Jolt! by Phil Cooke

Jolt!: Get the Jump on a World That's Constantly Changing
Author: Phil Cooke
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: April 19, 2011
Cover Design: Christopher Tobias
Cover Image: Chad Baker
Genre: Business & Economics (Motivational / General)
Cover Price: $22.99 US
Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD


Jolt! was a riveting read!  Cooke is a motivational writer with truly amazing true-to-life stories to tell.  This book is a must read for everyone from high school to the nursing home.  Cooke inspires you to get out of your complacent way of thinking and doing, and encourages you to give a much needed Jolt to your life.  We all tend to get lazy in our day to day lives.

I highly recommend this book.  Overall, it is interesting and inspiring.  Jolt! is just what we need to get us moving in the right direction again!

Reviewed by C for Book Sneeze

Hanna

Hanna is a film about a girl raised by her father to be an assassin. The concept for the movie was original, but based in an idea used before (not going into detail on this, want to avoid spoilers). I thought it was done well and didn't copy from other films. The movie had a healthy balance of plot and action. It wasn't your Michael Bay guns and explosions, but it still had plenty of engaging fight sequences. I enjoyed the style in which the fight scenes were filmed. It almost seemed like it was from a comic book, alternating between real time and brief slow motion shots. It was quite bullet time, the slow motion was only noticeable by the overall effect it created (these were not slow mo replays). 

Galileo by Mitch Stokes

Over the past few days I've been reading Galileo by Mitch Stokes from the Christian Encounters series. This book was provided to me by Book Sneeze. The book itself is nice enough, it is small enough to read on the go and the cover is textured, giving it a classic sort of feel.

Christian Encounters: Galileo Author: Mitch Stokes Publisher: Thomas Nelson Date: April 12, 2011 Cover Design: Dual Identity Cover Illustration: Clint Hansen Genre: Biography (Religious / General) Cover Price: $12.00 US Paperback | Kindle

All that is fine and dandy, but let's get to what you really want to know, the content. I should preface this review by saying biographies usually aren't my first choice to read and science is definitely my forte. That said, I found this book very difficult to get in to. With all the footnotes, it read like an essay and not a novel. The book, although brief, covers more than just the commonly known facts about Galileo's life. I personally didn't enjoy the book and only found it only slightly interesting when Stokes started discussing Galileo's family. But again I mention that I have little interest in science. This book would be of much more enjoyment to someone interested in Galileo's controversial life and could be a useful and valid resource for research assignments or projects.  Overall, Galileo is very factual but not the most interesting read.

Reviewed by C

Arthur

I went into this movie fully expecting a vulgar, on-the-verge of raunchy comedy with some funny moments but nothing overly special. I was pleasantly surprised. It doesn't have the non-stop hilarity that movies like The Hangover bring, but it was entertaining and is more suitable for younger audiences. It has a great mix of Brand's ridiculousness, pop culture nostalgia, and a fairy tale esque story. Perhaps because this is a remake of the 1981 film, Brand didn't have as much freedom to be as wild and crazy as in he was in Get Him to the Greek. I cannot say how the 2011 version compares to the 1981 film, as I have yet to see the original, but I would guess its primary difference would be modern references. It was quite odd watching such a respectable actress as Dame Helen Mirren say "wash your winky" with a Darth Vader mask on. But, if you are looking for a laugh, I'd recommend Arthur starring comedian Russell Brand and Academy Award Winner Dame Helen Mirren. See, it does sound weird.  The movie has been out for some time and movies that I expect to be much better have been released or will be soon, so I'd save this one to rent for a rainy day.

Pokemon Black and White Versions

This game has revolutionized the Pokemon that we have come to know and love. Right when you first turn it on you begin a whole new experience never seen before. The advancements in music are the first thing noticed by everyone. The introduction was epic. The new generation graphics are unfathomably amazing, especially in Castelia City. That is where most of the new graphics are showcased. With a new game, (not including remakes) comes new Pokemon to discover and capture. In total, there are now 649 Pokemon in the Pokemon Universe. These new Pokemon are actually really good, with some exceptions. In addition to the new Pokemon, Black and White comes with new moves and a new battling style. The game introduced the triple battles and rotation triple battles. There are not many in the game, but they are an interesting addition. With the new graphics and sound advancements, this has turned out to be one extraordinary game. The Skyarrow Bridge shows so much of what the DSi can offer. With games being upgraded to the 3DS, this will likely be the best graphics the DSi ever sees.

Out with the old and in with the new. The new features are exquisite. The old Pokemon contest that was started in Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire and was continued in Pokemon Diamond & Pearl has been scrapped. Instead, this is now a musical. You dress up your Pokemon and they dance around to music on a stage. You get to dress them up using a variety of different props and items, and then they go on stage. Unfortunately, there isn't much to do after you use up your Pokemon's items (up to 2, called appeals). Another new feature is the people that play music in the game. As you get near them, you start to hear their instruments. This was my favourite addition to the game. Finding all these musicians is rather fun. Two kids in a house in Accumula will only play if you talk to them. The music has become such a huge part of this game. It is small details like this that show the hard work Nintendo developers have put into make this an all around amazing game. With many of the past features left out of this installation in the series, Nintendo was smart to keep their impressive new multiplayer features. The C-Gear is so useful and fun when friends are around. Wi-Fi trading and battle features are no different than past titles. Also, after you beat the game, there seems to be nothing to do but the musical and battling people over again. But, this is a problem with all Pokemon games. Some changes I would have made are using the Entralink Forest as a personal base, currently it is useless for the most part. Also, I would have kept the Safari Zone above all the previous features scrapped. Overall, this game was a decent improvement on the last Pokemon release and it has its arguments to be one of the best.

Windsor Sea Salt and Pepper Grinders

Roasted Garlic 85g Grinder, Pepper
68g Grinder, Sea Salt 150g Grinder

Using the same style of grinder as with the Windsor Roasted Garlic Grinder, the extra coarse sea salt and black peppercorn grinders are due in stores soon (keep a lookout on the shelves when you shop). Much like the garlic grinder, these are very handy products. The small packaging makes them highly portable, so they're great for camping trips to add some extra flavour to your food. The garlic grinder is especially great for steaks in the bush. The salt and pepper taste just as good as if they came from the other packaging Windsor offers currently. But, I've never found any difference between fresh ground pepper and regular pepper from shakers, so you may prefer these. Both the salt and garlic grinder use sea salt which is healthier and better for blood pressure (if that's a concern to you). These will be an excellent addition to diners across North America, and even give a extra fancy touch to them. But these products are great even for those who don't want to purchase a new grinder after each empty. The grinders are disposable, but if you choose to keep the grinder, refilling from other larger volume Windsor products or a bulk foods store is simple.

As a student, I've found these to be very handy. Since I never go through a box or shaker of salt or pepper in one term, these products are much better than having move a box of salt with me. The roasted garlic grinder (currently available) is also helpful because the bags of garlic seasoning available in grocery store never get used up and I end up wasting large amounts at the end of the term. Overall, the products taste great (as I would expect from any Windsor product) and are very handy for camping or picnics. I recommend giving them a try at least once, when they are available. If you choose to go back to your normal products, at least you got a neat plastic grinder.

The Adjustment Bureau

The Adjustment Bureau was quite the enjoyable movie. It really has the audience rooting for Norris to succeed in outsmarting the bureau. It is definitely something I recommend seeing. It has the foundation of an interesting idea. That idea being that perhaps something or someone unseen or unnoticed is doing things to direct your life. It will have you wondering next time you miss the bus because some bumped into you or when you forget something as you are about to leave the house. What could have happened if you didn't turn back to grab that item in your house? Maybe you could have been in an accident, or caused one. Several successful movies have come out in recent years with the similar concept of toying with these mind blowing ideas. Inception is a great example of this. The difference with The Adjustment Bureau is that it was kept short and simple. It will make you thing for a moment afterwards, but never have the involved thought (and cult following that comes with it) of movies like Inception or The Matrix. You are probably still wondering if the top was wobbling over or not. Fans of these movies will pick them apart and analyze the pieces a hundred times over. While The Adjustment Bureau will never require this much analysis, it is worth the ticket price for the mystery and entertainment it brings. And if you are taking your partner, it is a refreshing break from sappy love stories and romantic comedies. I wouldn't wait for DVD, but if you are, this looks like it could have some excellent bonus features. Possibly an alternate ending or something.