Movie Reviews #50…
[First a bow to great science…]
Ode to Cassini
Copyright 2017, Steven M. Moore
Disappearing under Saturn’s robe,
There goes the Cassini probe.
With mechanical courage it took flight
And began its journey into the night.
It nobly pursued the scientists’ quest;
Now it will receive a deserved rest,
Out there among the rings,
Dreaming as only machines can dream.
[And now an ode to QWERTY…]
California Typewriter. Doug Nichol, director. My home state California is a big state with a lot going on, some good, some bad, but who knew it was the typewriter capital of the world? Sort of. This documentary takes its name from ye olde fix-it shoppe in Berkeley where two old guys and one guy’s daughters give typewriters new life. But it’s really about a bunch of old men obsessed with typewriters (OK, there are a few young ones and some old and young women too). Notable among them you’ll find Tom Hanks and John Mayer. John and the sculptor, Jeremy Mayer (no relation, I presume), who makes sculptures out of old typewriter parts (he destroys them instead of fixing them), offer the most profound statements, though. The film is really about writing and the technology’s advance. It kept me riveted as much as a Hollywood blockbuster. It could do the same for you, especially if you’re nostalgic about these machines. It’s not just for nerdy writers and people with their OCD disorders directed at typewriters, though. And it’s a welcome respite from a rather dreary Hollywood summer of throw-away movies.
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Book sale: Some authors bundle a series or part of a series. Here’s an alternative: from now through September 30, all three books in the “Clones and Mutants Trilogy” are on sale only AT SMASHWORDS, $1.99 for each ebook, reduced from $2.99—that’s one-third off. The clones make their appearance in Full Medical as part of a complex government conspiracy, they combine forces with the mutant in Evil Agenda to thwart another plot, and they all save the world in No Amber Waves of Grain. These aren’t comic book characters like X-Men—they’re real people who work to halt an apocalyptic future. Use the link and go directly to Smashwords, enter the coupon codes during checkout, and get hours of fall reading for only $3. (Amazon addicts, did you know Smashwords also sells .mobi files for your Kindle? They handle all popular ebook formats and distribute to many retailers and lenders—Apple, B&N, and Kobo included.) Pass the word about this sale to your relatives and friends. And, for librarians purchasing ebooks for their libraries, I’ve reduced the price of most of my ebooks on Smashwords for library purchases. Use the link to see my entire catalog.
In libris libertas…
