The Da Vinci Code (DVD) Review

The Da Vinci Code as a novel is an international bestselling phenomenon, but The Da Vinci Code as a movie is bound to be long forgotten by year's end. Directed by Ron Howard, the Hollywood veteran behind such memorable films as A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man, this adaptation of Dan Brown's religious thriller is 149 minutes of monotonous exposition and tedious European spy thriller clichés. What makes Dan Brown's novels so popular is the narrative background on such subjects as cryptography, secret societies, religious orders, and alternative history. But it's difficult to translate such ideas to the big screen, and it's here that The Da Vinci Code fails as a commercial thriller. Entire scenes are composed of lectures on the history of Christianity and the life of Leonardo Da Vinci. Michael Crichton has a similar style of writing that focuses on scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology, but his novels adapt better to the big screen. Whereas Jurassic Park briefly lectured audiences on the inner-workings of DNA, then quickly jumped to two hours of dinosaurs terrorizing people, The Da Vinci Code keeps explaining, hypothesizing, and lecturing only to leave its audience hanging. The ideas are intriguing, but they make for a far better novel than silver screen blockbuster. Minus the interesting conjecture, the film is nothing more than a poorly written 1970s drugstore spy thriller…

Tom Hanks plays the lead role of Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor of religious symbology lecturing in Paris. When Jacques Sauniere (Jean-Pierre Marielle), curator of the Louvre, is found murdered and strangely positioned in his famous museum, local authorities initially consult Langdon for his expertise. But the professor soon learns from Sauniere's granddaughter, government cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), that he and the prime suspect are one and the same. Creating a diversion for the police, the two discover a hidden trail of clues created by Sauniere in the moments before his death, clues that just might lead them to most elusive treasure in human history – the Holy Grail. With InterPol hot on their trail, and the true murderer still at large, Langdon and Neveu enlist the help of Grail historian Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellen) to teach them the history of the Grail's protectors, The Priory of Scion, and to help them uncover the endless clues that promise to unravel a 2,000 year mystery…




Despite the remarks of most critics, Tom Hanks' performance is not atrocious. Although his character is bland at best, he wasn't given much with which to work. Robert Langdon's lack of development is more attributable to poorly written dialogue and poor choices in direction. Ron Howard tries to cover up some of the excessive dialogue with visual images, but narrative is still narrative even with flashback sequences. Audrey Tautou delivers her lines well, but suffers from the same constraints as her Academy Award-winning screen partner. The only shining performance is provided by Ian McKellen as the eccentric and charming Grail expert, Leigh Teabing. Some of his one-liners add a bit of comic relief, but they're only band-aids on the gushing head wound that is this film. In the end, The Da Vinci Code is a lesson on the distinction between two differing mediums. Movies haven't replaced books, or vice-versa, for a reason. Sometimes, it's just better to read the book. In the case of The Da Vinci Code, this is one of those moments...

Men of Extreme Action - Book Review

Action, thriller and humor – this book has it all! Men of Extreme Action by Joseph Kochanoff is one of the better books I have reviewed this year, despite its obvious need of editing. Based in the action movie making industry, Joseph incorporates murder, excellent fight scenes and sabotage.

The two main characters are action movie stars that have difficult personal issues keeping them from doing their best. Wolfe Neilson is an aging man who is losing the battle both in his career and with alcohol. Steele Taylor is an older egomaniac who has become ruthlessly rude and demanding. These two actors are forced to make one last stab at reviving their dying careers (and personalities) by making an action movie together. Neither is used to sharing the 'lime light' and the antagonism between these two ancient enemies is quite entertaining. Steele and Wolfe are constantly trading insulting wisecracks that had me guffawing aloud – yet in the end they will depend on each other to live through another day.

Colorful characters such as Mr. Pang, the torture-trainer who forces Wolfe and Steele to cooperate, and Tina, the agent who mediates many antagonistic situations, brighten the story line. The rival -the most popular action movie star of the day - Blaze Vansome, is easy to hate.

Steele and Wolfe are soon living as if inside one of their movies. Who can they trust? Where do they go for help? How does one fight a well-connected crime organization on their own?

In their desperate efforts to solve the mystery of who is trying to sabotage their movie, Wolfe and Steele stumble into one hilarious situation into another. Their banter keeps the mood light and the action is so fast paced you will not want to put the book down.

I highly recommend this book."


ISBN#: 1413735398
Author: Joseph Kochanoff
Publisher: Publish America, Inc.

Tips For The Beginner On Acoustic Guitar

The acoustic guitar is the most well-liked instrument for beginner musicians. It is simple to cart around, you can practice on it any time, and it has a very agreeable sound. The acoustic guitar also is something of an unknown quantity for anyone just starting to learn to play, so in this article I would like to come to grips with issues such as the best acoustic guitar to buy for the beginner, what to expect when you take lessons and whether or not you will need to learn to read music. If you are just starting as a guitar player, and you need some guidance, keep reading.

First you will require a guitar. An acoustic guitar for a beginner is often difficult to find. The best guitar is not too dear but painless to play. With the number of low cost, poor quality acoustic guitars being made recently you will perhaps need someone you have faith in to assist you to decide on your first guitar. If you do not know anybody to assist you choose a guitar, then it would be best to launch into your search based on brand names. There are some acoustic guitars in the average price range that are favorably recommended by veteran guitar players:

The Ibanez AC30NT is a nicely-built guitar with an exceptionally agreeable tone.

If you go to your local guitar dealer you might be able to hook up with a Fender beginner's package containing the low priced but serviceable Fender DG-8S.

Another cheap beginner's guitar with an excellent brand name is the Epiphone DR-100.

Takamine is another label to ponder with some fully reasonable guitars in their range. If you are constrained by your finances the Takamine G-340 is a good selection.




For a grand looking, great sounding guitar, seek no further than the Seagull S6 but it is a little more pricey than the others.

If you find yourself looking round for a secondhand guitar, look for the brand names I have mentioned.

Your first acoustic guitar lessons will doubtless be taken up with the basics of stringing and tuning your guitar. You might want to learn some guitar music theory to assist you to understand what you are doing when you begin to play scales and chords.

When you are all set up with your acoustic guitar and you have found a teacher or online lessons, you will be looking around for songs that you, as a beginner, might dream of playing. Just center your pursuit on the kind of songs you enjoy. You should find easy versions of your favorite songs that will make use of simple chords that you will still be using as you grow into a guitarist. The easiest songs will be using open chords which will only use two or three of your left hand fingers. You will be strumming or plucking all six strings, but some of the strings will be "open", that is, not fingered.

If you are wondering whether to learn to read music or just tabs you will find that guitar tabs are the easiest way to go. A few minutes of reading will give you the basic idea behind tablature, and an online search will clear up any rough spots in your comprehension.

Playing Bass Guitar Solos

In 1965 British rock group, The Who released a song called My Generation. Apart from its claim to fame as a rock anthem it also contains the most instantly recognizable bass guitar solo in rock and roll. This iconic solo by John Entwistle is typical of the bass solo modeled on similar solo breaks played on double bass and bass guitar in jazz music. This type of bass guitar solo is in the form of a question and answer sequence often found in blues music. The Who's solo also imitates jazz bass solos in that it is played without other instruments behind it. In jazz such solos are played unaccompanied because other instruments tend to drown out the bass.

There have been many bass solos included in rock, funk and jazz but only in pop music has the bass guitar solo stood alone as a piece of music. The first pop musician in England to own and play an electric bass guitar was Jet Harris. He found fame and fortune with The Shadows, Cliff Richard's backing group who were trying to make their own way in pop music as a vocal and instrumental group. Harris played on the band's early instrumental hits featuring the lead guitar of Hank Marvin but decided to try to make it as a soloist like America's Duane Eddy.

Jet Harris' first big hit as a solo guitarist was in 1962 with his rendition of the 1940 song Besame Mucho. The throbbing notes of the six string bass turned a poignant love song into an instrumental work full of menace. Probably inspired by their former band member's success, The Shadows released another six string bass solo called Stingray as a single in 1965.

Meanwhile in America in 1963 a young composer and arranger named Jack Nitzsche made a lush orchestral single called The Lonely Surfer. The orchestra was merely the backdrop for a simple melody played on the bass guitar. The Lonely Surfer never climbed higher than number thirty-nine on the charts, but that is pretty good for a bass guitar solo!




These days the bass guitar is an important part of any band. It was actually born in the nineteen thirties but met with very little success until it was adopted by the early rock and roll groups of the nineteen fifties. The bass guitar is of course descended from the double bass which has always been a solo instrument in orchestral music and was often used for solo work in jazz.

If you want to play bass guitar, you might want to consider learning to play a regular guitar first. It is not absolutely necessary to become a lead or rhythm guitarist before playing bass but it seems to be the way that bass guitar players come into the world. To begin your career as a bass guitarist you can try playing through the bass tabs available on the internet. There are also some lessons available for free plus you can view heaps of bass solos and bass guitar lessons on the various video sites.

Once you have some practice on the bass guitar under your belt there is blinding variety of bass guitar techniques to try before you begin seriously to play solos. You can employ a wide range of plectrums or choose from the many techniques which involve plucking, popping and slapping the bass with the fingers. To some people this might sound like hard work but hopefully you will regard it as a labor of love.

Dawson's Creek (DVD) Review

Nominated for 12 Teen Choice Awards in its five-year (six season) run, including Best Drama Series, Dawson's Creek quickly built an extensive cult following. A surprise smash hit for the enterprising WB network, the show initiated a successful string of numerous original series for WB such as Angel (1999), Gilmore Girls (2000), and Smallville (2001). Set in the fictional township of Capeside, Massachusetts, the series was nonetheless filmed almost entirely on location in Wilmington, North Carolina (although the opening theme song, "I Don't Want To Wait," is written and performed by Massachusetts native Paula Cole). Creator Kevin Williamson (writer for the blockbuster movie Scream) is said to have modeled the characters on Dawson's Creek after various aspects of his own self from his adolescent years…

Dawson's Creek follows the lives of several teenagers, some of whom grew up together, as they struggle through the tempestuous and volatile years of pre-adulthood. The title character is Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), an introspective and intelligent dreamer who lives nearby lifelong best friend Josephine "Joey" Potter (Katie Holmes), a tomboy unaware of how truly beautiful she is. Mutual friend Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) is part of their clique, as are newcomers Jennifer "Jen" Lindley (Michelle Williams), Andrea "Andie" McPhee (Meredith Monroe), and Jack McPhee (Kerr Smith). Together, the friends form the basis of a teen soap opera, complete with high drama, curiosity, and bits of comic relief. Know for its intelligent subject matter, clever dialogue, and no-holds-barred tackling of issues, Dawson's Creek made most of its cast overnight celebrities




The Dawson's Creek DVD (Season 1) features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere in which longtime friends Dawson, Joey, Pacey, and new friend Jen attend their first day of tenth grade. Meanwhile, Dawson notices that Joey is growing jealous of his attraction to the new girl in town, and Pacey develops a crush on an unknown woman who just happens to be a teacher at Capeside High… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Discovery" in which Dawson discovers his mother's affair, Joey's knowledge of it, and some personal information about Jen, and "The Scare" in which Dawson and company scare themselves for real when a serial killer heads toward Capeside during their Friday the 13th séance…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Dawson's Creek (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 01-20-1998
Episode 2 (Dance) Air Date: 01-27-1998
Episode 3 (Kiss) Air Date: 02-03-1998
Episode 4 (Discovery) Air Date: 02-10-1998
Episode 5 (Hurricane) Air Date: 02-17-1998
Episode 6 (Baby) Air Date: 02-24-1998
Episode 7 (Detention) Air Date: 03-03-1998
Episode 8 (Boyfriend) Air Date: 03-10-1998
Episode 9 (Road Trip) Air Date: 03-17-1998
Episode 10 (Double Date) Air Date: 04-28-1998
Episode 11 (The Scare) Air Date: 05-05-1998
Episode 12 (Beauty Contest) Air Date: 05-12-1998
Episode 13 (Decisions) Air Date: 05-19-199

Lucian's Place

Lucian's Place - Book Review

Lucian's Place is a tale of far-fetched proportions, yet so close to the possibilities of our own present technologies that it is quite believable.

The idea of three people and their immediate surroundings (a high-tech self-sustained ranch) being thrown back in time might seem a trifle wild, yet the author gives it all a sense of normalcy that distracts you from that. As the characters discover they are defending their very lives from strange creatures from another time, the dangers never relent. With the help of an aware computer that thinks acts and feels like a human, the battle to simply survive is eased somewhat, however the question of returning to their proper time is inherent.

Belle Smith gives us a great science fiction read without the typical concoction of space travel and high-tech aliens. Instead, she keeps us on Earth with a taste of what computers, combined with nano-technology and human creativity, may achieve for us in the not too distant future… or should I say past? Her unique vision of how civilization might be rebuilt from scratch with minimal impact on the environment makes for an inspiring read.

Lucian's Place is a definite page-turner and a book I found very hard to put down. Guaranteed to make you think differently before cursing your home computer!


ISBN#: 1-4137-6963-2
Author: Belle Smith
Publisher: Publish America
Pages: 364

Known Football Logos In A Town Without An NFL Team

The city of Los Angeles, the second largest city in the U.S., has no professional football team. That fact, however, should not be interpreted as meaning that Los Angeles has no well-recognized football logos. In fact, it has two.

Every fall there is one really big football weekend in Los Angeles. That is the weekend when the USC Trojans play the UCLA Bruins. On that weekend, and during the entire week leading to that weekend, the team logos seem to be everywhere. The rivalry between USC and UCLA has become a widely-reported rivalry.

The rivalry between USC and UCLA seems to underline the importance of sports logos. The fans from each institution, the alumni as well as the students and professors, collect around the stands that sell items with the different logos. Each purchase represents an effort to demonstrate support for a favored team.

Sometimes the logo is part of the "dressing" on a special marker made by some students. When the students create such a marker, then it eventually appears on the TV news. That serves to reinforce the importance of the team logos.

Residents in other parts of the United States get excited about other rivalries. Their excitement leads them to fly flags with different logos. Yet nowhere else in the U.S. does the excitement surrounding two sports logos have the same meaning that it does in Los Angeles.<




While the City of Los Angeles has moved closer to having an NFL team, it does not yet have one. It has been without one for more than 10 years. Football fans in the City would love to welcome an NFL team. They eagerly await the decision on the team's stadium.

At this point, it looks like the coliseum at USC will probably serve as the stadium for a new football team. Yet no one has officially ruled out the other possibilities-the Rose Bowl and the stadium in Anaheim. Once a decision has been made, then the City will prepare to welcome its new team.

No doubt the Los Angeles Times will carry detailed information about the team logo for that transferred or expansion NFL team. Then the citizens of Los Angeles can get set to purchase plenty of items bearing that logo. Seeing that the City has been without a team for so long, the football fans are apt to go overboard in their display of the logo for their new favored football team.

South Park (DVD) Review

Premiering in the late summer of 1997, South Park took American pop culture by storm with its no-holds-barred examination of social and political issues and its lewd yet unique brand of cartoon humor. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park is the lynchpin of cable network Comedy Central's original programming lineup. Centered around the lives of several kids in the small Colorado town of South Park (a place prone to odd and paranormal occurrences), the series presents itself in the form of crude animated drawings, yet the concept works, playing home to innumerable well-written shows filled with boundless wit, well-timed one-liners, and an endless array of politically-incorrect humor. Love it or hate it, South Park is a truly original animated series with relentlessly off-the-wall plot twists and comic relief. If you love oddball humor, then this is the show for you…

South Park mostly follows the exploits of four elementary school kids - Cartman (who's overweight and sarcastic), Kyle (who dreams of eliminating his little brother Ike), Stan (who throws up at the sight of a girl he likes), and Kenny (who manages to get killed in every episode). All four attend South Park Elementary School where third grade teacher Mr. Garrison educates them with the use of a hand-puppet named "Mr. Hat" and cafeteria employee "Chef" McElroy (Isaac Hayes) dispenses his advice while periodically breaking into 70's love songs about making love to women. South Park is the setting for numerous oddities such as alien visitors, a monster with a hand of celery and the leg of Patrick Duffy, and Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride. South Park also hosts a number famous people from time to time, such as the Devil, Saddam Hussein, the Antichrist, Kathy Lee Gifford, Scott Baio, Tina Yothers, Elton John, and Jesus Christ - who has his own cable access show…




The South Park DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" in which Kyle tries to rid himself of his baby brother Ike by playing a game of "kick the baby" at the bus stop. Meanwhile, Cartman reveals to his friends that he had a nightmare in which he was abducted by aliens, leading Stan, Kyle, and Chef to the conclusion that aliens inserted an anal probe in Cartman. As cows are mutilated in South Park, Cartman continues to live in denial of the alien machine residing in his anus… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig" in which Kyle's science project to cross-breed an elephant with a pig is made possible when Chef and Elton John create the necessary atmosphere for proper loving-making, and "Pink Eye" in which Kenny dies early in the episode but is turned into a zombie by accident…

Below is a list of episodes included on the South Park (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Cartman Gets an Anal Probe) Air Date: 08-13-1997
Episode 2 (Volcano) Air Date: 08-20-1997
Episode 3 (Weight Gain 4000) Air Date: 08-27-1997
Episode 4 (Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride) Air Date: 09-03-1997
Episode 5 (An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig) Air Date: 09-10-1997
Episode 6 (Death) Air Date: 09-17-1997
Episode 7 (Pink Eye) Air Date: 10-29-1997
Episode 8 (Starvin' Marvin) Air Date: 11-19-1997
Episode 9 (Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo) Air Date: 12-17-1997
Episode 10 (Damien) Air Date: 02-04-1998
Episode 11 (Tom's Rhinoplasty) Air Date: 02-11-1998
Episode 12 (Mecha-Streisand) Air Date: 02-18-1998
Episode 13 (Cartman's Mom is a Dirty Slut) Air Date: 02-25-1998

South Park (Season 4) DVD Review

Launching its premiere broadcast in late summer 1997, South Park instantly ascended to the status of pop culture icon with its rapier-like wit and unique brand of sarcasm. Following the exploits of four elementary school kids - Kyle, Cartman, Stan, and Kenny - the series utilizes amateurish drawing skills, but grade-A humor. The creation of two friends, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, South Park remains one of Comedy Central's most popular cable programs to this day...

The South Park (Season 4) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "The Tooth Fairy's TATS 2000" in which Cartman's two-dollar bounty from the tooth fairy sparks an idea in the boys' heads to scam the tooth fairy. When they learn the truth about the tooth fairy, they establish a new plan to rob rich kids of their tooth fairy money, but they soon learn that a notorious mobster already has the tooth fairy market cornered… Other notable episodes from Season 4 include "Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?" in which a fundamentalist preacher convinces the boys that they are all going to hell unless they confess their sins (except for Kyle because he's Jewish, and thus, hell-bound already), and "Fat Camp" in which the boys dissect several endangered manatees in science class following a delivery mix-up with the Denver Zoo…

Below is a list of episodes included on the South Park (Season 4) DVD:

Episode 49 (The Tooth Fairy's TATS 2000) Air Date: 04-05-2000
Episode 50 (Cartman's Silly Hate Crime 2000) Air Date: 04-12-2000
Episode 51 (Timmy! 2000) Air Date: 04-19-2000
Episode 52 (Quintuplets 2000) Air Date: 04-26-2000
Episode 53 (Cartman Joins NAMBLA) Air Date: 06-21-2000
Episode 54 (Cherokee Hair Tampons) Air Date: 06-28-2000
Episode 55 (Chef Goes Nanners) Air Date: 07-05-2000
Episode 56 (Something You Can Do With Your Finger) Air Date: 07-12-2000
Episode 57 (Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?) Air Date: 07-19-2000
Episode 58 (Probably) Air Date: 07-26-2000
Episode 59 (4th Grade) Air Date: 11-08-2000
Episode 60 (Trapper Keeper) Air Date: 11-15-2000
Episode 61 (Helen Keller! The Musical) Air Date: 11-22-2000
Episode 62 (Great Expectations) Air Date: 11-29-2000
Episode 63 (Fat Camp) Air Date: 12-06-2000
Episode 64 (The Wacky Molestation Adventure) Air Date: 12-13-2000
Episode 65 (A Very Crappy Christmas) Air Date: 12-20-2000