Moose Bites

Book Review: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:32:00 +0000

The end of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest was both very satisfying and bitter sweet. The satisfaction comes from Larsson’s brilliant winding up of all the story threads in what has been called The Millennium Trilogy (the trilogy is comprised of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest).

It is bittersweet because after turning in the manuscripts of all three novels to his publisher, Stieg Larsson succumbed to a massive heart attack. He never lived to see the international phenomenon his work has become. For us readers it means we will never again travel with Liz Salander and Mikael Blomkvist.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest is a five star work. First, it ties up all of the story lines created in the first two novels. It does so in a page turning thriller and in a believable way that leaves the reader cheering. The book starts were The Girl who Played with Fire left off. We find ourselves in the emergency room of a local hospital waiting for a life flight arrival of a girl who has been shot in the head.

From the start a secret section inside Sapo, the secret police, moves to protect the secrets surrounding Zalachenko affair. They manipulate the prosecution of Salander, cutting her off from everyone except her lawyer and doctor. They will stop at nothing to hide their secrets including, covert surveillance, intimidation and even murder. Their plan is to have Salander found incompetent and committed to an institution for the rest of her life, thereby discrediting her story as the ravings of a mad woman.

Arrayed against this group is Mikael Blomkvist together with Armansky and others who are fighting to free Salander and expose the truth behind the Zalachenko affair. But first he needs Salander’s help and he must contrive a way to communicate with her.

The story starts out as first rate spy thriller and develops into a legal thriller. The pacing is relentless and there are no real slow spots in the story. The novel should be read in great chucks and savored. The trial will warm the hearts of Salander fans and has one of the most devastating cross-examinations since Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent. But the story does not end with the trial and there a few more twists and turns. The end hits just the right note and will find approval of most fans.

Larsson, a liberal journalist, also made these novels into a social commentary. It is an indictment of a self proclaimed liberal socialist state’s failure to take action to stop acts of violence against and exploitation of women. Larsson also takes on Swedish society, which is supposed to be enlightened, for chauvinism and downright misogyny.

Larsson continues his social criticism pointing out how a social democracy has failed to protect the its must vulnerable members. Finally, the books are an analysis of how secret police can, without proper oversight, create a group that is paranoid, self important, and view their mission so important that the ends justify the means to the point that their actions destroy the very thing they profess to protect.

In Summery if The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo rates four stars, then The Girl with who Played with Fire gets 4 and half stars and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest gets a full five stars.

Book Review: The Wrecker by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:43:00 +0000

There have been some complaints about the more recent Dirk Pitt and the NUMA files series that Cussler has become formulaic. As far as the Dirk Pitt novels go I think there is some validity to the criticism. However, Cussler and Scott have hit it out of the park with the introduction of Isaac Bell.

Bell is the best detective in the fabled Van Dorn detective agency, whose motto is “We never give up, never”. Set in the beginning of the 20th century, the authors integrate history with good old fashion storytelling to make a great page turner. Both the first book, The Chase, and the second, The Wrecker, are laced with historical events that are so tightly woven into the story you enjoy the history without it pulling you out of the book.

None of the main cast or primary supporting characters are two dimensional. Bell is richly developed. He comes from money but has chosen the life of a detective. He is self-confident, intelligent and rather crafty. He thinks both strategically and tactically. He can organize a fleet of Van Dorn agents yet is just at home in a gun or knife fight.

In The Chase he tracked down a cold blooded killer and bank robber. In The Wrecker Bell faces an even more cunning and dangerous villain. Known as the Wrecker, this shadowy figure moves through both the hobo camps and the world of railroad barrens. His goal is to sabotage the Southern Pacific Railroad. He is ruthless, derailing trains, setting disastrous fires, and even more heinous plots. He indiscriminately kills innocents and if Bell does not stop him he will kill many more to reach his goal. Bell has met his match in the Wrecker who carefully plans for contingencies, some set in motion years before he started his overt acts of sabotage.

This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time. I can find no faults with it and give it a full 5

Things Being Raised in the Military Did Not Teach Me

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:25:00 +0000

I lived on Air Force bases between the formative ages of two and thirteen. I attended school on base and all my friends were military dependants. Almost all our shopping and entertainment was had on base as well. The time frame was between the late 50s and 1970. This means I was a milarty depentant at the height of the cold war, thus there was a tangible separation from civilian society. Add in the fact that everyone was more isolated than we are today; there was no internet, no cell phones and if you were lucky you had four TV channels. All of this means I was raised in the insulter hot house of the military. As such there were a number of things I did not learn about life growing up, such as:

1. That Real Life Is Not a Meritocracy: The military more than any other institution in the U.S. is a meritocracy. It is not a perfect meritocracy, but is the closest there is. Thus, I grew up believing that if you worked hard and did your job well you will always be rewarded with recognition and advancement.

2. That Real Life Is Messy: On a military base everyone in your life, parents, friends, neighbors, teachers etc. are generally focused on the same goals and work for the same employer. This means there is a built in common ground for community. Life is regimented with clearly expressed expectations. Military dependents learn from an early age that there numerous rules that constituent acceptable behaviors and failing to meet these regulations has tangible consequences. Everyone has a certain dress code, lawns and homes are kept neat, cars are washed, one shows respect to everyone, and more deference to higher ranked personal.

3. That Honor and Duty Are Not Universally Held Values: Dismiss it as trite if you want, but in the military there is a true belief in Honor and Duty. Personal integrity and the drive to accomplish the tasks assigned, even to the risk of one’s life, are generally accepted values. While individuals in civilian life abide by honor and duty, they are not inculcated into society and you cannot expect members of it to act on them.

4. That There Is Not One Correct Way to Do Everything: You have heard the slogan “There is the right way, the wrong way, and the Army way." This is a very true statement. There may be three ways to do something and obtain the same good result, but in the military if there is a set procedure for doing something then it is not enough to obtain the correct result. You have to do so using the approved method.

5. That Overt Racism Exists: In the 50’s and the 60’s the military was the most integrated entity in the U.S. While there was certainly racism, the overt expression of it was strictly forbidden. I grew up in a society that had integrated schools and institutions. I had friends that were many different races and creeds and thought nothing of it. In fact I can remember only one time my mother ever said anything about my friends and that was to watch out for the Mormon family as they would try to convert me.

6. There Is No Free Medical Care: I grew up in a socialized medical system that seem to work. There are problems with the system now, especially when it comes to Vets. But at the time I was a military dependent the free medical care I received was comparable to that available in the civilian world. And in some respect it was better. I have had very few cavities due in part to receiving some of the first fluoride treatments given to children.

7. People Do Not Move Every Few Years: During the time I was a military dependent most families were on a two or three year rotation from base to base. The longest I lived in one place before my dad retired was in England, for three years. When you factor in the fact that other families were on different rotations I would make friends who would be rotating out six months after we rotated in. This meant that it was important to make friends quickly, yet you did not have time to develop the “best friend” relationship that develops in the civilian world where kids know each other starting in kindergarten or even younger and grow up together.

8. That Not Everyone is a New Kid: One of the hardest adjustments I had to make when my dad retired was that I was a new kid and that most of the other kids were not. As mentioned above families were different rotations so when school started almost all of us were new kids and a lot of kids joined the class during the school year.

9. That Most People Have Home Towns: The old saying goes; you can never go home again. For military dependents this a not a proverb, but an actual fact. I can never go back to the home town, since I never had one. Some of the bases I lived on have been closed. Even if they are not, they are secure facilities and not readily accessible Even if they were accessible there would be no one living there that was there when I was a child. All the personal would have been transferred or retired.

New Posting Strategy

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:05:00 +0000

I am going to try a new strategy to keep my blog current. I am going to try to post on Sundays and Wednesdays. I think the posting whenever method leads to procrastination which snowballs and your blog quickly become out of date.

Multigenerational Living - Month 3

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:07:00 +0000

Of Lawns and Guest Rooms

Month Three finds the Kids and grandkids enjoying the backyard. They really love the backyard, as we have a 1/3 acre size lot. The grandkids have a portion of the yard filled with toys and they play outside whenever possible. The kids also enjoy barbecuing and spending time outside. This month Christian held his 5th birthday party outside on the lawn, where there was much chaos and play. Fun was had by all. The only problem with the kids having almost exclusive use of the yard is that they are responsible for lawn care and there seems to a lack of exuberance for this task.

One downside of multigenerational living is the lack of room for the 4th generation. My wife no longer has a guestroom for her mom and step dad to stay in. When they come to visit they have to make other arrangements.

Despite the downside created by the lack of a guest room . There is a silver lining to this multigenerational living . We do not have to mow the yard, or at least we think we will not have to mow the yard.

What Kinds of Fiction Do I Like

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:41:00 +0000

Another blog I follow asked the question “What is your favorite KIND of book?”. I stared to write a reply then realized it would be a very long reply post so I thought I would answer it here and just link my answer as a reply.

I am thriller/mystery/fantasy fan:

Thrillers: These would be works by such authors as Alistair MacLean, Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsyth, Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, Michael Crichton (most of his novels do contain some science fiction but I would argue that only the Andromeda Strain and Terminal Man are pure Sci-Fi); James Rollins and Lincoln and Childs.

Mysteries: There are many subgenres of mysteries:

1. Classic Mysteries: Arthur Conan Doyle; Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers; Dashiell Hammett; Raymond Chandler and Harry Kemelman (The Rabbi series) I would argue to include Kemelman in the classics.

2. Straight Mysteries: These are the whodunits that can have police officers (that are not police procedurals) , private eyes, psychologists or even dog mushers as their protagonists: Authors would include: Stieg Larsson (my current favorite author); Dana Stabenow; J.A. Jance ( Some of her early Beaumont books might be considered police procedurals ) Jonathan Kellerman; Sue Henry (Jessie Arnold series) ; Nevada Barr; Robert B Parker; James Patterson ( The Alex Cross and Women’s Murder Club series); and Tony Hillerman ; Ridley Pearson ( Walt Fleming series); Elizabeth Peters; Jeffery Deaver and Janet Evanovich

3. Police Procedurals: I don’t care for the classic police procedural, al la Ed McBain and Joseph Wambaugh. I do like a few of what might be classified as procedural, works by John Sandford (both the Davenport and the Flowers series); Michael Connelly (the Harry Bosch series), Elizabeth George; P. D. James ; Sue Henry (Alex Jensen series) and Linda Fairstein

4. Forensic Science Mysteries: Kathy Reichs; Patricia Cornwell (her early works, the later books are weak) Ridley Pearson (his stand alone works and Lou Boldt series have a lot of forensics in them, though they could be considered police procedurals); and Aaron Elkins (who is writing again!)

5. Cozy Mysteries: This is a harder category to describe – there a number of definitions. Most cozies take place in small towns and usually do not involve a lot of gory details or explicit adult situations. Most of my favorite cozies involve animals these include: Sue Henry (the Maxie and Stretch series); Susan Conant; Donna Andrews and Rita Mae Brown

Fantasy:

Pure Fantasy: Tolkien; Raymond Feist; Robert Jordan ( the first 4 Wheel of Time books for sure, maybe up through 7 then they really begin to drag) ; Weis and Hickman (the Dragon Lance series); Piers Anthony (Xanth series) and Elaine Cunningham (Song of Swords series)

Alternate reality: Kim Harrison; Jim Butcher (Dresden Files series) and Laurell K. Hamilton (her early Anita Blake works – the later ones devolved into soft porn)

Driving & Texting - A Thoughts About Technology Post

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:57:00 +0000

Most of us have heard news reports about accidents caused by someone texting while driving. There have been news reports showing how inattentive you are while texting. Far more so than talking on the phone without hands free, eating, or changing a CD. Recently I got to see how a person drives while texting.

I was heading up a major 4 lane street, when I got behind a pickup truck being driven by a young woman who was obviously texting. To say her driving was erratic is a major understatement. Her speed varied from over 40, the speed limit is 35, down to 25. She crossed over the lane lines at least three times while I was following her, once cutting off another car who blared its horn, to no effect. She also drove in the bike lane for quite some time. I said to myself then, that I was glad there were no cyclists using it.

Of course there were no cops around so she got away with it. She endangered numerous lives, looked like an irresponsible jerk and since she got away with it she will most likely do it again. Next time the results could be disastrous. More and more states are passing tough laws against driving while texting or using a cell phone without a hands free device. After watching one idiot drive and text I hope all states pass such laws.

Review - 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:30:00 +0000

206 Bones is the latest in the Temperance Brennan series. The book opens with Tempe Brennan realizing, to her shock and horror, that she has been buried alive. Most of the book is devoted to her looking back trying to figure out who buried her. The book is set in Chicago and Montreal with most of the action taking place in Montreal. For those familiar with the series the only major recurrent character is Andrew Ryan, with whom she has had an on again off again romance, which is currently off.

There are two primary mysteries in the book. The first is to find out who is killing elderly women and the second is who and why Brennan has been buried alive. The problem with the book is there is not much of a mystery in either. The hunt for the killer of the women is mostly a police procedural, showcasing Reichs’ knowledge of forensic anthropology. Reichs makes no attempt to create tension or suspense in this plot line.

As for the second mystery, who buried Tempe, the answer will be apparent halfway through the book, as the perpetrators are also some of the most obvious suspects. While that is the sign of a poorly plotted mystery novel, the major flaw is that Tempe is blind to these suspects. Tempe’s blindness is so blatant that I actually found the book a source of irritation. I wanted to yell at her to get a clue.

While I have enjoyed Reichs’ earlier work this book is a mediocre try at best. Further, the inability of Brennan to see who is behind her abduction is so bad it makes reading the book painful at times.

Flexibility and the Cell Phone – The Second Installment on the Thoughts about Technology Series

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:38:00 +0000

For those of us who remember a time BCP (Before Cell Phones) the following scenario will be all too familiar. You are scheduled to have lunch with your mother at a certain restaurant today when, at 10 am you get a call from a good friend from college whose flight has been delayed and now she has time to go to lunch with you before her connecting flight leaves. What do you do? You can try to call your mother, but she is at a meeting and you can’t phone her there. You could leave a message on her answering machine, if she has one, in the hopes she checks her messages before she leaves for the restaurant. You can stand her up. You can ask your friend to the same lunch which, while not the optimum solution, is probably the best compromise, unless your friend and mother do not get along. Today, with the ubiquitous nature of cell phones, this scenario would be very unlikely. You could call or text your mom and explain the situation and move your lunch date.

With cell phones saturating our society today many of us may not realize how much flexibility has been added to our lives. We are moving into a stage in communication where business phone numbers will still be tied to physical locations, but phone numbers for individuals will be tied to their very person. A lot of families, ours included, have done away with landlines to our homes, opting for each of us to carry a cell phone.

This ability to almost always reach out and touch someone to make and change plans means that our commitments and schedules are much more fluid than that of our parents. While this is mostly a good thing it can give rise to a lessening the strength of our commitments. If I have a date to do X with someone and something I want to do more comes up it is now so much easier to bag the previous commitment, usually with very little cost in social currency. Of course, if you do this sort of thing often enough the value of your word when making commitments will suffer devaluation.

The ability to always be in contact is also a two edged sword, as many with cell phones or pagers have found out referring to them as electronic leashes. We are now tied much closer to our work and our bosses can more easily pull on that leash. We also have a harder time dodging those certain people in all our lives, be they relatives or acquaintances, that for most part we really don’t want to talk to very often.

Review - The Girl Who Played with Fire By Stieg Larsson

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:27:00 +0000

The Girl Who Played with Fire is the second in Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy (the first being The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the third will be The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest). While the first book stands on its own, you should really read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo before reading this one. The Girl Who Played with Fire sees the return of Larsson’s two protagonists, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander.

While Blomkvist plays a large role in the book, the main character is Salander. Millennium is approached by a freelance writer and his partner to do an expose on the sex slave trade in Sweden and name the names of johns, including government officials and police officers. Before the issue can run they both end up dead and evidence at the scene points to Salander as the killer. Salander soon becomes the subject of a nationwide manhunt.

Salander, whose response to someone attacking her with a gun is to get a bigger gun, decides to find out who really killed the journalists. In the process of Salander’s efforts we learn her back-story and toward the end we find out what “All the Evil” is that was hinted at in the first book. We learn why Salander has such distrust of any governmental entity, inclining the police. And why her official government file shows her as a psychotic who is barely literate and a societal outcast, when in fact she is a genius with a photographic memory.

Salander is one of the most complex and fascinating characters I have encountered in mystery fiction. While brilliant, she completely ignores most of societal norms including those of social interaction. In fact some of them appear to be a complete mystery to her. Blomkvist mused in the first book that she might have Asperger syndrome, Salander has too much insight into peoples’ motivations for that to be the case. She also has a very strict moral code that does not match up well with the Swedish legal system. One clear driving force in her life is she hates men that hate women and will seek revenge, or in her mind justice, to redress any woman wronged.

Larsson continues his theme of Swedish society’s hypocritical ambivalence toward violence against and exploitation of women. Further, in revealing Salander’s back-story he criticizes how the Swedish government can fail its citizens by the failure and corruption of those charged with protecting the weakest members of society.

This book was not quite as good as Larsson’s first work, but that may be because it is the second work in a trilogy. Thus, is does not stand alone, it is built on the first work and needs the last to complete the story. The book ends with the revelation of and confrontation with those that are responsible for the murders and “All the Evil” but stops, leaving the fallout of these revelations to the third book. That being said, this is a great book and I am impatiently waiting the English language release of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.

Technology and Slogging

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:39:00 +0000

A few months ago I was visiting my alma mater, the University of Idaho, and decided to check out what changes had been made at the library. There, in a display as an historical artifact, was a card catalogue. While doing a Google search recently I was reminded of the card catalogue and the fact that a lot of research is no longer a slog. The question is, is this a good thing? How could it not be? Just do a Google or Bing search and presto all the information you need is right there on the net, right? Well there are three problems that come to mind immediately.

There has been a lot written about the first two problems, that of inaccuracy and the flood of information. Most people understand that if you are doing a school paper, citing Scientific American’s website is acceptable, but Uncle Joes Weird Phenomenon blog, not so much. There has also been much written about the flood of information available. So much information is available it can be hard to sort out the relevant from the background noise. However, I have not seen too much written about the third problem, the ease of research as compared to previous methods.

I may be an old fuddy duddy, but there seems to be less slogging needed to do research today, at least for high school and undergraduate research papers. When I was in school you had to actually dig to get the research you needed. In high school, if you were lucky you had an encyclopedia in the home. Even then you still needed to go down to the library and use a card catalogue and The Readers’ Guide to Periodicals. Finding sources for your papers was hard work, it required slogging. So why is lack of slogging in research for high school and undergraduate courses so bad?

Because real research, the kind that relies on the scientific method or use of primary sources can still be a slog. You have to create experiments that meet rigorous requirements or you have to consult primary sources that may be buried in letters and other documents, often written in another language. If you have never had to slog through research to write papers in high school and college, the slog of doing original research may create a bit of a culture shock. Research the “old fashion way” at least helped one prepare for the rigors of doing primary research.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a Luddite, I am not advocating the return of the card catalogue or doing away with computer aided research. I am merely pointing out that one of the good things about research today, the ease at which information is retrieved, has its downside. Maybe there was some benefit to doing research in the days of card catalogues and guides to periodicals. A little slog is good for the soul.

Review - Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) By Jim Butcher

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:53:00 +0000

I watched the SciFi Channel series adaptation of the Dresden Files but did not care for the Harry Dresden character as portrayed on the show. Now, that I have read Storm Front, the first book in the series, I find I like the anti-hero, who is a cross between Merlin and Robert B. Parker’s Spenser. Dresden does not hide the fact he is a wizard from the rest of world. Instead he tries to make a living as just that, a real wizard. This means he is usually broke and in some sort of trouble. He ekes out a living locating lost objects and people and works part time as a paranormal consultant to the Chicago police department
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Dresden is a rather dark figure; with a wicked, yet self deprecating sense of humor; his own sold code of honor; and a dedication to his clients. He lives with a 30 lb cat and Bob, an oversexed, grouchy spirit that lives in a skull. Harry really does know his magic, but is a bit hapless, losing his staff, getting ambushed, having the wrong potion go off at the wrong time.

In the opening book we find Harry, broke as usual, take on case to locate a missing husband and then get called in by Detective Karrin Murphy, of the Chicago PD, on a case where two people have had their hearts explode out of their chests. Murphy wants answers fast. The problem is Harry is under an eidetic called the Sword of Damocles, a sort of probation, from the White Council (the group of wizards who enforce the laws of magic). Morgan, a Warden for the Council suspects him of being the killer. He must prove his innocence to the White Counsel and Murphy who has also begun to suspect him. To complicate matters he must navigate around one of Chicago’s must powerful underworld bosses and find the killer before the White Counsel connives and decides he is guilty. Harry’s problem is the killer is a wizard equal to Harry’s power, if not his skill, and unlike Harry is not bound by the Laws of Magic, and he has Harry lined up to be the next victim.

Storm Front has a real mystery, well plotted with supernatural twist and turns. In the course of his investigation Harry has to deal with vampires, faeries, demons and even giant scorpions. I have become a fan of this series and plan on reading them all.

Multigenerational Living - Month 2

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:55:00 +0000

In month two we see that boundaries are being crossed. Things have started to disappear. My wife’s toothpaste and body wash, a bottle of Benadryl, a bottle of moistening crème and the flyswatter. We have found the toothpaste, body wash, Benadryl and flyswatter, all of which were absconded by She Who Lives Upstairs. We are not sure why these items were taken, perhaps she wanted to kill mosquitoes that had freshly brushed proboscis, were freshly washed and properly moisturized.

We have retrieved all of the purloined items except the moistening crème, which She Who Lives Upstairs denies taking. This investigation is ongoing. I am sure the “borrowing” of various personal items is not uncommon in multigenerational living arrangements. However, the trespass to such a number of chattel means we will have to increase our vigilance. So beware She Who Lives Upstairs, we are watching you

Review – Fire and Ice by J.A. Jance

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:34:00 +0000

I have liked all of J.A. Jance’s Beaumont series and have come to enjoy her Joanna Brady series as well. Fire and Ice is by far the worst novel she has produced. First, it fails as a mystery because there is none. We know from the start who is behind the murders in Washington State and there are very few details left for the reader to figure out. Further, there is little suspense since the author creates very little tension in the novel.

Secondly, while I like the format of alternating between Beaumont and Brady as they follow their respective leads, the Brady parts of the book are filled with cutout characters and there is little or no development of Joanna herself. Further, the Brady portions of the book seemed to be chocked with filler and even the nursing home sub plot was weak and had very little substance. The Beaumont portions of the book were better. There were some interesting characters, such as Momma Rose and her man Tom. Beaumont’s character did have some more depth and created much more interest in the reader than Joanna Brady did.

However, the weak plot; lack of character development; no real mystery in a mystery book; and padding with throw away characters was not the worst part of the book. The worst part of the book was the ending or should I say a lack thereof. The book just ends with nothing really resolved. The reader is left to assume the bad guys get caught and justice is done. Jance could have at least put in an epilogue wrapping up all the cases, but she just ended the book with no resolutions to the murders in Washington State, the nursing home subplot or the throw away sub plot, the murder at the ATV Park

Niche Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:40:00 +0000

I’ve been doing some thinking about niche blogging. Right now my blog is all over the place. So I am looking at doing a niche blog. Not sure if I would convert Moose Bites or leave it as some kind of stream of consciousness. The question is what niche to blog about.

I don't want to do a tech blog, too much about work and there are so many of them. If I had enough funny computer support anecdotes doing a niche blog about them might be a possibility. I use to have a lot of hobbies, but really don't have many anymore, except reading. I could do book reviews, but again so many of them are out there and you can get really good reviews on Amazon. I could do one on depression but that sounds depressing and they are hard to do well and you risk fall into self-indulgence. There is always one on the trials of being self –“under”employed.

So any ideas?

Bloggers Block

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:46:00 +0000

It seems I have bloggers block which is just what it sounds like, writers block effecting bloggers. I do have some ideas but they are not ready for prime time. I am working on an article entitled, Retasking – How to Adapt a Goal Driven Life After 50, but I have to do some more research before I can finish it. I thought about writing on the emotion I hate most, which is regret, but the last few posts have been maudlin enough. There is also a review of a book I will be writing in the future, Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness by Joshua Wolf Shenk, but I have written enough about depression at the moment.

So I have run into bloggers block. I was surpised to find this is actually a term used for writers block inflicting bloggers. There are a number of web sites that have ways to battle bloggers block. ProBlogger has 25 tips for unblocking blogger block.. Then there is LifeClever that has ten tips and Blogger Buzz which has a daily prompt in the form of a question for you to answer to help spur ideas.

Here are my questions – Do you get Bloggers Block? And what do you do to get unblocked?

Overthink Much

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:20:00 +0000

Overthinking is defined as, “thinking too much, needlessly, passively, endlessly and excessively pondering the meanings, causes and consequences of your character, your feelings, and your problems.” (The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky p. 112) It is engaging in constant “what-if” analysis. I have been a “what-if” thinker since I was a little kid. This tendency was severely exacerbated by law school and the practice of law. Using “what-if” analysis to consider all the possible negative consequences of a situation is a good thing in a business and transaction attorney. It is not a good thing in normal life.

I have a very hard time not overthinking and this can lead to all kinds of negative thoughts e.g. guilt, regret, worry etc. This is coupled by general pessimistic nature which can lead to toxic thought processes. So how can you keep from overthinking? The problem is that overthinking is insidious and compelling, enticing you to keep trying to figure things out. If I can just think through this problem enough I will solve it. But “what-if” thinking can make things worse.

In The How of Happiness, Lyubomirsky devotes a whole chapter of her book to setting out a three step approach to avoid overthinking. I am currently working though these steps. The first is to stop the overthinking by cutting loose and distracting yourself. So I am currently writing a blog entry on the problems of overthinking to distract myself from overthinking.

Review of The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:36:00 +0000

There are an abundance of books on how to find happiness. Most, however, are based on personal experience, anecdotal evidence and recycled old saws (which may actually be true). Until now there have been few, if any, books on the study of happiness supported by scientific method of double blind studies and control groups. Sonja Lyubomirsky is a professor of psychology at UC-Riverside and has spent the last 20 or so years studying what makes people happy. In her book, The How of Happiness, Lyubomirsky rigorously documents all of her findings and activities on how to improve your happiness.

She first discusses whether it is possible to be happier and why you are as happy as you are. She has developed what she terms the 40% solution. Rigorous twins’ studies have determined that we all are born with a genetic happiness set point. This set point accounts for 50% of the happiness we feel. There are some people who are born naturally happier than others. All things being equal your happiness will tend toward your genetically predetermined set point. So what about the other 50%?

What about circumstances, surely our situation in life plays a big role in determining our happiness. As it turns out studies show that circumstances account for only 10% of how happy we are. Wealth, beauty, a successful career, etc. all of it adds up to only 10%. Why? Because of something called hedonic adaptation. We humans adapt rapidly, not only to sensory and physiological changes, but also to what is called hedonic shifts or changes in our social situations. Let’s say you think winning the lottery will make you happier and you do win a sizeable sum. You will experience short term happiness but you will soon adapt to your new found wealth and its power to make you happy will fade. So if only 10% of our happiness is attributable to our circumstances what about the other 40%?

It turns out that we are responsible for the 40%. We can take action to hasten and bolster our own happiness. How? Well this is where Lyubomirsky book really shines. She sets out 12 happiness activities that have been tested for their effectiveness in psychological studies. Some of these are common wisdom or have support from scripture, such as learning to forgive or expressing gratitude. But the book does more than just tell you to forgive it gives guidance on how and why it works.

One of the activities is avoiding overthinking. I have a great deal of difficulty in not overthinking almost everything. I know I should not do it but it is not enough to say to me, “Don’t overthink that.” Lyubomirsky not only tells you why stopping overthinking is a way to increase happiness she gives you strategies on how to do it.

Lyubomirsky also does not expect nor do you need to undertake all 12 activities. Just a few will go a long way to increasing the 40% of happiness. She includes a test to determine which happiness activities will fit your interests, values and needs. She also includes in her book the 5 hows behind sustainable happiness, all of which are supported by research.

Lyubomirsky also addresses those of us who suffer from depression. She makes the point that depression needs medical treatment and just the activities in the book will not work on a clinically depressed person. However, they will help those in treatment and on medication. A number of the activities are used in cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Even though the book is based on and heavily annotated with copious research it is very readable. Lyubomirsky uses case studies and other examples and lays out each point and principle in a clear and easily understandable manner. If you are even thinking about buying a self-help book I highly recommend you buy and read this one.

A Bit about Depression

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:58:00 +0000

I am among the 20.9 million people in the U.S. that suffer from a mood disorder (major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder.) When I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) over 20 years ago there was significantly more stigma attached to having a mental illness. Back then one kept such things quiet, especially if you were in profession like law. I can write this blog entry today because that stigma has substantially diminished and I need to write this entry because it increases awareness and helps further diminish the stigma. In truth I have been dealing with this for so long I don’t give a damn who knows.

As it turned out the diagnoses of MDD was wrong and it took almost twenty years to correct it. I actually have bipolar II disorder. Those with bipolar II have mood swings of severe depression and hypomania. This is different than bipolar I disorder, which is the one most people are familiar with as it is the one that has permeated general culture. Bipolar I disorder has a cycle of depression and mania. A person with hypomania is usually high functioning and does not have the severe symptoms associated with a manic episode. This means that Bipolar II disorder is misdiagnosed for an average of 10 years as MDD or unipolar depression.

Also, the image of a bipolar individual having vast mood swings over period of hours or days is a misconception. There are some “fast cyclers” but a person with bipolar disorder can have months or even years between mood swings. While I often have periods of moderate depression, my periods of severe depression usually occur a couple of years apart and can last for months.

I am currently fighting a depressive mood swing. That is another reason to write this entry, it is therapy. Those who have never been depressed have a very hard time understanding what is like to be depressed. It is not just feeling blue or down. Nor can a depressed person, “just shake it off.” I have spent quite awhile thinking how to describe what it feels like.

When I am depressed I lose all interest in my favorite activities; it feels like I am in a long dark tunnel with no light at the end and no matter how far I walk there is no light; I have extreme bouts of sadness (this is not a necessary symptom, a number of depressed people do not “feel” sad); there are periods of deep emotional pain and others where I just don’t care; there is also physical pain and most of the time I feel like the TV commercial for an antidepressant where the spokesperson says she has to always wind herself up. There are days where I have to wind myself up just to get out of the chair and function at all. I have feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness; at times I have very high anxiety and others where I have difficulty concentrating. Even when you are not in a depressive mood swing the depression is always there in the background. Winston Churchill, who suffered from deep depressions, described it as having a big black dog always following you around.

One of the problems with depression is that unlike physical maladies it is not perceived as a real medical problem. This perception is slowly being corrected, but most people do not realize the real cost of depression. It can take a toll on your body as great as other chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis or high blood pressure. In one study by the World Health Organization it was determined that, when weighed for severity of disability, major depression was found to be equivalent to blindness or paraplegia. In the U.S. the loss of productivity due to depression was 33 billion dollars per year in salary. Then there is the mortality rate. Studies show that on average 15 % of individuals with severe MDD will die by suicide, while the lifetime rate for all depressed individuals is 6%.

The causes of depression are still the subject of great study, but we know that 25-45 percent is a genetic predisposition, with the rate being much higher for severe forms and bipolar disorder. The other casual factor or trigger is thought to be stress. We know that depression is caused by the lack of certain neurotransmitters: serotonin, norepinephrine , & dopamine. A major breakthrough in treatment was the discovery of SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) such as Prozac and Paxil. There are now a number of psychotropic drugs available to fight depression. Unfortunately, which drugs work for a person is usually determined by trial and error. For me, the SSRIs did not help; my depression responded more to drugs that effect both serotonin and norepinephrine. Additionally, bipolar disorders need to be treated with a mood stabilizer. I currently take 2 antidepressants, a mood stabilizer, an anti-anxiety med, and a med for my hypomania symptoms.

In addition to medication some form of psychological counseling is used. The most common is cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focus on retraining your thoughts to the change the overly negative perceptions of themselves, their worlds and future. I have been through this treatment I am still fighting these negative thoughts.

This is just a quick overview of some of the facts surrounding depression. For more information check out the National Institute of Mental Health and National Alliance on Mental Illness

Review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:48:00 +0000

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is simply superb. Larrson has created a tightly plotted mystery that is beautifully written, even translated from Swedish. Larrson is a master story teller weaving numerous characters into a mystery masterpiece.

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is hired to seek the truth about Harriet Vanger, a member of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, who disappeared forty years ago. He is aided by “tattooed punk prodigy”, Lisbeth Slanader. Blomkvist is also seeking redemption and revenge after being setup and found guilty of libel.

The book starts out a bit slow and for American readers the Swedish setting may be a bit off-putting with unfamiliar locals and a bit of cultural shock. However, the tail of corporate intrigue, legal thriller, quirky love story and a truly dysfunctional family of suspects pulls you in completely. Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Slanader are two of the best protagonists to come along in a very long time. The richness and depth of the Slanader character alone is reason to read this novel.

Larrson's main themes are the sexual violence against women, corporate malfeasance, journalistic ethics, and how the state treats some of its more vulnerable citizens. Portions of the book are dark and gritty, so be prepared. This novel is truly a mystery for adults who want more than the bubblegum formula so common today.

Dog Smarter than Owner

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:01:00 +0000

I have a Papillion, named Gizmo, and he is not spoiled, but he does have a well trained owner. Papillions are considered the 6th most intelligent breed and the smartest of all the toys. They also have a high prey drive and love to run, jump and play. Just think of them as 8lbs border collies. Gizmo is now 2 and has me well trained.

I have been taught to throw the ball over and over and to play with this stuffed squirrel on the bed before I can take a nap. Gizmo is enamored with gravity and he has a game where he sits on the back of my chair and drops his bone down beside me. This game has gotten to the point where I don’t even think about it, I just pick up the bone and hand it back while I am reading or watching TV.

I have tried to avoid giving him non-doggie treats but how can you ignore such mind control.

But as I said he is not a spoiled dog -nope no chance of it

Wall-E A Review

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:57:00 +0000

We rented Wall-E this week (yes I know I am behind the curve on this one) and we were glad we did not pay to see it in the theater. It is not a bad film, just not up to Pixar standards. The biggest problem is the pacing and lack of character development. The movie has little dialogue in the first half of the film, unless you count Wall-E watching portions of Hello Dolly as dialogue. We have Wall-E doing his job trying to clean up the huge mess that is now planet Earth. We have Wall-E collecting little treasures and until the space probe Eve shows up the only interaction Wall-E has is with a cockroach. Though the cockroach and his food, the Twinkie is a nice inference that only cockroaches and Twinkies will survive.

Even after Eve shows up the plot only picks up a bit, but still drags until both of them return to Eve’s ship. This is the second half of the movie and while the first half dragged the second half seemed rushed. When the actual plot is revealed the events are very predictable. The movie was almost completely devoid of Pixar’s trademark humor. You find it very hard to empathize with the two main characters & the humans are actually dislikeable.

You will not find a Lightning McQueen, Marlin or Dory or a Buzz Lightyear in this movie. Nor will you find the multilayered humor that makes Pixar films as funny for adults as they are for children. If you are looking for a robot movie that has a genuinely interesting character rent Short Circuit and enjoy the antics of Number 5. If you want funny robot dialogue play the Ratchet and Clank video games series.

I am not sure if it was intentional, but the environmental theme with the key being an actual live plant, seems to be giving at least a passing homage to the sci-fi classic Silent Running. It is too bad the movie is so flat and humorless. If you do rent the movie be sure to watch the short, Burn-E, after you watch Wall-E. The short has more Pixar humor and entertainment in its few minutes then the whole Wall-E movie.

Review of Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:36:00 +0000

In Roadside Crosses Deaver brings back Kathryn Dance for a third novel. Originally introduced in one of Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme novels, she is a kinesic analyst, one who studies body language including determining if the subject is lying (Think Lie to Me only much better). In this third outing Dance is submerged into the world of blogging and online life. After an auto accident kills two teens, Travis Brigham, the teen driver thought responsible, but not charged in the accident, is attacked and smeared in an online blog, the “Chilton Report”. Soon one of the online accusers is attacked and Travis becomes a subject of interest and then disappears. Meanwhile other posters on blog become the target of attacks. Travis becomes the number one suspect in the attacks.

As with his previous novels, Deaver’s tight and devious plotting drives the story. Deaver’s trademark is his ability to fool even the most seasoned mystery readers. This becomes harder with each novel because the reader often ignores the obvious suspects knowing Deaver is going to have some delicious twists that are never telegraphed. He does not disappoint in Roadside Crosses. Not only is the plot full of unseen twists but Deaver advances the Dance character, as she continues to grow from the two first novels.

While not his best work, even good work from Deaver is a mystery lovers dream. I highly recommend all of his work including Roadside Crosses.

Multigenerational Living - Month 1

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:50:00 +0000

This is the first month in which I will be living in what is termed a multi-generational or extended family home. In late July our middle daughter, son-in-law and three grandkids moved in. We divided the space so that they would have the upstairs and we occupy the downstairs. Each living space has its own kitchen and bath. This arrangement does afford more privacy than other extended family arrangements, something that I, who has a high need for privacy, am grateful for.

Prior to World War II extended family living was much more common, however, the trend, at least anecdotally, in having adult children and grandchildren under the same roof appears to growing in this economic climate. In our circle of friends there are at least two other couples who have had their children and grandchildren move in with them. According to the 2000 census, there were 2.6 million multigenerational homes with a householder, the householder’s children, and the householder's grandchildren. This constituted 65% of all multigenerational family households in the U.S. (see Family Fact Book ) I will be very surprised if the 2010 census data does not show an increase in the percentage of multigenerational living.

While there are obvious disadvantages to extended family living there are a significant number of advantages. First, are the obvious economic advantages of combining family incomes to pay housing expenses. Other advantages are increased relationship between grandparents and grandchildren; the opportunity to increase meaningful connections between family members; and an increased support system that can allow more job flexibility.

It will be interesting to see how I adapt to this arrangement. I have a higher need for privacy than do my wife and daughter and my wife is excited about the time she can spend with the grandchildren. My son-in-law and I get along very well and have mutual hobbies; video games, computers, blogging (he has yet to blog about this…. hmm) and guy movies. This weekend the “girls” were out of town and it was a simple thing to put the grandkids to sleep for the night and for us to watch a movie, which neither my wife nor daughter would have been interested in.

So far the only family members who appear not to approve of this living arrangement are the two cats. They have had their roaming privileges curtailed and being cats are communicating their displeasure at mere humans imposing such restrictions on them.

Review of Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson

noreply@blogger.com (D.R. Forster) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:14:00 +0000

In Killer Summer Ridley Pearson beings back Walt Fleming for a third crime thriller. Fleming, who is sheriff of Blaine County, Idaho, which includes Sun Valley, has his hands full with a number of personal problems; his nephew is dealing with his father’s suicide; his ex-wife is living with the deputy who she had had an affair with; he is dealing with his relationship with his estranged father and he is trying to raise his twin girls.

Fleming is a more insecure protagonist than that usually found in thrillers. He struggles with how to help father his nephew, relate to the deputy who is now living with his ex-wife; and his daunting task of being sheriff of a huge county that contains both miles of unspoiled wilderness and one of the most upscale resort communities in the country. At times Fleming’s short comings can make for frustration, with the reader wanting to slap him upside the head, but that does show how deep and complex Pearson has crafted the character.

The book is more thriller than mystery, with a number of the perpetrators known from the beginning. The novel opens with the heist of two very rare bottles of wine, given by Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, slated to be auctioned at a wine convention. Soon however, questions arise as to their authenticity and the real motives behind the theft. But wine is not the thieves’ only target and Fleming must work hard to stop the thieves from their ultimate goal. As events unfold two teenagers Summer and Fleming’s nephew, Kevin, find themselves in the middle of the heist and in extreme danger.

The book is more character than plot driven. For example the teenage characters are very well developed, especially for adult fiction. Unlike earlier Pearson books, there are few plot twists, most dealing with who is really behind the thefts and these will be figured out by most readers before they are revealed. The book is more of a straight heist book with a pursuit taking place in Idaho’s wild back country.

Personal conflicts and tension are layered all the way through the book. As Sheriff, Fleming has to navigate his way through Sun Valley’s rich elite while pushing for the truth He must check his reactions in interacting with the deputy living with his ex-wife. He must also deal with romantic feelings toward the town’s part time crime photographer. Later, he must face his estranged father, asking him for help and working with him during the pursuit of both the criminals and his effort to save his nephew and Summer.

Killer Summer is a great read but those looking for more complex plots and hard boiled police action would do well to read Pearson’s Lou Boldt series