Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Is Shark Week turning into a joke?

If you have just glanced at this blog than you know I am a bit obsessed with Sharks, so when Shark Week comes around each year it is like Christmas to me. But so far this year I am just not thrilled with it.
Rocking the Shark Week shirt I made - Ready for an exciting week!

Air Jaws: Finding Colossus was good, I have loved all of the Air Jaws incarnations. I was actually scared for the guys in this one - I mean did you see that one of the guys pushed a great white way when he was in the mobile cage. Not to mention the genius who decided it was a good idea to lay on ply-wood that looked like a female shark. But it was real, the sharks were REAL, the danger was REAL, no CGI, no actors, no dramatizations.
Showing my Shark Spirit at work with last years shirt and my DIY shark buddy

After that great show we got Submarine Shark. I was cooking dinner when this started so I missed the disclaimer that it was a dramatization. I thought this was real until they actually showed the shark, I mean are you serious Discovery Channel? Could you get any faker? I let last years Megalodon slip because I do love me some Megs (even though I know they are extinct)  but are you really going to continue showing us these fake shows just to get views?
This year's Shark Week nails - while eating shark gummies 

I use to love how Shark Week was about learning of shark and conservation. In the past we had the shark attack survivors who are now shark advocates. We learned the true story that inspired Jaws and how the author regretted the effect his book and later movie had on sharks. We even got Alien Sharks that intoduced many to goblin sharks. I would be happy with a bunch of Myth Busters episodes about sharks instead of the mockumentaries we are getting recently. I would be fine with the mockumentaries if they were not put on during this week or this channel. I loved Sharknado so I can handle cheesy movies but do not try to pass it off as a real event.
My (failed) attempt at painting a Hammerhead migration *note to self work on depth and perception*

That brings me to the new fad that is happening on educational channels - reality TV. Yes, it is cheaper to make. Yes, it can be entertaining. But is it educational NO! TLC is the worst, it is called THE LEARNING CHANNEL, what does Honey Boo-boo teach me? or what about Long Island Medium? It is getting ridiculous. History Channel does it too, what does Pawn Stars have to do with history? They did have the Hatfields & McCoys and they show real documentaries too but the whole reality TV thing is getting too bad.
Sharknado nails

I am still going to watch all of Shark Week and I will most likely watch it again next year but I hope they make it educational again. We want people to stop the slaughter of shark by finning and culling, but if you keep scaring them with these mockumentaries how do you expect anyone to take you seriously? I am a fan of teaching facts, it can be interesting but don't mix in lies to make it that way.



What are your feeling on Shark Week? Do you think they are going too far with the fake documentaries?

Monday, August 11, 2014

Book Review: Meg Series - Hell's Aquarium


Book 4 - Hell Aquarium
        4 years after Primal Waters, Angel is back in the lagoon with 5 new pups. 3 runts and 2 sisters all from the same litter but with the aggression the sisters seem like they were a litter of their own. Unable to get the Institute expanded to hold the bigger Meg family, and with RAW(Release Animals to the Wild) group breathing down their backs Jonas sells 2 of the runts to a United Arab Emirates aquarium. What Jonas didn't know is that the crown prince wants more that just the Megs in his aquarium, he wants the prehistoric animals the late Dr. Maren claims to have found. Jonas unwilling to go on this suicide mission, David on summer break from college wants to go to Dubai to watch the megs and train recruits on the Manta Ray submersible. Again much like his dad, David puts his life in risk for love. Back at home the sisters kill the last runt making RAW come on even harder and even planning on breaking into the institute to releasing the sisters. During this time Jonas is secretly planning on releasing Angel back into the Mariana Trench. What Jonas is doing can save lives while Raw is putting much more in danger.  

David makes this book, he is strong yet bull headed and is willing to risk everything to protect the ones he loves. Jonas despite is advancing age is still throwing himself into danger to save others. He makes dives no one his age ever should, he get in the lagoon with Angel (ok she is in sleep mode but still) he is like He-Man, nothing can stop him. Dani has really grown up, though her and Terry are not in this book that much, which I am not complaining. Most of this one takes place in Dubai with David. He is being played like a violin and he has no clue, he went thinking he was never leaving land but just like the crown prince planned from the beginning David goes down to Maren's underwater lab to collect the information needed. The prince knew that only someone from the Taylor family had the ka-hones to go down not knowing what they would encounter. I was actually sad in some parts of this book, there was a bit of a love story in it, at first it was annoying then it grew on me. I was terrified at some points, and others I wanted to fricken strangle someone and I am 100% surprised Mac and Jonas were able to keep their cool. All in all it was a great book. A lot more technical than the previous books, which was a bit annoying I basically skimmed over those parts since it was just jibber jabber and had not meaning to me, tinsel strength, construction mumbo-jumbo, and lifting power, no need for it but hey if that is your thing you might just enjoy those parts. But the meat of the book to action, the hidden agendas, love story, the edge of your seat thrill parts, that is where I was and I enjoyed every bit of it.  Absolutely would recommend if you have read the previous books.


OK I am sorry this was so wordy but it is a book review so it happens. My pal Ashley McNiel has published 2 more books so those will be my next reviews I hope ya'll enjoy!

Monday, August 4, 2014

Book Reviews: Meg Series - Primal Waters

Book 3 - Primal Waters
       18 years and 2 kids later we rejoin the Taylor family barely making ends meet, with Angel's departure from the lagoon and the cost of upkeep the Taylor/Tanaka family may have to sell the institute. Jonas is attempting to write a memoir but it keeps getting interrupted by his 17 year old daughter, Danielle's music and  phone solicitors so he takes a break.  The family goes to an annual Shark tooth festival in Venice Beach to talk about Angel and other Megs, this is when Jonas is offered a way out of the whole, but it might put him in a grave. A group of dare devil enthusiasts whom looks up to Jonas, for his heroic killing of Angel's mother and his dives in the trench, want him to be an announcer to their new reality TV show about daring stunts in the middle of the ocean. Jonas goes with his daughter to be the announcer DareDevils but what he doesn't know is that the person backing the show is the last person Jonas ever wants to be at sea with. 

My love for Terry was GONE in this book, she was a coward! I get that she has PTSD but she did a complete 180 in this one. She will not fly(she use to be a pilot!), she will no let her son scuba dive in the empty, is terrified of Jonas going to sea again(OK I will give her this one, she was right) but she drove me crazy. She did face some of her fears but she was just annoying. Her son, David, on the other hand is awesome. He was fearless, he would not take anything from anyone, he is his father's son. Mac was great in the other books and started off aggravating but grew as a person in this one, with help from his godson David. Dani (Danielle) was a typical teenager, thinks she knows everything, her parents are old and to cautious to do anything fun, and just a brat. She does grow near the end and learns to really respect her dad, granted she had to nearly die for that to happen. But, hey growth is growth, right? 


Book Challenge Update #7

This is going to be a short and sweet update because I have written a review post for most of the books I read this month. All the books were great and they needed more than just a little blurb on the update post.  


Meg: Primal Waters by Steve Alten    Amazon -  Good Reads 

This book was awesome! I have written an individual post on this one and that will be posted later this week but, I was a big fan! I was a bit frustrated with some of the characters mainly Terry because she is completely different in this book. This installment takes place in the middle of the ocean and has Jonas' kids put in precarious situations, it is not only his life that could be lost. All in all 4 out of 5 hearts because his daughter is annoying and Terry just bugged me with her complete personality flip.  

♥♥♥♥ out of 5



Ace Your Teacher Interview by Anthony D. Fredericks, Ed.D.  Amazon - Goodreads 

I flew through this book preparing for an interview (which I ACED). It had some really great pointers and I will be keeping this book to review before each interview I have. Some of the pointers are no brainers but he listed some questions I never even thought they would ask! I was over-prepared for my interview (in a good way). I brought up things I never even thought were important until I read this, like what books I am currently reading. This is a must own book for anyone on the hunt for a teaching job (just not in my area please I need a teaching job BADDD!)
♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5



Meg: Hell's Aquarium by Steve Alten   Amazon - Goodreads - Audible

Again this is a book I am going to write a post of it's own. Luckily Terry is not in this one too much which is nice. The book is focused more on Jonas' son David. With more Meg's in the lagoon Jonas sells 2 and David decides to tag along to get the Megs settled in their new aquarium. What David does not know is that the man who purchased the Megs wants more dangerous animals and he wants David to go retrieve them. David made this book and he makes up for his mom in the last book! I am giving this book a 4 out of 5 because there was technical mumbo-jumbo that was not need (at least for me). I understand Alten put it in for authenticity but I didn't need it.

♥♥♥♥ out of 5


Street Lights in Wonderland by Ashley McNiel     Amazon

After I finished with this book I swore I was not going to read another of her books because I love my sleep too much but guys I am addicted! I already have her other book sitting on my bedside table I am just waiting until I have time to devote to it so I do not stay up all night reading it (because I know I will). I was crying in the first 10 pages of this book, it is incredible!! But if you read my last post you already know this. Everyone need to read this book, like right now. It is only 2.99 on amazon so it will not break the bank...just your heart. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5


Faith of the Fallen Book 6 in Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind

Sorry if this feels spoiler-y but I do not think I gave anything too important away. 
I am still really enjoying this series. I feel so bad for Kahlan and Richard they can never just be. Barely married and she is beaten half to death than she is finally getting better and boom Richard is taken away from her. I love how strong she is, she was not going to sit idly by knowing she cannot get Richard she goes to battle! She is seriously a BAMF. I wish we had more Zedd but I could always use more of him, he is hilarious. In this installment you finally get a taste of what The Order is really about and in theory it works but it the real world it never will. It was a struggle of capitalism vs. socialism. The order wants everyone to be equals, take out the magic first because not everyone is gifted. Next is to tackle the working man, if someone is unable to work and you are well you are blessed and should give him your wages, even is that means you have no money because at least you can work. But at the same time you cannot work harder than anyone because you are showing that you are better than them, you also have to share the work load even if that means you have a store room full of food you cannot sell that because you are hogging the sells and not letting anyone else make money. What Richard brings once he is thrown into this is equilibrium, he buys what others are not allowed to sell and sells it to the people who need it but have to wait for someone else to deliver, he fixes up his commune (for lack of better word), has the people start taking pride in what is there's (even though it is technically The Order's) by making things better. Fix wobbly stairs, start a garden, paint the walls make their home feel like a home and not a hut. Richard believes in the human spirit and he wants to show that to everyone and it is evident in the end of the book. Richard was so disappointed in the beginning that no one wanted his freedom because they have never been without it and did not know what they would be missing, but in the end I think everyone finally understood what Richard was talking about the whole time. There are many reviews hating on this book but to be honest I loved it. They are comparing Goodkind to other authors but that is not how it works unless the other author wrote the same book. I loved this book and I have already stared the next one, I cannot wait to find out what happens next.  

♥♥♥♥ out of 5


Previous challenge update posts: January - February - March - April - May - June