Archive for January, 2014

Bell + Howell Torch Lite (LED Flashlight & Floodlight) – A Marketing Review

A pleasant evening at home quickly transforms into chaos when the power goes out.

One moment you’re cleaning the cat’s litter box and scooping his poop into a garbage bag, and the next you’re slinging the poop blindly across the room.  Hopefully at least *some* of it is landing in the garbage bag, but it’s anybody’s guess at this point.  What you could really use right now is not just a flashlight, but something capable of illuminating more of the room.

Perhaps even a floodlight.  Obviously it has to run on batteries as the power is out, so anything needing a power outlet is pretty much useless.  Now if only there was such a flashlight being sold today . . .

Bell + Howell Torch Lite website — www.BuyTorchLite.com

What’s this?  The Bell + Howell Torch Lite?

Bell + Howell Torch Lite TV commercial

Doesn’t that look neat, or what?

At a glance the TV commercial for the Bell + Howell Torch Lite looks pretty handy.  But when we take a closer look at the advertisement, something far different takes shape.  Is this commercial a fraud?  Does it have a lot of intentionally misleading or false advertising?  Let’s take a closer look and review it.

Bell + Howell Torch Lite TV commercial – Is that an energy orb haunting your home, or a pitiful excuse for a flashlight?

The television commercial for the Bell + Howell Torch Lite begins by showing us an example of an “average” flashlight.  Of course, in this case, the flashlight looks like one of the crappiest that you’ll find in the market.  The advertisers chose a terrible light to make their product look much more superior by comparison.

Obvious question:  If our flashlights suck as badly as the one in this commercial, what can we do about it?

Wait for it . . . Wait for it . . . Keep waiting for just a little bit longer . . . Read more…

January 2014 Exercise Results

January of 2014 was a busy month.

In addition to getting back into the work and workout routine that was disrupted by the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, we also had some really cold weather that struck the country.  Earlier this week we had a couple inches of snow along with some ice here in metro Atlanta.

That’s one of the reasons why I absolutely love having workout equipment here at my house.  No matter how cold or nasty the weather is outside, I can still use my machines and exercise on a regular basis.  Plus there aren’t any membership fees, no waiting for machines during busy hours, and it’s extremely convenient.  The only trick is to not have the exercise bike or strength training machine become a coat rack.

Anyway, despite a couple of hiccups this month, I’ve done a good job with sticking to my exercise program.  My program has been enhanced with a sit-up routine, and now I’m drinking a post-exercise protein shake to further help my body develop.

I’m on the edge of increasing to the next level on my strength machine.  My routine with that machine is to do a set of exercises (10 different exercises) at the first level, and then the second set at the next level (more resistance).  At the end of the second set I’ll repeat a few of the exercises in a burnout period until my arms are dead.

January of 2014 exercise results:

Exercise bike totals (cardio) – 12 sessions

– 525 minutes (8.75 hours)

– 118.7 miles

– 5,946 calories

– furthest distance during a 45-minute bike ride – 10.5 miles

Total Bodyworks 5000 totals (strength):

– 12 sessions; ~ 40 minutes each

Total number of sit-ups:

– 1,350

As a whole, this was a great month with my workout routine.  Hopefully next month I’ll upgrade to doing all of my strength exercises at the next level, and not just half of them.  I’m not rushing it though as, A) I don’t want to injure myself, and B) I’m still getting a great workout.

Now it’s onward to February.  Despite February being a few days shorter than the month of January, I’ll still try to match or exceed my exercise totals from this month.

Wow Cup (Non-Spill Sippy Cup) – A Marketing Review

As we all know from experience, it takes a certain amount of patience and dexterity to drink from a cup WITHOUT spilling its contents.

It’s tempting to rush when handling cups and taking a drink, but nobody likes cleaning up the mess when it spills.  This goes double or triple should the drink spill on something expensive like a laptop or tablet.

But what if you’re one of those people who just has a really tough time handling cups?  What if it’s tough to use cup technology such as lids and straws?  Is there something out there that can help you take a drink AND not make a mess while doing so?

Wow Cup website — www.WowCup.com

What’s this?  The Wow Cup?  Really?

Wow Cup TV commercial

So . . . . . is this just a sippy cup designed for adolescents?  Let’s review the advertisement and see just what they’re trying to sell us.

Wow Cup TV commercial – Wait a second.  What’s the name of the product again?

The Wow Cup TV commercial begins by shoving the product right in our face like we’re stupid.  Is it really necessary to use a huge font for a product as incredibly simple as this one?  Apparently so according to these advertisers.

Remember, the louder and more direct the advertising, then the dumber that the advertisers think you are.  The theory is that they’re being loud because they need to get your attention.  If you’re not paying close attention, then they believe that you’re stupid, even if they’re pushing an equally idiotic product. Read more…

Book Review – Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child’s “Mount Dragon”

Genetic engineering is a fascinating area of science.

It can be used to enhance food products to increase size and shelf life.  It can be used to modify organisms and create new species, such as GloFish.  And some day, genetic engineering may even be used to modify or enhance human beings, removing “flaws” and other nuisances.

First published in 1996, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child‘s thrilling novel, Mount Dragon, takes an alternate look at genetic engineering and the future of the human race.  The story takes place at a remote testing facility in the middle of a desert in New Mexico, about as isolated as you can get in the continental U.S.  That’s for good reason, too.  At the testing facility scientists are working with some of the deadliest diseases known to mankind and how to prevent them from spreading to humans.

Mount Dragon begins in New Mexico as Dr. Franklin Burt, a research scientist at GeneDyne, is rushed to a nearby hospital.  He’s locked in an insane asylum for further testing.  All seems well and it appears that the prestigious scientist just has a case of cabin fever until he viciously attacks the doctor examining him.

Across the country in New Jersey, Dr. Guy Carson is also a scientist who works at a different GeneDyne facility.  He’s originally from New Mexico and dislikes living and working in Jersey.  His boss is continually holding him back from any real projects.  One day he’s asked to have a video conference with GeneDyne’s CEO, Brent Scopes.  Scopes offers Carson a transfer to the Mount Dragon Remote Desert Testing Facility at the White Sands Missile Range in the desert of southern New Mexico.  It’ll only be a six-month long assignment, but the pay will be tremendous.  And he has to leave immediately.

Carson leaves New Jersey behind and heads back to New Mexico.  He was born and raised in the desert, and he feels at home when arriving there.

Dr. John Singer, the director of Mount Dragon, greets Carson and gives him a tour of the facility.  One of the first things noted is that security is extremely tight at Mount Dragon.  The facility is heavily guarded as well as being located deep within the White Sands Missile Range, a restricted area of the desert.  There is no paper allowed at Mount Dragon.  All notes need to be taken on the computers.  All of the workers also have to undergo a weekly medical exam, just to make sure that everybody stays healthy.

Singer also explains that Mount Dragon is also home to the only Level 5 containment lab.  It’s buried underground, is self-contained, and has an incinerator that can be used to purge the facility should such an emergency ever occur.  Located within the Level 5 lab is also a separate security station, a quarantine zone, and even the Zoo, a collection of chimpanzees used for testing. Read more…

Atlanta, Georgia Ice Storm – January 28, 2014

Some people call it Snowmageddon.

Others are calling it an ice storm.

Other people simply refer to the recent weather as “winter.”

On January 28, 2014, a snow storm swept through the Atlanta, Georgia metro area.  While most areas received between two to three inches of snow, that wasn’t what made this weather event so infamous.  It was the ice that froze on the road, and the driving NIGHTMARE that followed.

It’s a nightmare that, 24 hours later, is just now starting to recover.

As we know, Atlanta drivers are a rather special breed of people.  Our drivers are a mix of speeders, slow drivers, those who commonly run red lights, those who merge without looking, people who drive slowly in the fast lanes of traffic, and of course, people who will pull out into traffic right in front of you.  Seriously, a large percentage of the idiot drivers here should NOT have a license to drive.  They’re that bad!

Naturally, these drivers are even worse when it rains.  Snowfall further complicates these losers, and all hell breaks loose when there’s ice.

A lot of people are making fun of Atlanta’s drivers because of the traffic nightmare that was created.  People think that the mess was because we only received a couple of inches of snow.  But that’s not what happened this time. Read more…

Movie Review – I, Frankenstein (2014)

Imagine a world where the monster created by Dr. Viktor Frankenstein was still alive and walking the Earth.

On top of that, imagine a continual war between gargoyles and demons, and their war resulting in the fate of all people on Earth.

Combine both of those and you get I, Frankenstein, a supernatural / science fiction / fantasy film released in 2014.

Directed by Stuart Beattie, I, Frankenstein stars Aaron Eckhart in the title role of Adam Frankenstein / Frankenstein’s monster.  Supporting him are Bill Nighy as Charles Wessex / Prince Naberius and Miranda Otto as Leonore, the gargoyle queen.  And that’s about it for the famous faces in this film.

I, Frankenstein begins in 1795 as Dr. Viktor Frankenstein (Aden Young) has created a monster (Aaron Eckhart) composed of eight deceased individuals to life, and then rejected it.  The monster survives the attempted murder and returns to Frankenstein’s home and kills Frankenstein’s wife, Elizabeth.  Viktor Frankenstein then sets out to destroy in revenge for murdering his wife.  He chases the monster north into the Arctic, but Viktor succumbs to the extremely cold weather and dies.

The monster returns Viktor’s body back to his home and buries it.  As he’s burying his creator, the monster is suddenly attacked by a few demons.  He defeats most of them before being knocked unconscious.  Two gargoyles, Ophir (Mahesh Jadu) and Keziah (Caitlin Stasey), arrive and kill the last demon.  They’re impressed by the way that a human was able to kill demons.  The two gargoyle warriors are even more impressed when they realize that the monster is still alive.  Ophir and Keziah are curious about the dead body in the shallow grave, and they discover a diary on the body.  They then take the diary and monster back to their home base, a cathedral.

At the cathedral, the monster is brought before Leonore (Miranda Otto), the gargoyle queen, and Gideon (Jai Courtney), the gargoyle commander.  It’s noted that while the monster has a human body, he doesn’t have a soul or feelings of emotions.  Since the monster has no name, Leonore gives him the name Adam.  Leonore explains that their race of gargoyles were created by the Archangel Michael to battle the demons on earth.  When gargoyles die they automatically ascend into Heaven, whereas the demons descend back to Hell.  Throughout the film we constantly see gargoyles ascending and demons descending when they die in battle. Read more…

The Future Failure of Facebook

Lately there’s been some talk in the news about how Facebook is going to see a rapid decline in users by the year 2017.

Some people are comparing it to the fall of MySpace, a social network website that dominated the Internet until Facebook became popular.  Of course, Facebook is significantly larger than MySpace ever was, and it’s still going to be some time before Facebook sees a serious decline in *active* users.

It’s no secret that I’m NOT a fan of Facebook.

I’ve been annoyed at the social network website for quite some time.  While my account there is still considered active, I only log into the site about once every other week to check on distant friends and relatives.  When it comes to my local friends and the people that I talk to on a regular basis, I’ll use my phone to call & text, and my car to visit them in person.

My personal belief is that Facebook will lose its dominance in social networking in the next five to seven years, if not sooner.  It’ll no longer be an active social network site where people feel the need to log in every day or, for some addicts, each half hour.

It’s not going to be a sudden decrease in users during Facebook’s downfall.  It’s going to be a gradual process as people switch to other means of personal and social communication.  Facebook will become a secondary site that people only check once a week or month, and then it’ll ultimately become a thing of the past.

Facebook’s downfall starts with the teenagers staying away from the social networking website.  That was one of the primary reasons listed in other articles that also talked about the upcoming downfall of the website.  When the teenagers depart, so will their friends, their parents, and the advertising that brings in so much revenue to the company.

For teenagers, one of the reasons for leaving Facebook is simple:  their parents use it.  As we know, the majority of teenagers are rebellious at times.  They also want their privacy (privacy on the Internet – yeah, right!  LOL) from their parents.  Do you think that many of today’s teenagers *really* want their parents to see them and their friends when they get together and do stupid stuff?

Nope.  The teenagers will either, A) Use secret Facebook accounts that their parents don’t know about, or, better yet, B) Use a different social network site / app entirely.

So where are the teenagers going? Read more…

Movie Review – RoboCop 3 (1993)

After the financial success of RoboCop 2, Hollywood still decided to pursue with another RoboCop sequel despite mixed to poor reviews of the second film.

RoboCop 3 was released in 1993.

This time around OCP is finally serious about destroying part of Detroit, Michigan, to make way for the construction of “Delta City.”  The police force runs into resistance from some of old Detroit’s residents, and it turns into a war between the people and police force.  RoboCop is caught in the middle as he’s programmed to follow his orders, yet he cannot harm innocent people.  To complicate the matter, OCP is now under the leadership of a Japanese company, and RoboCop isn’t the only sophisticated robot running around Detroit.

To add insult to injury, RoboCop 3 had its harsh language and graphic violence reduced so that the film would have a PG-13 rating, making it more appealing to families and younger audiences.  Both of the previous RoboCop films were rated R.

Directed by Fred Dekker, RoboCop 3 stars Robert John Burke in the title role of Alex Murphy / RoboCop.  Supporting him are Nancy Allen as Officer Anne Lewis, John Castle as Commander Paul McDaggett, Rip Torn as the president of OCP, Remy Ryan as Nikko Halloran, Felton Perry as OCP Vice President Donald Johnson, Jill Hennessy as Dr. Marie Lazarus, Robert DoQui as Sgt. Warren Reed, and Bradley Whitford as Jeffrey Fleck.

RoboCop 3 (1993) – (c) Orion Pictures / MGM

RoboCop 3 begins with a television commercial advertising Delta City, a utopia-like city planned for development by Omni Consumer Products (OCP).  A news broadcast then tells us that OCP has been taken over by a Japanese company called Kanemitsu Corporation.  We’re then told about Detroit’s escalating levels of violence (just like in the previous two films), and OCP’s answer for it.  The answer this time is an armed force called Urban Rehabilitators (Rehabs).  Lead by Commander Paul McDaggett (John Castle), we’re told that the Rehabilitators are there to simply help the police force despite their heavy weapons and veteran combat troops fresh from the Amazon War.

But as we see, the Rehabilitators are also being used to serve eviction notices and physically remove people from their homes. Read more…

Book Review – Robert Harris’s “Pompeii”

Set in 79 AD and the deadly volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii is a semi-thrilling doomsday story written by English author Robert Harris.

This is a historical fiction story that blends a fictitious story with real events and real people.  The book also uses a tremendous amount of foreshadowing with volcanology notes preceding each chapter.

Pompeii begins on August 22 in the year 79 AD.  Marcus Attilus Primus, the new aquarius (water engineer) of the Aqua Augusta aqueduct, has arrived in the Italian town of Misenum.  The Aqua Augusta is a major aqueduct that services the Gulf of Naples along with the towns around Mount Vesuvius.

Marcus Attilus has been sent there from Rome as the area’s previous water engineer, Exomnius, had mysteriously vanished.

In the town of Misenum is the Villa Hortensia, a lavish residence and fishery owned by ex-slave and now millionaire Numerius Popidius Ampliatus.  When some of Ampliatus’s prized moray eels quickly die in the fishery, and a slave is punished for the fish’s mistreatment, Ampliatus’s daughter, Corelia Ampliata, quickly goes into town and locates the aquarius.  She wants to find Exomnius, but she takes Attilus when he explains that he’s now in charge of the Aqua Augusta.

Marcus Attilus is taken to Corelia’s home, and after meeting with Ampliatus, he discovers that there’s a strong smell of sulfur coming from the water supply.  The sulfur is what killed the fish, not mistreatment by one of the slaves.  The strong presence of sulfur is alarming and Attilus needs to verify if it’s also in the town’s water supply.  This means a trip to Piscina Mirabilis, the water reservoir, an immense structure that, when filled, can hold several days’ worth of water for the town’s residents.

At the water reservoir, Attilus discovers that the water level is low, and the flow of water coming from the aqueduct is a mere trickle.  Obviously the town is not receiving as much water as it should.  At this rate the town’s water supply will be exhausted within a day or two.  This is especially troubling at the end of a dry summer period.

Outside the water reservoir, a rider gives Attilus more troubling news.  Other towns in the area are also running out of water, even as far away as Nola.  The town of Nola is on the opposite side of Mount Vesuvius.  If that town is running out of water, then that means that the rest of the towns on the Aqua Augusta, basically all of the Gulf of Naples, are ALL running out of water.  It’s an area that has about 200,000 people. Read more…

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — And The Rest of The Year

Each year on the third Monday of January, the country pauses to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the impact that he had on the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s.

There’s no question that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a key and very influential figure during the Civil Rights Movement.  The racial segregation in schools, places of employment, public facilities, and other parts of life was unfair, and something had to be done about it.  Thankfully, somebody like MLK stepped forward and led the country to the ending of segregation through non-violent demonstrations and peaceful protests.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was also a bright and intelligent person, and he had earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948, a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1951, and finally a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1955.  MLK worked as both a pastor and Christian minister until taking a trip to India and then becoming involved in the Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 when visiting Memphis, Tennessee.

Here in Atlanta, Georgia, MLK’s home town, we also have The King Center, a memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy and ideas promoted by Martin Luther King, Jr.

The King Center is a natural gathering point here in Atlanta on MLK Day.  It’s also where you’ll find politicians bending over backwards trying to show how sympathetic they are to black problems and issues.  This happens to be an election year, and we all know how politicians love to make a thousand promises when it comes to “buying” votes.

On this day each year the news media also bends over backwards in their coverage of MLK Day speeches, rallies, and other events.  Sometimes it feels like overload when you factor in all of the attention that this national holiday receives.

Yes, the Civil Rights Movement was a critical part of our country’s history.  Because of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, our country has become better for all citizens.  Both of those acts are responsible from the actions of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his leadership.

All of this is heavily celebrated on the third Monday in January.  What has been earned should certainly be honored and respected, just like our nation’s independence being celebrated on July 4th.  No problem there.

But what happens throughout the rest of the year?  Are MLK’s lessons reflected upon and followed on the *other* days of the year?  It certainly does not seem like it when you take a look at certain parts of society including: Read more…

Movie Review – RoboCop 2 (1990)

Back in 1987, RoboCop thrilled audiences with its tale of a dead police officer brought back to life as a cyborg, and his quest for revenge against the criminals who killed him.

1990’s RoboCop 2 continues the story established in the first film.

Set a not long after the events in the first film, RoboCop 2 continues the story with OCP‘s progress towards taking over most of the city of Detroit, Michigan, and converting it into “Delta City.”  OCP is also working towards the next model in the “RoboCop” line of cyborg police units.  In addition to the story of OCP, RoboCop 2 also wages war on drugs.  The drug in this film is Nuke, a cheap and readily available drug that’s common on the streets of Detroit.

Directed by Ivan Kershner, RoboCop 2 returns many of the same cast members from the first RoboCop film.  Peter Weller reprises his role as Alex Murphy / RoboCop.  The same goes true for Nancy Allen in the role of Officer Anne Lewis, Dan O’Herlihy as “The Old Man,” Felton Perry as OCP vice president Donald Johnson, and Robert DoQui as Sgt. Reed.

New faces in RoboCop 2 include Belinda Bauer as Dr. Juliette Faxx, Tom Noonan as criminal leader Cain, and Gabriel Damon as Hob, a 12-year-old kid and Cain’s assistant.

RoboCop 2 (1990) – (c) Orion Pictures

RoboCop 2 begins with some satirical television commercials along with some news stories.  One of the news stories is about the assassination of the Surgeon General as he gives a news conference about the dangers of Nuke, a new and wildly popular designer drug.  This is followed by a message from Cain (Tom Noonan), a terrorist and the Nuke cult leader.

We also learn that most of the Detroit police officers are on strike.  They’re upset that Omni Consumer Products (OCP) has cut their salaries and cancelled their pension plan.  This is leaving the already dangerous city prone to even more criminal activity. Read more…

Movie Review – RoboCop (1987)

Imagine a world in the not-too-distant future where crime is rampant and the solution is straight out of a science laboratory.

Released in 1987, RoboCop tells a violent tale where a Detroit police officer is tortured and nearly killed by a notorious criminal’s gang, only to return as a half-man, half-machine cyborg cop seeking revenge.  Throw in plenty of bloody violence along with greed, corruption, drugs, and good, old fashioned murder, and there you go.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven, RoboCop stars Peter Weller as Detroit police officer Alex Murphy / RoboCop.  Co-starring in the film are Nancy Allen as officer Anne Lewis, Ronny Cox as OCP senior president Richard “Dick” Jones, Kurtwood Smith as Clarence Boddicker, and Miguel Ferrer as OCP executive Robert “Bob” Morton.

RoboCop takes place in Detroit, Michigan in the year 2029.

Crime is rampant and the city itself is on the edge of financial collapse.  The federal government is not interested in bailing out the city (sound familiar?).  Along comes the Omni Consumper Products (OCP) corporation to the rescue.  In exchange for funding and running Detroit’s police force, the mayor is allowing OCP to demolish sections of Detroit and create “Delta City,” a high-end utopia.  “Delta City” will be an independent city within a city that is run by OCP and NOT the city of Detroit.

The film begins with a Detroit television station giving us news stories.  Mixed with the news reports are satirical commercials for products making a mockery of society.  One of the news reports mentions that a few Detroit police officers were murdered by crime boss Clarence Boddicker, a killer associated with the deaths of 31 police officers.  One of the police officers was only critically injured, but his outlook is grim.

RoboCop (1987) – (c) Orion Pictures

At one of the police precincts we see officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) arrive after being transferred from a different precinct.  It’s noted that OCP has been shuffling quite a few officers around the city as they run the police program.  When Murphy goes to the locker room he notices that several of his fellow officers are very upset with the way that OCP continues to deteriorate the police department.  There’s talk of the officers going on strike soon.

After suiting up in his gear, Alex Murphy is introduced to his new partner, officer Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen).  The two of them leave and head out on patrol of their section of the city. Read more…

Movie Review – Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Opening in the theaters this weekend is Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, a film based on the characters in the Tom Clancy universe.  This is the fifth Jack Ryan film to be released to the theaters after The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and The Sum of All Fears.  Unlike the previous films, this new movie is NOT based on a Tom Clancy book.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is an origin story of how Jack Ryan became involved with the CIA, and also his relationship with future wife Dr. Catherine Muller.  This film follows along as Jack Ryan discovers financial discrepancies in Russia that point towards an upcoming terrorist attack in the U.S.  It’s up to the young CIA agent to uncover the mystery and stop the attack before it kills innocent people and cripples the economy of the United States of America.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit stars Chris Pine in the lead role of Dr. Jack Ryan.  Supporting him are Kevin Costner as CIA Agent Thomas Harper, Keira Knightly as Dr. Caroline Muller, and Kenneth Branagh as Viktor Cherevin.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit begins in 2001 as Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) is a college student in London, England.  One day he notices a commotion as his fellow students are rushing to the television sets to watch a breaking news story.  It’s September 11, 2001, and terrorists have just flown hijacked aircraft into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

This inspires Jack Ryan to fight for his country.  He drops out of his college doctorate program to join the Marine Corps.

Fast forward to 2003.

Jack Ryan is a lieutenant in the Marines and serving in Afghanistan.  While he’s on the front lines with his fellow soldiers, Ryan is also researching financial material and stopping unusual trends.  His work has been noticed by people in high levels in the government.

Suddenly a surface-to-air missile strikes Ryan’s helicopter and it crashes to the ground.  Ryan is badly injured in the crash, and it’s race against time to save him from being paralyzed.  The young officer is rushed to an air base where he receives the necessary treatment to save his legs.

Jack is then transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and he has to go through extensive physical therapy to learn how to walk again.  That’s where he meets Caroline “Cathy” Muller (Keira Knightly), a medical student who helps Jack learn to walk again.  She pushes him and he regains the use of his legs again.  Jack asks Cathy out to dinner, but she refuses to date him until he is no longer her patient. Read more…

Book Review – George R. R. Martin’s “A Game of Thrones”

Today I finished reading A Game of Thrones, the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire series written by George R. R. Martin.

This entire book correlates to season one of the HBO series A Game of Thrones.

First published back in 1996, A Game of Thrones is an epic story that takes place in a medieval and fantasy setting.  Most of this story takes place on the continent WESTEROS in a land called the SEVEN KINGDOMS.  Westeros is an island continent with a wide variety of terrain from mountains to forests to plains to marshlands and rivers.  Seasons on Westeros can last for decades at a time.  A Game of Thrones takes place near the ending of a summer period that has lasted for about ten years.  The people are fearing that the upcoming winter will last even longer.

Near the northern tip of Westeros is the WALL, an ancient structure 700 feet tall and 300 miles long.  The region north of the Wall is mostly uncharted.  Rumors say that mystical beings live in the uncharted areas, though none of them have been sighted for thousands of years.

The Seven Kingdoms is actually divided into nine regions, with each region being controlled by a ruling family.  The central seat of power is the Iron Throne in King’s Landing where the king himself rules over all.

A Game of Thrones tells a story told simultaneously from three locations:  the Seven Kingdoms, the Wall, and Pentos, a region across the sea in part of the Free Cities.  Each chapter is told through the eyes of one of the main characters.

THE SEVEN KINGDOMS:

In the northern realm of the Seven Kingdoms is where you’ll find the castle town of Winterfell and the Stark family.  Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark rules his lands honestly and fairly.  Assisting him are his wife Catelyn, their sons Robb (sixteen years old and heir to Winterfell), Brandon (seven years old, goes by Bran), and Rickon (three years old), and their daughters Sansa (eleven years old) and Arya (nine years old).  Also part of the Stark family is Jon Snow, Ned’s fourteen-year-old bastard son.  Most of the story focuses on the Stark family and their ordeals in the Seven Kingdom.

The story begins with Winterfell men locating a deserter from the Wall.  When you go to the Wall and take an oath to become part of the Night’s Watch, it’s a job for life.  The men serving there will never be allowed to marry or raise children.  There is no going back home.  You serve at the Wall until your death.  Deserting the Wall and being captured later results in an execution.  In this case the deserter is terrified after seeing something at the Wall, and it spooked him enough to risk his own death.

Ned goes to the captured Night Watch soldier and brings along Bran and Jon Snow to observe.  Ned has to execute the man in accordance to the law.  Unlike other lords, Ned feels that whomever gives the order for execution should carry out the task himself.  Ned takes his sword and decapitates the soldier. Read more…

Movie Review – Lone Survivor (2013)

Opening limited on December 25, 2013 and widespread on January 10, 2014 is Lone Survivor, a war film telling the story of Navy SEAL Team 10‘s failed mission Operation Red Wings.

Operation Red Wings was a special ops mission that took place in Afghanistan starting on June 27, 2005.  Once the soldiers were discovered by locals and the mission was compromised, what followed was a massive firefight with Taliban fighters.  The fighting ultimately claimed the lives of three of the four-man SEAL team along with sixteen more soldiers that were part of the quick reaction force.

This is their story.

Directed by Peter Berg, Lone Survivor stars Mark Wahlberg as Marcus Luttrell.  Supporting him in the film are Taylor Kitsch as Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, Emile Hirsch as Danny Dietz, Ben Foster as Matthew Axelson, and Eric Bana as Lieutenant Commander Erik S. Kristensen.

Lone Survivor begins by taking a brief look at soldiers training to become Navy SEALs.  It’s a brutally tough and mentally challenging program with an extremely high rate of failure for the candidates.  It’s no wonder that those soldiers who succeed and become Navy SEALs are modern day warriors capable of overcoming any challenge.

The film then transitions to Afghanistan and we see combat medics working hard to save the life of Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg).  His body is bloody and beaten, and at this point it’s uncertain if the medical team will be able to save his life.

Lone Survivor then goes back a few days and we see what looks like an ordinary morning on an army base in Afghanistan.  The soldiers wake up and start their day.  Some of them compete in a physical fitness race while others communicate with loved ones back home.  It’s just another ordinary morning for the soldiers.

Later that day, Lieutenant Commander Erik S. Kristensen (Eric Bana) leads a mission briefing for the Navy SEALs.  Operation Red Wings is designed to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shah.  The secondary target is a man named Taraq, Shah’s right hand man and accomplice.  The mission itself will be carried out with a four-man SEAL reconnaissance team.  It’s noted that because of the mountainous terrain, there may be communication problems between the SEAL team and their headquarters. Read more…

Micro Touch One (Double-Edge Safety Razor) – A Marketing Review

Shaving has been a grooming habit since stones were sharpened into knives thousands of years ago.

While the electronic age has introduced conveniences such as electric razors, many people still prefer to use a metal blade as their instrument for shaving.  These razors can be in the form of a straight razor, a safety razor, a cartridge razor, and the cheap, disposable razor.

Micro Touch One safety razor website — www.OneRazor.com

Here we have the Micro Touch One, a double-edge safety razor being marketed as the preferable way to groom.  Let’s take a look and review the Micro Touch One’s TV commercial and see how it’s being presented as a great way to shave.

To view the TV commercial you’ll have to visit the Micro Touch One’s website.  As of this article’s publishing, there isn’t a good version of the commercial on YouTube.

Micro Touch One safety razor TV commercial – Hey, kids!  It’s Rick Harrison from TV’s ‘Pawn Stars’!

Promoting the Micro Touch One double-edge safety razor is none other than Rick Harrison from one of TV’s hit reality shows, Pawn Stars.  Pawn Stars is a reality show based in a pawn store in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Rick is one of the hosts along with his father and Rick’s son.  The people are all history buffs, and most of the time the seem to know what they’re talking about when it comes to quality and great values.

Just remember that in Pawn Stars we also see the darker side of them as they try to coax the sellers into as low of a sale price as possible.  Knowing that, is Rick going to be completely honest with us viewers in this advertisement?

The Micro Touch One’s commercial begins with Rick Harrison introducing himself and telling us a little bit about his pawn store.  This establishes some credibility with him appearing to know what he’s talking about when it comes to cool items and good values. Read more…

Book Review – J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring”

Today I finished reading J.R.R. Tolkien‘s The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume in the three-volume epic story of The Lord of the Rings.

First published in 1954, The Fellowship of the Ring continues the tales of Middle-earth told in The Hobbit.  This time around the adventure takes place roughly sixty years after Bilbo Baggins has returned from his quest to the Lonely Mountain and his discovery of the One Ring.

The Fellowship of the Ring begins in The Shire.  A large party is being planned for Bilbo Baggins‘s 111th birthday.  It’s going to be one of the grandest parties in the recent history of The Shire.  Coincidentally, the birthday is also the same date as Frodo Baggins‘s birthday, the nephew of Bilbo.  Frodo will be turning 33 years old and taking responsibility for Bilbo’s estate.

It’s a little bit unusual that Bilbo has lived to the age of 111, yet he still looks and feels young at heart.  This has caught the attention of some people, but nobody knows Bilbo’s secret.

Bilbo’s secret is the One Ring, a magical ring that he discovered a long time ago while helping a band of dwarfs reclaim their home in the Lonely Mountain.  In addition to giving the bearer of the ring the power of invisibility, the ring’s powers also flow into its carrier.  It gives the person an unnaturally long life.  In the wrong hands, the One Ring can also bring incredible power and complete destruction.

Nearly everybody in The Shire attends Bilbo’s elaborate birthday party.  At the end of the party Bilbo gives a farewell speech to the crowds.  He tells them that he’s leaving, and then Bilbo slips the ring onto his finger, instantly disappearing from the people.  He easily sneaks back to Bag End, his hobbit home.

In Bag End, Gandalf the Grey, a powerful wizard and old friend of Bilbo, confronts Bilbo about his ring and disappearing act.  Gandalf has known about Bilbo’s ring for some time now, but at this point it’s still believed that the ring is simply a magical ring and not as powerful as it seems.  But Gandalf can see that Bilbo has an obsession towards the ring.  Bilbo is reluctant to let go of the ring and pass it on to Frodo.  He finally does so, leaving the One Ring in an envelope for Frodo, before leaving Bag End for good.

Frodo Baggins inherits Bag End from Bilbo and spends the next 17 years maintaining the home as well as Bilbo’s affairs, including selling some goods and dealing with some of Bilbo’s greedy relatives.

During that time period Gandalf heads out and researches the ring.  When he finally returns to Bag End to confront Frodo, he has quite a tale to tell.  It seems impossible, but Elvish writing on the interior of the One Ring confirms its identity. Read more…

December 2013 Exercise Results

Welcome to 2014.

I know that I’m not the only person to say good riddance to 2013.  Most of that year was pretty lousy for myself and my family.

Anyway, here we are in January, so let’s take a quick look at my exercise results for the previous month.

The month of December is busy with Christmas and everything else that takes place in that month.  There are plenty of distractions and reasons not to exercise.  Sadly, I gave in to some of the distractions.  I didn’t have a terrible month exercising, but I could have still done a little bit better.

December of 2013 exercise totals:

Exercise bike totals (cardio) – 8 sessions

– 315 minutes (5.25 hours)

– 73.6 miles

– 3,689 calories

– furthest distance during a 45-minute bike ride – 10.8 miles

Total Bodyworks 5000 totals (strength):

– 12 sessions; ~ 40 minutes each

Towards the end of December I “leveled up” with my strength training machine and have been working myself at the next level.

I’ve also been keeping track of the number of sit-ups that I do when exercising.  Since I haven’t kept track of it for the entire month, I have not added those numbers to the other totals.  However, the number of sit-ups will be part of my totals starting in January.  It’s one more element that I can track and continue to measure my progress with getting in shape and growing my muscles.

Otherwise, my numbers for December really aren’t that impressive.  It’s certainly better than what I did in November, but I still feel like I should have been working out at least a few more days last month.

Both of my exercise machines are still working great.  My exercises for the month of January have already started out strong.  I just need to stay focused and keep pushing myself towards my goals.

New Year’s Resolutions – Are They Worth It?

It’s still wildly popular for people to make a listing of their goals / resolutions for the new year.

But is this custom really just setting people up for failure?

Most of us aren’t perfect, and there are parts in life that we can control and we can do something about it.  As the month of December winds to a close and the new year approaches, many people will make a listing of goals that they want to accomplish in the new year.  Some of the more common resolutions include:

– Exercising more & losing weight.

– Quit smoking / drinking / drugs / other bad habits.

– Learning a new skill.

– Spending more time with family and loved ones.

– Going back to school.

– Finding a better job.

– Developing a long-term relationship.

You name it and somebody out there probably has made a similar resolution.  But in the end, does it really accomplish anything by waiting until the new year?

Accomplishing a resolution all comes down to willpower and personal motivation.  If you have to wait until a new year to force yourself outside of your comfort zone to conquer some personal issues, then you’re going to be facing a lot of trouble.  The desire to slack off and eventually give up your goal will be right there in your face, taunting you, urging you to quit working so hard.

That evil temptation is a huge reason why many people fail at keeping their resolutions. Read more…