In a recent news article from the Buffalo News, the reporter references the "maligned defensman Rory Fitzpatrick". I don't know if I'm getting defensive since Rory grew up in my hometown and went to highschool with me, but it really irks me when reporters attach "maligned" to his name. It bugged me so much, that I went to look up the definition. Here's what I found:
Malign:
1. Evil in disposition, nature, or intent.
2. Evil in influence; injurious.
3. Having or showing malice or ill will; malevolent.
Wow, that's sounds a little harsh. Don't you think? This isn't the first time I've seen this word associated with Rory or even with other athletes who aren't performing at the top of their games. Yeah they may be out there making some mistakes which may or may not affect the outcome of the game, but come on, do we have to call them evil for making mistakes? I'm pretty sure they are not out there saying to themselves "I'm really going to mess up this play because I really hate this team, town, etc. and I'm really evil". I know it may sound like I'm blowing things out of proportion, but I really can't stand it when people say "Well, they are professionals, they shouldn't be making mistakes like that". I think that's BS. We're all professionals, we are all getting paid to do something professionally, be it flipping burgers, writing software, or playing sports. I really don't like the whole "they get paid so much more than me" argument either, that's directly related to the market price for professional sports. It doesn't make these people any more professional than anybody else. It's a career and I can't imagine what it would be like if every mistake that I made was scrutinized across the nation. Of course, that's one of the hazards that you take on when your job is televized (well, at least it is televized all over Canada).
I guess my main beef is using such strong language to describe someone who is not playing at the top of their game. After all, just the previous NHL season (2003-4) was a career season for Fitzie were Lindy Ruff "was not afraid to put him on the ice for any type of situation" (see NHL.com article). Additionally, he has twice been awarded the Rochester Amerks McCulloch Trophy for community service. This hardly sounds evil to me.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Book Review
The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
Sequel to Old Man's War. Didn't quite have me as hooked as OMW, but I still enjoyed it. Definitely give it a try if you are into Military Sci-Fi.
Currently reading:
Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi. I'm actually reading this online at www.scalzi.com.
Next book:
The Theban Mysteries by Amanda Cross
We don't want any!
Several months ago, wifey put up a sign on our front door that says "No Solicitation". The primary reason was because we kept getting people coming over in the middle of the day trying to sell us new windows, give us lawn care service, save our souls, sign a petition, help a kid through college by subscribing to a newspaper...you get the idea. Without fail, these people would ring the doorbell just after wifey got our daughter down to bed. The dogs would bark their heads off like crazy and nap time for the little one would be shot for the day. That pretty much guarantees no sale at this house...you try selling products to someone just after you have ruined their afternoon.
While the number of callers we get has been greatly reduced, we still get the occasional person who ignores the sign and rings anyway. As if that isn't bad enough they usually ask me if my parents are home. I understand that they are trying to do their job, but it takes all my self control not to go off on them not only for interrupting our family dinner but also for assuming that I'm not old enough to own my own house. I know I'm not being fair, but it's the way I feel.
I'm seriously thinking of putting up a sign in hot pink that says "If you don't know us and you are trying to sell us stuff, please do not ring our doorbell because we don't want any. If you do decide to ring the doorbell, unless the person who answers the door is under 3' tall, you ARE speaking to the owner of the house." I just don't think that I can bring myself to do it because I know that I will blow up at the next unknown person who decides to ring our doorbell. With my luck, it would be somebody trying to do a good deed by returning one of our dogs, or something like that.
While the number of callers we get has been greatly reduced, we still get the occasional person who ignores the sign and rings anyway. As if that isn't bad enough they usually ask me if my parents are home. I understand that they are trying to do their job, but it takes all my self control not to go off on them not only for interrupting our family dinner but also for assuming that I'm not old enough to own my own house. I know I'm not being fair, but it's the way I feel.
I'm seriously thinking of putting up a sign in hot pink that says "If you don't know us and you are trying to sell us stuff, please do not ring our doorbell because we don't want any. If you do decide to ring the doorbell, unless the person who answers the door is under 3' tall, you ARE speaking to the owner of the house." I just don't think that I can bring myself to do it because I know that I will blow up at the next unknown person who decides to ring our doorbell. With my luck, it would be somebody trying to do a good deed by returning one of our dogs, or something like that.
It's been a while...
(originally published on 6/27/2006 in Fubaar's Books)
OK, wow, I totally forgot about my blog. I think I got embarrased with some of the books that I was reading and decided that it wasn't worth it to write a post. It all went downhill from there.
Let's see if I can remember what I've read since last October...
S.M. Stirling's Island in the Sea of Time
Nantucket gets zapped back into 1250 B.C. and the inhabitants have to figure out how to survive without the comforts of modern life. This was a cool alternate history/time travel book. After reading this, I started reading the sequels to this book. It's a fun set of books, but after a while you kind of think to yourself...when is it going to end. The books just keep going and going.
S.M. Striling's Dies the Fire
The first book in a parrallel series to the Nantucket books above. The premise is that a blinding white light originates over the island of Nantucket and spreads over the whole globe (supposedly, this is when Nantucket is thrown back in time). After the white light is gone, physics has changed such that electricity and explosives no longer work. The rest of the story follows the survivors of the Event and what they do to survive. This book had a cool concept, but I got pretty tired of Stirling's writing style. I don't even remember if I finished this book or if I just gave up because I knew there were multiple sequels that I just didn't want to read.
After these books, I got a little tired of reading the same genre over and over again, so I started looking for reading suggestions. Quite by accident, I stumbled on the Nancy Pearl podcasts on NPR. So far, I've liked about 65% the books that she has suggested. She's got two books out called Book Lust and More Book Lust, which are essentially books with reading lists in them. If you're looking for some suggestions, I would highly recommend these as a starting place. Here are the books that I've read from Nancy Pearl's suggestions:
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
If you like magic then this book is for you. It's a novel about two magicians, their hatred for each other, and their secrets that they want to keep the other from finding out. I'm not much for magic myself, but I still found the book intriguing. However, the book got a little weird toward the end and the plot twists actually turned me off from enjoying the ending.
The Calligrapher by Edward Docx
This book is about a playboy who falls desperately in love with a gorgeous woman...Nancy Pearl put this book into her "Dick Lit" category. I didn't really like the protagonist from the start, so I was pretty lukewarm with the book all the way through. Probably since I didn't get involved with the main character's life, I was able to guess some of the plot twists early on in the book.
Flanders by Patricia Anthony
This book is a World War I soldier's account of the war through the letters he writes home to his brother. I really liked this book and will probably read it again at some point.
A Sport and a Pastime by James Salter
No, this book isn't about baseball. I think it was supposed to be some coming of age story, but I couldn't get into the book.
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
What a kick-ass book! I knew that I would eventually get back into Sci-Fi again...I just can't help it, I think it is in my blood. If you liked Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers then you will love this book. Scalzi actually used ST as a model for this book. However, he's not just regurgitating the same sci-fi themes that any old hack can come up with...he's got some really innovative ideas that he weaves into the story. I'm currently reading The Ghost Brigades, which is a sequel to Old Man's War, and I'm thoroughly enjoying that book as well. Check out Scalzi's website (www.scalzi.com). He regularly blogs on the website, still answers fan's posts, and he even has an online novel Agent to the Stars, which I'm reading as well.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Actually, Nancy Pearl didn't recomend this directly. Wifey had started listening to the book on tape again and once I heard it, I just had to read it again. This must be the 5th time I've read the book. However, this is one of the Sci-Fi books that Nancy Pearl does highly recomend.
OK, that's about it. I could say that I will be better at writing posts, but that would be a lie.
OK, wow, I totally forgot about my blog. I think I got embarrased with some of the books that I was reading and decided that it wasn't worth it to write a post. It all went downhill from there.
Let's see if I can remember what I've read since last October...
S.M. Stirling's Island in the Sea of Time
Nantucket gets zapped back into 1250 B.C. and the inhabitants have to figure out how to survive without the comforts of modern life. This was a cool alternate history/time travel book. After reading this, I started reading the sequels to this book. It's a fun set of books, but after a while you kind of think to yourself...when is it going to end. The books just keep going and going.
S.M. Striling's Dies the Fire
The first book in a parrallel series to the Nantucket books above. The premise is that a blinding white light originates over the island of Nantucket and spreads over the whole globe (supposedly, this is when Nantucket is thrown back in time). After the white light is gone, physics has changed such that electricity and explosives no longer work. The rest of the story follows the survivors of the Event and what they do to survive. This book had a cool concept, but I got pretty tired of Stirling's writing style. I don't even remember if I finished this book or if I just gave up because I knew there were multiple sequels that I just didn't want to read.
After these books, I got a little tired of reading the same genre over and over again, so I started looking for reading suggestions. Quite by accident, I stumbled on the Nancy Pearl podcasts on NPR. So far, I've liked about 65% the books that she has suggested. She's got two books out called Book Lust and More Book Lust, which are essentially books with reading lists in them. If you're looking for some suggestions, I would highly recommend these as a starting place. Here are the books that I've read from Nancy Pearl's suggestions:
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
If you like magic then this book is for you. It's a novel about two magicians, their hatred for each other, and their secrets that they want to keep the other from finding out. I'm not much for magic myself, but I still found the book intriguing. However, the book got a little weird toward the end and the plot twists actually turned me off from enjoying the ending.
The Calligrapher by Edward Docx
This book is about a playboy who falls desperately in love with a gorgeous woman...Nancy Pearl put this book into her "Dick Lit" category. I didn't really like the protagonist from the start, so I was pretty lukewarm with the book all the way through. Probably since I didn't get involved with the main character's life, I was able to guess some of the plot twists early on in the book.
Flanders by Patricia Anthony
This book is a World War I soldier's account of the war through the letters he writes home to his brother. I really liked this book and will probably read it again at some point.
A Sport and a Pastime by James Salter
No, this book isn't about baseball. I think it was supposed to be some coming of age story, but I couldn't get into the book.
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
What a kick-ass book! I knew that I would eventually get back into Sci-Fi again...I just can't help it, I think it is in my blood. If you liked Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers then you will love this book. Scalzi actually used ST as a model for this book. However, he's not just regurgitating the same sci-fi themes that any old hack can come up with...he's got some really innovative ideas that he weaves into the story. I'm currently reading The Ghost Brigades, which is a sequel to Old Man's War, and I'm thoroughly enjoying that book as well. Check out Scalzi's website (www.scalzi.com). He regularly blogs on the website, still answers fan's posts, and he even has an online novel Agent to the Stars, which I'm reading as well.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Actually, Nancy Pearl didn't recomend this directly. Wifey had started listening to the book on tape again and once I heard it, I just had to read it again. This must be the 5th time I've read the book. However, this is one of the Sci-Fi books that Nancy Pearl does highly recomend.
OK, that's about it. I could say that I will be better at writing posts, but that would be a lie.
Some of the books that slipped through the cracks
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin - mediocre, at best
Native Son by Richard Wright - 2nd time trying this book. Once I read the preface which told me that this wasn't supposed to be an easy book to read (i.e. you won't like the protagonist), I had an easier time reading it...kind of funny. I was able to appreciate it a lot more this time and will definitely read it again.
Native Son by Richard Wright - 2nd time trying this book. Once I read the preface which told me that this wasn't supposed to be an easy book to read (i.e. you won't like the protagonist), I had an easier time reading it...kind of funny. I was able to appreciate it a lot more this time and will definitely read it again.
The Rama Series
(originally published on 10/04/2005 in Fubaar's Books)
I completed the Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke a couple of weeks ago and I'm finally getting around to writing my reviews...
Rendezvous with Rama
Premise: In the beginning of the 22nd century, a large cylindrical object enters the solar system headed on a trajectory where it will pass the Sun and then get slingshot out again. The Earth sends a crew of astronauts to check out the object before it leaves. They find that the object is actually a mini-world complete with cities and a sea...the only problem is that the world seems totally uninhabbited except for a number of robots which seem to have biological components (biots).
Review: I loved the concept and the description of the alien world. The only problem is that I finished the book and I was left feeling that nothing happened. The crew landed, got inside, observed the world through some environmental changes, saw some robots, and then left. I kept feeling that there was so much more that could have been done with the book. I almost gave up on the series, but wifey convinced me that the 2nd book had a lot more action in it.
Rama II
Premise: Written in conjunction with Gentry Lee. It's a little less than a century passed since the first Rama craft appeared in our solar system. Since that time, the world has gone through a major economical depression. The world is just getting back on it's feet again when scientists notice another Rama craft approaching. This time, the crew sent up to investigate the craft has a specific goal of trying to capture one of the biots and make contact with the alien species if possible.
Review: Ok, wifey was right, this book definitely had a lot more action in it. Also, the character development was much better...this time I felt like I really cared for some members of the crew, while I despised others. I don't want to ruin any of the twists, so I'll just leave it as a pretty good read.
Garden of Rama
Premise: Jeez, I'm realizing that if I write too much about the premise for this book then I would ruin certain parts of the 2nd book. The same will be true for the last book in the series. So the generic premise is that this is a continuation of the Rama series. =)
Review: This book is basically a discussion on human nature. It asks the question, "what would happen if the human race could start over again, would it follow the same path of war and corruption that we have seen in history?" I don't think that the authors really gave the "start over" concept a really fair chance. Still, it was a very interesting read and there is a killer cliff hanger ending.
Rama Revealed
Review: This book really needed to be cut down. After a while, I just kept saying to myself "ok, I get it, stop beating this dead horse and get to the ending". My suggestion, read the first three books. Then, check this book out of the library and read the first couple of chapters to resolve the cliff hanger ending from the previous book. Then, skip to the end and read the last couple of chapters. Most of the 300 pages in the middle could probably be cut down to 100 pages...this would make it into a much better book.
Next books on my list:
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Native Son by Richard Wright
I completed the Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke a couple of weeks ago and I'm finally getting around to writing my reviews...
Rendezvous with Rama
Premise: In the beginning of the 22nd century, a large cylindrical object enters the solar system headed on a trajectory where it will pass the Sun and then get slingshot out again. The Earth sends a crew of astronauts to check out the object before it leaves. They find that the object is actually a mini-world complete with cities and a sea...the only problem is that the world seems totally uninhabbited except for a number of robots which seem to have biological components (biots).
Review: I loved the concept and the description of the alien world. The only problem is that I finished the book and I was left feeling that nothing happened. The crew landed, got inside, observed the world through some environmental changes, saw some robots, and then left. I kept feeling that there was so much more that could have been done with the book. I almost gave up on the series, but wifey convinced me that the 2nd book had a lot more action in it.
Rama II
Premise: Written in conjunction with Gentry Lee. It's a little less than a century passed since the first Rama craft appeared in our solar system. Since that time, the world has gone through a major economical depression. The world is just getting back on it's feet again when scientists notice another Rama craft approaching. This time, the crew sent up to investigate the craft has a specific goal of trying to capture one of the biots and make contact with the alien species if possible.
Review: Ok, wifey was right, this book definitely had a lot more action in it. Also, the character development was much better...this time I felt like I really cared for some members of the crew, while I despised others. I don't want to ruin any of the twists, so I'll just leave it as a pretty good read.
Garden of Rama
Premise: Jeez, I'm realizing that if I write too much about the premise for this book then I would ruin certain parts of the 2nd book. The same will be true for the last book in the series. So the generic premise is that this is a continuation of the Rama series. =)
Review: This book is basically a discussion on human nature. It asks the question, "what would happen if the human race could start over again, would it follow the same path of war and corruption that we have seen in history?" I don't think that the authors really gave the "start over" concept a really fair chance. Still, it was a very interesting read and there is a killer cliff hanger ending.
Rama Revealed
Review: This book really needed to be cut down. After a while, I just kept saying to myself "ok, I get it, stop beating this dead horse and get to the ending". My suggestion, read the first three books. Then, check this book out of the library and read the first couple of chapters to resolve the cliff hanger ending from the previous book. Then, skip to the end and read the last couple of chapters. Most of the 300 pages in the middle could probably be cut down to 100 pages...this would make it into a much better book.
Next books on my list:
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Native Son by Richard Wright
My love affair with sci-fi...
(originally posted on 10/04/2005 in Fubaar's Books)
...started in the summer between my Freshman and Sophmore year in college. I was in Puerto Rico for about 2 months living with my sister and brother-in-law. My brother-in-law introduced me to Frank Herbert's Dune and I was hooked. I quickly read through the first three books in the series, decided God Emperor Dune wasn't worth finishing, and temporarily stopped reading for pleasure when I returned to college.
I really didn't start reading heavily again until I graduated from college. All of a sudden, I found myself with a whole lot of free time at night. I was living with someone else, but he was in law school and way to busy to hang out every night. The free time got split between reading and going to the bars. I quickly went through a lot of the classics...Hyperion, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Stars My Destination, etc. Some I liked, some I didn't. Then I encountered Ender's Game and I was hitched for life. There's just something about the genre that keeps me hooked. I guess its the idea of space travel and colonization of other planets which really interests me.
The big surprise for me, was Stephen King. Wifey introduced me to him shortly after we started dating. Up to that point, I thought that he only cranked out cheap horror books which were good for a quick buck. Boy, was I surprised when I started reading The Gunslinger and found the fantasy/sci-fi side of Stephen King. I loved The Dark Tower series along with all of his other books which tie into the series. I also couldn't put down The Stand; occasionally when I hear someone cough, I think to myself "I hope they don't have Captain Tripps Disease" and a chill runs up and down my spine.
I will occasionally delve into other genres as well. I think my next two favorite subjects would have to be African/African American Literature (Roots, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Cry the Beloved Country, Things Fall Apart, etc.) and then Alternate History Fiction (Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, 1632, etc.).
The African/African American Literature definitely stems from the way my parents raised me. They always taught me to judge people by their actions, not by the color of their skin. When I read these books, I can still see the discrimination which is still present today...I'm not just talking about African Americans, I'm also talking about Latinos, Asians, Middle Easterners, and anyone else who is chastised for looking different or having a different set of beliefs from the "mainstream" society.
OK, I better stop before I get up on my high horse. The subject of discrimination/ignorance in today's society is definitely way too long of a subject to get into right now. I think I would need a couple of hours of writing in order to get all my thoughts on that subject off of my chest. Until next time...
...started in the summer between my Freshman and Sophmore year in college. I was in Puerto Rico for about 2 months living with my sister and brother-in-law. My brother-in-law introduced me to Frank Herbert's Dune and I was hooked. I quickly read through the first three books in the series, decided God Emperor Dune wasn't worth finishing, and temporarily stopped reading for pleasure when I returned to college.
I really didn't start reading heavily again until I graduated from college. All of a sudden, I found myself with a whole lot of free time at night. I was living with someone else, but he was in law school and way to busy to hang out every night. The free time got split between reading and going to the bars. I quickly went through a lot of the classics...Hyperion, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Stars My Destination, etc. Some I liked, some I didn't. Then I encountered Ender's Game and I was hitched for life. There's just something about the genre that keeps me hooked. I guess its the idea of space travel and colonization of other planets which really interests me.
The big surprise for me, was Stephen King. Wifey introduced me to him shortly after we started dating. Up to that point, I thought that he only cranked out cheap horror books which were good for a quick buck. Boy, was I surprised when I started reading The Gunslinger and found the fantasy/sci-fi side of Stephen King. I loved The Dark Tower series along with all of his other books which tie into the series. I also couldn't put down The Stand; occasionally when I hear someone cough, I think to myself "I hope they don't have Captain Tripps Disease" and a chill runs up and down my spine.
I will occasionally delve into other genres as well. I think my next two favorite subjects would have to be African/African American Literature (Roots, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Cry the Beloved Country, Things Fall Apart, etc.) and then Alternate History Fiction (Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus, 1632, etc.).
The African/African American Literature definitely stems from the way my parents raised me. They always taught me to judge people by their actions, not by the color of their skin. When I read these books, I can still see the discrimination which is still present today...I'm not just talking about African Americans, I'm also talking about Latinos, Asians, Middle Easterners, and anyone else who is chastised for looking different or having a different set of beliefs from the "mainstream" society.
OK, I better stop before I get up on my high horse. The subject of discrimination/ignorance in today's society is definitely way too long of a subject to get into right now. I think I would need a couple of hours of writing in order to get all my thoughts on that subject off of my chest. Until next time...
Down to one
OK, I give up trying to keep up two blogs. Seeing how often I contribute to this blog, it's probably a wise idea to go down to one...nobody reads either of them anyways. I will retire my books blog and put my book reviews into this blog instead. I think I will also keep my reviews to one line unless I feel particularly passionate about a book...I don't have the time to write a book report for each one I read. Having two kids will do that to you.
Just so that I don't lose some of my previous info, I will copy my book review posts over here and then remove my other blog.
Just so that I don't lose some of my previous info, I will copy my book review posts over here and then remove my other blog.
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