Movie Keywords

My wife Debra found this meme. I have made a list of 10 wonderful movies and looked up keywords. The idea is for you, the one or two readers of this blog, to guess the name of the movie based on the official plot keywords. Good luck.

1. lion, goat, hostage, car trouble

2. police, pizza, Mother, adultery

3. frozen corpse, informer, whacking, bar fight

4. toddler, criminal, dream, parenthood
Answer: Raising Arizona, guessed first by Rebecca

5. mistaken identity, bus station, train, police

6. sword fight, rabbit, shrubbery, coconut
Answer: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, guessed by Rebecca
NOTE: having this movie #6 in the list does not mean that it is my 6th favorite; it is way closer to #1

7. cross, justice, rooftop, revenge

8. panties, fence, laughing, oppression

9. flat tire, eyeglasses, essay, bully

10. discussion, problem, continuously, virus

Enjoy!

On the Origin of Species

It's a bit overwhelming "reviewing" this book. There is so much to say, and yet the words seem inadequate. It is a brilliant piece of work that was meticulously researched and written. Darwin did not simply state his brilliant insights concerning how species evolve through natural selection, how new species can be "created" by this process, and how all organisms on earth are related in a huge "tree of life". He also discussed alternatives to these hypotheses, problems raised by the hypotheses, inadequacies of these hypotheses, and ultimately, how these hypotheses compare to the predominant idea of the time, which was that species were individual acts of creation by a deity. If all the man wrote about was natural selection, the book would have been brilliant. But, by throwing in the origin of species and the common ancestry of all life (descent through modification), he really wrote one of the most, if not the most, important books on biology ever.

I loved each and every chapter, but my favorite was the one about geographical distribution. He discussed how species came to be where they are. Creationism states that god put them there in current form. Darwin thought that this made God one busy micromanager. Darwin thought seeds could float from mainland to islands. He even tested this by soaking seeds in ocean water for a month and then planting them to prove that they were still viable. (My class is currently repeating this experiment). He thought that mollusc (snail, clam, etc) larvae could be transported on duck feet. He also tested this. He thought mud on duck feet could transport seeds as well (which he also tested!). I loved his idea of how seeds could be transported to distant islands because fish eat seeds, birds then eat the fish, and then the bird will defecate the seeds on the island (he did not test this idea, however!).

It is an excellent persuasive essay, or "one long arguement" as he put it. At one point in the book he asked "does my theory or their theory explain these facts?" Well, if you ask me, yours does, Darwin.

A brief review of Huxley's "Man's Place in Nature"

I read this book as part of the Decades Challenge. I've always admired Thomas Huxley simply by reputation as "Darwin's bulldog", and especially for his response to Bishop Wilberforce who asked him if he was related to apes on his Mothers or his Father's side. Huxley responded basically that if he had a choice of being related to an ape or a man who was an idiot like Wilberforce, he would gladly choose the ape. Huxley did state it much more eloquently, however. And his writing was eloquent in this book in a Victorian kind of way. The book was written in 1863 and did have the long, run-on sentences characteristic of Victorian science writing. The book basically reviewed what was known at the time about chimps, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons, discussed anatomical similarities between man and apes, and then discussed some of the "newly" discovered fossil homininds of the day, notably the Neandertals. I found it all interesting, but especially the part where Huxley dismantled Richard Owen's claim that only humans had a hippocampus minor (brains structure related to memory formation). Huxley knew better, but Owen was obstinate. Huxley's evidence was overwhelming and time has proved him to be correct and Owen to be incorrect. Huxley wrote a new preface for this book in the early 1890s and he admitted that much of the information was out of date. It certainly is today, but for those interested in the history of evolutionary thought, Huxley is a very important and interesting character, and this is a very enjoyable read.

Signin' up for a Challenge

Debi and Annie, my wife and daughter, respectively, have joined the Once Upon a Time challenge, and I have decided that I can't stand to be left out. I have been intending for quite some time to read Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, and with the movie coming out, and Annie wanting to go see it the day it comes out, could there be a better time to read it? Somehow, I think not. So, I will be a joiner and do the "Journey" and sign on to read this book, about which I have not heard a discouraging word.
My son and I have been reading Ms. Funke's Ghosthunters series and we love them. The family and I also read When Santa Fell to Earth and loved it. Can't believe Inkheart will disappoint.

Weird Science

I love being a biologist, even if I do more teaching of biology than actually doing biology these days. Call me if I can clarify that last sentence. At any rate, biology is easy to make fun for my students because there is no shortage of fascinating and weird stuff to bring in to the classroom (figuratively). I was just goofing off online and came across a paper, summarized at anthropology.net, that found a single mutation that caused a family to have a host of strange symptoms including shrinkage in certain brain parts and most interestingly, the inability to walk bipedally (on 2 feet). These folks walk on all fours (with palms down in a plantigrade fashion, as we nerds call it rather than on fingers, or digitigrade). Actually, there are 2 families that have these symptoms and researchers found two simple mutations that are the cause. Each family has a different mutation, both of which are simple single base pair mutations. This will make my discussions of mutations much more fun this week...at least for me.

Scotland, PA. One Great Film

I do love a dark comedy, and last night, we watched a doozie. Scotland, PA is basically Macbeth set in modern times. The story revolves around a Diner in town, Duncan's (owned by a guy named Duncan), and two employees, the McBeths. You can figure out the rest I'm sure. Andy Dick was apparently overlooked for an Oscar for his role as one of the witches/warlocks. Another one of Hollywood's great injustices.

If you liked Raising Arizona, I Love You to Death, and other offbeat, dark comedies, this one can't be missed. I give it two thumbs up, 4 stars and a mighty strong recommendation to boot.

Voyage of the Beagle

Well, there aren't many people that I love more than Charles Darwin. He is one of my heroes. So I may be biased...a lot. But I loved this book. It was a true adventure tale and one that just could never be repeated in this day and age. The world is a much different place than it was in 1832. Darwin often has a reputation of being a reclusive hermit. And he was in his middle and old age. But the Darwin that cruised the world on the Beagle was young and full of piss, vinegar, and plenty of guts. He headed off into unknown terrain to collect plants, animals, and fossils with nothing more than a compass, a rock hammer, and a single shot pistol that couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. He had no idea where he would sleep each night or what he would eat. He often crossed through territory where local "indians" as he called them had killed European folk. He got rained on, snowed on, and survived several massive earthquakes, not to mention all of the stormy seas that drove him to the rail of the ship to barf. He climbed and crossed the divide of the Andes...several times. With none of the ropes, Gore-Tex and other modern amenities. He never stayed at the Holiday Inn. I guess you get the idea that I think Darwin was cool.
This book could also be painfully boring at time, at least to me. Darwin was a geologist as well as a biologist. His rock discussions were a bit too much for me, mostly because I am geologically challenged. But this book is wonderful. It is an amazing adventure story written by one of the greatest scientists of all time.
Today is Darwin's birthday (he would've been 199 years old today (2/12/08)), and people around the world are celebrating "Darwin Day". I hope you will celebrate too sometime by reading one of his great books. I will soon post about more of his books, as I have 3 or 4 more to read this year! Happy Birthday, Charlie and thanks for this book.

I read "Midnight for Charlie Bone"

I read this book for my daughter's What's in a Name Reading Challenge. Annie strongly recommended it to me after I finished the Harry Potter series this summer. I can see why she did because it is similar to Harry Potter in several respects. A boy gets sent to an "academy" after his family realizes he has a special talent. He is not a wizard in the Harry Potter fashion, but he is what is called "endowed". Each endowed person has one particular "special" ability. One boy at the academy feels the emotions of people whenever he puts on their garments. Charlie Bone's "endowment" is the ability to hear the conversations that took place when a picture was taken whenever he looks at a photo. Early in the book he looks at a picture and hears an intriguing conversation that took place as the photo was taken. The mystery began. It was light and enjoyable "good v. evil" story. I enjoyed it so much that I am reading the second volume of the series. Midnight for Charlie Bone was a good read, and the second installment is even better...so far. Thanks for the tip, Annie.

Another Challenge!

My beautiful wife Debi informed me of the banned book challenge. Being a former hippie, I had to join in. I decided to read 4 books:
1. Darwin's The Origin of Species - had to read it anyway
2. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss - read this to my class each year
3. The Giver by Lois Lowry - highly recommended by my girls, Debi and Annie
4. Slaughterhouse five by Vonnegut, Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury, or another of the many fine books banned by idiots.

My adorable daughter Annie has tagged me to do Eva's reading meme. Here goes my first meme. (Nerd note: a meme to a biology nerd is somewhat different. Someday when I get ambitious, I'll blog about it)

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

Chick lit.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Travis McGee, his friend Dr. Meyer (from the famous series by John D. McDonald), and Glen Bateman from Stephen King's The Stand, along with me, would take a fishing trip in Florida on Travis' boat. This would hopefully take place in January or February. Travis is necessary to provide boat and gin. Meyer and Glen would provide the intellectual stimulation.


(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Les Miserables...what a miserable book.


Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

I haven't fibbed about reading a book since I was in high school, when I was known to occasionally run to the mall to buy the Cliff's Notes the night before we began discussing a book in school.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP).


Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. Everyone alive should read this book once each decade at least.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Elizabethan English so I could figure out what the hell William Shakespeare was talking about.

A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Tough one...maybe one of Gary Larson's Far Side Galleries.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

I'm such a bad blogger. I don't spend much time blogging, as anyone who actually reads this blog is well aware, nor do I spend much time reading other blogs except my wife Debi's (which I have to read to see what she is saying about me...gotta check for accuracy). I have gotten some solid recommendations from Debi that have come from others in the blogosphere. One notable one is Neil Gaiman. Debi absolutely loved his book "American Gods".

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather-bound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favorite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

It would be a very large room with lots of dark wooden bookshelves covering each wall and very high ceilings. The bookshelves would go up to the ceiling. Wooden floors with a few nice rugs, a fireplace, and a few well placed biological specimens (skulls, etc.) and fossils would provide atmosphere and flavor. There would be lots of windows for natural light, preferably with a fine view of our natural world. A few couches here and there and some nice comfy chairs would provide seating. A few antique wooden desks would provide workspace. A well hidden sound system would play Miles Davis and other fine jazz as needed.

Chunkster challenge

I've been pestered into joining the chunkster challenge by my girls: Debi, my lovely wife, and Annie, my wonderful daughter.

I've decided to make it my year to read Darwin's major books, and he wrote mostly chunksters. Three-quarters of my books will be his. I shall read:

1. Voyage of the Beagle by Darwin
2. The origin of species by Darwin
3. The descent of man and selection in relation to sex by Darwin
4. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Wish me luck.

Decades Challenge 2008

This challenge sounds like loads of fun. It was somewhat challenging just getting the list ready...here it is:

1830s - The voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin
1840s - The structure and distribution of coral reefs by Charles Darwin
1850s - The origin of species by Charles Darwin
1860s - Man's Place in Nature by Thomas Huxley, or
Naturalist on the River Amazon by Bates, or Malay Archipeligo by Alfred Russel Wallace
1870s - Descent of Man by Charles Darwin
1880s - The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms by Charles Darwin
1890s - Materials for the study of variation by William Bateson
1900s - The behavior of lower organisms by H. S. Jennings
1910s - The lost world by Arthur Conan Doyle
1920s - The witchery of wasps by Reinhard, or an Agatha Christie mystery
1930s - The snows of Kilaminjaro by Ernest Hemingway or The genetical theory of natural selection by R. A. Fisher, or The causes of evolution by J. B. S. Haldane
1940s - Hormones and Behavior by F. A. Beach or Genetics, paleontology and evolution by Jepsen et al. or The material basis for evolution by Richard Goldschmidt
1950s - King solomon's ring by Konrad Lorenz or Social Behavior in Animals by Niko Tinbergen or, and most likely, Sexual behavior of the human female by Kinsey
1960s - Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
1970s - Ontogeny and Phylogeny by Stephen Jay Gould or Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Annie's What's in a Name Book Challenge

I am delighted to join my delightful daughter's reading challenge. I shall read the following:
- Snows of Kilaminjaro by Ernie Hemingway (Weather)
- Code Blue by Nancy Fisher (Color)
- Mossflower by Brian Jacques (Plant)
- Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo (Name)
- Crickets and Katydids, Concerts and Solos by Vincent Dethier (Animal)
- The New World Primates by Martin Moynihan (Place)

Can't wait to start reading!
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Nasty Villains

My lovely wife, Debra, informed me of an online question about mean, angry, nasty fictional villains (redundant?). Booking through Thursday.

Who’s the worst fictional villain you can think of? As in, the one you hate the most, find the most evil, are happiest to see defeated? Not the cardboard, two-dimensional variety, but the most deliciously-written, most entertaining, best villain? Not necessarily the most “evil,” so much as the best-conceived on the part of the author…oh, you know what I mean!

Two villains, or villainesses came to mind, one from one of my favorite books (and movies), One flew over the Cuckoos nest, by Ken Kesey. It is, of course, Nurse Ratched. The other is from Stephen King's novel, Misery. One very creepy woman, Annie Wilkes. One read through this novel and you will never forget her.

My Summer Science Reading List
In case you care...

- Wasp Farm by Howard Ensign Evans
- Parasites and the Behavior of Animals by Janice Moore
- Eros and evolution by Richard Michod
- The red queen: sex and the evolution of human nature by Matt Ridley
- Basic instinct: the genesis of behavior by Mark Blumberg
- The scars of evolution by Elaine Morgan
- Evolutionary ecology across three trophic levels by Warren Abrahamson and Arthur Weis
- Life on a Young Planet by Andrew Knoll
- Chimpanzee Politics by Frans de Waal
- Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer
- The earth dwellers by Erich Hoyt
- The Last Human by Sarmiento et al.
- Dawkins vs. Gould: Survival of the Fittest by Kim Sterelny

My wife thought it would be a good idea to blog this list, so now you have it. I even tried to procrastinate posting this list (don't do today what you can put off until tomorrow), but when I went to get on the computer to check the weather forcast, she had gotten everything ready and all I had to do is type.

I won't get all of these read, I can try. Now, I'm off to fight an obnoxious 4 year old and put his keister in bed.

So Far, A Happy Sunday

What a nice day...finally a day when I don't have to go ANYWHERE...not to the grocery store, not to work, not to Target...I get to stay home all day in my slippers and mellow out with the crew. Nice...damn nice...

Blog

I want to blog
but my mind is in a fog

I need to write
but out went my light

I'm falling behind
so please be kind

I'll blog some more
but right now it's a chore
and I know I'm a bore
down to my very core

but I'll be back soon
still crazy as a loon

Deep thoughts about snakesq

I like snakes. They are very beautiful and most gentlemanly in their dealings with each other (well, the males are anyway). Their ritualized combat is amazing to watch. Venomous snakes have more than enough venom to kill their rivals, but they never do.

Salamanders are cool, too. Slimier than snakes by far, and far less dangerous when handled, but no less amazing.

Snakes need more positive PR like they get from me. Then maybe people like my mother wouldn't hate them for no reason. A snake will only bite when grabbed or stepped on, and rarely even when it's cornered. People are FAR more dangerous to people than snakes. Mosquitos are thousands of times more deadly than are venomous snakes.

More rumination after some cogitation.

Rock on, people.

Love and Marriage

Love is a many faceted and wonderful thing that I feel full of at the moment. And, Debi, dear, I'm not just saying that because you're the only one who will read this, but because it is true.

It is Sunday and my brain is running on empty...

Carpets, caterpillars, and strong ales

Carpets are over-rated. Give me hardwood floors any day. Someday I'll pull up our carpet while my wife is asleep and haul it to the dumpster. Or maybe not...

Caterpillars are not as leggy as centipedes
But caterpillars are leggier than pepper seeds

Ale is great
Ale is good
Let us drink
and not stink
Let us enjoy
and not ploy
let us live
and not croak
let us be serious
and stop this joke

Tomorrow, more thoughts on the fashion movement away from polyester.