EricTheMailman
Edmonton Public Library
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Road to NowhereRoad to Nowhere, BookWhat Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About the Future of Transportation
by Marx, ParisBook - 2022Book, 2022
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Sep 30, 2023
The Future Is Faster Than You ThinkThe Future Is Faster Than You Think, Downloadable AudiobookHow Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives
by Diamandis, Peter H. • Kotler, StevenDownloadable Audiobook - 2020Downloadable Audiobook, 2020
All copies in use
Added Sep 01, 2021
The Imperiled OceanThe Imperiled Ocean, BookHuman Stories From A Changing Sea
by Trethewey, LauraBook - 2019 | First Pegasus Books edition.Book, 2019. First Pegasus Books edition.
Added Feb 01, 2020
UncomplicatedUncomplicated, BookTaking the Stress Out of Home Cooking
by Tansey, ClaireBook - 2018Book, 2018
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Jul 14, 2019
Curing AffluenzaCuring Affluenza, BookHow to Buy Less Stuff and Save the World
by Denniss, RichardBook - 2018Book, 2018
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added May 25, 2019
VegucatedVegucated, DVD
DVD - 2010DVD, 2010
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added May 25, 2019
Comment:
I found this movie to be compelling and shocking.
I couldn't finish watching it. The scenes from the killing floor were too much for me.
Of course, an animal needs to be killed if we want to eat it. I am just shocked at the cruelty of it all and I cannot eat meat again without thinking of what that animal had to go through to be placed in front of me.
More and more studies are out there showing how we in the First World eat too much meat in the first place. It's not only meat - refined foods are also contributing to the obesity crisis.
I recommend you seek out books on Blue Zones to get a better idea of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Watch this movie but be prepared for the brutality of it all.I found this movie to be compelling and shocking.
I couldn't finish watching it. The scenes from the killing floor were too much for me.
Of course, an animal needs to be killed if we want to eat it. I am just shocked at the cruelty of it all…
The 5 AM ClubThe 5 AM Club, BookOwn your Morning, Elevate your Life
by Sharma, Robin S.Book - 2018 | First edition.Book, 2018. First edition.
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for The 5 AM Club, Book, All copies in use
Holds: 77 on 14 copies
Holds: 77 on 14 copies
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added May 24, 2019
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added May 04, 2019
Comment:
Steve Jobs was an amazing individual. He was a colossal jerk. A visionary. And he changed the world.
To say he was a complex individual is putting it mildly. I am surprised people didn't just punch him in the nose at every opportunity.
More than anything Jobs wanted to “make a dent in the universe.” He wrestled and fought to make his visions reality.
He was responsible for much of the following:
The Graphical User Interface.
The computer mouse.
The personal computer. He helped to bring computers into the home.
The iPod.
iTunes - which helped to tame illegal downloading.
Pixar Animation Studios
iPhone
iPad
Through all of this, he simply was not a pleasant person to be around. He tended to see the world as either fantastic or total crap. He yelled a people a lot, he stole the credit for ideas and he alienated people.
But his story was completely fascinating. It is amazing to think about how much he changed our modern-day lives. Without his vision, we could still be using flip phones.
I am writing this post on an iPad which, interestingly, has an Apple Pencil attached. Jobs hated the stylus and now that I have one I can see he was right. I hardly use the thing and it actually gets in my way.
The author did a terrific job of showing the real Steve Jobs. He had permission and was unafraid to show his dark sides as well as his genius.
This is a big read but should tell you something about how much influence Jobs had.
Highly recommended.Steve Jobs was an amazing individual. He was a colossal jerk. A visionary. And he changed the world.
To say he was a complex individual is putting it mildly. I am surprised people didn't just punch him in the nose at every…
Leviathans of JupiterLeviathans of Jupiter, Streaming Audiobook
by Bova, BenStreaming Audiobook - 2011 | Unabridged.Streaming Audiobook, 2011. Unabridged.
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added May 04, 2019
Comment:
According to Bova, every book in the series is a stand-alone in its own right. However, part of the payoff from reading a series is the recurring characters and a sense of understanding of how the world works.
What keeps bringing me back to his work is how plausible his vision of the future is. Since there is no FTL technology in the series, his stories show just how enormous the Sol system is.
The only complaint I have is something I've found in all the books; his antagonist is always a mustache-twisting egotist who suffers from some kind of mental break. Oh, and the women. Yikes! Why does the author feel that every female must fall in love with one of his male characters?
Okay, that's the complaining. As a science fiction adventure, it's a pretty darn good read. It centers around a research space station, orbiting Jupiter. Below the clouds, there is an ocean thousands of kilometres deep where life exists.
Robotic probes and lives have been lost in trying to learn about the leviathans that inhabit this unlikely place. But now, after a secret project to build a better human-rated ship is completed, the station manager must work against time and his superior to launch the mission before he is ordered to stop.
It is a rather unlikely crew that makes the dangerous trip but that doesn't matter as I was treated to a terrific yarn below the clouds.
I still want to experience the series from the beginning.According to Bova, every book in the series is a stand-alone in its own right. However, part of the payoff from reading a series is the recurring characters and a sense of understanding of how the world works.
What keeps bringing me back to his…
Ian Fleming's James Bond 007Ian Fleming's James Bond 007, Graphic NovelHammerhead
by Diggle, AndyGraphic Novel - 2017Graphic Novel, 2017
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Nov 13, 2018
The Wild RobotThe Wild Robot, Book
by Brown, PeterBook - 2016 | First edition.Book, 2016. First edition.
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for The Wild Robot, Book, All copies in use
Holds: 46 on 28 copies
Holds: 46 on 28 copies
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Oct 14, 2018
Comment:
Oh, what a warm and lovely story.
Sure it's a kids book, aimed at the middle school years (grades 6 through 8) but don't let that deter you from reading it. Honestly, it is well written and charming. It is such a breath of fresh air.
The chapters are super small so I could dip in and out with ease but I kept finding myself reading "just one more chapter" often enough that I was swept up in it.
Roz the robot washes ashore having survived a stormy shipwreck. A pack of otters inadvertently activate her and what comes next is a delightful story of a "monster" coming to terms with existence and deciding what her place in the world should be.
Reading this as an adult, the plot is predictable. But that's not where the joy lies; it's in the details and the charm of the writing. I loved the illustrations, which were also done by Brown. This book brought back the joy of reading to me. More adult novels should be like this.Oh, what a warm and lovely story.
Sure it's a kids book, aimed at the middle school years (grades 6 through 8) but don't let that deter you from reading it. Honestly, it is well written and charming. It is such a breath of fresh air.
The…
How Democracies DieHow Democracies Die, Book
by Levitsky, StevenBook - 2018 | First edition.Book, 2018. First edition.
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for How Democracies Die, Book, All copies in use
Holds: 1 on 2 copies
Holds: 1 on 2 copies
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Oct 13, 2018
Comment:
The sobering takeaway from this book is: democracies are actually very fragile. It can take only one person, with dictatorial qualities, to unravel decades, even centuries of democratic governance.
What I kept coming away with is the fragility of our democratic systems. They only work if we believe, trust and respect them. Supreme courts can be packed with politically aligned justices. Filibusters can be abused to the point of making governments impotent. Respect for the executive, the house and judiciary have been eroded.
In order to keep democracy working politicians must respect the rules and customs that have been observed over the decades and centuries. Once the unwritten rules of decorum and respect are broken democracy itself can unravel.
It was a chilling subject.The sobering takeaway from this book is: democracies are actually very fragile. It can take only one person, with dictatorial qualities, to unravel decades, even centuries of democratic governance.
What I kept coming away with is the fragility of…
Faster Than A Speeding BulletFaster Than A Speeding Bullet, BookThe Rise of the Graphic Novel
by Weiner, StephenBook - 2012 | Second edition.Book, 2012. Second edition.
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Oct 13, 2018
Comment:
I grew up collecting comics in the 1980’s and witnessed the birth of the form myself. It was a nostalgic ride through my days browsing the comic shops.
While reading the book I added many titles to my wish list on the Edmonton Public Library’s website.
This was a very approachable exploration of the form. The chapters were short and the book was well seeded with panels from the graphic novels discussed.
An informative read that reignited my joy of sequential art.I grew up collecting comics in the 1980’s and witnessed the birth of the form myself. It was a nostalgic ride through my days browsing the comic shops.
While reading the book I added many titles to my wish list on the Edmonton Public Library’s…
The Space BaronsThe Space Barons, BookElon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos
by Davenport, ChristianBook - 2018 | First edition.Book, 2018. First edition.
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Oct 13, 2018
Comment:
This was a terrific read.
Best of all, the book was published this year, making the information very current.
n these pages we learn that we are witnessing the birth of a new golden age of human space flight. But, instead of building on the legacy of the Saturn V, rockets have been reinvented from the ground up. They are a very different type of craft, being designed on reusability.
It is an accessible read and will open the door to many Google searches to dive deeper into the subjects covered here.
Highly recommended.This was a terrific read.
Best of all, the book was published this year, making the information very current.
n these pages we learn that we are witnessing the birth of a new golden age of human space flight. But, instead of building on the…
The LeapThe Leap, BookHow to Survive and Thrive in the Sustainable Economy
by Turner, ChrisBook - 2011Book, 2011
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Sep 20, 2018
The Fifty-year MissionThe Fifty-year Mission, BookThe Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek. The First 25 Years
by Gross, EdwardBook - 2016 | First edition.Book, 2016. First edition.
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Jun 25, 2018
Comment:
Simply terrific stuff.
I am a person who LOVES DVD extras; this is over 400 pages (25 hours of listening) of unedited, unauthorized and unapologetic behind-the-scenes stories of the first 25 years of Star Trek creativity.
The stories contained are fearless in exposing the warts, egos and political maneuvers that created this thing.
Highly recommended - if you're a fan.
http://eric-the-mailman.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-50-year-mission-book-one-by-edward.htmlSimply terrific stuff.
I am a person who LOVES DVD extras; this is over 400 pages (25 hours of listening) of unedited, unauthorized and unapologetic behind-the-scenes stories of the first 25 years of Star Trek creativity.
The stories…
The Fifty-year MissionThe Fifty-year Mission, BookThe Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek. The Next 25 Years, From The Next Generation to J.J. Abrams
by Altman, Mark A.Book - 2016 | First edition.Book, 2016. First edition.
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Jun 25, 2018
Comment:
Even better than the first volume.
Sure I watched the original series but Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager and Enterprise, that was my Star Trek.
Once again it is just packed with insights some readily known others scathing. But it still manages to make me wonder how the shows ever made it to the screen. There was so much interference by the creators, studios, networks that all managed to dumb down the product.
What rally made me unhappy was how the powers that be consistently underestimated the audience.
I loved this series of books. If you like knowing what happened on the set an in the writers room, then you'll love these books.
Highly recommended.
http://eric-the-mailman.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-50-year-mission-next-25-years-book.htmlEven better than the first volume.
Sure I watched the original series but Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager and Enterprise, that was my Star Trek.
Once again it is just packed with insights some readily known others scathing. But it…
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Jun 25, 2018
Comment:
This was just the kind of science fiction I crave.
Jazz Bashara is a 20-something resident of the moon colony, Artemis. She isn't a scientist or an engineer, no she is a smuggler. Working as a courier between the bubbles of the colony she manages to eke out a living. Which is why she brings in some contraband to supplement her income
When one of her customers, a very wealthy business man, offers her a lucrative payoff for doing a crime outside her usual realm, she takes the job.
Of course, things don't go quite as planned, there would be no story if it did.
For me, it's not the caper itself that drove me to turn the pages. It was the setting. Artemis is essentially a frontier town set on the Sea of Tranquility, 40 kilometers away from the Apollo 11 landing site. The colony survives on tourism (a visitor centre is built at Tranquility Base) and by producing oxygen and aluminum from the regolith.
There is an aspect of Weir's previous book, The Martian, here too. When things go wrong, and lots of things do, the problems need to be solved one at a time. Sometimes fixing one thing breaks another. Which was almost comical but the stakes were too high for it be so. Solving the problems required skills, knowledge and teamwork.
And ultimately the story was about people rising above their current situations.
The dialogue was smart and sassy.
Artemis proves that Andy Weir will be with us for a long time, writing adventures and inspiring people to work toward a bigger future.
http://eric-the-mailman.blogspot.com/2018/04/artemis-by-andy-weir-book-report-227.htmlThis was just the kind of science fiction I crave.
Jazz Bashara is a 20-something resident of the moon colony, Artemis. She isn't a scientist or an engineer, no she is a smuggler. Working as a courier between the bubbles of the colony she…
FoodistFoodist, Streaming AudiobookUsing Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting
by Rose, Darya PinoStreaming Audiobook - 2013 | Unabridged.Streaming Audiobook, 2013. Unabridged.
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Oct 07, 2016
Comment:
This was a terrific book to give dieters a dose of reality. To help people relax in pursuit of a new healthy eating plan.
In it she recommends eating real, whole, natural, unprocessed foods. This is where the secret of weight loss without deprivation lives.
You'll have to cook for yourself a lot more but you will benefit from all of the micronutrients and phytochemicals that are bountiful in fresh veggies and fruit.
One of her catchphrase is that "Life Should Be Awesome" - don't deny yourself the pleasures of life that food can provide.
http://eric-the-mailman.blogspot.com/2018/06/foodist-by-darya-pino-rose-phd-book.htmlThis was a terrific book to give dieters a dose of reality. To help people relax in pursuit of a new healthy eating plan.
In it she recommends eating real, whole, natural, unprocessed foods. This is where the secret of weight loss without…
AbundanceAbundance, BookThe Future Is Better Than You Think
by Diamandis, Peter H.Book - 2012 | First Free Press hardcover edition.Book, 2012. First Free Press hardcover edition.
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Feb 17, 2015
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Jan 22, 2015
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Oct 03, 2014
Comment:
What would the world look like if America were to reduce its role as a global leader in order to focus all its energies on solving its problems at home?
Is America really in decline?
These are the two fundamental questions this brief book tries to answer.
Of course, the answer is - it's complicated. However, Kagan does a nice job of putting the United States current role in historical context which shines a bright light at how fleeting power structures are in human history and how unique the current order is.
I felt the author's look at what our modern world could look like if the United States were to reduce it's influence to be balanced and well thought out.
I found myself stopping my reading simply to think about some of his observations.
Well worth reading.What would the world look like if America were to reduce its role as a global leader in order to focus all its energies on solving its problems at home?
Is America really in decline?
These are the two fundamental questions this brief book…
No Place to HideNo Place to Hide, BookEdward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State
by Greenwald, GlennBook - 2014Book, 2014
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Sep 30, 2014
Comment:
Here is presented the account, from the journalist who broke the story of domestic spying by the NSA, of how Edward Snowden blew the whistle and made public this illegal activity. The first part of the book described how Snowden approached the author to help him reveal the domestic surveillance taking place. The second part looked more closely at the documents themselves while the third looks at how living in a surveillance society effects the behavior and attitudes of the population. The last part of the books looks at how journalism in the US has changed over the past decades and just how it's independence has eroded. It is a chilling story that should make anyone who reads it look at the nightly news and general main stream reporting with a cautious eye. Everything revealed in the book was previously embedded in my subconscious but it took reading it on the page to make me notice just how journalism favours the government. We seldom see the rogue journalist chasing corruption. Instead journalists are threatened personally and the owners of media corporations are coerced to sit on news items, sometimes for months at a time, or prevented from reporting outright. Anytime you read a book like this you have to take a cautious approach so as not to get sucked in completely by the author. It's an important part of reporting but it is also a one-sided read. That said, what is truly important here, is the fact that these things ARE taking place. The NSA is gobbling up nearly all communications data on everyone. The government of the USA is funding and using all this information. Anything we do online, including reading this review, is tracked and recorded. Independent journalism is under great threat; there are only a few truly independent reporters left in the world. But you can't let these revelations scare you into curling up in a ball and giving up on the Internet. It is also important to know that since the revelations of Snowden have been made public the tide is showing sign of turning. We live in a period of time that will eventually pass; it is always difficult to have perspective when we are in the middle of things. What you will come away with is a new awareness of everything you say and do on-line. Every time you post on Facebook or do a Google search you will think of what you read in this book. Maybe it will stop you or maybe it will awaken a need to get a different view of things from sources that are defying the pressure to conform. Very interesting reading.Here is presented the account, from the journalist who broke the story of domestic spying by the NSA, of how Edward Snowden blew the whistle and made public this illegal activity. The first part of the book described how Snowden approached the…
Star Trek, the Next GenerationStar Trek, the Next Generation, BookDeath in Winter
by Friedman, Michael JanBook - 2005 | First Pocket Books hardcover edition.Book, 2005. First Pocket Books hardcover edition.
Added Jun 02, 2014
The Manhattan ProjectThe Manhattan Project, DVD
DVD - 2005DVD, 2005
EricTheMailman's rating:
Added Mar 22, 2014
Comment: