gray ruins of memory a thousand tumultuous recollections are startled at the sound! Ah, vividly is her image before me now, as in the early days of her light-heartedness and joy! Oh, gorgeous yet fantastic beauty! Oh, sylph amid the shrubberies of Arnheim! Oh, Naiad among its fountains! And then - then all is mystery and terror, and a tale which should not be told.







I found 'A Predicament'
to be strange and even kind of racist. It was just plain ridiculous at one point, it did make me laugh out loud:



But now a new horror presented itself, and one indeed sufficient tostartle the strongest nerves. My eyes, from the cruel pressure of themachine, were absolutely starting from their sockets. While I wasthinking how I should possibly manage without them, one actuallytumbled out of my head, and, rolling down the steep side of thesteeple, lodged in the rain gutter which ran along the eaves of themain building. The loss of the eye was not so much as the insolentair of independence and contempt with which it regarded me after itwas out. There it lay in the gutter just under my nose, and the airsit gave itself would have been ridiculous had they not been disgusting. Such a winking and blinking were never before seen.





'The Oblong Box' was not what I expected.

I called assistance, and, with much difficulty, we brought him to himself. Upon reviving he spoke incoherently for some time. At length we bled him and put him to bed. The next morning he was quite recovered, so far as regarded his mere bodily health. Of his mind I say nothing, of course. I avoided him during the rest of the passage, by advice of the captain, who seemed to coincide with me altogether in my views of his insanity, but cautioned me to say nothing on this head to any person on board.




I'll be reading more Poe and posting again next weekend.



see here for his complete works online

Since Halloween is soon upon us, I decided to post some of my favorite spooky reads:


1. Salem's Lot by Stephen King: One of my most favorite King novels, a scary vampire story. It's just so creepy the way the sleepy town of Jerusalem is home to blood sucking vampires.




2. The Taking by Dean Koontz : My favorite D.K. novel has alien invasion, nasty alien fungi, dolls and human heads that become possessed, and a very intersting ending. I highly recommend.





3. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe : My favorites are 'The Tell-tale Heart' and 'The Raven'. I read these stories in grade school and always loved his work.




4. Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice :
One of my favorite vampire stories....very well written, creepy, sexy, scary....a must read.



5. H.P. Lovecraft: Tales: A creepy collection of spooky stories. Some of these gave me goosebumps, it's all so dark and scary.



6. yep...another S.K. movel....Everythings Eventual by Stephen King: I have a short attention span, this is one of the reasons I love S.K.'s short stories. I get my dose of a great horror read quicker. 'Autopsy Room Four' and 'Riding the Bullet' are particularly juicy.



7. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz: My favorite of the three 'Odd' books, is his first in the series. It's a classic 'I see dead people' tale. And you quickly love the hero, Odd Thomas. Great humor is thrown in here as well.










8. Misery by Stephen King: Poor writer Paul Sheldon, gets into a car accident during a blizzard and is 'rescued' by manical nurse/#1fan, Annie Wilkes. The movie version was good, but the book is way better. Some parts of this story will just make you cringe....and that's a good thing.

I created this post to keep track of my 'Reading Challenges 2007'

This is my first time doing challenges and I have found some great reads and met some very nice people online.


Ok, here goes:


'Something About Me Reading Challenge'

I read:

1. Chocolat by Joanne Harris

2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

4. On Writing A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King




R.I.P. II challenge


I read:


1. Frankenstien, Book I by Dean Koontz

2. Brother Odd by Dean Koontz

3. Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice

and I have been doing the 'Short Story Sunday Peril' by reading stories from 'The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe'.





Book to Movie Challenge

I read:

1. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger


2. Little Women by Luisa May Alcott




Fall Into Reading 2007


none read yet





*yay* I'm impressed at how many great books I've read these past few months.

Last week I mockingly suggested the National Post writers read At Home in Hespeler for their column ideas. As they have twice (maybe three times) turned down columns I have sent them, I would consider this bad form - but we'll let that pass.

On Tuesday I wrote that Jim Flaherty, if he was serious about lowering prices in the retail sector, would "Remove the duty on goods consumers bring back into Canada upon leaving the country." I hadn't heard the suggestion before, or since. Until today. William Watson, writing in the Financial Post today, suggested the exact same thing:

...he [Flaherty] could raise the limits on Canadian travellers' duty-free exemptions. Right now you can bring back a measly $50 duty-free if you're out of the country 24 hours. A minister who really wanted to stand up for consumers and make Canadian retailers sit up and take notice would make that $1,000. Stay out a week, bring back $10,000 worth, no questions asked. That would close the price gap lickety-split.

Stand up, Mr. Flaherty!

Even the headline on the story says:

Tear down that border, Mr. Flaherty!
If he wants to eliminate Canada-U.S. price differences, he should start by hiking duty-free allowances

Meanwhile, here's what I wrote:

I have an idea for Jim Flaherty: want to see the market kick into gear? Remove the duty on goods consumers bring back into Canada upon leaving the country. No need to be away 48 hours for a $400 duty free (or 7 and $750). One day in the U.S., bring back as much consumer goods as you please (booze and cigarettes subject to the usual rules, of course). This would create competition with American retailers, forcing Canadian retailers to bring their prices more in line with American prices.

This way, you see, I could get up Saturday and say, Hey! Let's go shopping! Couple of hours later wee're in Buffalo, buy a big screen TV, 5.5 Surround sound system for it, a HDDVD, and a bunch of DVD's. Back at the border:

"How Long have you been out of the country?"
"Couple of Hours."
"Anything to declare?"
"Four-thousand-five-hundred and seventy-two dollars worth of goods."
"Any liquor or tobacco?"
"No."
"have a nice day, sir."

Jim Flaherty says he wants the markets to work for Canadians. That's how they would work, by adding competition, not by some busybody politicians harassing sellers.

Coincidence? You be the judge. I do, however, confess I didn't use the word lickety-split, although I wish I did.

Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice



rated 5 out of 5:





Wonderful! I began and didn't want to put this book down. It takes off right from the start. The novel is beautiful and exciting to read. I actually ended up really liking the vampire Louis, even though he is a cold blooded killer.

Next I have to read the rest of Anne Rice's vampire novels.





The story starts in modern day with the vampire Louis narrating his story to a reporter, whom is referred to as 'the boy'. This reporter is fascinated by Louis' life story and is tape recording while Louis tells his tale.





In 1791, Louis is a young plantation owner living in New Orleans. He is approached by a vampire named Lestat, who wants his plantation. Lestat turns Louis into a vampire. Louis feels guilt at having to feed off human blood, while Lestat kills humans every night. So Louis instead feeds off animals for some time, and hates Lestat for being so evil and so vengeful. He also hates Lestat for not revealing more to him about being a vampire, Louis has many questions.



As times passes, Louis becomes mildly infatuated with a woman named Babette.


'I had never seen her as she looked then; her hair was down for bed, a mass of dark waves behind her white dressing gown; and her face was tight with worry and fear. This gave it a feverish radiance and made her large brown eyes all the more huge. As I have told you, I loved her strength and honesty, the greatness of her soul. And I did not feel passion for her as you would feel it. But I found her more alluring than any woman I'd known in mortal life. Even in the severe dressing gown, her arms and breasts were round and soft; and she seemed to me an intriguing soul clothes in rich, mysterious flesh. I who am hard and spare and dedicated to a purpose, felt drawn to her irresistably; and, knowing it could only culminate in death, I turned away from her at once, wondering if when she gazed into my eyes she found them dead and soulless.'





There is one character in this book that really creeped me out, her name is Claudia.

One night Louis finds a crying child next to her mother who has died of The Plague. Louis & Lestat turn the 5 year old girl into a vampire, name her Claudia, and she and Louis become inseperable. He loves her all his life. They remind me of soulmates.
Claudia and Lestat enjoy hunting and killing. However, as years pass, she begins to ask questions and wonder why she is a vampire and what happened to her mother. Claudia begins to hate Lestat and plots to kill him so that she and Louis can be free.


The way Claudia is described in this book is very scary. She is a young girl, around age 5, curly blond hair, she looks and dresses like a doll, yet her eyes are dark and demonic.
Claudia is cursed to live her life in the body of a child, never to grow up or be able to take care of herself. People who see them, think she and Louis are father and daughter. But even Louis fears her at times and is tortured by the realization
that he helped make her a vampire. She tells Louis she hates him as much as she loves him for making her this way.


'Her jaunty, straight backed walk was not a child's, and often she entered small boutiques ahead of me an pointed a commanding finger at the perfume or the gloves she would then pay for herself. I was never far away, and always uncomfortable-not because I feared anything in this vast city, but because I feared her. She's always been the 'lost child' to her victims, the 'orphan', and now it seemed she would be something else, something wicked and shocking to the passers-by who succummed to her.'




Eventually, when Claudia and Louis begin to travel the world and search for other vampires, they find another vampire, Armand. I found the relationship between Louis & Armand very interesting. They have a strong bond.


This book was a great read, and I highly recommend it! I don't know what took me so long to read it.




'My vampire nature for me has been the greatest adventure of my life; all that went before it was confused, clouded; I went through mortal life like a blind man groping from solid object to solid object. It was only when I became a vampire that I respected for the first time all of life. I never saw a living, pulsing human being until I was a vampire; I never knew what life was until it ran out in a red gush over my lips, my hands!'






see more about this book at Anne Rice's website


see the movie version:
Interview With the Vampire







This book was part of the R.I.P Challenge

Never mind the strange sleeping lizard picture, ground zero or any of my other pictures I have posted here as picture of the day. Have you seen the amazing shots of Canadian soldiers in a firefight in Afghanistan that graced today's papers?


The photographer responsible is Finbarr O'Reilly (a good Irish name). This guy was right in on the action, and took incredible shots, a few of which are here, a bunch more on a Globe and Mail slideshow.

Better yet, browse through his web site. Great stuff.

Nice piece in the Financial Post today by Terence Corcoran, Flaherty should tackle his own price gougers, making some reflections on Jim Flaherty's announcement that he would meet with retailers to discuss why the price of goods hasn't come down lock-step with the rise in the dollar. Nice to have a conservative finance minister that has so little faith in the free market, that he must intervene at the slightest provocation (and I do mean slightest).

I have an idea for Jim Flaherty: want to see the market kick into gear? Remove the duty on goods consumers bring back into Canada upon leaving the country. No need to be away 48 hours for a $400 duty free (or 7 and $750). One day in the U.S., bring back as much consumer goods as you please (booze and cigarettes subject to the usual rules, of course). This would create competition with American retailers, forcing Canadian retailers to bring their prices more in line with American prices.

This way, you see, I could get up Saturday and say, Hey! Let's go shopping! Couple of hours later wee're in Buffalo, buy a big screen TV, 5.5 Surround sound system for it, a HDDVD, and a bunch of DVD's. Back at the border:

"How Long have you been out of the country?"
"Couple of Hours."
"Anything to declare?"
"Four-thousand-five-hundred and seventy-two dollars worth of goods."
"Any liquor or tobacco?"
"No."
"have a nice day, sir."

Jim Flaherty says he wants the markets to work for Canadians. That's how they would work, by adding competition, not by some busybody politicians harassing sellers.

And the big advantage is he could do it tomorrow, just issue an order in council, or whatever these guys do, and suspend the paying of consumer duties until a) Jan 1 b) Further notice. Simple, and would even be popular amongst us unwashed masses -er voters.

While we are on the subject, and speaking of upping the competition, and since the price differential in books seems to be one of the items that is really annoying people, how about eliminating those pesky Canadian ownership requirements to owning a large bookstore. Then we can get Borders/Barnes and Noble in here and give Chapters a run for their money. Problem being, I admit, this one would take a while. Unlike the issue with not paying duties, which could be implemented tomorrow.

So how about it Jim Flaherty, want to really fix the problem of consumer prices? or do you want to play big hero politician who interferes in the market, but solves nothing?

Separated at birth:

Darcy Tucker

and Bruce Springsteen

When I saw this mornings Toronto Sun cover I wondered, why is that old picture of Springsteen on the front page of the paper? Turns out he has a bum knee and won't against Atlanta. Or is it Tucker has the bum knee?

Either way, Springsteen is not playing Atlanta tonight.

I had tickets to see Springsteen on his way through town this past Monday, and much enjoyed my sixth Bruce and the E Street Band concert. While I spent the past few weeks catching up on Springsteen, listening to recordings of earlier shows on this tour, listening to some of the best live shows from previous tours, remembering how good Darkness on the Edge of Town, Born to Run or even The Rising is, much of my listening has been his new CD Magic.

This is for two reasons. 1) It is featured fairly prominently in the current live show and I didn't want to be sitting going "I don't know this song" when he played something from it. 2) It's a good CD.

I liked his last CD too, The Rising, but it was too long. Springsteen's best work, Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Born in the USA are 8 - 10 songs long and come in at about 45 minutes. The risings 15 songs come in at well over an hour, and could stand to be tightened up. Make it a 9 song 45 minute CD and it possibly ranks up there with Springsteen best stuff.

At ten songs and 47 minutes, Magic is a little tighter. It's also loaded up with fairly good songs. From the opening Radio Nowhere, which has been playing on the Radio Everywhere it seems, a good solid rocker that I liked on first listen and still do. You must, however, excuse the lift from Jenny Jenny (867-5309). the opening guitar line and verse chords are almost identical, although Springsteen rocks the line up while Tommy Tu-tone chose to go poppy.

Another lift is the lovely Girls in their Summer Clothes, which is melodically a slower version of the Who's The Kids Are Alright. None the less it's a nice song, that's romantic and hummable. Livin' in the Future, despite it's political overtones, is one of those great Springsteen numbers that lifts a Motown feel, reminiscent of 10th avenue freeze out.

Springsteen, unlike most of his peers, has lost very little of what made him great. He still writes great, fun songs, and still gives an energetic performance. His voice still growls and he seems not to have really settled down. His legendary work ethic has kept his skills up, and Magic is a CD that belongs in the Springsteen library: unlike a lot of acts of his vintage that are still putting out music, Springsteen seems to still have something to say, and still has an interesting voice to tell it with.

Bruce Springsteen ran through Southern Ontario early in the week, playing Ottawa on Sunday night and Toronto Monday, for the only two Canadian shows so far scheduled for his Magic tour. Sunday nights Ottawa show saw some special guests as Win Butler and Régine Chassagne from Montreal's Arcade Fire joined Springsteen on stage for State Trooper, which Arcade Fire have been known to play live, then Keep the Car Running off of Arcade Fires Neon Bible CD got the E Street treatment with a rousing version that had the audience enjoying a real treat.

Video of both are here...

Weekly Led Zeppelin Update:

Led Zeppelin was never a band to miss a chance to cash in, and with their big reunion concert next month at the 02 arena in London Zeppelin, one of the last bands to make their back catalogue downloadable, this week announced that they would begin to do so.

Hopefully this means an end to those Kashmir polyphonic ring tones and we can get some real Zeppelin on our cell phones.

Meanwhile, congratulations to Jimmy Page, who's daughter Charlotte gave birth to a daughter, Martha Alice. Check here, scroll down to Oct. 9th - pictures of a very pregnant Charlotte are just above the words October 8.

The trouble brigade: Britney Spears "breached a court order" and has lost all access to her children. Lindsay Lohan is reportedly broke, and has a new boyfriend, a winner type whom she met, and other stuff, while in rehab. John Goodman is reportedly NOT Lindsay Lohan's new man, even though he is recently released from re-hab himself.

And farewell to Deborah Kerr, who passed this week at the age of 86. She was both beautiful and talented and she starred in, amongst others, An Affair to Remember and Form Here to Eternity: she was the one kissing Burt Lancaster on the beach while the waves rolled up around them.

Warren Kinsella, a bright capable guy who knows a thing or two about politics, wrote a column in yesterday's National Post: How Dion can Get His Groove Back. According to Kinsella, Emperor Dion's (and that is clearly the implication given in both the headline and the quote "Too many Martin era Liberals cling to Dion's robes.") plight is sad, and not entirely of his own doing.

For Mr. Dion's Liberal party, the Gomery Commission was a shattering blow --discrediting federalism and the perception that Liberals could manage government, all at once. The party has yet to recover from it.

Here's a tip for Warren Kinsella, and the rest of the Liberal party. it wasn't the Gomery Commission that dealt the shattering blow, it was the acts committed by members of the Liberal party that the Gomery Commission investigated that dealt the blow.

Kinsella sounds like a criminal who, when caught, blames the policeman who caught him, or the girlfriend who reported him when he winds up in jail. It is not those who uncover your dirty deeds, it is the perpetrator of the deeds who is responsible. The Gomery Commission didn't hurt the Liberal Party, the Liberal Party hurt the Liberal Party. Insiders putting taxpayers cash into brown paper bags and handing it over to people connected to the party, for work never done, did the damage to the Liberal Party. A government that either ignored or was oblivious (or duplicitous) to the obvious signs of criminality around it created the perception that Liberals could not manage government, not Mr. Justice Gomery or his commission. (Or, for that matter, the press and bloggers who reported on it). If the Liberal party is discredited, it is the Liberal party who is to blame, that's what these guys need to understand.

As Kinsella himself says at the end of the article,

Until it learns those lessons, the Liberal party will remain what it is. Which is to say, mired on the opposition benches and sad.

Problem is, Warren Kinsella and the rest of the Liberal Party still don't understand what lessons they are supposed to have learnt.

It has been a while since I caught wind of the media reading At Home in Hesepeler, but today it appears not just are National Posties reading, it is requires reading down at 1450 Don Mills.

First up is Don Martin who, in an column on the Liberals response to the throne speech, Majority Rule in all but Name, had this to say:

A theme for this Parliament has now been set. Canada's Official Opposition is but a government whack-a-mole game with Prime Minister Stephen Harper using the election hammer to knock them down every time they raise their heads.

Whack-a-mole? This very blog coined the term whack-a-mole politics back in April, I have even been using it as an entry label. (although, I believe the politically correct Canadian term is whack-a-prairie-dog politics).

It is a great term though, isn't it Don?

Next up is Terence Corcoran from todays Financial Post, Dion Needs A New Dog. Further, Corcoran notes Kyoto is a "dead dog that no longer has relevance."

Meanwhile, yesterday I wrote, and posted the following:

While Joanne is wondering where Stephane Dion is... The answer seems obvious to me: he's mourning for his dog. Poor Kyoto.

Don Martin and Terence Corcoran, two of the best: Your welcome guys.

Never mind the politics that Greg Quill of the Toronto Star thinks the Springsteen concert was about. Yes, he ranted about "what's happening in America now – rendition, illegal wiretapping, the abuse of civil rights." Yes, he commented that title song of his new CD, Magic, is "... not about magic, it's about tricks." But what Quill didn't tell you is that all this politics took maybe, MAYBE, two minutes out of a two and a half hour concert. Nor do they mention a lusty round of boos that went through he crowd while Bruce was pontificating, southern preacher style, on the evils of what is occurring in his home country: whether those boos were agreement, or dissension I can't say.

But one thing I can speak about to the Star. When we sat during the new songs, it was not "a form of worship or meditation" it was in anticipation of a song we wanted to hear. And that was the night's problem. Far too many lulls, far too much time sitting out the bathroom break songs, not nearly enough Rosalita/Thunder Road/anything from the River &tc.

None of the above which is intended to suggest it wasn't a good show: Springsteen on a bad night is still better than most, and it wasn't a bad night. What Bruce Springsteen does well is give a high energy rock and roll show with the religious ferver of a southern Baptist tent revival. Rock and Roll is Springsteen religion, and he delivered his sermon as well last night as at any other time (OK, it's not 1978, this I understand). What the above suggests that this early into the Magic tour there is still some issues with pacing in this show. Nothing the injection of Ramrod, Hungry Heart, Jungleland and Rosalita wont fix (if your asking Bruce, at the expense of Lost in the Flood, Gypsy Rider and Town Called Heartbreak.

There were also highlights a plenty, beginning with the opener, the new single Radio Nowhere, which works very well live, and ending with the closing number American Land, with the entire band, save drummer Max Weinberg at front of stage, two accordions, two acoustic guitars, violin, tin whistle and mandolin playing a lively Celtic piece that, while unfamiliar, worked very well. In between there was Reason To Believe, Candy's Room, She's The One, Living In The Future and a rollicking version of Darlington County that featured Soozie Tyrell and Clarence Clemons back and forthing on sax and violin on a rocking solo segment. I have never heard a violin played like that, and it was great.

It's early yet in the tour, and I'm willing to bet that if Springsteen comes around next year, it will be an incredible show. But this one was still a very good, and nobody went home unhappy, just wishing for a little more familiarity and high tempo, a little less politics.

While Joanne is wondering where Stephane Dion is:

What will Stephane Dion's next move be?

First of all we need to find him.

The answer seems obvious to me: he's mourning for his dog. Poor Kyoto.

One question though. Will there be any smarmy remarks from David McGuinty?

My pal Gerry Nicholls has quite a funny column on Stephane Dion in today's Sun: Let's replace Dion with a carrot.

My favourite bits:

Stephane Dion wants to move the Liberal Party to the Left.
A carrot is good for your eyesight.
Advantage: The Carrot

Stephane Dion is a former academic with a keen interest in constitutional affairs.
A carrot is an inert piece of vegetable matter.
Advantage: The Carrot

Stephane Dion has a green plan.
A carrot is actually organic and has a green stem and feathery green leaves.
Advantage: The Carrot

Read the rest here, with Sheila Copps less amusing, slightly more personal re-jab comparing Harper to a rutabega here.

Never mind the politics, someone pass a slab of meat.

Wall Street Journal:

These men and women put their own lives and livelihoods at risk by working to rid the world of violence and oppression. Let us hope they survive the coming year so that the Nobel Prize Committee might consider them for the 2008 award:

In Olso Friday, the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded to the Burmese monks whose defiance against, and brutalization at the hands of, the country's military junta in recent weeks captured the attention of the Free World.

The prize was also not awarded to Morgan Tsvangirai, Arthur Mutambara and other Zimbabwe opposition leaders who were arrested and in some cases beaten by police earlier this year while protesting peacefully against dictator Robert Mugabe.

Or to Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest in Vietnam arrested this year and sentenced to eight years in prison for helping the pro-democracy group Block 8406.

Or to Wajeha al-Huwaider and Fawzia al-Uyyouni, co-founders of the League of Demanders of Women's Right to Drive Cars in Saudi Arabia, who are waging a modest struggle with grand ambitions to secure basic rights for women in that Muslim country.

Or to Britain's Tony Blair, Ireland's Bertie Ahern and the voters of Northern Ireland, who in March were able to set aside decades of hatred to establish joint Catholic-Protestant rule in Northern Ireland...

Being from Northern Ireland, I'll take the last one were real peace is being achieved. But you can pick your own, just don't try pass off Al Gore as a legitimate peace prize winner. As this list shows, that idea is laughable.

h/t SDA

... Roger Moore.

Most don't consider him the best Bond, and based on his later movies that's fair play. But he was James Bond longer than anyone else, and made more official Bond movies (seven) than any other actor. Besides, Live and Let Die is one of the best Bond movies, with my favourite chase scene in movie-dom (the boat chase through the bayous of Louisiana).

At Home in Hespeler wishes a Birthday, Happy Birthday to Roger Moore.

I found a new challenge over @ Becky's Book Reviews called the Mini-Austen Challenge. This is right up my alley because I am a big Jane Austen fan.





'These "mini-challenges" are not as open-ended as most challenges. But they're not strict either. One would be to read and/or watch at least two Jane Austen novels/movies in 2008. Masterpiece Theatre is showing all 6 movies in the 2008 season. I am going to be aiming for all 6. But if you want to just watch two movies and blog about them, that is fine too.'






My choices are:


1. To re-read 'Pride & Prejudice' just because I haven't read it in a few years and it's one of my favorites. I own the DVD so I can watch it and compare it to the book.

2. to read and watch the movie version of 'Mansfield Park'

3. to re-read 'Sense & Sensibility' and watch the movie version



The only movie versions of Jane Austen novels that I've seen so far are Pride & Prejudice & Emma. Both I enjoyed. Bridget Jones Diary & Clueless are also 2 of my favorite movies and are both based on Austens novels; Pride & Prejudice & Emma.

Shakespeare Challenge

'This challenge is about William Shakespeare. Your challenge (if you choose to accept it) is to read 4 (four) books about Shakespeare. Not just the plays but anything about him.


You can read fiction, non-fiction, anything that supports his being the author, anything that does not support him being the author. If you want to read the plays and/or the sonnets, that's fine too.


This challenge will run for 6 months, from January 1st to June 30th, 2008. Crossovers are acceptable.'





OK, I know, I know....it's another reading challenge. No, I'm not crazy...but I just really wanted to join this one. This is an interesting one because you can choose to read any books about Shakespeare. Not just his sonnets (which I love and own a copy) or plays (which I have a few as well). So, count me in.



'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;

Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this and this gives life to thee.'


*sigh*


Links of interest:

absoluteshakespeare.com

shakespeare's sonnets

the complete works of william shakespeare




I'll post my reading choices here as Jan. nears.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

rated: 5 out of 5






This book has become one of my favorites. I don't know what took me so long to read it, I've seen the movie version a few times.





The four March sisters named Meg, Jo, Amy & Beth live in a cozy home with their mother 'Marmee' while their father is away in the Civil War. The family was wealthy at one time, but it is hinted that he helped a friend who did not repay the debt, and that is how the family ended up living in poverty. The girls do feel sad having so little, but their mother reminds them that they have more blessings than most. Marmee even gives their Christmas breakfast to a poor German immigrant family living nearby. The girls all walk over there on Christmas to give the family their food.



The four sisters all have different personalities. Josephine is real high spirited and even wishes she could be a boy, she even has people call her 'Jo'. She loves writing. The oldest Meg, is kind of vain at times, since she remembers when the family had money and she had a finer way of life. Amy is the artist, the youngest, and is a little selfish and spoiled. Beth is like a saint, very shy, loves to play piano, and thinks of everyone else but herself.


'The two older girls were a great deal to one another, but each took one of the younger into her keeping, and watched over her in her own way; "playing mother" they called it, and put their sisters in the places of discarded dolls, with the maternal instinct of little women.'




The girls become close friends with their rich next door neighbor, Laurie.
He is almost like a brother to them, but you begin to see how he is falling in love with Jo.




'I've done my best, but you won't be reasonable, and it's selfish of you to keep teasing for what I can't give. I shall always be fond of you, very fond indeed, as a friend, but I'll never marry you, and the sooner you believe it the better for both of us so now.


That speech was like gunpowder. Laurie looked at her a minute as if he did not quite know what to do with himself, then turned sharply away, saying in a desperate sort of tone, You'll be sorry some day, Jo.'







I could most relate to Jo, the second eldest daughter. She has a love of books and has a passion for writing. Growing up at home she wrote plays and she and her sisters acted them out.





'Jo's ambition was to do something very splendid; what it was she had no idea, as yet, but left it for time to tell he; and meanwhile, found it her greatest affliction in the fact that she couldnt read, run, and ride as much as she liked. A quick temper, sharp tongue, and restless spirit were always getting her into scrapes, and her life was a series of ups and downs, which were both comic and pathetic.'



The one thing I didn't like about this book was that it got real 'cheesy' at times. At one point Jo and her professor are singing together out loud in front of family, him in his German accent none the less...lol. It also tends to get 'preachy' as well at times. Looking past that,
I highly recommend Little Women. I found it to be a 'comfort book', a very sweet read. It's about family, friends and love.



this book has also been reviewed by : jeanne