Software: Google Sketchup 7 and Interractive Components

This is not a review of Sketchup, or even its latest version. I just want to draw attention to the significant fun that Google has added to downloadable components in this new release. A small set of these come with the basic install of the free version of Sketchup 7, and more can be downloaded from Google's 3D Warehouse.

A normal component is a model (such as a window or a car) that can be incorporated into the model you are building. The new models appear to be much the same, but when you grab the new "Interact" tool suddenly you find the bed model will transform into a king size or a single, the car will recolour from a palette you are offered and most fun of all, the car doors will open and close.

From my experiments to date it seems that the ability to create this functionality comes only with the "pay for" SketchUp 7 Pro, but the ability to tweak components you add to your models is much appreciated... this is a product that continues to amaze those who have not seen it before. The free version is fully functional and is the best way I know to quickly create 3D models of houses and DIY projects.

The free version is downloadable from http://sketchup.google.com.

Andrew Lack

Film: Lessons in Chocolate (Lezioni di Cioccolato)

This enthusiastic farce won Best Comedy and Best Actress (Violante Placido) at the Monte Carlo Comedy Film Festival in 2007. Mattia (Luca Argentero) is a heartless young building contractor who is willing to cut corners to make a quick buck. He insists his Egyptian worker Kamal (Hassani Shapi) works on a roof without scaffolding. When Kamal falls off suddently Kamal finds he has power over Mattia, and insists Mattia attends an elite chocolate makers course in his place.

There is great play with confused identities and other general good humoured antics, but I warmed to the way in which Kamal's character is unfolded. The tensions between his own culture and those of his adopted country provide some of the better moments.

The film may be hard to catch around Sydney (I saw it thanks to an Italian evening at Avoca Theatre) but see it if you can, or have a chat to your local Video store.

Andrew Lack

Book: An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks

Ever since I found myself being transported by a discussion of soul in "The Man who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" I have eagerly sought out Oliver Sacks' writing. Even though his books have all the trappings of accademic writing (footnotes, bibliography, technical asides) they read as engaging and empathetic accounts of unusual humans.

The "anthropologist" of the title is Dr. Temple Grandin (http://www.grandin.com/), an expert on cattle behaviour who also has Aspherger's Syndrome. While some of the individuals described in the book have little ability to reflect on their own condition, Dr. Grandin has contributed significantly in her own writing to an understanding of the world of those living with Asphergers. In the chapter, Oliver Sacks starts with a review of the way this particular syndrome came to be defined, then describes a day spent with Dr. Grandin. As with other accounts in the book Sachs writes about those with whom he has had direct contact, and embeds his reflection and discussion in the story of that contact.

His aim through all of these stories and reflections is to enquire about the nature of the human mind, and thus inevitably into the nature of "human".

There is no single conclusion to come from the book, but it serves as an introduction for the general reader to the investigations of neurophysiology. I am left with a sense of wonder, and greater appreciation of the complexity of the brain and mind.

Software: Discover for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Discover is one of several competing aps designed to close an obvious gap in the basic setup of the iPhone and iPod Touch. Apple for some reason did not see the need to provide a way to transfer or view data files (such as Word documents) despite the fact that applications like these have been common on PDAs certainly since the good old Palm Pilot. On the Touch you have the added facility of being able to use a wireless network to connect, without fussing with cables.

Discover is currently free, and on my early trials at least works very well. As well as installing the ap on your Touch or iPhone, you need to download another free ap to your PC or Mac from the website (http://bbase.mobi/discover/).

Assuming you (and the computer you are targetting) are on a local wi-fi network, run the ap on your Touch and then on your computer. There are no complex sign ins. Your Touch will appear on the list of devices, and the actual syncronisation and file transfers are done inside a browser window that will load when you select your device.
The only downside I have found at this point is that Office 2007 does not seem to be supported yet: 2003 documents work well, and the ap will display pdfs and a range of other common formats. It will also allow you to find other iPhones or Touch devices and to transfer files to them.

Not too bad for a freebie, and certainly many uses will be pleased to be able to review notes and documents on their devices.

Film: Seven Pounds

Despite engaging performances from some of the co-stars, I ultimately found this film annoying. Will Smith plays the part of a man who has come to believe he owes the world something, and chooses to pay his debt by trying to help a small group of strangers.

As you would expect the cinematography, music and performances are all acceptable, so what could be wrong? In the final analysis, his choices (hard to be more specific without spoiling this for everyone) are controversial and ultimately self serving. He is satiating his feeling of guilt. An Indian philosopher once said the greatest charity is when you give in anonymity and without seeking to know the response of the recipient. This won't do for Will Smith's character, who becomes closely entangled with at least some of those he impacts.

This film raises a number of issues, but the core problem is that the film is about a man who takes to himself the right to make god-like decisions.

Book: Open House by Sheridan Voysey

Sheridan Voysey interviews guests each Sunday evening on a national radio program. Twenty five transcripts have been presented in the book and I found it a compelling and engaging read. They are all connected in some ways to a Christian theme, but not everyone interviewed has a personal faith. I found the discussions with Terry Waite (kidnapped and held for years by Islamic terrorists), Philip Yancey, John Smith, Alister McGrath and Adrian Plass full of insights into these fascinating people and their journeys.

The book is especailly relevant for Australians because mixed in with international big names like Max Lucado and John Eldredge are some of my personal Australian heros like Thomas Keneally and Tim Costello.

This material is fresh: Sheridan does not skip the hard questions, and his guests appear to work hard to give honest and reflective answers. As well as being an excellent read for personal enjoyment, high school teachers would find this especially useful in providing very quotable material for ethics and Biblical Studies lessons.

Andrew Lack

Opening Salvo

The blogs to follow will consist of short reviews of...

• software
• books
• movies
• websites
• magazines

written by the staff and friends of Pacific Hills Christian School. The site is managed by Andrew Lack, who leads up the school's Learning Resource Centre.

If you would like to know more about Pacific Hills visit our main web site at www.phcs.nsw.edu.au or contact us in Sydney, Australia on (02) 9651 2733. We warmly welcome visitors.

Andrew Lack