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Sunday Morning Book Thread 01-04-2015 [OregonMuse]


National Library, Finland.jpg
National Library of Finland - Helsinki, Finland


Good morning morons and moronettes and welcome to AoSHQ's stately, prestigious, and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread. The only AoSHQ thread that is so hoity-toity, pants are required. Or kilts. Kilts are OK, too. But not tutus. Unless you're a girl.

Quote Of The Week

Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

-P.J. O'Rourke


Taxes Are Going Up, Sun Rises In East

I swear that the only function that politicians and bureaucrats are good at is figuring out new ways to extract money from those who have elected them:

LONDON - Europe's tax showdown could be headed straight to people's wallets.

With the new year, a change in fiscal rules in the European Union is increasing the tax on many purchases of digital content like e-books and smartphone applications.

Under the new rules, first approved in 2008, the tax rate on digital services like cloud storage and movie streaming will be determined by where consumers live, and not where the company selling the product has its European headquarters.

The problem is that dastardly American companies like Amazon have located their European offices in Luxembourg, which has a value-added tax (VAT) of 3% for e-book purchases, as opposed to, say, England, where they typically pay 20% VAT.

So, if it were like that here, instead of paying $14.99 for the Kindle edition of a best-seller, you'd be paying $17.98.

Tax experts say Europe's revamped rules could add up to an extra $1 billion in annual tax revenue for European governments.

Of course, it won't. I'll bet you anything that this projection is based on nothing being any different. Nobody will take their business elsewhere and everybody will continue to buy stuff from the same online outlets, just like before.

Every time a politician says that the tax hike will bring in 'X' dollars in increased revenue, it's never the case, it always turns out in the end to be 'X' minus 'Y', where 'Y' can be quite large.

The only thing I see increasing here is torrent downloads.


How Do You Know British Literature?

You can take this quiz and find out. I scored 83%, so it can't be all that difficult.

Dubious Books

Moronette Anna Puma sends along this list of awful library books. Some of these we've seen before, but many are new. Some are just Wrong. And some don't actually look like they should be on the list.

But, seriously, Wrestling For Gay Guys? Is that a real book? Yes, it is.

That cover art is almost NSFW.

Apparently, there's an entire web site devoted weird and wacky books librarians find on their shelves.

And there's some conflicting messages here. Should we go with Nice Girls Do or It's OK To Say No?


End-of-Year Lists

For all you cheap bastards out there like me, here is Amazon's list of their top 100 free e-books for 2014.

And, just because I'm an equal opportunity kind of guy, here are Amazon's top paid books for 2014.

Judging by the number of entries with cover art consisting of bare-chested, abs-of-steel guys, the 'free' list appears to be heavy on the "harlequin romance" type books, for the ladies.


Life Magazine Now Online

And not just the covers.

Couple three weeks ago, I was bemoaning the fact that back issues of The Saturday Evening Post were not available online, and how cool it would be if they were. Moron commenter 'rickl' pointed out something almost as good, i.e. that you can browse a few decades' worth of Life Magazine online, free:

For you young'uns, Life was a weekly news magazine that concentrated on photographs. It was a big part of my childhood in the 1960s, but it was eventually made obsolete by television news.

I spent much of yesterday reading issues around the start of WWII. It's interesting to read those events as breaking news, with reactions and editorials.

For many people in America, Life was probably the closest thing they got to real-time news reporting.

The complete archives of Life from 1936-1972 are available online here.


Beowulf To Screen - Again

The screen adaption of this classic poem with Angelina Jolie was sort of meh, by all accounts, but this one is going to be a small-screen adaptation. According to The Guardian:

The epic poem Beowulf is to be made into a 13-part drama by ITV.

Described as a western set in the dark ages of Britain's mythic past, the series will use locations in County Durham and Northumbria to represent the poem's Scandinavian setting, and will deliver "epic fights, thrilling chases, raids, celebrations and battles", following the eponymous hero's battles with a monster and a dragon

A couple of things. First, Mrs. Muse and I are liking more and more the limited run miniseries with a definite beginning and a definite, predetermined end, rather than the TV shows that just go on and one until they get cancelled at which point the writers have to figure out how they're going to end it. But second, it seems to me that by making Beowulf a 13 week miniseries, they're going to have to pad it out quite a bit. Lots of backstory, I'm thinking. Beowulf is already a warrior of renown, so maybe they'll gin up some of his earlier heroic exploits?


What The Morons Are Reading

From the ONT of a few days ago, Maetenloch recommends the alt-history novel The Peshawar Lancers, based on this review by Moe Lane. Maet says:

The central idea to the book is that there was a comet strike in the Atlantic in the late 19th century that devastated Europe and North America. The British evacuated most of their people to India creating new country with a hybrid Hindi-Brit culture that becomes the new British Empire. As Lane describes it it's the world that Kipling would have wanted to live in. I'd love to see more books set in the same world as well.

Stirling is also the author of the alt-history novel Conquistador, as well a many others.

___________


About this time last year, moron commenter 'Oldsailors Poet' was having a fun time reading the very "entertaining, interesting and titillating" expose' Writers Between the Covers: The Scandalous Romantic Lives of Legendary Literary Casanovas, Coquettes, and Cads by Joni Rendon and Shannon McKenna Schmidt.

Imagine hundreds of pages of Morning MP4 writings, only relationship based and about writers.

These people are FKD UP. From Lord Byron to Tennessee Williams you will see that they had no shortage of material based on personal experiences. It's lots of fun. I give it 5 stars for sheer entertainment value.

And on that note, there is also Writers Gone Wild: The Feuds, Frolics, and Follies of Literature's Great Adventurers, Drunkards, Lovers, Iconoclasts, and Misanthropes by Bill Peschel, where you will discover that Upton Sinclair once published an obituary for one of his characters to gain public attention and William Faulkner worked at the post office and would go through people's mail, throwing away what he thought they didn't need and keeping the magazines for himself.

Of course, I always wonder how much more writers are "FKD UP" than the population in general.

And here is a collection of photos of authors boozing it up.


___________

So that's all for this week. As always, book thread tips, suggestions, bribes, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to OregonMuse, Proprietor, AoSHQ Book Thread, at the book thread e-mail address: aoshqbookthread, followed by the 'at' sign, and then 'G' mail, and then dot cee oh emm.

What have you all been reading this week? Hopefully something good, because, as you all know, life is too short to be reading lousy books.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:27 AM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Gorgeous libary. Would look even better ablaze.

Posted by: Resentful, moody Mohammedan, near you at January 04, 2015 09:25 AM (bGLSw)

2 Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

Now he tells me.

Posted by: David Carradine at January 04, 2015 09:26 AM (Ua6T/)

3 Not to be pedantic, but as Harvey Johnson taught us, Helsinki is actually in Sweden. And nearly first.

Posted by: chiefjaybob at January 04, 2015 09:26 AM (cgH9o)

4 I see that there is a new Bob Lee Swagger book out.

But some of the reviews are pretty "Em...not so good".

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 04, 2015 09:28 AM (DoX/w)

5 I got to five on the quiz, it said I was 13% completed, so I quit. What do they think, I have an attention span?

Posted by: lowandslow at January 04, 2015 09:29 AM (BXkFh)

6 I'm 86'ed from the kilt store so I just wear shorts.

Posted by: Killerdog at January 04, 2015 09:30 AM (vntmB)

7 A book. Can a book dance? Can a book get you drunk? Will a book let you put your hand up its jumper?

Posted by: Mike The Cool Person at January 04, 2015 09:35 AM (kUL7J)

8 I have finished Gentlemen Scientists and Revolutionaries: The Founding Fathers in the Age of Enlightenment by Tom Shachtman. It is a study of how the study of "natural philosophy" and the pursuit of practical experimentation shaped the views of the Founders. Those views both directly and indirectly influenced the American Revolution and the re-framing of the new Constitution after the Articles of Confederation were found wanting.

I highly recommend the book. I found it interesting and the author did not attempt to editorialize by imposing 21st Century attitudes onto 18th Century men. However, this is not primarily a book about politics but rather how scientific viewpoints influence decisions with political ramifications.

Two themes that stood out for me were (1) the desire of the American scientists to be seen as equals with the Europeans and (2) the pre-occupation with smallpox.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at January 04, 2015 09:40 AM (wQYNW)

9 Book rec: Three by Jay Posey.

Posted by: eman at January 04, 2015 09:42 AM (MQEz6)

10 OMG Amazon offeres a "look inside" for the Make your Own Sex Toys"

Posted by: StrategicCorporalUSMC at January 04, 2015 09:42 AM (uo3Tc)

11 Just finished Dome City Blues by Jeff Edwards. 1990s Cyberpunkish Noirish sci-fi. Held up pretty well but the story is a little predictable. Just started Business Adventures, as recommended by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.

Posted by: Chad at January 04, 2015 09:44 AM (LUyUm)

12 " rather than the TV shows that just go on and one until they get
cancelled at which point the writers have to figure out how they're
going to end it."

Like "How I met your mother?"


Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at January 04, 2015 09:46 AM (V70Uh)

13 Happy New Year, Horde!

Can't remember which of the recent Beowulf adaptations it was--there were two that came out the same year; both looked equally terrible--but the screenwriter actually boasted that he hadn't read the poem. I want to say it was the one where the character list included Grendel and Grendel's son but *not* Grendel's mother!
Needless to say, I'm reserving judgment on this new ITV series....

Still working my way through 41: A Portrait of My Father and enjoying it; I just finished Disc 5, still in the early years of the presidency. I really do recommend the audiobook--especially for the funniest parts, W's delivery just makes it that much better. But one thing I appreciate is the way that W points out lessons that both he and his dad learned from his dad's experiences, either when he's just related a specific story or when a similar situation arises later (sometimes both). It helps the audience understand where decisions and policies came from, even if one still doesn't agree with those decisions.

Posted by: Elisabeth G. Wolfe at January 04, 2015 09:46 AM (iuQS7)

14 btw, "Grendel" is a fun read. It's the story from his POV.


Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at January 04, 2015 09:48 AM (V70Uh)

15 12 " rather than the TV shows that just go on and one until they get
cancelled at which point the writers have to figure out how they're
going to end it."

Like "How I met your mother?"


Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at January 04, 2015 09:46 AM (V70Uh)

That show is a great conversation-starter.

Posted by: eman at January 04, 2015 09:50 AM (MQEz6)

16 I wish P.J. would go back to work. I miss his shit. I guess he's made enough.



Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 09:53 AM (0FSuD)

17 Alternate history is a hobby horse of everyone, just writers put it to pen and ink. Or in the modern era - electrons.

The Guns of the South by Harry Turtledove is one. Another by Kirk Mitchell called Procurator supposes that Pilate spares Christ and the Roman Empire trundles on for another two thousand years.

Even Soviet writers got in on the act. Vassily Aksyonov penned The Island of Crimea where in Crimea was separated from the rest of Russia by murky waters. Due to British forces the nation of Crimea becomes an anti-Cuba or West Berlin with better climate. But after a few generations the harsh memories fade and Moscow wants to welcome Crimea back into the fold.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at January 04, 2015 09:53 AM (HMNwq)

18 "Alternate history is a hobby horse of everyone, just writers put it to pen and ink."


I've always loved the 'What If?' books. They do indeed make you think. And how history can hinge on some small event happening or not happening.

Posted by: HH at January 04, 2015 09:59 AM (Ce4DF)

19 80% on the quiz. Some lucky guesses, some educated guesses and some free association pulled me through.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at January 04, 2015 10:07 AM (NeFrd)

20 Just started the first book of "Game of Thrones."

Not bad....his writing is a bit simple and clunky, but certainly not an unpleasant read.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 04, 2015 10:07 AM (Zu3d9)

21 Jack Kerouac clearly has a drinking problem

Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 10:07 AM (t//F+)

22 Continuing with my 49th reading of LOTR. I'm interspersing the chapters with books on plant propagation. Sam Gamgee would approve.

Not exactly literature, but I'm getting interested in learning, or re-learning, some board and card games, nothing electronic. After more than 50 years I couldn't even remember the rules for checkers, parcheesi or gin rummy. The Encyclopedia of Games has been a good source for the rules and history of various games.

Posted by: JTB at January 04, 2015 10:07 AM (FvdPb)

23 I am reading "US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History".

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Learn Rantin', Ravin', and Ragetwitchin' at the Outrage Outlet! at January 04, 2015 10:11 AM (g+akU)

24 "Not exactly literature, but I'm getting interested in learning, or re-learning, some board and card games, nothing electronic."


Funny you should mention that. Yesterday I was over visiting with my 2 sisters and we wound up playing the game of Rack-O, which I hadn't played since I was a kid. It was actually a lot of fun.

Posted by: HH at January 04, 2015 10:12 AM (Ce4DF)

25 Like "How I met your mother?"

That'll work, but the TV show I specifically had in mind was Lost. And of course you can multiply examples.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 10:13 AM (DSfNT)

26 Just missed being next in line for the British throne. I did meet Anglophile status though. 73% on the quiz.

Posted by: olddog in mo at January 04, 2015 10:14 AM (6hrmc)

27 "Just started Business Adventures, as recommended by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett."

Given how often those two regularly talk up Obama administration policies which *purely by happenstance* favor their own personal investment interests, perhaps it should instead be titled _Crony Capitalist Adventures_ or _Venture Socialism Adventures_.

Posted by: torquewrench at January 04, 2015 10:14 AM (noWW6)

28 18 degrees and a 30 mph wind. Should have done my grocery shopping yesterday. Oh well.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 10:15 AM (vqSqm)

29 "US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History".

Looks like a fantastic read.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 04, 2015 10:16 AM (DoX/w)

30 Not bad....his writing is a bit simple and clunky, but certainly not an unpleasant read.

Wait till you get to the middle of the second book...you'll start losing the will to live.

Posted by: CanaDave at January 04, 2015 10:17 AM (IhNye)

31 If you want more of something, subsidize it. If you want less of something, tax it. It's pretty simple. But, as never appeared in any copy-book-heading: Simple isn't easy.

Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at January 04, 2015 10:18 AM (5buP8)

32 "I am reading 'US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History'."

Worth a look for anyone with an interest in matters naval.

After finishing it, I reflected that all of those many decades of hard-won empirical warship design experience have been abruptly jettisoned and ignored, and that the Navy have instead nailed their colors to the mast of the Little Crappy Ship concept.

My follow-on reading choice was a DIY suicide manual.

Posted by: torquewrench at January 04, 2015 10:19 AM (noWW6)

33 18°?
How 'bout sending some of that globull warming up here?
Thanking you in advance,
teej's 8°

Posted by: teej says go K-State at January 04, 2015 10:20 AM (XHihg)

34 Okay, the black diamonds were degree symbols.
Glad I didn't try the Pi symbol.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at January 04, 2015 10:22 AM (XHihg)

35 Back in high school I had a part-time job at the local library which had complete collections of many magazines including Time, Life, Look, etc. I got to go through all of them especially the WW II issues. Although the war was only about 20 years earlier, it was still interesting both for the stories and the ads. I imagine they would be even more eye-opening today.

Posted by: JTB at January 04, 2015 10:22 AM (FvdPb)

36 31 If you want more of something, subsidize it. If you want less of something, tax it. It's pretty simple. But, as never appeared in any copy-book-heading: Simple isn't easy.
Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at January 04, 2015 10:18 AM (5buP


----------------------


Where do you think subsidies come from? If you want more of something, then put it on the free market. Much better system.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 10:23 AM (vqSqm)

37 If you want more of something, subsidize it

Heh. This reminds me of a bit in one of Terry Pratchett's 'Diskworld' books where he recounts the time where the city fathers of Ankh-Morpork decided to pay their firefighters on a per fire basis, so the more fires they put out, the more they earned.

Pratchett then remarks that this was shortly before the Great Conflagration of 1348...

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 10:23 AM (DSfNT)

38 >>18 degrees and a 30 mph wind. Should have done my grocery shopping yesterday. Oh well.
Posted by: Soona

Yeah and my idiot neighbors have never turned off their sprinkler system. Their yard, the sidewalk and street in front of their house is a sheet of ice since the sprinklers ran during the night.

Posted by: Aviator at January 04, 2015 10:24 AM (3rrMW)

39 Posted by: torquewrench at January 04, 2015 10:19 AM (noWW6)

Decades? More like centuries of design experience.

Which of course makes them even stupider.....if that's possible.

[I assume you are enjoying the many design deficiencies of the LCS, not least of which is that it probably can be sunk by rifle fire....;-)]

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 04, 2015 10:24 AM (Zu3d9)

40 This week I read The Magician's Land, the third and final book of Leo Grossman's The Magicians series. The series has been recommended here, and I enjoyed it very much; although the story seemed to bog down in the middle of this last book before picking up again and coming to a satisfactory ending.

I'm currently reading Count to a Trillion by John C. Wright.

(There, one New Year's resolution to comment here fulfilled.)

Posted by: Zoltan at January 04, 2015 10:24 AM (EGaHt)

41 Of All The Gin Joints

a book about cocktails replete with recipes and stories surrounding the famous who enjoyed them. Pretty entertaining

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 10:26 AM (zOTsN)

42 Although the war was only about 20 years earlier, it was still interesting both for the stories and the ads. I imagine they would be even more eye-opening today.
A couple of weeks ago, someone posted a link to the complete archives of Life Magazine. The very first issue c. 1936/37 had a very neutral piece about Hitler and an inside look at the 3rd Reich. It showed a Nazi bomber practicing w/a bomb site over a terrain map on a long treadmill type device. I couldn't tell if it had London or Stalingrad street plans on it.

Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at January 04, 2015 10:27 AM (5buP8)

43 80% on the quiz. Some lucky guesses, some educated guesses and some free association pulled me through.

Same here.

Just sent the quiz to Mrs fluffy who actually read the Forsyte Saga.

Posted by: fluffy at January 04, 2015 10:27 AM (Ua6T/)

44 And if it stays cold for a few days they're liable to be replacing a lot of that sprinkler system.
Around here those get blown empty and shut off before winter.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at January 04, 2015 10:28 AM (XHihg)

45 Where do you think subsidies come from? If you want more of something, then put it on the free market. Much better system.

Actually that truism works in the free market too: where do you think coupons come from?

Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at January 04, 2015 10:29 AM (5buP8)

46 E-readers allow idiotic bints who are attempting to maintain status with even more idiotic bints to pretend they are reading Chaucer when what they're really reading is Twilight.


That's why the best seller lists are now suddenly full of romance novels. The marketplace will tell true and what many women truly want to read is about bodices being ripped and throbbing masculinity. Now they can do so and no one will know.

Posted by: alexthechick - Oh save us mighty SMOD at January 04, 2015 10:30 AM (IrByp)

47 I've always loved the 'What If?' books. They do
indeed make you think. And how history can hinge on some small event happening or not happening.


Posted by: HH at January 04, 2015 09:59 AM (Ce4DF)

Just read The Man In The High Castle by Philip K Dick, in which Japan and Germany won WWII. It mostly it focuses on everyday life in the US with Japan controlling the west coast, the Nazis linked to the east coast and some freedom in between. Was OK but not as good as the excellent Ubik, where people have developed mental powers and the dead may not be completely dead.Read Black to Reality (Black #4) by Russell Blake, another excellent popcorn mystery and sadly the last (for now) of the Black books. It involves possible cheating in an American Idol-style TV show except it's for bands instead of singers. FYI his e-book Jet Ops is currently free on Amazon, so you can check out if his Jet series (apparently a secret assassin for the Israelis) is for you without cost. Hopefully his other books are just as good as the Black series.Finished Not Taco Bell Material by Adam Carolla which was very good. He tells stories of his life, going from home to home he's lived in. Not all that funny but is an entertaining and honest look at his early life dragging himself up to success.
I got a Kindle Voyage for Christmas, $80 more than the Paperwhite. The lettering is 300 ppi instead of the Paperwhite's 210 ppi though I can't tell the difference, also no additional fonts to select from. Adding books to collections seems slower, but searching your books for a phrase is much faster now. It has physical buttons on the left and right to flip pages, which some may prefer to touching the screen (which you can still do). The software works a bit differently which you may or may not like. The big advantage for me is the hard drive is twice as large, so hopefully no more emails from Amazon telling me what I already know, the Paperwhite is full.

Posted by: waelse1 at January 04, 2015 10:30 AM (t86KL)

48 Damn, sometimes those line feeds just disappear and it's a mess.

Posted by: waelse1 at January 04, 2015 10:32 AM (t86KL)

49 Morning horde. A little slow this morning. Never let me drink booze at a Panthers game, BEER ONLY.


So my Panthers won on a rainy night.


O/T Sen Edward Brooke, Black RINO MA, died at 95. Barbara Wa Wa most hurt.



I had no idea the crooked asshole was still alive.

Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 10:32 AM (0FSuD)

50 I also enjoyed The Peshawar Lancers. The only gripe I recall was the author was a wee bit too fond of defining terms the characters were already familiar with (a.k.a Petite Mal As-you-know-Bob) but it was minor.

Most recently reading Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch (NOT about the current administration, strangely enough) Lots of cunning stratagems and derring-do, and scads of witty banter. Good stuff.

Posted by: Sabrina Chase at January 04, 2015 10:32 AM (2buaQ)

51 Posted by: alexthechick - Oh save us mighty SMOD at January 04, 2015 10:30 AM (IrByp)

Eh.....reading is almost always a good thing.....even if the material is simplistic.

Besides, you read AOSHQ. Compared to that, Harlequin Romances ARE Chaucer.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 04, 2015 10:33 AM (Zu3d9)

52 what many women truly want to read is about bodices being ripped and throbbing masculinity

Bodices were ripped, masculinity throbbed.

Posted by: fluffy; inappropriately passive at January 04, 2015 10:34 AM (Ua6T/)

53 45 Where do you think subsidies come from? If you want more of something, then put it on the free market. Much better system.



Actually that truism works in the free market too: where do you think coupons come from?
Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at January 04, 2015 10:29 AM (5buP


----------------------------


What? Food stamps? Coupons are nothing but a merchant willing to take a loss on the profit of a few items in order to get customers into his business. It's his own decision for his own business. Private free enterprise.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 10:36 AM (vqSqm)

54 Yeah and my idiot neighbors have never turned off
their sprinkler system. Their yard, the sidewalk and street in front of
their house is a sheet of ice since the sprinklers ran during the night.

Posted by: Aviator at January 04, 2015 10:24 AM (3rrMW)

I had an idiot neighbor, Chinese doctor, who didn't understand you drain your sprinklers in the winter. So one afternoon my entire fucking bad yard is under water because this dickhead's sprinklers have frozen and burst.
I call his alarm company and they are total assholes. Cops won't turn off the water, because something in the house may need water.

I said thanks. They left, I pulled out be fucking meter tool and shut that fucking water off.

Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 10:36 AM (0FSuD)

55 Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at January 04, 2015 10:29 AM (5buP

I'm not sure you can equate a coupon with a subsidy.

Coupons draw price sensitive buyers who wouldn't normally purchase (at least that's the idea). Subsidies apply to everyone.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 04, 2015 10:36 AM (Zu3d9)

56 when will rad fems go after the authors of bodice rippers, most of which are women

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 10:37 AM (zOTsN)

57 Hey!
I'll put CAC, Y-not and Wierddave up against Harlequin romances any day.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at January 04, 2015 10:37 AM (XHihg)

58 Life, schmife. The important thing is that The Paper is online.


http://weeklyworldnews.com/

Posted by: alexthechick - Oh save us mighty SMOD at January 04, 2015 10:38 AM (IrByp)

59 Re "Beowulf" being made into a mini series: I'm interested in what "bare-chested, abs-of-steel" actor gets the part.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 10:39 AM (JSovD)

60 I missed that hot elbows yesterday, I was tailgating. So Dave you have a hard mission. Out do yesterdays elbows.

Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 10:39 AM (0FSuD)

61 Hmm, maybe I'd better read one of those Harlequin books before I make that bet.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at January 04, 2015 10:39 AM (XHihg)

62 Hmm, breakfast, dishes and laundry.
Better git for a bit.

Posted by: teej says go K-State at January 04, 2015 10:41 AM (XHihg)

63 Pratchett then remarks that this was shortly before the Great Conflagration of 1348...
Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 10:23 AM (DSfNT)


Charcoal Tuesday, IIRC.

He also talked about the bounty on rat tails to keep down the rat population and the subsequent raise in the population of rats. The Patrician stated he would tax the new rat farms.

The man understands market distortion.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 10:43 AM (t//F+)

64 Just started the first book of "Game of Thrones."

Not bad....his writing is a bit simple and clunky, but certainly not an unpleasant read.


Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 04, 2015 10:07 AM (Zu3d9)

What I admire most is his storytelling, all these little adventures scattered across his world and it all ties together into a cohesive whole.

Posted by: waelse1 at January 04, 2015 10:46 AM (t86KL)

65 58 Life, schmife. The important thing is that The Paper is online.

http://weeklyworldnews.com/


Ha! Everything on that site is a hoot! Some examples:

SELENA GOMEZ PREGNANT WITH BIEBER'S BABY (7921 comments)

HOW TO SELL YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL (5372 comments)

ALIEN SPACESHIPS TO ATTACK EARTH IN DECEMBER! (3445 comments)

GOOGLE STREET VIEW OF HEAVEN
By Marge Floori on December 5, 2014

PIERS MORGAN DEPORTED BACK TO ENGLAND
By Frank Lake on October 11, 2014


Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 10:46 AM (DSfNT)

66 He also talked about the bounty on rat tails to keep down the rat population and the subsequent raise in the population of rats. The Patrician stated he would tax the new rat farms.

The man understands market distortion.


Yeah, you've have to hand it to the Patrician - otherwise, he'll send some men around to come take it away.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 10:48 AM (DSfNT)

67 Shoot, late to the party - again. Have an excuse - real one, not a "Sheriff Joe is in charge of the Ocare website" type - as I was shoveling white crap from my and my neighbors walkways and driveways.

Started "At Night's Close" and Hemingway's Nick Adams stories. Finished three writing books, another Dick Francis book, and half of a book I am working on proofreading.

Posted by: LongRunningFool at January 04, 2015 10:48 AM (/A5gb)

68 Thanks for the shout-out, OregonMuse. That Life site is awesome, and I was happy to share it.

My parents subscribed in the 1960s when I was growing up, and I still have many of those issues. I would read the articles about spaceflights over and over again.

One time I went to a used book store, and damn near had a stroke when I saw a whole wall of shelves of WWII issues. I didn't have much money on me, and was already thinking about emptying my bank account when the proprietor told me that they had already been sold to a collector in Japan, and were being readied for shipment.

I actually have the April 18, 1938 issue, which I bought at a yard sale. It has a photo essay about the Jews of Europe. It starts on page 46.

https://tinyurl.com/ozupdpv

Posted by: rickl at January 04, 2015 10:48 AM (sdi6R)

69 Coupons draw price sensitive buyers who wouldn't normally purchase (at least that's the idea). Subsidies apply to everyone.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 04, 2015 10:36 AM (Zu3d9)


-------------------------


Subsidies is just another name for wealth redistribution. And they're fed by, get this.........higher taxes.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 10:49 AM (vqSqm)

70 83% - would have been higher, but it's been a while since I read The Jungle Books, and I half-remembered a Kipling story about cats ...

I enjoyed the Peshawar Lancers, too - Kipling would have adored living in that alternate world ...

Nothing too adventurous, bookwise. Slogging away on work for the Tiny Publishing Bidness, and sorting out stuff so that my daughter can head out to California to help sort out my parent's house. Mom slipped and fell, just after Thanksgiving, and injured her spine so badly that she'll likely be in a wheelchair in an assisted-living place.

Thanks for the reviews on Amazon for Lone Star Sons, BTW. If any more 'rons and 'ronettes have read any of my own books, can I beg for a more reviews?

Posted by: Sgt Mom at January 04, 2015 10:49 AM (95iDF)

71 That's a nice library.

I have a copy of Peshawar Lancers, free to a good home. First, here's how I wound up with it, then my critique -- I had somewhat recently gone through most of William Gibson's stuff, and I recalled he had a coauthor on The Difference Engine. His name is Bruce Sterling, not Stirling you nitwit. (<--- points at me)

So I was looking for some of Sterling's other stuff at a used book store. I'm not much of a fan of alt history but what the heck. Yuk. Stirling manages to think up a way that Britain doesn't sink into irrelevancy by wiping out the US and Europe. Hey, how about figuring out how to stop Britain from descending into a police state with Sharia law instead? But Noooo -- Let's give the US a 19th century retroactive abortion so Britain can still wind up on top somewhere, anywhere, the Asian subcontinent will do.

I like scify, but this book is more fantasy. S. M.'s fantasy. YMMV

Posted by: GnuBreed at January 04, 2015 10:51 AM (6PTuo)

72 Subsidies is just another name for wealth redistribution. And they're fed by, get this.........higher taxes.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 10:49 AM (vqSqm)

The hell you say!

Posted by: MSM Reporter at January 04, 2015 10:51 AM (0FSuD)

73 Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at January 04, 2015 09:46 AM (V70Uh)

In some respects that show suffered from a slightly different problem.

They knew how it was going to end, they had already filmed the ending scene with the "kids" (otherwise they'd have aged.)

Then the middle kept growing and contradicted their ending. But instead of changing it, they hand waved away everything.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) And father to be bascially any day now! at January 04, 2015 10:52 AM (HDwDg)

74 Reading "Assassin's Game" by Ward Larsen, sequel to "The Perfect Assassin." Both are pretty good thrillers, typically 4/5 star reviews.

Plot lines revolve around an Israeli kidon (assassin) and are unusually imaginative, without being ridiculous. Definitely not cliched.

Not quite up to the Flynn/Thor/Silva level, but far better than most of the thriller authors.

Posted by: doug at January 04, 2015 10:52 AM (Ndsuj)

75 From the Harry Reid library. http://amzn.to/1xGYHJP

Posted by: Beer Ninja at January 04, 2015 10:53 AM (2r/HT)

76 I was really into the first third or so of The Peshawar Lancers, until he broke one of the cardinal rules of alternate history, and I nope'd out of the story:

One. Point. Of. Divergence.

The whole point of the genre is "for want of a nail". You're allowed *one* change. When your "rocks fall, civilization moves to India" story suddenly has demons and psychics, you've sidled right out of the advertised genre. Later on, I realized that he was using the book as a prototype for his Dies The Fire series, and understood where he was going, but I'm still pissed about the whole thing. Russian cannibal psychics, indeed!

Oh, I just started Paul Johnson's A History of the Jews. So far it's a very conventional discussion of the Old Testament, but biblical archaeology is so full of chokingly subjective, revisionist political filibustering that a bit of conventionality lets some air in on the subject.

Posted by: Mitch H. at January 04, 2015 10:55 AM (XM3rN)

77 I just read "The Host", by Stephanie Meyer. Yeah, she wrote the Twilight Saga stuff. This was suppose to be her first adult novel but was more like a cross over, still very teenish appealling in writing style. It was about alien body snatchers living here on earth pretending to be human after pretty much taking over except for a few last hold outs....you get the picture. Not too bad, not great. A quick, light read.

OTOH, the dumb ass money grubber trying to get money from Dershowitz and the Prince, is an idiot. I love that Dershowitz is fighting back. Who is her stupid lawyer, I would normally say Allred, but even she's not that stupid, right???
Much be someone illegal or from another planet to pull that stunt. I LOVE the idea that if you want to accuse some of sometime like this, you must do it under oath, sure let them remain anonymous to protect them if they're scared, etc., but it must be sworn testimony. Maybe that would stop some, not all, of these false accusations that are ruining lives.

Posted by: lindafell in her own time zone at January 04, 2015 10:55 AM (LbPGR)

78 Not quite up to the Flynn/Thor/Silva level, but far better than most of the thriller authors.
Posted by: doug at January 04, 2015 10:52 AM (Ndsuj)



------------------


I miss Vince Flynn.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 10:55 AM (vqSqm)

79 From the Harry Reid library.

I'm going to get some weird shit in my Amazon suggestions for a while.

Posted by: fluffy at January 04, 2015 10:56 AM (Ua6T/)

80 Finished "The Greatest Knight. The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, The Power Behind Five English Thrones". Now here is a mini series worthy subject. The man lived through the reigns of Stephen to the early years of Henry III. Rose from a penniless spare son of a minor noble to become a powerful earl. He was still leading battles in his early 70's. I was aware of his early life after reading a historical novel years ago but, honestly, the biography reads like a novel and is much more exciting.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 10:56 AM (JSovD)

81 > I miss Vince Flynn

We all do. A hell of a man, in addition to being a great author.

Posted by: doug at January 04, 2015 10:57 AM (Ndsuj)

82 @79 I'm sure I'll get the same. I was looking to see what awful books are actually still available. I thought it might fun to have a WTF bookshelf.

Posted by: Beer Ninja at January 04, 2015 10:59 AM (2r/HT)

83 I mentioned this on Friday, but it's appropriate for the book thread. And I find it amusing.

Fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson was having trouble writing 'Shadows of Self', the sequel to an earlier book, 'Alloy of Law' (which itself was the follow-up to his breakout Mistborn trilogy). So he wrote the sequel to 'Shadows' from start to finish, and then went back and finished 'Shadows'.

In an industry where sequels are usually released a year or more after the book that they're following up, Sanderson's publisher, Tor, has decided to go ahead and release the books just a few months apart. 'Shadows' will be released in late 2015 (possibly October), and the sequel, 'Bands of Morning', is scheduled for early 2016 (probably January).

Posted by: junior at January 04, 2015 10:59 AM (FRGa/)

84 77
Reserving judgement on Prince Andrew simply because of his close friendship with Jeffery Epstein who sounds like a world class creep.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 10:59 AM (JSovD)

85 Halfway thru Science and Practice of Strength Training by Vladimir Zatsiorsky. Back off, it's the first actual book I've read in years!

It describes how muscles work (or don't work) in sports and, in general terms, how they could be and are trained. Not the tightest-written book, but it's good for my plans for the new year.

Posted by: t-bird at January 04, 2015 11:01 AM (FcR7P)

86 Hi, I am your daughter's date.



http://tinyurl.com/p4vvjox

Posted by: Rev Al's son at January 04, 2015 11:01 AM (0FSuD)

87 I got 70% on the British Literature quiz. I'm happy with that, since I've never read most of those books. I've never been much of a fiction reader. I guess I've absorbed them by cultural osmosis. Either that, or the quiz was ridiculously easy.

I was intrigued to learn that Mary Shelley wrote a story about the year 2092. I actually have read "Frankenstein". She must have been a very interesting lady.

Posted by: rickl at January 04, 2015 11:02 AM (sdi6R)

88 Sadly, the only "new" book I've been reading is a book from Gutenberg on The Hittites, published in the 1890's. I was interested in what the arecheology had to say prior to the translation of the Hittite language (clue, at that time they had the word 'King')
The book leans on Egyptian, Biblical and Assyrian sources, and a little bit on archeology. It is pretty consistent with recent histories. The great entent between the Hittite and Egyptian is seen in the book as caused by exhaustion by both parties, and the resultant incursion by the Sea Peoples would be by the subject peoples under the Hittites slipping their control. It does match the data presented by newer works on the subject, but of course it has a different interpretation.

I like reading really old history since it tends to be free of the new deconstructionist view, social analysis and the current trend of using history as a reason to deliver a sermon and homily to illustrate desired present morals.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40243

Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 11:04 AM (t//F+)

89 If one has a simple knowledge of levers and fulcrums, an illustrated book of anatomy would do just as well.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 11:05 AM (vqSqm)

90 84
77

Reserving judgement on Prince Andrew simply because of his close
friendship with Jeffery Epstein who sounds like a world class creep.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 10:59 AM (JSovD)

The Royals are mostly mooches. They take any free shit and trade on their title. No question this guy is a creep. Creeps like creepy friends.

Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 11:05 AM (0FSuD)

91 Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 04, 2015 10:16 AM (DoX/w)

It's a wonder sometimes that they actually got anything built with the competition between speed, radius of action, guns, torpedoes, stability and remember - not too big.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Learn Rantin', Ravin', and Ragetwitchin' at the Outrage Outlet! at January 04, 2015 11:05 AM (g+akU)

92 I'm going to have to check out The Peshawar Lancers. I really enjoyed his Emberverse series.


Right now, I'm reading, "The End is Nigh" which is the first book of a trilogy. It is an anthology of short stories where each of the stories takes place right before an apocalypse. The second book of the trilogy is stories written by the same authors but these stories take place while the apocalypse is happening. The third book is post-apocalyptic stories by the same authors. An interesting concept and so far, the stories are good.

Posted by: DangerGirl and her 1.21 gigawatt Sanity Prod (tm) at January 04, 2015 11:06 AM (KuU4f)

93 Bodice ripper and vampires along with magical detective - Diane Tregarde . Children of the Night and Jinx High are two books about Diane.

Hence why I am so freaking tired of the genre. It has been done before and far better. *thud*

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at January 04, 2015 11:08 AM (HMNwq)

94 I liked Peshwar Lancers, and I wish he had written something else that I enjoyed as much as that book. Court of the Crimson Kings was tolerable (mars is basically a Burrough's novel, but being explored by the 1970's world powers in the middle of a cold war) but it was still crabbed.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 11:11 AM (t//F+)

95 I just don't know what to do Mandego has died.



Should I go to Brooke's funeral?

Posted by: Barbara WaWa at January 04, 2015 11:12 AM (0FSuD)

96 Just reading Lord Of The Rings again and realized Henry Kissinger is a Ring Wraith

Posted by: Beto at January 04, 2015 11:13 AM (TfAS/)

97 WHO IS MAN-DINGO?

Are the Aussies doing forbidden genetic experimentation or is he the new X-man?


Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 11:14 AM (t//F+)

98 Okay. Gotta go get dressed and wander out into the global warming. Need to eat.

Posted by: Soona at January 04, 2015 11:15 AM (vqSqm)

99 The Man-Dingo, one bodice ripping SOB.

Posted by: Killerdog at January 04, 2015 11:16 AM (vntmB)

100 TYRANNOSAURUS REX: The Fierce Dinosaur

Clearly, not all "awful library books" are awful.

Posted by: Brontosarus at January 04, 2015 11:16 AM (vu484)

101 an illustrated book of anatomy would do just as well.

That just tells you how bones and joints move and what moves them.

Posted by: t-bird at January 04, 2015 11:17 AM (FcR7P)

102 Oh I guess I should mention that Diane's normal bill paying job. Tregarde is a romance writer.

In one story she is invited to a little soiree with romance writers. So she brings her vampire lover and protector along as her date. One of the other writers tried a little bit of magic to get a date. Diane and Andre both agreed it was definitely tall and dark. Handsome well ...

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at January 04, 2015 11:17 AM (HMNwq)

103 "It's a wonder sometimes that they actually got anything built with the competition between speed, radius of action, guns, torpedoes, stability and remember - not too big."

I spent 10 years steaming Knox Class Frigates, starting in the late 70's.
At that point, there were still a few WWII era Destroyers at Charleston. And, you would encounter many of our former hulls being steamed by other Navies as well.

Many a marvel of compactness, firepower and speed were wrapped up in one, and called a Tin Can back in the day.

The only requirement not included?
Comfort.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 04, 2015 11:17 AM (DoX/w)

104 "It's a wonder sometimes that they actually got anything built with the competition between speed, radius of action, guns, torpedoes, stability and remember - not too big."

I spent 10 years steaming Knox Class Frigates, starting in the late 70's.
At that point, there were still a few WWII era Destroyers at Charleston. And, you would encounter many of our former hulls being steamed by other Navies as well.

Many a marvel of compactness, firepower and speed were wrapped up in one, and called a Tin Can back in the day.

The only requirement not included?
Comfort.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 04, 2015 11:17 AM (DoX/w)

105 Oh look....it's Sunday.
And I'm already double posting.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 04, 2015 11:19 AM (DoX/w)

106 Nip sip,
Here's the thing, and it sounds harsh. But I am a female and I know how most think. A "teenage girl" is a minor but she knew exactly what she was doing. Around 16-18 MANY "girls" know how to use sex to get what they want. Then later, if they can't get more, they cry foul. Or if they think it will get more, they cry foul. Or if they start feeling a bit guilty, they cry foul, etc. etc.

I'm not the morality police, but 18 is just an arbitrary age that was picked, it has nothing to do with biology. I know this is a VERY GREY AREA, and I'll be slammed for saying it. I also know that there has to be a line drawn and followed but is it 16, 18, 21, 26???? It has to be universal. Right now it's all over, some states you can get married at 15 with parents permission but it's a crime in others. Vote and fight at 18 but you can't drink or own a gun? Either your and adult or not.

Ok, waiting for the flames......

Posted by: lindafell in her own time zone at January 04, 2015 11:19 AM (LbPGR)

107 Reserving judgement on Prince Andrew simply because of his close friendship with Jeffery Epstein who sounds like a world class creep.

Yeah that.

If I'm a British prince, or a popular former President for that matter, I can pretty much choose which wealthy social-climbers I want to spend my time with. Why choose a pedobear?

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at January 04, 2015 11:21 AM (AVEe1)

108 @106

I totally agree. Many a 16 year old has tried to trap me when I was in college





Not? Not so much, ha ha.

Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 11:21 AM (0FSuD)

109 Escape from Camp 14-- short review. NORKs are evil

Ramsey's Legacy Journey short synopsis-- don't be a frickin idiot with your money but do change your mindset about it and plan ahead

Tim Howard's autobiography. "im a great GK and I have TOurettes". Overall review-- meh

Returning to lurking . . . .Christmas break ends tomorrow-- back to brainwashing little minds. . ..

Posted by: Far Post at January 04, 2015 11:22 AM (6srcI)

110 Now not not,

Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 11:23 AM (0FSuD)

111 @27 - re: Business Adventures

It's possible, maybe even likely, that the book will be a bunch of crap, but I won't know until I read it will I?

I can't speak for everyone but I've always felt that sometimes you need to read outside your comfort zone and sometimes you need to read people you most likely profoundly disagree with, which is why I will be reading Picketty's Capital in the 21st Century next. If nothing else I get a view of the other sides arguments.

Posted by: Chad at January 04, 2015 11:23 AM (XzHIv)

112 I've also been reading Seanan McGuire. She does a lot of urban fantasy, including a couple decent superhero novels which is where I first noticed her. The "government agency covers up fairy tales" book _Indexing_ is pretty nifty, as is the Americana ghost story _Sparrow Hill Road_. There's also a raft of straight-up "urban fantasy for urban single white females" series-books that don't suck, although I'm finding the San Francisco Faerie series a bit of a slog.

Posted by: Mitch H. at January 04, 2015 11:23 AM (XM3rN)

113

Fun stuff here.

Been meaning to dig up an email from an author I know, who wrote down all the reasons that self/e/publishing is way better than going down the traditional publishers route.

The only reason I bring this up is that I'm a bit surprised. He's already published, probably a dozen or so books - has a lot of connections in the industry, but is advocating for skirting the "Filter," which most of us already agree is great and a breath of fresh air.

We've seen it with other authors quite a while ago, but surprised at the ferocity of the statement.

But, I've been too lazy to dig it up in advance, and been shoveling snow covered in ice this morning (back-breaking), so I'm exhausted. No time to play yet this morning.

The Brit quiz looks fun.



Posted by: artisanal 'ette at January 04, 2015 11:24 AM (IXrOn)

114 And sometimes with the Tin Cans they did their sums a bit wrong in the US Navy. When they lengthened the hull of the Sumner class to create the Gearing class for example.

Now the Sumner hull was basically the Fletcher hull with only a 14in broadening and twin rudders. Well the hull extension for the Gearings was to enhance endurance at sea, all 14ft of it, lead to a class of ships that would dig into the waves and some even cracked their hulls.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at January 04, 2015 11:24 AM (HMNwq)

115 I used to buy the Time-Life type of Taste of.... cooking books and thrift stores. Pretty much food porn, really, luscious staged photo shoots of food and preparation, often of people in colorful native dress...which must have been disappointing for the editors of the Taste of the Northwest book in the 70's, for example.
I gots lots of them I picked up from Goodwill. Now they just block things up. No one wants em, no store will take them in trade, I can't bring myself the toss them in the trash 'cause, you know, they are books.

I was going to cut them up to salvage the covers to to some home binding, but I can't quite make myself start cutting on them either.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 11:27 AM (t//F+)

116 I bought them AT thrift stores.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 11:29 AM (t//F+)

117 I'm not the morality police, but 18 is just an arbitrary age that was picked, it has nothing to do with biology. I know this is a VERY GREY AREA, and I'll be slammed for saying it. I also know that there has to be a line drawn and followed but is it 16, 18, 21, 26????

I think you're absolutely right. These things need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but I don't think the law allows for this. The law is a blunt instrument, and does not slice well.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 11:30 AM (DSfNT)

118 OK, we're over 100 comments so I think I'm allowed to go off-topic. I linked this at the end of the morning thread.

A seven-year-old girl walked away from a small plane crash that killed her whole family:

https://tinyurl.com/o4f3c2a

It was a miracle that she survived, but it was also a horrible tragedy that she lost her family. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that. I can't imagine what she must be going through.

The article mentions other instances of sole survivors of plane crashes, some of them airline disasters where 100 or more people were killed.

Posted by: rickl at January 04, 2015 11:30 AM (sdi6R)

119 Not exactly literature, but I'm getting interested in learning, or re-learning, some board and card games

When I was little, we had Hoyle's Book of Games (or something like that) where we could look up all sorts of card games and solitaires. Still exists on Amazon, but I don't see the 1950-ish edition that I remember!

Posted by: t-bird at January 04, 2015 11:30 AM (FcR7P)

120 "Many a marvel of compactness, firepower and speed were wrapped up in one, and called a Tin Can back in the day."



One constant complaint - and also of the cruisers - was that they would become top heavy through their service lives. They knew the laws of physics were immutable - if you want to put that new heavy thing on you have to take another heavy thing off - but they didn't like it one bit and would complain about stability issues after damage.


That constant refrain got to be a bit annoying, actually.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Learn Rantin', Ravin', and Ragetwitchin' at the Outrage Outlet! at January 04, 2015 11:31 AM (g+akU)

121 Every time a politician says that the tax hike will bring in 'X' dollars in increased revenue, it's never the case, it always turns out in the end to be 'X' minus 'Y', where 'Y' can be quite large.


Differential equations. How do they work?

Posted by: Al Qaeda at January 04, 2015 11:31 AM (oKE6c)

122 "Titular" is a funny word.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at January 04, 2015 11:31 AM (LImiJ)

123 Semi-related.

I see Netflix has the series The Great War Diary. A mini-series Dramdocumentary based on letters and journals, many of which have never been published before, this tells the story of 1914-18 solely through the eyes of those who lived through it. (imdb)

The Netflix blurb says it is accounts of 14 soldiers and civilians.

8 episodes and almost a perfect rating across the board.

just an fyi

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at January 04, 2015 11:31 AM (IXrOn)

124 @118

I read that yesterday. Walked to a house and explained the story. Amazing.

Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 11:32 AM (0FSuD)

125 107
According to the news stories Epstein even arranged a payoff of some of Sarah Ferguson's massive debts. The skin crawls. Insty thinks the whole story is a " lefty spoiler" because something is coming down about Bill Clinton.. Surprise, surprise! Our former president was also an acquaintance of Epstein.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 11:32 AM (JSovD)

126 Whether you think the age of consent should be lowered, it is incumbent on the legal adults to follow tge law.

Moreover, consent from a teen when the sex partner is rich and powerful - and who uses those things for serial statutory rape - is highly questionable.

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at January 04, 2015 11:32 AM (9BRsg)

127 PETA got all over Sarah Palins ass becuase her little boy stood on the family dog

Governor Palin has responded

"At Least He Didnt Eat It"

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:33 AM (zOTsN)

128 Top heavy? The IJN battleships and their pagoda superstructures. Their cruisers were not much to write home about either, low to the water so constantly wet forward.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at January 04, 2015 11:33 AM (HMNwq)

129 Epstein has settled about 40 of the 70 claims out of court

the youngest one that we know about is 14

14

yes

thats too young

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:34 AM (zOTsN)

130 118
I hope she has loving grandparents, aunt, uncles, etc. she's going to need them. Poor brave little girl.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 11:35 AM (JSovD)

131 the youngest one that we know about is 14



14



yes



thats too young

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:34 AM (zOTsN


Says who?

Posted by: Roman Polanski at January 04, 2015 11:37 AM (0FSuD)

132 these men can have anyone they want

they want someone who will go away

all of them did, save this one girl

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:38 AM (zOTsN)

133 124 @118

I read that yesterday. Walked to a house and explained the story. Amazing.
Posted by: Nip Sip at January 04, 2015 11:32 AM (0FSuD)


The article said she walked several miles to a house.

Posted by: rickl at January 04, 2015 11:38 AM (sdi6R)

134 Epstein has settled about 40 of the 70 claims out of court



the youngest one that we know about is 14


---

So I really haven't followed this story at all, but is this the dude that Clinton hangs around with too?

Posted by: Y-not says Go Gohmert at January 04, 2015 11:38 AM (9BRsg)

135 Louie Gohmert is going to challenge "Orange Slush" for the speakership.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 04, 2015 11:39 AM (7gKnN)

136

Oh, nice. The Trip to Italy is now on Netflix. (Remember Ace mentioned this also. I didn't know they did a follow up to The Trip until Ace mentioned it, which was truly funny.

We're going to watch this now.

enjoy your Sunday

toodles

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at January 04, 2015 11:39 AM (IXrOn)

137 132
these men can have anyone they want



they want someone who will go away



all of them did, save this one girl

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:38 AM (zOTsN)

Of course, the fact that Mao had a fresh girl delivered to him EVERYDAY, never seems to make it to the liberal history books.

All virgins.

Posted by: Roman Polanski at January 04, 2015 11:40 AM (0FSuD)

138 Mao. He's my hero!

Posted by: Roman Polanski at January 04, 2015 11:41 AM (0FSuD)

139 134
Go to the Brit Newspapers for a full rundown. Epstein made(makes) a career of cultivating the rich and powerful. As I said the skin crawls.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 11:41 AM (JSovD)

140 I should read more books this year. Any recommendations for historical fiction? I want the history to be accurate not alternate because my knowledge base is weak. Doesn't have to be detailed history if the story is a decent read.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 04, 2015 11:42 AM (7w/kf)

141 yes

clinton

bill richardson

he is a big democrat donor. he is a big donor to harvard and to medical research.

the english government asked the Bush administration to get the case over with, so they allegedly pressured the Palm Beach prosecutors

but he has had a parade of politicians visit his home in the US Virgin Islands. And scientists

and he took a trip to Thailand with Andrew. Thailand is famous, rather infamous, for sex tourism

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:42 AM (zOTsN)

142 I see Netflix has the series The Great War Diary

Thank you for mentioning this.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 11:42 AM (DSfNT)

143 Don't forget me!

Posted by: Gaddafi at January 04, 2015 11:42 AM (0FSuD)

144 135
" Orange Slush". LMAO

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 11:43 AM (JSovD)

145 I am looking forward to a Ron Chernow week (or two). I ordered Titan, Alexander Hamilton and Washington. I'll see what sounds interesting when I finish those.

Posted by: notsothoreau at January 04, 2015 11:47 AM (Lqy/e)

146 he only paid these girls like 300 for the sex but he took them all over the world

where the hell were their parents

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:47 AM (zOTsN)

147 @140-PaleRider- Try CJ Sansom. The history of Tudor England is well done and the characters are super. Murder most foul being investigated in the time of Henry VIII.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 04, 2015 11:48 AM (7gKnN)

148
127 PETA got all over Sarah Palins ass becuase her little boy stood on the family dog

Governor Palin has responded

"At Least He Didnt Eat It"

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:33 AM (zOTsN)



That woman's got more balls then everyone in the GOP combined.

Posted by: Havedash at January 04, 2015 11:49 AM (G1XMn)

149 Moreover, consent from a teen when the sex partner
is rich and powerful - and who uses those things for serial statutory
rape - is highly questionable.

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at January 04, 2015 11:32 AM (9BRsg)

That's a thing about Clinton and the lesb feminists that really pissed me off. He was instrumental in getting all the sexual harassment laws on the books (e.g., "a woman cannot give consent when there is a power disparity"), then proceeds to indulge in exactly the behavior at which the laws were directed, behavior for which any male executive in business or officer in the military would be canned in a heartbeat.
And the feminists defended him.
If they didn't have double standards, they'd have no standards at all.

Posted by: Al Qaeda at January 04, 2015 11:49 AM (oKE6c)

150 146
he only paid these girls like 300 for the sex but he took them all over the world



where the hell were their parents

Posted by: ThunderB at January 04, 2015 11:47 AM (zOTsN)

Usually I killed them. The Jewish guy probably bought them.

Posted by: Gaddafi at January 04, 2015 11:50 AM (0FSuD)

151 Can you ever imagine the fallout if Bill Clinton was ever tied to any underage girls? I mean, as soon as this story broke, I immediately thought of Monica Lewinsky--who was old enough, of course. But still....it's not much of a leap.

Posted by: Muddy waters at January 04, 2015 11:50 AM (O1i4U)

152 Oops. Damn sock.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at January 04, 2015 11:50 AM (oKE6c)

153 140
"When Christ and His Saints Slept" by Sharon Kay Penman. Great story of the 1st English civil war.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 11:52 AM (JSovD)

154 140 - Have you read any of Heyer's Regency "romances"? I put that in scare quotes because most of 'em read more like comedies if you ask me. I started with _Cotillion_, but most of 'em are pretty good. There's _The Spanish Bride_ and _An Infamous Army_ if you need your historical fiction to be military.

Posted by: Mitch H. at January 04, 2015 11:52 AM (XM3rN)

155 Any recommendations for historical fiction?

-
I, Cluadius by Robert Graves

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Posted by: The Great White Snark at January 04, 2015 11:53 AM (LImiJ)

156 Nood

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at January 04, 2015 11:53 AM (9BRsg)

157 151 Can you ever imagine the fallout if Bill Clinton was ever tied to any underage girls? I mean, as soon as this story broke, I immediately thought of Monica Lewinsky--who was old enough, of course. But still....it's not much of a leap.


Posted by: Muddy waters at January 04, 2015 11:50 AM (O1i4U)


Yeah, about the same amount of fallout that St John Kennedy got.

Posted by: Havedash at January 04, 2015 11:55 AM (G1XMn)

158 80 Tuna, yeah that book "the Greatest Knight" is a pretty good read.

Been reading "The Price of Glory" by Alistair Horne and "Fort Douamont" by
Christina Holstein. Covers a true Hell on earth, the Battle of Verdun. How anyone on either side survived with their sanity intact is a mystery to me. The Verdun Ossuary contains the bones of approximately 130,000 unknown soldiers, mostly French. Photos of the countryside today still look like a green moonscape.

Posted by: JHW at January 04, 2015 11:55 AM (5G4F7)

159 147
Agreed!! A new one, "Lamentation", comes out this month. Can't wait.

Of course, The Saxon Chronicle books by Bernard Cornwell are great. Again, a new one is coming this month.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 11:57 AM (JSovD)

160 Ben, do you have a link for Gohmert going for Speaker?

Posted by: Kindltot at January 04, 2015 11:58 AM (t//F+)

161 154
"Sylvester" is pretty good.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 11:58 AM (JSovD)

162 Yes, I agree 14 is too young. I never mentioned 14.
15 starts the grey area.
16-17, well let's just say a lot of them have kids around here already, usually by other 16-20 yo guys but if the opportunity where there they would take it if it meant a better life. Is that right? I'm not to judge. But women have used their assets since the beginning to pick the "best" mate, and in today's world that is usually the wealthiest, since that means the best provider. In a weird, convoluted way.......

Posted by: lindafell in her own time zone at January 04, 2015 12:01 PM (LbPGR)

163 158
Strangely, the fictional account of his early life is also titled " The a Greatest Knight" The author is Elizabeth Chadwick.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 12:01 PM (JSovD)

164 t-bird... I have one of the old Hoyle's rule books but I found the Encyclopedia of Games easier to understand.

Now I have to learn to shuffle a deck of cards. With big, thick fingers it can be a challenge.

I'm old enough that I want to stay mentally sharp and playing board and card games, doing jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, is supposed to help. I don't want to be tied to electronics or computers which don't offer the same benefits. I want to be able to pursue these activities by candle or lantern light of needed. Every now and then a bit of prepper peeps through.

Posted by: JTB at January 04, 2015 12:01 PM (FvdPb)

165 The Steven Saylor books about the last days of the Roman Republic are good. History plus mystery.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 12:04 PM (JSovD)

166 Can you ever imagine the fallout if Bill Clinton was ever tied to any underage girls?

Yeah, Begala and Carville would be defending him 24/7 on CNN and the brave feminist SJWs would be shrieking like howler monkeys about the 'rape culture' of places or institutions safely far away from Bill Clinton.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 12:05 PM (DSfNT)

167 Kindltot- Y-not has new thread with all the info. First read it on "the blaze".

Posted by: Ben Had at January 04, 2015 12:06 PM (7gKnN)

168 Tuna, the fictional one is the one I read, it's pretty good, I didn't realize there was another, thanks, I'll get a copy. I'll also second your recommendation of Sharon Kay Penman books, they're pretty solid as fictionalized accounts of medieval England and France.

Posted by: JHW at January 04, 2015 12:07 PM (5G4F7)

169 I'm old enough that I want to stay mentally sharp and playing board and card games, doing jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, is supposed to help.

Have you tried sudoku? You can get all sorts of sudoku apps for you computer, but you can print them out and solve them with a pencil, like a crossword, if that's more your style.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 12:08 PM (DSfNT)

170 As for maintaining my own mental sharpness in my old age, nothing beats a good game of chess.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 12:09 PM (DSfNT)

171 Would the Brother Cadfael mysteries be accurate enough for Pale Riders needs? There seems to be a lot of mysteries in our historical fiction recommendations.

I second Georgette Heyer. She was a historian at heart who wrote novels because they sold. At least she seemed to like her characters and not resent her readers unlike another Regency author I've read.

In the same vein, how accurate are Patricia Vereyn's Novels about the Napoleonic War? I really loved Feather Castles (I think it was called) as a teen and have enjoyed several others.

Also, how reliable would the Scarlet Pimpernel series be? Then again, I guess that's more adventure set in the past than any real history. Although Lauren Willig's series that continues that universe has an explanation of the relevant history at the end that might at least be a good starting point for further reading.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at January 04, 2015 12:09 PM (GDulk)

172 168
Marshal was the greatest knight nobody ever heard of until a narrative commissioned by his son after his death was discovered in the mid 19th century. Again, the true story is much more interesting than the fictional version. The writer of the recent biography, Thomas Asbridge, wrote a really excellent account of the 1st Crusade.

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 12:12 PM (JSovD)

173 Can you ever imagine the fallout if Bill Clinton was ever tied to any underage girls?

Yeah, Begala and Carville would be defending him 24/7 on CNN

-
Age is just a social construct.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at January 04, 2015 12:13 PM (LImiJ)

174 Would the Brother Cadfael mysteries be accurate enough for Pale Riders needs?

I believe they would.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 12:14 PM (DSfNT)

175 Speaking of "What Ifs"

Will David Weber ever write the next Honor Harrington story where Mike Henke goes and levels Mesa?

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at January 04, 2015 12:20 PM (HMNwq)

176 170 As for maintaining my own mental sharpness in my old age, nothing beats a good game of chess.
Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 12:09 PM (DSfNT)


Yep, I was about to suggest that.

Although the computer kicks my ass regularly.

Posted by: rickl at January 04, 2015 12:22 PM (sdi6R)

177 What if that old coot George R R R R ...Martin never finishes the Game of Thrones?

Posted by: Tuna at January 04, 2015 12:23 PM (JSovD)

178 "Yeah, Begala and Carville will be defending him 24/7 on CNN....

And don't forget Lanny Wilson.

If he's out there, bet on the allegations being true......

Posted by: Muddy waters at January 04, 2015 12:26 PM (O1i4U)

179 OM... thanks for the suggestions. Mrs. JTB just handed me a Sudoku book of puzzles and I have plenty of pencils.

Haven't played chess in many decades but it is on my list to re-learn checkers first though. My grandfather taught all his grandkids to play chess (along with poker and gin rummy) when we got to second or third grade. Wish I had stayed with it. Nice thing about retirement is I can start fresh.

Posted by: JTB at January 04, 2015 12:26 PM (FvdPb)

180 If you think Bill Clinton has a cutoff age, you are delusional.

He's from Arkansas.

Posted by: garrett at January 04, 2015 12:27 PM (JRHGW)

181 "I always wonder how much more writers are "FKD UP" than the population in general."
----------------

William S. Burroughs..., but some would question if he was a writer.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 04, 2015 12:28 PM (vPh3W)

182
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at January 04, 2015 12:09 PM (GDulk)







Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series. Essentially it's Philip Marlowe working in pre-war Nazi Germany.

Unfortunately, the series is rather uneven. First three books are fantastic. The rest are forgettable.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at January 04, 2015 12:28 PM (krgKs)

183 Faulkner was a legend.

Posted by: Newman at January 04, 2015 12:36 PM (ygwnq)

184 "I always wonder how much more writers are "FKD UP" than the population in general."
----------------------

A LOT, would be the easy answer. Up until I was thirty or so, I firmly believed that some variety of insanity/addiction was organic to great writers. It isn't, of course, but the prevalence is high.

I'll offer Malcolm Lowery as an example, though Lord knows, the landscape is littered with the bodies of whacko writers.

Recall what Lady Caroline Lamb said of Byron, "Mad, bad, and dangerous to know."

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 04, 2015 12:37 PM (/GgDU)

185 I bought all of (or 99% of) Life magazines from the 1960s at a library sale a couple of summers ago. Got em for $10.00 for the lot. It was a lot more in depth than I thought. Just finished several issues from the time the Belgian Congo gained its independence in the early part of the decade. In addition to lots of words, LIFE even had pictures of dead people.

Posted by: GoCougs at January 04, 2015 12:42 PM (lmOAi)

186 When I was little, we had Hoyle's Book of Games (or something like that) where we could look up all sorts of card games and solitaires. Still exists on Amazon, but I don't see the 1950-ish edition that I remember!
Posted by: t-bird
----------------

I have one.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 04, 2015 12:45 PM (/GgDU)

187 Concerning games and history...


Any of you ever play the original "Age of Empires" by Microsoft? Fun game, many of my hours spent playing it. But the reason I bring it up is that if you ever read the rule book that came with it, they did a very interesting run-down of each Empire. When they existed, what kind of government, religion, economy, military etc.


I've never seen anything quite like it. And of course they put it in back of the rule book, so as not to distract anyone. Still, a quick and fast read that perhaps could get you interested in a time and place that you simply weren't aware of.


Posted by: HH at January 04, 2015 12:48 PM (Ce4DF)

188 Morons, say a prayer for my Dad, who passed away yesterday. He goes to be with my Mom.

Posted by: joncelli at January 04, 2015 12:50 PM (ENczY)

189 Finished Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, by Ruth Reichl. By turns humorous and thought-provoking memoir, marinated with mouth-water food descriptions, seasoned with a few favorite recipes.

Finished The Getaway Car: A Don Westlake Non-fiction Miscellany. A smörgåsbord of Westlake's writings, some not previously published.

Reading Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership with a Search and Rescue Dog, by Susannah Charleson. Interesting and often humorous behind-the-scenes training an SAR handler and her dog.

Posted by: bnonny at January 04, 2015 12:52 PM (25WNI)

190 Posted by: joncelli at January 04, 2015 12:50 PM (ENczY)


Sorry for your loss. Tough, tough to lose a parent, and now the other one.


Be strong...

Posted by: HH at January 04, 2015 12:53 PM (Ce4DF)

191 Yes, many writer's have been FCKD up and I've always taken it for granted --especially fore creative fiction--that it's just part of the job description. Especially when it comes to drug or alcohol abuse.
The problem is that there are many "critics" who are so bamboozled by the "tortured artist" syndrome that they think that the scribblings and madcap lunatic ravings of every junkie or alkie who vomits his fantasies and obsessions on to paper is a literary genius.....

Posted by: Muddy waters at January 04, 2015 12:54 PM (O1i4U)

192 Another vote for the Brother Cadfael books. I believe there was a book about the use of the herbs and medicines that were used in the stories.

Posted by: JTB at January 04, 2015 12:56 PM (FvdPb)

193 joncelli...You are in our prayers as well. Condolences.

Posted by: JTB at January 04, 2015 12:59 PM (FvdPb)

194 Thanks for the recommendations all. Prayers sent Joncelli.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 04, 2015 01:18 PM (7w/kf)

195 Prayes and good wishes, Joncelli.

Posted by: redclay at January 04, 2015 01:40 PM (GM8B7)

196 Morons, say a prayer for my Dad, who passed away yesterday. He goes to be with my Mom.

Posted by: joncelli at January 04, 2015 12:50 PM (ENczY)


My condolences, joncelli.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 04, 2015 01:44 PM (m3SdM)

197 This is a fun book. Favorite drink recipe, along with a story and caricature of famous authors. Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Erskine Caldwell,

http://tinyurl.com/q556gnl

Posted by: redclay at January 04, 2015 01:48 PM (GM8B7)

198 I read a number of Steven Stirling's books, particularly the ones about a world after the laws of physics have changed so that electricity does not work any more and the gas laws have changed so that neither internal combustion nor steam engines work any more and a new feudal society emerges from the chaos.


I stopped reading anything else after about the tenth time he referred to cats as furry Republicans. Aside from the fact that I get sick of gratuitous slurs and I don't like cats, the remark makes very little sense ten years or so into the new world where most people would be unlikely to understand the reference.


Read anything by Neal Stevenson instead. Stevenson might be the greatest writer in the English language today.

Posted by: Obnoxious A-Hole at January 04, 2015 01:49 PM (PD6iL)

199 oh no, joncelli. Deepest condolences.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at January 04, 2015 01:58 PM (AVEe1)

200 My sympathies and prayers also, johcelli.

Posted by: Sgt Mom at January 04, 2015 02:13 PM (95iDF)

201 "140
I should read more books this year. Any recommendations for historical
fiction? I want the history to be accurate not alternate because my
knowledge base is weak. Doesn't have to be detailed history if the
story is a decent read.

Posted by: PaleRider at January 04, 2015 11:42 AM (7w/kf)"

Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle. Book 1 is "Quicksilver". Book 2 is "The Confusion". Book 3 is "The System of the World".

They are fiction but they keep closely to real history and real characters. It is set in the 1600s when the medieval world was recently gone and the modern world was being invented. The main character is Daniel Waterhouse, Isaac Newton's college roommate. The story ranges all over the world and at all levels of society. It is a great read both in quality and in volume. Each of the three volumes is about three inches thick and while the writing is great and it is a great story, you do get to the point where you would like to read something else just for a change of pace.

Posted by: Obnoxious A-Hole at January 04, 2015 02:19 PM (PD6iL)

202 Like "How I met your mother?"

That'll work, but the TV show I specifically had in mind was Lost. And of course you can multiply examples.

Posted by: OregonMuse at January 04, 2015 10:13 AM (DSfNT)


Actually, the problem for both shows came in when the viewers knew exactly where these were going early on and said so.

Then the writers/producers decided to try and take the shows in different, unexpected directions-

only to go back to the original end at the end of the series (probably since it made the most sense at least in their minds).

But, since the viewers believed the writers/producers when they said the obvious end would not be the end and then it was-

well, the viewers felt cheated and disappointed because they expected something special.


Posted by: naturalfake at January 04, 2015 02:24 PM (KBvAm)

203 Condolences jonicello!!

Posted by: lindafell in her own time zone at January 04, 2015 02:33 PM (LbPGR)

204 A writer I really liked for historical fiction of America- particularly the revolutionary period- was Kenneth Roberts. All of his stuff was great-and as far I know the history was accurate.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 04, 2015 05:15 PM (DXzRD)

205 And Edward Rutherfurd who is English writes great historical fiction-but his books are quite long.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 04, 2015 05:16 PM (DXzRD)

206 Sorry about your dad, Joncelli, Prayers going up.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 04, 2015 05:17 PM (DXzRD)

207 The politicans cure to all our problems is ever increasing irresponsible spending and ever increasing higher taxes and prices. Which we aready know is how China has now become the worlds most successful economy surpassing the United States. The politicans of the West full well know that is the consequences of such irresponsible machinations, and fully intend to double down on it, as they now so show.
Our Western governments now side with our enemies against us, economically, militarily, and religiousy. Western governments want to oppress the populace of our enemies do their own people.
Our forefathers fought a revolution to overthrow these oppressive monsters abroad and in our midst.

Posted by: ron n. at January 04, 2015 05:33 PM (YVQn/)

208 I also liked Irving Stone-particuarly his historical novel about John and Abigail dams

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 04, 2015 05:39 PM (DXzRD)

209 I'm one of the few that liked "Lost" from start to finish. "How I met you Mom" petered out towards the end of season 5. Although I did like the mom in season 8. As has been said, the big problem is that people guessed the endings well in advance.

Posted by: Darth Randall at January 04, 2015 08:14 PM (6n332)

210 "Every time a politician says that the tax hike will bring in 'X' dollars in increased revenue, it's never the case, it always turns out in the end to be 'X' minus 'Y', where 'Y' can be quite large."

The State of Illinois once decided that they could get a lot of money for the State's coffers by ramping up the cigarette tax. It was predicted that an increase of millions of dollars would result.

The actual result? Cigarette tax revenues went DOWN. Why? Because a majority of the people in Illinois live near the Indiana border, and Indiana has a much lower tax rate. When the difference was minimal, people just paid it. When the difference was significant, people crossed the border to buy cigarettes (or bought them from someone who had).

Funny how politicians claim they treasure their constituents, but govern them as if they were mindless clones.

Posted by: RonF at January 05, 2015 02:06 PM (l8nW6)

211 Escort girls http://REGMODELS.RU

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