iHCPL #7: Dogblog

dogblog
Originally uploaded by lunanshee

I am Space Dog! You will all bow wow before my magnificence!

Burma

Usually I try to avoid politics, but I have to say, I am extremely pleased to hear about the continuing protests in Burma. Having known people who help the resistance and who have lived in refugee camps after fleeing Burma, I am encouraged to know that others are finally making a concerted and public effort to change the government.
You might ask "why now and not before?". I believe there are a few reasons, all of which stem from the government oppressing the people to the point they do not have the means to resist. Outside of the few cities, roads are mined to deter travel and injure or kill anyone trying to use them. Small villages believed to house resistence fighters are attacked by the military. First the villiage leaders and teachers are killed. Then anyone else. Before leaving, the attackers burn the buildings to the gound and mine the area, so that survivors face the horror of exlosive attacks even after the attackers are gone. There is no Internet, no radio and no telephones in most of Burma. Resistence fighters smuggle in electronics to broadcast their messages. You can imagine what happens to people found with blackmarket electronics.
So, while people might have wanted and have resisted, you won't have heard about it. Unless you have some sort of connection to Burma. I am encouraged by the monks and people of Yangon, and will keep them and all the people in Burma in my thoughts and prayers. Now that there have been "public" displays, the world will watch and, hopefully, that observation will make the "government" act with restraint. People should not have to live in fear. Everyone in entitled to certain rights, none of which have been allowed by the Burmese tyrant.
FREE BURMA!!!!

iHCPL #6: Flicker Tools

For Flicker tools and mashups, my picks are Color Picker, Spell with Flickr, and Badge Maker. I especially enjoy Color Picker for the images it associates with each color. Some of those images are very beautiful. The Spell with Flickr is a fun way to make signs and spell fun things. I really enjoy being able to change the letters if I don't like the original ones chosen. It is a very eclectic tool. The badge maker tool could be a lot of fun. You could make badges for a special club, or for your own purposes etc.. Lots of fun and/or useful applications.

iHCPL #5: Chi Ro Folio

chi-rofolio
Originally uploaded by lunanshee

I love illuminated manuscripts! They are the ultimate wedding of beauty and function and the detail and craftsmanship it took to create these manuscripts is amazing. I'm not sure there is a modern equiviilant to this art form (except those who have revived the tradition). I am continually amazed by the minute detail created with a reed, brush or quill and a steady hand. The imperfections in the illuminations just highlight the beauty of the image. I could go on and on, but it is probably better that I stop at a short entry.

Online Song

Has anyone heard the Brad Paisley song "Online"? Giving my earlier discussion on Internet Saftey it seemed pretty appropriate and humorous.
The lyrics are at:
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/paisley-brad/online-22297.html

Really fun.

iHCPL #4: Online Smarts

I recently read an article on Internet safety and security protocols. Maybe it is the generation I grew up in, but most of this stuff seems like common sense to me. The Internet is not a safe place. It's greatest asset, anonymity, is also it's greatest problem. Interactions online can happen between anyone. You may think that you are talking to a 40 year-old man. He may only be 15, or 25 or 90. He may be a she. You think you are talking to a computer programmer, but in the physical world, he is a convict, or a writer, or a plane stewardess. You can never truly know. But for some reason, a lot of people seem not to think about that. The Internet is like traveling to a different city and walking around. There are nice, good people, but there are also pick pockets, scammers and liars. Human nature is not changed by the Internet.
Personally, I want to maintain as much of my online anonymity as possible. I like rambling into space. I won't talk about family, friends, work. I won't discuss my bank, credit card, mortgage information or anything like that. Identity theft is disturbingly easy in this day and age without my helping the thieves. I don't understand why people do.
I recently saw a television commercial where there is a car thief mid-theft and a string of people walk up to him, hand him the keys and tell them where the hidden valuables in the car are located. The final woman to hand over her keys, also hands him her purse "for his trouble". While funny, the commercial is also sad since a lot of people do the digital version of that all the time. Would you hand your purse to a stranger to hold? Would you give your credit card to a stranger for safe keeping? No. Then, why give that information to someone you don't know online?
Another thing to keep in mind is that once something appears online, it is there forever, even if you try to delete it. So be careful what you do and say, sometimes actions come back to bite you where you would rather not be bitten. Keep that in mind the next time you post pictures of you and your friends at a bachelor party. Employers will often do a web search of prospective employees. Do you really want a prospective employer seeing pictures of you and your friends acting wild and crazy before you even get an interview? Do you think the "type of person" shown in that picture is likely to make a good employee? Something to keep in mind. Personally, I find all of the social networking sites a bit creepy. I don't want people from elementary school, or camp or whatever, emailing me out of the blue after years of silence. If I have not made an effort to keep track of someone, there might well be a reason besides laziness.
Basically, people should keep a few simple rules in mind while they wander online. Don't give out personal information (and be aware because some people are good at getting that kind of information out of others) and realize that nothing online is truly private.
And yet another long rant by Lunanshee

YA Book Reviews

d d d d d = Highest Rating for Books
Reviews of some YA Books I have read for October. Not all of them are new books, but hopefully this will be useful to you anyway:

The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling d d d d
Gwen's cousin Findobhair is fairy-napped and it is up to Gwen to track down the traveling Fey Court and rescue her cousin before she is made the Sacrifice. In the course of her journey, Gwen learns about herself, her inner strength, the importance of friends and the power of confidence. The book starts off a bit slow, but by the end of the second chapter, the reader is caught up in the story. With a few surprising twists thrown in and interesting bits of Celtic lore sprinkled about, this novel is a refreshing "fairytale".

Gross News by the Sander Family d d d
Gross News is a collection of short articles about gross "but clean" stories, news articles and science facts from around the world. For example, an Australian doctor believes that children should be allowed, even encouraged, to pick their noses. And eat what they pick. All in the name of the healthier immune system. The theme of this book will definitely appeal mostly to boys, but some girls may also enjoy Gross News. This is a good book for reluctant readers. The entries are short, usually no more than one page and the subject matter is entertaining. Would definite recommend.

Vampire Knight Vol. 1 by Matsuri Hino d d d d
Cross Academy has two classes: the Day class and the Night class. It also has a big secret guarded by a select few. The Night class is full of vampires. It is the job of the Disciplinary Committee (two students) to keep the Day class away from the Night class. Yuki, on half of the Disciplinary Committee, was rescued from a vampire attack when she was a child, so she knows they are evil. However, her rescuer was also a vampire, so she is torn. Are vampires all monsters? Can a vampire be good? The first volume in this manga series is both beautifully drawn and contains interesting characters. With plenty of action, drama and angst, this series should have an interesting arc.

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks d d
Cadel Piggott has a genius I.Q. and a fascination with any type of system. At the age of seven he was hacking into government systems. Now 14 he is studying for his degree in World Domination, but a new acquaintance makes him question what he’s learned. While interesting, this book had a lot of potential that it did not live up to. Perhaps its biggest flaw is that Cadel, although a genius, is a fairly normal kid. He is self-centered, unaware of the consequences of his actions and seemingly unconcerned with the state of the world around him. Because of his unique perception of the world, I expected a bit better of him. However, it is still a readable novel, the second half of the book really picks up and draws the reader in. Readers will enjoy the strange education Cadel gets at the Axis Institute for World Domination.

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber d d d d
Sixteen-year-old goth Raven is the odd-girl-out in her small hometown. No one else dresses in black, plays in cemeteries or is obsessed with vampires. When asked by her fourth grade teacher what she wanted to be when she grew up, Raven promptly replied, “I want to be a vampire.” Still, nothing remotely interesting happens in Dullsville, until a new family moves into the abandoned mansion of a Romanian baroness. Town rumor has it that the new residents are vampires. Raven is ecstatic, when she finally meets the boy of her dreams. But Alexander has a secret. Is he truly the dream-boy, or a nightmare? This is a really fun book. Raven is funny, interesting and candid. Schreiber challenges some stereotypes, while using others to her advantage and the product is a novel worth reading.

iHCPL # 2: Learning

I love to learn. To stretch my cognisance and challenge what I think I know. I don't understand people who don't want to learn, or don't care about their education. Knowledge is one of the most important possessions a person can have. Knowledge can keep you alive, keep you sane, help you relate to the world and people around you. There are almost no limits to the benefits of knowledge. My mind boggles at the thought of the purposfully ignorant.

Not everyone is an academic, so I can understand why a person wouldn't go to college, or why someone wouldn't care to learn about the intricacies of written Literature. However, my hope for those people would be that they pursue some further training, either mechanical or technological, something to keep their brains active. In my opinion, you are never too old to learn something new. I hear people say "I'm too old to go back to school", or "I'm too old to change careers". That is simply not true. Change may not be easy, in fact it can be very difficult, but the rewards can vastly out way the difficulty.

Learning is not restricted to one subject. Even if you are not interested in learning about the chemical makeup of mud, or the physics of why a plane flies, or the literary depths of a great work, you can still learn throughout your entire life. Learn how to craft and the history inherent in that skill. Learn about engines, the different types and how they work. Take up hobbies such as astonomy, bird watching, logic puzzles or teaching ESL. Don't get stuck in a non-learning rut.


Learning keeps the mind open and flexible. If you do not learn new things, it is likely that you will become stagnant in your thoughts and ideas. If you don't learn, it becomes difficult to think out side the box, let alone create a whole new box. And I am not just talking about academic learning. You can learn from all sorts of sources, books, movies, magazines, Internet, other people, nature. The world around you is overflowing with learning possibilities. Look at a flower, study it's leaves, petals, pollen, learn how it is put together. How does it reflect the world around it? Does it resemble something else you have seen? Does it inspire you?


A person can learn something from the most mundane of objects, if they look close enough. If they take the time. The point is to retain the desire to learn. Don't get lazy and complacent. Don't get home from work, turn the TV on and turn off your brain. Challenge the world around you, challenge what you know. You don't have to learn a lot at once, just keep learning.

Sulamith Wulfing

Have you heard of Sulamith Wulfing? She was an artist born in Germany in 1901. Wulfing created some of the most beautify, ethereal works of art I have ever seen. The people in her drawings are luminous and there is a wistfulness to her work, as though she knew she was the only one who saw the world in that way. Apparently, she began drawing at a very young age, putting down on paper the world as she saw it. Wulfing's world contained angels combined with fairytale elements usually lost outside of dreams. Her attention to detail is astounding, just look closely at any of her works. Women's gowns are accented with Norse and Celtic influenced designs and knot work. She made precision an important element of her work. However, the overall effect of her art is an image viewed through a thick mist. Many of her drawings were sold as holiday cards or were commissioned as illustrations for children's books. If you like fairy/angel art, you will love her work.

YA Book Reviews

d d d d d = the best rating for a book
Here are some YA Books that I read in September (and what I thought about them):

Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner d d d
Katherine's family makes a deal with her mad uncle. If she comes to live with her uncle and has no contact with her family for six months, her uncle will pay off the family depts. Little does Katherine know that her uncle plans to turn her into something no one has ever seen: a swordswoman. Kushner's novel has an interesting plot and a great deal of potential. While the reader does not feel overly close to the characters, the book itself is an interesting read.

Transformers: The Movie by Alan Dean d d d d
Based on the movie screenplay, this novel follows the Transformers and Decepticons as they battle for earth. This is a surprisingly good novel given that it is based on a screenplay. A lot more background and detail are given in the book than in the movie. Secondary characters are also more fully fleshed out. Altogether an enjoyable read.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman d d d d d
Eleven-year-old Lyra, accompanied by her daemon Pan, set off on a quest to the far north to rescue kidnapped children. As this adventure progresses, Lyra discovers a secret that could end the world. Talking polar bears, zeppelins, daemons and gypsies round out this tale. The Golden Compass is one of the better books I have read this year. It starts off slowly, but after the first 100 pages I was unable to put it down. A well-planned adventure.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr d d d d
Aislinn sees fairies; and they aren't anything like Tinkerbell. Fairies are scary and you do not want to draw their attention. However, the Summer King believes that Aislinn is his Summer Queen, who will save the earth from perpetual winter. Both the Summer King and Winter Queen want Aislinn. Will Aislinn overcome her fears and join the Summer King, or will she run and condemn the world to ice? I really enjoyed this novel. Aislinn is believable in her conflict and her wish to live a normal life. The descriptions of the Fey are both beautiful and disturbing. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys stories involving fairies.

Warrior Heir by Cinda W. Chima d d d d
Jack is a normal small-town boy with a big secret; one that he does not even know about. Two warring wizarding houses want Jack because he is a Warrior. As Jack's powers begin to manifest it becomes more difficult to hide. Now with danger threatening his family and friends he must choose: fight for a wizard house or fight for himself. The story and characters of Warrior Heir are both likable and believable. While the book gets off to a somewhat slow start, the reader is rewarded after the first 50 pages by a fast-paced interesting fantasy adventure.

Wizard Heir by Cinda W. Chima d d d d d
Seph McCauley has spent the past three years getting kicked out of every private school he as attended. It's not his attitude that's the problem; it's the accidents occur when he is around. Seph is a wizard, orphaned and untrained and his powers are escalating out of control. After causing a tragic fire at an after-hours party, Seph is sent to The Havens, a secluded boys' school on the coast of Maine. Does The Havens live up to it's name, or is it a trap for boys with magic? I actually enjoyed this companion novel to Warrior Heir more. The writing is quick and fluid; the characters very interesting. Seph is, in many ways, old for his years, but endearingly young at the same time. I would definitely recommend this book.

Forthcoming Movies

Is anyone else somewhat concerned about the current state of movies? (Yes, I know there are more important topics to discuss, but this is the one I chose for now.) Personally, I am somewhat concerned about the spree of needlessly gory films and the strong theme toward vigilantism that seems to be developing. Don't get me wrong, I love scary movies and action movies and I don't mind when some gore helps the story along. Saving Private Ryan would not have made such a "war-is-hell" impact without the sight of guts and dismemberment. But there is a fine line between purpose and gross. Example, 28 Days later was somewhat gory; it was a great movie. The infected killed people in horrible ways that just exaggerated how different the virus made them from who they had been before. However, 28 Weeks later took the gore a bit too far. Did we really need to see the father ripping out the eyes of his wife? No. We got the picture in the first few seconds following the father's infection.

And what is the deal with a vigilante theme? Vigilantes make great heroes. They answer to no one and do what they wish, which can make them interesting characters. However, it is one thing for a superhero to act (because let's face it, they are vigilantes) since they exist in a fantasy world. It is something else entirely to portray a normal man or woman who decide to enact their revenge. Revenge is not justice. Revenge is fueled by fear, anger and hatred, and is not something that should be glorified.

Now. There are two ways to handle a vigilante character, and strangely enough there are two films coming out soon that seem to handle the issue differently. The first is The Brave One with Jodi Foster (love her) and the second is Death Sentence with Kevin Bacon. Both movies follow how a character feels driven to vigilante status when the legal system fails them. Death Sentence looks extremely bloody and violent. And the main character (Bacon) does not seem to feel any remorse about personally going after his son's killer. Violence begets violence, and the main character's remaining family is threatened by the character's actions. How has that made his life better? He has betrayed his family by putting them at risk, betrayed himself by becoming something brutal and betrayed the memory of his child by becoming like the son's killers. I think that The Brave One may deal with the issue better. At least it seems that Foster's character recognizes that she is breaking the law and struggles with the fact that she is turning into a monster.

I guess my basic point is this: True revenge is never good. (And I'm not talking about petty revenge for some imagined slight.) Maybe it can be sweet, but is it really worth turning yourself into a monster to get it? Wow. That was a really long spiel...

The Purpose

Mmmm...so what is the purpose of this blog? Currently, I am asking myself the same thing. I suppose I will write and rant my opinions on books, movies, dreams and the world at large. Not that I necessarily believe that anyone wants to know what I am thinking. Still, written words are easier to mold than spoken.
So here it goes.