[Hereford Eye]

Kevin:
You are probably already aware of this site: http://budplant.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1180013907
but I just received their catalog in the mail yesterday. How I got on their list I have no clue but it was serendipitous. Found a really cool birthday present for about-to-be-teenage grandson. I could spend a lot of money here.

[Radthorne]

Yes, they have some amazing stuff. I haven't actually ordered anything in particular from them yet, but have turned down many pages. (I imagine you've seen all the Vallejo and Frazetta in there, too!)

[KatG]

In England, where security cameras dot every street corner in London and the major cities with occasionally voices warning folk not to litter, and where privacy rights are the big issue with fears of the novel 1984 coming true, apparently a bicycle is stolen every 71 seconds. 430,000 bicycles are estimated stolen within a year period.

Now, I'm sure that some of the stolen bikes were in alleys, but some of them had to be out front in public places and a lot of them had to be in the cities, where these cameras might catch them. So why is the amount of bike theft increasing in England, instead of decreasing? Because the amount of bikes are increasing?

[Radthorne]

Perhaps because it's harder to steal shopping carts now? :confused:

[Hereford Eye]

Hey, Kevin, I just picked up a book on the used/bargain book counter called Animist by Eve Forward published by TOR in 2000. The cover is less than remarkable but the story flows pretty well with some nice touches to it. Her bio states simply that she lives in Washington State prompting me to wonder whether you've crossed paths with the lady. BTW, she thanks Dr. Robert L. Forward for assistance rendered and that makes for pretty impressive credentials.

[Radthorne]

Hey, Kevin, I just picked up a book on the used/bargain book counter called Animist by Eve Forward published by TOR in 2000. The cover is less than remarkable but the story flows pretty well with some nice touches to it. Her bio states simply that she lives in Washington State prompting me to wonder whether you've crossed paths with the lady. BTW, she thanks Dr. Robert L. Forward for assistance rendered and that makes for pretty impressive credentials.

Haven't encountered her up here; it appears that her books are out of print (there were two, one in '95 and the other in 2000). My con going started in 2001, so I may have missed her period of activity (assuming she went to them). Robert Forward was her father, apparently. She's also done TV screenplays (according to an entry in Wikipedia, which I just disparaged over in Gary's forum. :) )

[Hereford Eye]

A while back Her Greatness and I were involved in a discussion that included my notions on what our children are being taught these days. Today, I came across a K-12 website and discovered this list: http://kf001.k12.sd.us/suggested_reading_list.htm
That intrigued me so I checked around the site to learn more about this teacher. Doing that, I came across this syllabus for an Advanced Placement Literature class: http://kf001.k12.sd.us/suggested_reading_list.htm
Almost makes me wish I'd grown up in South Dakota because, of that list of 100...well, I have a BS/BA earned when I was over 40, I've been reading all my life and there are a handful of authors and/or works on that list I have never heard of. At least a quarter of the list I've heard of, know something about even if I haven't read them. But, I ask you, who - other than me - would think of putting Montaigne on a required reading list? I was introduced to Montaigne a couple of years ago through a book, a gift, titled The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton. That prompted me to go get a copy of Montaigne's essays. Without receiving the gift of de Botton's book, I would never had known to do so. Yet, in the Heartland, there is a teacher who thinks our children should be aware of Montaigne prior to entering college.
Wow!

[vicki_girl]

It's sad for me to say that I have only a handful of these works. Maybe 4-5 in my AP English class and 2-3 on our own.

I have heard that schools in the mid-west are far superior to those in other parts of the country. I live in various parts of the region until midway through high school and then moved to the southeast. The difference was astonishing.

Now that I'm thinking about it, even the few books on that list I did read, I don't think I got much out of them. I still don't understand the point of "Their Eyes Were Watching God"......

[Radthorne]

I've read 11 of those titles, most in high school and the rest in college. (Seen movies of several others, of course). I do recall that reading Heart of Darkness was a big eye opener for me, both in terms of understanding that books could have mutlitple layers of meaning ("Oh, you mean it's not just about guys in a boat on a river?"), and in my understanding of human nature (beginning a very cyncial phase about the whole thing).

So much of the reading experience at the high school level depends on A) motivated and inspiring teachers, and B) motivated and interested students. Unfortunately there rarely seems to be enough of either. A sad story from son's experience comes to mind. The class had an assignment to read and report on the book To Kill a Mockingbird. Afterwards, as the teacher discussed in class some part of the plot, my son realized that what the teacher had just said was not correct. And so he raised his hand to make said point. The teacher said no, she was right. My son then, having not yet learnt the dictum of political correctness, proceeded to point out in the book itself on his desk the relevant passage. The teacher, having now been thoroughly backed into a corner, had to admit in front of the whole class that she had just watched the movie and not read the book, and that was the way that plot point had been changed to fit the cinematic version.

Failing grade for that instructor.

[Hereford Eye]

I have been taking pride in the idea of writing stories from the Radical Thorn's art believing it was somehow unique to me. Of course, I have read everything Tracy Chevalier has written and most of that is based on art of some sort, e.g., Girl With a Pearl Earring, but I never made the connection with what I have been up to. But, this morning I stumbled upon this: http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Alien-Encounter-Leonardo-Encounters/dp/0823004198/ref=sr_1_1/102-3643556-6360138?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183125650&sr=1-1
Note in the middle of the page, this encounter with art has evidently been happening for quite some time. Ergo, though I was unaware of this sub-genre, my own efforts are not even close to being unique.