Rugged Elegance, LLC: Rugged Elegant Prose

Wed, 04 Jun 2003 20:41:54 GMT

The Rugged Elegance Inspiration Network Is Moving! Due to the tremendous response we've gotten, we've decided to give The Rugged Elegance Inspiration Network site room to grow by moving it to a new, improved location: http://www.ruggedelegantliving.com Please re-set your bookmarks as all new posts will occur on the new site. As part of the move we are also transitioning to a Moveable Type content management system, which will allow us to add more editors while providing better search and categorization capabilities. Thank you your continued support. Growth is good. -Tim

Wed, 04 Jun 2003 00:56:26 GMT

Unfogging the Future: What to Look for in the Next Harry Potter Book Magazine:

After three knuckle-biting years of waiting for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, we finally have a date. On June 21, J.K. Rowling's latest dose of Harry, Hogwarts, Hermione and Hedwig will be delivered to millions of grateful readers. To help fill the gap between then and now, Book went to work, gathering every hint that's been dropped -- including surprising revelations by Rowling herself -- about what to expect in Book Five. Here's what we've divined.

Fri, 23 May 2003 18:53:27 GMT

Latest 'Harry Potter' Book Fastest Ever Seller Indiantelevision.com:

The boy wizard Harry Potter is growing from strength to strength. Online distributor Amazon.com has said that the latest installment in the Harry Potter book series has already become its fastest-selling new product ever, with more than 500,000 copies ordered in advance of the book's publication on 21 June.

Mon, 12 May 2003 17:57:36 GMT

Classic Prose -- Atlas Shruggedby Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged starts with the famous catch phrase: "Who is John Galt?" We found this fictional work to be not only a great story but, more importantly, an incredible exploration of socialism versus capitalism. Whatever your ideological bent, this classic is a must-read. The books encompasses 1075 pages but it is worth every one. Great summer reading. What's your review of "Atlas Shrugged?" -Tim

Sun, 27 Apr 2003 05:02:22 GMT

Lance Armstrong We admire Lance Armstrong for his determination to battle back from cancer to reach the pinnacle of his sport. He is an inspiration to all people. In Lance Armstrong's book, "It's Not About The Bike: My Journey Back to Life," he traces his journey from being nearly struck down by cancer, only to recover and win the Tour de France. Armstrong is a thoroughgoing Texas jock, and the changes brought to his life by his illness are startling and powerful, but he's just not interested in wearing a hero suit. His actions will melt the most hard-bitten souls: a cancer foundation and benefit bike ride, his astonishing commitment to training that got him past countless hurdles, loyalty to the people and corporations that never gave up on him. -Tim

Wed, 23 Apr 2003 20:05:30 GMT

Learning From History We are frightened of SARS and rightfully so. I think that it is instructive to learn from history, so I highly recommend a book by Gina Kolata entitled, Flu: The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic. This highly readable book chronicles the largely forgotten 1918 flu pandemic which killed between 20 and 40 million people on a worldwide basis then mysteriously disappeared. It is important to remember that SARS is not caused by an influenza virus but, nonetheless, much can be learned by reading this book. -Tim

Mon, 21 Apr 2003 08:07:11 GMT

From today's New York Times: As a Novel Rises Quickly, Book Industry Takes Note. "The success of "The Da Vinci Code" by a little-known writer, has caught the attention of an industry mired in a dismal retail economy. " In "The Da Vinci Code," clues to the murder are to be found in Leonardo da Vinci paintings, leading the protagonist Robert Langdon and his sidekick, the cryptologist Sophie Neveu, on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Sounds like great summer reading! -Tim

Fri, 11 Apr 2003 08:38:17 GMT

"If The Sun Dies"-- a book about the U.S. space program written by Oriana Fallaci in 1965. Fallaci, an Italian journalist, seeks out the answer to her father's question: "Why bother going to the moon?" Her father's position: "... we are made to live here. We need air to breathe, water to drink, we suffocate without air and water: so why go (to the moon)?" Fallaci interviews many astronauts and key space program movers including rocket pioneer Werner Van Braun, but the most eloquent answer comes from Ray Bradbury, the science fiction writer, who says that we should go to the moon: "For the same reason that makes us bring children into the world. Because we're afraid of death and darkness, and because we want to see our image reflected and perpetuated to immortality. We don't want to die, but death is there, and because it's there we give birth to children who'll give birth to other children and so on to infinity. And this way we are handed down to eternity. Don't let us forget this: that the Earth can die, explode, the Sun can go out, will go out. And if the Sun dies, if the Earth dies, if our race dies, then so will everything die that we have done up to that moment. Homer will die, Michelangelo will die, Galileo, Leonardo, Shakespeare, Einstein will die, all those will die who now are not dead because we are alive, we are thinking of them, we are carrying them within us. And then every single thing, every memory, will hurtle down into the void with us. So let us save them, let us save ourselves. Let us prepare ourselves to escape, to continue life and rebuild our cities on other planets: we shall not long be of this Earth! And if we really fear the darkness, if we really fight against it, then, for the good of all, let us take our rockets, let us get well used to the great cold and heat, the no water, the no oxygen, let us become Martians on Mars, Venusians on Venus, and when Mars and Venus die, let us go to the other solar systems, to Alpha Centauri, to wherever we manage to go, and let us forget the Earth. Let us forget our solar system and our body, the form it used to have, let us become no matter what, lichens, insects, balls of fire, no matter what, all that matters is that somehow life should continue, and the knowledge of what we were and what we did and learned: the knowledge of Homer and Michelangelo, of Galileo, Leonardo, Shakespeare, of Einstein! And the gift of life will continue." Every time we read this passage it sends chills down our spines. It makes us feel honored to be a part of this intellectual and cultural inheritance and it inspires us to somehow find a way to add to this endowment. As Fallaci says in her book: "So he said, father. And to me it sounded like a most beautiful prayer.... "