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Content by Stephen Pletko
Top Reviewer Ranking: 22
Helpful Votes: 777
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Reviews Written by Stephen Pletko "Uncle Stevie" (London, Ontario, Canada)
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Christians will love this book!!, May 31 2012
XXXXX "It is my intention [in this book] to tackle just a few [according to this book's subtitle, ten] of the more common and most egregious of those untruths [held against Christianity]...My intention is to provide a few metaphorical arrows, to be shot back at the snipers and the swordsmen [of Christianity] who thrust and fire away so often. [Some] chapters...are strongly [autobiographical]...Some...chapters are more historical...[while] others are more theological and philosophical... Christianity is a living, breathing religion, and this book will succeed only if it empowers [Christian] readers who can use its contents to strengthen their faith, and to defend their faith when it is attacked. As for the [non-Christians], some of you may perhaps rethink your position after reading [this] book." The above extract is found in this slim book by Michael Coren. According to the inside back flap, Coren is an author, Canadian talk show host, and syndicated columnist. (Interestingly, it also says on the inside back flap that he has authored 14 books but counting the books in the list "Also by Michael Coren," at the front of this book, 11 books are indicated.) Christians will surely appreciate this book because it will validate their faith. They will also appreciate, what I call, "Corenisms" that are peppered throughout this book. Here's an example of a "dual-Corenism:" "How ironic it is that many of those who are most insistent that Christians do not think, and oppose science, are those who do little thinking about science. There is probably a chemical equation somewhere to explain it, but we have to wait for a Christian to discover it." However, informed non-Christians may have problems with this book. Here are some of these problems: (1) There is no index. Why? There is a wealth of information presented but no easy access to it. (2) The bibliography looks to me that it is composed of mainly Christian authors. But I did spot in the "notes" section, a note with respect to the following sentence (this sentence is what I call an "ultra-Corenism"): "Even Richard Dawkins was prepared to write, 'We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully 'designed' to have come into existence by chance.'" Coren's note for this ultra-Corenism references Dawkin's international bestseller "The God Delusion" (2006). (3) Coren sometimes plays fast and loose with the facts, even choosing to omit some well-documented facts in order to skew an argument in his favour. For example, in the chapter entitled "Christians are Opposed to Science," he discusses very briefly Copernicus (1473 to 1543) whose work is considered by many to be the beginnings of the Scientific Revolution. Coren tells us about his seminal work, which has the Sun not the Earth as the center of the universe. What Coren forgets (?) to tell us is that Copernicus, who worked for the Catholic Church, waited to almost his death (in 1543) to publish his book (also, in 1543). Why? As well, Coren forgets (?) to tell us that Copernicus' book was put on the "List of Prohibited Books" (a list of publications prohibited by the Catholic Church) until it was "corrected." (That is, corrected so as to be more in agreement with what the Bible says.) Copernicus leads into the story of Galileo (1564 to 1642) who is considered by theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking to be the "father of modern science." Galileo picked up on Copernicus' idea and in so doing, got in trouble with the Church. Coren blames Galileo for all his troubles and says everything that transpired was essentially Galileo's fault. If this is true, why did (as Coren tells us) Pope John Paul the Second apologize in 1992, almost 450 years after Galileo's death, for the Church's treatment of Galileo? Again, Coren also forgets (?) to mention that Galileo's works were placed on the List of Prohibited Books. (4) There were a couple of chapters that made me wonder why they were written. For example, there is a chapter entitled "The Da Vinci Code." Coren proceeds to correct all the wrong things this mystery-detective novel, published in 2003, says about Christianity. However, a novel is a work of fiction. It is not supposed to be taken seriously. In other words, fiction is not reality. In fact, this is what it says on this novel's copyright page: "This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental." Coren had many non-fictional books to choose from to critique. How about "The Pagan Christ" (2004), an international best-seller? The author of this book has a long list of impressive qualifications and was once a priest. (5) This is with regard to the final chapter which is entitled, "What else can we throw at Christians?" In this chapter, Coren discusses such things as euthanasia, pornography, even prayer. That's fine but I could not ascertain exactly what lies were being spread about Christianity in this chapter. This seemed more like an unnecessary add-on chapter. Finally, many people have asked me why I gave Coren's 2011 book such a high rating. It's actually for the same reason I gave this book a high rating. I have to deduce the rating most Christians would give this book and deduce what rating most informed non-Christians would give this book. My final rating is an average of these two deduced ratings. In conclusion, I have no doubt that Christians will love this book!! (first published 2012; introduction; 10 chapters; main narrative 230 pages; acknowledgements; notes; bibliography) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Defrosting the ultimate time-capsule: a 5000-year-old man!!, May 26 2012
XXXXX "Frozen for more than 5000 years, on a remote mountain pass, and now, preserved for the ages in a refrigerated tomb; he is the Iceman, a frozen relic from the Stone Age. The oldest human body ever found. He's a messenger from the past, bearing secrets of how humans lived nearly a 1000 years before the [Great] Pyramids [of Egypt]. He is also a homicide, waiting to be solved. Who was he? And who shot an arrow into his back? Was it warfare? Or murder? Now a rare and dangerous procedure [autopsy] leads to some startlingly fresh clues. A piece of bone, a copper axe, and a last meal surprise the experts, as they come closer to understanding our ancient past and to solving the Iceman murder mystery." The above is said by the narrator at the beginning of this extraordinary documentary. The mummy was found and pulled from a glacier Sept. 1991 in the Otztal Alps near the border between Austria and Italy. Thus, the Iceman is also known as "Otzi." An autopsy was performed (including a DNA analysis) giving details of Otzi's death and life. Throughout the program brief comments are made by an alpine archaeologist, radiologist, etc. Near the end of the documentary, all the evidence that's found is considered leading to an unexpected conclusion of who killed Otzi. Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2012) is perfect in picture and audio quality. There are no extras. In conclusion, this is an exceptional documentary that may have solved the "world's oldest open case of homicide!!" (2011; 55 min; wide screen; 6 scenes; PBS-NOVA/National Geographic) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
How to have the greatest masterpieces of painting at your fingertips!!, May 19 2012
XXXXX "Great paintings come in many guises. The smallest could be held in one hand, while the largest extends magnificently across the vast ceilings of palaces and chapels. Paintings vary just as much in other respects too, ranging from microscopic depictions of the natural world to bold, swirling abstracts, and from beguiling, intimate portraits to interpretations of key moments in history, myth, or literature. The 66 paintings of this book span many centuries and they represent a huge wealth of human experience. Some tell stories, some transport you to faraway places, and some celebrate beauty: others are scenes of almost unbearable horror. Each painting, however, is unique." The above extract comes from this beautiful and instructive book. This book does not have an author or authors but has "contributors." The "chief contributor" is Karen H. Janes while two other contributors are Ian Chilvers and Ian Zaczek. Janes is an arts and culture specialist who teaches History of Art at Oxford University. Chilvers is an art writer and editor while Zaczek is an art writer. This over-size book is divided into six time-period sections which each section describing representative paintings for that time-period: (1) From the year 1100 to the year 1500: 8 representative paintings (2) 1500 to 1600: 12 paintings (3) 1600 - 1700: 7 (4) 1700 - 1800: 6 (5) 1800 - 1900: 14 (6) 1900 - now: 19 Each painting description consists of two double-page spreads. Occasionally, a description consists of only one double-page spread. For example, the description for the painting "The School of Athens" consists of two double-page spreads. On the first double-page spread there is the following: (1) The School of Athens (title of painting) (2) circa 1509 to 1511 . Fresco* . 16ft X 25ft (500cm X 770cm) . Vatican, Rome, Italy (3) a pictorial size of the painting compared to an average-sized human (4) Raphael (name of artist) (5) a reproduction of the actual colour painting (spectacular!) (6) information about the painting (7) brief biography of Raphael On the second double-page spread for this painting, there is the following: (1) Visual tour (2) Visual tour map showing a miniature of the painting in black and white indicating the 7 areas of this painting that are to be enlarged (3) Each enlarged area (in colour) indicated on the visual tour map (4) A brief written description of each enlarged area (5) A brief "In Context" section providing more written information (6) A brief "On Composition" section providing yet more written information The actual painting reproductions are just fantastic. But the instructive part of the book are the visual tours as well as the brief written sections that provide historical and cultural context as well as information on perspective, colour, light, and shade, among other things. This book operates on the principle that "the more you know about works of art, the closer you look at them, and the more you see and enjoy." Personally, I learned quite a lot especially noticing things I had missed on first looking at the painting. Don't know the meanings of artistic terms like abstract expressionism, gouache, or predella? Don't worry! There's a helpful and essential (at least for me) glossary near the end of the book. (Incidentally, the word "fresco*" indicated above means "a technique of painting on walls and ceilings in which pigments mixed with water are applied to wet plaster.") Finally, I was surprised that the word "detail" was not included in the glossary. This word is used when a part of a painting is enlarged. This book is filled with details. In conclusion, this is both a beautiful and instructive book. Reading it is like being taken around one of the world's finest art galleries by an expert guide who points out details that one might otherwise miss, explains their significance, and helps you look at the painting with new eyes. Understanding these great paintings for me has never been so easy, enjoyable, fascinating, and rewarding!! (first published 2011; introduction; 6 sections; main narrative 245 pages; glossary; index; acknowledgments) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Our neighbouring planets and moons are cold, dead places. NOT NECESSARILY!!!, May 12 2012
XXXXX "Is the Earth the only planet of its kind in the universe? Or is there somewhere else like this out there? Is there life beyond Earth? The search for alien life is one of humankind's greatest technological challenges. And scientists are seeking new ways to find answers. Leading the search are sophisticated telescopes that scan the sky and an armada of robotic [space] probes exploring the outer reaches of our solar system, all revealing the planets, moons, asteroids, and comets like never before. The search reveals evidence of strange and unexpected worlds, places with lakes, storms, and rain, violent places driven by powerful forces deep underground. Worlds that may have hidden oceans hundreds of millions of miles from the heat of the sun. New [space] missions are helping to unlock the mysteries of what makes a planet habitable, raising the question of whether the building blocks of life [called amino acids] are more prevalent than previously imagined, not just in our own solar system but possibly throughout our Galaxy." The above extract is found is what the narrator says at the beginning of the extraordinary documentary. This film is made up of two parts. The first part and second part are separated by an "interlude" which occurs about 52 minutes into the program. Here is what the narrator says to introduce this second part: "Are we alone in the universe? This age-old question is yielding some provocative new answers. Recent discoveries suggest that the conditions for life might be more prevalent than ever imagined. Missions to our neighbour Mars are revealing evidence that [liquid] water, a key ingredient for life, may be present. And [space] probes are finding the essential chemical building blocks of life [called amino acids] in unexpected places. But what about the colder, outer reaches of our solar system and beyond? Could life exist out here too? New [space] missions are revealing strange worlds, moons [of Jupiter and Saturn] that could have vast oceans concealed beneath miles of ice. Landscapes littered with hundreds of active volcanoes. And places where jets [of ice] erupt hundreds of miles into space. And the same epic forces that gave birth to our solar system are at work throughout the universe. Tens of billions of planets are estimated to be orbiting other stars in our own Galaxy alone. Could there be an Earth-like planet among them?" I want to emphasize that the majority of this documentary deals with possible life in our solar system. It is only the last chapter that deals with possible life beyond our solar system. Realize that life does not have to be big like elephants but can be small like microbes. Life does not have to be "as we know it." As well, life does not have to be intelligent. Throughout this documentary brief comments are made by scientists. The computer graphics are just fantastic. And the actual space-probe images that are shown are revealing and mind-boggling. Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2012) is perfect in picture and audio quality. It has no extras. In conclusion, after viewing this film, you will be convinced that there must be life in the universe!!! (2011; 1 hr, 45 min; wide screen; 12 chapters; made for PBS--NOVA) XXXXX
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Can the human brain explain the human mind??, May 6 2012
XXXXX "This book is a distillation of a large chunk of my life's work, which has been to unravel--strand by strand--the mysterious connections between brain, mind, and body...In this book, I hope I can convey at least some of the wonder and awe that my colleagues and I have felt over the years as we patiently peeled back the layers of the mind-brain mystery." The above comes from the preface of this interesting book by V.S. Ramachandran. He is the director of the Center for Brain & Cognition and Distinguished Professor with the Psychology Department and Neurosciences Program at the University of California, San Diego. (Cognitive neuroscience is the discipline that attempts to provide neurological explanations of cognition and perception.) He is also professor of biology at the Salk Institute. This book explores, from a neurological point of view, various aspects of human perception and how they relate to aesthetics and the appreciation of art as well as the development of language. Most importantly, this book explores how perception and the way it's processed make humans more like other animals or unique among animals. For this, the author investigates cases of patients that have had their brain systems disrupted in some way through specific disruptions such as: (1) phantom limbs: the perceived existence of a limb through accident or amputation (2) synaesthesia: a condition in which a person perceives something in a sense besides the sense being stimulated, such as seeing colours in numbers (3) autism: one of a group of serious developmental problems. In the final chapter, the author discusses seven main concepts which define the human aspect of self and how each may be disrupted by a specific neurological disorder. This book includes several helpful illustrations and a good, essential (at least to me) glossary. I appreciated how Ramachandran put everything into an evolutionary framework. As well, he asks questions, gives us his hypotheses and theories, and explains some of his own experiments. Finally, in some cases, I felt Ramachandran was overstating the importance of things and made assertions that were scantily researched. One glaring example is when he states that: "mirror neurons will do for psychology what DNA did for biology--they will provide a unifying framework and help explain a host of mental abilities that have hitherto remained mysterious and inaccessible to experiments." (Mirror neurons are nerve cells that are activated upon watching an action.) The author, to his credit, does tell us that the significance of mirror neurons is speculative but, he does not emphasize the fact that they're very controversial as well. In conclusion, this book should give the reader many new clues into the mysteries and remarkable abilities of the human brain!! (first published 2011; preface; acknowledgements; introduction; 9 chapters; epilogue; main narrative 295 pages; glossary; notes; bibliography; illustration credits; index; about the author) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Hold on to your heart: it's time to get to the 'bottom' of love, April 29 2012
XXXXX "The village of Monte Athena in Italy at the turn of the 19TH century. Necklines are high. Parents are rigid. Marriage is seldom a matter of love. The good news: the bustle is in its decline, allowing for the meteoric rise of that newfangled creation: the bicycle." The above is found printed on-screen at the beginning of this fun movie. This movie is based on William Shakespeare's (1564 to 1616) romantic comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (written circa 1595). Like a dream itself, this movie (and the actual play) presents a mixture of opposing elements: homely and realistic characters are placed within a fantastic, almost surreal, plot; the lowest level of society mixes with the highest; prosaic speech is uttered along with sublime poetry; and the supernatural, the human, and the bestial commingle. And, like a dream, this dramatic fairy tale initially appears to be a trivial diversion that has little connection to our waking lives. Upon watching this movie, I discovered this is not true. What this movie (and the play) does is bring together the following four elements in an enchanted, moonlit forest: (1) two pairs of well-to-do young lovers: Helena (Calista Flockhart), Demitrus (Christian Bale), Hermia (Anna Friel) and Lysander (Dominic West) (2) a troop of lowly and inept, amateur actors headed by Nick Bottom (Kevin Kline) (3) a feuding pair of supernatural sprites: King Oberon (Rupert Everett) & Queen Titania (Michelle Pfeiffer) and (4) a love potion gone awry due to the incompetence of Oberon's servile sprite (Stanley Tucci) The result: a mixture of merriment, magic, and insight that only Shakespeare can deliver!! Of all the actors mentioned above, I think Calista Flockhart as Helena, Anna Friel as Hermia, and Kevin Kline as Nick Bottom do good jobs in their roles. However, I have to give special kudos to Stanley Tucci as the servile sprite named Robin Goodfellow or Puck. In my opinion, Tucci's character with his horns (yes, horns!) and impish grin makes this movie truly enjoyable. The costumes and cinematography, I found, were exceptional. The background music added significantly to each scene. Music was by the composers Mendelssohn (including his famous "Wedding March"), Verdi, Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini, and Mascagni. Filming for this movie was on location in Italy and studios in Rome. Shakespearean purists will probably complain that there's stuff missing from this movie. Yes there is. However, they don't seem to understand that some stuff has to be left out or the movie would be way too long and tedious. Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2003) is perfect in picture and audio quality. It has one extra. Bottom line: this movie deserves to be included in Shakespeare's cinematic canon. (1999; 2 hr; wide screen; 24 scenes) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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5.0 out of 5 stars
If you're reading this review, then it means you won't be getting a one-time visit from The Mechanic (I promise), April 22 2012
XXXXX "You ever hear of the term 'mechanic' used outside its normal meaning?" The above question comes from this extremely entertaining movie and is asked by Arthur Bishop (Charles Bronson, 1921 to 2003). Bishop is a person who fixes people so they never work again. That is, he's a hit man, actually an elite hit man who eliminates the scum of society. Bishop asks the above question to his younger soon-to-be apprentice or "associate" (Jan-Michael Vincent). Once Bishop takes on this apprentice, things become interesting. One of the things that is so interesting about this movie is that there is no dialogue in its first fifteen minutes. We get to see Bishop meticulously doing his craft. This movie might be called an action-thriller. Yes, it has plenty of physical action but for me the action was psychological. As a result, this movie might be called a thinking-person's movie. Towards the end, there is a lot of neat twists and turns culminating in an ending that I never saw coming. Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2002) is perfect in visual and audio quality. It has one extra. (It is upon viewing this extra that I discovered that this movie originally had a different title.) For those in need of subtitles, note that they can only be accessed through the DVD's menu. You can't simply press the "subtitle" button on your remote and access the subtitles. In conclusion, this is a thinking-person's movie starring the great Charles Bronson!! (1972; 1 hr, 40 min; wide screen; 16 scenes) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
(Astronomy) + (Biology) = (Understanding the Unknown), April 15 2012
XXXXX "My book introduces a general audience to new ideas on old big questions about life and the cosmic perspective on life... My goal was to write a popular book because the new science concepts are truly wonderful and exciting, and because they have immediate implications for all of us. My approach was to provide a thorough introduction in order to make the science accessible, followed by my own views to the unanswered questions, and keeping the technical details to the endnotes only." The above is found in this slim book by Dimitar Sasselov. Sasselov is a Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University as well as the founder and director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative. This book is divided into two parts. The first part discusses extrasolar planets or "exoplanets." This astronomical term refers to planets not of our solar system (of which many have already been found by the detection methods outlined in this book). This part ends with a good explanation of "SUPER-EARTHS" (a term coined by Sasselov). A SUPER-EARTH is: "a planet that is more massive and larger than Earth, although still made of rocks--perhaps with continents and oceans--and an atmosphere...[T]heory predicts that they might have all the nice attributes of Earth, and, in fact, provide a more stable environment on their surface." The second part is entitled "Origins of Life." In this part, Sasselov's main argument is: "for life to emerge, it must happen on planets." That is, "life is a planetary process." In my opinion, the last two chapters of this part are excellent. (I found the brief discussion of synthetic biology quite interesting.) I was especially impressed with Sasselov's reasoning and insights. The author states at the end of the book: "In these pages I have painted an optimistic picture in which life is robust and emerges with ease in a Universe full of places where it can grow. [However], we do not really know if life emerged with ease." Finally, there are good illustrations found throughout this book. These helped clarify certain concepts. In conclusion, this book details the converging of astronomy and biology to help us glimpse into the...unknown!! (first published 2012; acknowledgements; introduction; 2 parts or 12 chapters; main narrative 170 pages; notes; index) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An introduction to a map of nature's most basic building blocks, April 7 2012
XXXXX "The periodic table ranks as one of the most fruitful and unifying ideas in the whole of modern science, comparable perhaps with [Charles] Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. After evolving for nearly 150 years through the work of numerous individuals, the periodic table remains at the heart of the study of chemistry. This is mainly because it is of immense practical benefit for making predictions about all manner of chemical and physical properties of the elements and possibilities for bond formation. Instead of having to learn the properties of the 100 or more elements, the modern chemist, or the student of chemistry, can make effective predictions from knowing the properties of typical members of each of the eight main groups [or columns of elements] and those of the transition metals and rare earth elements [all found neatly arranged on the periodic table]." The above extract comes from this slim book by Dr. Eric Scerri. Scerri is a chemist and a leading science philosopher specializing in the history and philosophy of the periodic table. He is presently a lecturer with the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA. (He's also a musician who plays one mean electric guitar as well as the acoustic piano.) This book is part of the "Very Short Introductions" series (which began in 1995) that are books for anyone wanting a "stimulating and accessible way in to a new subject." A modern definition of the periodic table might be an arrangement of the chemical elements according to their atomic numbers (the number of protons in the nucleus of an element's atom) to exhibit the periodic law (principle that the properties of the chemical elements recur at regular intervals). Scerri describes how this modern definition came to be. In his narrative, he does not only discuss the scientific but also considers the historical and philosophical as well. Blending these three aspects makes for interesting reading especially for those who are not very familiar with the periodic table. Before examining the periodic table, Scerri considers its main building blocks, the elements (those substances that cannot be separated into different substances; a pure substance like gold, silver, copper, carbon, aluminum, etc.) Then he takes a brief look at the modern periodic table and some of its variants. Having thus laid important thematic foundations and defined some essential terms he begins the story of the development of the modern periodic system that began with its birth in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, culminating with an entire chapter devoted to "the Russian genius" named Dimitri Mendeleev (1834 to 1907). (Mendeleev has an element named after him called mendelevium.) After this, Scerri tells us how "physics invades the periodic table." That is, how atomic research, as well as other key discoveries in twentieth century physics influenced the understanding of the periodic table. In these sections, attention is paid to aspects of classical physics as well as quantum theory and quantum mechanics. This book concludes with a discussion of the synthesis of elements beyond element 92 (uranium)and with a good discussion of alternative forms of the periodic table. This book has over 40 illustrations with many of these illustrations being, not surprisingly, periodic tables. When reading this book, I had an alphabetical list of the elements with their symbols, atomic weights (average weight of all the different types of an element), and atomic numbers handy. This was so I could follow Scerri's discussion closely, and thus get maximum value from this book. For example, the element uranium mentioned above has the symbol "U," atomic weight 238.03, and atomic number 92. (Note that you can read this book without such a list.) The only problem I had with this book is that there is no picture of Mendeleev. Why? Scerri says that "the name of Mendeleev is inextricably linked with the periodic table in much the same way that evolution by natural selection and relativity theory are linked with Darwin and Einstein respectively." Finally, there are two books I recommend after reading this one: (1) "The Elements: a very short introduction" (2004) (2) "The Periodic Table: its story and its significance" (2007) In conclusion, Shakespeare tells us that "Brevity is the soul of wit." Dr. Scerri has shown us his wit by reducing the complicated story of the periodic table to a few pages!! (Also, I think if he decides to form his own musical band, he should name it "The Scerriums.") {first published 2011; acknowledgements; list of illustrations; preface; 10 chapters; main narrative 135 pages; further reading; index} <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
"You know what they say? Laws are made to be broken", April 1 2012
XXXXX "LAW I: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. LAW II: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law. LAW III: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law." The above is found printed on-screen at the beginning of this sci-fi action film. This movie is loosely based ("suggested by," according to the end credits) on Isaac Asimov's short-story collection also entitled "I, Robot." Some people don't seem to like this movie, but I found it interesting. This movie is set in Chicago in the year 2035. By this time, anthropomorphic ("human-looking") robots are doing menial tasks for humans. All robots have as their core programming the three laws indicated above. But something seems to go wrong and a human is found dead. (Not just any human, but a genius roboticist played by James Cromwell.) Enter homicide detective Dell Spooner (Will Smith who also was one of this movie's executive producers) who has to try to solve exactly what happened. A robopsychologist (Bridget Moynahan) aids Spooner in his investigation. (Believe it or not, even robots need shrinks.) Yes, this movie has plenty of action and special effects. The action, though, is not mindless and I found myself pausing to think. As well, the special effects were done well and did not take over the movie. I liked especially how the robots interacted with humans. (The technique used for the robots was "motion capture" and I found it to be quite effective.) As I said, this is an action movie that gives you pause to think or consider artificial intelligence and even what it means to be human with respect to such things as consciousness, uniqueness, death, having a purpose in life, free will, creativity, and evolution. This movie has good background music that aided each scene. Finally, the DVD itself (the one released Dec. 2004) is excellent in picture and sound quality. It has several extras. In conclusion, this is a good, futuristic sci-fi movie that causes you to think. And don't worry: no actual robots were hurt during the making of this movie!! (2004; 1 hr, 55 min; wide screen; 39 scenes) <<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>> XXXXX
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