Book Review: Algebra for Dummies Education Bundle

 

This is a bundle of the Algebra for dummies book and workbook. It discusses all of the major concepts you would be required to know in an intermediate algebra class and most of what you would be exposed to in a college algebra class. Like the other "for dummies" books, it gives you a lot of tips for solving problems, things to watch out for that can trip you up, and things that your regular textbook will rarely give you. The workbook matches the layout of the "regular" book, but it is lighter on the explanatory material and heavy on the example problems. Whereas the regular book is heavy on the explanatory material and lighter on problems for you to work out.

I got this years ago when I started going back to school to get what ultimately became an electrical engineering degree. Because I had been out of math for so long, I had to basically start over at intermediate algebra and got this as a study guide to teach myself the material before taking the class. While I still had to work hard in both intermediate and college algebra, this helped make sense of the material in the book, which was especially helpful in intermediate algebra since I was in a section that was basically a "teach yourself" the material without a lecture attached to it. Until I really got good at reading the textbooks (which basically became easy once I got to physics), it helped to have the concepts distilled down. Having taken the entire calculus sequence plus numerous physics and engineering classes, I can tell you that strong algebra skills are essential as you get further along. Being good at algebra will not guarantee that higher-level classes will be a breeze, but it will ensure that you do not needlessly lose points because even in calculus, a lot of times what takes the most time is doing algebraic simplification, and it presents the most opportunity to make mistakes. So, depending on your style of learning, this is a good supplement if you cannot understand what your textbook is saying. And, for those who are just trying to learn math without taking a class, this will give you a good handle on the material.

Book Review: Calculus for Dummies Education Bundle

 

This bundle contains the Calculus for Dummies book and corresponding workbook. The book itself mostly has explanatory material, written much more concisely than what you get from the textbooks, and has a lot of good tips for solving problems. There are some example problems and problems meant for people to work out, but most of the problems are in the workbook. That is light on explanatory material (just repeats the basics) but has quite a few problems from the various concepts.

This covers derivatives and their applications like related rates and optimization, and integration and its applications. For some schools that is pretty much all of calc 1 and most of calc II. For other schools, it would be the entire calc I curriculum. It really just depends on how the classes at your school split up the material. It does not cover multivariable calculus, linear algebra, or differential equations, which in some schools are generally covered in calculus 3 and calculus 4. It is not as big as a textbook (obviously) so there is some material that your teacher may cover that is not in this guide, but it does cover all of the "main" concepts you will be exposed to in class. So, if you are someone who learns by reading, but the textbook does not do it for you, you should definitely give this a try.

Book Review: Physics Workbook for Dummies

 

This is the companion book to Physics for Dummies, by the same author. Hence, it follows the same chapter format and layout of that book. This is mostly just a book with problems to practice. There is some explanatory material, but that is kept to a minimum. Like the Physics for Dummies book, this is geared more toward high-school-level (or algebra-based) physics classes. That is not to say it will not help if you are taking calculus-based physics, because it will. The equations and most of the concepts are exactly the same in calculus-based physics as in algebra-based physics classes. However, just know that if you are taking calculus-based physics, some of the problems you will be exposed to are much more difficult than what this will throw at you. But, as a primer to learn physics concepts and get practice working on problems, this is a very good option.

Workout Update: P90X Day 88

Day 88 was x-stretch. Overall, it went well. I was again able to do the low-squats for the entire 35 seconds or however long that ends up being. I was also able to get a little bit lower/deeper into the various hamstring stretches. I will have this workout one more time on Sunday, and I plan on doing it just before I do the Chalean Extreme fit test.

Book Review: Physics for Dummies

 

This is a book that introduces the concepts that you will learn in a first-semester physics class, like the laws of motion, gravitation, conservation of energy, and the like. It does have some examples, and some problems that you can work out on your own, but it is mostly the kind of explanatory material that you get in the chapter reading. But, it distills all of the concepts so that they are generally more understandable than what you get from a textbook (and some teachers). It is definitely geared more toward high school physics or what in college is referred to as algebra-based physics. As most people who have taken calculus-based physics already know, calculus is mainly used to derive the equations, but you still mainly use algebra to solve the problems. So, what most teachers do is, in algebra-based physics classes they assign the "easier" versions of the problems and in calculus-based physics classes, they assign the harder problems. So, the kind of examples and the problems in this are definitely the easier versions, but it is a good primer even if you are going to be taking calculus-based physics because it will introduce you to the concepts, give you some experience with solving physics problems, and put you in a good position once you start class. And, for those who get this just because they want to learn something about physics, or refresh their knowledge of the subject, it is good for that too.

Product Review: Honeywell Home RTH221B1021 RTH221B Programmable Thermostat

 

This is fairly easy to install. The instructions are easy to follow and as long as you are not totally colorblind, you should not have problems with connecting any of the wires. Why I give this such a low rating is that it had to be replaced in less than a year. Basically, it worked fine until it did not, and neither of the others that have been installed since then (the basic digital one that Xcel replaced this one with or the new programmable one I installed to replace that one) has failed so whatever broke in this one was not due to faulty wiring.

Workout Update: P90X Day 87

Day 87 was the last Kenpo-X workout in this round. It went very well and I think it was the best of the Kenpo workouts in the entire round. I was able to easily keep up with (and sometimes even go faster than) the people in the video. I have just a few more workouts, and then I will be doing the Chalean Extreme fit test on Sunday.

Workout Update: P90X Day 86

Day 86 was the last core synergistics workout. I decided I am going to do the cardio workout in place of the second core workout this week. I am still not a fan of this workout, but I think that is mostly because it is probably the hardest one for me to do. But, I can tell it has gotten a bit easier from the first time I did it to now. But, I have a long way to go before I can even get close to keeping up with the people in the video. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 85

Day 85 was another yoga session. Again, I cut this one short, mainly because of timing during the day when I could do the workout. Thankfully, I only have one more yoga session this round of P90x.  I am going to try to get through more of the workout more consistently when I do the next round, probably after I am done with Chalean Extreme. 

Product Review: Atlantic Oskar Media Cabinet

 

This is basically a particle board shelf that can hold quite a few CDs or DVDs, so in that way, it is good for those of us who still have a pretty extensive physical media collection. But, it is definitely a "get what you pay for" item. It is not very sturdy (although once you have it full of CDs or DVDs it won't tip over without some effort). One plus is that you can stagger the height of the shelves if you need to in order to accommodate taller items. But, I will not really hold any oversized box sets, so if you have a lot of those, that is something to be aware of.

Workout Update: P90X Day 84

Day 84 was another truncated version of yoga-x. This is really the only workout that I have consistently slacked off on during this round of P90x. As I have said before, it is my least favorite of the P90x workouts, not because I hate yoga, but because it is just too damn long. If it was cut down to an hour, it would be a great workout. But, the hour and a half length is too much most of the time, especially if you consistently do the x-stretch.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 83

Day 83 was x-stretch. Really, the only thing notable from the workout was that I was able to stay in the low-squat position the entire 45 seconds (or however long it is) without having to raise up at all. It took me until the last week, but I did get there. I still cannot get close to doing the shoulder stand into plow though, so I just do a butterfly stretch to work my inner thighs. 

Book Review: Red Sparrow

 

Red Sparrow is a spy thriller set in Eastern Europe. It is centered around a former ballerina named Dominika who, after an injury is forced out of ballet, and thanks to the connections of her uncle who is a top member of the Russian SVR, ends up going to "Sparrow School." The intention is for her to use her sexuality to seduce and/or blackmail targets of the SVR. She ends up becoming a much more accomplished agent and becomes entwined in a plot that involves moles for both the United States and Russia and essentially a game of chess between the CIA and the SVR.

The book, as most know, was adapted into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence. While I do not think the movie was horrible, too much of the book had to be cut out, and things like the inner monologues of characters that really advanced the plot of the book, could not translate easily to film, and hence were removed. So, the motivations of the characters that we learn in the book are missing from the movie. I think finding a way to get much of that into the movie would have helped it. Thus, as is almost always the case, the book ends up being better than the movie.

Overall, the book is well-written and easy to read with a plot that flows well. The author is an ex-CIA agent who was stationed in that part of the world and draws on his experience, which gives a lot of authenticity to the story even though it is fictional. Each chapter ends with a recipe for some food item that was mentioned in that chapter. They are not key to the story in any way but are a unique addition to the book. It is a mix of action thriller, espionage, with a bit of sex thrown in. It is definitely worth reading, especially if you have seen the movie.

Workout Update: P90X Day 82

 Day 82 was the last regular resistance workout of this round of P90X. That means the last legs and back workout and the last ab-ripper x workout. Both went well. I was able to increase the weight on a couple of the exercises that used weights in the legs and back workout and again got in all the reps during ab-ripper. 

Product Review: Burnes of Boston LL2963 Level Line 24" Walnut Cambridge Ledge

 

I purchased this to display some knick-knacks above my fireplace. It was very easy to install, and I was able to put it up, without any assistance, in about five minutes. There is a plastic piece that the wood ledge mounts onto. The plastic piece has nail holes pre-drilled and a built-in level. So you just place it where you want to ledge to sit, nail the plastic piece into the wall, and then mount the ledge on the plastic piece. Very easy.

Workout Update: P90X Day 81

Day 81 was Kenpo-x. Overall, it went fine. Nothing much was different between the last time I did the workout and this time. I am at the point where I can pretty easily keep up with the people in the video now, although my balance on some of the kicks can still be a bit shaky.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 80

Day 80 was my last Back and Biceps workout in this round. It went well, with again being able to hit the 10 rep max on a couple of the exercises, but mostly (if I had to do the workout again next week) the weights I am using would remain the same. But, I was able to hit 12 reps on all of the pull-ups/pull-downs with the 115 lb band resistance (aside from the corn-cobs), so I continue to make progress there. On the ab-ripper warm-up I was again able to do all the reps but still had to modify some of the moves. 

DVD Review: The Good Fight Season 4

 

+++Warning, this contains minor spoilers from season three, but no major season four giveaways.+++

Season three of The Good Fight picks up basically after the Swat Team busting in on Kurt and Diane, and but is a twist episode in which Diane thinks the past three years has been a dream. Then, episode two picks up some time down the line after the events of season three in which the firm agreed to merge with STR Laurie. John Larroquette joins the cast as the managing partner of STR Laurie and basically the boss of Diane,  Adrian, and Liz. There are a couple of main plot points throughout the season. One is a plot involving something called Memo 618 that basically causes judges to throw out cases for the rich and well-connected. The other is life at the firm under the new management. Luca also has a pretty significant side-story in which she befriends a rich client and gets in with her social group.

There is definitely a lot of cast turnover this year. Of course, Rosie Leslie left the show after season three with Mia being written out as leaving with Roland Blum. Hugh Dancy joined the cast in a recurring role as an STR Laurie associate assigned to keep tabs on the Reddick Boseman team. And, the guest stars this season included Michael J. Fox, Gary Cole, Rob Reiner, and Raul Esparza. There is also a couple of Good Wife mentions in Will Garner being name-dropped, and a blink and you will miss it reference to Alicia. 

Overall, the show keeps up the same format, blending in real-world events with fictional storylines. It is, as it has always been, very political, and very much left-leaning politically (even though some of the characters on the show are conservative). So, anyone bitching about the fact that this season is political obviously did not pay attention to seasons 1-3. Yes, the writers (and at least some of the actors) hate the former guy and make no bones about it. But that was apparent from season 1 episode 1. For those who get the DVD set, it is just a MOD set with the episodes, but no extras. It does have English captions however for those who are hearing-impaired. It is shorter because production ended due to Covid before the last three episodes were finished, so there are only seven episodes as opposed to the usual ten. Also, because it is not broadcast on CBS and just airs on the streaming platform, like in past seasons, there is a lot of swearing, including liberal use of the word "fuck". So if that turns you off, then it is best to find another show to watch. But, if you have been a fan of seasons 1-3 you will probably like this one. If not, there is nothing in this season that is likely to convert you.

CD Review: Wanted Soundtrack

 

I mainly purchased this to get the song, "The Little Things" but was very pleased by the rest of the material. All of the other songs are instrumental, and make up the score of the movie. Personally, I did not really realize how good the score was while watching the movie, but the soundtrack really makes you appreciate how well it was done. I definitely recommend this.

Product Review: Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells

 

These are, unlike some Bowflex products, mostly good. However, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind. First, and probably most importantly, they do have plastic parts, so you definitely do not want to drop them, especially on a hard floor. If you have relatively thick mats, like tumbling mats, it is possible they could be dropped safely, but most definitely not on concrete or some kind of hard flooring. I would be hesitant to even drop them on a carpeted surface. The inner mechanism could easily break in that situation, then you basically have a very heavy paperweight. Also, these are much bulkier than traditional free-weight dumbbells, which can be an issue if you have low ceilings and are doing shoulder-press type exercises standing up. I work out in my basement, which has seven-foot ceilings, and even though I am not extremely tall, I am tall enough that if I do standing shoulder presses with these I will easily hit the ceiling and put a nice gash in it. Finally, when you dial in a weight selection the locking mechanism does not always totally engage the plates so you may have to slightly turn the dial and/or jiggle the weights to get them out of the stack. The first two things are major, the other is relatively minor.

Overall, the ability to get 50lbs of dumbbell weight in a compact space is very nice. And for a lot of people, that is probably all the dumbbell weight they will ever need. The handle grip is much better than most dumbbells and they do not get slippery in your hands. I would highly suggest getting the stand that can hold them because constantly bending down to pick them up and put them back may be hard on some people's backs. They are also a lot cheaper than getting 50lbs of regular dumbbells, which is nice. I personally use these in conjunction with regular dumbbells, and for exercises where I am concerned about dropping them if I use max weight I use the regular dumbbells I use those, and for those, I am not concerned about it, I use these.

Overall, these are a pretty good option, but you do kind of have to treat them with kid gloves. Much more than you would ever have to with regular iron dumbbells. I have had these for years and never had an issue with them and do recommend them as long as you keep the things I mentioned in mind.

Workout Update: P90X Day 79

Day 79 was the last Plyo-X workout for this round. It was, at least for the beginning of the workout, the best I have been able to do. I was able to keep up with everyone and get much deeper into the squat moves than I had before. That resulted in my being pretty gassed by the end of the workout so I was having to modify a lot for the last couple of rounds of exercises, but overall, it was my best Plyo session. And, my legs are very sore today from all the squats, which is ultimately a good thing. 

Product Review: Bowflex SelectTech 552 / 1090 Dumbbell Stand

 

This is the stand made to hold the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbell sets. I have the SelectTech 552 set (that goes up to 52.5 lbs, but this will also hold the 1090 set that goes up to 90 lbs. The stand is easy to put together and is very sturdy. It fits easily into a corner so it can be a bit out of the way in whatever room you have it in. Having the dumbbells up off the floor makes dialing in the resistance a lot easier, and saves you back not having to bend over to pick them up. I definitely recommend this if you have or are thinking of purchasing the SelectTech dumbbells.

Workout Update: P90X Day 78

Day 78 was my last Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps workout for this round of P90X. As I have said before, this is probably my least favorite of the resistance workouts. That said, I think that I had my best workout for this one last night. I was able to do better on some of the push-up moves, and I was able to hit the 10 rep max on a couple of the moves that used weights. So overall, I think it went pretty well, but I am still a long way from keeping up with either Dave or Phil.  

DVD Review: American Dad Volume 13

 

As most die-hard fans of the show know, the quality of the DVD releases has gone way down over the course of time. However, the one saving grace is that the episodes on the DVD were uncensored, so you would get the unedited jokes, f-bombs, and all. Now the MOD sets are just releasing the broadcast versions of the show, with the edits. And, they are not even captioning the sets as they have done in past years. So, really, the only reason to get this is if you already have the prior seasons on DVD and you want to keep your collection complete.

As far as the show goes, it pretty much follows the story-of-the-week format it always has. Some of the episodes they just plain make as weird as they possibly can. Of course, because it is a cartoon it is easy for the writers and showrunners to do so. I still think the best episodes are the ones that somehow involve Stan's job at the CIA, which the show has really removed as a focus. The show is definitely getting a bit long in the tooth but, like Family Guy, it seems that this one is going to go on as long as Seth McFarlane wants to continue making it. So, I cannot say that everyone, even people who have been fans of the show are going to like this season. Certainly, die-hard fans will probably still like it, even if not as much as in prior seasons, but if you have never liked the show, this season is not going to do anything to change your mind.

Workout Update: P90X Day 77

 Day 77 was a very shortened version of Yoga. I basically went until the break (after chair and twisting chair) then bailed out. I was not feeling very well at all, and figured it would be better to just rest instead of pushing through any longer.