Blogcritics Author: Janica Unruh

Mary Costa is Sleeping Beauty in the 50th Anniversary Edition

Janica Unruh — Tue, 7 Oct 2008 21:49:50 EDT

Mary Costa's beauty and grace forever captured in this Disney masterpiece.
No matter what age you are, I hope you’ve seen or your parents have shown you cartoons from the past when they used to portray the ultimate battle between good and evil. When I was little I didn’t watch Disney for the glossy finish of a red racing car. Disney, with each beautifully hand-drawn frame, used to make productions that gave me...

Understanding the Middle Class

Janica Unruh — Tue, 7 Oct 2008 00:30:01 EDT

Unlike other politicians, Palin understands that the middle class can take care of themselves.
Through all the debates, speeches, and interviews, I had not heard one candidate speak about the middle class in terms that make sense to me until Palin debated against Biden last Thursday. The political candidates have pulled heartbreaking stories from campaign scripts, depicting the middle class as deprived blue collar workers, hoping to borrow...

Palin: Ready for Thursday Debate

Janica Unruh — Thu, 2 Oct 2008 15:11:02 EDT

Palin on the offense at the VP debate Thursday.
Whether you’re a Saturday Night Live Palin-mocking groupie or a member of her conservative base, you’re buying chips and salsa in preparation for the first VP debate. Ever since Palin was added to the Republican ticket, she has been on the world’s center stage, even foreshadowing the Christ-like ambiance of Obama’s speech at...

Music Review: All India Radio - The Fall

Janica Unruh — Wed, 1 Oct 2008 07:51:41 EDT

A captivating dream-pop album with haunting atmospheric tones.
Sometimes I just wait, biting my fingernails, anticipating the storm growing in the menacing clouds in the distance. They billow, one on top of another, rolling, leap frogging into town. And I wait for them to shower the hard, cracked ground, water the tomatoes in my garden, and drench my own hopeful head. I felt the same impatience pressing on me...

Christian Movies: Not a Ministry Tool

Janica Unruh — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:03:03 EDT

Watching the movie "Fireproof" could be great for your marriage, but it is not a way to witness!
From the title of this piece, I’ve probably already angered someone. But I’m not here to make you happy with my controversial opinion. So go ahead and condemn me to hell, but give me a second to explain....

Book Review: Reunion with a Killer by Rod Summitt with Richard Edgerton

Janica Unruh — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:54:26 EDT

A short mystery following a nostalgic man and the complete stranger claiming to be his old college roommate.
Everyone told me that college would be the most fun I’d ever have. It was where I’d meet the friends I’d have for the rest of my life. They said it was a magical land of fairies where joy flowed over the rainbows.Those people were liars. All I did during college was study, stress, and study some more. Professors were demons,...

Book Review: Every Secret Crime - A Reno McCarthy Novel by Doug M. Cummings

Janica Unruh — Sat, 6 Sep 2008 13:54:27 EDT

The second book following Reno McCarthy as he investigates a murder in politically controlled Falcon Ridge
A basement. A gun. And sordid politics. The ingredients to a perfect crime until Reno McCarthy, sexy, intelligent, sometimes bull-headed reporter, gets on the case. For him, a secret crime is not an unsolvable challenge. You just have to know the right questions to ask. Doug M. Cummings, experienced cop and reporter as well as author of Deader By...

DVD Review: Picture This

Janica Unruh — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:44:07 EDT

Ashley Tisdale plays unpopular Mandy, trying to get the guy and get past being grounded
We all grew up hearing the story of Cinderella. The downtrodden, unpopular, but unquestionably beautiful woman finally gets a shot at her fairytale ending. This basic storyline has implanted itself in the hearts of all little girls who finally grow up wondering what happened. Because let’s face it -- life is not a fairytale. The knight in...

Book Review: Ubuntu for Non-Geeks - A Pain-Free, Project-Based, Get-Things-Done Guidebook 3rd Edition for 8.04 by Rickford Grant

Janica Unruh — Tue, 5 Aug 2008 08:48:10 EDT

A well constructed guidebook for the new Ubuntu user.
Before I picked up the third edition of Ubuntu for Non-Geeks, my husband, the engineer, had already installed Ubuntu 8.04 on two of our computers and spent hours figuring out how everything worked. Granted he had it dual booted with Windows XP, so I wouldn’t have to enter nerd-ville. But if I didn’t catch the load in time, I was trapped...

DVD Review: Avatar - The Last Airbender, Book 3, Vol. 4

Janica Unruh — Fri, 1 Aug 2008 07:18:10 EDT

The last six episodes of the epic, award-winning animated series on Nickelodeon.
For the most part of my early childhood, I sat inside watching Nickelodeon while hiding from Oklahoma’s hundred plus summer heat. Shows like Pete and Pete, Doug, and Salute Your Shorts were my daily companions. Some of you may remember those good ol’ days when the answer to Are You Afraid of the Dark? was “Absolutely yes!”...