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Sunday Morning Book Thread 03-13-2016: Fashionable Nonsense [OregonMuse]
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The Morgan Library & Museum, New York
Good morning to all of you morons and moronettes and bartenders everywhere and all the ships at sea. And to all you young lovers wherever you are, we hope your problems are few. Welcome to AoSHQ's stately, prestigious, internationally acclaimed and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread. The Sunday Morning Book Thread is the only AoSHQ thread that is so hoity-toity, pants are required.
“Reading great books gave me unlimited access to people I never would have met, cities I couldn’t visit, mountain ranges I would never lay eyes on, or rivers I would never swim. Through books I fought bravely in wars of both attrition and conquest.”
--Pat Conroy
"I've Got My Degree In Advanced Gobbledygook" Remember a while back when a janitor at an art museum accidentally threw out an exhibit from the post-modern show the museum was putting on because he thought it just was a pile of trash? You would think an incident like that that would give the curators pause. But it doesn't. The janitor, as well as those of us who are are able to laugh at the irony of not being able to tell the difference between post-modern art and garbage are written off as philistines. The conservative blog-o-sphere has been having lots of fun this week with this steaming pile of poo. And naturally, the boss could not not resist getting in on the action. And why not? It's such a target-rich environment, the jokes practically write themselves. You can't make this stuff up. Well, maybe you can. A physicist named Alan Sokal got tired of the gobbledygook, so he wrote and submitted his now-famous essay entitled Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity to the peer-reviewed postmodernist journal Social Text. And it was accepted. Turns out Social Text got royally punk'd:
The article makes frequent mention of highly technical aspects of quantum field theory, differential topology and nonlinear dynamics. Of course, the unstated assumption is that Sokal being a bonafide physicist knows what he is talking even though the editors clearly don't. Transgressing the Boundaries... also faithfully quotes a gallery of postmodern thinkers including Derrida, Lacan and Foucalt (to the predictable charge that these quotations were taken out of context, the author replied that the relevant passages were even more ridiculous when taken in context - the reader may judge for himself by wading through the footnotes or by reading Fashionable Nonsense, by Sokal & Bricmont.)I don't think I've said anything that you morons haven't already heard, but I never knew Sokal followed this legendary hoax up with a book, Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals' Abuse of Science that he cowrote with another physicist, Jean Bricmont, and they
...expand from where the hoax left off. In a delightfully witty and clear voice, the two thoughtfully and thoroughly dismantle the pseudo-scientific writings of some of the most fashionable French and American intellectuals. More generally, they challenge the widespread notion that scientific theories are mere "narrations" or social constructions.The one-star reviews are funny: "He knows *nothing* of Lacan!"
But Sokal is no conservative. He's just an old-school lib who's tired of the postmodern academic sludge. This is obvious from another book he wrote, Beyond the Hoax: Science, Philosophy and Culture, wherein
...he turns his attention to a new set of targets - pseudo-science, religion, and misinformation in public life. 'Whether my targets are the postmodernists of the left, the fundamentalists of the right, or the muddle-headed of all political and apolitical stripes, the bottom line is that clear thinking, combined with a respect for evidence, are of the utmost importance to the survival of the human race in the twenty-first century.'Such as, for example:
...how conservative politicians and industry executives are happily manipulating the vaporous tenets of postmodernism to obscure the scientific consensus on global warming, biological evolution, second-hand smoke, and a host of other issues.I can see the point. Sokal sees sloppy thinking all over the place and he's calling it out. OK, fine. But if he believes that public policy should be based on "evidence, the whole evidence, and nothing but the evidence", I think he's being a trifle naive. And as far as public policy debates go, this doesn't begin to address the fact that when a progressive argues for 'X', where 'X' is any item on the progressive agenda, he really isn't arguing for 'X' in and of itself, but only insofar as 'X' can be used as a tool to further the interests of the progressive left, i.e. allows progressives to grab more power and influence. They don't really care about 'X' otherwise. That's a whole layer of dishonesty that the "let's just have evidence" approach doesn't even begin to address. But aside from this, even if the debates were honest, a whole bunch of a priori stuff has to be agreed on first before you can start arguing about the evidence. The history of science has never been a matter of one theory supplanting another because of better evidence. Surely a scientist like Sokal must have at some point read The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn's classic book on the philosophy of science, first published in 1962, wherein he
...challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don’t arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation but that the revolutions in science, those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas, occur outside of “normal science,” as he called it. Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age.Bottom line is, you don't have to be a postmodernist to understand that there's more to empirical science than empirical science. But as for paper on the gender identity of glaciers and the evolving feminist glaciology framework, I think instead of being peer-reviewed, they should be evaluated as avant garde performance art. With extra style points if it manages to bring in 3 different victim groups, or 4 French philosophers.
R.I.P. Pat Conroy Much commented on in the book thead last week. Naturally, I wasn't paying attention and didn't hear about it until it was too late:
Pat Conroy, who used his tortured family life and the scenic marshlands of coastal South Carolina as unending sources of inspiration for his fiction, notably the novels “The Great Santini,” “The Lords of Discipline” and “The Prince of Tides,” died on Friday. He was 70.I would not want to have been him:
Mr. Conroy had a brutal childhood. He was dominated by his sadistic father, Donald, a Marine Corps fighter pilot who beat his wife, drilled his seven children military-style to instill discipline and mercilessly abused his sons, first and foremost Pat, his eldest.Ugh. Well, they always say write what you know, and Conroy evidently did. I hope he has finally found peace.
"Our Goal Is To Be Eaten Last", Said The Pointy-Haired Corporate Suit This looks like the latest attempt at appeasement:
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing announced today that it will launch Salaam Reads, believed to be the first imprint at a major publisher focused on Muslim characters and stories. Salaam Reads will introduce readers of all faiths and backgrounds to a wide variety of Muslim children and families, and offer Muslim kids an opportunity to see themselves reflected positively in published works. The imprint, which takes its name from the Arabic word for “peace,” plans to publish books for young readers of all ages, including picture and chapter books, and middle–grade and young adult titles.I'm curious as to why the suits at S&S decided to go ahead with this new imprint. Is there really a big market for Muslim-themed children books in America? Or, perhaps the question I should be asking is, how big is the market for Muslim-themed children books in America?
“There are 3.3 million Muslims in the United States, 1.6 billion in the world, and they are an underserved literary market,” said Jon Anderson, President of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. “Children’s books are a fantastic way to get to know our local and global Muslim neighbors. Simon & Schuster is thrilled to offer a home to books that share the stories of Muslim children, in all their diversity. ”As Anderson says, the Muslim population of the United States is at approximately 3.3 million. OK, that sounds big enough to sell stuff to. In comparison, there are an estimated 5.3 million orthodox Jews in America. But looking at the Simon & Shusters imprints page, I don't see that they have an Orthodox Jewish division. Hmmm, I wonder why not? And, for that matter, what about evangelical Christians? There's a royal boatload of those in America, and they're quite diverse, but they don't get their own Simon & Shuster imprint, either. To
Moron Recommendations Continuing the recommendations sent to me by a lurking moron last week, there's a couple of Jeff Edward novels he classifies as "future dystopian", but I think I would call them "cyberpunk noir" detective stories (or is cyberpunk already noir by definition?). All the seediness of 1930s Los Angeles, only it's 2065 and the future ain't any better. The novels are Dome City Blues, which I've read, and it's pretty good, and the prequel, Angel City Blues. Both novels feature, as the main character, the hard-boiled detective (and improbably named) David Stalin. And speaking of detective novels, most of you morons are famillar with Dan Simmons, who usually writes science fiction (notably Flashback, which has been mentioned on the book thread a lot), but he has also written the "Hard Case" series, which my lurking correspondent calls "a great trio": Hardcase Hard Freeze Hard As Nails And finally, he recommends an author named Steve McHugh, who has written very enjoyable "magic" type books. You can the the list here. Priced respectably at $3.99 - $4.99. ___________ Don't forget the AoSHQ reading group on Goodreads. It's meant to support horde writers and to talk about the great books that come up on the book thread. It's called AoSHQ Moron Horde and the link to it is here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/175335-aoshq-moron-horde. ___________ 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.
Comments
(Jump to bottom of comments)1
Morning bookworms
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:05 AM (fizMZ)
2
I'm asking if anyone else has trouble reading a long time with a Kindle or tablet? I'm getting older and need glasses really but notice a long time at it and my sight gets weird focusing afterward.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:07 AM (fizMZ)
3
I better get the others.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:07 AM (fizMZ)
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 13, 2016 08:08 AM (ptqRm)
5
Simon and Schuster just don't get it. Muslim outreach with books?
That is true liberal gobblygook in a nutless shell. True Islam only recognizes one book as needing to be read - the Qu'ran.
That is true liberal gobblygook in a nutless shell. True Islam only recognizes one book as needing to be read - the Qu'ran.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:10 AM (viJS2)
6
So getting back to my story I'm going to read a old hard back in haven't read in a long time, Campaigns of Napoleon by David Chandler
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:11 AM (fizMZ)
7
Working on the Sparhawk series by David Eddings. I have them in paperback but since I can't read paperbacks anymore I went to the library and got the hardback versions.
Too bad the electronic editions are only available in England and if you try to buy via Amazon UK they say sorry, not for sale in the US.
Too bad the electronic editions are only available in England and if you try to buy via Amazon UK they say sorry, not for sale in the US.
Posted by: Vic-we have no party at March 13, 2016 08:11 AM (t2KH5)
8
I'm asking if anyone else has trouble reading a long time with a Kindle or tablet?
At least for me ... just the opposite. Jacking up the font size and dimming the screen on my iPad put me back into reading.
I travel quite a bit. Putting several book on the iPad has really made plane rides and evenings at the hotel much, much better.
At least for me ... just the opposite. Jacking up the font size and dimming the screen on my iPad put me back into reading.
I travel quite a bit. Putting several book on the iPad has really made plane rides and evenings at the hotel much, much better.
Posted by: ScoggDog at March 13, 2016 08:13 AM (qmMG2)
9
Skip take breaks from reading. Exercise the eyeballs by admiring trees in the distance.
Apparently there is evidence emerging of inflicting tablets and such to children who get hooked on the tiny screens might lead to near-sightedness.
Apparently there is evidence emerging of inflicting tablets and such to children who get hooked on the tiny screens might lead to near-sightedness.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:13 AM (viJS2)
10
Vic, Sparhawk is an enjoyable and relate-able hero. He's no Paladin in shiny armor astride a white Percheron but does get the job done of defeating evil.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:15 AM (viJS2)
11
I'm humiliated to admit I'm working my way through Joseph Flynn's series. It's mindless entertainment but well edited so there's that.
Posted by: creeper at March 13, 2016 08:16 AM (eBsWa)
12
I frequently read for extended periods of time on my non-backlit eInk Kindle. No eyestrain, provided ambient light is good.
I rarely read for long periods of time on my Fire tablet because it is a bit heavy.
I rarely read for long periods of time on my Fire tablet because it is a bit heavy.
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 08:17 AM (Y6jb9)
Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 13, 2016 08:17 AM (EZebt)
14
Skip, I get that visual disorientation once in a while. It helps a lot if I read in the dark and turn the screen light down to minimum. Of course, that's a bit difficult at 2:00 PM.
Posted by: creeper at March 13, 2016 08:17 AM (eBsWa)
15
Exit question: what is SS going to do if their Salaam Reads imprint tanks?
When it tanks the SS imprint will quietly disappear with no mention at all.
When it tanks the SS imprint will quietly disappear with no mention at all.
Posted by: Vic-we have no party at March 13, 2016 08:17 AM (t2KH5)
16
11 I'm humiliated to admit I'm working my way through Joseph Flynn's series.
Can't be any worse than the Mack Bolan paperbacks my dad pitched at me as a kid.
Can't be any worse than the Mack Bolan paperbacks my dad pitched at me as a kid.
Posted by: ScoggDog at March 13, 2016 08:18 AM (qmMG2)
17
There is a book on the history of DST called Spring Forward. It's been years since I read it, should probably re-read it. But I recall it mostly had to do with the stock market and NYC and Chicago. It was mostly NYC's fault.
Posted by: Beth M at March 13, 2016 08:19 AM (kiy9d)
18
"Can't be any worse than the Mack Bolan paperbacks my dad pitched at me as a kid."
Talk about Pulp...
Talk about Pulp...
Posted by: Doc Savage at March 13, 2016 08:20 AM (ptqRm)
19
2 I'm getting older and need glasses really but notice a long time at it and my sight gets weird focusing afterward.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:07 AM (fizMZ)
Same her. What I have found that helps is stopping between chapters and looking off into the distance. And every few hours put the Kindle down for about 15 minutes and do something else.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:07 AM (fizMZ)
Same her. What I have found that helps is stopping between chapters and looking off into the distance. And every few hours put the Kindle down for about 15 minutes and do something else.
Posted by: Vic-we have no party at March 13, 2016 08:20 AM (t2KH5)
20
2 ... Skip, Yeah, I have the same problem and thought it was just me. Prolonged reading on any ereader makes it hard to focus the eyes for a while. I don't have this problem with books on paper. I've needed glasses, near and far, since grade school, so it's not like that is a new element. I'll say the Kindle Paperwhite extends the time before the eyes go kaphlooie but doesn't eliminate it.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 08:21 AM (FvdPb)
21
To go along with Simon and Schuster, there is a site called 'Everyday Feminism' that is looking for writers. Pay is $75/article.
One of the subjects they want articles on is Islamophobia.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/zejzhsr
One of the subjects they want articles on is Islamophobia.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/zejzhsr
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:22 AM (viJS2)
22
Talk about Pulp...
No kidding. But it got me started. And he was never a consumer of fine fiction anyway. At least he knew not to hand me one of the Longarm series.
No kidding. But it got me started. And he was never a consumer of fine fiction anyway. At least he knew not to hand me one of the Longarm series.
Posted by: ScoggDog at March 13, 2016 08:22 AM (qmMG2)
23
I started reading the next book in the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne last night, but I didn't read for very long with the impending loss of an hour hanging over my head. I am not an early riser and feel slightly hungover. It's not right to pay a tab I didn't start. 
Posted by: no good deed at March 13, 2016 08:22 AM (GgxVX)
24
I'm reading another Camino book, this one written by Shirley MacLaine. Hubby is in the middle of the Poldark series. Kiddo is reading three books on Antietam. Lazy weekend of reading.
Posted by: NCKate at March 13, 2016 08:22 AM (e/cVl)
25
The Morgan finished a big renovation and expansion about ten years ago and, if you haven't been since they did it, it's great! Go visit if you're in town.
Posted by: MTF at March 13, 2016 08:23 AM (TxJGV)
26
If only there were a conservative, orthodox, Anglican imprint - oh wait.
Anyhow, as for Reading This Week, and Using As Antidote To Current Events Stress, and Escaping The News Cycle In Desperation, I for one have been reliant on Podner Gerv's latest, newly out: The Day Thou Gavest. http://www.amazon.com/Day-Thou-Gavest-Village-Tales/dp/1530385245
And of course there's always a happy, soothing reread of Peter Ackroyd's Albion.
These things are good for my BP, which, as may be recalled, is chancy.
Anyhow, as for Reading This Week, and Using As Antidote To Current Events Stress, and Escaping The News Cycle In Desperation, I for one have been reliant on Podner Gerv's latest, newly out: The Day Thou Gavest. http://www.amazon.com/Day-Thou-Gavest-Village-Tales/dp/1530385245
And of course there's always a happy, soothing reread of Peter Ackroyd's Albion.
These things are good for my BP, which, as may be recalled, is chancy.
Posted by: MarkhamShawPyle at March 13, 2016 08:23 AM (WlkUc)
27
I mentioned Peter Parker's "Minimum QRP: Doing more with under five watt amateur radio" in a previous book thread and another moron expressed interest. (Great book - 5/5 in 30 reviews. I give it 5.0)
Parker is a guest on the "QSO Today" podcast -- http://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/vk3ye
Parker is an interesting guy and the interviewer does a good job.
Parker is a guest on the "QSO Today" podcast -- http://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/vk3ye
Parker is an interesting guy and the interviewer does a good job.
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 08:24 AM (Y6jb9)
28
27 I mentioned Peter Parker's "Minimum QRP: Doing more with under five watt amateur radio"
Does he talk about anything prepper-related ? Asking for a friend.
Does he talk about anything prepper-related ? Asking for a friend.
Posted by: ScoggDog at March 13, 2016 08:25 AM (qmMG2)
29
Can't be any worse than the Mack Bolan paperbacks my dad pitched at me as a kid.
Idunno. You get what you pay for. 25 cent paperback vs. free on Kindle Unlimited.
Idunno. You get what you pay for. 25 cent paperback vs. free on Kindle Unlimited.
Posted by: creeper at March 13, 2016 08:25 AM (eBsWa)
30
15 Exit question: what is SS going to do if their Salaam Reads imprint tanks?
It will not tank. The books will be on the required reading list of every public school in America. Diversity must be inculcated early, doncha know.
It will not tank. The books will be on the required reading list of every public school in America. Diversity must be inculcated early, doncha know.
Posted by: That SOB Van Owen at March 13, 2016 08:28 AM (Zd3Kw)
31
On one of the book threads someone mentioned Thomas B. Costain whom I had read many years ago and whose work I enjoyed. I found in my library an old copy of The Silver Chalice, which is about Basil an apprentice who makes the ornate covering for the chalice used at the Last Supper. I hadn't remembered al the details since I read it about 35-40 years ago. It is entertaining as a story and of course has a spiritual aspect to it. I'll have to see if I have anymore of Costain's books here.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 13, 2016 08:28 AM (w4NZ8)
32
Moron written books
AllenG - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/1523385642
Seamus Muldoon - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B017AKV03I
Christopher Taylor - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B014TKK4RU
Mary Poppins - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/0982770944
Lauren - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B00PRBME38
And my own little effort - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B014BTSEYO
And please leave reviews if you like our efforts.
AllenG - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/1523385642
Seamus Muldoon - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B017AKV03I
Christopher Taylor - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B014TKK4RU
Mary Poppins - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/0982770944
Lauren - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B00PRBME38
And my own little effort - http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B014BTSEYO
And please leave reviews if you like our efforts.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:30 AM (viJS2)
33
@27 Homebrew radios, DIY antennas, operating portable, batteries, and power efficiency might be topics of interest.
Check out the cited page for links to Parker's web page and YouTube channel.
Parker espouses "Keep It Simple, Stupid" without getting too simple -- like those 500 mW, crystal-controlled transceivers for $5 on eBay.
Check out the cited page for links to Parker's web page and YouTube channel.
Parker espouses "Keep It Simple, Stupid" without getting too simple -- like those 500 mW, crystal-controlled transceivers for $5 on eBay.
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 08:30 AM (Y6jb9)
34
Do goat leggings count as pants?
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at March 13, 2016 08:31 AM (5csB/)
35
I'm asking if anyone else has trouble reading a long time with a Kindle or tablet? I'm getting older and need glasses really but notice a long time at it and my sight gets weird focusing afterward.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:07 AM (fizMZ)
I've had to increase the font size on my iPad Mini (had to do the same with my Nook before my grandson appropriated it), also had to fiddle with the background color, as the "white" background made my eyes hurt.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:07 AM (fizMZ)
I've had to increase the font size on my iPad Mini (had to do the same with my Nook before my grandson appropriated it), also had to fiddle with the background color, as the "white" background made my eyes hurt.
Posted by: antisocialist at March 13, 2016 08:31 AM (9n14Y)
36
Do goat leggings count as pants?
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at March 13, 2016 08:31 AM (5csB/)
Depends. Are the goats still in 'em?
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at March 13, 2016 08:31 AM (5csB/)
Depends. Are the goats still in 'em?
Posted by: antisocialist at March 13, 2016 08:32 AM (9n14Y)
37
Talk about Pulp...
Oh, I want to go gutter in the hoity toity thread.
It has to do with reading pulp, so it's compliant, but it's also gutter.
Oh, I want to go gutter in the hoity toity thread.
It has to do with reading pulp, so it's compliant, but it's also gutter.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 08:34 AM (1xUj/)
38
So Simon & Schuster is going to issue children's books with no pictures? Those should sell well.
Finished "Jesus: a biography by a believer" by Paul Johnson. No new ground covered but it made many points that I hadn't thought of, what with all of this being new and old to me at once. I know, in a general way, much of the content of the New Testament, but I had never thought about Jesus's manner of preaching, his choice of stories to tell, how very many eye-witnesses there were to almost everything He did, His Blessed Mother being such a valuable source to the four evangelists, the list is endless. The Bible lacks context, and this little book added a good bit of it for me. Now, on to "Crushed: a physician analyzes the agony of Jesus."
Bathroom book is the one by Scott Adams about failing up, or something. It's in the bathroom so I don't really know but it was recommended here. So far so good. What he says about having a system, vs. goals, makes a lot of sense to me.
And I'm reading "Don't Make the Black Kids Angry" by Colin Flaherty. I already knew that the media lies constantly so this is not really news. I commented once on a story about a rape, saying that the criminal must be black or Hispanic; otherwise the Seattle Times would have mentioned his race. I was, of course, immediately condemned as a racist.
Finished "Jesus: a biography by a believer" by Paul Johnson. No new ground covered but it made many points that I hadn't thought of, what with all of this being new and old to me at once. I know, in a general way, much of the content of the New Testament, but I had never thought about Jesus's manner of preaching, his choice of stories to tell, how very many eye-witnesses there were to almost everything He did, His Blessed Mother being such a valuable source to the four evangelists, the list is endless. The Bible lacks context, and this little book added a good bit of it for me. Now, on to "Crushed: a physician analyzes the agony of Jesus."
Bathroom book is the one by Scott Adams about failing up, or something. It's in the bathroom so I don't really know but it was recommended here. So far so good. What he says about having a system, vs. goals, makes a lot of sense to me.
And I'm reading "Don't Make the Black Kids Angry" by Colin Flaherty. I already knew that the media lies constantly so this is not really news. I commented once on a story about a rape, saying that the criminal must be black or Hispanic; otherwise the Seattle Times would have mentioned his race. I was, of course, immediately condemned as a racist.
Posted by: Tonestaple at March 13, 2016 08:34 AM (LJYIn)
39
Doug ... thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.
Posted by: ScoggDog at March 13, 2016 08:37 AM (qmMG2)
40
"So getting back to my story I'm going to read a old hard back in haven't read in a long time, Campaigns of Napoleon by David Chandler"
David Chandler was a visiting professor at OSU when my husband and I were in school. Hubby was lucky enough to take his military history course. He also has a signed copy of the above mentioned book.
David Chandler was a visiting professor at OSU when my husband and I were in school. Hubby was lucky enough to take his military history course. He also has a signed copy of the above mentioned book.
Posted by: Tuna at March 13, 2016 08:37 AM (JSovD)
41
Are "loin curtains" (They're like a loin cloth, but split in the middle on one or both sides) count as pants? Askin' for a friend...
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at March 13, 2016 08:39 AM (5csB/)
42
So there I was, wandering alone in the morning thread when I realized why.
That's... some library! Looked it up...
In 1924 J. P. Morgan, Jr. gave his father's extraordinary library to the public. The most influential financier in this country's history, Pierpont Morgan was also a voracious collector. He bought on an astonishing scale, collecting art objects in virtually every medium, including the rare books, manuscripts, drawings, prints, and ancient artifacts that are the core of The Morgan Library & Museum's holdings.
Says their website.
That's... some library! Looked it up...
In 1924 J. P. Morgan, Jr. gave his father's extraordinary library to the public. The most influential financier in this country's history, Pierpont Morgan was also a voracious collector. He bought on an astonishing scale, collecting art objects in virtually every medium, including the rare books, manuscripts, drawings, prints, and ancient artifacts that are the core of The Morgan Library & Museum's holdings.
Says their website.
Posted by: mindful webworker - print is dead at March 13, 2016 08:39 AM (l/Pix)
43
Salaam Reads, eh?
So, Mrs. Chronda drags me along with the nephews and nieces to see Zootopia and things are going OK until about halfway through the movie when I realize ....
SPOILERS
...that it's about sudden jihad syndrome, which turns out to be an evil ewe conspiracy, but once they manage to get to the root cause (heh) of why the normally peaceful victims are susceptible to radicalization everything manages to turn out fine. Oh, and diversity outreach programs are awesome.
But it was probably all my imagination.
So, Mrs. Chronda drags me along with the nephews and nieces to see Zootopia and things are going OK until about halfway through the movie when I realize ....
SPOILERS
...that it's about sudden jihad syndrome, which turns out to be an evil ewe conspiracy, but once they manage to get to the root cause (heh) of why the normally peaceful victims are susceptible to radicalization everything manages to turn out fine. Oh, and diversity outreach programs are awesome.
But it was probably all my imagination.
Posted by: Anachronda at March 13, 2016 08:39 AM (U8txn)
44
My current book is Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union, as strange an alternate-universe book as I've ever read. At first, I wasn't sure I'd make it past the first chapter (purchased only because the title caught my eye), but now I'm hooked.
The setting alone is enough to make the reader go cross-eyed: the novel's post-Holocaust world has an area around Sitka, Alaska, turned into a large Jewish enclave. In this not-quite-recognizable place -- I've been to Sitka, and sure couldn't recognize anything except a few "real" place names -- a somewhat seedy police detective sets out to sole the murder of a fellow resident in a down-at-the-heels "hotel," a mysterious chess-playing heroin addict.
At that point, the twists and turns begin, wrapped around "the Reversion," an upcoming date on which the Jews in the District of Sitka will be more-or-less evicted and sent off to whatever places will accept them.
Usually, I can begin to see where the plots are going. I'm roughly two-thirds of the way through this one, and I simply have no clue what's going to happen. I like that.
In fact, I like the book. And I don't like it. Alternate-universe stories strike me as almost impossible to pull of with consistency -- The Man in the High Castle, anyone? -- and I'm not sure how or if Chabot will wind it up.
Would I recommend it? Not sure, really. It was, according to the jacket blurb, a "best-seller," but it's pretty heavy going, with most readers probably needing to make much use of the Yiddish glossary in back.
But yay! for the library book sale! Only paid a buck for this, and scored some other, easier-reading titles as well.
The setting alone is enough to make the reader go cross-eyed: the novel's post-Holocaust world has an area around Sitka, Alaska, turned into a large Jewish enclave. In this not-quite-recognizable place -- I've been to Sitka, and sure couldn't recognize anything except a few "real" place names -- a somewhat seedy police detective sets out to sole the murder of a fellow resident in a down-at-the-heels "hotel," a mysterious chess-playing heroin addict.
At that point, the twists and turns begin, wrapped around "the Reversion," an upcoming date on which the Jews in the District of Sitka will be more-or-less evicted and sent off to whatever places will accept them.
Usually, I can begin to see where the plots are going. I'm roughly two-thirds of the way through this one, and I simply have no clue what's going to happen. I like that.
In fact, I like the book. And I don't like it. Alternate-universe stories strike me as almost impossible to pull of with consistency -- The Man in the High Castle, anyone? -- and I'm not sure how or if Chabot will wind it up.
Would I recommend it? Not sure, really. It was, according to the jacket blurb, a "best-seller," but it's pretty heavy going, with most readers probably needing to make much use of the Yiddish glossary in back.
But yay! for the library book sale! Only paid a buck for this, and scored some other, easier-reading titles as well.
Posted by: MrScribbler at March 13, 2016 08:39 AM (WIZNc)
45
I've gotten a few jems by people I knew who were going to throw out books, couple over 100 yrs old. But am picky by subject of what I get.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 08:41 AM (fizMZ)
46
Karl Rove on Fox New Sunday. He can eat a bag of dicks. SJWs go into Trump rallies and start throwing punches and that is Trumps fault.
Oh, this is the book thread.
If I wrote a book right now, it would be called Karl Rove Can Eat a Bag of Dicks.
Oh, this is the book thread.
If I wrote a book right now, it would be called Karl Rove Can Eat a Bag of Dicks.
Posted by: blaster at March 13, 2016 08:42 AM (2Ocf1)
47
Hey S&S editors.I'm just storyboarding here ok?
Dad sees child reading book not called Quran. Kills her.
Child goes to neighbors uncovered thereby invoking men to rape her. Dad gets shame about the child. Kills her.
Child runs and hides because she doesn't want genital mutilation. Mom kills her.
Dad sees child reading book not called Quran. Kills her.
Child goes to neighbors uncovered thereby invoking men to rape her. Dad gets shame about the child. Kills her.
Child runs and hides because she doesn't want genital mutilation. Mom kills her.
Posted by: Rev Al at March 13, 2016 08:43 AM (HgTBl)
48
ewe yew say?
Not one of the venomous sheep of Celtic mythology? The ones with an evil glint in their eyes and sharp jagged teeth?
Not one of the venomous sheep of Celtic mythology? The ones with an evil glint in their eyes and sharp jagged teeth?
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:43 AM (viJS2)
49
Good morning fellow Book People. It's a cool, gray, drizzly day, perfect for reading.
I started reading The Arabian Nights. Although I knew about some of the standard stories like Sinbad and Ali Baba, I never approached the books as a whole. I got to versions: The Richard Burton translation and a newer, more academic edition by Husain Haddawy. It's an interesting contrast.
Haddawy grew up in Bagdahd but became a professor at American universities for a career. He went to the oldest written sources and approached the material as what it was: spoken entertainment to an audience already familiar with the mores and traditions of the culture.
Burton, in my opinion, wrote his translation more as a travelogue for Victorian readers, wrapping the stories in a 'sorta' medieval English. This has its own charms and I enjoy the archaic language, but then I'm weird.
Going back and forth between the two and noting the differences has been interesting. So far, I prefer the Haddawy approach as it better preserves the story telling aspect of the tales and doesn't distract you with constant footnotes.
By the way, the Sinbad, Ali Baba and Aladdin stories were added at a much later date and maybe for European audiences. There is little evidence that they existed in the earliest collections. But public demand was high, so Haddawy put out a second translation of those stories.
I started reading The Arabian Nights. Although I knew about some of the standard stories like Sinbad and Ali Baba, I never approached the books as a whole. I got to versions: The Richard Burton translation and a newer, more academic edition by Husain Haddawy. It's an interesting contrast.
Haddawy grew up in Bagdahd but became a professor at American universities for a career. He went to the oldest written sources and approached the material as what it was: spoken entertainment to an audience already familiar with the mores and traditions of the culture.
Burton, in my opinion, wrote his translation more as a travelogue for Victorian readers, wrapping the stories in a 'sorta' medieval English. This has its own charms and I enjoy the archaic language, but then I'm weird.
Going back and forth between the two and noting the differences has been interesting. So far, I prefer the Haddawy approach as it better preserves the story telling aspect of the tales and doesn't distract you with constant footnotes.
By the way, the Sinbad, Ali Baba and Aladdin stories were added at a much later date and maybe for European audiences. There is little evidence that they existed in the earliest collections. But public demand was high, so Haddawy put out a second translation of those stories.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 08:44 AM (FvdPb)
50
Been rereading Vonnegut. Was it bad back in high school? Hunter Thompson holds up. Particularly his less gonzo reportage.
Posted by: W.A.Root Columbia '83 .Barry who? at March 13, 2016 08:45 AM (nckx1)
51
31
Look for "The Black Rose". I read it when I was in high school after seeing the movie version starring Tyrone Power. Loved it.
Look for "The Black Rose". I read it when I was in high school after seeing the movie version starring Tyrone Power. Loved it.
Posted by: Tuna at March 13, 2016 08:45 AM (JSovD)
52
Simon and Schuster just don't get it. Muslim outreach with books?
That is true liberal gobblygook in a nutless shell. True Islam only recognizes one book as needing to be read - the Qu'ran.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:10 AM (viJS2)
Yeah. The total number of books and magazines published in the muslim world is tiny. muslims don't read, and indeed, many cannot read, which is why they are so easily manipulated by radical imams.
I suspect Simon and Schuster took on some muzzie employees for reasons of Diversity!, and found them to be singularly useless, and created this brand to avoid the grief of firing them.
That is true liberal gobblygook in a nutless shell. True Islam only recognizes one book as needing to be read - the Qu'ran.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:10 AM (viJS2)
Yeah. The total number of books and magazines published in the muslim world is tiny. muslims don't read, and indeed, many cannot read, which is why they are so easily manipulated by radical imams.
I suspect Simon and Schuster took on some muzzie employees for reasons of Diversity!, and found them to be singularly useless, and created this brand to avoid the grief of firing them.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at March 13, 2016 08:46 AM (/i7Ua)
53
Reading "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition" by Daniel Okrent.
Social justice warriors were a lot classier back then.
Except for Carrie Nation. She was just batsh*t crazy.
Social justice warriors were a lot classier back then.
Except for Carrie Nation. She was just batsh*t crazy.
Posted by: antisocialist at March 13, 2016 08:47 AM (9n14Y)
54
For those who like military books Amazon has American Sniper on sale today only for $1.99
http://tinyurl.com/hdu3jde
http://tinyurl.com/hdu3jde
Posted by: Vic-we have no party at March 13, 2016 08:48 AM (t2KH5)
55
48 ewe yew say?
Not one of the venomous sheep of Celtic mythology? The ones with an evil glint in their eyes and sharp jagged teeth?
Nope, just an average everyday ewe, which makes it more frightening because they're just like everyone else. Except for the bit about being ewes, of course.
Not one of the venomous sheep of Celtic mythology? The ones with an evil glint in their eyes and sharp jagged teeth?
Nope, just an average everyday ewe, which makes it more frightening because they're just like everyone else. Except for the bit about being ewes, of course.
Posted by: Anachronda at March 13, 2016 08:48 AM (U8txn)
56
Morning all! What with the time change, I feel like I have slept in as far as half the morning! Still working on Slay Bells Ring - on my Kindle as my bedtime reading ... caught up this week with finishing two book projects for the Tiny Publshing Bidness ... and on the first draft of the second Luna City Chronicles. Since everyone who has posted a review (save a really peculiar one-star rating ... well, all books just do not appeal to all readers) really wants to know about the cliffhanger ending, my daughter and I plan to bring the next one out in May this year instead of November.
Thanks to all who have loved Luna City and said so!
Thanks to all who have loved Luna City and said so!
Posted by: Celia Hayes at March 13, 2016 08:49 AM (oK6A/)
57
It's my Sunday morning bookie connection!
I've been tooling along merrily in Julia Spencer-Fleming's great Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series set in upstate New York. The next in the series, One Was A Soldier, threatens to tackle Important Issues like the WOT and PTSD so I start with some trepidation. JS-F writes such smooth, effortless dialog that I'm hoping it won't be too much of an earnest lecture posing as prose.
On my Kindle I'm still pecking away at the third Day By Day Armageddon story by Bourne. The group is in Hawaii and it's very amusing/unsettling to read in great detail about zombie infestation in your previous duty site (though if he'd worked on my watchfloor around 0200 -- and I suspect he may have -- the author would have seen plenty of semi-functional zombies).
To round out my feast of sugar cereal and Twinkies, my cotton candy dessert is the comic Gotham City Sirens[/1].
I've been tooling along merrily in Julia Spencer-Fleming's great Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series set in upstate New York. The next in the series, One Was A Soldier, threatens to tackle Important Issues like the WOT and PTSD so I start with some trepidation. JS-F writes such smooth, effortless dialog that I'm hoping it won't be too much of an earnest lecture posing as prose.
On my Kindle I'm still pecking away at the third Day By Day Armageddon story by Bourne. The group is in Hawaii and it's very amusing/unsettling to read in great detail about zombie infestation in your previous duty site (though if he'd worked on my watchfloor around 0200 -- and I suspect he may have -- the author would have seen plenty of semi-functional zombies).
To round out my feast of sugar cereal and Twinkies, my cotton candy dessert is the comic Gotham City Sirens[/1].
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 08:52 AM (jR7Wy)
58
Pat Conroy made peace with his dad.Be sure to read the last item under the spoiler tag.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079239/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079239/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv
Posted by: steevy at March 13, 2016 08:52 AM (B48dK)
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 08:52 AM (jR7Wy)
60
*flails about in Barrel, stuck to the floor*
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 08:53 AM (jR7Wy)
61
Hysterical, pant-wetting, foaming at the mouth one-star reviews (the "serious" ones, not the comedy ones - although they're good too) from leftist scolds who did, or even who didn't read the book... are what make me decide to buy and read a book, like Jonah Goldberg's 'Liberal Fascism'.
...or Tom Kratman's 'Caliphate', the author himself stops by to let the one-star reviewers know how pleased he is that they are offended.
...or Tom Kratman's 'Caliphate', the author himself stops by to let the one-star reviewers know how pleased he is that they are offended.
Posted by: The Slow Knife Spreads The Marmalade at March 13, 2016 08:53 AM (XVjZ8)
62
All Hail Eris to the Barrel.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:54 AM (viJS2)
63
Teh Barrel does not care about DST. It is always ready for a new victim....
Posted by: MrScribbler at March 13, 2016 08:54 AM (WIZNc)
64
44 "The Yiddish Policemen's Union", huh? Looked it up on Amazon - actually sounds kinda good. Of course, I won't be able to pick it up for a DOLLAR or anything, but still...I like alternative-history stuff. Definitely on my list.
Posted by: antisocialist at March 13, 2016 08:54 AM (9n14Y)
65
Ahem,All Hail Eris please report to the barrel.
Posted by: steevy at March 13, 2016 08:54 AM (B48dK)
66
Would Simon and Shuster consider an illustrated King James Bible for children, written in arabic to be a possible addition to the outreach program?
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 13, 2016 08:54 AM (ptqRm)
67
Nope, just an average everyday ewe, which makes it more frightening because they're just like everyone else. Except for the bit about being ewes, of course.
Posted by: Anachronda at March 13, 2016 08:48 AM (U8txn)
Ewe are what ewe eat.
Posted by: Anachronda at March 13, 2016 08:48 AM (U8txn)
Ewe are what ewe eat.
Posted by: Cannibal Fluffy at March 13, 2016 08:55 AM (/i7Ua)
68
Hmm maybe muslims are "underserved literary market" because all they read is their hateful " holy" book.
Posted by: steevy at March 13, 2016 08:55 AM (B48dK)
69
34 Do goat leggings count as pants?
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at March 13, 2016 08:31 AM (5csB/)
Not if they're assless.
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at March 13, 2016 08:31 AM (5csB/)
Not if they're assless.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 08:55 AM (xrInd)
70
Doug, Thanks for the mention and link to Parker and QRP. I got his book a few days ago but haven't started it yet. QRP has always interested me and 5 watts or less often met my modest radio goals. And as I try to revive my moribund CW skills, QRP is even more appealing.
I got a library copy of "Ham Radio for Dummies". I'm really out of date about newer modes, especially digital, so thought I would find out what's recent.
I got a library copy of "Ham Radio for Dummies". I'm really out of date about newer modes, especially digital, so thought I would find out what's recent.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 08:56 AM (FvdPb)
71
If I wrote a book right now, it would be called Karl Rove Can Eat a Bag of Dicks.
Posted by: blaster at March 13, 2016 08:42 AM (2Ocf1)
---
Do it in Dr. Seuss style.
Posted by: blaster at March 13, 2016 08:42 AM (2Ocf1)
---
Do it in Dr. Seuss style.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 08:56 AM (jR7Wy)
72
Almost finished with Isaac Asimov's Extraterrestrial Civilizations (1979).
Pretty good. His calculations on the numbers of Extraterrestrial Intelligent species is not contradicted by modern data on exoplanets.
Pretty good. His calculations on the numbers of Extraterrestrial Intelligent species is not contradicted by modern data on exoplanets.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 08:56 AM (u82oZ)
73
Oh, I want to go gutter in the hoity toity thread.
It has to do with reading pulp, so it's compliant, but it's also gutter.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 08:34 AM (1xUj/)
I'll allow it.
It has to do with reading pulp, so it's compliant, but it's also gutter.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 08:34 AM (1xUj/)
I'll allow it.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 08:56 AM (xrInd)
74
For All Hail Eris, shoes of very questionable taste
http://www.ufunk.net/univers-geek/game-over-shoes/
http://www.ufunk.net/univers-geek/game-over-shoes/
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 08:57 AM (viJS2)
Posted by: Anachronda at March 13, 2016 08:58 AM (U8txn)
76
"Exit question: what is S&S going to do if their Salaam Reads imprint tanks?"
Continue publishing it, and hope the peaceful Muslims accept it as their jizya payments.
Continue publishing it, and hope the peaceful Muslims accept it as their jizya payments.
Posted by: SDN at March 13, 2016 08:59 AM (NG7bb)
77
I work with a guy whose wife is a total book-a-holic. I mean, her dream house consists of a library similar to the one in the picture, with maybe a room with a microwave and sink off to the side, and that's it. Her husband goes to storage shed auctions and yard sales and buys crates and boxes and tubs of books, sight unseen, for whatever little bit of scratch he can talk them down to. And she never, ever finds anything she can't or won't read. Never. Heck, I'd be willing to take some of the culls off her hands, except there aren't any. Now THAT'S a book lover.
Posted by: antisocialist at March 13, 2016 09:00 AM (9n14Y)
78
Anna, I would wear every one of them, provided I could be borne aloft on the strong back of some willing servant.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:00 AM (jR7Wy)
79
Anna Puma: Moron written books
I appreciate your posting this list. Do it often. For us slow-on-the-uptake types. I'm still not much back into reading - the past two weeks have been mostly AoS threads and news - but I keep meaning to investigate every Moron-written book. Eventually.
What about ... dang! can't recall the author's name or the title... set in a town in Texas?
See? This is why I appreciate your list.
I appreciate your posting this list. Do it often. For us slow-on-the-uptake types. I'm still not much back into reading - the past two weeks have been mostly AoS threads and news - but I keep meaning to investigate every Moron-written book. Eventually.
What about ... dang! can't recall the author's name or the title... set in a town in Texas?
See? This is why I appreciate your list.
Posted by: mindful webworker - what's my name? where am I? what year is this? at March 13, 2016 09:00 AM (l/Pix)
80
Been rereading Vonnegut. Was it bad back in high school? Hunter Thompson holds up. Particularly his less gonzo reportage.
Posted by: W.A.Root Columbia '83 .Barry who? at March 13, 2016 08:45 AM (nckx1)
________
Enjoyed Vonnegut back in the day, but never cared enough to reread. So, meh. Yes to Hunter Thompson. His writing is absolutely beautiful -- and so much more thoughtful than the persona. One of my kids noticed that I had a few of Thompson's on my shelves and thought I was some kind of commie/anarchist. Although some days my libertarian leanings (not drugs) seem revolutionary enough.
I was looking for a series of essays by some New York writer and feel like an idiot because now I can't remember his name. Oh well, off to the duck machine and hope something jogs my memory.
Posted by: W.A.Root Columbia '83 .Barry who? at March 13, 2016 08:45 AM (nckx1)
________
Enjoyed Vonnegut back in the day, but never cared enough to reread. So, meh. Yes to Hunter Thompson. His writing is absolutely beautiful -- and so much more thoughtful than the persona. One of my kids noticed that I had a few of Thompson's on my shelves and thought I was some kind of commie/anarchist. Although some days my libertarian leanings (not drugs) seem revolutionary enough.
I was looking for a series of essays by some New York writer and feel like an idiot because now I can't remember his name. Oh well, off to the duck machine and hope something jogs my memory.
Posted by: mustbequantum at March 13, 2016 09:00 AM (MIKMs)
81
*pauses*
I have a story to sell to Simon and Schuster for their new imprint... the story of how Abraham helped Ismael build the Qa'ba. Fictionalized and all this, toss in forgotten deities of the era like Hubal. But also add in temple priestesses.
Think I could sell it?
I have a story to sell to Simon and Schuster for their new imprint... the story of how Abraham helped Ismael build the Qa'ba. Fictionalized and all this, toss in forgotten deities of the era like Hubal. But also add in temple priestesses.
Think I could sell it?
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:01 AM (viJS2)
82
Reading "Marked in Flesh", the latest entry in Anne Bishop's "The Others" series. Enjoying it very much. The author has created a very strange and eerie alternative Earth where humans live uneasily side by side with ancient races who consider them useful but definitely bottom of the food chain.
Posted by: Tuna at March 13, 2016 09:01 AM (JSovD)
83
Of course, I won't be able to pick it up for a
DOLLAR or anything, but still...I like alternative-history stuff.
Definitely on my list.
Posted by: antisocialist at March 13, 2016 08:54 AM
Library book sales are your friend! Ours dispenses hardbacks for $1.50, "trade" paperbacks for a buck, and regular li'l paperbacks for Fitty Cent. Granted, it's not always a winner -- some previous sales have been heavy on Patricia Cornwell, books about Choom Boy and Clive Cussler titles -- but I've never left without at least one books, so worth trudging through the piles....
I recently lost a book that I paid over 20 scoots for at Barnes ampersand Noble (a biography of Dr. John "Goat Gland" Brinkley) and found it at the sale on Friday. I had put off buying a replacement copy, but for $1.50 I won't be unhappy if my original copy somehow turns up.
DOLLAR or anything, but still...I like alternative-history stuff.
Definitely on my list.
Posted by: antisocialist at March 13, 2016 08:54 AM
Library book sales are your friend! Ours dispenses hardbacks for $1.50, "trade" paperbacks for a buck, and regular li'l paperbacks for Fitty Cent. Granted, it's not always a winner -- some previous sales have been heavy on Patricia Cornwell, books about Choom Boy and Clive Cussler titles -- but I've never left without at least one books, so worth trudging through the piles....
I recently lost a book that I paid over 20 scoots for at Barnes ampersand Noble (a biography of Dr. John "Goat Gland" Brinkley) and found it at the sale on Friday. I had put off buying a replacement copy, but for $1.50 I won't be unhappy if my original copy somehow turns up.
Posted by: MrScribbler at March 13, 2016 09:02 AM (WIZNc)
84
Mindful, there is Celia Hayes books. Also Voter Mom.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:03 AM (viJS2)
85
There's a German word that needs to get traction:
Fingerspitzengefühl
"Finger tips feeling", like Spidey senses, an intuitive feel for something or really good situational awareness. Rommel is often said to have had Fingerspitzengefühl
Fingerspitzengefühl
"Finger tips feeling", like Spidey senses, an intuitive feel for something or really good situational awareness. Rommel is often said to have had Fingerspitzengefühl
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:03 AM (jR7Wy)
86
I use Kindle. It's the greatest. The best. Don't do books. My stubby, freakishly short fingers can't turn pages.
Posted by: Trump 2016 at March 13, 2016 09:04 AM (nckx1)
87
On my blog, today in 1881, Alexander II, the Great Reformer, was assassinated by socialists.
If he had lived he might have steered Russia towards some form of parliamentary democracy.
Socialists are evil.
Link in nic
If he had lived he might have steered Russia towards some form of parliamentary democracy.
Socialists are evil.
Link in nic
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 09:04 AM (cbfNE)
88
I've read the "Hardcase" series by Dan Simmons.
It's excellent, very hard-boiled detective stuff.
I was really disappointed that he has apparently given up on the series.
Very visual reads with nice dialogue - they would make terrific movies and the detective isn't quite what you've seen before.
Give them try.
It's excellent, very hard-boiled detective stuff.
I was really disappointed that he has apparently given up on the series.
Very visual reads with nice dialogue - they would make terrific movies and the detective isn't quite what you've seen before.
Give them try.
Posted by: naturalfake at March 13, 2016 09:05 AM (2rmvw)
89
Think I could sell it? Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:01 AM
Only if they originally planned to build it in Miami as a bingo parlor....
They chose Mecca when Meyer Lansky ran them out of Florida.
Only if they originally planned to build it in Miami as a bingo parlor....
They chose Mecca when Meyer Lansky ran them out of Florida.
Posted by: MrScribbler at March 13, 2016 09:06 AM (WIZNc)
90
85 Sounds like something dirty.What can I say?I'm a moron.
Posted by: steevy at March 13, 2016 09:07 AM (B48dK)
91
Oh, I want to go gutter in the hoity toity thread.
It has to do with reading pulp, so it's compliant, but it's also gutter.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 08:34 AM (1xUj/)
I'll allow it.
Posted by: OregonMuse
Oh, thank you OM, I think. The moment passed. However...
There's a group in NYC called the Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society. They're ostensibly about making sure that everyone knows that toplessness is as legal for girls as for boys in NYC.
And the way they do that is to get together, usually in parks, and read books. So they post pictures of the books and the boobs.
http://bit.ly/1MfR67r
It has to do with reading pulp, so it's compliant, but it's also gutter.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 08:34 AM (1xUj/)
I'll allow it.
Posted by: OregonMuse
Oh, thank you OM, I think. The moment passed. However...
There's a group in NYC called the Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society. They're ostensibly about making sure that everyone knows that toplessness is as legal for girls as for boys in NYC.
And the way they do that is to get together, usually in parks, and read books. So they post pictures of the books and the boobs.
http://bit.ly/1MfR67r
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 09:09 AM (1xUj/)
Posted by: mindful webworker - oh, yeah. at March 13, 2016 09:09 AM (l/Pix)
93
90 85 Sounds like something dirty.What can I say?I'm a moron.
Posted by: steevy at March 13, 2016 09:07 AM (B48dK)
---
It does! And yet you can play the innocent! That's what makes it so great.
I'm sure Bander has used it in a sentence, if he wasn't wearing a ball gag at the time.
Posted by: steevy at March 13, 2016 09:07 AM (B48dK)
---
It does! And yet you can play the innocent! That's what makes it so great.
I'm sure Bander has used it in a sentence, if he wasn't wearing a ball gag at the time.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:09 AM (jR7Wy)
94
Regarding Simon and Schuster's new muslim series-
I'm sure it really isn't at all for muslims.
Rather it's to sell to your child's grade, middle, and high schools so they can learn about the peaceful wonders of islam and how muslims are. just. like. them.
Except when they're sawing children's heads off.
I'm sure they already have several CA and North Eastern states school systems champing at the bit-
for this load of propaganda.
I'm sure it really isn't at all for muslims.
Rather it's to sell to your child's grade, middle, and high schools so they can learn about the peaceful wonders of islam and how muslims are. just. like. them.
Except when they're sawing children's heads off.
I'm sure they already have several CA and North Eastern states school systems champing at the bit-
for this load of propaganda.
Posted by: naturalfake at March 13, 2016 09:11 AM (2rmvw)
95
@70 - Re: "Ham Radio for Dummies"
I've found the "Dummies" books to vary greatly in quality. This is one of the excellent ones. The author is an actual expert in the field, as well as being an excellent writer. He also writes technical books as well as technical columns in amateur radio publications.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants an easy to read introduction to amateur radio. A ham radio review site gives it 5/5 for the intended audience.
I've found the "Dummies" books to vary greatly in quality. This is one of the excellent ones. The author is an actual expert in the field, as well as being an excellent writer. He also writes technical books as well as technical columns in amateur radio publications.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants an easy to read introduction to amateur radio. A ham radio review site gives it 5/5 for the intended audience.
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 09:11 AM (Y6jb9)
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:11 AM (viJS2)
97
I'm sure Bander has used it in a sentence, if he wasn't wearing a ball gag at the time.
MMMPH RRRR RRMPH CACK MMMPH MRML!
MMMPH RRRR RRMPH CACK MMMPH MRML!
Posted by: Bandersnatch in Eris'Basement at March 13, 2016 09:13 AM (1xUj/)
98
I hesitate to ask, Anna...GOO?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:13 AM (jR7Wy)
99
Good Old Onanism?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:13 AM (jR7Wy)
100
GOO = Great Old One aka Cthulhu.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:13 AM (viJS2)
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 09:14 AM (cbfNE)
102
Children's books are a fantastic way to get to know our local and global Muslim neighbors.
Nice to meet you. Just tell us which wires to connect.
Nice to meet you. Just tell us which wires to connect.
Posted by: Achmed, Your "Syrian" Neighbor at March 13, 2016 09:15 AM (oFSUK)
103
Islam forbids lending interest. When the sheiks lend you money they take a percentage ownership in your business. Privately held companies or family owned companies. Having received loans from oil money sheiks have surrendered some control of their business.
Public companies give them stock with voting rights. Seats on the board of directors. It's why our media companies are out of touch with the public. They're essentially the preparation phase of the invasion.
Public companies give them stock with voting rights. Seats on the board of directors. It's why our media companies are out of touch with the public. They're essentially the preparation phase of the invasion.
Posted by: simplemind at March 13, 2016 09:16 AM (BTnAK)
104
I always keep a tab open to my local library when I read the book thread.
Thanks for the recommendation on Ham Radio for Dummies.
Thanks for the recommendation on Ham Radio for Dummies.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:16 AM (jR7Wy)
105
OK, so my wife and I have finished our final revision of our manuscript and we are looking for some people to read it and give us some feedback. Since I was looking for literate people willing to give us their no-bullshit take on the story, of course I immediately thought of the Moron Horde.
The book is called "Dig Two Graves," and it is an historical fantasy set in 12th century Imperial Japan. A down-at-the-heels bushi is conned by an old lover into doing her a "small favor." The small favor spins out of control until the two of them are enmeshed in the deadly intrigues of the imperial court.
Before they know it, they are under attack by conspirators, dogged by vicious animal spirits, pursued by a rogue sorcerer, and targeted by a vengeful ghost.
To survive their predicament will take all their skill and cunning, as well as something even more difficult: putting aside their years-long enmity and working together as a team.
The manuscript is about 180,000 words long, or the equivalent of a 550 to 600 page paperback. If you think you might be interested in reading and commenting on the book, please drop me an email with "beta reader" in the subject line at
d j harr at gee-mail dot com
(Remove the spaces, insert the proper punctuation, and fix the google mail moniker to get the actual address). Indicate whether you would prefer mobi (Amazon Kindle format), epub (iBooks format), or PDF (Adobe Reader format).
Once we get people to read it, I hope that we will be able to add our names to the moron authors list.
Thanks for your attention.
David
The book is called "Dig Two Graves," and it is an historical fantasy set in 12th century Imperial Japan. A down-at-the-heels bushi is conned by an old lover into doing her a "small favor." The small favor spins out of control until the two of them are enmeshed in the deadly intrigues of the imperial court.
Before they know it, they are under attack by conspirators, dogged by vicious animal spirits, pursued by a rogue sorcerer, and targeted by a vengeful ghost.
To survive their predicament will take all their skill and cunning, as well as something even more difficult: putting aside their years-long enmity and working together as a team.
The manuscript is about 180,000 words long, or the equivalent of a 550 to 600 page paperback. If you think you might be interested in reading and commenting on the book, please drop me an email with "beta reader" in the subject line at
d j harr at gee-mail dot com
(Remove the spaces, insert the proper punctuation, and fix the google mail moniker to get the actual address). Indicate whether you would prefer mobi (Amazon Kindle format), epub (iBooks format), or PDF (Adobe Reader format).
Once we get people to read it, I hope that we will be able to add our names to the moron authors list.
Thanks for your attention.
David
Posted by: David, Infamous Sockpuppet at March 13, 2016 09:17 AM (1TUV/)
106
And the way they do that is to get together, usually in parks, and read books. So they post pictures of the books and the boobs.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 09:09 AM (1xUj/)
Ha! Yeah, I found about about this group a couple of years ago. Didn't make it a book thread item because, well, you know. But I can't deny it's on-topic.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 09:09 AM (1xUj/)
Ha! Yeah, I found about about this group a couple of years ago. Didn't make it a book thread item because, well, you know. But I can't deny it's on-topic.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 09:18 AM (xrInd)
107
Mein Gott Herr David, trying for Barefoot Gen meets War and Peace?
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:18 AM (viJS2)
108
94, naturalfake, don't limit the madness to California. As stupid Californians who have voted repeatedly to trash their state have reaped the rewards of their votes, they have moved north to Oregon and Washington. The madness infects the entire west coast, and I have no doubt S&S will sell plenty of copies of their little obscenities to the Seattle School District and Seattle Public Library.
Posted by: Tonestaple at March 13, 2016 09:19 AM (LJYIn)
109
Sometimes I think it's best if I just didn't comment and only read the comments. Usually, whatever I have to ask is answered before I get my question out, and whatever I have to add, someone else has already remarked. Usually said better than I would.
I come here to read not to be read anyway. (Read "reed" and read "red" - what other word is spelled the same in different tenses?)
I come here to read not to be read anyway. (Read "reed" and read "red" - what other word is spelled the same in different tenses?)
Posted by: mindful webworker - anguished Enguish at March 13, 2016 09:20 AM (l/Pix)
110
Mindful webworker, I try tag the Moron written books that I've been able to blog about.
Though not an exhaustive list, you can see them.at
http://www.bookhorde.org/search/label/aoshq-horde
Though not an exhaustive list, you can see them.at
http://www.bookhorde.org/search/label/aoshq-horde
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 09:21 AM (cbfNE)
111
@70 After reading the "Dummies" book, I'd recommend "The ARRL Operating Manual For Radio Amateurs." I got it as a premium for joining the ARRL ($49). It is worth the purchase price, if you don't want to join ARRL.
The book is up-to-date and covers basic operating, VHF/UHF - (repeaters, digital voice and data), emcomm, traffic handling, DXing, contesting, HF digital, image, satellites, and remote operating.
Many of the ARRL books are low quality compilations of previously published overview articles, often with relatively low information density. This book is the exception. Very meaty.
Lots of illustrations and graphics; not recommended for an eInk Kindle or phone. If you don't have a decent tablet, buy the paper version.
The book is up-to-date and covers basic operating, VHF/UHF - (repeaters, digital voice and data), emcomm, traffic handling, DXing, contesting, HF digital, image, satellites, and remote operating.
Many of the ARRL books are low quality compilations of previously published overview articles, often with relatively low information density. This book is the exception. Very meaty.
Lots of illustrations and graphics; not recommended for an eInk Kindle or phone. If you don't have a decent tablet, buy the paper version.
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 09:22 AM (Y6jb9)
112
Anna Puma: Moron written books
I appreciate your posting this list. Do it often.
There is a regularly updated list of Moron written books in the goodreads group. It currently has 86 books. Link in my nick or near the end of every recent Sunday Morning Book Thread.
I appreciate your posting this list. Do it often.
There is a regularly updated list of Moron written books in the goodreads group. It currently has 86 books. Link in my nick or near the end of every recent Sunday Morning Book Thread.
Posted by: cool breeze at March 13, 2016 09:23 AM (ckvus)
113
I guess I should get back to editing the last 9 pages of this chapter. See how much I can condense it further. Pay is good and story is interesting.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:23 AM (viJS2)
114
Re-read Inferno by Niven and Pournelle, one of Niven's classic stories of a sci-fi writer, showing off to Hugo award voters by leaning over a balcony, slips and falls to his death. He awakes in Dante's Hell, where a man named Benito wants to show him a way out, which takes him through all nine circles. Terrific stuff.
Read Shakespeare's King Henry VI, Part 2, a middle story in the 4-part history of the War of the Roses. Henry is a weak ruler, his French wife is having an affair with the Duke of Suffolk and powerful figures seek to take down Henry's protector, the Duke of Gloucester. The intrigues proceed as you would expect until about half-way when commoners march on London, burning and pillaging as they go. It ends with the King and Queen fleeing for their lives. A lot is left hanging in the air, so on to part 3.
Read Amy Lynn by Jack July, first of three Amy Lynn books and the monthly read in the AOSHQ book club. Terrific characters and drama, and the numerous bad guys get theirs. A real page-turner.
Read Shakespeare's King Henry VI, Part 2, a middle story in the 4-part history of the War of the Roses. Henry is a weak ruler, his French wife is having an affair with the Duke of Suffolk and powerful figures seek to take down Henry's protector, the Duke of Gloucester. The intrigues proceed as you would expect until about half-way when commoners march on London, burning and pillaging as they go. It ends with the King and Queen fleeing for their lives. A lot is left hanging in the air, so on to part 3.
Read Amy Lynn by Jack July, first of three Amy Lynn books and the monthly read in the AOSHQ book club. Terrific characters and drama, and the numerous bad guys get theirs. A real page-turner.
Posted by: waelse1 at March 13, 2016 09:24 AM (aG+bb)
115
Mein Gott Herr David, trying for Barefoot Gen meets War and Peace?
No, actually just wrote what we needed to tell the story. The problem is that we tried to weave in the politics and shananigans surrounding the Hogen Rebellion of 1156, an actual war between two factions vying to control the Emperor, and that wound up complicating the story something awful. It is long, but I don't see a way to make it much shorter without gutting the story.
Mein Gott Herr David, trying for Barefoot Gen meets War and Peace?
No, actually just wrote what we needed to tell the story. The problem is that we tried to weave in the politics and shananigans surrounding the Hogen Rebellion of 1156, an actual war between two factions vying to control the Emperor, and that wound up complicating the story something awful. It is long, but I don't see a way to make it much shorter without gutting the story.
Posted by: David, Infamous Sockpuppet at March 13, 2016 09:24 AM (1TUV/)
116
Do Pixy's hamsters not know about DST?
Posted by: waelse1 at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (aG+bb)
117
No doubt this has been mentioned before but I have been disturbed at how it is for me to concentrate on reading for an extended period. When I was younger this wasn't a problem. Hours, even whole nights, could go by without noticing. Such occasions are rare these days. Okay, I'm older and can't sit without moving for long before getting stiff and sore, but that is only part of the problem. I'm allowing too many distractions to intrude. When I was working this was normal as the schedule was always erratic and demanding. Retirement should have changed that but didn't, at least not enough.
I suspect so much of the culture is based on the immediate and momentary that it interferes with prolonged focus, even for entertainment purposes. The situation is VERY unsatisfying. And, frankly, alarming.
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
I suspect so much of the culture is based on the immediate and momentary that it interferes with prolonged focus, even for entertainment purposes. The situation is VERY unsatisfying. And, frankly, alarming.
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
118
It depends upon how many POVs are in the story. If only the bushi and his former love, be surprised how much cutting can be done. But for every additional POV things get more verbose.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:30 AM (viJS2)
119
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
Bothered by what? That was a long paragr...oh, cookies!
Bothered by what? That was a long paragr...oh, cookies!
Posted by: Bandersnatch in Eris' Basement at March 13, 2016 09:31 AM (1xUj/)
120
conservative politicians and industry executives are happily manipulating the vaporous tenets of postmodernism to obscure the scientific consensus on global warming
Ironic that someone writing a book criticizing antiscientific thoughts and policy bases then uses such an antiscientific argument as "consensus." We all have our blind spots.
Ironic that someone writing a book criticizing antiscientific thoughts and policy bases then uses such an antiscientific argument as "consensus." We all have our blind spots.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 09:34 AM (39g3+)
121
I started "Martian Time-Slip" by Philip K Dick yesterday.
So, I'll probably finish it today or tomorrow.
Anyway, thematically and plot-wise Dick can be such a wild and whacky author-
that I sometimes forget, until I pick up a book of his to read,
what a wonderfully, evocative and yes, disciplined meat and potatoes writer he is.
Just the 1st chapter alone is a marvel of concision and world-building-
we meet and get a pretty good feel for some of the main characters. We understand exactly how their lives are lived and it's one step away from disaster quality...just great stuff.
Very sensual writing as well. It's easy to see and feel the environment around them.
Supposedly, the guy wrote his stories gassed up on drugs and over the course of a weekend or a few days at a hotel.
That may be true, but if so, my guess is that Dick's true gift was that he could edit and rewrite the hell out of his stuff.
So, I'll probably finish it today or tomorrow.
Anyway, thematically and plot-wise Dick can be such a wild and whacky author-
that I sometimes forget, until I pick up a book of his to read,
what a wonderfully, evocative and yes, disciplined meat and potatoes writer he is.
Just the 1st chapter alone is a marvel of concision and world-building-
we meet and get a pretty good feel for some of the main characters. We understand exactly how their lives are lived and it's one step away from disaster quality...just great stuff.
Very sensual writing as well. It's easy to see and feel the environment around them.
Supposedly, the guy wrote his stories gassed up on drugs and over the course of a weekend or a few days at a hotel.
That may be true, but if so, my guess is that Dick's true gift was that he could edit and rewrite the hell out of his stuff.
Posted by: naturalfake at March 13, 2016 09:35 AM (2rmvw)
122
#2
You need to be more specific. A dedicated e-reader and a tablet with a backlit color LCD screen are two very different things when it comes to comfort issues. I have both because I find lengthy reading on the e-Ink screen of the dedicated reader far better for reduced eyestrain. There is also some evidence that tablet use before sleeping is disruptive, though none of those studies seemed to consider the effect of reading printed material if an LED light is on the bedside, something that is only going to become increasingly common.
You need to be more specific. A dedicated e-reader and a tablet with a backlit color LCD screen are two very different things when it comes to comfort issues. I have both because I find lengthy reading on the e-Ink screen of the dedicated reader far better for reduced eyestrain. There is also some evidence that tablet use before sleeping is disruptive, though none of those studies seemed to consider the effect of reading printed material if an LED light is on the bedside, something that is only going to become increasingly common.
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 09:37 AM (IdCqF)
123
I suspect so much of the culture is based on the immediate and momentary that it interferes with prolonged focus, even for entertainment purposes. The situation is VERY unsatisfying. And, frankly, alarming.
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
( *raises hand* )
I think it's a byproduct of old age. As you have also noticed, it's just hard to stay focused for long periods, the older we get. My problem is that after reading for long periods, I just want to sleep. And these days, the so-called "long" periods are getting shorter and shorter.
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
( *raises hand* )
I think it's a byproduct of old age. As you have also noticed, it's just hard to stay focused for long periods, the older we get. My problem is that after reading for long periods, I just want to sleep. And these days, the so-called "long" periods are getting shorter and shorter.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 09:38 AM (xrInd)
124
suspect so much of the culture is based on the
immediate and momentary that it interferes with prolonged focus, even
for entertainment purposes. The situation is VERY unsatisfying. And,
frankly, alarming.
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
_________
Yes. I do not watch movies for that reason -- just can't sit that long and if my mind wanders at all, it is over for me. I can still read, but not as much.
immediate and momentary that it interferes with prolonged focus, even
for entertainment purposes. The situation is VERY unsatisfying. And,
frankly, alarming.
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
_________
Yes. I do not watch movies for that reason -- just can't sit that long and if my mind wanders at all, it is over for me. I can still read, but not as much.
Posted by: mustbequantum at March 13, 2016 09:38 AM (MIKMs)
125
Jya ne minna, writing job beckons to be finished.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 09:39 AM (viJS2)
126
Bothered by what? That was a long paragr...oh, cookies!
Posted by: Bandersnatch in Eris' Basement at March 13, 2016 09:31 AM (1xUj/)
---
Cookies are for closers, Bander. Get back to work.
And yes, JTB, I've found my lack of concentration unsettling. I jokingly call it Adult Onset Attention Deficit Disorder, and it usually strikes in meetings. But I blame the digital age, where we are paid not only for what we know, but for our ability to know which data bases to access. I am constantly hopping from page to page, site to site. And when I get home, I hop from book to computer to t.v.
And of course I blame myself, for my lack of mental toughness.
Posted by: Bandersnatch in Eris' Basement at March 13, 2016 09:31 AM (1xUj/)
---
Cookies are for closers, Bander. Get back to work.
And yes, JTB, I've found my lack of concentration unsettling. I jokingly call it Adult Onset Attention Deficit Disorder, and it usually strikes in meetings. But I blame the digital age, where we are paid not only for what we know, but for our ability to know which data bases to access. I am constantly hopping from page to page, site to site. And when I get home, I hop from book to computer to t.v.
And of course I blame myself, for my lack of mental toughness.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:41 AM (jR7Wy)
127
J. P. Morgan planned to travel on the maiden voyage of the Titanic (he had his own suite), but had to cancel at the last minute due to illness.
Posted by: rickl at March 13, 2016 09:43 AM (sdi6R)
128
David infamous sock puppet, sent you an email
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 09:45 AM (cbfNE)
129
Personally, I think our academic system is damaged and really needs a rethinking. Publish or perish means too many phds that would be better used in applying their knowledge or just teaching are trying to find something, anything, to write about. Maybe doctorate programs shouldn't require new research and university positions shouldn't require publishing. Maybe create a two track system, Applied X, Research X. Applied focuses on using the current knowledge and outreach to help society use the knowledge, Research has publish or perish requirements and has to do new research. This seems like the only way to get rid of the demand for gibberish papers and the places created just to publish them.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 09:46 AM (us5tr)
130
And of course I blame myself, for my lack of mental toughness.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:41 AM (jR7Wy)
I blame teh internets. All this clicking back and forth from one site to the next, never spending more than a few seconds on each page. My attention span is ruin't, I tells ya, ruin't.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 09:41 AM (jR7Wy)
I blame teh internets. All this clicking back and forth from one site to the next, never spending more than a few seconds on each page. My attention span is ruin't, I tells ya, ruin't.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 09:49 AM (xrInd)
131
"Fingerspitzengefühl
"
I have a friend from Germany who recently had surgery to counter spinal stenosis . . . He says he can feel his fingertips again.
I will spring this one on him.
"
I have a friend from Germany who recently had surgery to counter spinal stenosis . . . He says he can feel his fingertips again.
I will spring this one on him.
Posted by: Kindltot at March 13, 2016 09:50 AM (q2o38)
132
'Caliphate' is free for Kindle on Amazon. Just "bought" it.
Posted by: AtlJim at March 13, 2016 09:51 AM (KtpTY)
133
132 'Caliphate' is free for Kindle on Amazon. Just "bought" it.
Posted by: AtlJim at March 13, 2016 09:51 AM (KtpTY)
Great book and very prescient.
Posted by: AtlJim at March 13, 2016 09:51 AM (KtpTY)
Great book and very prescient.
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 09:52 AM (cbfNE)
134
>>>>>>It ends with the King and Queen fleeing for their lives. A lot is left hanging in the air, so on to part 3.<<<<<<
Angry Margret is dangerous.
Angry Margret is dangerous.
Posted by: the guy that moves pianos for a living at March 13, 2016 09:54 AM (tEDMc)
135
Bernard Cornwell's Saxon books are being done on TV with the Last Kingdom series. They're quite good and are his latest series of historical adventure/war novels featuring a guy named Uhtred.
Well it turns out that this Uhtred fellow was a real figure in history, and he's an ancestor of... Bernard Cornwell.
Cornwell was adopted and when he tracked down his real father, he found out his real last name was Outhred. This is a modernization of Uhtred, who was a real guy who really did get his castle at Bamburgh (Bebbanburg) taken away in his youth, did fight for Alfred, and was sort of legendary at the time.
So the series is basically Cornwell's fictionalized account of old grand dad to celebrate his heritage. It cracks me up that in interviews he reveals he really doesn't know what happens next in the series.
Well it turns out that this Uhtred fellow was a real figure in history, and he's an ancestor of... Bernard Cornwell.
Cornwell was adopted and when he tracked down his real father, he found out his real last name was Outhred. This is a modernization of Uhtred, who was a real guy who really did get his castle at Bamburgh (Bebbanburg) taken away in his youth, did fight for Alfred, and was sort of legendary at the time.
So the series is basically Cornwell's fictionalized account of old grand dad to celebrate his heritage. It cracks me up that in interviews he reveals he really doesn't know what happens next in the series.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 09:57 AM (39g3+)
136
Listened to AllenG's book Fire and Ice this week. Very solid first effort. I thought the story was engaging and am lloking forward to the next Installment.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 09:58 AM (GDulk)
137
Eris, OM and others, At least it's not just me being distracted. I suspect the key is that I ALLOW things to interfere. And digital conveniences, especially for intellectual matters, are addictive and never ending. Time for some discipline and focus: less TV, less talk radio, less constant attention to political and social issues that I can't fix but leave me enraged, even less idle time on the computer (the book thread and similar are not idle, they are restorative and stimulating), etc.
Oddly, perhaps, this isn't a problem when doing something physical. When wood carving or whittling, sketching, fly tying or other hand oriented works, the time flows by like a swift running stream without my noticing. I need to get that level of relaxed concentration back for reading.
Oddly, perhaps, this isn't a problem when doing something physical. When wood carving or whittling, sketching, fly tying or other hand oriented works, the time flows by like a swift running stream without my noticing. I need to get that level of relaxed concentration back for reading.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:59 AM (FvdPb)
138
I would like to point out that Eris' introduction and explanation of Fingerspitzengefuehl* is adroit and accurate.
People sometimes (ok, all the damn time) think they've just discovered a Krautish word about face punching that's just wrong wrong wrong and is never used in Krautistan.
Fingerspitzengefeuhl is a useful and much used word, and belongs on the same shelf as Weltanschauung, Zeitgeist, and Schadenboner.
*I know the secret to the Umlaut has been rediscovered, but I keep forgetting it.
People sometimes (ok, all the damn time) think they've just discovered a Krautish word about face punching that's just wrong wrong wrong and is never used in Krautistan.
Fingerspitzengefeuhl is a useful and much used word, and belongs on the same shelf as Weltanschauung, Zeitgeist, and Schadenboner.
*I know the secret to the Umlaut has been rediscovered, but I keep forgetting it.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 09:59 AM (1xUj/)
139
Anyone else notice or are bothered by this?
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
When I quit smoking my attention span for reading plummeted. I had to build it back up again.
My attention span is short naturally.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
When I quit smoking my attention span for reading plummeted. I had to build it back up again.
My attention span is short naturally.
Posted by: Kindltot at March 13, 2016 10:04 AM (q2o38)
140
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:59 AM (FvdPb)
---
Well said! And said much better than I could have.
Yesterday I puttered around the apartment taking care of Eris-dos and I was gratified to see I could focus at length on maligned physical tasks such as mending and cleaning.
When I'm drawing I also experience that focus I enjoyed as a child. Maybe that's why adult coloring books are so popular right now -- as an antidote to the cyber world.
---
Well said! And said much better than I could have.
Yesterday I puttered around the apartment taking care of Eris-dos and I was gratified to see I could focus at length on maligned physical tasks such as mending and cleaning.
When I'm drawing I also experience that focus I enjoyed as a child. Maybe that's why adult coloring books are so popular right now -- as an antidote to the cyber world.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Literate Savage at March 13, 2016 10:05 AM (jR7Wy)
141
This is book related so it is not OT, but is OT.
Anyhow, I was doing my morning reading today when a small sip of coffee went down the wrong way, which caused a spasmodic cough (just one) and I spewed coffee all over my book, my journal, my desk and my computer.
What a mess. And I'm sure it's never happened to anyone else.
Anyhow, I was doing my morning reading today when a small sip of coffee went down the wrong way, which caused a spasmodic cough (just one) and I spewed coffee all over my book, my journal, my desk and my computer.
What a mess. And I'm sure it's never happened to anyone else.
Posted by: Northernlurker at March 13, 2016 10:06 AM (4rzL1)
142
I remember the adult coloring books from the 70s. They had a real popularity using old Celtic and Egyptian patterns. Remember buying some for my dad (woodcarver) for his embellishments.
Posted by: mustbequantum at March 13, 2016 10:09 AM (MIKMs)
143
A major element of Orwell's '1984' was the rewriting of the history books to make past whatever the current bosses needed it to be. How could you question the current war if the histories showed the enemy to be so utterly awful and needful of containment or even destruction.
This has been going on in real life. Many issues have been so thoroughly manipulated by the left as to make even ardent conservatives accept lies about history that prop up the left's grasping for power. In the lifetimes of the older Morons here there were the Hollywood blacklistings. Honest accountings of those events are so rare that far too many people accept the Hollywood version that completely innocent people were persecuted and driven from their careers for no good reason. Which is odd, because what is more beloved by the left than destroying an opponent by destroying their livelihood?
One rare example countering the myth:
https://pjmedia.com/ronradosh/2015/11/26/trumbo-train-wreck/
When enough time passes the lies may go unquestioned by all and bad precedents in lawmaking become vindicated. Consider the group of 19th Century entrepreneurs now known as the Robber Barons. The term has become so accepted that it is used even by those who the men referenced in high regard. Burton W. Folsom published a book in 1991 that challenges these beliefs, 'The Myth of the Robber Barons.'
http://preview.tinyurl.com/j3lvfb9
I'm only a third of the way into it but he already makes a very good case for the benefits these men brought to the world and how false the claims of unending power and dynasties undoing democcracy were. In the chapter I just finished he notes that the Scrantons, who created the industrial center that birthed the city named for them, had little direct continuity into following generations, instead passing the reins to capable outsiders rather than their disinterested sons.
I try not to talk up books I haven't finished yet but this one already strike as an excellent item to have at the ready to counter what your kids and grandkids are likely being told in school.
This has been going on in real life. Many issues have been so thoroughly manipulated by the left as to make even ardent conservatives accept lies about history that prop up the left's grasping for power. In the lifetimes of the older Morons here there were the Hollywood blacklistings. Honest accountings of those events are so rare that far too many people accept the Hollywood version that completely innocent people were persecuted and driven from their careers for no good reason. Which is odd, because what is more beloved by the left than destroying an opponent by destroying their livelihood?
One rare example countering the myth:
https://pjmedia.com/ronradosh/2015/11/26/trumbo-train-wreck/
When enough time passes the lies may go unquestioned by all and bad precedents in lawmaking become vindicated. Consider the group of 19th Century entrepreneurs now known as the Robber Barons. The term has become so accepted that it is used even by those who the men referenced in high regard. Burton W. Folsom published a book in 1991 that challenges these beliefs, 'The Myth of the Robber Barons.'
http://preview.tinyurl.com/j3lvfb9
I'm only a third of the way into it but he already makes a very good case for the benefits these men brought to the world and how false the claims of unending power and dynasties undoing democcracy were. In the chapter I just finished he notes that the Scrantons, who created the industrial center that birthed the city named for them, had little direct continuity into following generations, instead passing the reins to capable outsiders rather than their disinterested sons.
I try not to talk up books I haven't finished yet but this one already strike as an excellent item to have at the ready to counter what your kids and grandkids are likely being told in school.
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 10:09 AM (IdCqF)
144
I've been reading Ignition, by John D. Clark. I'm trying for a job at the education center for a space program, and have always loved space anyway. the subject is reasonably dry, and full of more chemistry than I recall several decades after my last such class, but it has some delightful nuggets of information, such as an experiment involving butyl mercaptan. More interesting than I expected. I no longer expect to get that job, but I will finish the book anyway.
Posted by: Graves at March 13, 2016 10:11 AM (beOli)
145
Re: Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:59 AM (FvdPb
Agree and would add -- less multitasking. We think we can multitask but we are just rapidly task-switching. We lose focus.
When reading, just read. No TV, music, whatever.
Too Zen? ;-)
Agree and would add -- less multitasking. We think we can multitask but we are just rapidly task-switching. We lose focus.
When reading, just read. No TV, music, whatever.
Too Zen? ;-)
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 10:11 AM (Y6jb9)
146
I'd like to also give a shout out to Glenn Reynolds for his shout out for How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life. It's been a good book.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 10:12 AM (us5tr)
147
145 Re: Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:59 AM (FvdPb
Agree and would add -- less multitasking. We think we can multitask but we are just rapidly task-switching. We lose focus.
When reading, just read. No TV, music, whatever.
Too Zen? ;-)
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 10:11 AM (Y6jb9)
I find that music helps me to, I'm not sure how to put this, but I'll say hide away during my reading time. It's part of my reading ritual and I find my concentration is diminished without music.
I'm quite possibly very unusual in that.
Agree and would add -- less multitasking. We think we can multitask but we are just rapidly task-switching. We lose focus.
When reading, just read. No TV, music, whatever.
Too Zen? ;-)
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 10:11 AM (Y6jb9)
I find that music helps me to, I'm not sure how to put this, but I'll say hide away during my reading time. It's part of my reading ritual and I find my concentration is diminished without music.
I'm quite possibly very unusual in that.
Posted by: Northernlurker at March 13, 2016 10:14 AM (4rzL1)
148
Listened to Lois McMasters Bujold's audiobook Cryoburn from OverDrive because I couldn't stand to listen to my Kindle's TTS voice for One. More. Second. My only other experience with her books was Captain Vorpatril's Alliance which is a Heyeresque romantic adventure set in future space. Cryoburn is a more standard adventure thriller with a lot of action and Miles Vorkosigen being very much himself. There is also a bit of philosophy on the nature of governments ("Just because you get a vote doesn't mean you have a choice") and father-son relationships (and the difference when a father dies young) that were both timely to me personally.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 10:15 AM (GDulk)
149
144 Graves
Ignition, by John Clark is a very insightful book full of laughter. I LOLed at least once every chapter.
The chemistry is Gonzo chemistry, and just to tell a modern safety-first lab guy what they used to do would give him a heart-attack. A lab safety person would self-immolate at their procedures.
His research could not be done today with the same productivity.
Ignition, by John Clark is a very insightful book full of laughter. I LOLed at least once every chapter.
The chemistry is Gonzo chemistry, and just to tell a modern safety-first lab guy what they used to do would give him a heart-attack. A lab safety person would self-immolate at their procedures.
His research could not be done today with the same productivity.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 10:17 AM (u82oZ)
150
Graves, if you haven't already, read Willy Ley's Rockets, Missiles and Space Travel.
It is one of the best introductory to rocketry, from Francis Bacon and Arabic texts, through VfR and Peenemunde and on to White Sands
Ley is a very good science writer, and as a member of the VfR, knew a lot about the development of rocketry in the 30's
It is one of the best introductory to rocketry, from Francis Bacon and Arabic texts, through VfR and Peenemunde and on to White Sands
Ley is a very good science writer, and as a member of the VfR, knew a lot about the development of rocketry in the 30's
Posted by: Kindltot at March 13, 2016 10:18 AM (q2o38)
151
I know we're supposed to "believe the victim," but everyone I know who knew Donald Conroy says he wasn't like that, and everyone I know who was a student under Pat Conroy says he was a sadistic bastard himself. I've wondered for many years of he made it all up. Having heard my friends' recollections, the hagiography of Pat Conroy has been uncomfortable to me at best.
Posted by: VKI at March 13, 2016 10:20 AM (qySNZ)
152
144 Graves
I recommend Ignition to every student interested in physical or physical organic chemistry.
It's a very hard book to find. The local University library has a copy, but it's impossible to get via conventional Inter-Library Loan. It sells for a lot on the Internet.
I recommend Ignition to every student interested in physical or physical organic chemistry.
It's a very hard book to find. The local University library has a copy, but it's impossible to get via conventional Inter-Library Loan. It sells for a lot on the Internet.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 10:20 AM (u82oZ)
153
Popping in to briefly report on JK Rowling's new critics. Apparently she decided to expand her insanely popular concept of parallel wizard/muggle worlds beyond the geography, chronology, and demography of Hogwarts and England to ancient Africa and the New World. You can imagine what happened next.
http://tinyurl.com/gumoajk
http://tinyurl.com/gumoajk
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 10:22 AM (5o5ek)
154
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 09:28 AM (FvdPb)
Yes. I blame the HQ, well really blogs, Twitter, etc. For awhile I was trying to be good and actually *read* my non-fiction selections instead of listen to them, but it takes too much more energy to maintain that focus and I simply ended up not finishing the books. I decided it was better to end up with 75% of a finished book instead of 100% of a half-finished book.
Yes. I blame the HQ, well really blogs, Twitter, etc. For awhile I was trying to be good and actually *read* my non-fiction selections instead of listen to them, but it takes too much more energy to maintain that focus and I simply ended up not finishing the books. I decided it was better to end up with 75% of a finished book instead of 100% of a half-finished book.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 10:23 AM (GDulk)
155
150 Kindltot
I like Interplanetary Flight: An Introduction to Astronautics (1950) by Arthur C. Clarke better.
A solid, well-written book on the basics. The equation appendix is great for BOTE calculations without calculus.
I like Interplanetary Flight: An Introduction to Astronautics (1950) by Arthur C. Clarke better.
A solid, well-written book on the basics. The equation appendix is great for BOTE calculations without calculus.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 10:24 AM (u82oZ)
156
Good morning, 'rons. Happy Sunday! I accidentally commented in the old feminist glaciology thread instead of this one....awaiting my pixy-banning. Goodbye, cruel world...
Posted by: April at March 13, 2016 10:24 AM (79ZSg)
157
AnnaPuma, thanks for the list of moron-written books. Copied and saved.
Posted by: creeper at March 13, 2016 10:24 AM (eBsWa)
158
On the topic of distractions.
I've found it helps to read according to a timer, especially when it comes to serious books. I've discovered I can maintain focus for half an hour. I put my book away after that half hour passes.
I may read for a longer period of time if the book in hand is lighter fare.
I've found it helps to read according to a timer, especially when it comes to serious books. I've discovered I can maintain focus for half an hour. I put my book away after that half hour passes.
I may read for a longer period of time if the book in hand is lighter fare.
Posted by: Northernlurker at March 13, 2016 10:26 AM (4rzL1)
159
One rare example countering the myth:
https://pjmedia.com/ronradosh/2015/11/26/trumbo-train-wreck/
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 10:09 AM (IdCqF)
I think we're fortunate here that the movie Radosh is complaining about, 'Trumbo', which perpetuates all the leftist lies about how everyone on the Hollywood blacklist were just misunderstood free-speech advocates, tanked at the box office.
Just like the film they did about Rathergate, I forget the title, which takes place in a Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole alternate reality where Democratic partisan hack Mary Mapes is a Fearless Teller of Truth To Power, earned all of $16.25 at the box office.
https://pjmedia.com/ronradosh/2015/11/26/trumbo-train-wreck/
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 10:09 AM (IdCqF)
I think we're fortunate here that the movie Radosh is complaining about, 'Trumbo', which perpetuates all the leftist lies about how everyone on the Hollywood blacklist were just misunderstood free-speech advocates, tanked at the box office.
Just like the film they did about Rathergate, I forget the title, which takes place in a Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole alternate reality where Democratic partisan hack Mary Mapes is a Fearless Teller of Truth To Power, earned all of $16.25 at the box office.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 10:27 AM (xrInd)
160
Still plowing my way through "Laurus" while Mrs. Skook has just finished a biography of the crazy Mitford sisters.
Posted by: Skookumchuk at March 13, 2016 10:29 AM (/WPPJ)
161
ne rare example countering the myth:
https://pjmedia.com/ronradosh/2015/11/26/trumbo-train-wreck/
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 10:09 AM (IdCqF)
I think we're fortunate here that the movie Radosh is complaining about, 'Trumbo', which perpetuates all the leftist lies about how everyone on the Hollywood blacklist were just misunderstood free-speech advocates, tanked at the box office.
Just like the film they did about Rathergate, I forget the title, which takes place in a Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole alternate reality where Democratic partisan hack Mary Mapes is a Fearless Teller of Truth To Power, earned all of $16.25 at the box office.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 10:27 AM (xrInd)
It seems movies like that tend to tank. Yet Hollywood still insists on making them--and the movie makers believe they're super brave for making movies that line up with the beliefs of every single person they know.
https://pjmedia.com/ronradosh/2015/11/26/trumbo-train-wreck/
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 10:09 AM (IdCqF)
I think we're fortunate here that the movie Radosh is complaining about, 'Trumbo', which perpetuates all the leftist lies about how everyone on the Hollywood blacklist were just misunderstood free-speech advocates, tanked at the box office.
Just like the film they did about Rathergate, I forget the title, which takes place in a Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole alternate reality where Democratic partisan hack Mary Mapes is a Fearless Teller of Truth To Power, earned all of $16.25 at the box office.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 10:27 AM (xrInd)
It seems movies like that tend to tank. Yet Hollywood still insists on making them--and the movie makers believe they're super brave for making movies that line up with the beliefs of every single person they know.
Posted by: Northernlurker at March 13, 2016 10:29 AM (4rzL1)
162
Was reading through the thread and looked at clock and thought I've got a hour more comments. Then all of a sudden the end and said to myself Oh yeah the AoSHq clock hasn't been updated.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 10:30 AM (fizMZ)
163
I recommend Ignition to every student interested in physical or physical organic chemistry.
It's a very hard book to find. The local University library has a copy, but it's impossible to get via conventional Inter-Library Loan. It sells for a lot on the Internet.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 10:20 AM (u82oZ)
A pdf file of Ignition was kicking around here a year or two ago.Someone linked to it.
For some reason, I was not aware that it's not in the public domain.
It's a very hard book to find. The local University library has a copy, but it's impossible to get via conventional Inter-Library Loan. It sells for a lot on the Internet.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 10:20 AM (u82oZ)
A pdf file of Ignition was kicking around here a year or two ago.Someone linked to it.
For some reason, I was not aware that it's not in the public domain.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 10:31 AM (xrInd)
164
153 Popping in to briefly report on JK Rowling's new critics. Apparently she decided to expand her insanely popular concept of parallel wizard/muggle worlds beyond the geography, chronology, and demography of Hogwarts and England to ancient Africa and the New World. You can imagine what happened next.
http://tinyurl.com/gumoajk
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 10:22 AM (5o5ek)
hahaha, oh boy.
http://tinyurl.com/gumoajk
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 10:22 AM (5o5ek)
hahaha, oh boy.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 13, 2016 10:32 AM (AkOaV)
165
I think we're fortunate here that the movie Radosh is complaining about, 'Trumbo', which perpetuates all the leftist lies about how everyone on the Hollywood blacklist were just misunderstood free-speech advocates, tanked at the box office.
Just like the film they did about Rathergate, I forget the title, which takes place in a Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole alternate reality where Democratic partisan hack Mary Mapes is a Fearless Teller of Truth To Power, earned all of $16.25 at the box office.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 10:27 AM (xrInd)
---------------------------
The movie about Rathergate was called "Truth." A more compleat irony is hard to find.
Dreary political preaching doesn't sell.
Just like the film they did about Rathergate, I forget the title, which takes place in a Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole alternate reality where Democratic partisan hack Mary Mapes is a Fearless Teller of Truth To Power, earned all of $16.25 at the box office.
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 10:27 AM (xrInd)
---------------------------
The movie about Rathergate was called "Truth." A more compleat irony is hard to find.
Dreary political preaching doesn't sell.
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 10:32 AM (5o5ek)
166
162 Was reading through the thread and looked at clock and thought I've got a hour more comments. Then all of a sudden the end and said to myself Oh yeah the AoSHq clock hasn't been updated.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 10:30 AM (fizMZ)
pixie does not celebrate daily savings time.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 10:30 AM (fizMZ)
pixie does not celebrate daily savings time.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 13, 2016 10:32 AM (AkOaV)
167
"I would like to point out that Eris' introduction and explanation of Fingerspitzengefuehl is adroit and accurate."
Hermann Balck, one of the best German commanders of WWII, was asked in an interview after the war how many of the top hundred or so German generals had displayed this particular acuity.
He said that in his opinion, there were perhaps less than five, and they were unrecognized for it at the time. He did not mention any names of individuals. You do have to figure Rommel would be one of them, of course.
Hermann Balck, one of the best German commanders of WWII, was asked in an interview after the war how many of the top hundred or so German generals had displayed this particular acuity.
He said that in his opinion, there were perhaps less than five, and they were unrecognized for it at the time. He did not mention any names of individuals. You do have to figure Rommel would be one of them, of course.
Posted by: torquewrench at March 13, 2016 10:33 AM (noWW6)
168
My favorite Ignition phrase so far was the description of a monopropellant, which contains both the oxidizer and fuel in one molecule. He said it was "Any intimate mixture of a fuel and an oxidizer is a potential explosive, and a molecule with one reducing (fuel) end and one oxidizing end, separated by a pair of firmly crossed fingers, is an invitation to disaster." The friend who pointed me at the book quoted that to me, and the imagery is quite evocative to someone like me, who spent decades around assorted explosives. For that matter, I have and am planning to reread, Spaceship Handbook and The Saucer Fleet, both by Jack Hagerty and Jon C. Rogers.
And yes, I keep some noise going most of the time, music, some video or even just an air conditioner, to combat the tinnitus earned over 27 years of Army. Even when reading, the ringing gets distracting unless there is something else to hear.
And yes, I keep some noise going most of the time, music, some video or even just an air conditioner, to combat the tinnitus earned over 27 years of Army. Even when reading, the ringing gets distracting unless there is something else to hear.
Posted by: Graves at March 13, 2016 10:34 AM (beOli)
169
Part of my concern about difficulty concentrating is when tackling new skills. I'm trying to re-learn morse code and that Great Courses Greek 101 DVD arrived yesterday. This is knowledge I really want to acquire for reasons both practical and intellectual. These are long term efforts but still require focus and application. Guess it's time to just bear down and concentrate on what is important to me. I don't have to answer to an employer anymore, so it is my choice.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 10:35 AM (FvdPb)
170
To add to Anna's List, a more complete list of all moron books including Neil Russel's Rail Black series, Jessica Meigs' Becoming series, and Sabrina Chase's many novels can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/jfnx9jo
I can't find other peoples' Amazon page, and I encourage all authors to set up their own, but here is mine with all of my books available there:
http://www.amazon.com/Christopher-R-Taylor/e/B00OM67WB8/
http://tinyurl.com/jfnx9jo
I can't find other peoples' Amazon page, and I encourage all authors to set up their own, but here is mine with all of my books available there:
http://www.amazon.com/Christopher-R-Taylor/e/B00OM67WB8/
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:36 AM (39g3+)
171
OT: Interesting article in (gasp!) vox.com - "Twilight of the neoconservatives."
Surprisingly thoughtful. Editors on Spring Break?
Surprisingly thoughtful. Editors on Spring Break?
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 10:36 AM (Y6jb9)
172
The JK Rowling complaint is being more or less roundly mocked by people by the way. Its not that there isn't a shred of something to it, its that only 5 people in the world really care.
What is happening is that a small group of Native Americans are upset that their religious ceremonies are being portrayed as wizardry in a fantasy novel rather than taken seriously.
This, despite the fact that none of them actually buy into the religious aspects of it and treat it as a traditional, cultural thing.
What is happening is that a small group of Native Americans are upset that their religious ceremonies are being portrayed as wizardry in a fantasy novel rather than taken seriously.
This, despite the fact that none of them actually buy into the religious aspects of it and treat it as a traditional, cultural thing.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:38 AM (39g3+)
173
Mrs. Skook has just finished a biography of the crazy Mitford sisters.
Posted by: Skookumchuk at March 13, 2016 10:29 AM (/WPPJ)
_________
That was a fascinating read. They were outstandingly beautiful and successful -- for some value of 'success' in their time.
Posted by: Skookumchuk at March 13, 2016 10:29 AM (/WPPJ)
_________
That was a fascinating read. They were outstandingly beautiful and successful -- for some value of 'success' in their time.
Posted by: mustbequantum at March 13, 2016 10:41 AM (MIKMs)
174
http://tinyurl.com/jfnx9jo
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:36 AM (39g3+)
This is an awesome compendium. Are you maintaining this list, or is someone else doing it?
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:36 AM (39g3+)
This is an awesome compendium. Are you maintaining this list, or is someone else doing it?
Posted by: OregonMuse at March 13, 2016 10:42 AM (xrInd)
175
171 OT: Interesting article in (gasp!) vox.com - "Twilight of the neoconservatives."
Surprisingly thoughtful. Editors on Spring Break?
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 10:36 AM (Y6jb9)
reading it, but so far the history is... well, ahistorical.
At least in regards to Iraq.
Surprisingly thoughtful. Editors on Spring Break?
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 10:36 AM (Y6jb9)
reading it, but so far the history is... well, ahistorical.
At least in regards to Iraq.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 13, 2016 10:43 AM (AkOaV)
176
Damn! Gotta run some errands. I hate when reality interferes with the book thread. Be back soon as possible. And thanks to OM and everyone who makes this thread such a pleasure.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 10:46 AM (FvdPb)
177
The Goodreads list is being kept by VMom and the Horde club there. LOT more authors there than I thought. I don't know who many of the authors are because that's their pen name (or possibly even real name) instead of AOSQH commenter name, and a lot are lurkers I think.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:46 AM (39g3+)
178
Native Americans complaining about Rowling are pissed they didn't think of it first
Posted by: ThunderB at March 13, 2016 10:46 AM (zOTsN)
179
#159
Those kinds of movies aren't intended to make money. They go through the motions of being commercial ventures to get all of the tax write-off benefits that wouldn't be available if they were treated as what they actually are: teaching tools.
Is there a single public high school graduate or even drop-out of the past ten years who has not been made to sit through 'An Inconvenient Truth?' You can bet there are already plans to make sure every middle and high school in the country has at least one DVD of 'Trumbo' by the end of this year. One of the numerous existing NGOs and foundations that shower indoctrination materials on the schools will happily pick up the tab and the owners of the movie may even give them a license to manufacture a version for the schools with different bonus material than the retail version at the local Best Buy.
Those kinds of movies aren't intended to make money. They go through the motions of being commercial ventures to get all of the tax write-off benefits that wouldn't be available if they were treated as what they actually are: teaching tools.
Is there a single public high school graduate or even drop-out of the past ten years who has not been made to sit through 'An Inconvenient Truth?' You can bet there are already plans to make sure every middle and high school in the country has at least one DVD of 'Trumbo' by the end of this year. One of the numerous existing NGOs and foundations that shower indoctrination materials on the schools will happily pick up the tab and the owners of the movie may even give them a license to manufacture a version for the schools with different bonus material than the retail version at the local Best Buy.
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 10:47 AM (IdCqF)
180
I saw a bio of Rommel that made a convincing argument that he wasn't quite as great as German hype and his successes made him. For example, many of his African successes came because he was being fed accurate intel from spies inside allied HQ; when that dried up he was much less impressive in battle. And Tobruk he basically sent waves of guys against the defenses until after losing tons of soldiers they finally managed to break through, not exactly the work of a tactical genius.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:48 AM (39g3+)
181
ou can bet there are already plans to make sure every middle and high school in the country has at least one DVD of 'Trumbo' by the end of this year.
Yeah my friends daughter was completely taken in by Good Night And Good Luck, said it changed her life, etc. Its all part of the machine. Its like back when Christian stuff was put out like The Cross and the Switchblade and it made no money in theaters but was shown in every church in the country over and over.
Yeah my friends daughter was completely taken in by Good Night And Good Luck, said it changed her life, etc. Its all part of the machine. Its like back when Christian stuff was put out like The Cross and the Switchblade and it made no money in theaters but was shown in every church in the country over and over.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:50 AM (39g3+)
182
168 Graves
For more along that vein try a taste of a great Chemistry blogger, Derek Lowe In the Pipeline.
Here is one of his entries in thing I will not work with dioxygen difluoride:
http://tinyurl.com/pp2nf4b
He has an interesting blog entry on a compound that ignites sand.
There is a group in Germany that does a lot of this research. A very brave and blast-hardened group.
For more along that vein try a taste of a great Chemistry blogger, Derek Lowe In the Pipeline.
Here is one of his entries in thing I will not work with dioxygen difluoride:
http://tinyurl.com/pp2nf4b
He has an interesting blog entry on a compound that ignites sand.
There is a group in Germany that does a lot of this research. A very brave and blast-hardened group.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 10:51 AM (u82oZ)
183
hahaha, oh boy.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 13, 2016 10:32 AM (AkOaV)
-------------------------
She was a hero when she talked like a stupid socialist and SJW who revealed in an interview that Dumbledore is gay.
Now she's a white European guilty of cultural appropriation. A sample of the sadz she has caused:
No one has the right to further the oppression of another ethnic group, Rowling include. I'm a fan, but coming from an ethnic minority I can definitely say how much damage this actually does. It does a ton of damage, especially to children who grow up being told they don't exist, that their history is wrong because books written by White people just gloss over it. And that isn't right, kids shouldn't be made to feel less than human because of their heritage. Kids shouldn't have to deal with that or shed tears about it like so many Native and other minority children do.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at March 13, 2016 10:32 AM (AkOaV)
-------------------------
She was a hero when she talked like a stupid socialist and SJW who revealed in an interview that Dumbledore is gay.
Now she's a white European guilty of cultural appropriation. A sample of the sadz she has caused:
No one has the right to further the oppression of another ethnic group, Rowling include. I'm a fan, but coming from an ethnic minority I can definitely say how much damage this actually does. It does a ton of damage, especially to children who grow up being told they don't exist, that their history is wrong because books written by White people just gloss over it. And that isn't right, kids shouldn't be made to feel less than human because of their heritage. Kids shouldn't have to deal with that or shed tears about it like so many Native and other minority children do.
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 10:51 AM (5o5ek)
184
>>Exit question: what is SS going to do if their Salaam Reads imprint tanks?
>>When it tanks the SS imprint will quietly disappear with no mention at all.
Eh, why won't it flourish at progressive teachers and librarians in public schools across the nation embrace these books as part of their quest for diversity?
I think that these will be marketed to *our* kids.
I also think this gets Muslim editors in the door at S and S and they will move into other imprints/divisions, thus impacting other genres.
>>When it tanks the SS imprint will quietly disappear with no mention at all.
Eh, why won't it flourish at progressive teachers and librarians in public schools across the nation embrace these books as part of their quest for diversity?
I think that these will be marketed to *our* kids.
I also think this gets Muslim editors in the door at S and S and they will move into other imprints/divisions, thus impacting other genres.
Posted by: Lizzy at March 13, 2016 10:53 AM (NOIQH)
185
About lack of focus and task switching.
I think the internet and tv has trained us to be in states of hyper alertness.
I don't think it's a good thing.
I think the internet and tv has trained us to be in states of hyper alertness.
I don't think it's a good thing.
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 10:54 AM (cbfNE)
186
I find that music helps me to, I'm not sure how to put this, but I'll say hide away during my reading time. It's part of my reading ritual and I find my concentration is diminished without music. I'm quite possibly very unusual in that.Posted by: Northernlurker
Allegedly, minor distractions are favorable for comprehension and focus. Something I learned ages ago from some college study.
I know when I have some job I really don't want to do, that will take hours, the first thing I grab is a portable radio to 'listen' to. I barely turn the volume above discernable.
Allegedly, minor distractions are favorable for comprehension and focus. Something I learned ages ago from some college study.
I know when I have some job I really don't want to do, that will take hours, the first thing I grab is a portable radio to 'listen' to. I barely turn the volume above discernable.
Posted by: mega machines at March 13, 2016 10:55 AM (fbovC)
187
Yeah I think the Salaam books aren't so much about getting Muslim-themed books to Muslim kids as non-Muslims. And you can bet that every school will make sure they stock every single one to fight the evil Islamophobic right wing haters and teach children all about the oppressed other.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:56 AM (39g3+)
188
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 10:48 AM (39g3+)
Rommel had a lot of good press, mostly generated by himself!
Interesting question though....who were the greatest of the German commanders?
Kesselring?
Rommel had a lot of good press, mostly generated by himself!
Interesting question though....who were the greatest of the German commanders?
Kesselring?
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 10:56 AM (Zu3d9)
189
I'd like to also give a shout out to Glenn Reynolds for his shout out for How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life. It's been a good book.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 10:12 AM (us5tr)
I'll second this. The book has a few minor flaws (i found it just ever so slightly cloying, for instance) but that was insignificant compared to the revelation it was about Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith's OTHER important work.
The book's author is Russ Roberts, an economist who does the EconTalk podcast which is usually listen-worthy.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 10:12 AM (us5tr)
I'll second this. The book has a few minor flaws (i found it just ever so slightly cloying, for instance) but that was insignificant compared to the revelation it was about Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith's OTHER important work.
The book's author is Russ Roberts, an economist who does the EconTalk podcast which is usually listen-worthy.
Posted by: filbert at March 13, 2016 10:57 AM (s5o+q)
190
Hi, just lurking...great book list, thanks.
Posted by: bullitt46 at March 13, 2016 10:57 AM (yXczx)
191
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 10:59 AM (LUgeY)
192
For that matter, I wonder how many snakehandlers there are in the U.S. 3.3 million would be about 1 % of the population. Why don't they have an imprint for young adults focusing the discrimination they face and overcome. You know, something like Billy Bob McCormick, Snakehandling Rocket Scientist.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at March 13, 2016 11:00 AM (Nwg0u)
193
I'm a fan, but coming from an ethnic minority I can definitely say how much damage this actually does.
And by "damage" I mean "it makes someone feel less than completely happy with themselves at all times and forces them to realize they aren't special"
And by "damage" I mean "it makes someone feel less than completely happy with themselves at all times and forces them to realize they aren't special"
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 11:00 AM (39g3+)
Posted by: JT at March 13, 2016 11:01 AM (YcncK)
195
Polliwog: I'm not up to date on all the alternate titles.Baen has published the Miles.Vorkosigan books.in in various collection but it started out with _Shards of Honor_. Which I will now recommend.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain at March 13, 2016 11:01 AM (ERN4h)
196
Just a note on Dan Simmons. He is a truly prolific author, one who is seemingly unbounded by traditional genres. One of the things he wrote is a book that I consider one of the finest science-fiction series ever, the Hyperion Cantos: Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and The Rise of Endymion. Hyperion won the Hugo award in 1989, back when the award still meant something. It is a truly mind-bending story and is well worth a read on its own, whether or not you read the Hardcase trilogy.
David
David
Posted by: David, Infamous Sockpuppet at March 13, 2016 11:02 AM (1TUV/)
197
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 10:59 AM (LUgeY)
I turned that into a mug, us know.
http://www.bookhorde.org/2016/03/outside-of-dog-book-is-mans-best-friend.html
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 10:59 AM (LUgeY)
I turned that into a mug, us know.
http://www.bookhorde.org/2016/03/outside-of-dog-book-is-mans-best-friend.html
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 11:02 AM (cbfNE)
198
"how big is the market for Muslim-themed children books in America?"
Well, there's the diversity centers at colleges. And the diversity centers in the library in primary and secondary schools. And the re-education centers. And the Scholastic Books recommended readers section. There's a HUGE market for these books.
Which is ENTIRELY different from asking "how many people will *read* these books because they *want to*?"
Well, there's the diversity centers at colleges. And the diversity centers in the library in primary and secondary schools. And the re-education centers. And the Scholastic Books recommended readers section. There's a HUGE market for these books.
Which is ENTIRELY different from asking "how many people will *read* these books because they *want to*?"
Posted by: GWB at March 13, 2016 11:03 AM (/qqnp)
199
"....their history is wrong because books written by
White people just gloss over it."
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 10:51 AM (5o5ek)
The hagiography of Native Americans is obscene. There isn't an honest telling of their history exactly because of attitudes such as yours.
The reality of many Native American civilizations was much closer to Hobbes than Rousseau.
White people just gloss over it."
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 10:51 AM (5o5ek)
The hagiography of Native Americans is obscene. There isn't an honest telling of their history exactly because of attitudes such as yours.
The reality of many Native American civilizations was much closer to Hobbes than Rousseau.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:03 AM (Zu3d9)
200
Collections cannot. Hate my phone.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain at March 13, 2016 11:04 AM (ERN4h)
201
Notice, too:
"Children's books are a fantastic way to get to know our local and global Muslim neighbors. Simon Schuster is thrilled to offer a home to books that share the stories of Muslim children, in all their diversity."
These aren't for muslim children, these are to combat "islamophobia". They are to make sure that everyone *else* understands how wonderful (and diverse!) all these muslim children are.
If they really *did* do an imprint for books aimed AT muslim children, maybe they could title the first one "Because Allah Loves Infinite Diversity"** and subtitle it "Why I Shouldn't Shoot Or Blow Up My Neighbors Just Because They Are Kaffir".
(** Using that line from Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves )
"Children's books are a fantastic way to get to know our local and global Muslim neighbors. Simon Schuster is thrilled to offer a home to books that share the stories of Muslim children, in all their diversity."
These aren't for muslim children, these are to combat "islamophobia". They are to make sure that everyone *else* understands how wonderful (and diverse!) all these muslim children are.
If they really *did* do an imprint for books aimed AT muslim children, maybe they could title the first one "Because Allah Loves Infinite Diversity"** and subtitle it "Why I Shouldn't Shoot Or Blow Up My Neighbors Just Because They Are Kaffir".
(** Using that line from Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves )
Posted by: GWB at March 13, 2016 11:04 AM (/qqnp)
202
Interesting question though....who were the greatest of the German commanders?
I'm really not qualified to even make a guess at that. I am more into the cultural and historical side of things from that time period.
I know that Omar Bradley and Patton were amazing, and Montgomery was... less so.
I'm really not qualified to even make a guess at that. I am more into the cultural and historical side of things from that time period.
I know that Omar Bradley and Patton were amazing, and Montgomery was... less so.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 11:05 AM (39g3+)
203
About lack of focus and task switching.
I think the internet and tv has trained us to be in states of hyper alertness.
I don't think it's a good thing.
Add in video games too. Constantly changing visual and aural scenes that aren't associated with reality is a big contributor to ADHD and the inability to concentrate, IMHO. We're not wired for that type of attention-paying, hence the fascination with it.
It's one thing to be hyper-aware when your survival depends upon it (such as avoiding predators in the wild) and quite another to choose to be that way for entertainment.
About lack of focus and task switching.
I think the internet and tv has trained us to be in states of hyper alertness.
I don't think it's a good thing.
Add in video games too. Constantly changing visual and aural scenes that aren't associated with reality is a big contributor to ADHD and the inability to concentrate, IMHO. We're not wired for that type of attention-paying, hence the fascination with it.
It's one thing to be hyper-aware when your survival depends upon it (such as avoiding predators in the wild) and quite another to choose to be that way for entertainment.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 11:06 AM (LUgeY)
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 11:07 AM (u82oZ)
205
Erm, this ONT needs a major correction/edit.
The linked article didn't say there are 5+ million Orthodox Jews. It says Ortbodox Jews make up 10% of the 5+ million *total* Jews. So the number of Orthodox Jews is less than 600,000.
Math matters.
The linked article didn't say there are 5+ million Orthodox Jews. It says Ortbodox Jews make up 10% of the 5+ million *total* Jews. So the number of Orthodox Jews is less than 600,000.
Math matters.
Posted by: Qwinn at March 13, 2016 11:09 AM (USekU)
206
189
I'd like to also give a shout out to Glenn Reynolds for his shout out
for How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life. It's been a good book.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 10:12 AM (us5tr)
I'll second this. The book has a few minor flaws (i found it just
ever so slightly cloying, for instance) but that was insignificant
compared to the revelation it was about Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith's OTHER important work.
The book's author is Russ Roberts, an economist who does the EconTalk podcast which is usually listen-worthy.
Posted by: filbert at March 13, 2016 10:57 AM (s5o+q)
I'll have to give the podcast a try. Reading the book has given me an idea that maybe economics screwed up when psych and social sciences split off and became their own soft science branches. Econ started as the study of why people did what they did (at least that's what I was told in econ classes) but, at least how it's taught now, it's basically trying to define financial activity and boil it down to some formula to model financial activity. I'm thinking psych and social sciences should be more closely associated with the quacks that pretend econ is a hard science so that everyone can remember "oh yeah, we're trying to figure out why people do things" instead of trying to game economic summary statistics.
I'd like to also give a shout out to Glenn Reynolds for his shout out
for How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life. It's been a good book.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 10:12 AM (us5tr)
I'll second this. The book has a few minor flaws (i found it just
ever so slightly cloying, for instance) but that was insignificant
compared to the revelation it was about Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith's OTHER important work.
The book's author is Russ Roberts, an economist who does the EconTalk podcast which is usually listen-worthy.
Posted by: filbert at March 13, 2016 10:57 AM (s5o+q)
I'll have to give the podcast a try. Reading the book has given me an idea that maybe economics screwed up when psych and social sciences split off and became their own soft science branches. Econ started as the study of why people did what they did (at least that's what I was told in econ classes) but, at least how it's taught now, it's basically trying to define financial activity and boil it down to some formula to model financial activity. I'm thinking psych and social sciences should be more closely associated with the quacks that pretend econ is a hard science so that everyone can remember "oh yeah, we're trying to figure out why people do things" instead of trying to game economic summary statistics.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 11:09 AM (us5tr)
207
The hagiography of Native Americans is obscene. There isn't an honest telling of their history exactly because of attitudes such as yours.
I like L'Amour's attitude toward the tribes -- and brace yourselves -- he said they were... just people like anyone else. Some were good, some were bad, most were indifferent. They did some horrible stuff and some noble stuff. They had their good moment and their awful ones.
It seems like people swing on a pendulum. For a while in the past
them injuns was all terrible murderin' savages!
And now
The Native American was a noble peaceful person in perfect harmony with their world, taking only what they needed and we should learn from them all!
As a person with Sioux blood I find all that terribly condescending and stupid. Some tribes were infamous for horrific treatment of prisoners involving IS-like torture, yet were amazingly tender and kind to children and amazing in their skills (Apache, etc). Others were more peaceful but incredibly destructive to the land they lived on, etc.
I like L'Amour's attitude toward the tribes -- and brace yourselves -- he said they were... just people like anyone else. Some were good, some were bad, most were indifferent. They did some horrible stuff and some noble stuff. They had their good moment and their awful ones.
It seems like people swing on a pendulum. For a while in the past
them injuns was all terrible murderin' savages!
And now
The Native American was a noble peaceful person in perfect harmony with their world, taking only what they needed and we should learn from them all!
As a person with Sioux blood I find all that terribly condescending and stupid. Some tribes were infamous for horrific treatment of prisoners involving IS-like torture, yet were amazingly tender and kind to children and amazing in their skills (Apache, etc). Others were more peaceful but incredibly destructive to the land they lived on, etc.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 11:10 AM (39g3+)
208
Erm, I meant this book thread, not the ONT. Sigh.
Posted by: Qwinn at March 13, 2016 11:10 AM (USekU)
209
The hagiography of Native Americans is obscene. There isn't an honest telling of their history exactly because of attitudes such as yours.
The reality of many Native American civilizations was much closer to Hobbes than Rousseau.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:03 AM (Zu3d9)
----------------------------
I do hope that when you said "yours" you were addressing the idiot whose words I copied in.
The reality of many Native American civilizations was much closer to Hobbes than Rousseau.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:03 AM (Zu3d9)
----------------------------
I do hope that when you said "yours" you were addressing the idiot whose words I copied in.
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:10 AM (5o5ek)
210
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 11:05 AM (39g3+)
Do you read the reviews for your books? One if the reviewers said they have connections to Poland and the Romany (sp?) and thought you did a really good job with your depiction. I thought you must have done good research and for someone with emotional ties to the subject to be impressed shows that it paid off.
Do you read the reviews for your books? One if the reviewers said they have connections to Poland and the Romany (sp?) and thought you did a really good job with your depiction. I thought you must have done good research and for someone with emotional ties to the subject to be impressed shows that it paid off.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:10 AM (GDulk)
211
I turned that into a mug, us know.
That's way kewl, votermom.
I saw that on a t-shirt many years ago and thought it the quintessential Marxist quote.
I turned that into a mug, us know.
That's way kewl, votermom.
I saw that on a t-shirt many years ago and thought it the quintessential Marxist quote.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 11:11 AM (LUgeY)
Posted by: ron snyder at March 13, 2016 11:12 AM (3RGpt)
213
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 11:07 AM (u82oZ)
Ooooh.....The Siege of Leningrad has to be a black mark on von Leeb.
And I think von Manstein might be the guy!
Ooooh.....The Siege of Leningrad has to be a black mark on von Leeb.
And I think von Manstein might be the guy!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:13 AM (Zu3d9)
214
"Econ started as the study of why people did what they did (at least
that's what I was told in econ classes) but, at least how it's taught
now, it's basically trying to define financial activity and boil it down
to some formula to model financial activity."
Physics envy.
that's what I was told in econ classes) but, at least how it's taught
now, it's basically trying to define financial activity and boil it down
to some formula to model financial activity."
Physics envy.
Posted by: torquewrench at March 13, 2016 11:13 AM (noWW6)
215
Interesting question though....who were the greatest of the German commanders?
-
Von Manstein is often mentioned based upon his post-Stalingrad stabilization of the German lines. Some say he would have won at Kursk if Hitler hadn't panicked over the Allied invasion of Sicily and pulled the plug.
-
Von Manstein is often mentioned based upon his post-Stalingrad stabilization of the German lines. Some say he would have won at Kursk if Hitler hadn't panicked over the Allied invasion of Sicily and pulled the plug.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at March 13, 2016 11:13 AM (Nwg0u)
216
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:10 AM (5o5ek)
Your post didn't clarify that you were quoting. I was wondering why you had suddenly started speaking in gibberish.
Your post didn't clarify that you were quoting. I was wondering why you had suddenly started speaking in gibberish.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:14 AM (GDulk)
217
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:10 AM (5o5ek)
Nope...I missed the attribution. My mistake.
Nope...I missed the attribution. My mistake.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:15 AM (Zu3d9)
218
I wonder if Salaam Reads will publish memoirs of Yazidi girls kept as sex slaves. How about 12-year-old Afghani girls forced to marry middle-aged men?
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:16 AM (5o5ek)
219
Your post didn't clarify that you were quoting.
-----------------
Read one line up where I said this:
A sample of the sadz she has caused:
-----------------
Read one line up where I said this:
A sample of the sadz she has caused:
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:17 AM (5o5ek)
220
Pfah, Leningrad, like Bastogne later. If the Germans had merely isolated the city and kept the pressure up things could have been different. Same with Stalingrad, bypass and seize the oil fields to watch the USSR wither.
But that stupid Bohemian corporal in Berlin was calling the shots. So each city became an anvil that the Russians used to shatter the German offensives.
But that stupid Bohemian corporal in Berlin was calling the shots. So each city became an anvil that the Russians used to shatter the German offensives.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:17 AM (viJS2)
221
Posted by: torquewrench at March 13, 2016 11:13 AM (noWW6)
Which is stupid. Physics can be broken down to formulae because it doesn't require human input to work the way it works. Sort of by definition economics *does* and the best you can get nce humans are involved is statistical probability that quite likely describes few individuals exactly.
Which is stupid. Physics can be broken down to formulae because it doesn't require human input to work the way it works. Sort of by definition economics *does* and the best you can get nce humans are involved is statistical probability that quite likely describes few individuals exactly.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:18 AM (GDulk)
222
I liked the Tony Hillerman books. I seem to recall people assumed he was one of them because he captured the feel of life on the reservations and their culture so well. I suppose he wouldn't be able to start writing those books today because cultural appropriation.
Posted by: Lizzy at March 13, 2016 11:18 AM (NOIQH)
223
Do you read the reviews for your books?
Yeah I read reviews for criticism trying to see if there's something I should work on. For example, a couple of reviews say my books start out slow (particularly Old Habits) and while I don't think so I'm going to focus on pacing and see if there's anything I could change in my style to make it feel less so.
I also read to see if anyone gets what I was trying to do with my books and it seems like most did with Life Unworthy.
I worked very hard on the history in that book, researching a good two hours for every hour of writing or more. So I'm glad its paying off.
I did get one detail very glaringly wrong and I'm torn whether to fix it or wait for a later edition. I said Krakow was bombed in the first few chapters, and it was left untouched. I also inadvertently implied that Poles from the area were sent to Aushcwitz which is false, that was mostly Hungarians; Poles were mostly sent to Amon Gothe's camp Plaszow.
Its the stuff you notice after publication that hurts the most
Yeah I read reviews for criticism trying to see if there's something I should work on. For example, a couple of reviews say my books start out slow (particularly Old Habits) and while I don't think so I'm going to focus on pacing and see if there's anything I could change in my style to make it feel less so.
I also read to see if anyone gets what I was trying to do with my books and it seems like most did with Life Unworthy.
I worked very hard on the history in that book, researching a good two hours for every hour of writing or more. So I'm glad its paying off.
I did get one detail very glaringly wrong and I'm torn whether to fix it or wait for a later edition. I said Krakow was bombed in the first few chapters, and it was left untouched. I also inadvertently implied that Poles from the area were sent to Aushcwitz which is false, that was mostly Hungarians; Poles were mostly sent to Amon Gothe's camp Plaszow.
Its the stuff you notice after publication that hurts the most
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 11:19 AM (39g3+)
224
214
"Econ started as the study of why people did what they did (at least
that's what I was told in econ classes) but, at least how it's taught
now, it's basically trying to define financial activity and boil it down
to some formula to model financial activity."
Physics envy.
Posted by: torquewrench at March 13, 2016 11:13 AM (noWW6)
Can we make physics stupider so that everyone else can stop trying to compete?
"Econ started as the study of why people did what they did (at least
that's what I was told in econ classes) but, at least how it's taught
now, it's basically trying to define financial activity and boil it down
to some formula to model financial activity."
Physics envy.
Posted by: torquewrench at March 13, 2016 11:13 AM (noWW6)
Can we make physics stupider so that everyone else can stop trying to compete?
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 11:19 AM (us5tr)
225
Another Anglo who would be chased off would be Alan Dean Foster for writing Cyber-Way and using the Navajo religion as the framework for the story. Dean Ing with Anasazi would also be run off.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:20 AM (viJS2)
226
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:17 AM (5o5ek)
I'm old school and look for quotes or specific language. There is nothing about the preceding sentence to show the sadz are not your own.
I'm old school and look for quotes or specific language. There is nothing about the preceding sentence to show the sadz are not your own.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:20 AM (GDulk)
227
Simmons also has a serious body of horror fiction. Songs of Kali, his first novel, scared me real good. Prayers to Broken Stones is a good story collection.
Posted by: Knemon at March 13, 2016 11:20 AM (OSAJi)
228
The Siege of Leningrad has to be a black mark on von Leeb.
-
Good book: Leningrad: Siege and Symphony: The story of the great city terrorized by Stalin, Starved by Hitler, Immortalized by Shostakovich by Brian Moynihan. It is reminiscent of Bloodlands and focuses on the premier of Shostakovich Seventh Symphony in a starving, freezing Leningrad besieged by Hitler.
-
Good book: Leningrad: Siege and Symphony: The story of the great city terrorized by Stalin, Starved by Hitler, Immortalized by Shostakovich by Brian Moynihan. It is reminiscent of Bloodlands and focuses on the premier of Shostakovich Seventh Symphony in a starving, freezing Leningrad besieged by Hitler.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at March 13, 2016 11:21 AM (Nwg0u)
229
iforgot, put quotes around what others are saying. To prevent needless circular firing squads. We get enough as is.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:22 AM (viJS2)
230
On the horror tip, Thomas Ligotti's first two story collections, Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe, were re-released as an omnibus Penguin Classics (!!) last fall.
Posted by: Knemon at March 13, 2016 11:22 AM (OSAJi)
231
229
iforgot, put quotes around what others are saying. To prevent needless circular firing squads. We get enough as is.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:22 AM (viJS2)
More circular firing squads? We can do that! -- Republican Party
iforgot, put quotes around what others are saying. To prevent needless circular firing squads. We get enough as is.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:22 AM (viJS2)
More circular firing squads? We can do that! -- Republican Party
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 11:23 AM (us5tr)
232
*calls in an Arc Light on the GOPe*
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:25 AM (viJS2)
233
There is nothing about the preceding sentence to show the sadz are not your own.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:20 AM (GDulk)
------------------------
Nothing about the preceding sentence -- except the meaning, which is 180 degrees from the sample sadz.
Yeah yeah, quotation marks next time. Truce.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:20 AM (GDulk)
------------------------
Nothing about the preceding sentence -- except the meaning, which is 180 degrees from the sample sadz.
Yeah yeah, quotation marks next time. Truce.
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:26 AM (5o5ek)
234
Instapundit: Tweet of the Day https://twitter.com/ScottGreenfield/status/709013288839979011
"What is the impact on political discourse that much of what we read online is written by 23-year-old humanities majors. Discuss."
"What is the impact on political discourse that much of what we read online is written by 23-year-old humanities majors. Discuss."
Posted by: doug at March 13, 2016 11:28 AM (Y6jb9)
235
I may have missed it in all the pointing and laughing about leftist gobbledygook in "science" but there is a real danger in the loss of knowledge, when we have to stop and think of real world stuff in the context of leftist cant.
Did I read the Sokol quote above correctly? Is he faulting conservatives for mocking the "science" of globull warmening and second hand vaporing over other people's smoking, claiming we're missing the real science or something?
If so, then he's as dumb as they are.
Did I read the Sokol quote above correctly? Is he faulting conservatives for mocking the "science" of globull warmening and second hand vaporing over other people's smoking, claiming we're missing the real science or something?
If so, then he's as dumb as they are.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 13, 2016 11:29 AM (Dj0WE)
236
The seige of Leningrad is a horrible event in the history of human misery. Starvation, cannibalism, total mismanagement of military affairs it has it all.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 11:30 AM (fizMZ)
237
It helped Soviet war efforts that the Red Orchestra was dug deep into the German Army HQ in Berlin.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:31 AM (viJS2)
238
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:17 AM (viJS2)
I think only the Russians could have tolerated those sieges.....
But thank God for Hitler's arrogance and stupidity. If he had trusted his generals we would be living in a very different world.
I think only the Russians could have tolerated those sieges.....
But thank God for Hitler's arrogance and stupidity. If he had trusted his generals we would be living in a very different world.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:32 AM (Zu3d9)
239
Posted by: iforgot at March 13, 2016 11:26 AM (5o5ek)
I'm just glad a known commenter *hadn't* started speaking unintelligible gobbledy-gook.
I'm just glad a known commenter *hadn't* started speaking unintelligible gobbledy-gook.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:32 AM (GDulk)
240
With regards to reading and lack of concentration: I don't like noise when I'm reading, or trying to concentrate on anything at all, really.
Something new that I've tried is reading while exercising. I get home from work and head for the elliptical machine, and have found that it's only slightly difficult at first to focus. Once I'm engaged, it's easier. Bonus: I look forward to reading, so I almost look forward to working out.
Something new that I've tried is reading while exercising. I get home from work and head for the elliptical machine, and have found that it's only slightly difficult at first to focus. Once I'm engaged, it's easier. Bonus: I look forward to reading, so I almost look forward to working out.
Posted by: April, escaped from pixy banning at March 13, 2016 11:32 AM (79ZSg)
241
Speaking of circular firing squads, and OT, but their is a much better new video of Breitbart's Michelle Fields and the alleged "grab". It's totally unremarkable. A big fat nothing burger. She is a fabulist and those bruises must be from something else
Posted by: ThunderB at March 13, 2016 11:34 AM (zOTsN)
242
Christopher Taylor, after killing 30 million due to pogroms, purges, and starvation; what's a few more million killed during war?
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:34 AM (viJS2)
243
235
I may have missed it in all the pointing and laughing about leftist
gobbledygook in "science" but there is a real danger in the loss of
knowledge, when we have to stop and think of real world stuff in the
context of leftist cant.
Did I read the Sokol quote above correctly? Is he faulting
conservatives for mocking the "science" of globull warmening and second
hand vaporing over other people's smoking, claiming we're missing
the real science or something?
If so, then he's as dumb as they are.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 13, 2016 11:29 AM (Dj0WE)
We all point and laugh when stories about Pakistan requiring chemistry books to say "Allah willing, reaction X will occur", but simply put, our leftist "elites" are doing what they can to pile up speech forms at least as stupid in our own education.
I may have missed it in all the pointing and laughing about leftist
gobbledygook in "science" but there is a real danger in the loss of
knowledge, when we have to stop and think of real world stuff in the
context of leftist cant.
Did I read the Sokol quote above correctly? Is he faulting
conservatives for mocking the "science" of globull warmening and second
hand vaporing over other people's smoking, claiming we're missing
the real science or something?
If so, then he's as dumb as they are.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 13, 2016 11:29 AM (Dj0WE)
We all point and laugh when stories about Pakistan requiring chemistry books to say "Allah willing, reaction X will occur", but simply put, our leftist "elites" are doing what they can to pile up speech forms at least as stupid in our own education.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 11:34 AM (us5tr)
244
188, 204: Let's not forget Guderian.
Posted by: MarkhamShawPyle at March 13, 2016 11:35 AM (WlkUc)
245
Howdy, beloved Horde!
I seldom comment on these threads because I am getting ready for church, but I always lurk for a few minutes (this is why I am usually late to church). :/
I appreciate the weekly posts and the enlightening conversation here. Y'all are helping me maintain my motivation to read something besides the AoSHQ!
Thank you sincerely!
I seldom comment on these threads because I am getting ready for church, but I always lurk for a few minutes (this is why I am usually late to church). :/
I appreciate the weekly posts and the enlightening conversation here. Y'all are helping me maintain my motivation to read something besides the AoSHQ!
Thank you sincerely!
Posted by: Emmie at March 13, 2016 11:36 AM (rRHdN)
246
Which is stupid. Physics can be broken down to
formulae because it doesn't require human input to work the way it
works. Sort of by definition economics *does* and the best you can get
nce humans are involved is statistical probability that quite likely
describes few individuals exactly.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:18 AM (GDulk)
There is a school (or schools) of economics that look at human actions instead of mechanistic rules. The term is Praxeology.
formulae because it doesn't require human input to work the way it
works. Sort of by definition economics *does* and the best you can get
nce humans are involved is statistical probability that quite likely
describes few individuals exactly.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 13, 2016 11:18 AM (GDulk)
There is a school (or schools) of economics that look at human actions instead of mechanistic rules. The term is Praxeology.
Posted by: Kindltot at March 13, 2016 11:36 AM (q2o38)
247
I csn't think of one military decision Adolph did that any sane general officer would have made.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 11:36 AM (fizMZ)
248
What helped Rommel in North Africa was the British 8th Army became fearful of what the Desert Fox would do next. Instead of thinking how to screw his plans up.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:36 AM (viJS2)
Posted by: scorecard at March 13, 2016 11:37 AM (CRXed)
250
I find that music helps me to, I'm not sure how to put this, but I'll say hide away during my reading time. It's part of my reading ritual and I find my concentration is diminished without music.
-
I'm a bit of an obsessive when it comes to just the right music to listen to while reading a particular book.
-
I'm a bit of an obsessive when it comes to just the right music to listen to while reading a particular book.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at March 13, 2016 11:38 AM (Nwg0u)
251
228 Anonosaurus Wrecks
"Siege of Leningrad has to be a black mark on von Leeb."
He was overruled by Hitler from an immediate assault in early September 1941, which probably could have worked. His army group was the only one in any sort of supply at that time. And the defenses of Leningrad were not that strong then.
Ref: Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton. (1977) Martin van Creveld.
"Siege of Leningrad has to be a black mark on von Leeb."
He was overruled by Hitler from an immediate assault in early September 1941, which probably could have worked. His army group was the only one in any sort of supply at that time. And the defenses of Leningrad were not that strong then.
Ref: Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton. (1977) Martin van Creveld.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 11:38 AM (u82oZ)
252
Once a commanding general is considered lucky he becomes one.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 11:39 AM (fizMZ)
253
#199
There is also the problem that many of those societies were in ruin before any Europeans or their descendants reached that part of the continent. Disease had swept across and greatly reduced the population decades in advance of the explorers. Lacking written language, those groups suffered a massive loss of continuity. Some of the stuff that still exists may be at best the version known to children who survived but weren't old enough to be really up on the material. Having a written language and literacy really, really matters.
There is also the problem that many of those societies were in ruin before any Europeans or their descendants reached that part of the continent. Disease had swept across and greatly reduced the population decades in advance of the explorers. Lacking written language, those groups suffered a massive loss of continuity. Some of the stuff that still exists may be at best the version known to children who survived but weren't old enough to be really up on the material. Having a written language and literacy really, really matters.
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 11:39 AM (IdCqF)
254
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 11:19 AM (39g3+)
If the errors really bother you, I suggest a historical afterword or something.
By the way, everyone, I really loved Life Unworthy. Highly rec
My review
http://www.bookhorde.org/2015/11/life-unworthy-by-christopher-taylor.html
If the errors really bother you, I suggest a historical afterword or something.
By the way, everyone, I really loved Life Unworthy. Highly rec
My review
http://www.bookhorde.org/2015/11/life-unworthy-by-christopher-taylor.html
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 11:40 AM (cbfNE)
255
JK Rowling...
She killed Hedwig.
Did it for me.
-
What did it for me was her portrayal of Uncle Vernon. As a member of the fat, ugly, mean, and stupid community, I found that portrayal offensive.
She killed Hedwig.
Did it for me.
-
What did it for me was her portrayal of Uncle Vernon. As a member of the fat, ugly, mean, and stupid community, I found that portrayal offensive.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at March 13, 2016 11:40 AM (Nwg0u)
256
To get a feel for what is going on in the world economically right now:
The Great Rebalancing: Trade, Conflict, and the Perilous Road Ahead for the World Economy Oct 26, 2014 by Michael Pettis
The Great Rebalancing: Trade, Conflict, and the Perilous Road Ahead for the World Economy Oct 26, 2014 by Michael Pettis
Posted by: scorecard at March 13, 2016 11:41 AM (CRXed)
257
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 11:38 AM (u82oZ)
Good point. And the Soviets were in disarray, not just in Leningrad but all over.
Good point. And the Soviets were in disarray, not just in Leningrad but all over.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:41 AM (Zu3d9)
258
Salaam Reads will fail, and put S&S dead in the sights of both sides of the debate. Attempting appeasement will tick off the Christian side of things (who already buy and read books) if they try to hew to close to the "Islam is great" line. But many Muslim leaders do not read or want their followers to read for the same reason Omar destroyed the library in Alexandria after conquering it: "If those books are in agreement with the Quran, we have no need of them; and if these are opposed to the Quran, destroy them." If S&S try to "push" Islam toward peace for real, then it'll mightily piss off some of the not-so-moderate leaders.
SJWs doubling down. Coming soon: Epic Fail. Moar Popcorn!
SJWs doubling down. Coming soon: Epic Fail. Moar Popcorn!
Posted by: Rolf at March 13, 2016 11:42 AM (0i9M9)
Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at March 13, 2016 11:45 AM (bLnSU)
260
We all point and laugh when stories about Pakistan requiring chemistry books to say "Allah willing, reaction X will occur", but simply put, our leftist "elites" are doing what they can to pile up speech forms at least as stupid in our own education.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 11:34 AM (us5tr)
It would be bad enough if it just slowed down the process of learning, or had to insert some genuflection in the direction of the deity/leftist orthodoxy, but it's more than that.
It is a shutting down of inquiry. We settle on the answer, then start looking for the questions, and what is going to happen when they have reached critical mass is they are going to eliminate access to the truth.
Sooner or later, there will not only BE feminist glaciology, there will be no other form of glaciology. Except maybe queer glaciology and race glaciology, etc.
But no actual, you know, glaciology. That's what we risk losing. Which isn't funny at all.
Posted by: allenlou at March 13, 2016 11:34 AM (us5tr)
It would be bad enough if it just slowed down the process of learning, or had to insert some genuflection in the direction of the deity/leftist orthodoxy, but it's more than that.
It is a shutting down of inquiry. We settle on the answer, then start looking for the questions, and what is going to happen when they have reached critical mass is they are going to eliminate access to the truth.
Sooner or later, there will not only BE feminist glaciology, there will be no other form of glaciology. Except maybe queer glaciology and race glaciology, etc.
But no actual, you know, glaciology. That's what we risk losing. Which isn't funny at all.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 13, 2016 11:45 AM (Dj0WE)
261
Finished "Blood Meridian," by Cormac McCarthy.
It was my first McCarthy novel (don't judge me!), and I enjoyed it more than I expected.
His use of archaic vocabulary was fascinating...my Kindle dictionary got a real workout. And he pulled no punches in describing the brutality of the Indians, the Mexicans and the Americans in the borderlands.
Any suggestions for the next one?
It was my first McCarthy novel (don't judge me!), and I enjoyed it more than I expected.
His use of archaic vocabulary was fascinating...my Kindle dictionary got a real workout. And he pulled no punches in describing the brutality of the Indians, the Mexicans and the Americans in the borderlands.
Any suggestions for the next one?
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 13, 2016 11:45 AM (Zu3d9)
262
Skip, Hitler could have totally screwed up American war efforts if he had decided to declare war one year earlier than Dec 1941.
I refer to the sinking of the Hamburg-American liner Rhein which had broke out of Tampico, Mexico in an attempt to return to Germany in December 1940.
The liner was shadowed by two US destroyers - McCormick and McLeish as it left neutral Mexican waters. The cans then rendezvoused with the Dutch warship Van Kinsbergen. On Dec 11th, the Dutch warship ordered Rhein to halt and Rhein's captain proceeded to scuttle the ship.
It gets more interesting when a Royal Navy ship arrived on scene and opened fire on the passenger liner. In spite of having four warships of three nations on scene, there are no records of there being any survivors from the Rhein sinking.
Just imagine if in 1940 Hitler had declared war on the US over the sinking of this ship?
I refer to the sinking of the Hamburg-American liner Rhein which had broke out of Tampico, Mexico in an attempt to return to Germany in December 1940.
The liner was shadowed by two US destroyers - McCormick and McLeish as it left neutral Mexican waters. The cans then rendezvoused with the Dutch warship Van Kinsbergen. On Dec 11th, the Dutch warship ordered Rhein to halt and Rhein's captain proceeded to scuttle the ship.
It gets more interesting when a Royal Navy ship arrived on scene and opened fire on the passenger liner. In spite of having four warships of three nations on scene, there are no records of there being any survivors from the Rhein sinking.
Just imagine if in 1940 Hitler had declared war on the US over the sinking of this ship?
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:46 AM (viJS2)
263
Regarding Simon and Schuster's new muslim series-
I'm sure it really isn't at all for muslims.
Rather it's to sell to your child's grade, middle, and high schools
so they can learn about the peaceful wonders of islam and how muslims
are. just. like. them.
Except when they're sawing children's heads off.
I'm sure they already have several CA and North Eastern states school systems champing at the bit-
for this load of propaganda.
--
THIS.
It will be "required reading" as part of "common core" under the topic of "social studies."
Notice however, information on Christianity, Judaism, and any other peaceful religion is NOT part of any social studies program, because it's religion.
Gee, does that mean that we're accepting Islam as a social system, not a religion?
/yeah, I didn't think so.
I'm sure it really isn't at all for muslims.
Rather it's to sell to your child's grade, middle, and high schools
so they can learn about the peaceful wonders of islam and how muslims
are. just. like. them.
Except when they're sawing children's heads off.
I'm sure they already have several CA and North Eastern states school systems champing at the bit-
for this load of propaganda.
--
THIS.
It will be "required reading" as part of "common core" under the topic of "social studies."
Notice however, information on Christianity, Judaism, and any other peaceful religion is NOT part of any social studies program, because it's religion.
Gee, does that mean that we're accepting Islam as a social system, not a religion?
/yeah, I didn't think so.
Posted by: shibumi who is awaiting SMOD at March 13, 2016 11:46 AM (7FH+T)
264
More of wild chemistry, with a quote from Ignition on chlorine trifluoride within. This chemical burns sand, bricks, etc.
http://tinyurl.com/nolsr4a
http://tinyurl.com/nolsr4a
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 11:46 AM (u82oZ)
265
Good (morning) Horde,
I am finally reading one I picked up a while back, and I think a number of you might like it:
"Seeing Like A State: How Certain Attempts to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed" by James C. Scott, 1998.
It is thoroughly researched and laden with end notes, but it is making a good case so far.
Thanks as always, OM, for the book thread.
I am finally reading one I picked up a while back, and I think a number of you might like it:
"Seeing Like A State: How Certain Attempts to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed" by James C. Scott, 1998.
It is thoroughly researched and laden with end notes, but it is making a good case so far.
Thanks as always, OM, for the book thread.
Posted by: Piercello, no longer on the road at March 13, 2016 11:47 AM (RXfvh)
266
I csn't think of one military decision Adolph did that any sane general officer would have made.
His fortifications to defend the coasts against invasion were not a bad idea, just a bit behind the times in terms of military tactics and abilities.
His fortifications to defend the coasts against invasion were not a bad idea, just a bit behind the times in terms of military tactics and abilities.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 11:47 AM (39g3+)
267
I liked "Blood Meridian," also. I understand that it might be a slow read for some, but I like the spare dialogue. When I'm in the mood for that, it's good stuff.
Posted by: April, escaped from pixy banning at March 13, 2016 11:48 AM (79ZSg)
268
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 11:11 AM (LUgeY)
My kid drew the dog for me. She's pretty good with a stylus.
My kid drew the dog for me. She's pretty good with a stylus.
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 11:49 AM (cbfNE)
269
If we start relying upon evidence and clear thinking, everything is going to get soooo messed up! Life will be no fun, at all, if that occurs.
Posted by: goon at March 13, 2016 11:53 AM (gy5kE)
Posted by: @votermom at March 13, 2016 11:58 AM (cbfNE)
271
#203
I'd say the opposite is at work. When I was diagnosed with what would later be called ADHD, the only video games were stuff like Pong and other very simplistic games. If you were lucky you might get exposure to something like Space War. Video games evolved to fit us rather than changing us.
There is a theory that what we now call ADD was once the hominid norm. Behaving otherwise would likely get you eaten. At some point the focused mutants survived long enough to produce beneficial mutations which in turn made the focused guys more valuable and worth protecting against predation. This continued to this day but while the focused guys are a far bigger portion of our species today, their traits are still not the rule.
It's very frustrating, let me tell you. I sometimes wish I had a much lower IQ and could be content in some straightforward labor job and not think about the things that trouble me every day.
I'd say the opposite is at work. When I was diagnosed with what would later be called ADHD, the only video games were stuff like Pong and other very simplistic games. If you were lucky you might get exposure to something like Space War. Video games evolved to fit us rather than changing us.
There is a theory that what we now call ADD was once the hominid norm. Behaving otherwise would likely get you eaten. At some point the focused mutants survived long enough to produce beneficial mutations which in turn made the focused guys more valuable and worth protecting against predation. This continued to this day but while the focused guys are a far bigger portion of our species today, their traits are still not the rule.
It's very frustrating, let me tell you. I sometimes wish I had a much lower IQ and could be content in some straightforward labor job and not think about the things that trouble me every day.
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 11:59 AM (IdCqF)
272
I pretty much stay away from politics on the 'net and pretty much can't stand modern TV "debates". As a country we've lost a lot of the rhetorical sophistication by politicians that was very common in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Library of Congress has all the volumes of the Congressional Globe on-line 1833-73, from 1851 they were verbatim reports of the debates and proceedings of Congress. Some of the arguments are fascinating and I marvel at the considerable difference with modern proceedings. The 1840-1850 period as everyone knows got particularly heated.
Link to the page at Lib. of Congress
http://tinyurl.com/j99ws39
The Library of Congress has all the volumes of the Congressional Globe on-line 1833-73, from 1851 they were verbatim reports of the debates and proceedings of Congress. Some of the arguments are fascinating and I marvel at the considerable difference with modern proceedings. The 1840-1850 period as everyone knows got particularly heated.
Link to the page at Lib. of Congress
http://tinyurl.com/j99ws39
Posted by: JHW at March 13, 2016 12:02 PM (kn0BL)
Posted by: Just Say No No No at March 13, 2016 12:03 PM (v9gSJ)
274
Interesting theory, Epobirs. I'm pretty focused, even if I'm just daydreaming, so I'd probably get eaten.
Posted by: April at March 13, 2016 12:04 PM (79ZSg)
275
$9.99 is actually kind of cheap for an e-book from a big publishing house. They usually charge $15 or more.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:04 PM (39g3+)
276
Dang, I see I'm missing a re-fighting of WWII, which I always enjoy. Well, back to that in a second, but first ....
So as BurtTC (perhaps others too) said above - this Sokal guy pretty much beclowns himself in an interesting way, no? "Consensus" on climate change, second-hand smoke? The first evolving into a fairly pristine, and calamitous, collapse of scientific method and ethics, the second already debunked as both fraud and bad science, yes?
Interesting case. Not that it takes a genius to be appalled by, and even mock, the idiocy of "post-modern" nonsense in all its forms, but at least Sokal is a cut above many in that.
But he is so lazy or unserious that he cites Dyson's "greatest scandal in scientific history" as an example of real use of evidence and logic, and mocks those who are sensible enough to see what obvious garbage it is?
Odd.
Oh, and on this, I love how the stable satellite temperature data from the late 70s onwards is now supplemented by the stable radio-sonde data from the 50s onwards (it was in the side-bar this week?). The only two data sets that have not clearly been tainted/corrupted in one direction show ..... not much happening.
But (sorry) idiots like Sokal want all human activity to be regulated and distorted by a ludicrous conjecture that contradicts known geological and other facts and can barely even be twisted into a testable hypothesis and when it is, is disproven (models that are worthless random number generators)?
So as BurtTC (perhaps others too) said above - this Sokal guy pretty much beclowns himself in an interesting way, no? "Consensus" on climate change, second-hand smoke? The first evolving into a fairly pristine, and calamitous, collapse of scientific method and ethics, the second already debunked as both fraud and bad science, yes?
Interesting case. Not that it takes a genius to be appalled by, and even mock, the idiocy of "post-modern" nonsense in all its forms, but at least Sokal is a cut above many in that.
But he is so lazy or unserious that he cites Dyson's "greatest scandal in scientific history" as an example of real use of evidence and logic, and mocks those who are sensible enough to see what obvious garbage it is?
Odd.
Oh, and on this, I love how the stable satellite temperature data from the late 70s onwards is now supplemented by the stable radio-sonde data from the 50s onwards (it was in the side-bar this week?). The only two data sets that have not clearly been tainted/corrupted in one direction show ..... not much happening.
But (sorry) idiots like Sokal want all human activity to be regulated and distorted by a ludicrous conjecture that contradicts known geological and other facts and can barely even be twisted into a testable hypothesis and when it is, is disproven (models that are worthless random number generators)?
Posted by: rhomboid at March 13, 2016 12:05 PM (QDnY+)
277
nood gun
Posted by: Vic-we have no party at March 13, 2016 12:05 PM (t2KH5)
278
In the 80's I read a series of books I liked. I think there may have been a half dozen books in the series. Unfortunately I don't remember the author or titles. They were probably written no earlier than the late 70's.
There was a Twin Peaks atmosphere to the writing. They were set in a coastal town. I remember one plot involved a student who became involved with gangsters, and reported his experiences in class. He described his experiences as if he was outside the events as an observer, like an anthropologist. The gangsters found out about it and made things very uncomfortable for the student, his professor, and the class.
If anyone can identify the author or titles of these books it would be appreciated.
In the 80's I read a series of books I liked. I think there may have been a half dozen books in the series. Unfortunately I don't remember the author or titles. They were probably written no earlier than the late 70's.
There was a Twin Peaks atmosphere to the writing. They were set in a coastal town. I remember one plot involved a student who became involved with gangsters, and reported his experiences in class. He described his experiences as if he was outside the events as an observer, like an anthropologist. The gangsters found out about it and made things very uncomfortable for the student, his professor, and the class.
If anyone can identify the author or titles of these books it would be appreciated.
Posted by: Frankly at March 13, 2016 12:07 PM (L67Rg)
279
Been rereading Vonnegut. Was it bad back in high school?
-
He was a very creative writer and I much enjoyed him in High school and college. Rereading him today, I find him much too nihilistic.
-
He was a very creative writer and I much enjoyed him in High school and college. Rereading him today, I find him much too nihilistic.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at March 13, 2016 12:07 PM (Nwg0u)
280
'275 $9.99 is actually kind of cheap for an e-book from a big publishing house. They usually charge $15 or more.'
They are free to tongue-bathe my excretory orifice...
They are free to tongue-bathe my excretory orifice...
Posted by: Just Say No No No at March 13, 2016 12:07 PM (v9gSJ)
281
With regard to Orthodox Jews, there are less than 1 million of them in the United States. The 5.4 million number is actually one of the estimates of total Jewish population for the US of all kinds. (Estimates vary greatly though, depending on how the surveys are done and how you define who is a Jew.) Although the numbers are rising rapidly due to very large average family size. You also won't be surprised to hear that there are a large number of publishers who specialize in the market segment, the largest of whom are probably Artscroll/Mesorah Heritage and Feldheim. Orthodox imprints traditionally sell most of their books via Judaica Stores, although an increasing number are being sold via Amazon and other online sites these days.
Posted by: Syh at March 13, 2016 12:09 PM (LoPs6)
282
But (sorry) idiots like Sokal want all human activity to be regulated and distorted by a ludicrous conjecture that contradicts known geological and other facts and can barely even be twisted into a testable hypothesis and when it is, is disproven (models that are worthless random number generators)?
Well, a lot of scientists are all in with global warming mostly because of trust and lack of time. They can't possibly know all there is to know, they can't study every area, so they presume that colleagues working in other fields are honest, scrupulous, and professional. This is what people working in the field say, so it must be true. Why would they lie?
I think that's why Climaquiddick hit so hard: turns out they were lying, for money, prestige, and hurt feelings. And the movement lost a ton of support from that point on.
Well, a lot of scientists are all in with global warming mostly because of trust and lack of time. They can't possibly know all there is to know, they can't study every area, so they presume that colleagues working in other fields are honest, scrupulous, and professional. This is what people working in the field say, so it must be true. Why would they lie?
I think that's why Climaquiddick hit so hard: turns out they were lying, for money, prestige, and hurt feelings. And the movement lost a ton of support from that point on.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:10 PM (39g3+)
283
In the last month I've re-read all five books of James S. A. Corey's The Expanse series and loved each book more than those last. And re-read Seveneves by Neal Stephenson and decided that tlrather than hating it, I kinda liked it. Still struggling to get into Stephenson's other novels.
Posted by: Sharkman at March 13, 2016 12:10 PM (QWtgr)
284
"Consensus" on climate change, second-hand smoke?
The first evolving into a fairly pristine, and calamitous, collapse of
scientific method and ethics, the second already debunked as both fraud
and bad science, yes?
Posted by: rhomboid at March 13, 2016 12:05 PM (QDnY+)
Much as I enjoyed Sokal's punking the social scientists, I too was dismayed by his comment re "climate change" and second-hand smoke, and in particular his reference to "consensus" - which has no place whatsoever in science. One man with dispositive data trumps (pace TDS sufferers) a million men with opinions.
Both "climate change" and second-hand smoke seemed, on their face, to be implausible. The former we've discussed many times over, but the latter seemed implausible because if second-hand smoke were that deadly, then smokers inhaling the same stuff in a thousand-fold higher concentration would probably be slumping to the floor after a few hits.
The first evolving into a fairly pristine, and calamitous, collapse of
scientific method and ethics, the second already debunked as both fraud
and bad science, yes?
Posted by: rhomboid at March 13, 2016 12:05 PM (QDnY+)
Much as I enjoyed Sokal's punking the social scientists, I too was dismayed by his comment re "climate change" and second-hand smoke, and in particular his reference to "consensus" - which has no place whatsoever in science. One man with dispositive data trumps (pace TDS sufferers) a million men with opinions.
Both "climate change" and second-hand smoke seemed, on their face, to be implausible. The former we've discussed many times over, but the latter seemed implausible because if second-hand smoke were that deadly, then smokers inhaling the same stuff in a thousand-fold higher concentration would probably be slumping to the floor after a few hits.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 13, 2016 12:12 PM (oKE6c)
285
But (sorry) idiots like Sokal want all human activity to be regulated and distorted by a ludicrous conjecture that contradicts known geological and other facts and can barely even be twisted into a testable hypothesis and when it is, is disproven (models that are worthless random number generators)?
Posted by: rhomboid at March 13, 2016 12:05 PM (QDnY+)
I get the impression his problem may be of the forest/trees variety. He can clearly see something is wrong, but is not quite aware he's contributing to the problem, because he's standing in the middle of it.
Posted by: rhomboid at March 13, 2016 12:05 PM (QDnY+)
I get the impression his problem may be of the forest/trees variety. He can clearly see something is wrong, but is not quite aware he's contributing to the problem, because he's standing in the middle of it.
Posted by: BurtTC at March 13, 2016 12:13 PM (Dj0WE)
286
283 Sharkman
Try Snow Crash. It's a romp. The Diamond Age is compelling also, just not as much as Snow Crash.
Try Snow Crash. It's a romp. The Diamond Age is compelling also, just not as much as Snow Crash.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 12:13 PM (u82oZ)
287
OregonMuse, thank you for another great book thread.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2016 12:15 PM (u82oZ)
288
They are free to tongue-bathe my excretory orifice
I personally think that no ebook should cost more than $5 unless its some super special release like a long-lost Shakespeare play or something. But publishers see a chance to make a lot of money here and are being stupid about it.
I personally think that no ebook should cost more than $5 unless its some super special release like a long-lost Shakespeare play or something. But publishers see a chance to make a lot of money here and are being stupid about it.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:16 PM (39g3+)
289
Well, a lot of scientists are all in with global warming mostly because of trust and lack of time. They can't possibly know all there is to know, they can't study every area, so they presume that colleagues working in other fields are honest, scrupulous, and professional. This is what people working in the field say, so it must be true. Why would they lie?
I think that's why Climaquiddick hit so hard: turns out they were lying, for money, prestige, and hurt feelings. And the movement lost a ton of support from that point on.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:10 PM (39g3+)
More astute scientists recognize the pressure to obtain grant funding, and how it can distort the scientific process. See "Study finds researchers in Britain and Australia skip the truth to get research grants."
http://tinyurl.com/jh6r62w
Climastrology went from a stagnant backwater of science to Cinderella - no one in the field is going to throw the bullshit flag and end the party. That would be professional suicide, guaranteed. Your grant applications and papers submitted for publication would be about as warmly welcomed as herpes.
I think that's why Climaquiddick hit so hard: turns out they were lying, for money, prestige, and hurt feelings. And the movement lost a ton of support from that point on.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:10 PM (39g3+)
More astute scientists recognize the pressure to obtain grant funding, and how it can distort the scientific process. See "Study finds researchers in Britain and Australia skip the truth to get research grants."
http://tinyurl.com/jh6r62w
Climastrology went from a stagnant backwater of science to Cinderella - no one in the field is going to throw the bullshit flag and end the party. That would be professional suicide, guaranteed. Your grant applications and papers submitted for publication would be about as warmly welcomed as herpes.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 13, 2016 12:18 PM (oKE6c)
290
Re the janitor who trashed the "art," Glenn Beck is a huge fan of Orson Wells and frequently bids on Wells' belongings at auction.
He won a fishbowl Wells had painted (with elementary-school-type fish painted on it) for big bucks.
He came to work a few days later to find his (legal) Messican cleaning woman diligently scraped every last bit of paint and dust off the fishbowl and dusted it as well.
He won a fishbowl Wells had painted (with elementary-school-type fish painted on it) for big bucks.
He came to work a few days later to find his (legal) Messican cleaning woman diligently scraped every last bit of paint and dust off the fishbowl and dusted it as well.
Posted by: RushBabe at March 13, 2016 12:18 PM (OuXal)
291
I get the impression his problem may be of the forest/trees variety.
Yeah, like I said above with needless underlining, we're all blind somewhere. Sometimes it can be really embarrassing.
Oh the books that will be written some day about the arrogant, insulting scientific presumptions of our age.
I get the impression his problem may be of the forest/trees variety.
Yeah, like I said above with needless underlining, we're all blind somewhere. Sometimes it can be really embarrassing.
Oh the books that will be written some day about the arrogant, insulting scientific presumptions of our age.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:22 PM (39g3+)
292
He said that in his opinion, there were perhaps less than five, and they were unrecognized for it at the time. He did not mention any names of individuals.
Possibly because Rommel wasn't on the list, as noted above, given that when one has spies one doesn't even need fingertip intuition.
I suspect that those commanders with the best instincts were among those who plotted to kill Hitler. (Not that "oh crap, we're losing" required much intuition at that time, either.)
Possibly because Rommel wasn't on the list, as noted above, given that when one has spies one doesn't even need fingertip intuition.
I suspect that those commanders with the best instincts were among those who plotted to kill Hitler. (Not that "oh crap, we're losing" required much intuition at that time, either.)
Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at March 13, 2016 12:23 PM (6FqZa)
293
284 The former we've discussed many times over, but the
latter seemed implausible because if second-hand smoke were that deadly,
then smokers inhaling the same stuff in a thousand-fold higher
concentration would probably be slumping to the floor after a few hits.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 13, 2016 12:12 PM (oKE6c)
The tobacco companies took the EPA to court over their fraudulent second hand smoke report. The judge threw the EPA out of court after they were presented the report.
The EPA went back and reissued the report and ignored the court. And no court since has took them up on it.
latter seemed implausible because if second-hand smoke were that deadly,
then smokers inhaling the same stuff in a thousand-fold higher
concentration would probably be slumping to the floor after a few hits.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 13, 2016 12:12 PM (oKE6c)
The tobacco companies took the EPA to court over their fraudulent second hand smoke report. The judge threw the EPA out of court after they were presented the report.
The EPA went back and reissued the report and ignored the court. And no court since has took them up on it.
Posted by: Vic-we have no party at March 13, 2016 12:24 PM (t2KH5)
294
Both "climate change" and second-hand smoke seemed, on their face, to be implausible. The former we've discussed many times over, but the latter seemed implausible because if second-hand smoke were that deadly, then smokers inhaling the same stuff in a thousand-fold higher concentration would probably be slumping to the floor after a few hits.
You just can't beat good old common sense observation, but what passes for science these days hardly qualifies.
I'd like to see the term "government funded climate science" become An Thing. I'd also like to have a pony.
Both "climate change" and second-hand smoke seemed, on their face, to be implausible. The former we've discussed many times over, but the latter seemed implausible because if second-hand smoke were that deadly, then smokers inhaling the same stuff in a thousand-fold higher concentration would probably be slumping to the floor after a few hits.
You just can't beat good old common sense observation, but what passes for science these days hardly qualifies.
I'd like to see the term "government funded climate science" become An Thing. I'd also like to have a pony.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 12:29 PM (LUgeY)
295
Thank goodness it's not just me. Elder Onset ADD was really beginning to bother me. So far I'm maybe three quarters through comments on this post and I've played three games of MS Solitaire, two tilesets of Mahjongg, and made three trips outside in wandering-around mode, in between reading comments.
In my defense, it is an absolutely splendiferous day outside, but still... I sat down specifically to read this post (As always - Thanks, Mr. Muse!) and the associated comments, as I always find suggestions for new reading material.
In my defense, it is an absolutely splendiferous day outside, but still... I sat down specifically to read this post (As always - Thanks, Mr. Muse!) and the associated comments, as I always find suggestions for new reading material.
Posted by: El Lurko at March 13, 2016 12:30 PM (CEvum)
296
Well its kind of obvious that breathing in smoke isn't great for you but the second hand smoke stuff was way overstated for an agenda.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:31 PM (39g3+)
297
LMGTFY
http://ace.mu.nu/The%20Schrödinger%20Sessions%20is%20a%20three-
day%20workshop%20for
%20science%20fiction%20writers%
20offering%20a%20"crash%20course"
%20in%20modern%20physics
http://ace.mu.nu/The%20Schrödinger%20Sessions%20is%20a%20three-
day%20workshop%20for
%20science%20fiction%20writers%
20offering%20a%20"crash%20course"
%20in%20modern%20physics
Posted by: First-Rate Political Hack at March 13, 2016 12:34 PM (dH97I)
298
They still haven't fixed that link? :/
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 12:40 PM (39g3+)
299
Well its kind of obvious that breathing in smoke isn't great for you but the second hand smoke stuff was way overstated for an agenda.
They also ignore the self-cleaning mechanisms in the lungs.
Well its kind of obvious that breathing in smoke isn't great for you but the second hand smoke stuff was way overstated for an agenda.
They also ignore the self-cleaning mechanisms in the lungs.
Posted by: BackwardsBoy at March 13, 2016 12:41 PM (LUgeY)
300
I know we've been nooded by the gun thread, but one last on this.
Christopher Taylor, yes of course you are right about the personal, practical, social (non-substantive) drivers of "science" (in fact that was a key observation of OregonMuse's referenced Structure of Scientific Revolutions - did everyone of a certain age here have to read that 6 times, from high school through college, like some of us?).
Example. A good friend and occasional reader of this here blog thing has a sibling who is a fairly big-time scientist, chairman of a hard science dept. at a major university. To summarize, one of the key reactions, as my friend tried to alert him to the rise of climastrology, was "nah, nobody would do that, we'd be crucified if we did stuff like that in physics".
As you said, a non-unreasonable assumption that real scientific standards, real peer review, real integrity existed in climate "science" as it does in other fields, so charges of fraud are, on the surface, hard to credit.
Christopher Taylor, yes of course you are right about the personal, practical, social (non-substantive) drivers of "science" (in fact that was a key observation of OregonMuse's referenced Structure of Scientific Revolutions - did everyone of a certain age here have to read that 6 times, from high school through college, like some of us?).
Example. A good friend and occasional reader of this here blog thing has a sibling who is a fairly big-time scientist, chairman of a hard science dept. at a major university. To summarize, one of the key reactions, as my friend tried to alert him to the rise of climastrology, was "nah, nobody would do that, we'd be crucified if we did stuff like that in physics".
As you said, a non-unreasonable assumption that real scientific standards, real peer review, real integrity existed in climate "science" as it does in other fields, so charges of fraud are, on the surface, hard to credit.
Posted by: rhomboid at March 13, 2016 12:47 PM (QDnY+)
301
Finally! I hope one of those new books is about me. There is a demand beyond the Muslim community for such berks.
Public school and Catholic school adminitrators will snap them up and force kids to read them.
My bomb detonated an hour earlier than I expected today. Not sure why.
Public school and Catholic school adminitrators will snap them up and force kids to read them.
My bomb detonated an hour earlier than I expected today. Not sure why.
Posted by: Clockboy at March 13, 2016 12:47 PM (B0X2V)
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 12:51 PM (viJS2)
303
If yer gonna blow the margins, at least give its the courtesy of a reach-around.
Posted by: Sharkman at March 13, 2016 12:53 PM (Se2s/)
304
Late to the Thread. I generally have been at church, but today have been abed, having had a particularly nasty upper respiratory infection this week.
I hesitate to read the entire thread, as it inevitably leads to a purchase... sometimes two, and my To Read stack is growing.
I'm very pleased to see The Sokal Affair receive attention. That the Modern Language Association and its fellow travelers were so vociferously squealing like pigs in the aftermath suggests that Sokal was over the target.
Sokal's revelation produced a NYT opinion piece ( http://preview.tinyurl.com/gq2e8qh ) by no less than Stanley Fish, who is regarded as one of the deans of modern language. The thrust of Fish's piece is that Sokal should be ashamed of himself for being dishonest.
Now, Dr. Fish is a man to be admired in the context of his intellect, and much of what he has written, but his denigration of this single piece by Sokal begs the thousands of pages of deconstructionist bullshit that has been produced by Fish's 'Sociologists of Science', and thus misses the point altogether.
At the risk of being tedious, I reproduce here two paragraphs from Fish's NYT piece, the emphasis is mine:
---
"My point is finally a simple one: A research project that takes the practice of science as an object of study is not a threat to that practice because, committed as it is to its own goals and protocols, it doesn't reach into, and therefore doesn't pose a danger to, the goals and protocols it studies. Just as the criteria of an enterprise will be internal to its own history, so will the threat to its integrity be internal, posed not by presumptuous outsiders but by insiders who decide not to play by the rules or to put the rules in the service of a devious purpose.
This means that it is Alan Sokal, not his targets, who threatens to undermine the intellectual standards he vows to protect. Remember, science is above all a communal effort. No scientist (and for that matter, no sociologist or literary critic) begins his task by inventing anew the facts he will assume, the models he will regard as exemplary and the standards he tries to be faithful to."
------
Had Sokal failed to explicitly reveal his spoof, and its intent, Fish would have had a point, but that is manifestly not the case. Fish shoots the messenger.
The great irony, of course, is that had Sokal not revealed the spoof, Social Text and it's enthralled readers would have (did, in fact) happily lapped up the paper for the very reasons that Sokal framed it in their argot, rather that any intrinsic merit.
As a related aside, most of you probably read here about the grant-funded paper "Glaciers, gender, and science: A feminist glaciology framework for global environmental change research" http://tinyurl.com/zumv8n9
I hesitate to read the entire thread, as it inevitably leads to a purchase... sometimes two, and my To Read stack is growing.
I'm very pleased to see The Sokal Affair receive attention. That the Modern Language Association and its fellow travelers were so vociferously squealing like pigs in the aftermath suggests that Sokal was over the target.
Sokal's revelation produced a NYT opinion piece ( http://preview.tinyurl.com/gq2e8qh ) by no less than Stanley Fish, who is regarded as one of the deans of modern language. The thrust of Fish's piece is that Sokal should be ashamed of himself for being dishonest.
Now, Dr. Fish is a man to be admired in the context of his intellect, and much of what he has written, but his denigration of this single piece by Sokal begs the thousands of pages of deconstructionist bullshit that has been produced by Fish's 'Sociologists of Science', and thus misses the point altogether.
At the risk of being tedious, I reproduce here two paragraphs from Fish's NYT piece, the emphasis is mine:
---
"My point is finally a simple one: A research project that takes the practice of science as an object of study is not a threat to that practice because, committed as it is to its own goals and protocols, it doesn't reach into, and therefore doesn't pose a danger to, the goals and protocols it studies. Just as the criteria of an enterprise will be internal to its own history, so will the threat to its integrity be internal, posed not by presumptuous outsiders but by insiders who decide not to play by the rules or to put the rules in the service of a devious purpose.
This means that it is Alan Sokal, not his targets, who threatens to undermine the intellectual standards he vows to protect. Remember, science is above all a communal effort. No scientist (and for that matter, no sociologist or literary critic) begins his task by inventing anew the facts he will assume, the models he will regard as exemplary and the standards he tries to be faithful to."
------
Had Sokal failed to explicitly reveal his spoof, and its intent, Fish would have had a point, but that is manifestly not the case. Fish shoots the messenger.
The great irony, of course, is that had Sokal not revealed the spoof, Social Text and it's enthralled readers would have (did, in fact) happily lapped up the paper for the very reasons that Sokal framed it in their argot, rather that any intrinsic merit.
As a related aside, most of you probably read here about the grant-funded paper "Glaciers, gender, and science: A feminist glaciology framework for global environmental change research" http://tinyurl.com/zumv8n9
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at March 13, 2016 01:10 PM (9mTYi)
305
My bomb detonated an hour earlier than I expected today. Not sure why.
Posted by: Clockboy
-----------
In an erudition-filled thread, a bit wry humor emerges as a front-runner.
Posted by: Clockboy
-----------
In an erudition-filled thread, a bit wry humor emerges as a front-runner.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at March 13, 2016 01:14 PM (9mTYi)
306
Every time I see that Two Weeks thing I flash back to the origin of the Green Goblin in Spider-Man:
"Two weeks? In two weeks this project, this company, will be dead. Sometimes you have to do things yourself. Give me the barium phosphate."
"Two weeks? In two weeks this project, this company, will be dead. Sometimes you have to do things yourself. Give me the barium phosphate."
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at March 13, 2016 01:14 PM (39g3+)
307
I was unfamiliar with the MS Rhein, and that story sounded awfully war-crimey.
Found an account of it on a dive site. When you wrote "liner" I assumed passenger ship. It was a transport.
After a warning shot, the crew and captain attempted to scuttle her and set her on fire. This site says they also resisted rescue by firing on the Dutch. The Brits and Dutch were on site for rescue, but found only an empty lifeboat.
http://uwex.us/msrhein.htm
Found an account of it on a dive site. When you wrote "liner" I assumed passenger ship. It was a transport.
After a warning shot, the crew and captain attempted to scuttle her and set her on fire. This site says they also resisted rescue by firing on the Dutch. The Brits and Dutch were on site for rescue, but found only an empty lifeboat.
http://uwex.us/msrhein.htm
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 01:17 PM (1xUj/)
308
151 VKI, Everyone who knew my father thought he was charming. Everyone who lived with him knew otherwise. People seldom show to the outside world everything that is seen by those at home, and I daresay that phenomenon is even more extreme with alcoholics and addicts.
Posted by: Tonestaple at March 13, 2016 01:19 PM (LJYIn)
309
In spite of having four warships of three nations on scene, there are no records of there being any survivors from the Rhein sinking.
Just imagine if in 1940 Hitler had declared war on the US over the sinking of this ship?
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:46 AM (viJS2)
First, a correction. The German crew of the Rhein was picked up by the Dutch artillery training ship Van Kinsbergen.
Second, there are two possible answers to your hypothetical. The first is that Hitler, by slightly speeding up American re-armament (which was already well underway, but lacking that "hey, we're at war!" boost), would probably have hastened Germany's defeat by a few months. The second more unlikely possibility is that, if he somehow, implausibly, managed to lengthen the war by a few months, he would have earned for Germany the coveted title "only country to ever have an atom bomb dropped on it".
Just imagine if in 1940 Hitler had declared war on the US over the sinking of this ship?
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 11:46 AM (viJS2)
First, a correction. The German crew of the Rhein was picked up by the Dutch artillery training ship Van Kinsbergen.
Second, there are two possible answers to your hypothetical. The first is that Hitler, by slightly speeding up American re-armament (which was already well underway, but lacking that "hey, we're at war!" boost), would probably have hastened Germany's defeat by a few months. The second more unlikely possibility is that, if he somehow, implausibly, managed to lengthen the war by a few months, he would have earned for Germany the coveted title "only country to ever have an atom bomb dropped on it".
Posted by: HTL at March 13, 2016 01:34 PM (gZMDg)
310
One way history could be vastly different is if the German generals had more free rein in their attack on the Soviets. Germany would almost certainly have lost the war still but the toll for the US and other allies would have been higher and the Soviets a far lesser influence in the post-war world. So much would be changed by that altered balance of power. Soviet proxy actions defined so much of the post-war history it becomes very difficult to image how things might have gone.
Posted by: Epobirs at March 13, 2016 01:42 PM (IdCqF)
311
Thanks for the update Bandersnatch, when I went rummaging on the Intertubes, could not find any reference to possible survivors.
Had one shaky recollection as told by a tin-can sailor's son and not a lot else.
http://www.destroyersonline.com/usndd/info/infdc223.htm
Online official ship histories of both American cans gloss over this entire period. Even Roscoe's book on US destroyer operations has no mention of Rhein. But Roscoe did go into detail on the seizure of another Hamburg-America merchant Odenwald that was intercepted off the bulge of Africa flying the false colors of an American merchant ship SS Willmoto by USN TG 3.6 in Nov 1941.
HTL do you have a link of the sailors' rescue? Actually in 1940 with Isolationist sentiment running strong in the US about not wanting to fight another war in Europe and Charles Lindbergh being one of the loudest voices, to have the Nazi Germans under Goebbels accuse the United States of war crimes and waging an illegal war on Germany; it would have been politically disastrous for FDR.
Had one shaky recollection as told by a tin-can sailor's son and not a lot else.
http://www.destroyersonline.com/usndd/info/infdc223.htm
Online official ship histories of both American cans gloss over this entire period. Even Roscoe's book on US destroyer operations has no mention of Rhein. But Roscoe did go into detail on the seizure of another Hamburg-America merchant Odenwald that was intercepted off the bulge of Africa flying the false colors of an American merchant ship SS Willmoto by USN TG 3.6 in Nov 1941.
HTL do you have a link of the sailors' rescue? Actually in 1940 with Isolationist sentiment running strong in the US about not wanting to fight another war in Europe and Charles Lindbergh being one of the loudest voices, to have the Nazi Germans under Goebbels accuse the United States of war crimes and waging an illegal war on Germany; it would have been politically disastrous for FDR.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 01:48 PM (viJS2)
312
The other German ship that left Tampico, Idarwald, was sunk by the light cruiser HMS Diomede on 9 Dec, 1940 off Cuba.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/commanders/872.html
http://www.uboat.net/allies/commanders/872.html
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 13, 2016 01:52 PM (viJS2)
313
Bandersnatch's own source refers to a bullet-riddled lifeboat, but then also says "That afternoon, the HMS Caradoc arrived to receive the German prisoners from the Van Kinsbergen."
However, I was citing a history of the service of the Van Kinsbergen itself:
http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Vankin_his.htm
However, I was citing a history of the service of the Van Kinsbergen itself:
http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Vankin_his.htm
Posted by: HTL at March 13, 2016 01:58 PM (gZMDg)
314
310 Epobirs- I could go along with that.
Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2016 02:08 PM (fizMZ)
315
Oh it was interesting to learn something new about pre-US entry into the war. I'm curious about how you got interested in the Van Kinsbergen.
For all of what I read or watch on TV about the main battles, navies, aircraft, whatever, there at tens of thousands of actions that were obscure except to those involved.
I've read Churchill's six volume memoir a couple of times. One of the things I find especially cold blooded is how he recounts the Allied shipping losses, in hundreds of thousands of pounds per month.
No tally of dead merchant mariners. The thing that was vital to him was the tonnage that made it through.
I'm not blaming him, mind you. Hard times make hard men. It's just extraordinary to read it as a tally of grain or oil that didn't make it across.
For all of what I read or watch on TV about the main battles, navies, aircraft, whatever, there at tens of thousands of actions that were obscure except to those involved.
I've read Churchill's six volume memoir a couple of times. One of the things I find especially cold blooded is how he recounts the Allied shipping losses, in hundreds of thousands of pounds per month.
No tally of dead merchant mariners. The thing that was vital to him was the tonnage that made it through.
I'm not blaming him, mind you. Hard times make hard men. It's just extraordinary to read it as a tally of grain or oil that didn't make it across.
Posted by: Bandersnatch at March 13, 2016 02:09 PM (1xUj/)
316
If any of you folks are in the Atlanta area, the Cobb County Library is having a book sale. There are warehouses full of great books. Fill up a box of your favorites for just twenty bucks.
Posted by: Mike at March 13, 2016 02:09 PM (c056A)
317
There's a German word that needs to get traction:
Fingerspitzengefühl
---------------
I have experienced that while reaching down to use the shorting tab on my old lawn mower's sparkplug.
Fingerspitzengefühl
---------------
I have experienced that while reaching down to use the shorting tab on my old lawn mower's sparkplug.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at March 13, 2016 02:47 PM (9mTYi)
318
Late to the thread but.... I am reading The Ravens by Christopher Robbins.
So far it is verifying alot of tales I heard about Vietnam and "elsewhere" in the region from an Air Force perspective.
So far it is verifying alot of tales I heard about Vietnam and "elsewhere" in the region from an Air Force perspective.
Posted by: FCF at March 13, 2016 02:54 PM (kejii)
319
Forgot to mention how much I like the photo at the top of the post. While it looks different, it reminds me of the Library of Congress in spirit: that knowledge and its preservation is precious and should be celebrated in beauty.
Posted by: JTB at March 13, 2016 03:20 PM (FvdPb)
320
Hi
Posted by: Kevin Canuck at March 13, 2016 03:23 PM (Hlv/w)
321
Uhhh... Simon and Schuster: a publishing house founded by Jews publishing books about Muslims? Yeah, that'll go over well. The *real* exit question: How long until they're fire bombed?
Posted by: HL King at March 13, 2016 04:54 PM (FWfvK)
322
Late, as usual, but: On a lighter note, since I've seen this sort of stuff mentioned on the threads, Horde Twitter users might take a look at @pulplibrarian. Doesn't seem noticeably SJW (yet), and has lots of excellent (in a certain sense of "excellent") cover art.
"@pulplibrarian
Curator of the art, history and fiction of old paperback novels. Friend to all authors, collectors and gin drinkers."
RCE
"@pulplibrarian
Curator of the art, history and fiction of old paperback novels. Friend to all authors, collectors and gin drinkers."
RCE
Posted by: RovingCopyEditor at March 13, 2016 04:59 PM (q18QJ)
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