Fencing.net (Foil, sabre, epee fencing)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Fencing.net

WEB ADDRESS: http://fencing.net

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Discover, Enjoy, and Progress in the Olympic sport of fencing with our up to date news and training tips columns.

MY REVIEW: Every time a movie comes out with a lot of fencing - the first Pirates of the Caribbean, for example, or the first Star Wars, interest in fencing peaks briefly in the US. But because real fencing is not quite like its movie counterpart, the interest doesnt' last too long.

Which is a pity, because participants in fencing matches have fun, and its a great sport for increasing your fitness.

But it's an esoteric sport and I wonder how many Kindle readers are interested in fencing? Well...because you get a two week free subscription, why not subscribe and take a look at the blog, and indeed, at the sport itself.

Sample post

World Cup Season Kicks into High Gear
The fencing World Cup season kicks into high gear this weekend as the world cups now count for 2012 Olympic qualification.

Foil fencing for both men and women will commence in Shanghai. Traditionally Japan hosts a men’s foil grand prix event, but the event was moved to Shanghai following the earthquake and tsunami that hit Fukushima. (You can still donate to the relief efforts through the Red Cross.)

Here’s a brief rundown of the events:

Women’s Foil (Team and Individual): Shanghai, China
Men’s Foil (Individual): Shanghai, China
Women’s Epee (Team and Individual): Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Women’s Sabre (Team and Individual): Bologne, Italy
Who to watch? Mariel Zagunis will be fencing to keep at the top of the FIE world rankings and her teammates will be fencing to improve their rankings to try to secure another qualification spot for the US. Women’s Foil will be working to keep ahead of all others in the North American zone for the team qualification and men’s foil will see Miles Chamley-Watson fence to improve on his #3 world ranking and 2011 NCAA Champion Ariel DeSmet enters the field.

The Women’s Epee team heads down to 2016 Olympic host city Rio to take part in a “home zone” event. 12 athletes from the USA will compete in the individual event and the team event will feature some of our most seasoned athletes as the Hurley sisters (Kelley and Courtney), Maya Lawrence, and Lindsay Campbell will be the Team USA entry in the team event.

RECENT POSTS:
--World cup season kicks into high gear
--The COmprehensive guide to fencing shoes
--Szilagyi wins Acropolis cup
--US epee silvers in Heidenhelm
--Epee: You make the call

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Book Brouhaha (arts and entertainment)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Book Brouhaha, by Alain Gomez

WEB ADDRESS: http://bookbrouhaha.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: The articles in this blog cover various topics that are intended to highlight the short story genre. Guest short story authors are frequently featured.

This blog also provides reviews for works that are 10,000 words or less only. This is a somewhat unique feature as most blog reviewers focus primarily on novels.

MY REVIEW: Book Brouhaha seems to be a misnomer, since this blog focuses on the short story rather than the book. But that's a mere quibble. This is an excellent blog for those folks who are interested in short stories - and I have to admit in today's busy world it's a lot easier to find the time to read short stories rather than novels.

The short story is a distinct form from the novel - believe it or not its much harder to right a short story, as one has fewer words in which to accomplish the story...no padding allowed, which you can get by with in a novel.

Author interviews, short stories, short story reviews.

Highly recommended.

RECENT POSTS:
--The Short Story Project
I was introduced to the short story genre in high school and simply fell in love. It's completely different from reading a novel. A novel ...
--Review of "Against Her Fading Hour" by Isaac Sweeney
Summary: Three heart-wrenching short stories. In "Handi-Cure," Elisa is a widow looking for acceptance in the world. She tries to find it...
--Guest article by Jennifer Conner from e-publishing company Books to Go Now
People aren’t reading less, in fact I feel people are reading more than ever. Readers want to escape if even for a short time for romance, a...
--Author interview: James Everington
How did you become interested in short stories? By reading great ones; the first book of short stories I remember really impressing me was ...
--Author interview: Isaac Sweeney
How did you become interested in short stories? In school, the assignments were always to write short stories or poetry in the creative writ...

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Live Once, Juicy (health, weight loss)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Live Once, Juicy, by Shaunta Grimes

WEB ADDRESS: http://liveoncejuicy.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Shaunta Grimes blogs at Live Once, Juicy about body acceptance and athleticism at every size.

At its heart, Live Once, Juicy is about giving yourself permission to live exactly how you want to, right now. Shaunta hosts a weekly self-portrait project called the Rad Fatties Project, keeps a list of defiant athletes on the web, and writes an ongoing series debunking fat myths and commentary on news about the war on obesity.

Readers are encouraged to rethink what they thought they knew about health, the social context of fat and body politics.

MY REVIEW: This blog is a breath of fresh air, and I highly recommend it to those women (and men as well) who are "large", and sick to death of people telling them to lose weight. If you're healthy, if you're athletic, why should you worry if you're five to fifty pounds overweight? It's your life, live it the way you want to!

Which isn't to say this blog gives you permission to be a couch potato. Be a "defiant" athlete, exercising and working out not to lose weight, but to be healthy and strong.

I heartily recommend this blog.

RECENT POSTS:
--Really?
--Fat NYC: An uncharacteristically fluffy picture post
--I Wore A Dress (Bonus DIY Leggings Vid)
--Sometimes the Progress is Between My Ears
--“I Have Dreams When I’m Awake, When I’m Asleep”

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

The Playgoer (arts and entertainment, theatre)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: The Playgoer, by Garrett Eisler

WEB ADDRESS: http://playgoer.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Theater critic Garrett Eisler weighs in on all things dramaturgical, Broadway and beyond. Includes links to theater news stories from all over the web and the world.

MY REVIEW: I love the theatre, and if you do too, this is the blog for you. (Theater = movie theaters, theatre = the stage. That's how I differentiate 'em!)

Truth to tell, I find the stage our most tragic art. An actor - or a whole company - can give the performance of their lives one night...and only a handful of people will see it...and will they be able to remember anything (except the emotion of pleasure) about it ten years later?

I've seen many plays in my life - the Guthrie Theater season of 1985 is a particular favorite... and I'd give almost anything to be able to see those productions again - but of course that's just not possible.

This blog has recently been focusing on theater awards - the Tonys and the Lortels, but there's plenty of theatre info and reviews here, so check it out.

Sample Review

Intiman Updates
Seattle Times critic Misha Berson follows up with the big picture on last week's surprise announcement of Seattle's Intiman Theatre suspending all operations.

Also, Artistic Director Kate Whoriskey (who was in the middle of her first season there) has officially resigned rather than wait out the uncertainty. Indeed, better than waiting around to be laid off after already having your paychecks stopped. Talk about adding insult to injury...

As an earlier commenter suggested, this may all have more to do with the local Seattle scene than the state of our nonprofit companies nationally. Still, I can't think of any other theatre as large (budget-wise) and as prominent (prestige-wise) going under in recent years. Can you?

RECENT POSTS:
--Tony Noms, 2010-2011
--2010-2011 Lortels (Off Broadway)
--Axeman Cometh
--The Archives of the Future
--Regional Awards Roundup: DC
--"Normal Heart:" Update
--Intiman Updates

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Geektress: Powered by Science (arts and entertainment)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Geektress: Powered by Science, by Brenda Kirk

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.geektress.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Geektress is a website aimed at science fiction / fantasy / comic-book loving nerds everywhere. It's a news, reviews, and opinions blog written exclusively by women who love geeky stuff, and aren't afraid to share.

MY REVIEW: If you're a science fiction or fantasy fan, man or woman, I urge you to subscribe to this blog. The author writes well and with entusiasm, and covres a variety of media - TV, books, movies. THere's recaps and reviews of TV series and comics...just about everything. Check it out.

Sample post:

Game of Thrones Read-Along, Week 1
(It's a long post, I share only a few paragrpahs. It is also illustrated with photos from the TV series. Check it out online)
In Shakespeare’s tragedies, there’s always this major turning point where someone has killed someone else and then events have to play themselves out, usually with everyone dead at the end. The turning point of A Game of Thrones happens before the book even starts. Jon Arryn, Hand of the King, dies, and as Eddard Stark comes to find out, his death was really murder.

The first 200 pages of A Game of Thrones sets this murder theory up. We also get a lot of introductions and character development in these pages. A lot of what happens in these first pages shape the characters into who they become several books down the line.

Lots of plot threads start here. Members of the Night’s Watch encounter White Walkers – ghostly zombie type creatures bent on murder and destruction. Eddard Stark learns of Jon Arryn’s death and King Robert comes to Winterfell to ask him to take the dead man’s place as Hand of the King. Jon Snow, Eddard’s bastard son joins the Night Watch on the wall and Tyrion Lannister, dwarf and brother to Queen Cersei accompanies him. We also meet Daenerys Targaryan, the last Princess of the Dragon as her brother sells her into marriage with Khal Drogo, a barbarian horse lord.

There is tons of back story that goes along with these events, that make these events more than simple plot points. The most important bit of back story involves Robert’s Rebellion. We learn that 17 years ago, Robert usurps the throne from Mad King Aerys II – Daenerys’ father. Robert also murders Rhaegar, King Aerys’ heir and Daenerys’ oldest brother, for kidnapping his betrothed and raping her a million times, which eventually results in her death. Robert’s betrothed is Lyanna Stark – Eddard Stark’s sister. So, Robert, Eddard, and Jon Arryn storm The Trident and take down the mad king. King Aerys II had also done a whole lot of other awful things, including murder Eddard Stark’s father and older brother and a bunch of other people just because he felt like it. Robert murders Rhaegar and his wife and their newborn baby. King Aerys’ queen manages to escape with her younger son Viserys and Daenerys, who is still in the womb. Robert becomes King and everyone lives not so happily ever after.

The horror of those events drive most of our characters throughout the series. Maybe Robert’s Rebellion was the turning point. Robert disrupted several generations of crazy inbred Targaryan rule. Perhaps the universe is not happy with this. Aerys was a psychopath, but he was the trueborn Targaryan heir. This might sound silly, but in many real life cultures, a king is god’s own avatar on earth. Kill that avatar and all hell breaks loose.

Anyway… Martin gives us eight different character perspectives in this first book and we get all eight of them in the first 200 pages. In my mind, the most prominent POV is that of Eddard (Ned) Stark. Out of all the batshit crazy characters you will meet in this series, Eddard stands out as a rock of reason. He can be harsh at times but is also compassionate when he needs to be. He loves his wife and children and is a hard but fair Warden of the North. Ned is an Everyman. He is the easiest to relate to even though sometimes his noble actions make you want to do a facepalm because you know they’ll bite him in the ass later. Ned is too trusting and too willing to think everyone else is like him – putting honor and duty above personal gain.

Part of what makes Ned such a likeable character is that we also see him from the POV of several of his children – Jon, Sansa, Arya, and Bran. They all love and respect him. Through his children we see that he is a good father as well as a good Warden. We also see Ned through is wife Catelyn’s eyes. Catelyn had been betrothed to Ned’s older brother Brandon before he was murdered by Aerys. As honor and duty demanded, Ned took his brother’s place and married his brother’s bride. Catelyn came to love Ned over the years and she is devoted to him, giving him five children and hoping for more. Through Catelyn, we see that Ned is also a good husband.

I have one note on Catelyn as a character. I don’t like her. Everything she does throughout the series is forever colored by her interaction with Jon – Ned’s bastard – in Bran’s sick room. In a major plot point, where we see for the first time that no character is safe from death or destruction, Jaime Lannister shoves Bran out a multistory window after the boy witnesses him and his twin sister, Queen Cersei, having their affair.

(Continued at the blog)

RECENT POSTS:
--Smallville: And don't forget the magic rocks!
--GoT Read-along, Week 2
--I like big links and I can not lie
--Next Quarter's Shirtless Beheadings Flick Looks Good
--Wish List Wednesday: The Galaxy Far Away Edition
--Battle Bands: Squishy And Bossy
--Game Of Thrones Read-Along: Week 1




_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report