Reviews – Page 18 – Bryan E. Wilson

Movie Review: God’s Not Dead

April 4, 2014

By: Suzanne Ostrander

A couple of weekends ago, my husband and I relished the scarce and exciting opportunity to watch a movie from start to finish without pressing the pause button once. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, my dear spouse and I went on a date while the grandparents babysat our 9-month old son. (Can I get an AMEN?!!)

Long overdue for some conversation that broached topics other than Spongebob Squarepants, spit-up, or suspicious smelling diapers, Nathan and I agreed on the recently released flick “God’s Not Dead”.

The movie tells the story of devout Christian and college freshman Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), who is prompted by his overreaching Atheist philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo) to present a scientific, fact-based argument on the existence of God.

Rotten Tomatoes gave the film mixed reviews, due to the production’s stereotypical depiction of religion and morality throughout various cultures.

Be that as it may, I strongly disagree with the assertion that the movie failed to present an all-encompassing portrayal of the Christian experience.

Critics felt that the movie presented the tragically inaccurate message that Christians are always good, while non-Christians are always bad. In other words, if good is white and bad is black, then the film lacked any notable trace of gray when it came to character development.

I couldn’t disagree more.

Josh Wheaton’s longtime girlfriend is a perfect example of a character who steps outside her moral compass as a Christian without actually abandoning her faith altogether. Committed to her relationship with Josh and their long-term plan of a life together, Josh’s girlfriend shares his Christian faith, but does not support his decision to challenge his professor. She is a Christian, yet her concern for Josh’s academic future trumped her support for him when he decides to challenge his professor and defend his faith.

Does this mean that she is no longer a Christian?

Of course not, she simply erred in her ways as a Christian who mistakenly dips her toes into the quintessential realm of gray.

What other characters represent this proverbial, yet realistic shade of gray? Go see the film and find out! I would love to hear your thoughts!

Financially Fearless

February 1, 2014

Alexa Von Tobel’s recent publication, Financially Fearless, explores the financial philosophy of how to create a realistic budget and take control of your money. Financially Fearless includes a section of questionnaires geared to filter through common misconceptions about planning a budget. Many of Von Tobel’s readers have greatly benefited from the financial tools that come with the book, such as budget worksheets and income calculation guides.

As the CEO of LearnVest, Inc., Von Tobel’s mission is to inform and educate financial literacy to not just white collar workers, but to anyone who has ever lived under a budget. When LearnVest was launched in 2009, it did just that by offering financial advice through certified financial planners, along with a multitude of resources from experts.

Click the link below for direct access to Von Tobel’s website:

http://www.learnvest.com/author/alexa/

Click below to be redirected to a video segment of an interview with Von Tobel, where she discusses her career and the motivations behind Financially Fearless. Enjoy this resource and remember to encourage excellence today:

New High-Tech Headband Claims to Facilitate Lucid Dreaming

January 23, 2014

By: Suzanne Ostrander

A new headband has been launched that promises to help dreamers realize that they are dreaming. According to technology developers, the headband is designed to measure brain waves and eye movement activity to determine when a person enters REM sleep. Once this state has been identified, the headband then emits light to indicate that the sleeper is dreaming.

This new development has had mixed reviews throughout the scientific community. For more information on the device, click the link below:

http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/headband-helps-you-control-your-dreams-140116.htm

The Truth About Trust

January 23, 2014

By: Suzanne Ostrander

David DeSteno, Ph.D. argues that the decision to trust is a risk worth taking. In his recent publication, “The Truth About Trust”, DeSteno, a Northwestern University psychology professor, argues that the notion of trust “affects how we learn, love, take care of our health, and conduct business”. According to DeSteno, the”human longing to believe in another person’s integrity and reliability” is an exhaustive, yet ongoing subject of research for researchers, doctors, and other professionals in the field of psychology. In “The Truth About Trust” DeSteno suggests that the benefits of trusting another far outweigh the risks in situations that would not normally arouse suspicion.

In other words, while it is often wise to be cautious, being too paranoid will only harm your relationships in the long run. This advice seems simple enough, yet most people could benefit from hearing it.

If you have read this book or are familiar with this author, I would love to hear your thoughts! Remember to encourage excellence today and everyday.

Today’s Reading: Paper vs. Digital

January 7, 2014

Success Magazine has featured an article canvassing today’s readers on their preference of paper versus digital reading. Interestingly, the survey indicated that today’s readers of all ages prefer reading paper books over electronic versions. New research, however, has yielded that older readers are more likely to experience more difficulty processing information read in printed books.

German researchers measured eye movements and coordinating brain activity, as subjects read paper books, tablets, and online material from a desktop or standard laptop. While those ages 21-34 displayed an equal level of competence with each reading method, readers ages 60-77 needed less time and brain activity when reading on a tablet, as opposed to paper copies, or other media.

These results have furthermore suggested that older readers may benefit from the enhanced contrast, which has become a standard feature in all tablet devices.

I would love to hear your thoughts as to your reading format preference. Never stop reading and learning, and encourage excellence everyday!

George Wallace’s “Laff it Off”

January 4, 2014

In Comedian George Wallace’s book, “Laff it Off”, he reminds us that “we don’t stop laughing because we grow old- we grow old because we stop laughing”. As a frequent performer throughout Vegas and comedy clubs across America, Wallace inspires and relates to a variety of followers ranging from white collar workers, to homemakers, to everything in between. For information on George Wallace’s book, click the link below to be directed to his website:

http://www.georgewallace.net/

In light Wallace’s philosophical approach to laughter and life, I have provided some of my favorite quotes on laughter that I could not live without. I hope you are blessed by these quotes and that you never forget to stop laughing everyday. As always, I remind you each to encourage excellence throughout your daily endeavors. Remember: laughter is the best medicine!

“In those whom I like, I can find no common denominator; in those whom I love I can: they all make me laugh” -W.H. Auden

“If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane”. -Robert Frost

“I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.”
― Maya Angelou

“And I have one of those very loud, stupid laughs. I mean if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I’d probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up.”
―J.D. Salinger, “The Catcher in the Rye”

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
―Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”

“Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.”
―L.M. Montgomery, “Anne of Green Gables”

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.”
― Mark Twain

How to Quieten Your Life

January 2, 2014

Shawn Achor, Harvard scholar and researcher and author, has provided valuable insight on how to improve your daily productivity, by simply decreasing the amount of unnecessary “noise” in your life. In his book, Before Happiness, Achor discusses the surprising rewards of that can result from simply decreasing 5 percent of the “noise” in our daily lives.

Specifically, there are 4 effective ways we can allot more room in our brains by eliminating the following types of auditory input:

1) Mute TV and Internet commercials

2) Turn off the car radio when talking to others

3) Leave the radio off for the first 5 minutes in the car

4) Remove news media links from your internet bookmarks

For more information on Shawn Achor’s book and career research, click the link below to be directed to his website:

http://goodthinkinc.com/speakers/shawn-achor/

Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!!!!

Amazon Drones: Savvy or Just Creepy?

December 6, 2013

Perhaps a little bit of both. If you have not heard the update, Amazon has publicized their future intentions of using drones to deliver purchases within 30 minutes to specified destinations.

To the left, is a photo of a “lone drone” eerily flying in the air in route to a delivery destination. Aside from the question of necessity, the greater issue may come from a safety standpoint. Developers are concerned about potential malfunctions in the sensors, which could result in an Amazon drone abruptly landing on somebody’s head!

What are your thoughts on this new idea? Is it likely to go through, or do you think there will be too many problems to iron out? As always, please remember to encourage excellence in your everyday endeavors!!

Click below for direct access to the article on forbes.com:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nishacharya/2013/12/05/how-amazons-drone-will-transform-government/

How to Avoid the Latest Travel Scam

September 30, 2013

By: Suzanne Ostrander

Forbes.com has published information on the most recent scam targeting those who are traveling on business or pleasure. In the latest hotel scam, travelers receive a phone call from an individual claiming to be from the front desk. Typically, these calls arrive at odd hours, so the traveler is usually groggy and not fully alert when answering the phone. As part of the hoax, the scammer claims that the computer at the front desk has crashed and they have lost their credit card information. It’s also common for the scammer to simply claim that there has been an “error” processing the travelers’ credit card information. The caller will then read back four random numbers to “confirm” the last four digits of the card. When the cardholder does not recognize the numbers, he is then asked to read the entire 16 digits on his card. The caller will never address the traveler by his name, because he obviously does not know it. As a final tactic, the hotel guest is asked to “spell” his name, giving the caller all of the information he needs.

In each scenario, the traveler is put in the vulnerable position of having to give out his personal information over the phone. Once the caller has this information, it is only a matter of time before he is out on a shopping spree (your “treat”).

Katherine Hutt, director of media relations at the Council of Better Business Bureaus, states “We believe the scammers direct-dial the rooms so they can call in without going through the hotel switchboard.”

So how can we protect ourselves from this latest scam on hotel guests? First and foremost, it is never wise to give out your personal information over the phone to a stranger. If receiving this type of call when staying in a hotel, the traveler should refrain from providing this information over the phone. With any financial discrepancy, it’s always better to go down to the front desk to resolve the issue in person.

Please share any other tips you may have on avoiding travel scams!

For direct access to Caroline Mayer’s article on the latest travel scams, click here:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/05/14/beware-of-2-travel-scams-on-your-next-trip/

Click below for a video segment on avoiding the latest travel scams: