July 05, 2005
Over-Troubled Water
Sage advice. That'd be one heckuva family heirloom for future generations.
Posted by bonwag at 09:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 24, 2005
Equal Opportunity
Sad to hear today of the passing of George Dantzig, a guy you might have heard about in an 'urban legend' about positive thinking. I heard this story a few years ago, and was amazed to find out it was true.
Cutting the long story short, a maths student 'accidentally' solves some famous 'unsolvable' math problems as homework without realizing they had been challenging experts for years.
The moral of the story is that he may never have solved them, if he'd been aware of their reputation beforehand and become discouraged. More than a few sermon illustrations have thereby sprouted forth about the inherent power of positive thinking. (Or the serene beauty of blissful ignorance).
I don't know if it's all connected, but lot of mathematica is being resolved at the moment. We've finally completed the Star Wars movie numbering sequence (by inserting a 'three'), and there seems to be a truce between the hot dog sausage and bun manufacturers to finally agree on portion sizes.
I can feel the Force balancing beneath my feet.
Posted by bonwag at 02:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 23, 2005
The Sixth 'Sith' Flick's Wicked Sick, Isn't It? (Six times quickly)
Life was a lot easier before I went over to the Dark Side.
Ainslie and I and the team at CA went to see 'Revenge of the Sith' tonight. I think it's the best film of the lot, and a very satisfying conclusion to the Star Wars story. Many things make more sense. Many other things make less sense.
But darn you, George Lucas, for turning the simple 'good versus evil' story of "A New Hope" (aka:: 'The First One') into part of a complicated web of lies, deceit and fuzzy morality. Finally, the 'certain point of view' lines trotted out in 'Empire Strikes Back' ('The Second One') make sense. Kind of. How dare you rescue nuance from the shambolic plot development of Episodes 1 and 2.
(Incidentally, I still haven't figured out how Luke eventually balanced the force by destroying a lot of Imperial hardware in "Return" instead of just cutting the Emperor's head off when he had the chance. Still some weirdness in the story there. But hey.)
And also, darn you, Lucas, for making Darth Vader a sympathetic character. I could rest easy in the illusion that he, like all despots and evildoers, was evil incarnate from the day he was born. It's easier that way. Please don't try to make me understand that people can decide to 'turn' evil, and are capable of being redeemed at some future point. That's just not the way it works.
...In movies.
George, I'm still not convinced that you had a six story arc in mind. At least, not until sometime after 'Return of the Jedi' (The Third One) was in the can. But, darn you for turning the first three instalments (Episodes 4,5, and 6) into completely different movies. I'll need to sit down this weekend and catch up. Can I bunk at your place?
UPDATE: If you're being bugged by the younglings to let them see it, I highly recommend this 'Parent's Guide' about the movie. Beware the spoilers.
Posted by bonwag at 11:47 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 08, 2005
C is for Correctness, Political
Stop the world. I want to get off.
The polar ice caps are melting. Near earth objects are threatening to wipe us out. The global economy is in uproar.
And The Cookie Monster is getting a health makeover.
That's right. Once the paragon of excess ("Coooookieeeee! Augm nm nm nm...") he's being given a new songbook, including "A Cookie Is A Sometimes Food".
Lies! All of it. I can only assume this is the work of The Usurper. Things ain't been the same since The Little Red Devil arrived on the scene and started Elmo-cising. Grover got sidelined. Everyone can see Snuffleupagus. Now they've silenced the sole remaining voice of (in)sanity on The Street.
This CNN correspondent shares my outrage.
Posted by bonwag at 09:42 PM | Comments (1)