Phantom Hunter of The Fjords

What's worse than a shark? AN INVISIBLE ONE. The Phantom Hunter of The Fjords, or Etmopterus spinax, is a deep-water shark that employs special methods of seeking prey and hiding from predators by using a phenomenon known as counterillumination. Being able to fine-tweak light absorption, the shark goes through a complex chemical process that allows it to literally cloak it's silhouette. Little is known about this beast, apparently, IT'S INVISIBLE HALF THE TIME (This is an overstatement. thought the shark is practically invisible looking from below it, the shark is visible from a top view). Hey, at least we don't have invisible flying laser-shooting mega-sharks.

Interested? Get some sparse information here:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8F-4YWBJSM-1&_user=4420034&_coverDate=05%2F31%2F2010&_alid=1348296815&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_cdi=5085&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=8&_acct=C000063005&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=4420034&md5=d328c24ab4fea2a9bb534396a3b0169a

The Child's Reminiscience, a Father's Death -Journal Entry #5

Dear Father,
I saw you once and then I never saw you again. You vanished behind that podium like a light hushed out of existence, and the shattering wood was like a thousand splinters of your speech. The others dashed up too, and they did one of the most terrible things I've ever seen. They shot you while you were down. I saw them dash away with those terrible sneers that you see on a rats face that has stolen some cheese, but they did more than that...

I wanted to kill them. I wanted to hunt them down as they ran away, jump on their back and tear their faces, but Mama was holding me back, closing my eyes. I still saw your death, so what was the difference? Mama let go of me, ran up to the stage, and embraced your body. I've never seen her as despondent as she was...It tore my heart apart. I just couldn't stand to see Mama cry, so I turned my face away and hid behind my hands. I couldn't help it, the tears poured down my face in an uncontrollable stream of morbidity. I could smell this terrible and disgusting odor in the air, one that I smelt before. At that moment, Malcolm, I vowed to avenge you, to get back at those bastards who so ruthlessly shot you, even when you were dead already. Fifteen times...fifteen times...fifteen times...I'll deliver those bullets back to them.

I heard someone shout into the room. He was saying that one of the assassins was caught and was beaten up pretty badly. I wished I was there to beat him. Maybe it was for the better, I would have beat him till there was nothing left but his black, leaden heart. Why'd they do this to you, father? How can they?

Mama told us that you were a great and powerful man, and to this day, I have learned and remembered all your great deeds. It's a powerful shame, father, to live on the same planet with people who carry out acts without second thought to consequence or the people that are affected. Personally, if I were one of the assassins, I would've killed myself thereafter, for I wouldn't be able to bear the shame of killing such a distinguished and important man as you.

Every night I think about that day, and nightmares of those loud shots and that terrible smell haunt my dreams. Hearing Mama cry isn't a dream at all...I could hear her sobs in the middle of the night. So quiet, yet so laden with moroseness and dismembered dreams that they carry over to my room. I found it very hard to sleep after that.

Advertisement/infomercial #8: "BABYLON 5, the city that'll kick any other cities arse" -Journal entry #4

People: A population contrived of passionate people. There is a Common, Privileged, and Elite class, which is distinguished by the knowledge and academic standpoint of the individual. The Common class is populated by individuals seeking the Privileged status, which allows a person to continue advanced studies of their chosen careers. These Common classes become the Privileged by completing studies, having a effective influence in their communities, or sufficiently sustaining their own families for 10 full years. The Elite class is comprised of the populations and the world's superiors in technology, prowess, power, intellect, and above all else, ambition. Research is a top priority within this status, and any individual is entitled to contribute to a major study or project that is advantageous to the expansion of scientific means.

Schools: The most intelligent students are received from all over the world. To maintain such high standards, the students are taught several grades ahead of the average lessons taught in the normal grade. As expected, challenge is high, but the rewards in the end benefit all and the individual. Anyone who completes the 12 grades of school are entitled a Privileged class badge, which surpasses the required initiations upon entering the city as a Common. Therefore, children will have a much more easier and fulfilling knowledge of their chosen careers in only 12 years, but when comparing times, parents will probably become Privileged class individuals before the child since their time is only 10 years.

Transportation: An expansive railroad system is implemented into the entirety of the city, rendering automotive means as a worthless and inefficient way to travel. Like a web, the system provides travel that reaches to all parts of the city. This means of travel saves consumer money and reduces risks of accidents to nil. The only thing the consumer has to buy is a bullet-shaped vehicle that is connected to this track. Using automated and efficient computer-based knowledge of the track, the person will save time and use almost no energy when driving. Any other schedules of other vehicles on the same track will be taken account of, and any shortcuts will always be implemented in this drive.

Highways: Highways are well-maintained by robots that clean, fix, and handle any errors in diagnostics. These highways originate from the center of the city and radiate outwards to the North, South, East, and West. Along these highways are exits that allow the consumer to go to the four quadrants of the city, like a graph. Special transcripts and licenses are needed at all highway gates, and special security precautions are taken daily.

Food: As a city next to the expansive acres of Northern England, Babylon 5 is able to harvest over 120% of it's yearly resources from produce, vegetables, and meat and fish. This allows the city a stable and self-sustaining economy. The additional 20% is divided into 10%'s, one used for reserve and the other used for export.

Weekdays and Weekends: They share the same characteristics as any other city, but citizens are able to choose their working schedules out of the possible seven days of work. However, a minimum requirement of 200 hours per month is required. Also, citizens go though a yearly break from work. This allows full efficiency and dissolves away the fallacies that often plague normal work conditions in other cities due to stress and early waking schedules.

Economy: A a democratic government, the city is well balances by the several coal, adamantium, and steel mines located in all four quadrants of the city. Exports also allow friendly relations with other countries while allowing economic gains.

Geography: Placed in the smooth, calm valley's of Northern England, Babylon 5 isn't prone to earthquakes or heavy weather. Even so, Babylon 5 won't be damaged due to it's special construction regulations and stable ground. The land is fertile and the crops are successful.

Religion: All religions are accepted as long as none condones extremism or poses a threat to any other religion.

Defense: City structures are part of a mega complex of buildings that employ a mechanism that allows buildings to sink below the ground and well away from danger. These systems are activated by a control system in the capital bureau in the center of the city and must be activated by the Mayor, the Commander of Defenses, and the Secretary of War through specially designed keys. Their secretaries also have these key's in the event that one cannot appear at the activating sequence. As these building structures lower into the ground, defensive structures rise from the ground and begin to eliminate the threat.

Join the population of Babylon 5 today!

"Sometimes God is evil, he spares our lives." 1 coupon to be Stephen King for a day, SIGN ME IN. -Journal entry #3

If I could be anyone for a day, I would be Stephen King. As a master of the dark and spine curling stories, mysterious and enigmatic creatures, and controversial tales of the realm, Stephen King grips a person's imagination and throws it into the depths of hell. No other author can combine the art of horror whilst maintaining a standing sense of moral meaning and ethical controversy. It is as if the stories of Stephen King plays a dark mimic of life, heckling and stabbing at the weaknesses of human psychology and the fallacies of society. Others like "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" were epic renditions of survival, a classical and stylish example of a child who's pitted against nature with no knowledge of survival in forests. Many of his other stories follow the same track like "The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger", which effectively depicts the hardships of living in post-apocalyptic environments. These stories have replenished the horror genre's flame that has dimmed over the years. Thinking of awesome stories, dominating the legion of horror fanatics, and even starring in your OWN stories is just a small portion of the life of Stephen King. Several books that he wrote have captured my soul, and being able to envision them and organize them would be a great pleasure.

"The Dreamcatcher" surely caught my dreams as it depicted the invasion of aliens on the terrified region of Alaska. These terrible aliens turned captured humans into walking breeding capsules for their worm-like broodlings. Unfortunately, a fungus has spread throughout the population and has given everyone telekinetic abilities. This book is 500 pages long. How Stephen King came about of thinking of such a large and expansive book is beyond me, but if I was him for a day, I would have it all laid out before me like a map. Mysterious and unpredictable, I can't think of the things that comes to Stephen King's mind.

The Prelude of the Terrible Winter -Journal entry #2-

The snow gently crested the top of houses and fell elegantly upon the ground. The air chilled my nose as I peered with astonishment at this rarity; finally, snow has fallen in Miami weather! A few flecks of snow landed on my nose, and I stuck out my tongue to taste the falling chill. The trees, the grass, and the houses were now painted with fresh, clean snow. It seemed as if a million white paratroopers were descending upon the ground, invading and filing into every corner of this grassy plain. Suddenly, among the gentle awe of the harmless trickle, a majestic wind slashed through the air. I could see it coming since the falling snow was thick enough to form an amorphous shape of the wind's sweeping path, so I braced myself. It slammed into me like a tsunami and sent me falling backwards a few feet despite my readied position. The otherwise harmless fleets of snow now turned into swirling vortex's of frigid shrapnel, and to make the situation as dire, frozen shards the size of baseballs started to plummet from the sky! My feet and arms were instantly senseless, and when I tried to move towards my house, the snow had already stacked to about two feet. Like a living pulse, the wind rushed past me in torrents. This was the start, I realized, of an abominable blizzard.

Windows were shattering all around me, and the ice continued to pose a serious threat to anyone outside. I was very close to my house now, just a few more brisk steps. Upon reaching the handle of the porch door, I felt a stab of pain as a large shard of ice impaled my right leg. Immediately, blood started to pour in warm torrents and dried on my pants. I tore the bloodied knife of ice from my leg and ignored the sharp instances of pain that radiated through my leg. I gripped the handle once more and fought the unforgiving winds as I tore it open. I slammed the porch door shut and started for the house door. Peering at the surrounding porch, I would not have recognized it save the yellow tiles that my mom insisted on placing and the swinging chair that swung frantically by it's chains. All was in destruction, pictures broken and soggy from the water, chairs and fishing rods thrashed haphazardly upon the floor, snow forming a thick layer on everything, and upon that, the shards of the broken front and side windows! I clasped the house door and threw it open, inviting the warm air as it caressed my face. When I took a few steps forward onto the soft carpet, my sight started to blacken. My feet started to feel like twigs and my arms were as flaccid as worms. I felt my feet give way and the inviting darkness enveloped my eyes.

I gingerly opened my eyes. The light burned and seared, and for one second, I thought I was back in that terrible storm, left to die. Instead, I saw a hospital room filled to the roof with balloons, get-well pleasantries, and people. They were all hollering with euphoric happiness and they all charged towards me in a massive, embracing hug. I uttered, "One statement, please,"
and they all retreated back to the sides of my bed as they waited to hear me. "I know that we've all lived in Miami for many, many years. We've grown here, fell in love here, and made businesses upon this fertile soil. However, one implication bothers me," I calmly placed both of my hands upon my lap, took a mouthful of air and yelled,"WHEN DOES MIAMI EVER HAVE DECENTLY COLD WEATHER!?!?!?!"

In their shoes (p.s. Ants don't wear shoes) - Journal entry #1

If I were an insect

If I were an insect, I would be an ant. Ants are the living examples of a society that has no rules, leaders, or a form of government. In all practicality, they are led by chemicals and pheremones alone, which is emitted by the queen, other ants, and even the offspring. A general idea states that ants are quite complex and efficient, however, ants are not entirely efficient.

One example of this is when ants are given a task of collecting food from a given location. When these ants try to find this food, they will carve out a path that allows them to backtrack and give any other ant a familiar path to follow. However, the ant will do this once with no regard to it's surroundings, and this creates a problem. Instead of going straight down the path, the ant decides to veer off the course and go sideways, straight, and finally to the food source. This is mainly because ants cannot see any of the terrain around it, instead relying upon the direction of the sun, chemicals, and any definitive objects on it's walking path like a rock or a twig.

Another example involves the organizer ant, which chooses which food is suitable for the queen to eat: When worker ants bring the food in, the organizer ant works as the filer. Unfortunately, the organizer ant often refuses some food and decides to throw it outside the nest. This is a waste of effort, both for the worker ant and the entire colony, since the food can be used when Winter comes. Ants are not as productive as we believe, but they still maintain a determination and unrelenting thought process that is bound to complete a task.

Ants, despite some fallacies, have the most beneficially "correct" body structures, conforming perfectly to what they were designed to do. This, taking in the fact that ants have not changed significantly over millions of years, makes ants one of the more fortunate organisms to have walked this earth. If it be defensive purposes or living in harsh weather, ants have millions upon millions of years of survival-insuring genes. Ants have expanded all over the world, dominating forests and invading billions of homes. It's all for the nature of survival, and ants haven't even noticed their worldwide empire.

Childhoods End by Arthur C. Clarke

Imagine the skies suddenly shattering with the booms of ultra-sized spaceships as they dash through the atmosphere, Their magnificently sleek exterior shining like a steel spire in the sky. All stand in utter bewilderment as these incomprehensibly immense alien ships halt over the major cities and float as still as a sniper's finger on a trigger, seemingly ready to blast this world to pieces. Not one human dared to move, for these silver sentinels hung over the world like a guillotine, appalling even the most brilliant scientists and immediately intimidating these paltry cars and crude technologies.

"The stars are not for man."

These portentous figures, in fact, did nothing at all. However, one human being, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Rikki Stormgren, was the first earthly figure that greeted the aliens of that deep and enigmatic space above our heads. These aliens, called Overlords, were best represented by their leader, Karellen, who exchanged "talk" and questions with Stormgren. After a brief "skirmish" with Stormgren's unbearable need to find out how these alien's looked, Karellen finally said that humankind will see the Overlords as they are 50 years from now, a time that is beyond Stormgren's life at the age of 60. To spare the reader's captivity, I will withhold the appearances of the Overlords until you yourself read this wonderful book. One hint, the Overlords visited Earth earlier in history but made a bad initiating relationship with the humans, therefore giving them a bad "image" that was imprinted on the minds of human kind for the rest of time.

"All political problems," Karellen had once told Stormgren, "can be solved by the correct application of power."

The Overlords establish a powerful hold on the human race, but not a choking one. Humankind is still able to enjoy life, and in fact, the Overlords have actually made life on Earth better by abolishing any negative form of human affairs, and making the cost of any merchandise in the world virtually free. Travel has revolutionized to it's highest extent when the schematics of the foreign alien vehicles of travel were handed down to humans, so any person can travel to any spot on the earth in a matter of minutes to hours. Also, academics is flourished with an unlimited boundary that allows any person to achieve their career aspirations. Prodigiously, every single human being has learned how to speak and understand English. At this point, humankind has reached the Utopian society that has crested the top of that golden hill that represents every facet of perfection: Peace, liberty, global comprehension, economical stability, and creativity.

Divulging in any more information will only wane your pleasures when reading this book, but believe me, many surprises and lessons are to be experienced.
One question I may offer, what lies beyond those distant stars? In the fertility of our lands and the hospitality of the trees, animals, and the air we breath, we find the home that has bred us like the first flakes of snow in the mountainous Fujiyama. These lakes, oceans, and winds have blown across the Earth's face like the blood that courses through our veins. However, how will these other worlds fare for us? More importantly, how will other beings react? There is no doubting the presence of higher intelligences beyond our atmosphere, so more constructively, we will react to them. Casting that aside, are we really the center of the universe? For so long, we have reveled the importance of our own existence, but has it ever occurred to us that there might be other beings out there that share similar characteristics -Religion, language, relations, even emotions- with us?

We may just be another grain of sand in this eternal desert of spectral wonders and enigmatic phenomena.