Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: With more than 1 million sunken ships, including some that are thousands of years old, the ocean floors can arguably be considered the largest museum in the world. The author makes a case for this as he discusses the various shipwrecks, including some he's visited in person, while also discussing the reasons those ships sunk in the first place. Review: I was at our local library a couple weeks ago and as is my habit, I stopped by the new book section on my way to the front desk to pick up the books I had on hold. The Great Museum of the Sea caught my eye mostly because of my recent visit to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and I decided to check it out. Overall, I have to say it was a good choice. I think the thing I liked most about this book is how the author didn't just discuss shipwrecks and instead put those shipwrecks in the context of human history. This includes plenty of examples of how human greed resulted in lost ships and lives, including quite a few that...

Synopsis: After barely surviving a brutal attack by three masked strangers that left her boyfriend, Ryan, dead, Maya wakes up in a hospital. With the local sheriff brushing off her story and the hospital staff reluctant to answer her questions, Maya, with the help of her friends, arranges to be transported to another hospital further away. However, the assailants, learning she is alive, strike first, forcing her to flee into the woods wearing just a hospital gown and with no idea if there is anyone she can trust. Who's in it? The movie stars  Madelaine Petsch , Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, Brooke Lena Johnson and Richard Brake. Review: My wife and I were pleasantly surprised by The Strangers: Chapter 1 this weekend so, after spending the day digging out from a blizzard and too tired to do much else as a result, we ended up watching The Strangers: Chapter 2 yesterday evening. Overall, I will say I was happy with that choice. I'm not going to lie; there were plenty of times w...

Synopsis: While driving to a job interview in Portland, Maya and her boyfriend Ryan stop in Venus, Oregon for lunch. When their car doesn't start, Ryan is suspicious of the local mechanic, but Maya accepts an offer to rent a remote cabin for the night. This proves to be a mistake as she and Ryan soon find themselves being terrorized by a group of three masked strangers. Who's in it? The movie stars Madelaine Petsch , Froy Gutierrez, Ben Cartwright, Matus Lajcak and Olivia Kreutzova. Review: My wife and I are caught up on all the seasons of The Traitors (though we did wind up watching an episode of the UK version) so, since we were expecting bad weather last night, we ended up picking out a horror movie to watch. I wasn't completely sure what to expect from The Strangers: Chapter 1 but was familiar with Madelaine Petsch from her time on Riverdale and decided to give it a try. Overall, it turned out to be a solid slasher movie. I'll start out by saying the film is f...

  I went to the store early this morning, before it got crowded with people who were stocking up before the winter weather hits later. Since I was there, I figured I'd pick up something easy for breakfast. I saw Dutch Farms Breakfast Bowls for less than $3 each and, figuring it was a low enough price, decided to give the Meat Lovers variety a try. Overall, I have to say it was OK. To be honest, it wasn't anything overly special, at least when compared to the other breakfast bowls that are out there. However, that was one of the things that I thought was a bonus because while it wasn't anything that stood out, it also wasn't anything that was noticeably lower quality either. I have had that with other cheaper brands in the past, buying one that promised plenty of protein from meat and egg only to be mostly potatoes. That wasn't a problem with this bowl, which had plenty of the two.  Taste wise, I thought it also was good. The breakfast sausage wasn't spicy but ha...

After a couple weeks' worth of binge watching, we are finally caught up on all four seasons of The Traitors. Here are my thoughts about this past season: I still am not a fan of the contestants all being celebrities.  There are two reasons for this. One of them is there are times when it seems a bit too scripted - whether it's the eloquent speeches they give when they are banished (or believe they are going to be murdered) or their personalities seem a bit character-like, especially Michael Rapaport, who felt more like he was auditioning for a movie role than competing in a contest. The biggest part of it though is how familiarity with the various contestants makes some of the Traitor reveals way too easy. Real Housewives alum Lisa Rinna, for example, was outed because she wasn't acting "housewife enough" which, in turn, led to Candiace Dillard Bassett being banished the next night. Having random people with maybe a small mix of celebrities would correct this. I l...

Synopsis: The Enterprise discovers a human outpost has been completely obliterated and, after a short fight with the lizard-like Gorn, pursue the alien ship in an attempt to destroy it. However, another alien race, the Metrons, intervene by disabling both ships and sending both Kirk (William Shatner) and the Gorn captain to a deserted planet so they can fight each other in hand-to-hand combat. My thoughts:  While there are some who insist James Kirk ( William Shatner ) is a great captain, this episode seems to contradict that. His decision to pursue the Gorn ship even though he was outgunned and the end result would likely cost him the Enterprise and the lives of his crew. There is brave and then there's just stupid. And yes, I know he was trying to delay an invasion. They were, however, deep into space, giving them time for a strategic retreat and an opportunity to come up with a better game plan. It was probably Shatner's famous overacting, but Kirk even seemed a bit insan...