A Double Review

"Eureka, Season 4": I decided to do a 2 series review because both of these great series are on season 4...so if you haven't watched seasons 1-3 you probably don't care much about season 4. "Eureka" season 4 continues the goodness of the first 3 seasons, though for a while I was concerned. The writers made a pretty substantial change this season, and I wasn't sure how it would play out. But, in the end, I really liked it, as I have really liked the 3 prior seasons of this SyFy show. Sheriff Jack Carter continues to be one of my favorite characters on TV. This is another 5 star series...maybe trending towards 4.5.

"Psych", Season 4: I'm not sure why this picture didn't turn out the same size as the picture for "Eureka." Anyway, I've said it before and I'll say it again. "Psych" is the best show on television, and it continues to be through season 4. Our heroes, Shawn and Gus are back for more crime solving hilarity with Shawn's dad, Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara and Police Chief Vick. The writing for this show is some of the most original out there.

For 3 seasons, the writers of this show have had a very reliable formula consisting of a murder, wise-cracking crime solving from the Shawn, the ultra observant fake psychic, and usually some last minute mentoring from Shawn's dad that helps Shawn tie it all together. Well, in season 4, they buck that formula in a couple of episodes, and it worked in all but one case.

This show is great...5 stars. With guest stars like Cary Elwes, Judd Nelson, Jeri Ryan and Ally Sheedy, how can it not be great. Also, you have to listen for the references to "The Mentalist", which is CBS's attempt at a serious version of "Psych". I'm going to be DVR'ing as many of the season 5 episodes as I can in preparation for the final 7 episodes of season 5 which start in November. Hopefully over the next 2 months I can see the first 9 episodes of season 5 which I missed while watching season 4, because, well, I love this show.

The Most Divisive Figure in America

President Obama is the most divisive figure in America. Add that title to the list of other names I have called him. For all his critics who claimed that George W. Bush divided Americans, you never heard him attack Democrats and other segments of Americans the way Obama did today and frankly has done throughout his short but disastrous presidency. Obama's entire strategy seems to be focused on pitting the poor versus the rich in this country and then painting the Republicans as the party of the rich. Here are a couple of examples from a speech our President (yes he is President of all of us, even though he doesn't act like it) made today:

"With all the other budgetary pressures we have — with all the Republicans' talk about wanting to shrink the deficit — they would have us borrow $700 billion over the next ten years to give a tax cut of about $100,000 to folks who are already millionaires."

"Keep in mind wealthy Americans are just about the only folks who saw their incomes rise when Republicans were in charge."

In those two quotes, we see everything that is wrong with this President. For one, it's obvious he despises people who got rich off of anything other than politics. He can't despise people who got rich off of politics because he and his wife, and most of the professional politicians in the democratic party got rich that way. Secondly, he is not even willing to consider Republican ideas. I'm a Republican, and I'll freely admit that not all of our ideas are perfect, but neither are the ideas of Democrats. The balance is somewhere in the middle, leaning towards the right if you ask me. Obama doesn't see it this way, and he makes that obvious every time he talks and every time he refuses to negotiate with Republicans.

Contrast that with George W. Bush, who Democrats claimed was the most divisive President in history. Bush went out of his way to work with Democrats on just about every issue. He worked with Senator Kennedy to write the "No Child Left Behind" policy on education and then stood by it when the Democrats blamed it's failure on him. He always acted like he was President of all of us, even when those on the left called him everything from Hitler to Satan. George W. Bush understood the responsibility of his Office meant he had to be somewhat above the fray of everyday politics. George W. Bush was a class act compared to the spoiled brat we have as a President right now.

I didn't agree with everything George W. Bush did his last 4 years, but I sure miss him now. America needs new ideas and bold leadership to reduce the debt and get people back to work. All we get from President Obama is the same tired Democrat rhetoric that the Democrats have been spouting for the last 50 years. The people who voted for Obama because he was new and different have gotten nothing more than a hack democratic politician who happens to read a teleprompter well, and now with 10% unemployment and no relief in sight, we are experiencing the repercussions of those votes.

Surprisingly Delicious

On Friday night, I actually got home from work somewhat early. I have been working a lot lately and thus, hadn't done much cooking. For those who know me, I've been getting more and more into cooking, and have been doing a lot of the cooking at home. Anyway, when I got home, I felt like cooking something, but we needed groceries and we had nothing planned. My wife, genius that she is, mentioned we had canned salmon and that she had found a recipe from Paula Deen for Salmon Croquettes using canned salmon.

My first thought was, "Canned salmon? Yuck!" But then I found out it was fried and thought we could give it a try. And I was really glad we did. The salmon croquettes came together really fast and were really good. We had to do some modifications to the recipe because we didn't have green onions. So, to add a little flavor, we mixed lemon pepper into the salmon. It took 3 eggs to get the salmon to bind together, instead of the 1 that the recipe calls for. We also used Panko Bread crumbs, which I really like. After they were done frying, I sprinkled more lemon pepper seasoning on top...it was so good!

And, it's really cheap...1 can of salmon made 8 croquettes. Very good food and very fast, you can't beat that.

More and More Spending

Today, President Obama proposed a $50 Billion dollar spending package to rebuild roads, rail and airports. While I think these types of things are actually good government expenditures, I have to ask, where is the money coming from? And, why do all the Bamster's solutions involve more government spending?

How about keeping the Bush tax cuts in place? How about reducing taxes on business so they can compete in the world today? How about cutting spending and putting money towards paying down the debt? How about some idea that doesn't involve spending money we don't have?

The problem is, I don't think Obama is capable of this. In his world view, more government and thus more government spending, is the solution to all that ails us. He is incapable of even considering other points of view because he is such a liberal socialist ideologue that he has actually come to believe that his ideas are the only good ones. And, frankly, that's kinda sad.

That's all, really a lot of build up for not much of a point. That's how I roll sometimes.

Book Review: "Hunger Games"

"Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins is the first book I've read on our new Nook. I had been steering clear of the e-readers, but we took the plunge and got one. In fact I'm sure I blogged about wanting to hold an actual book once, but I can't find that blog now. Anyway, the Nook is actually a nice way to read a book, though I did think I read slower...maybe the added "page turning" time.

Ok, so "Hunger Games." This is a science fiction book with a different take on a post apocalyptic United States. In the country of Panem (old United States) the Capitol rules the people with an iron fist. The country is divided up into 12 districts, though prior to some earlier rebellion there were 13. Every year, as a show of the Capitol's power, each district is forced to send 2 of their children, ages 12-18, to compete in the Hunger Games. Think TV's "Survivor" but instead of voting each other off the island, they end up killing each other. When 16 year old Katniss Everdeen's younger sister is selected to compete, Katniss volunteers in her place. Now, she's off to the arena to face 23 other "tributes" from around the district.

I liked "Hunger Games" but I'm not sure I loved it. The concept is an interesting one, and it certainly was an exciting read. What is throwing me off a little is there is slightly more teenage angst going on then I would really like to read about. However, I did like the story enough that I plan to read the other 2 books in the series, "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay," though I predict some depressing things ahead.

I don't want to give too much away. My wife recommended I read this book, and I do like it...she's really good at picking books for me. I wouldn't recommend "Hunger Games" for anyone under about 16 years old...it's somewhat intense at times.

Affirming What I Already Knew

I've known for a long time that all incumbents need to be voted against in the next several elections...at least 2010, 2012 and 2014. Today, Senator Bernie Sanders affirmed what I knew to be true when he wrote an opinion piece on the Politico, essentially saying that the only thing wrong with Social Security is that people aren't taxed enough.

Really? It's not a problem that very soon there will be 2 workers for every one retiree? It's not a problem that people are living longer than ever, but the retirement age isn't moving to adjust? The fact is, people who will be retiring in the next 10 years get full retirement benefits somewhere between the age of 65-67. Figure that the majority of those people are going to make it to 80 and you have people living off the government for 13-15 years. When Social Security was instituted, most people didn't live much beyond 60, and the Social Security retirement age was 62...it was almost a reward for living long enough. I understand the people who pay into Social Security their whole life want something out of it, but come on, where is it written that you should spend 13+ years retired?

This highlights an obvious problem in Washington. We keep sending the same people back year after year, and these people all have their "sacred cows" that they won't even think about changing. For Senator Sanders, it's Social Security, for others it's Medicare and still others, defense spending. If we are ever going to fix what the Department of Defense is calling our greatest threat to National Security (it's the debt, in case you hadn't guessed), everything needs to be on the table...there can't be any "sacred cows!" That's why this year, I won't be casting a vote for any incumbents at the federal level and only 1 at the state level. We need new ideas, not the same old tired ones. Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Book Review: "I Am Number Four"

"Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next."

I can't possibly give you a better preview of this book then the synopsis from Barnes and Noble. "I Am Number Four" by Pittacus Lore is the hardest to put down book that I've read since the 7th book in the Harry Potter series. I started reading on Saturday afternoon, and finished on Sunday night, after 3, two hour reading sessions. Yes, 439 pages in 6 hours...I used to speed read. Thanks to my wife for recommending this book and for allowing me 3, two hour reading sessions this weekend.

"I Am Number Four" is the first in a planned 6 book series by Pittacus Lore. Pittacus Lore is the pseudonym adopted by the writing duo of Jobie Hughes and James Frey. There is also a movie planned for next spring based on this book. The second book in "The Lorien Legacies" series is supposed to be released in the Spring of 2011, and I for one can't wait.

I can't recommend "I Am Number Four" highly enough. It has everything you could want in a book...super powered alien heroes, super powered alien villans, likable characters, action, humor and a love story. They packed so much into one story that I can't wait to see what they can get into 6 books. Hands down, one of the best books I've read in recent memory. There is some strong language, so it's definitely PG-13. I hope you'll give it a shot, I think you'll like it.