Catfish
Volumes 36-40
©2015
Andrew Bushard
Catfish 36
Andrew Bushard
Greetings Catfish readers! It's good to see you once again.
Send me lots of intriguing post office mail.
Start chapters of the Autonomy Party and Free Press Media.
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Take care.
Reviews
Audio
The 10 Qualities of Charismatic People, Secrets of Personal Magnetism, Tony Alessandra, PhD, Nightingale-Conant Corporation, 2000.
It's good I didn't expect too much more out of this because it would have really let me down. This was a waste of an interlibrary loan. It's regrettable that I had to have the library do all this work to obtain Alessandra's cd, a cd which seemed to have taken longer than the average interlibrary loan too. Not worth the cd it was manufactured on. Tony seems to believe that "if you are a good person who is nice and kind and you follow current social norms, you will succeed." That's, of course, rubbish as Hitler proves the opposite positive. Even the parts that were pretty solid advice, I've heard before. Thus there was not much value in this listening to this cd for me.
The Joy of Creating: the Golden Era Musicians and Friends Play L. Ron Hubbard, L. Ron Hubbard Library, 2001.
During fwt's Scientology talker, the speaker generously gave me this cd. I wonder if all the "Golden Era Musicians" are Scientologists. They play a variety of music styles including rap to various songs. The song "Joy of Creating" is done six different ways. I do like the poem "Joy of Creating" a whole lot, in fact I once had it hanging up on my room door. I don't know whether the fact this album has all the different versions of "The Joy of Creating" is a virtue or a vice. It seems to be a virtue because it neat to see all the different ways they can do it, and a vice because it's very repetitive. I should have the poem "The Joy of Creating" memorized. The song "We're Going Up While the World Goes Down" sounds like some popular rap song. Maybe it is.
The Beatles Connection, the King's Singers, EMI Records, 1986.
I don't know if there should be Beatles cover albums since the original is probably as good as it gets and I don't believe others can improve on it. This music seemed to be barbershop quartette. Or some other acapella type music. It was innovative, I'll give them that. The Beatles songs were just better being rock songs. Their version "Eleanor Rigby" sounds fairly close to the original, probably since the song is more mellow than most. I didn't think cds were quite out in 1986, but apparently they were.
Past Masters: Volume Two, The Beatles, EMI Records, 1988.
Good songs to be sure. But this album didn't really have much extra to offer than did other Beatles collections. "Revolution" doesn't seem to be included on every Beatles album, thus it was nice to be here.
1, The Beatles, Capitol Records, 2000.
They filled this cd with fabulous music! The Beatles have the skill of creating songs which seem instantly catchy. Other musicians, you often have to listen a bit before the music catches you, but with the Beatles, it seems to happen immediately. Wonderful melodies I want to hear over and over again.
Child of Fortune: A Correspondent's Report on the Ratification of the U.S. Constitution & the Battle for a Bill of Rights, Jeffery St. John, read by Jeff Riggenbach, Blackstone Audio Books, 1999.
This book stimulated my interest about Patrick Henry. I find it funny when he talks about "George Clinton" because I can't help but think about another George Clinton. The author mentions the use of his "correspondent style" as to enhance the work, but I do not believe it was even necessary, he invoked it a bit too rarely, and didn't even add much, maybe even detracting from the flow. But other than the "correspondent style" , the book was informative and interesting.
Finders Keepers: the Story of a Man Who Found $1 Million, Mark Bowden, Simon and Schuster Audio, 2002.
It started off real good but the excitement tapered off towards the end. All in all, it was worthwhile and I'm glad the library had a book along these lines on their shelves.
Jefferson: The President: First Term 1801-1805, Volume IV, Dumas Malone, read by Anna Fields, Blackstone Audio Books, 1998.
It is quite clear that Dumas Malone really admires Jefferson, and surely he tried to portray Jefferson in a very good light. Ironically for him, Jefferson lowered in my estimation due to the portrayal in this book. Jefferson is just too dogmatically democratic for me. This is now probably the longest audio book I ever listened. If I ever get to read this whole series of audio books, that would be amazing. At the very least, I was able to listen to this one long volume.
Founding Brothers: the Revolutionary Generation, Joseph J. Ellis, narrated by Nelson Runger, Recorded Books, 2001.
To top off the good book, they had the not too common feature of interviewing Mr. Ellis, his insight in history springing from his book, added much indeed.
Not Without My Daughter: A Harrowing True Story of a Mother's Courage, Betty Mahmoody with William Hoffer, read by Julie Just, Audio Renaissance Tapes, 1991.
This book was superb for two reasons: it's about a very fascinating country: Iran and also there is incredible exciting suspense. A winner all the way.
Rumpole's Last Case, John Mortimer, read by Leo McKern, Durkin Hayes Publishing, Ltd., 1993.
I can't believe Rumpole has such a sassy mouth! Some parts are a little dry, maybe I'm not used to its pace, but other parts are more interesting.
Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery, performance by Megan Follows, Bantam Audio, 1990.
I listened to this on my way up to Canada, funny, because the book takes place in Canada (far away from where I went though, but still in Canada). I dig novels involving Canada because they seem to be cool. Back in my high school days, I read "Anne of Green Gables". Back then I didn't find it extraordinary, but now I like it much more. I wish I could read more in the series. I like the way the author names the books "Anne of Green Gables", "Anne of the Island" continuing on. It seems the titles reflect Anne's moving up in the world as she travels to bigger places and gains new identities based on her location.
Osgood on Speaking, Author/Reader: Charles Osgood, Dove Audio, 1988.
Most of the info I already knew, but there were a couple of extra pointers that could be helpful to me. Some advice I don't agree with. I would not make Osgood second in command for the Autonomy Party.
Hit the Ground Running, Author/ Reader: Mark H. McCormack, Dove Audio, 1994.
Looking at the title, I had no real idea what the tape was about, I was pleasantly surprised. Although McCormack is stiff and rigid in the business world way, he has some good suggestions and some interesting information about traveling.
Don't Take it Personally, Author/Reader: Susan Granger, Dove Audio, 1994.
Some right points, but I do believe that sometimes you SHOULD "Take it personally."
Den of Thi
eves, James B Stewart, read by John Hockenberry, Simon and Schuster Audio, 1991.
A good find from our public library audio tapes which is increasingly seeming to be a dry well. It is surely good that some of these "thieves" got prison time. I hope other, maybe more contemporary corporate criminals get prison time too.
Hit the Ground Running: The Insider's Guide to Executive Travel, Unabridged, Mark H. McCormack, Dove Audio, 1994.
If you're really paying attention, you may notice that it looks like I have reviewed the same audio book twice. Not really the case. The one above was an abridged version, while this one is unabridged. It worked out real well because after listening to the abridged version, I was definitely craving more. Although I am not nor probably ever will be an "executive traveler" I sure hope to travel on behalf of the revolution (as I already have in a limited sense). Thus advice here can serve me well, all I have to do is replace "executive traveler" with "revolutionary". Although this audio tape series was of course much longer than the single audio tape with the same title reviewed above, I was amazed at how much they packed on the abridged version. Alot of this is geared towards airplanes and hotels. My plan is usually buses and hostels or other very cheap if not free accommodations. Surely a motley crew is found on Greyhound buses, but not usually business people. Towards the end a female voice did some narrating, but in no obvious place did they list her name as doing that. I find traveling interesting, thus this audio book was terrific to listen to even though I cannot apply all of it.
500 Year Delta: What Happens After What Comes Next, Jim Taylor and Watts Wacker with Howard Means, read by Watts Wacker, Harper Audio, 1997.
Watts does not seem like it is a very popular first name. This work is quite sociological, probably more than I expected. This work sounds like what we discuss in my sociology classes (is that good or bad?) Listening to this work, makes me realize that in some ways, I am a defender of the old world.
This is Me..Then, Jennifer Lopez, Sony Music, 2002.
She does have a wonderful voice. Jennifer Lopez is the type of woman who looks better in sweat pants or jeans than she does in a dress. I loved "Jenny From the Block". That song rocked. "Dear Ben" is a very beautiful song. Ben is lucky to have someone like her. Many of the songs are a bit slow for me, but it was good to listen.
Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun, Wess Roberts, PhD, read by Wess Roberts and Ernest Aruba, Bantam Audio, 1993.
I entirely agree with the author's premise than even figures who may do some bad deeds can be excellent leaders, thus offering us something. It seems as if the author intended the book to be instructional about morals, but in reality I don't think the value of this book is in offering insights into morality. The moral lessons given here should be evident and basic. The shining glory of this book is however, its inspirational value. It really excels that way.
Chinese Secrets of Health and Longevity, Bob Flaws, Sounds True Audio, 1996.
Bob "Flaws" is right because I believe this way has some flaws. This contains a good deal of what I don't like about the eastern approach to life. Chinese Medicine is not for me. It's too restrictive for not enough good ends. I'll take Natural Hygiene instead. The big reason I checked this out from the library is because there really wasn't anything else to check out. Way too much of this contained his instructions for silly meditations and exercises, (one example is squeezing your testicles: if he wants to do that fine, but don't make it sound so lofty by attributing Chinese health principles to it.)
Christina Aguilera, Christina Aguilera, BMG Entertainment, 2000.
Personally, I don't prefer this look of hers the best. Her hair is too short and his lips are loaded with lipstick. (Way too much lipstick) (You could probably cut the lip stick with a knife without cutting Christina). The slow songs don't touch me at all. The more fast paced songs were more catchy. "Genie in a Bottle" is probably the best track of the lot.
Y2K: A Sunset Production with Music, Jason Kelly, Sunset Productions, 1998.
I found it interesting that this work was shelved under "Fiction". I wonder if the author at the time intended it to be fiction or his honest belief into the future. Even if a person found Y2K plausible, the series of events on this tape seem too drastic to actually have occurred the way they did. For example, I find it unlikely that only 30 minutes after the year 2000 came there would be riots in Los Angeles. I think it would take at least a little bit longer for that to happen. I did dig the part where one family after having bonded due to the Y2K crisis, decided to break and throw out their television set after the electricity came back on again. At least the predictions made by Kelly were not as grim as some. Overall his predictions did coincide real well with general Y2K myth predictions.
A Guide to Success, Failing That, Happiness, Al Franken, read by the author, High Bridge, 2002.
I will say Al Franken can be quite witty. In a couple of places he is banal and too crude. Although cynicism and satire seem to go hand in hand, Al Franken seems a bit too cynical.
The Giants of Philosophy: Plato Aristotle, featuring Charlton Heston, Simon and Schuster, Inc, 1998.
A couple of holidays ago, my mother gave this to me. It languished in my boxes without me listening to it, until now. Oddly, my friend Tim's mother also gave him this tape. Tim said "Charlton Heston's voice got grating after awhile." I did not feel that was the case. In Philosophy class, Professor Herman said "Aristotle is one of the most boring philosophers." Indeed, the section about Aristotle wasn't all that interesting; the section about Plato was much better. Instead of talking about Aristotle, they might have done the whole tape on Plato. I wonder if Charlton Heston came to gun rights through philosophizing about the nature of life. I wonder if Plato and Aristotle would join the NRA with Charlton Heston, if they were alive today.
California Characters: An Array of Amazing People, Charles Hillinger, read by Dennis McKee, Blackstone Audio Books, 2001.
Awesome concept. Sticking to just the state of California can be considered both a plus and a negative, depending. Personally I would have emphasized different types of people and not belaboring some types of folks, but overall it was a positive listening experience.
Def Leppard, Adrenalize, Bludgeon Riffola, 1992.
Not quite as catchy and powerful as I remembered Def Leppard. It disappointed me a little. The song "personal property" is horrible, horrible. The lyrics are appalling. I couldn't listen to much more than a minute of the song. Mumia Abu Jamal has a commentary about a song with similar lyrics by R. Kelly. in the commentary, Mumia is very right is criticizing it. Similarly, I am right in criticizing Def Leppard's song.
Books
The Last Frontiers on Earth, Jon Fisher, Loompanics Unlimited, 1985.
Swell premise. A bit more dry than I may have expected, but overall a neat book. It's good that later on, he provides a "1985 update" but of course, since it's almost 20 years later, another update is in order if Mr. Fisher is still alive. Some of the ideas, I have heard before (and covered in more detail in other places), and thus weren't all that novel to read. It was good for the author to fairly briefly discuss each option to get our mind's stimulated about different ways. In the end, I am glad I read this work.
Lyndon LaRouche and the New American Fascism, Dennis King, Doubleday, 1989.
In Barbara Scher's book she recommends writing to people you admire. I wrote to a bunch of strong leaders I
admired. I really got only two responses. The best response was a personal handwritten reply from Pat Buchanan. The other reply was a phone call from a Lyndon LaRouche committee center. I was let down because I wanted to get a reply from Lyndon himself not his followers. His followers ended up being very persistent and overbearing by calling too much. I also remember some LaRouche followers coming to my alma mater of UW-Stevens Point to get LaRouche on the ballot. They did seem focused and even passionate. Dennis obviously does not like LaRouche very much, thus the work is a chronicle of what Dennis believes are LaRouche's flaws and failings. I wonder what a more complementary writer would have said. I wonder if Dennis is right or LaRouche is right. Even though it was biased against LaRouche, it was the type of reading I dig, because I dig reading biographies about interesting people. Though in this case, what LaRouche does is probably more interesting that what he writes (from what Dennis says and from the literature I have read).
Countries of the World: Iran, Maria O'Shea, Times Media Private Limited, 2000.
A book I liked reading. I enjoy learning about other countries and I must say this book did a fine job teaching.
Countries of the World: Pakistan, Jameel Haque, Times Media Limited, 2002.
It was great that this book is very current, that is especially important with a country like Pakistan. There were lots of picture captions and short sidebars, which although interesting, seem to distract the reader and get one out of a continuous flow of reading. Through this book, I acquired a greater interest in Musharaaf, their current leader.
"I": The Creation of a Serial Killer, Jack Olsen, St. Martin's Press, 2002.
Very short chapters. Lots of blank spots and blank pages. The author could have perhaps reduced the size of the bulky book, with less blank spots and pages. But that's really minor, and the book was interesting but sick to read.
Care and Feeding of Tenants, Andy Kane, Paladin Press, 1981.
I do like Kane's writing style, even if it is caustic. I doubt if the vast majority of books written about tenants are this readable. On page 7, he asks "Have you ever heard of a landlord killing a tenant?" I must answer "Yes". In fact, one day while looking for my name "Andrew Bushard" on the internet, I saw a blurb from a site which reported a dude named Andrew Bushard in Australia, faced the most unfortunate circumstance of having a landlord shoot a gun at him, thus ending his life. I hope no one reads that and get worried about me. Renting has surely changed as Kane talks about renting by the month, but I rarely hear about that type of renting anymore.
Prison or Paradise: The New Religious Cults, James and Marcia Rudin, Fortress Press, 1980.
Serious updating is needed, but the book is still valuable. I believe some of their generalizations are wrong though. probably the most interesting cult they described was the Church of Scientology. They communicate good insight without becoming a stifling academic writer.
Myth Information: An Extraordinary Collection of 590 Popular Misconceptions, Fallacies, and Misbeliefs, J. Allen Varasdi, Ballatine Books, 1989.
This book could just as well be called "Hair Splitting" since that's what the lot of it is. Of course, sometimes hair splitting can be interesting. If this book was more out there, it might include George Smith's differentiation between Atheists and Agnostics. In a mainstream sense, the book is full of such distinctions. One philosophy professor uttered the phrase "the fussiness of a philosopher". That type of attitude is behind this book. I imagine the author, in conversation, often saying "Technically....." I do like trivia and the book was good for that.
29 Reasons Not to Go to Law School, Third edition with Six Bonus Reasons, Ralph Warner & Toni Ihara, illustrated by Mari Stein, Nolo Press/ Folk Law, 1987.
Quality satire. They have the most cynical view on law school. I once considered law school. After some thought, I decided grad school was the better option for me. One manual for law students to be, extinguished many of the flames of my desire to attend law school that were left. This book's view of law school seems to coincide with the more serious in tone, One L. It's good they are not afraid to mince words, because they provide us with some good insight while creating a wonderful piece of satire in the process.
The Incomplete Book of Failures: the Official Handbook of the Not Terribly Good Club of Great Britain, Stephen Pile, E.P Dutton, 1979.
The book is almost as old as I am. They have a good sense of humour. They should be careful about claiming certain events or situations are "the greatest", or "worst" because it seems there have been better or worse examples of that. Some of their "best"s or "worst"s seem awfully subjective and in a few cases not all that bad.
Fool's Names, Fool's Faces, Andrew Ferguson, Atlantic Monthly Press, 1996.
Not quite as good as it looked. He did have some keen observations about society that seem to exceed many ordinary writers. It did seem as if he often had the right targets, but his accuracy was a little off, he was aiming at not the bullseye. His comments on online services don't seem to apply anymore.
Life Story: Avril, Bauer Publishing, 2003.
Absolutely incredible. Both the subject matter and the classy way it was done. Layout, flow and style were all stellar. The photography was gorgeous, the writing was phenomenal. It was a fab overview of a very fab woman. This publication entranced me into an admiring state. I want to hang up these wonderful posters in the back. I also don't want to besmirch the publication. I'm in a bind. About this publication, I say: What a great concept! A publication solely dedicated to praising Avril is perfectly in order. Success!
Felton and Fowler's Best, Worst and Most Unusual: A fascinating miscellany of achievements, blunders, oddities and curiosities to captivate readers young and old, Bruce Felton and Mark Fowler, Information House Books, 1975.
A more dynamic version of the premise of the above reviewed "Incomplete Book of Failures". The book is way too old though, but still good. Their "worst office building" is the World Trade Center, which now in retrospective is a very tasteless comment. Of course, they had no clue that this buildings would be brought down by terrorists and consequently become a very strong American symbol. Some books are interesting and some books are super interesting. This book falls in the latter category.
Waitress: America's Unsung Heroine, Leon Elder and Lin Rogers, Capra Press, 1985.
Excellent, classy and insightfully tender. This book surely is needed. I agree with the author's premise that's important to praise and uplift waitress (and many other unrecognized jobs) too. Many of the waitress interviewed in here prefer waiting on men to females. One waitress said something to the effect "Some people find waitressing degrading. But why should they? It's honest work" She is right that we shouldn't look down at those who do jobs society doesn't always elevate. However, her statement doesn't apply to every waitress in the book, since a fair number of them are bartenders, thus not engaging in honest work, thus not worthy of our respect. I wish this book was more current, because people in the 80's looked different it does seems. After all, the male author did say he finds some waitresses attractive, thus I would have preferred to see waitresses of the current day, but of course, the authors cannot be blamed for that! Enjoyable to the max. I sure dug getting the waitresses perspective.
Blood in the Face: Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, Nazi Skinheads and the Rise of a New White Culture, James Ridgeway, Thunder's Mouth Press, 1990.
One of my fa
vorite topics, thus I liked the book. Although, many people would praise the author for including primary sources of information (in long sidebars), I actually didn't like it as it took away from the flow of the text and some were at least a little hard to read. He does a good job not being too biased and he does give a good overview. A longer book may have been nice, because some of the more interesting groups profiled therein, could possibly warrant a whole book to themselves.
Center Stage: Cyndi Lauper, William Sanford and Carl Green, edited by Dr. Howard Schroeder of Mankato State University, Crestwood House, 1986.
I see from the book that this was published in Mankato. I don't see that everyday. That's for sure. I don't hear much about Cyndi Lauper. This book appears to be for the younger audience and for that it seems very motivational the way it tells Cyndi's rise. I believe I've only remember hearing her real famous song, maybe I've heard others. The book portrays her as someone cool. That's cool.
Rumor!, Hal Morgan and Kerry Tucker, Penguin Books, 1987.
Another in the line of marvelous trivia books.
Beetle Bailey: Flying High, Mort Walker, Tom Doherty Associates, 1982.
I was looking for some mental relief and what I got was a comic that was more insipid than I thought it would be. The stories were fairly dull, duller than I remembered Beetle Bailey to be. Sometimes comics hit the spot just right, other times they leave something to be desired.
How to Win Jury Trials: Building Credibility with Judges and Jurors, Stephen D. Easton, American Law Institute-American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education, 1998.
It felt cool to read material intended for lawyers only. I believe I can do most of what they do anyways. The book was both an enjoyable read and very valuable for the case. The only drawback was the book focused on the "credibility" part of trials. Although this part seems very important, as the author suggests, I would have liked to see the other aspects discussed. Legal writers are often criticized for their verbosity and high faluten language, but this book was written quite simply, and I liked that.
Heathcliff and the Good Life, Healthcliff: Specialties on the House, Geo Gately, McNaught Syndicate, 1981.
It was good how they broke up the comic strips with their "kitty korner" profiling the antics of real life cats, one even featuring a cat from Rockford, IL!
Beetle Bailey: Hey There, Mort Walker, Tom Doherty Associates, 1982.
For some reason, this collection entertained me more than did the other Beetle Bailey book reviewed above. On the cover is a picture of Sarge's dog Otto, but I don't remember reading any comic in here having Otto as a character. Beetle Bailey is good.
Hi and Lois: Dishwasher, Lawnmower or Snow Plow?, Mort Walker and Dik Browne, Tom Doherty Associates, 1983.
Although the book is published in 1983, many of the comics in here are from the late 60's and especially the 70's. It was neat to get a comic view of those eras. The references to spanking probably would antiquated to many, now. The characters are very likable.
Represent Yourself in Court: How to Prepare and Try a Winning Case, 2nd edition, Paul Bergman and Sara J. Bergman-Barrett, Nolo Press, 1998.
Nolo Press is cool! Unfortunately this book is not about representing oneself in criminal court, but in civil court. I prefer a criminal court self representation manual but none seem available. A book on self representation in criminal trials is definitely needed thus the lack of any is sad. Nolo advises against that which is maybe why they don't have one. Nevertheless, the information in here is often useful for criminal trials, and that is what I used it for. The book although being exceptional was not quite as inviting as the book Criminal Law Handbook written by the same authors. Maybe this is because the two books serve different purposes. Extremely useful, very through, with fab examples and it is easy to write. It is written well, very informative and wonderful!
People Weekly Celebrates People: The Best of 1974-1996, Time Inc, 1996.
Although People magazine is ultra trendy, there is something very classy about the magazine. The photography in this volume is 1st rate. These types of books are good keepsakes, excellent at recapping experiences of the years.
Enchantment of the World: Singapore, Marion Marsh Brown, Children's Press, 1989.
Although these books are almost always interesting, this book didn't cover as much of the most interesting part of Singapore, which is the strictness of the social control.
War on Terrorism: Osama Bin Laden, Nancy Louis, Abdo Publishing, 2002.
To the point. I really didn't learn much new since this covered just the most basic foundation.
Military Police, Michael Green, Capstone Press, 2000.
Big words in a small book lead to not much being there. The pictures are helpful and I'm sure this could be useful to some people.
Holocaust Biographies: Joseph Goebbels: Nazi Propaganda Minister, Jeremy Roberts, Rosen Publishing Group, 2000.
The description of Joseph Goebbels was slightly different than other portraits. Maybe it was just the style. Since Joseph Goebbels in particular and the Nazis in general are very interesting, a longer work would have been nice.
The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS: How a Tragedy Has Been Distorted By the Media and Partisan Politics, Michael Fumento, Basic Books, 1990.
I'm persuaded. Even before reading this book, AIDS never struck a chord in me, it never really prompted me towards activism. A big reason is because I don't feel passionate about it. Part of my passion stems from logic. I believe that if all else equal, the cause(s) you pursue should be some of the more deadly in numbers causes. Fumento sticks it to liberals and conservatives. That type of fair minded eclecticism suits me just right! The documentation is very thoroughly for what seems to be a popular and not academic book! It like it how he makes it clear that he is not a homophobic person (as I thought one might be with the title like that), but instead someone dedicated to what's right. He's gutsy to criticize the homosexual movement, gusty because it's very un p.c. to do that. It's good that he does it because from this book it looks like his criticisms of the homosexual movement are very valid. He was successful with me because he swayed me to rethink what I have heard over the years.
Ask Me No Questions and I'll Tell You No Lies: How to Survive Being Interviewed, Interrogated, Questioned, Quizzed, Sweated, Grilled....., Jack Luger, Loompanics, 1991.
I made a smart move by reserving this fine book by interlibrary loan. Interesting information that has great practical use (though I already knew some of it). I love reading books that empower you and this book excels at empowerment. You too make a smart move and read it, it will help you out!
Dirty Tricks Cops Use and Why They Use Them, Bart Rommel, Loompanics Unlimited, 1993.
This book was just not as informative as I thought it would be. Also, I was surprised to discover the book seemed to be defending the "dirty tricks" of police officers. I expected the book to criticize the "dirty tricks" as advertisements for the books intended to convey to me. Most of the useful information in here was covered better in the above reviewed book by Jack Luger. This book did excel at telling stories to help make points clear and real.
Renter's Rights: The Basics, Janet Portman and Marcia Stewart, Nolo Press, 2000.
Note it's 'Marcia Stewart' not 'M
artha Stewart'. Throughout the book, they discuss how the book "The Every Tenant's Legal Guide" is basically an unabridged version of this book, and that it is recommended. That made me wish I had read the other book instead. Nevertheless, I found the book good, good, good. More importantly, I now feel more aware of the tenancy process, something before I just went through the motions with.
Disorder in the Court: Great Fractured Moments in Courtroom History, Charles M.Sevilla, illustrated by Lee Lorenz, W.W. Norton, 1992.
You can't get much better than this: a very very humorous book about trials that is also very fascinating. I read a lot of this during a Federation Without Television booth. I sure laughed a lot and due to social conventions, I felt compelled to cover my mouth. I hope to get the author's other book on court follies. As I said, you can't get much better than this!
Politically Correct Bedroom Stories, James Finn Garner, Macmillan, 1994.
Unlike, the above book Disorder in the Court, I was not laughing out loud about this book. It was a very good political satire. Perhaps this is the paradigm satire about the great extreme of political correctness.
Once Upon an Enlightened Time: More Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, James Finn Garner, Macmillan, 1995.
Although this book was the sequel to the first book, I read it before the first book. It basically the same book. Thus the above comments apply here too.
The New Thought Police: Inside the Left's Assault on Free Speech and Free Minds, Tammy Bruce, Prima Publishing, 2001.
Kudos to the author for being very open minded. She truly is that, and that is refreshing. I loved how she socked it to lots of people who deserved. I agree with her defense of Dr. Laura. Before reading this, I observed how people exaggerate Dr. Laura's views; I having read her work, declared her sensible in spite of all the condemnation. You can't even say Dr. Laura's name without people shrieking. It's too bad; it's a shame. Bruce's comments on academia are right on, I can attest to that as someone who has been a university student for the past 6 years. Overall, swell.
Winning an Appeal: Third Edition, Myron Moskovitz, Lexis Nexis, 1995.
It's very empowering to realize that I can read material intended for lawyers and understand it very much. I even get extra credit because I read the criminal brief which was part of the appendix :) You can do it too! The author mentioned that the book was geared towards not the mechanics of briefs, but "successful brief writing". More emphasis on the mechanics may have been nice. Shall I need this valuable information, I am now prepared.
Trail, Tom Hayden, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1970.
I am fascinated in the Chicago Seven Trial. It was good to get Senator Hayden's take on it. Many people probably applauded him for not merely describing the trial, but putting the trial in context of the era. Indeed this is important. His analysis is interesting and he is one thoughtful man. he even branched out to discuss the pressing issues of the day. The bits about the pressing issues were quality, but I did not read the book for this. His insights are creative and astute.
MOVE, May 13, 1985 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: An Avoidable Disaster. Allen Garber, A report Presented in Public Administration 694(2) Alternative Plan Paper, MSU-Mankato, 1991.
These alternative plan papers usually sound easier than a thesis, but in reality, some theses are almost as short. It does seem that theses usually have more theory in them. This paper took me for a little spin. A first I think it would be a pro-MOVE or at least supporting their rights. Then I realized the author was critical of MOVE. But I finally learned the author believed the city did a rotten job with the whole affair. It was interesting, but I don't like to read all this staunchly anti MOVE works.
Mad at Your Lawyer: What to Do When You're Overcharged, Ignored, Betrayed or a Victim of Malpractice, Attorney Tanya Starnes, Nolo Press, 1996.
I'm so mad at lawyers, I hope I'm capable enough to never have to hire one. Thus hopefully, the contents of this book won't be needed for me. I do like to learn as much as I can, thus I go for this book. Very informative. Only complainant is the small print. They should have opted for a thicker book with larger print instead of a thinner book with smaller print. Print size is not the end of the world, but to me it makes a difference.
Trialbook: Second Edition, John Sonsteng and Roger Haydock, West Publishing Company, 1995.
This book excels at covering all the bases of a court trial. Unfortunately, although it does that, it is rather laconic with each point. The format seems as if someone is publishing their notes from a legal seminar or a law class. If it was written more like a book instead of an outline it would have been easier to digest.
The Wit and Wisdom of Jesse "the Body the Mind" Ventura, Jessica Allen, William Morrow, 1999.
This seems like the type of book which is not authorized or totally official. Substantial portions of this work are taken from Jesse Ventura's book. Thus for me it was a redundant repeat to read. Though are some other bits, but not all that much.
Inside the Ropes With Jesse Ventura, Tom Hauser, University of Minnesota Press, 2002.
The moments of Jesse Ventura's governorship had me laughing alot and page turning tons. Tom Hauser's point seemed to be to show Jesse's negative side. Although this book covered tons of Jesse's governorship, perhaps, he should have waited just a little bit longer to have been able to write about it all. In the last several months, significant events happened. At first I thought this book was by Jesse, but soon after starting to read it, I realize that was not the case. This book is a good time, even if Tom Hauser is too harsh on Jesse.
Contempt: Transcript of the Contempt Citations, Sentences, and Responses of the Chicago Conspiracy 10, Swallow Press International, 1970.
Among the coolest the cool books. It feels excellent to read original transcripts. These transcripts are rarely if ever boring, and usually extremely interesting. In the introduction, the publisher tried to make the point that although Judge Hoffman's behavior was not the best, some fault needs to be put on the defendants. Through reading this, I actually came to accept this view. Except for Bobby Seale. Ironically, I felt his behavior was justified, right and even admirable. The Judge made a good point, when he said something along the lines, "Even if a defendant is accused of murder but innocent which does happen, the defendant still has to respect the court procedures." The fact that he is willing to admit that there are sometimes innocent defendants, might suggest he's not completely rotten, as some fools are myopic enough to believe anyone who is accused is guilty.
Censored, Mumia Abu Jamal, edited by Noelle Hanrahan, Seven Stories Press, 2000.
I love reading Mumia. Thus I was glad to get plenty of his writings. Some writings I read before, but not too many. I especially liked his writings about illegal drugs versus legal drugs.
It is Illegal to Quack like a Duck and Other Freaky Laws, Barbara Suelling, illustrated by Gwen Suelling, Lodestar Books, 1988.
Another good book. Some different material than similar books. You should read books like these especially if you are overly authoritarian about our government.
Burning Down the House: MOVE and the Tragedy of Philadelphia, John Anderson and Hillary Hevenor, W.W. Norton and Company, Inc, 1987.
Unfortunately this book portrayed MOVE negatively. There was pain staking detail about the incident itself on May 13, 1985. Probably necessary, but it got tedious.
What I really liked was reading about MOVE themselves. They are the ones that interest me. Inspiration value was obtained from reading about Ramona Africa defending herself at trial. Her words to the court are beautiful. The authors try to make MOVE look bad. Of course, they likely take MOVE's words and doing out of context. Furthermore, I emphasize with if anyone from MOVE is defensive or angry (thus maybe appearing to have a chip on their shoulder to those who judge without seeing the true MOVE) because I too get fed up with people, get tired of the same old garbage, thus I too sometimes find it difficult to be pleasant. MOVE is great in my book. It's too bad they are not in the author's book.
On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left, Dennis Tourish and Tim Wohlforth, M.E. Sharpe, Inc, 2000.
I wonder about this authors. They criticize alot about the "cults". They point out endless negatives, and few if any positives. They tell us cult leaders are wrong because they want attention and recognition, but so do the authors. The authors want lots of people to buy their books, and I imagine they want to be recognized for their work. The authors strongly condemn authoritarianism, but they should realize that it can be a very positive force, a force that is in our society. For example, the military is authoritarian; would the authors call the military a cult? I sure hope not, and if they do, I side with the military. An interesting, but closed minded work.
Periodicals
Royalty Monthly, www.royalty-magazine.com.
When I was visiting Canada for a race, I found this magazine at a bookstore. I never saw a magazine like this in the US, it's probably due to the fact that Canada still honors the Queen of England. At first glance, I thought it might be tabloidesque, but it is surely more classy than that! The pictures were well done and the articles were often brief, but interesting. Their emphasis is on the British royal family, which seems natural. They also do a good job covering the more obscure royal families out there. I just wish it wasn't so expensive because I want to learn more about these contemporary royal figures. I do some calculations, and it seems that I saved some money since I bought this in Canada rather than the US, because the US price is not the same ratio to the Canadian price as the conversion rate.
BriarPatch: a Progressive Canadian Newsmagazine, Huston House, 2138 McIntyre Street, Regina, SK, S4P 2R7.
It is interesting to read Canada's take on the US. It's also surprising almost how much they focus on the US's doings. I like alternative magazines, because I hate the mainstream media. Not too expensive. Nothing out of the ordinary nor nothing incredibly novel or trendsetting, but still nice too read.
Betty and Veronica Double Digest, Archie Comics Publications, 325 Lafayette Ave, Mamaroneck, NY, 10543.
Yes, I have reviewed Archie comics before, but this spin off is slightly different, thus in my mind it warrants a review of its own. It's really the same comic with the center of attention more on these two girls than on Archie. I wish Betty and Veronica were real people. I wish Archie could hook up with Betty instead of Veronica (who he hooks up with most of the time).
Archie's Pal: Jughead Comics, Archie Comics Publications, 325 Lafayette Ave, Mamaroneck, NY, 10543.
Archie comics is not as sophisticated as Mad magazine or the Simpsons, and in a sense it leaves you feeling a little empty. Though still I think it's a cute little strip. Some of the joke schemes are banal, but I like Archie's characters, so that may override any banality. Jughead reminds me of that dude in Popeye who likes hamburgers. Why do dudes who wear crowns like food so much? I hope to read more Archie in the future.
The Talkative Breast (issue subtitle: The Breast Hangs With the Crowd), PO Box 521611 Salt Lake Utah 84106.
I haven't gotten many zines at all, since I've moved to Mankato, thus getting this one was a nice change. Also since being in Mankato, I haven't been around the feminist crowd that I was around in Stevens Point, maybe this zine is thus good. The style is good. The comments about nipple piercing were fantastic. Not enough people oppose the practice of piercing. Furthermore, her reasons are new to me, thus it's all the more powerful. She is incredibly right in her support of breastfeeding. I dig her giving props to that. She includes this piece of satire, which is a mock movie poster saying "The Birth of Feminism, starring Pamela Anderson as Gloria Steinem ........" It's very effective satire! Quality poems. Excellent variety!
My fellow sociology grad student Mike once said "George Ritzer always says every sociologist is the most important sociology of the day." thus:
We the following join Zsa Zsa Gabor's call for the Governor of Maryland to immediately pardon George Ritzer, PhD., who is currently on death row for the crimes of forgery and bigamy:
Dr. Ritzer is an indispensable asset to the world of sociology. If he dies, sociology itself will die.
Furthermore, George Ritzer is a really cool dude and it would seriously cramp the cool world if George was taken from it.
Immediately release George Ritzer from prison NOW!
Paul Newman
Ed Asner
Michael Moore
John Elway
Warren Buffett
Tiger Woods
Larry Bird
Wayne Gretsky
Jessica Simpson
Winona Ryder
Bobby Seale
N Sync
Justin Timberlake
Tim Pawlenty
Jessie Ventura
Bernie Sanders
Rush Limbaugh
Howard Stern
Dave Coulier
John Stamos
Art Linkletter
Yassar Arafat
Pauly Shore
Lyndon LaRouche
Patrick Buchanan
John Tesh
Michael Bolton
Mr. T
C. Colin Campbell
Jacques Cousteau
Debbie Gibson
Terry Bradshaw
Patrick Robertson
C. Delores Tucker
Clive Cussler
John Cougar Mellencamp
Marilyn Manson
King Fahd
Jeff Foxworthy
George Carlin
Michael Eisner
James Brown
Phil Knight
President George W. Bush
President of the US Emeritus William Jefferson Clinton
Representative Tom Hastings
Senator Edward Kennedy
Bill O'Reilly
Stephen King
Catfish 37
Andrew Bushard