Book Twenty Eight of My 2012 Goal

Over the Curb by Bo Barber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am at a lost how to even do a review on "Over the Curb" by Bo Barber. It was not like anything I have read before. I would tell you about the plot or the main characters but there were no main characters. All the salesmen, some customers, and others were all characters. The plot? Well, I am not sure exactly what it was. Maybe it was to solve the murder? Was it a murder? I don't think so since we all know exactly who did it at the time. To me it was more of a 'day and a life of a car salesman' with the main location of this book taking place at (or in a way tied to) the car dealership and everything that went wrong and could go wrong there.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying the book was terrible, it just was 'different'. It at times had me laughing with the silly things going on in it that were all intentional by the author. Starting with a rocking chair competition that they thought would last a day ended up lasting many. The problem was they were not counting on this so no one provided the contestants with time to meet their hygiene needs. You can imagine what it smelled like in there. Some of the reactions of the people were just hilarious with this and other events that happen throughout the book.

There was a lot of swearing and sexual references and because of this I would not recommend this to everyone. However, if you want a fun, quick read that has the sole purpose to get a laugh and at times even make you wonder what was coming next in this crazy mixed up dealership, this is the book for you.

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Book Twenty Seven of my 2012 Goal

The Silver Bomb: Beyond The Return Of Metal As Money by Christopher Whitestone, Michael MacDonald
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“The Silver Bomb: Beyond the Return of Metal as Money” by Michael MacDonald and Christopher Whitestone starts off with a rather interesting history of money. Not only is it a history of money but how it makes and breaks Kings, Empires and Nations. Also how it played a role throughout history regarding politics, things like the news we see or hear and those who hold the money, the banks. The Federal Reserve Bank plays a huge role in the US Dollar and the manipulation of it.

Since Nixon did away with the dollar being backed by gold and into what we have now, the "fiat" dollar which means it is not backed by anything, the dollar has been depreciating. The 'run' of any fiat money is about 30 years and we are past that time, in other words we are on borrowed time with the US Dollar. Points are made pointing to this throughout the book with citing not only events in history to back up their claim but signs and events in recent times, some as recently as last year.

Reasons are given why silver is believed to be what will be backing money and not gold although gold will remain highly prized but the problem with it is it will be less available. They also go into things you should know before you invest and how to invest wisely in metals describing what ingots are and troy ounces. What a 'household' person (vs. someone who uses the metals for a business such as a jeweler) should invest in and why which goes into a very educational history of gold and silver coins and the right of confiscation of gold and silver by the government which has already been done several times throughout history and the right to do it again which they still have today.

I found the book very interesting, not only the history part of it but the opinions of the authors and what they based it on which is clearly explained. I did note some format issues but it didn't interfere with the information being provided. I recommend this book to everyone in hopes you will be ready when 'The Silver Bomb" goes off.

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Book Twenty Six of my 2012 Goal

Hero by Kevon Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

'Hero' by Kevon Brown was a very interesting read since I was reading the story printed in the book but couldn't help 'reading between the lines' about what is going on today in society.

In the book the main character is Tim with important characters being his friends Byron and Jason. The three of them hung around together all the time in school and out. Tim was more of the shy quiet one with little confidence or even know what he really wanted to do once he was out of school. Byron was a talented football player following in his father's footsteps (he was a college player) and had a calm and cool style that will aid him going pro and Jason worshiped the ground his father walked on and wanted to go into politics himself.

The three of these friends really didn't do much 'different' than any other teens in their last year of high school. They partied and met girls, hung out and played video games. They were always together or at least where one was the other two weren't that far behind. However as each of them 'grew up' and went off to college things changed in some very unexpected ways.

Tim, the one who had it the hardest growing up facing tragedy after tragedy ends up being CEO of a gaming company. Political favors, back stabbing, and giving up his values or at least changing them, all had a hand in his success. By the end of the book it was hard to recognize him as the same person at the beginning of the book since he traveled the road he had chosen to follow. The real questions that he should be answering is; why he wasn't among those playing hero and was it worth it?

Although this is a work of fiction, the events in the book taking place remind me of the Automotive and Bank Bailouts, Occupy Movement, even Martin Luther King and Micheal Jackson. I am not saying that these are really what the author intended but I see the similarities.

There was quite a bit of cursing and also a few minor errors in editing, such as hoping for hopping. At first I found it very hard to read because of the 'slang' but either it wasn't used as much as the story went on or I just ignored it. Even with that being said, I would recommend this not only for teens but parents of teens so they can see just what can happen even in the best of families. Even with all the 'heart to heart talks' and 'fatherly love and advise' and no matter how hard you try to do everything right, it is the things that you don't see that can destroy you or your son/your family.

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Book Twenty Five of my 2012 Goal

Stronger Through Christ: A Mother's Memoir by Ami Dark-Rosen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ami Dark-Rosen believes every person has a story to tell and she tells her own in "Stronger Through Christ: A Mother's Memoir". Ami who was diagnosed with childhood diabetes tells her story of growing up 'different' and the hardships she faced then and all through her life. Some 'hardships' (mainly health related) seeming to be a snowball effect that she thinks was started when she was a child and not taking care of herself and believed they were temporary. Most were not but despite all that has happened to her, she is blessed. With the love of her friends and family plus her strong Christian faith she has come through it without giving up.

Not only was Ami faced with health issues time after time but she was faced with being a young married women who wanted a family yet knew her body couldn't take a pregnancy. Later on in her life she was faced with a troubled marriage despite counseling she felt that her husband was growing apart and she questioned his loyalty to her. She also is encountering a society that 'sees' a wheelchair but not the person in it. They fail to see that just because someone is in a wheelchair does not mean they are any less of a person, wife or mother.

I recommend anyone who is having health issues or is questioning 'why me' and wondering where Christ is and why he is letting these bad things happen to them to read this inspiring story.

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Book Twenty Four of my 2012 Goal

chance would be a fine thing by Anthony McCann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anthony McCann's "chance would be a fine thing" is a small collection of poetry and song lyrics that I found entertaining, inspiring, and downright humorous. (Anthony McCann is an Irish singer and songwriter.) This collection is unlike any I have read previously. I love his wittiness and humor as well as the spiritual and paranormal twist.

Seeing any symbolisms and interpretation is a lot like taste, it depended on the individual but I really loved the first poem, "Some clocks tock upon the wall". The poem is about a clock that tocks and not ticks. The child thinks it is "strange" and the clock is doing it on purpose as it maybe "dysfunctional" but his/her mother says it is not for him/her to judge. My favorite part, "Does it think that Time moves forward? Does it think that Time moves back? Is it static or elliptical? Is it fiction or is it fact?" The child goes from thinking the clock is wrong to examining what time is and what the clock is. In different circumstances maybe the clock would be different. I know I will be sharing this poem with my grandchildren and among other things we will discuss the 'judging'.

It seems that the author is giving a lesson or sharing good advice in the songs and poems. Others typical of this are "Emailing Rachel" and "Cleaning Windows". I really don't want to be a spoiler so I won't say much about these other than it is very good advise and let's learn from someone else's mistake so we don't make the same ones ourselves.

The only thing I can say negative about this book is that it is much too short. It just begs you to read more but alas it is over! I think its a great book to give the child in your life or for teachers to read in class and discuss. Maybe what I see as being negative is really something positive (remembering the look on my son's face the day he read his "whole book") plus I'm sure in class children can finish and discuss it within the school year. So, I guess it is really how you look at it. (Remember, some clocks tock. Lesson learned!)

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Book Twenty Three of my 2012 Goal

Exploring Illusion - Paintings: The Use of Optical Illusions in Art by Gary Rohrabaugh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I found "Exploring Illusions" by Gary Rohrabaugh to be fascinating. Mr. Rohrabaugh, with the aid of CAD software designed and then painted six different categories of optical illusions; Elliptical Forms, Sinuous Curves, White Space, Motion, Edge Lines, and XOR. He explained what they were and what works best. He broke them down to the simplest form or added something such as a twisted frame or what looks like flames to me to see if it would enhance the illusion when he painted them. Some of these paintings took a year or better to complete.

I always liked seeing optical illusions but never really thought about how they were made. I am not an art student or designer but it did give me a better appreciation of optical illusions. I found this book very interesting and think any one that wants to try their own illusion, no matter for something to put on their book-cover or an art piece in their home, would find this book a must. I also think everyone who likes optical illusions would enjoy this book, even if you're not into the how and why, you'll love the illusions.

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