Slaine mac Roth

I know I'm a bit late here but the passing of Sir Arthur is truly a sad event.

QUOTE (Arleen2112 @ Mar 31 2008, 05:34 PM) Mary is quite the little fan..she had her Signals shirt on at the NHM They both are. While in mansfield on Saturday, they were walking along singing the chorus to Roll the Bones almost endlessly. In fact, they've both asked me to make them each a Snakes and Arrows shirt.

Here are James and Mary last Friday after we managed to get to the Natural History Museum at long last. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/dinosaurs/2008_3_28_James_Smilodon.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/dinosaurs/2008_3_28_Mary_Mammoth.jpg and here they are shortly after we had visited : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCkStoKlPGY

Incidentally, Joss Whedon is still working on Firefly. He's just released a three-issue comic called 'Better Days' which acts as a prequel to the Serenity cinematic outing. Here's the SFX review: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/serenity/BetterDays-SFX-168.jpg

Tends to change depending on my mood but, for the most part, the list will include: Serenity Day the Earth Stood Still A Matter of Life and Death Ice Cold in Alex The Longest Day The Good, the Bad and the Ugly The Birds Blade Runner the Thing Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Don Seagal original) Forbidden Planet The Haunting (Bob Wise original) The Andromeda Strain Westworld Brazil Shaun of the Dead The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Commitments This is Spinal Tap The Breaksfast Club Sleepy Hollow Dogma Seven Samurai The Magnificent Seven The Great Escape The Wooden Horse The Dambusters Cube Sin City

QUOTE (Choose/the/light @ Mar 8 2008, 10:04 PM) QUOTE (condemned2bfree @ Mar 8 2008, 01:56 PM) http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/122/storyib4.png i don't think i want to read that... I've actually read it and thoroughly enjoyed it - far better than the film

Actually, I sometimes think that some of the anti-Shakespeare sentiment is more an anti-English sentiment. After all, he is considered to be our national playwright

'Poltergeist' by Colin Wilson (its nothing to do with the film but an examination of the phenomenon)

I actually saw Serenity before I saw Firefly and, more than anything, it made me really want to see the series.

Not sure how much of a fan he is, but my ex-wife had a picture of Elijah Wood wearing a Rush shirt. In addition, many years ago, I remember seeing one of the members of Anthrax (don't ask me which but I know it wasn't Scott Ian who is the only one I could recognise at the time) wearing an A Show of Hands shirt. In addition, its rumoured that Pod, Paul and Dean from Bravado have a sneaking regard for Rush

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Mar 6 2008, 06:41 PM) Let's not forget the lovely Jewel Staite who plays Kaylee. She's got that "girl next door" quality and I've always been a sucker for that. Hmm, I wanted to post a pic of her, but Photobucket seems to be having issues today. All those interested in seeing what she looks like should do an image search. Will this do for you? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/serenity/250px-Ff_kaylee.jpg and just to let those who haven't watched know what they're missing out on, we also have: Morena Baccarin as Inara http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/serenity/250px-Inara_Serra1.jpg Summer Glau as River http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/serenity/280px-Summerglau.jpg Gina Torres as Zoe http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/serenity/Zoe23.jpg And, because I couldn't resist it, all four of them together http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/serenity/firefly_serenity_movie_promotional_.jpg

I think one of the main reasons it took me so long was the fact that Firefly has not yet had a terrestrial or freeview airing in the UK - to the best of my knowledge, its only been shown on the UK Sci-Fi channel which, even when I had satellite, I didn't tend to watch as it was, on the whole, pretty poor viewing (most days the highlight was the 1999 TV version of 'The Lost World'). However, three main names piqued my interest. Joss Whedon, of course - I've been a big fan of Buffy since it first aired on BBC2 and, every now and agin, I'll dig out my DVDs and give them a spin. Nathan Fillion - his performance as Caleb in Buffy Season 7 was brilliant. Of course, at the time, I didn't realise that Buffy Season 7 was following on after Firefly had been cancelled but there you go. Gina Torres - likewise with Nathan Fillion, she came to my attention post-Firefly when she appeared in Angel, Season 4 as Jasmine. However, like I said, I'm totally hooked now and the various DVDs are on almost continuous rotation at home (except when my kids come round as its a bit adult for them. Finally, I'd just like to say that those who cancelled it are a load of 脑子死的非法蠢人

I'm almost embarassed to say how long its taken me to finally getting around to watching this. However, I finally got hold of both the Firefly box set and the Serenity DVD and I'm totally hooked. Let's just hope that someone sees the light and brings its back in some form or other soon.

Elidor by Alan Garner

QUOTE (Tammeh @ Feb 13 2008, 12:30 AM) Ironically, one of the few books I could not finish was Stephen King's Insomnia. It was a good cure for insomnia for me To be quite honest, I tend to find Stephen King has that general effecgt on me with a couple of exceptions.

QUOTE (Mustard Death @ Feb 19 2008, 02:12 AM) No offense at all to you if you like it, but to me personally, it was like if Star Wars impregnated Lord of the Rings and LOTR proceeded to drink and smoke crack during most of the pregnancy. In addition, to me, the relationship between Dragon and Rider leans very heavilly towards Anne McCaffrey's 'Dragonriders of Pern'. Saying that, I don't mind the Ihneritance books - they're reasonably entertaing if you're in the right frame of mind

QUOTE (goose @ Feb 21 2008, 05:55 AM) QUOTE (Slaine mac Roth @ Feb 11 2008, 12:57 PM) My favourite film adaptation of Shakespeare has got to be Kenneth Brannagh's version of Henry V which also featured Emma thmpson, Richard Briers, Paul Schofield, Robbie Coltraine, Brian Blessed, Geraldine McEwan, Robert Stephens, John Sessions and Ian Holm. I think what I liked about it is that the passion lacking in Oliver's Propoganda film was there in full force and naked for all to see. In addition, some of the passages cut from Oliver's version - deemed to be unsuitable for the climate at the time - had been restored. If you've never seen this version, I heartilly recommend it. " From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day." I have to confess that my favourite speech from Henry V is the one at the siege of harfleur: Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead. In peace there's nothing so becomes a man As modest stillness and humility: But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the tiger; Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; Let pry through the portage of the head Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it As fearfully as doth a galled rock O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean. Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit To his full height. On, on, you noblest English. Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof! Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, Have in these parts from morn till even fought And sheathed their swords for lack of argument: Dishonour not your mothers; now attest That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you. Be copy now to men of grosser blood, And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman, Whose limbs were made in England, show us here The mettle of your pasture; let us swear That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not; For there is none of you so mean and base, That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game's afoot: Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!' Act III, Scene I

QUOTE (missionman @ Feb 21 2008, 06:20 AM) I love story time with my kids So do I. The only problem is that I only get to read them a bedtime story once a week now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGC_265mkpQ James telling some of his favourite dinosaur jokes

Growing up too fast for my liking. Just a shame that I don't see them for more than a few hours at a time (except for weekends)

I've finally got around to grabbing some screen caps from the DVD of the nativity play from James and Mary's school, which both of them took part in. Here's some of James as the first narrator: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/kids/PDVD_001.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/kids/PDVD_002.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/kids/PDVD_003.jpg and here's Mary, miscast in my opinion, as one of the angels: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/kids/PDVD_004.jpg Once again, last weekend, Mary brought one of her Princess costumes round with her. Here she is as Jasmine: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/kids/100_1629.jpg Finally, here is James with his Dinosaur collection: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Jimyyz2112/kids/100_1628.jpg If you manage to count them, you'll see that there are 68 there. He does have 69 at present, but his T Rex skeleton fell apart as I was moving it to the table. I think even beats the collection Alex had on top of his amps during the last tour.

My favourite film adaptation of Shakespeare has got to be Kenneth Brannagh's version of Henry V which also featured Emma thmpson, Richard Briers, Paul Schofield, Robbie Coltraine, Brian Blessed, Geraldine McEwan, Robert Stephens, John Sessions and Ian Holm. I think what I liked about it is that the passion lacking in Oliver's Propoganda film was there in full force and naked for all to see. In addition, some of the passages cut from Oliver's version - deemed to be unsuitable for the climate at the time - had been restored. If you've never seen this version, I heartilly recommend it.

I must confess that there have been a few that I've started over the years and, for one reason or another, never managed to finish. Among the ones I can remember are: Anything by D H Lawrence (Lawrence was one of the authors I studied both for my 'A' level and degree and, to be honest, I absolutely despise his writing). The Last of the Mohicans - James Fennimore Cooper(just couldn't get into it) On the Origin of Species - Charles Darwin The Prince - Machiavelli Leviathan - Thomas Hobbes Adam Bede - George Elliot Frankenstein - Mary Shelley The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas Robinson Crusoe - Daniel De Foe