The Winter Solstice is again upon we denizens of the Northern Hemisphere here on our beautiful home world. I posit that some satisfaction can be had in feeling at one with the cycling of the seasons. Tonight we can enjoy the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Nasa explains: “It’s been nearly 400 years since the planets passed this close to each other in the sky, and nearly 800 years since the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter occurred at night, as it will for 2020.” This is a rare spectacle to glimpse, reminding us of the immensity of time and the […]
astronomy
2 posts
Last night I watched Aleksei German’s HARD TO BE A GOD, a Russian film reminiscent of Tarkovsky, based on the sci-fi concept of Earth observers embedded on an Earth-like planet in its own middle ages during a time when the populace has decided to massacre anyone with talent, learning, artistic ability or intelligence. It is a truly horrific depiction of man as just another animal, brilliantly shot in black and white. At almost three hours and with a very vague, wandering plot, it is realized in such a way that you feel you are there, witnessing this lasting foulness of […]