26 Hours of Family Fun; 9-12 March on Washington

On Saturday September 12th My Wife and I along with our teenage daughter and teenage son hopped in the family car at 12am and headed to Winston-Salem, NC to meet up with hundreds of folks from the area fed up with excess government expansion and out of control spending. This was the beginning of a very long day. We got on bus #2 of 7 around 2:30am and headed north to Washington.

We got dropped off around 9:30 and told the march would start from Freedom Plaza at 11:30.

We decided to do a little site seeing first. This headed us in the opposite direction of the march. First the Washington Monument then the Lincoln Memorial.
And all places in between, World War I Memorial, World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial then finally we stopped in front of the Whitehouse.

Time to head over to start the march. The only thing we didn't know was there were so many people crowding into Freedom Plaza that they had to start the march a full 2 hours early. In our infinite wisdom we thought we had just missed the start of the march and tried to catch up to the North Carolina groups. Here is a time lapse of the crowd starting in Freedom Plaza and then marching down Pennsylvania Avenue.



Upon cruising the web my Sister-in-law spotted us in the following video. We are in the first 2 seconds of the video. You can see us in our bright green shirts from left to right Me, my son, my wife and my daughter. Even if we weren't in this video it is an excellent short overview.



Here is a large group of photos from the march that I found on flickr.



Last but not least is another excellent video of the event, it is amazing how many people came from all over the country.



After the march we got back on the buses and headed back south to North Carolina.

We ended up getting back in the house a little after 2am on 9-13. All told we had 26 hours of family fun that none of us will ever forget.

The Demon You Know (The Others, Book 3)

The Demon You Know by Christine Warren


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Call me slow, I'm just starting to figure out that many of the books I'm reading are Romance novels first and paranormal second. This series by Christine is a good balance of the two. The mythology in this urban fantasy is well done and the romance while sexually active doesn't over reach into pure porn like some stories I've read.

Bottom line is this is an entertaining series and I'm sure to read the next two.

Cheers!

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She's No Faerie Princess (The Others, Book 2)

She's No Faerie Princess by Christine Warren


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is Christine Warren's second book in The Others series. Like Cynthia Eden's Midnight series there is quite a bit of sex in this book, but the sex here was integral to the story, and told with an intensity and purpose that both stimulated and amused us at the same time.

This is a world of Urban Fantasy. Through 2 books we have been introduced to various types of Shapeshifters, some pack oriented others not so much, Vampires, Witches, Demons, Faeries, Pixies, and Imps. I have enjoyed her mythology and by the end of the second book we have much history revealed and we're learning more each story.

Well Done Christine, I can hardly wait to start the next story.

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Midnight's Master

Midnight's Master by Cynthia Eden


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The third in Cynthia Eden's Midnight series. I continue to think she is too preoccupied with sex and making it graphic must make it better? The sex in this book though like her first Hotter After Midnight is constructive to the story and so I'll forgive her for being a little overzealous in this department. That aside I do love the mythology that she has setup in her world and thoroughly enjoyed the story.

I'm tossed up though because I think she is getting to be a tad too predictable, so while I enjoyed this book it may be the last of this series that I read.

Of course since this is currently the most recent book she has written in this series I have a year or so to change my mind before she comes out with another. :)

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Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


If you're this far into the series you either think this series is just plain fun or you're frustrated with the ever changing boyfriend situation and the many side stories that some think as filler.

Me I like the side stories and think this series is just plain fun.

Before you read this it might help if you track down the short story "One Word Answer" in the anthology "Bite". If you don't there is a short paragraph that back fills you about a previous incident, but it is a big enough gotcha that you might think you missed it while reading the books and wonder if you are reading them out of order.

On to the next.


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Dead to the World

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was the second book in a row that had the higher level of mystery and suspense that I enjoy in my favorite paranormal reads.

In this book Charlaine expands her world with the entry of witches and a closer look at Pack structure and shifter lore.

Add to this a surprising romance and you end up with a very entertaining read.

On to the next.


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Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This story was more to my liking. Varied characters, suspense, romance, action and some mystery. It has taken three books but the author is finally adding some depth to her creations. This book is also the first that I've read that is a total departure from the TV series (which I love). I'm glad I have finally out distanced the screen writers. Although season two already is diverging in many ways from Book two.

Both the books and the HBO show True Blood are worth the time.

Looking forward to the next book.

Dearly Devoted Dexter

Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars

An enjoyable read. In many ways this novel is darker then the first. I still fine myself comparing this to the TV series, but the plot is 95% different from the second season. In many ways the author is still developing the character of Dexter, back filling the reader info as the stories progress.

I am more enthusiastic now and ready to read the third book.


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Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

rating: 4 of 5 stars

After watching the TV show for three years I thought I'd read the books. It took me a while to get beyond the point where the TV series and the book took separate paths. I ended up pleasantly surprised. Surprised by how this book is different then the show and surprised by how well the author and screen writers developed and gave depth to the villain and to characters that are only side notes in the book.

I was a little disappointed in the vagueness of the books ending. One thing for sure the books and the TV show obviously take different tracks from here on out. Knowing how this book ends makes me look forward to reading the 2nd book.


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Hotter After Midnight Review

Hotter After Midnight by Cynthia Eden

rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story revolves around Dr. Drake a shrink for the after dark crowd. Like all good paranormal writers she has little things in her mythology that makes this world her own. And this world is definitely hers.

I have read many Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance, but this is the first book that I would have to give an adult label. It is an excellent story that has a few explicit sex scenes in it. The truly interesting thing to me was that the sex was totally integral to the story. It was raw, hot, instinctual sex appropriate to how the characters were progressing.

Time to start the next one in the series Midnight Sins then at the end of this month the third book comes out, it should be interesting.


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Every Which Way But Dead

Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the third book in this series and I have loved them all. It is a surprisingly entertaining paranormal action yarn based in an alternate modern day urban setting where everything from Pixies to Demons exist. Most paranormal beings living side by side with humans, each aware of the other. The three main characters are a red headed Witch named Rachael, a Vampire named Ivy and a Pixie named Jenks. Saying anything more might spoil some moments and we wouldn't want that, would we?

I would recommend this to anyone interested in fun action filled story. Although because it gets slightly racy at times I would limit the reading audience to High School and older.


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If Congress and the President Refuse to Listen.

If the current congress continues to ignore the 300,000 plus people who attended tea parties last week President Reagan might just come back from the grave and give this address to the nation in 2012.


source
The year is 2012 - Ronald Reagan assesses our circumstances after almost four years with Barack Obama in the oval office.

Tea Party - Greensboro, North Carolina

Our local newspaper, which can't be accused of being conservative created this great video composite of the Tea Party in Greensboro, North Carolina. The paper estimated 1500 folks were in attendance. Click here for a message from the Greensboro Tea Party.



Here is another by the newspaper, it is a must see photo montage with an excellent message from Greensboro, NC

First Meetings in Ender's Universe

First Meetings in Ender's Universe by Orson Scott Card

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
First Meetings is a collection of short stories. The first two stories do predate the series but with out context. That context is only revealed during Ender's game.

The Polish Boy - A story about Peter, Valentine and Ender's Father when his Father was 5 years old.
Teacher's Pest - A story about the meeting of Peter, Valentine and Ender's parents.
Ender's Game - The original short story that the Ender's Game novel was based on.
Investment Counselor - The first time Ender meets Jane.

These stories backfill the series nicely. If I were to try and fit these stories into the series I would read the complete series in the following order.


Ender's Game
Ender's Shadow

First Meetings in Ender's Universe
Read the 1st two stories now.
The Polish Boy
Teacher's Pest

Shadow of the Hegemon
Shadow Puppets
Shadow of the Giant
Ender in Exile

First Meetings in Ender's Universe
Read the 4th story now.
Investment Counselor

Speaker for the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the Mind

First Meetings in Ender's Universe
Read the 3rd story (optional)
Ender's Game (for curiosity sake to see how Card developed/changed the characters from this short story)

A War of Gifts: An Ender Story

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First book I wasn't forced to read

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I wasn't a big reader during school. Other than comic books I only read a couple of books during my first 17 years and they were required reading for courses. The Exorcist was the first book that I read of my own accord. I read this a year (1977) after I graduated high school and joined the Navy. I don't remember specifics, but I enjoyed this book thoroughly enough to continue reading more books down the line. The thing that strikes me as odd is I started reading Sci-Fi and Fantasy and never read another horror novel. I think now that I have an ebook reader I'll have to change that.


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