Book Review: Moonwar

Ben Bova has constructed another space opera centered around the Earth’s only moon. Moonwar, the sequel to Bova’s Moonrise continues the story of one Doug Stavenger. Stavenger stands as the head administrator of Moonbase, a burgeoning colony of men and women set against the harsh backdrop of the moon. Unfortunately, Doug and his team utilize nanotechnology to run their day-to-day operations which has sense been outlawed entirely back on Earth. Now, with the backing of fearful Luddites, the UN has decided to enforce this law on the hapless citizens of Moonbase.

Within months, the powerless Moonbaseans (?) find United Nation Peacekeepers at their front door demanding that they surrender. As the book progresses, we find the standard fare of David vs Goliath, love, loss, and betrayal. One is left to wonder if the inhabitants of Moonbase can survive…and you’re given 512 pages to find out.

Moonwar, while a good read, is entirely too drawn out in parts. Bova has crafted some excellent novels in the past, but this outing seems too tired and full of clichés. Each character in the story is a cooke-cutter-esque individual that makes the whole plot seem to trudge along. From the slutty reporter to the all-too-easy-to-anger main villain (General Faure of the UN), Moonwar is plagued by poor writing and even worse execution.

When all is said and done, Moonwar boils down to a futuristic version of David vs. Goliath; good vs. evil. It is one of the books that has you’re rooting for the “bad” guy as Moonbase is violating international treaties set in place to protect humanity. I had hoped Bova would dive headfirst into the Neo-Luddite movement but found that he barely skirts the issue other than referring to a group of Luddites as “the New Morality” and their followers as “True Believers.” While I enjoyed the book to an extent, but I am hesitant to recommend it to any but the most devout of science fiction fans.

-Chad 2

Currently Reading:
Blameless in Abaddon by James Morrow

On Deck:
What Football and Life Have Thrown My Way by Chad Ochocinco

Movie Review: Avatar

So, here it is, the movie I so desperately wanted to hate. In fact, I almost refused to see Avatar in general until one of my friends pestered me into seeing it in 3D this past Saturday. I couldn’t possibly fathom liking this movie. I felt that $500 million (movie+marketing budget) was just way too much to spend on a simple movie. On top of that, with the economy in the crapper, I was horrified that a studio would spend half a billion dollars to produce what was essentially a rehashed science fiction movie thusly severely limiting their potential fanbase.

Without sounding entirely too arrogant, I am rarely wrong. I fail, however, to remember a time when I was this wrong. As in, completely and utterly wrong. Clocking in at an impressive 2 hours, 40 minutes, James Cameron’s Avatar is easily one of the best movies I’ve seen in this young millenium. Despite all the internet hate directed towards the movie (I counted myself among such a crowd), Avatar has stunned me into silence. I can’t even aptly describe the movie to people. It is such a visual masterpiece that it simply must be viewed to truly be appreciated.

The movie begins in the year 2154 where humans have mastered some sort of intergalactic travel that brings them to Alpha Centauri and the moon Pandora. On Pandora, humans have discovered an unimaginatively named “Unobtainium” ore that goes for “$20 million a kilo back on Earth.” (Though, in hindsight, they never really explain what it does.)

Soon enough our main character, Jake Sully played by Sam Worthington (Terminator: Salvation, Clash of the Titans), makes his appearance. A typical brash young Marine, Sulley lost the use of his legs during said military service. Jake’s brother, Thomas, has recently been killed (though no explanation is given here either). Thomas Sully had been heavily involved in the Avatar program headed by whatever corporation is running the show on Pandora.

An avatar is a mixture of the Na’vi and human dna genome to replicate one of the 9-foot tall, blue luminous creatures stalking Pandora. Through special technology, the operator is able to transfer their mind into the body of the Na’vi and interact with the “real” Na’vi as one of their own. Jake is assigned to a group of scientists headed by Dr. Augenstine (Sigourney Weaver).

Soon thereafter, Jake manages to get himself lost deep in the jungles of Pandora and eventually in severe trouble. A female Na’vi, Neytiri (played by the luscious Zoe Saldana), saves Jake’s life begrudgingly. Eventually, our hapless hero finds himself deep in the Na’vi village. After much debating, and some fighting, it is finally decided that Jake (referred to constantly by the Na’vi as Jakesully) should train in the ways of the Na’vi Warriors so that he may learn their culture.

That is about all the plotline I’m willing to give away. What follows is a whirlwind adventure as Jake slowly learns to not only be Na’vi, but to love being Na’vi. Obviously, the leader of the American forces, Colonel Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang), isn’t thrilled about Jake flirting with the natives. Soon enough, both sides find themselves embroiled in a nasty war that will decide the fate of Pandora.

Avatar will stand as a genre-defining theatrical production in regards to the visuals it painted on the big screen. Cameron was wise to wait until technology had caught up enough for him to make the movie he always envisioned. The detail (individual sweat glands) in each Na’vi is mindboggingly. Each Na’vi was made unique to their character and this truly added to the realism of the film.

Indeed, it was incredibly difficult to tell where the “real” components of the film ended and the CGI began. Obviously, you know that there is no Pandora nor does the military have 12 foot tall armored suits nor do giant blue half-naked natives exist, but you honestly forget all that while you are watching this movie. Three hours fly by as even supposedly boring parts of the film intrigue the viewer’s eye with a level of detail I’ve never seen in any movie. Ever.

As corny as it may sound, my favorite part of Avatar was the environment. James Cameron painstakingly crafted an alien world replete with its own plants and animals. The creatures, both large and small, scary and cute, were individually created with loving care. The scenery was breathtaking as the viewer is transported from floating mountains to lush jungle paradises. I hate to wax poetic, but it is extremely difficult to describe the film to someone who hasn’t seen it.

Also, Neytiri is oddly arousing.

Try not to listen to the naysayers. There will always be people out there that hate the “it” thing just to hate it. Watch and judge for yourself. I should not, however, that if you’re looking for a movie whose plotline is Oscar-worthy, you’d be better off looking elsewhere. Yes, as the critics have remarked, the plot seems to be the biggest sinkhole for an otherwise flawless film. However, one must remember that this is a science fiction movie and therefore follows a formula used successfully for half a century. Watch Avatar for what it is and I promise that you will love it! Try to turn it into something its not and you’ll leave disappointed.

Graphic Design Note: Sorry to veer off here, but did Cameron really have to use the Papyrus font for the subtitles/main title? I mean, in that $500 million he couldn’t set aside a little dough to find a graphic designer worth their weight in Wacom tablets to either handcraft a font or pick something that isn’t universally loathed in the design world? Really James? REALLY?

Sorry. Just watch Avatar.

-Chad 2

Top Five YouTube Videos Reviewed!

Out of pure boredom yesterday, I typed “funny” in YouTube’s search engine and selected to show them in order of most viewed. I was rather disturbed by some of the videos. However, this did get me pondering what exactly were the top five YouTube videos of all time. The site receives more than 13 million visitors per month, let’s check out what they are watching.

#5 Hahaha
100,303,765 views as of 12/16/09
Runtime: 1:40
Posted: November 1st, 2006

This one did get me going for a minute. There is nothing quite like a laughing baby to pull at your heartstrings and make everything in the world seem a little less grey. In the video a little boy giggles repeatedly every time father makes a “dong!” or “boing!” noise. It really is amusing. I think the video originated in the United Kingdom.

#4 Jeff Dunham – Achmed the Dead Terrorist
101,698,558 views as of 12/16/09
Runtime: 10:47
Posted: September 29, 2007

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of Jeff Dunham. I’ve always enjoyed his earlier stuff. However, Achmed the Dead Terrorist seems just a tad forced. I’m the first to stand up and say that I proudly, and often, laugh at racial stereotypes. Maybe it is just nice for Americans to be able to laugh at the very real threat of terrorism. Kind of like someone who is fat making fun of themselves in order to hide their insecurity? I suppose it could be worse…..

#3 Miley Cyrus – 7 Things
107,112, 225 views as of 12/16/09
Runtime: 6:00
Posted: June 28, 2008

….and it is. Out of the millions of videos on YouTube…this is the one that has won you over, America? Miley Fucking Cyrus? This video looks like it would be more at home in an Old Navy commercial. To put into perspective how disturbing this really is…..this video is viewed a total of 1,022 hours per day. Miley Cyrus will be the next Britney Spears, mark my words. Once she grows out of the “teenage pop” mode and realizes she is no longer relevant, you’ll start to see sex tapes and Playboy offers head her way. She’s already come extremely close to having an unfortunate nipple slip.

#2 Evolution of Dance
132,470,016 views as of 12/16/09
Runtime: 6:00
Posted: April 6, 2006

This is the only video I feel actually deserves a place on this list. Judson Laipply, the dancer featured in the video, gives the world something amusing, educational and entire original as he acts out short versions of legendary dances from the 1950s up through the present day. Beginning with Elvis Presley and ending with Jay-Z, Laipply does a fantastic job of covering a wide gamut of dances in a short 6 minutes of footage.

#1 Charlie Bit My Finger
140,747,062 views as of 12/16/09
Runtime: 0:55
Posted: May 22, 2007

I’ve now watched this video three times in a row (better make it 140,747,065 views…) and I’m still confused why this has been watched over 140 million times. It is, quite literally, two brothers (?) sitting on a chair. The younger one (Charlie) is gnawing on the older’s finger. When Charlie bites inevitably bites too hard, this leads older brother to exclaim “Charlie bit me! Charlie that hurt…” in what I assume to be an English accent. Cute? Sure. Amusing? Mmm…okay. #1 video on YouTube? The 3rd sign of the impending apocalypse. “Charlie Bit My Finger” can now stand proudly by the 1st and 2nd signs that our world is slowly coming to an end. Sigh.

-Chad 2

Movie Review: The Blind Side

The Blind Side
Alcon Entertainment 2009

Thanks to the modern marvel that is the internet, I was finally able to view a DVD-quality version of this film. Before we get started, I guess I should mention that I’m biased towards this movie for two reasons: 1.) I’m an absolute sucker for “feel-good” stories and 2.) I’m a diehard football film fan. I’ve even seen The Replacements….more than once. On purpose. The Blind Side, however, does not follow the dramatic (The Program) nor the comedic (The Longest Yard) nor the cynical (Any Given Sunday) formula to success. For once, Hollywood created a story that is more or less true-to-form.

The plot of the movie goes something like this: “Depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher’s presence in the Touhys’ lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle.”

Sounds a tad bit Lifetime-ish, right? I thought the same thing going into it. However, director John Lee Hancock does an amazing job of showcasing this rags-to-riches story. Oher, portrayed by no-namer Quinton Aaron, is shown as a below-average student that has a bad case of running away from trouble. After being taken away from a crackhead mother and learning that the father that ran out on him so long ago is dead, Oher finds himself sleeping in laundromats and gymnasiums. That is, of course, until Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock) discovers him and invites Oher to their massive home.

Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher

The next hour or so finds us watching Oher transform from a downtrodden youth to a confident man. Bullock delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as the ferocious matriach of the Touhy family. When I saw her sporting blonde hair and a fake southern accent in the previews, I dreaded having to listen to her for an entire cinematic experience. However, I was proved wrong and rightly so.

Bullock and Aaron act well when on screen together. Though I was not floored by Quinton Aaron’s acting as Michael Oher, it is undoubtedly difficult to find many actors that fit an Africa-American, 6′5″, 350lb build. Another stand out in the film came in the form of the youngest Touhy: 7-year old Jae Head (SJ Touhy). Head, despite his age, acts on a level I’ve rarely seen from a child. Though his role was easily defined as comedic relief, the relationship he develops with Oher is adorable if not a tad sappy at times.

Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Touhy

For those of you that don’t know the full story of Michael Oher, there was quite a bit of controversy regarding his college career. You can read more on that here. I was pleasantly surprised that Hancock elected to add these scenes into the end of his movie. Most filmmakers would’ve left on the “feel-good-everything-went-better-than-expected” note. Though the film doesn’t go into great depth regarding the NCAA investigation, the fact that it at least touched on was more than enough for me.

All-in-all, The Blind Side won’t bring you to tears, but it enough to make you get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. While the movie may be just as easily at home on ABC Family it certainly deserves a place in anyone’s DVD collection.

-Chad 2

EDIT: I forgot to mention that many real NCAA Football coaches made cameos in the movie. It truly added to the realism and humor. In particular order: Phillip Fulmer (was Tennessee head coach, now out of football), Lou Holtz (was South Carolina head coach, now does TV), Houston Nutt (was Arkansas head coach, now Ole Miss head coach), Ed Orgeron (was Ole Miss head coach, now assistant at Tennessee), Nick Saban (was LSU head coach, now Alabama head coach), Tommy Tuberville (was Auburn head coach, now out of football).

Get Your Smell Good On

I know that there are many oddities housed in the world wide web. However, there are some things that are still able to surprise me to this day. I stumbled across Star Trek cologne while searching for gifts in Amazon.com. I’m not quite sure how it popped it up as I was searching for “toys for 3-year old girls” but regardless, it did. The cologne was also featured in this month’s Maxim magazine along with two others. I decided to investigate them further.

3.) Spiderman Cologne
Price: $29.50
Amazon.com

Coming in at a mind-boggling $30, the Spiderman cologne touts itself as having “notes of bergamot, petitgrain, orange blossom, with woody tones complimented with a touch of vanilla and musk.” That is quite a few flavors for everyone’s favorite neighborhood Spiderman. The company that produced this also makes an Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, and Wolverine scent. I’d imagine that Wolverine scent smells like the inside of a hobo’s pocket.

At any rate, the bottle is at least pretty spiffy. If you’re into collecting cologne bottles I suppose.

2.) Spongebob Squarepants Men’s Cologne
Price: $25.00
Amazon.com

Billing itself as having come from a “men’s design” house, I’m rather shocked that anyone would buy this. What child needs cologne and what adult (lacking a mental disorder) is wearing a fragrance based off an underwater sponge? As with nearly every other cologne on the planet, the Spongebob Squarepants brand bills itself as being  “fruity,  refreshing and [containing an] aroma of citrus.”

Sadly, I was unable to find any reviews which leads me to one of two conclusions: 1.) No one is actually buying this junk or 2.) No one will admit to buying this junk.

1.) Star Trek Tiberius Men’s Cologne
Price: $29.99
Amazon.com

The ultimate in nerddom, Tiberius boasts that is a long lasting fragrance for men. What kind of men? Well….”Explorer. Soldier. Time-Traveler. diplomat. Legend. Captain James Tiberius Kirk.” The promo further states that this cologne is a “casual yet commanding [scent] spiked with freshness and sensuality. Citron, black pepper, and cedar create refreshingly clear top notes, layered over warm vanilla, white musk and sandalwood base notes.” I’m a tad bit worried that this much though when into something that should essentially be nothing more than a novelty.

However, one loyal Trekkie gushes: “I bought this product after smelling it at a retail store. It smells just like a brand-name cologne, although which one escapes me, but it comes with certified geek credibility and isn’t quite as expensive.” He also mentions that “I have the other two Star Trek colognes and while I do have to admit it’s the weakest of the three, it’s far from a bad scent and I have gotten compliments on it.” Which begs the question….they made three different scents of Star Trek? Oh my…

-Chad 2

The Dark Knight is Confused

Absolutely hilarious.

-Chad 2

Book Review: The Guinea Pig Diaries

I’ve been a loyal reader of A.J. Jacobs since he wrote The Year of Living Biblically and The Know-It-All. In his latest offering, Jacobs compiles the various experiments he has conducted in his life. Each weighs in at about 20-30 pages, with the entire book totalling barely 250 pages (which includes a generously long appendix section).

Many of the experiments prove to be mundane and uninspired. In the opening article, Jacobs attempts to help his 20-something nanny find love through internet dating. She agrees to allow him to “filter” he results and respond to potential suitor. We learn that (big shocker!) there are plenty of men out there that are pigs and quite a few that are generally nice individuals. The nanny eventually finds love but not through e-dating. At the end of the piece, Jacobs pontificates on man’s insecurities and the way they interact with the fairer sex. Again, nothing the average person probably hasn’t learned by now.

Later on, Jacobs decides to try “Unitasking.” This method of work involves doing only one thing at a time, quite literally. When on the phone, Jacobs keeps his eyes closed so that his mind doesn’t wander. While typing on the computer, he shuts down his ability to get on the internet in order to remove the temptation. Jacobs reminds us that billions of dollars are lost each year due to “multitasking” which is, in effect, less efficient than unitasking as odd as that may sound to some people. Again, I wasn’t floored by the writing nor the results.

However, there were two stories that stood out to me as divine, borderline ingenious. The first, titled “My Outsourced Life” follows the author’s attempt to outsource as much of his life as possible to India. Presented almost as a satire of American corporations doing the same, Jacobs details every minute part of his daily routine to “Executive Assistants” based in India. From ordering Christmas gifts and cards to even arguing with his wife for him, the assistants truly take care of everything. Jacobs continues to push them in order to see just how far they will go, culminating in having an assistant read to Jacobs 1-year old son over speakerphone so the author can continue to work. Overall, the article was extremely amusing and I’d love to see it taken further and expounded upon.

Finally, there was a section dubbed “I Think You’re Fat” in which Jacobs tests a new, albeit small, movement called “Radical Honesty.” This movement calls for people to not only be honest with each other to a fault but to also remove that filter we all have between our mouth and our brain. For instance, while interviewing the founder of Radical Honesty, who is babbling about George W. Bush, Jacobs tells him that the conversation is boring and would like to move on. It is an interesting notion but the downside of it is immediately shown when Jacobs must tell an old man, recently widowed, that his poetry is terrible and break his heart. Regardless, in a society full of lies, benign, white or otherwise, it is a unique experiment.

I read The Know-It-All based solely on the strength of The Year of Living Bibically and read The Guinea Pig Diaries for the exact same reason. I have found both books wanting but cannot resist reading anything written by A.J. Jacobs. I’ve loved one book, disliked another and was ambivalent towards the third, so I guess that puts me right at .500 for Jacobs. I will continue purchasing his books because, if nothing else, at least he is trying things I’ve never seen other authors even attempt.

-Chad 2

Currently Reading:
Moonwar by Ben Bova

Currently Reading:
Blameless in Abaddon by James Morrow

Life As One Big Progress Bar

I am an extremely punctual person. Much to the dismay of my wife, I like to leave way too early for any event. I’ve always just felt that I would rather be early than late to anything, whether it is a wedding or a dentist appointment. When I saw this experimental stoplight from design firm eKo, I was giddy with excitement. I’m sure you were too. Right? …Right?

The stoplight designers claim the function of this traffic miracle is so that you can shut off you car if the wait is going to be long thereby saving your precious gasoline. If you stop and think about it, everything in our life is one big progress bar. Standing in line at the bank? You mentally count the people in front of you and how soon it will be your turn. Birthdays? Counting down the years until you can drive, drink or collect social security.

In a way, this stoplight is a microcosm of our lovely little society. I personally count down everything I do in life. I watch the clock tick and plan out the rest of my day constantly. I check the calendar religiously for upcoming events. When something is shipped my way, I’m searching the tracking number every few hours to see where the package is.

There are those in this world that think items such as “progress bars” take away the excitement and joy of life. These same people generally believe that progress bars do nothing more than add to the constant need to be on the move in this society. I, however, view them as a way to enjoy life. In a world as short as ours, progress bars show you how far you’ve come, how far you’ve gone and how much time you have left.

-Chad 2

Book Review: World War Z

Max Brooks’ career began auspiciously enough with the release of The Zombie Survival Guide. The guide was little more than a cheeky satire about surviving an impending attack by the vicious undead. Intermixed between articles about what weapons to use or how to best counter an attacking zombie were small stories of “real attacks” suffered by humans throughout history. This part of the Guide proved to be so popular that Brooks eventually tasked himself with writing a vision of the world wherein zombies had won.

World War Z stands as a testament to Brooks’ creativity. Rather than being told through a single protagonist, the book jumps around to dozens of characters. From an ex-mercenary hiding vacationing in the Caribbean to a disenfranchised Chinese submarine captain, Brooks is able to address each small section of the story from a completely different prospective. Therein lies the beauty of World War Z: each character has their own personality, their own tone and even their own mannerisms.

It is extremely hard to not think of this piece of literature as a real life documentary. As you read through it, you actually find the hairs on the back of your neck raise ever so slightly. Every once in a while you kind of glance up at the ceiling to assure yourself that it is fiction. Don’t get me wrong, the book is far from a horror story, yet manages to make the implausible plausible.

These “first person accounts ‘as told to the author’” add more life and depth to this book than anything I’ve ever read. I’ve watched actual documentaries more boring than the events that unfold in this fictional piece of art. In addition, Brooks is adept at mixing in current events subtly. For instance, he remarks about the unpopular Gulf War that destroyed the morale of American soldiers thus making the war against the zombies even more hopeless.

If I was rich, I would singlehandedly buy every copy of this book I could find and hand them out with abandon. Everyone should read this fantastical, albeit unlikely, look at a future without humanity. Whether you’re a fan of horror and apocalyptic writings or not, World War Z should entertain you to no end. Buy it now. Trust me.

On a sidenote, several film studios have approached Max Brooks about turning World War Z into a feature film. Thankfully, Brooks has resisted all attempts and continues to push for a 12-part miniseries to air on one of the big three (Showtime, HBO or Cinemax) movie stations. In other news, Paramount did secure the right to construct a script for a World War Z movie, but they put the guy who wrote Changeling and Ninja Assassin in charge of authoring it. I won’t be holding my breath.

-Chad 2

Currently Reading:
Guinea Pig Diaries by AJ Jacobs

On deck:
Blameless in Abaddon by James Morrow

Book Review Double Whammy

I actually picked up Jasper Becker’s Rogue Regime: Kim Jong Il and the Looming Threat of North Korea on a whim. I had wanted to learn more about the minuscule dictator and the majority of what I read online or saw on the Daily Show (obviously) was satire. Though every American thinks he is simply a psychopathic ruler, I knew there had to be more to the man that was able to rule an entire country with an iron fist.

In the opening pages of the book, Becker elaborates that Kim is actually a brilliant politician and a cunning strategist. It is only through Western propaganda and movies (such as Team America) that Kim has been made to look like a bumbling, laughable super villain. Unfortunately, for us, he is none of that. He is, however, sadistic, egotistical, maniacal and downright cruel.

Rogue Regime suited my needs perfectly. I wanted a book that would give a short history of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Sung Il (Jong Il’s father). I was curious about the nation but I wasn’t writing a thesis on the subject. Becker manages to swiftly jump between Sung Il and Jong Il’s respective reigns to illustrate separate points. The shifts in time are seamless and take nothing away from the book.

Becker systematically lists many of the reasons Kim Jong Il is known as an eclectic sociopath. He kidnaps foreign movie directors to produce North Korean feature films. He is cognac’s single largest buyer even though over 50% of his country is living in starvation. He once spent 700 million on his father’s 80th birthday. He imprisoned a woman for 10 years in a labor camp for singing a South Korean pop song. The list of atrocities and eccentricities goes on and on, peppered throughout this book.

Those looking to learn a little bit more about Kim Jong Il should take the time to read this book as it is entertaining (because, in Jon Stewart’s words “the main is a real life super-villain”) and informative. Rogue Regime achieves its purpose of being a primer on current North Korean affairs while providing sufficient backstory to understand how they got there.

Yet another book that I could not wait to purchase the paperback edition, In The President’s Secret Service by Ronald Kessler. I am the sort of person who will read just about anything, especially if I have no prior knowledge of the topic. Thusly when I saw an interview of the author for this book and heard a few of the anecdotes from it, I had to own it. $26 later, I was the proud owner of my next paper weight.

The book starts off well enough. Kessler details the very beginnings of the Secret Service and how they slowly came into being. Interlaced with the history lessons are stories about various presidents. Some agents tell of the way presidents treated them, presidential indiscretions and sometimes amusing presidential stories.

For the first 150 pages or so (the book is small, coming in at only 288 pages), Kessler delivers. Each chapter tells the story of a different president or protectee and, for the most part, they are eye opening and amusing. For this, I applaud Mr. Kessler.

From there, In The President’s Secret Service just completely goes downhill. What were once great anecdotes has descended into various “anonymous” agents bashing the agency. You learn, repetitively, about the lack of updated weaponry, congested bureaucracy, poor pay, awful transfers, etc, etc, etc. By the time you roll around to page 200, it is hard to even continue reading the slander. I understand Kessler has an agenda and most likely wants to open eyes with this book, but it ends up reading as a poor man’s supermarket tabloid rather than a cohesive diatribe on the flaws of the Secret Service.

Overall, Kessler fails to deliver a book worthy of $5 much less $26. The writing throughout the book is subpar and feels very “high schoolish,” but I had forgiven that in the beginning because the content far outweighed the delivery. On a sidenote, if I ever hear the word “magnetometer” one more time, I’m likely to stab someone. If you read this, you’ll understand what I mean, but I highly recommend you wait until it is in the bargin bin.

-Chad 2