5 comments about Stepping Through the Stargate: Science, Archaeology and the Military in Stargate SG1 (Smart Pop series).

1. This book continues the trend of having authors/teachers/and others writing essays about TV popular culture. This book seemed to have a wider range, from physists, USAF Colonels, and popular writers, for the authors. Most of the essays were humorous and examined a wide range of topics. Even the more serious essays, that actually attempted to teach you the physics of the Stargate, did so with a little humor and a reasonable voice, not to dumbed down but not expecting you to know anything that the ususal E=mc2 information.
   
   If you like these type of books and like SG-1, you'll enjoy this. If you never read a book of essays on popular TV, try this one out. It's a nice friendly introduction to the genre.



2. This book is a fun collection of musings/essays about various topics related to Stargate SG-1. Though written by authors who do indeed go on about how much the love the show, most of the essays also pick the show apart to demonstrate that it isnt based on reality and that it contains many things that will Never be true in reality. I was kinda hoping for something that gave me little hopeful bubble dreams that someday, somewhere, the stargate could actually work. Oh well, back to Earth.
   
   It starts with a faux research report that dissects the Jaffa Staff Weapon for analysis as a practical military weapon. Kinda cute.
   
   Next is a compare/contrast essay between Star Trek and Stargate SG-1; the main conclusion is that Star Trek is in love with itself while Stargate tries hard to escape the formulaic trap of standard sci-fi.
   
   The next essay explains the physics that are involved in the theories of wormholes and ends with "physics, as we currently know it, greatly limits the possibilities of wormhole travel."
   
   The next essay analyses the dialogue of SG-1 (technobabble, humor, and character development) and includes a bit of gossip that "a number of Jack's comebacks can also be attributed to the fact that Richard Dean Anderson can't remember his lines and has to ad-lib half of the time."
   
   Next is a detailed nit-pick about Dr. Daniel Jackson as the ultimate omniscient linguist, anthropologist, and archaeologist.
   
   Following this is an essay that characterizes the SG-1 team members based on thier portrayal of different types of intelligence. There's the "Egghead" Samantha Carter (reason, logic, book knowledge), the "Empath" Daniel Jackson (intuition, understanding the thoughts/emotions/motivations of others), the "Practical Philosopher" Teal'c (practical problem solving), and the "Knight" Jack O'Neill (determining /why/ a goal should be accomplished).
   
   Next is a medical doctor who tries to puzzle out the realities of how any intelligent species could invade a human and actually take control of the human's mind and body. In my opinion this was one of the more dull essays and one of the most damaging to those of us who LIKE to suspend our disbelief in order to enjoy a show.
   
   Next is a history of time travel in science fiction along with the physics of wormholes and time travel... have to admit that this one was so dense that I skimmed most of it.
   
   The next essay is almost snarky as it explains the science fiction tendency to declare one character as absolutely essential to the solution of ...that no one else in the entire galaxy could possibly be useful. The comparison is applied both to Daniel and to Jack.
   
   Next is a humorous analysis of the dating potential of various Stargate characters because "everyone knows that Stargate is all about sex."
   
   Then there's a chapter that is a bizarre philisophical mind experiment like those I remember from Philosophy 101 in college. The author spends 15 pages showing us how to work out where the "Self" of a person resides...is it in the physical brain or in the soul (and where does the soul reside exactly)? Not really sure how this relates to Stargate at all... it is forced into the book by plopping a quote at the front of the chapter which is from the episode where Sg-1 has been cloned into robot bodies.
   
   Moving on, next we get an analysis of the pop culture references sprinkled throughout the episodes, then an in-depth look at the astronomy and astrophysics of various plot devices (black holes, blowing up suns, solar flares, and alternate universes). Next is a silly little commentary on the costume fashions of the various planets, alien races, and even civilian clothing that we've seen on SG-1 characters.
   
   The next essay analysis the SG-1 team to place them in Jungian myth archetyepes: Teal'c is the "Warrior" archetype, Samantha is the "Scientist", Daniel is the "Hero", and Jack is the "Pragmatist".
   
   Next is a detailed nit-pick of the planet Cimmeria (where Thor's Hammer was found); then a few diary entries from James Tichenor (visual effects director) mostly saying how incredibly busy they are year-round. Then there's an analysis fo the villains in Stargate: the Jaffa, the Goa'uld, the Replicators, the Aschen, the Re'tu, the Tok'Ra, the NID, etc. Then a rather boring essay about how continuity of storyline is important when creating licensed comic books based on the Sg-1 world. Next is a nit-pick analysis of how strange it is that humans could become "the fifth race", and why would we even want to (considering that the Nox and the Asgaard have so many quirks). Then there's a neat little history of women in the Air Force (especially the duty stations near Cheyenne Mountain) and then a "letter" from the actor who plays Col. Harry Maybourne. Basically, this letter says the actor feels that fan clubs are kinda crazy and that Stargate is not the center of his universe. You actually learn a lot more about two anonymous gals who interviewed him than you do about him and his experiences on Stargate... it left me with the feeling that he really didnt have anything good to say so he said nothing!



3. I ordered this book because I was looking to get a bit more information on Stargate: SG-1 when becoming more active in the fandom. I was pleasantly surprised to find a compendium that included information by a variety of contributors in all of the fields I had questions about. It's got a chapter that might as well be titled "The physics of Stargate", it's got a critical appraisal of everything from the costumes to the plot themes and use of popular culture, it has a chapter on the medical feasibility of the Goa'uld parasites, and it has a few more light-hearted offerings as well.
   
   I seriously recommend this for anyone from the casual SG-1 fan to the die-hard SG-1/SGA afficianado.



4. Made by science writers and experts of science this book is a must for any Stargate fan. There are two essays which focus on wormholes, one essay debates fashion, one essay even gets into parasites and much more. Not a lot on the military but with such authors as Bill Fawcett, Susan Sizemore and P.N. Elrod I could not help but buy this book. Full of humor and a love for the Stargate. And everybody talks like Jack! Ya think?



5. Are you one of those people who love picking holes in plot lines? Someone who goes, say.. "That couldn't really happen... a lightening bolt doesn't contain enough power to activate the stargate" while blindly ignoring the fact that a stargate doesn't exist in the first place... if so, this is the book for you.
   
   Basically the book does its best to pin real science to the fiction/fantasy stuff from the show:
   * what sort of technologies would be needed to really create a wormhole.
   * how could a goa'uld navigate a human's neck (without doing serious damage) to get to the spin column and brain and take overall control
   and stuff like that.
   
   It's amusing to read these scientists try their best to come up with imaginative scientific theories that could underpin the show's plot devices.
   
   On the down-side, it is a collection of essays from different authors and there is often an overlap in what they say. (There aren't that many theories around that could viably allow wormhole creation, so they get liberally mentioned!). I got a strong sense of deja-vu after a while. I also got a little feeling that the authors were almost competing on who was the most avid Stargate fan, never missing an opportunity to supply a quote from the show or mention a fact. I guess it does get you to reminisce and I found myself going "Oh yes, I remember that episode" but it was a little tiring after a while.
   
   All in all, it is a nice piece of light reading. It's cheap and cheerful and it lets you joyful linger in the suspension of disbelief that it all could ... just ... really ... happen, before returning to the real world and laugh it off with a "whatever!".

No comments about Mandolin Scale Finder: Easy-to-Use Guide to Over 1,300 Mandolin Scales, 6 inch. x 9 inch. Edition.

No comments about Broadway Musicals: A Hundred Year History.

1 comments about The Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays.

1. I still use my Simon and Schuster Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays (1989) to check on the date of a particular play, to glance over a synopsis, or the find the name of a character that I have forgotten, despite my increasing use of Wikipedia now days.
   
   The plays are arranged chronologically. (We should be thankful for those meticulous Victorian scholars a century ago that helped create the now accepted sequence of Shakespeare's works. In fact, there is a 35-page biography section that briefly outlines the contributions of key Shakespearean actors, directors, critics, and scholars.) There is small section on Shakespeare's poetry and sonnets.
   
   Three or four pages, sometimes more, are devoted to each play with sections titled Synopsis, In Performance, In Other Terms (e.g., films), and Chief Characters.
   
   There are two brief sections on major Shakespearean Theatres and Shakespearean Festivals. The Select Glossary on Shakespeare's English (roughly 900 terms) might prove useful as a study guide, although I typically rely on footnotes and my favorite dictionary when reading for pleasure. There is even a genealogical chart for the House of Lancaster and the House of York.
   
   The Simon and Schuster Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays is not without defects. Most noticeably, the font size is small to the point that good lighting is essential, especially if you are old enough to have read a good many Shakespearean plays more than once.
   
   As the forward indicates, this guidebook targets readers developing a kinship with Shakespeare's works. Scholars and theatrical professionals will likely require more elaborate studies, but for many readers this small book will prove most satisfactory. And it will fit in a pocket.
   
   Newer Edition: A fully revised 2005 edition titled The Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays is available from Mitchell Beazley Publishing. The revisions were by Stanley Wells; the forward was written by Dame Judi Dench.

3 comments about Shopping & Fucking (Methuen Modern Plays).

1. I read this play, and then recently saw the version put on by Vortex, in Austin, TX, directed by Barry Pineo. The play is absolutely extraordinary. I couldn't stop crying through the next to last scene. It's an extremely powerful indictment of the emptiness of modern culture. A must see.



2. I haven't read this book but I saw it in the theater. The story is NOT AT ALL funny! If it is funny for you you don't understand it. It is about the problems of the consuming/er(?) society.



3. The title was a little frightening, and not exactly recommended reading for grandma and the kids. Ravenhill presents a very warped and funny reality that we all live in and never wish to admitt to. Even to ourselves. Very funny.

3 comments about The Harold Arlen Songbook.

1. Musical theater daughter in college has this songbook and really liked some of the songs--some very popular songs and others unknown gems which are great for auditions. We had to give this as gifts to several voice teachers--after she had shared the songbook, they really wanted a copy to share with their own voice students. Most popular song by this musical theater and movie composer: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"...Check out his other songs!



2. This is a wonderful anthology of Harold Arlen songs. Since he wrote over 400 songs, it's impossible to include them all, but the best are definitely represented here. If you want to learn an Arlen song, this is the source.



3. Even if he never wrote anything else, Harold Arlen earned a stellar position in the Great American Songbook for writing "Over the Rainbow", as well as the other songs from "The Wizard of Oz". But he wrote so many more wonderful songs, ranging from the happiest and most light-hearted melodies to songs of nearly-operatic power. Sopranos, in particular, should look at this collection, which contains "Blues in the Night", "I Had Myself a True Love", and "I Wonder What Became of Me". The arrangements in this book are quite full, although a professional accompanist could make more of them, and the keys are singable. It is one of the staples of my popular music library. Harold Arlen's work is often associated with Judy Garland, but I think Eileen Farrell is actually the absolute best interpreter of his songs. Look for her CDs titled "Eileen Farrell Sings Harold Arlen" and "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues". They will blow you away, and maybe change your perception of what great singing can be.

No comments about A Disappearing Number (Oberon Modern Plays).

2 comments about Barfly - The Movie.

1. The movie "BarFly" is based on three days on author's Charles Bukowski's life when he was 29 years old. I have seen this movie numerous times (at least 50) and still get something new out of each time. One of my buddies once said of the movie, "I felt like taking a shower after watching Barfly." Exactly!!! While some may find it too gritty, I find the movie an honest look at a troubled man's life. Henry Chinaski is like you or me but he is a raving alcoholic. There is a sweetness to him that comes out throughout the film and that is what I see and what I like to focus on. He finds his match in Wanda, also an alcoholic, and together they try and make an honest go of their reltionship. What follows is drunken mistakes and a bond that is held together by a Scotch and water. There is a purity and beauty to their relationship and it is evident that they truly care for one another but problems arise because of their drinking. To me Henry is an almost "Buddah" like character who lives in the moment and dosen't seem to hold too many regrets about his life. I admire his honesty and generosity throughout the movie. At first glance you may say he is out for himself but if you really watch old Henry you'll see flashes of kindness and sweetness. He's a man who dosen't seem to fit in to 9-5p.m. society and he makes no excuses for it, or as Jim the bartender said to Lilly the barfly, "he's as right as any of us." Keep an eye out for Bukowski himself who has a cameo in the film, a bar scene where Henry and Wanda first meet. I lived in L.A. for 10 years and have been by some of Bukowski's old haunts and the film captures the "working man's" bar scene in L.A. These types of places exist, you just have to do a little searching to find them. Henry Chinaski is a beautiful man in an ugly world. I highly recommend Barfly and suggest you view it with an open mind and an open heart. As Henry says in the last scene of the movie as he buys the bar numerous rounds of drinks, "to all my friends, to all my friends." If you would like a look at an honest, but troubled, man's life I highly suggest you check out the movie "Barfly."



2. or at the very least rent it. It's great-if you like buk. if not you'll probably hate it, my girlfreind did. There's a two second shot of the man himself sitting in the bar drinking and looking all grizzled(he talks about this in HOLLYWOOD). one complaint-Frank Stalone!

No comments about The Fosse Style.

3 comments about Women and Wallace.

1. I just recently got done doing a run of "Women and Wallace" as Wallace, and it was one of the most amazing shows I have ever done in my life. I can't believe how much this show got under my skin and is, now, forever embedded deep in my soul. Not a day goes by when I don't think about how this role changed my life and not only strengthened me as a performer, but most of all, strengthened the relationship I have with my parents. Johnathan Marc Sherman has this uncanny knack at bringing out the deepest emotions in every actor that touches his work, just by the way he writes. This is an absolutely amazing play and I reccommend it to everyone who wants to find out something new about themselves. Thank you Mr. Sherman for this amazing piece of theater.



2. I don't think that I have ever been more inpressed with a book as this one. I have never read it personaly but watched it be preformed at a national qualifing forensics tournament. It won, without a doubt. I highly recomend you atleast consider it if you want to read a book packed with emotion. It relates in some way small or large to each and every one of us. I have never been literly pulled into a preformance before, but I had no choice when watching this one.



3. I just read this play for the first time...I'm doing a monologue from it for a stageplay class I'm in, and I wanted to read the play to get more of a feeling for the character. It's difficult being a girl playing this part, but I want to say I'm very moved by this play, really very much so. It meant a lot to me, and I just want to highly recommend it to ANYONE. It's a quick read, and it's very good. This is extremely inarticulate, but if anyone has read it/wants to read it/wants to talk about it, e-mail me (Isis305@yahoo.com). It's a play well worth your time. I'm not going to give a plot review, but suffice it to say that it speaks a lot about the complex relationships between males and females. I have really not gotten time to process my thoughts on it, seeing as I finished it about five minutes ago.