Duffbert's Random Musings

06/16/2013

Book Review - The Shadow Constant by A. J. Scudiere

Category Book Review A. J. Scudiere The Shadow Constant

The Shadow Constant by A. J. Scudiere was one of those novels I got wrapped up in quickly and had a hard time putting down. Besides the fact that the story line and premise was interesting, I also found her treatment of the main character's Asperger's syndrome very well done.

Set in a old plantation home, a group of people are restoring it for a museum attraction. Evan, his fiancee Reenie, his sister Kayla (who has Asperger's), and her caretaker/friend Ivy are working on a shoestring budget to make Hazleton House look as authentic as possible. While ripping out a wall, they stumble on a packet of letters from the former owners that seem to tie the estate back to Eli Whitney. Even more important, they find a blueprint for a device that doesn't seem to make any sense... at least until Kayla starts to obsess over it and figures out what it actually is. Unfortunately, there are others who also have an idea as to what the device is and what it would mean if it were ever built. Kayla and her crew find themselves up against some powerful and unknown forces that will do whatever is necessary to stop them dead in their tracks.

The premise and story line of The Shadow Constant was quite good. I've always been fascinated with stories about hidden treasures and stashes, as I wonder what things are just sitting around waiting to be discovered. In this case, since it ties back to a historical figure and inventor, it makes it even better.

The other element that made the story stand out is how Scudiere uses Kayla's Asperger's as a crucial element of the action. She explains Kayla's thought process and the struggles she has trying to fit in when it comes to social interactions. I thought it was a realistic portrayal of a person with that condition within the flow of the story.

The Shadow Constant is an entertaining read, and one I'd recommend for a few hours of enjoyment and escape.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Publisher
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 12:35 PM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

06/16/2013

Book Review - Performance Anomalies by Victor Robert Lee

Category Book Review Victor Robert Lee Performance Anomalies

Performance Anomalies by Victor Robert Lee is a spy story that takes place in Kazakhstan. Cono, the main character who appears to be a mercenary/spy for hire, gets a call from a woman who he developed feelings for when he was last there. A session with one of her "clients" is broken up by people who want to dish out some retribution for double-dealing. She's collateral damage, and Cono gets a rushed call from her for help in escaping. He calls a local friend in the area to start looking for her while he travels to the area. When he arrives, he finds himself involved as a go-between for certain elements who are trying to deal nuclear material to the highest bidder. If he does his job, the girl lives... if not, then who knows who will die?

This is apparently a first novel for Lee, so I was reading with a mindset that didn't expect perfection. First novels are rarely perfect, but you have to start somewhere. Having said that, I had two problems with Performance Anomalies. One, the dialog came across as the author trying too hard to be clever or deep. There were too many instances where Cono would go into philosophical mode when it didn't seem to be the place or time for it. The interrogation scene was too far over the top when it came to his replies to the person trying to extract information.

The other problem was that there seemed to be a number of backstories of previous adventures that might have filled in some of the story gaps. If this had been the third or fourth of a series, I would have figured it was a case of reading the books out of order. Given that it's the first novel, there are too many holes in his past to get a good understanding of who and what Cono is.

I think the general premise and character could be an interesting story line. But it needs some work (in my opinion) before it gets there.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Netgalley
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 11:01 AM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

06/05/2013

Book Review - The Patron Way: From Fantasy to Fortune - Lessons on Taking Any Business From Idea to Iconic Brand by Ilana Edelstein

Category Book Review Ilana Edelstein The Patron Way: From Fantasy to Fortune - Lessons on Taking Any Business From Idea to Iconic Brand

I knew that Patron tequila seems to be marketed as a high-end brand, but not being into the spirit, I didn't know much about it. Ilana Edelstein's book The Patron Way: From Fantasy to Fortune - Lessons on Taking Any Business From Idea to Iconic Brand filled in the history of the brand for me, and it's an interesting read. While it's marketed as a business book, it reads more like an insider's view of the birth and rise of Patron, complete with mystery, love, heartbreak, and political maneuvering.

Contents:
Part 1 - R&D: Out of the Blue; A Brief History of Tequila; The Taste Test
Part 2 - Brand Building: Hollywood Star; By the Seat of Our Pants; The High Life
Part 3 - Sustainable Development: A Rude Awakening; Loose Ends; Patron Today
Epilogue - No Regrets; Aperitif - Marking the Patron Way; Notes; Index

The birth of Patron tequila was the combined effort of John Paul DeJoria, Martin Crowley, and his life partner, Ilana Edelstein. They discovered a tequila that they felt surpassed the taste and quality of anything else on the market. Using unconventional marketing techniques, they started to define and build a market niche (ultra-premium tequila) that didn't exist. Everything was focused on positioning the drink as an exclusive and sought-after item... and it worked very well. While others have moved into that niche, Patron still holds the lion's share of that market, remaining focused on quality, taste, and sophistication.

Edelstein does draw out various business learnings and lessons throughout the book, and they're summarized well in the end. A lot of it came down to trying things that no one else was doing, basically because they didn't know that it was "wrong" by conventional wisdom. However, the main tone of the book documents the love relationship between her and Crowley, and how it went from soulmates and complete partnership to legal eviction notices and drawn-out lawsuits cutting her out from the company entirely. The details would make for gossip column fodder, and Edelstein is very open about the lifestyle they led during the boom days of the company. It's hard not to side with Edelstein and the raw deal she got in the end. It does reinforce the wisdom of making sure that love and business don't get mixed together too deeply. While you may think that your partner would never do anything to hurt you, it's still critical to get legal agreements drawn up and defined... just in case.

The Patron Way isn't your normal business book, but it also has certain lessons that aren't part and parcel of "normal" business books, either.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Publisher
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 5:11 AM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

06/01/2013

Book Review - The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create The World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart

Category Book Review Amy Stewart The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create The World's Great Drinks

When you think about it, alcohol is all about the plant. Whether it's the base distilled spirit or the flavorings that go into it, someone had to come up with the idea to do something with what was growing around them. The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create The World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart is a detailed, informative, and humorous look at liquor from the perspective of a botanist. I came away with a whole lot more appreciation behind what's on the shelf at a liquor store, as well as a number of drinks I wouldn't mind trying.

Contents:
Aperitif
About The Recipes
Part 1 - We Explore The Twin Alchemical Processes Of Fermentation And Distillation, From Which Wine, Beer, And Spirits Issue Forth: Proceeding in an Orderly Fashion through the Alphabet - The Classics, from Agave to Wheat; Then Moving onto a Sampling of More Obscure Sources of Alcohol from around the World - Strange Brews
Part 2 - We Then Suffuse Our Creations With A Wondrous Assortment Of Nature's Bounty: Herbs & Spices; Flowers; Trees; Fruit; Nuts & Seeds
Part 3 - At Last We Venture Into The Garden, Where We Encounter A Seasonal Array Of Botanical Mixers And Garnishes To Be Introduced To The Cocktail In Its Final Stage Of Preparation: Stored in a Similar Fashion - Herbs, Flowers, Trees, Berries & Vines, Fruits & Vegetables, including Recipes and Sufficient Horticultural Instruction
Digestif
Some Final Business: Recommended Reading; Acknowledgments; Index

For something that could be very long and dry, Stewart makes The Drunken Botanist both entertaining and informative. The basics of things like beer, vodka, and scotch are covered both from a "how is it made" perspective and from the historical angle. The small details and stories surrounding some of the plants are fascinating, and you have to wonder how it was possible to consider of these combinations a good idea at the time. Even things like oak, used to create the barrels that store and age various alcohols, have a huge effect on the taste and quality of the resulting spirits. A European oak is preferred by winemakers due to the tannins it releases during the aging process, while the makers of bourbon prefer species like the American white oak because of the sweeter flavor molecules it contains. All oaks are definitely not created equal...

Because each fruit, herb, tree, etc. has its own two to four page section, you don't have to sit down and read the whole thing at one time. On the other hand, it's hard not to keep saying "just one more plant.." If you're interested in the world of alcohol, The Drunken Botanist should be on your reading list.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Library
Payment: Borrowed

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 1:18 PM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

06/01/2013

Book Review - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Category Book Review Robin Sloan Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel

I had heard a lot about Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, and I finally got to the top of the library hold list. The people who told me about it were right... it's a very good read that's quite different than most novels I've experienced lately.

Bookstore starts off a little on the slow side, probably because the main character, Clay Jannon, is working a job that seems to be completely illogical. What's the purpose of someone working a graveyard shift in a 24-hour bookstore that never seems to sell any books? But it picks up as Jannon starts trying to figure out who the book borrowers are, and why the books they're borrowing appear to be nothing more than collections of random characters. There are a number of mysteries within mysteries to be solved, and they're all wrapped in a centuries-old society that no one has ever heard of.

On top of the story (which I thought was interesting with a number of things to consider), the dialogue style was perfect for pulling the reader into a one-on-one experience with Jannon's situation and thoughts about what's going on and what it all means.

I'd definitely recommend Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore with the warning that you might need some uninterrupted time before you start reading. I found it very hard to put down...

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Library
Payment: Borrowed

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 12:30 PM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

05/28/2013

Book Review - Glass House 51 by John Hampel

Category Book Review John Hampel Glass House 51

So what happens when one company attempts to know *everything* about an individual, and there are no checks and balances on that type of power? That's the general framework for the novel Glass House 51 by John Hampel. It's an interesting story where a number of already-present technologies are combined and played out to some extreme (but not entirely unthinkable) conclusions.

The story revolves around Richard Clayborne, a rising star of AlphaBanc, and his involvement in what initially appears to be an assignment to catch a hacker and potential murderer. AlphaBanc is more than just a financial institution, though. They've become a massive data warehouse that is working on tying together every bit (no pun intended) of information on a person. Using massive computing power and secretive routines, they know more about an individual's life and motivations than the person themselves. But their ultimate goal is not just knowing everything about a person, but being able to actually control what they do and how they act. As Clayborne gets deeper into his assignment, he comes face-to-face with some scary truths about AlphaBanc that show just how far-reaching people will go to have complete and total control over society.

As with much near-future science fiction, you need to make sure you don't too get caught up in the "near" part of "near-future". While it's true that much of what goes on in the novel isn't reality (at least now), it's not a complete stretch to travel down the "what if" path. And in reality, that's where I saw the most potential in Glass House 51. I thought the dialogue tried a bit too hard in places to be "real", in that the spelling and punctuation attempted to capture drawl and mannerisms. There were also a couple of gaps (which I won't go into for spoiler purposes) where I was wondering if I had missed a chapter or two (or just didn't remember because my ambien had kicked in or something).

Still, all things considered, Glass House 51 was one of those books that continued to grow on me the longer I read, and by the end I was hooked.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Netgalley
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 7:13 PM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

05/27/2013

Book Review - Winner Lose All by William F. Brown

Category Book Review William F. Brown Winner Lose All

Since I've been a past reader of his work, Willam Brown asked me if I would be interested in reading and reviewing his latest book, Winner Lose All. Set in the closing days of World War II, a young American spy, Ed Scanlon, is sent behind German lines to aid a resistance cell. The leader of the cell, a attractive and street-wise woman named Hanni Steiner, is far more important than she appears, as she's also an agent for the Soviets. As often happens in those intense life-and-death struggles, they fall in love, but... it's complicated. He sees it as a simple matter of her coming back with him. She sees it as something that can never be as she has ties to her homeland that can never be broken.

Scanlon is eventually caught and broken by the local Gestapo chief, Otto Deitrich. The resistance is able to break him out of the jail and put him on a boat back to England, a broken man, both physically and emotionally. He figures he's done with war and spying, but his job isn't over yet. They want him to go back in and help bring out a group of German engineers who are responsible for Germany's jet propulsion program. If he doesn't succeed, the Russians will end up with them, and that's not an acceptable situation to the English or Americans. But the only way he's going back is on his own personal terms, and that's to find Hanni... the engineers are secondary as far as he's concerned. Unfortunately, things are no less complicated this time, either...

It was interesting when I started to read Winner Lose All. I didn't read the description of the book, as I agreed to read it based on my prior experience and enjoyment of Brown's books. As I read the first part of the novel, I kept wondering where things were going, as it seemed it was going to finish up *way* too soon. Interesting, yes... but the pacing seemed wrong... until I got to the second part where Scanlon is sent back in. It's at that point that the first part made complete sense, and set up the book for the remaining story. Of course, by then I couldn't stop turning pages...

I liked Winner Lose All for both the characters and the emotional struggles they had to suffer. Sometimes honor and responsibility *are* more important than what someone thinks they want, and sometimes things that you long for are never meant to be. Throughout the twists and turns of the story, that struggle of duty vs want rings clear. Sometimes "happily ever after" doesn't happen, but it doesn't mean the "right" thing didn't happen...

As usual, a very good read from William Brown, and I'm looking forward to his next novels.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Author
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 2:45 PM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

05/27/2013

Product Review - Davidsbeenhere: Sleep Eye Mask with Ear Plugs

Category Product Review Davidsbeenhere: Sleep Eye Mask with Ear Plugs

Another "try it and tell me what you think" item from Davidsbeenhere.com... the Sleep Eye Mask with Ear Plugs. I consider myself an expert on ear plugs, as I just can't fall asleep without them now. The combo of items in this kit work fairly well, but they won't last forever. To maintain a level of quiet (and cleanliness), you'll end up having to replace the earplugs at some point.

The mask works better than many. The bridge of the nose is always a trouble spot, as most masks let in light since the fabric won't sit down completely on the skin and follow the curves. This mask has an extra piece of fabric there, so it's better than others. It's still not completely dark, but it works.

The ear plugs are solid and expand out well to block out noises. I always recommend (I know this sounds gross) licking your finger slightly and putting it in your ear before inserting the rolled up ear plug to expand. It helps the insertion process (yeah... that sounds really bad). I've found that after using earplugs for a couple of weeks, they start to accumulate some degree of ear wax and dirt, plus they don't have the same responsiveness in filling the ear canal. Therefore, expect that you'll be replacing the ear plugs after a dozen or so uses. Fortunately, the kit does have a nice little plastic container to put the plugs into, so that should help keep them a bit cleaner for a longer period of time.

Overall, this sleeping mask and ear plug kit does what it sets out to do. If I wanted something more ergonomically correct for covering my eyes, I might suggest looking for *just* an eye mask and then picking up ear plugs in bulk. But if you're trying out this combination for upcoming trips, this combo is a quick and easy way to check it out for not much money.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Marketing
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 1:01 PM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

05/27/2013

Product Review - Davidsbeenhere: Portable Travel Digital Luggage Scale

Category Product Review Davidsbeenhere: Portable Travel Digital Luggage Scale

The biggest trick when traveling (at least for me) is to try and get as much in my suitcase as possible without going over the weight limit. Davidsbeenthere.com asked me if I'd like to check out their Portable Travel Digital Luggage Scale, so I gave it a try. This is a nice addition to the travel bag, and might potentially save me some real money.

There's a single button on the top, and pressing it starts the scale. After about a second, it beeps and is set to 0.0 lbs. The strap simply loops around the handle of your suitcase and hooks back onto the triangular holder under the scale. Lift up the suitcase while holding onto the scale, wait a couple of seconds, and you'll hear a beep that locks in the weight. Read the total, and adjust as necessary... it's pretty simple.

I tried it out on two 45 lb kettlebells I have, and they both weighed in at 44.3 lbs. When I tried using a different weight scale we had, the results were even more varied than that. So, I'd recommend weighing something you know the weight of first, just to make sure you won't get any unpleasant surprises at the airport. In my case, I'll figure that 49.0 lbs is probably as high as I want to go for a 50 lb limit.

To switch between kg and lb, just hold the button for three seconds when starting the unit. It then turns on, and the weight unit flashes. Select the one you want and then just wait for three seconds. You're all set.

This is going to be a definite traveling companion from here on out. It's light, easy to use, and doesn't take up much room. It's a no-brainer to use this scale to avoid unpleasant (and costly) airport surprises.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Marketing
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 12:19 PM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

05/27/2013

Product Review - FRiEQ Premium Stylish Universal Dashboard Windshield Car Mount Holder for Smartphones

Category Product Review - FRiEQ Premium Stylish Universal Dashboard Windshield Car Mount Holder for Smartphones

FRiEQ Premium Stylish Universal Dashboard Windshield Car Mount Holder for Smartphones including iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3, S2, Verizon Galaxy Nexus and more - Black

I like being able to use my smartphone for things like GPS navigation when I'm driving, but I never have a good place to put the phone that doesn't take my eyes off the road. When I was asked if I wanted to review the FRiEQ Premium Stylish Universal Dashboard Windshield Car Mount Holder for Smartphones, I said yes, hoping it would be the answer for those types of situations. I quickly found out that it *is* the answer, and will be permanently left in the car now... I love it.

The things I normally don't care for on mounts like these is that they are built for a single size or type of phone, and you pretty much have to take off any phone cover in order to use it. Not with the FriEQ, however... The two side braces for the phone have one side that is fixed and one side that is spring-loaded and expands out to nearly four inches wide. Therefore, it's pretty irrelevant as to how wide your device is with the cover on it. Just push the side of the phone against the brace that expands out, push it until you can get the phone anchored against the other brace, and the tension between the arms will hold it tight.

The base has a latch on the back that works the suction cup base on the bottom. I'd guess that if your dashboard is pebbly or not very smooth, it might not hold as tightly as it should. But for our dash, which is smooth, it held like a rock. The armature between the phone holder and the base also fully swivels and moves through a 90 degree of up-and-down motion, so I can't think of any configuration where you wouldn't be able to attach the mount and not be able to swivel the phone into an optimal viewing angle.

Bottom line, I can't find anything to dislike about the FRiEQ. It looks nice in black, it blends into the coloring in our car, it's easy to work, and it does exactly what it's supposed to do (and it does it well). I'm guessing that if I find that the FriEQ is missing from my car, it will probably have "mysteriously" traveled to my son's car... in which case he can go buy his own. This reviewer is not sharing this item...

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Marketing
Payment: Free

Posted by Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff At 11:22 AM Location Portland, Oregon | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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06/16/2013

Book Review - The Shadow Constant by A. J. Scudiere

06/16/2013

Book Review - Performance Anomalies by Victor Robert Lee

06/05/2013

Book Review - The Patron Way: From Fantasy to Fortune - Lessons on Taking Any Business From Idea to Iconic Brand by Ilana Edelstein

06/01/2013

Book Review - The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create The World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart

06/01/2013

Book Review - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

05/28/2013

Book Review - Glass House 51 by John Hampel

05/27/2013

Book Review - Winner Lose All by William F. Brown

05/27/2013

Product Review - Davidsbeenhere: Sleep Eye Mask with Ear Plugs

05/27/2013

Product Review - Davidsbeenhere: Portable Travel Digital Luggage Scale

05/27/2013

Product Review - FRiEQ Premium Stylish Universal Dashboard Windshield Car Mount Holder for Smartphones

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