What novels have the best opening lines or opening paragraphs?
My opinion:100 Years of Solitude:Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.SubmarineIt is Sunday morning. I hear out modem playing bad jazz as my mother connects to the internet. I am in the bathroom. I recently discovered that my mother has been typing the names of as-yet-uninvented mental conditions into Yahoo’s search engine: ‘delusion syndrome teenage’, ‘over-active imagination problem’, ‘holistic behavioural stabilisers’.The StrangerMother died today. Or maybe yesterday; I can’t be sure. (For you, Alexander Baumgärtner).A Tale of Two Cities (of course!!)It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.Miss Smilla’s Feeling for SnowIt is freezing - an extraordinary -18C, and it’s snowing, and in the language which is no longer mine, the snow is qanik - big, almost weightless crystals falling in stacks and covering the ground with a layer of pulverised white frost.I’ll stop now. There are many, many more.(Honourable mentions to; The Grapes of Wrath, 1984, Catcher in the Rye. Pretty much anything on the answer wiki.)
What is some basic information about robert burns?
He was from Scotland and he wrote poems.
Japanese Animation/Anime vs. American Animation, which do you like more and why?
I'm right in the middle of this one. I think ALL forms of cartooning is a part of it's creator. When you watch any cartoon, you can just see a personality. In such a way it seems that all cartoons (no matter what the nationality) are practically the same. Sure the animation is different, but cartoons shouldn't be solely based on artwork. I do agree that anime has been made for an immense amount of genres while American cartoons are usually just for kids or they are heavily political if otherwise. I know that Japanese cartoons are political too, but at least there's something for everyone. The storylines are of different styles. American cartoons (kid based) are more goofy and characterized. Japanese children cartoons have more of a human base (realistic style). Personally, I love to study both sides because it's fun to see why they (the animators) chose such styles. American cartoons are more creative in art style with the type of charicatures. I mean even Osamu Tezuka started getting his ideas of art strategy from Walt Disney's own style. You can see it in Astro Boy and Metropolis mostly. Alot of manga artists then followed Tezuka in that style (back before the 80's) thus creating a culture bridge through style of animation. Then America aired it's first Japanese cartoon in the mid 60's, creating yet another culture bridge. I understand that the story was severly edited and the voice acting was different, but think of the American culture back then. I grew up with both too. So that's one of the main factors why I'm pretty much impartial to either side. Okay, the final paragraph: People shouldn't just shun a country for it's style of cartooning. That prevents cultural bridges from forming and ultimately, disrespect for one's own country in whole. I see it when I go to anime conventions V.v Same with American Comics Vs Japanese comics. They are both great and bad in their own way. Everything is built up with components. I think that's about it for me. nya bya
What is the best thing about someone born under the cancer sign?
Positive Traits: kind, loving, emotional, intuitive, imaginative, shrewd, cautious, protective and sympathetic. Negative Traits: changeable, moody, over-emotional, touchy, untidy, clinging, unable to "let go," and a tendency to wallow in self-pity. Likes: hobbies, romance, children, parties, home and country. Dislikes: failure, opposition, aggravating situations, being told what to do and being given advice...whether good or bad. Natives of Cancer are probably most in tune with those governed by Pisces, since Pisces is prone to moods just like Cancer, but of a less volatile nature. This is a couple who will find peace and harmony throughout the majority of their relationship. Scorpio, another Sign ruled by the element of Water, would also be favorable since Scorpio is equal to the moods of Cancer and capable of great understanding. Cancer finds the Scorpio depth of character intriguing and will certainly appreciate the rich view of life inherent in the Scorpio nature, to say nothing of the awareness and perception associated with that Sign. This is a couple who will likely provide everything either has ever wanted in a relationship. The physical chemistry here is quite amazing...it is long-lasting and only gets better with the passage of time.