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Book Review: The Soprano State

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Good grief… When you read a book like this one, you really begin to understand what a disaster of a state we live in here in New Jersey. The Soprano State, authored by Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure, details about as much of the Garden State’s seedy underbelly that any one person can stand without dropping the book in frustration. Seriously, it took me a little bit longer than usual to read this otherwise short book (336 pages) because I would get so discouraged while reading it that I’d put it down for a few days at a time.

Look, we all know that there is corruption inherent in the government. What we do not know is if the system that corrupts the politicians or if it is the politicians that corrupt the system. After going through this book, I don’t think that I’m any closer to answering that question than I was before reading it, but I do think that I am convinced more now than I ever of one thing…

I’m registered as an independent voter due, in part, because I don’t want the Republican or Democratic parties in New Jersey to think that they can always bank on my vote. Well, after reading The Soprano State, I am convinced that staying on the rolls as an independent voter is the right thing to do in the Garden State. Why, you ask? Simple. Backroom deals and the utter waste of taxpayer dollars has been perpetuated by both political parties in this state.

The Soprano State goes in depth on many of the political backroom deals that drive the voters in this state crazy. But what I really liked was when I went to The Soprano State‘s website and noticed that the authors have added, free of charge, updates on more political garbage that you can only expect to find in the Garden State. Here is a sampling from the book’s website:

New Jersey’s long-suffering taxpayers deserve better. Newly sworn-in Gov. Chris Christie said it took him two hours to learn that instead of a $500 million surplus, he was inheriting a $1 billion revenue deficit for the budget year ending June 30. The kicker is that Gov. Corzine, also in his last week, sent by wire transfer $121 million in special municipal aid to five cities. Add that to the news that in his final week, Corzine transferred $1 million to the Legislature. Most of the money, $800,000, went to the Democratic controlled Assembly where salary accounts had been overspent in 2009. This kind of behavior is what cost the Democrats the governor’s seat.
– Michael Symons, Asbury Park Press, Jan. 24 and Jan. 20, 2010

Lee Solomon stepped down from a county judgeship to become president of the Board of Public Utilities. Solomon has worn a lot of hats over the years: assemblyman, Camden County freeholder, county prosecutor, and first deputy U.S. attorney. The Soprano State (chapters 5,6 and 7) does not have warm and fuzzy things to say about Solomon. But this is his chance to make a difference, to end globetrotting at the BPU, to scrutinize its bank accounts, its audits and its files and to hold people accountable. It’s time to give citizens of New Jersey some confidence in the board that regulates utilities. Seems like a judge and a prosecutor would be the perfect person to do it. We shall all see if Solomon fits the bill.
– Bob Ingle, Asbury Park Press, Jan. 22, 2010

Don Norcross, brother of South Jersey political boss George Norcross, has leapfrogged into a state Senate seat. When Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts decided to depart, Norcross got his Assembly seat. As soon as Norcross was sworn in, he was tapped for the Senate seat left vacant by the departure of Sen. Dana Redd, who became mayor of Camden. Don Norcross said he’d draw from the experiences and advice of Roberts and new Senate President Steve Sweeney. The message to taxpayers: nothing is going to change.
– Jeremy Rosen, Courier-Post, Jan. 19, 2010
– Bob Ingle, Asbury Park Press, Jan. 18, 2010

Ahhh…nothing like wasting taxpayer dollars to help your family and friends get ahead in New Jersey, huh? If you’re interested in learning more about the politics of New Jersey, then I suggest reading this book. From my perspective, I think that The Soprano State is required reading for all New Jerseyans.

TV Review: Smallville – Absolute Justice

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Wow. What a great made-for-television movie this was, huh? If you haven’t seen the recent two hour special episode of Smallville on The CW entitled, “Absolute Justice,” then you really missed a great show. Before I talk about the show, though, I should tell you that this is one of those nerdy, comic bookish type of entries so if you’re not interested, then maybe you want to come back tomorrow!

I’ve been a fan of Smallville on The CW (formerly The WB Network) for a long time. It’s a fun show that gives the whole superhero genre some credibility, if you ask me (much like the Spider-Man and X-Men movies). This episode was a two hour made-for-television movie that focused on the original Justice Society of America’s (JSA) interaction with a young Superman, The Green Arrow, The Martian Manhunter, and the Watchtower (operated by Chloe Sullivan). The members of the original JSA that were in this episode included The Star-Spangled Kid, Hawkman, Stargirl, and Dr. Fate.

Anyway, the episode starts with Chloe being confronted by The Star-Spangled Kid before he’s killed by Icicle. Chloe, The Green Arrow, and Clark Kent then do some research and find out that The Star-Spangled Kid was one of the members of an old group of Superheroes called the Justice Society of America. This group was led by Hawkman, who gave up on leading the group years ago and appears to take pleasure in criticizing the younger generation of Superheroes (Clark and his buddies).

Hawkman alludes to the DC Comic book universe in the episode by referring to himself and his team as the Golden Age of Superheroes. He then talks about Clark and his team being the Silver Age of Superheroes. If I remember correctly (and I don’t really remember at all), that is the chronology that DC Comics uses in its comic books, too.

What makes the episode interesting is that it lays the groundwork for a lot of future possibilities. For example, the JSA seems to have all of the information on Kent, the Arrow, Sullivan, Aquaman, and a bunch of the younger generation of Superheroes. The writers could spend full seasons detailing the history of the old JSA as well as showing how the remaining members mentor the new generation. Plus, there’s that museum with all of the old Superheroes’ stuff in it – definitely a lot to talk about in that place. I was also intrigued at Tess Mercer’s involvement in this Checkmate group of villains that zeroed in on attacking the JSA as well as the information that Lex Luthor is still alive. There’s a lot of potential here and I hope that the folks at The CW realize that and urge the Smallville writers to explore the background of the JSA in future episodes.

The point of this entry was just to say that for a show in its ninth season, I think that Smallville still has “it” and I hope The CW supports the show and its writers. And if you can get your hands on the Absolute Justice episode, I would suggest giving it a try!

Book Review: I Had the Right to Remain Silent… But I Didn’t Have the Ability

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As an avid reader, I always like picking up full autobiographies or books where interesting people write about themselves and their experiences. A while ago I was at the Barnes & Noble and I picked up “blue collar” comedian Ron White’s mini-autobiography/comedy book I Had the Right to Remain Silent… But I Didn’t Have the Ability. I gotta tell you, this is a pretty funny book.

A large portion of the book is Ron White’s stand-up act transcribed into the written word. You have to watch his act once or twice to understand his pacing, but if you understand his pacing then you’ll be able to read through the comedy bits relatively quickly. And even though I’ve heard White perform most of this material before, I did find myself laughing out loud two or three times at some of his jokes. Fans of White’s comedy will surely enjoy reading his jokes almost as much as they enjoy listening to him deliver them.

The book intersperses pieces of White’s comedy routine between pieces of his life story. And it’s an interesting story to say the least. I don’t want to give away any of the more entertaining parts, but I think the story of White going to Mexico to work on some sitcom was pretty entertaining (in a sick sort of a way). Also, the stories also show how White has depended on his friendship with Jeff Foxworthy to help him break through some of the stigmas that were attached to him due to his drug use. White heaps a ton of praise and thanks on Foxworthy and it comes across very clear to the reader that White attributes a great deal of his success to his friendship with Jeff.

Overall, I think that this is a good book for the price. You can probably find it in the bargain bin at your local Barnes & Noble for a few bucks. So if you’re looking for a very quick, very cost effective read that will also give you some laughs while telling a great human interest story, then you’ll want to pick up a copy of Ron White’s I Had the Right to Remain Silent… But I Didn’t Have the Ability. Enjoy!

Book Review: The Eat-Clean Diet for Men

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When you’re constantly trying to lose weight (or, in my case, trying to find the time in your day to just get to the gym), you come across a lot of different diet books, workout regimes, and “quick fixes.” With respect to the quick fixes, I don’t buy into any of that stuff because the quick fix is usually depriving your body of certain essential items (such as fat or carbohydrates – the body needs these things!).

The other day I was watching one of the morning talk shows before leaving for work and one of the guests was a woman that lost a ton of weight. Part of her routine was the Eat-Clean Diet. I’m always interested in what people are doing to lose large amounts of weight. Usually, I’m looking to see if those people are finding success while juggling a crazy professional and personal schedule. In other words, I want to see if anyone can lose 100+ or 150+ pounds when they are busy from 7am through 10pm on most days. I haven’t found that success story yet…

But I digress. I looked into the Eat-Clean Diet for Men and was immediately happy to see that it isn’t so much of a diet as it is a plan to eat natural foods in proper portions. The Eat-Clean Diet for Men, created by Robert Kennedy and his wife Tosca Reno, focuses on creating a schedule of food intake that works for a man to achieve whatever he wants to achieve (be it losing weight, gaining muscle, or maintaining a certain weight). Folks, I’ve been on all sorts of diets and when I did manage to lose 120+ pounds a few years ago (before gaining it back), I did it by staying away from fad diets and, instead, just eating smaller portions and working out more often. That’s what I liked about the Eat-Clean Diet – it’s not a fad diet. Instead, it focuses on eating real foods.

And as it turns out, I’ve been eating the same foods that are recommended by the Eat-Clean Diet for Men for years. I take the supplements that they suggest taking and I eat the food that they suggest eating. My problem for the last few years where I’ve gained the weight back has always been on two issues. The first is portion size. I eat gigantic sandwiches and large bowls of pasta and I shouldn’t do that. I get progressively better at reducing these portion sizes as time goes on, but I still sometimes have portion sizes that are too big. The second problem is timing.

During the college semester, it’s very hard for me to get to the gym for an intense workout. Sure, I can get to the gym and have a half-assed workout at the end of the day for about 30 minutes, but it’s not worth the effort since I’m not achieving anything in that scenario. Between the two hour daily commute to and from my day job, teaching two nights per week, and attending a class on a third night each week, I get pretty tired by the time I get home at night. Further, when I do get home it is usually between 9pm and 10pm after having been awake since 6am.

For me, the Eat-Clean Diet for Men plan doesn’t address how to juggle a ridiculous professional and personal schedule and thus doesn’t add much “new” information for me. In fact, the information presented in the book (which is a very well prepared book, by the way) is nothing new to anyone who has been researching health and healthy lifestyles. In fact, there was nothing new in this book on that front. However, I can see how this book can be a very valuable resource to those people who do not know which foods are good and which ones are bad for improving health.

I’d recommend this book for someone who is in that latter group and for someone who has the time to dedicate to really changing their entire lifestyle for the cause of improving health. For those of us who are over-scheduled from the morning hours through the late evening, the only new thing you’ll find in this book is which foods are good and which are bad. For those of you who already know which foods are good and which are bad and if you’re over-scheduled and trying to find a way to lose weight, then the Eat-Clean Diet for Men might not be for you.

Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

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First, I have to contradict something that I wrote a few days ago. If you read my entry from this past Sunday, I commented on how sometimes it takes me a year to get through a single book due to problems with timing. That wasn’t the case with Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. I began reading this book about a week ago and I couldn’t put it down; I had the whole thing completed in about four days.

I had no idea what to expect coming into this book. A few years ago I read Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and I enjoyed his writing style. So, based on being pleased with the other book, I picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns and let me tell you – this is one hell of a story! It’s the story of two women in Afghanistan and their struggles for respect and the ability to live a decent life in a country that is seemingly in a constant state of war. The novel is brilliantly written and is at times both heart-wrenching and brutal. At some point in the novel, the reader is actually pressed to expect the worst outcome for these women in any pending situation. Hosseini captures despair unlike any other writer that I’ve read in the last few years.

The story’s two main female characters are Mariam and Laila. The two women are separated by a number of years, but they wind up as wives to a hardcore man who beats and humiliates them. It’s tough to read at some points, but the quality of the writing makes it worth the intensity. Though these two are wives to the same man, their histories are anything but similar. Mariam grows up as the unwanted child of a wealthy man who conceived her with a servant woman. Being of such a history, Mariam is cast aside and literally lives in a hut until her mother passes away (the story kicks into high gear at this point, but I won’t spoil it for you). Mariam is then sent off to marry a man name Rasheed who requires her to follow a strict Islamic lifestyle, which includes wearing a burqa and being subservient to her husband.

Laila, on the other hand, grows up across the street from Mariam and Rasheed. Her father is a university professor before the Soviets begin to occupy the country. As a professor, he stresses the importance of Laila getting an education which ultimately brings Laila’s life full circle (you need to get to the end of the book to understand that piece of the story). Laila grows up with a young boy named Tariq. The two of them share a budding love story until the war gets so bad that Tariq’s family is forced to leave Kabul (which is where the bulk of the story takes place). From that point, the story take a variety of twists and turns.

After her family is killed, Laila winds up as Rasheed’s second wife. One of the most well written parts of the book is when Laila gets beaten for the first time by Rasheed. It really puts the reader in a position to hate Rasheed, which is where I found myself about midway through the book.

The rest of the story deals with Laila’s children, her desire to preserve what she had with Tariq, and Mariam wanting her life to mean something of importance (which it ultimately does). Of course, there’s a lot more to this story to fill its 415 pages and I encourage you to read the novel to get a full picture of this wonderfully written story.

In an Afterword, Hosseini asks his readers to look at the United Nations website regarding refugee services and support. Feel free to click on that link to see the website. And, if you’re looking for a startlingly powerful and brilliantly written read, then I suggest picking up A Thousand Splendid Suns.