Book Reviews and More

Monday, 15 April 2013

SQL Server 2012 Administration Essentials - Sean McCown - Train Signal

SQL Server 2012 Administration Essentials

Train Signal

Sean McCown

This course is designed to teach you the basics of becoming an SQL administrator. Sean does not presume any previous knowledge or experience, but he also does not spoon feed everything. He expects you to work and he gives you the tools to learn SQL and the tools to know where and how to start looking when you run into issues. With just over 14 hours of material, there is a lot to learn here. Sean does not, for the most part, use a prebuilt Database so you cannot follow along exactly but you can use and database and do most of what he is doing. Sean is very passionate about SQL and his passion makes the materiel even more inviting and interesting to learn. The lessons are:

1. Introduction

2. Planning

3. Installing SQL Server 2012

4. Advance Installation

5. Basic Database Objects

6. Using SQL Server Management Studio

7. Database File Management

8. Database Configuration Options

9. Special Database Space Considerations

10. Server-Level Configurations

11. Database Console Commands (DBCC)

12. Server-Level Security

13. Database-Level Security

14. Transaction Logs and Recovery Models

15. Instance Configuration and Management

16. Working with Concurrency Problems

17. Collecting Troubleshooting Data

18. Auditing SQL Server

19. Backup Basics

20. Restore Basics

21. Indexes

22. Basic Ex3ecution Plans

23. Query Tuning

24. SQL Server Agent

25. Database Mail

26. Importing and Exporting Data

27. High Availability Basics

28. PowerShell

The one quirky thing was that the last lesson ends with "see you in the next lesson". When I reached out to Sean he said that the final order for the lessons was not 100% and likely just got missed during editing. Also every other SQL course I have ever looked at, or book I have read, people use ALL CAPS for writing their queries, Sean skips that; he also skips an intro about himself, he just jumps in and starts teaching. And that teaching is great.

Now let me give you some background. A year ago, all I had ever really done with SQL was install it and hand it over to developers or administrators. Last year I changed roles and was soon primary for supporting 12 SQL servers across three different tiers and numerous lines of business and financial applications. I do not want to know enough to just get by. I want to know SQL inside and out. This course by Sean has gone a long way to meeting that goal! In the last year I have done 5 courses through TrainSignal online, and another 10 courses through other vendors or virtual classrooms and this was one of the best. So I can highly recommend this course. My subscription to TrainSignal was worth it last year for this course alone!

Sean McCown is a Microsoft SQL Master and VMP. His wife Jen is also, and SQL MVP and together they have a number of online involvements in the SQL Community:

and more. Check them out. There is always something more to learn. And if I get the chance to do more courses created or taught by Sean, I will jump at the chance and so should you.

Friday, 12 April 2013

Superhero Silliness - GoofBalls Book 3 - Tony Aboott and Colleen Madden

Superhero Silliness
GoofBalls Book 3
Tony Aboott (Author)
Colleen Madden (Illustrator)
Egmont
ISBN 9781606843673
ISBN 9781606841662
eISBN 9781606843680

The goofballs are four close friends, but they are also friends who, though in primary school, solve mysteries in and around Badger Point. The goofballs are Jeff Bunter, Brian Rooney, Kelly Smitts and Mara Lubin. These primary school detectives are called on again by Randall Crandall from the first book in the series The Crazy Case of Missing Thunder. They have a well-deserved reputation for being able to solve any mystery. But this time they are contacted before the actual event occurs. Randall Crandall has been forewarned that a thief known as the Dutchman will try to steal his world-leading, world class collection of derders. Yes, Cardboard rolls; for Randall Crandall has many weird and unique derders in his collection given to him by his grandmother. His collection includes one carved by Abraham Lincoln and the famous one from Custer's Last Derder. And to top it all off, there is a masquerade ball where everyone is dressed up as an unknown superhero. Can Crandall and Goofballs protect the collection? Can they solve the mystery? What is to happen to all those priceless derders? You just need to read the mystery of the Superhero Silliness to find out!

This is the third book in one of two new series out last year by Tony Abbott.
To be honest, of the three in the series so far, this one was the most fun. The characters are becoming more developed; their interaction more playful. And the writing is sublime in combining realism, humor and that spark of childhood to spur the imagination of readers young and young at heart. It is a great read and a wonderful addition to the canon of his writings. This series is aimed at younger readers more than some of his other writings but Abbott does a marvelous job of gearing the story for them. This book was a wonderful read and currently there are two more planned in the series. I hope there will be many more to share with my children after that!

Books By Tony Abbott:
Goofballs
1. The Crazy Case of Missing Thunder (2012)
2. The Startling Story of the Stolen Statue (2012)
3. Superhero Silliness (2012)
4. The Mysterious Talent Show Mystery (2013)
5. The Scary Story of the Ha-Ha-Haunted House (2013)

Underworlds:
1. The Battle Begins (2012)
2. When Monsters Escape (2012)
3. Revenge of the Scorpion King (2013)
4. The Ice Dragon (2013)

Danger Guys
1. Danger Guys (1994)
2. Danger Guys Blast Off (1994)
3. Hollywood Halloween (1994)
4. Danger Guys Hit the Beach (1995)
5. Danger Guys on Ice (1995)
6. Danger Guys and the Golden Lizard (1996)

Time Surfers
1. Space Bingo (1996)
2. Orbit Wipeout! (1995)
3. Mondo Meltdown (1996)
4. Into the Zonk Zone! (1996)
5. Splash Crash (1997)
6. Zero Hour (1997)
7. Shock Wave (1997)
8. Doom Star (1997)

Weird Zone
1. Zombie Surf Commandos from Mars (1996)
2. The Incredible Shrinking Kid (1996)
3. The Beast from Beneath the Cafeteria! (1996)
4. Attack of the Alien Mole Invaders! (1996)
5. The Brain That Wouldn't Obey! (1996)
6. Gigantopus from Planet X! (1997)
7. Cosmic Boy Versus Mezmo Head! (1997)
8. Revenge of the Tiki Men! (1997)

Secrets of Droon
1. The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (1999)
2. Journey to the Volcano Palace (1999)
3. The Mysterious Island (1999)
4. City in the Clouds (1999)
5. The Great Ice Battle (1999)
6. The Sleeping Giant of Goll (2000)
7. Into the Land of the Lost (2000)
8. The Golden Wasp (2000)
9. Tower of the Elf King (2000)
10. Quest for the Queen (2000)
11. The Hawk Bandits of Tarkoom (2000)
12. Under the Serpent Sea (2001)
13. The Mask of Maliban (2001)
14. Voyage of the Jaffa Wind (2002)
15. The Moon Scroll (2002)
16. The Knights of Silversnow (2002)
Special Edition 1. The Magic Escapes (2002)
17. Dream Thief (2003)
18. Search for the Dragon Ship (2003)
19. The Coiled Viper (2003)
20. In The Ice Caves of Krog (2003)
21. Flight of the Genie (2003)
Special Edition 2. Wizard or Witch? (2004)
22. The Isle of Mists (2004)
23. The Fortress of the Treasure Queen (2004)
24. Race To Doobesh (2005)
25. The Riddle Of Zorfendorf Castle (2005)
Special Edition 3. Voyagers of the Silver Sand (2005)
26. The Moon Dragon (2006)
27. The Chariot of Queen Zara (2006)
28. In the Shadow of Goll (2006)
Special Edition 4. Sorcerer (2006)
29. Pirates of the Purple Dawn (2007)
30. Escape from Jabar-Loo (2007)
31. Queen of Shadowthorn (2007)
Special Edition 5. Moon Magic (2008)
32. Treasure of the Orkins (2008)
33. Flight of the Blue Serpent (2008)
34. In the City of Dreams (2009)
Special Edition 6. Crown of Wizards (2009)
35. The Lost Empire Of Koomba (2009)
36. Knights of the Ruby Wand (2010)
Special Edition 7. The Genie King (2010)
Special Edition 8. The Final Quest (2010)

Don't Touch That Remote
1. Sitcom School (1999)
2. The Fake Teacher (1999)
3. Stinky Business (announced, not published)
4. Freak Week (announced, not published)

Cracked Classics
1. Trapped in Transylvania: Dracula (2002)
2. Mississippi River Blues: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2002)
3. What a Trip!: Around the World in Eighty Days (2002)
4. Humbug Holiday: A Christmas Carol (2002)

5. X Marks the Spot: Treasure Island (2003)
6. Crushing on a Capulet: Romeo and Juliet (2003)

Haunting of Derek Stone
1. City of the Dead (2009)
2. Bayou Dogs (2009)
3. The Red House (2009)
4. The Ghost Road (2009)

The Copernicus Legacy

The Forbidden Stone (2013)

The Serpent's Curse (2014

Novels
Kringle (2005)
Firegirl (2006)
The Postcard (2008)
Lunch-Box Dream (2011)

Author profile interview with Tony Abbott.

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Viper - Stephen Shea aka Arthur Slade

Viper
Stephen Shea
aka Arthur Slade
Dava Enterprises
AISN B007B23J1W

This short story is like a cross between Chuck Palahniuk and Douglas Coupland and Irvine Walsh! This story is quick, dark and gritty. Viper is crazy, and the narrator does not even know his real name, but calls him a friend, with a biker gang called the Rumble Fish and the small town of Bosco. The story begins with:

"Viper's eyes are gun metal blue.
That's the coolest thing about him. The way he stares down anyone who steps in his way.
Waiting for you to flinch, to hesitate.
Then he's on you.
Bye, bye."

Viper is described as being made of bruises, leather and spit, kind of like a living crocodile or snake. And he is the toughest SOB you will meet.

This was a very entertaining short story. The edge with which it is written shows a new, more intense side of the author. Check it out. I am sure if you like Palahniuk, Coupland or Walsh you will definitely enjoy this offering and if we are lucky, Stephen Shea will be releasing more and longer books for us to devour!

Books as Stephen Shea:
The Not So Simple Life
Damage
Viper - Short Story

Books by Arthur Slade:
The Dragonfly's Journey (1996)
John Diefenbaker: an Appointment with Destiny (2000)
Dust (2001)
Tribes (2002)
Monsterology (2005)
Villainology (2005)
Megiddo's Shadow (2006)
Jolted (2008)
Shades: 17 Startling Stories (2011)
Flickers (2016)
Crimson (2018)
Death by Airship (2019)
Mr. Universe (2021)

...

Hunchback Assignments Series:
aka Modo Mission Clockwork Series:
The Hunchback Assignments (2009)
The Dark Deeps (2010)
Empire of Ruins (2011)
Island of Doom (2012)
Modo Embers End - Graphic Novel (2014)

The Northern Frights Series
Draugr (1997)
The Haunting of Drang Island (1998)
The Loki Wolf (2000)

Northern Frights Reprint Editions:

Draugr (2020)

Drang (2020)

Loki Wolf (2020)

...

The Canadian Chills Series
Return of the Grudstone Ghosts (2002)
Ghost Hotel (2004)
Invasion of the IQ Snatchers (2007)

...

The Canadian Chills Reprint Editions:

Return of the Grudstone Ghosts (2024)

Ghost Hotel (2024)

Invasion of the IQ Snatchers (2024)

...

Librarian. Assassin. Vampire Series:
Amber Fang: The Hunted
Amber Fang: Betrayed
Amber Fang: Revenge
Amber Fang Box Set Books 1-3
...

Dragon Assassin Series:
Twin Fury
Shadow Hunter
Dark Wings
Bitterwaters
Elder Magic
Royal Blood
Hidden Powers
Burning Empire
Old Enemies

Downfall

The Golden Spear

Deathwings

...

Dragon Assassin Novels (Omnibus editions):

…

I, Brax Series:

A Battle Divine

…

Books as Stephen Shea:
The Not So Simple Life
Damage
Viper - Short Story

...

Visual Bibliography for Arthur Slade
Author profile interview with Arthur Slade.
Author profile interview with Stephen Shea.

Monday, 8 April 2013

NUTRiBULLET - A Review

NUTRiBULLET

Last year during a job interview, I was asked if I were a kitchen appliance, what one would I be and why. At the time, I stated I would be the Magic Bullet. When asked why, I talked about how versatile it is and the fact that we used it daily. And bang for the buck was worth more than anything else in the kitchen. At the time, I did not even know about the NUTRiBULLET, but I got one for Christmas and it is 100 times better. Let's start with what is in the box:

The Milling Blade
The Extractor Blade
The Power Base
Tall Cup
Short Cup
Handled Cup
Comfort Ring
Comfort Handle
2 Lids
Guidebook and Recipe Book
Pocket Nutritionist

The design and power of the NUTRiBULLET over the original was astounding. First it has a 600 Watt motor, and a new extractor blade. The power is amazing. With the original, I had to be cautious of how much frozen Mango I used because the blades and motor just could not handle it. With this one I can fill to the max line with just mango add liquid and go. I have added whole carrots and blended them smooth into drinks with other ingredients. It comes with a quick card that has numerous recipes for cleansing, immune boost, energy lift, and more. You can not only make smoothies, but side dishes snacks and more. Between the book and your imagination you could come up with new recipes every day. There is a mix and match chart where you pick a green, fruit and a booster and make your own concoction. Of all the gifts I have received, this one by far was the most useful out of the box and should provide great service for years to come. Now I wish it came with more cups, and the lids do not form a perfect seal and occasionally it leaks on the way to work. But that can be overlooked based on how well it performs. On a scale of 1 to 5, I rate this a 6! You cannot go wrong.

Note:
I will continue to post new recipes from time to time on Saturday as I experiment with Smoothie and Juice recipes. And I collect mine and favourites from around the web you can find them shared here in a OneNote notebook, there are subsections for Juices, Smoothies, Gluten Free Options and Other.

Friday, 5 April 2013

Fancy Friendship Bracelets - Anne Akers Johnson - Klutz

Fancy Friendship Bracelets
Anne Akers Johnson
Klutz
ISBN 9781591746928

This book will provide hours of fun. It gives you everything you need to complete a number of projects just with the supplies provided. The projects will teach the basics of weaving a number of different patterns and styles. But you can use that as a start for creating your own projects and crafts once you have mastered the basics.

What you get:
6 Charms
Small Beads
Big Beads
4 Colors of cord (8yYards each)

Chapters:
Braclet Basics
Charmed Braid
Woven Beads
Knotted Beads
Square Knot
Zigzag
Dew Drop
Double Bead
Lark Loops

This book is awesome fun. The projects can be started and finished at a later point. The techniques will be transferable to more crafts and activities and experimenting with different materials. An awesome book and I highly recommend it.

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Draw the Circle - Mark Batterson - The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

Draw the Circle
Mark Batterson
Zondervan
eISBN 9780310327509
ISBN 9780310327127

In the last month and a half I have read four books by Mark Batterson, and I have read each of the books twice. That speaks to the power of these books. But to be honest, this one might be the most powerful one yet and most likely to change your life and maybe even help to change the world. It all started when a friend recommended reading Praying Circles Around Your Children which was being offered for free in ebook format at the time. I started reading and only really stopped to pray for my kids. Then I got an advanced readers copy of The Circle Maker Student Edition: dream big, pray hard, think long and again I was blown away. Then I read this and the original The Circle Maker at the same time. I was flipping back and forth. Now I know this book is designed to be read over 40 days and used as a tool to spark praying and thinking differently, but I could not put it down. I am now half way through a second time, only reading a day at a time as it was designed.

This book is amazing; it will change your relationship with God, challenge your prayer habits and help shape new patterns for both prayer and devotional time. In the Introduction Mark states "If you want God to do something new in you, you cannot keep doing the same old thing. You have to do something different. And if you do, God will create new capacities within you. There will be new gifts and new revelations. But you've got to pray the price. You'll get out of this what you put into it." Then on day 26 he states: "If you want God to do something new in your life, you cannot keep doing the same old thing. My advice is simple: do something different. And you'll see what a difference it makes!" And again on day 28 "If you want God to do something new, you cannot keep doing the same old thing." This book will help break you from the habit of same old same old. The Psalmist in Psalm 51:12 declares: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." This book will rekindle your prayer life! Give it a try - you have nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.

"In a moment of revelation, the circle maker realized that praying is planting. Each prayer is like a seed that gets planted in the ground. It disappears for a season, but it eventually bears fruit that blesses future generations. In fact, our prayers bear fruit forever."

So pick up this book and pray through the forty days. Plant new seeds and keep pray hard and thinking long!

Books by Mark Batterson:
The Circle Maker
The Circle Maker Enhanced eBook Edition
Praying Circles Around Your Children
Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge
The Circle Maker Student Edition: dream big, pray hard, think long
The Circle Maker for Kids
Be A Circle Maker
All In
All In Student Edition
Going All In
Praying Circles Around The Lives of Your Children
Jack Staples and the Ring of Time (With Joel Clark)
Primal
Soul Print
ID: The True You
In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day
Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God
Chase the Lion Stepping Confidently Into the Unknown

Monday, 1 April 2013

Top 10 Fiction Books of the 1st Quarter 2013

Top 10 Books First Quarter 2013