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Sunday Morning Book Thread 06-25-2017

city library, oslo.jpg
Central Public Library, Oslo, Norway


Good morning to all you 'rons, 'ettes, lurkers, and lurkettes. Welcome once again to the stately, prestigious, internationally acclaimed and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread, where men are men, all the 'ettes are gorgeous, safe spaces are underneath your house and are used as protection against actual dangers, like natural disasters, or Literally Hitler, and special snowflakes do not last. And unlike other AoSHQ comment threads, the Sunday Morning Book Thread is so hoity-toity, pants are required. Even if it's these pants, which look like they can also be used as a sail for a good-sized yacht.


When The English Stopped Being Gentlemen And Started Fighting Dirty

Going all the way back to WWII for this:

In preparation for D-Day, a highly secretive British department known as Baker Street worked to drop 250 saboteurs behind enemy lines with one purpose: to stop the German army from sending supplies and reinforcements to Normandy. These guerillas were tasked with a massive coordinated sabotage mission to frustrate and block Hitler’s war machine in any and all ways possible. Especially important was stopping Germany’s most lethal division, the 2nd SS Panzer Division, Das Reich.

One saboteur destroyed all of Das Reich’s tank transporters by replacing the axle oil with axle grease mixed with an abrasive, forcing the division to travel by road and damaging six out of every 10 tanks. A separate team then barraged Das Reich with sabotage after sabotage, including felling trees in their path and planting bombs beneath them. In the end, what should have been a 72-hour journey took Hitler’s crack tank division 17 days—enough time for the allies to establish their beachhead.

All of this is detailed in the book Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler’s Defeat by Giles Milton. The D-Day operations of this group was part of a larger, more comprehensive war effort:

In the spring of 1939, a top-secret organization was founded in London: its purpose was to plot the destruction of Hitler's war machine through spectacular acts of sabotage.

The guerrilla campaign that followed was every bit as extraordinary as the six men who directed it. One of them, Cecil Clarke, was a maverick engineer who had spent the 1930s inventing futuristic caravans. Now, his talents were put to more devious use: he built the dirty bomb used to assassinate Hitler's favorite, Reinhard Heydrich. Another, William Fairbairn, was a portly pensioner with an unusual passion: he was the world's leading expert in silent killing, hired to train the guerrillas being parachuted behind enemy lines. Led by dapper Scotsman Colin Gubbins, these men—along with three others—formed a secret inner circle that, aided by a group of formidable ladies, single-handedly changed the course Second World War: a cohort hand-picked by Winston Churchill, whom he called his Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

Perhaps this is the last great untold story of the Second World War.


It Pays To Increase Your Word Power®

‘All their geese are swans’ is a 17th century expression implying that everything that somebody says is wildly exaggerated or overblown.

Usage: All of CNN's geese are swans.

Liberty's Nemesis

An article entitled A Literary Guide To Hating Barack Obama appeared in The National Laughingstock last August. It lists the usual books by Jerome Corsi, Dinesh D'Souza and Michelle Malkin. But it does have one that I had never heard of before, Liberty's Nemesis: The Unchecked Expansion of the State

...a dense work that will never be a bestseller but that nonetheless offers the most enduring conservative criticism of the Obama years. “Liberty’s Nemesis” (2016), edited by Dean Reuter and John Yoo and featuring some three dozen contributors, mixes scholarship, ideology and activism to argue that Obama has presided over an enormous and dangerous expansion of the administrative and regulatory state. “Its operations are so vast and its reach so sprawling that it lies beyond the control or comprehension of any one man or group of men,” Yoo writes, making “rational management impossible.”

Which is ironic, because the origin of the "administrative state" can be traced back to Woodrow Wilson who thought that government had grown too complex and technical for Joe Sixpak voters and politicians and instead, had to be managed by experts. So now apparently it has grown too complex even for the experts.

I'm glad to see that this issue has picked up a bit of traction. One of Glenn "Instapundit" Reynold's recent columns mentions The Administrative Threat by Philip Hamburger who traces the origins of adminstrative law back ever further:

Hamburger explains that the prerogative powers once exercised by English kings, until they were circumscribed after a resulting civil war, have now been reinvented and lodged in administrative agencies, even though the United States Constitution was drafted specifically to prevent just such abuses. But today, the laws that actually affect people and businesses are seldom written by Congress; instead they are created by administrative agencies through a process of “informal rulemaking,” a process whose chief virtue is that it’s easy for the rulers to engage in, and hard for the ruled to observe or influence. Non-judicial administrative courts decide cases, and impose penalties, without a jury or an actual judge. And the protections in the Constitution and Bill of Rights (like the requirement for a judge-issued search warrant before a search) are often inapplicable.

And it's just going to get worse. Unless it starts hurting progressives. Then we'll start seeing news stories 24/7 on the National Crisis caused by government agencies. They'll be using phrases like "unelected bureaucrats" and the "imperial presidency."


Moron Recommendations

Longtime moron fitzworth recommends the novel Close Hauled, about which he says:

Rob Avery’s first novel, “Close Hauled”, reads like a pleasant melding of Robert Parker’s ‘Spenser’ series and John D. McDonald’s ‘Travis McGee’ series, but set in modern day with the protagonist (Sim Green) living on a boat in a Southern California marina. The plot is intelligent, the writing smooth and unobtrusive, the logic sound, and the violence sudden. It’s a great start to what I hope will be a long series (the second novel is already complete).

The Amazon blurb is quite long and not easily excerpted, so just go over there and read the whole thing.


What I'm Reading

I'm about half-way through The Hidden Truth: A Science Fiction Techno-Thriller, novel by moron author Hans Schantz that I've mentioned here before. The two main characters are high school science nerds, of the sort you used to encounter in the Heinlein juveniles, except that one of them devotes most of his time to trying to pick up girls, which is something you didn't see too much of in the old Heinlwin books.

who have stumbled upon a mysterious anomaly:

...a discrepancy between an online version of an old physics book and its pulp original, he quite naturally assumes there was an error made in its scanning. Investigating further, he discovers other 'discrepancies' between old physics books and their online copies, discrepancies which are all related to a particular and peculiar theory of electromagnetism. The more he investigates the clearer it becomes to him that there exists a century-plus long conspiracy to erase all evidence of the intriguing, though counterintuitive, theory. Before too long, the cabal notices the student&8217;s nosing about and the young man learns how deadly serious the conspirators are about suppressing that bit of knowledge.

Schantz has completed the sequel and I should have an announcement about it in next week's book thread.

___________

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.


Posted by: OregonMuse at 09:05 AM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Currently doing a re-read of a Louis L'Amour book

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:05 AM (mpXpK)

2 Thank God!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 09:06 AM (QGoUX)

3 Tolle lege

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 09:06 AM (Ot7+c)

4 Do the comics count?

Say, a minor character was revealed to be lesbian in Rex Morgan, M.D. this week.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 09:07 AM (ul9CR)

5 Nothing much new, still slowly slogging away on Thomas Carlyle's History of Frederick II series but more pouring over Edwin Coddington's The Gettysburg Campaign, A Study in Command in anticipation of next weekends anniversary game.

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 09:08 AM (Ot7+c)

6 I used to love those Travis McGee books.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:10 AM (mpXpK)

7 Good Sunday morning, horde! 'Bout time someone woke up.

Posted by: April at June 25, 2017 09:10 AM (e8PP1)

8 As far as the Ad block goes, mentioned earlier, I turn mine off for Ace to try and help him out a little on his revenue.

Back to your regularly scheduled Boooooks!

Posted by: weirdflunky at June 25, 2017 09:10 AM (MEXba)

9 I was kind of surprised to see that my AdBlock total blocked ads is approaching one million.

I blame PornHub.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 09:11 AM (ul9CR)

10 Speaking of books, just out of idle curiosity I did a search on a book
that my Dad wrote and got published back in the early 70's. He was a
decent writer and mostly wrote Westerns, but that genre was so flooded
with really good writers that it was hard to break into. Anyway, he only
had the one book published.
The result of the search astounded me. I
found one used copy in the US, and two used copies on Amazon.uk. The
two copies in the UK are going for about $26.00 each, and the US one is
going for about $5.00. I'm going to get a copy because I lost mine in a
move. Pretty cool, right?

Posted by: Old Blue at June 25, 2017 09:11 AM (FAo3p)

11 I know I shouldn't be amused by the last name of "Hamburger" but I am. I'm shallow like that.

Posted by: f'd at June 25, 2017 09:11 AM (BO/km)

12 And IIRC I linked to an article a few months ago where SCOTUS shat all over one of those administrative agencies when they were running amuck.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:11 AM (mpXpK)

13 Can anyone recommend me a book that gives a good overview of the french revolution through Waterloo? thank you.

Posted by: dIb at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (VJOLZ)

14 Good morning horde!

Guess what, I got an advance copy of long running fool's new fantasy novel and it's quite awesome!
It's on pre-order status.
Check out my review (link in nic)

Posted by: @votermom's phone at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (4P/s6)

15 I finally started reading Atlas Shrugged. I put it off, because it is a long book and I didn't expect it to be to be that well written.
I'm about half way through and it is a very timely piece of literature. I highly recommend it.

Posted by: kraki at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (TNa9O)

16 This week, I'm still working on On The Brink by Jay Winik, and mixing it up a little with The Myth of Poker Talent by Alexander Fitzgerald. Trying to improve my game.

Posted by: April at June 25, 2017 09:13 AM (e8PP1)

17 In the next thrilling adventure will the science nerds discover the much theorized Aether that surrounds the planets?

Tis the Spirit of Wonder and the Scientific Boys Club.
https://youtu.be/JObrEwbJyNs

Sounds like a fun book.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:13 AM (aet/3)

18 please remember to submit your recipes for the AoS cookbook...deadline is this friday, june 30th.

see main page/sidebar in blue

Posted by: strawberry tart at June 25, 2017 09:14 AM (EqvVS)

19 The French Revolution is often split from the Napoleoic era, and interested in the general overview or military campaigns?

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 09:15 AM (Ot7+c)

20 I'm about half way through and it is a very timely piece of literature. I highly recommend it.

Posted by: kraki at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (TNa9O


By the time you get through reading it, you'll think Rand was a prophet.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 09:15 AM (L5xfm)

21 15
I finally started reading Atlas Shrugged. I put it off, because it is a
long book and I didn't expect it to be to be that well written.
I'm about half way through and it is a very timely piece of literature. I highly recommend it.



Posted by: kraki at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (TNa9O)

That would be one of the best books of all time if Ayn Rand had not been struck with diarrhea of the typewriter. it is in bad need of an editor.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:16 AM (mpXpK)

22 Took me about a week to read Atlas Shrugged. It is a good book.

Posted by: Infidel at June 25, 2017 09:17 AM (gDoff)

23 BTW, the three part movie does edit the book down and I have decided I like the movie better than the book. That is rare.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:18 AM (mpXpK)

24 This week Admiral McRaven will be giving a speech at my place of work (the Stuckey's on Route 70) so I thought I'd read "Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life".

I had no idea that he got tangled up in his parachute on a jump and the two risers each twisted around a leg and suddenly pulled apart, instantly separating his pelvis five inches and detaching his stomach muscles from the pelvic bone. He was out of commission for months and it was only the intercession of Admiral Olsen that kept him in the service.

Here's his commencement speech at U of T:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 09:19 AM (QGoUX)

25 Regarding the French Revolution make sure to read Simon schama's 'Citizens' if you never have. He's a leftist crank but it's an incredibly good read

Posted by: JEM at June 25, 2017 09:20 AM (TppKb)

26 15 I finally started reading Atlas Shrugged. I put it off, because it is a long book and I didn't expect it to be to be that well written.

It makes some excellent points but I found it a real slog. Has anyone ever actually made it all the way through John Galt's radio speech? The whole nation would have been bored to death before he was halfway through.

But it has its moments. The utter destruction of Communism's maxim "from each according to his ability, to each according to their need" when Dagny visits the factory where Galt used to work and learns from its unrepentant former owners why it went out of business...that was priceless.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 09:20 AM (ul9CR)

27 I wish they hadn't changed the actors in the movie. Is it worth buying the 3rd DVD?

Posted by: Infidel at June 25, 2017 09:20 AM (gDoff)

28 Excellent content, OM. Thank you!

Posted by: Duncanthrax at June 25, 2017 09:21 AM (DMUuz)

29 27
I wish they hadn't changed the actors in the movie. Is it worth buying the 3rd DVD?


Posted by: Infidel at June 25, 2017 09:20 AM (gDoff)

I think they were forced to change the actors due to money issues. And yes, the 3rd movie is worth it.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:21 AM (mpXpK)

30 BTW, the three part movie does edit the book down and I have decided I like the movie better than the book. That is rare.
Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:18 AM (mpXpK)


Huh. I watched Part 1, was so unimpressed that I didn't bother continuing. Perhaps it gets better.

They should redo Atlas Shrugged as a miniseries for Netflix or Amazon or whatever. Give it a retro look and feel. Film it in black-and-white.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 09:21 AM (L5xfm)

31 #21 diarrhea of the typewriter.

LOL, perfect! I think she used the phrase "Dagny inclined her head" alone about 154 times. Why is she always inclining her head, I kept asking myself.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 09:21 AM (ul9CR)

32 I finally started reading Atlas Shrugged. I put it
off, because it is a long book and I didn't expect it to be to be that
well written.
I'm about half way through and it is a very timely piece of literature. I highly recommend it.



Posted by: kraki at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (TNa9O)

It's a great book for laying out the basics of individualism. After reading it a dozen times, I've started thinking of it less as a novel and more as a thousand page philosophical essay. And it's amazing to see, in a book published in the 1950s, villainous words and concepts that our 'elite' politicians and self-appointed intellectuals are using today. Sometimes I wonder if Rand had a time machine.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 09:22 AM (26lkV)

33 Thanks Vic. Off to amazon. or maybe the Rand website.

Posted by: Infidel at June 25, 2017 09:22 AM (gDoff)

34 A Leftist might make a good expert on the beginning of Leftism of the French Revolution

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 09:22 AM (Ot7+c)

35 30 Huh. I watched Part 1, was so unimpressed that I didn't bother continuing. Perhaps it gets better.

They
should redo Atlas Shrugged as a miniseries for Netflix or Amazon or
whatever. Give it a retro look and feel. Film it in black-and-white.


Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 09:21 AM (L5xfm)

The first movie was slow getting started but that was mainly because the book is slow getting started.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:23 AM (mpXpK)

36 Just started Annals of the Parish and the Ayrshire Legatees by John Galt.

Posted by: Skookumchuk at June 25, 2017 09:23 AM (TKmA0)

37 Currently reading Vince Milam's newest, The Suriname Job, which is very good. Went to order the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Conduct - ebook was nearly as much as hardback. Bought the physical copy.

Also discovered that there are SJWs on the right - same tactics and hurt feelingz, different code of 'justice'. It occurred to me they've always been around but we used to get rid of some of them in duels. Now, they take to the internet and assassinate character instead.

Posted by: Long Running Fool at June 25, 2017 09:23 AM (+JV0f)

38 Also, I had a real problem with Rand's belief that adultery is totes OK and even preferable, as long as both partners share the same politics.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 09:24 AM (ul9CR)

39 Ouch!

Eris, now THAT would make you walk funny... geez.

There is the story of Douglas Bader, legless ace of the RAF, who collided with a -109 that tore the tail off his fighter in the middle of a dogfight. One tin leg trapped and he's spiraling down when the leather straps holding the leg to his waist finally give away from the strain. And then he was floating down to a French field legless under the billowing canopy of his 'chute.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:24 AM (aet/3)

40 33
Thanks Vic. Off to amazon. or maybe the Rand website.


Posted by: Infidel at June 25, 2017 09:22 AM (gDoff)

The movies from Amazon were not that expensive and they are probably even cheaper now. I got them when they were 'fresh".

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:25 AM (mpXpK)

41 Actually citizens is really about the fact that revolutions eat their own in the case of the French Revolution repeatedly

Posted by: JEM at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (TppKb)

42 38
Also, I had a real problem with Rand's belief that adultery is totes OK
and even preferable, as long as both partners share the same politics.





Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 09:24 AM (ul9CR)

She was big into adultery in real life.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (mpXpK)

43 Sorry, Skip, general overview. I need some framework to fill in later as I learn more.

Posted by: dIb at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (VJOLZ)

44 If you want diarrhea of the word processor look no further than Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (aet/3)

45 Per the Morons' recommendations, I read Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander, and thought it was good. Lots of unfamiliar nautical terminology, of course, but it was engaging enough to get the next one. I tried to read the series once before and couldn't get into it, but that was a few years ago. Does anyone else do that, namely, try unsuccessfully to read a book, age a few years, then pick it up with no problems, or am I the only one who dies that?

I'm also working on Jamaica Inn, by Daphne du Maurier. I thought it was going to be a nice little Victorian novel, and it's turning out more like a gothic horror story about smugglers in nineteenth century Cornwall. Interesting, but not what I expected.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (26lkV)

46 Spencer was the man.

Posted by: Cosda at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (7nuQi)

47 "Sometimes I wonder if Rand had a time machine."

Ace bought it about nine years ago.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 25, 2017 09:27 AM (J+eG2)

48 I read Melville's "Omoo" after discussions here and am now working thru "Mardi". If you like stories of seafaring in the South Seas in the early 1800s then these are for you. They are not necessarily all factual though, just based on things he had seen or heard. Entertaining enough to hold my attention though. Also, free

The Churchill MUW books sounds interesting. I might leave a hint to someone that it might be a good birthday present for me.

Posted by: f'd at June 25, 2017 09:28 AM (BO/km)

49 44
If you want diarrhea of the word processor look no further than Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.


Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (aet/3)

No sh*t. I said about half way through that series if I had known it was going to drag on forever I would have never started it. He also was in bad need of an editor.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:28 AM (mpXpK)

50 Also, I had a real problem with Rand's belief that adultery is totes OK and even preferable, as long as both partners share the same politics.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 09:24 AM (ul9CR)


Right. She did that in real life, too. That is, she cucked her husband.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 09:28 AM (L5xfm)

51 I reread Atlas Shrugged every 5 or 10 years and always find something new.

Must confess I skip some of the long monologues or just read parts of them.

One of my favorite memes is Dagny being confronted by Ellis Wyatt, who originally sees her as another parasite hack but later becomes a close friend and kindred spirit.

Also the scene where Dagny is sitting on a pile of frozen lumber and (Hank Rearden I believe?) works out a way to solve a problem with a different bridge design from Rearden Metal.

Dozens of great scenes like these.

Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 09:29 AM (eP+dt)

52 "I highly recommend it.
Posted by: kraki"

Oh yes. Once.

Posted by: f'd at June 25, 2017 09:30 AM (BO/km)

53 Check a little later and I will see what I might have for recommendations, watching race now

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 09:30 AM (Ot7+c)

54 Thanks JEM, looks interesting. I'll order that too.

Or maybe two good books covering the split would be fine. too. I got 6 days off work and no internet.

Posted by: dIb at June 25, 2017 09:30 AM (VJOLZ)

55 Great book thread, as usual, Oregon Muse. Have I mentioned that I really like the "It Pays to Increase Your Word Power" feature? Because I really do. For the new words/expressions, but even more for your examples.

I will have to read the book about Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. That's the kind of stuff I find fascinating. When we were in London recently, my very favorite thing we did was tour through Churchill's War Rooms. It was an incredible site. I highly recommend it for anyone who gets the chance to go there.

Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:32 AM (sBOL1)

56
"Sometimes I wonder if Rand had a time machine."



Ace bought it about nine years ago.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 25, 2017 09:27 AM (J+eG2)
Geez, you'd think it'd have a more accurate clock.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 09:32 AM (26lkV)

57 I almost went blind reading the Wheel of Time series. Had to fast read through some of the preaching sermons in Atlas Shrugged. But it would be nice if Atlas were a mini series if edited well.

Posted by: Talulah Jane at June 25, 2017 09:32 AM (WLNyn)

58 Also, what am I reading?

Recipes. Lots and lots of recipes.

Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:32 AM (sBOL1)

59 Bluebell- I'll try to get a recipe to you today, but I'm running around like a chicken with no head, so it might be tomorrow.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 09:34 AM (26lkV)

60 Bluebell-

I keep forgetting. I will post my pasta fagioli recipe later today.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at June 25, 2017 09:34 AM (89T5c)

61 Reading The Russian Revolution by Sean McMeekin. Let's put it this way: anyone who says that the ideals of the revolution were later perverted into terror by Stalin is full of it. Lenin was a power-crazed monster who didn't blink an eye at the deaths of millions. Every single thing the Bolsheviks did - every single thing - was a human catastrophe.

From the epilogue:

"A century of well-catalogued disasters later, no one should have the excuse of ignorance. Even so, history can play tricks on us. The popularity of Marxist-style maximalist socialism is on the rise again in the United States and other Western 'capitalist' countries, even as its appeal is all but dead in those countries where it was actually tried... Today's Western socialists, dreaming of a world where private property and inequality are outlawed, where rational economic development is planned by far-seeing intellectuals, should be careful what they wish for. They may just get it."

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 25, 2017 09:35 AM (dLMUB)

62 Just got it from Amazon for $7. I bought the first 2 when they were 'new' too.

Posted by: Infidel at June 25, 2017 09:36 AM (gDoff)

63 Skip!

Wth man?

They've all gone crazy in this race.

Posted by: weirdflunky at June 25, 2017 09:36 AM (MEXba)

64 "He also was in bad need of an editor."

It's my opinion that he dragged it out on purpose as a cash cow until he died. Same shit George Martin pulled.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 09:36 AM (n1dE4)

65 Recipes. Lots and lots of recipes.





Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:32 AM


I'll try to add some more later.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at June 25, 2017 09:37 AM (n6g6t)

66 Thank you, right wing yankee and Mr. Aspirin Factory! I'll be on the lookout for them.

Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:37 AM (sBOL1)

67 Oh yay, RMBS! Weasel will pull off yesterday's submissions for me today, so I haven't seen them yet. Can't wait!

Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:38 AM (sBOL1)

68 I finished up Map Drawn By A Spy by Guillermo Infante Cabrera, a posthumous work from a manuscript found in his house. A good look at mid 1960s Cuba from the perspective of a once-supporter but since disillusioned by what Cuba was turning into as opposed to the promises of the Castros.

Main issue I had with the book was the translation. I don't think the translator was familiar with Infante Cabrera so the book didn't read as vividly as others of his. Still, it nicely shows the lie that is Cuba from someone who knows firsthand.

Yesterday I received my review copy of Stories From The Dirt: Indiscretions Of An Adventure Junkie by John Long. It's looking like a fun read from a guy who likes to experience life...lots of life.

And before I forget, I finally read The Director's Cut by our very own MP4. Excellent book.

Posted by: WitchDoktor, AKA VA GOP Sucks at June 25, 2017 09:40 AM (2VN2E)

69 So, update on my 1st book. Final edit is done, maps are done, illustrations done (deleted; there were only two included as an arbitrary decision and I decided I didn't like them), front and back covers mainly finished.

To do: dust jacket flaps, ISBNs and matching barcodes, revision of copyright page re: ISBN, and uploads, I think.

Oh, and the second book...

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 09:40 AM (n1dE4)

70 Taken up with writing this week - writing and reviewing stuff I asked for through Amazon Vine. Slogging through one of Stirling's "Change" novels, a couple of pages at a time each night before falling asleep.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly War sounds fascinating. Added to my wish list.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at June 25, 2017 09:41 AM (xnmPy)

71 Just last week I was having one of those days at work when the bs was piled so deep, it felt I was getting knocked back two steps for every forward step I took.

For some reason I flashed on the scene where Hank Rearden had a steel plant go down (as I recall) and he got on the phone, found another plant, and acquired it that same afternoon.

Sounds corny, but that thought refocused me.

Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 09:41 AM (eP+dt)

72 French Revolution in fiction.

Paula Volsky's Illusion always has a place with me. That Michael Wheelan did the cover art, well that is the cherry on top.
http://tinyurl.com/ycld4bld

Or maybe a manga retelling in The Rose of Versailles which plays the history leading to the events and the initial event pretty straight but from the fictional eyes of Oskar, the youngest daughter of a nobleman beset with nothing but daughters so he raises Oskar as a boy and she in turn becomes Captain of the Guard for Marie Antoinette.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/y85veskl

There is a follow series in which Oskar very much becomes the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:42 AM (aet/3)

73 Finished Tamera Alexander's "From a Distance (Timber Ridge Chronicles #1)". It was fine, but a story about a 30-something career woman in 19th century Colorado Territory doesn't really ring true to me. But she's writing to her demographic. I get that. That said I'm torn with picking up the next in the series or moving on to Neal Stephenson's "The Diamond Age."

Posted by: sinalco at June 25, 2017 09:42 AM (yODqO)

74 Kim Harrison wrote a prequel to her Hollows series called "The Turn", which I am looking forward to starting. I miss all the Cinci freaks!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 09:42 AM (QGoUX)

75 I think the major problem with WOT was Jordon just stuck too many characters in the story, had too many subplots, and had way too much Nynaeve hair pulling.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:45 AM (mpXpK)

76 64 It's my opinion that he dragged it out on purpose as a cash cow until he died. Same shit George Martin pulled.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 09:36 AM (n1dE4)

I read somewhere that the original intent was to have 6 books in the series. That is still too many.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:47 AM (mpXpK)

77 Awhile back OM wrote about Vincent Price's cookbook. Recently, I came across something similar "Leo Tolstoy's Family Recipe Book"

http://preview.tinyurl.com/yahbexlm

I love the publisher's disclaimer at the beginning of the listing:
"Leo Tolstoy become vegetarian when he was 50 years old. Before that his true passion was hunting. So, do not expect only vegetarian recipes."

Crazy vegetarians!

Posted by: sinalco at June 25, 2017 09:47 AM (yODqO)

78 I finished "Amy Lynn" by Jack July. Enjoyable read, kind of like a Southern old-style W.E.B. Griffin.

Now reading "Starship Grifters" by Robert Kroese. I loved "Aye, Robot" which was part of the Wrongthink giveaway, had to go back and read this one.

Posted by: roamingfirehydrant at June 25, 2017 09:47 AM (THS4q)

79 Witchdoktor, I just filled out a purchase request for our library system for the Churchill book. They have 10 of the author's other books so I hope they buy this one.

Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:48 AM (sBOL1)

80 Seems like Churchill's dirty tricks brigade is an ideal story for an Amazon/HBO series. Prolly way too much for a stand alone movie.

Posted by: weirdflunky at June 25, 2017 09:48 AM (MEXba)

81 60 Bluebell-

I keep forgetting. I will post my pasta fagioli recipe later today.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at June 25, 2017 09:34 AM (89T5c)

*sigh*

Why does everything have to be ghey these days?

Posted by: Insomniac at June 25, 2017 09:48 AM (0mRoj)

82 original was published in 1978 and revised in 1999. The title is a bit misleading because the book actually covers all German armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) including self-propelled artillery, armored cars and captured tanks. Lots of information and I had not realized just how many different AFVs and variants the Germans developed. I don't think Germany had a chance to win a long-term industrial production war but it certainly helped the Allied war effort that the Germans didn't concentrate production on just a few different AFVs.

If you have serious interest in the topic (such as the differences between the PzKw III ausf. M and PzKw III ausf. N and how many of each were produced), this is a good book to have. Rating = 5/5.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at June 25, 2017 09:48 AM (5Yee7)

83 Speaking of Daphne duMaurier, I recently saw the new movie My Cousin Rachel. I haven't read the book but the movie was excellent. I was never sure what was going on -was Rachel an evil murderess or innocent victim? I highly recommend the movie.

Posted by: Biancaneve at June 25, 2017 09:49 AM (1fMZT)

84
I had occasion to quote from memory the first N pages from Dr. Suess' One Fish, Two Fish. Red Fish, Blue Fish. last weekend (where N is the page containing, "I do not know, go ask your Dad!") Mrs Krebs never fails to tell me that doing that, and quoting some later portions of the book, was what first endeared me to her. "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere", I guess.

Finished East of Chosin, on which I opined here last week. I have started the sequel, Escaping the Trap and hope to be able to offer a judgement on that book in a week or two. Lt. Col. Roy E. Appleman, AUS, authored both books.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at June 25, 2017 09:49 AM (pNxlR)

85 Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 09:22 AM (26lkV)

Speaking of thousand page philosophy essays, that's essentially what War and Peace is. It's full title could be War and Peace and the Causes Thereof: Does Free Will Exist? The epilogue is explicitly about free will, Tolstoy didn't believe in it. He also thought that Napoleon was a rotten general who tended to lose the battles that *counted* but was great at PR.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 25, 2017 09:49 AM (sEDyY)

86 Insomniac silly

Fagioli in this case pretty much means we are talking pasta and beans soup.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:50 AM (aet/3)

87 It's just a symptom of the decline but if you Google God Save The Queen lyrics you get the Sex Pistols song lyrics in Google boldface, not the actual anthem of Great Britain.

Here's the second stanza of the original unabridged version.

O Lord our God arise
Scatter her (Queen's) enemies
And make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix
God save us all

So yeah, the Brits are instructed to deceive in competition at a high level.

"Confound their politics" always catches my eye.

Posted by: Nosferatu Silver at June 25, 2017 09:50 AM (+kahX)

88 oops, @ 82, I had a "cut and paste error" so disregard. This is the intended post:

An acquisition courtesy of "josephstan" was Encylcopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Revised Ed by Peter Chamberlain; the original was published in 1978 and revised in 1999. The title is a bit misleading because the book actually covers all German armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) including self-propelled artillery, armored cars and captured tanks. Lots of information and I had not realized just how many different AFVs and variants the Germans developed. I don't think Germany had a chance to win a long-term industrial production war but it certainly helped the Allied war effort that the Germans didn't concentrate production on just a few different AFVs. If you have serious interest in the topic (such as the differences between the PzKw III ausf. M and PzKw III ausf. N and how many of each were produced), this is a good book to have. Rating = 5/5.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at June 25, 2017 09:50 AM (5Yee7)

89 "Dirty Tricks Brigade." I'd like to see the same concept in a modern or near-future setting, re: asymmetrical warfare. Would probably require a solid grounding in electronic/computer operations, though, which ain't common.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 09:51 AM (n1dE4)

90 8 As far as the Ad block goes, mentioned earlier, I turn mine off for Ace to try and help him out a little on his revenue.

Back to your regularly scheduled Boooooks!
Posted by: weirdflunky at June 25, 2017 09:10 AM (MEXba)


Good on you!

I turn off my ad blocker for sites that I visit frequently and support. My understanding is that using an ad blocker on AOSHQ diminishes the amount that Ace is able to charge for hosting ads.

If we spend a lot of AOSHQ but use an ad blocker, we are in effect hurting Ace’s income.

Posted by: Michael the Texan (formerly TEXIT) at June 25, 2017 09:51 AM (nvMvs)

91 86 Insomniac silly

Fagioli in this case pretty much means we are talking pasta and beans soup.
Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:50 AM (aet/3)

I know. It was a joke. And some people say I'M a literalist...

Posted by: Insomniac at June 25, 2017 09:51 AM (0mRoj)

92 I know. It was a joke. And some people say I'M a literalist...
Posted by: Insomniac at June 25, 2017 09:51 AM (0mRoj)
------------

Next you're going to tell us you're not an insomniac.

Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:52 AM (sBOL1)

93 Retired Buckeye Cop, can't remember where I read it. It might have been in the Army War College's book on the Eastern Front. But the Germans went into Barbarossa with about 500 different vehicle types and the infantry was still no mechanized as they went to war on horses.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:53 AM (aet/3)

94 13 Can anyone recommend me a book that gives a good overview of the french revolution through Waterloo? thank you.
Posted by: dIb at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (VJOLZ)

For the Revolution itself, I would recommend Schama's "Citizens." For the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the best overall history I'd recommend "The War of Wars" by Robert Harvey. After that you can find books on all the different campaigns and theaters of a quarter century of warfare

Posted by: josephistan at June 25, 2017 09:53 AM (ANIFC)

95 92 I know. It was a joke. And some people say I'M a literalist...
Posted by: Insomniac at June 25, 2017 09:51 AM (0mRoj)
------------

Next you're going to tell us you're not an insomniac.

Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:52 AM (sBOL1)

Everything about me is a lie!
*sobs*

Posted by: Insomniac at June 25, 2017 09:53 AM (0mRoj)

96 This week, I'm still working on On The Brink by Jay Winik, and mixing it up a little with The Myth of Poker Talent by Alexander Fitzgerald. Trying to improve my game.
Posted by: April at June 25, 2017 09:13 AM (e8PP1)


I got about halfway through On the Brink, and stopped. Not because Winik isn't highly readable, or that the subject isn't interesting, it's more to do with my general disgust of all this political.

Which of course, is more about today, than it was the Reagan era. I'll pick it up again eventually, but for now, it's sitting with a handful of other half-read books.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 09:54 AM (Pz4pT)

97 14
Good morning horde!


Guess what, I got an advance copy of long running fool's new fantasy novel and it's quite awesome!

It's on pre-order status.

Check out my review (link in nic)
Posted by: @votermom's phone at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (4P/s6)

_____________________________________

Thanks, VMom!

Posted by: Long Running Fool at June 25, 2017 09:54 AM (+JV0f)

98 Another series that had far too many books and stretched on forever was the Sword of Truth series. Then they turned that into a really crappy TV series.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:55 AM (mpXpK)

99 I finally started reading Atlas Shrugged. I put it off, because it is a long book and I didn't expect it to be to be that well written.
I'm about half way through and it is a very timely piece of literature.



You can safely skip the 90 pages of John Galt's speech.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at June 25, 2017 09:55 AM (LTHVh)

100 Give me back my nick stupid computer.

The English are good at two things in empire building that the Americans never got the hang of. Educating the local people and being super slick. They have the skills to take out an enemy without firing a shot.

The Apartheid dismantling of their Dutch and German competitors in South Africa during the 80's comes to mind. They marched in London and their bitter centuries old contest with the Boers over control of South Africa was settled.

Posted by: charleyhorse at June 25, 2017 09:56 AM (+kahX)

101 Everybody knows finocchio is the slang term for "light in the loafers".

It means "fennel", so there could indeed be a "finocchio al forno" (baked in cream) recipe for Bluebell.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 09:56 AM (QGoUX)

102 Speaking of Winik, I think it was in his book about the Revolutionary War period, and touching on the entire French revoultion and American War of 1812, that he gives the account of some American soldiers who captured a Brit.

Now, these Americans were of course, volunteers. The Brit, as virtually all British soldiers were at the time, was a veteran of some nasty business with the French, and elsewhere. Having experience on the continent, his captors were no match for him.

At one point, he broke free of his bonds, took a weapon from one, shot the other, and apparently, due to his absolute brutal way of warfare, totally unexperienced by the Americans at the time, has survived more than two centuries later as a cautionary tale to be told of taking the British to be courtly gentlemen, when it comes to warfare.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 09:57 AM (Pz4pT)

103 It means "fennel", so there could indeed be a "finocchio al forno" (baked in cream) recipe for Bluebell.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 09:56 AM (QGoUX)
------------

***REJECTED***

Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 09:58 AM (sBOL1)

104 Burt, I am constantly struck by the similarities between then and now. The struggle between establishment and party rebels, the constant leaking--some things never change.

Posted by: April at June 25, 2017 09:59 AM (e8PP1)

105 "A century of well-catalogued disasters later, no one should have the excuse of ignorance.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 25, 2017 09:35 AM (dLMUB)


Hold my beer.

Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 09:59 AM (L5xfm)

106 Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 09:28 AM (mpXpK)

My understanding is that his wife was his editor. She did him a real disservice by treating everything he put n the paper as gold. Unless of course, that *was* a more streamlined version and simply the best *anyone* could do with him. In general, it seems like having close family as editor puts that person in a conflict of interest between the personal and professional.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 25, 2017 09:59 AM (sEDyY)

107 Summer reading only for me. I read Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. It was fine. A lot of buzz for just an ok book. Next I am reading I Found You. Another one getting a lot of blog talk. We will see.

Posted by: Quirky bookworm at June 25, 2017 09:59 AM (fbk07)

108 ***REJECTED***
Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 09:58 AM (sBOL1)
----
Hate crime!!!!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 09:59 AM (QGoUX)

109 Guess what, I got an advance copy of long running fool's new fantasy novel and it's quite awesome!

Posted by: @votermom's phone at June 25, 2017 09:12 AM (4P/s6


Is it about fleet-footed elves?

Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 10:00 AM (L5xfm)

110 "due to his absolute brutal way of warfare, totally unexperienced by the Americans at the time"

Little from that period compares to the Indian Wars in their savagery. Maybe those two Americans were greenhorns, but brutal, sneaky, underhanded frontier warfare was not unknown to Americans. They practically invented it, as far as Western civilization was concerned.

A widespread British complain early in the war was that the Americans didn't fight like gentlemen, but like Indians.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 10:01 AM (n1dE4)

111 So yeah, the Brits are instructed to deceive in competition at a high level.

Posted by: Nosferatu Silver at June 25, 2017 09:50 AM (+kahX)


It's not called "Perfidious Albion" for nothing.

Posted by: cool breeze at June 25, 2017 10:02 AM (TKf/P)

112 Why do I think the spaceman of this magazine cover ate at Chipolte's of Uranus??

http://www.ufunk.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/selection-du-weekend-249-50.jpg

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 10:02 AM (aet/3)

113 Retired Buckeye Cop, can't remember where I read it. It might have been in the Army War College's book on the Eastern Front. But the Germans went into Barbarossa with about 500 different vehicle types and the infantry was still no mechanized as they went to war on horses.


Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 09:53 AM (aet/3)


Germany's lack of production capability is why they used so many captured vehicles. Fortunately for the Allies, the Germans never got serious about standardizing production and wasted a lot of resources in search of ultimate super weapons. If they had just cranked out as many PzKw IV and StuG III with the 75mm as they could, the Germans may have been able to prolong the war. Both of those were AFV designs that were in service from 1939 to 1945. Pretty much all the Germans did was up-gun them as the war progressed.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at June 25, 2017 10:03 AM (5Yee7)

114 Fennel is gross. It's a way to hide the greater grossness of pork. Still will eat pork because bacon but again, injecting liquid smoke to turn something into something less repulsive. My take.

Posted by: charleyhorse at June 25, 2017 10:03 AM (+kahX)

115 Which is ironic, because the origin of the "administrative state" can be traced back to Woodrow Wilson who thought that government had grown too complex and technical for Joe Sixpak voters and politicians and instead, had to be managed by experts. So now apparently it has grown too complex even for the experts.

Looks like I'm arriving in the nick of time. You like self-driving cars and container ships? Get ready for self-driving government!

Posted by: AI at June 25, 2017 10:04 AM (sdi6R)

116 It's the fennel, Eris. Not a fan. Soaking it in cream ain't gonna save it.

Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 10:04 AM (sBOL1)

117 I seem to recall that fennel was originally thought to be a digestive aid or something, hence the use of fennel seed in sausage.

Posted by: WitchDoktor, AKA VA GOP Sucks at June 25, 2017 10:05 AM (2VN2E)

118 I just bought the dapper and debonair MP4's Theda Bara mystery The Director's Cut, which I've been meaning to do for a while now (I'm easily distracted).

I've been a fan of silent movies since I was introduced to them a kid via our local PBS station. The good ones offer a very different aesthetic from talkies, perhaps a little artificial (like opera, heightened emotion and drama) but gorgeous if you are willing to immerse yourself into it. I feel it was cut down too early by the advent of sound, but of course there is no way they could compete.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 10:07 AM (QGoUX)

119 Burt, I am constantly struck by the similarities between then and now. The struggle between establishment and party rebels, the constant leaking--some things never change.
Posted by: April at June 25, 2017 09:59 AM (e8PP1)

Exactly.

It might be Winik's prejudice, but he certainly provides evidence that the biggest threat to the American mission, and Reagan's vision, was the State Department. Not the Russians.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 10:07 AM (Pz4pT)

120 Off to a cafe to have my weekly decent coffee and write. Might see y'all in a while, if you're still here.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 10:08 AM (n1dE4)

121 Time to hit the grocery store. Maybe I'l get some fennel.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 25, 2017 10:08 AM (QGoUX)

122 There's the fennel bulb and the fennel seed.

I don't mind fennel bulbs. I don't like too many fennel seeds in sausage.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 10:09 AM (ul9CR)

123 Very true, if the Germans had standardized on Pak40 equipped PZKWs and Stugs it could have been different. Along with not searching for a replacement for the PanzerSpahWagen 6x6 which by even '43 was something the Germans did not need to do.

But I can't forget a little battle between Rommel and the British Expeditionary Force in France where the 37mm guns of the PZKWIIIs were not stopping the British infantry tanks. So the future Desert Fox resorted to using his FLAK 88mm guns in the AT role.

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 10:09 AM (aet/3)

124
Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld series was for a long time my prime example for, "Take away his typewriter if he tries writing more about this ever again!" (Think The Matrix without Keanu Reeves -- things can get that bad.)

Then Isaac Asimov began committing diarrhea to the printed page in his attempt to join his Foundation trilogy with his I, Robot works. That ended his appeal to me, forever.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at June 25, 2017 10:10 AM (pNxlR)

125 "due to his absolute brutal way of warfare, totally unexperienced by the Americans at the time"
---------------------------------------
Little from that period compares to the Indian Wars in their savagery. Maybe those two Americans were greenhorns, but brutal, sneaky, underhanded frontier warfare was not unknown to Americans. They practically invented it, as far as Western civilization was concerned.

A widespread British complain early in the war was that the Americans didn't fight like gentlemen, but like Indians.
Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 10:01 AM (n1dE4)


I think that was the point. That by 1812, Americans were in their minds, so far removed from the brutality of war, that they were shocked at how deadly it was.

Not just small incidents like the one I described, but certainly the larger ones as well, like having an invading army come in and burn down your capitol.

It's not about chest thumping, who is better than the other, it's just the realities, as we see them being played out today, where a nation can become soft. It can forget it needs to be harsh and cruel with its enemy. It can be defeated, because people in charge stop doing their damned jobs, which is to use all means necessary to destroy an enemy that will destroy you if you let them.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 10:11 AM (Pz4pT)

126 I know I shouldn't be amused by the last name of "Hamburger" but I am. I'm shallow like that.

Posted by: f'd


IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE BOTH OUR NAMES MAKE YOU THINK OF BEEF PATTIES.

Posted by: BEN ROETHLISBERGER at June 25, 2017 10:13 AM (xAvrH)

127 I am currently reading Classic Liberalism and the Austrian School by Ralph Raico.

The book is a review of the roots of classic liberalism, and more to the point the movements that have sought to suppress liberty for whatever political advantage. It is heavily footnoted, but with explanations to the footnotes instead of just cryptic "cf 122 - 87a" notes.
Anyways, he discusses medieval roots of liberalism and the conflicts between the state and the people - as well as the agreements to the limits of power, through the Scholastic Movement of Salamanca (the Iberian renaissance) on to English thinkers, and the European liberal movements.
He then talks about the push-back against classic liberalism, through mercantilism, Bismarck's centralized states, and the rise socialism and fascism.

He does point out that the term Socialism has never had a good connotation in English, and such political activists as Dewey cast around repeatedly for a catchy name for it, eventually arriving at Liberal, and redefining it to take it over completely.


Raico was a very erudite man, I have linked to his old lectures in the past - he says wonderful things while looking like a cheerful balding schlub with a Brooklyn accent - in so many way the opposite of a recent presidential candidate.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:13 AM (mkDpn)

128 s-ok.

There's always cilantro to dog on. The fennel of the tropics. Cilantro is to inferior cuts of beef what fennel is to inferior cuts of pork. A good masking agent.

Isn't fennel used to make licorice? No wait, that's anise, fennel's uptown cousin.

Posted by: charleyhorse at June 25, 2017 10:13 AM (+kahX)

129 The left has always fought dirty. I wish we could stop being gentlemen.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 25, 2017 10:15 AM (xAvrH)

130
A widespread British complain early in the war was that the Americans didn't fight like gentlemen, but like Indians.


The Battle of King's Mountain was a good example of the colonials rewriting the rules or, more accurately, turning the tables on the British. For their part, the behavior of Banastre Tarleton remains a prime example of the disgraceful or uncivilized Brit in warfare in this country.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at June 25, 2017 10:16 AM (pNxlR)

131 Fennel seeds are a key ingredient to my great grandmother's Lebkuchen Christmas cookies. And they are delicious.

Can't give you the recipe though. I'd have to kill you all and then myself. It's a German thing, you wouldn't understand.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 25, 2017 10:18 AM (/tuJf)

132 But I can't forget a little battle between Rommel and the British Expeditionary Force in France where the 37mm guns of the PZKWIIIs were not stopping the British infantry tanks. So the future Desert Fox resorted to using his FLAK 88mm guns in the AT role.


Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 10:09 AM (aet/3)


The Germans had the same problem in 1941 when they ran into the Russian T-34. The short caliber 50mm guns on the PzKw III couldn't handle the thick Russian armor and the Germans were using 105mm howitzers in the direct-fire role (I read that in a book a few years ago that was a translation of German first-person accounts of fighting on the Eastern Front).

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at June 25, 2017 10:18 AM (5Yee7)

133 Raico was a very erudite man, I have linked to his old lectures in the past - he says wonderful things while looking like a cheerful balding schlub with a Brooklyn accent - in so many way the opposite of a recent presidential candidate.
Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:13 AM (mkDpn)


I have come to understand that if I'm going to wear a label, it's the classic liberal. Which has nothing to do, as you state, with our current understanding of the word.

Freedom, limited government, personal accountability, and self-preservation of the state to ENSURE that individual liberty is protected.

That's it. All else is fluffery. And bound to fail, in time.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 10:20 AM (Pz4pT)

134 Raico was a very erudite man, I have linked to his old lectures in the past - he says wonderful things while looking like a cheerful balding schlub with a Brooklyn accent - in so many way the opposite of a recent presidential candidate.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:13 AM (mkDpn)


Dees Nutz?

Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 10:21 AM (L5xfm)

135 Banastre Tarleton remains a prime example of the disgraceful or uncivilized Brit in warfare in this country.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at June 25, 2017 10:16 AM (pNxlR)


Wait, wasn't Tarleton the main bad guy of the Mel Gibson movie The Patriot? The Brits went apesh* when that movie came out, so I had always thought the character was wildly exaggerated.

Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 10:22 AM (L5xfm)

136 Rand was very observant of communism. Her solution though was just as insane, like her.

Posted by: WOPR - Nationalist at June 25, 2017 10:23 AM (J70i0)

137 I have come to understand that if I'm going to wear a label, it's the classic liberal. Which has nothing to do, as you state, with our current understanding of the word.

Freedom, limited government, personal accountability, and self-preservation of the state to ENSURE that individual liberty is protected.

That's it. All else is fluffery. And bound to fail, in time.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 10:20 AM (Pz4pT)

Absolutely correct; that's why I no longer refer to our current crop of Leftists as "liberals" - they are not. Interestingly, Greg Gutfield made the same argument last week during one of the episodes of The Five. (I don't watch it much, but Mrs Cop likes it).

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at June 25, 2017 10:25 AM (5Yee7)

138 forgot to close the tag

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at June 25, 2017 10:25 AM (5Yee7)

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (sEDyY)

140 British Matilda's had heavy armor but only armed with 2pdrs (40mm)and top speed of only 15mph

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (Ot7+c)

141 It's a great book for laying out the basics of
individualism. After reading it a dozen times, I've started thinking of
it less as a novel and more as a thousand page philosophical essay. And
it's amazing to see, in a book published in the 1950s, villainous words
and concepts that our 'elite' politicians and self-appointed
intellectuals are using today. Sometimes I wonder if Rand had a time
machine.
Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 09:22 AM (26lkV)


Rand grew up in early Soviet Russia, and that is where all our politicians and political thinkers draw their history and inspiration.
She was ostracized because of her class, her father economically destroyed when his business was first regulated and then taken from him, and purged when she was in university
She was brilliant and insightful but at the basis, she understood the cant and the consequences.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (mkDpn)

142 I liked Gibson's The Patriot. I liked it better when it first came out...as Braveheart. Same story except Gibson didn't get drawn and quartered in The Patriot.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (kTF2Z)

143 Closed them before I could.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (sEDyY)

144 Well I best meander on off, need to get ready for work.

Written about 12,000 new words on Tanya stories. This is Weird Writing 101, got these three short stories being written in parallel and they are generating stuff to go into the other stories while also pointing the way for a follow-on story. Basically when I feel the energy or inspiration ebb on one story go cracking on another since for all three I know what generally happens.

http://astore.amazon.com/aoshq-20/detail/B071NQQMPK

Posted by: Anna Puma at June 25, 2017 10:27 AM (aet/3)

145 135 Wait, wasn't Tarleton the main bad guy of the Mel Gibson movie The Patriot? The Brits went apesh* when that movie came out, so I had always thought the character was wildly exaggerated.


Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 10:22 AM (L5xfm)

Yes, he was wildly exaggerated in the movie. But that scene where they burned the church down with the people locked in it actually occurred. But it was colonial loyalists who did that.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 10:27 AM (mpXpK)

146 The End of Civilization - a limerick

An erstwhile street hooker named Hemphill
Found redemption in a nunnery, 'twas simple
She forsook her former friends
And thus her sinful era ends
Not with a bang, but with a wimple

Posted by: Muldoon at June 25, 2017 10:27 AM (mvenn)

147 Italicans attack!

Posted by: @votermom's phone at June 25, 2017 10:28 AM (4P/s6)

148 *sniff*

Posted by: The Barrel at June 25, 2017 10:28 AM (xAvrH)

149 I liked Gibson's The Patriot. I liked it better when it first came out...as Braveheart. Same story except Gibson didn't get drawn and quartered in The Patriot.
Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (kTF2Z)


Nice action in both, but it is wise NOT to get one's view of history from Mel Gibson.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 10:29 AM (Pz4pT)

150 off, foul sock

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 10:29 AM (L5xfm)

151
Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 10:22 AM (L5xfm)


That character was modeled after Tarleton, but not named that, IIRC. There was so much to roll one's eyes over from a historical accuracy viewpoint in The Patriot. For me, chiefly, it was when everyone on the Colonialist side decamped to Myrtle Beach for a campout in their egalitarian refugee camp and to dance the Shag. Hell, dress them in Pink and Kelly Green and issue them golf clubs while you're at it.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at June 25, 2017 10:29 AM (pNxlR)

152 Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (mkDpn)

Exactly. It was that she had lived through what communism really does as opposed to what it claims. The only "prophetic" part was that it *could* happen here as well.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 25, 2017 10:29 AM (sEDyY)

153 This F-1 race is the most bizarre I might have ever seen and isn't over yet

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 10:30 AM (Ot7+c)

154 145
But that scene where they burned the church down with the people locked in it actually occurred. But it was colonial loyalists who did that.
Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 10:27 AM (mpXpK)


I didn't know that. I thought that scene was exaggerated. I know that Muslims do stuff like that in modern-day Nigeria, though.

Posted by: rickl at June 25, 2017 10:32 AM (sdi6R)

155 151 Wait, wasn't Tarleton the main bad guy of the Mel Gibson movie The Patriot? The Brits went apesh* when that movie came out, so I had always thought the character was wildly exaggerated.


Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 10:22 AM (L5xfm)

I thought that was supposed to be the Gullah colony down near Savannah. That actually existed.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 10:32 AM (mpXpK)

156 I didn't know that. I thought that scene was exaggerated. I know that Muslims do stuff like that in modern-day Nigeria, though.
Posted by: rickl at June 25, 2017 10:32 AM (sdi6R)


The deuce you say.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 10:33 AM (L5xfm)

157 Since we're over 100 posts, permit me to go OT. i bought a cheap wood plaque from Michael's that I want to stain a darker color. Are there any DIY "hacks" for staining wood, aside from buying some wood stain?

Posted by: josephistan at June 25, 2017 10:33 AM (ANIFC)

158 Posted by: The Democratic Party at June 25, 2017 10:22 AM (L5xfm)

Yes, he was wildly exaggerated in the movie. But that scene where they burned the church down with the people locked in it actually occurred. But it was colonial loyalists who did that.
Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 10:27 AM (mpXpK)


Mel hates him some Brits. And if the truth doesn't fit the narrative, well, screw the truth.

His films should have the "based on actual events" label on them, like they do with horror movies that are based on some report where somebody saw a chair move on its own, and they turn it into a movie with a Marilyn Manson in a nun costume demon.

Posted by: BurtTC at June 25, 2017 10:34 AM (Pz4pT)

159 You can sabotage the wheels by applying fennel to them.

Just put the fennel on spokes.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 25, 2017 10:34 AM (xAvrH)

160 ... didn't get drawn and quartered in The Patriot.

******


The New Commanding General

He returned from the front under orders
And was met by a horde of reporters
To celebrate his new position
A portrait was commissioned
So he had his picture drawn at headquarters

Posted by: Muldoon at June 25, 2017 10:35 AM (mvenn)

161 151 There was so much to roll one's eyes over from a historical accuracy viewpoint in The Patriot.
For me, chiefly, it was when everyone on the Colonialist side decamped
to Myrtle Beach for a campout in their egalitarian refugee camp and to
dance the Shag. Hell, dress them in Pink and Kelly Green and issue them
golf clubs while you're at it.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at June 25, 2017 10:29 AM (pNxlR)

Did clear out my memory. I thought that was supposed to be the Gullah colony down near Savannah. That actually existed.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 10:36 AM (mpXpK)

162 Are there any DIY "hacks" for staining wood, aside from buying some wood stain?

Posted by: josephistan at June 25, 2017 10:33 AM (ANIFC)


In Jamaica, mon, they use brown shoe polish.

I've used it on small items/areas. Works fine.

Posted by: Slippery Slope Salesman at June 25, 2017 10:37 AM (PduNE)

163 Considering Banastre Tarleton lived out his days in England

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 10:38 AM (Ot7+c)

164 RE: Atlas Shrugged

Yeah, Ayn Rand really needed an editor who would have stood up to her and forced her to pare the book down to about half the length.

Some of the dialog is also rather stilted, but she really nails the unholy alliance of bureaucrats, rent-seeking industrialists, and the media. They all mouth pious bromides about looking out for the "little guy", as they destroy prosperity with their bungling incompetence.

Trump isn't know for being much of a reader, but it really makes me wonder whether he has picked up some of the themes from the book. He really does seem to recognize how suffocating regulations have become and is trying to reverse them. He is unabashed in his rhetoric about putting America and Americans first and making the best deals for us.

She wrote it 60 years ago so some aspects of it are rather dated, but she was absolutely spot on in predicting the rising tension between people who want their liberty to create and prosper and a self-appointed incestuous elite hell bent on dictating what they believe is good for us (but only optional for them, because they have a different set of rules for themselves).

Unfortunately, her verbosity and pedantic writing make it less accessible then 1984 and Brave New World; both of which are also essential works and amazingly prescient.

Posted by: kraki at June 25, 2017 10:38 AM (TNa9O)

165 >>Trump isn't know for being much of a reader, but it really makes me wonder whether he has picked up some of the themes from the book. He really does seem to recognize how suffocating regulations have become and is trying to reverse them. He is unabashed in his rhetoric about putting America and Americans first and making the best deals for us.

There are probably few people more aware of the burden of crushing government regulations than a commercial real estate developer in New York. I don't think he needed to read any books to understand that issue.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 25, 2017 10:41 AM (/tuJf)

166 Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which I was recently gifted, is a compulsive stay-up-all-night great read. For extra punch, read it back-to-back with Stevenson's A Man Called Intrepid.

Posted by: grayishpanther at June 25, 2017 10:45 AM (ty9Ew)

167 163 Considering Banastre Tarleton lived out his days in England
Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 10:38 AM (Ot7+c)

As did Benedict Arnold

Posted by: Fox2! at June 25, 2017 10:45 AM (brIR5)

168 " it's just going to get worse. unless it starts hurting progressives. then we'll start seeing news stories 24/7 on the 'national crisis' caused by government agencies. they'll be using phrases like 'unelected bureaucrats' and the 'imperial presidency'.

truer words i've not heard in a fair piece, nigh on a fortnight at the least.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at June 25, 2017 10:48 AM (WTSFk)

169 There are probably few people more aware of the burden of crushing government regulations than a commercial real estate developer in New York. I don't think he needed to read any books to understand that issue.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 25, 2017 10:41 AM (/tuJf)


Right. And I think this is why he gave money (and praise) to politicians of both sides. He'd do anything if he thought it might remove obstacles so he could run his business with fewer headaches.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 10:49 AM (L5xfm)

170 I'm reading Walter Alvarez' new book "A Most Improbable Journey - a big history or our planet and ourselves".

Non fiction.

Can't put it down.

Posted by: navybrat at June 25, 2017 10:49 AM (w7KSn)

171 I don't think he needed to read any books to understand that issue.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 25, 2017 10:41 AM (/tuJf)

There's something else Trump has, as real estate developer/businessman that politicians don't have -- that monthly focus on bottom line ingrained in his brain. Politicians have a two year/four year/six year bottom line focus.

I'll never forget my monthly meetings with accountant(s). Every item on the spread sheet was torn apart. Things that worked were continued, efforts less successful discarded. Moving forward constantly, never resting. I expect no less than that from Trump.

It should be interesting to see how it all works out with so much of Washington aligned against him.

Posted by: Slippery Slope Salesman at June 25, 2017 10:49 AM (PduNE)

172 140 British Matilda's had heavy armor but only armed with 2pdrs (40mm)and top speed of only 15mph
Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 10:26 AM (Ot7+c)

Weren't the Matilda's "Infantry" tanks, intended to support the Crunchies?

Posted by: Fox2! at June 25, 2017 10:50 AM (brIR5)

173

‘Woefully incomplete’ universal health bill dead for the year in California

http://tinyurl.com/y9ktmoqt

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 25, 2017 10:51 AM (IqV8l)

174 Yes, he was wildly exaggerated in the movie. But
that scene where they burned the church down with the people locked in
it actually occurred. But it was colonial loyalists who did that.
Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 10:27 AM (mpXpK)


Tarleton commanded colonial loyalists. It was the British Legion. They were involved with anti-guerrilla actions in the Carolinas.
Kings Mountain was payback for "Tarleton's Quarter"

It is important to remember that Cornwallis opened the Southern phase of the Revolution because the large number of loyalists in the Southern colonies promised to be good start for controlling a region to base the pacification the Central and Northern colonies , but he did not take into account the fact that the loyalists were already fighting a civil war of their own down there and were busy.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:51 AM (mkDpn)

175 Ayn Rand's first novel, "We The Living", is also worth a read. The protagonist is a young woman in the 1920s Soviet Union. She said many years later that it was the closest she would ever come to writing an autobiography.

Posted by: rickl at June 25, 2017 10:52 AM (sdi6R)

176 ... but it's unlikely we'll ever see any crisis for the left from the expanded state. as i've noted before, obama's fundamental transformation is the politicization of the state as well as its expansion.

one people

one state

one party

one leader.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at June 25, 2017 10:54 AM (WTSFk)

177
Church burnings occurred. There's a whole book about it in SC. https://www.createspace.com/4986802

This is from Wiki on one of them. "The St. Philip's Church Ruins are the remains of a colonial Anglican church building in Brunswick Town, North Carolina, United States.[2] The church is located beside the Cape Fear River in the Brunswick Town Historic District, along with Fort Anderson, Russelborough and the nearby Orton Plantation. Construction of St. Philip's Church lasted 14 years, but took only one day to be destroyed when the British Army burned Brunswick Town."

Tarleton massacred people.

"There are three primary accounts of the Waxhaws massacre from the patriot side and two primary accounts from the British. All three of the patriot accounts say the Legion did not honor requests to surrender but, instead, continued hacking away at the rebel force. The result being about 113 dead patriots and another 50 too wounded to move. Later pension accounts from survivors indicate a number and type of wounds consistent with the description from the rebels. One more Patriot account worthy of mention comes from John Marshall's history. He indicates having spoken with a number of surviving officers including Buford.

The British accounts come from Banastre Tarleton. First was his official report of the victory where there was no mention of any massacre but he proudly touted the casualty reports which were incredibly one-sided. Seems there were only about 5 British dead and another dozen wounded. The second British account also comes from Ban Tarleton. Found in his history of the campaigns, the second account doesn't deny the massacre but, instead, makes a single statement acknowledging the event."

Here's an account of both church burning and (small) massacre, up north. http://www.fairfieldct.org/content/10724/12146/12165.aspx

I have never heard of Continental troops doing that. What evidence do you have?

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 10:56 AM (ORmJ3)

178 Trump isn't know for being much of a reader

MSM says that, but people closer to him say he's always reading.

Who to believe? I generally don't trust people who have admitted to running a smear campaign against him.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:57 AM (mkDpn)

179 169
And I think this is why he gave money (and praise) to politicians of both sides. He'd do anything if he thought it might remove obstacles so he could run his business with fewer headaches.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 10:49 AM (L5xfm)


That's what I think. He knows all about "pay to play" and can probably call out corrupt politicians by name. They're terrified of him.

Posted by: rickl at June 25, 2017 10:57 AM (sdi6R)

180 Since we're over 100 posts, permit me to go OT. i bought a cheap wood plaque from Michael's that I want to stain a darker color. Are there any DIY "hacks" for staining wood, aside from buying some wood stain?

Posted by: josephistan at June 25, 2017 10:33 AM (ANIFC)


Is it a raw wood plaque?

Posted by: Berserker- Dragonheads Division at June 25, 2017 10:58 AM (aMlLZ)

181

WASHINGTON – A coalition of faith leaders and immigrant-rights activists are advocating for the Trump administration to “guarantee the rights of all individuals” in the Northern Triangle of nations to seek asylum and enter the U.S. as refugees.

Northern Triangle countries include Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

http://tinyurl.com/y75w5z6m

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 25, 2017 10:59 AM (IqV8l)

182 chuck todd trying to jump bad with WI (R) Senator Johnson on o-care.

fail

Posted by: concrete girl at June 25, 2017 11:00 AM (EqvVS)

183 Ayn Rand's first novel, "We The Living", is also worth a read. The protagonist is a young woman in the 1920s Soviet Union. She said many years later that it was the closest she would ever come to writing an autobiography.

Posted by: rickl at June 25, 2017 10:52 AM (sdi6R)


If so, then I think Dagny Taggart is the woman she'd most like to be. i.e., brilliant, breathtakingly beautiful (Ayn was actually quite the bowser), and, of course, hotly pursued by all of the alpha males.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:00 AM (L5xfm)

184 Yes Matilda (II) were infantry support tanks in the original Btitish tactics theory

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 11:01 AM (Ot7+c)

185 'Woefully incomplete' universal health bill dead for the year in California

http://tinyurl.com/y9ktmoqt

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr.


These people crack me up.

Before the Senate vote, Lara and Atkins acknowledged that the bill lacked critical language describing how the state would come up with the money.

I wish I could go through life, just buying sh*t and never having to worry about how to pay for it.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 25, 2017 11:01 AM (xAvrH)

186 Looks like Norway shopped next door in Sweden to furnish their library.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 25, 2017 11:02 AM (IDPbH)

187 Thanks for the kind words about The Hidden Truth. I deeply appreciate the support and enthusiasm I've had from the Moron Horde - it's a big part of what encouraged me to write the sequel, A Rambling Wreck.

Posted by: Hans G. Schantz at June 25, 2017 11:02 AM (NhF/Q)

188 That's what I think. He knows all about "pay to play" and can probably call out corrupt politicians by name. They're terrified of him.

Posted by: rickl at June 25, 2017 10:57 AM (sdi6R)


And he said as much during the campaign: "Yeah, I know this game. That's because I used to play it myself."

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:02 AM (L5xfm)

189 I wish I could go through life, just buying sh*t and never having to worry about how to pay for it.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 25, 2017 11:01 AM (xAvrH)


Hold our beer.

Posted by: some Morons' ex-wives at June 25, 2017 11:04 AM (L5xfm)

190 Finally, finally finished all 630-some pages of microscopic type in Windswept House by Malachi Martin. I consider myself jaded, but felt like a babe in the woods wrt the seedy dealings going on by higher-ups at the Vatican. This one also pulled the curtain back on Pope John Paul II -- a geopolitical genius but an awful disciplinarian who didn't think two moves ahead in his own organization.

I also learned that the Pope isn't the end-all and be-all in the hierarchy. Somewhere along the line the bishops deluded themselves that their feelz were right up there with Rome's whether it contradicted doctrine or not.

After that, I mowed through Almost Missed You by Jessica Strawser. This is her first effort and a great one at that. We begin with a happy little family on vaycay at the beach. Loving dad buys mom an umbrella drink and encourages her to enjoy her afternoon sunning and reading whilst he takes their toddler to the hotel for the afternoon nap.

Mom finally returns to the room to find no trace of husband or son or any of their belongings, just hers.

Quite the page turner. Highly recommended.

Posted by: SandyCheeks at June 25, 2017 11:04 AM (joFoi)

191 Next up in California, a bill to guarantee every resident, legal or not, a miniature giraffe. They just have a few details to work out first.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 25, 2017 11:04 AM (kTF2Z)

192 now he's gushing over bernie

of course

Posted by: concrete girl at June 25, 2017 11:04 AM (EqvVS)

193 "Thanks for the kind words about The Hidden Truth."

It's on my Wishlist.

Do you have any advice for indie publishing on Amazon? I'm looking at doing that in the next few months.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:06 AM (ORmJ3)

194 Absolutely correct; that's why I no longer refer to our current crop of Leftists as "liberals" - they are not. Interestingly, Greg Gutfield made the same argument last week during one of the episodes of The Five. (I don't watch it much, but Mrs Cop likes it).
Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at June 25, 2017 10:25 AM (5Yee7)

My wife has watched it (the 5) since the beginning. She says the other 4 make up for juan williams. I find that his total and complete separation from reality makes the other 4 unwatchable.

I just wish they could find a way to bring back the Gutfeld version of Red Eye.

Posted by: Just John at June 25, 2017 11:07 AM (Zhmao)

195 177 I have never heard of Continental troops doing that. What evidence do you have?

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 10:56 AM (ORmJ3)

If you are referring to what I said about the scene in the movie I did not say it was Continental troops. I said it was colonial loyalists. The church they burned with people in it was in SC. I came across that in a book several years ago.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 11:08 AM (mpXpK)

196 Ayn Rand's ANTHEM shows what she could do if she kept it pithy.

That book, a novella really, leaves you wanting MORE.

Plus, it directly inspired Rush's 2112, so there's that too.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 11:09 AM (ul9CR)

197 "he'll do anything if he thought it would remove obstacles..."

that new york experience, where everyone is for the same goal of business and success, whether after bruising fight or greased facilitation you dust yourself off and everyone's on the same side - that doesn't work in washington. i think trump has been genuinely surprised that dems aren't ameliorative, whether on healthcare or after firing comey.

there's a saying that goes something like this:

in new york they'll beat you up. in washington they'll kill you.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at June 25, 2017 11:09 AM (WTSFk)

198 Muse,

Did you read the Giles Milton book? I plugged it here a month or so ago. I thought it the perfect book for Moron sensibilities. Really amazing stories about which I had previous knowledge. Several parts had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Truth sometimes being a lot more suspenseful than fiction. Anyway, let me sing it's praises again.

Posted by: ITuna at June 25, 2017 11:09 AM (jm1YL)

199


Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at June 25, 2017 10:59 AM (IqV8l)

They go from being indirectly responsible for all death and harm perpetrated by MS-13 to directly responsible. May they be the ones who incur the certain future crimes of these animals instead of the innocent.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 25, 2017 11:10 AM (IDPbH)

200 once again, sock off

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:11 AM (L5xfm)

201 "If you are referring to what I said about the scene in the movie I did not say it was Continental troops. I said it was colonial loyalists."

Ack, you're right. I misread. I might have actually cited the same book you read.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:11 AM (ORmJ3)

202 I will have to read the book about Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. That's the kind of stuff I find fascinating. When we were in London recently, my very favorite thing we did was tour through Churchill's War Rooms. It was an incredible site. I highly recommend it for anyone who gets the chance to go there.
Posted by: bluebell ~ don't resist me, much! at June 25, 2017 09:32 AM (sBOL1)

The commies in the UK have been as successful as their friends across the pond in erasing great people from history. Sir Winston is virtually unknown and it has only been since WWII that his memory and accomplishments have been eradicated amongst the populace.

Posted by: SandyCheeks at June 25, 2017 11:12 AM (joFoi)

203 Did you read the Giles Milton book? I plugged it here a month or so ago. I thought it the perfect book for Moron sensibilities. Really amazing stories about which I had previous knowledge. Several parts had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Truth sometimes being a lot more suspenseful than fiction.

Anyway, let me sing it's praises again.
Posted by: ITuna at June 25, 2017 11:09 AM (jm1YL)


My apologies, I have no memory of this. Can you refresh my memory?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:13 AM (L5xfm)

204 155- The Gullahs still exist. Hearing folks reference kid show ' Gullah Gullah Island' makes 'em angry but @ least it's in popular culture.

Posted by: Rice & Indigo at June 25, 2017 11:13 AM (bc2Lc)

205 I'm also working on Jamaica Inn, by Daphne du Maurier. I thought it was going to be a nice little Victorian novel, and it's turning out more like a gothic horror story about smugglers in nineteenth century Cornwall. Interesting, but not what I expected.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (26lkV)


Hitchcock made a movie of "Jamaica Inn" in 1939 right before he left for Hollywood.

Not one of his best, but there are interesting parts.

Apparently, Hitchcock and that big slice o'ham, Charles Laughton were at loggerheads over what the film would be and at that time Laughton had the whip hand.

Anyway, they restored it a couple of years ago for the 75th Anniversary of the film and that version is available on Amazon for streaming if you wish.

Posted by: naturalfake at June 25, 2017 11:13 AM (9q7Dl)

206 I've always been awed by Cortes and his tiny group of adventurers taking out the Aztecs. I have 2 editions of Bernal Diaz's "Conquest of New Spain", 1 a copy of an old Brit edition, hard to read because of the old s that looks kind of like an f, another a full translation. I found a copy this week at a library sale for 50 cents of "The Bernal Diaz Chronicals" which is a modernized and edited for smoothness. What a great read, one of the best soldier's stories ever written.

Couple this with an Osprey book "Aztecs and Conquistadores" , great paintings and artifacts. Puts paid to the popular notion of Spanish armor and weapons of the time, especially the helmet, morion, in popular culture but was 40 years later, mostly in Italy. Most of the Conquistadores didn't have armor, it was too expensive, but they had titanium balls.

The Aztec armies and "uniforms " were quite interesting and the Osprey book shows them well.

Posted by: JHW at June 25, 2017 11:13 AM (kn0BL)

207 Plus, it directly inspired Rush's 2112, so there's that too.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at June 25, 2017 11:09 AM (ul9CR)


Great frigging album.

Posted by: Berserker- Dragonheads Division at June 25, 2017 11:14 AM (aMlLZ)

208 Must stop reading the Sunday book thread. Went to Abebooks to purchase the Simon Schama book and ended up buying 6 others as well.

Posted by: Rana at June 25, 2017 11:14 AM (bjWhy)

209 193 Apostate - There's some helpful self-publishing information here: https://madgeniusclub.com/navigating-from-writing-to-publication/ I've been traditionally published as well as going indie. I prefer indie, despite the frustrations of having to be responsible for cover design, editing, and proofing.

Posted by: Hans G. Schantz at June 25, 2017 11:16 AM (NhF/Q)

210 201 Ack, you're right. I misread. I might have actually cited the same book you read.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:11 AM (ORmJ3)

Also the Waxaws Massacre was supposedly also done by colonial loyalists but they were being commanded by Tarlton. However, he did not order the massacre. At the time it occurred he was trapped under his horse which had been shot out from under him. He got the blame for it though.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 11:17 AM (mpXpK)

211 ... i think the business experience in new york has created a false sense of expectations for trump. he ends up naive. ivanka said recently that she was really surprised by the viciousness in washington.

hopefully trump will emerge from this first year more aware of the task and the enemy.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at June 25, 2017 11:19 AM (WTSFk)

212 Looks like Norway shopped next door in Sweden to furnish their library.

Posted by: Jack Sock


That thing in the center: I thought it was a fountain, but there are actually computer workstations there. There's a woman on the left and two swarthy men on the right.

Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear at June 25, 2017 11:20 AM (xAvrH)

213 209 Hans - Thanks, I've bookmarked it. I actually liked having control over my cover. I personally hunted down perfect art for *cheap* and got it incorporated into a professional looking cover for *free.* Better than spending money (or having a publisher spend money, and counting it against the book) and having the result be sub-par.

Doing my own editing is somewhat slow going because enough time needs to pass between edits to have 'fresh eyes.' But I'm going down the Magnum Opus path, with only a few books, so it's less of a hindrance, I think.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:23 AM (ORmJ3)

214 Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 11:17 AM (mpXpK)

I assume many of the Loyalist / Tory massacre stories involve their Indian allies.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 25, 2017 11:23 AM (IDPbH)

215 Love Laurence Shames Key West Series. Also try JA Konrath Jack Daniels series. PS Shames has an older book "Money Talks" is a pretty good story of a Trump to rags tale.

Posted by: Rhennigantx at June 25, 2017 11:25 AM (bmkS9)

216 Also the Waxaws Massacre was supposedly also done by colonial loyalists but they were being commanded by Tarlton.

Waxon. Waxhawf.

Posted by: Mr. Miyagi at June 25, 2017 11:27 AM (xAvrH)

217 214 I assume many of the Loyalist / Tory massacre stories involve their Indian allies.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 25, 2017 11:23 AM (IDPbH)

I'm sure that occurred in the western parts of the colonies, but the ones we are talking about here were in the coastal areas. Waxhaw is in Southern, NC near the border about the middle of the State. In fact, it is not too far from where I currently live.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 11:28 AM (mpXpK)

218 216 Waxon. Waxhawf.

Posted by: Mr. Miyagi at June 25, 2017 11:27 AM (xAvrH)

LOL

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 11:29 AM (mpXpK)

219 What's with the fennel hate? I adore the taste of fennel. Cilantro..not so much. Tastes like soap to me.

Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:29 AM (jm1YL)

220 "Tastes like soap to me."

I read that that's genetic. Interesting trivium.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:31 AM (ORmJ3)

221 Cilantro..not so much. Tastes like soap to me.
Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:29 AM (jm1YL)


Ha! It does for me, too. Did you see my anti-cilantro thread a few months ago?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:31 AM (L5xfm)

222 I read that that's genetic. Interesting trivium.
Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:31 AM (ORmJ3)


Yeah, I got those genes. I always have to tell them to hold the cilantro when we eat out at a Mexican or Thai restaurant.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:32 AM (L5xfm)

223 I remember reading The Art of the Deal back in the 80's in the heyday of Trump's ascendancy.

He discussed his issues with the New York cement contractors, who he described as being a "very rough bunch" or something along those lines. IIRC the names associated with that crew (Trump did not mention their names) were the ilk of "Fat Tony" Salerno and Tony "Ducks" Corallo.

After having to deal with those type guys on his way up, it's unsurprisinf that he has a certain (contempt?) for the antics of the likes of pols and bottom feeders like Jeb!, Hilary, Schumer, Fauxcahontas, etc.

Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 11:34 AM (U3LtS)

224 219 What's with the fennel hate? I adore the taste of fennel.

Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:29 AM (jm1YL)


The secret ingredient in my mother's spaghetti sauce was fennel.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:34 AM (L5xfm)

225 After having to deal with those type guys on his way up, it's unsurprising that he has a certain (contempt?) for the antics of the likes of pols and bottom feeders like Jeb!, Hilary, Schumer, Fauxcahontas, etc.

Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 11:34 AM (U3LtS)


Either that, or he sees them as kindred spirits to the mafia goons.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:35 AM (L5xfm)

226 213 Apostate - Good Alpha and Beta readers are a blessing, particularly if they're the meticulous type who spot typos or even better, can tell you if the emotional or character arcs are off.

Posted by: Hans G. Schantz at June 25, 2017 11:37 AM (NhF/Q)

227 Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 11:34 AM (U3LtS)

Don't think he was known as Donny 'Two Scoops' Trump at that time.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 25, 2017 11:38 AM (IDPbH)

228 "He discussed his issues with the New York cement contractors, who he described as being a "very rough bunch" or something along those lines. IIRC the names associated with that crew (Trump did not mention their names) were the ilk of "Fat Tony" Salerno and Tony "Ducks" Corallo. "

Amazing that the MSM doesn't realize that he knows how to deal with dangerous people. Let's hope it never dawns on them. Being a developer in NYC has to be an education in itself.

Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:39 AM (jm1YL)

229 I'm going to read that Giles Morton book, but be advised that there is another book about the same subject with nearly the EXACT same title by Damien Lewis that came out last year.
I've seen books about the same subject come out at the same time, but never two with nearly identical titles...

Posted by: JoeF. at June 25, 2017 11:40 AM (7uYFy)

230 Can't give you the recipe though. I'd have to kill you all and then myself. It's a German thing, you wouldn't understand.
Posted by: JackStraw at June 25, 2017 10:18 AM (/tuJf)
--------

You might be surprised.

Welcome back. How was your race week?

Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 11:40 AM (sBOL1)

231 #203 Damn I'm clueless.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:41 AM (L5xfm)

232 Hitchcock made a movie of "Jamaica Inn" in 1939 right before he left for Hollywood.



Not one of his best, but there are interesting parts.



Posted by: naturalfake at June 25, 2017 11:13 AM (9q7Dl)
I'll have to check it out. I'm about halfway through the book, and I'm already having fun spotting the cliches and wondering if maybe, just maybe, they won't turn out to be cliches after all.

Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 11:41 AM (26lkV)

233 226 Hans - "Good Alpha and Beta readers are a blessing"

Oh goodness, yes. I have cultivated a crop of them. My wife, a telecommunications engineer, a physicist, a mathematician, an electrical engineer, and a cyber security specialist. I intend to print a small run of hardbacks to sign and distribute to the earliest and most helpful of these as a 'thank you.'

My wife especially has been helpful. She serves as a good editor (I have an irritating habit of accidentally reusing words and phrases near each other, sometimes as copy/paste artifacts, and she's expert at spotting them) and judge of my writing. When my tragic, death scene chapter made her cry, I knew I'd hit a home run.

More than anything else, I think that chapter will sell this book. People remember art that moves them.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:42 AM (ORmJ3)

234 "Don't think he was known as Donny 'Two Scoops' Trump at that time."

Can't you picture Donny "Two Scoops" as a member of Tony Sopranos crew? LOL

Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:42 AM (jm1YL)

235 Hot damn, Giles Morton has some other interesting books, too. Perhaps I should talk about them next week/

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:42 AM (L5xfm)

236 Need the horde's opinion. I've taped all episodes of American Gods. Is it any good?

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 25, 2017 11:43 AM (kTF2Z)

237 Oregon Muse, my library has ten Morton books, I found out while looking for the Churchill book. They do look interesting, don't they?

Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 11:43 AM (sBOL1)

238 "That thing in the center: I thought it was a fountain, but there are actually computer workstations there. There's a woman on the left and two swarthy men on the right."

I think the shape of the center mirrors that of a Viking ship.


Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:45 AM (jm1YL)

239 "Either that, or he sees them as kindred spirits to the mafia goons."

Heh. After the context of having to ponder the possibility that he might end up in the foundation of Trump Tower if things weren't worked out to everyone's satisfaction, he has to chuckle nowadays when he swats away some "hard hitting" liberal shill with the back of his hand.

Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 11:45 AM (U3LtS)

240 Posted by: right wing yankee at June 25, 2017 11:41 AM (26lkV)

And there's always the question of whether they were cliches when written or became such afterwards.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at June 25, 2017 11:46 AM (sEDyY)

241
G-Man by Stephen Hunter.

Well written and historically accurate fiction.

I didn't know much about Baby Face Nelson, but he was an interesting character; non-drinker, married with two children.

John Dillinger may have been killed by Charles Winstead, not Melvin Purvis.

Posted by: Frankly at June 25, 2017 11:46 AM (aez4K)

242 They do look interesting, don't they?

Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 11:43 AM (sBOL1)


That they do.

By the way, not to sound nitpicky and all, but my nic is actually OregonMuse, not Oregon Muse.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:46 AM (L5xfm)

243 Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at June 25, 2017 11:28 AM (mpXpK)

I was thinking of the Cherry Valley massacre. IIRC that was in NY.

Posted by: Jack Sock at June 25, 2017 11:46 AM (IDPbH)

244 "I think the shape of the center mirrors that of a Viking ship."

Wow, you're right. Too bad we can't see the rest of the room.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:47 AM (ORmJ3)

245 "Heh. After the context of having to ponder the possibility that he might end up in the foundation of Trump Tower if things weren't worked out to everyone's satisfaction, he has to chuckle nowadays when he swats away some "hard hitting" liberal shill with the back of his hand."

The Trump Presidential Library will be a wonder to behold I'm sure. What goodies it will contain.

Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:47 AM (jm1YL)

246 Hot damn, Giles Morton has some other interesting books, too. Perhaps I should talk about them next week/
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:42 AM (L5xfm)

I've been a fan since Nathaniel's Nutmeg, almost 20 years ago...

Posted by: JoeF. at June 25, 2017 11:47 AM (7uYFy)

247 244 "I think the shape of the center mirrors that of a Viking ship."

"Wow, you're right. Too bad we can't see the rest of the room."

Here's another pic.

http://prettybooks.tumblr.com/post/2531308867

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:48 AM (ORmJ3)

248 Heh. After the context of having to ponder the possibility that he might end up in the foundation of Trump Tower if things weren't worked out to everyone's satisfaction, he has to chuckle nowadays when he swats away some "hard hitting" liberal shill with the back of his hand.

Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 11:45 AM (U3LtS)


Yes Trump was lucky, and most likely skillful. Jimmy Hoffa however, was never able to cement that sort of relationship with those who surrounded him.

Posted by: Slippery Slope Salesman at June 25, 2017 11:48 AM (PduNE)

249 Spencer was the man.

Posted by: Cosda at June 25, 2017 09:26 AM (7nuQi)



He was also for hire

Posted by: TheQuietMan at June 25, 2017 11:48 AM (auHtY)

250 By the way, not to sound nitpicky and all, but my nic is actually OregonMuse, not Oregon Muse.

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

He's so poor he can't even afford the space in his nic!

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 25, 2017 11:48 AM (kTF2Z)

251 I didn't know much about Baby Face Nelson, but he was an interesting character; non-drinker, married with two children.

Posted by: Frankly at June 25, 2017 11:46 AM (aez4K)


I like the totes accurate portrayal of him in O Brother, Where Art Thou where he shot up a bunch of cows.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:49 AM (L5xfm)

252 " Donnie was putting away ice cream two scoops at a time!"---Moe Greene

Posted by: JoeF. at June 25, 2017 11:49 AM (7uYFy)

253 trump's ny experience explains both his aggression and naiveté. after he beats up his competitor or buys off ("facilitates") the bureaucracy he expects everyone to get along, that everyone has the same goal, doing business.

that's not d.c.

he actually thought the dems would support him for firing comey! in the midst of "investigations" to destroy him. that is naiveté.

Posted by: musical jolly chimp at June 25, 2017 11:49 AM (WTSFk)

254 "Yes Trump was lucky, and most likely skillful. Jimmy Hoffa however, was never able to cement that sort of relationship with those who surrounded him"

I love a good pun. LOL

Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:50 AM (jm1YL)

255 Viking ships had computer workstations? They were more advanced than I thought.

Posted by: rickl at June 25, 2017 11:50 AM (sdi6R)

256 Yes Trump was lucky, and most likely skillful. Jimmy Hoffa however, was never able to cement that sort of relationship with those who surrounded him.
Posted by: Slippery Slope Salesman at June 25, 2017 11:48 AM (PduNE)

I like how you used "Jimmy Hoffa" and "cement" in the same sentence.

Posted by: The Old Giants Stadium at June 25, 2017 11:51 AM (7uYFy)

257 By the way, not to sound nitpicky and all, but my nic is actually OregonMuse, not Oregon Muse.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:46 AM (L5xfm)
--------

Imma just going back to calling you OMuse then.

Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 11:51 AM (1O9i3)

258 NOOD

Posted by: weew at June 25, 2017 11:51 AM (6EH85)

259 I understood that Burgoyne brought Iroquois auxiliaries with him down from Quebec and there were a number of these incidents.

(Wyoming is in NY? WTF!)

I don't know if there were any Southern equivalents, since the Indians down there didn't have the same background with allying with anyone. IIRC Georgia would have rather had the British troops in to help them fight the Creeks than fight a revolution, if they'd had their druthers.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 11:52 AM (mkDpn)

260 Imma just going back to calling you OMuse then.
Posted by: bluebell ~ if the recipe's a hit, you must submit! at June 25, 2017 11:51 AM (1O9i3)


Good enough.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader at June 25, 2017 11:53 AM (L5xfm)

261 A few years back, when The Apprentice and The Sopranos were both going strong, I read an article where people were polled and queried about who would be a better boss - Donald Trump, or Tony Soprano.

Love to find a copy of that now. People seemed to find many parallels like valuing and rewarding loyalty; ruthlessness and amorality in imposing their will; generally watching over and taking care of their people but making sure above all else, that they themselves never got the short end, etc.

Posted by: RM at June 25, 2017 11:53 AM (U3LtS)

262 178 Trump isn't know for being much of a reader

MSM says that, but people closer to him say he's always reading.

Who to believe? I generally don't trust people who have admitted to running a smear campaign against him.
Posted by: Kindltot at June 25, 2017 10:57 AM (mkDpn

The MFM had a hard time acknowledging the fact GWB read more books and better books than their beloved, the smartest man ever. The deepest the SCOAMF ever got was Sports Illustrated.

Posted by: Northernlurker at June 25, 2017 11:54 AM (nBr1j)

263 This is a bit random, but since I have it with me I should plug it.

For anyone who is interested in understanding the Old Testament more thoroughly than most people manage, I recommend the Jewish Study Bible. It has explanations of the documentary hypothesis and how to understand ancient Semitic writings and it is full of explanatory footnotes with cross references, situational or cultural explanations, and bits of history and archaeology where relevant. It's quite useful.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 11:55 AM (ORmJ3)

264 "he actually thought the dems would support him for firing comey! in the midst of "investigations" to destroy him. that is naivete."

Rush has discussed this aspect of his personality on many occasions. I believe this first year in office is his learning year. He seems like a very quick study so I'm not worried.

Posted by: Tuna at June 25, 2017 11:56 AM (jm1YL)

265 The MFM had a hard time acknowledging the fact GWB read more books and better books than their beloved, the smartest man ever. The deepest the SCOAMF ever got was Sports Illustrated.
Posted by: Northernlurker at June 25, 2017 11:54 AM (nBr1j)
Newt Gingrich is a voracious reader too. Does anyone think that Nancy Pelosi is a reader?
That said, sometimes reading is over-rated as a marker of real world intelligence. A lot depends on WHAT you read, and what you learn from it...
I believe Trump has a super high IQ, but I don't think he reads much in the way of books. "Too time consuming", he'd probably say..

Posted by: The Old Giants Stadium at June 25, 2017 12:00 PM (7uYFy)

266 "Viking ships had computer workstations? They were more advanced than I thought."

Damn straight.

Posted by: Eric the Red at June 25, 2017 12:01 PM (jm1YL)

267 >>I wish I could go through life, just buying sh*t and never having to worry about how to pay for it.



Posted by: Steve and Cold Bear

Are you my ex-wife?

Posted by: Aviator at June 25, 2017 12:02 PM (/Nite)

268 Sometimes it feels like I am the only one in the entire world that hates murals.

They are shit excuses for fucking up a design.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at June 25, 2017 12:02 PM (udajc)

269 And Viking ships rarely ran into eachother as they had strict command controls and lookouts 24/7 while at sea.

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2017 12:03 PM (Ot7+c)

270 That said, sometimes reading is over-rated as a marker of real world intelligence. A lot depends on WHAT you read, and what you learn from it...
I believe Trump has a super high IQ, but I don't think he reads much in the way of books. "Too time consuming", he'd probably say..
Posted by: The Old Giants Stadium at June 25, 2017 12:00 PM (7uYF

Fair enough. I do think it at least can be a sign of curiosity. I happen to believe speaking ability is grossly overrated as a sign of intelligence.
Honestly, I love speaking to groups of people and I'm pretty good at it; but I don't particularly see as indication of intellect. I see it as more of a gift or talent, not directly related to intelligence.

Posted by: Northernlurker, Phillips screwdriver of the gods at June 25, 2017 12:08 PM (nBr1j)

271 Apostate: do you have a publisher or editor's name for t HD email Jewish Study Bible? There are several variations on Amazon.

Posted by: PabloD at June 25, 2017 12:12 PM (F/eTt)

272 "I see it as more of a gift or talent, not directly related to intelligence."

Indeed. As any RPG nerd knows, Charisma != Intelligence.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 12:12 PM (ORmJ3)

273 Fair enough. I do think it at least can be a sign of curiosity. I happen to believe speaking ability is grossly overrated as a sign of intelligence.
Honestly, I love speaking to groups of people and I'm pretty good at it; but I don't particularly see as indication of intellect. I see it as more of a gift or talent, not directly related to intelligence.
Posted by: Northernlurker, Phillips screwdriver of the gods at June 25, 2017 12:08 PM (nBr1j)

Oh I agree with you generally, but I'm just sick to death of liberals making a fetish of reading for reading's sake when most of them are dolts.
There is no way Obama was much of a reader. First, he was too lazy and undisciplined. Second, he already knew everything anyway so there was nothing to learn from reading...
He was a "better author than most authors he read" is how ValJar might put it....

Posted by: JoeF. at June 25, 2017 12:13 PM (7uYFy)

274 Read Open Season (Joe Pickett #1) by C J Box, first novel about a game warden in Montana who runs afoul of criminals, and his family is on the endangered species list. Liked Joe and the other characters, has trouble with bureaucratic superiors a la Bosch. Very good story, look forward to more of the series.

Listened to A Walk Among The Tombstones (Matthew Scudder #10). Scudder meets a drug supplier at an AA meeting who asks for his help tracking down people who abducted his brother's wife, took the ransom money and returned her in pieces. While looking into that case they snatch another young woman for ransom, and the clock ticks for Scudder to find them. Another terrific Scudder book.

Posted by: waelse1 at June 25, 2017 12:14 PM (a5eBy)

275 "Apostate: do you have a publisher or editor's name for t HD email Jewish Study Bible? "

The one I have says: The Jewish Study Bible, Tanakh Translation, Featuring The Jewish Publication Society; Oxford University Press, 2004. Retail mark of $45.

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 12:14 PM (ORmJ3)

276 The Hidden Truth sounds really intriguing. The only thing stopping me from buying it this instant is the word " sequel."

Doesn't anyone, anywhere, write entire books where all the plots and Ideas are paid off into a satisfying conclusion, and then go on and write a different book with new characters and ideas? Ever?

I am so done with being "Wheel of Time"'d to death.

Posted by: Gem at June 25, 2017 12:17 PM (uaHyk)

277 272 "I see it as more of a gift or talent, not directly related to intelligence."

Indeed. As any RPG nerd knows, Charisma != Intelligence.
Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 12:12 PM (ORmJ3)

There's lots of highly intelligent people who can't communicate worth s**t. And knowing your basic, four-letter anglo saxon words goes a long way toward effective communication. (As opposed to a head stuff full of multi-syllabic words.

Posted by: Northernlurker, Phillips screwdriver of the gods at June 25, 2017 12:17 PM (nBr1j)

278 Thanks, Apostate! The Horde is ever-helpful.

Posted by: PabloD at June 25, 2017 12:18 PM (F/eTt)

279 "Doesn't anyone, anywhere, write entire books where all the plots and Ideas are paid off into a satisfying conclusion, and then go on and write a different book with new characters and ideas? Ever?"

That's what I'm doing. Three, and that's it.

"Thanks, Apostate! The Horde is ever-helpful."

I live to serve.

Aside, how weird is it that someone named Apostate is giving religious study advice?

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 12:21 PM (ORmJ3)

280 I finished Kurt Schlicter's "Indian Country" and William Manchester's "American Caesar," his magisterial biography of Douglas MacArthur. Currently reading "Waging Insurgent Warfare," kind of a refresher of a previous job but from the other side.

Posted by: Butch at June 25, 2017 12:26 PM (hXu8T)

281 Two comments on Churchill's ungentlemanly warfare:

Anthony Cave Brown makes a strong argument in his book Bodyguard of Lies that a Brit agent in France was fed inaccurate information as to Overlord then betrayed so that the Nazis could torture it out of him.

While Das Reich was being delayed on their road march, they took time to massacre the 642 residence of the French village of Oradour-Sur-Glane on June 10, 1944. Das Reich had transferred from the eastern front a few months earlier where such an incident would barely rate a footnote but it was unusual in the west. There is some mystery as to the reason this village was consigned to oblivion, the two most prominent are reprisal for the kidnapping of an SS officer by the maquis and reprisal for the theft of the informal officers' retirement fund of valuables looted on the eastern front, but one wonders if the rage engendered by the delaying tactics contributed.

No real point here other than war is hell.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, the Unwoking Dead at June 25, 2017 12:32 PM (Nwg0u)

282 Need the horde's opinion. I've taped all episodes of American Gods. Is it any good?

Posted by: Duke Lowell at June 25, 2017 11:43 AM (kTF2Z)


Interesting set up bu-u-u-u-ut then a whole lot of nothing happens.

I'm guessing the book would've been much better served as a one season and done dealio.

Graphic, overly long, gay sex scene opens episode 3 or 4, so get ready to the FF button unless you're big on man on man action that has literally near zero to do with the overarching story.

Lots of wasted time usually in the opening segments.

If you're a devout Christian and bothered by such things, they portray Jesus as the wimpy dufus of gods in the finale. So, boring Hollywood nonsense. Wonder if they'll show Allah?(Spoiler: Nope. Too cowardly.)

Ian McShane steals the show as Odin and frankly AG is a borefest almost every time he's not on screen. Not a lot of great acting besides him.

Great idea. Poor execution.

I haven't read the book, so I can't speak to the quality of the translation of written page to small screen.

But, the story they've told so far doesn't justify number of episodes, nor a new season.

Feel free to disagree.

Posted by: naturalfake at June 25, 2017 12:36 PM (9q7Dl)

283 "a Brit agent in France was fed inaccurate information as to Overlord then betrayed so that the Nazis could torture it out of him."

That's some hard-core counterintelligence. It'd have to be a hell of a good case to convince me of its truth, though. This drifts into conspiracy theory land. Transmitting strategic information to a local agent in the presence of the enemy in the first place is difficult and foolish. Were I the Germans, I wouldn't believe it at all.

If we had an agent in place in Iraq in 2002, would the DIA give him information on the impending invasion outside of a disinformation op?

Posted by: Apostate at June 25, 2017 12:38 PM (ORmJ3)

284 "Doesn't anyone, anywhere, write entire books where all the plots and Ideas are paid off into a satisfying conclusion, and then go on and
write a different book with new characters and ideas? Ever?"

I recall Spider Robinson many years back sharply critiquing this developing trend. He likened it to the Marx Brothers in _A Day At The Races_.

One of the brothers is a tout who is selling purported guides to the fixed races, under cover of operating an Italian ice cream stand. Getta you tuttsi-fruitsi ice-a cream-a!

One of the race bettors is convinced to buy the guide from him. Then learns that the guide is useless unless he also buys a second book that decodes the first. But then there's a third book to unlock the second, for which he must stump up.

By the time this is all over, the races have wrapped up for the day, and the poor cleaned-out bettor is staggering under the weight of a stack of racing guides.

Robinson said he kept realizing, too late, that he'd been hooked into open story arcs that an author intended to have continue over some arbitrary number of future books, perhaps never concluding clearly, and then Robinson would shout "Getta you tuttsi-fruttsi science-a fiction-a!" and throw the thing across the room.

Posted by: torquewrench at June 25, 2017 12:42 PM (ujwCG)

285 Looks like I'm arriving in the nick of time. You
like self-driving cars and container ships? Get ready for self-driving
government!

Posted by: AI at June 25, 2017 10:04 AM (sdi6R)

Hmmm. We could send out fancy shmancy invites to deep state bureaucrats to a faux event, guest speaker Barack Hussein Obama. Pick them up with self driving cars which will drive them into containers where they will be off loaded and secured by bots. When the containers are full they will be loaded onto ships and sent to sea.And then ...well, I don't know. Something. This is as far as I have gotten. Hopefully there will be more details (like what to do with the cargo) before Campaign #2 The Cleansing of Congress begins.


Posted by: gracepc at June 25, 2017 12:44 PM (OU4q6)

286 >>Welcome back. How was your race week?


Fantastic. Racing was up and down but the week was a blast from start to finish. Unfortunately, my 29 year old body takes longer to recover than when I was 21.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 25, 2017 12:44 PM (/tuJf)

287 Doesn't anyone, anywhere, write entire books where all the plots and Ideas are paid off into a satisfying conclusion, and then go on and write a different book with new characters and ideas? Ever?

I am so done with being "Wheel of Time"'d to death.
Posted by: Gem at June 25, 2017 12:17 PM (uaHyk)


Yes!

To toot my own horn, especially as endless series are a bugaboo of mine...

In "Wearing the Cat", all ideas and plot lines are indeed paid off into a satisfying and surprising conclusion.

And that is the end of that story.

The current novel I'm writing contains none of those characters.

Check out the samples on Amazon to see if WTC is your kind of thing.

Posted by: naturalfake at June 25, 2017 12:46 PM (9q7Dl)

288 I'm currently reading Commerce of the Prairies, one of those old books I've long wanted to look over but didn't get around to. Its a non-dry examination of the Santa Fe trail, its history and features, the people that travel it, etc. Written in the mid 1800s, its a great "opening the west" reference book full of stories of events.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 25, 2017 12:51 PM (39g3+)

289 Doesn't anyone, anywhere, write entire books where all the plots and Ideas are paid off into a satisfying conclusion, and then go on and write a different book with new characters and ideas? Ever?

All three of my books are this sort yes. I understand the attraction to series, and why people write them. Every one of my books stands alone, but comments, feedback, and even reviews suggest they want more stories about that character in that setting.

But I like the idea of a story that has a beginning and end in a book, rather than an endless, open-ended long story.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 25, 2017 12:54 PM (39g3+)

290 If we spend a lot of AOSHQ but use an ad blocker, we are in effect hurting Ace's income.

Posted by: Michael the Texan (formerly TEXIT) at June 25, 2017 09:51 AM (nvMvs)

Use the ad-blocker, but hit the tip jar now and then. Problem solved.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 25, 2017 12:54 PM (XUcIQ)

291 Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 25, 2017 12:54 PM (39g3+)

That's one of the things I like about short stories. Any suggestions for SS authors or collections. Contemporary ones moreorless as I have read most of the better known.

Starting up Siege of Mecca and spotting it with a Michael Connelly book, forgot the title for the moment.

TY to whoever recommended Longmire on Netflix. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I like it when that happens.

Posted by: gracepc at June 25, 2017 01:05 PM (OU4q6)

292 It's just a symptom of the decline but if you Google God Save The Queen lyrics you get the Sex Pistols song lyrics in Google boldface, not the actual anthem of Great Britain.

Here's the second stanza of the original unabridged version.

O Lord our God arise
Scatter her (Queen's) enemies
And make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix
God save us all

-
The GOP should adapt this for their battle hymn.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, the Unwoking Dead at June 25, 2017 01:07 PM (Nwg0u)

293 "a Brit agent in France was fed inaccurate information as to Overlord then betrayed so that the Nazis could torture it out of him."

The British, up until recently, were always rationally ruthless.

The diversity of the bombing victims is a source of pride, while they studiously ignore the non-diversity of the bombers.

Churchill weeps.

Apologies for going OT.

Posted by: Butch at June 25, 2017 01:20 PM (hXu8T)

294 Doesn't anyone, anywhere, write entire books where all the plots and Ideas are paid off into a satisfying conclusion, and then go on and write a different book with new characters and ideas? Ever?

-
I recently read an Ian Rutledge mystery, Legacy of the Dead, which ends with Rutledge impaled on the horns of a dilemma. He can either keep his promise to the widow of a man he executed during the war to not impair her right to raise a friend's toddler or to tell his godfather, grieving the loss of his only child, that the toddler in question is his grandson. I was intrigued by which way he would bounce so I read the next in series, Watchers of Time, in which the issue is not addressed (other than that he avoids his godfather).

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, the Unwoking Dead at June 25, 2017 01:21 PM (Nwg0u)

295 About 2:00 am I was cursing the person who recommended Operation Kronstadt by Harry Ferguson. See I was going to read a chapter or two then go to bed. I am halfway through the book. Probably finish it up tonight. Great story.

Posted by: Charlotte at June 25, 2017 01:25 PM (RkYsP)

296 I haven't read the Hamburger book (and doubt that I will), but my BS detector went off at the description. While it doesn't explicitly say so, it sounds as if it's pushing the false impression that the royal power described is something which existed or grew for many centuries. This is a common error. The extreme power of the state was a relatively new thing; it really came in with the Tudors. Generally, this is true in W Europe. With the Renaissance worship of all things Roman, the model of the Roman state became standard. Earlier kings had nothing like that amount of power. (Note that slavery's return was another return to Roman practice at this time.)

Another thing, this time almost explicit, is the change came "after the civil war". Well, since the restoration came after the war, that is in fact true (up to a point). The war itself simply changed who was exercising the power. Even after the restoration, and after 1688, there was less of a change than usually implied. What did happen is that after 1714 - the Hanoverian accession - is that that power shifted heavily to Parliament.

Posted by: George LeS at June 25, 2017 01:29 PM (+TcCF)

297 Hitchcock made a movie of "Jamaica Inn" in 1939 right before he left for Hollywood.

Not one of his best, but there are interesting parts.
-------
The book, by Daphne du Maurier, is a pretty good read. The inn, BTW, still exists. I've been there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica_Inn

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 25, 2017 01:47 PM (OdK9v)

298 Yawn. The story of the SOE and the march of the Das Reich was so secret that Max Hastings wrote a non-plagiarized book about it in 1983. Short version - Das Reich's delay in getting to Normandy was due far less to the efforts of the French Resistance and the SOE than German stupidity in diverting the Das Reich to fight the French Resistance and the SOE instead of marching immediately toward the beaches.

The description is playing fast and loose with the actual historical events, that even such actual events described, like the one SOE operative who help disabled - with the help of French railroad workers - tank transporter railcars, are not described correctly.

Posted by: TKYC at June 25, 2017 02:01 PM (osClt)

299 Can't stand Neil Gaiman, so I guess I will skip American Gods.

Posted by: roamingfirehydrant at June 25, 2017 02:02 PM (THS4q)

300 Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at June 25, 2017 12:54 PM (39g3+)

If you guys haven't read Christopher's books yet you need to!
He's a really gifted storyteller.

Posted by: @votermom @vm pimping great books usually free or sale at June 25, 2017 02:14 PM (hMwEB)

301 My dad worked at Detroit Edison in construction his entire career, and worked on Fermi 1 nuclear plant restart; I had just started college and he brought me back a radiation sign that I had in my college dorm. Still packed away somewhere.

Posted by: Lirio100 at June 25, 2017 02:20 PM (JK7Jw)

302 sorry--wrong thread!

Posted by: Lirio100 at June 25, 2017 02:21 PM (JK7Jw)

303 I finished 'Pilgrim's Regress' this week and find I have a taste for allegory. May start on Dante, been a few decades.

Also finished 'Avenging Angels' by Chuck Dixon. USA Rangers with a time machine, pulpy fun.

I'm starting 'The Crimson Campaign' by Brian McClellan, second book in his Gunpowder Mage series. I like it a lot.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at June 25, 2017 02:57 PM (xJa6I)

304 Regarding the French Revolution make sure to read Simon schama's 'Citizens' if you never have. He's a leftist crank but it's an incredibly good read
Posted by: JEM at June 25, 2017 09:20 AM (TppKb)


I've read Citizens and was impressed with the breadth of what he covered but I greatly preferred Jay Winik's narrative style in the French Revolution part of The Great Upheaval which Burt referred to without specifically naming earlier in the thread. Winik places the Revolution in its proper perspective, namely that it scared the piss out of the rest of the world and specifically dialed back Catherine the Great's plans to liberalize Russia which probably ultimately led to the commies seizing power.

Winik is very deferential to Schama's work but I consider both of them essential to a good understanding of the event.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 25, 2017 03:09 PM (y7DUB)

305 Regarding my own reading I'm about 2/3 through T. H. White's The Once and Future King. I think some members of The Horde like this more than I do but that shouldn't be misconstrued as a backhanded smack at anybody. It's a modern (well as modern as the 30s) update of the Arthurian legend and is written pretty damn well; and got me to LOL when he talked about Art sending the Knights to pursue the Holy Grail in not painstaking detail, and telling any readers wanting a fuller explication to go read Mallory. White takes great pains to describe the conflicted Lancelet banging Queen Jenny while Art seems to be the world's most clueless cuck. So it's been a fun read for sure.

Posted by: Captain Hate at June 25, 2017 03:20 PM (y7DUB)

306 OT-I was listening to one of my favorite operas Mozart's-"The Magic Flute " which was on the radio. This just occurred to me-for those that know the opera-I wonder what would happen if Sarastro-the mysterious, wise magician had Donald Trump's hair and the evil Queen of the Night who is destroyed by Sorastro at the end of the opera- was in a pant suit and a mask of Hllary?. Would the leftists be horrified or would they be say "It's just art. Get over it!!"

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2017 03:27 PM (qES5k)

307 Another, William Fairbairn, was a portly pensioner with an unusual passion: he was the world's leading expert in silent killing...

Guy like this... you probably do want to stay off his lawn.

Posted by: Ace's liver at June 25, 2017 03:51 PM (+azJs)

308 Reading TARGET TOKYO ( by James M Scott) about the Dolittle Raiders so far so good I recommend the book bought his other book about WW2 subs.

Looking for a good book about the battle for MIDWAY.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at June 25, 2017 04:13 PM (dKiJG)

309 Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2017 03:27 PM (qES5k)

There are crazy way-out opera productions but that would be beyond the pale. Sort of like when they wanted to stage the Michael Brown shooting in L.A. but accurately, and the actors walked out.

Posted by: waelse1 at June 25, 2017 05:26 PM (btnRY)

310 Just finished <i>The Gardner Heist</i> by Ulrich Boser. The book is a little unsatisfying because, as one learns early in the book, the crime remains unsolved.

Started this week on <i>River Town</i> by Peter Hessler about his two years spent living in China. Excellent so far.

Posted by: CommonSenseMom at June 25, 2017 06:12 PM (NSIL9)

311 <oops>!</oops>

Posted by: CommonSenseMom at June 25, 2017 06:13 PM (NSIL9)

312
Another, William Fairbairn, was a portly pensioner with an unusual passion: he was the world's leading expert in silent killing...

The Fairbain-Sykes fighting knife:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairbairn%E2%80%93Sykes_fighting_knife

Posted by: Frankly at June 25, 2017 06:40 PM (Pre/a)

313 "...government had grown too complex and technical for Joe Sixpak voters and
politicians and instead, had to be managed by experts. So now
apparently it has grown too complex even for the experts."

Ah, this is the nature of the beast. To this I can attest, at least in my small sphere of experience. As an architect in Los Angeles, in the last 12 years, the building code has more than DOUBLED (no exaggeration, it's per the LADBS own word). As a result, not only are laymen (read: property owners) totally lost as to what the code is, 'professional experts', which I suppose I should be, are now only useful in so far as we are at least familiar with the potential pitfalls, but knowing the code- forget it. A few years ago, it really did get to the point that the people who work everyday administering the code no longer know the code- they're just faster to know where to look, or have to ask supervisors for guidance. Actual expertise is now truly impossible in this byzantine labyrinth we call the building code...

Posted by: Wysiwyg Mtwzzyzx at June 26, 2017 08:12 PM (98Feg)

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