Monday, November 28, 2011

Barbarian bastards and hiruitistic freaks

Before the Dawn by Nicholas Wade is a furious and fascinating page turner that I could not get enough of.  It is a non-fiction science book that attempts to solve the mysteries of human prehistory, especially the lost years between the exodus of modern humans out of Africa 50,000 years ago until the beginnings of recorded human history and urbanized civilization 5000 years ago. Since the discovery of the fully mapped out human genome in 2003, it is now possible to look back in time at human history, and prehistory.

The human genome is a recorded time capsule, literally. Biological geneticists are now able to decode the human genome and unlock such elusive mysteries as when anatomically modern humans lost their fur, began to wear clothing and developed language. It can now be determined with a high degree of accuracy the exact date our ancestors left Africa and even how many there were down to the exact number. We even can determine the nature of  prehistory human warfare. The secrets revealed by decoding the human genome do not end there either. We now know for certain whether Thomas Jefferson actually did have a forbidden slave family, what the pre-history Homo sapiens must have been like, and why humans behave the way they do in modern times.

Before the Dawn is a mesmerizing and addictive book. It is insightful and one of the best mainstream science books I have ever read. It is an absolute must for any curious minded person with a sense of wonder and even a casual interest in human history, anthropology, or natural science.

One of the most interesting concepts explored by the book is the date when the hominids that evolved into humans began to lose their fur. Like all of the dates, geographic places and numbers revealed in Before the Dawn, this date can be determined with a fair degree of accuracy by decoding the time capsule of data in the genome.
But there is one issue that niether this book, nor any other current theory addresses. Namely, the wide range of body hair volume that exists among humans today, even among males with similar androgen levels. Some of us still have "fur".

Unlike the hair on a human head or even the face, body hair behaves exactly like fur. It grows to a certain length and stops. Then the follicles shed hair and are replaced at regular intervals. It may be that people today who still have this body “fur”, carry an active form of the genes from our ancestors prior when human body hair was lost (very roughly around 1.2 million years ago). I am sure regional heritage is a factor. I am of Italian decent and have “fur” on nearly every inch of my body. I would say this trait is mostly found among Mediterranean men, but I also have a Russian friend almost as hairy except his fur is light in color.

Of course I have my own theory about this. Recently it has been proven that some Neanderthal DNA exists in all non-African Homo sapiens.There another archaic Hominid species unknown to modern science but written about in the Sacred Scrolls of Tarmok and referenced in many other ancient texts, the Bull Mongoni.Those of us like myself who still possess body fur, sinewy mesomorphic builds, and surging androgen levels have the blood of this other ancient hominid species coarsing through our veins, the blood of the Bull Mongoni.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Cast of Characters

Character: Gunner Star
Books: Gunner Star, Rise of the Bull Mongoni

The enigmatic fearsome anti-hero who brought the Sacred Scrolls of Tarmok exploding into the mainstream and created the Bull Mongoni revolution can only be played by someone with animal magnetism and scorching charisma. When I first began writing Gunner Star in the early 2000's there was only one actor in my mind with the presence and delivery to pull it off. And several years and two Gunner Star books later it is still the same. Vin Diesel IS...Gunner Star.

Past movie role that best demonstrates why:
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

Character: Tyrone Fulton
Book: Rise of the Bull Mongoni

Tyrone Fulton, the defeated cast out is about to give up on life until he is rescued by Gunner Star and reborn by way of the Word of Tarmok and the Bull Mongoni philosophy. This Gunner Star protege must be played by someone who can be convincing as both an obselete, burned out, jobless middle aged everyman, and the muscular athletic alter ego he is transformed into. Most fitting of all would be to cast this role with a forgotten action hero who himself has been cast out and is desperately in need of an acting rebirth.
Wesley Snipes IS Tyrone Fulton.

Past movie role that best demonstrates why:
Blade (1998)

Character: She a.k.a Angela/Corrina
Book: She

The young woman who mysteriously vanishes and returns from the past via soul transmigration needs to be portrayed by someone who can exude an almost supernatural, ethereal charm and captivating presence. Mia Kirshner was the image firmly planted in my mind when I created the character circa 2002/2003. Although given the age of the character, today I would go with Mila Kunis.

Past movies roles that best demonstrate why:

Mia Kirshner, Exotica (1995)
Mila Kunis, Black Swan (2010)

Character: Valerie
Book: She

The alluring, sensual femme fatale Valerie is the smoldering fire that brings She to life, both the story and the character herself. At the time I wrote She sexy British Italian giallo B movie star Margaret Lee was on my mind. Valerie is the ultimate femme fatale and needs to played someone with insane sexual charisma. So I base these choices on actresses I have seen do realistic, believable, erotic on screen sex scenes. The character today could be played today by Naomi Watts, Scarlett Johansson, or Elizabeth Shue.

Past movie roles the best demonstrate why:

Naomi Watts, anything and everything
Scarlett Johansson, The Black Dahlia (2005)
Elizabeth Shue, no role in particular. I just sense a sexual charisma there that has only been hinted at.

Character: Wes Jackson
Book: Action Figure

There is no getting around the fact that Wes Jackson was written from the first person viewpoint in the most visceral way possible. I wrote it as me. But since I am not an actor and would the movie to actually be good...Jason Statham IS Wes Jackon.

Past movie roles that best demonstrate why:
The Transporter (2002) and Crank (2006)