C. (Comment, never msg).’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2014)

C. (Comment, never msg).’s comments from the Gentle SPECTRUMS group.

There are wonderful points about which to have a conversation and we have hit upon them all, as of Leeanne's entry! Please share what your educational edition says about the actual centre of the Earth and what ground-penetrating radar or whatever seismic measuring was used, theorizes that we would find there. I will look for favourite passages to add at the end.

Even this anonymous 1871 translator made sure to transpose and interpret them unusually well, I should say. Complicated translations are handled with care. Colloquial language and common words tend to miss the mark, when one's first fluent language is not the output, target language. Like I remarked before, Leeanne's translator is English. He needed to know French fluently enough to interpret what Jules Vernes wrote but his output quality was masterful, to the full strength of his linguistic ability and familiarity. I am trilingual but couldn't do justice to French of Spanish. However, after I brushed up a good while, I could do well at putting things into correct and eloquent English. Do you know what I mean? I imagine you know some French, Leeanne?

Aw! I see a hummingbird across from this office window, suspended atop a hanging-basket on our other building's wall (called "the library" on the main side and "the workshop" on the end). He or she was drinking Lilliput Zinnias! Speaking of Lilliput, are you familiar with "Gulliver's Travels" and "Treasure Island"? I mentioned the awesome movie premise of "Journey 2" with Dwayne Johnson and Michael Cane; wherein a combination of those classic novels with Jules' "The Mysterious Island" join together to make a map of the same island. It makes me want to read all three! I likely have at least a kid's abridged version of the first two but only 3 others of Jules'.

We agree that waiting for a shadow's direction, for 2 weeks I believe because it was the end of August when they entered the centre path, was an unsuccessful plot. I think "Journey 1" made travel timing urgent due to lava flow, no doubt crafted for the movie. However as discussed, that makes no sense to all of those preserved landmarks, bones, and living plants, animals, and people. Not unless it specifically had to do with the Mediterranean section, if using the Italian active volcano exit.

Two things I ponder: Do you ladies think it was set to erupt, or did due to the explosion to remove the rockfall? Maybe they could have carved through with less gunpower? The film made that exit an emergency, as if they couldn't last underground any longer. But secondly: if not for blasting to explore further into the Earth's core, doesn't it seem a given in the novel that they had the option to exit the way they had come, or from some other place they would have found at the centre?

The Earth's core is an argument I have glimpsed in a review or two. I believe they can be considered to have reached, survived, and explored the wonders under the Earth and proved corrected, new scientific and biological realities. To put it colloquially, I propose they could say they had been there and be eligible for souvenir t-shirts, haha! Not getting the other 4000 km into the Earth doesn't detract from that. Should I say I didn't officially see England and Scotland, because I only had time to traverse a certain span of regions? They made it, proved it possible and beheld that other world, even though they didn't see everything or every avenue.

Finally, I disliked Hans so much I wanted to slap him and I see from Leeanne that his maddening "indifference" was not a poor translation of his demeanour. Was he any more loyal or helpful than any other third party should be? I think they could have hired any other third person, even though I agree that third woman or man power was needed and lifesaving. His description came across to me that he was loyal to anyone with the paycheque. Of course once on the journey, he wouldn't let a teammate be harmed. His survival was their survival but also, he was as decent as most humans ought to be, rather than the saint they called him.

Yes, Jules could have gotten Axel (since that is the intended character) on the trip without the professor looking presumptuous and Axel looking like a spineless follower. In the end, we three agree that he appreciated the journey most. I am glad the professor got to see it and instead of saying so of Hans; Axel and his uncle were both needed. They corrected and reassured each other at important points and based in the marvels together. Had they gone independently or with someone else, each would have been elated to rush home and tell the other what they beheld and witnessed. Giant people, animals, and plants still around? I loved that! If age is cited for Axel's uncle, I wonder why Axel did not go back to look further into the Earth core, knowing it is safe, as long as you avoid sea travel and volcano channels.

I Kerri! Is "The Motion Picture" not on Netflix? I think it is from 1980. But owning the lot is well worth it and there are many blu-ray or DVD sets locally and on-line; easy to obtain. I am happy you replied to this thread. I initiated the conversation a long time ago with a good starter summary that is easy to follow, I think.

I deem it a must to get a taste of the original William Shater / Leonard Nimoy cast first, to understand the reverance in which they are held by all series that follow. Their films are the best introduction for being briefer and quickly improving their filming technology from their 1960s show. You wouldn't want that to hamper your introduction of personalities who shine and become like friends with good reason.

Definitely don't start with the Chris Pine / Zachary Quinto casts. They are excellent and I am glad they are here to continue great characters, adventures, and inventions. But you don't want to be the person who doesn't picture the original Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Spock first and understand whom the current casts are remaking and whose missions other original captains are emulating.

I appreciate all the casts but Captain Katherine Janeway is a favourite for me, whose mission is to get home: unique among them all. She makes discoveries of places, civilizations, and life that is very literally light years away from everyone else due to her circumstances of being blown an 80-year distance from Earth.

"Voyager" developped the holodeck to the next level more than anyone. The last show to succeed them, called "Enterprise", was a prequel set before Captain Kirk's stewardship, having to appear less modern. Captain Janeway had a holographic doctor made into a permanent castmate in their predicament, a feature meant to serve a brief contingency.

Thank you Kerri! We are proud of Gabrielle in Manitoba and her writing and translation are devine. I will have a duplicate to gift or well when I find my original, the same as "The Joy Luck Club". Would you like to read Amy Tan's or Rob Lowe's book together next?

I am going to read "Where Nests The Water Hen" by Gabrielle Roy a few books from now. I couldn't find my copy of it or "The Joy Luck Club" but bought them at my favourite charity fundraiser. I will also read soon "Stories I Only Tell My Friends" by Rob Lowe. The nature of it makes it more suitable to discuss only in e-mail.

Also in "Groundhog Day", which I know by heart, is the high school principal from "The Goldbergs" and their even better spinoff, "Schooled"! It is more poignant than the comedic tone implies. And darn it, come to think of it, it is another film about how to use your time effectively in a type of "quarantine"; like taking piano lessons and making friends! Similar to the kids of the novel "Flowers In The Attic", Bill Murray's character also excels at flipping playing cards into a wastepaper basket.

Yes, we ought to rewatch "Journey 1: To The Centre Of The Earth". Ron & I caught "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" on the satellite dish, with Michael Caine and Dwayne Johnson. That is a Jules Verne novel I need to acquire, as well as an unabridged "Ten Thousand Leagues Under The Sea", the story I am most keen about. A connection is implied in the film between the island novels of three authors of the same period: "The Mysterious Island", "Treasure Island", and "Gulliver's Travels".

I enjoy proving to have a good eye for translating quality, thanks to your information, Kerri. A translator who is named is the way to go, or I would rather read Jules Verne in French! The translations of Winnipeg's own Gabrielle Roy are impeccable, no doubt with an English-speaker as the better choice for the output language, like the person behind Leeanne's copy. I will read "Where Nests The Water Hen" by Gabrielle soon.

I am disgusted to discover that Kerri & I had the worst translator! I don't have time to reread anything because my home is blessed with the equivalent of Kindle books in quantity. However, to find that the 1871 English version dared to rewrite things almost demands that I restart the book some other time.

I may have been mistaken about the temperature glitch because it would be true of the book as well as the film. Surely the space under the Earth does preserve a whole culture of life and artifacts. It must only be the passage back to the top under the Mediterranean, leading to an active volcano, where lava courses through. But I wonder what you ladies make of waiting for the shadow, that I believe is a glitch for needless drama. Surely a mark at the entrance or in Arne Sussemann's notes could say: "choose the middle entrance". Or as I wrote previously, surely people made their way into the right one without instructions.

I will highlight some passages another time to this being long. As Kerri likes Hans, I'm keen to get out of the way that I loathe him; sorry! Any third person good at building would have served them. I loathed him more with each description of being "indifferent". He didn't deserve to behold an unknown place of wonder, if unmoved by it! I resented him for only caring about following orders safely and receiving his pay; however loyal and helpful he was. It was more than being a kind of person who doesn't show what they feel on their face: the repeated specification was "indifference". I loathe lack of expression, colour, and preference.

I disliked the professor too, even though Leeanne, you are right that it was poignant to cry over the difficulty to his nephew. He is so bitchy and selfish; once again, we could have chosen anyone with his scientific interest and education to better appreciate the voyage. No different than tHans: he had no sentimental reactions to nor patience for anything, except when the journey and their discoveries went his way.

The nephew argued rightfully but went on too long. Harry / Axel did not willingly join the trip and considered it dangerous and untried. We know from those long passages in Germany that his uncle was stupid and immature about skipping meals, until he concluded something he was working on. Politely waiting for lunch is one thing in Germany. Harry / Axel could not allow him to be rash to their peril in the Earth's core.

I propose that of the three, he is the only one with the character to appreciate where they were fully. When there was anything cool to see, his excitement abounded and he had the scientific knowledge to assess it. Yes Leeanne, his imagination of prehistoric creatures was wonderful! It did come true, didn't it? I was confused when Hans clarified that only two sea monsters were fighting. However, they really did behold the whale and sturgeon fish on their way there, didn't they?

It was I who finished saying everything I wanted about "Anne Of Green Gables". I built places easier to track our other great, varied conversations. However, anyone is welcome to add more Lucy Maud Montgomery input.

Kerri, this "new" category is for you too but the "old" has the detailing for you to see. I itemized a simple way to dig into the series, via the original films. See you in the other topic, where I name them. :)

Leeanne, "by the way", I have been in Georgian Bay near Orillia. You get the reference: Gordon Lightfoot town! My brother's in-laws cottage around there. I explored some crevasses, a suspension bridge, and the Huron church. I am glad you had a lovely day. In our wild and literary conversations, I love the personal sharing.

I was just thinking of "Groundhog Day" because it is one of my favourite films. What I did not realize, is that a certain Schitt's Creek mayor was the cameraman in it; hard to recognize because he is sane. Chris Elliott again! I did recognize the puddle-stepping principal from "The Goldbergs" and "Schooled", as soon as I saw him in the sitcoms. :)

I am at chapter 37 too. If Leeanne reached the body of water, I want to quote my favourite passage: about such incredulous beauty and discovery that coining new human words is necessary. Jules wrote most of his profoundly well-said things around that chapter. This is the beauty I expect of "10,000 Leagues Under The Sea".

Jules kindly prepared me for what a league is: 1 x 3 miles or 1 x 5 1/2 kilometres. :) A league was created to estimate how far one can walk in an hour. We may be finished before we talk about what stands out for us. Feel free to lead. Scholastic Books has no art. It seems they wanted 1966 students to just plain read.

I had to sleep and also turn off the lights for Ron but am invested in the story. I sense no resemblance to what I recall of the film, do you? They entail action and wonderment, whereas books need to build up what characters do and how they feel. I think the film was about a son and Dad wanting to find out what happened to his Dad. It seemed there was only one safe time to enter and exit the Earth's core, which is why they burst in sled fashion, on a last trickle of liquid. In the novel, water abounds.

Precious gems are only observed once. They were an astonishing, fortunate film feature: the idea that bringing one nugget of any gem back would boost a life. I love the Jurassic park-like possibility of completing the picture of knowledge and witnessing what we only knew as fossils, right down to fish and plants. I wonder how the first film(s) covered this adventure. I love a place where things are left in peace to flourish or hold records for us. It is a flaw of Brendan's film, if his plot is that lava would cover the place periodically. It can't alternate between boiling and preserving wonders.

I conversely detect a weakness of the beginning of the novel. It seems like anyone could explore the core any time, if they knew which crater. Three openings are always there. You could explore the right one by chance or elimination.

The only urgency of timing came from the excuse that a shadow needed to illumine the right entrance. "Arne Sasseman" (add necessary letters) could have included "use the centre entrance" in his instructions. Speaking of them: surely it is easy to recognize mirror writing and see words backwards.

It isn't only for me! Anyone would wonder if butterflies were loose in the house, without the detail of an enclosure. It was not the caterpillars whom I imagined would get out and I did wonder if loose leaves were appealing enough. In my experience, most cats aren't interested in toxic plants but certainly caution is wise until you know your adoped kitty well. You might grow potted milkweed in the enclosure. Thank you for your details and information, Leeanne.

I got stung a 7th time, by a stray wasp in the house! These spots hurt the first night, then are awfully itchy for a few days. I am not known to be allergic to anything and imagine itchiness is normal for anyone. We did not care to kill them and he thought it might be harmful to them to wreck any part of a nest by moving it, or hazardous to us even possibly at night. I agreed to wait for fall.

Lately they are already quiet. Maybe they attacked during a period of hatching young. I am uncertain if they are gone or used to us but am glad. Rain finally seems on its way today! Thank goodness for our shared work with hoses and watering cans meanwhile.

Later this afternoon, the dear turkey family of two Moms and 9 poult children visited our home. They not only browsed for something to eat but relaxed here awhile. We love providing a place for turkeys as well as whitetailed deer and their fawns to be safe and free of being pestered or startled by dogs.

One poult chick got into "Garden #3". The precious little guy likely flew over the low fence and even though he was perusing happily on the other side of his family, I knew I had to help him out. Animals, including our kitties, aim for where they see the house or us but the door is in the middle of the east side.

The little guy was naturally afraid at my approach. But rather than letting him press his head against the fence too long and trying to calm him, I scooped him or her up and tossed him or her back to the family. He ran to hide but I am sure everyone else saw that I had helped their kin.

When they were ready to glide out of our domain, one lady yelled to the little guy to join them and he or she did. I am so glad I watch creatures to ensure they are okay. I feel no lack of being a human Mom, by caring for and guarding animal sweethearts.

I am 100 pages from the end, in chapter 31. Please feel free to propose any discussion up to here, pending the chapter Kerri has reached.

The nephew is "Harry" in my 1966 translation. I am not a fan of going by last names and blanked it out, if that is what "Axel" refers to. Yes, his uncle (oh, they gotta stop calling him "worthy" and "learned", right!) had a good idea in curing his fear of heights. You do need to climb up, before and after climbing down.

"Lofty" is another word my "unworthy translator" exceeded too much, LOL. Did he not know "high", "height", or "way up high"? It is clear to me that he knew French better than English, the reverse of me. I myself know French fluently enough to transpose what an author is saying into beautiful English but would not know French colloquial expressions well enough. There is a gorgeous passage I would love to share when I know everyone has arrived at it and I have an acquatic question as well.

You can tell he or she took care to get beautiful sentences and facts correct but did not know common phrases. "Seek for" instead of "seek" is a regular mistake and adding "for the purpose of" instead of simply stating the action verb. I am riveted and can't wait to see where they go next. I would love to have your version, Leeanne: where the translator deigned to be named, replete with Earth core and author information!

That is probably the right sentence. I am not concerned about knowing exactly who your translator is but your different version answers my question. Books are redone from time to time: good. Let us know if your translation seems clunky. My version is readable. It is mainly this uncle whom I find no reason to like. I hope we ditch him soon and that like the film, we follow the protagonist.

I got stung by wasps six times yesterday. They are under my back makeshift porch! We use four light plastic platforms with grids laid on the grass instead and they fly up through there. After one sting picking rhubarb, I got the second and third pulling out a platform to see where the wasp nest was. We would rather not kill them. I dressed myself up with rubber boots, a head net, and mitts and dug into a shovelful quickly, then ran to throw it in the forest. Number three was a light bite on my hand on the way back.

That one dig shows us where the main nest is and I would like to shovel it out at night. Ron wants to leave it for the summer and clear it out when the wasps exit it in the fall but I got the three worst bites sneaking to the side to pull a couple of weeds, before Ron put the grid back after he was home. I told him I don't want this threat.

If we wait until they are asleep and chop the back of a large root behind the nest, that should make it easy to scoop out, in a second motion if necessary. If they stay asleep we can make both moves, or wait another night to scoop out the nest. I don't mind working in stages and getting it done. But my right leg and ankle have had enough, thank you very much and I will be covered even at night. The pain is gone but I am itchy.

Let us know what the internet problem was, what kind you have, and how it was fixed. Trouble-shooting solutions are good to know as a future reference.

I am at chapter 9 in our novel. Things began to get interesting when they reached Iceland. Now the intrigue should be great. I did not like to hear about burning books because Iceland disliked someone's character and that seems like a flub. They are initially described as a people who love education and pass around books so much, that they don't see the library for years.

Is it clear to either of you, why the uncle sought this book? My copy appears to have no context to build interest. He suddenly has a book with a piece of paper inside, from this famed scientist. Was he the author, or merely the writer that paper?

There is a lot of information needed to understand the picture. It makes sense to ensure that Monarch caterpillars and their milkweed are protected and I would be wary of interrupting their process by moving them or their chrysallis, although I am glad you know what to do. I think I asked somewhere else what else they can eat but if not, that is a question we wonder.

At one time, you said their only predators are ants and didn't explain why you put chrysallis you find in your garden, onto a pail of grass on your porch. But whatever the reason, that seems a safe enough place from which to hatch.

Then you said you bring caterpillars inside and put them outside before they build a chrysallis. Do you grow milkweed indoors, or pick leaves for them? Do you estimate the number of days before caterpillars would build chrysallis?

Next, you write of chrysallis inside the house. We are missing details. Surely indoor chrysallis lay in an enclosure, so hatched Monarched are not lost in a house! If you explain these various details and decisions, I will get the picture. I sure do share in your excitement of seeing these babies being born and wish them God speed, on their trip!

I understand, Kerri. You are caught up on everything, except a nice orientation recap I made for you in the topic "Star Trek - Old". There is so much to talk about in shows and films that I have a "Star Trek - New" category too.

I have no doubt of loving this book but don't find the translation good. Perhaps it is because I know English and French, such as which expressions are screwed up but a few places would sound clunky to a plain English speaker too. Two observations occurred to me. I see that translations are best left to native speakers of the language receiving the translation. If French were the weaker language, as it is for us Anglophones; it suffices to understand what the writer was getting at and to make the output language superb. I sense that the translator of my 1966 copy was primarily French, grasping for an English output that is very readable but off in places.

Secondly: is it the same translation for all of us, or do others revise classics from time to time? I would be interested in knowing the chapter and paragraph of odd turns of phrase you find, just until we know if we have the same version. Also name the publisher and date of your editions. I know a little about translating. Skill or deficiency is nothing to do with the age of a book.

There is a word of which I have never heard! Does it mean a translator was fantastic in English, or is it the sign of using a dictionary and hitting upon never-used vocabulary? My Scholastic Books version gives no translator information, nor even the original publishing date and name. How about this adjective of page 9: "irrefragable proof"!

Thank you for that detail, Leeanne. I see it was not translated in English until 1871. Now for the original title, which I like to include in my reviews.... I am finished Clive Cussler's second novel. Set your engines to 1864, ladies! I am ready to begin: "Voyage Au Centre De La Terre"!

Yes, I figure we might as well start in a couple of days. You and Kerry have books in progress too. It took a long time to find the second volume of Clive Cussler's huge series. Then I found out he died just after I finished the first, in February.

I have a good feeling about Jules Verne too, Leeanne. Even better that a sneak preview tells you so for certain! It occurs to me that if he is French: are his classic works from French, translated into English and other languages?

Yes, Swallowtails are a beautiful yellow. I saw my first gorgeous Morning Cloak on a short hike in Ontario, whose name Ron told me. I believe I saw her at the same time as our second Monarch hastily hatched at home. It was like she was sending a message: "I am ready to go already and know you had wanted to see me". :)

I am sorry about flooding. I hope the debris is only tree branch type debris and no destruction. I love seagulls! I only see them in city parking lots or at a beach like we did in Ontario; both rare occasions for me. We still need rain. We got a little yesterday morning but not any that was expecting last night.

Thank goodness Ron bought a really good sprinkler and he is going to work with it right now. Our gardens are in different sections of our properties. He had watered two of the house flowerbeds last night and I do the flowerboxes, hangingbaskets, and herb pots by hand. I have transplanted Sumac Trees to baby too. The tadpoles and minnows were well watered yesterday, so we have time to use our hose with the sprinkler first this morning.

Kerri: you saw all updates, right? My main one is message #14, in which I mention getting to see a newborn Monarch butterfly! :)

I am finished "The Dog Who Rescues Cats": what an important story! I want to read "The Mediterranean Caper" right away and not only because it took a long time to obtain this sequel. I have learned that Clive Cussler died on February 25, days after I finished his first novel this year! It will mean a lot to jump into my perfect paperback acquistition. It is timely to polish off the two books each of you are reading.

I make progress on one book at a time and will likely finish the great true story "The Dog Who Rescues Cats" tonight. I am tired enough to get right to it, after a day trip and hike. I might be tempted to dive into "The Mediterranean Caper" afterwards. You see, Clive Cussler has millions of water books like those but to read Jules Verne's famous stories are few and special. I'll see how far I get. In the language of the author: I bid both of you bonne nuit et bonnes reves! ~Carolyn~