I'm definitely reading too much into this -- I know he's only referring to one case, not making a general statement -- but it's possible to read James Berardinelli's review of The Nativity Story as though it's difficult to make birth (the start of a new life, the infinite, untapped potential of an untold story) seem more engrossing and enticing than death (the end of a life, after which nothing can happen). Which in dramatic terms is quite possibly true. But lord, that's a depressing thought.

As a casting geek, though, I think it's cool that Dr Bashir tells the Whale Rider that she's going to bear the Messiah.

Just captioned the Buck Rogers episode Space Vampire, and was surprised to find how much of it I remembered from seeing it as a kid. The vampire turning into a glowy red electronic effect in order to move about the station unnoticed. The POV shot as it advances on the station medic (who doesn't seem to notice as the dead body that he just examined sits up behind him and grabs him by the throat). The station commander thinking that it's all down to a virus that causes hallucinations, arriving just moments after Buck has driven off the vampire by shooting at it, and jumping to the wrong conclusions when he sees Buck apparently pointing a gun at thin air. The whole denouement with the stargate. And, although it's kind of vague, I'm also pretty sure that I remember thinking, even as a nine-year-old, that this was total cheese on a stick.

I don't know if my brain's hardwired this way or what, but I think I've thought of Time as a dimension for as long as I can remember thinking about it at all. Saturated in Doctor Who lore I may be, but the show was first and foremost an adventure/horror series and rarely dealt with the weird and outre possibilities of time travel, so I don't think it's that.

Still, I remember taking a call from a telemarketer when I was young and telling them that my mom couldn't come to the phone because she was out shopping; which she was, just not at that particular moment.

In practical terms it's no better than doublethink, but philosophically it's the way I see the world, whether I want to or not. And sometimes, it's truly frustrating trying to get my brain to accept that some things just aren't happening now, when it knows, sure as it recognises the colour red, that they are happening now, just in a different now.