June's Movie Picks!

Summer is here!  So, I saw a fair number of movies this month.  Here are my grades-

First Reformed:  D+

This story involves a priest who is wrestling with the environmental issues of our day; as well as various levels of faith crisis.  It is slow.  It is plodding.  It meanders.

I can usually deal with all of that if there is some good dialog sprinkled in (there wasn’t) or if there is a satisfying conclusion (there REALLY wasn’t).

I don’t consider too many movies a waste of my time, but this one was.  Too bad, because it posed some good questions.


Upgrade:  B+

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie.  I hadn’t heard much about it and it just quietly dropped into our local theater.  I assumed it was going to be some late night, SyFy channel quality future flick.  Instead, it was a well-done combo of The Crow and Robocop with the tone of a Black Mirror episode.


Hereditary:  B+

I haven’t had a movie creep me out this much since The Babadook.   So many horror flicks go for the cheap pop-outs to make you jump.  Hereditary takes time through story and character development to unnerve and unsettle you before it goes to the real work of scaring you.


Tag:  B

A very fun comedy (based on true events) about a group of middle age friends who are continuing a game of tag started in childhood.  A lot of funny moments and worthwhile laughs.  It did seem to struggle with how seriously it wanted to take itself and I found that occasional indecision distracting.  Overall though, they landed the story well.


Hotel Artemis:  B-

I was probably affected by all of the bad press I saw about this movie before seeing it.  I had low expectations walking in but I ended up rather liking it.

I can understand some of the complaints.  There were a number of absurd and/or contradictory plot points.  The story sometimes lacked flow.

However, I really like a lot of the actors in this movie and I found I enjoyed their characters as they worked through the story.

When I zoom out, I see the problems.  When I zoom in, I enjoy the performances.


Incredibles 2:  A-

A worthy successor to the first movie.  It was enjoyable from beginning to end.

It only needed one more element to really push it to the top tier – an engaging villain.  The villain in this movie was not bad… but was bland.


Won’t You Be My Neighbor:  A-

Thoroughly enjoyable documentary about Fred Roger’s PBS show.  The man was the Gandhi of children’s television.  I was inspired, I cried, and was shocked to find out that he had critics.


Jurassic World- Fallen Kingdom: C-

In an earlier review, I described Death Wish as cinematic fast food – sometimes you want something quick and satisfying.  Fallen Kingdom is like fast food… that you have had for the past five days in a row.  There was nothing new or original in this movie.  Jurassic Park has hit its Pirates of the Caribbean stride.  They will churn these out as long as people keep buying tickets but don’t expect any story effort from here on in.

Also, be aware that this one is more gruesome than previous Jurassic offerings.


Uncle Drew:  C

Well… I wasn’t bored.  It just rarely made me laugh.  If you saw the preview, that is the movie.  It was the Blues Brothers for old basketball players.  They spent most of the movie getting the team back together, but with none of the memorable one-liners.


This article first appeared at Salt Lake Film Review.

May Was A Little Thin

You may be used to my monthly sum-ups by now, but I will tell you that May was a little thin.  I only have 3 new movies to comment on.  I went to the movies a grand total of 5 times, but two of those were repeats.

On the topic of repeats, Moviepass has now declared that a no-no.  Overall, not a big deal to me, but I do take it as one more indication that they are not long for this world.

I did slip in one more repeat before the hammer fell.  I woke early one Saturday morning to see folks bemoaning the fact on Facebook that their Moviepass had updated overnight and now was informing them on their listings that, "You have already seen this movie." 

I don't auto-update, but I figured it was just a matter of time before they forced the issue.  So I grabbed a quick shower and headed out to the first showing of Avengers.  They forced the update just after I bought my ticket.

Whew!

But I have already reviewed Avengers, so let's get to the few new offerings I did view in the month of May.

Overboard:  C+

I like the storyline of this movie overall and it had a few good laughs - but not nearly as many as one needs to make a comedy work.  In many ways, I feel this would have fit better as a family movie on the Hallmark channel.

Anna Faris is just darling in this movie and she carried it for me.  However, Eugenio Derbez's character as the rich brat with amnesia, duped into thinking he was her husband, was disjointed to the point of distraction.  Sometimes the role seemed to fit him like a glove; at other times it could not have felt more awkward.

Faris's daughters in the movie were charming.  I think the movie would have been better served by giving them more screen time with Derbez.

I can't give it high marks, but it was worth a view.

Deadpool 2:  A-

I love it when a sequel comes together.  DP2 built on everything that was successful in the original.  Reynolds dry, sarcastic humor is non-stop in this movie - and for me, that just works.  I laughed more in any given 15 minutes of DP2 than I did in all of Overboard.

In addition, the movie has the potential for a broader appeal than I thought.  My wife decided to join my son and I on our Deadpool run.  She is not much into movies, fuzzy on most pop culture, and clueless on comic/nerd references.  Yet, she loved this movie.

Maybe she just digs Ryan Reynolds.

Solo:  B-

At this point, seeing Star Wars movies is a bit like homework.  I am a fan from the old days, so I gotta see it.  However, nothing since the original 3 has been satisfying.  Solo proved to be no different.

It is... ok.  There wasn't anything I disliked about it per se, but there was nothing all that engaging either.  It felt at times that the writers had a checklist of things they dutifully needed to hit and did so.  Donald Glover as Lando was probably the highlight.

Kevin Feige is in charge of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  He has given direction to the arc of their (presently) 19 movies.  I feel Star Wars needs that kind of oversight.

I plan to hit more movies in the month of June, so hopefully, my commentary will be more plentiful next month.

This article was originally posted at Salt Lake Film Review.

In Defense of the Smartwatch

When the Apple watch was first coming out, I remember an Apple friend of mine arguing on Facebook that there was no point to it.  In fact, he felt that watches in general were passé. Why wear a watch when you have a phone in your pocket?

I couldn't disagree more.  I started with my first smartwatch back in the mid 90s.  I had a Timex Datalink watch which housed my contacts, tasks, and calendar from my computer. In transferred the information by flashing lines across the screen which the watch read with an "eye" on the watch face. This was before anyone was carrying around a Palm Pilot.

Admittedly, PDAs and smartphones seemed to remove the need for a smartwatch.  Once I started carrying a Palm, the need to export my information to my watch seemed redundant.  However, the smartphone added a whole new layer to the personal assistant experience, and I find that a smartwatch really allows one to better use all the functions of their phone.  Let me list the ways my smartwatch makes my life easier.  I have a Samsung Neo Gear 2.

• Texting - I do not need to fish my phone out of my pocket to see a text or respond to it.  Sure, for longer responses I do.  But often, I am in a meeting or in class and can look at my watch and reply with a number of pre-set responses like yes, no, or I'll text you after my meeting.
• I can take a call on it.  I admit, when I first saw this as one of its features I thought "Why in the heck would anyone talk on their watch rather than pull out their phone?!"  Actually though, I find myself doing it all the time.  Most often it is when I am at home, and my phone is on a charger somewhere.  Rather than running upstairs or downstairs to grab my phone, I just take the call on my watch.
• Vocal commands.  My watch is connected to my phone's AI.  So pretty much anything I could ask or command on my phone, I can do on my watch.  Weather, setting appointments, general questions.  A press of the button on my watch is often more convenient and faster than grabbing my phone out of my pocket.
• Pedometer.  My watch replaced my Fitbit.
• Find my phone.  If I can't find my phone, I hit a button on my watch and my phone will ring. Concordantly, my phone can find my watch.
• Never forget my phone.  If I step more than 30 feet from my phone, my watch vibrates to let me know I have moved out of range.  This has kept me from leaving the phone on a charger at home or at work dozens of times.
• Silence the ring or alarm.  So often in a meeting or class, someone's phone starts blaring and everyone looks over in annoyance as the owner fishes through purse or coat to silence the foghorn that is their phone.  Actually, I have all notifications silenced since my watch merely vibrates to notify.  But even if there were a noise coming out of my phone, a quick tap of my watch would silence it.

In addition to all of that, there are apps being added every day that may be of use to you in particular. I use my timer app at work almost everyday.  I have a flashlight app that helps me navigate the house at night.  There are also hundreds of watch faces that will cater to your particular tastes or information needs.

Smartwatches may remain in the niche' market, but may they ever remain.

Review: Supergirl

Supergirl was leaked months ahead of its debut. I tend to think this "leak" is actually a beta testing. If so, I hope they make use of it.

First, what I liked. I think Melissa Benoist is going to be an outstanding Supergirl.  I always love when an actor can communicate as much with a raised eyebrow or a curl of the lip as they can with a line. Benoist's face literally broadcasts her emotions. She is fun to watch and I enjoyed her character. She can carry this show.

It is clear that the producers are going for a lighter tone - more CW Flash than WB Man of Steel. It's working for The Flash, so I tend to think this is a wise move.

I loved their take on Jimmy Olsen. Rather than the innocent newbie, it was great to see him portrayed as a seasoned photo journalist. If this show goes long term,  I think they would do well to give him lots of story time.

Now... since there is time for re-shoots...

Ditch the opening scene. Change it, or skip it all together. The opening should be powerful, but this looked like something from an old Saturday morning kids show. Their planet is about to be shredded, parents and child are saying goodbye forever.... and the scene was delivered with all the emotion of ordering a #3 meal at the drive-thru.

There is a scene in the Simpsons where Lisa wants to be subversive and signs up for the community football team. She is deflated when she arrives at the first practice to find out there are already girls on it. At least a half dozen times in Supergirl they stop the story in order to announce, "the hero is a girl.... weren't expecting that, were ya!" Except we were... we are. We are totally cool with female superheroes and have been for awhile. Only certain strands of Hollywood seem to think there is something awkward about female hero leads. When you keep referencing it scene after scene, you sound like you are trying to talk us into this concept.  We are great with it... why can't you be?

Something needs to be reworked with the Superman references. His being on the planet, and yet never talking to her, never seeing her... it just felt rather unbelievable.  Not sure what would work, but I am sure this approach doesn't.

Get rid of Mr. Surly-in-charge-of-anti-alien-task-force. Bleech!

All in all, there is some great potential here. I enjoyed the pilot.

... hoping Supergirl soars!

(oh, and btw... it is clear that The Flash is now part of a multi-verse....  cross -o-ver!)

Watch Your Language Cap!

The Deseret News is a Utah newspaper owned by the LDS church.  As such, the newspaper has a highly edited feel.  It's not just bluntly conservative it's... churchy...

This week the entertainment columnist, Chris Hicks, took Captain America to task for swearing in The Avengers: Age of Ultron.  He writes:

The first scenes of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” drop the audience into the middle of a chaotic battle, and that is where most of the film’s witty quips are frontloaded — a highlight being a gag about goody two-shoes Captain America being offended when Iron Man curses.

Cap admonishes Iron Man over their communications system, saying, “Language!”

As a result, for the rest of the movie Cap is the butt of jokes about cuss words — until, at the end, he finally lets go with a profane phrase of his own.

Wow. Isn't that a great lesson for young people in the audience? If you are ridiculed for taking the moral high ground, by all means just let down your guard, violate your principles and join the crowd.

Mr. Hicks falls into a typical, self-serving, religious trap. Swear words, cuss words, whatever you want to call them are not moral markers. A person is no more moral for saying them than they are for not saying them. To indicate so is to cheapen morality.

Swear words fall into the realm of mores... social customs. In this or that society certain words or phrases may be considered impolite or rude... but those are only constructs which vary from time to time and location to location.

If I were to say, "Da*n! that is a f**king good pastry!" I may offend your sensibilities, but I have done you no HARM. It is wrong to equalize offense with harm. It is an injustice to people who have truly been wronged.

So why is it self serving? It allows the person who holds such a position to think themselves to be on a moral "high-ground", when in fact... they have DONE nothing. To claim a moral position due to a lack of cuss words in your vocabulary is cheap, and it is lazy.

Rooster's Gourmet Popcorn!

First Round

Last year, Rooster's Gourmet Popcorn ran a contest - whomever gets the most Facebook Likes to their Facebook page inside a week, gets a year's supply of free popcorn. My mind instantly started whirling.... First, I am very engaged on Facebook and might actually be able to pull this off. Second, and more importantly, Jake LOVES Rooster's popcorn! We had stopped in a number of times when going out to a movie, and he had actually put Rooster's Popcorn on his Christmas list!

So, I put it out to all my friends on FB and tried to play it up as a festive happening. On the Rooster's FB page, I started a thread and friends joined in to add their encouragement, memes, and popcorn jokes. I was having a lot of fun promoting this.  Within that few days, we had added well over a hundred likes to their page.

Cherry Cordial and Loaded Baked Potato

A few days after the contest ended, the owner emailed me to let me know we had won. We were thrilled to win of course, but the excitement grew over the next few days as it started to settle in that we were going to get free popcorn... for a year!

And not just any popcorn, if you have never been to Rooster's, they have dozens of flavors available at any given time - cheeses, chocolates, fruity, nutty, sodas, spicy, sweet - it is like the Wonka factory for popcorn.

Coconut and Kettle Corn

Our first flavors were Buffalo Wing and Toffee Pecan. We met the owner and she was as nice as could be. I determined over the next year to post about our weekly venture for popcorn; they were such great people and so kind to feed us popcorn for the year, I at least wanted to do what I could to promote them on social media.

For Jake and I, it was a fun bonding time to make our weekly trek to Rooster's, select our flavors, and take that week's pic. We occasionally brought others along for the ride. Sometimes it was Grandma and Grandpa, or foreign exchange students, or Kathryn filling in when Jake was sick, or the whole family - but mostly it was me and Jake.

Last Visit

Over the year, we became regulars at Rooster's. The staff made our visits fun and the popcorn was great! I want to thank them again, not just for the popcorn, but for the festive year long event this created for my family!

Thank You Rooster's Gourmet Popcorn!

Book Review: Hope After Faith

Hope After Faith: An Ex-Pastor's Journey from Belief to Atheism is an auto-biographical account by Jerry DeWitt.  I listened to the Audible.com version, which is narrated by the author.

The story is told in the first person and the narration has an easy listening style.  You can tell the author is a professional speaker and the delivery is as comfortable as a conversation over coffee.

The narrative begins with Jerry as a teen, converting to Christ at a Jimmy Swaggart camp meeting. We then learn of his attempts in his early 20's at establishing a revival ministry as a traveling evangelist. Later, with wife and child, he begins to pastor at the congregational level.

What I found interesting is that we don't get to his deconversion until the last fifth of the book. Most of the book takes place during Jerry's time as a believer. During that telling, he offers the perspective as it was for him then. Very often, former believing authors write their memoirs in an almost autopsy-like fashion.  As they are describing their believing days, they process it through a level of deconstruction. Jerry does not do that. When you are reading about his time as a believer, you get a good look into the thinking process of a Pentecostal Christian.

I appreciated his story and his descriptions of how grueling deconversion can be. So often, believers tend to imagine us leaving faith for selfish reasons, or in anger.  Jerry describes a process where he worked feverishly at TRYING to stay in the faith. He TRIED to make it work. I relate completely.

It was disturbing to read the level of ostracization that Jerry had to endure. My family and I have been treated poorly at times, and have had the opportunity to see who are our true friends... but I have never feared for my job or felt such negative social pressure that we would consider moving to start a new life. It demonstrates that the deep religious South is almost a different America.

I first became aware of Jerry DeWitt through some of his talks on Youtube. I appreciated his positive delivery style, and his patience with the believing community.  His attitude and grace when interacting with believers is admirable and an approach I strive to emulate.

I highly recommend the book. Ex-believers will probably relate to a lot of his story, particularly if they have any Pentecostal flavorings in their background. Atheists who have always been such will get a good peek behind the believing curtain. I don't expect many believers would engage this book, but if they did, they would get an honest look at deconversion - which is probably very different than what they were taught to expect.

Movie Review: Calvary

I am listening to the soundtrack for Calvary as I write this. There are few movies for which I enjoy the soundtrack as much as this one. It is haunting, moving, and beautiful.

The movie, for me, was a mixed bag.  It stars Brendan Gleeson as a Catholic priest who maintains a parish on a costal town in Ireland. Gleeson's performance was magnificent.

Calvary sets up the tension early. The opening scene is in a confessional. The confessor informs the priest that it his intention to kill him at the end of the week. The confessor explains the sexual abuse that was done to him by a priest as a child. He has no desire to kill a bad priest.  He wants to end the life of a good and innocent priest so he may take from the church as the church took from him. He gives the priest the week to put his affairs in order.

Gleeson's priest, rather than protecting himself or going to the police, goes on about his priestly duties. We spend the week with him as he interacts with his parishioners and walks with his visiting, suicidal, daughter. We learn that the priest entered the order as an older man, following the death of his wife.

All of this takes place in beautiful settings. The film work is wonderful. The dialogue is engaging. The music is exceptional.

But Calvary has a substantial weak spot.

The townspeople and his parishioners. They were all just... well, awful.  By that I mean that none of the characters had likeable qualities. They were all broken people... but they were broken without any depth. There was nothing there with which to empathize. For all of the fullness of Gleeson's priest, those he dealt with were caricatures.

This is a painful movie.  I was not satisfied, but it made me think... and I am still pondering. 

Go see it... but once will probably be enough.

Amazon Prime - 30 Day Trial For The Holidays

I have had Amazon Prime now for a couple of years.  I originally got their 30 day free trial near Christmas so that I could do all of my Christmas shopping and gift giving with free shipping.  My intent was to ditch it after the free trial period was over.

However, I have to say that I got really spoiled with two day "no cost" shipping.  Yes, I pay the annual 79 dollar fee, but I know I would do more than that in normal shipping.  In addition, now that my shipping is covered, I find myself going to Amazon more.  Why bother running out to the store to pick up item X when Amazon can have it to me in two days...  all those little trips out prevented, add up.

I know you get the Amazon version of Netflix included... but since I have Netflix, I rarely use it.  You also get the Kindle library... but since I have never had a Kindle, this was moot.  However, I am getting my first Kindle next week... so I'll update with how that goes.

For me, it is mostly about the shipping... easy ordering, no going to crowded stores.  Presents shipped directly to recipients.  Classroom stuff sent right to my school.  Easy!

So, if you have not done Amazon Prime before, at least do yourself the favor of getting it free for 30 days with Christmas around the corner... but don't be surprised if you keep it.

Jars of Clay - Inland

There are some bands who get less rotation in your playlists as the years go on. What appeals to you in your teens and twenties often does not hold as you move in to mid-life.  I have built up a prodigious music collection over the years, most of it acquired during those said teens and twenties. However, the majority of those CDs have not been spun in over a decade. Add to that, my shift out of faith has rendered much of my collection non-palatable. Next summer I intend to send many of those CDs out to pasture via Ebay.

Still, there are a few bands who have had the depth and elasticity to journey through my varied changes in age and mind. While others lie dormant, they still get regular play.

Jars of Clay is one of those bands. I have seen them twice in the past two years and I enjoy them more now, even though we sit on opposite ends of the faith divide. Their music remains engaging, while their lyrics are as clever and poetic as ever.

Jars latest recording - Inland - is one of my favorites and I could not recommend it more. If you want to give it a listen, you can hear the entire recording at Billboard magazine here.

Product Review: GOgroove FlexSMART X2

I started teaching at a new school this year.  It is a little longer commute, and its location is not really bus/train friendly.  I got a Google Nexus a few months back, so I found a good audiobook app and started to listen to books on my drive to and from work.

However, my setup wasn't ideal.  My car is old enough that it has a cassette deck, which I used via a wired adapter to my phone.  Cassette adapter, car plug for power, so-so sound.... and a royal pain if I had to take a call.

I don't know what triggered the thought that there might be a better Bluetooth solution available, but I started hunting around Amazon.  After looking at a dozen or so different options, I settled on the GOgroove FlexSMART X2.

What I love about it:

• Easily paired to my Galaxy Nexus
• Solid transmission to my FM Radio
• Interfaces well with my phone: easy to accept calls, easy to place calls and works with my voice dial, calls come through the stereo cleanly.
• Interfaces well with my media programs. 
• USB outlet to charge my phone.
• Flex arm extends away from car lighter for easy accessibility.
• Off switch (useful since my car lighter will continue to power even when the car is off)

The only negative I have found, which is minor, is that the turn dial changes channels; it changes volume if pressed before turning.  It is curious to me that they would set volume as the secondary function of the dial.  I would think that most people would leave the station set and rarely have reason to change it.  No biggie to me, I just use the stereo volume anyway.

So now in the morning, I set my phone in the vent cradle, plug in the charger, and I am good to go.  Thanks to the android phone, I have books, music, podcasts, and out of state radio (it is great to listen to the Drew and Mike morning show in Detroit).

I highly recommend this little piece of tech.  It has made my commute a lot easier.

Product Review: Neato VX-21

Steve hard at work

A few weeks ago we purchased the Neato VX-21 robot vacuum.  We were encouraged to take the plunge because of the wonderful job our Mint was doing with the hard floors in our home.

There are a lot of robot vacuums out there to choose from and the VX-21 seemed to be the one that consistently pulled ahead in the reviews.  I watched a number of videos on Youtube by folks who owned the VX-21 and some other brand.  The VX-21 always won out. One reviewer noted that his other robot was "just a sweeper with some suction", whereas the VX-21 was a full-fledged vacuum. He sent his Roomba around first followed by the VX-21. When comparing, the VX-21 pulled more dirt out of the floor even though the Roomba had first dibs.

My own experience is that it picks up a lot of dirt,more so than what I get by merely using the vacuum cleaner. The simple fact is that both my robots spend MUCH more time with the floor than I am willing to. Our VX-21, nicknamed "Steve", takes about 40-45 minutes to do our small 3 bedroom/loft/hallway upstairs.

Steve can be programmed to vacuum at certain times, but to be honest we haven't used that function yet. I usually do a quick sweep through the upstairs to pick up any small items that Steve might accidentally suck up. Steve has great sensors, so he hugs walls and items closely, but rarely touches them. He will clean to edge of the stairs with no worries of going over. When finished, he returns to his charging station. His dirt catcher snaps in and out easily for quick disposal.

I also carry Steve downstairs to vacuum the basement.  Since his charger is not there, he will simply return to where he began when finished.

My wife and I couldn't be more pleased with our purchase.  Not only does the VX-21 do a great job and give us one less thing to concern ourselves with, but we know our house is cleaner due to the regularity and duration of vacuuming that is now occurring.

Buy it.  You will not regret it.

The Sky Is Falling - Once Again

Leaving a birthday party for his father, evangelist Billy Graham, Franklin Graham said that Tuesday's election results sent America further down a "path of destruction," WCNC reports.

In particular, Graham was referring to the re-election of President Obama, a man he has accused of "waving his fist before God" by supporting abortion rights and same-sex marriage.

He added: "I want to warn America: God is coming around. He will judge sin, and it won't be pretty." - via politicalwire.com

My goodness... I grew up in conservative evangelical circles and have heard this drivel for 30+ years.  When are these people going to put away their "THE END IS NIGH!" signs and realize they are the biggest "cry wolf" bunch the world has ever seen!?

In 2008, these same folks were predicting the end of the world, economies crashing, churches being forcibly closed, and dozens of other listed dooms that NEVER came to pass.

Yet here they are again, banging the same drum.

These people are the pharisees and goats of their own scriptures, and they can't see it.

Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud." ~ 2 Peter 2:22

On Wednesday, Life Will Go On

Disney's Hall of Presidents

Well, I didn't get a lot of takers yesterday when I offered people the chance to say something nice about the opposition (thanks to the two of you on FB that did).  Perhaps it was a little too optimistic a notion 4 days before the election.

Watching on FB, there are people on both sides of the isle who believe America is doomed if "the other guy" gets elected.  However, history contradicts this postulation.  We have had 44 presidents who also had opponents who were convinced America would end upon their election... but it didn't; neither will it this time.

Come Wednesday, America will go on.  We will clean up the East Coast.  Everyone will go back to work.  Students will go to school.  McDonald's will be serving coffee in the morning for a dollar.  Even Glenn Beck will still be on my radio, predicting the end of civilization and hawking gold.

Like I said, everything will go on.

The Loyal Opposition

You have probably heard the term "Loyal Opposition".  Simply put, it means that parties may be in opposition, but they still have a loyalty and dedication to a common, good cause.  They differ as how to accomplish good... but they want to see good done, and are happy if their opposition is successful in accomplishing that good.

I am basically a liberal democrat and I have many friends who are conservative republicans.  However, they are not all the same.  They not only differ on issues within their own sphere but they also differ on how they view liberal democrats.  Some know we are simply a political group with different solutions and different priorities.  Others believe we are god-haters intent on destroying America and must be opposed at all costs.

My brother put on his blog, a few years ago, a call to say something kind, unequivocally, about the candidate you oppose.  He believed it would be a good exercise to help keep political discussions civil.  It can become too easy for negative thoughts, unchecked, to snowball into unreasonable disdain and contempt.

So, in that spirit, let me take a moment to compliment Candidate Romney.

I give him points for his marriage longevity.  Anyone in a marriage has, at some point, considered bailing (and I acknowledge that can occasionally be the best option).  Every marriage has its low points. He has the resources to make divorce much easier than most, and yet, he hung in there.  He obviously takes his role as father and husband seriously and I respect him for that.

I appreciate his fiscal conservatism. I think, at the end of the day, he wants to make sure we are not spending more than we take in; a good place to govern from.

I believe, should he become president, he would genuinely work to do a good job and make America the best it can be.  We will differ on perspective and priorities, but I do not doubt that he is a man of good intent.


So how about you?  Who is your opposition?  What are three nice things you might say about him or her?

My 2012 Non-Endorsement

Pat Bagley - Salt Lake Tribune

So we have a week to go.  I did not vote Republican (voted early) and here is why in a nutshell.  For Republicans:

• Medical - Nothing.  Go to an emergency room.
• Military - Never Enough.
• Education - Never too little.
• Science - Bah Humbug!
• Religion - For everyone, whether they want it or not.
• Foreign Policy - Have none... copy Democrats.
• News Coverage - Glenn, Ann, Sean, Rush 24/7!
• Economy - We ain't sayin, but we get all warm and fuzzy giving our money to rich folk.
• Women's Issues - Smack with club, drag by hair back to cave.
• The Poor - Leeches.
• Homosexuals - We can't get back to medieval times... but we can sure try!
• Abortion - The only voting issue for many of us.  No Republican president has EVER handled this issue to our advantage... but we will keep drinking that yummy Kool-Aid.

No, the Democrats aren't perfect; but I find the present incarnation of the GOP playing to its lowest, most knuckle-dragging level.  There are some great republican voices out there, but they are drowned out by the rage-driven conspiracy machine (financed by the 1%) that pulls the strings of the GOP.

Product Review: Mint Hard Floor Cleaner

A few weeks ago, I purchased the Mint Hard Floor Cleaner by Evolution Robotics. Earlier in the summer, my Father and I had laid vinyl planking all through the first floor of my home. It had previously been two-thirds carpet. My mom had warned us that, though it would look great, it would actually be a lot more maintenance than carpet; particularly because we had chosen a dark floor.

We underestimated how much more maintenance that would be. The floor showed everything (which made us realize how much "yuck" the carpet had been hiding within its fibers). We loved the floor, but there had to be another option to the constant dry and wet mopping.

I had considered the robot vacuums, but their reviews on hard floors were sketchy. Then I saw the Mint which, rather than vacuuming, was a mop. After a few more weeks of research I decided to pull the trigger.

Not one regret, our "Rosy" is worth every penny. Does she clean the floor as well as a person? No, but if we clean at a ten, Rosy is doing a good 9. The benefit to Rosy is that she cleans more frequently. If we are headed out the door, we set Rosy to work before we leave. I will usually set her to clean nightly once everyone has headed upstairs, or if she is still charging, I will let her loose in the morning before everyone else is awake as I head for work.

It takes her about an hour to mop the floor of our small kitchen, living room, and dining room. I do a dry mop and a wet mop about once each day which keeps our floor very clean. In fact, we haven't cleaned the floor once in the two weeks that we have owned her.

She uses various sensors to map the floor as she cleans. There have been a few occasions where she has gotten herself trapped, or stuck under a door. She loses her place when you pick her up, but that just means she starts over. No big loss.

The Mint comes with two dry mop cloths and one wet mop cloth. We just throw them in the washing machine after use. The Mint can use Swifter cloths, but I have found some cloths at the dollar store that work particularly well.

I am a geek, so the thought of having a robot floor cleaner was appealing. However, all novelty aside, the Mint is an extremely practical and useful item that I highly recommend.

Netflix: It's A Trap!!!

I took Jake to the library today.  I bought 5 books.  One was Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis... which I have been meaning to get around to....  But am I really going to read these books?  There is a rather large shelf in my basement that is full of books I have been meaning to get to.

Part of the problem is Netflix... it has so much TV goodness.  I just got done watching 7 years of Star Trek DS9, in about 10 weeks.

When you think about it... that is really problematic.

Summer is usually my cram time for reading... what have I read this summer?  Mmmm, I think I read part of a John Shelby Spong book... or was that before summer started??

See!!... not remembering clearly what book I read last... or when I read it... is really freaking me out!!

It's that damnable....  wonderful Netflix!

Did I stop at DS9?  NooOOOooooo.... I went right into Enterprise without missing a beat.

I actually fear that I could like Dr. Who or X-files.  What if I do?!  I would be glued to a screen til Christmas!!

Not sure what to do about this... part of me thinks I should make reading a daily routine... 30 minutes a day!  But now I am making it sound like exercise, or the guilt trip I used to put on myself to get up before dawn to pray.  I enjoy reading!  Why is it so distant from me now?!

Maybe it's just a phase I am going through...

Yeah, yeah... that's it.... a phase....  everything is going to be just fine....

... now what's next in my queue......

A Regulation Everyone Can Agree On

I got a new camera in the mail yesterday. We had to replace a stolen one. My wife is a new teacher and she learned the lesson of every new teacher - as homey as that classroom starts to feel, it isn't yours. Leave stuff out, and it will walk.

(I also wish camera thieves would at least do us the courtesy of leaving behind the memory card, those pictures were important)

As much as I like the specs and price of my new camera, I am tempted to return it. Included in the packaging was a funky little proprietary recharging cable.

Ughhhhh! Not another one....

I love gadgets, and I have a lot of them. I also pride myself on how well I haggle out a good deal. However, I think I have come to the conclusion that no good deal is worth it on a piece of tech that uses a proprietary charging cable.

My phone uses mini-usb. My mp3 player and my GPS also use mini-usb. I love that I have only one charging cable in my car.

I think the United States should just have a standard on charging cables the way we do on electrical outlets. At the very least, have the packaging list the connector type. If it isn't mini-usb, from now on, I am steering clear.

Netflix's Hidden Gems

Netflix streaming is the best 8 dollars I spend monthly. It is a steal of a deal. There is an endless assortment of television, movies, and documentaries to tap into. In addition, as a parent, it is ideal. It gives me greater control of my children's viewing habits, and radically reduces the amount of influence commercials exert on them.

About a dozen years ago, I bought one of the first available DVRs, the ReplayTV. My favorite function was that it automatically skipped past commercials. My children grew up only watching recorded shows or video their mother and I selected. They rarely saw a commercial. Netflix has continued this reality for me. I think this lack of commercials has had no small effect on who my children are as consumers. A few years ago I asked Jake what he might like for Christmas. He shrugged, "I don't know... what is there?"

Netflix has so much available, and growing all the time, that it is easy to miss true gems that are hidden. I have found a few. What are some of yours?

Jekyll
This is a 6 part BBC mini series. James Nesbitt is a marvel to watch as he flips back and forth between Jekyll and Hyde.

Being Human
Three short seasons about a ghost, vampire, and werewolf living as flatmates. Sy-Fy has made a copy of this show, but here is the UK original. Great stories about the human condition.

Life on Mars
This show deserved more than a single season. Jason O'Mara stars as a modern day cop who gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973.  I am not usually into cop shows, but my brother Steve kept recommending it and he was right.

The Guardian
Simon Barker stars as a corporate attorney who gets assigned 1500 hours of community service as a child advocate, after being caught with drugs. If you like the Mentalist, you will probably like this.

The Last Airbender
Ok, the movie was terrible; but the show from which it came is inspired. I am not usually one to watch animation but The Last Airbender is wonderful.

The Twilight Zone
These should almost be required viewing in school. Many of these stories, though still subversive today, must have been scandalous at the time. I have been slowly working through the whole series. Considering how many times I have seen Telly Savalas try to saw a laughing Tina, or Shatner overact on an airplane - there are quite a few of these I had never seen before.

Dead Like Me
Reapers who get their reaping assignments from Mandy Patinkin while having breakfast at the local waffle house. Outstanding character development and dialogue. Curse Showtime for only giving it two seasons!

Lie to Me
Outstanding first season. The show is about a doctor who solves crimes by reading people's body language to tell when they are lying. They must have gotten new writers by mid-second season, because they ruined Tim Roth's character.

Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis
I know most of you are aware of these two, but I have to mention them to demonstrate the dangers of Netflix. I watched the first episode of Stargate Universe having never watched the previous two series. Having enjoyed SGU, I decided to give the other two a shot. I watched 15 years of Stargate in about 6 months. This amount of TV watching can be hazardous to your health and your marriage. Approach new Netflix shows, that have many seasons, with caution.