Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 27

Day 27 of CE was the burn it off workout. This was better than the last couple of weeks, mostly because my left knee felt a bit better than it has the past couple of times I have done this workout. I still did have to modify some of the moves, but I was definitely able to push myself harder. Tomorrow is the last day of the Burn Phase, then I will transition into the Push Phase which is living as heavy as you can for fewer reps. 

Book Review: Fast This Way: How to Lose Weight, Get Smarter, and Live Your Longest, Healthiest Life with the Bulletproof Guide to Fasting

 

Fast this way is a primer on fasting, but it is entwined in the author's personal experience when he did a long-term fast that included a Shaman and living in a cave. It is not a traditional health book that focuses on step 1 is ________, step 2 is _______, etc. There is some "how-to" content and the book does go into the science behind fasting, but that is sometimes in the background. The author does shill a bit for "bulletproof coffee" which is basically the idea of drinking coffee with MTC (coconut) oil added to it. Bulletproof Coffee is a brand that the author sells, but you do not have to use that brand in order to make the concoction.

The book gives tips for how to do different kinds of fasts, from the easiest, intermittent fasting (which basically amounts to skipping dinner or breakfast so you do not eat for 12-16 hours), to the harder multi-day fasts. He also gives you an idea of what to expect from your body when you do the various kinds of fasts. So, if you are interested in the concept of fasting and are looking for something that will give you both an idea of how to do it and what you can expect your body (and mind) to go through, this is a good book to read.

Book Review: Palace of Treason

 

This is the second in the trilogy of Red Sparrow novels by ex-CIA agent Jason Matthews. It continues the story of Dominika acting as a double agent for the USA against Russia. The plot involves a new boss that wants her out of the way, an Iranian nuclear facility that the Americans want to sabotage, and Dominika becoming a favorite of Putin. There is also the discovery of another mole for Russia inside the US government who presents a threat to Dominika's cover.

This is a very good middle portion of the story. It has a lot of action and does not get bogged down like a lot of middle installments of trilogies do. It does continue the complicated romance story between Nate and Dominika, but that part does not dominate the book so much that it gets annoying or slows down the plot. The pace of the story is much like the first book, and like in the first book, the end of each chapter includes a recipe for some dish that was mentioned in the chapter.

Overall, if you like spy thriller novels, and you liked the first book, you will probably like this one. On the other hand, if you did not get into the first book, this one is not likely to do much for you. The only thing I would caution is that if you did not like the movie Red Sparrow, do not let that dissuade you from reading the books if you are generally a fan of spy thrillers because the books are much better than the movie adaptation.

DVD Review: The Incredible Hulk: Season 2

 

The second season of the Incredible Hulk pretty much follows the same format as the first. David Banner is traveling around from place to place trying to find a way to rid himself of (or at least control) the Hulk. Everywhere he goes he manages to find someone in need of help and/or comes up against the worst criminals in town, all while having to avoid the reporter Jack McGee who is obsessed with finding The Hulk. Throughout the season there are a number of notable guest stars (along with a bevy of recognizable character actors). The guest stars this season include Pat Morita (The Karate Kid), Gerald McRaney (best known for Simon & Simon, incidentally playing a totally different character than he did in the first season), a very young Kim Cattrall (best known for Sex and the City), a very young and almost unrecognizable Ernie Hudson (best known for Ghostbusters), Rick Springfield (yes the Jesse's Girl singer who was also an actor at the time), Sherman Hemsley (of The Jeffersons), Markie Post (of Night Court fame), and Mariette Hartley (of Law & Order: SVU).

For those who get the DVD, the extras include a commentary track by Kenneth Johnson (the show's creator) on the first episode of the season, which was another two-hour movie), and deleted scenes for another episode. The commentary track was pretty similar to the commentary track Johnson did for the pilot episode.

Overall, the show has a good theme, but it is very dated. It definitely has the look and feel of a show from the 1970s. Obviously, everything back then was shot on film so it does not look anything like the shows that are shot digitally these days. Also, the 70s wardrobes and slang terms will always date the show. It actually did tackle heavier topics like race, drugs, the pillaging of Native American land, mental illness, etc., however, did not always do so tactfully. The special effects could be hilariously bad. The show did not have the budget for what little CGI technology there was out there, so pretty much everything was done practically, and a lot of it looked fake. And, some of the decisions on how to shoot scenes were a little head-scratching. Like getting Lou Ferrigno's feet in the shots when he is running, when he was clearly wearing green slippers when the Hulk is supposed to be barefoot. That said it is a pretty classic show, and unique in that most of the comic-book aspect of the character was left out of the show. He was not going up against evil supervillains, there were no hero team-ups or anything like that. If you have seen season one and like that then you will probably like season two.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 26

Day 26 was the last day of the Burn Circuit resistance workouts, with Burn Circuit 3. Overall, it went very well. I hit the 12 rep max on a few exercises and was in the 10-11 range for the others. What I like about this one is that, with a couple exceptions, the weight you are using is a bit lighter because the upper-body exercises are all shoulder presses or flys, so you can get really deep into the squats and lunges with good form. And, I really like the workout because it is the shortest of the Burn Circuit workouts, just 32 minutes including warm-up and cool-down. 

Product Review: Joycube No Touch Door Opener Tool with Stylus

 

If you are one who, like me, was leery of touching surfaces in high-traffic areas (like elevators) even before covid reared its ugly head, these are great to use to buttons or pull doors open. They are very sturdy and durable and do not feel cheap at all. I have not used them on a touchscreen surface, so I am not sure how well they do or do not work for that, but for touching elevator buttons or pressing buttons on keypads, they work great.

Book Set Review: Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7)

 

This is the full set of the original Harry Potter novels in a paperback version. It is much more than just a mass-market paperback, however. The books are just a bit smaller in size than the hardcover versions, and they have the same kind of quality illustrations and look great. They also come in a collector box that you can either store them in on a shelf, or the box can be displayed separately if you are one of those who goes all in decking out a bookshelf.

Harry Potter is, of course, the massive series that consisted of these 7 books, which were ultimately adapted into 8 movies, and then spun off the Fantastic Beasts franchise that is currently still going strong. The books are set in the 1990s at a time when a ten-year-old Harry learns that he is a wizard, and starts attending school at Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry. The theme throughout the series of books is the looming threat of the dark wizard Voldemort who tried and failed to kill Harry as an infant. The author JK Rowling, wrote the books with the intention that kids about Harry's age could start reading them and then age with the characters in the books. So, they do get progressively darker and more "adult" as the series goes on. The first couple of books are easily appropriate for 10-11 year-olds, but the later books are probably more appropriate for those in the 13-15-year-old (on up) age range. Even though they are technically kids' books, they can easily be enjoyed by adults. The books also get longer as the series goes on, so if you have seen the movies, there is a lot that happens in the books, especially books 3-6 that get cut out of the movies. I do think, on the whole, the books are better than the movies, but I think there are some things that the movies tweaked from the books that worked better.

Overall, it is a great book series. The story is unique in that, as opposed to a lot of other books in the sci-fi/fantasy genre that set their stories on made-up worlds that have little in common with our reality, it sets the world of magic in the "real" world in contemporary times, just making it clear that people without the magical ability (called muggles) are largely unaware of the existence of magic. If you are one of the few who have yet to read the books, I highly recommend them.

Product Review: DLO Jam Jacket with Cord Management for the 80/120 GB iPod classic 6G

 

This is a cover for the older, "classic" iPods. I have a Sixth Generation 160GB iPod classic and this fits it fine. It is not for an iPod nano or one of the thicker iPods. It is basically a piece of Silicon in the shape of an iPod classic that slips over it. I would classify this as good for "everyday" use to keep your iPod protected. Everyday use being things like carrying it in a bag and then putting it on a dock (such as a radio that has a 30 pin connector) at your office or in a bedroom, or hooking it up to an aux connection in a car, this is fine. I would not, however, use this if you want to take your iPod with you when you go jogging or something like that where there is a risk of it falling on the pavement. It does not have any screen protection at all, so if it falls on a hard enough surface at the right angle, it will still get broken. But, if you generally use it in a situation in which the hardest thing it is likely to fall on is a carpeted floor or the floor of your car, then this will be fine to keep it protected and keep it from getting scuffed up. The wheel on the iPod can be a bit hard to turn when you first put this on, but once you get used to it and figure out how hard you have to press as you are turning, it is not that hard.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 25

Day 25 was Burn Intervals. I did it in the morning on an empty stomach, which is definitely the best way I have found to do the workout. I did have to keep modifying the jumping/higher impact moves to protect my left knee, but I still got a good workout. I must say I am sorely tempted to mute the TV during this workout just so I do not have to listen to Skip. That aside, the workout went well. 

Supplement Review: Natrol Melatonin Fast Dissolve Tablets

 

I would not say that this really helps me fall asleep, but it definitely helps me to stay asleep once I have fallen asleep. I rarely ever wake up once I have fallen asleep and do not seem to toss and turn in my sleep as much when I use this on a regular basis.

Book/Study Aid Review: How to Ace Calculus: The Streetwise Guide

 

This is a book that I used mostly to help teach myself calculus before I had to take the class. The first handful of chapters (about the first 30 pages or so) deal with things like choosing the right teacher, study tips, exam taking, etc. Then, it gets into the meat of the material that you will learn in class. It covers all of the major topics from the first semester of calculus and most of the material in the second semester. Of course, that depends on how your school structures the calculus curriculum, but if it is a standard split where the first semester deals with derivatives and their application, and then introduces integrals, and the second semester focuses on all of the various integration techniques and their applications, then this will get you through that. Some second-semester calc classes also cover an introduction to differential equations, and if your school does that, this book will not cover that material.

The book is not what I would call a problems repository. It is more like the explanatory material that comes before the problem sets in the textbooks and provides some examples. The explanation of the theory and how to work problems are better than you would get in a lot of textbooks, but if you would need to get something like one of Schaum's guides if you want something that just has a ton of practice problems. One of the very helpful things the author does is give tips for things to look out for when working with different problem types and point out common mistakes that people make. If you can internalize those concepts quickly and do a lot of practice problems you will learn the material and avoid unnecessary mistakes. So, if you can learn from a book, which is definitely hard for some people, this one is a good resource to help you learn the material. I would read this in conjunction with the textbook to help make sense of what the textbook is trying to explain.

Blu Ray/Movie Review: She's Out of My League

 

She's Out of My League is a pretty standard 2000s comedy. It is another one in which a goofy guy named Kirk, played by Jay Baruchel, who is a TSA agent in Pittsburg ends up with the cell phone of a gorgeous event planner named Molly (played by Alice Eve). In the process of returning the phone, she agrees to a date with him and hilarity ensues. It is a pretty standard romantic comedy, especially between a hot girl and average looking guy in which he summons the courage to ask her out, she agrees, things go well until they don't, then we get the will-they-or-won't-they end up together storyline to finish off the movie. I won't spoil anything, but if you have seen any rom-com from 2000 forward, you pretty much know how it will turn out.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, the movie looks and sounds good in HD. It did not get the best Blu-Ray transfer ever, but the shots of Pittsburg do look great, especially if you have a big screen, and unless you are a serious A/V wonk, you probably will not have any issues with it. The extras include a commentary track on the movie with the director, there is a pretty cheesy faux dating show with Nate Torrence's character Devon, a few deleted scenes, and a blooper reel. Nothing spectacular, but there if you like watching the extras.

Overall, the movie is good. It is pretty standard rom-com fare but does mix in some good dramatic moments with the comedy. There are a couple of raunchier comedic moments that seem to have to be included in the more adult rom-coms, but for the most part, the comedy is pretty tame. It has a very good supporting cast including Lindsay Sloane, who plays Kirk's crazy ex, Nate Torrence, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel who work with Kirk at the airport, and Krysten Ritter as Molly's best friend Patty. There is, as you would expect a lot of swearing, and some sexual situations but nothing explicit and no nudity. If you are looking for something in the rom-com genre or just a comedy to have on in the background it is a good option.

Book/Study Aid Review: Schaum's Outline of Calculus, 5th ed.

 

Schaum's Outlines tend to range from being textbook-like (which this one is) to basically problems repositories. The textbook-like outlines will give an overview of each topic in the chapter sections, and then worked out examples, and then problems. So it is organized much like the textbooks are. The advantage that you get is that the explanatory material is not as long, more concise, and generally better than you get in the textbooks. And, all of the problems have answers, unlike the textbook in which you will only get an answer key for some of the problems.

This book covers all of the material in the first year of calculus, which in most schools is split between Calculus 1 and Calculus 2, and covers some of the material from Multivariable Calculus (usually called Calculus 3). Meaning it will cover derivatives and integrals and their applications, then it gets into partial derivatives and double and triple integrals. I had a great teacher for Calculus 1, a good teacher for Calculus 2, and an average teacher for Calculus 3, so I did not rely on this as much in Calc 1 as I did in the other classes. This definitely helped me figure out how to do the disk and washer methods of integration which neither my textbook nor my Calc 2 teacher (who just lectured from the textbook) explained well. It has over 1000 fully worked-out problems which are way more than any textbook will give you. So, if you are struggling in Calculus and are looking for resources to help you, this is a good one, depending on what your learning syle is.

DVD Review: Roger Dodger

 

Roger Dodger is a 2002 movie that is set in New York, involving a night out between Roger (played by Campbell Scott), a womanizing ad-executive who is not over the fling he had with his boss, Joyce (Isabella Rossellini), and his teenaged nephew, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg). Nick basically wants his uncle's help to hook up with someone and lose his virginity. Roger tried to give Nick lessons in the art of seduction, some of which has a lot to be desired. The highlight of the movie is probably the scenes at the singles bar with Roger, Nick, and two single women, Andrea (played by Elizabeth Berkley) and Sophie (played by Jennifer Beals) who also impart advice to Nick.

The movie comes down to being about sex and relationships. Roger is pretty much a sleazeball who hooks up with women but never seems to have a successful relationship with one. It is billed as a comedy-drama, but it is far more drama than comedy, although there are some humorous moments in it. The writing and acting are great, this was really Eisenberg's first major role (even though it is definitely an independent film and not even close to a blockbuster) and he did a great job playing a pretty conflicted character and Scott played a great womanizer who seemingly had everything he wanted in life but really did not.

For those who get the DVD, the extras are pretty extensive, especially for an independent film. There are multiple commentary tracks on the movie, several making-of features, a walking tour of NY with Jesse Eisenberg, deleted scenes, the trailer, and a "players guide". So, a lot there if you like going through the extras.

Overall, the movie is very good, but probably not for everyone. It has frank discussions about relationships and sex, but there is not much actual sex in it. It also deals with ethical issues like whether to take advantage of someone who is drunk. It definitely has the feel of an independent movie, but it is a very good one. It holds up well even after 20 years and is worth checking out.

Product Review: Reshow VCR Head Cleaner/VHS Head Cleaner

 

VCRs are mostly extinct, but if you are one of those who still have one, getting a head cleaner is important to keep the thing running (assuming you ever intend to watch movies on it) and keep it from chewing up your tapes. I have some tapes (like the original Star Wars movies and The Godfather Saga (the movies in chronological order) that I like to watch from time to time that will likely never be released on DVD and would be very hard (if not impossible) to replace on VHS. So, this works well to keep the thing in working condition.

Blu Ray/Movie Review: Gone With the Wind 70th Anniversary Edition

 

Gone With the Wind is a movie that causes a lot of division, especially with the rise of the infantile division we have had in the country for years. The truth is, it can both be a classic movie and have a problematic theme. But, it also has to be looked at through the lens of history. It is a movie that could be made the way it was in 1939 with the understanding that it would probably never be made the same way today. And that is not to say it shouldn't be made the same way today. It was set during the Civil War and told from the perspective of people in the south. Obviously, most people today would not agree with the perspective of the rich, slave-owning, southerners of that time, but it does not mean that how they were portrayed in the movie is not how they were. Also, the movie was a dramatic period piece, not a documentary. So, it was never going to show the evils of slavery in all their gory details. And, I do think to say that the movie glorified slavery does a couple of things. First, it ignores the fact that there were in fact slaves that had roles such as "Mammy", and it also diminishes Hattie McDonald's achievement in playing that role. The fact that she was a black woman living under the Jim Crow laws and facing the racism that she did and still won an academy award is frankly amazing. And. let's face it, even states that did not have Jim Crow laws were not (and are still not) devoid of racists by any means, so the fact that a black woman in the late 1930s/early 1940s would even be nominated for an academy award, much less win it, was quite something. All that said, no, the movie is never going to be banned, and anyone who thinks so is kidding themselves, if you want to find it, you will always be able to do so, and if you are such a weenie that a disclaimer at the beginning of a streaming version really triggers you, it has been released on DVD and Blu-Ray multiple times. The people who think the movie is somehow going to be banned, the people triggered by a disclaimer, and the people that think critical race theory is being taught anywhere but in some law schools is probably a circle on a Venn Diagram.

As for the movie itself, as I said above, it is a drama set in the south during (and after) the Civil War. It stars Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara, who is basically a rich brat, who at the beginning of the movie is trying to steal her cousin's boyfriend. Clarke Gable plays Rhett Butler, who was an attendee at a party thrown at the O'Hara estate who did not buy into the fact that the war was going to be a quick and easy thing, and also, ultimately ended up gaining Scarlett's affection, by basically standing up to her and not taking any of her crap, and marrying her. The movie is partly a romance drama, but mostly about the ravages of war, telling how Scarlett had to grow up and transform from the bratty Southern Belle who was handed everything on a silver platter, to having to deal with the realities of war. The first part of the movie (up to the intermission) deals with the war and ends with Atlanta burning. The second part deals with the aftermath of the war, and the characters trying to put their lives back together.

For those who get the movie on Blu-Ray, it looks and sounds great in the HD format. The HD transfer was very well done, and while it still has the Film-noir era look to it, the video transfer does look great. What kind of extras you get depends on the version of the movie you pick up. There is a multi-disc collectors edition that has about 19 hours' worth of bonus content. The version I have is the single-disc 70th Anniversary edition, and the only extra on it is a commentary track by Historian Rudy Behlmer.

Overall, the movie is a timeless classic. It has many great quotable lines, and it tells a good story, although definitely from the perspective of the losing side in the Civil War. Chances are if the movie was made today, more of the evils of slavery would be shown to give it more context and show exactly why the Civil War was being fought. And yes, the civil war was about slavery, pure and simple. If you read the articles of secession from any of the states that formed the Confederacy, that is plain as day, and to say otherwise is denying all reality. I do not think the movie glorified slavery as much as it glorified the south overall. But, again, taking the movie for what it is and considering the time it was made, it can both be a classic movie and a topic of debate at the same time. And, I think a healthy debate about what was good and what may have been problematic about the movies would not necessarily be a bad thing.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 24

CE Day 24 was the final Burn Circuit 2 for this round. I did manage to hit the 12 rep max for a couple of the exercises, but for most of the exercises, I could still only hit 11 or 12 reps. The push-ups at the end were still tough. I wanted to get 10 triple-threat push-ups on my toes, but I could still only do nine, and had to do the extreme set on my knees.

Product Review: 2 Pack Replacement Pre Filters for Dyson DC58, DC59, V6, V7, V8.

 

The filters on the Dyson handheld vacuums (or really on any vacuum) are critical to maintaining good suction power. You can rinse off the filters but you need to let them dry before using them, so it is good to have at least one spare so that you can basically rotate them when they get dirty. These fit in the handheld vacuums easily, they just slip in and out. Just make sure to check the model number of your vacuum.

Product Review: Dezin Electric Kettle

 

I generally only fill it about 1/3 of the way full, enough to make a cup of tea or some instant oatmeal. Using cool or lukewarm water that amount of water takes about 2 minutes (at most) to boil. You do want to dump any excess water out after you use it because the inside can get scummy and these are not the easiest things to clean.

DVD/TV Series Review: The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.: The Complete Series

 

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. was a series that ran on Fox from 1993 to 1994. It ran for 27 episodes. I did watch it when it originally aired, and cannot really remember if it got two partial seasons or one really long season, but that is essentially what the complete series consisted of. The story is centered around the titular Brisco County, Jr. (played by the wonderful Bruce Campbell, who is best known for the Evil Dead series of campy horror movies) as a lawyer turned bounty hunter back in the late 1800s. He is hired by a group of wealthy industrialists to capture a notorious outlaw named John Bly (played by Billy Drago) and works along with the mouthpiece of the group Socrates Poole (played by Christian Clemenson) and often joined by sometimes rival bounty hunter sometimes sidekick Lord Bowler (played by Julius Carey). Brisco is consumed with the advancement of technology and pursuing "The Coming Thing". To that end, a plot device known as "The Orb" was used to that was a futuristic device that Bly was trying to use to rule the world.

The show was a mix of procedural case-of-the-week with a larger story arc involving Bly and the orb that intertwined. The case-of-the-week aspect usually involved Brisco trying to capture one of the members of Bly's gang as he is trying to find Bly. The show also had a strong supporting cast which included Kelly Rutheford as Dixie Cousins, a love-interest for Brisco who was kind of a combination of the characters that Mae West played and Madeline Kahn's character from "Blazing Saddles", and John Austin (from the Addams Family) who played a kookie professor/inventor who would help Brisco from time to time.

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include a commentary track on the pilot episode featuring Campbell and the series creator. There is also a feature called Brisco's Book of Coming Things which referenced the various future ideas/inventions from the show. There is also a documentary that was a look back at the making of the show and the various cast members, a feature on the various gadgets that appeared in the show, a Reading from the Book of Bruce, in which Campbell reads a chapter of his autobiography that mentioned the show, and a feature on the writers of the show. All in all, a very good collection of extras.

Overall, the series was very good and very unique. It was not a carbon copy of anything else that was on at the time which may have both helped and hurt the show. It had a very rabid fanbase, but not enough of one to ever get past the "cult following" category. It had a great mix of drama, action, and comedy and was a perfect blend of western and sci-fi/fantasy. It was very well written and acted, and the writers did a good job not overdoing the supernatural aspect of the show keeping the orb episodes infrequent so that they really advanced the storyline along. Chances are people reading this by now watched the show when it was on and are only looking to pick up the DVD, but if you have never seen the show and are trying to decide whether to watch it, I definitely recommend checking it out. It is a bit unsatisfying since the show never gets a great payoff (although the writers did have enough time from the cancellation announcement to make the season finale into a series finale, so fans did get an idea of what would have become of the characters), but still worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Chuck Season 3

 

+++Warning, this contains a minor season two spoiler, but no major season three giveaways +++

Season three of Chuck picks up with Chuck wanting to be a "real" spy and take down The Ring, but his relationship with Sarah is on the rocks because of his refusal to run off with her and leave the spy life for good. Of course, he ends up back at the Buy More, and things proceed from there. This season sees more guest stars including Brandon Routh, Kristen Kreuk, Angie Harmon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Fred Willard, Swoosie Kurtz, Tony Sirico, and Louis Lombardi (the last two recognizable from The Sopranos). The season packs a lot into the 13 episodes shortened season. The focus is mainly on Chuck and Sarah's relationship, but the show does a good job incorporating the Buy More characters into the storylines giving all of them good material to work with.

For those who get the Blu-Ray set, the show looks and sounds great in HD. The extras include a 22-minute making-of feature, a mockumentary on "Jeffster", deleted scenes, and a gag reel. What was included was good, but definitely not as much as were included in the earlier season sets.

Overall, the series continued to be strong, despite being on the brink of cancellation from the second season forward. The acting and writing continued to be stellar, with a very good blend of drama and comedy (with a ton of pop culture references thrown in). The show did get a bit into "teen angst" territory with the Chuck and Sarah relationship this year, but, of course, getting the main characters together can be the death knell for a show (especially one already on the brink of cancellation) so they had to throw any kind of wrench into it that they could. I would say that this season has more drama than comedy, but there are still a lot of good funny moments throughout.

If you loved the first couple of seasons, you will likely enjoy this one. If you have not liked the first two seasons, this one is not likely to change your mind. If you have not seen the show yet are wondering whether to watch it, watch season one (you cannot really jump in partway and have it make a ton of sense) and enjoy. It lives up to all the hype that fans give it.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 23

Day 23 of CE was the recharge workout again. I have done it in place of the rest days for the entire first month, and am glad I did. It is not quite as good a stretch workout as x-stretch, but it is also about 1/3 of the time. It is definitely more lower-body focused, which is good if you have tight hips and hamstrings.  I did not get much sleep last night, so having the non-impact workout was very nice today.

Product/Book/Study Aid Review: Student Solutions Manual for Precalculus: Enhanced with Graphing Utilities 5th Edition

 

This is a decent solution manual. Of course, unlike the instructor's solution manual, this does not have all the problems in the book worked out. It mostly just works out the odd problems, but it definitely helps you if you get stuck on a problem. It works out enough of the problems that even if you are assigned one that is not worked out, one of the problems that are worked out will likely help you. The textbook this corresponds to is one of the better math textbooks that I had when I was taking classes, but even so, I did have to use this from time to time because the examples in the book were not always helpful for all of the problems we were assigned.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Twilight

 

Twilight is a movie that is adapted from a series of books that are mainly aimed at teens or young adults, setting teenage love drama in the world of vampires and werewolves (although the wolves are only hinted at in this movie). It stars Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, a vampire who is over 200 years old but perpetually stuck as a 17-year old, and Kristen Stewart who plays Bella Swan, a teenager whose parents are divorced, who just moves in with her dad in the Pacific Northwest, and ends up going to school with Edward and his "siblings" played by Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, and Jackson Rathborne. Of course, Bella and Edward fall for each other, and chaos (and sappiness) ensues. Taylor Lautner plays Jacob Black, a member of the local Native Americal tribe who also falls for Bella. His role in this movie is limited but gets more extensive over the course of the series.

The movie is decent to good in some parts and bad in others. Despite having a cast with people who have proven acting chops (including Anna Kendrick, Peter Facinelli, Sarah Clarke (whom fans of the show 24 will recognize), and Billy Burke, it definitely suffers from some of the clunky dialog carried over from the books or made worse by the screenplay. And, the special effects have (at times) a lot to be desired for a big-budget movie. That said Pattinson and Stewart have very good chemistry (they would actually start dating while filming the movie) and did their best with sometimes very limited material to work with. They were both still pretty young when the movie was filmed (especially Stewart) and each has grown into being very good actors beyond what was shown in this film. Another issue with the film is that the ancillary characters truly do feel ancillary. They were always trying to get to the next scene between Edward and Bella and so the other characters (especially the other high schoolers) really did just feel like filler. Kendrick had a couple of good snarky lines, but beyond that, those characters were pretty useless.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, the movie looks and sounds great. Especially the cinematography. As I said, some of the special effects left a bit to be desired, especially when the vampires were moving fast (superseded is done a lot better on the Flash TV series), but still I think the movie is worth seeing in the HD format. There are actually a ton of extras, including a commentary track on the film with the director, Pattinson, and Stewart, deleted and extended scenes, music videos, an almost hour-long making-of feature, a feature on the movie at comic-con, the trailers, some promotional material. All in all a good amount for people who like going through extras.

Overall, the movie is good, but not great. Obviously, anything that is adapted from a series of novels that are aimed at teens is going to have a lot of people that love it and a lot of people that hate it. I think that the movie can be enjoyed even if you are not in the target audience if you know what to expect. It is mostly a love story, and one set in high school at that, and while it does have some action and a bit of violence, it is not a gory horror movie. That said, it is worth a look.

Product Review: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Maximum Strength Acne Face Pads

 

Luckily, I am past the stage in my life of getting frequent acne (and thankfully, I never got it as severely as some, even when I did get it frequently) so I am not sure how well these would work for that. My guess, however, is pretty good. I do have pretty sensitive skin, and these do not irritate much at all (although it does dry out the skin under my eyes a bit). But, when I do get a breakout (usually on my nose or on the back of my head, these get rid of them in a day or two. So, I definitely recommend it.