Final Jeopardy 3-31-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

FAMOUS BRITISH NAMES

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

He used the coat of arms granted to his father in 1596; it depicts a long-shafted weapon, a visual pun on the family name

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Final Jeopardy Question / Answer

William Shakespear

The Jesus Cow (2015) Michael Perry

The Jesus Cow (2015) Michael Perry

What is the secret to a happy life?

Wait for it…

The answer (according to our Hero, Harley) is:

Low Overhead.

And so it goes in the Garrison Keillor-ist tale of Swivel Wisconsin and factory worker, volunteer fire department member, gentleman farmer, bachelor – Harley.  Who one Christmas eve is the recipient of a calf with the likeness of Jesus Christ on its side.  Big trouble he thinks.  Sure enough Big Trouble ensues.  As well as some much needed shaking up of the town of Swivel.  From his friend Billie to the town bully – Clute Sorenson -   people and things change due to this ill-fated calf. 

Most books -  I think “why are they making these choices?  It doesn’t make sense.”  Perry constructs a plot where I can see each choice that Harley makes and why it makes sense even though it seemly leads to more trouble.  Like Keillor, Perry steers (get it “steer”) clear of the truly tragic and of course everything turns out in the end.

Did you doubt it?

This is must read for Lake Woebegone fans.

Final Jeopardy 3-30-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

MUSICAL THEATRE

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

One of the world’s longest-running musicals, in 2015 it celebrated “30 years of revolution!”

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Final Jeopardy Question / Answer:

Les Misérables

Take Back the Sky (2016). Greg Bear

Take Back the Sky (2016) Greg Bear

Weird, weirder, weirdest

War Dogs, Killing Titan, and now Take Back the Sky…

Skyrine Michael Venn finds himself inside Titan waiting for the his friends in the corp from Earth and Mars to take him and his crew out and also to take out Bug Karnack and the archives of bug knowledge found on inside Titan.  Their only hope?  The Antags.  His Antag connection from the Ice Moon Tea – Venn calls her Bird Girl -  has arranged to save Venn and his crew.  They are cut out of their armor and packed away for a journey to a large strange ship.

This ship is apparently the one used by the gurus (Antags call them “Keepers”) to travel around the solar system and beyond to plan and stage their war-shows for some unknown audience.   Turns out this ship constantly morphing in strange ways.  The Starshina – Ulyanova -  was also exposed to the ice moon tea and was linked to a guru.  As such -  she is apparently qualified as a pilot / commander of the ship.  Which she proceeds to do.  Is she a friend of humanity or is she a guru in Starshina clothing. 

The book ends with an interesting whimper and not a bang.  It leaves me with a lot of questions.  What happened to Ulyanova and the ship?  Did they fly into the sun.  What is happening with Joe and Teale’s daughter on Mars.  What does Ishida (the Winter Soldier)  look like?  Seems like a set up for one more volume of War Dogs.  One can only hope.

Final Jeopardy 3-29-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

WORDS IN THE NEWS 2016

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

NASA wished John Glenn this 8-letter word when he made the 1st U.S. manned orbital flight in 1962 & again upon his passing in 2016

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Final Jeopardy Question / Answer:

God Speed

Final Jeopardy 3-28-2017

Final Jeopardy 3-28-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

In July 1938 about 2,000 people with an average age of 94 gathered at this site for a 75th & final reunion

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Final Jeopardy Question / Answer:

Gettysburg

Great Seal - 10 miles 180. ft / mile

Final Jeopardy 3-27-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

SCIENTISTS

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

This European’s 1751 “Philosophia Botanica” gave rules of nomenclature & said don’t change generic names

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Final Jeopardy Question / Answer:

Carl Linnaeus

Killing Titan (2015) Greg Bear

Killing Titan (2015)  Greg Bear

This book follows -  War Dogs.  Our hero, Skyrine Michael Venn,  is back on Earth after getting exposed to Green “Ice Moon Tea” in the ancient artifact – The Drifter on Mars.  It left some of his comrades as black ice.   But not Venn and not DJ.  Now Venn can hear one of the former comrades as well as the bug Karnack -  ancient storage of bug knowledge. 

As he is getting interrogated and about to be executed for what they think he knows about the Antags, the gurus and what this war is really all about – he is swept back to Mars and on the Titan where he learns more.  Finally he must make a decision about who he trusts.  His fellow Skyrines and their puppet-masters – the Guru’s?  Or the Antag female that he mind melds with and who together receive tantalizing information from bug Karnack. 

I like the first person narrative.  It makes it more real to me.  Although, a bit hard to follow some times.  Reminds me a little of of John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War.

Armada (2015) Ernest Cline

Armada (2015)  Ernest Cline

Ever see the “Last Starfighter”?   Yes?  Well there you have it.  Kids playing video games that are actually preparations for space battles.  Armada has a few interesting turns but is basically the same plot devise as that underrated movie.  Don’t get me wrong -  I love that plot  - could read / watch it over and over.  Just don’t expect something else.  You could read this and Ready Player One in a single weekend.

Final Jeopardy 3-24-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

NATIVE AMERICAN PLACE NAMES

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

You have to go through military security to reach this town with a Marine base on 3 sides & the Potomac on the other

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Final Jeopardy. Question / Answer:

Quantico, Virgina

Final Jeopardy 3-23-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

FICTIONAL CHARACTERS

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

The word that gave us “picaresque” may also have inspired the name of this clever valet featured in a 1786 opera

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Final Jeopardy Answer / Question:

Figaro

Final Jeopardy 3-22-2017

Final Jeopardy category: 

BUSINESS

Final Jeopardy clue/answer: 

This company founded in 1945 offers a special deal on the last day of January, March, May, July, Aug., Oct. & Dec.

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Final Jeopardy Question / Answer:

Baskin-Robbins

(31 Flavors)

War Dogs (2014) Greg Bear

War Dogs (2014) Greg Bear

 Skyrine (Marine in the sky – get it?)  Michael Venn is the here of this series.  Aliens land on Earth and give us many new things but there is a catch.  Remember the Twilight Zone where generous aliens help us and the “Holy Book” is called “To Serve Man”  -Turns out it is a cook book.  Well this is almost that bad.  The catch here is that there is another alien race which was thought to be hostile and have the convenient name “Antags”.  While they are fighting on Mars, Venn and his troup find an artifact called the Drifter which leads to interesting side effects and the next two books -   Killing Titan and Take Back the Sky.

I found the description of life in a suit, fighting the elements as well as the Antags for their lives, well done.   Some of the plot got confusing but I hung in there and it made sense.  You should hang in there too . It is worth the effort.