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This page is meant as a means to connect with others who share interests in some of the same leisure pursuits that I currently enjoy. It will be updated periodically with more information on other interesting topics of which I've had the pleasure to have been intrigued, and from which I hope to gain and share further knowledge and enjoyment.
Numismatics:
I collect coins and tokens from all over the world, and enjoy it for the entire process of collecting, the beauty and craftmanship of the pieces, the look and feel of all the different materials, and for the history they represent.
Swap List
Want List
Good Traders
Numismatic Links
Art:
Below is a list of a few of my favourite artists, in no special order. If you appreciate their work as well, let me know.
M.C. Escher
Istvan Orovitz
Salvador Dali
Leonardo Da Vinci
Rene Magritte
Sandro Del Prete
Jos de Mey
Oscar Reutersv�rd
Shigeo Fukuda
H.R. Giger
Kelly M. Houle
Dick Termes
Scott Kim
Rufus Butler Seder
Makoto Nakamura
Victor Acevedo
Books and Movies:
I enjoy both fiction and non-fiction in books, movies, and television. With non-fiction, I much prefer fact over opinion, and very much appreciate annotation and references. I enjoy fiction most when it is well written, takes me to some other time or place, and enlightens me on some aspect of the world at large, its inhabitants, or about myself. For this reason, science fiction and mystery adventure seem to end up on my shelves more than other genres, and the topics I seem to gravitate to most are time and mortality.
What I've been reading lately:
(October 2002)
'The Natural History of Love' by Morton M. Hunt (c)1959
It's a paperback I just had to read before I threw it away since it sounded interesting. Now that I'm finally reading it, I no longer think I will be disposing of it; it is just too well written and full of well documented historical observations and philosophies to throw away.
Here is a web page that contains some condensed information regarding the contents of the book, although it really doesn't capture the writing style or detail any of the scandalous true life references that make the book so enjoyable, but if you find the page the least bit interesting, you'll definitely enjoy the book:
The History of Love
(November 2002)
Here is a list of some of my favourite fiction writers, in no particular order. Some I enjoy for the writing, some for the ideas, some for both:
H.G. Wells
Jack Finney
Arthur C. Clarke
Stephen King
Anne Rice
Michael Crichton
Robin Cook
Clive Barker
Edgar Allen Poe
Kurt Vonnegut
John D. MacDonald
George Orwell
John Irving
Peter Benchley
Arthur Hailey
Movies of merit I've watched lately:
'Riding in Cars with Boys'
'Dragonfly'
'The Time Machine'
'Showtime'
'13 Days'
'Queen of the Damned'
Genealogy:
I've traced some of my family lines back 11 generations to the 17th century, and am always looking to go further back. I also research forward from my direct ancestors.
I'm currently using an old DOS program, circa 1990, called MyFamily, it works pretty well but is somewhat limited in ease of use and output, and I'm starting to encounter database errors. I have 1263 entries so far and piles of files still to enter, so I'm looking to develop a new system before I continue.
If you have a branch or even a twig of your family tree in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands, please contact me, perhaps we have data we can exchange.
Genetics:
This is a hobby of mine that I haven't really gone into other than to collect information and knowledge.
I've always been intrigued by DNA and the encoding within. Fossils are nice, but most are just "models" of the living things they represent, generally the genetic information has been replaced on the molecular level by minerals over time. Formaldehyde does the same thing, it allows you to look at something, even disect it, but the genetics on the molecular level are destroyed. Mummies have offered up some DNA but it depends on the level of mummification, some mummies are just dried out bones, and even those with skin can still have deteriorated enough that complete strands are difficult to obtain, especially if they've been overridden with bacteria, fungus, or other parasites. So I wondered about the best way to preserve DNA.
Awhile back I saw a program on television about the Tasmanian Tiger Cloning Project. They were talking about cloning these extinct marsupials and re-introducing them to the ecosystem they were once part of. Given that thylacines weren't exactly cuddly creatures from what I can gather, I'm not sure I agree with that idea, but what I did learn from that program is that DNA can be preserved intact for extended periods of time by storing genetic material in alcohol.
I think a DNA bank of all currently living species would be a fantastic resource and a great insurance policy against some catastrophic extinction event. Seed banks are an excellent idea as well. When you look at the diversity of life on this planet, and realize that they are still discovering previously unknown species all the time, I can't imagine that this has already been done to completion.
Here are some sites to get you thinking about your own DNA experiments:
How to Extract DNA from Anything Living
How To Extract DNA From Human Cheek Cells
Dogs:
Border Collies:
These dogs are very intelligent, very high energy, and very fun! They do have special needs, though, they need to work (or even better - play!) every day, so they are not for everyone, but for those who feel their pets are like children, they are a wonderful choice of breed.
Stay tuned for more information!
Crop Circles:
I used to think these were all complete frauds until I read the articles I have linked to below. Now I am not so sure. I have never actually seen a crop circle, fake or otherwise, but the evidence cited for there being some unknown natural phenomenon at work is intriguing, and so is the idea that perhaps they are hoaxes, but in a much more interesting way than generally believed. Let me know what you think after you read these articles, or for that matter, the whole website. Whatever the answer, the site is certainly entertaining!
So it's all done with planks and bits of string, is it?
Is sound creating crop circles? Page 2
The Crop Circle Diatonic Code and the Society for Psychical Research
The Great A&E and Discovery Channel Crop Circles Hoax
Wordplay:
Fun with words, whether it be the letters therein, or the meanings thereof, or whatever else you can think of!
Anagrams (Don't forget to check out the others too!)
Words and WordPlay
Last Updated - November 2002