Product Review: Innovera Universal Economy Bookends

 

These are very sturdy bookends, perfect for use on open or floating shelves, and have a wide enough base that can keep even very heavy books upright without a problem. They are definitely not fancy-looking or decorative, but they do what they are supposed to. Of course, they can also keep DVDs or CDs in place too if you are still one of those who does the physical media thing (which if you still have a lot of physical books is probably the case). I definitely recommend these.

Product Review: Coldest Sports Water Bottle - 32 oz

 

This is a more expensive water bottle for sure. That said, if you can afford it, it is head and shoulders above any other bottle I have come across. It is very well insulated. I filled it with ice and then put in some water over the course of the evening when it got down to just ice as I was drinking out of it. When I went to bed, I put the cap on, and in the morning there was still some ice left in the bottle, so the water was still very cold. I have not tried putting anything hot in it, and I am not sure that I will, but given how it performs with ice water, I am sure that it will keep hot liquids for a long time as well. And, despite being filled with ice for hours, the bottle did not "sweat" at all. There was absolutely no condensation on the outside.

The 32oz bottle is definitely too large for most standard cup holders, so if you wanted to take it in your car you would need a cup holder that is capable of expanding. But, for something that you plan to keep in one spot, this is definitely worth it.

Book Review: Star Wars - A New Dawn

 

A New Dawn was the first novel written under the Disney/Lucasfilm umbrella. The Tarkin novel was grandfathered into the canon material and the Heir to the Jedi novel had been started, but this was the first novel written completely after the merger and under the new rules that everything released in any format was a part of the canon. This novel also has the distinction of setting up the two main characters of the Rebels animated series Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla. Jarrus, had been a Jedi Padawan named Caleb Dumee at the time of Order 66 and narrowly managed to escape with his life. He went on the run and has been living as a freight pilot, who is also a womanizing alcoholic. Herra is doing what she can to disrupt the Empire at every turn, and she shows up at a mining colony that is being run by the Empire where Kanan is working, and the two end up, reluctantly, teaming up after Kanan has to use the Force in order to save himself.

While the novel does mention Palpatine and Vader, they do not make direct appearances. The book does include Rae Sloane, who is a main character in the Aftermath series of novels. At this point, she is a Captain of a Star Destroyer and has not reached the rank of Admiral. The main antagonist is a cyborg named Count Denetrius Vidian, whom the Empire dispatches to the mining colony to root out the rebels and restore production.

Overall, the book is very good. Because it is the first novel under the new canon, the hardcover version (which is out of print) is very hard to find at a reasonable price. But, you can still get it in mass-market paperback. The story does a good job establishing the two main characters but does not include the other members of the Ghost's crew at this point. It does not really suffer from not including legacy characters because there would be no reason for Kenobi, Luke, Leia, or Han to be included in this story without being shoehorned into it in a way that would not feel authentic. The book is about 400 pages long but is a fairly quick read. It is definitely one of the novels that I put in the must-read category especially if you are a fan of the Rebels animated series or plan on watching that.

Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Chalean Extreme/Body Beast/P90X Hybrid Day Round 2 Day 7

Day 7 was the fourth of the Body Beast back and biceps workout from the build portion of that program. Next week I am going to do a five-week cycle of the p90x back and biceps workout to transition back to that. The weights I used for the body beast workout remained the same, but I think I may be able to bump a couple of the p90x exercises up in weight since the last time I did that workout. We will see how things go. 

Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Chalean Extreme/Body Beast/P90X Hybrid Day Round 2 Day 6

Day 6 was the Recharge stretch/yoga routine from CE. It went about the same as it did the past couple of weeks. I did find that I can crouch down a bit more in the forward-folds to crouch moves in the beginning. I cannot say that either my hamstrings or my lower back have had any significant gains in flexibility, however. So, while I am making progress it is slow.

Study Aid Review: Schaum's Outline of Electronic Devices and Circuits, Second Edition

 

This is a book that is not really keyed toward one class, although it is probably most helpful for a two-semester Electronics class (sometimes called Microelectronics). It mostly deals with diodes and transistors and then how Op-Amp circuits are fabricated using diodes and/or transistors. It is not a guide that would be good for, or even useful in, the first two semesters of circuits analysis which is taken at the beginning of an electrical engineering curriculum. This is very math-intensive, which is helpful if you have a teacher that requires you to get deep into the math. My electronics teacher basically just gave us the equations, deriving a few here and there, but did not require us to get too into the weeds and derive the equations ourselves. He did not really lecture from the textbook, and thankfully was pretty easy to follow. But, if you have a teacher that does heavily use a textbook that is hard to follow and/or does not give understandable lectures, then this may help you as it does give a concise (yet math-heavy) explanation of the theory. It is not something that is going to be easy to teach yourself the topic from scratch, however.

Book Review: Star Wars - Ahsoka

 

+++Warning, this contains spoilers for the Animated Rebels and Clone Wars series, but no major spoilers from the book itself+++

This book was actually my introduction to the character of Ahsoka Tano. She was, as most people know, the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars, between Episodes II and III. She was framed for a murder that she did not commit and was almost kicked out of the Jedi order only to be proven innocent by Anakin, yet ended up leaving the order. This book tells the story of what happened after Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi and tells how she was recruited by Bail Organa into the Rebellion, which would play out in the animated series Rebels, which is set a handful of years before the events of A New Hope.

In this novel, Ahsoka has taken up the name Ashla, and hiding in a farming settlement on a moon called Raada in the Outer Rim, trying to stay off the Empire's radar. The Empire ends up coming to the moon in order to strip the moon of its resources, and Ahsoka builds a mini resistance against the local troops. She eventually gets on the radar of the local Imperial Bureaucrat, Bail Organa, and one of the Inquisitors.

The novel does outline some of the details of Ahsoka's storyline in the final season of The Clone Wars, which was resurrected after this book was written and the Rebel series had ended. Also, a portion of the storyline in the novel is shown in the new Animated Series, Tales of the Jedi, which is a collection of short animated stories that heavily feature Ahsoka. While the book is enjoyable even if you have not seen the Clone Wars animated series, it is definitely better if you have that background and context as her past is only lightly touched on in the book, mostly through flashbacks.

Overall, it is a very good story, for a character that was somewhat divisive when she was first introduced but has become more and more beloved as she has been fleshed out in the animated series and in live-action. It is definitely one of the canon novels that I would include on a must-read list. It is a fairly easy read, and despite being a young-adult novel can easily be enjoyed by adults. It is definitely worth the time to read.

Book Review: Star Wars - Heir to the Jedi

 

Heir to the Jedi was the first canon novel after the Disney takeover of Lucasfilm to focus on a legacy character during the time of the original trilogy. This one specifically focuses on Luke during the time between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, written from Luke's point of view. He is sent on a mission by Leia and the Rebel leadership to rescue a cryptographer being held by the Empire. That is the main storyline with Luke trying to discover more about the Jedi and increase his ability to use the force and introduces a potential love interest for Luke, Nakari Kelen, daughter of a biotech mogul and member of the Rebel Alliance.

The book is a bit of an uneven read. There are a bunch of side missions that Luke and Nakari end up going on in order to locate the cryptographer. The best parts of the book involve Luke trying to develop his skill with the little training he has and the conflict between his feelings for Nakari and those he has for Leia (whom, at this point, he does not know is his sister). Overall, I would say that the book is not as bad as some make it out to be, but it is also not one of the canon novels I would put in the must-read category. Of course, that is all subjective, but I am much more looking forward to finding out what Luke did between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens as that gets revealed more in the novels.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Jason Bourne

 

Jason Bourne is the fifth, and likely final, movie in the Bourne franchise. It saw the return of Matt Damon as the titular Jason Bourne and Julia Stiles as Nicky Parsons, after the Bourne Legacy with Jeremey Renner and Rachel Weisz underperformed.

The style of the movie is much like the others in the franchise with Bourne seeking answers about the Treadstone program and trying to evade government agents sent this time by Tommy Lee Jones' character Robert Dewey, the current director of the CIA, who is another in the long cavalcade of agents who have tried to take down Bourne. As is the case with all of the other movies, there is a ton of good action, and the requisite chase sequence, which is again the highlight of the action.

For those who get the blu-ray set, the A/V quality is very good and there are a decent amount of extras. Those include seven making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes ranging from about four and a half minutes to just under nine minutes.

Overall, the movie is good, but really nothing all that different from what we have seen in the other movies. It would have been very nice had there been a team-up between Bourne and Renner's character Aaron Cross, but unfortunately, because of Renner's MCU commitments, that was not meant to be. This movie feels like it could be the final movie in the series, but it ends in a way that another movie could be made at some point. The supporting cast in this movie is very good and, besides Jones, includes Alicia Vikander as Heather Lee, head of the CIA Cyber Ops Division, and Vincent Cassel as an assassin sent after Bourne. I would say, in general, if you have enjoyed the other movies, you will probably like this one, especially with Damon reprising the Bourne character. If, however, you did not like the earlier movies or felt they were getting stale, this one is not likely to change your mind.

Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Chalean Extreme/Body Beast/P90X Hybrid Day Round 2 Day 5

 Day 5 was the first Friday Fight Round 1 workout of this round of the Hybrid workout. It went pretty much like the other workouts this week. I did as many of the unmodified moves as I could and then switched over to modified. There were a couple of jumping moves that I still took it easy doing. I kind of did half-tuck jumps for the unmodified moves because, even though my back is feeling better, I did not want to tweak it again and be back at square one. 

Movie Review: The Girlfriend Experience

 

The Girlfriend Experience was a movie by Steven Soderbergh and starring now ex-pornographic actress Sasha Grey, although she was still performing in porn when the movie was made. It is about a woman named Christine (who uses the name Chelsea) who is being interviewed about her life as a high-end escort, and the effect that it has on her personal life, including her real relationship with her boyfriend. It is also a period piece that works in the financial crisis as her clients are finding it harder and harder to pay for her services, and she and her boyfriend are worried about having enough money to maintain their lifestyle.

This is definitely not a film with a lot of sex or even a lot of nudity in it. Grey is topless in a handful of scenes, but that is really it. It is more about the overall life of a call girl. There was much more sex in the series adaptation that aired on Starz. The movie most definitely has an indie film feel, and it is not fast-paced at all. The character of Christine was written to be very reserved with a lot of emotional barriers, so Grey really was not able to show the personality that she does in her YouTube videos.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, there are two cuts of the movie, the theatrical version and the unrated cut (which does not really add much at all to the movie, and unlike what some may think does not have any salacious sex in it). There is a commentary track on the movie with Grey and Soderbergh, a very short making-of featurette, and a few trailers for other movies.

Overall, the movie is good, but not great. It can definitely be a bit slow at times, but it does have a lot of great visuals of NY, which do look really good in HD. Grey was very young (just 21) when the movie was made, and she definitely gives off the vibe of trying to act like she's more in control of her life than she actually is. Whether this was true for her real life or just as the character she was portraying was hard to tell, but either way, it worked. It is not a movie that is going to appeal to everybody. But if you are a fan of indie movies and don't mind a slower, documentary-like style, then this is worth checking out.

Book Review: Star Wars - Battlefront: Twilight Company

 

Twilight Company is one of the new canon novels in the Star Wars Universe that is based on the Battlefront game. It follows a squad of rebels, led by a sergeant named Namir, that is akin to the elite commando squads of the US military who go in before the "regular" troops get there. The events of the book are mostly set around the time of The Empire Strikes Back. In fact, we see a part of the battle on Hoth, and Namir has an encounter with Darth Vader as he is helping one of the command staff escape. The book details several different battles in several different locations and is basically from the perspective of the "grunts" as opposed to Luke, Leia, and Han.

Overall, the book is good. It definitely has a bunch of ancillary characters who do not play large roles beyond just this book. That may or may not appeal to some people. I do think it is interesting to see the rebellion from the perspective of the "regular" people who are characters that are in the background of the Original Trilogy movies. It is definitely not one of the canon novels that I would classify as a must-read, but it is an interesting read and one that I think is worth the time to read.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Bad Moms

 

Bad Moms is an ensemble cast comedy led by Mila Kunis (from That 70s Show), who plays Amy Mitchell who kicks her husband out of the when she discovers he is cheating on her. Amy then has to navigate trying to raise her two kids, work as a sales rep, and deal with the PTA of her kid's school, led by an overbearing Gwendolyn James, played by Married With Children's Christina Applegate. The movie essentially breaks down to Amy and her group, Carla, played by Katherine Hahn (who steals every scene she is in), and Kiki, played by Kristen Bell who plays a great reserved stay-at-home mom, versus Gwendolyn's group Stacy, played by Jada Pinkett Smith, and Vicky, Annie Mumolo.

The movie is good, but definitely not perfect. I think both Applegate and Bell's comedic talents are a bit underused in the movie, mostly because of the way their characters are written. Kunis and Hahn, however, do a good job doing the comedy heavy lifting. Hahn's character is a bit of a cliche, but thankfully she is used somewhat sparingly so she can really take over when she is included.

For those who get the blu-ray, the A/V quality is okay, but the video quality is definitely not as good as it could be. Of course, the movie does not have a bunch of CGI effects, but the image does not look as nice as a movie from 2015 should. There are a handful of extras including a short gag reel, just under 20 minutes of deleted scenes, and about 23 minutes worth of interview material with the cast members and their mothers, some of which made it into the end credits of the movie.

Overall, the movie is good to very good. As is the case with many of today's comedies, it definitely leans more toward the raunchy end of the spectrum (especially when Hahn is on screen), and some of the jokes can fall a bit flat. But, on the whole, it tells a fun story and the cast had (or faked) good chemistry. So, while I would not call it a must-see, if you are in the mood for a more adult comedy, this is worth checking out.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Penny Dreadful: The Final Season

 

+++Warning, this contains minor spoilers from the prior season, but no major season three giveaways+++

Season three, which would ultimately be the final season of Penny Dreadful picks up after the events of season two, resulting in the characters being scattered and alone. Ethan is whisked back to America after turning himself in for the murders at the inn, Vanessa is still in London undergoing therapy, and Sir Malcolm is in Africa. As the prior season had, this one has a bunch of mostly parallel storylines that intertwine over the course of the season. The main storyline this season involves Dracula, who has been teased since season one, and the storylines of the big three characters culminate in a battle versus Dracula.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, the show looks and sounds great in HD once again. There are a lot of CGI effects that get worked seamlessly into the practical shots, so it really does look like it was shot in Victorian London. The extras are fairly sparse, especially for the final season of the show. There are a handful of short making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes that run about 12 minutes in between all of them, and then some character profiles.

Overall, the season is good, but it ends pretty abruptly and makes the curious choice of introducing new major characters who never get fully developed storylines because of the short run of episodes. If the writers and showrunners knew that the show would end after this season, it would have made more sense just to focus on the existing characters. Eva Green again deserves props for her portrayal of Vanessa. She can go from playing Vanessa as an upright Victorian woman to someone who is completely insane with ease. She can also be made up to look like a supermodel at one moment and then made to look like she has been sleeping in a cardboard box under a bridge the next moment. One of the best episodes of the season is one that shows Vanessa's time being institutionalized in an Asylum in a flashback episode. Green has to change directions with the character multiple times during that episode and does a wonderful job. The show is definitely still an adult drama with a lot of violence and nudity, but if that does not bother you, it is definitely worth your time to watch (if you like horror stories). If you have not seen the show yet, definitely start with season one, and do not try to jump in at the end. If you have seen and liked the prior seasons, then you will probably like this one as well.

Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Chalean Extreme/Body Beast/P90X Hybrid Day Round 2 Day 4

Day 4 was the second time doing the Tabata Power workout this week. I probably modified more than I indented to, especially with the power jumps, which caused me to hurt my back on Tuesday. I did as many unmodified moves as I could, but definitely not as many as I would have liked. But, I made it through without further tweaking my back, so that was a plus.  

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Charmed Season 4

 

+++Warning, this spoils the major cliffhanger from the end of season three, but does not give away any major season four spoilers+++

Season four of Charmed picks up a week after the events that ended season three, with Prue and Piper being laid out by Shanx's blast. We learn that Prue died from the blast, which was, of course, a way to write Shannen Doherty out of the show. To preserve the whole concept of the Power of Three, a new, half-sister, Paige, played by Scream's Rose McGowan was revealed. Paige was the child of Prue, Phoebe, and Piper's mother Patty and her Whitelighter, Sam, who was given up for adoption as a baby. The first handful of episodes were focused on establishing Paige as a character and Paige learning about her sister's existence and the fact that she is a witch. Then, it pretty much followed the same procedural-serial storyline combination that the first few seasons had. I would say this season's storylines were more serial than they were monster-of-the-week, with major storylines about Phoebe and Cole's relationship, and Piper's emotional breakdown after losing Prue getting multi-episode arcs this season. The cast turnover did not end with Shannen Doherty leaving as Dorian Gregory was basically used as a recurring character this season (although he was still shown in the opening credits of the episodes he was in), but his character would go 3-4 episodes at a time without making an appearance.

For those who get the Blu-Ray set, it is basically a MOD set. You just get the episodes and that is it. You do have the option of a German or English language track and German or English subtitles, but there are no extras, which honestly, given that the season aired in 2001 and the blu-rays were not released until years later is not surprising. This season does have a lot of good guest stars including Daniel Dae Kim (who would later star on Lost and the Hawaii Five-0 reboot), Robert Englund (the original Freddy Kruger), Ray Wise (from Twin Peaks), Coolio, Dave Navarro, Armin Shimerman (from Buffy), and Bruce Cambell.

Overall, the beginning of the season was a bit uneven as the show transitioned from Shannen Doherty to Rose McGowen. As many are likely aware, Doherty and Milano did not get along (how much neither of them has ever said, although they both acknowledged tension as has Holly Marie Combs) and there has been speculation for years whether Doherty was fired or quit. Speculation is that it went far beyond tension and they actually hated each other, and Milano gave an ultimatum to the showrunners that either Doherty goes or she would. Milano has always denied that ever happened, but given that Doherty directed the season three finale and was gone by season four, it seems that things came to a head when Doherty was in charge. It does seem like the show did her and the character of Prue dirty by not having her appear to give her a proper sendoff. At any rate, once the character of Paige was figured out by the writers and McGowan got her footing with the character, don't think the show lost much steam. It seemed like Milano, McGowan, and Combs worked well together, although if you have seen Milano and McGowan's social media interactions, it seems that there is no love lost between those two either.

There are things about the show that would probably not be done the same now as they were back then. There was definitely still some mooning over men that would probably not be written the same way, and they were definitely putting McGowan in a ton of skimpy outfits as they had put Milano in during seasons 1-3. Of course, this was back when McGowan was hot and not identifiably crazy, so she was put in crop tops and midriff-baring outfits constantly. And, the special effects were still not great by any means, and sometimes the HD transfer makes that even more noticeable. That said, if you enjoyed the show's first few seasons (unless you only watched it because Shannen Doherty was in it), you will probably enjoy this season as well.

Book Review: Star Wars - Tarkin

 

Tarkin is a novel that is essentially a followup to the same author's great Darth Plegeius novel, which was really about the rise of Palpatine. This novel is mostly set a few years into the Empire 14 years before the events of A New Hope, details Tarkin's rise through the ranks of the Imperial Army. The story does flashback to Tarkin's childhood on the Outer Rim world of Eriadu and to his early days working for Senator Palpatine in the Republic, but the bulk of the story involves a mission that Tarkin is sent on with Darth Vader to investigate a cache of communications devices on the planet Murkhana which suggest a plot to take down the Imperial holonet.

While the novel is centered around Tarkin, Vader and Palpatine appear quite a bit and we see the seeds of the early rebellion against the Empire being planted. We do find out that Tarkin suspected Darth Vader's real identity, having worked with Anakin before during the Clone Wars, but he keeps that to himself. In the end of the book, the construction of the Death Star above Geonosis is mentioned.

This novel is interesting in that it was written just before Disney's takeover of Lucasfilm and was grandfathered into the canon, whereas the prior book, Darth Plageius was not. This book does have a couple of tie-ins to the Darth Plageius novel, however, so some of that novel is brought into the canon by this one. Of course, at the time this novel was written, characters like Orson Krennic and Galen Erso were not yet created, so some of Tarkin's control over the Death Star project hinted at in this book was changed by Rogue One because the events of the movies trump the books. Overall, I do not necessarily think the book is a must-read if you are a person who picks and chooses which of the Star Wars books to read. If you read all of them then you will read this anyway, but if you read some, but not all, of them, you will not miss anything critical if you skip this, but it is a very good story and one that I think is worth reading at least once.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Banshee: The Complete Fourth Season

 

+++Warning, this contains spoilers from season three and a minor season four spoiler+++

The fourth season of Banshee had to do a lot. First, it had to resolve Job's kidnapping at the end of Season three, and the overall fallout of the botched heist. Carrie is reeling from Gordon's death and almost everything has changed after Lucas' resignation from the sheriff's department. The fourth season premiere jumps ahead almost two years to reveal that Lucas is living off the grid when Brock (who is now the Sheriff) finds Lucas and tells him of a murder that looks like the work of a serial killer. From there, the show becomes a murder mystery trying to locate the serial killer with another main storyline parallel to that one involving Proctor (who is now the Mayor) and the Nazis, including Kurt's brother Calvin, which basically pits the sheriff's department vs. the Nazis vs. Proctor.

For those who get the Blu-Ray set, the A/V quality is again top-notch, as it has been with all of the releases. The extras include episode recaps, deleted scenes, and a couple of Zoomed-In featurettes, commentary tracks on a couple of episodes, and cast retrospectives.

Overall, the season is very good despite having a lot packed into it. The murder mystery is quite good and plays out over the course of multiple episodes. The season continues to employ flashbacks, but this time flashing back just over the course of the 18 months between the end of season three and the beginning of season four. The season brings in a couple of new recurring cast members, first Eliza Dushku (from Buffy, Angel, and Dollhouse), and Fred Weller (from In Plain Sight). The show does a decent job of wrapping up the various storylines. It does keep a bit of mystery as we never do find out Lucas' real name, and the ending played out a bit differently than I thought it would but was still well done. There is, of course, a lot of violence and sex. Although, it was a bit lighter on the sex and nudity this season than in past seasons. Still, it is not remotely suitable for kids. If you liked the prior seasons then you will probably like this one as well. If however, the show never did anything for you before this season, this one is probably not going to convert you. But, if you are looking for a good crime show that has a good blend of action and drama, then this is definitely one to give a chance to. But, you definitely have to watch it from the beginning to really be able to follow the plot lines.

Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Chalean Extreme/Body Beast/P90X Hybrid Day Round 2 Day 3

Day 3 of round 2 was the sweat intervals workout. Thankfully, my back felt well enough by the evening that I could stick to the workout, but there were some moves for which I did not even try the unmodified versions, like the  "free runners". I was able to get through but was very gassed at the end. 

Product Review: Wahl Mustache and Beard Battery Operated Beard Trimming kit for Mustaches, Beard, Neckline, Light Detailing and Grooming with Bonus Nose & Ear Trimmer

 

The beard trimmer was okay but died pretty quickly (within a few months) to the point where it would not turn on even with new batteries. The nose/ear hair trimmer has lasted much longer (it still works) and works as it should. So, this is definitely a get-what-you-pay-for kind of product, and how long it will last is a bit of a tossup.

Book Review: The Ground Truth: The Untold Story of America Under Attack on 9/11

 

This book most definitely is not a 9/11 truther conspiracy novel, written by a batshit crazy nutcase. It is a book by a member of the 9/11 Commission staff which excoriates the FBI, CIA, and various intelligence agencies for failing to stop the attacks before they had a chance to happen (despite many opportunities to do so), the Clinton and Bush administrations for not doing enough to go after Al Queda and/or ignoring how dangerous it had become, and the FAA and the military for their ineptness on the day itself. In the case of the last two, specifically, he details how members of the FAA and the military either did not know or outright lied about how events played out that day, showing either incompetence and ignorance or a desire to cover themselves to disguise their incompetence. For example, during the commission hearings, FAA officials made it seem like they informed the military well before they actually did, and the members of the military insisted that they had been tracking flight 93 and were minutes away from tracking it down had the passengers and crew not fought back to try and regain control of the plane causing the terrorists to crash it. In reality, the FAA contacted NEADS about six minutes before Flight 11 hit the north tower of the WTC, the military had no warning about Flight 175, and the FAA was not even sure that 175 was hijacked until it was a minute or two from hitting the south tower of the WTC, the FAA told the military about a plane headed toward the White House a few minutes before Flight 77 hit the Pentagon and did not tell the military about Flight 93 until after it had crashed. So, there was no way fighter jets were minutes away from taking Flight 93 down. 

The book reprints transcripts of the communications which, at the time of the 9/11 commission report's release, were classified, which showed how the reality of the day conflicted with what the commission was being told by witnesses. There is also a very detailed timeline of events involving the hijackers and other members of Al Queda that at least put them on the radar of various US agencies, and sent up huge red flags that were either missed or ignored. The key takeaway from the book is that there were plenty of opportunities to find out about the attacks and stop them before they happened had the "system" not failed time and again.

Product Review: McDavid Waist Trimmer Belt

 

The name of the product is definitely deceptive so you have to understand what this does and does not do. It provides decent back and core support, which is helpful when you are working out, and it does make you sweat, so you will lose some water weight. What it does not do, by itself, is trim your waist in any way, shape, or form. Meaning, if you have fat around your middle, you can wear this 24/7, but if you do not work out and eat healthily, or at least eat a balanced diet, then you are not going to see any significant change in your waistline, much less get six-pack abs. 

If you have realistic expectations of what it can and cannot do for you, you will find it useful. I use it when lifting to help support my back and core, and if you use it like that, you will not be disappointed. If you are looking for a magic gimmick, this will sorely disappoint you.

DVD/TV Series Review: Hawaii Five-O (2010): The Sixth Season

 

+++Warning, this contains minor spoilers from prior seasons, but no major season six spoilers+++

The sixth season of Hawaii Five-0 relies more on the procedural, case-of-the-week stories as opposed to new serial arcs. The big serial arc that runs through the season involves Gabriel Waincroft, who continues to go after the team, including attacking Adam and Kono on their honeymoon. There are also callbacks to episodes from the prior season, the big one involving Lou returning to Chicago to attempt to get his ex-partner Clay Maxwell (guest star Mykelti Williamson) to confess to killing his wife. Between the case-of-the-week stories, the team goes through a cat-and-mouse game with Waincroft that lasts until the end of the season. This season also sees a ton of guest stars including Julie Benz (from Buffy and Angel), Sarah Carter (who had a recurring role on Smallville), Carol Burnett, and Sung Kang (from the Fast and Furious movies). Michelle Borth leaves the show as a series regular this season, which is really the only notable cast shakeup.

The extras for the DVD are pretty much the same as they have been in the past couple of seasons. Mostly deleted scenes, gag reel, and a short behind-the-scenes featurette. And, of course, the show is only available on DVD after the first few seasons getting blu-ray releases with a lot of extras.

Overall, the show continues to be a good action procedural that has some drama and humor mixed in. The writers do a good job juggling the large cast, and giving each character good material. Of course, Steve and Danny get the most storylines and screen time, but even the more ancillary characters like Max and Jerry get something to work with. Unlike the past couple of seasons, this one does not end on a big cliffhanger. We know the fates of all of the characters as the season finale ends, which is actually a nice change. So, if you have been a fan of the prior seasons, you will probably like this season as well.

Product Review: Remote Control Holders Organizer Box with 5 Compartments

 

This is a very good, and sturdy remote control holder. It has slots for five remotes, and the slots are wide enough that if you have a couple of thinner remotes, two can easily fit into one slot. It definitely solves the issue of remotes falling to the floor, getting stuck between couch cushions, or getting tangled up in bedding (as long as you put the remotes back of course). I liked the first one I got so much that I got a second one, so I definitely recommend it.

Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Chalean Extreme/Body Beast/P90X Hybrid Day Round 2 Day 2

Day 2 of round 2 of the hybrid workout was the Tabata Power workout. I again was trying to do as many unmodified moves as I could. About halfway through, during the power jumps I tweaked my back, so I ended up doing modified moves for most of the exercises from there on out. We will see how my back is feeling tomorrow. I will try to do the next Max 30 workout, but if my back is still hurting, like it is now, I am not going to push it, and will probably just switch to doing the Recharge workout. But, I am going to play it by ear. I was able to make it about 11 minutes into this workout before maxing out. But again, had I been doing unmodified moves the entire time, I would have maxed out during the warmup.