Stephen King's "Revival": Revived My Interest In King

I just finished reading "Revival" by Stephen King.

I loved it. Best King Novel since "The Stand". 

I'm a big fan of King - not for the horror - but for the uniqueness of his stories. His character focus is unparalleled. That's one reason most King movies are so great ... The directors already know the characters perfectly - the casting already knows exactly who will be the best to play each role.

I personally couldn't stomach some of the imagery in "It" - yet it made a great TV miniseries - because some plot elements could be modified just enough not to change the story.

I look forward to seeing "Revival" turned into a movie or miniseries. It has some of the most terrifying but palatable imagery King has put into a novel since "The Shining" and some of the best character development in such a quick manner as "Shawshank Redemption". 

Even if you're not a King fan, you'll love this thought provoking book about the dark side of religious fanaticism and the consequences of the soul for cursing God.

Excellent Book!

Interstellar - Uninteresting

Went to see Interstellar last night ...

I was really let down.

This isn't the typical Christopher Nolan - have you thinking - kind of film.

Nolan, who co-wrote and directed the newest Batman films, The Prestige, and Inception - totally loses focus in this boring, borrowed plot. There's nothing original about the script. The movie drags on.

I don't typically give away plot elements to movies, but you need to know this one part to solidify that you don't want to see this movie. 

The movie is clearly set in the not too distant future, but obviously technology has advanced reasonably far. Robots have developed AI. Well, the robots are ridiculous. I mean silly. So outrageously ridiculous that it's almost comical. They are literally walking, talking 7 foot tall black bricks. The effect is mind numbing and laughable. You can't stop thinking - is that a guy inside a black spray painted refrigerator box?

The plot is weak and has real science  mishmashed among the cool mumbles of McConaughey to keep your attention but it only serves to  confuse you as you turn your ear to the screen.

There's really no dazzling visuals to see yet the effects budget is clearly high.

Do not waste your 2½ hours to see this.

If I wasn't in great company - I would probably have taken some time to get in a nap - Matthew McConaughey's voice just does that to me.

Phone Call Recording Reference On FYT Gets Major Update

The phone call recording reference on Fix Your Thinking has helped thousands. It is THE SOURCE for all laws, scenarios, and discussion for recording phone calls.

http://www.fixyourthinking.com/2004/01/recording-phone-call-laws-by-state.html

Please take the time to check it out AND KNOW YOUR RIGHTS ...

Unsubscribing Subscribes You

Just posted this on a Facebook friend's status update about unsubscribing from junk emails ...

Do NOT use the unsubscribe on junk emails unless you know they are a reputable company.

Unsubscribing indicates you read it and signals them to put you on different lists.

Instead, just delete them by marking them as spam.

If you're a little advanced, you can filter emails to go straight to your junk email box ... For instance "Cialis" or "Mortgage enhancement offer" <~ words neither of which the average friend or relative is going to send you in email .

DO check your junk email folder once a month to make sure you're getting all your emails. I send emails from my personal domains - outlook sees these as spammy addresses.

The 300: Rise Of An Empire = Downfall

I'm going to be as straightforward as King Leonidas and get this over quickly … "THIS MOVIE WAS HORRIBLE!"

This is one of the biggest disappointments for a sequel in the history of film to me.

This is let down number two for me for Zack Snyder. I felt the movie Man Of Steel was awful - almost painstaking to watch. This movie was the same - ruining another of my favorite movie hero's legacies.

There's so much I can say, but so little I want to say.

I don't have a list of Pros and Cons for this movie its so bad.

King Xerxes origin looked interesting in the previews but, what you see is just about it - he walks into a sort of random pond in a random cave and somehow his hatred or evil (which isn't really explained) turns him 4 feet taller and coats himself in a body in gold! That's it!

Greek General Themistokles is weak looking, weak acting, and his story is weak. Several instances in the film that show him acting brave don't fit with the rest of his character dynamic.

The element that made the first movie so appealing was that it was a man's movie. It was a unique twist on a comic book brought to life. This movie showed rape scenes that were unnecessary and the characters used modern English curse words.

While there was some of the stylized violence from the film - it was just there to be there in this film. There were no "What are they going to fight next?" moments … there was just boats and blades and rape.

I give this movie a negative 300 stars out of 5. 

Don't waste your time or money. 

Don't even bother renting it or streaming it from Netflix when released on video.

-300★'s out of ★★★★★

TV Buying Advice ...

I held out forever before buying a "flat screen" TV … I just liked the picture on the glass tube TV. But, as my needs for thin TV to go on the mantle in my new home became a necessity and as LED TVs came out that used only a ¼ of the energy … it was time to make the switch.

Here's some buying advice from me to you …

• Size: 42-55" / Any bigger and you get lighting consistency problems and pixelation even in the top end • LED over LCD or Plasma // Plasma is going to have the best picture but LED is going to have the richest colors and uses WAY less energy

• 120 hertz refresh rate // Any lower and action movies (explosions) or sports (fast action like basketball) pixelate and blur // Better yet is 240hertz, but typically these TVs are pricey in LED form

• Brand means a lot! There are only 4 major manufacturers of TV panels - the brand names get the best screens and they give the cheap brands the lower quality panels.

 • Samsung TVs, in my experience have great speakers - eliminating the need to purchase a soundbar or speakers. Samsung is top. LG a close 2nd. Vizio is the most popular but the picture is about a 6 out of 10 Hisense is the least expensive but is about 4/5 out of 10 and has a high failure rate.

• Don't worry about features on the TV - like built in apps or wifi - these are best added by a little box like an Apple TV or a BlueRAY player. A Google Chromecast is one of the best purchases you can make - it allows you to show pictures, Youtube, and Netflix from your tablet or smartphone. Also remember that HDMI has an adapter for almost any connection - don't worry about DVI / RCA / VGA connections

• Don't get drawn into the hype of 3K 4K 5K TVs ... There's very little content available and NOTHING older than 2012 makes a difference on that resolution. Refresh rate is far more important! 

Best advice - Window shop at Best Buy and buy through Amazon. Go see some TVs and look at the difference ... Just note that ALL retailers set the settings of the TVs they want to push with the most optimal picture and PURPOSELY dumb down the settings on TVs they don't make much profit on.

Common Core: A Solution Looking For A Problem

As Common Core is debated ... it's time parents become educated on what Common Core truly is and what it's goals are … not just what the stated goals are.

In a recent discussion about Common Core here's how I responded …

Statement from Alyssa, a supporter of Common Core ...

"As for common core, it doesn't change WHAT is taught, it changes HOW it's taught."

Response:

In math, it teaches in some instances, your answer is ok, even if wrong, if you can show your work and your reasoning. Math is the study of absolutes. That's why you see it in movies as to how we would supposedly communicate with aliens. It's universal. Common Core seeks to turn math into the Tongues of the Tower of Babel. 

Math is the language of God. Common Core math is some twisted self centered, "It's all about what you think" mumbo jumbo. 

In History & English - which in some twisted way become co-mingled ... SC schools in Simpsonville & Charleston had an ACTUAL textbook that condensed the Bill of Rights into 4 principals and said the 2nd amendment was about providing weapons for our military! Property rights were pretty much left out of the study. 

I've seen dozens of actual examples and I have personally downloaded two textbooks for study - I've seen it! It is a change. It borders on propaganda. It turns everything into an SAT question. 

What's an answer? 

One is; SC will always be at the bottom because of the high number of credit hours to graduate we require vs other states. Want a better graduation rate? Enforce attendance! Reduce credit hours to a national standard. Your final: read the first chapter of your favorite book out loud ~ fluently.