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Archive for May, 2007

The Mystery of The Mouse

Ever wondered how the small arrow on your computer monitor works when you move the mouse?

With the aid of a high powered screen magnifying lens, the underlying mechanism becomes apparent.

The image may take a minute or two to download and when it appears, move your mouse over the light gray circle and you will see how the movement of the mouse comes into being.

http://www.1-click.jp

4 comments

Call me names

What is it with names?

I have a simple name, 4 letters. 2 vowels, 2 consonants.  Yet somehow I still get so many different permutations in the spelling (and pronounciation) of my name.  Have a go at these, Here are just some of the names that have been attributed to me recently.

Got any others?

  • Luck
  • Luke san
  • Fluke
  • Luc
  • Like
  • Licke
13 comments

The Unbearable Lightness of Being – Milan Kundera

Recently I was describing what I thought of this book to good friends.
I told them, while I was reluctant to

attribute such a grand assertion to my reading of this novel, I went ahead and stated that;

“….it is probably the best book I have ever read, to date”

During my reading I found it very difficult to pause at times, when I reached the last page, I was tempted to return to the beginning and commence over again. I just could not put it down, and wanted to continue reading day and night.  Often I had to force myself to put the book down and go to sleep, else I’d had been up all night.
No doubt I will re-read this book in the near future.

I had seen the film The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which was based on the book, over 10 years ago and I really enjoyed that film, but wondered if that has just a little to do with the magnificent acting by Daniel Day-Lewis & Juliette Binoche.
While the film is still an great work, the book is a masterful achievement beyond comparison.

Kundera is a genius wordsmith. His ability to draw you into the detail of the complex relationships between people and depth of thought is unlike anything I have read before. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a book that deserves greater attention, it forces the reader to not only understand the characters and their story, but to reassess ones own life and existance.

I cannot recall ever reading a book prior to The Unbearable Lightness of Being, that put a lump in my throat and made my eyes well up.

3 comments

La Tourneuse de pages (The Page Turner)

Following on with the unplanned musical theme of films I have seen this month, I recently had the pleasure to see, La Tourneuse de pages (The Page Turner)

I really enjoyed this film.

The Page Turner is a cleverly crafted French psychological thriller. It kept me in suspense throughout the entire film, I was twisting in my seat at times wondering what surprises would come next.
There are some amazing sequences of classical piano in this film, of particular note is the Shostokovich piece, so dramatically played, even with the mistakes which were required of the film.
Mélanie (who is played by Déborah François) completely draws you into her mind and her mental contortions as she corrupts & destroys those around her.

A wonderful film, one that you are well advised to see.

2 comments