A Scanner Darkly (film)

Tonight I went to a $2 showing of A Scanner Darkly, a very good film. Though there are some significant changes, I don’t think fans of the novel will be disappointed. The general feel of the book is there, and the main plot and characters remain intact. On the downside, they didn’t really get across the whole Fred/Bob disconnect idea very well, and their representation of the scramble suits weren’t exactly what I had in mind – but, hell, the whole book is pretty hard to transfer to film. It stands as a good film on its own, and should please any who would have an interest in seeing it. Certainly superior to the last few Hollywood interpretations of Philip K. Dick’s work.

review, books

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

I picked up the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin at one of those library book sales a few years ago for something like $1. It’s been sitting on my bookshelf, neglected, ever since – though I kept telling myself I’d read it one day. Finally, I have.

I enjoyed the book a good deal. Though I can’t say I agree with all of Franklin’s politics or his racist leanings, I did enjoy the writing style and the insight into the times. It’s impressive how varied a man he was, seemingly every institution and employment being touched by him at some point. (And the book only goes to 30 years before his death.) I wouldn’t use the book as a mold to shape my life to, which was the book’s intention, but it’s still a good read.

TAD Stealth Hoodie Gen 2

TAD has released the second generation of their Stealth Hoodie Tactical Soft Shell. The big change seems to be in their new “rhino” fabric. Other than that, some small changes in the hood design, and new cuffs, the jacket doesn’t look to be much different from the first generation, which I’ve owned in ME Green for about 9 months now. I’ve been meaning to write a review of it, but, until I do, suffice it to say that I love it and was worth the money.

Sickening

Classes started up again last Wednesday. It’s depressing, after all the experiences of the past 3 months to, once again, be forced to place my learning aside and sit in classrooms for months upon months, under the guide of “education”. We’ll see how long I last.

review, books

The Fairhaven Folktales of Dirty Dan Harris

The Fairhaven Folktales of Dirty Dan Harris by Michael Sean Sullivan is a fun little bit of local history. It concerns the life and times of “Dirty” Danial Harris, the sailor and whiskey smuggler who founded the town of Fairhaven in the 1800s. Dirty Dan had a reputation as quite the story teller in his time, this book being the recounting of his tales that were orally passed down after his death.

review, books, survival

Basic Essentials Weather Forecasting

It was staring up at the sky one day at the NVC that I decided to learn what the clouds meant. So, upon return, I picked up a copy of Basic Essentials Weather Forecasting by Michael Hodgson. The book serves as a short introduction to the topic of amateur weather forecasting, a chapter of it devoted to the science of clouds. The subject, I think, is not for me – a lot of it went over my head (too many big words like cumulonimbus) – but I did manage to take a good deal from the book. I’d recommend it for anyone who spends a deal of time in the outdoors, as the ability to predict stormy weather is a useful one.

review, books

The Complete Guide to Lock Picking

The Complete Guide to Lock Picking by Eddie the Wire is something of a classic on the subject. I find that when talking to lock specialists, I’m always referred to it at one point or another. It’s a short book. At only 80 pages, it obviously isn’t very indepth. I found the author to brush over some topics too quickly, and was also lacking in pictures to help reinforce concepts. But all in all, the book taught me a good deal. Now I need to invest in a pick set.

review, books, survival

Survival Retreat

Ragnar Benson’s Survival Retreat: A Total Plan for Retreat Defense is a whacky little book. It focuses on suggestions for locating, building, and stocking fallout shelters for surviving anything from economic collapse to nuclear war. Published in 1983, the book contains a lot of that Cold War paranoia. It does have a number of good tips, though the author has some mental issues he should probably work on.