Book Review: The Meg Book Trilogy- 4/15/08

Comments: I’ve read all the novel’s from Steve Alten regarding his MEG book series which focuses on a pre-historic mega-shark surfacing in modern day times. The first book was fun though kind of hard to believe in some parts.

The second was kind of out there with super spies + giant prehistoric shark causing a whole bunch of calamity along with some additional swimming dinosaurs.

The third was in the middle with some concepts reaching back to the first novel. So far I’m also reading tons of career & marketing books. Some interesting, some just re-hashing the same old tunes.

MEG: A Novel of Deep Terror
Score: 3 out of 5

The Trench
Score: 2.5 out of 5

MEG: Primal Waters
Score: 2.75 out of 5

Golf Course Review: Newport Beach Golf Course in Newport Beach, CA- 4/7/08



Date Played: April 7, 2008
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Number of players: 4
Driving range: Yes, $4 small and $7 large bucket
Putting green: Yes
Cost: $17 for full 18 holes
Course: 3,180 yard, Par 59 Time to play course: 3 hours

Notes: Has 6 Par 4s, but majority are on the back 9 which is more popular. Not too busy on a Saturday when stopped by, but post 1 p.m. on a Monday had some 1-2 group backups.

Comments: Played 18th holes at the Newport Beach Golf Course which is a public municipal course for about $17, less than a buck a hole. With a bucket at the range to warm up my hit was about $21 for a 3 hour round. Reviews sow this as a quick executive course so I thought it would be mostly par 3s, but there are actually 6 par 4s that are long and straight. THe back 9 is the preferred if you’re looking to play only 9 holes since it has four par 4s as well as a little lake surrounding two holes. Front 9 is mostly short Par 3s but are fine for new players of those looking to work short game into play.

Grass was fair overall, some brown areas but nothing overtly dead or bare. You end up crossing the street four times meandering between the three sections that comprise the course. There are several tight holes where you have to watch out hitting into the streets at the tees.

Downsides are that you tee off from mats and some weird backups of groups encountered when I thought it would be clear on a Monday afternoon. Driving range is plentiful though kind of tight and really lacking in high rubber tees. I actually had to use my own rubber tees of the mats during the game which I ended up forgetting on one of them. Still for the price I prefer this executive course compared to the other one in Lake Forest.

Overall: Good for the price if you’re looking for a low-challenging course to work short game on. Located next to John Wayne Airport so good for those working nearby offices looking for a quick game after work since it’s lighted.

Score: 3 out of 5

Golf Review: Golf Sales and Deals of the Week- 4/5/08

Great golf deals this week!

At RockbottomGolf.com you can get the following deals:
TaylorMade R7 SuperQuad- $270
Cleaveland HiBore XL- $140
TaylorMade Burner- $210
Mizuno MX-500- $130
Adams Golf- Insight BUL 5000 & BTY Driver- $100

While at Tuesday Morning stores today spotted these two deals.

Callaway Women’s Collection Cart Bag. Retails for $150 at GolfSmith and at Tuesday Morning only $50! Two color styles of Tan or Red. They also had the Odyssey stand bag for $50, retails for $140 as well.

Music Review: The New Pornographers- Challangers (2007)- 3/30/08

Comments: Nice dude/girl singing duo with solid rock songs. I’d have to say it’s not too mellow, not too heavy, more easy-going rock…kinda like Boston.

I’ve been playing it in the background when I’m on the computer and it has been rotating non-stop and it hasn’t irriated me at all, so it’s good music in my book.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

Game Review: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for the Playstation 2- 3/08/08

Comments: Finally, after months of playing and yelling at the t.v., completed the game. I don’t know how people beat this without the GameShark.

Some of the missions that always kicked me around were the RC toy sections as well as the initial plane flight training. A real big world to play in, but near the end I just skipped through some cut scenes since I just wanted the game to be done.

Score: 4 out of 5

Movie Review: Sunshine- 2/14/08

Comments: A cross between the sci-fi classic 2001 and the 90’s space-horror Event Horizon, Sunshine stars the actors who played the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four as well as the Scarecrow in Batman Returns along with Michelle Yeoh from Jame Bond’s Tomorrow Never Dies. With that pedigree you’d think this would be an action movie, you’d be wrong.

While the movie has some action elements, most of the film plays out slow and solemn as the crew try to ignite the planet Mercury before it dies out and kills Earth. While I enjoyed the movie slightly with some good cinematography in such tight quarters, the ending and villain seem tacked on. I don’t even think the movie needed the bad guy at all to accomplish the end result. But after the lack of new movies out for rent, this is a passable flick to watch.

Score: 2 out of 5

Book Review: Transformers: Identification and Price Guide- 2/13/08

Comments: Good guide to G1 Transformers. Has the tech spec background information providing character backgrounds as well as comments from the DreamWave guide books as well. Nice pictures of the toys (though some are out of focus).

Score: 4 out of 5

P.S. Rocking and Kickin’ with tunes by Guns N Roses (November Rain, Sweet Child O’ Mine), Sara Bareilles (Love Song), and Jessica L. Fenton (What Were You Expecting)