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Sharks, canals, swordfights, and Stevie B! "Sharks in Venice"

GunMonkey — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:29:17 +0000

When you really think about it, why aren’t there sharks in Venice? The damn place is all canals, surely there should be some sharks in the water, right? Or some jackhole squids. Or even a couple of friendly octopi just hanging out listening to some Four Tet? I’m sure there’s a good reason, and I could Wikipedia it, but I’m not. For I have a movie to review, and that movie is Sharks in Venice. It features sharks. It features Venice. It features one of the lesser-Baldwins. Really how bad could it be? Okay, read those last sentences again.

So, Sharks in Venice…Well, we pretty much dive right into it (sorry) as we follow a couple of stock-footage scuba divers swimming beneath the canals of Venice. We know this is Venice (and not, say Bulgaria standing in for Venice) because we’re treated to some nice stock establishing shots of Venice, and as we all know there are no canals in Bulgaria. Okay, we clear on that? So there’s no way—absolutely no way this could possibly be Bulgaria. None. And we’re treated to some opera-lite on the soundtrack, and we know they don’t have opera in Bulgaria.

All right so some divers are swimming beneath Venice (not Bulgaria—can’t emphasize that enough) while reporting back to a sinister bossman someplace else. Someplace dry. The divers all have Italian accents (not/not Bulgarian), and the amazing ability to speak perfectly coherently despite having regulators stuck in their mouths. For his part, the bossman keeps urging them to find eet! The bossman also has a bushy beard, and wavy black hair that makes him look less Venetian than a renegade from a Mexican soap opera or a Turkish porno. Anyway, we never get to find out what eet is, because before you know it, the divers are picked off by stock footage of a Great White shark culled from the seemingly millions of hours of shark week. We know this is stock footage because A) the actors and the shark never seem to be in the same frame, and B) the divers are deep beneath Bul…Venice, while the shark is show about six inches beneath the water’s surface. Anyway, chomp, chomp, and the bossman is really frustrated. No way to find eet now.

Enter Stephen Baldwin as David Franks. He’s some kind of professor who blithely humiliates one of his cockier students in front of the class. Now right here you may hear the thunderous sound of my crushing disappointment as I realize which Baldwin Stephen is. I know who Alec is, so cross him off, but I was holding out hope that maybe this was the one who was in Firefly—the one that isn’t one of the Baldwin brothers and is actually a pretty decent actor. I would have even settled for the bloated one from Homicide who has a tendency to O.D. No dice. This turns out to be the Xtreme Christian!!! one from, oh, fuck me, BioDome. Anyway, Stevie B learns that his dad was one of the aforementioned divers who got sharked and he’s all like, “That’s okay, ‘cuz my man J-dawg is my comfort and salvation!” Well, actually I’m pretty sure he thinks that. Instead, he just stares blankly at the chick playing his girlfriend Laura (Vanessa Johansson) and says, “Oh no. I have to find him.”

So, Stevie B and Laura fly to Bulgaria Venice and meet with some cops and coroners who show him them mangled carcasses dredged from the canals and essentially ask him, “Hey, any of these chunks of meat your father?” He’s not, but Stevie B gets to get his Richard Dreyfuss on when the cops tell him they think these guys were killed by a boat propeller. “This wasn’t a propeller accident!” he exclaims. Well, exclaim is a strong word. His monotone is a bit louder, though. Stevie B really shouldn’t beg comparison to Richard Dreyfuss.

Of course the cops are all like, “Nope. No sharks in Venice. And if you say that again, we’ll feed you to some aquatic predators which are not sharks and have been terrorizing this city. Which is Venice, and not Bulgaria.” They also send a hawt cop named Sofia (Hilda van der Muelen) to investigate his father’s disappearance. Well, in short order, they find out his father was searching for a treasure brought back in one of the Crusades by Marco Polo’s fleet (WTF?!?) So he, Sofia, and Laura take a boat to more or less where they think his father was diving. Stevie B goes down, and…you know, we should stop here and acknowledge that Stevie B’s Xtreme Christianity!!!! does not extend to Xtreme sit-ups. Wow. Wetsuits are not flattering on him.

Well he swims around the underwater catacombs (or something), and promptly gets attacked by more shark footage. Stevie B manages to get away and promptly falls bassackward into an underwater cavern containing the Crusade treasure. First, however, he has to evade some traps that look to have been imported from the opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Fortunately, being attacked by a shark hasn’t left Stevie B weakened or injured. Just watch him: he leaps, rolls, and runs with the best of them. Except in the next scene he radios back to the boat, “I’m hurt. I’m losing blood.” This despite any evidence such as, you know, bleeding. So Stevie B tries to swim for it back to the boat. Because swimming while weakened and bleeding is the best thing to do when there are sharks in the water. Any fish-scientist will tell you, sharks hate blood.

Oh, wait, no. Actually, that’s the surest way to attract them as, well, damn near everybody knows. So Stevie B gets about halfway to boat before the shark catches up to him and goes to town on him. For a few brief, glorious moments, we see Stevie B get totally Rodney Foxed. Naturally, I’m thinking, “Awesome! They got rid of Stevie B! I just saw a couple of his limbs float by! Maybe that other Baldwin-but-not-really will take over now! Or maybe the chicks will just make out for the next 45 minutes, because that’d be cool, too.” Ah, nope. Stevie B wakes up the hospital with all of his limbs intact. Yes, it was all a dream! Fuck you, movie! Just fuck you!

Okay, so back to the plot. The cops kick Stevie B out of Venice, because being attacked by a shark is, apparently, a federal offense there. Before a very-ambulatory-for-having-been-noshed-on-by-a-shark Stevie B and Laura can leave, they’re joined at dinner by our soap opera/porn star, whose name is actually Clemenza. He makes it clear over wine and a pretty tasty-looking veal Parmesan (not gonna find that in Bulgaria, where they eat rocks and, I think, rabbits). He tells them that Stevie B’s father was looking for the treasure for him, and offers Stevie B a cool 20 million to do the same. Stevie B, however, answers reasonably enough “You know I gotta take a pass…the cops are after me…I’ve been attacked by a shark…it’s just not a good time.” Clemenza lets him go…OR SO IT SEEMS! (duh duh DUH!!!)

In the meantime, the film reminds that there are sharks in Venice by showing one leap out of the water and snatch two lovers from the sidewalk! Man, that must have been one hungry shark. In a later scene one eats a gondola. An entire freaking gondola. I am so not kidding.

So, having turned down the gangster and with the cops breathing down his neck, Stevie B does the logical thing (logical to someone who willingly goes swimming in shark-infested waters while bleeding, that is): he goes sight-seeing with his girlfriend. He treats her to his vast knowledge of Venetian architecture and culture, “There’s a tower thingee…there’s another one.” I kid you not. Thankfully, his duties as a tour guide gets cut short when the gangster kidnaps his girlfriend and forces Stevie B to find his treasure. At first Stevie B tries to confront the gangster at his warehouse hideout, but he’s betrayed by Sofia who—duh duh DUH!—is on Clemenza’s payroll. “I should have known!” he murmurs (yeah, you say that a lot, don’t you Stevie B?) Oh, and on top of that we learn that the gangster has imported and raised Great Whites in the canals to prevent anyone from finding the treasure. Now, this plan would seem to have at least one major flaw in it—witness this whole movie—but hey, what do I know? Am I a shark-breeding gangster?

So with no choice, Stevie B goes back into the shark-infested waters with a couple of expendable henchmen (who must be really loyal employees). Okay, I’m bored now. Let’s speed thus up shall we? So some shark attacks, a sword fight by the treasure (really? We already have sharks, gangsters, and Crusader treasure, did we also need a sword-fight?) some explosions and then the cops come in to sort everything out. And the bad guy gets eaten by one his sharks, because…well, why wouldn’t he? Stevie B. lies to prtect the bad cop because she had a change of heart at the end (Xtreme turning the other cheek!), and agrees to keep quiet about the sharks in the canals (Xtreme…oh, wait, that’s just socially irresponsible since the damn things are eating whole gondolas now). And they go home. Never did find Dad. Oh well…

Okay, so Sharks in Venice. What have we learned?

1) Stevie B should not wear wetsuits, turtlenecks, or anything more form-fitting than those mumus Steven Seagal wears.

2) If you’re attacked by a shark and you make it to land, you probably shouldn’t try and outswin that same shark.

3) Likewise, if you’ve just told a gangster to go piss up a rope, you probably shouldn’t hang around sight-seeing.

4) The Venetian police will deny the presence of sharks even in the face of public gondola attacks.

5) Venice is not Bulgaria.

Undersea Internet cables 'could detect tsunamis'

seoforever — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:59:39 +0000

An Indian-origin researcher has proposed what he claims is a cheaper and effective way of detecting an approaching tsunami, by using undersea Internet cables to sense its electric field.

Monstrous tsunami waves, like the one that killed over 200,000 people in the Indian Ocean in 2004, create an electric field as they form. This field could be sensed by a network of underwater sensors which would be too expensive to build.

However, only five countries own such sensor arrays — the U.S., Australia, Indonesia, Chile and Thailand — partly due to the high cost of installation.

Now, Manoj Nair and his team at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S., have suggested the cheaper way of using the undersea telecommunications cables to detect tsunami’s electric field, the ‘New Scientist’ reported.

The electric filed is created as electrically charged salts in seawater pass through the Earth’s magnetic field.

Computer modelling by Nair’s team shows that the electric field generated by the tsunami that struck south-east Asia in 2004 induced voltages of up to 500 millivolts. Their calculations show this is big enough to be detected by volt-meters placed at the end of the fibre-optic and copper cables that carpet the floor of the Indian Ocean.

Atlantis 2010 Summer Sets

Mariann Asanuma — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:00:23 +0000

Like I mentioned in my last post, all kinds of new sets are starting to be seen online. The next wave of Atlantis sets is already starting to come ashore. (Bad pun I know)

Atlantis 8076 Deep Sea Striker

Naga Warrior

Atlantis 8080 Undersea Explorer mouse-snake

Atlantis 8080 Undersea Explorer

The new minifigure looks cool, I’m not as sold on the new sets themselves, they seem to look a lot like so many older sets with just a few new parts. I’m still hoping for an actual City of Atlantis type set. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Archaeologists Claim They've Found Lost City Of Atlantis (VIDEO) Huffington Post

Barbary Alan — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:13:17 +0000

barbary alan has shared a Huffington Post article with you:
Archaeologists Claim They’ve Found Lost City Of Atlantis (VIDEO)

- sent by barbary alan

Undersea archaeologists have found the ruins of an ancient city on the bottom of the Caribbean Sea, and researchers claim that it is the fabled and lost city of Atlantis. The satellite photos do show something that could be a city, and the researchers believe that what they’ve found would predate the pyramids of Egypt. Indeed they claim to be able to make out a pyramid and other city-like structures from the satellite photos.

The archaeologists have so far refused to divulge their identities or the location in the Caribbean. They say they are raising money for an expedition to confirm their findings.

Retro Review: Deep Blue Sea

soothsayer767 — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:03:00 +0000

What another shark movie? After four “Jaws” movies, we thought it was safe to go back in the water. Well this could be the movie that makes sharks scary again.

“Cliffhanger” and “Die Hard II” director Renny Harlin takes us to a top secret lab where a group of scientists are trying to harvest a “miracle serum” and save humanity from Alzheimer’s.

The only trick is that they have to extract it from a shark’s brain.

Okay, the plot is ludicrous at best but how it’s pulled off is quite a ride.

Echoing “Jaws”, “Aliens” and “Jurassic Park”, Harlin’s thrilling disaster movie with sharks really gets the adrenaline pumping and never looks back. The only question you ask yourself is “Ok, who’s gonna make it?” and that’s all you need to be captivated.

The visuals in this film make every “Jaws” movie look like the shark I used to play with in my bathtub. These sharks are phenomenal.

A standout performance has to be the new heroic portrayal of shark-wrangler “Carter Blake” played by newcomer Thomas James. A cross between Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford, James delivers us a hero not seen since “Indiana Jones” last jumped across the screen. The type of hero we like to jump out of our seats and cheer for.

As for the rest of the cast they sum up like this. Saffron Burrows plays the head scientist who thinks of nothing but her career even if half the people are dead.

Next, we have LL Cool J’s preaching cook who is there for comic relief. And finally we have billionaire Russell Franklin (Samuel L Jackson) who wants to shut the place down if the cure isn’t harvested during his visit.

But put these aside and the rest of the cast are never explored and should we say “lunch”.

4 out of 5

So Says the Soothesayer.

Google leads consortium for world's fastest internet cable

eideard — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:00:38 +0000

The Unity cable is part of another Google underseas consortium In little more than a decade, Google

Undersea world - Phuket - Thailand

madhavgopalkrish — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:20:09 +0000

undersea

New Deep Sea Creatures Discovered!

thegoldenboysaga — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:31:46 +0000

There’s only one thing that catches my interest more than space exploration and that is deep s

The Atlas Express

penchanteur — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:11:57 +0000

Sometime in the not-too-far future, a line is being drawn between London and New York. The line is actually a barrel, the barrel of a gun, and the bullet is a train. Not an overground train, nor an underground train, but an undersea train. Sections of sealed metal pipes are lay down in the deep atlantic mud by machines that resemble giant grey crabs, with windows as thick as doors, and claws that move the heavy tubes, slices of tubes as wide as suburban houses, into position on the seabed. The tunnel is lay down, sealed section by sealed section, and at the moment all parts are connected, the tunnel breathes a ghostly breath between New York and London. But the breath is abrupt – more like a gasp – as it is sealed tight again, and all the air sucked out, to make the under sea like the outer space; a lightless, airless tunnel that a vehicle can hover through on shifting magnetic fields, at speeds unkown to any other creatures of the deep.

Johnny, who was largely inactive if there wasn’t the promise of a wild ride around the corner, got a job on this hi-tech underwater worm. He liked to call it the underwater worm, and race his index finger across the table in the pub, under his beer glass (which represented the atlantic sea), then quickly up someone’s sleeve, hence demonstrating the Atlas Express’s magnificent speeds. The day when the Atlas was to make its first crossing, however, there were no worm-fingers; only the world’s press, police, prowess and nibbles. All around the walls of Waterloo station were 40 foot billboards featuring the high-pressure crab machines, their claws clutching around blueprints of the tunnel’s design. Johnny was standing on the squeeky station floor, serving doughy pancakes with syrup and bacon and champagne that sunday morning. The fizzy alcohol made his nostrils liven and flare. The drink was still swimming in his head from the night before, when he had been hiding behind the legs of strangers in a wobbly, blurry game of Leicester Square hide and seek. Today, with the the high roof, a hangover, and impending history, he felt a murky fire in his belly, excited and confused.

Miranda arrived with enough time to take three quick sips of the champagne that Johnny, grinning, gave her.

“I’ll be damned if you ain’t got space for a pancake too, miss”. He managed to grin all the way through saying this, which made it all the more authentic.

“Plenty of space, but no time. I’ll be in New York In a couple of hours. I can get one there, can’t I? Nice accent.”

“Tremendously nice meeting ya” Johnny called as she was trundled off by her fashion entourage. Miranda was a famous foot model – this Johnny didn’t know. Yet he noticed her ankles as she walked away. Refined, and so slender they almost made her look top heavy.

At the same time Johnny and Miranda are meeting in Waterloo, something that normally wouldn’t be quite so disastrous is happening in the middle of the sea. The rusty old floating junk yard The Betty Sue, which has been trudging across the Atlantic for thirty years shipping scrap metal to India, has not been well maintained. And now, simply due to age and leaks, she is sinking, and the crew are moaning and getting into their lifeboats.

Johnny packed up the table, flattened his white tie down onto his white shirt, and the champagne servers of the Atlas Express marched onto the back of the train.

An announcement rang out from the high ceilings of the station. King William spoke;

‘Ladies and gentlemen, may I welcome you here on this unforgettable day. America was a new world by boat, an ally by air, but today, the magnificent engineering of the Atlas Express will make New York as close as Paris, a veritable next door neighbour. We wish her godspeed on her supersonic two and a half hour voyage under the sea.’

Feeling slightly more religious as the train silently pulled away and moved across a blur of British countryside, Johnny thought up a new name for the train; Moses. He imagined the sea parting like silken hair as the God-driven speed of Moses brushed the water to either side, blazing a burning trail through the ocean all the way to the torch of liberty…

Into the tunnel. Time to wake up, start pouring the champagne into flutes. Walk down the carriage, deliver friendly facts. “Yep, we’re gliding! Two and a half centimetres above the tracks”. He indicates how much with his fingers. “Pulled along by the magnets”. “Top speed is nine hundred and… Umm…(damn. Jeff! How fast can we go?) Thats it, 926 miles an hour, which we’ll reach as we pass through the middle of the tunnel”. “Oh, about another 30 minutes”. “two and a half miles deep”. “No, mobile phones don’t work while we’re under the sea”. “No sir, no network will”.

All the junk metal cargo and the body of The Betty Sue is silently falling through the sea in one undisturbed mass. Down through deep green and blue, down where the light of the sun can only just scrape, down into cold velvet black water. Unseen, it is falling directly above the tunnel that sits on the sea-bed. And the mass of the steel and iron of The Betty Sue is clumped around the gigantic magnet used to move the scrap, and it is all falling, gracefully, until it comes to rest right beside the black pipeline, the magnetic levitation vaccuum tunnel, that snakes along the bottom of the impenetrable sea.

To travel so incredibly fast (926 miles an hour) and under such incredible circumstances (2 and a half miles under the sea) yet for your physical senses to be able to misinterpret your surroundings as the waiting room of the dentist is both a wonder of modern technology and the fault of the interior designer of the Atlas Express. Miranda feels strangely normal as she sinks into the comfort of the round, black cushioned seat. Half an hour into the journey, and she’s bored. She can’t feel the speed, and she needs to feel the speed. Luckily, she has some, in a wrap in her pocket, and so she strolls off to the toilet.

A minute and seven seconds later, Johnny and Jeff are moving further down the undersea Atlas Express with the champagne and canapees. Jeff has just pushed the trolley into the next carriage when Miranda opens the toilet door and starts walking to her seat. Johnny intercepts.

“Hi. I remember you.” He looks over his shoulder. “Umm, you won’t be able to get to your seat until, err, the trolley there…” at which point Miranda grabs Johnny by the shirt and pulls him back into the toilets, and soon has her lovely ankles wrapped around his waist.

It is of correlational significance that, throughout human history, as time spent getting from A to B has reduced in duration, so has the average act of love. Thus, as it only took just under an hour to get from London to the middle of the Atlantic sea, it follows that Johnny and Miranda only did it for approximately 12 seconds. It also follows that this wasn’t the fault of Johnny, nor was it the fault of Miranda, but of the speed they were travelling. More specifically, it was the fault of the magnetic disturbance caused by the slumping hulk of Betty Sue.

So, ironically, 11.5 seconds into their rampant lovemaking, Miranda accidentally pulls the orange Disabled Alarm Cord in the toilet, just a third of a second before the truly devastating emergency of the day occurs. The magnetic attraction of Betty Sue outside the London to New York tunnel is just enough to subtly pull the magnificently fast Atlas Express from its tracks, through the side of the beautifully engineered tunnel, and into the murky bottom of the Atlantic sea.

Because the tunnel was, before the accident, a decompressed vacuum, the new hole in its side gives it the opportunity to suck in all the seawater it can manage. This happens very quickly and violently, causing a giant whirlpool to form in the sea two and a half miles above the incident. Incidentally, the disembarked crew of the sunken Betty Sue are pulled in, lifeboats and all, just when they had stopped moaning and started to think they had made a lucky escape.

The seawater rushes through the collapsing tunnel in both directions, at incredible speeds that would rival the Atlas Express, were it still moving. The water forces its way through the two sealed entrances to the tunnel, one near the coast of Wales, and the other on Manhatten Island, creating a 100 metre diagonal fountain at each and an unexpected flooding for the gathered press and media. Even more devastating than this, however, are the tidal waves caused by the initial implosion of the tunnel. Four hours later, hundreds of thousands of people living in hundreds of coastal towns are given the life-threatening experience of being on the wrong side of a washing machine.

From the perspective of the ocean, the ever-present, ever-ancient, it just took a big sigh; made a massive yawn. It thinks, while laying back to rest, “I’m almost certain I didn’t have these stomach problems in my younger years”. At least for now though, it has got that bothersome little worm out of its belly.

Lingering on the Coast Line.

stationarypilgrim — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:51:41 +0000

Pilgrimage Statistics

Consecutive Days Riding: 12 Consecutive Days Blogging: 13

Today’s Mileage: 6 Total Trip Mileage: 123

I hope everyone got a chance to visit our first Pilgrimage site (click on tab at the top of the page if you did not). As I mount the stationary bike for today’s ride I have decided to ride further up the coast before we leave the Keys and head inland. I believe there is nothing wrong with lingering over a meaningful experience. We will of course get the opportunity to visit other coast lines in the future and other pilgrimage sites. But the first is important as it often sets the expectations for future visits.

I have dried out from the underwater leg of yesterday’s journey! My progress was slowed by the beautiful coral formations, and by the CAUTION FISH SCHOOL CROSSING signs! One of the benefits of a virtual trip is you don’t need expensive lessons and equipment to make it to the hard to get too places. I won’t be surprised to see us “take to the air” on future site visits!

I left my fellow travelers with three questions yesterday. I want to take the opportunity to share my thoughts on each. But first a disclaimer: In no way do I assume that my views hold more authority or truth than any other visitor’s to this site. These are my views and are shared with joy, as a gift, feel free to disagree with these views. Feel free to share your own!

With respect to the question about the significance of nature, any of you who have followed this Blog will know I find a great deal of meaning in my relationship with nature. It offers me beautiful and powerful images and experiences, which I in turn cherish and honor with poems, musings and artistic images. I will at times speak of nature the way others may speak of a deity. Nature also presents me with mysteries, dangerous situations, and challenges, much like a deity may for some people! Nature’s most precious gifts for me has been the Nature Mystical Experiences. I know some people experience the gifts of nature as blessings from a higher power. I experience nature as a higher power!

The second question asked about the significance of the Christ figure as a shrine. The use of Christ versus some other religious figure (Buddha, or Krishna) is easily understood as Christianity represents the predominate form of religious thought in Italy, where the statue originated, and in the US. I believe many people like to be reminded of and remind others of our relationship with the divine, this accounts for the popularity of road side crosses across much of the southeastern US. So this placement represents a public display of worship and faith. I also equate Christ’s posture, open arms and head turned skyward, as offers of comfort to anyone who might be in danger of “slipping below the surface,” anyone who might be in need of rescue. This posture, especially on land, could be seen as a plea to the “Heavenly Father” for mercy or help for those unfortunate individuals in need.

The third question concerned the possible significance of the placement of the shrine, miles off shore and under many feet of water. I believe this highlights an important aspect of many pilgrimages: they are in not easily accessible places. Of course in the modern world with air conditioned buses, planes, 4 wheel drive vehicles and GPS devices, the challenging and often daunting travel aspects of a pilgrimage have in many cases been turned into a detour or a tourist ride.

Given that the work of the pilgrimage journey was the struggle with roadblocks to be overcome, both external ones like deserts, mountains and raging rivers, and internal ones like doubts, misgivings and a loss of faith in the journey, one can argue roadside pilgrimages have robbed these journeys of real meaning. The irony of this statement is not lost on me, as I have taken on the task of leading myself and others on virtual pilgrimages where you don’t have to leave the safety of your home, office or even your bed.

This is where my pragmatic nature rises to the surface as I would argue that many of us have demands that can not be set aside to roam the world. As such I believe we should journey in whatever way we can, accepting the physical challenges have been removed, or replaced by a stationary bike ride. We should confront any and all internal/mental roadblocks we encounter. As a therapist I can tell you the most frightening and daunting hurtles most people face in their journey towards happiness, adjustment and maturity are in fact mental. Whether that be overcoming past trauma, facing one’s fears, letting go of negative feelings, or risking to care and love others.

So I believe that the Christ in the Deep site represents in some ways a return to the pilgrimages of old where they are more out of the way and presented the determined pilgrim with a physical challenge. Of course the cynical among us might argue that its placement was more of a business decision to promote the glass boat and scuba diving tourist industry.

Todays artwork included two of my own works. Entitled: “Beauty at your feet” and “Stain Glass Window – Amaryliss.”

The World's Weirdest Hotels

diggwhat — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:25:24 +0000

Weird Hotels: Propeller Island City Lodge On your next trip, you could be checking into a wine cask,

Secondhand Selections: Sphere by Michael Crichton

earthgbilly — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:23:20 +0000

Greetings, faithful readers, and welcome to another new feature here at The Steve Austin Book Club – Secondhand Selections!

What is Secondhand Selections? Recently, EG was in a thrift store (We’ve established he is cheap, right?), and came upon a shelf of books. As he started looking through the books, he noticed that there were several science fiction and fantasy books among the myriad of diet books, self-improvement books, and thirty-year-old textbooks.

Considering that the average paperback now rings in at $7.99 and up, the chance to pick up a couple of books for a dollar or less appealed to him!

And, thus was the seed of this feature planted!

The rules are simple – the books reviewed in this feature have to be purchased either at a resale shop (thrift store, Goodwill, whatever). It is a chance to prove that there is cheap, literary treasure out there to be had! Or, on the other hand, there is a chance that reading some of these books might also explain how they ended up abandoned to a resale shop.

Now, let’s get to it, with the very book that EG picked up on that day when the concept of this feature was born: Michael Chrichton’s Sphere!

This review was written with as few spoilers as I could manage and still give you, the reader, an idea of what the book was about. I’m pretty sure that you’ll be reasonably safe reading this review, but if you don’t want to know anything about the book, STOP NOW!!!

Overview:

In the middle of the South Pacific, a spacecraft is located near the bottom of the ocean floor, and, based on the surrounding environment, it has been there for at least 300 years. The ramifications of the find spur the U.S. Navy to proceed with a top secret plan written during the Carter Administration, titled “Recommendations for the Human Contact Team to Interact with Unknown Life Forms (ULF).” The author of that plan, psychologist Norman Johnson, is called in, along with mathematician Harry Adams, biochemist Beth Halpern, and astrophysicist Ted Fielding, as the civilian team to assist Captain Harold Barnes as they investigate the finding.

The team sets up shop one in an artificial underwater habitat, and soon begins exploring the mysterious ship that yields yields more questions than answers – such as, why are all the signs on the ship in English?

In the exploration of the ship, the team locates a large, perfectly polished silver sphere about 30 feet in diameter, and completely alien.

Approaching storms require the team to return to the surface, but, before they leave one of the team members does the unexpected… and enters the alien sphere.

Unable to evacuate, the team is stuck as the storms come and they are cut off from the surface world until the weather clears. Eventually, the team member that entered the sphere comes out of it.

And, that is when things start to get really interesting, as an unknown entity begins to contact them.

Review:

I have to admit something – I saw the movie Sphere in the theater in 1998. And, I have not thought of it since then, other than to think, “Well, that was a waste of money.”

In that case, why did I pick up this book? We all know that, generally speaking, books tend to be far superior to the films made of them. I’m not knocking film, it is just really difficult to transform a tapestry woven over 300 pages or so into a 90-minute film. As a result, a lot is lost… or changed.

Sometimes, the film can be pretty good as well, and then you seek out the book, which is what I did with a little art film titled Jurassic Park.

I liked the movie, and a lot of people told me I should read the book, because it was even better.

So I did. I read the book, and it was great. It was also different from the movie.

When I came across Sphere at the thrift shop, my immediate thought was, “blech!” Then, I realized two things: My feelings were based entirely on the film, and Sphere was written by Michael Crichton, who also happened to write Jurassic Park. Based on that, I decided to give the book a chance.

The book is, overall, a page turner. Crichton knew how to connect with the reader, as proven in his other books, and it is no different here. It also picks up speed as it goes along, until the reader is nearly racing toward the end. (That’s something I really like to feel in books.)

Despite some pretty “out there” concepts of science (and, by “out there” I mean both complicated and suspect), the book was accessible throughout, due in a great part to choosing as the main character Norman Johnson, a non-scientist that asks the questions that the reader has almost as quickly as the reader comes up with them.

Sadly, the other characters in the book tend to be one of two options – two-dimensional or non-existant. The other members of the team recieve the two-dimensional fill out in characterization, while other characters seem to simply be until they are no more. I can’t say for sure if this was by design, so that the reader latches onto Norman even more, but it does tend to make some of the dramatic moments of the book less impactful, because we don’t have an attachment to other characters.

The action sequences are well-built throughout the book, and do have that sense of urgency needed to drive the reader forward. Thankfully, it is written so that the reader doesn’t get too hung up along the way with techno-babble. I’ve read some books that get focus on that so much that you feel like you are reading a technical manual!

There are, though, some massive lapses in common sense that pop up throughout the book. As an example, when the characters worry about running out of air in the habitat waiting for the storms to abate, I immediately found myself asking why they wouldn’t go over to the spacecraft, which had already been shown to be able to support them.

Another problem is that there are some unexplained jumps in logic that are made. Toward the end of the book, there is a character that, despite having been unconscious for more than 12 hours, seems to be completely up to speed on what is going on upon waking, leaving the reader going, “huh?”

I think the biggest disappointment with the book is the ending, which is a little too simple, almost trite, in how it ties up all the loose ends. In that regard, the reader is left unsatisfied.

I don’t mean to be hard on the book. It isn’t bad, it really isn’t, and it is very exciting at times. And, trust me, it is sooooo much better than the movie. It just wasn’t as good as I wish it had been.

For that reason, I’m giving the book a solid two and a half Running Steves.

And, maybe, since I haven’t seen the movie in eleven years, maybe I’ll watch that again and let you know how I feel about it in more detail sometime!

The first victim is...

Turkguy19 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:07:49 +0000

Have you ever looked at a MOC and wondered how the hell it could actually be what the creator is saying it is? Well, I did that with this MOC by Flickr user NewRight. He claims that this MOC is suppose to be an “undersea” MOC. Now, look at it closely…have you done it yet? OK, now that you have looked, tell me what exactly makes that underwater. You say the black Underwater Scooter makes it underwater? Well, I say you are a fraking moron. Just because you put a piece in that is suppose to be underwater, doesn’t make it automatically underwater. That’s like saying just because a MOC has brown in it, it’s automatically Steampunk (by the way, it’s not).

The lack of anything that really shouts underwater is a real detriment to this MOC. You want it to be underwater, show us that. Don’t expect the onlookers to know what is going on in your small brain. Right now, I look at that and see a rough planet surface, which, I hate to admit, would have made this MOC good. However, because of the claim of underwater origins, this MOC fails on a level so high, I can’t even see it.

Word of advice, actually try to portray what you are stating a MOC is supposed to be instead of just randomly tacking on a designation after you have uploaded your pics to Flickr.

Guilty Pleasures: "Deep Blue Sea"

GunMonkey — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:33:58 +0000

1999 was a banner year for exceedingly-watchable films. You have your not-so-terrible ones (Blair Witch Project), your bad ones that you can’t escape (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Austin Powers 2: Let’s Exterminate All Traces of Joy from this Franchise), and then are the ones so bad, they can only be described as Guilty Pleasures. Wing Commander falls into this category, and that should be enough. But due to some weird confluence of factors—sunspots, planetary alignment, the Age of Aquarius, the eve of the new millennium…Whatever it was, it gave us another great, bad movie. And that movie is Deep Blue Sea. Or as I like to think of it, Jaws Takes HGH. We have genetically-engineered sharks capable, apparently, of advanced mechanical engineering, and humans who (on evidence) are barely capable of using their opposable thumbs. We have wanton violence and sadistic deaths. We have Samuel L. Jackson overacting when he’s not underacting. We have an utter disregard for the laws of physics. We have Saffron Burrows in lingerie. No, please, no more! I’m only human! Let’s run down the reasons I love this film, shall we? Yes, we shall!

The sharks unbelievably ingenious and convoluted plan: Okay, so the sharks want to escape their pens, but the walls are titanium fences. The tops of the fences above the water, however, are simple steel. So they 1) maim one of the scientists (waiting to do it during a tropical storm), necessitating a helicopter medevac, 2) somehow sabotage the helo’s winch, so the litter falls into the drink, 3) grab said litter in their powerful jaws and throw it at the underwater viewing window, causing the facility to flood, while 4) dragging the helo into the base’s superstructure causing a catastrophic fire that makes the base sink low enough for them to punch through the steel portion of the fence. Holy fuck, those sharks are smart. And while they were at it they read up on Coast Guard evacuation procedures, the engine torque of a Bell 214 helicopter, and the construction plans of the base. Goddamn. Those are Mensa sharks.

The sharks themselves: So, we need living (for some reason or other) sharks to harvest the brain-stuff for the Alzheimer’s experiments. Okay, so which sharks do we decide to genetically engineer to grow four times their normal size and develop the brain-power of a Fermilab scientist? Do we choose the gentle whale shark, which feeds on plankton? Nah, let’s go for the hyper-aggressive and predatory mako shark. Sure. Nothing can go wrong with that plan.

The Attacks: Yeah, the shark in Jaws messed up Robert Shaw pretty good, but these sharks obviously endeavored to outdo ol’ Bruce (named after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer…fun trivia fact you can trot out at parties, no need to thank me). They don’t just eat people, they royally fuck them up! Aside from using Stellan Skarsgard as a human wrecking ball, they tear Samuel L. to pieces (after the most hilarious animal attack scene ever committed to film), gobble the whiney chick in front of her friends just to demoralize them, and—my fave—ram Michael Rapaport into a circuit panel and electrocute him before chewing him up. Now, that last one just seems sadistic, but maybe that shark likes his idiot-human served medium well. Or maybe he just wanted to electrocute Michael Rapaport. I know I certainly do most days.

People of action: As the massive viewing window separating the lab from the ocean begins to crack and spiderweb, the scientists—who, presumably know a thing or two about what happens when your underwater windows break—just stare, dumbfounded. Finally, Samuel L. says calmly, “Okay, people, let’s head for the doors.” As opposed to the reasonable thing, which would be, “Holy, fucking shit! Get out of my way! I am not dying because I tripped over one of you whack-a-doo scientists!”

Stellan Skarsgard: The dude’s great in anything, but he’s extra great here, mopey and surly, and delivering every line reading as if he’s mentally appending so suck my dick at the end of it. Example: “No, for six-point-oh-three seconds you saw what it was like not to be damned! (So suck my dick)” And really, who can blame him? His great performance in Insomnia was barely seen by US audiences, and in 1999 the movie was being remade with Al Pacino, while his big Hollywood break was playing a huge CGI shark’s human battering ram (so suck my dick).

Saffron Burrows: Yes, I know some people think she looks like an enormous, British praying mantis, but she has that mixture of iciness and vulnerability that’s just catnip to me. Oh, Saffron, if you’re reading this, I know not from whence your pain comes, but let me melt that chilly exterior with a gift of a stuffed Doremon; then we can make love and then watch Casino Royale—most romantic of the 007 oeuvre.

L.L. Cool J. A shark tries to cook him in an oven. I kid you not.

Samuel L. Jackson becomes Caucasian: When the sharks are shown gobbling him down, his CGI avatar is clearly a white dude. How do you screw that up?

Gratuitous skin: When my lovely Saffron goes back to her lab to retrieve her data (stored on a bunch of ZipDisks—remember those?) she has to electrocute one of the sharks. She insulates herself from the current by stripping off her wetsuit and standing on it. Because a saturated neoprene garment will most certainly not conduct electricity.

Incomprehensible dialogue: Oh, it’s not just bad. Not lazy like, “Look out for the shark!” These people talk as if they’ve never heard a real human being speak before. Some examples:

“If they bite ya, it’s because they think you’re a fat, little seal. Or a rich suit.” Huh. Dude, that doesn’t make sense.

“Beneath its glassy surface, a world of gliding monsters.” You know quoting the introduction from any random Shark Week episode does not make you sound smarter. Just crazier.

[On how a shark got a license plate stuck in its teeth] “I’m thinking he was bought in a pet shop in Baton Rogue. Ate everything in his fishtank, then ate the guy that bought him. Next day he fills up the cab of the guy’s truck with water and drives himself down to Baja, picking bones out of his teeth with the license plate.” What? Seriously, dude, you make no fucking sense…

“Sharks are the oldest creatures on the planet…from a time when the world was just flesh and teeth.” Wait? Jessica Simpsons once ruled the planet? Which era was that?

“Get me out of here! I don’t want to die!” Oh, you don’t want to die…my mistake then.

“Exactly how many sticks of dynamite have to go off in your ears before you start thinking clearly?” Sticks of…do you even formulate sentences or do have some weird kind of Tourettes?

Ah, Deep Blue Sea. If a movie could actually cause stupidity, the CDC would have burned this movie and salted the earth upon which it dwelt. But it can’t, so I will continue to watch you every time you show up on cable. You know, unless Wing Commander is on.

Morphin'

Kat — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:24:12 +0000

I’ve started on the third piece.
It’s turning out to be a bit difficult, with it being on Ingres paper and the leads being broken in most of my pencils, it seems.

Heliconia progress

I know how I’m doing it, so that’s not the source of my procrastination. It’s just the grain… and the pencils… and I’m tired a lot lately (I must be sick)… and I’m not used to working on such a coloured ground. Usually I just work on cream, smooth paper, and so this is a lot different!

And something cute that I’ve seen a lot on tv here lately. Everytime I see this advert, everytime I hear this song, it gets stuck in my head for days.

The song is White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes.

Migaloo!

Oh, and Migaloo was spotted up this way last week. I hope that the Japanese stop whaling soon – it’s so stupid. I highly doubt that they’re even doing it for research. Just sick.

IN FONDO AL MARE -rooms-!

chiaracat — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:51:55 +0000

Ancora non ho sistemato la mia…ma qui ci sono un sacco di stanzette sottomarine molto carine:

Mermaid & friends

mamamin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:29:43 +0000

Princess Jodie had a pink castle cake last year. For her 5th birthday, she asked for an Ariel cake

For pricing or to order cakes or cupcakes, please contact Mama Min. Naughty cakes featured here. Cakes/Cupcakes with special requirements, eg, reduced sugar & fat, vegetarian, available upon request.

Eat Out, Deep In Tuna

Enrique Enfuego — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:34:38 +0000

When you plan your trip to the Maldives, be sure to reserve a table at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. This unique dining experience is sure to get your date wet, while managing to remain dry.

This guy knows what I’m talking about.

Enfuego.

Eat, Tweet, Rocksoft. Visit our Twitter

Kenya: Undersea cable finally launched

motrabroconsultants — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:28:48 +0000

AfricaNews The long-awaited East African Marine System (TEAMS) fibre optic undersea cable, expected

Klin Wara - PNG's Wonders Of The Deep

Emmanuel — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:07:58 +0000

Join underwater adventurer John Boyle in Papua New Guinea as he visits an ocean where huge shoals of

Namor #1

guuthulhu — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:25:22 +0000

Jun 2003 | Marvel

Story: Bill Jemas
Writing: Andi Watson
Pencils: Salvador Larroca
Ink: Danny Miki
Colours: JD Smith
Letters: Randy Gentile

Namor is the Prince of Atlantis who, as a child, ventures upon a local populated beach. There he meets a girl and spends time playing with her, unafraid to hide his culture. Now, much older, he finds himself struggling to prove himself among his people.

This wasn’t a bad issue, but it didn’t really spark anything. I’ve always loved undersea settings and adventures, particularly Fathom, and that was the sole reason I got into this series. Had I know this would be another Little Mermaid saga, but with a boy, I would never have picked this up.

All things considered, It had a decent enough beginning showing Namor’s childhood and then switching to the present to find nothing much had changed. But like most previews go, it’s just a little taste and setup to try and draw in readers. Only this one failed.

The setting is almost enough for me to continue, but I don’t particularly like Namor’s character in this issue. He’s still the brat he was when he was small. The fact his family doesn’t seem to treat him any differently now that’s he old enough to be considered a man, it’s no wonder why he hasn’t changed. I’m only slightly interested in seeing how he develops and where the story goes. I’m not expecting anything spectacular, though.

Ultimately, my continuation of this series relies on my finding the issues extremely cheap, or finding a TPB at the library.

SELF- CATERING HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION IN MAURITIUS

llewelyn — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:51:12 +0000

For More Information or to Make a Reservation:

Email aaaltd@live.co.uk

Phone/Text Anita (2 direct lines) +230 93 19 727 / 45 20 769

Please note: All current rental rates are stated in per person per night 2 people sharing (p.p.p.n.) and in per apartment per night (p.a.p.n.) at maximum occupancy. Children ½ price. Prices are at owner’s discretion and vary according to season and group size. Terms and Conditions apply on booking. Minimum rental 5 nights.

GUEST BOOK

At first I thought this was too good to be true but it wasn’t!
Brilliant!
Best holiday ever!
Coming again!
Thank you so much Anita’s Affordable Apartments. Gail, Cardiff

We will be definitely using Anitas Affordable Apartments again. Thank you! Mr & Mrs Thomas, Wales

We had a brilliant time and it was great value for money. Mr & Mrs Leonard, Teeside

We loved the great variety of things to see and do. For a small island. there really is something for everybody. Feel like we’ve only touched the surface of the culture, lots more to find out next year! Peter and Jean, London

Africa, Mauritius, Travel_and_Tourism, Lodging, Vacation_Rentals,

HOW TO GET THERE:

Air Mauritius: daily non-stop flights from major cities worldwide. Other major airlines: Air France, Emirates, British Airways, South African Airways, Air Zimbabwe, Condor, Commair, Air Europe, Virgin; Budget airline – Air Seychelles; Airport Taxi Transfer arranged on request; Car Hire from airport and Flic En Flac also available.

THE LOCATIONS AND AREAS:

Flic En Flac is a great seaside destination with nothing better than a stroll along the beautiful tropical beach, one of the very best on the island, whilst enjoying a fruit cocktail – watch out for the red hot chilli sauce (optional extra,) or beach barbecue, or just marvelling at the exotic sega dancers with local musicians. The sunsets are absolutely stunning and the coral reef acts as a natural barrier for the calm waters of the blue lagoon.

Beautiful white, sandy, tropical beaches with coral lagoons, spectacular volcanic mountain scenery, tropical fauna and flora and an all-year-round sunny climate (annual temperatures varying from about 26 – 32 degrees C. ) make this an ideal location for just chilling out on the beach or under the filao trees, water sports, banana boat rides, scuba diving (training and qualifications available), snorkelling, fishing, boating, walking, horse riding, tennis, golf, enjoying the night life, sugar cane plantations, colonial history and great hospitality…the list seems endless and you’ll want to come back for more!

Grand Bay (Baie)

Grand Bay is a lively resort and a popular tourist destination situated on a picturesque horseshoe bay in the north of the island. A shopping and leisure paradise and the area where Mauritians head for when they want a fun-filled night out! All year round sun with temperatures varying from about 20-26 C March – November and 25 – 32 C December – February. The town is also the main departure point for trips by boat to the Northern Islands of Coin de Mire, Ile Plate and lot Gabriel. Local buses run between Port Louis (Capital) and Grand Bay every half hour during the day. Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens, near Port Louis is an unmissable day out. The gardens are one of the most visited attractions in Mauritius. Opened as a private garden by the French governor of Mauritius nearly 300 years ago, they served as a major horticultural research centre for the French and British during the colonial period. Today they are home to dozens of varieties of palm trees, as well as medicinal plants, fish ponds, and an amazing collection of Queen Victoria water lilies. Ile Au Cerf, a beautiful island located off the east coast of Mauritius, is also an easily reached from Grand Bay. The town was once a small fishing village but has now become the largest resort on the island.

Ocean Villa has the hottest location in Grand Baie, away from the crowd yet within easy reach. The private duplex beach bungalow (villa) is the ideal option for a group or family. The area is dotted with bars, restaurants and discotheques with beaches and water sports to enjoy. Grand Bay is the island’s main centre for yachting, water skiing, windsurfing and numerous other water sport activities including submarine trips. The beautiful La Cuvette beach offers diving, glass-bottomed boat trips and undersea walks. Boat trips to the Northern Islands of Coin de Mire, Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel are available from here. South of Grand Bay, the northern coastline beyond Tombeau Bay has many delightful beaches including Trou aux Biches with its splendid Hindu Temple. Further up the coast is Mon Choisy, one of the most popular beaches on the island, which offers water sports activities such as windsurfing and water skiing.

Cap Malheureux Villa and Studio only 5 minutes drive along the coast is registered with the Mauritius Tourism Authority. The place and surroundings are really nice nestled in a luxurious green, where shrubs of hibiscus offer a wide variety of colours. Not to forget the coconut trees and the bougainvillea all around the place! A very exotic, serene and calm place. The ideal location to rest while also enjoying the vibrant attractions of nearby Grand Bay. You will love being there. It’s so resting and peaceful and the sea is of a gorgeous turquoise. One can sit for hours and just admire the whole view that with the majestic Coin de Mire island.

When you leave the apartment and cross the main road to the beach – at barely 2 minutes walk you will have fabulous views. Main activities around are boating, fishing and going on trips to the Coin de Mire island (see photograph.) For catamaran trips, undersea walking, scuba diving, parasailing, water ski, etc it’s 5 minute drive away in Grand Baie.

HOW TO CONTACT US:

ENGLAND: Llewelyn aaaltd@live.co.uk (Anitas Affordable Apartments Ltd.)

MAURITIUS: Anita (2 direct lines) +230 93 19 727 / 45 20 769

MORE OPTIONS:

http://vacationrentalsmauritius.spaces.live.com/ http://apartmentsflicenflacmauritias.blogspot.com/

Africa, Mauritius, Travel_and_Tourism, Lodging, Vacation_Rentals,

MORE DETAILS IN PRICE ORDER:

UNDER £20 – basic budget no frills accommodation, bargain buy,

Ceris Studio Apartment with Pool Flic En Flac 1 bedroom self-catering apartment suitable for couple with baby with sea view and on-site swimming pool. Ideal for beach. Cross the coastal road and you’re there! Budget accommodation. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/ceris_studio_apartment_with_pool.html

From £9.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £19 (p.a.p.n.)

UNDER £30 – bargain buy, comfortable with a few frills

Beach Vacances 2 minutes walk to beach Sleeps 4 Modern air conditioned 2 double bedroom Apartment with balcony terrace Seaside, Flic En Flac Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

Further Details

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/beach_vacances_2_min_walk_to_beach_.html

From £6.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £26 (p.a.p.n.)

White Rose Apartment Sleeps 2 Flic En Flac Comfortable and elegant White Rose apartment 2 rooms with balcony in the heart of Flic En Flac village 2 mins walk to beach and convenient for Spa supermarket and shopping centre facilities. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 2 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/white_rose_apartment_sleeps_2_flic_en_flac_.html

From £13.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £27 (p.a.p.n.)

Budget En-suite double bedroom apartment with lounge, dining room, kitchen with cooker, fridge, TV, bathroom and balcony facing the sea. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe just across the road.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65218

From £14.00 (p.p.p.n.) / £28 (p.a.p.n.)

Nenuphar Studios Sleeps 2 with Swimming Pool, air cond with swimming pool, terrace, garden, living room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, tennis court, garage and security, 3 mins from beach. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 6 minutes walk. parking spaces and security is also available. The studio consists of T.V. Air-conditioned, washing machine and a fully equipped kitchen. Accommodation for 2 persons and 1 child. 1 Min walk to the beach.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/nenuphar_apartment.html

From £14.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £29 per night (p.a.p.n.)

UNDER £40 – bargain cosy and comfortable accommodation

Beautiful Sables Rose Apartment Sleeps 2 with Sea View 1 min from Flic En Flac tropical beach and warm coral lagoon 2 double rooms with maid services and cleaning. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/sables_rose_sleeps_2_with_sea_view.html

From £15.00 (p.p.p.n.) / £30 (p.a.p.n.)

White Rose Apartment Sleeps 4 Flic En Flac Comfortable and elegant White Rose apartment 2 rooms with balcony sleeps 4 in the heart of Flic En Flac village 2 mins walk to beach and convenient for Spa supermarket and shopping centre facilities. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 2 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/white_rose_apartment_sleeps_4_flic_en_flac.html

From £9.60 (p.p.p.n.) / £35 (p.a.p.n.)

Residence Normadie Villa (four 2/3 bedroom apartments) Self-catering fully furnished sleeps 4-6 well-equipped air- conditioned apartments Flic En Flac SW Mauritius only three minutes walk from the beautiful beach and coral lagoon. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/residence_normadie_apartment.html

From £8.75 (p.p.p.n.) / £35 (p.a.p.n.)

Ceris Apartment 3 bedroom self-catering apartments with sea view and swimming pool. Ideal for the beach. Cross the coastal road and your there! Swimming pool onsite and a good restaurant, shops, Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 2 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/ceris_apartment_with_pool.html

From £5.83 (p.p.p.n.) / £35 (p.a.p.n.)

Nenuphar Villa with swimming pool Sleeps 6 air conditioning with swimming pool, terrace, garden, living room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, tennis court, garage and security, 3 mins from beach. T.V, Air-conditioned, washing machine and a fully equipped kitchen. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 6 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/nenuphar_apartment.html

From £5.83 (p.p.p.n.) / £35 (p.a.p.n.)

Flic En Flac Seaside Luxury En-Suite Ground Floor Studio Beautiful intimate apartment highly sought after sleeps 2 and only 2 mins to beach 10 mins stroll for Spa supermarket, shopping centre, main facilities in Flic En Flac. Internet access available.

Further details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/flic_en_flac_seaside_luxury_ensuite_ground_floor_studio_apartment.html

From £18 (p.p.p.n.) / £36 (p.a.p.n.)

Holiday Studio Apartment with swimming pool and very close to the beach.1st Floor: Living room with dining area and a front terrace. TV and fully equipped kitchen with microwave 2nd Floor: Double Bedroom, bathroom with shower & toilette and balcony. Total of 18 apartments, each has a fully furnished kitchenette with gas cooker, microwave, fridge, necessary utensils, electric kettles and living room with television and two canapé styled sofas, on which two children or one adult can sleep. The top floor consists of an air-conditioned bedroom, balcony, toilet and bathroom with hot and cold shower. The access to the tropical beach is just on the other side of the road. Many restaurants, shops and bars nearby and within 10 minutes walk. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 8 minutes walk. Additional facilities: Parking, Laundry services, Daily maid services

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65234

From £12.30 (p.p.p.n.) / £37 (p.a.p.n.)

UNDER £45 – great bargain buy

Brand New (March 2009) Self Catering Apartment in Flic En Flac with swimming pool jacuzzi sea view garden sleeps 6 fully furnished new fittings balcony 2 bathrooms inc. 2 showers towels bed linen provided.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/brand_new_self_catering_apartment.html

From £10 (p.p.p.n.) / £40 (p.a.p.n.)

Budget Beach Apartment 2-3 Bedrooms with sitting room, TV, bathroom and toilet, kitchen and a balcony facing the sea. Sleeps 3-6. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe across the road.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65217

From £10 (p.p.p.n.) / £40 (p.a.p.n.)

Palmier Villa, beautiful ground-floor apartment, Sleeps 6, beach 2 minutes walk, with swimming pool in small complex so there is more space and bigger garden.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/palmier_villa.html

From £10.00 (p.p.p.n.) / £40 (p.a.p.n.)

Sable Rose apartment sleeps 4 with sea view , Flic En Flac. Comfortable and cozy and close to Flic En Flac’s beach convenient for shops with fully equipped kitchen, lounge, dining and two bedrooms have air conditioning in master bedroom and fan in other room. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/sables_rose_sleeps_4_with_sea_view.html

From £9.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £40 (p.a.p.n.)

White Rose Apartment Sleeps 6 Flic En Flac Comfortable and elegant White Rose apartment 3 rooms with balcony sleeps 6 in the heart of Flic En Flac village 2 mins walk to beach and convenient for Spa supermarket and shopping centre facilities. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/white_rose_apartment_sleeps_6_flic_en_flac.html

From £7.16 (p.p.p.n.) / £43 (p.a.p.n.)

UNDER £50 – very good value

Ar Rayyan Villa Bed and Breakfast Flic En Flac Great Value! Great Savings! Bed & Breakfast from £16 per day 50 metres beach sleeps 3 Plunge Pool air conditioning satellite t.v. free mini bar 1/2 and Full board available.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/b&b/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/ar_rayyan_villa_b&b.html

From £15.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £45 (p.a.p.n.)

Datier Villa with magnificent pool sleeps 4 – 6 in high class resort only 300m away from one of the finest beaches on the West Coast of the island in Flic en Flac. Mature landscaped garden, mini gym, tennis court. Security services 24 hrs. 2 bathrooms. Internet facility available by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65216

From £9.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £45 (p.a.p.n.)

Anju Villa with pool, Flic En Flac 2 minutes walk to beach, Sleeps 6, with swimming pool, in the homely Montagu Complex 14 villas. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 8 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65178

From £8.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £45 (p.a.p.n.)

Mon Choisy bungalow 5 minutes from Grand Bay, 500 metres to beach with good security has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, two balconies, dining room, lounge etc. Two Rooms are air- conditioned and one room has a ceiling fan. You have cooking facility, fridge, microwave, tv etc. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe in Grand Bay. Unfortunately, we do not have any pictures nor website for this property. From £7.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £45 (p.a.p.n.)

UNDER £55 – great value

Flic En Flac Seaside Apartment with Sea View Sleeps 6 Comfortable and tastefully decorated modern first floor apartment built 2004 with 3 double bed rooms and balcony. Broadband Internet access available. 2 mins. beach and 10 mins. walk Shopping Centre.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/flic_en_flac/flic_en_flac_seaside_apartment_with_sea_view_sleeps_6.html

From £8.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £50 (p.a.p.n.)

Villa Latanier highly sought after, luxurious, air-conditioned apartment with big Swimming pool and a babies / toddler area. Sleeps up to 5 people in three bedrooms, 1 bathroom in purpose-built complex with pool, 24 Hour security service. Internet cafe 9 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/47773

From £8.33 (p.p.p.n.) / £50 (p.a.p.n.)

Budget Bed And Breakfast Grand Bay Double room with fridge, TV, air-conditioner, bath, hot water. The apartments overlook Grand Bay Beach and are right in the heart of the touristique town. Internet cafe 7 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/b&b/africa/mauritius/grand_bay/budget_bed_and_breakfast.html

From £12.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £50 (p.a.p.n.) for two people sharing breakfast inclusive

Indian Ocean Villas, Grand Bay (Baie) Double Bedroom Studio Apartments in main house between coastal rd and sea Sleeps 2-3 with bathroom, kitchenette and balcony. Internet facility available by arrangement or internet cafe in Grand Bay.Larger studio apartments are also available with two rooms, kitchen, bathroom and balcony facing the sea. Hiring of cars, bicycles and boats is also available from this residence. 5 minutes walk to the seaside and centre of Grand Bay. Internet facility available by arrangement or internet cafe in Grand Bay.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/grand_bay/indian_ocean_villa.html

From £8.33 (p.p.p.n.) / £50 (p.a.p.n.)

UNDER £60 – excellent value

Ocean Villa right on the beach Grand Bay (Baie), Northern Coast, Mauritius beautiful duplex bungalow Sleeps 6 air conditioned in 3 star complex Ocean Villas, at best price because no extra management charges are incurred by the owner. Sheer luxury! A cozy and family atmosphere with private beach. Internet facility available by arrangement or public access nearby.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/grand-baie-bay/65215

From £9.16 (p.p.p.n.) / £55 (p.a.p.n.)

Tamier sleeps 7 air conditioned luxury apartment with beautiful gardens, big swimming pool, tennis court. Internet cafe 4 minutes walk. Le Tamier is one of the most luxurious self catering holiday complexes at Flic-en-Flac on the west coast of Mauritius. The complex consists of 39 villas and each villa has 4 bedrooms with balcony and the ground floor with a private terrace surrounded by a luxuriant garden with large swimming pool, tennis court and squash court. 2 bedrooms are air-conditioned and two are with fan. The kitchen is fully equipped and cleaning facilities are available twice per week. Security 24 hours. Parking spaces available. 2 Minutes walk to the beach.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65213

From £7.85 (p.p.p.n.) / £55 (p.a.p.n.)

Grenadier with big swimming pools good for children close to beach air-conditioned luxurious apartments, Flic En Flac Sleeps 6 in purpose-built complex with 24 hr security service. Internet facility available by arrangement or internet cafe 4 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65212

From £7.85 (p.p.p.n.) / £55 (p.a.p.n.)

Orchidees Villa luxurious, air-conditioned, sleeps 6, two swimming pools inc. babies / toddlers area, tennis court, landscape gardens small gym, purpose-built 2005 complex, 24 hour security service, optional maid service. Internet facility available by arrangement or internet cafe 10 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/52835

From £9.16 (p.p.p.n.) / £55 (p.a.p.n.)

Luxurious Cap Malheureux Studio 5 mins drive Grand Bay double bedroom well – equipped kitchen bathroom balcony opens up on the long swimming pool. When you leave the apartment and cross the main road to the beach – at barely 2 minutes walk you will see views shown on the Further Details below. Main activities around are boating, fishing and going on trips to the Coin de Mire island (see below.) .For catamaran trips, undersea walking, scuba diving, parasailing, water ski, etc it’s 5 minutes drive away in Grand Baie. Internet facility available.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/cap_malheureux/cap_malheureux_studio.html

From £27.50 (p.p.p.n.) / £55

Lis des Champs with swimming pool and brand new furniture for first occupancy.

Further Details:

High demand for the top accommodation of Lis des Champs, 3 air conditioned bedrooms en-suite. Only nine villas are on the Lis Des Champs complex with two for rent the others being for owners’ personal use. It is situated midway between les Orchidees and les Grenadiers. Internet facility available by arrangement or internet cafe 5 minutes walk.

From £9.16 (p.p.p.n.) / £55 (p.a.p.n.)

UNDER £70 – Brilliant value

Seaside Villa with swimming pool and sea view, cross the coastal road and you’re on the tropical beach! Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 9 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65993

From £10.83 (p.p.p.n.) / £65 (p.a.p.n.)

Seafront Villa with swimming pool and sea view Great location! Great value! Great savings! Sleeps 2-5 Well-equipped kitchen inc. microwave, fridge, washing machine, cooking utensils. Living room TV Hi-Fi system. Price inc daily maid service. Internet facility by arrangement or internet cafe 9 minutes walk.

Further Details:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/flic-en-flac/65234

From £10.83 (p.p.p.n.) / £65 (p.a.p.n.)

Indian Ocean Villas, Grand Bay (Baie) Duplex Bungalow Sleeps 6 and Double Bedroom Internet facility available by arrangement or internet cafe in Grand Bay.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/africa/mauritius/grand_bay/indian_ocean_villa.html

From £10.83 (p.p.p.n.) / £65 (p.a.p.n.)

Africa, Mauritius, Travel_and_Tourism, Lodging, Vacation_Rentals,

UNDER £80 – Hurry Up!

Cap Malheureux Villa, Village location 5 mins drive Grand Bay 2 bedrooms spacious kitchen dining and sitting rooms 2 bathrooms 2 toilets. Balcony opens up on the long swimming pool. Internet facility available by arrangement or public access nearby.

Further Details:

http://www.travel-library.com/villas/africa/mauritius/cap_malheureux/cap_malheureux_villa.html

From £19.75 (p.p.p.n.) / £79 (p.a.p.n.)

Africa, Mauritius, Travel_and_Tourism, Lodging, Vacation_Rentals,

http://vacationrentalsmur.multiply.com/

Marine Scientists Return from Expedition to Erupting Undersea Volcano

neosec — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:14:22 +0000

Scientists who have just returned from an expedition to an erupting undersea volcano near the Island of Guam report that the volcano appears to be continuously active, has grown considerably in size during the past three years, and its activity supports a unique biological community thriving despite the eruptions. Read the summary.