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    Losing It

    Losing It

    David Allan

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    Book

    Danny Anders has a secret. Contrasted with his loveable image on the outside is a profound hatred...

50 Secrets of the World's Longest Living People
50 Secrets of the World's Longest Living People
Sally Beare | 2005 | Medical & Veterinary
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I am 77 years old and feeling better than ever. This book has proved to me that longevity has everything to do with one’s state of mind. I just make sure to release all my anger and resentment whenever it hits me, and take a walk. I also dance in my mind to keep myself in good health. Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life. The best advice is to do three things a day to make somebody happy. Do that for three months, and your life will be totally changed. These 77 years are just a prelude to my life!"

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Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses
Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses
1987 | Rock
7.8 (5 Ratings)
Album Favorite

Out Ta Get Me by Guns N' Roses

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Track

"An absolute fucking testament to paranoia, to anger, and to blame. It's fantastic. 'They're out to get me, they won't catch me, I'm fucking innocent'... that's just fucking brilliant, absolutely brilliant. It's a youth anthem. Things like this weren't really addressed: the paranoia of it all. The dark side of life wasn't really looked at in rock, apart from theatrically, with Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper. It wasn't really looked at sociologically, and in my opinion Guns N' Roses were one of the first bands to tackle it properly. All the fantasies and romanticism that had gone before were there, but there was also a gritty side to it. The comedown side to it. The real side to it."

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Salt to the Sea
Salt to the Sea
Ruta Sepetys | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics, Young Adult (YA)
6
8.8 (12 Ratings)
Book Rating
This isn't really something I normally read. I wasn't enthralled and I didn't "get lost" inside the book, but I did feel heartbreak, anger, disbelief, hope. I had never heard of Wilhelm or any of the other tragedies mentioned - when I hear WW2, I think of the Holocaust. It is obvious that war is a time of suffering, when horrendous actions are committed by both sides, but it's hard to remember that when your mind is taught about the opposing sides' atrocities. Reading about the things done by both Russians, their allies, and Germans broke my heart. Even if I didn't love this book, I definitely learned something new and gained more perspective.
  
The Angry Birds Movie (2016)
The Angry Birds Movie (2016)
2016 | Animation, Family
The new kids’ movie Angry Birds is a joint venture between Columbia Pictures and Rovio Animation.

I did not hold high hopes for this movie when I went to screen it, and really only went because I knew my 7 year old son would want to see it.

It has a wide range of actors and actresses voicing the characters: Jason Sudeikis as Red, Josh Gad as Chuck, Danny McBride as Bomb, Maya Rudolph as Matilda, Bill Hader as Leonard, Peter Dinklage as Mighty Eagle, Sean Penn as Terence, and Blake Shelton as Earl Pig.

If you have ever played the game by the same name, you will recognize the characters, as well as the soundtrack music.

It was a decent (kids) story, and the movie is certainly colorful and fast paced. In my opinion, the 3-D aspect helped.

We follow the main character, Red, as he tried to fit into a happy, steady society, that frowns upon and even penalizes outburst of bad temper, whether they are warranted or not.

He blows up at a customer, and has to go to court, where he is sentenced to anger management classes. The instructor, Matilda, has a hard time getting through to him and gets frustrated with his inability to control his anger responses.

In the middle of Red’s classes, the Pigs show up, bearing “gifts” and acting as if they are the Birds best friends. Red is suspicious and tries to both investigate to find out more, as well as warn the other birds that the pigs are after more than being “best friends”, but is shut down time after time as his warnings fall on deaf ears.

In the end, Red is right, and must organize a rescue. Ironically, he must encourage the other Birds to harness their anger in order to use it to help rescue their eggs.

I thought the movie was cute, and fun for a family afternoon out. I probably would not take very very young kids to it, more in the age group of 6 or 7 and up, but for my son it was just fine, and it was fun for him because he recognized the characters both from the game as well as the cartoon shorts that are on the internet.

For a family movie, I would give Angry Birds 2.75 out of 5 stars.