Biden the Strangler?
Speaking about balancing the budget at a fundraiser in Minnesota, Vice President Joe Biden said that he will “strangle” Republicans who tell him about balancing the budget.
“If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them.”
Now,this may not have been the best time to slip up like that what with the Obama/Hillary 2012 rumors buzzing around the last few days. Hang in there, Joe, on the bright side, you’re giving us all a good chuckle.
Afraid to Walk Your Dog at Night? Buy the Funky Lite Leash
If you are a dog lover then this is the product for you. This is a leash that my friend invented for people who have to walk their dogs at night. Everyone knows that taking the pooch out for a night-time stroll can be very dangerous. Drivers can be speeding around turns without even seeing you and reflectors only work so well. This leash has a highly visible electroluminescent wire that runs through the entire length, about 5 ft. It is very durable, and weather resistant. It is made for dogs 100 lbs. and under and only requires two double-A batteries.
The man who invented this did it for the sole purpose of keeping people and their dogs safe during their night-time walks.
You can purchase your leash here, or you can email me directly at sdacorta@yahoo.com
Glenn Beck: The Overton Window (Review)
I was a bit surprised when I stumbled upon The Overton Window by Glenn Beck while searching through the Thriller/Mystery section of Borders. But, being somewhat of a Glenn Beck fan I knew that it should be pretty interesting. I read the epilogue in the store and I was satisfied enough to buy it and read the rest at home. The novel revolves around the crazy weekend of Noah Gardner, son of Arthur Gardner who is a big shot PR billionaire.
In the beginning of the book, Noah decides to go to some sort of rally put together by so-called Patriots after meeting a beautiful woman, Molly Ross, who is very involved with the group. Noah just wanted to get to know Molly, instead he is put through a roller coaster weekend, barely escaping with his life.
Many critics will condemn this book before reading it due to its controversial author, radio personality and FOX News anchor Glenn Beck. Beck says in the introduction that this book is “faction”. A fictional story based on true events and plots, at least how it is perceived by Beck. The main plot in the story is that America is falling apart, the economy has crashed and that’s just the beginning. People who view Beck’s show on FOX News or listen to his radio program will be familiar with what Beck is trying to say. He mentions and quotes the Founding Fathers on multiple occasions. Whether you agree with Beck or not, he really makes you think about what is going on in the country today. He also gives a 30 page “Afterward” that explains exactly where he got his information from.
As a thriller I think the book lacked a bit although it did keep my interest throughout. It is short, only about 300 pages and it is an easy read. But the plot is a little weak and the character development could be better. The reader will find some unorthodox dialogue in the book, which had me imagining that Beck was narrating the story, but you can sense Beck’s lack of experience with fiction books. There are a few points in the book that get dry and little boring if you do not find politics interesting, if so you probably shouldn’t spend your money on this book. It may also get you pretty mad if you do not agree with Beck’s perspective on the country and politics. Beck will have a character give a speech or just lecture for about three pages about the country and what he thinks is going on or what will happen in the foreseeable future, and while most of the content is interesting I did find myself drifting a bit during these lectures.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and I would give it a 3 out of 5, which is respectable. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys politics, Democrat or Republican. Beck does a good job of keeping those two words to a minimum, saying that what he thinks is the downfall of America isn’t one party’s fault, it has gone on for a long time. He also doesn’t mention a name or part for the president for the same reason. If you are a person who tends to agree with what Beck says, you will definitely enjoy the book. If you are a person who tends to oppose Beck and his preachings, you will enjoy ripping Beck and his book on your blog or web site. Whatever you do, don’t be discouraged from buying the book just because of the author.
More Good News About the Sun
This video, from NaturalNews.com, helps to prove that the sun is a very beneficial to one’s health and it also disproves all the popular “myths” about the “dangers” of the sun created by sun screen manufacturers.
Finally!!!
My last post was about soccer players and their ridiculous dives, finally, somebody is also fed up with them. Watch as U.S. coach Bob Bradley speaks up about his frustrations with these players.
Do Soccer Players Have No Dignity?
As I have been watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup, I can’t help but to notice the complete disregard for the game as the best players in the world are diving all over the field trying to draw a penalty.
Like many Americans, I do not follow soccer on a regular basis. I think that soccer is one of the most boring sports to watch, playing it is a different story, but to watch a two-hour match that often ends up in a 0-0 tie never appealed to me. But with the sudden excitement of the 2010 FIFA World Cup I decided to watch a few games. I decided to sit down and watch the United States’ first game against the heavily favored England and, even though it ended in a tie, I found the game to be very interesting and rather exciting at times. Over the last week so I have kept up with the games watching some foreign countries play here and there, and although the competition is good and the games are keeping my interest, there is one thing that irks me. I know that one can’t expect to be an analyst of a certain sport after a week of watching it and there are many aspects of the game that I still don’t understand, like offsides for instance. I do though have one complaint about the sport; the players dive and cry to the referees much too often. At times it gets a bit ridiculous that grown men, the greatest players in their respective sport, can completely disregard the integrity of their beloved game by jumping to the ground and holding their face or their ankle. These are the most athletic and agile men in the world and they are diving all over the field to try to draw a foul, and to my dismay, the referees almost always rule in favor of the jerk who is making a fool of himself, FIFA, and his country. What’s even more annoying than the dive itself is when the diver doesn’t get the call and they jump up to yell at the referee, no sign of injury, literally admitting that they were faking it. I don’t understand how this is okay with soccer fans, the most loyal fans in the world.
Before I started watching, I heard that Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the greatest players in the world, the man can score at will. As I watch him I can’t help but to think of another player who is one of, if not the, greatest player in his respective sport, Sidney Crosby. The two are like brothers. Put aside that they do actually look a bit similar, they are both among the best players in the world at their sport yet for some reason that is beyond me, they both feel that they need to dive all over the field or the ice to get calls. You’re the best player in the world, you’re going to get the benefit of the doubt!!! The diving isn’t even the worst part, it’s when they don’t get the call and they go over to the referee to plea their case that the big bully knocked them down. As a hockey fan I hate Sidney Crosby, like most hockey fans that are not located in Pittsburgh. I just don’t understand how FIFA, and the NHL, let their star players do this. FIFA especially, because it’s not only Ronaldo, every player on every team dives when they make the slightest bit of contact with a player from the other team.
Personally, I just think that it is wrong and that the players should have enough dignity and integrity for the game to stop, but I guess they go by the motto “anything to win”, which is disappointing to say the least. I hope that someday, if the diving doesn’t come to an end which I highly doubt will be the case, FIFA decides to give the referees permission to give a penalty if they believe that a player is intentionally embellishing a dive to draw a foul against the opposing team, like in hockey, although it is rarely enforced. Hopefully that would put an end to this childish act that soccer players put on every game.
****Watch as Ronaldo dives while looking at the referee to see if he gets the call****
Lee Child: 61 Hours (Review)
As some of you who may follow my blog, mom and dad, know, I love all book written by Lee Child. I think that he is the best Mystery/Thriller author of his time. (Granted I don’t know too many others). I recently read his latest novel 61 Hours which, for those of you who are familiar with Child’s novels, is another “Reacher Book”. It revolves around his main character Jack Reacher, an ex- military policeman who now finds himself wandering the country because, growing up on military bases throughout the world, that is all he knows. It is amazing how Child can write so many high-end novels revolving around one spectacular character yet he does it again and again without fail.
For all of you Lee Child/ Jack Reacher fans, 61 Hours does slightly differ from the earlier novels in the series in that there is no female lover and there is less action, but that jut means that the story is that much more suspenseful.
In this adventure, Reacher finds himself stranded in a small town in South Dakota. It doesn’t take long for Reacher to get involved in the town’s latest drama. He teams up with the local police department in an attempt to solve a case that involves a mysterious, old abandoned building, a very small and dangerous man, and a witness that is need of protection if she is going to live long enough to testify.
61 Hours is not one of Child’s best pieces of work, but it is very far from his worst. This novel will keep your interest throughout and you will find it very hard to put it down. I found it hard to go twenty minutes without picking it back up and reading a few chapters. Child does a fantastic job of taking multiple story lines that the reader may think have nothing to do with each other and somehow bring them together at the end to create a ridiculous twist in the story. This is why Child is considered one of the best thriller writers in the business and if he keeps writing more novels at this caliber it will be easy to say that he is the best thriller author of his time. I highly recommend this novel and this author to anyone who enjoys mystery/thrillers. Out of a possible 10 I would give this book an 8, and Child as an author a 9.8, just because nobody’s perfect.
And keep an eye out for Child’s next book, Worth Dying For, which will be released on October 19, 2010. It will start from the end of 61 Hours so make sure that you do NOT read these two books out-of-order.
Congratulations Class of 2010!
This past weekend was a very emotional one for many high school seniors, including myself. It started on Friday with our Senior Prom and ended today with the last day of our high school careers. Witnessing the complete 180° switch in emotions from Friday to Monday was amazing. On Friday, everyone was excited and rowdy and anxious for prom. on Saturday, everyone was still busy partying for their last weekend of high school. The parties continued on Sunday, as my school held its annual “senior camp out”, and people were excited for the last day of school, so excited that nobody got much sleep. On Monday, we all went to school bright and early to cheer for the incoming buses and cars, another school tradition, and then the school day finally got underway, this is when the surreal felling that I was in high school for the very last time hit my classmates and me. For many, things became very emotional.
Like the past four years, the day went by quickly and, as I tried to slow things down, I barely had time to make sure that I said my good bye’s to everyone, some of whom I may never see again, and many who I have been with since early elementary school. As our final periods of high school dwindled down I found myself breaking a four year habit, I was urging the second-hand on the clock to move slower, as I realized that I did not want to leave high school just yet. Unfortunately, I am not Father Time.
After the last bell a group of seniors, including myself, met in the gym lobby to say good-bye for the last time in high school, of course we are going to see each other for graduation and over the summer, but it was the end of an era nonetheless. The ladies started the crying and some of the men followed soon after. Even I, a person who rarely wears my heart out on my sleeve, had trouble holding back tears as I found myself clenching my jaw as tight as I could to fight them.
For me, Senior year was by far my favorite year in high school. Being able to drive to and from school was a big plus and coming in fourth period was nice too. Seeing it come to an end is devastating, and even though I am excited for college next year, I will never forget the four years that shaped my adolescence. Especially the teachers and friends who helped me through it. Friends are such an important part of high school and I don’t see how anyone can get through the four years without a solid core group of friends who you can trust with anything.
I think that I speak for the entire class of 2010 when I say that the four years of great times is worth the few days of feeling sad and depressed. I know that this post doesn’t hold much value to most of the millions of people on the internet, but I want to say Congratulations, Good Luck, and Thank you to the Roy C. Ketcham High School Class of 2010!
Steve DaCorta
