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Emily (1430 KP) rated Civilization II in Video Games
Feb 18, 2020
This is one of the first video games I ever played that wasn't strictly educational, and I loved it.
Simple premise - build a civilization and win over all the others by way of a few different victory conditions.
Having said that, after a few times of playing it through, I found playing with the cheat mode on to be far more fun than getting bulldozered by a bazillion enemy units hiding on one tile. Genuinely never understood how they could produce units so fast!
I think the best bit was the advisors, videoed people (which was a brand new thing in games at the time) and their costumes changed depending on the period, so one of them ended up looking like Elvis! They were all quite funny.
Simple premise - build a civilization and win over all the others by way of a few different victory conditions.
Having said that, after a few times of playing it through, I found playing with the cheat mode on to be far more fun than getting bulldozered by a bazillion enemy units hiding on one tile. Genuinely never understood how they could produce units so fast!
I think the best bit was the advisors, videoed people (which was a brand new thing in games at the time) and their costumes changed depending on the period, so one of them ended up looking like Elvis! They were all quite funny.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Randall Munroe, ex-NASA employee and current webcomic writer, has a feature on his website in which readers ask him hypothetical questions and he goes about answering them as scientifically as possible. In this book, he has compiled the best of those, along with a few new ones, and the end result is perhaps the most entertaining educational book possible. The questions vary from the sort you may have found yourself wondering to the completely absurd, but he always answers them with a mix of enthusiastic curiosity, scientific fact, and a sense of humor, which makes it hard not to keep reading, question after question. If you are at all a curious person and have at least a passing interest in science, you should really pick this one up.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House, #1) in Books
Jul 10, 2018
I was looking for a palate cleanser book and I stumbled upon this one through audible channels. I've always noticed the Magic Tree House series but I haven't ever had the chance to read any of them. When I saw this was on there & I could listen to it for free, I knew I had to listen to it.
This is obviously a very easy read where the writing is written for those just learning to read. It was a cute story and it was a really quick and fun listen. It doesn't stand out for me, but obviously, I'm not the proper age for this book.
All in all, if I have kids this would be one of the series I would read to them. It's educational along with adding an element of fantasy.
This is obviously a very easy read where the writing is written for those just learning to read. It was a cute story and it was a really quick and fun listen. It doesn't stand out for me, but obviously, I'm not the proper age for this book.
All in all, if I have kids this would be one of the series I would read to them. It's educational along with adding an element of fantasy.
David McK (3233 KP) rated Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures in Books
Jun 24, 2020
Second of the (currently) two of Stephen Fry's straight retelling of Greek mythology, this time focusing on the Greek heroes rather than the Gods and Goddesses of Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold, told more or less chronologically.
I say 'more or less' as the setting of these tales are in constant flux, with characters popping up all over the place long before (or after) they otherwise should! That's not a criticism of the retelling: just a statement of fact.
This volume thus covers the likes of Bellerephon and Pegasus, Oedipus (yes, that Oedipus!), Heracles - who the Romans renamed Hercules - and his Twelve Labours, Jason and the Argonauts, Theseus and the Minotaur and many (many) others!
Worth it for the educational value alone!
Now, hurry up and release part 3 (Troy) ...
I say 'more or less' as the setting of these tales are in constant flux, with characters popping up all over the place long before (or after) they otherwise should! That's not a criticism of the retelling: just a statement of fact.
This volume thus covers the likes of Bellerephon and Pegasus, Oedipus (yes, that Oedipus!), Heracles - who the Romans renamed Hercules - and his Twelve Labours, Jason and the Argonauts, Theseus and the Minotaur and many (many) others!
Worth it for the educational value alone!
Now, hurry up and release part 3 (Troy) ...
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Something Special in TV
Apr 7, 2020
Mr Tumble and Friends
Something special is a very unique children's television series following the clumsy clown character known as Mr Tumble.
Portrayed by Justin Fletcher and always includes children with disabilities & special needs, involving them in the fun activities of the show.
Over time, the show has created new characters like Aunt polly, Grandad Tumble, Lord Tumble & many more.
A very recognisable character with his polkadot covered patchwork clothes, mr tumble has become a welcoming household name & continues to evolve.
It has helped children with their creativity & imagination and has even spawned a live stage show.
What is also incredible is that Justin Fletcher is a trained Makaton signer who uses this skill on the show with children who have delayed learning & communication difficulties & has created many memories for so many young children.
It is also the longest running programme on Cbeebies.
Portrayed by Justin Fletcher and always includes children with disabilities & special needs, involving them in the fun activities of the show.
Over time, the show has created new characters like Aunt polly, Grandad Tumble, Lord Tumble & many more.
A very recognisable character with his polkadot covered patchwork clothes, mr tumble has become a welcoming household name & continues to evolve.
It has helped children with their creativity & imagination and has even spawned a live stage show.
What is also incredible is that Justin Fletcher is a trained Makaton signer who uses this skill on the show with children who have delayed learning & communication difficulties & has created many memories for so many young children.
It is also the longest running programme on Cbeebies.
juliebreader (9 KP) rated It Ends With Us in Books
Sep 7, 2017
Contains spoilers, click to show
** spoiler alert ** This book. I finished it last night and can't stop thinking about it. I'm no expert, but the development of the characters, and the story, are superb. All of the characters had so much depth and I was completely immersed in the story. I didn't just read this book, I devoured it. My only caveat, and here's the spoiler, was Ryle's explanation for the abuse. I thought it should have been further explained, and made really clear, that his behavior had nothing to do with trauma related to his childhood. He was not blacking out. He was just plain abusive. Saying he was blacking out is a cop out. This is such an important and educational book about domestic violence, that it's a disservice to allow this reasoning without explaining that domestic violence isn't about anger, but about power and control. A perfect illustration of this is when Lily first meets Ryle on the roof deck and he's beating up the furniture. Did he black out at the hospital and beat up a co-worker? No. Did he black out and throw his sister down the stairs? No. He went to the roof and took it out on the furniture. A conscious choice. Did he black out when he was in their new apartment when he destroyed Lily's belongings then waited for her in the kitchen and sexually assaulted her then beat her? No, it was a very calculated assault. I would have liked a better explanation for this behavior from an educational standpoint. Lily made a smart decision,but I think she believed the excuse, which is so common and what can keep a person in that abusive situation. Even if it had been explained in the afterward, at least then it would have been made clear that his excuse was just that, an excuse. Despite this, it's still 5 stars for me. I will be thinking about this one for a long time to come.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla Vs Hedorah (1971) in Movies
May 17, 2019
The movie that goes to show that when it comes to allegorical fables about the environment featuring man-in-a-suit monsters, subtlety isn't always necessary. Pollution-spawned jelly-beastie develops various peculiar powers and threatens Japan; Godzilla turns up to deal with it. Is the subtext that we should choose nuclear power over fossil fuels? Unlikely but possible.
Godzilla Vs Hedorah makes itself distinctive amongst the Godzilla films of the early 70s by virtue of its sheer, insidious weirdness, most of it due to Banno's direction: there are sudden switches to black-and-white, split screen sequences, educational segments, and allegorical cartoons. Doesn't stop it being mostly awful, but in a strangely hypnotic way, and it least it's obviously about a serious issue for a change. Possibly most infamous for the sequence where Godzilla uses his atomic breath as rocket thrust to fly with, but much other weirdness is also present. Bad, but very watchably bad.
Godzilla Vs Hedorah makes itself distinctive amongst the Godzilla films of the early 70s by virtue of its sheer, insidious weirdness, most of it due to Banno's direction: there are sudden switches to black-and-white, split screen sequences, educational segments, and allegorical cartoons. Doesn't stop it being mostly awful, but in a strangely hypnotic way, and it least it's obviously about a serious issue for a change. Possibly most infamous for the sequence where Godzilla uses his atomic breath as rocket thrust to fly with, but much other weirdness is also present. Bad, but very watchably bad.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Joy (2015) in Movies
Mar 17, 2018
It takes a special kind of confidence to ask a movie studio to give you $60 million to make a two-hour-plus movie about mops and the home shopping channel, but David O Russell clearly has it and here is the result. What Fox were doing saying yes is probably less mysterious if you look at Russell's track record and the calibre of the cast he assembled for this movie.
Still, this is probably the most substantial movie ever released which is predominantly concerned with the realities of domestic cleaning and the intricacies of injection-moulded plastic and patent protection law - I suppose there is also a healthy element dealing with the protagonist's family and relationships, and the general hard-work-and-dedication-will-get-you-there-eventually ethos is the kind of thing that makes studios and audiences comfortable. Good performances, obviously; generally very engaging and watchable; educational, too, especially if you have trouble keeping the floor clean.
Still, this is probably the most substantial movie ever released which is predominantly concerned with the realities of domestic cleaning and the intricacies of injection-moulded plastic and patent protection law - I suppose there is also a healthy element dealing with the protagonist's family and relationships, and the general hard-work-and-dedication-will-get-you-there-eventually ethos is the kind of thing that makes studios and audiences comfortable. Good performances, obviously; generally very engaging and watchable; educational, too, especially if you have trouble keeping the floor clean.
David McK (3233 KP) rated Cúchulainn & The Crow Queen in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Honestly?
I'm not really sure how this fits into the categories I have set up on my Goodreads account.
This is a re-telling of the stories of 'The Hound of Ulster', of Cuchulainn, from his birth through to the cattle raid of Ulster and his final death at the hands of the Morrigu, the Crow Queen.
It's also a straight re-telling, which is both its strong point (there's no trying to fit modern sensibilities / political statements into it) and it's weak point (these stories were originally intended to be told orally).
I have to say, I did find that most of the chapters didn't really 'flow' into each other; that there was no connection to the stories other than (occasionally) having Setanta (Cuchulainn's real name) himself appear in them every so often: for my money, Neil Gaiman's Norse Myths is a better retelling of stories that have helped shape modern society.
(Oh, and in the end, I opted for shelving this as Educational)
I'm not really sure how this fits into the categories I have set up on my Goodreads account.
This is a re-telling of the stories of 'The Hound of Ulster', of Cuchulainn, from his birth through to the cattle raid of Ulster and his final death at the hands of the Morrigu, the Crow Queen.
It's also a straight re-telling, which is both its strong point (there's no trying to fit modern sensibilities / political statements into it) and it's weak point (these stories were originally intended to be told orally).
I have to say, I did find that most of the chapters didn't really 'flow' into each other; that there was no connection to the stories other than (occasionally) having Setanta (Cuchulainn's real name) himself appear in them every so often: for my money, Neil Gaiman's Norse Myths is a better retelling of stories that have helped shape modern society.
(Oh, and in the end, I opted for shelving this as Educational)
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated The Crown - Season 2 in TV
Dec 9, 2017
Another stirring season of The Crown
The Crown returns with another great season, very different from the initial series, with less focus on an ongoing story. It delves further into the relationship between the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, and the clear tension that arises from his alleged infidelities. But the more interesting part is the fact that it feels educational, going through real-life situations such as diplomatic conflicts - the Suez crisis, former King Edward VIII's collusion with Nazis, and even the Profumo affair, all while showing actual images of the incident after the episode.
In this season, the Queen appears less timid, far more self-assured and stoic as a ruler, all the while attempting to hold the fort in her own growing household. Great Britain is flailing, with various political scandals arising, and as a result, she is heavily scrutinised. We see more of the Duke of Edinburgh's background as a child, while disturbing, it is also utterly heartbreaking. It's a much more realistic portrayal of the royal family than in the first series.
In this season, the Queen appears less timid, far more self-assured and stoic as a ruler, all the while attempting to hold the fort in her own growing household. Great Britain is flailing, with various political scandals arising, and as a result, she is heavily scrutinised. We see more of the Duke of Edinburgh's background as a child, while disturbing, it is also utterly heartbreaking. It's a much more realistic portrayal of the royal family than in the first series.