Book Review #2 - Little Brother

Synopsis:
Marcus aka “w1n5t0n,” is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works–and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems.But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days.
When the DHS finally releases them, his injured best friend Darryl does not come out. The city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: “M1k3y” will take down the DHS himself.
from: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/954674.Little_Brother

My review:
In a modern world where media and technology made people too skeptical for traditional monsters, one of them is still haunting us. Doctorow’s Little Brother shows us that fear is the most terrible of monsters, no matter how cliché that sounds.
Fear is what leads many characters in this story, and also what creates many of the conflicts. And this feeling is familiar to anyone who lived or watched big riots or resistance movements. Doctorow shows us many different characters of such movements - the nonconformist young people, the too-scared, the ones that believe it is wrong to fight the authorities and so on. I saw many assemblances to the period of riots in Brazil earlier this year, and even if you don't have the same political view as the author it is a very interesting topic to think about.
To soften such serious and grave topics, the story brings lots of very didactic (but also very interesting) facts about computers, hackers and even History. It also shows us moments of a regular teenager's life, which sometimes feels a little annoying (it may be boring to read about the sexual adventures of a 17 year-old when there's kind of a civil war going on), but at the same time makes the characters more realistic and captivating.
It is a believable and well written story, with very tense and also light and fun moments. Worth reading!

My rate:
8/10

Book Review #1 - The Hunger Games

For a long time I had the wish to talk about books on this blog. But there was never enough time or I didn't feel encouraged to. But the last books I've read kind of asked me for a review, for I had so much to talk about them. So, I decided to start, no matter what. I am planning to do more posts about the books I read, and I would be very thankful to have a feedback from any reader of this blog. :)


Writing about the newest launches is not my purpose, for I don't keep up with all the news on the bookstores, so I'll write about any book I read, no matter if it was published last year or two centuries ago. I hope you enjoy it!

And, for my first review...

The Hunger Games

the cover of the edition I've read

Synopsis:
In a dark vision of the near future, twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live TV show called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: Kill or be killed.
When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister’s place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature. 
from: www.scholastic.com/thehungergames

My review:
 I must admit that when I first heard of this book it wasn't much appealing to me, so I only decided to read it because so many friends recommended me to. So, it wasn't with much expectation that I first opened the book.
While reading, what actually started to win my attention was the fact that I simply couldn't guess the plot. I always thought that the next facts would be the very obvious, but then the book surprised me with something completely different from my expectations (but please note that I'm not very good at guessing plots). Then I got involved with the plot and realized a couple of things about it.
Suzanne Collins shows us a society that worships these Hunger Games, what means they worship war and killing. They love the Hunger Games. And my first thought about that was that they were shameful brainless people.
But, as the book goes on and the game starts, many times Katniss saw an enemy on arena and all these times I thought "go there, kill him/her right away!". After some time, I realized that I had my favorite tributes and I that was hoping that they would kill the others and win the games.
Then it came to me that I had actually become one of the Hunger Games watchers! Just like all those cruel and brainless people in the Capital.
What I think Suzanne Collins does very well on this book is to show us how we, too, are thirsty for blood and war, no matter how disgusting we know that is. I think that she can address especially to Americans, her first readers, for they are a country that worships soldiers and war heros (in a way I have never seen in Brazil, for example). She also talks of oppression and builds a country that is sick, in need for justice and for freedom - ideas that are very important to every country, but that Americans widely speak of.
By realizing this I got quite involved with the book and, though some parts were kind of boring - for instance, some of Katniss's lonely moments in the arena - and some characters were too obvious - like Gale, he was useless to the plot so far -, I just couldn't wait to finish it and know how it was going to end.
So, I am very curious to read the next books, and I hope they will thrill me and teach me something about myself just like this one did.

My rate:
8/10

A day for myself

Today I've decided that, once I've got home from work, I would do only things that I love. It may sound obvious, but I so often keep busy with so many things, that I don't do my favorite things.

So, I'll read a book, write a letter, maybe play video game... and post here. :)

Want to see my mail?

Incoming

from Melanie, in the USA

from Teresa, in the USA

from Caddi, in Germany

Outgoing

to postcrossers

to Kelly, in the USA

What about you? If you had a night free to do all your favorite things, what would you do?

Does somebody want to see some mail?

Because that's what I'm showing you today. :)

Incoming

My friend Caio gave me a bunch of gingerbread men and this ugly monkey. Loved it!

This is part of Jessica's selection for me. Please note that I now have a license to kill.

More from Jessica, in Canada.

From Teresa, in the USA

From Kerri, in Australia

Outgoing

To Felicia, in Canada

To Kerri, in Australia

To Savindi, in Canada

To some fellow postcrossers

That's all for now. I'm glad that the Corpus Christi holliday game me some time to organize my mail and finally post in here. I hope I won't be so long without posting again. Have a great week everyone!

Top 5 weird spams I received

I'm not sure if I ever mentioned what an e-mail enthusiastic I am. While on a computer, I check my inbox every 10 minutes and get really excited when there's a new message. Sometimes I'm too bored to wait and start looking on my spam box, to check if there's anything interesting.

It happens that once in a while spams can be really creative or at least really weird. These are my top 5. I kept the writing as original, but removed occasional hyperlinks, just in case anyone says I'm spreading virus or something. Enjoy!

5. The Sex-Business Penpal

"Subject: I am finally became a boss
Message:
Hundreds of lovely woman will be glad to get a letter from you."

First of all, thanks for sharing your life, anonymous friend. I am happy to know that you became a boss (although your grammar is even worse than mine), but I'm really curious to know how is that related to the content of your message. Did you become a boss of a women agency? Do these women communicate by letters?! Really? Is this a spam just for snail mail lovers or what?

4. The bullying

"Hi Bárbara Prince!

You still have 0 new messages in your InterPals inbox from .

To read your messages, view your inbox."


Seriously, InterPals? Are you really telling me what a forever alone I am? Oh, thank you for your e-mail, but I bet you sent it because you don't have new messages either, do you?

3. The Eclectic

"from:     Pamela Anderson weight loss Free trial
subject: Your morning fashion and beauty report: Anne Hathaway?"

You all have to agree that this is a strategic spam. I bet everyone is interested in at least one of these topics: Pamela Anderson, losing weigh, Anne Hathaway, fashion and beauty. Aren't you? Well, me neither. But that was a nice try from them!

2. The International Relations

"Hello,
I seek your confirmation to transfer fund to your country for investment.Contact me for details.

Best Regards,
Mr. Fred Huang Ming."

Mr. Fred Huang Ming,
If you're really interested in investing on my country, I have a better idea: maybe you should contact my president! For real, man, I am a simple citizen with financial problems, you better not trust that I will invest your fund to my country. You may found out I'm not THAT much of a patriot.

1. The Adriana

"BABE... i guess your not getting any of my email huh? ive been tryign to email u so many times but this dam laptop is such a piece of garbage and keeps freezing.. anyways how u been?
In case u dont know who this is its ME Adriana.. we used to chat a bit on facebook and then I think u deleted me :( haha.. anyways guess what... I got 2 things to tell u.. both good news.. 1) im single now.. yup me and my bf broke up about 3 months ago... and 2) guess where im moving? RIGHT EFFING NEAR U.. lol... ur actually the only person im gonna know there.. [...]"

Okay, this hot(?) girl seems to think I know her and wants to be with me. Seems legit. It goes on:

"we only chatted a couple times but i remember thinking to myself i wanted to get ot know u better when i was single..a nd i thoguth u were cute too but cudnt tell u cause i wasnt single lol...ok so more info about me.. well im 23.. virgo.. love the outdoors and love to socialize, go out for drinks, restaurants, movies etc.. travel.. i have a lil kitty named BOO and i luv her to death... uhhh oh im a super horny gurl too but every gurl is they just wont admit it. so ilove watching p0rn and all that.. love sex etc blah blah blah...who doesnt.."

Ok, you started telling me about your zodiac and your cat and now you're horny. I'm still lucky that I "accidentally" got your e-mail. ~yay!

"do u have any hookups or know anybody hiring? id LOVE to work in a bar or osmehting like that...really anythgin cause my current job is fun and all.. and technically i CUD keep doign it but i want a change.. i currently work from home and well thats cool but i need ot be out meeting people.. oh wait. i dont think i ever actually told u what i did? hmm shud i......????"

No, I'm not interested.

"ok WELLLL... and dont get all weirded out on me.. i work on a webcam chat community site and i get paid to chat with people and get naked HHAHA... BOMB right :)? I KNOW.. like i figure iim horny anyways why not get paid to chat with people and play with myself heheh...anyways i hope u dont look down on that and NO THATS NOT WHY IM CONTACTING U RELAX URSELF lol... i actually need help once i move and i remembered u live there so im reaching out..."

And it goes on and on. In the end, there's a super safe link to watch Adriana naked (despite her statement that she's not writing to you because of that).
My surprise is that not only this spam is huge and has a story (is some bored writer doing this?), that it's also a multiple spam: I'd already received three other e-mails from Adriana, telling me about her life and inviting me to see her naked. Whoever is faking this is really putting some effort on it!

***

I hope this list made you laugh a little or even made you a little curious: what weird things can be on my spam inbox (except, of course, from the default things like "get it larger" and "you won the lottery")? Go check it and don't forget to turn on your firewall!

Beautiful kids

Pics of children have always been my favorites. Take a look at these two beautiful postcards that I'm lucky to have on my collection!

From my friend Ju, who went to Peru

From a private swap with a fellow postcrosser in Vietnam

Do you also like children?

My first penpal

* Yeah, I know it's been a while since my last post. I've been full of ideas for new posts, but life has been crazy lately and I've been too busy to catch up here. I hope you don't mind the dust, I'll soon clean the mess around here! *

Who was your first penpal? Do you still talk to him/her or did time separate you two?

I am lucky to tell you that my first penpal has been one of my best friends for the last 12 years!
We met through ICQ back in 2001, when I was 11 and she was 16, and started writing to each other due to a common interest: Card Captors Sakura. We've become great friends and she introduced me the pleasure of waiting everyday for the postman.

Many years had passed and Fer doesn't write letters anymore, but we always keep in touch through facebook, e-mail and celphone. She lives only a 5 hours bus trip from me, yet we only met a few times through all these years. It's always great to see her, and she's an awesome friend!

Fer and I the last time we met, on Easter

We went to a board games bar with some friends

There was an egg hunt and I got a board game as a prize!

The first letter she sent me

Some envelopes she sent me many years ago

I think it's a great luck when you find true friendship, no matter how you communicate or how far you live. And one of the joys of penpalling is to have the chance of meeting new friends anywhere.

Thank you Fer, for being there for me through all these years! I love you!