Link of the Day [8.28.08]

broderic on August 28, 2008

Do today what you want to do tomorrow, or some such nonsense such as that. You’ll find these crazy zen koans of life wisdom in plenty books and magazines.

Do or do not. There is no try.

Sorry, that was Yoda. Except, no matter how cheesy it sounds, it is always better to be doing than to not be.

The guy who co-wrote the book, 100 Things To Do Before You Die is dead. He only accomplished about half his list.

So go. Do. Time is running out. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/08/26/obit.freeman.ap/index.html

(h/t Kottke)

Link of the Day [8.25.08]

broderic on August 25, 2008

Just picked up this new manga, Kasumi, and find it a fun read. It’s about a magical girl which puts it right in the shojo genre, but the plot hints at more of a superhero, American comic book action. The main character, Kasumi, isn’t bitten by a spider or born with mutant powers, but acquires some them via mystical lights in the forest.

She’s also a transfer student to an elite high school, and she finds herself an outsider because of her commoner class — now that’s shojo. Kasumi has to fit in, make friends, and discover why she has these new abilities.

Since it’s only on its first volume not too much has been told, but I’m looking forward to the next one.

http://kasumimanga.com/

Link of the Day [8.12.08]

broderic on August 12, 2008

Sometimes political commentators can be blowhards hard to listen to and to take seriously especially if they bloviate about the problems of the Democratic party. While not perfect in any sense, and not achieving much for the American people, the Democratic party still strives to make living in the United States better for everyone.

The Republican party? Not so much.

Thomas Frank is supposedly one of the more astute commentators of the political scene. While I don’t doubt that (I had read One Market Under God which was okay), he does put succinctly the problems with the Republican party and the people who come to be its representatives. They are a corrupt bunch of people, because the philosophical underpinnings of the Republican party is corrupt as well. They are beholden not to the people who elect them but to the corporations and the wealthy. They believe government to be THE problem, but still want to work within it. You don’t put the criminals in charge of the police. Why do we do it for our government?

Get this book and see the impoverished ideas of the Republican party.

http://us.macmillan.com/thewreckingcrew

The Zen of Fish

broderic on July 9, 2008

Reading all this manga and watching all this anime makes you hungry for some Japanese food, especially sushi. I’ve had my fill lately. And it’s great, but I wanted more. So I decided to read Trevor Corson’s book on the sushi, The Zen of Fish.

It is an accounting of the history of this delicious cuisine. It starts in medieval Japan and winds its way up to the present United States where we are crazy for it. The book describes the origins as a simple meal to preserve fish and ends with crazy American rolls.

It also tells the tale of apprentice sushi chefs being trained in the California Sushi Academy. They learn to fine art of sushi making. And in true American style, they become sushi masters in a week whereas in Japan it would’ve taken them a lifetime. The students are all interesting to meet, but I was in it for the fish.

For the most part, Corson weaves the history of sushi with episodes of the students learning, but he also adds in chapters devoted to the fish of sushi. There’s chapters on squid (ika) and octopus (tako), fresh water (unagi) and salt water eel (anego, mmmm), and of course tuna. The chicken of the sea if it’s white, but the most delectable if its otoro. These are the chapters that I found most fascinating. And I had to try each of these at least. So far in my sushi eating I’ve played it safe, but I need to eat more. This book does well for a guide on what is what.

Overall, it was a fined read, a good summertime, lazy sunday page turner. I took longer than expected to read, but all that manga gets in the way. I recommend it as it teaches lots about sushi culture in Japan and in America.

B-

Quote of the Day [5.23.08]

broderic on May 23, 2008

And Thingol answered: ‘What of your quest, and of your vow?’
But Beren said: ‘It is fulfilled. Even now a Silmaril is in my hand.’
Then Thingol said: ‘Show it to me!’
And Beren put forth his empty left hand, slowly opening its fingers; but it was empty. Then he held up his right arm; and from that hour he named himself Camlost, the Empty-handed.

The Tale of Beren and Luthien, The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien

Quote of the Day [5.18.08]

broderic on May 18, 2008

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”

Sydney Carton, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

Link of the Day [5.17.08]

broderic on May 17, 2008

MegaTokyo is about to explode! Not really, but here’s a couple of American guys who are writing their own web anime. You can also get the dead tree version in your local comic store.

I never really got into it, but it’s an interesting link nonetheless

http://www.megatokyo.com/

Red Mars

broderic on March 6, 2008

Not only has it been a while since I wrote a blog post (only broken by this flurry today), but it’s been a while since I read a novel. I think I’ve read a few non-fiction books, but no work of fiction since the trip to Spain and the darn jPod by Douglas Coupland.

Well, I did it. I finished a novel, Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. I fell back into my love for science fiction and decided to pick up one of the better hard science fiction books out there. It seems that this novel is beloved by sci-fi fans. And after breezing through it for the past 10 days. I can understand why.

The story follows the colonization of Mars in the middle of this century by 100 men and women scientists. They establish a toehold of civilization on the red planet. Once mankind has landed, then it was inevitable that things started to change. The story weaves through a couple of decades as mankind begins to terraform amd mine the planet bending it to mankind’s needs. Eventually, like Heinlen’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, this outpost must decide to break from the control of its masters, and like the British colonies, a revolution is staged to make Mars and its population the governors of the fate of Mars.

The story segues from scientific exploration of life and living on Mars to that of politics of independence and colonization to social order of capitalism versus benevolent communism and to religious and spirituality of a new world order. The themes permeate the book. And the author tells the story of the first 100 from several perspectives.

It ends with the death of the red mars. A small contingent of survivors ready to bring about a new green mars. And the bevy of corporations ready to take over.

My first reaction to the book was one of a good read. I probably breezed through the first 200 pages in a night. Then I came back nightly reading a few chapters before I fell asleep. That is until the John Boone chapters which were difficult to get through. It dealt with him becoming the legend that he is, but was not as fun as the other narrators. Not until after his part did things really move forward to the revolution and it became hard to put the book down.

So, now I’m finished it. It’s just the first installment of the three books of Mars. Why is it always a trilogy? Yet, I don’t know if I can read the next two. I was bogged down in the middle there worried about the politics of creating a new martian order, so I am worried that the next will be the same. It’s like when I read The Golden Compass did I want to read the next three. But that wasn’t as good a read as this book. I might have to.

Grade: A-