I AM LEGEND

I went to see I An Legend last night and walked into a rarely seen “full house” at our local Pelican Cinemas; actually, I went last night at found it sold out! This really peaked my enthusiasm about the movie!

I was disappointed! I can’t explain it; maybe my expectations were too high. I’m old enough to have read the original publication of Richard Matheson’s, I Am Legend, and saw both previously made films: I Am Legend, and The Omega Man.

This new version was modernized and set in the near future in New York City. The book had the story set in the near future (1955/1956) in Compton CA. The lead character, the survivor, spent the day wandering the city looking for the mutants, which were Vampires, and killed them by driving a wooden stake through their hearts. I can’t remember if there was a dog companion or not.

For the younger set familiar with Compton today: Compton, in the fifties, was an up scale, upper middle class community!

I’m not knocking this movie, I was just disappointed. Bummer!

THE GOLDEN COMPASS

I Saw “The Golden Compass” tonight and was blown away. What an unexpected surprise, it was.

It has to win beaucoup awards this year.

There is no sense in my trying to extol its virtues; it’s too good for my vocabulary.

I’m going to search for the novel title and purchase the book as soon as possible!

As it ended, I’m sure there will be a sequel.

My favorite character is: Iorek Byrnison, the Ice Bear!

Go see it!

Here is a link to the Web Site and a Trailer: Golden Compass

THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED!

Today I birded Laird’s Landing where there is a major Bald Eagle Roost in a copse of trees there. Laird’s Landing is on the southern shore of the once Lower Klamath Lake.

Every evening, from about three o’clock in the afternoon till sunset, anywhere from one-hundred to one hundred fifty Bald Eagles convoke here for the night. They come from all over the southern portion of the Klamath Basin, but mostly from the vast neighboring Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

In the pictures there are some forty Eagles, by sunset this number swelled to a little over one-hundred. About two thirds of the Eagles today were adult (white heads and tails) the remainder Immature (no white or streaked white). Bald Eagles do not acquire their full adult plumage until their fifth year.

Prior to Laird’s Landing I toured the LKNWR and spotted over thirty Bald Eagles there in various activities such as soaring, roosting, and feeding on waterfowl.

The Eagles on the Refuge we get much closer to, as close as a few yards. The ones at the evening roost we do not approach any closer than that shown in the pictures so as not to disturb them. There is another major roost for Bald Eagles some ten miles north of this one, Bear Valley, that is fenced off at quite a distance with no access what so ever.

The Klamath Basin is home to as many as five to six-hundred wintering Bald Eagles every year; the greatest concentration in the lower forty-eight states. Twenty years ago there were practically none!

THE STORY OF HUMAN LANGUAGE

I have just completed all 36 lectures in the Teaching Company’s “The Story of Human Language” taught by Professor: John McWhorter.

This series was very informative and entertaining. The production was excellent and the lecturer was exceptional. I enjoyed his obvious expertise in the subject matter, his persona and demeanor, as well as his sense of humor and anecdotes.

To those familiar with The Teaching Company's, The Great Courses, I recommend this Lecture Series highly.

LOWER KLAMATH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE & BUTTE VALLEY

Nancy and I went out for a nature watch today just a few miles from home. It was a glorious day and there was a lot of wildlife to see.

This is the beginning of the best time of year to view a variety of wildlife.

The highlights of the trip were 28 Bald Eagles within 1/4 mile of one another, we could see as many as a dozen at one view. Out on the ice about fifty yards away we saw 7 Bald Eagles feeding on a Canada goose.

The other highlight was a few miles away; we came upon a herd of 96 Pronghorn (American Antelope).

GREAT CONVERSATIONS

We have completed all the selections from Great Conversations III except for the two full length novels: Machiavelli’s: The Prince; and Charlotte Bronte’s: Jane Eyre.

Next week we will begin discussing our reading and viewing Video Lectures on, The Prince. We will spend as many as three or maybe four meetings on The Prince.

At this time we know that we have at least two Video Lectures, featuring Machiavelli, to watch. Doris and Jim Geddry may have more.

We are taking the 26th and maybe the 2nd off; so we will be finishing up this series by February ’08.

We, the group, are in discussion on what our next series will be. Some of us want to start the original five part “Great Books Series” over again. There are other good proposals too, one being: one of the Teaching Companies Lecture Series’, then another is: “Great Conversations IV”, which will not be available for several months.

I feel that with my aging memory and the fact that I felt like there were many issues left unresolved, in my mind, that a second go at the, “Great Books Series”, would reveal just as many new insights as the first run through, maybe more.

However it goes, I’m sure we will all enjoy, what ever it is!

OK…I just finished The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt!

Seven-hundred-eighty pages: For the most part it read like a novel all the way through.

This was the first volume, of two, covering Theodore’s life and ended with his inheritance of the U.S. Presidency in September of 1901.

I’ll take a short break before starting volume II, Theodore Rex. I’m looking forward to it being as interesting as volume I.

MY HOME OFFICE

Just in case anyone is interested:

Here is a snapshot of my Home Office of which I’m very proud.