tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2795960903800212122012-02-15T22:36:48.413-08:00Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.comBlogger921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-40814123744017386672012-01-09T22:36:00.000-08:002012-01-09T22:52:53.677-08:00

It's that time to list my favorite books of the previous year. Here we go:1. Catching Fire (Part two of the Hunger Games trilogy.)2. A Game of Thrones3.A Clast of Kings4. Storm of Swords5. The Faithful Spy6. The Peloponnesian War Please read my reviews on the first four books.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-32615933890800041772012-01-09T22:23:00.000-08:002012-01-09T22:33:09.129-08:00

In 43 A.D., Rome launched it’s largest invasion of Britain consisting of roughly40,000 men. This is the setting of Simon Scarrow’s, Under The Eagle. Two legionnaires, a centurion and raw recruit, are our protagonists that will lead us into Britian.I liked how Mr. Scarrow wove in his historical details without interrupting the flow of the novel. It lets the reader know that Mr. Scarrow knows his

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-63014344984356115732011-12-23T23:35:00.000-08:002011-12-28T21:20:56.623-08:00

Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture was at times insightful and at other times a long thank you letter to his wife and kids.The first three-quarters of the book provided many interesting life anecdotes. Some of my favorites were: how influential the world of Disney was in his life, how he went about fulfilling many of his childhood dreams, and how his first football coach started his team's first

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-54959486852119989552011-12-07T07:20:00.000-08:002011-12-07T07:36:58.103-08:00

In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote is a gripping story not so much about the act of murder, but of how two men can commit premeditated murder against a family of four they have never met. Capote’s ability to attribute distinctive voices to the principal characters (victims, murders and police) as well as his evocative descriptions really kept me engaged. I was worried initially about his portrayal

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-45046652903240011882011-08-27T21:13:00.000-07:002011-11-01T21:28:19.780-07:00

I really enjoyed reading A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. The book follows so many different characters, that at first it almost gets unwieldy, but Mr. Martin is able to keep it together. He does provide an appendix with a listing of the names and relationships of the royal houses. I might have used it if I had known it was there, but I was not lost without it. As in many multi-person

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-47276572548690669162011-08-27T21:00:00.000-07:002011-08-28T21:01:13.714-07:00

Last Flag Down by John Baldwin and Ron Powers tells the story of the Confederate warship CSS Shenandoah and her executive officer Conway Whittle. At times I found it very interesting, especially during the final months of Shenandoah's voyage and when the authors provided information about major Civil War events that were occurring back on the mainland while they were at sea. However, middle parts

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-4803533713059177392011-07-20T21:02:00.000-07:002011-07-20T21:23:55.680-07:00

I chose to read a novel by Ken Follet based solely on his reputation for writing critically acclaimed novels. I chose The Pillars Of The Earth because it is a historical novel about a period that I knew little about, 12th century England, and a subject I even knew less about, cathedral building and how English life centered around it. This is not a fast-paced novel. It is 943 pages rich in

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-77118107181006526152011-07-02T16:23:00.000-07:002011-07-02T16:47:02.462-07:00

My first inclination is to say, no. However, I went with 6 kids from 8 to 10 years old and they all said they liked it. One ten-year-old said he liked it, but it was a little violent. This was the boy who had no problems with the first Transformers movie when he was 6 or the second one when he was 8. See my post from two years ago.The problem with Transformers 3 was with was the way in which they

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-81559036149746234522011-06-27T21:23:00.000-07:002011-06-27T21:41:05.191-07:00

Three short sentences on the front cover prompted me to pick up Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth: The Ultimate Secret. The Ultimate Agent. The President’s Vampire. I knew I’d buy the book after I read the first page. It didn't hurt that I have an interest in the Balkans. But aside from that, I really liked how chapter one used a secondary character’s reaction to the vampire to introduce

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-52698742773590429512011-06-20T06:43:00.000-07:002011-06-20T07:38:10.534-07:00

I had the great opportunity to attend the Historical Novel Society Conference in San Diego last weekend. While the panels were interesting, what made the experience so fabulous was everyone being so friendly. No matter where I was, sitting at a meal, walking down a hallway or waiting outside the agent's pitching room, everyone was eager to engage in conversation. I heard fascinating stories about

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-83776504268540850102011-05-22T22:03:00.000-07:002011-05-27T23:58:10.869-07:00

Reading Old Yeller falls in line with a goal of mine which is to read the old classics that I had somehow missed. I've found some real gems like The Old Man and the Sea and Fahrenheit 451. A short quick read at 198 pages, Old Yeller is a solid boy and his dog story. What differentiates it from the other boy/dog stories is Gipson's knack for language that gives it a certain authenticity to its

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-81489703145587541182011-05-02T21:45:00.001-07:002011-05-02T22:15:44.415-07:00

Angels & Demons was good escapist fiction. Black-hearted villains, a damsel in distress, a reluctant hero, a mystery, and a smattering of red-herrings. It wasn't a high literary novel in terms of the writing, but Dan Brown knows how to end a chapter, keep a book moving, and develop some good characters.As with The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown found a historical myth and launched it into a conspiracy

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-80778014814472438602011-04-09T21:21:00.000-07:002011-04-13T22:08:04.271-07:00

I found Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins to be a very different book from the first two novels in The Hunger Games Trilogy.The critical difference was Peeta wasn't in the first half of the novel. Peeta and Katniss great relationship that Suzanne Collins created is what kept me addicted to the first two novels (along with the great chapter cliffhangers). Unfortunately, Katniss' relationship with the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-29476737276747065552011-03-07T21:27:00.000-08:002011-03-07T21:50:09.898-08:00

Rarely does a sequel capture the energy and excitement of the first novel. Everything in a first novel is new and fresh and sometimes authors seem to struggle to maintain the same intensity and freshness to the reader.Collins did not seem to have any of those problems here. Like her last novel, just when you think you know what's going to happen, she throws you a curve ball, but a curve ball that

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-79233776036128218472011-02-11T20:46:00.000-08:002011-02-11T21:17:07.254-08:00

I loved the Bourne movies. In looking for a quick read, I picked up The Bourne Legacy by Erin Van Lustbader. It was a quick read and the opening chapter in Chechnya was really well written. However, there was quite a disconnect from who Bourne was in this book and the three movies. I never quite got used to it.I don't know if the three books the movies were based on were quite as different as

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-81604699696814690652010-12-30T21:30:00.000-08:002011-01-04T21:32:33.483-08:00

I found Wicked to be a very interesting book. It's definitely not a light read. The first thing I had to do was get rid of all of my candy-coated ideas about the land of Oz from the movie The Wizard of Oz. I should have known a book based on the life story of the Wicked Witch of the West would've been darker than a story about a girl and her dog lost in a mystical land. However, I was not

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-70610492032006147452010-12-28T19:53:00.000-08:002010-12-28T20:14:38.569-08:00

I have to thank my fourth-grade son for prompting me to read one of the most engaging books I’ve read in a long time. He wanted the book because a couple of his friends really liked it. He took the book to Grandma’s house one day and didn’t bring it home. I asked why and he said his aunt was reading it and wouldn’t give it back until she was done. What kind of book would excite a bunch of fourth

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-79729269663552348102010-11-15T21:04:00.000-08:002010-12-28T20:24:36.435-08:00

Next to my grandmother's grave at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a large monument dedicated to the employees who were killed during the 1910 Los Angeles Times bombing. As a child, I enjoyed looking at the massive stone memorial as I visited the gorgeous cemetery with my grandmother. I also remember her theories about what happened that day. So when I saw American Lightning in the bookstore, I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-10372648053348993212010-11-03T22:20:00.000-07:002010-11-03T22:38:32.996-07:00

This was the first book on CD I ever listened to and was thoroughly impressed. Stephan Talty's novel was not only about Captain Morgan, but about Port Royal and the British and Spanish unofficial pirate war for the Carribbean. I really appreciated the fact that while Talty told many side stories to the conflict, they were brief and almost always were related Morgan and his campaigns. This is

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-15114192916972857132010-06-23T21:02:00.000-07:002010-06-23T21:11:41.843-07:00

One day, I was at a PTA fundraiser and saw an old grimy VCR tape of Lonesome Dove. Seeing the pictures of Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, I was flooded with warm childhood memories of watching the mini-series with my parents. To my surprise, I read that it was based on a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. So I found a copy of the hefty tome, cracked it open and was immediately swept away by the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-87892019033245667142010-04-07T21:39:00.000-07:002010-04-07T22:04:02.816-07:00

In my continued effort to read many of the classics and novels that were highly regarded in my writing classes, I read Gorky Park. I wish I could remember why they regarded it so highly. It was probably due Martin Cruz Smith’s extensive use of detail to set-up a scene. While it was thorough, I found it really slowed down the pace of the novel. Perhaps the audience in the West during the Cold

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-63089182725100967192010-02-09T21:19:00.000-08:002010-02-17T23:03:25.357-08:00

This is the first book in a four part series by Harry Turtledove. I bought this book for three reasons. First, Harry Turtledove is a well-known author and I have never read any of his books. Second, the premise sounded very interesting: what would have happened if aliens had attacked Earth when the super powers of WWII were at their strongest-1943. Finally, I enjoy books set during World War II.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-38798165783290777652009-10-24T08:34:00.000-07:002009-11-02T21:41:51.490-08:00

“Excuse me, sir.”I pulled my gaze away from the grocery store’s five shelves of popcorn to focus on a middle-aged African American man standing beside me in a gray t-shirt and sweats. “Can you help me out?” Joe asked.At first glance, Joe did not appear homeless. His clothes were clean, his hair fairly well-groomed and his speech clear. But his eyes were cloudy and there was something in the way

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-3496106259014279452009-10-08T09:13:00.000-07:002009-10-08T09:27:27.357-07:00

I knew it! I told our physician numerous times that thimerosal in a vaccine is a bad thing and I don't want my kids to have any shots with that preservative. Every time she would frown and insist that thimerosal is not harmful. It is an unfounded parent worry and that there is no medical evidence supporting that its harmful. Watch what this doctor, an infectious disease expert, on FOX News says

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-40371716235390886282009-09-09T22:03:00.000-07:002009-09-09T22:48:55.590-07:00

We have reached a new low in American politics. The office of the U.S. Presidency has been tarnished. The President can no longer address his fellow Americans from the Capitol without worrying about hecklers waiting to cut him off at the knees.And to be clear this wasn't like some foreigner throwing a shoe at our President. This was a Congressman, Joe Wilson, in our Capitol - supposedly an

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-3096943017172275022009-08-18T22:07:00.000-07:002009-08-18T22:24:12.067-07:00

I heard a story on NPR two weeks ago about how our current recession resembled the Great Depression. For example, the guest on the show feared we might have a dip in the road to our current economic recovery just like in 1937-38. Dip? What dip, I thought.Up to this point, my knowledge of the Great Depression centered on my grandmother’s stories of growing up in Chicago, making beer in the bathtub

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-10996592157665206152009-08-11T22:15:00.000-07:002009-08-11T22:33:09.445-07:00

I really don't get some of these whacked out comments opponents of health care reform are spewing. I’m not advocating that the White House’s healthcare plan is a good one, I'm only saying here that SOME of the opponents to the plan are really scary.“One day God will stand before you and judge you!" one man shouted at Senator Specter at a town hall meeting today. (CNN) What does God have

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-66363193160138480412009-08-10T22:16:00.000-07:002009-08-10T22:24:52.348-07:00

My initial reaction to hearing that Bungie and Microsoft were working on seven short Halo films was one of excitement. When I read that the movies were to be animated, I wondered what they meant. I wondered if all the realistic aliens, battles and vehicles in the video game clips done with digital animation are what they considered animated. When I opened the L.A. Times to continue reading the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-20189241331928516682009-08-10T21:43:00.000-07:002009-08-10T22:04:38.733-07:00

Over the past year or so, I’ve seen amazing new light bulbs on the market – N:VISION bulbs. Its 60 watt equivalent bulb claims to only use 14 watts of energy to produce the same light as a 60 watt bulb, it’s guaranteed to last nine years (or 10,000 hours), and it has a light output of 900 lumens. The GE reveal 60 watt bulb in comparison has a light output of 630 lumens, only lasts 1,000 hours

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-80152908731013190502009-07-22T21:21:00.000-07:002009-07-22T21:43:56.378-07:00

Lone Survivor is based on an incredible true story. My brother highly recommended it to me, saying he couldn’t put it down due to the non-stop, heart-pounding action. Unfortunately, I have to disagree with him. The pace I found to be slow and choppy. While having some interesting information on Iraq in Chapter 1, the author spent a lot of time telling us how perfect and awesome his comrades were.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-12277416894193526282009-07-05T21:11:00.000-07:002009-07-05T21:52:25.330-07:00

Today, I took my son to see Transformers 2 to celebrate his 8 year-old birthday with four of his 8-year-old friends (one was 7 and a half). I gave the parents the PG-13 disclaimer and also a caution I received from someone who'd seen the movie that there was a lot of foul language. All the kids showed up.And...The boys loved it! They couldn't stop talking about the different robots and all of the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-60182890146570451912009-07-02T14:39:00.000-07:002009-07-02T16:07:40.224-07:00

This article is about the media and its slant of events occurring in the "democratically-elected" governments in Iran and Honduras.I'd like to think that my awareness of international current events are at least equivalent to the average American, because it was something I had to be aware of for thirteen years monitoring foreign markets at one of my previous jobs.As an American, I trust my news

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-59132643075600061052009-06-30T21:38:00.000-07:002009-06-30T22:53:59.126-07:00

I read an article in the Los Angeles Times today titled, BofA’s Sales Tactics Blasted, by Tom Hamburger. The article basically said Bank of America targeted immigrants and the poor with exorbitant fees and high pressure sales tactics as well as prevented the SEIU from unionizing the bank’s workers.So I thought about some stories I’d heard about banks (in general) and wondered if the article held

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-88273428217241522062009-06-07T20:14:00.000-07:002009-06-07T20:24:20.228-07:00

During the first fifteen minutes of my son’s kindergarten class, children can pick a book from the classroom’s book nook and have their parents read to them.Friday, my son picked “I Was So Mad” by Mercer Mayer. My son liked the cover with Little Critter (a strange beaver-like protagonist in Mayer’s series of children’s books) standing beside a bathtub filled with frogs. We’ve read and enjoyed the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-65825838565002096802009-05-23T08:43:00.000-07:002009-05-26T23:01:49.129-07:00

I noticed a strange phenomena the other day when I started a new job. Perhaps it’s who I know or perhaps it’s because I worked on the Pasadena Magazine’s issue about Leading Ladies a month ago, but whatever it is, I was really struck by how many women I know bring home more bacon than their husbands.I was just thinking about my situation after a discussion with a friend of mine last night. After

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-1196301003695675372009-05-16T20:25:00.000-07:002009-05-16T20:42:30.830-07:00

Awesome movie! Whoever was in charge of casting did an amazing job. Syler from Heroes as Spock was great choice. And while I know some purist might not enjoy some of the twists in the characters’ stories versus the old t.v. series, I thought the director, producers and writers stayed as true to the old characters while remaining as relevant to today as possible. (Although changing the famous

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-20228967043116485022009-05-07T22:38:00.000-07:002009-05-07T23:44:22.547-07:00

Now that the Sarah Connor Chronicles are over, I'm finding a dearth of good genre action adventure shows on broadcast t.v. Don't let me get started on Heroes.Thankfully, last week my best friend told me about The Deadliest Warrior series on Spike T.V. (http://www.spike.com/show/31082) Fortunately, for those of us without cable, many cable networks play their most recent episodes of t.v. shows

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-82063160597298986082009-05-03T21:53:00.000-07:002009-05-03T22:29:57.174-07:00

I’m sure everyone out there has been asked by their local grocer to donate money to charity. I don’t remember when it started. Perhaps it was a year ago when I began noticing the clear plastic cans taped to the check-out counters asking for donations. Then about three months ago I remember being asked by my cashier if I wanted to donate a $1 to charity or round off my purchase to the nearest

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-21807599811229097772009-04-24T22:04:00.000-07:002009-05-01T13:35:28.017-07:00

Yes, tis the season all fathers and sons look forward to: Pinewood Derby season.Boys join Cub Scouts and Indian Guides for any number of reasons, camping, hiking, to learn something new or to spend quality one-on-one time with a parent. But highest on every boy’s list, except for camping, has to be the Pinewood Derby races. That event when a father and son (and more father than son for the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-10377996154942951342009-04-23T22:56:00.000-07:002009-04-23T23:42:29.552-07:00

My favorite book so far this year. Yes, it even tops John Scalzi’s The Lost Colony which had been my favorite book this year until now. Why did it beat out Scalzi? Because Scalzi’s was the third book in a series, and City of Thieves introduced me to a whole new world and new set of characters. Now if I had to compare it to Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, the first book in that series…but I digress, this

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-34096875665739760172009-04-14T23:30:00.000-07:002009-04-14T23:55:56.516-07:00

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up The Lost Army of Cambyses from my mother’s bookshelf. Being an aficionado of ancient history, I knew Cambyses was an ancient Persian King who died not long after he conquered Egypt. But I wondered why my mother didn’t initially offer this novel to me after she read it. She explained that it was a mystery novel set in modern times and she knew that I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-91932362718733263152009-04-06T15:33:00.000-07:002009-04-06T15:46:40.716-07:00

Let me start by saying I really enjoy watching the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. It’s one of only two shows I watch weekly. But what is up with killing off all of the characters in the Sarah Connor Chronicles? I know the season finale is next week, but what kind of finale can it be when you’ve already killed off three critical secondary characters and what I’d consider to be one of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-44945616963311388552009-03-24T21:31:00.000-07:002009-03-26T10:35:41.208-07:00

I finally cheated--and the result was wonderful.Two years ago, my family received a Play Station 2 for Christmas. I even bought a game for myself that tied in to my interests in classical warfare--God of War. It's the story of a Greek soldier and his attempt to defeat the God of War, Ares.The first two days playing the game were awesome. The storyline was engaging, the mini-movie sequences were

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-52114271482346052712009-03-21T22:36:00.000-07:002009-03-21T23:35:11.528-07:00

Today, I thought I'd either write about tar and feathering the AIG executives or review the movie Race to Witch Mountain. But I figured my experience at the market this week would be more entertaining.(As an aside, I thought tarring and feathering the AIG execs was better than killing them as Senator Grassley had suggested. As for Witch Mountian, it was good fun. I recommend it.)So I'm grocery

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-79525384953437155272009-03-14T08:23:00.000-07:002009-03-14T09:59:09.091-07:00

Last night my family went to Pasadena's wonderful ArtNight for the fourth time in 3 years. (http://www.artcenter.edu/artnight/) It’s a bi-annual event put on by the city of Pasadena where it is, according to its flyer, “an evening of free arts and & culture.” That’s right free. Free admission to museums such as the Norton Simon, Pasadena Museum of California Art, and Pacific Asia Museum and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-11366610345377294092009-03-09T11:10:00.000-07:002009-03-09T11:23:52.400-07:00

I was driving through the tree-lined streets of San Marino when I realized I was driving on fumes. I pulled into the first gas station I saw, a former Union 76 that had been whitewashed and now had someone’s name on it. Great, I thought, it’s one of those generic gas stations where they probably cut their gas with water. But whether it was the crappiest sludge in L.A. or not, I needed fuel right

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-24932272928205989552009-03-02T11:04:00.000-08:002009-03-04T12:47:38.274-08:00

I received the Watchmen graphic novel for Christmas and for the first time in a long time, read a book before the movie came out. While the novel's good, albeit very "graphic" (see my review), I feel a little bummed out when I see the movie previews. It looks like an amazing movie with great special effects, but I already know what's going to happen. Even worse, I read a review in the L.A. Times

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-64804748787985693642009-03-01T22:58:00.000-08:002009-03-02T09:35:16.154-08:00

Solid historical novel. It gave me a very good understanding of the motivations and rationale of the key generals at the Battle of Gettysburg. Sometimes motivations don't come across in a history book. But here, in a novel, Shaara was able to tell the reader why each man thought the decision he made was a good one, and if he followed a decision that he felt was bad, why he followed it.The fight

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-25481737596382559912009-02-24T08:57:00.000-08:002009-03-05T13:55:04.735-08:00

I'm not one with a superb sense of fashion, but what is up with the Hilary Clinton look alikes. The White House must have a strict regulation on a first lady's hairstyle. I mean look at Hilary Clinton and Laura Bush and the latest photos of Michelle Obama. At least Michelle hasn't lopped off the back of her hair yet, only pinned it up and styled the front to be a Clinton-a-like. If she lops off

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-41342713047567787192009-02-19T21:13:00.000-08:002009-02-19T21:19:32.831-08:00

A very interesting article on one of the ways in which the California State budget has been a time bomb waiting to explode and how the tax breaks for the few, severly hurt the many.http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ross19-2009feb19,0,3825360.story

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-3839796970096350452009-02-18T21:53:00.000-08:002009-02-19T11:34:03.356-08:00

The story was much different from the types of books I normally read-a novelized self-help book. The novel definitely had a unique voice and tone. I did enjoy the overall message about following your dreams, no matter how many curveballs life throws you, and good things will happen.A number of people recommended this novel to me. After reading it, I’m surprised at a couple of people's

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-86338634982354984392009-02-06T17:17:00.000-08:002009-02-06T17:18:46.007-08:00

Awesome book! Awesome series. The second book was good, but I couldn't get over the switched perspective. Book 1 and 3(this one) were in John Perry's pov and they were definately the best. The character of John Perry is so well written it didn't matter where Scalzi put him, I was engaged. Book One took place almost entirely in space with far out technology. This one was primarily on backward

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-19766400926195589682009-02-05T22:08:00.000-08:002009-02-05T22:10:36.133-08:00

I was shocked to read in my son's school's newsletter that his elementary school has decided to do away with their science fair – except fourth grade.Instead, his highly-ranked school has planned a Mad Science demonstration, a Super Scientist Night with scientist from the local community showing off their projects, and three teacher-guided in-class science projects to meet grade-level

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-38733773185014542272009-01-29T22:00:00.000-08:002009-01-29T22:08:31.535-08:00

As in Salvatore's other books chronicling the adventures of the dark elf, Drizzit, he does a wonderful job maintaining the voice of all of his characters. No mean feat, considering Salvatore jumps into and out of at least ten different character's perspectives throughout the novel which keeps the narrative flowing. If there is one character or one thread a reader doesn't particularly care for,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-7593964184710284782009-01-26T23:10:00.001-08:002009-01-26T23:47:00.572-08:00

I just finished watching NBC's, The Last Templar. It'd been a long time since I'd watched a made-for-network-TV movie. 2 hours Sunday night, 2 hours tonight. I found it to be a little cheesy, but that helped make it fun. Much of it was like the Da Vinci code. Other parts Indiana Jones - but all done in an entertaining way. It took me back a bit to when I used to watch those types of shows as a

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-13687790535504065502009-01-18T20:56:00.000-08:002009-01-18T21:20:31.590-08:00

Hi all,My favorite fiction book of 2008, was the last one I completed in 2008 - Imperium. It was well written, with an engaging voice about a subject I knew very little about. Yes, I knew Cicero was a great orator but that was all I knew. The voice, pacing and subject matter kept me engaged from beginning to end and kept me wanting more.My favorite non-fiction book of 2008 was 1812 The War That

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-64413973927730793452009-01-09T22:24:00.000-08:002009-01-09T22:32:16.914-08:00

Hi all,An email was forwarded to me, blaming all Americans for being complacent and allowing Bush to get away with so much. So I had to respond and have included my email below (ending with a musing on the Israeli Massacre in Gaza):"Perhaps for most Americans who never had experienced so totally a corrupt President,they didn't know how to respond. Anyone in their 30s has only really known four

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-29992037209100913492008-12-14T22:08:00.000-08:002008-12-14T22:26:04.259-08:00

Yesterday, I went to Best Buy - after going to two GameStops - trying to decide on whether I would break down and buy a Nintendo DS for my son. As I circled the DS aisle a fifth time, I heard two fathers talking about the craziness of it all. A ten year old stood between them as they spoke about accessories. I paused to see if I could glean any information to sway me one way or the other,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-29681839281796942752008-12-11T21:45:00.000-08:002008-12-11T22:15:39.036-08:00

I'm finishing up the third week of my seasonal job, and wow, who knew it'd make such an impact on my life.Negatives:Writing has become a very rare pleasure - 3 hours in 3 weeks.I've been able to stay awake until midnight only once since I've been working - previously that was my bed time. Just too tired.Losing touch with my children's school activities (this is the biggest negative):-The wife

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-71258494024104861942008-12-01T22:16:00.000-08:002008-12-01T22:35:57.872-08:00

Nice style. I liked the author's varied sentence construction. That, more than the story itself, kept me reading. Protagonist also had a strong voice. Novel starts off interesting, but I started to lose interest in the latter third. Some of the scenes felt redundant/repetitive. But more serious was the fact that a couple major decisions taken by the principal characters didn't make sense to me.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-33687611083791772242008-11-27T08:23:00.000-08:002008-11-27T08:44:14.768-08:00

This is not an article on Prop. 8, but an article against people who are punishing others for expressing their personal or religious beliefs as enshrined in the Constitution.I can understand Prop. 8 opponents are outraged by Prop. 8’s passage. I can understand the public protests. I agree with investigating the Mormon Church to see if they illegally crossed the line separating church and state by

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-73403421012672590222008-11-24T22:01:00.000-08:002008-11-25T20:56:55.848-08:00

I got a new job! Today was my second day. The people are nice. I'm in a bookstore, so at my breaks and lunch I can check out the books. And at some point I'll get a pay check!The main draw back is that since I now have a steady job, it's hard to find the time to write. But one has to eat.Hey the promised rain has finally arrived. All day long, people in my office kept going outside looking for it

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-63105489638210100172008-11-23T21:42:00.001-08:002008-11-24T07:14:59.860-08:00

"If she wants to earn her respect around here, she'd better give some."A conversation between two women in a grocery store parking lot soliciting donations for a homeless shelter. What a great quote. Thinking about it now, it almost has a biblical quality to it: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."What can I say, it's been a long day.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-59027332115067389442008-11-18T22:45:00.000-08:002008-11-18T22:58:58.597-08:00

My last post said how I was stuck in a fiction world of writing, so I took a walk today to see what I could find outside my head. This is what I found:It was hot today.A blazing blue sky.Perhaps a remnant of the fires.A white sliver of ash floated by.Someone had owned it once:A chair, a roof, or wall perhaps,Or perhaps it'd been a tree or leaf.Did it come from Sylmar, Chino or Anaheim?Where

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-61677493340522884892008-11-17T22:50:00.000-08:002008-11-17T23:25:16.823-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5iEK-IEzwOkay, I know a blog is a supposed to be literary, but the first video in my Video Bar to the left is hilarious. I also posted the link above.After working on resumes and cover letters for the past three weeks, all my free-writing time has been devoted to fiction/escapism - futuristic skin heads running from the law, a thirty-foot-tall giant taking on a

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-3663146722311882242008-11-07T16:13:00.000-08:002008-11-07T16:46:02.254-08:00

I just finished the historical novel, Imperium, by Robert Harris. It is the story of Cicero's rise to his first consulship, also known as Imperium, in 63 B.C. as told by his secretary Tiro. The novel is a fascinating read about Cicero's rise to power in the political hotbed that was Rome.I normally need to see swords drawn and armies clashing to find a historical novel engaging, but through

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-88494031149004878442008-11-04T11:28:00.000-08:002008-11-07T09:41:36.421-08:00

When I walked in to my polling place this morning, I noticed two men standing outside the door to the polling stations. One wearing a McCain/Palin t-shirt was talking loudly and negatively about Obama and his supporters. I went inside voted and came out. The two men were still standing by the door and the one McCain guy was still talking loudly about Obama. Here is the law on electioneering at

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-83343394394442030142008-11-01T08:56:00.000-07:002008-11-01T09:49:54.261-07:00

The pumpkins were lit and the trick or treaters assembled:Demon Ninja, Peter Pan, Obi Wan Kenobi, Darth Reaven, Spiderman, Catholic Witch, Little Witch, Supergirl, and a Baby Bumblebee.And off went the pack of costumed children. Merging with the massive freaky horde that was already combing the streets, descending upon the neighbors houses.Warnings of graveyards, skeletons and spiders did nothing

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-22395729701093229172008-10-28T23:31:00.000-07:002008-10-28T23:35:23.432-07:00

Funny how the air changes the higher a person goes.How things look around them.The way their opinion alters ever so slightly as they move on.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-57024943726813614212008-10-27T20:57:00.000-07:002008-11-01T09:58:00.989-07:00

As my job hunt continues, I found today to be quite interesting. I applied with three different companies, all within the same industry and all for the same position. I was surprised by how different the application process was for each company.The first company wanted the applicants to print out the application at home, complete it and then personally turn it in to the manager.The second wanted

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-85049761959306950042008-10-17T21:47:00.000-07:002008-10-17T21:57:03.374-07:00

About six months ago, I walked into a store that specializes in selling movies and asked if they had the old Giant Robot episodes I used to love to watch as a kid in the 70's. The clerk said no, but that there were a number of people who had asked her the same question.So I googled Giant Robot and found that I was calling the t.v. series by the wrong name - it's official title is Johnny Sokko

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-18348753094763682752008-10-05T22:52:00.000-07:002008-10-05T23:00:20.282-07:00

Sometimes doing something rather than doing nothing is actually worse. For example, dropping $700 billion into a bottomless pit. I like how the day after the bailout was approved - suddenly reporters and analysts were shouting it wasn't enough. More needed to be done. Where were all these reporters and analysts before Congress' vote saying the $700 billion was just a start? All the bailout

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-28110859696389888662008-09-29T23:16:00.000-07:002008-09-29T23:38:13.018-07:00

I've been off the blog way too long. My apologies.Let me start by saying, I have mixed emotions about the failed package. Something should be done to help Americans, but without snatching away $700 billion dollars from taxpayers and giving it to firms that made risky investments.All firms are supposed to be able to cover their debts. Just like all homeowners are supposed to pay their mortgages.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-80099248656375185552008-09-12T09:15:00.000-07:002008-09-12T10:04:27.731-07:00

I was going to write about the current discussion surrounding the the drinking age from 21 to 18, until I saw today's news article, U.S. may broker the rescue of Lehman.I find it funny, albeit sad, that these big investment firms such as Lehman and Bear Stearns whose clients and bankers espouse the idea of limited government and lowering taxes are now seeking massive amounts of tax payer money to

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-71105326497545511572008-09-03T21:55:00.000-07:002008-09-03T23:00:45.707-07:00

I had a great time apple and raspberry picking in Oak Glen. Oak Glen is a small community of u-pick-it farms 80 miles due east of Los Angeles nestled at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains. This year we went to Los Rios Rancho (last years we went to Riley's Family Farm). One of the biggest differences between the two is Los Rios Rancho has been purchased by the Nature Conservancy while

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-39913934334394252912008-08-29T11:00:00.000-07:002008-08-29T11:13:33.624-07:00

First Impressions.Wow! Suprising! Smart!Of course she's from Alaska, another big oil producing state. And with all the government corruption up there with Senator Stevens and his bridge to nowhere, one can definately see pay for play politics at its highest form.By picking someone three years younger than Obama, McCain just made himself the biggest hypocrite possible. Throughout his campaign he's

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-57588737500947274792008-08-27T23:57:00.000-07:002008-08-28T00:20:17.187-07:00

I know the book came out five years ago and I've already seen the movie, but after reading a few dry and slow moving books I decided to read a record breaking bestseller because it had to be good. I mean, millions of people couldn't be wrong.They weren't.I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code. It had an engaging plot. All the historical back story was relevant. I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-54695419234629652452008-08-22T21:28:00.000-07:002008-08-22T22:30:14.363-07:00

Fantasy Football - I love it. But it's definately for someone without a family.---A quick indoctrination for those of you unfamiliary with Fantasy Football (FFL), FFL is where ten to twelve people (players) get together and form a league. Then each player picks a roster of National League Football players for their fantasy team, and monitors their progress over the NFL season getting points

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-61427902278455909042008-08-12T22:54:00.000-07:002008-08-19T10:24:49.657-07:00

I know everyone expects me to say the Olympics, but what struck me as the most important event to begin that day was Russia's invasion of Georgia.It's the first time the old Bear invaded another soverign nation since Afghanistan. As of today, four days after hositilities began between Russia and Georgia, there is a shaky cease-fire. What was most amazing to me, was the overwhelming amount of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-65437731506160206962008-08-06T22:46:00.000-07:002008-08-06T23:12:48.417-07:00

How could someone not vote for her after this speech:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/05/paris-hilton-responds-to_n_117137.htmlIt was one of the most intelligent comments on energy policy I've heard a politician give this year. Her being photogenic doesn't hurt either. But don't worry McCainanites and Obamasans, unfortunately she's under the legal age limit so I have to vote for one of your

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-91270499873830566482008-08-01T23:06:00.000-07:002008-08-06T22:38:38.443-07:00

On the cover of the sci-fi novel, The Sky People, the following is a blurb by Publisher's Weekly "Rollicking...(A) terrific premise."While I have to agree that the story has a terrific premise, I don't agree with the rollicking part. It'd be interesting to see what the full review by Publisher's Weekly said.The premise of cold war settlements on Venus interacting with alien races and what happens

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-33645742719120534582008-07-30T13:43:00.000-07:002008-12-10T01:06:16.471-08:00

For the first time since high school I went to a comic book convention. Not just any convention, but San Diego's world famous Comic Con.There were lots of promotions for movies based on comic books; video games - some based on comics, most not; panels on upcoming movies and t.v. shows with actors and directors; an artist area; tables of female "models" selling pictures of themselves; toy

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-26123551816674046782008-07-22T23:13:00.001-07:002008-08-06T22:46:11.311-07:00

1812: The War that Forged a Nation by Walter Borneman was a very interesting and well put together read. Nothing like relearning one's American History.Byproducts of the War of 1812 included the composition of the Star Spangled Banner, the USS Constitution being nicknamed 'Old Ironsides', the American victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans, the burning of Washington DC by the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-38258855167116505952008-07-16T23:14:00.000-07:002008-07-16T23:39:55.607-07:00

Movie reviews: Saw Hancock, thumbs down. It wasn't bad enough that a white man had to show a black man how to be civilized, but then the movie committed the most mortal of sins, the hero couldn't even save himself (to make it worse, the white man had to save the black man). Talk about stereotypes. I'm surprised Will Smith signed on once he read the script.Wall-E - two thumbs up. Aside from the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-89046196384854515942008-05-18T22:46:00.000-07:002008-05-20T14:58:48.587-07:00

Iron ManDecent actors, decent plot, great special effects. It's just a shame that the Iron Man movie - cartoon version - is very similiar, if not identical, to the the live action movie. It took away a bit of the surprise of what was going to happen next. Hopefully, Marvel doesn't do the same thing with future superhero movies based on other comic books. I'm leery of the Hulk movie, as the Hulk's

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-67520516066436421392008-04-16T13:55:00.000-07:002008-04-16T14:19:30.071-07:00

I finally finished reading Pompeii by Robert Harris. I say finally, because it took me almost a month to finish it.The first hundred pages were loaded with great details, but so many that I found myself skimming. The lack of connection with any of the main characters in the first third of the story was my principal problem and allowed me to set the novel aside and read something else to often.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-53148695835807186882008-03-21T11:13:00.000-07:002008-03-21T11:32:30.654-07:00

Last night, I went to see the entertaining musical, Rutlemania, a spoof of the Beatles. The music and background movie were fine with some funny elements, but the two go-go dancers really stole the show. I know what you're thinking, typical guy, but my mother and aunt agreed. The go-go's smiles were infectious and their enthusiasm for their roles (as dancers, groupies and even puppeteers) was

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-58403677549481056652008-02-15T22:47:00.000-08:002008-02-16T01:27:59.614-08:00

900 people will soon decide who will be the Democratic presidential candidate.900; not the 20,000,000 who have voted over the last two months.1 man, 1 vote? Not so my friends.As Mr. Orwell once said, "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-58865712169305062582008-02-10T22:52:00.000-08:002008-02-10T23:17:15.614-08:00

Until today, my experience with the word, Huckleberry, was limited to a blue dog that sang Oh My Darling Valentine when I was a child.Imagine my surprise as I walked through the snow-covered town of McCall, Idaho this morning to find a store selling huckleberry syrup, huckleberry honey and huckleberry-flavored popcorn. Next door a candy store was selling huckleberry ice cream and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-79122393053358964402008-02-04T11:53:00.000-08:002008-02-04T13:27:40.164-08:00

Ha ha ha, to those of you who asked me if I'd ever taken U.S. History.(I'm happy to know more than one person is reading my blog.)However, I must've been sick the day my instructor explained that when Americans vote, they are voting for Presidential Electors who have signed a piece of paper stating that they WILL vote for a certain candidate, BUT that they don't have to.That's a lot of power in

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-59082486958723151042008-02-01T22:49:00.000-08:002008-02-04T12:21:05.843-08:00

Super Tuesday is on its way, so I thought I'd do some research about our democratic process. Did you realize the popular vote for President didn't exist prior to 1824? Also, our vote for the President of the United States is an indirect vote? That means Americans vote for Presidential Electors (ie the Electoral College) whose votes don't always reflect their constituents' preferences.As stated on

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279596090380021212.post-74343621856931001122008-01-30T02:07:00.000-08:002008-01-30T02:52:28.298-08:00

The message is sent.The watchers read,But nothing is said.The author is unsure of how to proceed.Labels for post? Content Policy?He just wants to write.An idea forms.Footsteps echo through a rundown hallway.Time to go.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516176700728732687noreply@blogger.com0