I finished reading The Time Machine (1895) by H.G. Wells (or Mercury [Hg] Wells, as I started calling him) this past Friday. It is one of the seminal works of science fiction. I was amazed while reading it that Wells had these awesome ideas about selective breeding...did he read Darwin's Origin of Species (1859) or Mendel's Experiments on Plant Hybridization (1865)? If so, he took these principles to heart. If not, then he had an enormous imagination. Perhaps he discussed these works with friends and colleagues if he didn't read them.
BTW, it's a short novel that I recommend reading. It's such an engaging story that you just want to keep turning the page. If you've seen the earlier movie, then you'll see all the foreshadowing present in the novel. It just makes you hold your breath that much more.
Notes on the book:
I was really surprised on the socialist commentary. Wells thinks that the Capitalists have become the Eloi and the workers the Morlocks (see especially Chapter VII). I laugh at the prospect of the human race dividing into two species based on social class. I also like the ending and how it keeps the novel current.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Fun Fact #9
Polar bears' fur is actually clear. Their skin is black. They could eat you in one bite.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Skid Marks
I just got 5 new tires last week (and a new front suspension). My car is getting more love while I'm home, but I'll not bore you with the details. Also know that my ABS is not working, but should be getting fixed later this week.
H0-kay, so, I was in Ft. Myers for Angelica's wedding and had 6 people in my car (of course, Jana had to ride bitch out of necessity) and I was cruising at about 58mph when I'm close enough to a green light that turns yellow. I was about to gun the engine to beat the light, but then I saw an oncoming motorcycle turning left across my path, so I had to brake instead. I locked up my wheels and made a pretty good skid mark. I was unhappy a) that my ABS is broken (but I didn't slide) and b) that I may have just damaged my brand new tires. Why did b) cross my mind? Because Beerman just got done telling a story about some skid marks left on I-95 by his roommate.
B's roommate was going 110mph down I-95 and went to change lanes from the rightmost lane into the middle lane but noticed that another car was too close so he pulled back into the right lane, over corrected and put the car into a spin. On the way back from Ft. Myers, we took the long way so that we could see the skid marks. They were like interwoven Xs. I've never seen anything like it. Wish I had a picture.
H0-kay, so, I was in Ft. Myers for Angelica's wedding and had 6 people in my car (of course, Jana had to ride bitch out of necessity) and I was cruising at about 58mph when I'm close enough to a green light that turns yellow. I was about to gun the engine to beat the light, but then I saw an oncoming motorcycle turning left across my path, so I had to brake instead. I locked up my wheels and made a pretty good skid mark. I was unhappy a) that my ABS is broken (but I didn't slide) and b) that I may have just damaged my brand new tires. Why did b) cross my mind? Because Beerman just got done telling a story about some skid marks left on I-95 by his roommate.
B's roommate was going 110mph down I-95 and went to change lanes from the rightmost lane into the middle lane but noticed that another car was too close so he pulled back into the right lane, over corrected and put the car into a spin. On the way back from Ft. Myers, we took the long way so that we could see the skid marks. They were like interwoven Xs. I've never seen anything like it. Wish I had a picture.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Oh, There's My Money
I misplaced an envelope with about $200 in it over the weekend. I only discovered this when I wanted to get some more spending money once we were in Ft. Myers. Good news: I left it in Vero!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
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