Model Citizen

This is one of those books you pick up in a charity shop for 25p. It was massive at over 600 pages and a real marathon epic story. It's the size of 3 normal books, has an older style of writing that I wondered if I was going to manage past the first couple of pages...
But, I found that the first few pages are a style not repeated in the rest of the book. It is one of the most intriguing, funny, moving and peaceful books I've read in the SF genre.
It is the story of Lazarus Long, the oldest human alive who has lived for 23 centuries. He has lived this long due to a genetic programme of breeding set up in the early 1900's, maybe before, and then boosted as technology allowed for rejuvenation.
Lazarus is tired though, very tired and no longer wants to live. He has disguised himself as a tramp, headed for a 'homeworld' of Secondus where he wants to die, alone and unmourned.
This does'nt happen though, he is found by the ruling government on Secondus, and because he is 'The Elder' from whom most of the human race can be related he is coaxed into living again and taking another rejuvenation. Along the way he is coaxed also into giving some of his history which involves the book being spliced into sort of sub books that are so diverse. We see Lazarus as a man so lazy that his only option is to become a genius (think: a man who is so lazy to get up and turn the telly over inventing the remote control to spare him the effort) who embarks on a Naval career near WW2. The story of Lazarus as a spaceship Captain picking up a pair of slaves who are twins but not twins (the technology and DNA was explained but it went over my head) who teaches them to be more than just 'pets' but individual strong people. the story of Lazarus with the first woman he ever truly loves, who starts off as his adopted daughter! and becomes a story of a pioneering couple forging a life similar to the early American settlers but with a futuristic twist.
Also, dispersed between these stories are what I would describe as Lazarus's Books OF Proverbs, some of the funniest and poignant thoughts he's recorded.
Thoughts like: If you ever find yourself in an argument with your wife where you are 100% in the right-apologise at once.
A society that introduces identity cards is near the brink of collapse.

Whilst Lazarus has been under the process of rejuvenation he has been attracting a sort of family around him of relations and careers, scientists and historians that he eventually joins in a new pioneering away from the most advanced civilisation to a new untouched planet to start again. The city computer has also been tasked with finding a new adventure for Lazarus that will inspire him to live longer, one that is finally arrived at with Time Travel. The book finishes with the adventure of Lazarus travelling back in time to 1917 to meet his own family and due to a small miscalculation with time also get embroiled in WW1.

An incredible epic of a book, sometimes it feels like this is 7 or 8 book ideas cobbled together to make up one really big one, but it is never more than exciting. You come to love the character of Lazarus (who has a temperament a bit like Jessie Duke), and listen to the wisdom he's learned from 23 centuries of having done most things that can be thought of.

Heinliens idea of the future is great, the sexual revolution that has clearly taken place takes a bit of getting used to and if you dont get used to it you will never accept what happens later in the book, which maybe one of Heinliens motives behind the book: destroying prejudices and taboos.

The amazing moment when Vader is revealed at long last

Luke: Father! Look everyone, it's little orphan Annie!

Vader: Luke, tell your sister you were right, it's a blooming hard knock life innit!"

A wonderful moment.

Come visit my store on CafePress!

I bought this film after seeing the superb Facing The Giants. This is there first film (the latest Fireproof is out in the cinema's now). I knew it was supposed to be a lot rougher than the latter films, which it is, but you learn pretty quickly that Kendrick (Writer/Director/Star) never imagined that it would get this far. They basically got $20'000 and decided to make a movie as part of a local outreach programme. It then got taken up by TV stations and suddenly went global! There's no real actors, just members of the local church. Does this make it poor? Well, give it a go, sure it's not a hollywood film, but it deserves a watch.
The film is basically about a second hand car slaesman who's pretty unscupulous. His work life is rubbish, his marriage is going downhill fast and his relationship with his son is joining it. He's the worst kind of person in some ways, who knows he's doing the wrong thing but seems unable to lift a finger to put things right.
One day watching a message on local TV from the church he sometimes attends he gets challenged to 'get right with God'.
When he does he joins those who have Fantastic Adventures In Truting Him.

A great little movie that will inspire and encourage. Quality is like a cheap TV Movie but if you can see past that you'll find a real gem here.

I thought I'd post a few links to some of the photography goodies I've been finding over the last couple of months.

First are some Flickr goodies that will help spice up your profile and images. The complete list can be found at Big Huge Labs, but here is an example of what they do for links:

OK, next here are some links to other sites and what you can get:

www.topazlabs.com This is an incredible Photoshop plug in that will give super HDR type images and more.

www.flamingpear.com This site has some free Photoshop filters that come in handy for world making effects.

enblend.sourceforge.net You will need this software if you want to start stitching Panoramic photos etc.

hugin.sourceforge.net Free panoramic software!

www.cybia.co.uk Free Photoshop filters....lots of them!

www.hdrsoft.com Software to help you make great HDR images.

Well, have fun.