In the Core of an Apple Lies an Undeniable Truth

Book Review: Peeled

3/5 stars

Overall, this book was a pretty good read, especially for fall. It centers around a small town in upstate NY, whose entire economy is based around the family owned and operated apple farms that dominate the landscape. But the halcyon decades of the town were interrupted in the beginning of the novel, when one of the deserted farm houses in deemed haunted.

Hildy Biddle, reporter for the Core (the high school newspaper) is determined to get the story behind the rumors before rival reporter, Pen Piedmont, of the town newspaper, the Bee. Piedmont and his followers continually abjure the validity of the school newspaper when the two rivals disagree.

The story moves along those lines for the entire middle of the book (this becomes a little tedious), before the ever meticulous Hildy discovers the discrepancy within the facts and articles. She exposes Piedmont and his associates as frauds. They were paid by a real estate company to 'haunt' the house, in order to drive down prices so the company could make the town into a new development. When Hildy makes this announcement in her paper, it sparks a paroxysm of anger among the townspeople. The story ends as the town goes back to its peaceful ways, Piedmont is driven out of town, and the apple farmers return to their work with brio.

This book was like a mellow mystery novel, with the mystery only coming into play at the end. It was definitely a relaxing read, but do not pick this book if you are looking for a fast-paced thriller.

Your Best is Good Enough... This Time

Ever notice how people say "be the best you can be" or "just do your best" all the time? These sayings are the antipodes of the truth. What if your very best is constantly failing (in school) or getting fired one time after another (at work)? Is doing your best supposed to make you feel better about problems? Is that the way you are supposed to live your life - by impeding any chance of success by limiting yourself to the 'best'?

You should always strive to do better than your 'perceived' best. Human evolution has allowed us to always improve and change. So, what was your 'best' yesterday is less than your best today. Don't believe me? Do you think that your best on a 2nd grade math test is the same grade you would get today? Of course not.

You are culpable for your own actions. No one can tell you that you should do your best - because your best is constantly changing as you learn. If you take anything from this post, I hope it is this: Do not preclude the change, growth and improvement that can happen if you are not limited to your 'best'.

The Price of the Peace (Prize)

Can the crescendo surrounding President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize win just stop already? If you disagree with his nomination, complaining about it is not going to give the prize to someone else. He won - get over it. Any disagreements with this statement do not need to be voiced on the news for week after week. Yeah, say your view after it happens - it's your Constitutional right. But don't keep doing so for weeks. Please.

The Nobel nomination committee never claimed to be disinterested in American politics, nor to refrain from choosing a party line. The Committee is not Obama's minion or under the 'celebrity spell' like some conservatives claim. If Obama's plans for peace are in alignment with those of the Committee's, then why shouldn't he win? Because some conservative radio host doesn't agree? - yeah right.

Obama did an inordinate amount of work to change American foreign policy in a relatively short period of time. He took Bush's flagrant disregard for other countries and turned the US into a nation, willing to talk and negotiate for common interests. Our world image is now more friendly and less imperialistic/bossy. Obama also ordered Guantanimo Bay to be closed, stopping torture (and promoting peace) and he plans to end the Iraq war in a responsible way.

Just his effort in nine months is so much more than Bush actually accomplished for peace in eight years.

So Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Its great for some (including me) and not so great for others. But its not going to un-happen (yeah, I know its not a word - just thought it fit). So get it off the news please; there is new stuff going on TODAY.

The Man in the Sky who gives Commandments on Pizza Boxes

Movie Review: The Invention of Lying

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

The movie starts out with the omnipresent narrator describing a world where no one can lie. The voice displays the absurdity of the world in total, then specifically into the life of Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais). He works for a film company, but since no one can lie, all the movies are completely historically accurate (Boring!). Mark is the typical nerd and has no luck at work, with his family life, or with women. He is subsequently fired, and he then becomes the first human on the face of the earth to lie. His entire demeanor changes; Mark becomes confident and decides to tell the world about the "man in the sky". This is the first time that anyone has heard about God, and Mark gives the world his commandments. In the end he gets the girl (Jennifer Garner) and keeps his newly gained confidence. And they live happily ever after (blah. blah. blah.)and Mark becomes legendary as the man who talks to the 'man in the sky'.

Overall this was a pretty funny movie. The nursing home was called something like 'the home to abandon hopeless old people' and the church "a quiet place to think about the man in the sky." Hilarity ensued in the beginning of the movie when everyone told the truth, no matter how inappropriate, mean or careless.

However, do not see this movie if you are easily offended by religious aberrations. This movie is eccentric in its challenge of religious norms, in a world where God does not exist because he has never been seen or proven. Many traditional Christian values are also slightly mocked (The priest wears a silhouette of Bellison holding the pizza box commandments instead of a crucifix, etc.) But no real harm is meant by these examples, as they are all part of the comedy and are not malicious.

If the above does not offend you, definitely go to see this movie. It is well worth the $12 admission for the amount of laughs it gets.