Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Arthur Dent is a completely normal, though very unsuccessful, Englishman going through the motions of life as we all do; however, that is all about to change. In just a few hours, the Earth will be destroyed for seemingly no reason at all. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, written by Douglas Adams, follows Arthur as he attempts to fit in in the universe that destroyed his planet for a highway. His long time friend, and secretly Alien, Ford Prefect, saves Arthur and latches on to one of the enormous spaceships that incinerated Earth just seconds before hand. As they travel, Ford constantly refers back to the all holy guide of traveling spacemen, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which gives tips and information on how to survive the cold depths of space. As they travel, they meet up with the President of the Universe, Zaphod Beeblebrox, who with him has an acquaintance of Arthur's Tricia McMillan, and together, they travel the universe in search of the "Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything". Their quest ultimately leads them to a super computer with the answer. The answer is 42. This of course is no help without the original question, which the computer tells them is in another computer disguised as a planet. The computer then reveals that this planetoid was called Earth. In shock, Arthur is then kidnapped by two Earth mice who secretly are the original creators of Earth. Because Earth had finished formulating the question, Arthur's brain contained it. The mice attempt to kill Arthur and dissect his brain, but Ford and the gang escape with Arthur and decide they are hungry and set course for the "Restaurant at the End of the Universe". The mice, too lazy to build another earth and wait 10,000,000 years, make up the question, "How many roads must a man walk down?"

Do you think Adams was making a point when he made Earth a computer?

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Stacey Brown, a 16 year old Junior at Hillcrest Boarding School, is a hereditary Wiccan through her grandmother. Stacey wants to have a normal high school experience, but her junior year isn't easy. Not only does she have a crush on her best friend's boyfriend, she has a bigger secret, she has prophetic nightmares. Now she is having nightmares again, but this time they're about the death of her best friend and roommate, Drea. These nightmares cause her to wet the bed and this is extremely embarassing for her, and she tries to hide it from Drea. However, it is not the first time Stacey's had these prophetic nightmares. Three years ago, a girl she used to babysit, Maura, was murdered. Stacey had ignored her nightmares about the young girl's death and then Maura was killed, and now she is having those strange dreams again. One night Stacey, Drea and another friend Amber do a card reading in there dorm. To Stacey's horror Drea gets the card of death. However, she does not tell Drea that's what the card means. Then Drea begins to receive weird e-mails and freaky phone calls. Then to make things worse, someone starts to leave Drea white lilies, the same death lilies that have been showing up in Stacey's dreams. Another girl, Veronica, tells Stacey and Drea that she has been receiving the same emails and phone calls. Everyone just thinks its a game, but then Stacey finds Veronica dead in a classroom in the middle of the night. There are no witnesses, and no one has a perfect alibi. With everyone as a potential suspect, Stacey turns to the folk magic her grandmother taught her. As time is running out will Stacey be able to figure out Drea's stalker? You'll have to find out yourself =].
1). Do you believe in magic? Why do you feel this way?
2). What would you do if you could have stopped someones murder, but didn't?
3). What would you do if you were in Stacey's position?