News from Science News, March 19, 2005, Vol. 167

On Feb. 19 the new largest prime number, the Mersenne Prime Number, was discovered. It is 2 to the 25, 964,951st power, minus 1. It is 7,816,230 digis long and would completely fill up 58 issues of Science News.

I don't know about anyone else but this fact humbles me. While I go about my daily business of trying to stay afloat in a complex world, one or more people have figured this out using software they downloaded from www.mersenne.org.

Now I can understand how Mersenne, a 17th century monk had time to figure stuff like that out, but I just don't know where I would fit that in.

Kudos to everyone connected with the project!

Undertow-Good acting, and a good start, but petered out in the end. 

Undertow Review

The acting in this movie was good, and the story started off well. It ended rather oddly, like it just didn't know where to go. I hope all the actors had a good time getting very muddy. They were all very convincing as poor pig farmers.
I'll give it two acorns.

I also rented Spellbound, but Alfred Hitchcock, and and Chinese movie called Inner Senses.

The movie sucked but Iiked that scarf! 

Birth Review

I watched this movie today and was disapponted. It just didn't make much sense. There is a background feeling to the movie which lead me to believe something dire would happen and nothing does. The acting was good, but even that couldn't help this movie out. I'll have to give in only 1 out 5 acorns.

Heaven's Gate Picture 

Heaven's Gate Review

I was obsessing on this movie for some reason. Might have been because I watched Dances with Wolves again and it made me think about Westerns.

My recollection of why I didn't see this movie before, is that it was criticized endlessly when it first came out, that no one in their right mind would want to see it. Now that the waters have subsided, it actually has some good reviews. Deerhunter it is not, but for such a long movie, I still found it intriguing.

It is loosely based on a real incident in Montana history. As Hollywood does sometimes, the names of real people were used for characters unlike the original. I'm glad I didn't read up on the real event before seeing the film.

It made me think about what it was really like to live in those times. The country was so beautiful but living was hard, especially for women. The storylines did not always connect and develop well, and so for that I will have to give it only 3/5 acorns.

Away with those irrational ideas! 

Long words don't fit on the bracelet

Well aplomb, grace and let it go are now stamped in silver. I tried leaving the "m" out of aplomb and so it's not as even as I would like.

Instead of accept, I'm going to use "Face it", as in face it, it's not an absolute necessity for an adult to have love and approval from peers and family.

So that still leaves the irrational idea: "Certain people are evil, wicked and villanous and should be punished." Perhaps the reason I'm having so much trouble with this one is that it isn't a real big one for me. I recognize the fact that evil deeds are done by sick, ignorant, impassioned (sp?) or lonely people. What about people who premeditate their evil deeds and do things for money, personal gain, or pleasure that infringe upon the rights of other human beings?

In the end I opted for peace..."World Peace" like Sandra Bullock in Ms. Congeniality

My first picture taken with my scanner. Amazing how every little scratch shows up. Next time I'll try a background.

The Gormenghast Twins 

Finished Gormenghast

The last two episodes were full of angst and torment. Even the cold and distant Gertrude, sheds a tear (I won't say why!)

I must say I hated Steerpike, but there is something pathetic about him in his Phantom of the Opera mask.

The character called the Wild Thing is a bit of an enigma to me. I thought something more dramatic and important would come of her so her fate was a bit disappointing.

All in all I give this miniseries 4.5 acorns (5 being the highest)

Christopher Lee as Flay 

What I am watching now-Gormenghast

I finished watching the making of, and the first two of four episodes of Gormenghast, a BBC mini series based on novels by Mervyn Peak. The costumes and characters are wonderful so far. Christopher Lee, of Dracula fame, is terrific as Flay, loyal servant of the House of Gorm. The bad guy is really bad! The twin aunts go around like they are one and the white Crow is a nice touch. I can hardely wait to see what happens next. There is a lot of drama, and sadness, too.

OT: I am still stuck on the irrational thought about evil...that there is no true evil in this world. No wonder I can't think of a single word to represent it. The villain of Gormhengast, Steerpike, seems truly evil, to me, but the actor playing him says "...Steerpike's brilliant villainy simply stems from loneliness."

Hmmm, guess I have to add to my mantra statement: People do evil things out of ignorance and sickness...and loneliness. The search goes on. I'm ready to carve Let it go, tolerance and grace into silver...I'll start there.

Alaska

The Alaska trip is shaping up. Turns out the meetings go on all day, but I'll be able to get a glimpse of the state after. I can't decide whether to go to Seattle after to visit family and friends or take the nature hike in Denali as time is short.

Mantra Bracelet

My first mantra bradelet said:
It is what it is.

I have come to place where I am ready for the next step. I've come a long way from the extreme emotional turmoil of the last 6 months. It's time for me to move to the next step and work on those irrational ideas.

The task is to find five short words that clue me to remember what I am working on for my next mantra bracelet. 5 words because that's the size of the pieces that fit my wrist.

1. Accept. It is not necessary to have love and approval from peers, family and friends.
2. Aplomb. I am the best person that I can be. I am unique.
3. Grace. I forgive myself and others for not being perfect.
4. Tolerance. People do evil things out of ignorance and sickness.
5. Let it go. The past is the past and the future is not written. Live today.

Bright Future 

Bright Future Review

Bright Future co-stars Tadanobu Asano and is directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kiyoshi Kurosawa is not related to Akira Kurosawa (a fact I wanted to know).

This is a drama and a bit hard for me to understand. Two young men work in a no where job. The younger one, Yuji(24) says he used to like to sleep and dream of his bright future "until now". The older one, Mamoru(27) raises poisonous jellyfish and is trying to make them survive in fresh water by decreasing the salinity of their habitat slowly.

Their boss who is 55, promotes them and intrudes on their life. One day Yuji angrily goes off to his boss's home armed with a club to get back a CD the boss has borrowed. When he gets there, he finds the family murdered. Mamoru is captured and confesses, but his reasons are not clear to me. Yuji meets Mamoru's father and ends up working for him. He also takes over the jellyfish experiment. After a argument with Mamoru, he destroys the jellyfish habitat and the jellyfish ends up thriving in the river of Tokyo. Citizens get stung.

This is the point in the movie where I get confused.

I found this movie interesting and will no doubt watch it again, as it is thought provoking and of course stars Tadanobu Asano.

The Land Has Eyes (and Teeth, too) 

The Land Has Eyes Review

Not much knitting or crafting going on here, but I saw another movie today. This one starts with a tale of how Rotuma was settled by a woman warrior. The main character is a student and the youngest daughter from a poor family. They are shamed by the other villagers. When the father is framed by a neighbor he is found guilty because the translator is the neighbors relative and also corrupt. He must pay a fine or go to jail and works himself to death.

He had encouraged his daughter to win the scholarship, go to Fiji and become a lawyer. She says she doesn't want to be a lawyer because they all lie, so he tells her she must be the first honest one.

The title refers to the tale in the beginning, where the woman warrior is abandoned by her brothers on the island. She survives and says the Land has eyes, and teeth, too. At the end of this movie, justice is served.

The background is very beautiful and the tale gentle and uplifting.

I liked it very much.

Love Letters Review

I am done with the first set of DVDs (4/8) of this Korean soap opera.

Two guys and a girl become friends in college. It so happens that both men are named Woo Jin, but one conveniently goes by the name of Andrew.

The story opens with Andrew as a child living with an abusive paternal aunt. One day his mother's brother, a priest, visits and "rescues" him and also tells him both of his parents had been doctors. In the orphanage, he meets a bitter girl (Eun ha)and eventually they become inseparable. She loves him but he is planning to become a priest, so their feelings for each other go unexpressed.

They go to college and meet the other Woo jin. This fellow has parents who are doctors and a sister who is hearing impaired and mute. He of course falls in love with Eun ha, and is very envious of her closnest to Andrew.

Well to make a long story short (haha), Woo jins mom is not his real mom like he thinks, and turns out to be Andrew's real mom, except neither guy knows it. Turns out Woo jin's mom and father were a triangle when they were in college and his mother married the man she loved. However he got into trouble treating some kids who were part of a revolutionary party and had to run. His "friend" was tortured and gave his where abouts away, and it resulted in his death. Woo jin's mom was so distressed that she gave up her newborn to be raised by the aunt. She ended up marrying the friend who had a child (Woo jin) by some unknown woman and Yuri, the disabled child was the result of their union.

At the end of the first set of DVDs (episode 8), everyone finds out who is who, Eun ha tells Andrew of her love, Andrew goes off to Italy to study for the priesthood but leaves Eun ha a letter, saying if she calls for him he will come, and Yuri, has heart attack. Andrew makes the mistake of telling Woo jin about the love letter, and Woo jin takes it so Eun ha never knows. Woo jin's dad is so guilt ridden and jealous of his wife's feelings for her new found son, and product of her first love, he become an alcoholic.

Only 8 more episdoes to go!

BTW, I forgot to mention that Eun ha has some connection with the mother, but I'm not sure what.

I can't believe this sappy, contrived series has sucked me in. Everyone is crying all the time, and the same theme song plays over and over. It must be the designer sweaters they all wear.

Visitors Galore

Over the last few weeks two of my sisters, their husbands, and 2 nieces, one with a husband, and one nephew have visited the "compound". I live in what is technically a condominium (actually two houses on one lot) with my parents and 2 sons.

This has actually worked out fairly well since the parents have their own house. The rest of the family except for one niece all live in the continental US (we call it the Mainland) and when they visit they usually stay at the folks place, and I get any overflow. One son was nice enough to move in with his dad for a few days for his cousin.

For whatever reasons, my 3 sisters and myself have gotten closer of late. Events such as a a wedding, a critical illness, aging parents, pending divorce have drawn us together again. As the next generation has grown up I've really appreciated visiting with them and getting to know them. It amazes me how eerily like my siblings they can be, yet I enjoy learning how unique they each are, too.

Of all the people that I have learned things from, I think the surprising thing is how much I learned from my children, and now from my nieces and nephews. The teacher has become the pupil.

Irrational Ideas

I finally got down to taking the "test" in the Relaxation And Stress Reduction Workbook. The top for for me were:

1. It is an absolute necessity for an adult to have love and approval from peers, family and friends.

2. I must be unfailingly competent and almost perfect in all that I undertake.

3. Certain people are wicked, evil, villanous and should be punished.

4. The past has a lot to do with determining the present.

The good news for me is that it might be considered irrational for me to think I must be universally loved and approved of and perfect.

The bad news, is that I'm still a bit skeptical that they are completely irrational. Yikes! That's my homework.

I got links!

Wow, two links! At first they showed up between the Crying picture and review, and then my son fixed the template for me. Voila!

Next I would like to have a list of blogs I'm reading. I wonder if I need permission to link to other peoples' blogs and sites.

Right now I have visitors. Some are leaving tomorrow and more are coming on Wednesday. That and work are keeping me plenty busy.

Of course, not so busy I can't watch 24, American Idol and Yoshitsune. I used to watch Medium, but it disappeared. The secret is to give up cooking, so I have time for the hobbies and TV.

I skimmed the Book, "When Anger Hurts" by McKay, Rogers and McKay. I was disappointed to find the chapter on thought stopping which "recent research has shown to be a questionable technique" was deleted. Darn. It seemed to work for me.

Shopping Day

Out of nowhere a shopping day emerged. As usual it shaped around a small but necessary event, returning DVDs. I polished my Mantra bracelet I made in The Bead Gallery class, "Jason's Stamping It up". My son, who likes to polish things, and also never misses a chance to use my Dremel, helped me make it shine. This inspired me to drop by The Bead Gallery and replenish my supply of silver wire for more fusing, and treat myself to some foil hearts. AFter that I went to Border's where I bought the new issue of Vogue Knitting, a self-help book on Anger, two poetry books, and a DVD starring my favorite Japanese actor, Tadanobu Asano. After that, I managed to return the videos and get away without borrowing more. Whew! (poetry month at Border's...who knew?...10% off)

I am learning to add links to the blog today.

It didn't work. Back to the research.

Cryng Out Love, In the Center of the World, Review

The Hawaii International Film Festival Spring session is underway.

The movie I watched from Japan was called:

"Crying out love, In the center of the World". Is was directed by Yukisada Isao famous for his movie "Go".

It was slow and long, and sad but had a good message at the end. A man comes home to find a note from his fiance saying she is taking a break. She has found a cassette in an old sweater and flashes back to the events around it. When he follows her back to his home town, it brings back memories of his first love.

Ruang talok Review

Hmm, only day 2 of this blog and I can see making this interesting and pretty is not as easy as I hoped. I have to figure out how to get pictures to show up.

I watched a Thai movie last night called Ruang talok. It was about a woman who gets fired from her job. She is one of 3 selected by putting numbered sticks in a container. Each employee shakes the container until one stick falls out. Then the boss calls out 3 numbers. She goes home to dream of suicide, but fate intervenes when she finds a ramen box full of money at her door. From there the bodies pile up. It ends with a Truman Capote quote:

"When God hands you a gift, he also hands you a whip; and the whip is intended for self-flagellation solely. "

I'll have to think on that one.

The acting is a bit corny and the dvd transfer is just soso, but the movie was entertaining and quirky. I liked the music but it will difficult to find the soundtrack as I don't read Thai at all!

First Post 4/1/05

I admire the knitting blogs I have visited and decided to try my hand at it. I also feel the need to see my thoughts on the Internet just to see how it feels.

I just realized it's April Fool's Day.